Be Not Afraid - Part 2 of 3

Oh, for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise, the glory's of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace.

This is Lestrade Bradley Jr. welcoming you to another broadcast of the Baptist Bible Hour. No matter how dark the night, or bitter the winds that blow, one touch of the Master's gentle hand, and I am ready to go. I'll go anywhere with him, through tempest or sinking sand, as long as I feel the tender touch, the touch of his gentle hand. One touch of his gentle hand means more than the world to me. One touch of his gentle hand will make every shadow flake. I'll not be afraid to go, and bravely take my stand, with courage and zeal, as long as I feel the touch of his gentle hand. Wherever I chance to be, wherever my feet may roll, I'll trust in the Lord's unchanging hand to lead me all the way home, and ever my prayer shall be, till safely at home I stand, that I can just feel his touch so real, the touch of his gentle hand. One touch of his gentle hand means more than the world to me.

One touch of his gentle hand will make every shadow flake. I'll not be afraid to go, and bravely take my stand, with courage and zeal, as long as I feel the touch of his gentle hand. As we bring you the next part of the message entitled Be Not Afraid, we certainly acknowledge that there has been a lot of fear throughout this year because of the pandemic. Some people have been fearful to leave their home at all, and many when they do go out are filled with fear. And certainly we should use the precautions that are appropriate, but God's people do not have to be enslaved by fear. So I pray that this message will be an encouragement and a help to you. If it is, please write us at Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. The book of Deuteronomy tells his people not to fear and not to be discouraged. You know, discouragement definitely is closely akin to fear, because when you begin to fear, it's not long until you become discouraged. You say, I just can't make it.

What's the use? I'm not going to be able to go forward. The Lord's speaking about the people coming into the land, and in Deuteronomy chapter 1 of the 21st verse, Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee.

Go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath set unto thee. Fear not, neither be discouraged. Now he knew they were going to face some real challenges. They were going to have to cross the swelling of Jordan. They were going to have to march around the walls of Jericho. They were going to face defeat at Ai. They were going to face many great difficulties in the land. But he says, fear not, don't be discouraged.

Why? Because the Lord's going to go with you. The Lord had given them the land.

It belonged to them. He said it was theirs because he gave it to them, and he's going to defend them and protect them and guide them in the way. So you don't have to be afraid. And I suppose one of the little fear nots that I love especially, and have turned too many a time in my own experience, is that one found in Isaiah chapter 35.

Then talking about those beautiful blessings when the Lord is favoring his people, the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. Then he says in verse 3, strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong. Now if you stop there, say, how am I going to be strong? I'm not strong.

I'm weak. I'm not brave. I'm prone to fear. Then he says, fear not. Well enough, he says, fear not, but how am I going to deal with my fear? He tells you, behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with the recompense. He will come and save you.

Now there's his promise. You're full of fear, he says, I'm going to come to your rescue. You need help?

I'm going to come help you. Well then we may respond to that and say, well, all right, Lord, make everything better. Take all of my troubles away, remove all of my enemies, chase all the clouds out of the sky, make the sea calm.

I want everything to be quiet and beautiful. But we're going to see before we finish this that there's some reasons why we sometimes have to go through the storms. But here's a wonderful promise. Fear not, because I will come and save you. Now we find a regular little garden of fear nots over in the 41st chapter of the book of Isaiah. Verse 10, fear not, for I am with thee.

That's basic, simple, but how much encouragement that ought to give us. God says, I am with thee. Fear not, I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Verse 13, for I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. You know, people sometimes struggle with the difficult portions of scripture that they say. It's just so hard to understand.

Look how basic this is, how simple this is. The Lord says, I will help thee, fear not. Verse 14, Fear not, thou worm Jacob and ye men of Israel.

I will help thee, saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Oh, how wonderful, when the Lord God of Heaven says, Fear not. And then we think of the experience of John while on the Isle of Patmos when he saw the glory of Christ, and by viewing the Lord in this exalted glorious position, he was stricken with fear. But what was the word of the Savior to him? Verse 17 of Revelation 1, And when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead, and he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not, I am the first and the last.

If you know he's the Alpha and the Omega, he's the first and the last. And he says, Fear not, then there's no reason to fear. Where then must we focus our attention to be able to overcome fear? We're looking at ourselves, we see our weakness. If we're looking at the conditions around us and the circumstances in which we live, we're going to be apprehensive and full of fear. If we're looking to him, we're going to be consoled and comforted.

Fear not, fear not. Now let's think about some of the specific lessons that are before us here in the passage from which our text is taken. Back in the 14th chapter of the book of Matthew.

Let's begin reading with the 22nd verse. And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship. Understand this word, constrained, indicates that Jesus commanded them. Jesus was determined that they should enter the ship.

