Split Sermon: Understanding Fear/Steadfast In Faith

Fear is a universal human experience, yet Scripture calls us to distinguish between toxic fear and healthy reverence. Drawing from Isaiah 41:10 and the dramatic encounter at Mount Sinai in Exodus 20, we discover that God never intended us to live paralyzed by terror. The Israelites trembled before God's power, demanding Moses speak on their behalf because they feared they would die in God's presence. But Moses understood something profound: the fear of God meant respect and relationship, not terror and distance. This same toxic fear entered humanity through Adam and Eve in Genesis 3, when shame and guilt replaced intimacy with God. Their instinct to hide among the trees reveals how disobedience creates separation and breeds unhealthy fear. Today, many Christians still live under this burden, believing they're never good enough or constantly under divine wrath. But through Jesus Christ, we're invited into the kind of relationship Moses had—walking hand in hand with our Father, entering His presence without terror. The cross removes our shame and guilt, transforming our fear from paralysis into reverence. When we keep our minds and hearts fixed on Jesus, we see the world through the Father's eyes, and toxic fear loses its power. This isn't about ignoring consequences or living recklessly; it's about recognizing that if we don't need to fear the most powerful Being in the universe, nothing else should hold us captive to anxiety and dread.