Harvest Pointe Christian Church, Milford Ohio is a non-denominational Christian Church (Church of Christ) on the Eastside of Cincinnati OH

Why are we Afraid?| Series: Fearless | 09-13-09

Why are we Afraid?
Series:  Fearless
Matthew 8:23-27

  I. Life is not a luxury cruise. It is filled with difficult experiences.
 II. Fear can be either healthy or sinful.
III. God can calm the storms in our lives.

Full Text 

One of my favorite shows is Monk.  Monk is the world's greatest crime solver, BUT He is filled with phobias.  He is hilarious with his very patient psychologist who is constantly adding new fears to Monk's list.  Monk is afraid of dirt and rodents and heights and about anything else you can think of.

Fortunately, no one I know has that many fears.  It is terrible to live in fear.  It can really wear on people.  But to get down to where the rubber meets the road, what is it that you fear?  Snakes or spiders?  Tornadoes or floods?  Income loss?  Breaking up?  Death?  From taking a test to getting cancer, everyone has something they are afraid of.

Today, let's take a look at a familiar event in Jesus' life where his 12 disciples were very much afraid.  Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 8:23-24.  "23Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat."

Picture the scene.  It may have been a beautiful day.  Not a cloud in the sky.  A soft breeze is gently blowing.  This is a perfect day for sailing.  Jesus wants to sail across the lake.  His obedient disciples follow Him.  They cast off and soon they leave the shore behind.

Suddenly, someone spots a dark cloud on the horizon.  Some of Jesus' disciples were fishermen.  They grew up on this lake and immediately knew what was coming.  They instantly start barking orders and head for the nearest shore. 

But they don't get far.  The wind picks up.  They are forced to head into the wind so they are not capsized.  The storm grows fiercer by the moment.  Now the waves are crashing over the bow.  Torrents of rain beat upon the disciples.  Everyone is busy tying things down and bailing water.  But the rain is coming down in bucketfuls.  The waves are crashing over the sides so the ship if filling with water faster than the disciples can bail it out.  Even the seasoned sailors have given up hope.  They know these are their last minutes on this earth.

First of all this morning,
I. Life is not a luxury cruise.
It is filled with difficult experiences.

Think about it.  It says Jesus' disciples were following Him.  They were doing what they were supposed to be doing.  They were doing the right thing.  Just following Jesus, just doing the right thing, did not stop Jesus' disciples from a terrible, life-threatening situation.  Just being with Jesus did not stop them from being afraid. 

And following Jesus will not exempt you from the storms of life.  Just because you are doing the right things will not earn you a pass from trouble.  Even when you are doing what you are supposed to do, life gets tough.

Some of my relatives were sick and in bed with a fever.  My grandfather went over and took care of the farm chores for them.  He contracted the fever and died.  My Dad was 9.

As Jesus said in Matthew 5:45, "... [God] causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

You may be a good person doing good things, but evil will find you anyway.  Life is not a luxury cruise.  It is filled with difficult experiences.

My brother-in-law, David Honeycutt, and I were on a mission trip together.  We had been warned not to drink the water.  So, we bought some bottled water for brushing our teeth.  One morning, when David was done brushing his teeth, without thinking, he rinsed his toothbrush under the tap.  Not thinking that little bit would hurt anyone, he used that same toothbrush again that night.  Fortunately we were teaching there the next day and not traveling because he was totally out of commission and took a week to really get back to health.

Even when you are following Jesus and working for Him, Life is not a luxury cruise.  It is filled with difficult experiences.

In John 16:33 Jesus said, "In this world you might have trouble."?  No.  "In this world you may have trouble."?  No.  He said, "In this world you WILL have trouble."  It doesn't even matter who you are, trouble will strike.

The Kennedys were once a very powerful, wealthy family.  The were admired and envied by many of the world.  Yet, all that wealth and power could never prevent all the heartache they have suffered.  I always felt sorry for Rose Kennedy.  Murdered children.  A grandchild with cancer.  Tragedy after tragedy.  No matter who you are, life will have it's difficulties.

