Why are Christians Fearful?

Reading: 1Kings 19:9-18; Psalms 85:8-13; Romans 10:5-15; Matthew 14:22-33

What have we read today? These are rich verses, rich stories with much for us to learn from a variety of angles. We find stories faith, grace, forgiveness, divine assignments, and miracles. So, what did I see as important to talk about today; how do I approach the material and find what God wants us to hear? The best way to answer the question, as anyone who preaches will tell you, is to pray for the message which God wishes to send.

So, as I did that, and the first thing that occurred to me was that these were stories about real people, not fiction or mythical heroes but human stories in a physical world. These are stories of flesh and blood people simply going about the business of living their lives. I don’t mean to diminish the inspired word of God; clearly, these were extraordinary times with people who became extraordinary, through mission appointments by God.

And what did I find to talk to you about today? I will tell you, but first, let’s examine the stories a bit more.

We read a story of the Prophet Elijah who started out life as a regular guy, no doubt a sinner like you and me, only to become a great prophet who performed Godly miracles, appointed kings, and pronounced God’s judgements. Through God’s appointment, he became an important figure to people of many faiths, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

Turning to Romans, we know Paul’s story. He was putting out fires in the early church all over Asia Minor with plans to carry the gospel further into the known world. The story behind this letter was the problems within the Roman Christian church. There was both agreement and discord between the Gentile Christians and Jewish Christians. Both groups had been led to Christ by faith in Jesus as the Messiah. At the same time however, the Jewish Christians continued to feel constrained to observe many of the Jewish laws in which they had been brought up. They looked at each other with uncompromising skepticism. A compromise was necessary to keep the church together, but each camp feared that the other required too much compromise for an effective agreement.

Pending his visit to Rome, which came about 3 years later, he wrote this letter to calm them and encourage them to remember that God loves all his creation and provides the same path to salvation for all Christians. Paul was driven to help them understand that eternal salvation was the root of successful Christian coexistence, and that was more powerful than their differences.

Looking at our gospel reading, Matthew tells us that after a series of successful days preaching, Jesus has sent the disciples off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee by boat while he dismissed the crowds and went to pray. They are suddenly overcome by a vicious storm of wind and waves, and like Elijah, are fearful for their lives. To make matters worse, sometime in the “fourth watch,” which I understand would have been between 3:00 and 6:00 am, they were terrified at the sight of a ghost walking on the water toward them.
Now, the common thread that I felt compelled to talk about from these stories is the fear these people experienced and their sense of abandonment. I think many Christians suffer these same maladies today. I know I do from time to time.

So, let me ask you. Do you sometimes feel that God has abandoned our physical world, the same one in which he lived incarnate? Do you think that Jesus did his thing here on earth and simply retired to heaven to manipulate life on earth from afar? Are we left alone in the midst of an earthly battle between good and evil to survive without him? If I’m being honest, sometimes it feels that way, doesn’t it?

Clearly, Elijah was afraid and felt abandoned. He is running in fear for his life and hides in a cave despite the divine appointment to speak for God himself. He says, “people have killed your prophets with the sword. I am left alone, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” Now, he sulks in a desolate, dark, dirty hole in a mountainside, even though he is employed by God. Why is he afraid?

In Romans, the Christians saw no reconcilement though Paul reminded them that no detail of difference was greater than their agreement on the mutual path to salvation. But not even schooling by this powerful disciple of Christ was enough to settle them.

In our reading from Matthew, we know that the disciples felt abandoned on the boat in a storm. They too feared for their lives, even though they had lived with Jesus and come to love him. They had witnessed the power of his miracles, heard the unmatched wisdom of His words, and believed without hesitation in the saving grace of his promises. Nevertheless, in the wee hours of the morning in the middle of a storm, they are fearful and feel abandoned. Again, I ask why?

Elijah, the Christians in Rome, the disciples in the midst of a storm, despite all the holy advantages they had, all were fearful that God had abandoned them and left them to fend for themselves.

Where does that leave us today, and for all our remaining earthly days? Of course, as saved Christians, we know that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as our beacon and tether to Him. Once established, nothing can break that bond. Nonetheless, we are physical creatures, and the Holy Spirit is something different than the physical presence a righteous God. So, do you ever feel abandoned? Are we fearful? I know I am. But, why? Why are there so many fearful Christians? Let me reference some possible explanations.

Some may believe that “yes,” he has left us alone. Upon his ascension, we were left in this world to do the best we could without him. He tells us, “Be good, do the right thing; find your way here the best you can.” But I don’t believe that and neither do you. He left the divine force of the Holy Spirit within us, which represents the continual presence of his love. However, I submit to you that there are many Christians that believe this is their fate.

Ok, Let’s assume that isn’t true, and ask what else might there be? Another possibility is that we too often fall victim to the spirit of this world, not the Holy Spirit, but the spirit of a world for whom we open the door and allow to permeate our lives. However, we must stop a minute and recall that we are saved by faith in Jesus, and have we received this promise of eternal life. With that said, I think we come to expect our physical lives will be better, even though Jesus never promised that. Then stuff happens. So, though we cling to the eternal promise, we slip into a life of self-determination, guided by the spirit of this world. We have quietly placed the crown on our own head and decided, “I am the boss of me” and then shoot a blameworthy look at God when our crown slips a little!

This is a struggle I deal with. I pray. I read the bible. I come to church. Then, one day I look in the mirror and to my horror, there sits the crown. I realize that I set God aside and told him, “I’ll come get you when I need you!” At that point, I realize that He did not leave me; I left him. My sense of abandonment and the fears I experience are my own doing. Perhaps Elijah, the Roman Christians and the Apostles made the same mistake.

The final way to look at the fear of our characters that I will discuss today is to ask if fear is a weakness we should delight in? God told Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” As a result, Paul delighted in his weaknesses. And in Psalms, we are told, “Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him.” Should we consider our fears to be a weakness that draws us to the Lord? If you were to ask those who we have read about today if they ultimately found God in their moments of fear, when they most felt abandoned by God, I suspect the resounding response would be, “yes.” And yet, and this is an important distinction to their re-discovery of God’s faithfulness, they had to pass through a stage of fear and loss in order to reclaim His faithfulness.

In order to face the inevitable fear that we experience, my counsel to you, and to myself begins with being patient for the Lord. We are bound to his timing, not ours, however ill-timed it may seem. His timing is always perfect. Secondly, never underestimate the depth of His love and faithfulness to you. Third, remember that he is always, always near whether we have ignored him or even disinvited him. Lastly, know that he only desires our health and happiness. There are many encouraging bible verses about God’s faithfulness to us but one of my favorites is from the book of Joshua. In Joshua 1:9, God says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Please pray with me:
Lord, we know you are present whether we are celebrating your many blessings or are lost in the midst of our fears. We know that through your love and faithfulness, our fear will be defeated; as the fog is at sunrise; like the end of rain as clouds give way to blue skies, like a waning winter as the flower of your spirit warms our heart.
God of love, bless each of us here today; bless those who we love. And bless all those who are fearful, who feel abandoned, who feel forgotten. Restore each to health in body, mind, and spirit. In the name of Jesus, Amen.