Rev. A.J. Ogden

Never have I attended the funeral of a little sparrow but we are told that God never misses one. A sparrow may be about the smallest and least of all the many birds as far as man is concerned, but the eyes of God are always on them. Matthew 10:29, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” He sees them fly and He sees them when they die.

Ethel Waters sang so beautifully years ago, “His eyes are on the sparrow and I know He watches me.” It is wonderful to practice his presence every moment. We are transparent to Him. No one knows like the Lord. He never misses anything.

In Luke 12:6, Jesus refers to the sparrow again. “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?” A sparrow is not worth much in the sight of men. Just a penny or two bought several birds. Yes, they were very cheap but valuable to God who made them all. Are you not more valuable? He went all the way to Calvary for you.

In the book of Matthew we see the sparrow being sold two for a farthing, and in Luke we see at times they were sold a little cheaper still, five for two farthings. I believe this last account means that the buyer got a good sale price. Instead of four for two farthings, the seller gave him an extra bird. Yes, it was a good sale price.

The seller did not consider the fifth sparrow worth much anyway, very little if any worth, so he threw in a fifth bird. It helped the seller to sell more. Maybe some of you have been feeling like a fifth sparrow lately, depressed, downtrodden, have all kinds of trouble, and feel worthless before God. But I came by to tell you He loves you, died on the cross for you, and He will take you home if you are saved. You are somebody and not a fifth sparrow, but a blood washed child of God!