And it doesn't matter how intelligent, how skilled, how good looking or how nice you are, or even if you are a Christian.  My cousin was in management at Cincinnati Bell.  After retiring young, his hobby turned into a lucrative business.  He built engines for tractor pulls.  Last year he died of Lou Gehrig's disease.  His body slowly deteriorated until he was a shell of his old self.  When he died, people flew in from around the world to pay their last respects at the funeral.  He was more than an engine builder to them.  He had also become a friend.

No matter how intelligent or nice or spiritual you are, Life is not a luxury cruise.  It is filled with difficult experiences.

So, the 12 disciples are caught in a storm, about to die.  But where is Jesus?  Let's see.  The end of Verse 24 says, "But Jesus was sleeping."

Luke tells us that as they sailed, Jesus laid down and fell asleep.  He had been teaching and healing people and was exhausted.

Mark tells us He laid on a cushion in the stern of the ship.  That's the back of the boat.  There was probably a storage area, like a big cabinet, that Jesus fell asleep in.  That's why the driving rain did not wake Him up.

Jesus had not left them.  He was still in the boat with them.  He was with them through this terrible experience. 

Sometimes we may wonder where God is.  We are going through horrible times.  It seems there is no hope.  It seems that God has deserted us.  Where is His love?  Why doesn't God step in and make life calm and smooth?  Just because you are following Christ, remember that Life is not a luxury cruise.  It is filled with difficult experiences.  And Jesus, though silent at the moment, is going through it with you.

It wasn't until all hope was lost that they decided to look to Jesus.  Verses 25-27, "25The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!'
"26He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm."
"27The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'"

When the disciples finally turn to Jesus, the situation is hopeless.  They are frantic.  They are ready to die!  People always ask, "Why didn't the disciples turn to Jesus sooner?"  But that is like the pot calling the kettle black.  Isn't that what we all do?  How many times have all of us waited to pray about a situation until it is desperate?  We all would do well to begin to pray as soon as we see that little black cloud on the horizon.  But we think we can handle it alone.

I have fallen in love with II Timothy 2:13.  "If we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself."

This is an awesome concept!  Think about it!  Whether we are following Him or not.  Whether we are remembering Him or not.  Even if we are blowing it at the moment, Jesus is still faithful.  He will not desert or disown us.  He will be with us through the struggle. 

Another question often asked is:  Why didn't Jesus calm the storm earlier?  In fact, why did He allow it to happen at all?  Sometimes it's hard to determine why God does things.  He's a little smarter than we are.  But maybe Jesus was simply waiting for them to ask Him.  Or Maybe He wanted them to learn to depend upon Him more and on their own skills less.  Maybe He was waiting until the situation was hopeless so their faith in Him would grow so they could remain faithful when they were being persecuted for the name of Jesus.  Maybe it was all of the above.  But the important thing to remember is that in His time, Jesus gave the disciples what they needed.

Notice Jesus did not give them what they wanted.  He gave them what was best.  When the storm suddenly ended they were in a calm.  Think about it.  The wind stopped.  What is it that pushes the sail and makes the boat go?  Wind.  They did not have an outboard motor to fire up and take them to the other side of the lake. 

When the wind stopped, what made the boat go?  Arm power!  That's right!  The disciples had to row the rest of the way.  And I bet that after seeing the wind and waves obey Jesus, the didn't dare ask Him for a gentle breeze to carry them along.  So they accepted the fact that life was tough and they threw themselves into the very hard work of rowing a large, wooden vessel maybe miles.

And at this point, I'm certain they realized that Life is not a luxury cruise.  It is filled with difficult experiences.

So, Why Are We Afraid?
II. Fear can be either healthy or sinful.

Like so many things, as Ecclesiastes 3 says, "1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:  2a time to be born and a time to die…4a time to weep and a time to laugh…6…a time to keep and a time to throw away…8a time to love and a time to hate…."  And there is also a time to fear.

Like sex that inside of marriage is very healthy, but outside of marriage is hurtful and sinful, or anger can be righteous and good or it can produce sin and pain, fear can be good or it can be hurtful and even sinful.

