Don't Be Afraid Series

"DON’T BE AFRAID"

TEXT II KINGS 6:8- 23

On summer night during a severe thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small son into bed. She was about to turn the light off when he asked in a trembling voice, "Mommy, will you stay with me all night?" Smiling the mother gave him a warm, reassuring hug and said tenderly, "I can’t dear, I have to sleep in Daddy’s room." A long silence followed. At last is was broken by a shaky voice saying, "The big sissy!"

5 year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go alone. "It’s dark in there and I’m scared." She asked again and he persisted. Finally she said, "It’s OK-Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said, "Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup."

Today, we continue in our series, "real people - true stories"... In week one, we went on Mt Carmel with Elijah -- we saw him whoop up on hundreds of false prophets and we took home the lesson -- we need to get off the fence -- IF God is God then we need to serve him with ALL our heart, mind, soul & strength. Last week we talked about Deborah and how she is an example to mothers (parents) who want to bring life, ‘true’ life back into their homes....(my your childrens relationship with priority #1; encouraging them, disciplining and reminding them of God’s power)

Today’s real person is Elisha (not to be confused with Elijah) - and the true story is found in the book of 2 Kings chapter 6 - and I have chosen the tittle "Don’t be Afraid."

Have you ever said those words to someone? a friend? a spouse? or a maybe to your child who has just come into your room after a bad dream? and you tell them "DON’T BE AFRAID..."

HAS SOMEONE EVER SAID THOSE WORDS TO YOU, "DON’T BE AFRAID"

AS A CHILD OR MAYBE EVEN AS AN ADULT....

Have you ever been afraid? Are you even afraid right now?

Fear is a powerful emotion -- it can grab us and grip us with an immobilizing terror or dread.

One popular author in one of his books, in talking about fear relates the following story.

He was a professional thief. His name stirred fear as the desert wind stirs tumbleweeds. He terrorized the Wells Fargo stage line for thirteen years, roaring like a tornado in and out of the Sierra Nevedas, spooking the most rugged frontiersman. In journals from San Francisco to New York, his name became synonymous with the danger of the frontier....

During his reign of terror between 1875 and 1883, he is credited with stealing the bags and the breadth away from twenty nine different stagecoaches crews. And he did it all without firing a shot.

His weapon was his reputation. His ammunition was intimidation.

A hood hid his face. No victim ever saw him. No artist ever sketched his features.

No sheriff could ever track his trail. He never fired a shot or took a hostage. He didn’t have to. His presence was enough to paralyze.

Black Bart. A hooded bandit armed with a deadly weapon...

Black Bart reminds me of another thief that’s been around for awhile -- one who is still riding the trails today and one who is found riding the trails in 2 Kings.

You know him -- but like Black Bart, you’ve never seen his face, either. You can’t describe his voice or sketch his profile. But when he is near -- you know it in a heart beat.

If you’ve ever been in the hospital -- you’ve felt the leathery brush of his hand against yours.

If you’ve ever sensed that someone was following you -- you’ve felt his cold breathe down your neck.

If you’ve ever had to do something or say something that involved confronting someone -- and lay awake the night before -- He was the one who stole your slumber. You know him.

He was the thief who left your palms sweaty as you went for a job interview.

He was this con man who convinced you to swap your integrity for popularity...

It was him who got you to say and do nothing rather than deal with the problem, to keep your mouth shut when you should have spoken up.

And it was this scoundrel, who whispered in your ear, "no one really cares about you" when you felt the need to reach out for support.