Everyone is afraid of something. If someone says that they are not afraid, they are probably just afraid of looking weak. So they are, in fact, afraid of something. Most people though readily admit a fear or phobia. And while fear may be universal, what many do not realize is that we actually have the choice as to what we will fear.
The fears and phobias we have are both rational and irrational. These might include a fear of flying, open spaces, spiders and such that are based on rational situations. But the irrational response is to never get in plane (though it is safer than your car), to never travel to Saskatchewan, or to run screaming from the room because a Daddy-Long-Legs made an appearance…on TV. Irrational.
Moving it from the general to the specific, when a Christ-follower claims no fear, he or she is saying it in the context of their eternal destiny and their faith journey here. It is a statement about identity, security and provision. They are saying, “I am not concerned or afraid about who I am, what I have or don’t have and where I am going in life. Those things are settled for me. I don’t fear the present or the future.”
In essence, it is our unshakable faith in Jesus Christ that sets the stage for that confidence. The preacher of the Hebrews sermon quoted Psalm 118:6 to make his declaration, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6 ESV). It is a statement about his faith, but it is rooted in something else. And that something else is love.
The Apostle John said it this way, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18a).
John was saying something about eternal destinies in that context and the confident assurance we have that we, as the followers of Christ, would not face the judgment of God and eternal separation from him. The perfect love of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that resulted from that love means we do not need to fear death or judgment.
Once those two things are out of the way, spiders and heights and such seem awfully trivial.
“No Fear” is the title for the fourth and final section of the Hebrews sermon. We have been encouraged this year through our study in Hebrews to LISTEN UP to important teaching concerning Christ, to HOLD FAST to what we have heard and to RUN HARD in light of it all. And now we are being exhorted in the last chapter to do so with NO FEAR.
Sunday we will look at Hebrews 13:1-6 in an effort to “Let brotherly love continue” in our church family. It's there, we just need to work hard to make sure it is continuing. Take some time to prepare your own heart to be here on Sunday by reading and meditating on the passage and by listening to the great line up of songs we will use to focus our worship. And pray for your own response to our time in the Word and worshipping him.
See you Sunday
Todd
P.S. The Pregnancy Resource Centre Baby Bottle Drive numbers are in. The total raised was in excess of $34,000 and Harvest bottles brought in better than $5,300! Higher than we have ever contributed through this effort. Thanking God AGAIN for your generosity!