Let God Help You Overcome Fear

Let God Help You Overcome Fear

People sometimes seek to frighten us with fear to deter us from our purpose. But Jesus didn’t let the Pharisees’ false warning deter him from his hour. How about you? Are you trusting in the Lord and his purpose for you, or are you running away in fear all tied up in knots with concerns?

Luke 13.31-35 -- Todd A. Schäve, pastor/teacher

Introduction:

1. “...[The] only thing we have to fear is fear itself...,” said Franklin D. Roosevelt, in his "First Inaugural Address," 4 March 1933.

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes our efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

President Roosevelt spoke these words of action to a nation whose economy and morale had been sapped by financial depression. The speech was given in Washington, D.C. as part of the presidential inauguration. (Source: http://douglass.speech.nwu.edu/roos_a76.htm).

2. Approximately, 2000 years ago a group of Pharisees sought to run off Jesus by frightening him. Luke 13.31-35 records this even, and it says...

vs.31, “At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, “Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you.”

v.32, “He replied, ‘Go tell that fox, “I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.” ’

v.33, “In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day — for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!

v.34, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

v.35, “Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

3. Fear can cause all kinds of problems, like panic attacks, prolong acute stress, or a generalized anxiety. But, the Bible has some good news for us.

In Proverbs God’s Word says, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe” (Proverbs 29.25).

In another place it says, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil” (Proverbs 3.7).

4. In this incident in our Lord’s life, Jesus was traveling through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem, when the Pharisees, sought to run off Jesus by instilling some fear that King Herod, the son of Herod the Great, was out to kill Jesus.

Now, understand that the governing authorities had a lot more flexibility in dealing with, what shall we say, difficult people. Look at verse 1 of chapter 13 and see how Pilate dealt with some Galileans, “Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.”

Of course, Pilate later on in Jerusalem, after finding Jesus innocent, still had Jesus crucified on a cross to appease the crowds and Jewish leaders. They were petty much given a free hand in keeping the peace. That’s why Pilate refused to discuss the truth with Jesus, for he left to make a deal with the Jewish leaders. He was only interested in what was politically expedient, not the truth.

Another case in point was at Jesus’ birth when Herod the Great had the male children in Bethlehem killed in order to do away with a potential rival.

5. Herod Antipas, did have John the Baptist beheaded, yet in reality he hoped to meet Jesus, but not to kill him, rather Herod wanted to see Jesus work a miracle for him. In Luke 23 let me read...

“When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends — before this they had been enemies” (23.8-12).

6. People sometimes seek to frighten us with fear to deter us from our purpose. But Jesus didn’t let the Pharisees’ false warning deter him from his hour. How about you? Are you trusting in the Lord and his purpose for you, or are you running away in fear, all tied up in knots with concerns?