Sermon - The Power of what if.
- As it has become the normality of today, this virus takes the top headlines.
- I however see a more worrying development. I know suicide has been a growing
number amongst the deaths during Covid19.
Q- The more worrying thing though, is why should anyone choose suicide?
- Today’s sermon topic is fear. I know worry is added to this, like how am I going to
make it through this, or even why is this happening.
- The fear I am talking about goes deeper than just simple. It’s a fear that you can’t
move to the next step, because the fear is just too strong.
- Let’s start with my example.
Matthew 28:1-4
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
- Think of the fear these guardsmen felt.
- They shook, & fell as dead men.
- This is the fear I am talking about. Now granted, these men are starring at a
perfect being, that God’s Shekinah Glory is emanating from.
- Still, these men saw the angel, & they could do no more, because of their fear.
- This is the same fear so many face, & choose to end their life.
- Today’s message, Fear has no power in Christ Jesus!
Prayer
- Fear comes in many different shapes & sizes, but this fear is massive & immovable.
Q- What can we do with such fear?
1 John 4:18
18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19 We love him, because he first loved us.
- perfect Love casts out fear.
- The fear that stops us, ruins our lives, God casts it out
- I know we have those moments where we are fearfully looking towards the future.
We’re thinking, I don’t know how I am going to make it.
Q- When you have the moment of fear/worry, does that mean you don’t have perfect
Love?
Q- Have you decided the future is too great, & fell as a deadman?
- God takes these moments, & He whispers in our very souls, I am greater than these!
- Let me give you a similar event with John.
Revelation 1:17-18
17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:
18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
Q- Do you see it?
- John fell as a deadman at the sight of Christ.
- Fear had taken him to the point that life had left him, but then.
Q- What happened?
- Jesus touched him! Then he reminded him that He is greater!
- As this current situation is weighing us down, Listen, God touches us.
Romans 8:16
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
Q- Do you remember who your Father is?
- Continually The Spirit reminds us.
- Just like when a child is being ridiculed, & responds with, I’ll tell my daddy on you.
Father God leans down, & says, my child I already know. Don’t worry, the problem
will not last!
- Jesus stood at the tomb of Lazarus & prayed audible, not for His faith, but for the
people around Him. Jesus didn’t need to speak a word. Father God already knew
what Jesus needed.
- The same Father God hears, & knows us too! This empowers us!
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
- We faint not. Day by day God is reminding us of His strength. Day by day we are
growing stronger as we are better listening to His voice.
- Fear has power. It gets it’s power from a life that is measured by things that are
temporal. We worry about these things that have no value, & we allow them to make
us crumble under pressure.
- In both of my examples we are given the thing that should truly stop us in our
tracks.
- It’s Christ!
- The angels came to roll the stone away for us do see Christ has risen! Jesus
presented Himself to John as the First & the Last. Then He revealed how
eternity will begin.
- All of this life has been about Christ, & all of eternity will be about Christ.
Q- Why do all of this earthly troubles bother us so?
- It’s because they don’t complete us. Even if we don’t lose them, they still won’t
make us feel accomplished, complete.
- Here’s my last verses Colossians 2:8-10
Colossians 2:8-10
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
- I know that fear is raging today. Fear causes confusion, & it causes anger. Ultimately
fear can take our life away, because we fall as dead men. We’re not dead, but we’re
too afraid to live.
- Jesus places His hand upon us all now & He says, Fear not; I am the first and the
last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore
- We will live in the midst of fear, because fear had a beginning. Jesus didn’t. Fear
will have an end, but Jesus will live forever!
Q- So, Who will we allow control of our lives?
Q- The one who will one day be destroyed, or the One who lives forever?
Let’s praise Him today!
Let’s give our hearts to Him today!
Let’s give our fears to Him today!
Prayer
