Text: Luke 2:1-4 (King James)<\/p>\n
Fear! Fear! Fear! Who is that fortunate person who has not yet
\nexperienced fear in one way or the other? Think of it, fear seems to be
\nengulfing people \u0092s minds all the time. What makes people to fear may be
\ndifferent but it is fear all the same. For us in Africa it could be fear of
\ndisease, fear of hunger or even fear of not being assured of safe and clean
\ndrinking water. What can I say about fear of another war in this or that
\ncountry. It is total fear of whether I can still have life and existence into
\nthe following day.<\/p>\n
In the biblical world the appearance of angles was one cause of
\nfear. To fear God was indeed a way of showing respect. Thus when the angels
\nappeared to the shepherds, there was reason to fear. And yet this assurance
\nthat there is nothing to fear has been given at numerous occasions as recorded
\nin the scriptures. Just to mention a few, in Genesis 15:1 the Lord assured
\nAbram in a vision, \u0084Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall
\nbe very great.\u0093 (RSV) To Gideon the Lord told him in no uncertain terms
\nthat even though he had seen the angel face to face, Gideon would not die.
\n\u0084Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die.\u0093 (Judges 6:23b RSV)<\/p>\n
These shepherds had reason to fear. They were not Temple rabbis
\nwho could have the honour and privilege of receiving divine messengers. They
\nwere a people of an insignificant class of that society. It was like they
\nraised the usual \u0091why me\u0092 type of question. If angels would appear
\ntoday with such dramatic presence, most of us will be afraid. Whether angels
\nappear or not, the truth is most people live in fear. It is this common fear,
\nthe fear of height name it, which I would like to focus on in this sermon. What
\ndo you fear? Why do you fear? Who tells you not to fear? What is that word of
\nassurance which makes you have a nice and peaceful sleep?<\/p>\n
I will never forget the night my wife and I had to search for
\nthose small harmless lizards which are common companions in huts and houses
\nespecially from my observation in Zimbabwe. My wife vowed that she was not
\ngoing to sleep in the house until we located the little creature and threw it
\nout. We searched, or should I say I searched every corner of the house but to
\nno avail. Fortunately fatigue and the natural demands of the need to sleep took
\ntoll on wife and we both slept. I really had nothing to fear but my wife went
\nto bed in fear. It could be fear of lizards, and to be honest with you, I do
\nnot know what your sources of fear are? Whatever is the case it is all the same
\nfor you, the cause of fear.<\/p>\n
It could be fear of whether a visit to the physician will make you
\ncome out with a clean health balance sheet. What about that side pain which
\nappears to be aggravated by an ordinary meal? Why is my spouse not cheerful
\nthese days, even on my birthday, you reminiscent. What is going on in his\/her
\nmind? Divorce? Sure such thoughts are cause for fear. As I write this sermon it
\nis just about three weeks away before my daughter sit for her Cambridge School
\nCertificate Examinations in October 1999 here in Zimbabwe. Living in a country
\nwhere opportunities for higher education are still few, I have all the reason
\nto fear. I fear for the future of my child if she does not make it. What do you
\nfear? When I was still an upstart in society I feared that I would not be able
\nto provide for my family. Now that God has blessed me and may family with the
\nlittle we have, I fear that a thief might come at night and steal my Datsun
\n120Y the make of 1978!<\/p>\n
In the midst of such myriad of fear inducing circumstances, is it
\nnot true that we need someone with authority t assure us that there is nothing
\nto fear? We look around in search of security. Sometimes we get the word of
\nassurance from national governments, if you still trust them. At times we get
\nthis voice of assurance from the United Nations that there is nothing to fear
\nbecause all nations have pledged to life in peace. Or it is close at home and
\nall that matters is a word of love and concern from a member of the family and
\nwe feel assured. There is nothing to fear. The problem comes when we realise
\nthat these sources of authority in giving assurance can fail, have failed and
\nwill fail. Who then should tell you and me not to fear?<\/p>\n
\u0084Do not fear I am seeing you\u0093, she told me. It was
\nduring summer night in the month of December. December nights can be pitch dark
\nin Zimbabwe. My mother stood at the door of the hut and sent me to borrow some
\nsalt from an aunt. She knew very well that I had all the reason to fear in a
\nvillage in which the roar of a hyene could come from nowhere. But my mother
\nconfidently assured me, \u0084Do not fear I am seeing you.\u0093 Little did I
\nfigure out, until later on in my life, that my mother\u0092s eyes could not
\npenetrate that darkness as ran along the path leading to my aunt\u0092s place.
