Series: N/A

Service: Sun AM Worship

Type: Sermon

Speaker: Larry Brown

Summary What Are You Afraid Of

📘 Sermon Information

Course Title: Christian/Biblical Studies

Instructor: Larry Brown

Date: 2025-10-2 Sunday AM Worship

Chapter/Topic: The Fear of the Lord (based on Psalms 103 and related Scriptures)

🧠Key Learnings

Knowledge point 1: The Biblical Presence of Fear of God

The fear of God is a recurrent theme across both Old and New Testaments. It appears as dread and reverence in Old Testament accounts (Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Job) and persists in the New Testament (apostles’ reactions to miracles, Hebrews’ warning, Paul’s admonitions, early church conduct). Scripture frames fear of God as a proper response to God’s holiness, sovereignty, and power.

Examples analyzed:

• Psalms 103:17 — steadfast love is “to those who fear him,” linking fear with receiving God’s mercy.
• Job 23 — Job’s expression of terror at God’s presence illustrates the awe/dread dimension.
• New Testament references (2 Corinthians 5, Hebrews) show fear informing evangelistic urgency and ethical seriousness.

Knowledge point 2: Fear of God Is More Than Simple Anxiety

Fear of God includes elements of worship, trust, hope, reverence, love, and obedience. It is not merely terror; it is an all-encompassing posture toward God that shapes belief and action. The instructor emphasized that substituting “respect” for “fear” understates the biblical meaning.

Example analyzed:

• Jeremiah 32:38–40 — God promises to “put the fear of me in their hearts,” portraying fear as a gift that secures covenant faithfulness and blessings.

Knowledge point 3: Three Practical Responses That Express Fear of the Lord

The lecture distilled fear of God into three interrelated responses believers should exhibit:

1. Undivided attention — God deserves wholehearted focus and priority in life decisions.
   • Scripture: Psalm 86:11; Psalm 34:4–10 (deliverance and blessing for those who seek/fear God).
   • Illustration: Personal anecdotes (Niagara Falls, snorkeling) used to show how fear/attention directs behavior.
2. Unrivaled awe — Deep, reverent awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty that draws us into worship rather than drives us away.
   • Scripture: Psalm 47 and the Hebrew sense of awe as dread/ reverence.
3. Unparalleled allegiance — Complete loyalty and obedience to God, manifested by walking in His ways, loving and serving Him with whole heart and soul.
   • Scripture: Deuteronomy 10:12–13; Proverbs (beginning and end: fear of the Lord as beginning of knowledge; praise for a woman who fears the Lord).

Knowledge point 4: The Outcomes of Proper Fear

Proper fear leads to transformed living: trust instead of self-reliance, hatred of evil instead of tolerance, order in life, peace amid circumstances, and obedience. Fear motivates repentance, devotion, evangelistic urgency, and ethical living.

Examples analyzed:

• Proverbs: fear leads to wisdom (trust God rather than one’s own understanding) and hatred of evil.
• Psalm 34: deliverance, provision, and protection for those who fear the Lord.

Knowledge point 5: Pastoral Application and Invitation

The lecturer urged personal reflection: examine what competes for your attention, awe, and allegiance. The fear of God should produce humility (poverty of spirit), changed behavior, and receptivity to God’s salvation and guidance. The congregation was invited to seek help for restoration of reverence, repentance, and Christian commitment.

Assignment/Call to action: come forward for guidance in salvation, restoration, or study (no formal homework assigned).

✏️ Key Concepts

Concept 1: Fear of God

Definition: A multifaceted biblical disposition combining reverence, awe, worship, trust, obedience, and healthy dread of God’s holiness and sovereign authority.

Key Points:

• Present in both Old and New Testament contexts.
• More comprehensive than mere “respect;” includes worship and trust.
• Described as a gift God places in hearts (Jeremiah 32).
• Produces ethical change and spiritual benefits (Psalm 34; Proverbs).

Example / Analogy: Analogy: Standing at the water’s edge of Niagara Falls — the speaker’s fear arose from recognition of overwhelming power and risk, illustrating how recognizing God’s greatness produces a reverent fear that affects behavior. —— the speaker

Concept 2: Undivided Attention to God

Definition: Giving God primary place in thought, decision-making, and priorities; refusing to confine God to a compartment of life.

Key Points:

• Scripture: Psalm 86:11 (unite my heart to fear your name).
• Attention shapes decisions and responses to crisis.
• Fear focuses and orders life when placed first.

Example/Analogy: Personal snorkeling story: noticing a barracuda illustrates how focused attention (driven by fear) guides careful, protective behavior. —— the speaker

Concept 3: Unrivaled Awe

Definition: A deep reverence and sense of God’s dread-inspiring holiness and sovereignty that leads to worship.

Key Points:

• Hebrew conception links awe with dread and worship.
• Psalm 47 and related texts call for fear of the Most High.
• Awe draws believers into worship, not away.

Example/Analogy: Language note: “awe/awful” historical meaning shows how reverence once implied powerful dread that now should point believers toward worship. —— the speaker

Concept 4: Unparalleled Allegiance

Definition: Complete loyalty to God demonstrated by obedience, love, service, and keeping His commandments.

Key Points:

• Deuteronomy 10:12–13 describes requirements flowing from fearing God.
• Fear fosters perseverance and right choices amid trials.
• Proverbs ties fear with practical wisdom and hatred of evil.

Example/Analogy: Beatitudes (poverty of spirit): humility before God mirrors fear that yields dependence and allegiance. —— the speaker

Concept 5: Fear as Motivator for Change and Peace

Definition: Fear of the Lord motivates repentance, evangelism, obedience, and produces spiritual peace and ordered living.

Key Points:

• Paul’s and Hebrews’ warnings: fear creates urgency and ethical seriousness.
• Psalm 34: fear leads to deliverance, provision, and absence of lack.
• Proper fear yields the peace that surpasses understanding.

Example/Analogy: The contrast between fearing circumstances vs. fearing God: wise living arises from fearing God more than fearing issues. —— the speaker

🔄 Q&A/Discussion

Question 1: How should believers reconcile God’s love with the fear of God? Answer 1: Scripture shows both attributes coexist; fear of God (reverence, awe, obedience) and God’s love are complementary — fear leads to receiving God’s steadfast love and mercy (e.g., Psalm 103:17).

Question 2: Is fear of God the same as being terrified of God? Answer 2: Not exactly. Biblical fear includes terror before divine holiness in some passages, but it more broadly means reverent worship, trust, and obedience that draws people closer rather than driving them away.

Question 3: What practical steps help cultivate the fear of the Lord? Answer 3: Prioritize undivided attention to God (prayer, Scripture, worship), cultivate awe through meditation on God’s attributes and acts, and demonstrate allegiance by obedience and turning from evil.