Know Fear Know God

Know Fear Know God  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Introducing the connection between fear and wisdom, setting up the week.

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Fear

Proverbs

What do you think the most common fear is?

Fear

Are there any fears our small group has in common?

What Culture Says

Fear is Natural

Hebrews

Proverbs

“face your fears”
Fear is Natural
Sherlock - “Fear is wisdom in the face of danger.”
Evolution - Spiders and snakes
2014 study proved that fear is both learned and built in to who we are
It is easier to get an infant to be afraid of snakes and spiders than puppies and pillows, and many infants show signs of fear without having any previous contact with the animals
To prove that fear is also a learned reflex, scientists took monkeys that were already afraid of snake and crocodiles and recorded them losing their minds in front of those animals. They then showed footage of the animals to monkeys that had never seen them before, with no reaction. Then, they showed the monkeys the video of other monkeys losing their minds, THEN the snakes and crocodiles again and the results were interesting.
The monkeys were afraid. They had “gained” a fear of those animals by proxy.
The conclusion was that fear is a part of who we are, and is so because—evolutionally speaking—it keeps us safe. There are certain things we are afraid of—the dark, spiders, clowns—because they are inherently dangerous and on a basic level we know this, and there are other things—dogs, bugs, water—that we become fearful of because of experiences or stories of other people being hurt by them.
What do you think about scientists saying fear is something that is a natural part of who we are? Agree? If so, why do you think God included it in our DNA?
What do you think the most common fear is?
What are some

Fear is Negative

NO FEAR clothing company
In the 90s one of the most popular clothing companies was NO FEAR, which featured various versions of these eyes. What it communicated was that fear wasn’t something to be embraced or shied away from, but to be met with resistance.
This company was wildly popular among kids and students, because every boy likes to be seen as tough, with fear being a sign of weakness.
“Face your fears”
Probably one of the most well-known sayings in America. Don’t like water? Jump in and face your fears. Don’t like hights? Get on a plane and face your fears. Don’t like spiders? Buy a flame thrower and face your fears. Or run. It’s ok to be afraid of spiders, because spiders.
How do you feel when you tell someone you’re afraid of something and their response is, “Grow up and face your fears!”

Proverbs

The book of Proverbs has something to say about where fear belongs.
Proverbs 1:1–7 ESV
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Aim of Book

What do you think Solomon means when he writes, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;”?

Hebrews

Hebrews

Hebrews addresses fear as well, but uses words that begin to show a deeper meaning.
Proverbs 1
Proverbs 1:1–7 ESV
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:1–7 ESV
The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Hebrews 12:20–29 ESV
20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12.
What is the difference between fear described in and ?
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