FOUR GREAT FREEDOMS IN CHRIST SERMON V: FREEDOM FROM FEAR
When our country’s beloved four-term President, affectionately known as FDR, said in his declaration of war speech prior to involvement in World War II, he sounded the clarion call to courage in one exclamatory sentence: “We have nothing to fear except fear itself!”
Courage was to become the hallmark of a nation that did not ask for war but had no choice but go to war when the storm clouds of evil hovered on the horizon to threaten our peace and security.
Indeed, one of the freedoms secured by our nation’s victory over the tyrants of the world was freedom from the fear of being conquered by them. Yet, we live in a day when we are faced with the threats of terrorists who, if they had their way, would destroy freedom-loving people of all nations.
Not until the Lord returns will we experience real freedom from evil forces that would use whatever means available to them to attempt to bring nations to their knees and under their rule of hatred.
In America, we depend on government to keep us safe from enemies.
In the Christian life – whether in America or anywhere else in the world – we who belong to God, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, depend on a higher power - one that is not of this world - to keep us secure and safe from the Evil One identified in the Bible as Satan.
There is no doubt in my mind that Satan the enemy of God is at work in an all-out crusade to “bring down” all who name the name of Christ and seek to do the will of our heavenly Father. If allowed to do so, Satan our enemy will instill within each one of us a kind of FEAR that can paralyze us and cause us to be afraid to go through any experience in life.
Some folks are afraid: to go to sleep at night . . . to wake up in the morning . . . of what tomorrow might bring . . . to go see their doctor . . . to eat certain foods . . . to touch certain things – and some of these fears are real.
Many folks are gripped by fear of the unknown . . . fear of germs . . . fear of getting sick . . . fear of life . . . fear of death and dying . . . fear of the future – and some of these fears are real.
Fear is a natural human response that we all experience from time to time when faced with uncertainty – and I can tell you from personal experience that certainty is a whole lot better to deal with than uncertainty. Tell me “what’s what” - and then help me deal with it as best “we” can.
If I have cancer, I want to know about it; if I am suffering from an incurable disease, tell me; if I have only a short time to live, don’t try to make me think otherwise; if something dreadful has happened, don’t play a game of “keep away” as if I am too weak to know about it.
To want to know is not because of any superhuman bravery on my part; I am human like everyone else – and I have feelings; sometimes my feelings need to be expressed; at other times, they need to be soothed; always, my feelings need to be dealt with.
Fear is one of those emotional responses that none of us ever escapes – and for that reason, the Bible speaks to this oftentimes dreadful emotion with words of wisdom and reassurance.
In the Bible, most of the references to fear have to do with those times in our lives when we ought not to be afraid.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, the Bible says: There is no need to fear when God leads us to do something – as was the case when God led His people toward God’s goal for their lives; in that instance, spies were sent to check out the Promised Land; they returned with these challenging words:
“See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your Fathers, told you; do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 1:21)
There is no need to fear when God makes His presence known to us – as the psalmist said so poetically in the most well-known Psalm in the Bible: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me . . ..” (Psalm 23:4a)
There is no need to fear when we remember that God has helped us in the past – as Isaiah pointed out at the conclusion of his litany of all God had done for the children of God throughout their lives: “So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you (as I have in the past); I will uphold you (as I have in the past).” (Isaiah 41:10)
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, Jesus tells His followers: Do not be afraid because: you are worth something to God – as was the case when His disciples were worried about how their needs would be met if they gave up everything and followed Him:
“Even the very hairs of your head are numbered; so, don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:30-31)
In the sight of God, you are somebody - a very important person. Say: “I am somebody . . . I am a very important person.” You have been and still are “somebody” - in the sight of God and in the sight of the folks who care. So, do not worry needlessly about how your needs are going to be met.
Jesus tells those who seek Him: Do not be afraid to call on Jesus in your hour of need – as was the case when the synagogue ruler, whose daughter was very sick, came to the place where Jesus was, thinking that, if he could only get close to Jesus, he would receive the help he needed. When the ruler was told - by those who tried to shield Jesus from the crowd - to leave Jesus alone, listen to what Jesus said to this concerned dad:
“Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” (Luke 8:50)
Now folks, the healing of this little girl served the specific purpose – in that day and time - of proving who Jesus was, and that He had come into this world to accomplish the Will of His Heavenly Father.
Now hear this: The ultimate accomplishment of God’s Will is that all who believe in Jesus as the Son of God and confess Him as Lord and Savior will be spiritually healed and never taste spiritual death (eternal separation from God) but have everlasting life with God.
Yes, there are those who die before we think they ought to; but we must understand that “who does” and “who doesn’t” is not in our hands. We may not be able to explain it; we had rather it not happen; but it does.
In times like these, we have no choice but to bow in submission to the Father’s permissive will, keeping in mind that God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to God the Father in and through His Son Jesus Christ in order to have eternal spiritual life.
Jesus tells all believers: Do not be afraid to leave the “here and now” and go home to be with the Lord.
His disciples hated the thought that Jesus would not always be with them on this earth. They did not want to think about it, let alone go through it; Jesus Himself did not want to go through it; and of course, Jesus sensed their apprehension – their fear of the future. So, he calmed their nerves and settled them down with these words of comfort:
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled; and do not be afraid . . . I go to prepare a place for you; I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14)
How much plainer could Jesus have been? How much clearer could He have spoken? How much greater could have been His assurance?
Folks, I hereby take Jesus at His Word; I need no other argument; my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust any other claim by any other person who has ever or will ever walk this earth; I wholly lean on Jesus’ Name. Therefore, I refuse to give in to doubts or fears – whether mine or someone else’s!
Thus, says the Lord, “Fear not, for I am with thee!” I will cling to His promise for as long as I live and never let go of it - even when I am dying. For, you see, “Whether I live or die, I am the Lord’s.” Amen.
