Dr. Richard L. Strauss
December 10, 1989

 

Picture yourself sitting in your family room some evening, reading a good book. It's getting late, late at night. It's a dark, moonless night. You're alone in the house. Your neighbors on both sides are away. The doors and windows are all locked, you think. You hear some strange noises outside, but you try to ignore them. And then suddenly you look up, and there, standing right there in the room, is this huge hulk of a man.

Now, what happens to you at that moment? Your heartbeat quickens, your pupils dilate, your stomach muscles contract, and large quantities of adrenaline begin to pour into your bloodstream. You are experiencing an emotion called fear.

It can be a very useful emotion, preparing our body for action. It can also be a debilitating emotion, particularly when it gets out of control and becomes irrational. That's called a phobia. It's from the Greek word phobos, which means "fear," obviously.

There are all kinds of fears. Counselors tell us that one devastating fear is called agoraphobia. It's the fear of the marketplace. It keeps people housebound. The number of places where they feel safe begins to dwindle until they're afraid to go almost anywhere.

Another is acrophobia. That's the fear of heights. A lot of people experience that. I would never have chosen as my life's vocation to be a carpenter and have to stand on third floor roofs and hammer nails. I did that one summer and that was the end. I mean, I can't do that. Standing up here is okay, but standing on a roof is more than I can handle. One lady chose her job, her friends and her doctors and everything else on the basis of their first floor locations. That's acrophobia to the extreme.

Some people are afraid of bees or snakes or cats, dogs, beards, blood, loss of health, loss of job, loss of money, failure, intruders, crowds, rejection, loneliness, pain, death, darkness, earthquakes, elevators, pollution, and so many other things. Some people are even afraid of work. It's called—you know, it has a name? It's called ergasiophobia. Some of your kids have that, don't they?

Somebody has said they'd like to go back to 1933, when all we had to fear was fear itself. That has a name, too. It's called phobophobia.

Now, where do fears come from? Sometimes they run in families. Like one woman's irrational fear of burglars that kept her awake till 4am each morning, which she passed on to her children. That often happens.

Fear could be born of a traumatic incident in our lives, like a serious accident. It could be a weakness of our particular personality. Studies have shown that agoraphobics are usually highly intelligent and sensitive people. Some fears are buried in childhood memories. For example, if parents were unstable or inconsistent or absent, a child will often grow up with a fear of separation or abandonment. He lives his whole life like a little child lost in a crowded department store. That's the way he feels all the time.

Some fears relate to our spiritual condition when we're far from God. Whether it's through apathy or willful sin, we often fear God's discipline.

But whatever the fear and whatever its cause, we can find help for it in our relationship with the Lord. Other people may help us identify the cause of the fear, and that may help us to some degree. But the most beneficial thing we can do is to get to know our God more intimately—who He is, what He's like, how He acts. And did you know that's one of the great lessons we learned from the Christmas story?

There are six angelic appearances in the Christmas story. Maybe you could even name them if I gave you a quiz this morning. Six angelic appearances to four different individuals or groups of individuals. Three angelic appearances to the same person and three others. And interestingly enough, to all four people or groups of people to whom angels appeared, they said the same thing: "Do not be afraid."

When I discovered that, it became very fascinating to me just to study it through. Even more interesting, in each case of the four, they give a reason why those people should not be afraid. But most important of all, all four of those reasons are tied to the attributes and actions of God. So let's review the Christmas story this morning in this light.

Are you struggling with fear of some kind? I would imagine most of us in this room this morning have some kinds of fear. You know, this story may help us today. Let's watch for God's message to mankind through angels. "Do not be afraid."

 

1. Don't Be Afraid, Joseph

The first angelic announcement was to Joseph. It seems as though Mary had just returned from her visit to cousin Elizabeth in the hill country. And the disturbing fact was obvious for all to see: She was showing; she was pregnant. In Joseph's mind, there was only one possible reason. Fornication. And only one acceptable option. Divorce.

That's what it took in that culture, since engagement was tantamount to marriage, except, of course, for the sexual relationship. So as far as Joseph was concerned, Mary had been unfaithful. He was a godly man, and he must not put his seal of approval upon her sin. He must divorce her. But he was also a gracious man. He would do it quietly and gently. It was not his place to judge or to punish. That was God's prerogative.

"Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:19).

But he didn't act rashly. His godliness led him to wait patiently upon the Lord in meditation and prayer. And God never disappoints those who wait patiently upon Him.

"But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit'" (Matthew 1:20).

There it is, you see. "Do not be afraid." In this case, it's fear of entering a relationship that God wanted him to enter. I think some people today have that kind of a fear. Fear of relationships. Maybe you back away from a friendship or you're backing away from a dating relationship with a spiritually minded person, not necessarily because you think God wants you to do that, but simply because you're afraid of making yourself vulnerable, afraid of getting hurt. Maybe you've been hurt before in relationships and you're afraid it's going to happen again. Or maybe you never felt unconditionally loved and accepted and you just don't think you're worthy of it and you just can't believe it's happening. For that reason, you just can't enter a normal relationship. You're afraid.

There are some relationships from which we may need to back away—quickly—like romantic attachments with unbelievers, or even with carnal Christians who are pulling us down spiritually. But other than that sort of situation, God wants us to wait patiently upon Him, seek His mind in prayer. He will not mislead you. And furthermore, He can relieve your fears.

Did you see the reason why Joseph was to move ahead with his relationship with Mary?

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." See, that little word "for" means "because." It introduces a reason. Because that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.

The angel tells him in verse 21, this child that she's going to bear, you're going to call Jesus, which means "Jehovah saves," because He's going to deliver His people from the guilt and penalty of their sins. He's going to save them from their sins.

In other words, He's in control of this whole situation. He controls everything.

Now, naturally, the specific reason why Joseph should not be afraid, cannot be duplicated in our experience. But the application is still there. I mean, just as a sovereign, almighty God was in control of their circumstances, superintending every detail, holding everything in His control, so He's in control of our circumstances as believers. Every detail, superintending everything in our lives, everything. And knowing that can relieve our fears, whatever they may be.

Maybe you're afraid of losing your health. Afraid of cancer. Strikes fear into so many people. Afraid of losing your loved one. Afraid of the loneliness that may follow. Afraid of making a decision. Some people just can't make decisions. They're afraid they're going to do the wrong thing. Maybe they did the wrong thing once and it had unhappy consequences. So they're afraid.

If you truly want to do God's will, He's not going to play games with you. He's going to direct you. He loves you. He'll show you His way. By His sovereign grace and power, He'll guide your life.

He did that to Joseph. In fact, the next two angelic appearances to Joseph—one in Matthew 2:13, and one in Matthew 2:19—both gave him divine direction. Go to Egypt. That's where the child will be saved. Now return to Nazareth. The danger is past. He'll guide your life. Don't be afraid.

Do you believe that God is sovereign? That He controls everything? That His ways are perfect; that He never makes a mistake? That He will direct your life? All those things are promised in His Word. Get to know God. If you truly believe Him, there's nothing to fear.

Nothing to fear. God controls everything.

 

2. Don't Be Afraid, Zacharias

The next person who heard an angelic announcement in the Christmas narrative, was an old priest named Zacharias. And there was no reason for Zacharias to be afraid. He thought there was. You see, Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth had no children, according to verse 7 of Luke 1. And they were both advanced in years. That means they were at least 60 years of age, well beyond the age of childbearing. And childlessness was a great stigma in their culture. Some of the rabbis even insisted it was proof of secret sin or of God's disfavor. And that was embarrassing to Zacharias and Elizabeth because they were godly people. They knew that was not the case, and yet they couldn't prove it to anybody.

They'd been praying about their problem. We know that from verse 13, where their prayer is mentioned. But their faith was getting thin, as we might expect. I mean, at 60 years of age, there's not much possibility they're going to have a child. The situation looked hopeless, and fear began to grip their lives. The fear of perpetual childlessness, the critical glances of the people around them. It was weighing heavily upon him. Zacharias could have divorced his wife and married a younger woman who might have given him children. Others were using that excuse for divorce in their day. But not Zacharias.

