Jump Start # 1296

Mark 9:6 “For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified.”

  Our verse today is taken from the account of the transfiguration. Jesus, Peter, James and John  are on a high mountain. Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appear. They speak with Jesus. They discuss this coming departure. The three disciples witness this. Peter wants to build three tabernacles to honor all three. This is where our verse is found. Peter didn’t know what to say. He was scared. He had never seen anything like that. While Peter is speaking, the Father speaks from Heaven.

There are many fascinating and curious things about this account. Jesus was changed. He was transfigured. He face was bright. His clothes were bright. And these two Old Testament heroes, Moses and Elijah were there. How did Peter know who they were? Did he over hear their names in the conversation? I don’t think they were wearing name tags. Maybe God simply revealed who they were.

In all of this, there is an interesting statement. Peter speaks. He did not know what to say. He was terrified. Scared. Afraid. It dawned on me when I read this recently, how many times the disciples were frightened.

• Remember when they were in the boat and there was a violent storm? Jesus was asleep on the cushion in the boat. They woke Jesus up, fearing that they were going to perish. They were afraid. Then Jesus calmed the storm and they were even more afraid. They were afraid of the one who could change the weather.

• Then there was another time on the sea. Peter saw Jesus walking on the water and asked if he could do the same. Peter started to walk. The text tells us that seeing the wind and the waves, he started to sink. He became scared. He was afraid.

• Remember when Jesus was arrested and tried by the Jews? Peter stayed in the courtyard, warming himself by a fire. There he was accused of being a follower. He got scared. He denied it.

All of this within three short years. Following Jesus, didn’t mean sitting in church buildings listening to Jesus lecture. It was out there in storms, facing opposition, going through things they never had before. Following Jesus, for these first disciples, brought fear to them on many occasions.

This got me thinking. I don’t remember when the last time I have really been scared. Sure, I’ve sat through scary moments in a movie, but it’s not real. I just tell myself, it’s a movie. I sat in a few roller coasters that made me afraid. Again, I knew it would be over very quickly. There have been near accidents, that give you that sudden thrust of fear, but it passes. Most of us are rarely afraid. It’s hard for us to imagine what Peter and John experienced in those brief three years.

Maybe this is why Jesus so many times would say, “Fear not.” Fear does something to us on the inside. It gets us upset. It rattles our cages. It drives faith out.

The two areas that I have truly seen fear is when a person faces the consequences of the wrong that they have done. A young person is arrested. A man loses his job because of dishonest dealings. A wife is divorced for having an adulterous affair. This is when we notice fear. What’s next? What have I done? The wish is to rewind life and change things. A family is split apart and will never be the same again. The house must be sold. What’s next? Satan blinds us to those fearful consequences of sin.

The other time I see fear is near the end of life when someone doesn’t know Jesus. They want to think that they will go to Heaven, they want to believe that there is a Heaven, but they have spent a lifetime away from God and know they are scared. Life is running out of them and they just don’t know. It’s different for the believer. He has read, trusted and believed in the Lord for a long time. He knows what happens at death. The believer understands resurrection, second coming and judgment. His trust is in the mercy of God. He has faith. Death isn’t the unknown. He faces death ready to see his savior.

Fear. Those first disciples experienced it often. Following Jesus put them in situations that they had never been before. Those fearful moments made them trust the Lord. That was faith building. Later, after Jesus returned to Heaven, these same disciples would courageously preach Jesus name. They would be jailed, threatened, warned but that wouldn’t stop them. They seemed fearless. They had incredible courage. They were driven by faith.

There is a lesson for us. Maybe we ought to step out a bit more in faith. What is often uncomfortable for us is not achieved because of fear. There may be that person in your life that you know you need to talk to about Jesus. You want to, but you are afraid. Maybe there is a person in your family that you need to have a talk with about some of their choices. You dread doing that, so you don’t. Maybe you’ve gone along with things at work, when you shouldn’t have. Fear has made you a coward and made you engage in things that are not right. Maybe there are things going on at church that are not right. It seems everyone else is fine with it. You are bothered. Fear keeps you silent. Maybe fear of family keeps you from worshipping as you ought to. Maybe the fear of what friends might say, keeps you from standing up against things that are wrong.

There comes a time when we, too, must deal with our fears. We must trust in the Lord and do the right thing. Our fears are more about what others may think about us or what they might say. Often, one courageous voice will find others who are in support, but they were silent because of fear.

We must put aside our feelings and do what is right. Those early disciples conquered their fears. We must do the same and walk with the Lord in holiness and righteousness.

Fear not…those words only mean something if there is a fearful situation. Denying self, taking up the cross and following Jesus is the key to overcoming fear. Faith drives fear out.

Roger