March 15, 2020 – Sermon by Rev. Jessica Johnson
Do Not Fear – We Are the Church
Surreal Morning
This morning, we wake up in a world that seems very surreal to us. Many large events, such as tech conferences and sporting events have been cancelled. Schools are shut down for weeks, and even some churches have closed their doors. Some of you may be feeling discouraged and afraid. There definitely seems to be a lot of fear and panic portrayed when you turn on the television or look on social media. Even if you aren’t the type to panic, it’s hard not to feel a little tug of fear and wonder what is going to happen next. And for most of us, we think that things may get worse before it gets better with tighter restrictions or more people getting sick. However, what it all boils down to is fear of the unknown. What will happen next? No one knows. How bad will it get? No one knows. The fear of the unknown is what has everyone in such a panic. And for many Christians, they are feeling very discouraged by all of the empty church buildings this morning. Fear is what I want to talk to you about today.
Some Fear is Good
Some fear is good. The Bible says in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Here, the word fear means more like in awe of or in reverences of the Lord. We know that He is greater than we are. We also know that we need some fear in order to recognize and assess risk in our lives. It is that inner alarm bell in our heads that sets off the flight-or-fight response as appropriate. We need to have a sense of fear in our lives as a necessity to navigate the hazards in our lives so that we can survive. Fear becomes a problem when it becomes so overwhelming that it becomes the driving force in our lives and becomes paralyzing rather than useful. Proverbs 29:25 ESV states, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Don’t become paralyzed by your fear. Use it as a tool to be smart and make wise choices. Be proactive and safe in caring for your family and for those in your sphere of influence (neighbors and friends). However, don’t be trapped by that fear.
Fear and Isolation
Fear is the devil’s favorite tool and so is isolation. He wants us to feel like we are alone in this world. But guess what?! We are NOT! We may have to practice social distancing and social isolation for health and safety reasons right now, but that does not mean you are alone. The church buildings may be empty. But, so what?! YOU ARE THE CHURCH! God’s church is you and me. It is just spread out a little more throughout the land then concentrated in more central locations this morning. So, go and be the Church wherever you are this morning, whether you are in your home, in your church building, or at the park. No matter where you are, God is with you. No matter where you are, I want you to know that there are other Christians all over the world. Church, you are not alone. And for those of you that may be watching that are not Christians, guess what, you are not alone. God is with you, too. If this corona virus has done nothing else, it has shown how interconnected this world really is. We are not alone. We have each other, and God is with us. Isaiah 41:10 ESV says, “…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We are never alone.
Promise of the Holy Spirit
In fact, before Jesus was crucified, He made a promise to His disciples that they would never be alone. He told them that He was leaving, but in His place a Helper, the Holy Spirit would come. In John 14:25-31 ESV states:
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
We are given that same gift as Christians. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Protector, and Comforter. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do God’s will and enables us to grow spiritually to be more like Christ. Christ’s church will survive no matter what this world throws at it, because we belong to Christ, and God has given us all we need. Christ is greater than the ruler of this world, and Christ will come again. There is so much hope given in John 14. I encourage you to spend some time reading it this week.
Don’t Worry
“Therefore, don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” as it says in Matthew 6:34 HCSB. Whenever my family has been in crisis situations, we have a saying, “We just take it a day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. And sometimes, one moment at a time.” Just keep moving forward and focus on what is occurring in the present. I am not saying don’t make plans for the future, and don’t stock up food or anything. I am just saying don’t worry or stress. Just plan and prepare and be proactive, but try to remain calm. If you do start to feel worried, what are some things you can do? I would suggest spending some time in prayer to God, reading the Bible, or listening to worship music. However, everyone has their own way of connecting to God. What is your God language? (For those that went through my Sunday school class last year, pull out our God language books and see if there are some things you could try. For those who didn’t take that class but would like more information, feel free to contact me.) We are still in our time of Lent, and now is a great time to engage in the various spiritual disciplines. Lent is about preparing our hearts for Easter. But spiritual disciplines are to bring us into closer relationship to God and can be done at anytime of the year not just now. But Lent is always a great time to form some new spiritual habits. And if we are focused more focused on God, then we are less focused on our fears and worries.
Opportunities
We always have opportunities. Our purpose is to glorify God, and our mission is to spread the Gospel of Christ. Even in these times of social distancing and possibility of everyone being isolated into their own homes, what are some ways that we can glorify God and spread the Gospel? Right now, there is a lot of fear and panic in this world, how can we be the voice of calm and peaceful reassurance? How can we be the light of encouragement in the darkness of fear? We may need to get creative and think outside the box in our approaches. But these unique situations we find ourselves in really does allow us to do lean into our gifts, talents, abilities, and passions. There are always opportunities, but in times like these, we need to reach out even more to our families, friends, and neighbors to see how we can be of assistance to help keep everyone safe and healthy.
Holy Calling
I just want to close with the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-14 ESV in which he is reminding him of his holy calling to spread the Gospel. We have the same holy calling.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
May almighty God bless you in His kindness and pour out saving wisdom upon you. May God nourish you always with the teachings of the faith and make you persevere in holy deeds. May God turn your steps towards Himself and show you the path of charity and peace. And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you forever.