Instead, he prayed and committed this situation to God. And that's when this day begins, recorded in Luke chapter one. It was a most exciting day in their lives. Maybe the most exciting day to this point. Because, you see, it was Zacharias' turn to minister before the golden altar of incense in the Holy Place in the temple. That was, for him, probably a once in a lifetime event. So you can see how exciting it was for him.

You see, there were 24,000 priests in and around Jerusalem. They lived as far away as Jericho. In fact, they loved Jericho. That was the Palm Springs of the day, you see. And a lot of them lived down there and they came up to Jerusalem. That's why that priest in Jesus parable of the Good Samaritan was coming up to Jerusalem, you see. They lived in Jericho: 24,000 of them in the area. And there just weren't enough days for all of them to have a turn to do this ministry, to minister before the golden altar of incense in the Holy Place. So it was an exciting experience for Zacharias.

The ritual was almost over now. Zacharias had spread the incense on the burning coals and the fragrant cloud arose from the altar. As that cloud arose from the altar, the people outside lifted their hearts in prayer and worship and adoration to God. That was what the whole event symbolized. The rising cloud of incense symbolized prayer. And so the people prayed and worshiped while the priest was in the Holy Place burning the incense.

And suddenly we read in verse 11 that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing right there on the right side of the altar of incense. Nobody was supposed to be there, only the priest. And Zacharias was startled, and understandably so. When he saw him in verse 12, he was troubled and fear fell upon him.

"Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear" (Luke 1:11-12).

And now, here it is again:

"But the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah'" (Luke 1:13a).

Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid of the angel. Don't be afraid of the criticism. Don't be afraid of the ridicule. Don't be afraid of the false accusations. Don't be afraid of embarrassment. Don't be afraid of failure. Don't be afraid that your wife is going to grieve herself into an early grave over this childless plight. Don't be afraid.

"Why, Lord? Why shouldn't I be afraid?"

Because. See it? "For."

"But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John'" (Luke 1:13).

Because God answers prayer. Zacharias. God answers prayer because your prayer is heard and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall call his name John. Zacharias doesn't need to be afraid. Not only because God controls everything. He surely does in view of this story, but also because He answers prayer. If Zacharias could only believe that, that his God is a God who hears and answers prayer, it would help to relieve his fears. All of his fears.

Are you struggling with some fear this morning? Maybe you're afraid you can't have children, like Zacharias and Elizabeth. I know couples who live with that fear. Maybe you're afraid your marriage is going to crumble. Maybe you're afraid of failing. Maybe you're afraid of having people laugh at you or reject you. Maybe you're afraid to walk into a room of strange people because you don't know what to say and you think they're going to shun you. Or maybe you're the kind of person who's afraid to stand up and talk in front of any number of people at all because you're afraid you're going to say the wrong thing and embarrass yourself. Fear.

Can I make a suggestion? Talk to the Lord about it. He cares. He's interested in that. Whatever your fear, He's interested in it. Commit it to Him. He promises to answer your prayer.

Jesus said, "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13).

Oh, He may not answer our prayer exactly as we would like Him to, but His answer will be best. You can be assured of that because God's ways are perfect. His answer will be the means by which you can bring greatest glory to Him. And that's the finest thing you can do as a child of God, is to bring glory to Jesus Christ.

So commit it to Him in prayer. He will answer. And if you believe that, it will relieve your fear, it will help to relieve all your fears.

There's no need to fear. God controls everything. And God answers prayer.

 

3. Don't Be Afraid, Mary

There was another angelic appearance in the Christmas story. The third individual to whom an angel appeared was the virgin Mary. And there was no need for Mary to be afraid either. Of course, from all outward appearances, there was. Girls in that culture married quite young, and tradition indicates that Mary was only in her mid teens when this story began. She was a godly young woman, however, in her mid teens, who had kept herself pure. In Luke 1:27, she's called a "virgin" twice. There was no question about it. She had kept herself pure. That was worth doing. It still is worth doing. Young women and men, it's worth doing.