Just like God created you with the capacity for anger, He also created you with the capacity to fear.  When you are walking through a field in Wilmington and meet a black bear that out-weighs you by 500 pounds, fear is a good thing.  Fear is why you won't walk up to the bear and try to brush it's teeth.  Fear is why you suddenly have a burst of adrenaline and set the world's record in the 100 meter dash to safety!  Fear protects you.  Fear is good.

Fear of failure is why you study for that difficult test.  Without that fear, you just might go lazy and not study.

Fear of punishment is often is the motivation for obedience.

Fear is why when your wife tells you to do something you say, "Yes, ma'am," and just do it!

The capacity to fear is a good thing.  It is given to us by God Himself.  Fear protects us and causes us to grow and excel.

In fact, Proverbs 9:10 tells us, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding."  Fear can be good and help us become wise.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 tells us that not only is fear good, it is your duty!  "…Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."

The fear of God is what is expected of you.  When you have that deep respect for God, you are motivated to obey Him.

Why did Noah build an ark?  Hebrews 11:7 tells us, "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family…."  Noah had a good, healthy fear.  He feared God and death over the ridicule of his peers.  He had a good fear that caused him to obey God.

When you have that fear of God, you do not take Him lightly.  You do not think of Him as, "The Old Man Upstairs."  You cherish Him.  He is special to you. You appreciate deeply all He does for you, especially sending Jesus to sacrifice Himself so we can live with Him for ever.

And fear is a great motivator to share our faith with others.  II Corinthians 5:11.  "Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men...."

Fear can be a very good thing.  God gave us the ability to fear.  It is only natural that we fear. 

But fear can also be a bad thing.  The Bible is filled with so much wisdom.  Proverbs 12:25 warns us that "An anxious heart weighs a man down…".  The word, "anxious" in the Greek is the word we get our word, "anxiety" from.  It means literally "to divide the mind".

Have you ever had a fear that divided your mind?  Your 16 year old is out with the car and is an hour late getting home.  You begin to fear for their safety.  You can't focus fully on anything else because your mind is divided.  You can't get your child off your mind.

Or maybe there is the fear of losing your job.  You can't eat right and you can't sleep soundly.  Your mind won't shut off.  Your mind is divided.

And when there is too much fear, there are all kinds of negative results.  According to a website entitled, "Generalized Anxiety Disorder Information", "Everyone feels anxious from time to time - like when you're running late or interviewing for a job. People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), however, feel some anxiety or worry almost constantly.
They often anticipate disaster or have exaggerated worries about a wide range of issues, from their health to their families to their daily responsibilities. Yet even when they recognize that the worrying is excessive, it is hard to control.
GAD affects their body, too. In fact, many people with generalized anxiety disorder visit their doctor with problems - like sleep troubles or muscle aches - without realizing these are common symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. …
In addition to experiencing excessive, uncontrollable anxiety for 6 months or more, people with generalized anxiety disorder have at least three of the symptoms below more days than not.

Restlessness or a feeling of being "keyed up" or "on edge"  Being easily fatigued
Difficulty concentrating or a sense of your mind going blank
Irritability
Muscle tension
Difficulty sleeping
Trembling, twitching, muscle soreness
Headaches, sweating or chills, nausea, dizziness Shortness of breath
Diarrhea
Irritable bowel syndrome
Being easily startled
People with generalized anxiety disorder may also experience depression at some point."

It is no wonder that God doesn't want us to fear too much.  Throughout history God has been telling His people, "Do not be afraid."  From Abraham to Moses to Mary to the Apostle Paul, God told all of them, and a lot of others, "Do not be afraid!"

Listen to what David wrote in Psalm 27:1.  "The LORD is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?"

You may be thinking, "Easy for him to say!"  David was some kind of perfect spiritual giant.  He was super-human.  Everything always worked out for him. 

But if you read about David, you find he was a sinner just like you and me.  There were times when he blew it bad.  David did not have a crystal ball to know how everything would work out.

