{"id":4829,"date":"2016-05-08T12:38:15","date_gmt":"2016-05-08T17:38:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/?p=4829"},"modified":"2016-05-08T12:38:15","modified_gmt":"2016-05-08T17:38:15","slug":"released-from-fears-may-8-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/2016\/05\/released-from-fears-may-8-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Released From Fears May 8, 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

RELEASED FROM FEARS<\/span><\/p>\n

MICAH 4:1-4\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>1 JOHN 4:3-21<\/span><\/p>\n

CHILMARK COMMUNITY CHURCH<\/span><\/p>\n

UNITED METHODIST<\/span><\/p>\n

MAY 8, 2016<\/span><\/p>\n

REV. ARMEN HANJIAN<\/span><\/p>\n

Recently someone said, \u00a0 <\/span>\u201cAlmost everyone I know is either lonely or afraid.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cFear,\u201d said Gilbert J. Chesterton, \u201cis the greatest plague of mankind.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Medical dictionaries list more than 3,000 fears or phobias.\u00a0 <\/span>Common fears in our day include the fear of pain, sickness, failure, poverty, being dependent in old age, losing status, the fear of being unloved and the fear of death.\u00a0 <\/span>And probably all of us are controlled somewhat by fears of which we are not conscious.\u00a0 <\/span>Wherever we hesitate, hold back, get shy and often behind anger we find fear.<\/span><\/p>\n

The American Medical Association concluded about half of our illnesses are rooted in wrong attitudes of mind and spirit.\u00a0 <\/span>One doctor said that 85% of the patients that come to see him don\u2019t need medicine – they need to change their mental and spiritual attitudes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout life, fear is one of our chief enemies.\u00a0 <\/span>The writers of our Bible were aware of this and had good news to speak to our situation.\u00a0 <\/span>Recall Adam\u2019s first excuse for hiding from God after he disobeyed?\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cI was afraid,\u201d said Adam.\u00a0 <\/span>The great prophet of the 8th century BCE, Micah, dreamed of a world ruled by God and dedicated to God\u2019s will.\u00a0 <\/span>It shall be a time when \u201ceveryone shall sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree and none shall make them afraid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And it is significant that, according to Matthew, the first words the resurrected Christ spoke to the women were, \u201cDo not be afraid.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>In fact the words \u201cfear not\u201d are one of the most common in the classical Christian documents.<\/span><\/p>\n

I would like, now, to help make vivid what fears can do for us and to us.\u00a0 <\/span>Then, for your benefit and for those to whom you minister,\u00a0 <\/span>I shall suggest some specific steps to overcome your fears.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Most people appreciate some of the values of fear.\u00a0 <\/span>Fear, like pain is a sentinel which warns of danger.\u00a0 <\/span>Starbuck, in Moby Dick said it well, \u201cI will have no man on my boat who is not afraid of a whale.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>We need caution in the face of real dangers. <\/span><\/p>\n

The truth is most of our fears are not based on real dangers, but on imaginary dangers.\u00a0 <\/span>There are only two fears we are born with: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. (not a good time to slam the pulpit.) \u00a0 <\/span>Awhile back some psychologists studied 500 people and who named 7,000 various fears; all but two were acquired.\u00a0 <\/span>500 people loaded down with 6,998 unnatural, useless fears.<\/span><\/p>\n

We might do well to do what one woman did when she realized her fears were ruining her life.\u00a0 <\/span>She made a \u2018worry table\u201d.\u00a0 <\/span>Here is what she discovered: <\/span><\/p>\n

40% – will never happen<\/span><\/p>\n

30% – were worries about old decisions she could not \u00a0 <\/span>alter<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/span>12% – were other\u2019s criticism of me,\u00a0 <\/span>most untrue, made by \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/span>people\u00a0 <\/span>who feel inferior<\/span><\/p>\n

10% – were worries about my health, which gets worse as I worry<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 <\/span>8% – \u201clegitimate\u201d fears since life has some real problems to meet<\/span><\/p>\n

Remember Jesus spoke about the man buried the one talent entrusted to him and gave it back to its owner saying, \u201cI was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the earth.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>His life work turned out to be a hole in the ground.\u00a0 <\/span>Fear of failure did that.\u00a0 <\/span>Fear robbed him of any adventure in life.\u00a0 <\/span>Safety meant stay at home and don\u2019t budge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Joseph of Arimathea\u00a0 <\/span>was described as a \u201csecret disciple for fear of the Jews.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>Fear has a way of driving people under ground.\u00a0 <\/span>You know people who are afraid —- Fear saps their strength.\u00a0 <\/span>It paralizes their initiative.<\/span><\/p>\n

People are not only afraid of life and it\u2019s demands; they also fear death.\u00a0 <\/span>Emma Carleton writes:<\/span><\/p>\n

The road winds up the hill to meet the height,<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond the locust hedge it curves from sight-<\/span><\/p>\n

