The Gospel of Luke

This devotional is written by Hayden West. Hayden is married to Cat!

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another,
Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is
hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What
you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner
rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
4 "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will
show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into
hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by
God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many
sparrows.
8 "I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the
angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 And
everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the
Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 "When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend
yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say."

At the start of this chapter we find Jesus among thousands of people, yet he immediately addresses his disciples pretty much ignoring the crowd around him, they are literally trampling on one another to see him! The disciples obviously needed to hear these words, they were the next leaders and needed to avoid the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. The hypocrisy being, they were doing it all for show. Instead of fearing God they were fearing Man, and the judgement of others.
‘Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell'. Why worry about what others think, or the judgement of unbelievers when time on earth is so limited compared to an eternity with the Creator who loves and cares for you deeply.
I was always confused as a kid as to why people told me to ‘Fear the Lord' like the rest of the time you tell me how much he knows me and loves me and is protecting me. He forgave your sins but don't mess it up and ever do it again!! But as I've grown to know God, I've come to realise its more like respect. I Love to surf. And I love the ocean, but I have a respect for it as I know of the dangers and I've seen the amazing power it can produce. Like I wouldn't go for a surf in the middle of a massive storm. Scripture is full of examples of Fearing God as a good thing, Fearing God saves us from caving into our own sinful nature. Romans 3:18 says that our chief Sin is that we ‘Have no fear of God at all'