In the 1939 classic, “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the Tinman enter the Haunted Forest while famously chanting, “Lions, and tigers, and bears–oh my!” to push through their fear. Like God’s people in the time of Judges who had disobeyed God because they feared the world (Judges 6:7-10), God’s people today must not keep the gospel within the walls of our church buildings because we fear the hostile culture around us. Continue reading “You Shall Not Fear”
Why Do the Nations Rage?
The answer to the question: because it works! The world is large and scary, and although we see ourselves as Christians as great warriors for the faith standing our ground, it is doing a great job of containing the gospel and our works of service to the walls of our church buildings. In the 21st century we fear the world more than we fear God (Psalm 2:1-12).
I. John 11:47-50. “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” the psalmist asks. After all, don’t they know that it’s useless to fight against the God that created the universe and sustains us? It didn’t stop those in power from scheming to put Jesus to death and thus falling into God’s plan to bring about redemption for mankind. God’s wrath for them is expected (Romans 1:18-23). In the 1st century, Christians did not shrink back from the world’s attacks but were emboldened because they feared God (Acts 4:24-26).
II. Hebrews 1:2-8. It’s vain because God has set His Son on His holy hill in Zion, who will destroy His enemies with a rod of iron (Hebrews 10:26-31). The best that the world could muster to oppose the gospel in the 1st century fell woefully short (Acts 4:27-28) because God had planned beforehand how to bring about such a salvation (Acts 2:23-24). Since none can oppose His will, we should fear God and not the world.
III. Matthew 10:26-28. It is with fear and trembling that mankind should approach God. The world can only kill the body, not put body and soul in hell. Therefore, it is God we should fear. We should work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12) and take refuge in God, not the false friendship of the world. When the world sought to intimidate early Christians, they prayed for boldness and it was given to them (Acts 4:29-31). We too must be of those who do not shrink back and are destroyed but of those who through faith preserve their souls (Hebrews 10:35-39).
Is the church (and not God) a refuge for you to escape the world or a gathering of warriors regrouping to battle the world?
Make Me Yours
Bold is what I want to be,
And loving, so that all can see
God cares and moves both heaven and earth
To bring about in man that birth
That makes him sons of righteousness
And daughters in spirit, nothing less
Than fullest heirs, upward bound,
Above both gravity and ground.
O Lord, how can I not be bold,
Abides in me your Spirit of old,
How can I not have love as wide
As yours — For all men Jesus died —
For good and bad, for evil and just,
Since all return one day to dust?
Make me yours, a saint in name
And truth, unwilling to be the same
As men of this dying world, of flesh,
Renewing the mind, recalling afresh
The gift of life. Make me a man
Of courage and love, willing to span
The dividing gulf, in Jesus’ path —
And save us, save us all from wrath.
A lion’s courage
The wicked flee when no one pursues,
but the righteous are bold as a lion, Prov 28.1, ESV.
As God’s righteous saints, let us be bold and courageous:
- When it comes to prayer, 1 Chr 17.25; Heb 4.14-16.
- When it comes to evangelism, Acts 9.27; 23.11; 28.31; Eph 6.19-20; Phil 1.14; 1 Thes 2.2.
- When it comes to the truth of the gospel, Mic 3.8; 1 Cor 16.13; Gal 2.5, 14; Phil 1.15-18.
- About Jesus as the only Way, Jn 14.6; Acts 4.12.
- About the Bible as God’s Word, 2 Tim 3.16-17; 2 Pet 1.20-21.
- About eternal salvation as the church’s work, Rom 6.22-23; 1 Pet 1.9; Heb 5.9; 9.12, 15; 1 Jn 5.11.
Father, as we impress upon others your mercy, let us never compromise the truth
Father, as we impress upon others your goodness and mercy, let us never compromise the truth that all must repent and obey in order to be saved. For your grace is in receiving Jesus’ sacrifice, your "command is eternal life," because Jesus "became the source of eternal salvation for everyone who obeys him." Let that truth animate me to speak and live for Him.