Fear Not

So the title today is Fear Not and the subtitle Be Not Afraid. Do we really understand the word fear? One of the greatest summary passages of Scripture is found in Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 12. So if we would, let's turn to Ecclesiastes just after the book of Proverbs. In Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 12, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Of course, in today's world, to use the word fear has various connotations, of course, that we will be talking about. We need to understand what the word means in many of its applications. God commanded Israel to teach their children to fear Him. So now let's turn to Deuteronomy 31 and verse 13. In Deuteronomy 13 and verse 13, you remember Deuteronomy is somewhat a restatement summary of the law just before Israel was to go into the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 31 and verse 13. And that their children, which have not known anything, and of course we are blank tablets when we're born with regard to what we know, we don't know anything but the instinctive reflexes that come with birth from the grip reflex to the sucking reflex to many of those things. And then we begin to learn, which of not knowing anything may hear and learn to fear the eternal your God, as long as you live in the land where you go over Jordan to possess it. So of course, the parents are to fear God. They're to teach their children to fear God. Let's note two similar verses from the New Testament. So now we will go to 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 17. We'll be coming back to this verse, I believe, a little bit later in 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 17. Honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. Now let's note further in Revelation 14 and verse 7. I'm just hitting three or four or five of the highlight verses, two from the Old Testament, two from the New Testament, their scores of verses with regard to an admonition to fear God. In Revelation 14 and verse 7, saying with a loud voice, fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of judgment has come and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. It is clear, and you will see it far more clearly if you read even some of the scriptures that have to do that have fear God in it or be not afraid. It is clear from scripture that humankind is commanded to fear God. The world is in search of a solution to its problems. No one in political leadership dares to say that the current pandemic may be God's judgments on humankind because they have turned their back on him. What is afflicting from our congregation to our community, to our city, to our county, to our nation and internationally, the whole world? It's not just localized. It's everywhere. And virtually every community, whether third world or so-called first world, and we're looking more like third world. If you look at Washington, D.C. right now with 25,000 National Guard troops assembled and fences around buildings, the whole world is being tried. The whole world is being put on notice.

No one in political leadership dares to say that the current pandemic may be God's judgment on humankind because they have turned their backs on him. Hosea 6-4 again, my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. We hear a lot about the origin of the virus, but regardless of the origin, whether it was made in a lab, whether it accidentally escaped, whether it was or deliberately placed so it would go out to the whole world, regardless of the origin or the distribution. And now they're talking about a super virus that will hit probably in March. They're saying it would be far more contagious and more deadly than this one. But regardless of all that, God has allowed it to come upon the peoples of the world. And no one in political leadership dares to say, let's fast and pray. So we have leadership in the church that says, let's fast and pray that God will intervene and stay the plague regardless of the cause of the plague. God has allowed it to stalk the face of the earth like a deadly serial killer. Now man's solution is a vaccine, social distancing, wearing a mask. God's solution is to, first of all, rend your hearts and not your garments, fall on our knees and cry out to God. Now that is not to say, that is not to say that we should not exercise common sense and do what we can to avoid being infected by the virus. I'll give you a personal example a little later.

Very often it is the daredevils and the doubters who are infected.

Remember, Satan tried to tempt Jesus into jumping off the pinnacle of the temple. All just jumped off because it is written his angels will bear you up. And what was Jesus's response? Jesus's response was from the Word of God, it is written, you shall not tempt the Lord your God.

We need knowledge and wisdom and we need it now. Not next week. We need knowledge and wisdom now. Note what the wisest man who ever lived apart from Jesus Christ states about knowledge and wisdom. Let's go to Proverbs now. Proverbs, the wisest man who ever lived apart from Jesus Christ, Proverbs chapter 1. In Proverbs chapter 1 Solomon writing, and what does he write concerning knowledge and wisdom? Proverbs chapter 1 verse 7. The fear of the Lord is a beginning of knowledge.

And surely that's speaking of spiritual knowledge first and foremost. The fear of the Lord is a beginning of knowledge.

But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Now look at chapter 2. My son, if you will receive my words and hide my commandments with you so that you incline your ear unto wisdom and apply your heart unto understanding, yea, if you cry after knowledge and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver and search for her as for hid treasure, then shall you understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom out of his mouth and comes knowledge and understanding. But if you don't have respect, reverence, all for God, how is he going to give you and why would he give you knowledge?

