The Fear of the Lord - 2
Subject – Understanding the Fear of the Lord
by Rick Welborne
Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV)
5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
--The more I look into this subject of the fear of the Lord and as I see what is going on in our world (COVID 19)\the more I realize God wants us to understand how serious it is for us. What are we fearing?
The fear of the Lord - can be defined as a continual awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every motive, thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him.
--I wish there would be the same response and attention given to fearing the Lord as there has been toward this virus and the conspiracies surrounding it.
--I guess I need to ask for forgiveness to so many who have sent me articles and videos about Covid 19 and where and why it is here. As soon as I see it is going toward fear mongering I don’t watch it or read it.
--And no I am not just sticking my head in the sand and not wanting to KNOW what is really going on out there. I am sticking my head in the Word and bowing my head in prayer.
--Right now I am praying for at least five missionary couples who are dealing with this virus and their lives are on the line. I don’t have time for kookiness that gets us nowhere. This is why the church get mocked.
Philippians 2:12 (NIV)
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
--I was sharing Christ with a man who had a vile mouth and his response surprised me. I love J.C. and He loves me. He is okay with my drinking, my messing around, and my filthy mouth. He needs to fear the Lord!
--Last week we talked about David verses Goliath and how David, having the fear of the Lord, more than the fear of a giant, made such a difference in his life. He confronted the giant, not just talked about how big he was.
Psalm 89:7 (NKJV)
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.
--We have also said this: We cannot truly revere God until we fear Him; nor can we properly fear Him until we revere Him. I think we have come to know a Jesus Who is not in the Scriptures.
Isaiah 29:13 (NKJV) 13 Therefore the LORD said: "Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths And honor Me with their lips, But have removed their hearts far from Me, And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
--I am afraid We have made God in our own image.
--I am afraid that in the church we are serving a Jesus Who is not depicted in scriptures. We have made Him into the image of God that we want Him to be. We have no fear or reverence for Him.
Romans 1:22-23 (NKJV) 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man…
--Is the Jesus you serve the Jesus of the Bible or is He the Jesus you have created Who winks at your sin and lets you live anyway you want with no consequences? Maybe Covid 19 is here to wake us up!
1. We have made Jesus in our own image.
--For several years I have preached about the downward spiral that we see in Romans1 but not until I started this series have I seen it in the light of us losing our fear of the Lord.
Romans 1:18-25 (NKJV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,
23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.
24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,
25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
--I am calling it losing our fear of the Lord. Maybe instead of looking at the government or the latest conspiracy that is out there, maybe we should look inside the church. These verses say although they knew God v. 21
A. Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God.
B. Although they knew God, they were not thankful.
C. Although they knew God, they became futile in their thoughts about Who God was.
D. Although they knew God, their foolish hearts were darkened.
E. Although they knew God, in professing to be wise, they became fools.
F. Although they knew God, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man.
G. Although they knew God, they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.
H. Although they knew God, they worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.
--Any way you read this downward spiral you will have to admit that these people had lost their fear and reverence for God. The scary part is that they knew God. Could Covid 19 make us re-focus? Self-examine.
--Notice that they did not glorify Him as God. The children of Israel who made and worshiped the golden calf acknowledged that their deliverance came from Jehovah. We say Jesus delivered or saved us.
--Here in lies the problem…they did not give Him the honor, reverence, or glory that He deserved. No fear. They were worshiping a golden calf while saying it was God Who delivered them. How perverted.
--When you look at Paul’s writing here in Romans you see that things had not changed much from the Old and New Testaments because they were still not giving God the glory He deserved. Eyes on the wrong thing.
Romans 1:23 (NKJV) 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—
--Again we see people reducing the One true God’s glory. This time it is not a calf but rather they are reducing Him to the image of a corruptible man. Are we trusting man or Jesus through this Pandemic?
--Let’s face it, our society would probably not worship an image of gold, but we are surrounded by a culture that worships man or humans. If a man soon solves all this, he will be like a god.
--If you don’t believe me, the next time your team is playing awesome or you are watching some type of secular concert, turn off the sound and look at the people…it looks like they are worshiping.
--This is how bad it has gotten, this past year as I watched college football, I saw people bowing to an athlete who was playing incredible. They were bowing and lifting their hands to a man. It sickened me.
--Before we get to critical, sometimes in watching preachers or Christian artists I wonder if people are worshiping God or the star of the show. We have lost our fear and our reverence of God and put it on man.
--Let’s bring it even more close to home, every time we choose a person over God and we are in an inappropriate relationship according to the Word, we are worshiping the created more than the Creator.
--We Christians are too quick to point out that this downward spiral of Romans 1 leads to people turning to homosexuality but maybe you should keep reading the rest of the chapter.
Romans 1:28-29 (NKJV)
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality…
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality…
--That downward spiral will take us further and further away from the fear of the Lord and reverence for the glory of God. Stop looking to man to solve this crisis and start crying out to Jesus. Jesus is Lord!
Psalm 130:4 (NKJV)
4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
4 But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.
2. God understands.
--When we reduce the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, we lose our way.
--Like the children of Israel we are quick to acknowledge with our mouths Jesus is the One Who saved us (delivered us) but with our lifestyle and attitude we reduce Him to corruptible man. How so, Pastor?
--I have heard people say…I love God and He knows (understands) my heart. It is true God understands our hearts even more than we understand ourselves. Are we trusting God or man through this crisis?
--Sadly, people use this comment when they are justifying a lifestyle that is contrary to God’s Word. The people I see in Scriptures who God calls His friends are those who tremble at His Word and His presence.
--I think one of the most disturbing things I have seen through my years of pastoring is when we are trying to give guidance to someone who is living contrary to God’s Word and their family and friends intervene for them.
--Don’t let that church or those pastors tell you how to live…it is your time to be happy. Hear me, the way you will truly show you love that person is to support your leadership when they are trying to help them.
Romans 1:32 (NLT2)
32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
32 They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
--Please do not forget what we said earlier…how are we teaching others to fear the Lord? The church has to be the beacon of life and hope, not fear like the rest of this world.
2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NKJV)
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
--Please do not be deceived, God will not be mocked…it does not matter how many people (Christians or not) approve of what you are doing. The bottom line is God’s Word. Shake yourself and stir yourselves up!
--When we filter God’s Word and His commands through our own culture and the people who will approve of us, we are listening to the fear taught by man and we attest we do not honor, revere, or fear God.
3. Our theology reveals our fear of the Lord or lack of it.
--It does matter what you believe about God and His Word. If your God is just a sweet “Sugar Daddy” in the sky just waiting to give you everything you want, your image of Him will be skewed. NT theology says:
Hebrews 10:26-31 (NKJV)
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
--Verse 28 is Old Testament but look again at verse 29, definitely New Testament. It is talking about willful sin 26…those who trample on the Son of God, those who said the blood of Jesus was common, insulted Holy Spirit
--The Lord of the NT will judge His people…It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Might be important to have a healthy fear of the Lord. Especially during this pandemic.
--In light of the fear of the Lord, what if God has not given us what we want but maybe what we deserve? When we turn our back on Him, chase the world, and have no fear of the Lord, maybe we reap what we have sown.
Hebrews 10:37-39 (NCV)
37 For in a very short time, “The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed.
38 The person who is right with me will live by trusting in me. But if he turns back with fear, I will not be pleased with him.“
39 But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.
37 For in a very short time, “The One who is coming will come and will not be delayed.
38 The person who is right with me will live by trusting in me. But if he turns back with fear, I will not be pleased with him.“
39 But we are not those who turn back and are lost. We are people who have faith and are saved.
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