Fear Itself
New Format
Blog Posts will now look at the past week, along with some reflection questions based on the sermon.
The Only Thing We Have to Fear
Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced a nation engulfed in fear. The Great Depression had devastated the economy, leaving families in poverty. Cities were overcrowded, driven by greed, and suffering from disease. Within a week of his inauguration, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, intensifying worries about another disastrous war. Americans feared being drawn into foreign conflicts and confronting Nazi supporters at home. In this era of crisis, Roosevelt delivered one of the most famous American speeches: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He adapted this phrase from Henry David Thoreau, a 19th-century transcendentalist often seen as a kind of hippie, but its message remains universally relevant and somewhat surprisingly theological.
Fear Is Not the Enemy
Before proceeding any further, it's important to understand that fear is not a flaw or a sign of weak faith. Fear is a healthy human emotion, not a reflection of bad character or a lack of faith. Fear is an instinctual response, given by nature or perhaps by a higher power, that has helped humans survive through the ages. From threats like the saber-toothed tiger to illnesses like polio, and even everyday dangers like traffic, fear helps keep us safe. All animals experience the same thing we do. Bunnies flee when approached too closely; bison may toss you 20 feet in the air like a rag doll if you get too close. Why? Because they are responding with fight-or-flight instincts, just like us. Fear of a hot stove prevents burns, while caution behind the wheel guards against accidents. In context, healthy fear is a valuable gift. However, when fear takes over our entire lives and stops us from functioning normally, it becomes detrimental. It then stops protecting us and instead paralyzes, isolates, and dictates our choices. Such fear deserves attention and confrontation. The goal isn't to avoid fear altogether, for that is inevitable. The question is not if, but when. The real question is whether fear will rule our lives or serve as a guide. I believe this is part of what separates humanity from the rest of creation: we can learn to face our fear, learn from it, and move past it.
Peace in the Upper Room
In John 14:25-31, Jesus addresses his disciples during a profoundly confusing time for them. He announces that he is leaving and returning to the Father. Considering all they have seen. From miracles and teachings to moments of transformation, his departure raises serious questions: is he really going away? After his resurrection, does Jesus choose this moment to leave? Meanwhile, external forces are intensifying. Romans are closing in on both Jesus’ disciples and the Jewish community. It’s natural for the disciples to be frightened, as their leader, mentor, and guide are departing when they need him most. Yet Jesus offers something the world cannot produce: peace. Not fragile peace dependent on circumstances, but a steadfast peace that persists even when everything around remains the same. He encourages them not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid. He assures them of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will stay with them, teach, and remind them of everything necessary. This isn’t a dismissal of their fears but an invitation to trust in something greater than those fears.
Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear
Think about every time you are driving or even riding in a car. Every time you turn the ignition, you're sitting just a few feet from a combustion engine fueled by a highly flammable liquid, surrounded by other drivers making quick, often dumb, decisions at high speeds. Honestly, it's a remarkable act of trust and courage that we ever get into these moving death machines. Yet, we don't refuse to drive; instead, we put on our seatbelts, follow traffic laws, carry insurance, take sensible precautions, and then we go. Because living in constant fear of what could happen isn't really living. That’s what true courage looks like. Courage isn't the absence of fear but choosing to move forward despite it. It’s about recognizing the risks and taking that faithful step anyway. The challenge arises when our precautions become barriers instead of protection. Fear can cause us to limit not only ourselves but others as well, closing off our communities, resources, relationships, and ultimately our trust in God.
Fear and the First Commandment
Here's where things get uncomfortably honest. When fear takes the throne of our lives, when it dictates what we risk, sacrifice, trust, and hope. To be clear, we are not just cautious; we're essentially violating the first commandment. Exodus 20 urges us to worship no other gods but God. When fear takes the lead, it acts like a god, demanding obedience, directing our choices, and defining our limits and others'. Living under such fear implies that fear holds more power than the God who assures us of God’s constant presence. God calls us to face our fear, and God will be with us in that journey. When we allow our fear to control what we do, are we surrendering God's authority and replacing it with our anxiety?
Stewardship Is Not Just About Money
This discussion about fear reminds us how important good stewardship is in our lives. Often, we think of stewardship as just giving money, which is indeed important, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about how we invest our time, nurture our relationships, stay open to change, serve others, and keep hope alive. Fear can make us want to protect ourselves, hold back, or shut down, whispering that there’s not enough, or that being generous, changing, or taking risks is too dangerous or costs too much; that voice lies. But the truth about stewardship is that nothing we really hold onto belongs to us, for it all belongs to God. When we forget this, fear tries to fill the space. Remember, God took a huge risk in Jesus, and the cross shows love in its most vulnerable and courageous form. That love, which is stronger than death and fear, serves as our beautiful example of how we’re called to live and give.
A World That Needs Hope
Psalm 91 depicts a God who shelters, protects, and satisfies God’s people. God is present in trouble, not absent. This promise doesn't guarantee a painless life, but it assures us we’re not alone when pain comes. That realization transforms everything. When God's people live as if God’s promises are true, hope becomes contagious. In a world filled with anxiety, a community that refuses to succumb to fear stands out as a sign of something different, better, and worth believing in. So, don't be afraid, not because the world is safe, but because God is faithful. Take a risk, give generously, open the door, and step forward.
Reflection Questions
Pastor Wesley described courage not as the absence of fear, but as accepting fear and choosing to face it anyway.
In what area of your life might God be calling you to act courageously even though you are still afraid?
In what ways might fear be limiting your stewardship of what God has entrusted to you?
What would it look like for your community of faith to be visibly and contagiously hopeful in a fearful world?
What is one specific fear you are carrying right now, and what would it mean for you to hand that fear over to the God who promises to be with you in it?