Now on the other hand, let's note that we are not to fear men, but on the other hand, as we've already read, to fear God and honor the King. So let's look at Deuteronomy 1 and verse 17, chapter 1 verse 17. Deuteronomy 1 and verse 17, we're trying to give a balanced approach and view of how to view and how to live and how to be ready for anything that comes our way. Be not afraid. Fear not.

So Deuteronomy 1 verse 17, you shall not respect persons and judgment, but you shall hear the small as well as the great. You shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the judgment is God's and the cause that is too hard for you bring it unto me and I will hear it, God speaking to Moses. And from the New Testament, let's note. New Testament, Hebrews 1, Hebrews 13 and verse 6. Hebrews 13 and verse 6. This verse should be indelibly stamped on our gray matter and continually referenced, perhaps during the day, a reminder in Hebrews 13 and verse 6. So that we may say, the Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

I will not fear. At this point, we need to understand that the word fear has a wide range of meanings. First of all, we're going to look at the Hebrew word that is translated fear in the Old Testament. That Hebrew word that is translated fear is spelled in Y-A-R-E, just four letters Y-A-R-E and it is pronounced as Yahreh.

Yahreh God, fear God, Yahreh. Okay. That word is used in the Old Testament 314 times.

188 times it is translated as fear and 78 times as afraid and then many other words lesser times. Now what does it mean? Remember, fear God, be not afraid.

It means to fear, to revere, be afraid. To fear, be afraid. To stand in awe of or be awed. To fear, reverence, honor, respect. To be fearful, be dreadful, be feared. To cause astonishment in awe. To be held in awe. To inspire reverence or godly fear or awe. So we see that the word ranges, Yahreh, ranges from the actual fear of something to all reverence, respect. So both are applicable in a sense, as we shall see, with regard to our relationship with God. Scripture makes it very clear. Now in the New Testament, the word is phabeo, f-o-b-e-h-o, phabeo, which we get from that word. In English we say phobia. So hydrophobia, we talk about a dog, mad dog, hydrophobia. We talk about, in today's world, they talk about xenophobia, that you are automatically prejudiced against a certain ethnic group. We call it xenophobia. It has almost the same meanings as Yahreh does in the Old Testament. It means to put to flight by terrifying, to scare away, to put to flight, to flee, to fear, be afraid. It also means reverence, venerate, to treat with deference, or reverential obedience. So I would encourage every one of us, I've already done it to a large degree. I haven't read every last verse yet, because there's so many of them. I've read a lot of them. I would encourage everyone to use online Bible or some other online Bible aid and read every verse that has the words fear not, and then do it the one be not afraid. Be a very encouraging exercise, and if you don't have a computer, you can use a concordance and look at it. So what does it mean to fear God?

It is twofold. Both of those meanings to respect, to fear Him in the sense that He has the ultimate power over us of life and death. I believe the greatest understanding of fear, where it says fear God, is to realize that God created us and has ordained a great plan of salvation to save us from sin and death and bring us into His eternal family. So He has the power of life and death over us. Perhaps we can quote Matthew 10.28. I'll do it right now. Fear not Him who is able to destroy the body, but fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul, that is life potential, life essence in YHN of fire. If humankind could just realize that God created them, they wouldn't even exist if it were not for God. If it were not for God's love and grace and mercy, there would be no humanity. There would be no male and female. There would be no family, but because of God's great love and mercy, He created human beings because He wanted to share who He is, what He is with humanity in a family setting so that they, too, become His Spirit begotten and then born sons and daughters in the family of God.

So Matthew 28 shows that God is going to ultimately judge every person, and He has the ultimate power over each person's life. And the reason He created us was to give us mercy and to give us life. He gives us physical life, and He promises us eternal life through His plan of salvation. I want us to go now to Romans chapter 1. In Romans chapter 1, Paul talks about how at one time the nations knew God. Of course, as they went away from His Adam and Eve, went away from the Garden of Eden, I'm sure they had a lot to say, as various, especially the various sons of Noah, went away from the area where the ark landed on Mount Ariat to the various inheritances around the earth that they had a lot to say. You know, virtually every civilization on the face of the earth has some kind of fable or legend about what we call Noah's flood. In Romans 1, Paul takes the task those who have forgotten God. We're not going to read the whole thing, but we're going to start in verse 28. Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified. I'm reading from chapter 3.

