Calmed by Him
Matthew 28:10 says Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid.” Fear is such a big theme in the Bible. The phrase "fear not" or "do not fear" shows up many times in the Word, and the concept of not being afraid shows up even more times. It’s everywhere! It leaps off the pages of the Bible into our hearts.
Understanding Fear
You know, people are afraid of strange things. Phobophobia is the fear of being afraid. Try to get your head around that! Omphalophobia is the fear of belly buttons! Chronophobia is the fear of time passing. Descendophobia is the fear of walking downstairs. Or what about Jefferophobia? It's not the fear of Jeffs; it's the fear of walking over a bridge.
Now those are unusual, but for most people, fear is more rational. We fear losing a loved one. We fear losing our jobs. We fear making a decision that might be wrong. We fear people's opinions.
Trust Over Fear
Does it sound familiar to you? Well, here's a great passage from David where he puts it into perspective. Psalm 56:3–4: When I am afraid, I will trust in You, in God, whose word I praise, in God I trust. I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?
I love how he says “When I'm afraid, I will trust in You.” And then he says “I will not be afraid.” And so the fear is going to come, but I will trust. And my fears will be released.
The Presence of Christ
The risen Jesus arrives in the presence of these women and He says to them, “Fear not, don't be afraid.” I'm here. I'm with you.
I remember once a friend of mine said to me that fear of the dark is actually fear of being alone in the dark. If you're alone in the dark and you hear a sound, it's terrifying. But when somebody is with you, you take courage.
And so in their dark moment after Jesus’ death, He arrives and says “I'm with you. In this dark time of yours, I'm actually here. I'm here. Don't be afraid.” And so hear those words today, friends, in your own context, whatever you're going through, whatever darkness you're in—Christ is there. The risen Christ is there saying, “Do not be afraid.”
Fear not. He is the light! He is with you. Don't be afraid!
And in fact, that phrase is repeated in this passage. The Angel said the same thing to the woman: “Don't be afraid. I know that you're looking for Jesus.”
So I pray that you will fear not today, that you look for Jesus, and that because He is with you, you will no longer be afraid.
