June 23, 2013
Fear
- 1 Kings 19:1-4
- Dr. Teri Thomas
As we prepare to leave this week for Kenya
I tend to reminisce on trips I have taken in the past.
When Jack and I were in Scotland I was driving one day.
It took all my concentration to remember to stay on the left side of the road.
We were driving down one very steep, curvy mountain road
and Jack had more than he could take.
He told me to slow down because I was scaring him.
I told him just to do what I did on the curves to keep from being frightened.
What’s that he asked?
Close your eyes!
Can you think of a time when you were afraid?
For each of us the dangers are different, the things we fear – vary from person to person, and the intensity of our fear likewise varies. We know people who are afraid of the dark, others who dread speaking in public, and still others who are terrified by the thought that they might get sick
or die.
Some people fear being alone –
others worry and fret about becoming unemployed,
or having to face an abusive spouse or parent,
still others fear the powers of addiction.
Fear is a natural reaction - a God given reaction – to those things that threaten us.
Yet, we don’t often talk about our fears.
We have come to equate fear with weakness.
We encourage our children to get over their fears of the dark.
of being left in the nursery, of the water, of school.
We encourage our friends to ignore their fears
of marriage, of having children, of job changes.
We all know no matter how much we try to ignore or hide or deny our fears, they still remain.
If we are honest, we are all afraid of something.
The reality is- it will always catch up with us eventually.
Elijah was afraid in the morning’s reading.
He had battled the prophets of Baal and killed many of them.
Their queen, Jezebel, was not happy that he had killed her prophets
and she threatened to kill Elijah in retaliation.
So he fled for his life.
Fear got the best of him.
He was overwhelmed by it.
The prophet who had demonstrated strength and determination
is now hungry, exhausted, dejected, and even suicidal.
He sleeps poorly, if at all,
with constant fear of being awaken by pursuing enemies.
He is so afraid he basically gives up.
“It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors” (verse 4).
Fear can lead us into deep despair and helplessness.
Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from doing anything at all.
It even kept him from hearing God’s voice.
But fear can also make us do the wrong thing.
In the Gospel story this morning Jesus confronts a man who is possessed by demons.
Think of “demons” as those forces that control us
and prevented us from becoming what God intends us to be.
We might call our demons mental illnesses, schizophrenia, paranoia,
addictions, obsessions, or destructive habits.
Here’s a man who’s utterly afflicted. He is a lunatic, a wild man.
They have to keep him locked up and he keeps escaping.
He can’t live in a house so he lives in the tombs.
Jesus comes and speaks a word and the demons leave the man.
he is healed of everything that prevents him from being what God intended.
And THEN the people get scared.
They were seized with great fear.
I can understand being scared when there’s a naked crazy man living down by the cemetery,
but now he’s in his right mind again, he is clothed and he is quietly sitting at the feet of Jesus.
The people are so afraid they send Jesus away.
They told him to return to his boat and go back to where ever he had come from.
They were afraid.
Perhaps they were scared by Jesus’ power over the demons.
Or they were scared because the delicate balance of their lives had been disrupted.
Maybe it's Jesus' ability to rock their world
and create unforeseen and unexpected futures that terrifies them.
If he can do this to one man, what will he do to us?
The new- the unknown- is simply too terrifying.
So they send Jesus away.
We can only imagine what they missed out on because their fear kept them stuck where they were.
So we all experience fear and we don’t always cope with it well.
We might despair like Elijah.
Or we might miss out of a great possibility like those who rejected Jesus.
In both cases they pushed God out of their lives.
No matter the dangers that come our way,
no matter the insecurities that wake us up at night,
no matter the bad news from the doctor,
or even the threats that the world is coming apart,
God is our refuge and strength,
a present help in times of trouble.
Our God is not far off and distant.
Our God is personal, knows where we are and what we are dealing with.
Our God never leaves us.
Life is full of dangers, life gets complicated;
losses and challenges may knock us over.
But we are God’s and our lives are held in God’s eternal and faithful care.
When Elijah was afraid God came to him
in a still, small voice.
God said, I am with you.
Go and do what I tell you and you will not fail.
If you follow me everything will work out.
Trust me and don’t be afraid.
Jesus said to the man he had healed-
go home and declare what God has done for you.
Share your faith and everything will work out.
Trust me and do not be afraid.
When fear overcomes us listen for the voice
fear not- I am with you always.
Trust me and do not be afraid.
Amen.