Fear Not, Because of Bread

Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Numbers 14:9 ESV)

 I am terrified of bees.  To me, they have evil purpose in their little bee-brains.  To me, they desire to drive their railroad spikes into my arm, neck, or face.  To me, they are sneaky, secretive, and unsportsmanlike.

But a certain friend is NOT afraid of bees.  I used to think that he was in denial of the dangerous bee conspiracy.  But now I realize that he sees bees differently.  To him, bees make honey.

They still drive railroad spikes into his arm.  They still sneak up on him.  They still do not like him.

But they make honey.

Most of the spies coming back from Canaan saw that the Canaanites were terrifying.  They had railroad spokes on the end of their spears.  They were sneaky.  They were entrenched in their land flowing with milk and honey.  The Canaanites were not going to leave without a fight.  And there were Giants.

But Caleb and Joshua saw something different.  Caleb and Joshua did not deny how tough the Canaanites were.  Caleb and Joshua also saw the railroad spikes, the fortresses, and the Giants.

But they knew that God was going to use those tough, angry, dangerous, scary Canaanites as bread for the People of God.

God, in fact, DID use that rebellious civilization of the Canaanites to provide a kickstart for the new nation of Israel.  Joshua probably thought of this when later he said, “I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.” (Joshua 24:13 ESV)

But Caleb and Joshua understood something bigger than that.  God smiles at, favors, and provides for His People.  And the means He uses are often found outside of God’s Kingdom.  One of the reasons that God allowed the nations around Israel to exist was that He was always using them for the benefit of His people.  Even when those nations did things like carry Israelites into captivity.  Those other nations are the breadbaskets for God’s People.

So those other nations were nothing to fear.  They were merely God’s tools.

Somehow, God will use the things that you are fearing for your good.  They are His tools.  They are nothing to fear, say Caleb and Joshua.

Fear not, because of bread.

Fear Not, Because the Lord is Never Surprised

Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. (Proverbs 2:25,26 ESV)

My toe hit that root in the woods and I stumbled. That root was NOT there, earlier. It must have suddenly grown and maybe even JUMPED up at my foot. I was not prepared, and it was startling.

Unexpected things are often the most frightening. That is why children cry when something jumps out and says, “BOO!” Strange noises, odd lights, and unexpected visitors all speed up our heartrates.

We sometimes think that being prepared is the answer. Think of the old Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared. Avoid danger by planning ahead… be ready for anything… fill your pantry with extra food… squirrel money away ‘just in case.’

“Preparing” is even a political movement.

How is all that preparing working out for you? Do you really feel safer? Is it possible to prepare for everything and anything? Or is there always ONE more thing you should have done…

This proverb tells us the answer to the fear that comes from being unprepared.

The answer is not, “stash away more stuff.”

The answer is not, “practice, practice, practice.”

The answer is not, “More guns, more fences, more kung-fu, or more freeze dried bacon.”

The answer to this fear is, find confidence in the Lord.

He is never surprised. He is never unprepared. The future is as sure for Him as the past.

Fear not, because the Lord is never surprised.

Fear Not, Because You Can Say God's Words

And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” (Joshua 10:25)

Words are important. They are not cheap.

God had told Joshua this same command when Joshua was just starting out as Israel’s General. When God told Joshua to be strong and courageous, Joshua did not keep that idea to himself. He spoke to others what God had spoken to him. He spread the news.

More importantly, Joshua spoke his words after God had amazingly defeated the enemy. Joshua was not sitting at home, thinking things. He was not reflecting on God’s promise. He was not guessing what God had meant.

Joshua said those words with his foot actually on the neck of the defeated enemy.

Joshua’s admonition was not merely looking to the future. It was based on God’s triumphs of yesterday and today.

Joshua accomplished two things when he told the Israelites to not fear. First, he spread the ‘do not fear” virus. Rather than worry about the TOUGH enemies still ahead, Joshua spoke good words. He spoke God’s true words.

Second, in repeating God’s encouraging command, Joshua strengthened his own resolve. Repeating good news makes it even better.

We’ve been hearing God’s promises for over two months. God has said, “do not fear,” repeatedly. Be like Joshua, and repeat God’s good words!