In Romans chapter 1 in verse 28, and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. That's what we see. That's what we are hearing. It is a reprobate mind. It is a mind that is influenced by the prince of the power of the air that works in the children of disobedience. But Paul talks about in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 1 through 3, even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient, being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whispers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents. I mean, he covers the whole gamut without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, hard-headed, can't be moved, unmerciful, who, knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Oh, yes, so many are enjoying what they think is freedom, what they think is victory. There is no victory apart from truth. There's no unity apart from truth. It should not be a chapter break, really. Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, whosoever you are, that judges for wherein you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you that judge do the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thank you this, O man, that judges them which do such things and do the same thing, that you shall escape the judgment of God. You see, in Paul's epistle to the Romans in chapter 1, he takes the Gentiles to task. And we read that whole list of things there, verse 28 to the end of the chapter. Then in chapter 2, he's taking the Jews to task who knew the truth, and they condemned the Gentiles, but they're doing the same thing. They're doing the same thing with knowledge. America has boasted itself of being a Christian knowledge, a Christian nation with knowledge.

Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance, but after your hardness and impenitent heart, treasure up unto yourself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. Go back to the last phrase there in chapter 2 and verse 3, and do the same, that you shall escape the judgment of God. No, no one. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess. No one escapes, quote, the judgment.

The words of the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 1031. Hebrews 1031.

In Hebrews 1031, Paul writes, we're just picking out one verse here, it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. So there is that kind of fear, that realizing that he has the power of life and death over us, and that we are going to have to give an account.

So as we see the events that are unfolding before us, we may be briefly gripped by fear, and wonder, where is God in all of this?

Israel and Judah fell into the trap of asking a question. Where is the God of judgment? So now turn to Malachi 2 and verse 17. The great rhetorical question of Malachi is verse 17, chapter 2, Malachi 2.17. In Malachi 2.17, the great rhetorical question. Remember, Malachi is a monologue. Monologue means one person doing the speaking. That person is God, and God is speaking through Malachi. But it's written in the form of a dialogue. What is a dialogue? It's give and take between two people. God is saying, I say this, and you say that. I say this, you say that.

Of course, you don't have to verbalize what you're saying. God goes by your heart and what you're doing, what you're becoming. In Malachi 2, verse 17, you have weared the Lord with your words, yet you say, the people's part of what they're saying, we're in and we're weird him. When you say, everyone that does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them, or where is the God of judgment? When is God going to intervene? When is God going to straighten all of these things out? Now, we'll read into the answer, and we'll start with chapter 3, verse 1. Behold, I will send my messenger. So you're asking, where is the God of judgment? Behold, I will send my messenger, my Malak, which can be a spirit being or a human being.

In this case, he's speaking of a human being, John the Baptist. He shall prepare the way before me, that is, John the Baptist came and prepared the way, and the eternal, the Lord the Adonai, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, speaking to Jesus Christ, even the messenger, the Malak of the covenant, whom you delight in. Behold, he shall come, says the Lord. But who may abide the day of his coming? Who shall stand when he appears, for he is like a refiner's fire and like fuller soap, and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver. He shall purify the sons of Levi. We in the church are typical sons of Levi. We are a royal priesthood.

See, all priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests. And we have gone through this priesthood of the believers. God has ordained and called certain ones to be in the ministry and purged them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Just because he's called some to be ministers, elders, or whatever title they may have, doesn't mean that they are more important in the body of Christ than anyone else. We all have varying gifts, and we're all to use those gifts as God has so graciously dispensed to each one. He shall sit as a refiner of silver, shall purge the sons of Levi, purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Then, when that is done, you want to know where the God of Judgment is? Well, it's really when you repent.

Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old, and as in former years, and I will come near to you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the scorners, and against the adulterers, and against false swears, against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, says the eternal host. For I am the eternal. I created you in the first place. I created everything that exists. I am the eternal. I changed not. Therefore, you sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Now, we go quickly on the heels of that to Psalm 130. Psalm 130. You want to know where the God of Judgment is? The God of Judgment is what he's saying is where he's always been.

