fear on SermonAudio

Why did John the Baptist remain faithful to God's Word when it cost him his life? In Mark 6:14–29, Herod's fear of man stands in sharp contrast to John's courageous obedience. Pastor John Owen Butler explains the danger of unrepentant sin, the cost of Christian discipleship, and the sustaining grace of Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection secure the believer's salvation and final victory.

This sermon examines the narrative of Abram and Sarai in Genesis 12, highlighting how Abram's faith falters during a famine as he relies on human wisdom rather than divine promise. The text contrasts Abram's flawed actions, such as endangering his wife to save himself, with the sovereignty and faithfulness of God, who protects Sarai and blesses Abram despite his disobedience. The central theme asserts that God's faithfulness is not contingent on human obedience, offering comfort to believers whose faith is tested by life's trials. By presenting Abram as a foil to Christ, the message encourages the audience to place their ultimate hope and trust in God, who defends His people and fulfills His covenant promises regardless of human weakness. Outline: 1) Our Flawed Heroes 2) Our Small Enemies 3) Our Faithful God

This Message explores the human tendency to make excuses when God calls for obedience. Pastor Matt begins by challenging the congregation to reflect on their own resistance to God's commands, such as jealousy, covetousness, and basic obedience—before diving into the biblical narrative. In the passage, God reveals Himself to Moses, acknowledges the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt, and promises to deliver them to a bountiful land. However, Moses's initial excitement quickly shifts to hesitation when God reveals that Moses himself is the chosen instrument being sent to Pharaoh to lead the people out of captivity. Moses proceeds to make excuses about his own identity, ability, knowledge, fear of rejection, inadequacy, and outright opposition to God's idea. God has a plan and ultimately uses Moses to accomplish it.

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This sermon addresses the paralysis of fear that often inhibits believers from fulfilling their God-given missions, using the example of Titus in Crete. It argues that the solution to overwhelming tasks and cultural opposition is not human strength but a clear understanding who we are, why we're here, and what we have. The text emphasizes that apostolic authority and the mandate to preach the truth are derived from God's command, not from lived experience or cultural approval. By anchoring ourselves in the unshakable hope of eternal life promised by the never-lying God, we can choose courage over cowardice, doing the work entrusted to us regardless of the outcome.

The sermon explores the command to serve the Lord in truth with all one's heart, contrasting genuine devotion with mere compliance. Using the story of Jonah and Israel's demand for a king as illustrations, the message highlights how a lack of proper reverence and a failure to remember God's past faithfulness lead to insincere obedience. The text emphasizes that true service requires a stable, wholehearted commitment rooted in the fear of the Lord and a recognition of His worthiness. Listeners are encouraged to examine their own attitudes, moving from grudging duty to cheerful, consistent devotion in their daily lives. The sermon concludes with an invitation for unsaved individuals to accept Jesus as their Savior to begin this journey of wholehearted service.

This sermon examines the context of Jacob's encounter with God in Genesis 32, focusing on the tension between human strategy and divine sovereignty. It analyzes how fear and distress often drive believers to make irrational assumptions and rely on self-reliance rather than faith, using Jacob's preparation for his meeting with Esau as a primary example. The teaching emphasizes the theological framework of God's purpose, providence, and permissive will, illustrating how God uses even sinful actions to advance His covenant promises. By contrasting Jacob's initial anxiety with the peace found in prayer, the message encourages believers to trust in God's sovereign control over all circumstances, including anxiety and fear, as part of the process of sanctification.

If you belong to Christ, you are free from condemnation—not someday, but right now. Because Jesus has fully paid for your sins, God's verdict over you is already settled, and the law can no longer condemn you. You do not need to live under the weight of guilt or fear that your salvation is uncertain. Instead, you can rest in Christ's finished work and live with the joy, peace, and confidence of knowing that you are fully accepted by God.

Psalm 25 is a prayerful meditation of David born out of his need for God's help in time of trouble that teaches us much of our merciful God and our dependence and dependent prayer upon Him. Great dangers and distress caused by enemies drive David to lift up his soul unto God for help. In doing so, he was reminded of the greatness of God and his own frailty in comparison. As David asks from God (1) to be delivered from his enemies and to not be ashamed before them, he also convicted to not be ashamed before his great God, and asks for (2) the guilt of his sin against God to be removed and (3) to be enabled to handle his difficulty in obedience to God, for God's glory. -- Psalm 25 begins with the memorable plea and theme of "To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul." David is humbly, trustingly, and meditatively offering up his very soul to his God… (1) …that he might be delivered from the enemies of God (vv2,19) (2) …that he might be forgiven for his sin against God (vv7,11,18) (3) …that he might be enabled unto obedience to the glory of God (vv2,4-5,20-21) I. Prayer (vv1-7) ---(v1) "I lift up my soul (to You)" ---(vv2-3) Trust in You and not be Ashamed ---(vv4-5) Teach me as I Wait on You ---(vv6-7) Remember but Remember not II. Meditation (vv8-15) ---(vv8-11) "Good and upright is the LORD." ---(vv12-15) "Who is the man that fears the LORD?" III. Prayer (vv16-22) ---(vv16-21) "Turn Yourself to me" ---(v22) "Redeem Israel…out of all their troubles!"