For your friends’ sake… and for your own.

Fear not, because you are passing on God’s good news.

Fear Not, Because God Says So... a Lot!

You came near when I called on You; You said, ‘Do not fear!’ (Lamentations 3:57 ESV)

People seem to like over-arching statements. “The best tv show of all time is Gilligan’s Island.” “The best breakfast food is grits.” “The message of the Star Trek universe is: Yay, humans!”

I find such statements are rarely true. But there is something satisfying in absolutes.

Poor Jeremiah. He was a prophet without an audience. If you read the book named after him in the Bible, you will find that whatever words Jeremiah uttered, the people of Jerusalem did the opposite. The leaders were particularly adversarial.

Jeremiah was preaching bad news. He was informing them that even though they were God’s chosen people, Judah and Jerusalem were about to be utterly defeated. A fierce and cruel nation was on the move, as God’s disciplining hand. But no one wanted to hear Jeremiah.

So Jeremiah was the only person afraid in Jerusalem. He was afraid of the Babylonian army. He was afraid of the result of God’s wrath. He was afraid of the leaders’ deafness, AND the leaders’ retaliation for Jeremiah’s words.

Just before Jerusalem fell to the very real Babylonian army, Jeremiah was thrown into an empty cistern, and left to die. And in Jeremiah’s fear, God said, “Fear not.”

While I toyed with fear last night, with word of protests only a few miles up the road… while my heart sped up reading of the violent threat made on social media to the two small towns that surround my home… while I start to worry about the polarization forming all around me… while the purposeful rejection of God and the rebellion against His Word (EVEN in the church!) brings to mind the exact situation that Jeremiah and Jerusalem faced…

My reasons to fear are minimal compared to Jeremiah’s.

And God spoke to Jeremiah in that cistern. God told Jeremiah to stop being afraid.

Sometimes I want to make an over-arching statement about the Message of the Bible. God is always saying, “Don’t be afraid.”

- GOD made everything, so even though creation is an intimidating thing… don’t be afraid.

- Sin ruined everything, but even though we see sin’s devastating effect all around us, there is a Savior… don’t be afraid.

- The story of Abram and his transformation into Abraham shows us the extremes to which God will go to create and protect His people… don’t be afraid.

- Every David narrative reminds us that God kills giants, forms governments, forgives grave errors, gives us music, enjoys our dance, and keeps His promises… don’t be afraid.

- And jumping ahead to Jesus’ life and death and LIFE, God SHOUTS, “do not be afraid!”

God has one thing to tell us, down in OUR cisterns… Don’t be afraid. He says it over and over.

Fear not, because God says so.

Fear Not, Because of God's Looks

Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezekiel 3:9)

Was God doing some trash talk about the Israelites in Exile?  It sounds like God is saying, “Don’t be afraid, even though those people are UGLY!”

But that is not God’s intention.  He uses the same word that we hear twice every Sunday in the Benediction.  We translate it “His face” and “His countenance.” Not physical appearance, but deeper than that.  “Looks” refers to intention.  “Looks” refers to demeanor.  “Looks” refers to purpose.

And the exiles had no intention of listening to God, or His prophet, Ezekiel.  In fact, they might want to keep Ezekiel quiet.  They might threaten him.  They might scowl and frown and glare.  And it is THOSE looks that Ezekiel doesn’t need to fear.

Because GOD’S looks are stronger, effective, and familiar.

Ezekiel heard about God’s looks in every Benediction.  God purposefully contrasts the Benediction with the bad looks of the exiles.   Those bad looks don’t matter, because GOD is looking, too.  And His intentions matter.  His intentions are good.  The things He intends are what end up happening.

We face some scary intentions, too.  Some threatening looks.  Some purposes that are against Christ’s kingdom.  And like Ezekiel, it is easy for us to slip into fear. 

But when we might fear conspiracies, Ezekiel would remind us of God’s looks.

When we might fear plans that are being made against us, Ezekiel would remind us of God’s looks.

When we sense the ugly looks of our society towards Christianity, or some politicians against the church, or some folk planning riots, we can listen to what God told Ezekiel.

Pay attention to God’s looks… His looks are what matters.

