No Fear

Welcome

Welcome to Celebration. We are so glad that you are here. My wife, Maegan and I are honored to serve as the Lead Pastors and if there is anything that we can do to better serve you and your family, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

If you are joining for the first time welcome, or digitally, we welcome you as well and want to invite you to join us if you are ever in the Orlando area.

Series Recap

I hope you have been enjoying the Signs series. If you are new, we have been on an amazing journey through the Gospel of John and over the past few weeks we have been so encouraged at seeing the signs/miracles that Jesus performed. This inspires us because we know if God did it for them, He can and will do it for me!

Context/Background

Jesus has just feed a multitude of people with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread. Naturally, it was an epic seen. In the midst of all of this, Jesus discovers that his cousin, John the Baptist, has been killed. Filled with grief, He tells His disciples to gather the leftover food, so that NOTHING IS WASTED. He goes up to a mountain to pray and He instructs His disciples to go ahead, He will meet them in Capernaum. They decided to wait for Him...

Scripture(s)

Mark 6:45-52; Matthew 14:22-33

John 6:16–21 NLT

16 That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. 17 But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. 18 Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 19 They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here!” 21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

This narrative is told in Matthew, Mark, and John with a great deal of consistency but there are a few variables I want to look at. (Mark mentions they didn’t understand the loaves)

Matthew 14:27–31 NLT

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

Prayer

Today, I want to talk to us about the things that keep us up at night. No Fear.

Heavenly Father, I ask that you speak to us. I ask that you inspire us, challenge us, encourage us. Holy Spirit we invite you to breathe on us and activate any areas that have been dormant. Give us open eyes, open ears, and open hearts. In the name of Jesus, Amen!

Illustration

Fear is a fascinating thing. We have mild anxiousness to shear terror and dread that literally paralyzes and destabilizes us completely. It’s the...

unpleasant emotion that someone or something is dangerous and it likely to cause pain or harm

emotions connected to the likelihood that something unpleasant is going to happen;

the feeling of anxiety due to an unfavorable outcome

We are introduced to the concept in Genesis 3 when Adam said he hid from God because he was naked and afraid. From that moment, we see that fear has an effect on us. It triggers something inside of us.

I came home from Caleb’s football game and I knew for a divine fact that no one had been home. I know for a fact that I turned off all the lights and tv’s. So when Maegan and I come home and I see the light from the tv upstairs on, I freeze. I say to Maegan, hey, are you upstairs or have you been upstairs. She said, no! I was like, it is game time. I went and grabbed the closest weapon I could find, which happened to be a broom, hammer and Elsa doll. I cleared the house like I was looking for a fugitive. Turns out, my tv downstairs and tv upstairs share the same remote control frequency. So when I turned off the tv downstairs, it turned on the tv upstairs without me knowing it.

My adrenaline was pumping. No one was there. My nerves were frazzled. It took me all night to regain my composure and even then, the anxiousness lingered. I could not sleep, even though I knew, we were safe.

Transition

We are not meant to stay in a stressed, fearful, anxious, fight or flight mode because it leaves us vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. Concern turns to worry, worry turns to anxiety, anxiety fuels stress and drives us to fear. (government, health, finances, terrorism, civil unrest, future, etc.)

We should absolutely care but we are not called to carry it.

We are called to care but not be consumed.

Say No to Fear

The Bible speaks about fear over 500 times. We see passages like...

2 Timothy 1:7 CSB

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.

1 John 4:18 CSB

18 There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears is not complete in love.

Psalm 34:4 CSB

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and rescued me from all my fears.

Hebrews 13:6 CSB

6 Therefore, we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

Isaiah 41:10 CSB

10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.

God continuously encourages us, reminds us, in the face of challenges, new seasons, “don’t be afraid”, I am with you.

Fear is when we emotionally commit to an outcome without considering God as a variable; God’s involvement

Courage is when we move forward because we know we have God…so God has us

Psalm 23:4 CSB

4 Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff—they comfort me.

Observations

The disciples have seen some amazing things up to this point.

