“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.

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.

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.

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.”