Fear not, because of God’s looks.

Fear Not, Because of Comfort

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

Psalm 23 is kind of mathematical. Or maybe geometric. Or maybe visual. David points out that the opposite of fear is comfort. Both are emotions. Both are choices. Both are reactions.

Evil ----------------------------- Fear

Shepherd -------------------- Comfort

Evil corresponds to fear. The ultimate evil, and effect of evil, was death. Evil demands and if our eyes are small deserves fear. It is quite natural to fear evil.

That is why we often assign evil motivations to the things we fear. Economic troubles MUST be the fault of some evil cabal. A terrible disease MUST be the result of an evil laboratory’s experiments. Something new MUST be the effect of an evil intent.

Comfort corresponds to the Shepherd’s presence. A drooling wolf fleas from the Shepherd’s rod. The whitewater rapids nearby the cool pool aren’t a threat when the Shepherd’s staff pulls us back. The dark unknown of tomorrow’s path doesn’t matter when the Shepherd knows where to walk with us.

The evil is there. It is real. It causes trouble, and pain, and tears, and death.

But the Shepherd is more there.

Fear Not, Because of Comfort

Fear Not... Because of Jesus

And the LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.” (Genesis 25:24 ESV)

I was usually chosen last when determining kickball teams. And basketball. And baseball. And football. And soccer. And marbles. It was not a big deal, but with sports such an important part of those days in school, I sometimes felt like I didn’t matter.

But sometimes we feel like nobody, and it hurts. Or it makes us worry. Or it makes us sad. Or it makes us fear. When others seem more blessed than us, or more successful, or more skilled, or more popular, we wonder what our future holds for us.

Isaac was a nobody. The one thing people remember about Isaac is that he was almost sacrificed. He also went from place to place, losing argument after argument about whose water source he could use. And that was when God told Isaac to stop fearing.

God comforted Isaac in a way that we Americans might not appreciate. But we should. God promised Isaac that God would treat Isaac the same way He treated Abraham! Not because Isaac was secretly cool… but for the sake of Abraham. God’s love for Abraham would be extended to Isaac.

We probably would like God to love Isaac for Isaac’s sake. He was not REALLY a nobody, after all. But God was teaching the world about Jesus. As God loved Isaac for Abraham’s sake, God was setting the stage for how He loves us.

God doesn’t really have a REASON to love us. It is not that we are worthless worms. We have abilities, personalities, and beauty. We can be kind, thoughtful, selfless, and valuable. But our sinful nature, heritage, and selves taint us in our Holy God’s eyes. For good reason. God cannot stand sin.

But since God loved Isaac for Abraham’s sake, He set a precedent. A big one. A good one.

God loves US for Jesus’ sake.

Perhaps that makes you pout. But it makes me have peace. If God’s love for me depended on ME, I know that I would mess up. Not even eventually, but SOON, I would do something to deserve wrath instead of love. That would give me real reason to fear… every day… constantly. God’s wrath is the most fearful thing there is.

But God loves me, protects me, likes me, grows me, nurtures me, helps me, and is my God… for Jesus’ sake.

Fear not… because of Jesus.

Fear Not, Because Jesus is Our Brother

And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do notbe afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:9, 10)

Rusty Kidder was a pretty tough-looking kid. He was in the ninth grade, I was a senior, and we met with book-flying results in the middle of the hallway. I was angry, embarrassed, and arrogant. A bad combination. So I demanded that he pick up MY books as well as his own. He refused. I blustered. He ignored.

We agreed to meet after school and resolve the dispute with fisticuffs.

But before the day ended, I remembered something important. Rusty had a big brother, Ted. Ted not only LOOKED tough, he WAS tough. He had been kicked out of school for violence. He had earned black belts in a number of martial arts. He nails for breakfast.

And I knew that Ted would end up avenging Rusty. Because that is what family does. No wonder Rusty wasn’t afraid of fighting a senior.

I apologized. And Rusty and I are now, years later, facebook friends.

Jesus calls His disciples brothers. Most commentaries that I checked called this a tender phrase. But I see it as protective. Jesus, the Brother, is a reason to stop being afraid.

