Recently I spoke at the Lectureships at Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama.  My assigned passage and topic was “Let us Come to Fear” Hebrews 4:1.  What I post today is Pt 1 of the outline I developed and used for the lecture.  It seemed to me that folks received it well.

Let Us Come to Fear

BSMc – 03.06.2012

 Fear

• Born with two fears:
  • Falling
  • Noise
  • Before long we learn others

• •  Phobos – Panic or flight
  • Awe or reverence
  • Phoberos – causing terror (terrible)
  • Phobeo – to be alarmed (afraid)
  • Entromos – tremble with fear

The Negative Impact of Fear

• Paralyze – “what if I fail?”
• Lead to defeat – Numbers 13 – 10 of 12 spies.
• Influence others to fear – Jos 14:8
• Leads to disobedience
• Prevent salvation – Rev 21:8

Conquering Negative Fear

• Faith – Phi 4:13
• Examine self – 2Co 13:5
• Accept Responisbility – Ecc 12:13
• Repent – Luk 13:3

Fear and Trembling is not a concept we explore often

• “No Fear” is a common theme
• Want to hear of love, joy, peace . . .
• This maybe a reaction to “hell, fire, and brimstone” sermons of yesteryear.
• Remember Rom 11:22, “Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.”

Lack of Fear for God

• Leads to a lack of commitment
• Leads to a lack of purity (sexual immorality, MDR, Gambling, changes in worship)
• Leads to apathy in evangelism
• A greater fear of man – Heb 13:6
  • This was Peter’s sin in Gal 2:11-12
  • To keep from falling into Peter’s trap we need an overruling fear of God!

Heb 4:1, “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.”

• Phobeo – be alarmed (be frightened / be afraid)
• Proper fear of the Lord includes:
  • Awe (reverence / respect) – Heb 12:28-29
  • Being afraid to offend God – Mat 10:28
  • Shaking in our boots – Phi 2:12

There is a Place for Fear

• Pro 1:7 – Fear is the beginning of knowledge
  • Want to know what God expects (demands)
  • Will search His will
  • Deu 31:10-13 – “to learn to fear the Lord your God.”
  • Consider Rom 2:4-11 – Do you fear God now?
  • Pro 16:6 – “by the fear of the Lord one turns away from evil.”

Heb 4:1-13

• Fear leads to effort to change for the better
• Hebrew writer gives reasons to Fear God.
  • God’s record against the disobedient – Heb 4:5-6
  • God’s word is the standard – Heb 4:12
    • His word opens us to true examination
• God sees all people and all that we do – Heb 4:13
• BE AFRAID! Be very afraid!

Part 2 – Developing Fear