Preparation for Perseverance • 09.20.26
Nick Lees   -   September 20, 2026

Preparation for Perseverance
Luke 12:1-12

Replacing fear of man with faith in God

  1. Realize that hypocrisy will be exposed one day
  2. Consider the limited authority of men in comparison to the complete authority of God
  3. Understand God’s response to our faith in or rejection of him

Manuscript:

Good morning, church family! Introduce self + welcome guests

Dismiss 4th + 5th graders

Ushers + Bibles (Luke 12; page 1035)

It is sweet to be back with you this morning, worshiping the Lord together! I am looking forward to diving back into our study of the Gospel of Luke this morning. Last week we left off after a very tense interaction between Jesus and the religious leaders. You may recall Jesus had been invited to a dinner party with the Pharisees and lawyers. And pretty quickly into the dinner, Jesus began confronting them on their religious hypocrisy! He pronounced woes on both groups for all the ways they had been leading the nation astray. And when Jesus had finished what he wanted to say, he left the meal, but the religious leaders followed him out of the home and began pressing him hard to try to trap him in his words! What a dinner party! This conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders will only escalate from here.

Why is this happening? Because the religious leaders failed to lead the people to God. Now the Son of God is confronting them and giving all who hear an opportunity to take note and repent before it is too late. Jesus has come to make a way of salvation for the people, and he is providing bold teaching to help them understand what is at stake. It will not do to take a lax approach to our faith. We cannot simply go through “the religious motions” of faith nor count on adherence to rules and traditions to save us. Jesus is lovingly ripping away the very things people are tempted to trust in for salvation, because he knows that there is only ONE way of salvation – faith in him.

Today, as we pick back up in Luke 12, we are going to hear Jesus continue to address the foolishness of fake faith or religious hypocrisy. God will not be fooled. He knows our heart. He knows what we truly believe.

Yet Jesus is no longer at dinner with the religious leaders. He is returning to teaching the crowds and his disciples. In this next section of Luke, he is preparing his disciples for what is coming. He wants them to be able to endure and persevere in their faith. Today we have the privilege of hearing Jesus’ instructions to his disciples on how they can fear God instead of man and thereby stand firm in the faith.

Let’s read Luke 12:1-12.

Luke 12:1–12 (ESV)

In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Jesus speaks plainly to his disciples. His goal is to prepare them for the persecution that is coming, so that they may persevere in their faith and glorify God. Throughout this teaching today, there is a theme of…

Replacing fear of man with faith in God

This is what we are going to focus on. And who doesn’t struggle with fear of man at some point in their life? Why is it so tempting to care more about what people think of us than to be bold in our faith and testify about all that Jesus has done? Wouldn’t it be great to have more confidence and boldness in sharing the beauty of who Christ is and what he has done?

I am certain that I am not alone in this struggle. Clearly it was an issue for the disciples in Jesus’ day, and I am certain it remains an issue in ours as well. So, let’s benefit from Jesus’ instruction as we seek to replace fear of man with faith in God!

It starts with the instruction of Jesus found in verses 1-3. This is where he warns the disciples of “the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” When Jesus speaks about leaven, he is using a term that would have been very relatable in their day but may be a bit obscure in ours. He is speaking of yeast that causes bread to rise in preparation for baking. He is using this as an analogy for how the Pharisee’s hypocritical teaching and example is influencing people in a negative way. It is spreading throughout their society and causing tremendous damage! The disciples of Christ need to be aware of this and avoid it, lest they too be led astray.

But then Jesus goes further than simply warning them about this “hypocritical leaven”. In verses 2-3 he provides another incredible warning.

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops.

Here you have Jesus, the Son of God, promising that all will be made known one day. There are no secrets with God. The things that men and women believe are concealed, that no one else knows about… the words said while in hiding or whispered so others might not hear… will be declared in the light and proclaimed on the housetops one day! These are words of warning that religious hypocrisy and sin will not remain a secret. Which brings us to our first takeaway in replacing fear of man with faith in God…

  1. Realize that hypocrisy will be exposed one day

This teaching from Jesus is not only a warning for those who engage in such wicked ways, but also an encouragement for faithful followers of Christ who are persecuted by such wickedness. Let’s start with the warning and then consider the encouragement.

Jesus’ teaching on these matters ought to strike a holy fear into everyone! You are fooling yourself if you think that you can sin in your speech or actions behind closed doors, and no one knows. God sees and hears all! What a terrifying reality.

