Be not afraid

Fear paralyzes so many today. From Swine Flu to terrorism to dying a painful death to loneliness, people are afraid.

Those here Sunday were asked to write on an index card one thing they most fear. I spoke about fearing for the lives of my children, and how this can become paralyzing and even idolatrous. More people feared losing loved ones than anything else--that stack of index cards was tallest with several dozen expressing that fear.

About the same number expressed fear of being alone, dying alone, or having a painful or prolonged illness. Many, however, expressed spiritual fears, such as going to hell. Many expressed fear of displeasing God or failure, or simply that they fear God.

Of course a few wrote that they fear spiders, snakes, tornadoes, the unknown. A few fear losing job or the ability to support their families. Some fear the violence in our world, from extremist violence to break-ins to government intervention in our lives.

There's no doubt about it, fear is a strong tool for good. We run or protect when fear strikes, but fear can also be used as a tool of Satan. Our task is to look our fears squarely and discern whether or not these fears have led us to worship something other than God. We worship what we fear, or respect. To fear rightly is to respect, honor, and worship God.

Jesus said in Luke 12, which we looked at Sunday, "do not be afraid of those who can kill the body and after that can do no more." Then he says, "Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."

Jesus follows by saying God cares about us so much he has our hairs numbered. He hasn't even forgotten the sparrows, so how could he forget you?

Then he draws a connection to ownership. If you own God, by acknowledging him before people you may fear, he'll own you. Disown Christ, he says, and you will be disowned before the angels of heaven. This chapter is full of hard sayings of Jesus, and it's followed by the infamous "blasphemy" against the Holy Spirit. This is a kind of rebellion against the prophets and very presence of God in Christ, a hardened heart that God allows people to have but with consequences of punishment and no forgiveness (Luke 12:10).

Later in the chapter, Jesus tells about a man who is rich in things for himself but poor toward God. So don't worry, he says, your father knows what you need so you don't have to worry about it. He has given us the kingdom, so he says we can sell our possessions and give to the poor.

We're so afraid of losing what we have that we forget it was God who gave it to us in the first place. When we begin to see everything as God's, we can begin to give more freely, looking for people who are poor among our church body and sharing all things with them, then widening the circle to the poor in our community, and sharing all things with them.

So many of us trip over Jesus plain command, "Sell your possessions and give to the poor" (Luke 12:33). But can we live with that statement a while, rather than explaining it away? Can this be something we pray for the strength to do, whether gradually, slowly or suddenly?

To take steps toward emptying ourselves of fear and dread of loss and filling ourselves with words of Christ takes prayer, faith, practice, and listening. Jesus emptied himself of everything. And that's the call of Christ in this difficult chapter 12 of Luke's gospel. Let's start by giving up fear to God in prayer this week. Would you pray today, "God, I give you my fears"? Tomorrow and the next day, would you speak those fears out loud to God? Read Luke 12 and see what God is saying to you.

Some people of prayer have come to Garnett today to pray over each card that was written expressing fears. Thank you to those who prayed.