Hope In The Face Of Fear Series

Today, I want to speak to you on this important topic: “Hope in the Face of Fear.”

Isolated from meeting together because of the Coronavirus, we meet for worship online. Of course, there is no substitute for gathering together in person. How I look forward to seeing everyone face to face! I am so grateful to our technology team for providing this online opportunity. Even though a virus can keep us out of our buildings for a while, there is no virus that can stop the church from being the church. Amen?

We are just two Sundays from Easter and I invite you to find John 13 with me. To prepare us to celebrate the resurrection, we are in a series entitled “What Makes Jesus Say Amen.”

Today’s Scripture

“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:21-38).

We need help right now, don’t we? We need a cure for this virus that has killed more 1,300 people in our nation and 25,000 around the world as of Friday. We need economic help as many of you are either underemployed or unemployed because of this “shelter in place.” Young parents need help when they have so many children at home along with pets and all of them are fighting for limited data to complete their work! You need help when you sit at your kitchen table surrounded by unpaid bills. We are fragile and afraid.

Fear grips the heart of even seemingly secure people. Katherine II, of Russia, was terrified when she noticed that her hair was getting thin. She had some wig-makers come and begin to make up wigs for her. In fact, she locked the wig-makers up in the palace for three years so nobody would tell her secret.

Did you know that Kublai Khan, who conquered more space and land than any other conqueror in the world, was absolutely afraid of old age? He had all his finest horses killed at the age of six, and all of his ministers exiled at the age of sixty. Part of us wonders, “Can anybody help us with our fears?”

We are analyzing when Jesus said the word amen. Now, when you hear the word “amen,” it usually means, “I like that.” But when Jesus used the word “amen,” He uses it in a different way and I want you to pay careful attention to how He does this. Jesus would use the word “amen” in front of a statement, to preface a statement. In John 13, Jesus is only hours from His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus steadies our fears with His amen. Four times in a matter of just a few minutes, Jesus says to His disciples these words: “Truly (Amen), truly (Amen), I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13:16).