Practical Problems - Fear
Matthew chapter 10 verses 24-33 is part of what some scholars call the "Missionary Discourse". It is instructions that Jesus gave to His disciples as He sent them out into a world that would not always welcome them. It very much focuses on a choice all of us need to make. That is who or what we fear.
”Many of us today are living with fear - fear of rejection, fear of suffering, fear of what others think of us.”
Perhaps we fear standing out too much for our faith in an increasingly secular world.” Maybe we fear the personal cost of true discipleship
Not all fear is wrong. On the contrary, there is a God-given fear that is of eternal value. Jeremiah 32:40 says: “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me.” The Lord doesn't just want to do good to His children. He wants, by the Holy Spirit, to drop a godly fear of Himself into our hearts so that we never turn away from Him, so that He can do us good for all eternity! That kind of fear is so valuable for the servant of the Lord. Surely all of us reading these words who follow Jesus have known in a moment of strong temptation that clean fear of the Lord, whispering to us not to go down that temptation road and drawing us back to Him. That kind of fear is a covenant gift of the Father to His children.
But the Lord Jesus instructs us here just as clearly that there is a wrong kind of fear.
“Jesus tells His disciples three times, ‘Do not be afraid’ (see v 26,28,31).
Do not be afraid, because the Lord knows everything. Nothing is hidden from Him (v26) and all will ultimately be revealed.
Do not be afraid, because no mere mortal has the power to destroy your soul (v28); bodily death is a small matter when compared to eternal hell.
Do not be afraid, because the Lord greatly values you and cares for you (v30), even down to the smallest detail.
Rather, fear Him (v28) in reverent awe, for the Lord is the One who does have ultimate power over both our souls and our bodies. Speak for Him. Proclaim His word openly and boldly (v27). Publicly acknowledge Jesus Christ (v32). Acknowledge total dependence on Him for salvation, provision, protection – everything: in thought, conversation and conduct. Not occasionally, but always” (Marian Raikes).
At the heart of that choice of who or what we fear are two huge factors.
Firstly, at stake is a relationship with Jesus Christ that will last for eternity. “The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote in Romans 8:29 that God's purpose is for us ‘to be conformed to the image of His Son.’ This is our primary identity - people being remade in the image of Jesus Christ. Think about what this means: When we identify as Christians, we're not primarily identifying with a religion, an institution, or even a set of beliefs. We're identifying with a Person. We're saying, ‘I belong to Christ. I am becoming like Christ.’ Think of Polycarp, the elderly bishop of Smyrna, who was arrested for being a Christian in the 2nd century. When commanded to renounce Christ, he famously replied, ‘Eighty-six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?’ His identity in Christ was so secure that even the threat of death couldn't shake it.”
Secondly, how we see ourselves is important, seeing ourselves as valuable in the light of the love of our Father, so much more valuable, in time and eternity, than many sparrows (verses 29-31). Selwyn Hughes puts it well:
"If you see yourself as a person of inestimable worth, someone who was redeemed at history's highest cost, Christ's death on the cross, then you will behave, and make relationships, with the deep conviction that you are of immeasurable value to God in the world He has created. I have a personal testimony here. For much of my life (until my early thirties) I had a very negative view of myself. I felt I wasn't worth very much … I tried to get people to like me, and when they didn’t, I felt shattered. Then I grasped the truth that I was of great worth to God, and I didn't have to work to get people to like me: He liked me - in fact He loved me. That was enough. Since then, reinforced by this inner conviction, I am free to give to others without wanting something in return. I have all I want - God loves me. And He loves you too!"
BVP
