Fear Not!

Fear Not! (Revised April 2024)

Isaiah 43:1New King James Version (NKJV)

The Redeemer of Israel

43 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob,

And He who formed you, O Israel:

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

Introduce…

This morning we are going to look at a passage of Scripture that Reminds us that we have hope in the midst of our fears.

Family… There are sooooo many things that cause us fear today…

I recently read about a young couple that was watching television on a rainy night.

They lived in Laguna Canyon, California.

Their nine-month old baby, was asleep in her crib in the next room.

And their first clue that something was wrong was when the television screen flickered, then, went black. The power was out.

and one of them said…. "I heard an explosion like the mountain was moving," "and I took the baby from the crib."And husband and wife held each other and the baby close and braced for the impact as, a river of mud smashed through their apartment wall. The mother tried to shield her baby, positioning herself so the mud and debris would hit her instead of the child. The husband, in turn, tried to shield his wife and child.

And Strong as he was, and as determined as she was, they were swept down the hill by the force of the current. And the young baby was torn from her mother’s arms.

…..When they finally came to rest, husband and wife lay a few feet from one another, unable to move. And they could hear their baby crying in the distance, but could not see her.

And as the mother began to call for help. Moments later, the baby’s cries were replaced by something far more terrifying. Silence. There worst fears had come to visit….

***LEAVE THE ABOVE ILLUSTRATION FOR NOW AND RETUREN TO IT AT THE END OF THIS MESSAGE.

*** Although the main points of this sermon and most of the explanations are different, this Illustration as well as several other thoughts were gleaned from an excellent sermon on this passage by Jeremy Houck on Sermon Central. Many thanks to Pastor Jeremy, and please do look up his messages! High marks! ***

Fears… Fears… Fears….

We all have them…

Sometimes I tell people that I never met a bumble bee or a tornado that I was very comfortable with…

And just like the young couple in the mudslide…. There are things that cause us fear!

I used to own a home that was located on a prominent hilltop in the Idaho Mountains. Now you know that severe storms can be bumpy. What was surprising to me is that a thunderstorm on a hilltop has a different dynamic.

When you are in the valley.. the storm is above you… but on the hilltop, the storm rages all around you on every side and even below…

The lightning falls during the night….. it falls near and on feels closer.. the blinds are drawn and the dark house and yet, the home lights up inside like million camera flashes at a concert.

In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face

While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place

'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry

Keep me safe till the storm passes by

Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more

Till the clouds roll forever from the sky

Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand

Keep me safe till the storm passes by

And so I ask you….. What’s the worst that can happen?

**Everyone will have a different answer to that question. And your answer will largely depend on the things that you are most afraid of.

The loss of a spouse.

Your own death

The loss of a child.

The fear of Never having a child.

What are you afraid of?

Being alone.

Losing your job.

Terrorism. War. Crime.

Everybody has a worst case scenario for their lives.

The people of Israel had them then…. And we have them now.

-pause-

Now remember as we come to our scripture that in 722 BC, Israel had been going some misbehaving; and as a result, God brought judgement and the nation of Israel fell to the invading armies of Assyria…

As an instrument of God’s Judgment and wrath, Assyria carried the people of Israel off into captivity.

The people of Israel were in effect.. Deported out of their homeland and forced to move to the North Country.

That nation of Assyria was long feared for their brutal tactics… and so without going into detail…. The only thing that I can think of that even comes close to some of the things that I’ve read about, would be to say that some of tactics of our modern day ISIS are similar…