Pentecost 5 – July 9, 2017
What Are You Afraid Of?
Matthew 10:24-33
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
Two weeks ago, I talked about various fears and how my dad had a fear of going to the doctor. Remember the word? Iatrophobia. I brought that up then because Jesus was inviting us to come to him as the Great Physician who can heal us. Now iatrophobia is very real, but it is also very unrealistic. There is no need to fear doctors, unless of course, you have an inept doctor. Almost all are doing their best to help you!
But today, we are going to see fears that can be real and legitimate, and that has to do with people who are not out to help you but just the opposite. They are out to attack you because you’re a Christian. So in the face of these very real attacks, Jesus says three times: “Do not be afraid.” Do you remember from two weeks ago how many times the Bible says: Do not be afraid? God’s Word says “do not be afraid” 365 times, once for every day of the year. Three of them are right in this paragraph from the Lord for today. So Jesus message for us today, leads me to ask the question: “What are you afraid of?” We want to identify the problem that causes the fear, and why we don’t have to fear.
When Jesus sent out his disciples for the first time, to share the word, he wanted to prepare them for the opposition they would face. 24 “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! So Jesus was letting them know that if these people were going to attack the rabbi, they will also attack the students. If you work for a company that has been unethical in their dealings, people are going to paint you with the same brush. So if these people are going to accuse Jesus of being a devil, Beelzebul, an evil spirit in league with Satan, so they will also put you in the same category.
So in our world today, they may not accuse you of being a devil because most who will attack you don’t believe in God much less the devil. But they may accuse you of being
· A bigot – someone who is prejudiced against others not like them.
· A homophobe, which literally means those who fear homosexuals.
· A misogynist, a hater of women, even attached to some who are women.
· A xenophobe. Fear of people from other countries.
Why the accusations? Because you are willing to take a stand on the Word of God that is not popular with secular society, which has abandoned just about all ethical principles. The popular idea is that we need to be inclusive and honor every lifestyle and belief, no matter what it is. Except if you a Christian who believes that some things are sinful, why then you can’t be respected. You are judgmental, you are a hater. And I will propose that if there are a group of people who are most willing to love others not like themselves and have less hate, it is the Christians of our world.
Let me give you a prime example. If I mention the word “Palestinian,” what image pops in your head? I always picture Yasser Arafat, white turban and mustache. Usually we think all Palestinians are Muslim, and some of them are terrorists, and want to wipe Israel off the map. But did you know that about half the Palestinians are Christians? And they are the ones who also are being persecuted by their fellow Palestinians. In the 1980’s the city of Bethlehem was 80% Christian, now it’s about 8%. They haven’t been killed but they have been persecuted and made to feel unwelcome in their own home. Most of them left and have become citizens of Israel.
So Jesus says about those who hate or mock Christians: 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.
Don’t be afraid of those who call names, who look on Christianity as something that is bigoted or evil. They are trying to hide something – their own emptiness of soul, their own hatreds. Their evil deeds and attitudes will come to light. What Jesus said also goes two ways. The Gospel will also be brought out into the light! The truth will be revealed!! Christians are a group of people, who loves all people, just as God loves the whole world. Christians have learned to sacrifice for others, even those who hate them, just as Jesus gave his life for all and prayed from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus had to keep some of the most important things quiet for now. He often told people not to say that he was the Messiah even though he was. Why? Most of the people had the wrong idea of what the Messiah was supposed to be. It was important that he give his life on the cross and rise again before they could start to understand. Otherwise they expected him to become a great earthly ruler, a second King David.
But soon, shout it from the rooftops! Back then, houses had flat roofs that were often used like a porch. Shout it out throughout your neighborhood. Make sure all your neighbors know who you really cheer for!
There is a house in Fairways that I have noticed because they have two flags hanging out from their porch. One is for the U of Michigan and the other is the Green Bay Packers! I thought it was an unusual combination of Michigan and Wisconsin. But I know who they root for! Do people see your unusual combination hanging from your door, or in what you say: I am proud to be an American, but more than that I am proud to be a Christian! We want everyone to know that Jesus is the Savior of all, and if we are not excited about that, why should anyone else be? Don’t be afraid to let it show!
And Jesus continues: 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Even under the worst of circumstances, what can the enemies of Christ do to us? Kill us? Then they send us home to heaven, but they can never kill the soul, which the Holy Spirit has made alive forever and ever.
So don’t be afraid of any earthly enemies, but there is one whom we need to be afraid of: Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. . If you are going to be afraid of someone – be afraid of God! Now does that sound right? Be afraid of God? Normally we say that we fear God, we give him reverence and respect as the almighty and holy Lord of all. But Jesus is not talking about the Fear of the Lord which the Bible says is the beginning of wisdom. He’s talking about being afraid of Him, because he can destroy both soul and body in hell.
There is only one circumstance I can think of where we as believers in Jesus should rightly be afraid of him, and that’s if you know better and you’re just not listening to him. The book of Hebrews puts it this way: If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 10:26,27. If you take Jesus forgiveness for granted and say to yourself “he will forgive me, no matter what I do,” then watch out—you’ve lost the benefit of Jesus dying on the cross for those sins. “No sacrifice for sins is left.
So are we to be living in constant fear? Will God abandon us and forsake us, because certainly that’s what we deserve? What does Jesus teach us next? Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
I already talked about this passage with the children, but let me add a few thoughts in connection with sharing our faith. What are you afraid of? Do you feel totally inadequate in letting your light of faith shine in your life? Do you think that perhaps God likes sparrows better than you because at least they don’t sin so much? Don’t be afraid – you are worth more than many sparrows. Despite our failures Jesus loved you so much that he was willing to die for you and take your punishment. He never would do that for sparrows. And besides, God knows you inside and out. If he knows how many hair are on top of your head, he knows how you feel on the inside, and how you have failed and how your heart may hang heavy with guilt and inadequacy. So don’t hang your head – look up and realize that God knows everything about you and still loves you!!
So Jesus sums up his message with these words: 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.
In other words, you can’t sit on the fence. You can’t have it both ways. Either you acknowledge him in your life and in your world and you will be rewarded, or you disown him and you will be lost. By saying nothing when someone attacks Jesus or swears by his name, you are actually going along with it, disowning him by not defending him or his Word. A warning? A hard message? Yes!!
But remember to apply to yourself, the message you want to share with everyone:
Jesus is God made flesh and I celebrate Christmas! Jesus died for my sins and I honor Good Friday. Jesus rose from the dead and I celebrate Easter with my new life! And I will live for him and serve him, because he lives and reigns for all eternity! Let’s stand up for Jesus! What are you afraid of? Amen