Here we are again, another year of goblins, witches, vampires, and demons. As many of you know, I am no fan of Halloween. But I do however see a wonderful opportunity before us in which God can penetrate the hardest of hearts.
Everyone associates Halloween with fear and that’s exactly the topic that I am going to share with you this morning. Many of us are afraid of different things in this world. Some of the common fears that plague many of us is: the fear of snakes, public speaking, or of heights. These kinds of fears are for some reason acceptable to most as being justified. But what about the odd fears that haunt some people’s lives?
VIDEO: “Man Scared of Puppy”
The fear that this man feels is very real and runs his life. Most of us looking at his fear on the outside find it difficult to understand and we may even find it a bit humorous but none the less, his fear is very real.
This morning I want to speak with you about another fear that is very real and runs many people’s lives. It is a fear that I believe although may be common, it is also a fear that for many is a bit odd as well. The Fear of Commitment, Committing to God’s will and accepting His call in our lives haunts a good number of us but it doesn’t have to.
The fear of committing is much like being afraid of a puppy. It has been said that a dog is man’s best friend. You know, when you commit to God you gain the best friend you’ll ever have.
Why do we fear commitment to God anyway? First of all, I believe we are….
I.Afraid of Responsibilities.
A.When we accept Jesus into our lives, we have responsibilities that come with that. One of those responsibilities I believe that many fear is The Great Commission.
Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
1.We gain the responsibility of not only growing our own faith but also reaching others as well and helping God build disciples for His glory.
2.It is a scary feeling, knowing God trusts us and is counting on us to reach lost souls isn’t it? It is a great honor and a huge responsibility and with that being said, many of us are simply too afraid to do it.
3.It is easy for us to talk with people about a movie we had seen, a vacation we took, a game we saw, a meal we ate, or even store we like. But what is it that keeps our lips shut when it comes to sharing our faith? What is it that scares us so much that we can’t even bring Jesus up in a normal conversation with people outside the church?
4.Some people would say, “You just don’t love Jesus enough to talk about Him”. I would disagree with that statement. I have met many people throughout my life that love Jesus deeply but are just frozen with the fear of sharing God with others.
5.Fear is a normal emotion and can be useful but when it comes to serving God, Fear should not be present.
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
6.We need to realize that God is with us and when we are faced with opportunities to share Him with others, He will help us in doing His will.
7.We need to be confident and not doubt God’s promise to us. We need to be confident and bold.
Hebrews 13: 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
8.We have a responsibility to share God with others and the good news is He is with us as we do. We need not be afraid.
9.I also believe that another area of fear that haunts or lives is the fear of accountability.
II.Afraid of Accountability.
A.As fleshy humans we really don’t like to answer to anyone do we? We enjoy being in charge of me. Just like little kids say, “You’re not the boss of me.”
-I believe there are different types of accountability that come with being a Christian that most people fear. As Christians that are committed to Jesus we need to accept and not fear accountability.
1.First of all as committed Christians we have a Divine Accountability
Romans 14:10- 12 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’” So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
a.Take a look at your own life for a moment and think about some of the things that maybe you have done or haven’t done for that matter, which you need to account for with God.
b.The truth is, we have no idea when our time is up. I for one do not want to be caught off guard and have to stand before God over something here on earth that I knew I should not have done.
c.True, we all make mistakes but we also can’t allow grass to grow under our feet and need to repent of the wrong that we do in life. Holding it back and never asking for forgiveness is like a cancer. It is growing each day and is taking us over. We need to take it to the great physician and get rid of it before it’s too late.
2. As committed Christians, we also have a Spiritual Accountability
Hebrews 13:17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
a.This one is probably the hardest one to accept and is one of the fears that keep people from Jesus all together.
b.I know it is tough to trust others and especially if you don’t see eye to eye on some issues. But we all need to be reminded that If your leaders are seeking God and are committed to their Godly responsibilities, you must have that confidence in knowing that God is in control of it all.
c.When you place your confidence in your leaders, you are being obedient and are following through with your commitment to Christ in doing do. You are saying to Jesus and to those around to, “I HAVE COMPLETE FAITH IN MY GOD.”
3.As committed Christians, we also have a Family Accountability
- Ephesians 5:21-23 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.
a.For some reason many men overlook the first portion of this Scripture, (SUBMIT TO ONE ANOTHER).
b.We have accountability in our marriages that God has set up for us to follow. Not to cause us hindrances but to allow us to receive the blessings He offers.
c.This is the major reason many people are afraid to get married, they are too head strong and can’t comprehend that being held accountable to one another with God at the center will ultimately bless their relationship not only as husband and wife but with their relationship to God as well.
d.You can’t pick and choose what to follow when it comes to God’s Word. To be a committed Christian means to be a committed spouse and family member as well.
-Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
e.Do I really need to break this one down? Kids are to be obedient to their parents. Children that are raised with no rules or not being held accountable for their actions to their parents are only being set up to fail. To fail in life and to fail as a follower of Jesus.
f.Parents, we are to teach and instruct our children to become mature followers in Christ and if we do not hold them accountable as young children, how will they ever learn accountability as a husband, a wife, as a Christian to their leaders and God?
Conclusion:
We live in a world today in which no one wants to be accountable to anyone for anything. Let me do what I want to when I want to and nobody had better stand in my way or else.
This way of thinking only hinders us and keeps lost souls from finding Jesus. Too many people allow fear to keep them from making the most important decision in life. And too many believers in Christ allow their fear of commitment to place a strain on their relationship to Jesus.
Jesus has much more He wants to give us, to bless us with. His call is loud but are you hearing it? He wants to give you a better life, a life without fear and a life in which families are growing closer to through their bold commitment in following Jesus.
