Faith in the Presence of Fear

Words for Our Day

October, 2001

John 20:19-31; Psalm 16

The opening words of Psalm 16 are the cry, "Protect me, O Lord God, for I am trusting in you!" The Psalmist, David, is using what seems to me the language of fear. He probably had good reason to fear, for his life was often in danger.

Do you ever feel fear? Is it a sin to feel negative emotions? Is it evil to have questions or even doubts when it seems everyone else is so certain about so many things?

In the very last chapter of the last book in the Bible (Revelation 21) is a list that sometimes bothers me. It is a list of people who are not going to enter the New Jerusalem. In fact John, the writer of Revelation, says they will have part in "the second death."

Now part of that list I can understand would not fit in heaven: "the abominable, murderers, whore-mongers, sorcerers, and all liars" is how the list ends. But the part that bothers me is how the list begins. The list of those who miss heaven begins: "But the fearful and the unbelieving... will have their place in the lake of fire." What does this mean? Sometimes I feel like the Cowardly Lion, and I admit there are a lot of questions I cannot honestly answer.

Can the feeling of FEAR keep me out of heaven? [Before I go any farther, let me say I believe the answer is NO FEELING will keep you or me out of heaven. Feelings are emotions— feelings are results, not causes— and God is not seeking reasons to exclude, but to INCLUDE. He is not willing that ANY should perish. In the Gospel Thomas is afraid to believe and Jesus comes to him— in the Psalm David is afraid, and he cries out "O God help me!"] No the feeling will not exclude you.

Still, there IS a fear that can keep us from taking hold of the gift of LIFE. And there is an unbelief that is not of the mind but of the heart that says, "I will not submit to God even when He speaks clearly to me." This passage from John helps us understand how we can dare trust the Risen Savior.

I. THE DISCIPLES WERE AFRAID TO BELIEVE HOW MUCH GOD LOVED THEM

They lived in a time and place every bit as scary as our own terror-threatened post-9/11 time. They thought: "It is too good to be true!" Jesus came and dispelled their fears somewhat— it took a while.

But Thomas wasn't there. He said, "I have to SEE for myself." He was afraid to let himself get built up just to be let down again.

Looking again to Psalm 16, David prays for God's mercy, but even as he prays he recognizes how audacious it is to talk to God. He says, "MY GOODNESS EXTENDETH NOT TO THEE." In another place (Psalm 8) David says, "WHEN I CONSIDER THE HEAVENS, WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM?"

Many of the theologians of our day (whether post-modern, or process, or deconstructionist, or whatever— I'm probably ten years behind in labels) seem to be saying, "You common people have no idea of how big God really is— and so you can never speak about Him with any kind of certainty!" And some of them carry it so far they are saying 'GOD'S LOVE, IF IT IS THERE, IS TOO BIG, TOO MYSTERIOUS FOR US TO KNOW AND BE SURE ABOUT.' It is almost a blocking FEAR before the mystery of God's love.

BUT THE GOD OF THE BIBLE— WHO TRULY IS BIGGER THAN WE CAN IMAGINE— HAS SPOKEN TO US IN THE LIFE AND DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST!

That message is understandable even though we can never understand WHY God should love us! That message IS: GOD LOVES YOU!

Jesus said: "Thomas, I'll help you believe! Blessed are those who have NOT seen, and still believe! FAITH WITHIN US SAYS: Jesus really DOES know and care about ME!

Even after the disciples began to grasp the fact that Jesus was alive, and that He was with them again, there was a hesitation to dare to believe what Jesus was asking them to do (commanding them, actually).

II. THE DISCIPLES COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT GOD EXPECTED OF THEM

Jesus began outlining his assignment for the church that very night. First, he BREATHED ON THEM, and said: RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT! Be carriers of God! Be contagious with LOVE! Exude confidence that God is GOOD!

I'm sure they did not grasp it fully then— nor even fifty days later at Pentecost— but the disciples— and you and I— are to be the place where God lives on this earth. We are God's housing!

Do YOU think of yourself as a tabernacle of God? Is God welcome in YOUR body? In your relationships? is that a new thought to you? Is it a bit frightening?

God is what this frightened world needs right now! And who do you suppose God is wanting to use to meet your neighbors and mine, face-to-Face?

Jesus began assigning His disciples a role in telling the world that all their sins had been forgiven on Calvary. This is mysterious, and not easy to understand:

"Those whose sins you forgive they will be forgiven... those whose sins you don't forgive they will remain..?"

We can stop and get hung up on the translation of words here— OR we can understand that WE have a part in sharing the Good News of Salvation.

FEAR said, that night, "Lord Jesus we have all been afraid! We have all forsaken you and run away! How can WE ever accept such an assignment?"

But FAITH SAID: "YOU CAN SHOW ME HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT! YOU CAN HELP ME SHARE THE MESSAGE OF SINS FORGIVEN!" And that is exactly what happened.

That is all well and good for the disciples... then... and for the worship times in church. But what about the everyday fears that come— AND WHAT ABOUT THE REALLY DARK PLACES IN LIFE THAT COME TO US ALL? Can fear defeat us when we face the worst life can offer? It is frightening to think there are people who hate us just because we live where we do, and believe what we believe- but in the darkness is where even little lights can shine brightly! Jesus loves YOU! He is with you and me! He says "Tell people that God loves them! God is GOOD!"

III. WE ALL FACE FEAR'S CHALLENGE IN OUR DARK HOURS OF THE SOUL

Faith's victory over fear is NOT just doctrine or theory. We cannot help at times FEELING overwhelmed— even pushed toward despair. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus Himself prayed like one who hated, even dreaded what lay out ahead. He prayed, "O MY FATHER, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME!"

In the Psalm (16) David wrote the script for the Messiah's hope even though it was 800 years or so before the time— he wrote for Jesus— and for all who follow Jesus— "THOU WILT NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL, NOR SUFFER YOUR OWN TO SEE CORRUPTION"

Our souls somehow become the battlefield of fear versus faith. For insight into that aspect of the emotions of fear and temptation to unbelief there is no better book than The Book of Job. Job loved God— and refused to believe God was anything but GOOD! He certainly did not understand what was going on. But Job said, "GOD KNOWS! I WILL TRUST HIM!" Faith went beyond what it could see, and even what it could NOT see— and reached for the hand of God.

In some of Britain's darkest hours in WW II, the people listened by their radios on New Year's Eve as their king, King George VI, gave his annual greeting to his people over BBC. It was truly a fearsome time. The very existence of their nation was at risk. And the king that night quoted words that have since become famous. He said:

"I said to the man who stands at the Gate of the Year, 'Give me light that I may tread safely into the unknown.' And he replied, 'Step into the darkness, put your hand into the hand of God, and that will be to you better than a light and safer than a known way.'"

David said, "In your Presence is joy! If I can just BE WITH YOU I will be all right!" We do not have to wait until we die and go to heaven to know God's Presence. He is near, He is with us today. If we will let Him he will live within us, and walk with us. We may not know all about Him, but we may know Him. He loves us, and his perfect love casts out fear, our own fear, and the fear that we cannot tell our frightened neighbors with assurance: "God is GOOD! God loves YOU!."

Prayer

(Hymn-Chorus, Sing to the Lord #626) Gentle Shepherd Come and Lead Us