Jesus tells the women at the empty tomb to go to the disciples and give them instructions. Stop fearing and go to Galilee. Up to this point they were hiding in Jerusalem. Afraid of the Roman soldiers. Afraid of the Jewish leaders. Afraid of their mocking friends. Afraid of the future.

And because He is family, He urges them to action. Stop hiding. Get to work. And fear not. He’s tougher than Ted.

Christians are all adopted into that family. Jesus is our Brother, too.

If we are huddling in our upper room, afraid, remember our Brother. If we are more aware of the powers of the enemies, remember our Brother. If we don’t know what to do, remember our Brother.

Fear not, because Jesus is your Brother.

Fear Not, Because of Jesus' Hand

When I saw Him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not.” (Revelation 1: 17)

I did not like playing tag. I ran too slowly. When I was chased, I was usually caught. And when I was chasing, it was hard to catch someone else. That moment of TAG was a terrible moment for me. Because now I had power, authority, and responsibility. I was it.

Jesus’ touch was not a random sentimental act. Jesus was passing on to John all the things John needed to get rid of fear. That right hand was the hand of authority, and Jesus was giving to John power, position, and His presence.

John certainly had reason to fear! He saw Jesus as Jesus IS. All of His people will see Him, too… but we will see Him after we are fully sanctified. John was not, yet. And so when he saw Jesus’ glory, holiness, and power he was awestruck.

He had other reasons to be afraid, too. He was in exile. Exile was not vacation. It was permanent prison and it usually ended with some sort of execution. His physical needs were not guaranteed. He was now old, and what medical assistance was historically present would have been distant.

But the answer to John’s fear was the right hand of Jesus. Not in some vague religious emotional way. Jesus didn’t wave at John. He didn’t point. He didn’t wriggle His fingers. He didn’t keep His hand to Himself.

Jesus laid His hand on John to remove fear.

Because touching someone in like that was the symbolic way that authority was passed from person to person. Jesus was telling and showing John that John had the power of Jesus at John’s disposal.

Tag.

This is one of the reasons that Christians are urged to give each other the right hand of fellowship! We are reminding each other that King Jesus’ power is available for us!

With the power of Jesus, John had nothing to fear.

Us, too.

Fear not, because of Jesus’ hand.

Fear not, Because of God's Vision

Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. (Acts 27:24 ESV)

The angel gives Paul strange comfort.

The angel might have been expected to say something about frying pans and fires.

A terrifying Northeast Wind had been savaging the ship on which Paul was traveling. I’ve been in one sort-of-storm at sea, and a few storms at lake. The wind, waves, and flying fish are frightening. One feels out of control. It’s often dark, disorienting, and dank.

Certainly, the angel’s promise pf preserved life was good news. No doubt Paul and his companions were able to trust that calm was coming, the storm would end, and they would live. But the angel does not blandly say, “all will be well.” Because Paul was on his way to Caesar.

In a way particularly relevant at sea, Paul was being told that God saw both the waves and the horizon. While we often have our eyes focused on the immediate crisis, God’s promises reach further than the urgent.

The angel did not even mention whether Paul would live through the Caesar experience. Paul knew that God’s plans were far-reaching. Paul could see that the gospel was on its way to the Roman Senate… through him.

At the risk of mixing metaphors, Paul wasn’t just shown the light at the end of THIS tunnel. He was shown that a bigger tunnel remained.

On a given day, at a given moment, I am able to focus on the details or on the big picture. Rarely am I able to see both at the same time. But God can. The tiny details and the entire tapestry are equally before Him.

And this is comforting.

Fear not, because of God’s vision.

Fear Not, Because It Is Jesus

The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they were glad to take him into the boat (John 6:18-21 ESV)

It was a dark and stormy night. The disciples were rowing across the storm-tossed waves of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had not yet calmed a storm for them, so perhaps they already would have been a little afraid from the weather. They were fishermen and knew how dangerous traveling across the Sea in a rowboat could be.

But then something REALLY scary happened. Walking on the Sea, as if it were a landscape of rolling hills instead of rolling waves, was apparently a human. I’ve always imagined Him glowing mysteriously, but there is no Biblical evidence of this.

