GOD KEEPS WATCH OVER HIS OWN

MATTHEW 10:2

A. "ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A FARTHING? AND ONE OF THEM SHALL NOT FALL ON THE GROUND WITHOUT YOUR FATHER"
  1. The Son of God came into this world to reveal:
    1. His heavenly Father unto men - Matt. 11:27; John 17:6
    2. This He did by His divine life - Heb. 1:3
    3. He could say to Philip, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father" - John 14:9
  2. He made the paternal care for men by the Father one of the high points of His teaching:
    1. The fowls of the air
    2. The lilies of the field - Matt. 6:25-30 B. GOD KEEPS WATCH OVER HIS OWN
  3. It is noteworthy, in the first place, that Jesus sought to impress upon His hearers that God not only cared for the world but for them individually - "Not one sparrow" - He said:
    1. The Bible reveals this truth over and over, Examples: the one lost sheep; Luke 15:4-7; the prodigal son - Luke 15:11-32; it was for one coin that a woman lighted a candle to find the coin; the woman at the well - John 4:1-23; Nicodemus - John 3:1-9
  4. It is noteworthy that important as the individual is to God, He might be called upon to suffer:
    1. Caring for the sparrow, as the Father did, yet He allowed the sparrow to fall to the ground
    2. Can we forget the suffering of God's only Son - I Pet. 2:21-23; Acts 17:3; Luke 23:42-44
    3. We are admonished by Peter to arm ourselves with the same - I Pet. 5:10
  5. Yet our heavenly Father, who cares for the sparrow watcheth over His own:
    1. As over the apple of His eye - Deut. 32:10
    2. Said the Psalmist, "Keep me as the apple of thine eye" - Ps. 17:8; Zech. 2:8
    3. Think of Daniel in the lions den - Dan. 6:22
    4. Joseph, who had been sold into slavery C. THIS KNOWLEDGE OF OUR HEAVENLY FATHER'S LOVING CARE FOR HIS OWN
  6. Should create great confidence in our hearts to trust Him at all times:
    1. The twenty-third psalm is a glowing testimony of God's care over His own - let us memorize it
    2. That was the secret of David meeting his adversary boldly in battle - I Sam. 17:15-45
    3. That was enabling power of the three Hebrews to defy the commandment of the King - Dan. 3:14-17
  7. God's remnant people must keep these truths in their hearts: They, so Bible prophecy foretold, will face the wrath of Satan, who will declare war against them - Rev. 12:17
    1. They will be without an intercessor during the last days
    2. They will go through Jacob's trouble - Jeremiah 30:7
  8. Do we know our heavenly Father sufficiently:
    1. From experience to trust Him? - Examples: As Job did - Job 13:15; as Paul did - Acts 27:21-25
    2. From the study of God's promises - Is. 41:17; 33:15-17; Matt. 28:20
  9. What a wonderful consolation for God's people facing the trials of the last days:
    1. Think of Daniel 12:1-3
    2. Of the glorious triumph of the people that keep God's commandments - Rev. 22:14; 14:12; 12:17


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