VICTORIOUS over Fear

Last week we began our sermon series called VICTORY and were reminded how Jesus won the VICTORY over death with his glorious resurrection. Today we’re going back to the very first Easter to learn something else that Jesus gives use victory over. Before we do that, a prayer: O Lord, strengthen us by the truth. Your Word is the truth. Open our eyes to see what you want us to see; open our ears to hear what you want us to hear; and open our hearts to believe what you would have us believe. Amen.
 
I. When Fear Reigns
 
On the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were together…(Jn. 20:19)
 
I don’t think I’ve ever read this portion of Scripture before and felt so envious.
 
They weren’t practicing social distancing.
They got to be together.
They didn’t have to ZOOM.
They didn’t have to log on to YouTube.
Andrew didn’t have to tell Peter to turn his sound off when he wasn’t talking so that you could hear James the Less.
 
The disciples were together.
That’s wonderful.
 
But…
 
They weren’t having a meal.
They weren’t playing Settlers of Catan.
They weren’t enjoying drinks and throwing darts.
 
They were scared.
 
…the disciples were together… behind locked doors because of their fear of the Jews. (Jn. 20:19)
 
A latch at the top of the door.
A key lock from the inside.
A circular deadbolt.
A square deadbolt.
A combination lock.
One of those big old pieces of wood that you slide in front of the door.
A couple of chains.
A metal boot.
Even a bunch of chairs, tables, and boxes pushed in front.
 
The doors were locked because of the fear of the Jews.
 
They were talking about the religious leaders.
These guys were murderers.
They were vicious.
They had plotted.
They had planned.
They had pushed their agenda until Jesus had been brutally crucified.
 
If they did that to their leader, they might not stop until each of them was nailed to a cross.
 
But their fears were more than that…
 
The disciples were out of a job! With Jesus gone, their whole corporation had folded.
They couldn’t get out and make an income. They’d be risking arrest.
They were afraid for the future of their careers, afraid for the future of their families, and afraid for the future of their church
I bet they were even afraid of how they were going to get food through the night.
 
TRUTH:
Without Jesus, FEARS reigns.
 
Because if Jesus were here, they’d be protected from the Roman soldiers. Jesus even drove out demons.
If Jesus were here, they didn’t need to worry about money. He once caught a fish with the exact amount of money needed to pay taxes.
If Jesus were here, they’d be taken care of, he fed over 5000 people with a few loaves of bread and two fish. He could use that leftover ground beef in the fridge and turn it into a Taco Supreme with the snap of his fingers.
 
But…
 
Jesus wasn’t there.
And without Jesus,
FEAR reigns.
 
This is a big problem in our world right now.
The devil is trying to distract us with bad report after bad report, terrible news after terrible news, horrible thing after horrible thing.
So that we miss out on Jesus.
 
And…
Without Jesus, Fear reigns.
 
If I’m honest…
It’s worked on me.
I’ve been afraid.
 
What are some things that pastors are afraid of during COVID-19? I’ll tell you.
 
Afraid of never getting another high five.
Afraid that having to stay between lines will condition me not to move back and forth while I preach.
 
I’m afraid that we will lose momentum.
Afraid that those Sanctuary Updates…may never happen?
Afraid that our idea for a satellite church in Durham will stall.
Afraid that offerings will go down and we’ll have to trim our ministries?
 
Afraid that Precious Lambs will barely survive.
Afraid that we’ll lose families.
Afraid that we’ll lose workers.
 
Afraid that the virus might get to one of you.
Afraid that the virus might be spread by me.
Afraid that because of quarantine laws, one of our members might be dying and I won’t be able to see you in person before your final breath.
 
Afraid that we might not be able to get to little Daniela.
Afraid that she’ll get sick.
Afraid that since she’s immunocompromised that if she gets sick…
 
…I’ll never get to meet her.
 
That’s how it feels when the devil distances me from Jesus.
Because without Jesus, FEAR reigns.
 
II. Replacing Fear
 
But here’s the good news for you and me:
 
…The devil can never do that for very long.
…Because Jesus always finds his people.
…even behind locked doors.
 
Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you!” (Jn. 20:19)
 
To be honest, their initial reaction was probably fear. In fact, the Gospel of Luke tells us that, “they were terrified and thought they were looking at a ghost.” (Luke 24:37)
 
To help with their fears, “Jesus showed them his hands and side” (20:20a)
 
Here. Feel the bumps on my skin.
Put your hands on my face. Warm, right?
Touch the ridges of the nail scars.
Notice the spear shaped mark in my side.
 
I’m not a ghost
I’m not a figment of your imagination.
I’m real.
 
And here’s what happens next
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. (v.20b)
 
Did you see that?
It had been a room filled with fear.
 
But when Jesus enters the room?
He turns it all around.
 
Fear leaves.
And its replacement?
Joy.
 
TRUTH:
Jesus replaces FEAR with JOY.
 
Afraid of lost income? Jesus offers your eternal riches that will never run out.
Afraid of a lost job? Jesus gives you a place working aside him in his kingdom.
Fearful of the virus? Jesus defeated death itself!
Fearful for your family? Jesus says you will always be a part of his.
Fearful for your church? Jesus is the church’s One foundation. It will not lose.
Afraid of being alone? Jesus is with you now and will never leave you.
 
III. Proclaiming Peace
 
But Jesus doesn’t stop there. Look at what he does next:
 
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am also sending you.” (Jn. 20:21)
 
Notice how that starts: PEACE. Jesus says it again!
 
And I don’t think any of the disciples were upset that Jesus repeated himself. (Honestly, there shouldn’t be a limit in the number of times that God’s people can hear him say: “PEACE.”)
 
But I think there’s a reason he does this specifically here.
 
