Day 17 The ' fear not' s of Jesus

 Lets have a look at a few of the times Jesus told people not to fear.  This is going to be a bit of a list because you all know the Bible passages - its more to show an overview of the range of situations He addresses.



1) Mark 6 :47-52 ( The Message )

Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared to death.

Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on.

The Greek word for courage is tharseo which means inner strength - courage from within. When Jesus comes to us He infuses us with this inner courage. And His presence enables peace in the storm.

2) Mark 5 :36   Jesus to Jairus whose daughter has just died.  ' Fear not, only believe'.   We can sometimes spiritualise this and forget that this was real advice to someone who was distraught.   You don't need to fear, comforts Jesus.  Believe. Believe that I am able. I am powerful. I am kind and loving. I am here. I care. I am coming into this situation.

3) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10 :28
This is a tough one. Jesus is saying that we shouldn't be afraid of dying because we know where we are going. More than that, we shouldn't fear being killed because while people can take our temporal life from us only God holds our eternal life in His hands and our eternal life is of infinitely more value than our earthly life.  I'm a firm believer that should I ever be in a position that I'm about to be killed, like Stephen, God will give me what I need to die well.  The stories of the martyrs are so often about that opening of heaven and the pouring out of grace in the dying moments.  I hope I never have to test this out!

4)Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matt 10 :31 Jesus says do not worry that you aren't worth it. You are.

5) Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27 .  Jesus tells us not to let ourselves be fearful.  He has given us His peace, its up to us to refuse to let that peace be disrupted and to learn to live in it.
The word for peace in the Greek is Eirene - which is a medical word used to describe the place where a broken bone heals together and calcifies. The place of the previous break becomes stronger than it was before the break. This is the sort of peace Jesus gives. It is a strengthening, healing, joining, restorative thing

6) Matthew 6:25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

7) Luke 12:11-12  “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”   This is such a practical promise we can call on in so many situations.  If we are truly relying on the Holy Spirit who is living in us then He will give us the words.  In the job interview, for the presentation, in court, during that disagreement, when we are praying for people, when we preach, whenever we need the right words God has them for us. How reassuring is that??

8) 

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