Grace Congregational UCC

“Putting Fear In Its Place”
Psalm 27:1-14
Luke 13:31-35

March 4, 2007 - Kim M. Henning

The story is told of a well-known author who attended a college class reunion. The usual ‘small talk’ surfaced between classmates: Where do you live? Tell me about your family. And, of course, there was even some of, “Do you remember when we.....”

This particular college reunion was convened by the Professor of Philosophy. Interrupting the small talk, he posed a question. “Let’s talk,” he said. “What fears have you conquered over the years and what new ones have you acquired?”

The question brought an awkward silence to the room. Who would have the courage to talk about that? “What fears have you conquered.... what new ones have you acquired.” But one at a time, these alums started talking...... one person–‘I just fear mice.’ Another, ‘I fear being left out, or abandoned.’ Another, ‘the dark.’ And what are the newly acquired fears? “I fear being doped up and sitting in a nursing home, slumped over in a wheelchair.” Another, “dying—I just don’t like the thought of it” and “the recurrence of cancer.”

I was thinking of that story when I read the opening verse of Psalm 27: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Skip a verse, and the next one reads, “Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.”

Psalm 27 is a frontal attack against fear.

To begin, the Psalmist names the huge fears that attack the human being.

In verse 2, the Psalmist talks about evildoers, (fear) my adversaries (fear) and foes.

In verse 3, “though an army encamp against me.” (Fear)

Verse 10: “if my father and mother forsake me.... (fear)

And in verse 12, the Psalmist talks about being powerless, unable to be strong against one’s adversaries; false witnesses have surfaced and are breathing out violence. (Fear)

Name the fears that are basic to the human condition and are timeless in their onslaught. We have a fear—that evil will win the day. We have a fear—that we will not be understood. We have fear—that our apologies are heard as not being sincere. We have fear (as least I do)—that my words or actions would cause injury to another human being.

The Lord is my light and my salvation....whom shall I fear?

In the context of Psalm 27, the onslaught of fear is multi-faceted. Many are the fears that ‘undo’ the human being. A few years ago, the great Christian thinker, Paul Tillich, identified three great anxieties that are present within each human person.

According to Tillich, each and every person has the anxiety of non-being (death). What happens when we die? What happens when that great mystery occurs? Is there nothing? Is there, as Christians believe, ‘judgement’? And hopefully mercy.

The first great anxiety of the human being, according to Tillich is ‘non-being.’ The second great anxiety is ‘meaninglessness.’ Is my life accomplishing something or any importance at all? Is my life being spent on me or others? Does my life have sense of sacrifice to it at all—representing my higher calling?

Out first anxiety: non-being. Our second anxiety is meaninglessness. And the third great anxiety attacking the human creature, according to Tillich is ‘fate.’ There are some portions of life over which none of us, even the mightiest of us has no control----do we collapse before fate? When the innocent suffer, does it take the strength right out of us or do we strive more earnestly toward God? Jesus himself spoke of this third anxiety when he said, ‘The rain falls upon the just and the unjust alike.”

The Psalmist is bold. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident. One thing I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

The Psalmist does not pretend to be the answer-person to all life’s mysteries. He only knows that he will not allow fear to rule the day. One of the great voices from the past, Rabbi Abraham Heschel claimed that the role of the prophet is “to cast out fear” because when fear rules the day we act irrationally and our lives become smaller.

A fearful person is not able to love with much breadth. A fearful person is thinking, ‘there will never be enough, there will never be enough.’ A fearful person is many times unable to be vulnerable or humble—both of which are necessary for faith.

So where do we go with our fear? Let me take you in two directions. The first direction I’d like to take you is the beloved ‘Twenty-Third Psalm.” Let me do this quickly. The 23^rd Psalm can be divided in half. The first half of the 23^rd Psalm begins with ‘talk about God.’ It is like a confession of faith, like reciting the Apostles’ Creed. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, leads me beside still waters.....” That is ‘talk about God’ and for some, that is the limit of faith.... ‘talk about God.’

Take notice, however, how the language changes mid-way through the 23^rd psalm. Long about the time the Psalmist says, “even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil—for YOU are with me....your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Did you hear that? The second half of the 23^rd Psalm is talk, prayer, utterance ‘directly to God.’ “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.”

The Psalmist understands that life cannot be lived ‘at a distance’ from God. Faith that conquers fear, is faith that knows....God is here (congregation); God is here (Word of God); God is here (heart); God is nearer and closer than I can imagine.

My second thought regarding fear is this. In the Gospel story that was read just a few minutes ago, the Pharisees come to Jesus and they tell Jesus that he had better get out of there because Herod was coming after him. The Pharisees are suggesting that Jesus find safety, a hiding place. Herod’s coming.....he’s looking for you..... He’s stronger... He’s mightier.....

But Jesus won’t go there. Jesus refuses fear. Jesus says, “Go and tell that fox for me, ‘Listen, I am casting our demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.” Jesus won’t run. Jesus won’t hide. He knows power greater than Herod’s.

And what’s curious.....is that on Easter Sunday.....when Jesus is resurrected from the dead, his first words are, ‘Do not be afraid.’ It is as if, Jesus said, “I’ve been to the other side. You don’t have to be afraid.” “I’ve seen the worst that evil has to give, you don’t have to be afraid.” I am with you always.

Fear is the curse placed upon human life, and we believe that Jesus Christ is about freedom from that curse. His crucifixion speaks ‘freedom.’ His resurrection speaks ‘freedom.’ His teachings speak ‘freedom’ from having our lives controlled by the lesser gods....

Faith says, ‘Fear not.’

If you have fear about the terror of the night, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about your future, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about a new job, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about the end of a relationship, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about the instability of the stock market, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about the high cost of that utility bill that just came, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about cancer, fear not.

If you have fear about death, fear not.

If you have fear about surgery, about the life of a loved one, ‘fear not.’

If you have fear about retirement, and what the future holds, ‘fear not.’

“Fear not,” Jesus said, “for I am with you always.”

Jesus, the one we worship, is the poor one to whom we give.