Do Not Fear – We Are the Church
Surreal Morning
This morning, we wake up in a world that seems very surreal to us. Many large events, such as tech conferences and sporting events have been cancelled. Schools are shut down for weeks, and even some churches have closed their doors. Some of you may be feeling discouraged and afraid. There definitely seems to be a lot of fear and panic portrayed when you turn on the television or look on social media. Even if you aren’t the type to panic, it’s hard not to feel a little tug of fear and wonder what is going to happen next. And for most of us, we think that things may get worse before it gets better with tighter restrictions or more people getting sick. However, what it all boils down to is fear of the unknown. What will happen next? No one knows. How bad will it get? No one knows. The fear of the unknown is what has everyone in such a panic. And for many Christians, they are feeling very discouraged by all of the empty church buildings this morning. Fear is what I want to talk to you about today.
Some Fear is Good
Some fear is good. The Bible says in Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Here, the word fear means more like in awe of or in reverences of the Lord. We know that He is greater than we are. We also know that we need some fear in order to recognize and assess risk in our lives. It is that inner alarm bell in our heads that sets off the flight-or-fight response as appropriate. We need to have a sense of fear in our lives as a necessity to navigate the hazards in our lives so that we can survive. Fear becomes a problem when it becomes so overwhelming that it becomes the driving force in our lives and becomes paralyzing rather than useful. Proverbs 29:25 ESV states, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” Don’t become paralyzed by your fear. Use it as a tool to be smart and make wise choices. Be proactive and safe in caring for your family and for those in your sphere of influence (neighbors and friends). However, don’t be trapped by that fear.
Fear and Isolation
Fear is the devil’s favorite tool and so is isolation. He wants us to feel like we are alone in this world. But guess what?! We are NOT! We may have to practice social distancing and social isolation for health and safety reasons right now, but that does not mean you are alone. The church buildings may be empty. But, so what?! YOU ARE THE CHURCH! God’s church is you and me. It is just spread out a little more throughout the land then concentrated in more central locations this morning. So, go and be the Church wherever you are this morning, whether you are in your home, in your church building, or at the park. No matter where you are, God is with you. No matter where you are, I want you to know that there are other Christians all over the world. Church, you are not alone. And for those of you that may be watching that are not Christians, guess what, you are not alone. God is with you, too. If this corona virus has done nothing else, it has shown how interconnected this world really is. We are not alone. We have each other, and God is with us. Isaiah 41:10 ESV says, “…fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” We are never alone.
Promise of the Holy Spirit
In fact, before Jesus was crucified, He made a promise to His disciples that they would never be alone. He told them that He was leaving, but in His place a Helper, the Holy Spirit would come. In John 14:25-31 ESV states:
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
We are given that same gift as Christians. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Protector, and Comforter. The Holy Spirit empowers us to do God’s will and enables us to grow spiritually to be more like Christ. Christ’s church will survive no matter what this world throws at it, because we belong to Christ, and God has given us all we need. Christ is greater than the ruler of this world, and Christ will come again. There is so much hope given in John 14. I encourage you to spend some time reading it this week.
Don’t Worry
“Therefore, don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” as it says in Matthew 6:34 HCSB. Whenever my family has been in crisis situations, we have a saying, “We just take it a day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time. And sometimes, one moment at a time.” Just keep moving forward and focus on what is occurring in the present. I am not saying don’t make plans for the future, and don’t stock up food or anything. I am just saying don’t worry or stress. Just plan and prepare and be proactive, but try to remain calm. If you do start to feel worried, what are some things you can do? I would suggest spending some time in prayer to God, reading the Bible, or listening to worship music. However, everyone has their own way of connecting to God. What is your God language? (For those that went through my Sunday school class last year, pull out our God language books and see if there are some things you could try. For those who didn’t take that class but would like more information, feel free to contact me.) We are still in our time of Lent, and now is a great time to engage in the various spiritual disciplines. Lent is about preparing our hearts for Easter. But spiritual disciplines are to bring us into closer relationship to God and can be done at anytime of the year not just now. But Lent is always a great time to form some new spiritual habits. And if we are focused more focused on God, then we are less focused on our fears and worries.
Opportunities
We always have opportunities. Our purpose is to glorify God, and our mission is to spread the Gospel of Christ. Even in these times of social distancing and possibility of everyone being isolated into their own homes, what are some ways that we can glorify God and spread the Gospel? Right now, there is a lot of fear and panic in this world, how can we be the voice of calm and peaceful reassurance? How can we be the light of encouragement in the darkness of fear? We may need to get creative and think outside the box in our approaches. But these unique situations we find ourselves in really does allow us to do lean into our gifts, talents, abilities, and passions. There are always opportunities, but in times like these, we need to reach out even more to our families, friends, and neighbors to see how we can be of assistance to help keep everyone safe and healthy.
Holy Calling
I just want to close with the Apostle Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:6-14 ESV in which he is reminding him of his holy calling to spread the Gospel. We have the same holy calling.
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
May almighty God bless you in His kindness and pour out saving wisdom upon you. May God nourish you always with the teachings of the faith and make you persevere in holy deeds. May God turn your steps towards Himself and show you the path of charity and peace. And may the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit, come down on you and remain with you forever.
RSS Feed
