By: The Rev. Russell E. J. Martin
Do you remember what your first fear was? Was it being afraid of leaving your mom or dad’s side during the first day of school or of the dark, or of getting lost? Was it a fear of things that go bump in the night or the monster that lives in the closet? Was it a fear of being rejected or being embarrassed or speaking in front of groups or even a fear of death? Even from the time we are children so much of our lives are defined by our fears, and yet the most common command in the Scripture is some form of “Do not Fear”, “Fear not” or “Be not afraid”. The Lord knows our propensity for fear and so not only has He repeatedly told His people to “Fear Not!” but promised His presence, provision and protection. This Sunday’s reading from First John brings into sharp focus the reality of our capacity for fear and yet even more shining is God’s antidote to fear’s toxin—LOVE, and not just any LOVE but GOD’S PERFECT LOVE!
Easter is a season of Perfect Love for it shows the power of Christ’s love not only in the hard wood of the Cross but also in the Empty Tomb, which is the Father’s vindication of Jesus words, teaching and claims to Divinity! We need not fear, for the Holy One who defeated death and vanquished sin is the One who calls us and fills us with His Love.
The problem with fear is that it robs us of our joy and paralyzes us so we are not able to live life, let alone the full, abundant and resurrected life which is Christ’s free gift to all those who believe in Him and call Him Lord and Savior. Moreover, fear weakens our resolve to the point that we can be led astray and into heart-breaking situations which not only cost us dearly and cause others to needlessly suffer, but in the extreme can lead those who are shackled by fear to terminate the lives of innocent children—all out of fear!
Fear is a frequent and favored weapon of the Enemy who seeks only to “steal, kill and destroy” (c.f. John 10:10). But the refrain of Easter is “Alleluia He is Risen” and this is a harbinger not of death but of LIFE and LOVE! It is not enough for us as Christians simply to bask in the Love of Christ, which is a wonderful thing indeed, but rather to live into that Love as St. John says by showing love to both God and our brother. Of course it is obvious that while John refers to our “brother(s)” he really means mothers, fathers, sons, daughters and so forth. Christians are even called to embrace and love both the “unloved” (those who have no one to else to love them—the weak, the innocent, the voiceless and unborn or vulnerable), and the “unlovable” (those who are for all intents and purpose we despise or might even call enemies). Was it not Jesus, Himself, who called us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” (Luke 6:27-28 ESV) Then how much more should we come alongside and love those who are bound by fear and extend to them the same love we ourselves have so desperately needed?
One might ask, “Why should we let our love be evident?” The answer is really quite simple: “we love because God first loved us” and because if our love of Him is genuine then we will love those whom He loves. Eastertide reminds us that we need not fear but instead embrace the perfect love of Christ, who died and rose again to redeem those who once walked in fear.
Here are three questions to consider:
- Are you ready to stop living in fear and ready to enter the full and perfect love of Christ?
- How has fear encroached and impeded your life in and witness to Christ?
- With whom is God calling you to share His gift of perfect love?