I don't know where Mary was or what she was doing when the angel Gabriel appeared to her. But you can be sure of one thing: It was a frightening experience. She had never seen an angel before. Go back to that family room scene with which we began the message today and visualize yourself all alone and that stranger standing there in your family room in radiant, blazing white. You'd be scared too, wouldn't you? So was Mary, we read in verse 29.

"But when she saw him, she was troubled, particularly at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was" (Luke 1:29).

And you can be sure that when she heard the angel's message about her pregnancy, she was doubly scared. Because to submit to God's will in this matter, to become the servant of God, to bear the Messiah, would mean for her intense social stigma. In fact, it may even mean death by stoning for alleged fornication. I mean, to submit to God's will for Mary would be a dangerous risk. There was fear, but there it is again, in verse 30.

"Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God'" (Luke 1:30).

Do not be afraid.

Why not? How could any godly young girl not be afraid in circumstances like this?

"For." There's that word again. Because. Because, Mary, you have found favor with God. Favor with God? That's the Greek word that means "grace." Most often it's translated "grace." You found grace with God.

It's the second time the angel said this. In verse 28, he called her the "highly favored one" or "highly graced one". Mary was the object of God's grace. She didn't need to be afraid because God extends grace. She was the object of His amazing, marvelous, matchless, boundless grace. And that can eliminate fear.

Now you know what grace is. By this time in your Christian walk, I'm sure you've heard it the defined many times as "unmerited or undeserved favor." That's exactly what it is. Kindness. Assistance. Given to one who's done nothing to earn it and can do nothing to pay for it. Someone has also defined it as an unconditional cherishing of another. That's good. A cherishing that isn't earned, isn't dependent upon any kind of performance.

See, there was nothing Mary did to earn the favor of an infinitely holy God and to make God cherish her. Nothing. Yet God did cherish her. She became the object of His cherishing favor, even though she'd done nothing or could do nothing to deserve that. That's grace. She was highly graced. And that grace from God brought her into a right relationship with Himself and brought her forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And that grace from God would meet every need of her life. It would help her face the taunts of the people around her. It would help her through the delivery. It would help her raise this unique Child who was both God and man—no easy feat in itself. God's grace would be sufficient for every need in Mary's life. Every need, every eventuality, every circumstance. And the assurance that she is the object of God's grace could relieve her fears in spite of the risks. And there were many.

You know, there are almost always risks in doing the right thing. I read a story about a salesman who got lost on aside road. And he stopped to ask directions of a farmer—kind of a ragged, barefoot looking fellow in front of a dilapidated house. And he got his directions. And after he finished, he thought he'd just be friendly for a few minutes. And he said, "Well, how's your cotton coming along?"

Farmer said, "I ain't got none. Afraid of them boll weevils," he said.

So the salesman said, "Well, how's your corn doing?"

"Well, he said, I didn't plant none."

"How come?"

"Well, I was afraid there wasn't going to be any rain," he said.

He thought, well, I'll try it again. "Well, how's your potatoes?"

"I ain't got none of them neither. I'm scared of the potato bugs."

The salesman was kind of puzzled. He made one final inquiry. He said, "Well, what did you plant then?"

The old farmer said, "I didn't plant nothing. I just played it safe."

You know, I'm afraid that's what some Christians are doing: playing it safe. They know the will of God for their lives. They know what the Word of God says, but they're afraid to obey it because it may have consequences they don't want to live with. See, there are always risks in doing the will of God. Maybe alienation from friends, rejection by family, abandonment by someone we love. Sometimes submitting to God's will means leaving the comforts of home, living with fewer material things than we presently have. For some, it could even involve pain or death. So some back away from it in fear. The risks are too great.

But God promises that His grace will be sufficient. Sufficient for every need. He will be there. God will be there to supply the help which every situation requires. Whether we deserve it or not is not even the issue. That doesn't even matter. Of course we don't deserve it. Makes no difference. If we're children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, the grace will be there. God promises it unconditionally. We can count on it. And armed with that confident assurance, there is nothing to fear, not even fear itself. You see, we can always do the will of God without fear. Because. Because God extends grace to us.

Nothing to fear because God controls everything. Because God answers prayer. Because God extends grace.

