Daily Bible Reading 15th September 2026 // Luke 12:1-12
1 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.”
The fear and dread that can come when the pressures are great upon us as disciples are very real, and the temptation is often very great to tone down our witness, for safety's sake. The fact that we do not know a great deal about outward persecution in our land today should not make inconceivable to us that Christians might yet be called to such a challenge in the future, as other believers are in different parts of the world. And if Christian witness can be fulfilled only on pain of hurt, danger to life and limb, or even death, then we must not flinch or hesitate. Fear of hurt, persecution, and even the loss of all our hopes, may be very real; but it is more fearful to disobey God than to lose life for His sake. Nothing that men can do to us can 'kill the soul'. That is sacrosanct from their bitter hatred. But God can destroy both body and soul in hell. He is the One to fear, not men! It is better to suffer the loss of all things, all earthly prospects, hopes, comforts, than to live with a conscience that has been violated by doing something we know has grieved and displeased God. That is the only thing that can really hurt us, not the other. Our Lord's concern here is clear: it is to get things in their proper perspective and to live in the light of the eternal world. Satan can do only so much, and go only so far. There are some things he cannot harm or hurt.