No Longer a Slave to Fear
No need to fear the future
Romans 13:1-7
We’ve been talking about fear
A follower of Jesus does not have to live their life as slaves to fear.
We’ve talked about:
How fear works
Why we are at times fearful
Looked at fear from the start of the Scriptures with Adam and Eve
Spent 3 weeks looking ate the story of David and Goliath- Yes David defeated Goliath
Referenced som acronyms regarding FEAR
False Evidence Appearing Real
Forget Everything And Run
Face Everything And Rise
Last week I wrapped up the teaching time with the idea that
We spend way too much time listening to our fears instead of speaking to our fears.
You do not need to be afraid because:
God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT)
We should be speaking to our fears – say to your fear: “GOD HAS NOT GIVEN ME A SPIRIT OF FEAR.”
Followers of Jesus do not need to be afraid
Fear does not need to be a part of your life
We’ve been reading together a theme verse – Let’s stand and read it together
Be on guard.
Stand firm in the faith.
Be courageous.
Be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT
Today - No need to fear the future
It seems like there is reason to be afraid at every turn
The future can and if we don't keep truth before our eyes, it will look fearful
· You might have seen in the news – Chicago had homicide # 500 last weekend
· Listen to what is going on in Olympia or in WA DC
· Daily report of terrorism happening somewhere in the world
· August – greatest number of guns purchased in US history – 16th record month in a row
· Just one week ago - 174 Heroin Overdoses in Six Days in Cincinnati
· Someone shooting a police officer
· Police officer unjustly shooting someone
· Zika virus
On the surface --- it appears that there are limitless reasons to be afraid
I want to try and encourage you, instruct you and challenge you
You do not need to be afraid of the future
WHY DO I SAY THAT? – I’m glad you asked!
He that lives to live forever never fears dying. William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania
Jesus said:
Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 ESV
Fear God … He alone should be feared
It seems that as the centuries march forward – God is feared less and fear about everything else increases.
During the early years of the church, when the Roman Empire ruled the world, the Romanlawprohibited anyone from touching a dead body except to bury that body.
During the 2nd century, there was a Roman physician, Claudius Galenus, who was permitted to use the bodies of Christians slaughtered in the Colosseum to study human anatomy. Galenus studied the dying mangled bodies of those who were martyred for their faith. And he wrote,
“For fearlessness of death and the hereafter is something we witness in (these Christians) every day.”
You and I do not need to fear the future
Let me remind you that:
Long before there was politics and politicians
Long before there was Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or Independents
Long before there were Conservatives and Liberals
Gun Rights advocates and Green Party advocates
There was God
Genesis starts the history of the human race: In the beginning God
A couple of months after Jesus rose from the dead two of the apostles, Peter and John were walking to the Temple in the afternoon for prayer when they came upon a lame man. The lame man had been placed there to beg. The man asked Peter and John for money.
Peter and John didn’t have any money to give him.
But Jesus healed the man through their interaction.
The healing infuriated the religious leaders
Peter and John were arrested and end up in jail
The next morning they were questioned about the healing
They told them that the man was healed by Jesus
They were commanded to “never speak or teach in the name of Jesus.”
They of course refused
Peter and John replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19-20 NLT)
Peter and John are released from custody, and they join the other believers in town
When Peter and John arrived at the house where the other believers were, they all joined together in prayer
"O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— You spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, Your servant, saying, 'Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against His Messiah.' "In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, Your holy servant, whom You anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to Your will. (Acts 4:23-28 NLT)
Listen again to two of the lines:
O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them
But everything they did was determined beforehand according to Your will.
Creator of EVERYTHING
EVERYTHING they did was DETERMINED beforehand according to God’s will
You do not need to be afraid of the future
The Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them, is watching over history
America’s future – whatever that may be – is being superintended by the hand of the Sovereign Lord of the universe.
