Sunday March 17th 2019 2nd Sunday of Lent (Cycle
C)
Fear Not!
The tie in between
today’s readings: Focus on the Eternal.
Fear is the
anticipation of loss. We are afraid of losing our job, our house, our spouse,
and death is the worst fear of all because you lose everything all at once. So
we eat right, invest our savings, buy insurance to protect our stuff, and maybe
for everything else a Glock in the bedroom may help some sleep better at night.
But our best efforts are no guarantee of stopping the runaway train of future
events from crashing into our lives. Fear is always looming. We need someone
who knows the future, that can protect us from its dangers, and most of all,
cares. Anyone come to mind? God checks all the boxes in Psalm 27. Verse one
says that He is our light (guide), a stronghold (defender) and verse ten
guarantees His love and fidelity. David testifies to his Savior God’s
delivering hand against his enemies. He wants us to anticipate the goodness of
the Lord and wait for Him with courage. Courage doesn’t deny our fear, but with
the right understanding courage allows us to overcome it. OK, so what’s the
right understanding?
Genesis 15 starts
off with God telling Abram not to fear. God, Himself, is his shield and exceedingly great reward. God is the
reward, not the stuff that God can give you! Abram shows that he’s not
understanding it when he says, “God what
will you give me seeing that I have no heir?” Now the name Abram means
Exalted Father, so, being childless, he’s been going around with this joke name
all his life. Abram fears loss of dignity, loss of family, loss of future, all
of which conclude in: FEAR! God assures Abram that his family will be as the
stars of heaven. Abram trusts the Lord and the Almighty seals the deal with a
“swear to God” oath. Jehovah tells Abram about his descendants and the Exodus,
probably to make the prediction seem more real. The Patriarch’s faith grows
through a series of up and down experiences. Finally, in Genesis Chapter 22,
God challenges His friend, Abraham. “You know that boy, Isaac, I gave you,
Abraham, the one with all the promises attached? I want you to give him back to
Me.” You could write volumes about this episode, but in the end he was willing
to sacrifice his son and passed the test. Abraham has the courage to give up
the heir that was so important to Abram, his former self, because his focus has
changed from the immediate to the eternal. No matter how important anyone or
anything is in this world, when God is your permanent reward everything is as
nothing in comparison. When you have
nothing to lose you have no fear, a challenging way to live for all of us.
It’s another “go
with Jesus” trek up a mountain to pray for Peter, James, and John in Luke
9:28-36. This time it’s different. A deep sleep falls upon them and when they
wake up they are surprised by “Lighthouse “Jesus with Moses and Elijah. They
are talking about of all things: Jesus’ upcoming EXODUS (the Greek word used in
the text for: departure) in Jerusalem! God’s reference to Abram in Genesis 15
is taking on a deeper meaning. Now THE descendant of Abraham is about to go
through the Passover as the Lamb of God and open the way to lead the spiritual
children of Abraham to heaven: the actual Promised Land. It doesn’t get any
more real than this! Peter may not understand what’s happening, but he doesn’t
want the moment to end, another fear of loss. Peter wants to take over. The
Judaism “Hall of Fame” is in front of him and he is not about to let it go. He
is ready to pitch tents and keep the Kumbaya moment going forever. God the
Father comes to remind them that this is: My Son, the Messiah. He has a mission
and He is the Boss! They go back down the mountain with regular Jesus. Maybe a
little embarrassed, they agree among themselves to just not talk about it. Of
course, we look back and comment on how ridiculous Peter’s whole idea was, but
it may reveal something about us. We have a wish for God to be manageably
contained in a box, like a church doctrine, or the constrictions our minds.
This could mask the biggest fear we have about the Almighty: the fear of losing
control. We want to say like Peter, “You are the Christ,” and then add, “No!
Lord! It shall not be!” To really gain God as your reward and fear not, you
have to let go of yourself, gain the courage be wrong, and be remade in His
image. You were never in control anyway.
“Fear not” is a
repeating theme throughout the Bible. There is one place, however, that Jesus
does tell us to fear. “Fear Him who can destroy body and soul in hell.”
(Matthew 1:28). There is an ultimate loss at the White Throne Judgment Seat of
God where all sinners are condemned. That’s what should be keeping you up at
night. But, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that you should
not perish, but have eternal life.”(John 3:16). Accept Jesus as your Savior.
The allure of this earth will fade along with its fears as you claim your new
position as a child of God and a true descendant of Abraham. Your Father will
transfigure your body to be like the glory of His Son (Philippians 3:17-4:1) on
that Great Day and you will realize God as your reward in its fullest sense.
Until then, we stand courageous in the power and promise of the Lord who loves
us. “Perfect love casts out all fears.” (1 John 4:18). Take Jesus Christ as
your Lord and Savior. Considering all that you have to gain, what have you got
to lose?
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