Fear is real, and it can be paralyzing, even for the faithful. As gets revealed in Elijah hiding in the cave and Peter walking on the stormy waves, fear can overwhelm us and take us away from the promise of God. How to overcome fear and regain purpose in faithfulness?
Elijah has fled in the face of Queen Jezebel's promise to kill the prophet. An arduous desert journey brings him to Mt. Horeb (Sinai), the mountain of God. God asks: What are you doing here, Elijah? In the prophet's dire statement of events, remarkably Elijah doesn't mention God once, like God had done nothing.
God sees the need for a lesson and invites Elijah to watch for God's presence coming to be with him. A terrific wind, a thunderous earthquake, and a blistering firestorm ensue, but the text tells us that God was not in any of them. There then comes something translated as "a still, small voice," or "gentle whisper." What is it literally? Not what you think. Therein lies the lesson, and Elijah gets sent back on his incomplete mission.
In Matthew, after feeding the five thousand, Jesus sends the disciples across Lake Galilee ahead of him. A storm halts the disciples' progress. Then Jesus walks out on the water to them.
Peter is confused by this appearance of Jesus on the waters and requires a proof. He will believe it truly is Jesus if Jesus commands him to come out and walk on the water. So, Jesus does.
Peter is doing great - walking on the stormy water - until the wind awakens his fear and some realizations hit him all at once. He starts to sink. Jesus grabs him asking, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
How do we flip fear into faith? How can we get unfrozen from fear and move forward in faith? Answers await in the sermon video below, and in the downloads below the video panel.
Elijah has fled in the face of Queen Jezebel's promise to kill the prophet. An arduous desert journey brings him to Mt. Horeb (Sinai), the mountain of God. God asks: What are you doing here, Elijah? In the prophet's dire statement of events, remarkably Elijah doesn't mention God once, like God had done nothing.
God sees the need for a lesson and invites Elijah to watch for God's presence coming to be with him. A terrific wind, a thunderous earthquake, and a blistering firestorm ensue, but the text tells us that God was not in any of them. There then comes something translated as "a still, small voice," or "gentle whisper." What is it literally? Not what you think. Therein lies the lesson, and Elijah gets sent back on his incomplete mission.
In Matthew, after feeding the five thousand, Jesus sends the disciples across Lake Galilee ahead of him. A storm halts the disciples' progress. Then Jesus walks out on the water to them.
Peter is confused by this appearance of Jesus on the waters and requires a proof. He will believe it truly is Jesus if Jesus commands him to come out and walk on the water. So, Jesus does.
Peter is doing great - walking on the stormy water - until the wind awakens his fear and some realizations hit him all at once. He starts to sink. Jesus grabs him asking, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"
How do we flip fear into faith? How can we get unfrozen from fear and move forward in faith? Answers await in the sermon video below, and in the downloads below the video panel.
| 08-13-17-ff-answers.pdf |
| 08-13-17-flipping_fear_to_faith.pdf |