Besides, everything did not always work out for David.  David knew first hand the fierceness of the storms of life.  He had a baby die.  One of his sons raped his half-sister.  Another of his sons murdered that son.  And the list could go on and on.

So, David knew fear.  Remember, as a teen, he faced a lion, a bear, and a giant of a warrior.  At one point, there was a price on his head.  Kings wanted him dead.  He fought battles where the army he was up against had more men and was technologically superior to his army.  David knew fear!  But David's fear did not immobilize him.  It was not the type of fear that gave him an anxiety attack. 

And that is the difference.  Does our fear immobilize us?  Does our fear distract us so we can't function as effectively?  Or does our fear make us better?

Hebrews 13:6 says, "So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?'"

Which brings us to our final point.
III. God can calm the storms in our lives.

How do we tap into this calming power of God and put our fears in their place?  Trust.  Trust is the basis of having only healthy fear.

When the disciples woke Jesus they were all in a panic.  "We're going to drown!!!"  What was Jesus' response?  Verse 26.  "[Jesus] replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?...'"

They had to be thinking, "We're in this vicious storm and we're all going to drown!  Why shouldn't we be afraid?  Duh!"

But think this through logically.  If they really believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God who was to reign over God's Kingdom, then they shouldn't have been afraid.  God was not going to let Jesus drown because Jesus had not completed His mission on earth, yet.  As long as He was in the boat with them, that boat was not going to sink!  They were afraid because their faith was weak.

And when we are going through the storms of life we need to trust that Jesus is in our boat and whatever happens, He will be with us and use us.

And there are only 2 ways I know to get to that point of peace.  The 1st is simply to live life.  The more storms you survive, the more confident you become that God will see you through.

When I was young, a large part of my money came from tobacco.  When it came to housing it, the tobacco is cut and speared onto a stick.  The sticks are then hung in the barn.  Tear poles are hung parallel to each other just wide enough to hang the sticks on them.  The tear poles can be anything from 4 X 4s to thin hickory branches that bend a lot when you step on them.

How does the tobacco get to the top of the barn?  Someone on a wagon hands a stick of tobacco to the person standing on the bottom rails.  He then hands it up to the person above him, who passes it up the person above him and so on until your are at the top.

I was always the guy at the top and no one ever argued for the position.  I would never admit it, but the first few minutes I would hang on with one hand a lot [because of the fear of falling]!  But after a few minutes I would be used to it and all fear would be gone.  You see, the longer you are up there, the more you trust and the less you fear.

Have I ever fallen out of the top of a barn?  Multiple times.  The tear poles sometime break under all the weight.  Fortunately my guardian angel works a lot of overtime and I always came away with just scraps and bruises.  Then, I would head right back up.

The more storms you weather, the more you trust and the less you fear.  And, yes, sometimes you come crashing down.  But you survive and you go do it again because experience brings confidence that God is with you.

But what if you don't survive and you die?  God is still with you and then you find rest from the storms of this world.

The other thing we need to do to discover peace in the midst of the storm is to turn to God.  It wasn't until the disciples turned to Jesus that they made it through the storm.

Philippians 4:6 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Don't be anxious.  Don't let your mind be divided by the storm.  Pray.  Go to God for help and comfort.  I Peter 5:7.  "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

What do you fear?  Bad news?  Psalm 112 says of the man who fears God, "7He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD."

What do you fear?  Suffering for doing good?  I Peter 3:14.  "But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.'"

What do you fear?  Death?  Hebrews 2:15 says Jesus came to "…free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."

After Jesus calmed the storm, the disciples asked in Matthew 8:27, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" 

What kind of a man is this Jesus?  If He is your Lord and Savior, you don't even have to fear standing before God on the Judgment Day. 

I John 4:17-18.  "17In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.  18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

If you are ready to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior so you can lose the fear and find love and have confidence on the Judgment Day, come forward when we sing and we'll help you confess your belief in Him and be buried with Him in baptism.  Or if you've already done that and would like to place your membership with us, come forward as we stand and sing.