Sermonette: August 22, 2022

Do not fear. Fear Not. Do not be afraid. All these commands are found in the bible. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, a young Jewish virgin girl, and announced that she was to become the mother of our Savior. He tells her to not be afraid. It is certainly understandable that when all of a sudden, an archangel from God appears and starts talking to us, who wouldn’t be afraid? Joseph is visited by an angel in a dream and is told that he is not to be afraid to continue his betrothal to Mary even though she is with child. She had not been unfaithful; her condition was by the will of God. Shepherds, keeping watch over their sheep are also visited by angels. The angels tell them to not be afraid. We are bringing good news.

No, I’m not telling you the story of Christmas in the waning heat of our summer months. The point is that when we experience something new, something that even shocks us, it's not uncommon to get scared. Fear of the unknown is natural, even though what we're afraid of might turn out to be something good. When moving cattle to a new pasture where the grass is tall and green, they get scared. Jesus, talking to his disciples, telling them about what's going to happen to him in Jerusalem, says he is going to leave them. This was a shock to them. They have spent nearly every day of their lives with him for the last three years; traveling with him and listening to him preach about God's Kingdom that would have no end. But now he tells them that he is leaving them. He is returning to his Father. But he tells them to not let their hearts be troubled or to be afraid. He promises them God will send them His Holy Spirit to be with them in Jesus' absence.

We receive shocking news almost daily. Viruses, old and new make the news on a daily basis it seems. War in the Ukraine continues, missiles are fired and retaliation bombing attacks continue off and on in the Mid-East. It can be downright scary watching the evening news. As we experience inflation at unheard of levels in over 40 years, those who have a fixed and low income may not be scared but certainly are apprehensive in entering a grocery store, as they wonder how much can they buy with the little they have available.

No, this isn’t a Christmas story and neither is it a story meant to scare you or shock you. Just as the angels told the shepherds, just as Jesus told his disciples. Don’t be afraid. I know that is easier said than done. What we need to remember – always – is that we have a caring and loving God. In Matthew, we read that Jesus told his disciples before his ascension, ‘I am with you always, to the end of the age.’ The bible is replete with messages of God's steadfast love for us. So, yes, let us be wary of the spread of viruses, let us watch our budgets more carefully but we shouldn't let fear overcome us. Let us not let our fears rule our lives. The bible also says, if God be for us, who can be against us? Jesus told his disciples that God has a mansion with many rooms and he was going home to the Father to prepare them for us. In these troubling times, we can be sure of one thing, no matter what happens in our earthly lives, we can be assured of a safe, wonderful place of rest in God’s mansion. Be safe. Be healthy. Tell God daily that you love him and that you trust him and he will lead us through this. God’s peace to you my friends.