And yet no man would foolishly contend<\/span><\/p>\n

That where he sees it not, it makes an end.<\/span><\/p>\n

So much points to life beyond death, yet countless numbers go through life with the single aim to avert death.\u00a0 <\/span>Why?\u00a0 <\/span>Are they afraid of the unknown, or that they have not lived a life they are proud to present to their Maker, or do they see death as equivalent to extinction?\u00a0 <\/span>If you keep your eye pealed for that day, you will miss life in its fullness in the here and the now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let us turn now to ways means to achieve victory over our fears.\u00a0 <\/span>It seems to me there are two techniques which we can practice in order to be released from our fears.\u00a0 <\/span>One is <\/span>substitution<\/span>.\u00a0 <\/span>I mean by that the process of deliberately thinking positive and loving thoughts and in so doing crowding out the negative and fearful thoughts.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are two ways of getting rid of weeds in your lawn short of poisons I\u2019m told.\u00a0 <\/span>One way is to get down on your hands and knees and pull out each weed one by one.\u00a0 <\/span>The other way is to keep planting an abundance of good grass seed and letting the grass crowd out the weeds.\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s substitution.\u00a0 <\/span>That is not the same as saying forget your worries; the more you do that, the deeper you will drive them into your awareness.\u00a0 <\/span>Crowd out your fears.\u00a0 <\/span>As St. Paul writes, \u201cwhatever is true, honest, pure, lovely, and of good report, think on these things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A striking woodcut by M.C. Escher, a Dutch artist, is called \u201cDay and Night.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>It seems to be a flock of white birds, flying in formation in the same direction.\u00a0 <\/span>A second look, however, shows that the spaces between the birds in formation are shaped like birds also.\u00a0 <\/span>These phantom birds are all black and are all flying in the opposite direction.\u00a0 <\/span>The two sets of birds are so cleverly blended that it is impossible to keep the eye focused on both flocks at the same time.\u00a0 <\/span>That is, we can see white birds flying of black birds flying.\u00a0 <\/span>It all depends on the way we look at it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fear is the most self-centered of all emotions.\u00a0 <\/span>Fear is the heightened awareness of the self occasioned by what is thought to be threats to the self.\u00a0 <\/span>\u201cThe cure for fear lies partly in eliminating external threats to the security of the self; but it lies more in eliminating excessive consciousness of the self.\u00a0 <\/span>Love supremely does this.\u201d <\/span>Interpreter\u2019s <\/b>Bible<\/span> 12:286\u00a0 <\/span>Our scripture lesson today reads \u201cThere is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.\u201d \u201cLove casts out fear because it casts out unhealthy self-consciousness….Indeed, the principle may be laid down that\u00a0 <\/span>the presence of fear in human personality denotes ethical and religious maladjustment somewhere\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>in John\u2019s words, \u201che who fears is not perfected in love.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan substitutions for those fears; with such a plan you will be on the offensive.\u00a0 <\/span>I first learned this works in the dentist chair; in focusing on Christ\u2019s pain on the Cross, mine diminished.<\/span><\/p>\n

Briefly, the other technique to deal with our fears may be called the way of appropriation. (terms suggested by Harold Ruopp)\u00a0 <\/span>Let me illustrate.\u00a0 <\/span>Two women are engaged in prayer.\u00a0 <\/span>One says, \u201cO Lord, help me. Take away my fears.\u00a0 <\/span>Give me peace, trust and hope.\u201d\u00a0 <\/span>The other prays: \u201cO Lord, I rest in you.\u00a0 <\/span>I take peace. I belong to you.\u00a0 <\/span>You are my dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms.\u00a0 <\/span>I give myself to you.\u00a0 <\/span>I open myself to your strength.\u201d I hope you see what I mean by appropriation.\u00a0 <\/span>Learn the art of prayer for fears dissolve in the atmosphere of prayer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Talk over your fears with another person, bring them to the surface and then leave them with God.\u00a0 <\/span>Surrender them and yourself to God.\u00a0 <\/span>Keep fears on the margins of life and God central.\u00a0 <\/span>The God we see in Jesus Christ is one who takes us as we are,\u00a0 <\/span>with our misplaced loyalties and senseless fears, God takes us and makes us like God is.\u00a0 <\/span>God takes us as we are and we do not fear exposure, for exposure means judgment, but judgment is the very thing a Christian has learned to accept as a gateway to new life.\u00a0 <\/span>Christianity does not promise your life will always be safe and rosy, but that if the worst comes, there is nothing to be afraid of.\u00a0 <\/span>I end with these words of Jesus: \u201cIn the world, you shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Holy One, these fears of mine I have held within my heart and now I am turning them over to you.\u00a0 <\/span>I will keep open to your inner guidance as I walk Christ\u2019s way.\u00a0 <\/span>Amen<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RELEASED FROM FEARS MICAH 4:1-4\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 1 JOHN 4:3-21 CHILMARK COMMUNITY CHURCH UNITED METHODIST MAY 8, 2016 REV. ARMEN HANJIAN Recently someone said, \u00a0 \u201cAlmost everyone I know is either lonely or afraid.\u201d\u00a0 \u201cFear,\u201d said Gilbert J. Chesterton, \u201cis the greatest plague of mankind.\u201d\u00a0 Medical dictionaries list more than 3,000 fears […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-worship-and-teaching"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4829"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4830,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4829\/revisions\/4830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chilmarkchurch.org\/service\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}