Who here would claim to always say what is right and pleasing to God? No one, I hope. How does knowing that God sees and hears all that you say/do, even in private, challenge you to change?

I hope it will drive each of us to confess and seek forgiveness from our Savior. This is the first and most necessary response. Authentic faith turns from sin. But it doesn’t stop there. If we truly grasp what is being taught here, we ought to be challenged to pursue pure and holy conduct and speech! If God hears and sees all that I say and do, then I want what he hears and sees to be honorable and glorify him. I do not want to dishonor my God or invite his opposition into my life. Do you?

Jesus’ teachings invite us to turn from sinful speech and actions. We must not believe the lie that they remain secret or hidden from God. Instead, we must allow the light of God’s presence and knowledge to lead us to pure speech and actions.

How might your speech/actions need to change this week? Perhaps it is in your household – that is often where we are most comfortable with sinning. Adults, do you need to ask forgiveness from your spouse or children for the sinful way you’ve been speaking to or treating them? Kids/Students, do you need to ask forgiveness from your parents or siblings for the sinful way you’ve been speaking to or treating them? For some it might not be your home, but your workplace (or school). Do you need to turn away from office gossip and slander of your bosses or co-workers (your peers)? Perhaps you need to change your speech/actions when it comes to church. Maybe you are here putting on a show, but out there you’re living a completely different life. If that is you, it’s time to come into the light and ask for help!

Allow the warning of Jesus towards the religious hypocrites of his day to bear fruit in your life today! Through faith and obedience to Jesus, you can begin to put off ungodly words and actions this very week and replace them with speech and actions that glorify God.

Now let’s look at the encouragement that comes from this teaching. Remember that Jesus is speaking to his disciples. He is reminding them that those who oppose them will be exposed one day. The sinful behavior of these leaders is not hidden from God. This is an encouragement because, when you understand it, it robs hypocritical people/leaders of their “power” over you. The disciples did not have to fear the Pharisees or lawyers anymore! Even though they wielded considerable cultural power and influence, they were nothing in comparison to God. And God would hold these religious hypocrites accountable for their words and actions! Jesus is providing freedom from the fear of man.

Which is still quite applicable in our day and age. Christians still face opposition around the world. Much of our world hates Christ and those who follow him. In some places that takes the form of mocking Christians for their faith or the ways they live. In other places it takes the form of arresting and beating them and demanding that they recant their faith. This is quite the spectrum of opposition, yet in all of it, Jesus’ words can bring great hope. Those who oppose Christ and his people will not succeed in the end. God will vindicate his people who faithfully follow him. He will expose those who have opposed him and his people, even those who think they’ve done so in secret. Christians can rest in God’s sovereignty and righteousness, even as they face opposition in this life. In fact, this ties quite well into what Jesus says next in verses 4-7. Let’s hear it again.

Luke 12:4–7 (ESV)

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Jesus addresses his disciples with a term of familiarity and love. “My friends” – how incredible to hear that from your Savior! What does he say to his friends? He instructs them on whom to fear and whom not to fear. And he explains why they ought to think and live this way.

Do NOT fear those who kill the body… but have no more authority beyond that. Why? Because there is One who is greater than them whom you ought to fear!

Fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. He is speaking, of course, of God. God alone has the authority to judge men/women. And, in comparison to God, these mere men who might seek to end your life, are nothing. This reoriented perspective is essential for Christians to live by faith in God rather than in fear of man. No matter how much opposition you might face from men for your faith, they are nothing in comparison to God. And it certainly is not worth it to live for the approval of man, only to be condemned by God.

Even as he says this, Jesus tempers this teaching on God’s authority with a wonderful reminder of his love and care for them. He reminds them that just as God cares for the sparrows, who are relatively insignificant, he cares MUCH more for the disciples who are image-bearers of God. Jesus’ purpose in this teaching is not to scare them but to encourage them! They are greatly loved by the eternal and sovereign God.

Here is the takeaway for us in replacing fear of man with faith in God…

  1. Consider the limited authority of men in comparison to the complete authority of God

Even though mere men may seek to do awful things to Christians in this life, they are not to be feared over God. God is the One with all power and authority, who can bring us safely home to heaven. Our proper fear is of the God who is eternal and sovereign yet deeply loves us.

Why would Jesus teach this? What is he intending to produce in his disciples?

He wants them (and us) to trust God deeply. To be willing to face the inevitable opposition and persecution of men, even unto death. He is keenly aware of the direction things are heading for his own life and those who follow him. No one can accuse Jesus of sugar-coating what it means to be his disciple. He is quite forthright that you will suffer and be persecuted for his name’s sake.

