CHARACTERISTICS OF OUR NEW LIFE: (6. FEARLESSNESS OF MEN AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD). (Homily for April 2, 2016. Saturday in the Octave of Easter.)


Bible Study: Acts 4, 13 to 21 and Mark 16, 9 to 15.


The greatest obstacle to growth in spiritual life and one of the biggest problems faced by Christians today is FEAR; fear of people, fear of authority and fear of enemies. Yet, at the same time, while we tremble at the threats of our fellow human beings, we take God for granted! The reason why we fear people so much is because we underestimate the power of God. The Bible says: “The Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom.” Job 28, 28. Psalm 111, 10. Proverbs 1, 7. Proverbs 9, 10 and permit me to say that there are over twenty verses in scriptures where you will find this quotation.

Now, if truly the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, it simply follows that the fear of fellow human beings is the beginning of FOOLISHNESS. Yes, the moment you allow you fear of people to outweigh you fear of God, you become foolish! And as hard as this may sound, it is just the plain truth. Each time we disobey God all the in the name of trying not to offend a fellow human being, we are just being foolish. It is like telling God: “I don’t think you can do anything to me, but I am scared of what he or she would do to me, let me obey them before you God.”

And to think of it, at the heart of every sin we commit is the loss of the fear of God and too much fear of fellow human being. Think about all the times, you had to consent to evil because you felt threatened or because you felt pity for a fellow human being. Think about the times you gave in to sin because you just wanted to blend in with the crowd or with your peers, because you wanted to be accepted and praised by others. Think about the times you refused to preach when you saw evil all because you didn’t want to be at the receiving end of their verbal attacks.

When the authorities told Peter and John never to speak again in the name of Jesus, they asked a very important question: “Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.” Acts 4, 19 to 20. Peter and the other disciples had already received a mandate from the Risen Jesus to go to the ends of the earth to preach as we read in our Gospel passage this morning. This was why they could say to the men who they knew had power to arrest and kill them: WE CANNOT KEEP FROM SPEAKING!

Dear friends, you really need to reach a point in your Christian journey where you are no longer afraid of people; a point where you fear only God and you are prepared to face the furnace like Shedrach, Meshach and Abegnego. Until then, you are not yet mature in your faith!

Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, it is you alone I fear, take away from me any fear of human being and the wisdom to totally resign myself to you. Amen.


God bless you. Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. Happy Weekend.

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