The laws of physics were being broken right before the disciples’ eyes!

This was weird. This was crazy. They were frightened.

Jesus reaches the boat and says the most scary frightening thing. He hints that He is God. He says, “I am,” making a reference to God’s answer to Moses about who God is (Exodus 3:14.)

Jesus makes that claim quite a few times. Eventually the Jewish leaders take His hints and attempt to stone Jesus for the blasphemy of it.

I think Jesus’ disciples knew what He meant and are glad to hear it. Not only is the apparition strolling on the stormy Galilean Sea not a ghost, or a demon, or an alien, or something too strange to comprehend… but Jesus tells them that it is God Himself. The God they know and love. The God they know and trust. The God they know and believe.

What could possibly be scary when you’re hanging around in a boat with God? With Abba? With the Redeemer? With the One who had been gracious to Adam and Eve? With the One who had loved Jacob? With the One who had made little David a King? With the One who had forgiven and forgiven and forgiven?

And we can ask ourselves the same question. Only for us it is even more obvious. God Himself became man himself so that we can know that while He is holy, He is not so distant. So that we can see that He understands us. So that we can grasp that He is much more like us than the pillars of fire and smoke seems to indicate. We are hanging around in our boat with Jesus.

It is a dark and stormy night. But look! Jesus is here.

Fear not, because it is Jesus.

Fear Not, Because You Seek Him

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. (Matthew 28:5)

Last week I discovered that I had made a big mistake. For a Christmas ‘gift’ last year, I finally moved a HUGE hollowed concrete block and dug it a few feet down into the ground, making a planter out of the remains of an old construction project. But I had holes for draining drilled in the wrong part, in the wrong way, at the wrong angle. So it wouldn’t work as a planter after all.

I can hear some of you excusing me. “Your intentions were right,” you might say. “You meant well,” we smile. “You TRIED…” I hear.

But we know that those kindly statements don’t hold water (pun intended.) My good intentions do not make the planter usable. Intentions don’t matter as much as actions.

But while this might be true regarding concrete planters, the angel speaking to the women outside of Jesus’ empty tomb comfort them with one “good intention.”

Those women had plenty of reasons to be afraid. They had lost Jesus. The Jewish leaders were winning the fight. The lives Mary and Mary had given up to follow Him were probably irretrievable. And all of that was BEFORE they felt the earthquake, saw heavenly light blaze, and saw an actual ANGEL.

But that angel put things in perspective for them. He tells Mary and Mary that because they seek Jesus, they have no reason to fear.

That articulate angel is preaching a profound sermon right there.

He took the physical act of Mary and Mary arriving at the tomb and turned it into an amazing truth. They physically sought Him because they were already living their lives seeking Him.

They had believed in Him. They had followed Him. They had publicly professed their Faith. They desired to hear every Word He said. They desired to know what He taught. They both literally and figuratively followed Him.

They were Christians.

And because of THAT, Mary and Mary had nothing to fear.

Seeking Jesus is the solution to every trouble and problem and issue and fear that we have. Seeking Jesus means always wonderingly wondering what He is up to, even in our pain. Seeking Jesus means knowing that He DOES reign, even when we can’t see how. Seeking Jesus means trusting that He is the weaver behind the tapestry of our lives. Seeking Jesus means believing Him.

And the result of seeking Jesus means we lose sight of those things we fear. The result of seeking Jesus means that even when those things we fear are as frightening as angels, we can wait through them. The result of Seeking Jesus means that we’re too busy to be afraid.

When we intend to seek Jesus, THAT intention matters.

Fear not, because you seek Jesus.

Fear Not, Because of His Kingdom

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27)

In eighth grade I was presented with the magic of Litmus Paper. I capitalized those words because the magic of Litmus Paper still astonishes me. A drop or two of a particular liquid, placed on Litmus Paper, could be declared Acidic, or Base. I was never sure WHY I needed to know that. But the fact that I COULD was very important to my budding scientific mind.

These statements about peace are a part of Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer. Toward the end of His earthly ministry, He acts succinctly as the High Priest of His people and brings us before the throne of His Heavenly Father. During His prayer, he contrasts His Kingdom with the world seven times.

That contrast is obviously important.

