Riddled With Fear

Over the last few Sunday’s we have been studying the “I Am” statements that Jesus makes in the book of John and as a result we have been working our way through the book. While Joey has taught the majority of the lessons (thanks Joey!), two weeks ago I taught on John 10 where Jesus says, “I Am the Door & The Good Shepherd.”  

While there is a lot of meat to chew on in this chapter, the one thing that stood out to me and has had me thinking since is Jesus’ statement in verse 10 – “The thief comes only to kill, steal and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (NIV)  - This literally means a supreme or superior life.

Does it get any better than living a life to its fullest? 

This is what Jesus says about why He came - so we as His children can live a life to the full!  

So if that is the case why are so many of us who follow Jesus charged and driven by fear and pessimism? I am continually confounded by believers I meet who are continually worrying and fretting over –

- the down economy
- war
- failure
- my kids
- that my kids may fail
- politics
- the environment
- potential job loss
- violence
- the media
- Etc. Etc. Etc.

Is this what was intended for us? 

Clearly not! 

If there were ever a group of people that should be living life boldly, with no fear, it should be us. We should live with an understanding that a trust in Jesus is a life lived to the full!

Paul understood this almost better than anyone and he was shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, stoned, jailed, and whipped but he knew “that if God is for us, who can be against us?”

The body needs to stop living in a state of fear. We need to stop raising our kids in a protectionist mode; we need to stop fretting about the things around us, worrying about the things that may or may not happen. We need instead to lay hold to the promise of a life to the full and begin to experience the true freedom of a life in the Kingdom of God.