Opening illustration: (Our fearless covert evangelism in the Middle-East even when we had fear at the back of our minds of being found out and possibly face dire consequences)
Introduction: We are fragile mortals, given to fears of every sort. We have a built-in insecurity that no amount of whistling in the dark can mollify. We seek assurance concerning the things that frighten us the most. Why? Perhaps God’s predilection for those words grew out of His acute sense of the thinly veiled fear that grips all who approach the living God. We fear His power, we fear His wrath, and most of all we fear His ultimate rejection. What are you afraid of? Fears attack the most precious parts of our life and keep us from living the life meant for us. God wants to help us overcome our darkest fears as we learn to Fear Not. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Our theme for the night is “Fear Not! For Immanuel.”
Why should we (believers) be Fearless?
1. Fear Not, for I AM with you (Isaiah 41:10-13)
The people of Israel needed a word of comfort and encouragement right then. God had just given the dreadful news to them, through the prophet Isaiah that they were going to be captured, taken from their homeland, and sent into captivity to Babylon. There, they would be held in exile because of their sins. Historically, they were in exile for seventy long years. And it's with this sad note that the first half of the book ends. Can you imagine what a discouraging word that was? They were faced with a prospect that was overwhelming and hopeless.
The battle can be difficult and hard and we grow weary so easily. In fact, we are often surprised by how weak we actually are and this can contribute to our frailties and fears, drawing the life out of our prayers and good intentions to live for Christ. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us (Immanuel), who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) He is a God who doesn’t leave us or forsake us …
• At one time or another, most of us have been gripped with fear.
• We have been afraid that things which happened in the past can hurt is in the present.
• We have been afraid of what people think.
• We have been afraid of what people would do.
• We have been afraid of the future.
• We have been afraid of circumstances.
• We have been afraid of ourselves.
• We have been afraid of any number of things.
• One of the forms fear takes is that of worry. When we are afraid of something, we worry over it. As we continually worry, we make life miserable for ourselves, and for those around us.
Illustration: During the past few months you all must have watch the news to see terrifying events happening around in our nation and the world. However, in spite of all this, God’s people are called to live fearlessly. How can we remain calm and confident in the midst of it all? We must remember that the Lord has promised to strengthen, help, and uphold us, and He always keeps His Word.
Application: What are you going to do with your fears? You can either keep them and suffer the negative consequences, or you can trust the Lord and place them in His loving hands. Although God doesn’t say in Isaiah 41:10 that He will remove you from fearful circumstances, He promises to strengthen and sustain you through them. I can't express enough what a word of encouragement this passage has been to me over the past month. I believe God would have us think through the promise He gives us in them; and to grow in our trust in Him in the midst of every trial.
Are you facing a trial right now, dear brother or sister? Would you please join me in claiming this as your and my promise from the living God? “Fear Not for Immanuel (God with us)!”
2. Fear Not, Mary, for you have FOUND FAVOR with God (Luke 1:30)
The last utterance by any prophet came from the mouth of Malachi. He was the last prophet before the 400 years of silence. The people would have read this text and waited for an amazing event. At the announcement and birth of Jesus to the favored Mary there would be so much joy that God’s people would leap for joy like a calf comes out of the pen.
Our default way of thinking and believing is that if it feels right, it is from God. God doesn’t run His world according to our feelings and emotions. Many a times the things don’t seem right in our eyes but in the eyes of God they are the perfect thing for us.
Sometimes we equate and mistaken ‘being favored’ to great material blessings, cool life, everything taken care of and life just looks trouble free and perfect. Let us face the reality on these grounds ‘being favored’ to Mary seemed to be joke. To have a child out of wedlock would mean the child would be illegitimate, fatherless and Mary would be indicted to be stoned to death for adultery. What kind of favor was this? Her family and life would be on the line. Her family would eventually disown her for this heinous sin. In the temple Simeon had blessed and prophesied over her saying, “A sword shall pierce your soul.” Was God out of His mind by putting her in such a vulnerable and unsafe place? The bottom line is that Mary is the most favored of all women because she would bear the greatest of all children, Jesus. Luke highlights Mary’s unwavering faith in what God spoke to her through the angel.
