Finding Freedom From Fear Series

Finding Freedom From FEAR

OKAY…

MGCC – let’s do this, let’s kick off our brand new series,

UNDERSTAND – there are ‘many’ things in this world seeks to bind, control, enslave and imprison us, Things like…

Guilt, shame, anxiety, religion, the opinions of other people, fear, anger, bitterness, greed, hatred, racism, materialism, hurt, the pursuit of pleasure…etc.

AND SO - this new message series is about finding freedom from all of those things.

NOW BEFORE – we dive into our topic for today, I want to share a few God-breathed words about freedom…

IN LUKE 4 – Jesus walks into a synagogue in His hometown and begins His pubic ministry with these words..

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. - Luke 4:18,19

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Why did Christ set us free?

Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. – Galatians 5:1

Whoever looks intently into the perfect law That would be into God’s Word that gives freedom,

God’s word gives what? Freedom and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. – James 1:25

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free… So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

– John 8:31,32, 36

MGCC – it is November 1, 2020… and this morning we are going to talk about finding freedom from FEAR.

QUESTION – are you afraid of anything right now?

Prayer

At 8:17 pm on the evening of March 3, 1943, air raid sirens begin to scream in London, England.

Taxi drivers immediately pulled their vehicles over to the side of the road, and buses emptied their passengers.

Motorists slammed their brakes, and people began looking into the sky and running down the boulevard.

Some fell face first on the sidewalk; others covered their heads.

Still others cried out, "They're beginning to drop them!"

Gunfire could be heard in the distance, and nearby antiaircraft forces began launching a steady stream of rockets. People continued to search the sky for sights of Nazi airplanes, and the fact that they saw none did nothing to dampen their hysteria.

Many people raced toward the Bethnal Green Underground Station, where more than 500 citizens had already taken refuge, and where more than 15 hundred would join them in the next 10 minutes.

AND - trouble began when these safety seekers all reached the entryway to the underground station at the same time. One young mother, carrying a baby, began hurrying down the 19 uneven steps, and she lost her balance.

AND - her stumble interrupted the flow of the crowd, causing a domino of people to tumble down on top of her.

AND - matters only worsened when the late arrivers thought they were being deliberately blocked from the entryway.

They were not, but nevertheless they began to push.

NOW - the chaos lasted for only few minutes, but the disentangling of the bodies lasted four hours.

IN THE END - 173 men, women, and children had died, and not a single bomb had been dropped.

YOU SEE - it turns out that Nazi bombs didn't kill the people, fear did.

YOU KNOW - fear loves a good stampede.

AND UNDERSTAND - fear's payday is…

blind panic, sleepless nights, and disquieted hearts.

AND MGCC – there is no doubt whatsoever, that fear has been making an extremely good living lately.

YEAH – in the year 2020 fear has pretty occupied center in our world, a Fear fuel by such things as…

• COVID 19, The Corona Virus

• Shutdown, lockdowns, Layoffs

• The downturn in the economy

• Huge upticks in – violence, riots, looting, racism, division

• The Election happening in just 2 days

NOT TO MENTION – all the fears out there before 2020, FEARS ABOUT…

• Terrorism

• Conflicts in the Middle East

• Climate change

• Unstable dictators collecting nuclear missiles like a kid collecting baseball cards

YES - we fear so much…

• We fear going broke.

• We fear finishing last.

• We fear for our kids

• We fear for our aging parents

• We fear about not having

• We fear the mole on the back, and

• the tick of the clock as it inches us closer and closer to the grave.

AND LISTEN – because of our fear, we create elaborate investment systems, security systems, defense and military systems to keep us safe and make us feel secure…