Based on Isaiah 65:17-25, Isaiah 12, 2Thessalonians 3:6-13, Luke 21:5-15
I have been thinking a lot lately about the controlling power of fear. Primarily, this is a result of my growing awareness of how media, advertising, political and some public health messaging seek to distort my worldview and manipulate my emotions through sensationalism. For a while now, for my own sense of peace and sanity, I have been studiously avoiding all major network news, opinionated talking heads, podcasters, bloggers, etc, whose information delivery is histrionic and emotional. I find myself searching available news sources like Sargent Friday desiring “just the facts ma’am”.
Because when I survey the facts, there is scant reason for me to fear anything as I live in central Virginia in the United States of America. Are there things that need to be changed? Yes! Are there things that need to be fixed? Yes! Are there people with whom I disagree on any number of important issues? Yes – including in my own family. But I do not need to fear anyone; and honestly, I’m tired of being told that I need to be afraid all the time. I long ago left behind the idea that there were monsters under my bed and I refuse to be manipulated into believing and living like there are monsters all around me. I choose to believe that I am a beloved child of God who is surrounded by other beloved children of God – the vast majority of whom are engaged in getting through their days in the best way they know how – just like me.
The scripture readings for today speak to some fearsome things that were facing our spiritual ancestors, and how God’s presence and promises allayed their fears and gave them strength, courage and hope to carry on. The readings from Isaiah show us a God who may get angry with us, but who will redeem us and save us. How God accompanied those who were decimated by the Assyrians and later those who were engaged with dealing rebuilding Jerusalem after the Exile. That 200-year period in Israel was some of the most fear-provoking and disorienting ever, yet God never abandoned God’s people. God gave consequences for disobedience but continued in covenantal relationship and fear not – God undid all that was wrong in their world.
The letter of 2Thessalonians is coming to a close, and the writer wants the faithful to remove from their midst those among them who are “idle and disruptive” – those who are not living according to the teachings of Jesus. They are to not associate with anyone who is engaging in being “busybodies” or those who disobey the teachings of the faith community. They are to not fear these people; rather they are to move forward without them and “never tire of doing good”.
Jesus is in Jerusalem for his last Passover. The Disciples are marveling over the beauty of the Temple in Jerusalem, and Jesus tells them what is coming in the future. The Temple will be destroyed, false prophets will come in Jesus’ name, wars and disruption will be the norm, earthquakes, famine, pestilence along with “fearful events and great signs from heaven” will occur. Jesus tells them to not be frightened by any of these things – including being betrayed, persecuted, imprisoned and martyred for their faith. They will die a physical death, but fear not, Jesus will be with them and their souls will not be destroyed.
What do you fear? Do you fear that Christianity will cease to exist? Afterall, powerful forces have tried to obliterate it since the time of Jesus. To add fuel to that fear, you might know that on Thursday this week the good folks at Gallup dropped the results of their survey of religiosity in the U.S. They reported that over the period from 2015 until today, there was a 17% decrease in adults who say that religion is important to their lives. They note that “…The 17-point drop in the percentage of U.S. adults who say religion is an important part of their daily life - from 66% in 2015 to 49% today - ranks among the largest Gallup has recorded in any country over any 10-year period since 2007….” You may be thinking, “Thanks Pastor – another thing to fear!”
My response is that we do not ever have to fear when we trust an unknowable future to a known God. This is because our scripture passages remind us of the faithfulness of God over thousands of years. These sacred words speak into our lives today, reminding us that God has never let any created entity defeat God’s plan. That is the miracle of God’s inspired word and the “Word mad flesh”. Countless times in the Bible, faithful people are told by God or God’s emissaries to “fear not”. They are to not be afraid, for God is with them always – even when they have been overthrown by foreign armies, sent to far away countries to live in exile, wandered around a desert land for 40 years, been returned to destroyed cities or undergoing persecution for their beliefs. No matter what fearsome thing assails us, we are promised that God will make all things new again.
In that vein, Professor Nick Petersen writes about the “new creation” in Isaiah 65, “…For example, if God created everything initially, what does it mean that God has to create again? Who damaged God’s previous attempts such that creation needs a do-over? What vulnerability in creation requires it to be re-created? Third Isaiah emerges from the Persian period (538–515 BCE), when returned exiles faced harsh realities - economic hardship, social stratification, delayed temple reconstruction. The ‘new creation’ language responds to the disappointment gap between Exile’s end and restoration’s reality. The prophet writes not to triumphant people but to a struggling community whose hopes haven’t materialized…When Isaiah promises no infant mortality, extended lifespans, secure housing, and abundant harvests, he’s also exposing a community devastated by premature death, economic exploitation, and food insecurity. Every promise of newness is an indictment of present brokenness….”
The returning Exiles have fallen into idleness and are not rebuilding the city or the Temple. They are living in a time where there is much to be done both physically and socially. The people need to get to work to address systemic issues and create sustainable and workable solutions. They need to lean into the promises and power of God to help them work and live into the promised transformation. They need to stop being afraid of the difficulty of the task and work with God to save themselves and be rescued from the outside forces that seek their ruin. They need to stop being afraid and seek to rebuild their relationship with God through repentance and humility.
That’s what Jesus and the writer of 2 Thessalonians are saying to us today. Don’t give into your fear – you have an Almighty God who is on your side. God is at work making all things new, but some things will have to get worse before it all gets better. Jesus is trying his best to keep the Disciples informed of all that is coming for him and for them – to prepare them so that they are not paralyzed by fear. Professor Petersen says that Jesus’ fearsome teaching is like an inoculation, “…It’s a treatment plan for communities already committed to following Jesus who need preparation for the cost involved. The temple’s destruction, wars, natural disasters, and political upheavals represent a crisis of authority. Amid this collapse, disciples aren’t called to become authorities or resolve the crisis but to witness as Jesus modeled….”
Like those first Disciples, with all the fearsome things that are facing us, we are called to live into the world the faith of Jesus. We are gifted and called to witness at all costs to all people the saving love of the Christ, and to work with God to make the world a better and less scary place. We will accomplish this not by being afraid of the stranger or our neighbor, but by welcoming them and building loving relationships with them. We will need to break out of our complacency and our distracted busyness, by replacing the fearmongering noise of those who would keep us oppressed, divided, inertial and ineffective, with the all-powerful living Word of God.
When I am overtaken by fears, I’m reminded of the hymn, “How Firm a Foundation”, which speaks of living our lives on the firm foundation of God’s holy word. Verses 2 and 5 state: “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, for I am thy God and will still give thee aid; I’ll strengthen and help thee and cause thee to stand upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose, I will not, I will not desert to its foes; that soul though all hell should endeavor to shake, I’ll never, no never, no, never forsake!” Fear not, for God is always with us, amen!