While we often yearn to be included and inclusive, be tolerated and tolerate, be welcomed and welcome, Jesus draws a pretty sharp line between His kingdom and the world.

It almost sounds like the beginning of a joke: “There are two kinds of people in the world…” But it is not really very funny.

One of the differences between His Kingdom and the world is that His kingdom brings peace and ends trouble and fear for the hearts of His people, while the world does not bring those things.

Jesus presents a litmus test. A way to know what Kingdom we are in. And while I never understand why I needed to know Acid or Base, I do know why I need to know my citizenship.

Jesus’ Kingdom brings peace. His Kingdom ends troubled and fearful hearts.

If I am living in fear, my feet are standing in the wrong Kingdom. It’s a Litmus Test.

But it is not a Litmus Test intended to make me feel guilty. If I find myself afraid, the solution is not to add yet another fear. The solution comes from noticing that my fear is caused by my feet standing in the wrong Kingdom, and choosing to embrace Jesus’ embrace.

If I like my fear or enjoy a troubled heart; or if I don’t mind worrying, then I can keep my feet where they are.

But Jesus tells His disciples (and us) of a better place for my feet. I can stand in HIS Kingdom and have peace.

Fear not, because of His Kingdom.

Fear Not, Follow Him

And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:10c,11 ESV)

Simon (later Peter) had just seen a shocking thing. His fishing nets had gone from empty to full. And he was afraid. Jesus’ gift of the fish appropriately drove Simon to repentance. He was overwhelmed with God’s power, wielded by Jesus before Simon’s eyes. Simon’s focus went inward to an awareness of his unworthiness of the gift, and his unworthiness to even be in the presence of Jesus.

Wow, Jesus doesn’t encourage Simon in the resulting fear. We expect Jesus to agree with Simon’s fear. We expect a lecture about the goodness of Simon’s fear of God’s present power. We expect Jesus to smile approvingly as Simon transfers all of his fear from Fear of Evil to Fear of God.

Simon spent the night in growing fear. His empty nets meant economic disaster. His empty nets meant shame as a professional. His empty nets meant family crisis. His empty nets meant hunger.

But it was not Jesus’ intent to transfer Simon’s fear from THOSE fears to a similar fear of God.

Jesus wanted to remove Simon’s fear altogether.

He wanted Simon’s fears changed into peace. He wanted Simon’s fears changed into hope. He wanted Simon’s fears changed into witness.

Being Jesus, He won.

Jesus’ Words, and Simon’s discipleship display Jesus’ answer to Simon’s fear.

Simon didn’t even need to fear God!

Not because Simon was so cool. But because Jesus changes ALL fear into peace, hope, and witness. EVEN the fear we might have of God. Even the fear that we SHOULD have of God.

I know that is a big pill to swallow.

But it is the essence of the gospel.

Fear not, follow Him.

Fear Not, Speak God's Word

And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 2:6,7 ESV)

When we have a task, we commonly fear failure. Ezekiel was told to bring God’s Word to the people. And apparently, he had two reactions. First, he figured he was not going to succeed. And second, he was afraid.

Ezekiel was making a mistake we often share. He misunderstood his task. He was not sent by God to change the minds and hearts of God’s people. He was (only) sent to present God’s Word to them.

That’s still a big task. God’s Word can be complicated. And the importance of bringing God’s Word makes it a heavy burden.

But God doesn’t expect Ezekiel to succeed. Ezekiel cannot change anyone’s heart. Only the Spirit of God can do that. God doesn’t demand (of Ezekiel) that the Jews in exile (Ezekiel’s audience) become loyal, obedient, or righteous. God only asks Ezekiel to speak. To say what God tells him. To do the job in front of his face.

And so he was afraid. Ezekiel was afraid of failing. Ezekiel was afraid of finding that the people actually grew worse. Ezekiel was afraid of disappointing God.

Today, it seems like we are losing the culture war. It seems like we are losing the war of worldviews. It seems like we are losing debates that Christianity used to win. It seems like the church’s bringing of God’s Word is becoming more ineffective.

But those are no reason to fear and freeze. We are walking through briers and thorns. We sit on scorpions. But the words of God’s enemies have no power. They are lovers of lies. And we have the truth.