It wasn't just a suggestion, it was a direction from him. He constrained his disciples to get into the ship and to go before him onto the other side while he sent the multitudes away. This immediately follows the feeding of the 5,000. And the multitudes of the people were still there. And Jesus said to the disciples, You go on. You go on across the sea. I'm going to stay back and send the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray.

And when the evening was come, he was there alone. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves, for the wind was contrary. First thing we would observe about this passage, the lesson to draw from it, is that trials often follow blessings. We have a time of great blessing. We're lifted up. We feel the presence of the Lord. We see evidence of his power, indications of his work.

We feel like somehow now, life ought to be smooth. Everything ought to just fall out to me in pleasant places because I've had this great experience with the Lord. But time and time again, we see it clearly indicated in the scripture that following seasons of great uplift and blessing, there are trials. When the apostle Paul was caught up into the third heaven and saw things and heard things that he could not utter, what followed? He was given a thorn in the flesh.

For what purpose? Lest he be exalted above measure. How prone we are to elevate ourselves and become exalted in the flesh when everything is going well. When the blessings are abundant.

We've had a great day. We forget where the blessings come from. So following this day of miracle, when five thousand are fed from the loaves and the fishes, Jesus directs the disciples to get on board the ship and now they face a storm. It was a great day when Jesus looked upon that multitude and it said in the fourteenth verse he was moved with compassion toward them. And when it came to be evening time and there was nothing to eat, the disciples were ready to send them away. But Jesus said, they need not depart, give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, we have here but five loaves and two fishes. He said, bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass and took the five loaves and the two fishes and looking up to heaven, he blessed and break and gave the loaves to his disciples and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat and were filled and took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Man, what a day that was. What are we going to do? Here are all of these people out here in the wilderness. Let's send them away.

And that so often is the human reaction. We've got a problem here. Let's get rid of the problem.

Let's send them away. But not so with Jesus. Jesus says, give ye them to eat. Well, we haven't got anything but the loaves and the fishes.

Oh, but when Jesus is present, it doesn't matter how little you've got, he can turn it into an abundance. And he had them sit down in companies on the green grass. And I've thought so many times how exciting that must have been when those disciples started passing out the loaves and fishes. And, you know, pass them out. Well, I've fed this group of fifty and they sat down in groups of fifties and hundreds and, well, I've fed that group of a hundred. Well, there's still a lot more people there.

I wonder if this is going to last. But the more they pass out, the more they got. Just keep passing it out and it's multiplied. Why?

Because Jesus blessed it. Oh, how many times we're focused on our little fish and we see our little loaf and we say, I'm not going to make it until we start being full of fear. How am I going to survive? How am I going to get by? I'm so weak. I'm so poor.

I'm so lacking in resources. We forget what happens when he blesses. Whether it's in material things or the use of your talents and abilities and spiritual gifts to be used to his glory, when he blesses, oh, how everything is expanded and multiplies to the glory of his name.

And that was an exciting time. And, my, the crowd was excited by comparing what's written in the other gospels concerning this same incident. We see that the multitude was ready to make Jesus Christ king right there. My, if he can feed us out here in the wilderness, if he can give us something to eat when we're hungry, if he can take a few loaves and fishes and bless this multitude, let's crown him king. And the disciples would have been in on it, friends.

They were already arguing about who's going to be greatest in the kingdom. But what was the purpose of Jesus Christ coming into the world? To save his people from their sins. Jesus was still looking toward the cross. I believe that's the reason he told the disciples, you get on board, you get on the ship, you start on your journey, I'll meet you later. Because if they had stayed there and heard the cry of the multitude that let's make him king, the disciples said, amen, let's do it. And Jesus just removed them from the scene, sent them on their way.

Well, they get on board the ship and no doubt as they start out, they're probably still talking about it, saying, oh, wasn't this a day? My, oh, I'm so amazed as I think back on it. Isn't our savior wonderful? Isn't it miraculous? Every time we face one of these difficult and impossible situations, he always has the answer. He always has the power.

He always has whatever it takes. Oh, they were rejoicing. Then the wind begins to blow. The waves begin to toss that little ship around and they begin to row.

And they're working hard. And we understand that ordinarily this trip should only have taken about an hour. But this says that it's in the fourth watch of the night. That means it's between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. They've been out there a long time.

Whether they have veered off course or whether the wind just keeps moving them back is not clear, but they certainly were getting nowhere fast. Have you ever been in that kind of a plight where you say, the harder I work, the greater my problems become? I decide I'm going to meet this challenge. I'm going to let things get the best of me. I'm going to work harder.

I'm going to dig in here. Give me the oars. I can row this thing. No storm's going to outdo me.

I've been through many a storm. You know, these men, some of them were fishermen. They'd had a lot of experience being out on the sea. But it didn't matter how hard they rowed. It didn't matter how much effort and energy they put into it.

