Do Not Be Afraid!

The social and religious pressure on this young, more than likely teenage, couple was legion.  To be engaged and to become pregnant by another man was the most grievous religious violation that could merit not only social rejection, but the penalty of death.   To say that Joseph and Mary were afraid is an understatement.  Petrified, terrified, and horrified might be better words to describe what they must have been feeling.  The modern day high society scandal around the pregnancy of Jamie Lynn Spears is kindergarten stuff compared to what Joseph and Mary were facing! 

Joseph, fearing public disgrace because of Mary's pregnancy, was about to dismiss her and leave her, until an angel appeared and said to Joseph, "Do not be afraid!"

If you remember, the angel said the same thing to Mary.  Looking into Mary’s eyes, I am sure the angel saw fear and then said, “Do not be afraid.”

“Do not be afraid!" is one of the most common and repeated biblical mandates.  Over and over again we hear the imperative, “Do not be afraid!”

At the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis, God puts the finger on Abraham and calls Abraham to a whole new way of life, and one of the first words out of God's mouth was, "Do not be afraid!"

In Exodus, the people of God were fleeing the slavery of Egypt. Pharaoh, having second thoughts, sent his army after them. Caught between the sea on one side and Pharaoh's vicious advancing army on the other, Moses says to a panicking people, "Do not be afraid!"

Centuries later the people of God are languishing in despair in exile in Babylon, and the prophet Isaiah arrives, and speaking for the Lord he says to the people, "Do not be afraid!"

Youthful Jeremiah, shaking in his shoes, terrified at the prospect of being called by God to be God's spokesperson to a rebellious and sinful people hears the Lord say, "Do not be afraid!"

Peter, suddenly feeling totally inadequate and sinful in the presence of Jesus, falls to his knees in fear, and Jesus gently assures him by picking him up with the words, "Do not be afraid!"

Fussing about the importance of material things, Jesus talks to his disciples about the life-style he intends for them, that is people who don't put all their trust in material abundance and security. Seeing the look of fear on their faces Jesus says, perhaps with a wry smile, "Do not be afraid!"

The disciples are caught in a deathly squall in their vulnerable little fishing boat out on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus comes to them, walking on the water and first thing he says is, "Do not be afraid!"

Jesus, facing the inevitability of his death, is telling his disciples that he will soon be gone from their midst assures them with the words, "Do not be afraid!"

Fear isn't all bad!  It's a self-preserving, defensive reaction to perceived threat.  Fear, to a certain extent, is protective. There is such a thing as healthy fear. There are a lot of things to fear in the kind of world we live in. It is good to fear a terrorist attack for if we did not, we would not be vigilant and take measures to prevent it.

But fear, out of control, can take over and be used to manipulate and distort the truth.   Fear sells everything from home security systems, protective computer software, political candidates and their platforms, even beauty products and exercise programs.  

I'm convinced we hear the repeated mandate "Do not be afraid!" in the Bible because God knows how real and powerful fear is, and how easily we are controlled by fear and how easily we surrender to fear.   

Just think if Abraham would have surrendered to fear?  There may not have been a people of God?  What would salvation history look like if Moses, Isaiah or Jeremiah would have caved in to fear?   Or how about Mary and Joseph, overwhelmed by fear?  Perhaps the Holy Spirit of God could not have blessed Mary in such a way, and Jesus would have never been born or Mary would have not survived.  Or what if the disciples when facing persecution, would have been totally controlled by fear? Perhaps there would be no church!  Or what if Jesus, as he knelt in the garden the night before his crucifixion, would have been overwhelmed by his fears and disappeared into the darkness never to be seen and heard of again?

I don't know if you are aware or not, but there is a great ongoing struggle happening right now; a great war is being waged; a great battle is being fought in our streets and in our souls, and it's been going on since the dawn of biblical time: It’s God’s battle against fear.

The one thing that can put up an almost impenetrable barrier keeping God's life-giving Spirit out and from flowing into our lives is FEAR!  Fear has that kind of awesome power!  Fear has the power to stifle a human life - your life! Fear has the negative energy to keep you from living fully in the present. Fear has the power to lock you up within yourself!

I ask you my friends! I ask you with all that is within me:  How many human dreams have died unrealized in the ashes of fear? How many of yours?

How many broken relationships have never been mended because of the power of fear? How many of yours?  

How much forgiveness have you never asked for, and how much forgiveness have you withheld all because of fear?

How much pain has been inflicted because of fear? And how much pain has not been comforted all because of fear? How much with you?

How much hatred has been increased by the adrenalin of fear? How much prejudice has been passed from one generation to the next through the vehicle of fear?

How much social injustice as been allowed to continue because of fear? 

My dear friends: God in Jesus Christ is about to be born once again into a fearful world. God's struggle with fear continues on. It's not over because God is not done with the world. God has not given up on the world. God has not given up on you or me! The first little place God desires to win a victory over fear is in your heart and mine; a victory over fear that will allow your life to become a living channel for His love to flow into the world.

Christmas declares that God has become personally involved in the world, personally involved with you and me. Maybe that's just it. Maybe that's the thing we fear the most; that God wishes for us to become personally involved in sharing and declaring His love to your world.  The only mangers left in this world in which the Lord can be born are the mangers of our hearts.  Don't let fear abort his birth in your life!  Don't let fear seal you off from God's life-giving Spirit.  Don't let fear prevent you from living your life fully in the embrace of God's incredible grace.

Along with the angel and all the other of God's Biblical messengers I say to you, "Do not be afraid!" God is about to break in, but not in a way that frightens. His birth is about to occur again. However, there is little room in the inn because so many are hesitant and afraid to make a place for him. I pray that the manger of your heart will provide for him a place!  There is much going on around us and in us that causes to us tremble, but in providing him a place in the inn of your heart and allowing him to be born there, God will have won another victory against fear from controlling this world. He will empower you to live with love and courage. "Do not be afraid!"
Amen.