REALITY CHECK SERIES
# 1 The Fear Factor
Intro: We begin tonight a new series that I believe is relevant to us all. It is relevant, because it deals with reality. There seems to be a craze today when it comes to ’reality t.v." I know most of have at least heard of them. There is The Fear Factor, The Survivor,Temptation Island, The Mole, The Great Race, The Bachelor, The Bachelortte, Nanny 911, Marriage 911, Trading Spaces and more and will probably be more by the time this series is over. I will attempt to draw from some of these lessons about Real Reality. I am convinced that these shows don’t deal with reality at all. However, we can learn from what is not seen as well what is. I don’t suggest that you watch any of these shows but if you have you will gain much more from what is taught here the next several Sunday Nights than you will watching a whole season of these attempts at reality. I am going to be ’real’ with you and true to the scripture as we delve into this Reality Check.
We begin tonight with one of the first and perhaps second most popular of these reality shows. It is entitled The Fear Factor.
Everybody is afraid of something. Some are afraid of many things. What is it that you are afraid of? What is it that can soother your fear? This reality show [and I use the term lightly] different individuals are placed in various situations to be overcome for the sum of $50,000. Question: What is it you won’t do for any sum of money? Some will just about do anything. To me the show is not so much about fear as it is about greed. However, these people are placed in situations that they will most likely never be faced with in ’Real Life’.
In fact, there is something or someplace that is very real and is not thought of or talked about much these days. Yes, there are other things in life that bring fear to people’s hearts. Some of these are called Phobias.
The term phobia, which comes from the Greek word for fear (?????, fobos), denotes a number of psychological and physiological conditions that can range from serious disabilities to common fears to minor quirks.
Most psychologists and psychiatrists divide phobias into three categories:
Social phobias - fears to do with other people and social relationships such as performance anxiety, fears of eating in public, etc.
Specific phobias - fear of a single specific panic trigger, like dogs, flying, running water and so on.
Agoraphobia - a generalized fear of leaving your home or your small familiar ’safe’ area, and of the inevitable panic attacks that will follow. Agoraphobia is the only phobia regularly treated as a medical condition.
A philia is the love or obsession with a particular thing or subject. The suffix -philia is used to specify the love or obsession with something more specific. It is antonymic to -phobia.
There are some 280 known phobias. Some of which are:
Ablutophobia- Washing or bathing
Acrophobia – Heights
Androphobia – Men
Autophobia – Alone
Bufonophobia – Toads
Cyberphobia – Computers
Dentophobia – Dentist
Ecclesiasiophobia – Church [Some members must suffer from this]
Octophobia - #8
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear."
--- H.P. Lovecraft
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear."
--- H.P. Lovecraft
Among all these fears I do believe there is hope that will help us conquer all our fears. At least those things that are real. This doesn’t come without a price. The Bible says;
1 John 4:18
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.
Yes there are things, places and people that bring fear. What I want to leave you with tonight is what I think most are afraid of most. It is the fear of reality itself. The reality about what?
1]. Our Self and Sin: There is a phobia called Hamartophobia. It is the fear of sinning don’t necessarily think we are living in a day when people are afraid of sinning. 2 Tim. 3:13
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
However, I do think they are afraid of the reality of sin is and does.
Numbers 32:23
But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
What is to be afraid of: James 1:15
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
2]. Death: Necrophobia= Fear of Death
"Why are we scared to die? Do any of us remember being scared when we were born?"
---- Trevor Kay
Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Death is a very real thing.
Romans 5:12
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
There’s Good News!!!!
Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Why??
Rev. 1:18
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.
3]. Hell: Hadephobia
My friends, this is a real place! Ask the rich man. In Hell he lifted up his eyes being in torment.
Luke 12:5
But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Q: What kills us? Sin What causes one to go to hell? Sin
2 Peter 2:4-6
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; [5] if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; [6] if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
Conclusion: Where is our hope? Be very afraid. However, God has made a way for all our fears to be dispelled forever! Remember that ’perfect love’. That love came from the Lord Jesus Christ. If accepted, it will replace that fear with courage. How? What is the opposite of fear? It is faith. 1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Would you agree with me tonight to replace the Fear Factor with the Faith Factor?!
