Faith Overcomes Fear 

John 19:19-23

“19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” 

Of what are you afraid?  Spiders?  Snakes?  Crowds?  Heights?  Close places?  Dogs?  Lions?  We all have phobias or fears, don’t we?  But unless you have been in war or the victim of violent crime, you probably have never had to fear for your life at the hands of others.   And most of us have not had to fear for our lives because of our faith in Jesus … not the way Jesus’ disciples did after he was crucified.

There was a real and present danger that the same Jewish leaders who conspired to kill Jesus would try to kill his disciples in order to kill Christianity.  So Jesus’ followers were afraid.  To support one another they had gathered together in secrecy and security on the evening of that first Easter.

Then Jesus came.  His appearance had to have startled and even frightened his followers.  But he assured his friends that he came in peace and that there was peace between them and him.  They needed to hear that.  Some of them had forsaken Jesus.  At least one of them had denied Jesus.  They had to be afraid not only of their enemies but of God.  But Jesus who had never failed his Father in any way and even let his Father forsake him while he was dying on the cross, with his life and death had brought peace between his disciples and his Heavenly Father.  He assured the disciples of this peace.

Then Jesus assured his disciples that they still had a purpose.  He wanted them to proclaim the same message that he had proclaimed to them, to proclaim the law and the gospel of God’s word – to forgive the sins of those who repent and to warn the impenitent of the consequences of not repenting.

Jesus also “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”  So along with the peace and purpose he gave his followers, he also gave the power both to believe him and to carry it out that purpose through the gift of the Holy Spirit who had already brought these folks to faith.

Jesus did three things to help his followers to overcome their fear.  He proclaimed peace.  He gave them purpose.  He gave them power.  As he was alive, he also gave the assurance that he was in control and would help them.

As we celebrate another Easter, Jesus gives us the same these same blessings.  He assures us that we are at peace with God.  His holy life fulfilled God’s law for us.  His death on the cross had paid for our sins.  His resurrection promises us peace with God and forgiveness of sins.

But Jesus also gives us purpose in that he wants us to tell others that their sin separates them from God and eternal life, but in Jesus they can have peace with God, forgiveness of sins, and eternal life.

Jesus promises us that as we share God’s word with others, his Holy Spirit enables us to speak the truth in love.  What’s more, because Jesus lives, he is with us to protect and bless us.  Believe it … because faith overcomes fear.

Faith – the Antidote to Doubt

John 20:24-31

24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”   30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

On July 20th, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed a lunar module called the Eagle on the surface of the moon and actually walked on the moon for over two hours.

That summer I was working at J.W. Jung Seed Company in Randolph, WI.  I lived only about a block away so that day I went home for lunch and while eating turned on the TV.  Regular programming had been interrupted to show the lunar landing.  I saw the men on the moon.  When I went back to work, I told the guys with whom I was working that on TV I saw the guys on the moon.  One nice older fellow named Elmer, who had never been more than 60 miles from home said, “Awe shoot!  They ain’t on the moon!  That’s just a show!  I’d have to be there and see it to believe it!”

That’s what Thomas said too when he heard that Jesus had spent time with his followers the week before.  “I have to see him and touch him to believe that Jesus is really alive!”  Thomas had a bad case of doubt.

Jesus cured Thomas of his doubt when he appeared a week later again to his disciples including Thomas.

But at the same time Jesus emphasized that the best antidote for doubt is God’s word and believing it.

Jesus said, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  Then the Apostle John, moved by the Holy Spirit, went on to write, “Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

The Holy Spirit, through God’s Word, works faith, and faith enables us to overcome doubt, and as it does it brings us blessings – God’s peace and God’s power.

Therefore, faithfully and frequently let the Holy Spirit immunize you through you use of God’s Word.

But at one time or another we all struggle with doubt, don’t we?  When we do obviously we go against the will of God that tells us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3).  But again, the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin.  In him we have forgiveness.

When you find yourself caught in doubt, don’t let the devil drag you into unbelief and make you lose out on the peace of God and the promise of eternal life.  Confess your sin to God and trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin.

Then get into God’s Word.  Read sections that reassure you of the things you have been taught and believe.  Let Jesus breathe his Holy Spirit in you as the Spirit works through God’s word to reinforce his truth and strengthen your faith.  As you do God’s Spirit will help you “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).” …  Jesus will strengthen your faith and give you the antidote to doubt.