They just weren't getting anywhere. And you know, the thought may have crossed their mind, now why did this have to happen now? Right after a day of blessing and victory and I was so happy that, oh, it seemed like that happens to me. Every time I get up, I get the props knocked out from under me. Here it was all going so well and I was so happy. I was so lifted up. I was just praising the Lord. And now, here I'm in a life-threatening situation. Ever been made to think like that?

Why is that? That every time there's a blessing, every time I think things have smoothed out, trials come. Well, have you ever known of a time that it was convenient to have a trial? Ever been a time when you said, Lord, I finally got the slate clear now. I've got things out of the way so I'm ready. Just send me some trouble because I can handle it.

No. It's never convenient. That's what trials are. They're burdens. They're impositions. They're difficulties.

They're challenges. So, now the storm comes and the second thing we would learn here is that trials are for a purpose. Do you think that Jesus knew when He put them on that ship they were going to face a storm?

Sure He did. Question might have come through their mind. Why did the Lord stay back? Why did the Lord put us on this boat? Where is He? Why isn't He out here with us?

You ever have any thoughts like that when you're in the midst of trouble? Lord, where are you? Here I am, Lord. I'm rowing. I'm rowing. I'm working. I'm doing everything I know to do. And you've forsaken me.

Where are you? When are you going to come to my rescue? But you see, this storm was encountered because they were in the will of God. Now you listen to that. Many people get confused on this issue. They feel the only time you're going to ever face the storms of life is when you're out of His will, when you're disobedient. Now we've talked about Jonah's experience. He was in a storm, but he was in it because he was out of God's will. These disciples were in a storm because they were in God's will. Jesus constrained them. Jesus commanded them and told them to get on the boat and they got on the boat. They did what Jesus said. Whatever apprehensions they might have had about going ahead, they didn't argue with Him.

They got on the boat. They were obedient. They were doing what the Lord said to do. You see, some of our trials are to correct us.

They are for chastening. That's the kind of trial Jonah had. He needed some correction. He had to be chastened because he was disobedient. He was rebellious. And God sent a storm like he had never encountered in his life and like those mariners had never encountered and he transformed him. And after three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, he came out shouting, The salvation is of the Lord.

Where is Nineveh? I've had a change of attitude and I think it would be a good idea to go where the Lord said go. The Lord has a way of getting our attention and by chastening us, giving us a whole different outlook. But some of our trials are for spiritual growth because we learn in our trials. They are for the purpose of perfecting us. That's when we learn.

That's when we grow. So you see, obedience does not guarantee smooth sailing. Although they were obedient, they were in a dreadful storm that they thought they would not survive.

They were stricken with fear. Let's look just a moment at the book of Mark chapter 6 which is another of the accounts that is given of the same incident. And often we can get a broader view and we look at what some of the other gospel writers have said. Mark chapter 6 and verse 45. And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship and to go to the other side before unto Bethsadia, while he sent away the people. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

Now get this. And he saw them toiling in rowing. Now from the human standpoint, they were too far out at sea and it was too dark a night for him to see them. But because Jesus is God, he saw them. They didn't know he was watching them.

They no doubt were wondering, where is he? Oh, if the master had just come with us, we could get through this storm. But it looks like we're not going to make it. We're exhausted.

We've rode until we have no strength left. And this storm continues to rage. But he saw them. He saw them as they toiled, as they rode hard, as they worked, for the wind was contrary unto them. And about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea and would have passed by them. How wonderful to know that the Lord sees us wherever we are. In every trial we face, in every storm we pass through, he sees us. I've used as an example several times the thought that when the apostle Paul prayed, Lord, remove the thorn in the flesh, God didn't answer that prayer as Paul prayed it. But he did answer it in that he said, my grace is sufficient for thee.

I will not remove the thorn, but I'll give you grace to bear it. And I've said, if the apostle Paul was living today, I would really feel wonderful to know that the apostle Paul was praying for me. Can you think of anybody that you'd rather have pray for you than the apostle Paul? It means a lot during our times of affliction. If we're sick, if we're having problems and we ask our brethren to pray for us and we get the word back, we're praying for you, church.

We're remembering you. We're praying for you. That means a lot. It would mean a lot to have a man of the spiritual caliber of the apostle Paul to pray for you. But I want to tell you that while those disciples were in the storm, Jesus was alone praying for them.

And I want you to know that when you are in the storms of life, not the apostle Paul, but Jesus Christ is praying for you. Today we have brought you the second part of a message entitled, Be Not Afraid. We'll be bringing the third part next time. I hope you will join us then.

And until then, this is Lacerre Bradley Jr. bidding you goodbye and may God bless you. This is my song. This is my song. This is my song. Watching and waiting, looking above.

Filled with this goodness lost in His love. This is my story. This is my song. Praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story.

This is my song. Praising my Savior. Praising my Savior. Praising my Savior.