And if you, if any of us said, oh, I want judgment now, if any of us were to receive judgment without mercy, we would all die because we've all sinned, and the wages of sin is death. In Psalm 130 in verse 1, Out of the depths have I cried unto you, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice, let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If you, Lord, eternal, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? If God were to say, ah, ah, I saw you do that, so I'm blotting you out, if I should mark iniquities, who will be able to stand? Of course, we are to repent of our sins.

But some people say, well, I must have committed the unpardonable sin. I did such and such. Well, the unpardonable sin is when you refuse to repent and you turn against God and you deny Him.

And it's through your heart and through your actions that much of that takes place. But there is forgiveness with you that you may be feared. Wait for the Lord, my soul, does wait in the word of do I hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. I say more than they that watch for the morning. Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption buying back. And we're bought back by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and He shall redeem Israel from all His iniquities. But if God were to mark iniquities and say, aha, you just broke one of the commandments and you get judgment, you would be zotted out and so would I. But He does not mark iniquities, but He is the eternal and judgment is going to come.

But as we noted earlier, we're to fear God in the right way. Fear is a natural response God gave humans. But on the other hand, we're not to be gripped by fear to the point that we're overcome with fear. Let me now share with you—I shared this once, I don't know where or when—the story of my encounter with a rattlesnake. I went out to—we were living out at Holly Lake—and I went out to a shed where we had some tools for a tool. I don't remember what it was. And as I walked into the shed, and I was standing around like this looking for the tool, then I looked down at my feet and there was a rattlesnake. It was not coiled.

Now, the natural response, as I said, would be to flee, but I cannot flee because snakes are apt to strike at movement. And even though he wasn't coiled, I knew it could strike half the length of his body without being coiled. So what should I do? Yes, I could and did pray.

But what could I do? I saw a shovel leaning against the wall to my left, and with my left arm in hand, I stiffly reached out and I got that shovel, and with one motion, with my right hand, I came down on the head of that snake, cut it off.

Could I do that again? I doubt it. But it did happen. I took the head and the snake to the house, showed one. Every person at times is fearful. Yes, I was afraid, but at that particular time, I could not flee. I had to do some action. We could have a snake that could probably just lie there for hours, or she's probably looking for a rat or something like that, and I knew I couldn't stand there forever.

So every person at times is fearful of something, a real-life situation. Of course, a situation like that is, in one sense, not as difficult as some of the situations that might develop in health issues or in family issues, but God doesn't want us to live our lives in fear. We are to trust God, have faith that He will deliver us, although we may firstly have a flash of fear and must decide to flee or fight, or as the saying goes, flight or fight, just a nail-difference, flight or fight. Practice that. As we have noted, fear can have a wide range of meanings. However, in all cases, we must not live in fear. So let's notice the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 6. Paul was in prison when he wrote this. Timothy was becoming timid.

He was becoming timid and embarrassed because the person who was his mentor, the one who had laid hands on him, the one whom he had looked up to, was in prison and seemed like he was doing nothing. I don't know what all Timothy was thinking. And Paul writes his letters to him, 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy, in chapter 1. I said 2, I think I want chapter 1, 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 6. Chapter 1 verse 6, 2 Timothy. Wherefore I put you in remembrance, that you stir up the gift of God, which is in you by the putting on of my hands. For God has not given us the spirit of fear. And it seems that some people have like a spirit of fear. They're gripped by fear. And you've probably heard the old expression, you're just a frady cat, you're just a frady cat. And the daredevil things that children play, especially. But some people are really gripped by fear and have like a spirit of fear. And we could call them frady cats.

God had not given us a spirit of fear, but a power and love and a sound mind.

Be not you therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner. But be you partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God. So what if they are saying things about you, Timothy? What if they're saying, oh you follow that old Paul. Well, he's in prison. If he were really a minister of God, if he were really an apostle, do you think he would be in prison? Whatever they were saying. Paul is saying, don't be afraid. Don't be ashamed. Now let's look at 1 Peter chapter 3.

