UNDER HIS WING
Intro: New Wines Skins
- To know Him better
- To make room for the real Jesus
New Series:
- We will seek the heart of Jesus by looking at what He was passionate about.
I. In Matthew 23:37 Jesus Makes a Statement that Reveals the passion of His Heart
Mt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
A. This statement is full of meaning
1. It reveals the condition of Israel
- History of rejecting God's message
Mt 23:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town. 35 And so upon you will come all the righteous blood that has been shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 I tell you the truth, all this will come upon this generation.
- Zechariah: was called by God to speak to
Israel in the days of Joash - He was stoned to Death
- Other like Isaiah were sawn in two
- Jesus will be crucified
Joh 1:11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
Lu 17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.
- Stephen stoned to death in Acts 7
Jesus is grieving because He has reached out to them over and over - and knows what is coming.
Mt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (NIV)
- Jesus looks back and remembers 586 BC and Babylon under Nebuchadneezer
- He looks ahead and sees 70 AD and the Romans coming
- He sees how the nations will mistreat the Jews
- He looks ahead and sees the Holocaust under Hitler where 6 million Jews will die.
He grieves for them over what is coming - In the midst of that grieving He reveals the passionate desire of His heart
Mt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.
II. He Uses this Word Picture to Convey the Desire of His Heart.
I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
A. God often uses this illustration
Ps 17:8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings
Ps 36:7 How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Ps 57:1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
Ps 61:4 I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
Ps 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
- God does not have wings and feathers
- Figure of speech used to convey meaning
- God wants us to see a message in this statement. "Under His Wings"
III. What Does the Statement, Under His Wings, Tell Us.
- What was Jesus telling them and us?
A. God spoke to me about the benefits of being under His wings.
#1. There is Protection under His Wing
Ps 57:1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.
- Momma birds are fierce protector of their babies/ We've all been buzzed by a mad momma
- Even though they are tiny compared to humans "Do not mess with my babies"
- God is fierce protector of those under His wing.
Ps 32:7 You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.
Ps 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.
Ps 91:1 ¶ He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust." 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
- Hiding place - hidden in Christ
- Encamps around Those who fear Him
- He who dwells -
THERE IS A PROMISE OF PROTECTION UNDER HIS WING
- Not all trouble comes as a result of straying from God.
- But much unnecessary pain is a result of choosing to leave the shadow of His wings.
- People then wonder: why didn't God protect me?
- They want all God's promises and protection, but on their terms outside of His boundaries
- HOW TO STAY UNDER HIS WING?
Be in Christ, sins forgiven
Obey the boundaries of His word
Obey the boundaries of the Holy Spirit
Walk in fellowship with God, seeking to
know Him more each day.
- There is great protection under His wing.
- The stories will start to come out of Haiti of God's protection and mercy.
- Jesus longed for Israel to have that protection - and He longs for us, it is available to all
WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO GO THROUGH DARK THINGS?
Those prophets who were killed? Stephen that was stoned? - They got to go home
What about those left behind after death?
God has allowed them to be those that bring glory to God at His appearing
- They trusted when the couldn't see
- They worshiped through the pain
- The grew in faith and strength as they endured
- They inspired others as they did not waver in days of heart breaking trials
1Pe 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
They got through because they were under His wing - there is protection there.
#2. There is Provision Under His Wings
God provides what we need, when we're under His wing.
- We have two types of needs: Spiritual & physical/flesh (educational,emotional…)
- Baby birds are sooooo hungry
- We are sooooo hungry for the physical stuff Food - money - clothes - cars - houses - new things…… Me first God….. here I am - get out of my way I need stuff…
- The key to the stuff/physical provision of life is that the spiritual provision comes first.
Mt 6:27 "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29 "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The stuff of life that you need is under His wing.
The way to have that stuff you need, is to get under His wing.
Provision is found in the relationship
- Obey the boundaries of His word
- Obey the boundaries of the Holy Spirit
- Walk in fellowship with God, seeking to
know Him more each day.
Guy was teaching on TV: Give a 1,000 real estate seed and your home will be paid off in a year.
This is sickening to God because it turns Him into a machine and His word a formula to twist God's arm.
*Provision is found at His heart, not His hand!
#3. There Is His Presence Under His Wing
- Peace (absence of confusion and fear)
- Contentment ( satisfaction)
- Sense of well being (It is well with my soul)
Harratio Spafford wrote these words after being ruined financially in the Chicago Fire, and the death of his 4 daughters.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul.
This was a man who was living under God's wing
The Pslamist writes
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. When you are safe, content, YOU SING
HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SONG?
When was the last time you sang
When was the last time you wept in thankfulness?
When was the last time you really rejoiced?
IV. Are You Under His Wing this Morning?
Are You:
- In Christ, sins forgiven
- Obeying the boundaries of His word
- Obeying the boundaries of the Holy Spirit
- Walking in fellowship with God, seeking
to know Him more each day.
Protection? Confident that you are Safe in His Shadow, come what may?
Provision? Find what you need at His heart not
His hand
Presence? Peace like a River?
Worship Team come up:
- I enjoy setting with my arm around my children.
- All of our surroundings teach us a spiritual lesson.
- I have found that God has designed a perfect fit.
- What blesses me the most when I put my arm around my children is: THEY DON'T PULL AWAY. THEY LEAN IN………………….