Sermon: Fear Of The Lord
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Base Scripture
Base Scripture
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,
Illustration of Sponkey.
When I was young, my father surprised my mom with cat that she in turned named Sponkey. Sponkey was a falsely good cat, meaning after Sponkey became familiar with the place and us, there was a change. The cat would hiss and claw us all the time. I particularly remember brushing my teeth to get ready for school and the cat jumped up and dug its claws into the skin of my back straight through my pajamas.
My father, even though he bought the cat, could not rationalize how we feed the cat, give water to the cat, change the litter box, but yet the Sponkey demonized us daily. My father required some sort of respect from the cat, but we all experienced the opposite from Sponkey. Needless to say, Sponkey had to go.
In the similar way, God the Father requires us to “fear” Him. God doesn’t want any negative attitudes toward Him. God requires honor, reverence, obedience, and love.
Let’s talk about the “Fear of The Lord.”
The Fear Of The Lord
The Fear Of The Lord
What does it mean to fear the Lo
Paul states how believers are to live before God.
Paul states how believers are to live before God.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
Phi
Paul was addressing his letter known to us as the Book of Philippians. Paul was talking to all of the believers in Philippi. Why?
A brief history of the city and people of Philippi
City Of Philippi
City Of Philippi
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Culture and Influence
Philippi’s inhabitants included residents of Thracian, Greek, and Roman descent.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Culture and Influence
Greek was widely spoken throughout the area and continued to serve as a commercial language.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Culture and Influence
its citizens were granted the ius italicum—meaning they had land and poll tax exemptions, authority to buy and sell property, protection by Roman law, and various other rights and privileges (compare Acts 16:12). The citizens of Philippi thus benefited from the city’s status as a Roman colony and provincial municipality.
The Religion of Philippi
The Religion of Philippi
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Local Religion
Philippi was a center of worship for various deities
This is not the type of fear that we hear and know
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Local Religion
Early settlers introduced the cults of the Thracian god Liber Pater and the goddess Bendis, as well as that of the Thracian Rider.
Greek historian Herodotus
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Local Religion
Herodotus mentions a Thracian oracle of Dionysos
Who Is Dionysos?
Who Is Dionysos?
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Dionysus
The Greek god of wine, merry-making, and insanity.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary History of Worship and Intersection with Christianity
Followers of Dionysus partook in outdoor festivities and rituals that ranged from quiet contemplation to bouts of frenzied violence
The believers in Philippi were surrounded by pagan worshippers that were not too kindly to the true God worshippers.
Fear and Tremble Before The Lord
Fear and Tremble Before The Lord
Again, why was Paul talking to the believers in Philippi about fear and trembling?
This fear is not walking around trembling and shaking as one that is terrified.
Paul was speaking about obedience to the Lord.
Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 1. General Application—An Appeal to Obedience (2:12–13)
That “working out your salvation” has to do with “obedience”
Before we can understand what type of “fear” Paul referred to here, let’s examine the area and the people of which Paul spoke directly to.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Culture and Influence
Philippi’s inhabitants included residents of Thracian, Greek, and Roman descent.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Culture and Influence
Greek was widely spoken throughout the area and continued to serve as a commercial language.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Culture and Influence
its citizens were granted the ius italicum—meaning they had land and poll tax exemptions, authority to buy and sell property, protection by Roman law, and various other rights and privileges (compare Acts 16:12). The citizens of Philippi thus benefited from the city’s status as a Roman colony and provincial municipality.
Paul was telling his listeners, including us today that we are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” for it is God that works out His will and work for His pleasure.
The Religion of Philippi
The Religion of Philippi
“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Local Religion
Philippi was a center of worship for various deities
We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Local Religion
Early settlers introduced the cults of the Thracian god Liber Pater and the goddess Bendis, as well as that of the Thracian Rider.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
Greek historian Herodotus
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Local Religion
Herodotus mentions a Thracian oracle of Dionysos
Who Is Dionysos?
Who Is Dionysos?
Scripture:
The Lexham Bible Dictionary Dionysus
The Greek god of wine, merry-making, and insanity.
The Lexham Bible Dictionary History of Worship and Intersection with Christianity
Followers of Dionysus partook in outdoor festivities and rituals that ranged from quiet contemplation to bouts of frenzied violence
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
11 Serve Jehovah with fear, And rejoice with trembling.
Fear
A Handbook on the Book of Psalms Psalm 2:11–12
meaning of awe, respect, reverence.
Trembling
A Handbook on the Book of Psalms Psalm 2:11–12
“make yourself humble” or “make yourself low.”
When we serve the Lord and work out our own salvation, we need to respect and reverence our Lord with a lowly or humbled attitude.
When we come into the presence of the Lord, we need to pay homage to Him with a bowed heart before Him.
The Joshua promise :
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
Josh
Many of us want the “good success”, but we don’t want to get low (“tremble” - ).
Illustration of basketball training to jump higher
When I played basketball 9th grade, I wanted to jump higher. One of the exercises I did to help me jump higher was to take free-weights. I used two 10lbs. weights, one in left hand and the other in my right hand. I would squat all the way down and jump as high I can twenty times, for three reps. I put in the work and the results came.
Church goers want good success with no labor.
The problem with many church goers is that they want “good success”, but they don’t want to put in the work.
In order for you to have “good success”, you must get low. You must serve the Lord with “fear and trembling”. You cannot compromise!
Sometimes we as Christians have problems getting low because of influences.
Outside Influences
Outside Influences
We live a loud and brute-force world
There are so many influences that bite at the heels of Christians everyday to try and make us bend and bow. These type of influences are contrary to what God requires, but yet try to justify by referencing biblical scriptures.
Let’s equate these influences to gods.
The god of money
The god of achievement
The god boastfulness or pride
The god of education
The god of self
The god of someone (i.e., wife, husband, pastor)
These gods are hiding in plain sight, but present everyday. We as Christians need to remain in the fear of the Lord, because if we continually serve God with “fear and trembling”, we have our covering.
Protection From Influences
Protection From Influences
The fear of the Lord is a covering
26 In the fear of the Lord one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge.
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.
When you reverence and respect God with gratefulness and humility, no matter the outcome, God covers you!
Recall Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego:
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.
Daniel 3:16-19,
God is with you in your trials
24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied.
25 “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!”
Daniel 3:24
Don’t let these little gods keep you from serving Jehovah
No matter what you see, what you hear, or the threats you receive, serve God with “fear and trembling”.
Don’t live a loose living life
You don’t have to steal or deceive to get ahead.
You don’t have to sell your body to make a comfortable living.
You don’t have sleep with your boss for a promotion.
You don’t have to smoke weed or get drunk to have peace and calmness.
All you have to do is have “fear and trembling” before God. Reverence and respect God with all humility and lowliness, then you will have “good success”.