In 1 Peter chapter 3, starting in verse 8, we read 8 earlier. We're reading it again and continuing in 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 8. These verses I'm about to read is the only place I know in the Bible that gives you a direct way to grow in grace. You know, Peter concludes 2 Peter with growing the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Well, the way you grow in divine favor, one of the ways is explained in these verses.

Starting in verse 8, finally be you all of one mind have compassion one another, love as brethren.

See, am I in the right place? Yeah. Be compassionate, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrary wise blessing, knowing that you are there, therefore, thereunto call, that you should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil in his lips, that they speak no guile. Let him show and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them to do evil. And who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good?

But sanctify the Lord in your hearts, and be ready always to give answer to every man that asks you for reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and with fear. Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conduct in Christ. For it is better if the will of God be that you suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. Now we're beginning to get into now verse 17, suffering for evil for good-doing. Suffering for good-doing. You've done good. You've endured. You've put up with a lot of things.

Verse 18, for Christ also has once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit, by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison, which sometimes were disobedient when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing, wherein a few souls therein were saved. So God, he looks at the people who suffer wrongfully for doing good. That is grace with him. That he gives grace to those who are humble, who do suffer wrongly.

Now I want to go back to chapter 2 and read this verse that we have read again. Verse 17. First Peter chapter 2 verse 17. Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Service be subject to your masters with all fear.

It doesn't mean fear in the sense that you are trembling with regard to them. It has to do with respecting that they have certain power over you. And you don't just go around with a bad attitude with your lip on the floor. Not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. Those who are bossy, ordering you around. For this is thank-worthy. Now guess what that word, thank-worthy, is in Greek. Why in the world do King James translators use thank-worthy for this word?

I don't know. The Greek word is charis, C-H-A-R-I-S, and it is grace. In most places it is translated as grace. For this is grace. This is grace. If a man per conscience toward God, say you're doing it because you understand God would not have you to try to take matters into your own hand, to cause a scene, to do this, that, or the other, but to handle it in a way that is pleasing to God, this is grace.

It's divine favor. God is on your side. That's what divine favor is. God is on your side. He fights your battles for you. If a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it when you be buffeted for your faults you shall take it patiently. But if when you do well and suffer for it and you take it patiently, this is, I guess what that Greek word is, it is carous. This is grace with God.

See, you grow in divine favor with God when you handle your situation as God commands you and teaches us to handle it. For even hereunto were you called, because God also or Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps, who did no sin, neither was he guile found in his mouth, who when he was revile, revile not again.

When he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously, who bear our sins on a stake. So you want to grow in grace and knowledge? That verse tells you how. You can have God's Spirit and yet be fearful initially.

But as we have seen, we're not to live in fear, permitted to control our thoughts and actions. We must use wisdom in dealing with healthy fear. We are exhorted to cast out fear. So let's notice 2 Corinthians 10 and verse 5.

Second Corinthians 10 and verse 5, one of the greatest chapters in the whole Bible that teaches us to not give sway to the four enemies of faith, anxious care, fear, doubt, human reasoning, vain imaginations. So in 2 Corinthians 10 and verse 5, casting down imaginations, imaginations, vain reasonings, those things that grip the mind that try to get you into a negative framework, a negative frame of mind. And every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, casting down imaginations.

The vain imaginations are those things that causes us to be filled with anxious care, feared out in human reasoning. The four great enemies of faith that are listed in Matthew chapters 6, 8, 14, and 16. Let's read Matthew 6 and verse 30. We'll just briefly look at these. I encourage you to read the context of these because here are the four greatest enemies of faith, anxious care, fear, doubt, and human reasoning. See, the people who do not exercise faith are apt to live in fear.

To live in fear is a lack of faith. Once again, to live in fear is a lack of faith. So we look at Matthew 6 and verse 30. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? He goes on to say, take no anxious thought for the moral.

Sufficient is the evil of the day. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. Look at chapter 8, chapter 8, verse 23, and Matthew 8 and verse 23.