As they realize that it’s all true.
As they realize that Jesus really rose from the dead.
As they realize that he truly was standing before them…
 
It’s quite possible that another fear hit them.
 
He’s come to get us back!
Last we saw him, we abandoned him.
We denied him.
We went and hid while he faced death by himself.
 
We are sinners. Our Holy God has returned to get us!
 
Oh no! Please shoot your lightning bolts in Peter’s direction. It was all his idea!
 
But Jesus didn’t shoot them with a lightning bolt.
He didn’t yell at them.
He didn’t even give them a stern look.
 
He simply said:
“Peace.”
 
I’m not here to hurt you.
Your sins are forgiven.
 
I’m not here to hurt you.
I’m here to recruit you.
 
TRUTH:
PEACE-filled people proclaim PEACE.
 
Imagine with me what it will be like.
You’re watching the news.
Suddenly, there’s a breaking report.
The quarantine is over.
The virus is in remission.
 
What are you going to do when your spouse comes into the room and ask, “Has anything interested happened?”
Are you gonna say, “Nah.”?
 
No, you’ll tell her the good news.
You’ll text message a friend.
You’ll Facebook live yourself doing a Coronavirus is conquered dance.
 
Friends,
 
We have better news than that.
 
Our sins have been forgiven.
Jesus conquered death.
We have the promise of eternal life.
 
This is worth sharing.
 
IV. What Now?
 
How do you do it? How do we proclaim peace in a COVID-19 world? I want to switch gears and head to the book of 1 John. That is the first letter written to believers everywhere by the Apostle John. John was one of the Apostles in that room on the first Easter Sunday. He was a guy that had been filled with fear until Jesus showed up and transformed it into joy.
 
He knows a thing or two about driving fear from people’s hearts,
Because Jesus drove fear from his own heart.
 
Listen to what he writes in 1 John 4:16-18.
 
God is love. He who remains in love remains in God and God in him. In this way his love has been brought to its goal among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are just like Jesus. There is no fear in love, but complete love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. (1 John 4:16-18)
 
I love how that starts.
God is love.
Love is God.
 
It doesn’t say that God is FEAR.
It doesn’t say that God is ANXIETY.
It doesn’t say that God is TERRIFYING.
 
God is love.
Because God is love, he drives our FEAR.
And, because you are loved, God drives out FEAR through YOU.
 
How might God drive out fear through you? A few points
 
(1) Fill Your Heart with God
 
This is an important point. Because it is hard to be loving towards others when you’re afraid.
 
Do you remember my dog Frankie? The one that’s absolutely terrified of laundry baskets? Usually she’s friendly.
Usually she licks your hands.
Usually she has no problem cuddling next to you and showing you puppy love.
 
But…
If that laundry basket is there?
She runs away.
No love is shown.
 
Because it’s hard to be loving towards others when you’re afraid.
 
So, how do we keep fear out of our hearts? Look at verse 16 again:
He who remains in love remains in God and God in him. (1 John 4:16)
 
This is a cup. It’s filled with air. You know it. I know it. We all know it .
 
If I wanted to get rid of the air, it would be difficult.
I can pour it out? Still filled with air.
I can dump it upside down? Still filled with air.
I could crush it. It’s still filled with air.
 
The same is true with fear.
 
If you have it in your heart, it’s there.
You can try to hide.
You can try to distract.
You can drink a lot.
You can yell a lot.
But…
 
In the end, fear is still there.
 
Do you know the only way to remove the air?
Fill it with something else.
 
It’s the same thing with FEAR.
The only way to DRIVE OUT fear from your heart is to FILL your heart with JESUS.
 
That’s what we’re doing right now. Keep doing it.
Join a daily devotional.
Add an afternoon devotional.
Add an evening devotional.
Add a bible reading before bed.
 
Go to sleep to the Bible app (and the guy on the Bible app has such a gentle voice)…
Go to sleep to the Bible app reading from the Psalms.
 
If you want to drive out fear from OTHERS, fill your own heart with JESUS.
 
(2) Live God’s Love
 
In this way his love has been brought to its goal among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are just like Jesus. (1 Jn. 4:17)
 
Because God’s Love is much different than the world’s love. The world’s love is very emotion based. “It’s about people making you feel butterflies and fireworks and sparks.”
 
God is love.
And I doubt God felt butterflies for you and me on the cross.
Because we were still sinners that
 
Yet God is love.
He still died for us. He still rose for us. He still saved us
 
God’s love is not an emotional reaction.
God’s love is an action DESPITE an emotional reaction.
 
And God isn’t calling you to feel butterflies with everyone you meet.
He’s calling you to perform actions of love even when others make us feel like we don’t want to
 
God’s calling you to…
 
…get up from the couch, do the dishes, even if your spouse didn’t ask in a nice voice.
…text message something nice to that person at work, even if they’ve just been badmouthing you on the group chat.
…give a call to your grandma, even if she’s mostly grouchy.
…spend time with your kids, even if they’re really cranky.
…help out that neighbor, who’s never friendly and always frowning.
 
Live God’s action-centered love.
 
(3) Speak the Gospel
 
There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. (v.18)
 
Perfect love? That’s impossible for sinful humans to achieve.
Perfect love? That’s exactly who Jesus is.
 
He lived for us.
He died for us.
He rose for us.
 
That’s the message of love that drives out fear!
 
Remember earlier – how I described my fears.
Those were real fears.
But I don’t have them anymore. Know why?
 
I was talking to a pastoral friend. He let me vent. He let me share my fears.
And then…do you know what he said?
 
Even if all that happened, you’d be ok.
Because even if all that happened, you’d still have Jesus.
In fact, you have Jesus right now.
Don’t be afraid.
 
Without Jesus, fear reigns.
With Jesus, fear runs.
 
Share Jesus. Amen.