Series: Facing the Road Ahead... "NO FEAR"

Aug 11, 2013                                                         Gen 15:1-6, Luke 12:22-34

Prayer

For those of you that weren't here last week we have begun a 4 week series titled, “Facing the Road Ahead” as the kick-off to the transition process that Good Shep will journey through for the next year. And… the road head does seem daunting and uncertain for sure. But… it’s a road we must travel nonetheless.

Last week we reflected on some of those difficulties and some difficult decisions Good Shep will have to make, and it will take great faith & trust in God to preserver through… to never give up…  Also… you may remember that I encouraged you to reflect during this series on…

Good Shep’s Past… where have you been? What have you done?

Good Shep’s Present… is this a reflection of the past or the future?

Good Shep’s Future… What are your God Size dreams for the future.

So… despite the difficulties we must preserver towards the blessings God has for us today and into the future. With this in mind our reflection today will focus on “FEAR”… more precisely… having “NO FEAR”

What do you fear today?

Many people worry about a lot of things they cannot control.

We worry about our kids… even after they've grown up.

We worry about our jobs & whether or not we will keep one.

We worry about our finances… our health… our relationships.

We even worry about our church and how God will deal with us.

We even ask ourselves why we worry in the first place… because at the end of the day… our worry was all for naught. Jesus tells us in Vs 25… “Can worry make you live any longer?” Well….NO…. Yet… we still have fears and anxieties about the unknown.

Remember last week I quoted Pr. Peter Marty of St Paul Luth. Davenport Iowa, wrote in the Lutheran Magazine, “Fear keeps telling us there is not enough to go around. Not enough time, not enough resources, not enough strength, not enough grace, not enough patients, not enough God.” He continues, “Trusting Faith believes in God’s sufficiency no matter what… trusting faith simply lends us the courage to walk through those fears.”

Look at our OT lesson today in Gen 15…“The Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, Abram don’t be afraid. I will protect you & reward you greatly.” The context of this story is that Abraham & Sarah are going to have a son even at their old age. Can you imagine that folks…. I know I wouldn't be all that happy if it were happening to me. In the end… Abraham believed in the Lord, and the Lord was pleased. Like-wise… Jesus says, “My little disciples don’t be afraid! Your father in heaven wants to give you the kingdom.” Jesus really is saying, why do you worry? There is a sense of… “Do you believe”… again Jesus is saying, don’t you “Trust Me.” You’re familiar with Psalm 23… “Though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not FEAR.”

What do you fear today?

Do you fear dying? Or just as easily, do you fear living?

Do you fear not having enough money, food, gas, and housing?

Do you fear a health test like a mammogram or CT scan?

Maybe you fear being ridiculed, humiliation, or maybe being a failure?

Maybe your fearing what might happen here at Good Shep… about what kind of pastor you might call…. What will the church look like…

Or maybe what might come of the transition process.

Heck… you might even fear spiders, snakes, or other critters.

Peter Marty writes, “I've met people who strangely fear they might compromise some core Christian principle by getting to know another person who has a different faith understanding than they. Their gut tells them to love, but their boundary-oriented faith warns them to keep a distance.”

How many of you feel this way?

We say we need to love others… but often times keep our distance.

We say we need to change what the church should be about.

We say we need to do things differently to connect with other groups of people.

The truth of the matter is… fear of the unknown… the fear of how to do these things often drives our fears and anxieties, and we end up responding by doing nothing. The truth is… that FEAR is the by-product of human freedom.

It looks like this…

Those who have little fear… fear about having enough.

Those who have some fear… fear there will be enough to get ahead.

Those who have more fear… fear they will lose what they have.

Because of our freedom not only in this country, but our freedom in Christ we become afraid we will lose what we have thus finding ways to protect and hold onto those things we have.

Helmut Thielicke says, Jesus did not say… Look at the ostrich, how it buries its head in the desert sand and so tries to escape the fear of danger. No, he said: Look at the birds of the air, keep your eyes open, stand up straight and look to the heights where God makes known his grace and care.
--Helmut Thielicke, Life Can Begin Again (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1963), 143.

Jesus says look at the birds, the flowers, and all of creation… doesn’t God take care of them?

Jesus says… don’t be afraid… God wants to give you the kingdom…where is your heart?

Somehow we have allowed the fear of scarcity and limitation to infiltrate and compromise the abundance we have in God.

So my friends… there is no reason to fear… in fact we should have the attitude of “NO FEAR”!!

Jesus says in John 14:27… “I give you peace, the kind of peace that I can only give. It isn’t like the peace that this world can give. Don’t be worried or afraid.”

To not worry… to have faith… to believe… better yet… trust.

Today is the opportunity in the midst of uncertainty to grow in your discipleship and an opportunity to grow in your faith.

Close with story of an 85 year old Kentucky woman named Nadine Stair on what she would do If I Had My Life to Live Over. She says, “I'd like to make more mistakes next time. I'd relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I've been this trip. I would take fewer things seriously. I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would perhaps have more actual troubles, but I'd have fewer imaginary ones. You see, I'm one of those people who lives sensibly and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else. Just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of each day. You see… I've been one of those persons who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat and a parachute. If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.”
--As quoted in Allan E. Mallinger and Jeannette DeWyze, Too Perfect (New York: Fawcett, 1992), 10.

Please say this with me… Lord, I won’t be afraid… you are with me!