A CHRISTIAN LOOKS AT MATTHEW’S GOSPEL
Don’t be afraid
Reading: Matthew 10:26-31
You don’t say, “Don’t be afraid” to a heavy rugby back who with his head down is charging into the apposing pack. Fear is the last thing on his mind. You certainly don’t need to keep repeating it, “Don’t be afraid(v26)..don’t be afraid(v28)…don’t be afraid(V31).” However it is obvious why we need the challenge. We are not heavy weight Christians, most of us are seven stone weaklings who wish we had signed up for Mr Universe’s muscle building course years ago.
Notice these verses speak to three different situations. (i) There is fear that we might not know what to say.(v26). The answer is we will be told but this will necessitate us waiting in prayer for the words. (ii) Then there is the fear of death (v28). The answer to this is that men can only kill our bodies. They can’t touch our souls. Then there is (iii) the fear that God doesn’t really care (v31). We need to go back to the KJV where we are told that not a sparrow “falleth” to the ground without God’s knowledge. In this context “falleth” suggests death. However it is possible that the Greek is a translation of an Aramaic word that means to “alight.” So Jesus is saying that the Father sees every sparrow and notices every time it alights onto the ground. That is how much the Father cares.
Meditation: Faith is the antidote to fear
Prayer pointer: I need help me to live every moment in the light of eternity.
Matthew: 67
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