Our job is not to change America back. Our job is not to fix the world. We have a simpler task.

We need to (get to) speak God’s Word. Any fancy arguments won’t change anyone’s heart. (A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.) Any passionate presentation won’t return America to the faith of our grandfathers. We don’t have the ability or power or knowledge or wisdom to accomplice those BIG things.

But we can speak God’s Word.

That is where hope for the hopeless is found. That is what the Holy Spirit uses to alter hearts. That is what GOD will use to do what HE wants in the world.

Fear not, speak God’s Word.

Fear Not, Because of God's Words

When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, Isaiah said to them, “Say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the young men of the king of Assyria have reviled me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land, and I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.’ ” (Isaiah 37:5–7)

We like to say that talk is cheap, and that words don’t matter. But Scripture describes a different reality. In this episode, Hezekiah, the Assyrians, and God battle with words.

On the one hand, the Assyrians come to Jerusalem and SAY some scary things. This practice was the usual method of attack by Assyria. Rather than risk lives, cut into profit, and take time, the Assyrians talked their way into victory. The Assyrians are skilled wordsmiths. Nearly everyone who hears the words of the Assyrians becomes afraid, insecure, and hopeless.

It was like the “trash talk” that competitors use before a sporting event. And it worked.

But God answers the “trash talk” of the Assyrians with three things.

First God says to Hezekiah and Jerusalem (through Isaiah,) “Do not be afraid.” He combats the Assyrian words with BIGGER words of His own. A single, “Do not be afraid” from God trumps a gazillion words of Assyrian braggadocio.

Second, God goes deeper than words, and works in the heart and mind of Assyria’s King. Beyond feelings and a mood, God is preparing the King to be beaten by the King’s own weapon: words.

Because Third, God brings a rumor to the ears of the King. A rumor about an enemy. A rumor about trouble. A rumor that caught his attention and turned him away from Jerusalem.

As the Assyrians leave Jerusalem to deal with the rumor, more words are bandied about. The Assyrians don’t want to just leave. They leave with threats. They leave with “trash talk.” They leave with fear-inducing-words.

But when Hezekiah, Judah’s King, bring those words to God (actually bringing the threatening letter into the temple,) God answers Assyria’s words with words of hope. Words of victory. Words that can end fear.

These words end with this powerful promise: “Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the LORD. For I will defend this city to save it, for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.” (Isaiah 37:33-35)

We hear a lot of scary words these days. The news media has become adept at building fear. As Australian songster John Williamson sings, “Good news never made a paper sell.”

But God offers to combat that fear in the same way He fought the Assyrians.

He has better Words. Stronger Words. Hopeful Words.

Listen to HIM. He will defend us to save us, for His own sake and for the sake of His servants, us.

Fear not, because of God's Words.

Fear Not, Because He Comes Near

“Then fear not, O Jacob my servant, declares the Lord, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. (Jeremiah 30:10 ESV)

“But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel, for behold, I will save you from far away, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. (Jeremiah 46:27 ESV)

When Jeremiah says (twice!) that God would save His people from far away, he obviously must be referring to the miles between Jerusalem and Babylon.  And that would have been astonishing enough. 

But God was promising a salvation from a bigger difference than was measurable on a map.

Many years ago, I was attempting to put my broken life back together.  I had slipped, slid, and fallen into sin.  I had been caught, disciplined, taught, and loved.  And now, from the inside out, God was rebuilding me, my relationships, and my life.

One voice that God had brought into my life was a man who seemed like he was from a different world.  Born in Belize.  Hardly any education.  He was as far from me as two men could be from each other in temperament, experience, and ability.  But God used David to continue to save me.   His words challenged me daily.  His eyes encouraged me at 4:00 am when we started work.  His loving heart enriched me as we spoke, listened, laughed, and cried.

I never would have sought David’s counsel.  He was too different.  He was too far away, even when our feet nearly touched.  He was off there somewhere in every way that might have mattered.

Jeremiah makes the ‘from far away’ promise twice.  Because the promise is surprising.

The chasm between a Holy God and broken people is immeasurable.  He is other.  He is as different from us as could possibly be. 

