Is Your House Haunted?
Preaching
Shaking Wolves Out Of Cherry Trees
And 149 Other Sermon Ideas
Purpose Statement: No plan for preaching is complete without an occasional sermon on fear.
Halloween is not a bad time to preach on fear and what it can do to us as well as what we can do about it. Sandwiched between the bravery of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3) and Daniel's facing the lions (Daniel 6) we find an amusing account of fear. King Belshazzar (Daniel 5) hasn't been a very good person and a warning of his punishment comes in the form of a disembodied human hand writing a message on the wall. Of course we would not be frightened, but he becomes very unnerved. Each person may have her or his own kinds of fears.
a. Fear of things. Phobias are unreasonable or excessive fears of certain objects or conditions: spiders, snakes, heights, crowds, water, close spaces, etc. We can still have fears that are not phobia strength, but that still bring displeasure to our lives. Occasionally, extended exposure over gradual time can help us overcome these.
b. Fear of death. Psalm 23 affirms the faith that though we walk through the valley of death, we will not fear it. Much of the central theology of the Christian faith is concerned with giving us hope for life beyond death. The Easter message is a year-round truth to sustain Christians who face not only their own death, but also that of loved ones.
c. Fear of God. Psalm 111:10 tells us that fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, an idea reflected in Proverbs. Generally, it might be a good idea to use the word "reverence" for "fear" when referring to God. Unfortunately, there are some passages that mistakenly attribute some frightening actions to God. 2 Samuel 6:1-11 relates how David was bringing the Ark or Covenant Box home when God struck down Uzzah for doing what most of us might consider a good deed. Understandably, it put the fear of God into David and he decided not to bring the Ark home. This kind of fear of God is uncalled for. It is respect, awe, and reverence that are appropriate. We are to love, trust, and depend on God.
d. Fear versus concern. You might say these are two separate subjects. In the minds of many, they are related. Concern is a "healthy fear" or respect that causes us to be cautious and play safe. Concern causes us to pray for and advise loved ones traveling on the highway, etc. Worry is bad, concern is good; it may not be that easy to separate them in our emotions.
e. No more fear. 1 John 4:18 tells us that perfect love eliminates fear. If we have love or a healthy spiritual life, we have much less reason to fear, as well as the resource to overcome our fears.
Halloween is not a bad time to preach on fear and what it can do to us as well as what we can do about it. Sandwiched between the bravery of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3) and Daniel's facing the lions (Daniel 6) we find an amusing account of fear. King Belshazzar (Daniel 5) hasn't been a very good person and a warning of his punishment comes in the form of a disembodied human hand writing a message on the wall. Of course we would not be frightened, but he becomes very unnerved. Each person may have her or his own kinds of fears.
a. Fear of things. Phobias are unreasonable or excessive fears of certain objects or conditions: spiders, snakes, heights, crowds, water, close spaces, etc. We can still have fears that are not phobia strength, but that still bring displeasure to our lives. Occasionally, extended exposure over gradual time can help us overcome these.
b. Fear of death. Psalm 23 affirms the faith that though we walk through the valley of death, we will not fear it. Much of the central theology of the Christian faith is concerned with giving us hope for life beyond death. The Easter message is a year-round truth to sustain Christians who face not only their own death, but also that of loved ones.
c. Fear of God. Psalm 111:10 tells us that fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, an idea reflected in Proverbs. Generally, it might be a good idea to use the word "reverence" for "fear" when referring to God. Unfortunately, there are some passages that mistakenly attribute some frightening actions to God. 2 Samuel 6:1-11 relates how David was bringing the Ark or Covenant Box home when God struck down Uzzah for doing what most of us might consider a good deed. Understandably, it put the fear of God into David and he decided not to bring the Ark home. This kind of fear of God is uncalled for. It is respect, awe, and reverence that are appropriate. We are to love, trust, and depend on God.
d. Fear versus concern. You might say these are two separate subjects. In the minds of many, they are related. Concern is a "healthy fear" or respect that causes us to be cautious and play safe. Concern causes us to pray for and advise loved ones traveling on the highway, etc. Worry is bad, concern is good; it may not be that easy to separate them in our emotions.
e. No more fear. 1 John 4:18 tells us that perfect love eliminates fear. If we have love or a healthy spiritual life, we have much less reason to fear, as well as the resource to overcome our fears.
