“ARE YOU A CHICKEN OR EAGLE CHRISTIAN”
ISAIAH 40:31; MATTHEW 23:37
Introduction:
One and a half weeks ago, in our Thursday evening
Prayer Meeting, Emily expressed her praise for the
good grade that she made on her math’s exam. You
will recall that she said that she did not know the
answer to one question, so she left it blank. She also
said that when they got their papers back, her teacher
had written in that blank “Chicken!” We all had a
laugh about that. After that moment, I thought nothing
more of what Emily had said. The next morning
(Friday), shortly after sitting down in my office chair
to start studying, I looked out of the window and saw
two bald eagles soaring in the beautiful, blue, cloudless
sky. I grabbed my camera, went outside, and took a
few pictures before the thermals took them toward the
Juan de Fuca Straight. The next night (Saturday), the
pain in my knee awakened me. I got up, went
downstairs, and read my Bible. After reading my
Bible, the Lord brought into my mind Emily’s
statement of “Chicken” and the thought of the eagle’s
soaring. As He united these two thoughts,
I remembered a sermon that an English preacher
delivered at a Preacher’s Fellowship Meeting in
England about twenty-five years ago. He had entitled
his sermon, “Are You A Chicken-Type Or An
Eagle-Type Christian?”
In the course of this sermon, I will use some of the
analogies that this preacher presented; but by the grace
of God, I will also share with you some other
considerations that God has for us today.
I. The word “eagle” is found in 25 verses of the
Bible; the word “eagles” is found in 9 verses of
Scripture; and the word “chickens” is found
only once in God’s Word. This morning, we will
only look at a few of the verses that mention these
two types of birds.
II. Similarities between chickens and eagles –
Gen. 1:20-23.
A. Both are part of the “good” creation of God –
vss. 21,31.
B. Both are blessed by God – vs. 22.
C. Both obey God’s command concerning
reproducing after their kind – vss. 21-22.
D. Both are cared for by God – Mt. 6:26, “Behold
the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do
they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your
heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much
better than they?”
E. As both are cared for by God, both care for their
young.
1. Like the mother hen that protects her young
by spreading her wings over her chicks, God
hides us under His wings, His everlasting
arms – “...hide me under the shadow of thy
wings,” – Ps. 17:8.
2. Like the eagles that bear their young on their
wings before they can themselves fly, God
bears us on His wings, “The eternal God is
thy refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms...” – Deut. 33:27.
III. Differences between chickens and eagles.
B. Eagles.
1. They are a majestic bird, free to soar above
the earth (above their circumstances).
2. They have a very long and wide-field of
vision – they can see clearly that which is
close and just as clearly at great distances.
A. Chickens.
1. They are a common bird, spending most of
their time on the surface of the earth (in
bondage
to;
controlled
by
their
circumstances).
2. Their field of vision is very short and
narrow.
3. They scratch in the dirt for their food.
4. They are subject to many predators (foxes,
coyotes, opossums, etc.). The mother hen
protects her young with her wings
(Mt. 23:37). Let us pray and run to God for
deliverance and safety, “Deliver me, O
LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to
hide me” – Ps. 143:9.
3. They snatch their food from the earth, but
they certainly do not scratch in the dirt for it.
4. They have few predators; so they manifest
care for their young in different ways than
does the chicken.
a. They make their nest on high, “Doth the
eagle mount up at thy command, and
make her nest on high?” – Job 39:27.
b. They, of course, feed their eaglets, “Who
satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so
that thy youth is renewed like the
eagle's.” – Ps. 103:5.
c. They stir up their nest, flutter over their
young, and beareth them on their wings,
“As an eagle stirreth up her nest,
fluttereth over her young, spreadeth
abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth
them on her wings:” – Deut. 32:11.
IV. Are you a chicken or an eagle Christian?
A. Are you living under the control of life’s
circumstances or are you living above the
circumstances that life presents? Are you
letting the circumstances of life dictate and
control how you live – how you act and
react; or, by your actions and reactions, are
you proving that God is in control of your
life regardless of the circumstances you
face? Are you living according to or above
the world’s standards?
B. Is your vision for Christ’s work and
ministry as broad and lengthy as it should
be; or, is your spiritual vision very
restricted (short and narrow)? To properly
envision God’s will for our lives and this
ministry, we need to focus on what is at
hand; and, by faith, look ahead – way down
the road. Let us ask, “God, what can I do
right now for you?” and “God, what do you
want me to do for you in the days that lie
ahead?” Note! – Prov. 29:18, “Where there
is no vision, the people perish...”
C. As the eagle waits for the morning air to
warm so that they can soar on the thermals,
let us wait on the Lord to renew our
strength so that we can mount up with
wings as eagles and soar in our Christian
life for the glory of our God? Note! –
Is. 40:31, “But they that wait upon the
LORD shall renew their strength; they shall
mount up with wings as eagles...”
Conclusion:
So, which type of Christian are you – chicken or
eagle? Are you scratching in the dirt, living in and like
the world? Are you controlled and confined by the
circumstances in life? Is your spiritual vision like
tunnel-vision and limited to a very short
depth-of-field? If this is an accurate or similar
description of your life, then you are a chicken-type,
common-sort of Christian. No doubt, God cares for
you just as He cares for the eagle-type Christian. Note!
– 1 Pet. 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he
careth for you.”
But I ask, “Wouldn’t you rather be soaring over
the circumstances of life rather than having to scratch
your way through them; wouldn’t you rather be one
who is serving God in a more majestic way?” If this
latter description would fit your Christianity, then you
are an eagle-type Christian.
The chicken cannot change into an eagle; neither
can an eagle change into a chicken, but we as God’s
children do not have to be satisfied with being a
chicken-type Christian. With God’s help, strength, and
blessing, we can become an eagle-type Christian – one
who soars for the glory of God (always rejoicing, no
matter the circumstances; does not stop serving God,
regardless of difficulties).
The choice is yours. I encourage you, for God’s
glory, commit the whole of your life to Him, depend
wholly upon His help, and He will cause you to
“mount up with wings as eagles.”