Have No Fear of Them
Pentecost 4 (Proper 7)
Matthew 10: 5a, 21-33
Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ amen. The sermon text for the fourth Sunday after Pentecost is the Gospel reading Matthew 10. In our reading for today we see Jesus sending His disciples out to proclaim His kingdom to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As the Lord sends them out, He says these words. “Have no fear of them”. Jesus repeatedly tells them to “have no fear”. Of course, He says these words to His disciples as He is sending them out among wolves. As He is sending them out to preach the Gospel, He tells them that they will face opposition. He tells them that, “brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.” He tells them that, “when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next”. He reminds them that if He, the Son of God, is persecuted then His followers will also be persecuted. “If they have called the master of the house, “Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of His household.”
Our Lord’s words were spoken to His apostles but much of what He said also applies to pastors, missionaries, and Christians in every age until He visibly returns. That means that the Lord is telling us to “have no fear.” They are important words for us because as we hear His description of sheep being sent out among the wolves, we see that there is much to fear, at least from a human point of view. As Jesus speaks to us today, He knows that all those who follow Him have almost everything to fear.
We are living as Christians in a hostile world. We have been called by the Lord to speak Good News in a world filled with bad news. As we look at our culture, we see that there are many things to be afraid of. We are afraid of rejection. We see an example of rejection in our Old Testament reading. The prophet Jeremiah was sent by God to call the Israelites to repentance. The people responded with hostility towards Jeremiah. Even Jeremiah’s own friends turned against him. Remember what was said in the text. “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!” say all my close friends, watching for my fall. With friends like that who needs enemies. There will be times when our own relatives and friends will pressure us to conform to the culture and reject Biblical teaching or face rejection. No one likes to be rejected, and most of us probably have had experiences that give us a deep fear of rejection. In our world today, many reject not only the message of the Gospel but also those who proclaim this message which is one reason we will be tempted to shrink from bearing witness to Christ more boldly and consistently.
We also fear intimidation. Jesus warns us that there will be people who will try to silence those who speak the truth of God’s Word. We see this all around us. People who hold to the Biblical teachings on marriage, family, headship, and the sanctity of life are often scorned and insulted. Those who promote lies and false ideologies know that one of the best ways to silence people from speaking the truth is to intimidate them. No one wants to be bullied. No one wants to be canceled.
We all fear persecution. Jesus describes the persecution that His apostles would face. He does not say that they may face persecution, but He tells them that they will face persecution. Christians have faced persecution throughout church history. In America we have been spared this type of persecution up until now, but we should not assume that will always be the case. The evidence of more subtle forms of persecution is increasingly apparent. There are several examples of bakers and florists who have been taken to court because they refuse to use their talents in a way that would go against their Christian faith. To be a faithful Christian may mean loss of money, loss of job, and a loss of prestige.
We fear being put to death. Jesus clearly warns the twelve disciples that they need to be prepared to be “put to death” as the result of sinful opposition to the Gospel, and most of them eventually were. Martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel has been a reality throughout the history of the church, and it continues to be a reality still today in many parts of the world. There have been many Christians that have been put to death all around the world because they confessed the Name of Christ. We don’t generally see Christians being put to death in our own country but that does not mean that it will not happen in the future. We certainly need to be prepared for it. We are reminded of what was said at our rite of Confirmation. We were asked these two questions. “Do you intend to live according to the Word of God, and in faith, word, and deed to remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, even to death? Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and Church and to suffer all even death, rather than fall away from it?” (LSB 273) The answer that we gave to those two questions was, “I do, by the grace of God.”
There are many things that we fear. We fear rejection, intimidation, persecution, and death. As we walk among the wolves, the Lord says these words to us. “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.” He tells us that we are not to fear the things of this world, but we are to fear God. Remember what the Lord said. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” We are to fear God and not man for God is holy and all are accountable to Him.
That is why we look to Jesus Christ our Lord. It is the Lord Jesus who is greater than our fears. The Lord Jesus has faced every enemy that causes us fear. Through His death and resurrection, He has defeated Satan, wiped away our sins, and has defeated death for us. Because Jesus has faced every enemy that causes us fear, we can be sure that He understands our fears, can sympathize with all our temptations to be afraid, and will provide mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.
He has made us right with God and has made us holy. We now receive the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Through Christ we know that God loves us and is gracious to us. We are again reminded of the words of Jesus. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” We will experience fear in this life, but the Lord Jesus will have the final word. Hear what the Lord has to say to you. “So, everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father who is in heaven.” Fear not for the Lord is with you. Let me read to you a part of Psalm 91. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place – the Most High, who is my refuge – no evil shall be allowed to befall you”.
There are so many things that we fear in this world. Our Lord tells us that those who follow Him will face rejection, intimidation, opposition, and even persecution. Some will face even death for confessing His Name. And then Jesus tells us to have no fear. Why? Because Jesus has faced the source of every fear, has overcome every enemy, has promised to be with us and watch over us and to guide us safely to our heavenly home, where fear will be banished forever. Amen.