But that makes no difference to God.

He doesn’t save us due to our similarity to Him.  He saves us because we are different.

(In fact, this is one of the reasons that the infinite, holy God became the finite present Christ.  It is how God drew near.)

God knows we are not like Him.  He knows our unholiness.  He knows that we not only are in Babylon but are distressingly comfortable there.

But He will save us, even from far away.

Fear not, because He comes near.

Fear Not, In God We Trust

In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:4 ESV)

Once on the highway I once passed a car held together with duct tape. I am still curious as to the extent of this vehicle’s needs, but bands of duct tape held the hood shut. Bands of duct tape held the doors in place. Bands of duct tape were doing SOMETHING to the wheels.

The driver turned towards me and smiled. He knew the value of his duct tape, and so did I.

The Psalmist claims to have something like Spiritual Duct Tape.

Like that driver, he is not afraid.

He has God’s Word. Foundational and practical. Both principial and pragmatic. Big and small. God’s Word is all he needs.

He has the praise of God’s Word. It is important enough to him that he brags about it. He declares the greatness of God’s Word in public worship, and in daily description. Praising God’s Word connects him to God.

He has a profession of faith. One that you might recognize from the coins in your pocket. The rest of this Psalm describes David’s dangers. His political and physical and emotional car is falling apart. But in God he trusts.

Fear not, because In God We Trust.

Fear Not, Because Immanuel

And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” 3 Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do notbe afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. (Genesis 46:2,3 ESV)

In high school, I painted houses. My boss knew that I was not on speaking terms with heights, but he kept sending me to the kind of jobs that required long reaches under eaves, delicate balance on teetering ladders, and (in my memory) leaps across canyons of empty space to put paint on THAT distant spot.

Whenever there was a two-or-three story house that needed painting, Tom was the one that got to go. I climbed, stretched, painted, and eventually… by the end of that summer… heights and I were almost getting along.

And I realized that my boss had sent me there, perhaps, to practice getting over my fear. Whether he meant to or not, that was the blessed result.

Have you ever noticed how many times God’s people went down to Egypt? Abram, Jacob, Joseph, Joseph’s brothers, Benjamin, Jacob (again,) all were sent to Egypt. And it doesn’t stop there. The wandering Israelites are tempted to return to Egypt, the Kings of Judah and Israel look in that direction. Many of the prophets, particularly Jeremiah, consider Egypt as a location. And lastly, even Jesus’ family heads down to Egypt, fleeing Herod.

“Going down to Egypt” is a lot like, “climbing that ladder.”

And maybe God’s people were practicing trust in God, instead of fearing trouble.

Mary and Joseph didn’t fear Egypt. Not only did they have generations of memories of God’s protection in Egypt, they knew they had Immanuel with them.

But so did Abram, Jacob, Joseph and the rest.

When Jesus promises that He will never leave us or forsake us, He included any trips to Egypt we might have planned… or any climbs up a ladder… or whatever journey you fear.

Fear not, because Immanuel.

Fear Not, Work for God

Then David said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished. (1 Chronicles 28:20 ESV)

Captain James Cook took SS Endeavor throughout the Pacific Ocean, discovering, observing, and redefining the world.  But on the ship, he was more popular for being a kind man.  Unlike most Captains, Cook didn’t flog sailors.  Cook didn’t treat the seamen as less than human.  Cook looked after his men.

One evening, Cook overheard two sailors discussing him.  One sailor was worried about what would happen after the Endeavor returned home.  What sort of Captain would the sailors be under, next?  But the other sailor simply responded, “There’s work to be done.  Until the work is finished, we have the Good Captain Cook.”

This is what David was telling Solomon.  When Solomon was King of Israel, he had many enemies.  We remember Solomon’s success, so we don’t think about the early days.  Solomon was afraid.  But David told him that as long as God’s work was being done, Solomon had nothing to fear.

Note, David did not say there would be no problems.  But even the problems are under the loving wings of our Good God.  As long as Solomon was doing God’s assignments, there was nothing to fear.

And that is true for us, too.  Doing God’s work is what keeps us safe.  

We get in trouble when we work for ourselves.

Fear not, work for God.