Water to wine,

officials son was healed with just a word,

paralyzed man healed,

almost 20,000 people feed with a lunchable.

However, it still wasn’t clear what Jesus’s agenda was. If He is the Messiah, then let’s make you king and get the party going. So because of this disconnect, we see that fear lingers in the background virtually the entire time they are following Him.

Truth is, it happens to all of us. Moments, where in spite of what we have seen and experienced, we experience doubt if Jesus is really going to do it this time.

It was dark and Jesus Had Not Come Yet

Half Way There in their own strength

Points

Don’t Be Afraid

Jesus Sees You

We all want to be seen. If we are seen, we feel heard, and if we are heard, we feel supported. We all want to be seen. If we are seen, then we know we can be saved.

My granddaughters love to play on the playground, when they were learning to climb, I would stand under them and with each step, they would look back to make sure I was looking at them. They knew, if they are seen, they will be saved!

Doctors office

Crossing guards

Life guards

When we know we are seen, we know we will be saved. When Yaweh spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He said I see my people. When Hagar had her encounter with God and He reassured her, she said, God sees me! If we are seen, we will be saved!

The disciples were at the halfway point but not making progress. Exhausted. Afraid that they would not make it. However, Jesus saw them. I want you to understand that Jesus sees you. He sees your fears, your pain, your disappointment. Your triumphs. Your mistakes. He sees you.

Jesus is in Control

There were deep superstitions in the Jewish and surrounding region when it comes to water and storms. They viewed them as unpredictable. Uncontrollable. It is the place where many ships crashed, people drown. They even thought it was the dominion of darkness and chaos.

This gives us insight into their fear. As far as they are concerned, their fear was about to come into reality. When they see a shadowy figure walking on the water, they literally think it is the Angel of Death coming to get them.

Covid

Cancer

Future

Relationships

Finances

However, Jesus calls out to them, do not be afraid, it is I! Do not be afraid…I am!

I am in control

I am here

I am with you

We should be comforted in knowing that Jesus is in control. There is not a single thing that we are facing, that Jesus beyond the control of Christ.

Matthew 28:18 CSB

18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.

This means dominion. Authority. Power. At first glimpse we may think a situation is going to consume us, but let us be reminded it is under His feet…so it is under mine.

Mark 16:17–18 CSB

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

Jesus is in control, so I don’t have to be.

Jesus is Near

Peter wants confirmation. Jesus instructs Him to step out to show that as long as He keeps His eyes on Jesus, whatever He is facing is under His feet. Peter does so but as the waves rise up, he gets distracted. Isn’t it interesting that the storm seems to get stronger when we walk in obedience?

I recall truly giving for the first time and as soon as I did, every bill and the ones I didn’t even know I had started showing up. Everything in me wanted to call the church and ask them to hold the check. We got through it, but the next pay period, I was like let me give it a few days in case something comes up. I came across this passage and God said to me,

Are you going to listen to my voice or the storm?

Are you going to watch me or the waves?

Peter got distracted and began to sink, but Jesus was right there to catch him. I got fearful and began to sink, but Jesus was there to catch me. You can step out, Jesus is near. You can trust Him, Jesus is near.

Psalm 34:18 CSB

18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.

Psalm 145:18 CSB

18 The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity.

Call out, He is near!

Closing

Jesus gets on board and asks, why were they afraid? Why did they doubt. The account says, they forgot about the leftovers that were on the boat with them.

I took a flight and the layover got cancelled. We had to drive the rest of the way but I had to get my luggage. I called and got in the longest line ever so that I could get my bags. I was so afraid my stuff was going to end up lost in the system. After about 45 minutes of pure terror, it occured to me, I didn’t check my bag. I did carry on. My bag was literally in my hand.

The disciples thought they checked the bag of God’s promises and they got lost at sea but when Jesus told them to bring the leftovers, it was meant to serve as a reminder, I see you, I am with you, I am in control!

Communion

The reason why we take communion, is to remind us that God is with us, He sees us, He is in control, we have nothing to fear!