I love books that bring me closer to Christ. Really, it's silly that I waste my time on anything that doesn't move me closer to Him, but in an easily distractable world, I cherish those instances when my focus is turned again to Jesus and His life. Or in the case of this holiday season, His life, death and resurrection. And Max Lucado did just that in his book Fearless.
Here are some things I learned from Lucado about fear through Jesus' life, death and resurrection...
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| {be of good cheer} |
CHRIST'S LIFE
Do you realize just how many times Christ told us in some way or another to not fear? I've never thought it particularly noteworthy. But he's said it so many times, that I'm realizing it's a pretty big piece of His ministry on this earth.
Be of good cheer. Keep your head and don't panic. Let not your heart be troubled. Don't let your hearts be afraid. Do not fear. Don't be afraid.It's like He knew we were prone to worry or something. Or prone to worry about things that don't matter. Or prone to allow worry to keep us from action.
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| {fear not, He overcame the world} |
HIS DEATH
Getting on board with Christ can mean rough seas and stout winds (in regards to Matt. 8:23-24). "In the world you will have tribulation." {John 16:33} Christ-followers suffer unexplained difficulties. It's not the absence of storms that sets us apart. It's Whom we discover in the storm: an unstirred Christ. {pp. 7, 8}
Christ's death was certainly tribulation. His agony in His pleas to the Father in the garden say it all (Mark 14:32-42). In John 13-16 Jesus prepares His disciples for what is about to happen. Countless times he explains this with, "I shall be with you a little while longer... Where I am going you cannot follow Me now... A little while longer and the world will see Me no more... I will no longer talk much with you."
It doesn't seem they're "getting" the sorrow that is coming their way. But Jesus is equipping them with the reminder that joy will follow this tribulation. {John 16:22}
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world {John 16:33}Through Christ's death, our fear is unfounded. The tribulation the world gives us was already overcome by Christ on the cross.
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| {fear not, you will know joy} |
HIS RESURRECTION
The Father will give another counselor to be with us forever {John 14:16}
Another just like the first. Just like the disciples had Jesus there with them teaching, healing, comforting--the Spirit does for us now. (pp. 129, 131) While we have a greater joy coming (the joy of the second coming), this is a large part of the joy following the time of sorrow that Jesus was telling His disciples. They would mourn His death, but fear not, because joyful celebration will return in His resurrection and receiving the Spirit!
