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Luke 12:4-5
A very large crowd has gathered to hear Jesus, but as He begins to speak, He speaks first to His disciples (Luke 12:1). In Luke 12:4 Jesus addresses His disciples as His friends. These “friends” of Jesus are the ones that are striving to follow His teaching and learn from Him. Jesus teaches His disciples in John 15:12-15 that they should have a love for each other as is the love that He has for them. Jesus sacrificed His life for the sins of man and He states that there is no greater love than this. The love that Jesus speaks of is the love that the Father in heaven has for humanity. He sent His one and only Son to pay the price for the sins of man so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life through Him (John 3:16).
Jesus teaches His disciples to not be afraid of the coming persecution from the hands of man that is in the darkness of the sinful nature of the world. But what is more important is to have a fear of what can become of man after physical death. And that is to spend eternity out of God’s presence where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). The Almighty God of heaven has the power to cast into hell (Luke 12:5), but He also offers through His power in His Son, forgiveness of sin.
The “fear” is the very real fear of realizing that we may be cast into hell for eternity. But the fear of God is the very real acknowledgement of respect for His Almighty power in our humble submission to Him. Psalm 111:10 teaches us that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Psalm 19:9 states that the fear of the LORD is clean, and that it endures forever.
This is a command to fear (respect) the LORD.
This is a promise that the LORD, having the power to cast into hell, also has the power to save us from eternity in hell.
To “fear” the LORD is to have an unending reverence and respect for Him as the Almighty God of heaven; Omnipotent (having unlimited authority or influence), Omnipresent (being present everywhere always), and Omniscient (having infinite awareness, understanding, and insight). Let us have an awareness of the Almighty God of heaven that draws us to Him in repentance of the sinful nature that lives in us all, and a sincere respect and submission to Him by placing our faith in His one and only Son who died for our sins and paid the price of death for our sins so that we may live in Him for eternity. Let us love Him in reverent fear (respect) because of what He has first done for us.
Dear Lord,
Please help us to see You for who You truly are; the Almighty God of heaven who loves us so much that You sent Your one and only Son to die for every one of us (John 3:16) so that we may be redeemed to You by believing in Him (John 1:12-13). In Jesus name I pray, amen.