God's Great Concern
God's primary concern is the well-being of his children, and he values us more than many sparrows.
David Wilkerson emphasizes God's profound concern for His children amidst global turmoil, highlighting that God's gaze is primarily focused on the well-being of those who fear Him and hope in His mercy. He reassures us that God is aware of every detail in our lives, even the smallest struggles, as illustrated by Jesus' teaching about sparrows. Wilkerson reminds us that if God cares for the sparrows, He cares even more for us, as we are of great value to Him. The sermon encourages believers to trust in God's watchful eye and His intimate knowledge of our lives, reinforcing that our pains and needs are significant to Him.
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In the midst of this worldwide "shaking of all things," what is God's great concern in all of this? Is it on the events of the Middle East? No. The Bible tells us God's vision is trained on his children: "Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy" (Psalm 33:18).
Our Lord is aware of every move on the earth, by every living thing. And yet his gaze is focused primarily on the well-being of his children. He fixes his eyes on the pains and needs of each member of his spiritual body. Simply put, whatever hurts us concerns him.
To prove this to us, Jesus said, "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28). Even in the midst of great world wars, God's primary focus isn't on the tyrants. His focus is on every circumstance in his children's lives.
Christ says in the very next verse: "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father" (Matthew 10:29). In Christ's day, sparrows were the meat of the poor and sold two for a penny. Yet, Jesus said, "Not one of these small creatures falls to the ground without your Father knowing it."
Jesus' use of the word "fall" in this verse signifies more than the bird's death. The Aramaic meaning is "to light upon the ground." In other words, "fall" here indicates every little hop a tiny bird makes.
Christ is telling us, "Your Father's eye is on the sparrow not just when it dies but even when it lights on the ground. As a sparrow learns to fly, it falls from the nest and begins to hop along the ground. And God sees every little struggle it has. He's concerned over every detail of its life."
Jesus then adds, "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows" (10:31). Indeed, he says, "The very hairs of your head are numbered" (10:30). Simply put, the One who made and counted all the stars--who monitored every action of the Roman Empire, who keeps the galaxies in their orbits--has his eye fixed on you. And, Jesus asks, "Are you not worth much more to him?"
Sermon Outline
- I. God's Great Concern
- A. God's vision is trained on his children
- B. He is aware of every move on the earth, but his focus is on the well-being of his children
- II. The Proof of God's Concern
- A. Jesus' words in Matthew 10:28
- B. Jesus' use of the sparrow as an example in Matthew 10:29-31
- III. The Extent of God's Concern
- A. God sees every detail of our lives, including our struggles and successes
- B. God values us more than many sparrows
Key Quotes
“Your Father's eye is on the sparrow not just when it dies but even when it lights on the ground.” — David Wilkerson
“The very hairs of your head are numbered.” — David Wilkerson
“Are you not worth much more to him?” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We should not fear the things of this world because God is greater and more powerful than any earthly threat.
- God values us more than many sparrows, and is concerned with every detail of our lives.
- We should trust in God's care and provision, and not worry about our struggles and successes.