Don’t Be Afraid
Sermon for February 20, 2005
1. Good Morning – Let’s Pray. O Lord, may the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to You O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.
2. Opening Comments: Let me remind us that this is the second week in the season of Lent. The focus of our spiritual pilgrimage during the season of Lent is prayer, fasting and charity.
Think about it – prayer, fasting and charity or alms giving – these are spiritual disciplines which will transform our lives. So Lent is about change – transformation!
Remember that in last week’s sermon our Lord called us out into the desert – to dry and desolate places - to rediscover our hunger and thirst for Him and Him alone. Well this morning He wants to comfort us in our deserts. He wants to say to us “Don’t be afraid, I am with you always even unto the very end of the age – Fear not my beloved.”
Do you need to hear that right now? I do!
3. Focusing on our Scripture readings: We’re going to be focusing on the New Testament readings this morning but first let’s quickly review what God is saying to us in our Old Testament readings.
In our reading from Genesis 12:1-4 Abram is called forth away from his father’s house to a foreign land and what does God say to him even as He’s calling him out of his place of safety – “Don’t be afraid. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.”
O how much I need to hear those words – “Don’t be afraid, I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you.”
God is saying that to you and me right now. Let it sink in – Let Him bless you – let Him bless all of us right now!
OK! Now turn with me to our Psalm reading – Psalm 33. Ah! Do you remember our response for the Psalm reading? . . . “Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.”
Did you hear it? God’s mercy greets our trust! God’s mercy – His “hesid” - His “mercy” His “loving kindness,” greets – embraces - our “trust.”
This is the alchemy of our relationship with God – as we trust Him, His love and mercy embrace us!
Listen to these words –
“See, the eyes of the Lord are upon those who fear him, upon those who hope for His kindness, Do you hope in His kindness? Reading on:
to deliver them from death and preserve them in spite of famine.”
“O Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in You.” - Our trust greeting His mercy!
Ah – that’s what He’s calling us to do this morning – to lean forward in our Lenten posture of prayer, fasting and charity – to lean in and be greeted by His loving kindness – even as we walk through our deserts – these dry places in our lives. Perhaps even these places in which we’re under attack! God wants to reveal Himself to us but first He wants our trust!
4. And now let’s turn to our New Testament readings from the books of Second Timothy and Matthew.
Let’s explore these in a little more depth. Listen for the echo of the words “Don’t be afraid... !” Reading now beginning at verse 8:
2Tim. 1:8-10 So you’re never to be ashamed of witnessing to our Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but share in my hardships for the sake of the gospel, relying on the power of God 9 who has saved us and called us to be holy — not because of anything we ourselves had done but for his own purpose and by his own grace. This grace had already been granted to us, in Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time, 10 but it has been revealed only by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He has abolished death, and he has brought to light immortality and life through the gospel,
What is Paul saying here? “Don’t be afraid to stand strong on your convictions about Jesus Christ! Why? Because Jesus Christ has defeated our great enemy – “death” – and has given us the gift of everlasting life with Him! So there’s ultimately nothing to be afraid of is there?”
In fact he’s calling us not only to “not be afraid, but to join with him and share in his sufferings . . . for the sake of getting out the great great Good News!”
And the strength to do all of this will come to us from God Himself who has already “saved” us and is now calling us to live “holy” lives.
He’s saying “Don’t be afraid - all that you will need will be given to you!” Indeed – listen to this!!! “This grace had already been granted to you before the beginning of time!”
Did you hear that? There’s this massive supply of divine power called “grace” to overcome all that Satan will throw at you! And, get this, it’s been yours from the beginning of time! Wow!
Now let’s turn to our Gospel reading - Matthew 17:1-9.
In this reading, we see Jesus “transfigured” before 3 of His closest apostles. Here we see Jesus revealing to his closest friends who He really is. His holiness – His divinity peeks through and they’re there to see it! Wouldn’t you love to it too? Let’s read then from chapter 17 verse 1 – listen very carefully for here we see God incarnate revealing Himself to us and what is His singular most important message to us in this state? Let’s read:
Matt. 17:1 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as dazzling as light. Try to imagine that scene! Look at Jesus – what is happening? Now turn and look at Peter, James and John – what do you see? What are the expressions on their faces? Let’s read on - verse 3 And suddenly Moses and Elijah appeared to them; they were talking with him. Oh, wouldn’t you love to listen in to that conversation?!!!! Let’s read on: 4 Then Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; Ah! The wonder of it all – Peter states the obvious – It’s wonderful for us just to be here to see this!!! Now listen to Peter the leader – “if you want me to, I will make three shelters here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ But even as he was speaking 5 ... a bright cloud covered them with shadow, and suddenly from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favor. Listen to him.’ 6 When they heard this, the disciples fell on their faces, overcome with fear. Can you imagine what they were feeling at that moment? So what did Jesus do? Reading on verse 7 But Jesus came up and touched them, saying, ‘Stand up, don’t be afraid.’ 8 And when they raised their eyes they saw no one but Jesus. 9 As they came down from the mountain Jesus gave them this order, ‘Tell no one about this vision until the Son of man has risen from the dead.’
Did you hear Him say the words, “Stand up, don’t be afraid?”
Now let’s reflect upon this for a moment shall we?
Jesus has just been revealed to His closest friends as God incarnate. And His friend’s reaction was predictable – shock – fear – astonishment – wonder – awe! “Who is this person?” They must have been thinking – “What do we have here? We knew He could do miracles – but this – this is something all together else!”
So in their state of utter awe Jesus comes up to them – touches them and says “Don’t be afraid.”
I’m convinced God wants to say to each of us this morning - “Don’t be afraid.”
I’m convinced that God wants us to trust Him so completely that any fear or anxiety is blown away by His consoling and magnificent presence!
Listen to the heart of our Lord . . . Listen to His speak these same words of encouragement in different situations:
Matt. 10:26 “So don’t be afraid of those who persecute you. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
Matt. 10:28 Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt. 28:10 “Don’t be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Luke 12:32 “Don’t be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
O, my dear brothers and sisters our Lord wants to encourage us in the deserts of our lives not to be afraid – but to trust Him and most assuredly as we entrust our lives to Him His love and mercy will come to us and save us – restore us, renew us, bless us, draw us ever closer to Him! Amen and Amen!