This teaching is a reminder to beware the temptation to fear man and thereby hide your faith. It would be very tempting, as we will see later with Peter, to fear man and deny that you follow Jesus. Jesus is seeking to protect his disciples from living a double life, where they might profess faith in him when it costs them nothing but then hide their faith when they would face opposition! This is not authentic faith at all.

Do not fear the limited authority of your fellow man. Their power is constrained. They cannot keep you from God. They cannot condemn you to hell. They are nothing in comparison to God. So, forsake the fear of man for the fear of God.

Fear the one who has complete authority. And not in sense of “be terrified” of him but rather have a deep reverence and awe of him that leads you to worship and live for him. Unless you are not a Christian, then you should be terrified, because he will righteously judge you for your unrepentant sin and rebellion against him. But that terror can be replaced with trust if you confess your sin and ask Jesus to forgive you and help you to follow him. He delights to do so! We’ve heard about this before in…

1 John 1:9–10 (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Deal honestly with your sin before God and he will deal graciously with you!

If you are a Christian, then your fear of God should lead you to a place of deep reverence and trust in him. He loves you and deeply values you. He is at work in your life for your good and his glory. Even when you are not sure how he is working, he is at work! Even through the darkest and deepest valleys, he is conforming you to the image of his Son. We heard some of these wonderful promises over the summer in Romans 8.

Romans 8:28–32 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

The answers, of course, is that no one can successfully be against us and he will graciously give us all things – in Christ. Those who are God’s beloved can have great confidence in life and in our faith. Our temptation to fear men is diminished when our eyes and heart are full of God. Cultivating a healthy faith in and fear of God, not man.

Is that how you function? Are you ruled by a healthy faith in and fear of God? Or are you ruled by fear of man?

If you are struggling with fear of man, I want to encourage you to reflect on the truths that we are learning today throughout the coming week.

  1. Realize that hypocrisy will be exposed one day
  2. Consider the limited authority of men in comparison to the complete authority of God

Remember that God’s complete authority is being expressed towards you, Christian, in the form of his deep love that is conforming you to Christlikeness. What he began in you he will complete! And no one will get in his way.

Allow these realities to cause you to rejoice as you boldly represent him in your spheres of influence. May fear of man no longer rule in your heart but be replaced by a faith in God that boldly and unashamedly worships him.

Let’s review verses 8-12 to see how public worship of Christ is so important:

Luke 12:8–12 (ESV)

8 “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9 but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Jesus is very concerned for his disciples’ perseverance in the faith! He lays out for them the importance of publicly acknowledging or confessing faith in Christ before others. Those who are unashamed of Jesus and proclaim their faith in him before men will find that Jesus will acknowledge or confess his allegiance to them before the heavenly host. But those who deny Jesus before men will be denied by Christ! These are high stakes indeed.

When I read this, I couldn’t help but think of those who are pursuing believer’s baptism next Sunday! We are going to have the joy of celebrating with multiple individuals in our church who are publicly confessing their faith in Jesus Christ. They are living out the principles taught in this passage. Praise God for that! I hope you’ll be here to celebrate with us.

Here is the final takeaway in replacing fear of man with faith in God…

  1. Understand God’s response to our faith in or rejection of him

Remember that Jesus had just come from the dinner with the religious leaders who were guilty of rejecting him. They were in the category of denying Christ before men and they have no confidence that he will acknowledge them on Judgment Day. This teaching guards his disciples against the same outcome.

He wants them to understand what is at stake in how we conduct ourselves in this life. It will not do to hide our faith in Christ. What kind of faith is kept hidden as if we were ashamed of our Savior and Lord? … Those who truly love the Lord and follow him will boldly proclaim that before everyone, EVEN IF it is in the context of being drug before religious or political leaders to be put on trial!

Did you notice that Jesus did not say “if” but “when” they bring you before such leaders? It was not merely a possibility but a certainty! To follow Christ is to elicit opposition. He is preparing them for the inevitable – they will be persecuted and forced to testify about Jesus. But they will not do so alone. God will be with them in their suffering. He will provide the words to say in those moments. Their job was to be ready and trust God to provide. Which is only possible when you have faith in God that overcomes fear of man!

While this was spoken directly to his 1st century disciples who were in a very challenging context, this does not remove the application for us today. Jesus’ teaching reminds us that we are not promised a life free from trials or suffering. On the contrary, we should expect them… because the world is opposed to God! Yet in these trials, God is with us. When you suffer for Christ’s sake, God will provide you with the strength and boldness to witness for him!