But what if Donald Trump wins? – It will be under the superintending hand of God
But what if Hilary wins? – It will be under the superintending hand of God
About 700 years before Jesus the prophet Isaiah brought God’s word to the people of Israel
The nation was in perpetual rebellion against God
Isaiah spoke of their rebellion
Of the nation being punished
Turning back to God
And God restoring the nation
Isaiah 44 introduces a character Cyrus
When I say of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd,' he will certainly do as I say. He will command, 'Rebuild Jerusalem'; he will say, 'Restore the Temple.'" (Isaiah 44:28 NLT)
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, His anointed one, whose right hand He will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again. This is what the LORD says: "I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the One who calls you by name. (Isaiah 45:1-3 NLT)
This is what the LORD says—the Holy One of Israel and your Creator: "Do you question what I do for My children? Do you give Me orders about the work of My hands? I am the One who made the earth and created people to live on it. With My hands I stretched out the heavens. All the stars are at My command. I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill My righteous purpose, and I will guide his actions. He will restore My city and free My captive people—without seeking a reward! I, the LORD of Heaven's Armies, have spoken!"
(Isaiah 45:11-13 NLT)
The religious leaders keep looking for someone born named Cyrus.
They keep searching, waiting, hoping
Where is this Cyrus?
Because of their rebellion, Israel is invaded by the Babylonians
The Israelites become refugees
A portion of them ends up as prisoners of war in Babylon
The people are looking for Cyrus
Who is this Cyrus who is going to deliver us?
After almost 70 years living as refugees and POW
Babylon is attacked by Persia
The King of Persia is?
Cyrus
Cyrus sets the Jewish people free to return home and rebuild the Temp
Here’s a twist that you don’t get from the record of the prophets or the historical record in Scripture
Cyrus becomes king of Persia
The Persians attack Babylon
Now they have a bunch of POW from all over the area – Not just Jewish POWs
Cyrus is trying to figure out what to do with these POW
Imagine the scene
He’s trying to figure out what to do
Someone tells him about this Jewish prophet named Isaiah that had lived 200 years before this
Someone says to him: “You should read this scroll!”
They hand him the scroll
He probably couldn’t read Hebrew – so he calls in one of the Jewish POWs who can read
As the scroll is being read to him
The reader gets to the place that we refer to as Isaiah 44 and 45
He hears the reader say HIS NAME
Josephus, the 1st Century historian writes about the event this way
Now Cyrus learned this (as to building the Temple) by reading the book that Isaiah had left of his own prophecies 210 years before. . . . These things Isaiah foretold 140 years before the Temple was destroyed. When Cyrus, therefore, had read them, and had admired their divine character, an impulse and emulation seized him to do what was written. Josephus, 1st Century Jewish Historian
So the Sovereign God tells the Jewish people about a Persian King by the name of Cyrus who is going to send them back from Babylon to Israel to rebuild the Temple 200 years in advance
Let me read you one more passage of Scripture
Before I read this last passage
Let me set the stage
Paul dictates a letter to his secretary to the church in Rome
Rome is an absolute dictatorship
The King – “Caesar” does what he wants
The Roman legions are regularly executing by crucifixion 100s/1000s of people as a warning to the populace
Don’t you dare cross Rome!
Remember it was under Roman oversight that Jesus was crucified
Christians are being persecuted and executed
Everyone must submit to governing authorities.
For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you.
The authorities are God's servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you.
They are God's servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong.
So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.
Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid.
They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
(Romans 13:1-7 NLT)
The very beginning of the passage Paul dictated:
For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.
So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished.
God is superintending this world
You do not need to be afraid
If the news makes you fearful – Turn it off
When you are watching the news/reading the news – I wonder what God is doing!
God remains our source of courage when we're traumatized by terror.
When we're haunted by the headlines and the violence everywhere.
Hear God whisper in the silence, "Don't despair, I'm in control.
Hurting hearts and broken cities will at last one day be whole."
God recalls that tragic Tuesday when twin towers disappeared,
when three thousand people perished and our hearts were numbed by fear.
Yet God whispers these years later, "Justice will in time be done.
I will stand with those who need me 'till my Kingdom fully comes."
God invites us to be trusting when we find that faith is hard.
When we're fearful for our safety and our nerves are frayed or jarred.
Still God whispers in the silence, "Even when your faith is weak,
I will keep your feet from stumbling when your way is dark and bleak."
by Greg Asimakoupoulos