 

4. Don't Be Afraid, Shepherds

The last angelic appearance in the Christmas story involved a group of shepherds watching their sheep on a hillside near Bethlehem. Shepherding was one of the lowest occupations in Bible times. Shepherds were rated just above thugs and thieves. They were third-class citizens, despised and scorned by others. Besides that, they were in constant threat. They were in danger of attack by wild animals, by those thieves and thugs—the only people below them on the totem pole of society in Israel—or by marauding soldiers, Roman soldiers, who could come in anytime they pleased and take anything they wanted and do what they wanted. Shepherds had a lot to fear.

Now here they are, dozing quietly under the stars on a rather peaceful night, thinking everything's all right, listening to the sounds of the night, when suddenly we read:

"And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid" (Luke 2:9).

Brilliant display of light. We've all seen light in our day, but none of us have seen this kind of light. You see, it was the light of the glory of God, the Shekinah glory. The kind of light you couldn't even look at without being blinded. Picture how you might feel if you were snoozing on a deserted hillside with a few friends, thinking that you were there alone with them, and all of a sudden the whole hillside lights up with brilliant floodlights shining on you. Just think about that for a moment. You'd be scared too, wouldn't you? And you've even seen floodlights before. These fellows had never seen that kind of light at all.

We're not surprised to read that they were terrified. The Scripture says "greatly afraid." And here it is, verse 10: "Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid."

Why not? I mean, who wouldn't be scared at a moment like that? For. There's that word again. It's always there. We have a reason coming up.

"Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:10-11).

I bring you "good tidings." That's the same Greek word translated in several other places in Scripture, "to preach the gospel." Same Greek word: to preach the gospel. They didn't need to be afraid because God was offering to them eternal salvation. They were about to hear the best news the world has ever heard. News which is relevant to all people everywhere. It says—see it?—"good news of great joy for all people."

Today there's born in the city of David a Savior. A Savior. A Deliverer. One who came to deliver us from sins, guilt and penalty.

That's the central message of Christmas. That's the central message of the Bible:

God has sent His Son into the world to pay for our sins and deliver us from the guilt and penalty of sin to be our Savior. God offers us salvation.

There's no longer any need to be fear, to be afraid of eternal condemnation, the very condemnation which our sin most certainly deserves. Because God offers us deliverance from that condemnation.

God offers us salvation to all people. That includes you, whoever you are. Does it strike fear into your heart ever to think that you have sinned and that someday you're going to stand before an infinitely holy God who cannot allow even one sin in His presence? A God who holds in His hand the power of life and death, and heaven and hell, and your eternal destiny, and will assign you to one or the other? Does that strike fear into your heart? It should. It very well should.

But the good news is that God has sent a Savior who bore the punishment of an eternal hell in His own body on the cross, and who provided for you forgiveness and everlasting life. You don't need to be afraid. But you do need to acknowledge your sin and put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin. Because that's what brings eternal salvation. You can receive His forgiveness and His eternal life by faith in this One born on Christmas, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Trusting Jesus as Your Savior

Let's bow our heads quietly in His presence. With our heads bowed reverently before Him, let me ask you if you do know the Lord Jesus as your Savior from sin? You've settled this issue. You acknowledged it, that you're a sinner, that Christ died in your place, paid for your sin, and you've put your trust in Him personally as your Savior. You've received Him as your Savior from sin. Have you?

Is there a question in your mind? Would you settle it right now, right here? Would you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as God's Son and your Savior who died for you and rose again to give you His life?

If you'd like to settle the issue, it would be a wonderful time to do it. And I'd like to lead you in a prayer that will help you. Words don't save. Saying this prayer to God is not going to save you. But the attitude of heart, called "faith," is what releases God's grace for eternal salvation. Just in the quiet of your own mind and soul, you express your faith to Him, will you?

Lord, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus is God's Son who died in my place and paid for my sin. Come into my heart and save me, Lord Jesus. I am trusting You now as my Savior from sin.

Would you respond to Him now in faith?

Closing Prayer

Father, I pray that those who have never place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and become His followers will, in these moments, do that very thing and be born anew, transformed, transferred from kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of your Son. From darkness into light, the light of life. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.