Manchester Church of Christ

OUTLINE FOR SERMON: GODLY FEAR VERSES CARNAL FEAR.                                                                        December 5th 2021, 9:30 a.m. Manchester, TN,

Introduction: Are you living in fear? This is a very serious question! Your answer needs to be “yes.” If we are honest, we all live in fear on some level. Proverbs 9:10 teaches us we must live in fear of the Lord. So, we learn “fear” can be a good thing in our lives on earth. My fear of the Lord affects me as I consider His power, His care, His love, and His protection of me because I am one of His children!  There are two types of fear: Godly fear and Carnal fear and we will be looking at both of these.

LESSON:

1.CARNAL FEAR, Matthew 10:24-28. Carnal fear is fear that is founded & sourced in physical. It is temporal and limited. Examples: persecution, treatment & threats from others.  Physical things that affect my physical existence.

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:13-18, Revelation 2:10, 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, Philippians 4:4-7

GODLY FEAR, Matthew 10:21-31. Godly fear should affect you, your decisions, your choices and your direction! Godly fear is for our good, not evil! Do you source your behavior in carnal fear or in godly fear? Only YOU can answer this honestly!

Scripture: Philippians 2:12-13, Hebrews 12:28-29, Psalm 25:12-16, Psalm 33:6 Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

You may be saying: “Oh, that’s not me! I don’t fear anything! Only those who have a weak faith have fear!” I beg you to reconsider those thoughts and statements! Sometimes we are unaware of how much “carnal fear” resides in us, the children of God.

The dangers of carnal fear:

Fear destroys us.
Fear maims us and limits us.
Consider the reality that you may be bond and limited by your own carnal fear.

A BIBLICAL EXAMPLE OF FEAR AND IT’S AFFECTS, Jeremiah 41-42 Gedaliah, the protector of God’s people.

Who was Gedaliah? The amazing story of Gedaliah, worth your time and consideration.

He was appointed as governor by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar.
He was to be the protector of Judah.
Ishmael kills Gedaliah Jeremiah 41:1-4.
Johnanan takes over and plans to take God’s people to Egypt for protection from Nebuchadnezzar. Jeremiah 41:11-18.
They were scared! Fear initiated by carnal reactive decisions-always a bad idea!
When scared we make bad decisions, make carnal decision as physical fear results in physical decisions!
Jeremiah 42 They should have said” What would God want us to do?”
The prophet Jeremiah appealed to them to consider asking God and see what God would say to them!
Fear sometimes cause a false humility!
Carnal fear keeps us away from God and God’s way! Jeremiah 43:7

Jeremiah 41:17-18  “And they departed and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is near Bethlehem as they went on their way to Egypt, because of the Chaldeans, for they were afraid of them because Ishmael had murdered Gedaliah, which the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.”

Jeremiah 43:2-3 (1-7) “Please let our petition be acceptable to you and pray for us to the Lord your God, for all this remanent that the Lord your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do…”

CONCLUSION:

LET GODLY FEAR RULE! This is the only way to find inner peace! Realize that “godly fear” does good and great things in us, for us and with us!

Godly fear initiates instant prayers. Emphases our dependency on God, Acts 4:19-20 & 23-31. Judah’s reaction was NOT “let’s go to God in prayer!”
Godly fear-triggers dependency on God and humility. 1 Peter 4:12-15, 1 Peter 5:6
God fear-keeps us walking close to God. 1 Peter 4:16=1-, Matthew 6, 1 John 1:5-8

Matthew 6:24-33, Proverbs 9:10-11

Can you trust God 100%? You must if you truly want inner peace and security! Remember we believe in and worship an almighty, all-gracious, forgiving and caring God who promises to protect us and save us!