HAVE NO FEAR
MARK 6:45-56
Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. [46] And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. [47] And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. [48] And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, [49] but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, [50] for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." [51] And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, [52] for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
[53] When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. [54] And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him [55] and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. [56] And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
In the name of Jesus:
FDR is noted for saying: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” He made this statement during his first inaugural address when elected President of the United States, against the backdrop of an economic depression and foreign hostilities. There were certainly things to be anxious and fearful during those times. And what about today? How is your fear level? What is it that you fear?
We have a host of fears. You fear it, well; there is a name for it. Just for fun, I googled the phrase phobia lists, and the search turned up a site called phobia list dot com. There are 530 phobias listed there on that site.
Just listen to some of these phobias: Triskaideckaphobia is the fear of the number 13. Allodoxaphobia- is the fear of opinions. (So I won’t be asking your opinion on the sermon today). Photophobia- is the fear of thunder and lightning. Bufonophobia is the fear of toads. Bogyphobia is the fear of bogeys or the bogeyman. Chronophobia is the fear of time. Decidophobia is the fear of making decisions. Dendrophobia is the fear of trees. Dentophobia is the fear of dentists. Didaskaleinophobia is the fear of going to school. Dutchphobia is the fear of the Dutch. Ecclesiophobia is the fear of church.( seems as if more than a few people have this phobia). Euphobia- Fear of hearing good news. Homilophobia is the fear of sermons ( now no wisecracks). Omphalophobia is the fear of belly buttons. Peladophobia is the fear of bald people ( some of you didn’t know you were that fear inspiring). Phobophobia, you guessed it, is the fear of phobias or you could say that you are afraid of being afraid.
We have those days, don’t we, and we have those fears, there are plenty of things to be afraid of today. Many are afraid of the daily routines of life. We know what those disciples in the boat were feeling that night during the storm. They were feeling tossed and turned, wondering if they would be able to see the light of day.
When we go through the storms of life, we have plenty of things to fear. We have questions that we want God to answer. Questions such as to what we are going to do when it seems as if our lives are blown off course by the events of the day? How are we to react and respond to daily or life changing events that occur with all too often regularity? Many feel angry and frustrated at the "interruption" of what they had planned for the day, or what they had envisioned life to become. And it all adds to our primary fears, namely, how can I know that God is on my side? How can I know that things will work out? You see, when we fear, our confidence in God and His love is eroded, and we wonder if God really does love us.
The answer to all of our fears is found in one word: Jesus. God so loved the world that He sent His one and only Son, to live in true love and fear of God, so that by His innocently led life and His death on the cross, He would conquer all that makes us afraid.
When God speaks good news, when God speaks to alleviate our fears, He simply says do not be afraid. Three simple words, when we say these words they are powerless, but when God says these words, fear dissipates because Jesus has taken on our fears of life, of sin, Satan, and death, and has defeated our fears.
Just listen to the angels at Jesus’ birth. There are plenty of things for each of us to fear in life, some fear life itself. But at Jesus’ birth, the shepherds were afraid, fearful of being sinful people in the midst of the holiness of the angelic choir. Yet their message was comforting, do not fear, for Jesus, God’s Son, is born, this is Good News for the Son of God is born in the city of David, for you.
That same message is proclaimed by Jesus in the boat. The disciples feared for their lives. There was a hurricane on the waters that night, the boat was taking on water and sinking, the wind and waves were battering the boat, the disciples thought that they were goners. But what was said? Peace, wind and wave, be quiet nature, and to you, My disciples, don’t be afraid.
How is this possible? The God of all of creation was in human flesh. The Lord Jesus calmed the wind and wave because He is God in human flesh. He has power over all creation. His power is seen in His creation and in the quieting of His creation. Don’t be afraid, Jesus says, I am in control.
But Jesus’ power over all is seen specifically in His humanness, in His humility. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul:
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, [8] he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:5-8).
In Jesus’ death, on that cross called Calvary, God defeated all of what makes us afraid. In Jesus God’s good news is don’t be afraid, for Jesus has taken on Himself our punishment, our death, and our fears. You need never doubt if God’s love you, for God loved you so much that He gave His Son unto death for your salvation. You need not fear the present, for God is with you and will never leave nor forsake you. You need not fear the future for God will work our all things to your good and His glory.
Hence “we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. [29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. [30] And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. For if God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There are plenty of things to be fearful of today: all you have to do is listen to talk radio or television news and see that we have a plethora of items to be concerned with: health care or the lack of it, a recession, inflation, job losses, unemployment, rogue nations with nuclear weapons, terrorist attacking again, not to mention parents growing older and dying, kids growing up, all of this is enough to make anyone’s hair become gray! But through it all, God’s message is simple: trust Christ. Don’t be afraid.
I like the story of our first Lutheran forefathers. Philip Melanchthon, the great Reformation theologian, once said to his friend Martin Luther, "This day you and I will discuss the governance of the universe." What Luther said in response was unexpected: "This day you and I will go fishing and leave the governance of the universe to God."
Friends, God has taken on our greatest issues in Christ. Jesus has defeated sin, Satan, and death for you. Trust Jesus. He is your ever present help in times of trouble, so, through it all…..HAVE NO FEAR.
In Jesus’ name
Amen
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