This woman had no wealth or social standing; nothing about her was remarkable. She came from nowhere special; she lived in a cultural backwater, and was a citizen of a forgotten country. Yet God chose her to be his instruments for bringing into the world the Messiah who would shape the faith of millions, throughout the world. Many a times ‘being favored’ doesn’t mean everything is going to go well for you. For many of us tonight, God’s love and favor upon our lives may not feel right in our own eyes but God has greater plans and thoughts about us … much more that we can ever imagine. He has favored us beyond measure though His favor doesn’t really sound and seem right but as time goes by and you come out of the fog, you will praise God for His favor upon your lives.
Illustration: Story of my wife. [Specialized as a Pediatrics Nurse … living a reversed call of God]
Application: How many ladies tonight just feel that they are in the same spot where Mary was more than 2,000 years ago? You have no wealth, nothing saved for rainy days or for old age, you have no status quo, you are not even considered special and live in the cultural backwater. Some of you are alone, may be stuck with a physically/mentally challenged person at home, feel lonely because of a loss of a loved one and some of you ladies may be widows and are still fostering the wounds of a lost or dead husband. The family and the world might have forgotten you but you are precious in God’s eyes and He has chosen you for a divine plan and purpose. Will you this day “Fear Not, for you have found favor with God.”
3. Fear Not, for behold, I bring you GOOD TIDINGS of GREAT JOY … to all people (Luke 2:10-12)
Of all the wonderful promises contained in the Christmas story, the one that seems to be missing the most today is “great joy.” How many people do you know that would describe their life as being full of GREAT JOY? And yet that is the proclamation by the angels to the shepherds. The Savior of the world would bring good news of great joy for all people. The angels declared joy. Mary and Joseph were amazed with joy. The wise men were filled with joy. The shepherds returned with rejoicing in their hearts. Even John the Baptist leaped for joy in Elizabeth’s womb.
Some of us equate being happy and joyous is one at the same thing. In fact happiness depends on the circumstances of one’s life. If my life happens to happen the way I want it to happen, then I am happy. The word joy on the other hand is a relationship word. Being part of a family, for instance does not change if you become sick or poor or lose your job or homeless? No, not at all!
The time of Jesus's birth was a dark and dismal period in Israel's history. The Promised Land was occupied by the Romans. The Jewish faith was reduced to mere formalism by the scribes and Pharisees; a lot of the clergy looked and sounded religious but in reality were nothing but white-washed tombs. The people of God were divided into different camps. Within this setting, Israel needed to hear a message of joy, a message of hope and anticipation in order to weather the storms of life.
We know this was not the only dark and dismal period of Israel's history. For generations Israel wandered in the wilderness of despair, bondage, persecution, and exile. In the midst of all these dark moments the people clung to the promise of the Messiah because the Messiah's coming meant joy would be restored. The Messiah's coming is "good news of great joy." Without the Gospel there is no Christmas.
America is divided as never before. This is one of the darkest periods of our national history. We have lost the last few generations to drugs, sex and self-gratifying pleasures. The messages have been intoxicated with humanism and made us confused and lost. In the midst of all the turmoil and chaos only one message that has stood the test of all times and that is Jesus … Immanuel! It is the message of good tidings of great joy. This is our only and final hope that all would come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and be saved.
Illustration: During the start of this millennium many Christians in Sudan were taken as slaves by Muslims. On hearing this news, the underground church in the Middle East routed up and raised money to buy their freedom back. You can imagine their fear turning to fearlessness which brought great joy …
Application: (i) You may be in dire circumstances … Fear Not for God is with you … Immanuel!
(ii) You may be neglected, rejected and forgotten … nobody loves you … Fear Not for God has favored and blessed you above others. He has a plan and a purpose for your life.
(iii) You may be in the darkest place of your life and confused … Fear Not for God will surely bring joy …