And when ye was entered into his ship, his disciples followed him. They were out in the sea. Jesus went to sleep. Their storm came up, and he was asleep, and his disciples were really afraid. They woke him up. Verse 25, disciples came to him and woke him, saying, Lord, save us! We perish! And he said unto them, Woe unto you, fearful, O ye of little faith! Now in chapter 14, once again, the apostles are out in a ship, and Jesus comes walking toward them on the water. And Peter says, I want to come to you. And Jesus says, come on! But then, as Peter started walking on the water, he looked down and saw the waves being boisterous. So, verse 28, Matthew 14, Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be you, bid me come unto you on the water. He said, come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me! And immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him and said, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Then quickly over to Matthew 16. In Matthew 16, in verse 5, And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed, and beware the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Jesus was speaking first and foremost spiritually. And this gives us a distinction. God and Christ generally look at things, first of all, spiritually. We tend to, first of all, look at things physically. So when he said, You've taken no, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, they reason, verse 7, among themselves, saying, It's because we've taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?

Don't you know what I was talking about? Don't you remember how I took up the bread? You know, we really needed bread. You know, I can provide that. Verse 11, How is it that you do not understand that I've spoken not to you concerning bread, that you should beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Then they understood they how that he made them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine, the teaching of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Yes, to live in fear is a lack of faith. It is to live with anxious care, fear, doubt, human reasoning.

Now let's note what the apostle of love, John, writes about love and fear. Love and fear, is there a connection between love and the commandments? Is there a connection between love and fear? Let's notice and see if there is. In 1 John 4, 16, 1 John 4 and verse 16, And we have known and believed the love that God has to us. God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God and God in him. Herein is your love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment.

Why will we have boldness in the day of judgment? Because the love has been made perfect. How? Why will we have boldness in the day of judgment? Because we know that we have followed him to the ends of the earth. We have been faithful all the way because as he is, so are we in the world. How is he in the world? He lived by faith. The Son of Man, the birds and the beasts of the field have places to lay their head, but the Son of Man has no place. He was, in a sense, homeless during that time of preaching with the apostles.

There is no fear, verse 18, there is no fear in love, but perfect love cast out fear, because fear has torment. Oh, it's a bad state to be in, to be filled with anxious care, fear of doubt, human reasoning, fearful of what you might do or say or what might happen, or what they may do or he may do or she may do or he or she might say. He that fears is not made perfect in love.

The verses we just read illustrate the connection between fear and faith and love. When we give place to the four enemies of faith, four enemies of faith, we're doubting God and his grace, his divine love care and concern for his creation, especially those who have begotten of his spirit. Perfect love cast out fear, so we're not filled with anxious care, fear, doubt, and human reasoning. We have not only made peace with God, but we have, abiding in us, the peace of God. John goes on to explain what the true love of God really is.

So now let's look at verse 19. Verse John 4.19. We love him because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God and hates his brother, he's a liar. For he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? So right there, if you hate your brother, obviously you're not made perfect in love. And this commandment have we from him that he who loves God also loves his brother. So you can't love God without loving your brother, and you can't leave your brother without loving God in the truest sense. No chapter break. Whosever believes that Jesus is that Christ is begotten of God, and everyone that loves him, that begat him, loves him also, that has begotten of him.

By this we know that we are the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. See, this is the road. This is a path to love casting out fear, being made perfect in love because love casts out fear. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. And whosoever is begotten of God overcomes the world, and this is a victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. So we see that it is living through faith, and you can't live in faith without obeying the commandments. Now it might surprise you to know—we turn now forward a few pages to Revelation 21—that the fearful will not be in the kingdom of God. Let me repeat that. Scripture says that the fearful will not be in the kingdom of God.

What do I ask you to read in the verses? Fear not, the title of the sermon. Be not afraid. In Revelation 21 verse 8, But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable, and murderers and whoremongers—notice where the fearful are classed—they are classed with unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. So let's cast out the enemies of faith, and claim the sure promises and mercies of God. God says He will never leave us nor forsake us. We don't need to live in fear, as we have seen Jesus admonish the apostles for being fearful. The fearful will not be in the kingdom of God according to this scripture. In fact, the fearful are linked with all kinds of abominable kind of behaviors. God says He will never leave us nor forsake us.

God inspired Moses to write in Deuteronomy 31 verse 6, Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, He it is that does go with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.

We want to be there when this happens. We want to hear these words. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you a kingdom.