\nNot only that, my mother had another fatal limitation, she was a mortal. As I
\nwrite she had since died and I wonder who then can still tell me not fear
\nbecause \u0084I am seeing you?\u0093<\/p>\n
Blessed were the shepherds who had the message of assurance from
\nthe angels, the messengers of Got. We must hear the word of comfort from non
\nother than God himself. God and only him can tell us not fear. If you have been
\nfailed by other sources of assurance, turn to God for an everlasting message.
\nGot does not fail anyone.<\/p>\n
What is that message which makes one not to fear? The shepherds
\nhad nothing to fear not because there were any security forces promised to
\nthem. They had nothing to fear because the angels had brought the good news.
\nChristmas is about the good news which comes to us in the midst of all that
\nwhich cause fear in us. I can imagine the angels coming to some helpless
\ncommunities now full of orphaned children of parents who died from AIDS-related
\nillnesses, with the same message saying \u0084Fear not\u0093. Yes to those of
\nus whose routine is to attend one funeral after another because of the AIDS
\npandemic, the message is the same as received that night by the shepherds,
\n\u0084Do not be afraid; for behold I bring you good news of great joy which
\nwill come to all the people…\u0093 If the shepherds were overwhelmed with
\nfear, today our reaction could be one of disbelief. How can we not fear when
\ndemographic indicators for 2010 predict life expectancy for Zimbabwe at 38.8?
\nAnd this prediction is not far worse when compared to other countries in
\nsouthern Africa. And yet we are assured \u0084Do not fear.\u0093 Why God? Why
\nshould we not fear? Because a Saviour has been born to us!<\/p>\n
Now the issue of a Saviour is worth focusing on. The world has
\nseen people who have done great deeds in the name of saving humanity. Some have
\neven coined some slogans which encapsulate how solutions to human problems
\ncould be hammered out. Some have taken up arms to fight for freedom promising
\nthat when they themselves take up the reigns of power \u0084Justice will flow
\nlike water\u0093 to use the words of the Lord through the prophet Amos. In
\nAfrica as in other parts of the world, we have men and women who have appeared
\namong their people as good news. But as mortals they failed, are failing, will
\nfail. Jesus Christ is the Saviour who does not fail. He is the only one who can
\nbanish fear from the face of the earth. Listen to Him. In Christmas we
\ncelebrate the birth of the Christ, a Saviour who is not for the spur of the
\nmoment. The Saviour is the same who said to the disciples \u0084Let not your
\nhearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.\u0093 (St John 14:1
\nRSV)<\/p>\n
In Jesus Christ we have nothing to fear. As in the words of the
\nReggae singer, Bob Marley \u0084No woman, No Cry, Everything is gonna be
\nalright.\u0093 The good news dispels fear because the message comes from God
\nand not from mortals. The Message banishes fear because it is about the birth
\nof a Saviour for all times and for all people. it is a message which banishes
\nfear because the message is about God\u0092s love and care for humanity. In the
\nwords of the United Methodist Church Hymn the message is about how \u0084Got
\nwill take Care of You.\u0093 This is the message to the shepherds, this is the
\nsame message to you and me. Why should we fear in the presence of God among us?<\/p>\n
With the angels and the shepherds let us rise from tending
\nwhatever it is and march on to see with our own eyes. Let us stand and join in
\nthe praises. let us continue, and I invite you to continue getting on top of
\nmountains and tell others about the birth of the Saviour. Sing! Sing! \u0084Joy
\nto the world the Lord Has come.\u0093 The One who banishes fear has come. AMEN.<\/p>\n
Rev. Dr. Eben K. Nhiwatiwa, Africa University, Mutare, Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n