Blog Posts will now look at the past week, along with some reflection questions based on the sermon.
The Only Thing We Have to Fear
Franklin Delano Roosevelt faced a nation engulfed in fear. The Great Depression had devastated the economy, leaving families in poverty. Cities were overcrowded, driven by greed, and suffering from disease. Within a week of his inauguration, Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany, intensifying worries about another disastrous war. Americans feared being drawn into foreign conflicts and confronting Nazi supporters at home. In this era of crisis, Roosevelt delivered one of the most famous American speeches: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He adapted this phrase from Henry David Thoreau, a 19th-century transcendentalist often seen as a kind of hippie, but its message remains universally relevant and somewhat surprisingly theological.
Fear Is Not the Enemy
Before proceeding any further, it's important to understand that fear is not a flaw or a sign of weak faith. Fear is a healthy human emotion, not a reflection of bad character or a lack of faith. Fear is an instinctual response, given by nature or perhaps by a higher power, that has helped humans survive through the ages. From threats like the saber-toothed tiger to illnesses like polio, and even everyday dangers like traffic, fear helps keep us safe. All animals experience the same thing we do. Bunnies flee when approached too closely; bison may toss you 20 feet in the air like a rag doll if you get too close. Why? Because they are responding with fight-or-flight instincts, just like us. Fear of a hot stove prevents burns, while caution behind the wheel guards against accidents. In context, healthy fear is a valuable gift. However, when fear takes over our entire lives and stops us from functioning normally, it becomes detrimental. It then stops protecting us and instead paralyzes, isolates, and dictates our choices. Such fear deserves attention and confrontation. The goal isn't to avoid fear altogether, for that is inevitable. The question is not if, but when. The real question is whether fear will rule our lives or serve as a guide. I believe this is part of what separates humanity from the rest of creation: we can learn to face our fear, learn from it, and move past it.
Peace in the Upper Room
In John 14:25-31, Jesus addresses his disciples during a profoundly confusing time for them. He announces that he is leaving and returning to the Father. Considering all they have seen. From miracles and teachings to moments of transformation, his departure raises serious questions: is he really going away? After his resurrection, does Jesus choose this moment to leave? Meanwhile, external forces are intensifying. Romans are closing in on both Jesus’ disciples and the Jewish community. It’s natural for the disciples to be frightened, as their leader, mentor, and guide are departing when they need him most. Yet Jesus offers something the world cannot produce: peace. Not fragile peace dependent on circumstances, but a steadfast peace that persists even when everything around remains the same. He encourages them not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid. He assures them of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who will stay with them, teach, and remind them of everything necessary. This isn’t a dismissal of their fears but an invitation to trust in something greater than those fears.
Courage Is Not the Absence of Fear
Think about every time you are driving or even riding in a car. Every time you turn the ignition, you're sitting just a few feet from a combustion engine fueled by a highly flammable liquid, surrounded by other drivers making quick, often dumb, decisions at high speeds. Honestly, it's a remarkable act of trust and courage that we ever get into these moving death machines. Yet, we don't refuse to drive; instead, we put on our seatbelts, follow traffic laws, carry insurance, take sensible precautions, and then we go. Because living in constant fear of what could happen isn't really living. That’s what true courage looks like. Courage isn't the absence of fear but choosing to move forward despite it. It’s about recognizing the risks and taking that faithful step anyway. The challenge arises when our precautions become barriers instead of protection. Fear can cause us to limit not only ourselves but others as well, closing off our communities, resources, relationships, and ultimately our trust in God.
Fear and the First Commandment
Here's where things get uncomfortably honest. When fear takes the throne of our lives, when it dictates what we risk, sacrifice, trust, and hope. To be clear, we are not just cautious; we're essentially violating the first commandment. Exodus 20 urges us to worship no other gods but God. When fear takes the lead, it acts like a god, demanding obedience, directing our choices, and defining our limits and others'. Living under such fear implies that fear holds more power than the God who assures us of God’s constant presence. God calls us to face our fear, and God will be with us in that journey. When we allow our fear to control what we do, are we surrendering God's authority and replacing it with our anxiety?
Stewardship Is Not Just About Money
This discussion about fear reminds us how important good stewardship is in our lives. Often, we think of stewardship as just giving money, which is indeed important, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about how we invest our time, nurture our relationships, stay open to change, serve others, and keep hope alive. Fear can make us want to protect ourselves, hold back, or shut down, whispering that there’s not enough, or that being generous, changing, or taking risks is too dangerous or costs too much; that voice lies. But the truth about stewardship is that nothing we really hold onto belongs to us, for it all belongs to God. When we forget this, fear tries to fill the space. Remember, God took a huge risk in Jesus, and the cross shows love in its most vulnerable and courageous form. That love, which is stronger than death and fear, serves as our beautiful example of how we’re called to live and give.
A World That Needs Hope
Psalm 91 depicts a God who shelters, protects, and satisfies God’s people. God is present in trouble, not absent. This promise doesn't guarantee a painless life, but it assures us we’re not alone when pain comes. That realization transforms everything. When God's people live as if God’s promises are true, hope becomes contagious. In a world filled with anxiety, a community that refuses to succumb to fear stands out as a sign of something different, better, and worth believing in. So, don't be afraid, not because the world is safe, but because God is faithful. Take a risk, give generously, open the door, and step forward.
Reflection Questions
Pastor Wesley described courage not as the absence of fear, but as accepting fear and choosing to face it anyway.
In what area of your life might God be calling you to act courageously even though you are still afraid?
In what ways might fear be limiting your stewardship of what God has entrusted to you?
What would it look like for your community of faith to be visibly and contagiously hopeful in a fearful world?
What is one specific fear you are carrying right now, and what would it mean for you to hand that fear over to the God who promises to be with you in it?