Anxious? I meet a lot of Christians who tell me I’ve struggled with anxiety. I struggle with fear. I’ve never had a Christian come up to me and say, “You know, I struggle with believing that God made the entire universe.” But that would be a more honest description of your struggle. Because your anxiety and fear is a symptom, not a disease, it’s a symptom of this fact that you allow it to vanish from your mind, that God made everything, that he laid the foundation of the world. And since he’s in control of all things, fear and anxiety are a fundamental denial of who He is and what he has done in the world. And so we’re saying, “Wake up, God!” It’s like, “Well, wait a second where and say your spiritual temperature for a second.” I’m going to come for you, but don’t you be afraid?
And he says, “Why are you afraid you’ve forgotten,” this is Isaiah 51:13, “the Lord, your maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth” “and you fear continually all day because of the wrath of the oppressor when he sets himself to destroy.” And then God says: Where is the wrath of the oppressed? I’m going to do it with, but I’m going to get Babylon done. I’m going, I’m going to end your oppression. You know, there’s a lot in the news right now. About America heading in a tyrannical direction. And though we may not see eye to eye on where exactly that’s happening in every single issue. There can be no doubt that we are in a time where more and more power is being invested in our government and when more and more power is vested in the government, things can go tyrannical pretty quickly. And of course, you know that if things go to tyrannical, we should become The First Church of Fear, that will be the right response, right? No, even if we wind up in the most oppressive, tyrannical situation. God would say. I’m the one who comforts you, and you have no reason for fear. In fact, what did Jesus say? He said, Do not fear Him who can kill the body? Fear him, who can throw both body and soul into hell. And you might think. “Am I supposed to be afraid of God that he’s going to throw me in hell all day?” It’s amazing to me. Both times that verse appears the next verses. You’re more precious than the sparrows he watches. So the the logic is like this. Don’t be afraid of people who can kill you.
Yes, the government may destroy us like is in so many other countries that may indeed be our fate. No fear would be excused by that. It wouldn’t be OK to be fearful in that situation. Our God made the heavens and the Earth. Our God will destroy all oppression. Our God will take down all tyrants. Our God will rise up against all that’s against his people. There is nothing to fear. The only one to fear is the one who can throw both body and soul into hell. And he has sent his son to purchase us out of our sins. He values us more than sparrows, he values us like sons and daughters. Fear not, little sheep it is your father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. So the sequence of this passage so far is this Lord: Israel: Wake up, you wake up, deliver us. The Lord: I’m going to comfort you, to comfort you. So let’s do a little spiritual issue in your life first. You’ve got no reason to be afraid. Israel: But we’re in Babylon. The Lord: No reason to be afraid. I made the world. I can take down Babylon in a heartbeat.
View the full sermon, “Hey, Wake Up! I Am Going to Save You!” on Immanuel’s YouTube channel.
