Sermonette: February 8, 2021

How have you experienced fear? What paralyzes you? What keeps you up at night?

Psychology would tell us that fear is a natural defense mechanism, and can keep us from danger. We all have experiences where our fear kept us safe, avoided a dangerous situation, prevented harm.

But that’s not the fear I’m exploring. I’m wondering about the fear that makes us feel helpless, the fear that colors our actions, that impairs our ability to move and grow, inhibits our ability to challenge the status quo. Fear that chips away our trust in anyone, or anything, and leaves us feeling like we can cling to nothing.

This fear can be debilitating. This fear dirties our thinking, muddies our judgement, makes us less able to resist evil. It takes away love, justice, mercy, forgiveness. Fear separates us from our Creator, from the Source of who we are, the Author of our faith, taking away anything that unites us with our neighbor: care, compassion, selflessness.

Germany was in the midst of some of the darkest times in its history. The end of the first world war had laid the country in ruins, spiritually and physically. In 1929, the economy went south, the stock market crashed— adding to the skyrocketing unemployment. Political instability, threats of communism and extremism, loomed large.

A country gripped in fear was fertile soil on which “solutions” were offered. Solutions to mounting and growing fear. Adolf Hitler was charismatic, a smooth talker, authoritative, and used the German people’s fear to offer them reprieve, to offer them a savior: himself.

For many dark years, it seemed like the fear had won.

It’s no wonder Scripture is filled with God’s words, “Be not afraid.” God knows fear can spin individuals and an entire world out of control. On the stormy sea, when all hope seemed lost, the disciples were scared. (Matt. 8:23-27). Jesus is in the boat with them. He doesn’t coddle: “you’re okay. You’re going to be okay.” In one account he sleeps through their fear. But God’s with them!

To prevent this kind of fear that leads to destruction, that leads to people leaving their own good intentions, their own common sense and joining the very loud, fearful crowd, we need people who are in our corner, on our side.

Next week, we’ll explore who is in our corner. Who can you count on? With whom can you share your fears?