This has been true for many Christians down through the ages. Many of them were martyrs – meaning they gave their life for Christ. Those in power killed them because they would not recant their public testimony of Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. If you’d like to be challenged and encouraged by these testimonies, here are some ways to learn more about them:

  • Foxe’s Book of Martyrs
    • Public domain – easy to find
  • Christian Heroes Then and Now
    • Great book set (50+books)
  • The Torchlighters
    • Animated videos telling the stories of real-life heroes of the Christian faith
    • Available for free on YouTube and many other streaming platforms
  • I Am N
    • Documentary by Voice of the Martyrs about radical Muslims persecuting Christians
  • Evangelical Heroes | Reformation Heroes | Puritan Heroes
    • Books on different eras of Church History

There has never been a period of church history free from opposition. It has always been necessary to be prepared to stand for Jesus. The Apostle Peter, who struggled with fear of man at Christ’s arrest and denied him three times only to be forgiven and restored by Christ later, would write this to the 1st century Christians:

1 Peter 3:14–17 (ESV)

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;

yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

How incredible that Peter, of all people, would write this encouragement to boldly proclaim your faith in Christ, even if it brings suffering into your life! He knew firsthand the temptation to fear man and deny Christ. Praise God that Jesus had taught him ahead of time that it was possible to be forgiven! Peter got to experience his Savior’s forgiveness and that transformed him into a bold witness for the rest of his life.

Are you ready and willing to face opposition for the sake of telling others about Christ? Your answer is revealed by your willingness to share the gospel with your unbelieving friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc., I say that and I am speaking to myself as much as anyone else. It is too easy to fear man and keep quiet. To care more about how your family member or friend will respond or think about you than to care about honoring and glorifying Christ or care about that person’s soul and where they will spend eternity! We must die to this fearful, sinful way of thinking and living. And that starts by asking Jesus for forgiveness and help!

Are you thankful that Jesus stands ready to forgive? If you know that you’ve lived a life that has not pleased Christ… a life where you have been ashamed of him or outright denied him… there is still an offer of forgiveness available to you! It is not too late to confess your sin against the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and ask his forgiveness. As we heard earlier, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. If you have stood opposed or ashamed of Jesus, then I would encourage you to avail yourself of his forgiveness today, right now. You can pray and deal with this in your seat this morning. *pause*

I love that we have such a gracious and forgiving God! How incredible is our God in comparison to the capricious, works-based so-called gods of other religions? Our God is infinitely better and worthy of our faith and worship!

Which is why Jesus says it is so egregious and unforgiveable to “blaspheme the Holy Spirit” in verse 10. This is to be understood as rejecting the clear revelation of God the Holy Spirit about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. We saw the Pharisees doing this in a previous chapter when they attributed the power of God on display as the work of Satan. This is speaking of a hard-hearted response to the convicting work of God. This happens in the lives of those who have had plenty of evidence for the saving work of God, yet they refuse to believe. They continue in their willful suppression of the truth, even making up other reasons for what they have witnessed. They refuse to believe the truth of God. This, Jesus says, will not be forgiven. It is a rejection of faith that leads to judgment.

The disciples need to understand the danger that comes from this posture of hard-heartedness. Unfortunately, one of them, Judas Iscariot, did not take this lesson to heart. He continued to walk alongside Jesus, observe the many miracles he performed, hear the truth he taught, and yet did not believe. His heart grew increasingly hardened leading him to the point where he gave himself over to Satan and betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. And this path ended in his own death and condemnation. What a sad and miserable ending that I hope we would wish on no man/woman.

Far better that we be people who are bold in our witness and publicly sharing the gospel with any who would hear, no matter the cost for us. This is the path that leads to eternal life. As we confess Jesus, he confesses us in the presence of the heavenly host. “That one, she is mine. Look at her faith. See how she is unashamed of me.”

I hope that this teaching from Luke 12 has helped you to recognize that faith in God is so much better than fear of man. The outcome of each path is completely different. Fear of man leads to our rejection of God and his rejection of us. Faith in God leads to our bold witness that glorifies God, ministers to others, and culminates in eternal life. This kind of faithful living is fostered as we…

  1. Realize that hypocrisy will be exposed one day
  2. Consider the limited authority of men in comparison to the complete authority of God
  3. Understand God’s response to our faith in or rejection of him

Let’s pray. Pray