What am I afraid of?

A reflective exploration traces how fear surfaces across Gospel scenes and how encountering Jesus reframes that fear. A morning email and a personal airplane story introduce common, ordinary anxieties, then attention turns to five Gospel set pieces where fear meets Christ’s presence and power. In the storm on the lake, disciples panic at the threat of drowning, yet Jesus’ presence and command over wind and waves expose faith as the decisive posture in crisis. At the Gerasenes, a healed man sitting clothed and calm unnerves a community that fears the losses and changes true power can bring. Questions about Jesus’ identity force a deeper reckoning: knowing his name as Messiah proves insufficient until his suffering and resurrection reshape expectations about victory and deliverance.

Close, personal relationships with Jesus reveal fear’s complexity. The Last Supper scene shows betrayal, testing, and prayer—Jesus prays in advance for faith to endure even when fear prompts failure. The post-resurrection encounters with Emmaus and the gathered disciples transform despair into clarity and mission: the risen one opens Scripture, explains suffering and resurrection, and commissions repentance and forgiveness to all nations. That revelation turns worry into worship, and ascension seals confidence that followers will share in his vindication. Throughout, prayerful intercession, revealed identity, and the assurance of Jesus’ continual presence emerge as the means by which fear loses its final hold. Rather than denying fear, the narrative invites honest facing of it, a rooted knowledge of who Christ is, and reliance on his interceding presence so that fear becomes a portal to strengthened faith and active witness.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Presence overpowers the fiercest storms Fear often narrows vision to immediate danger; recognizing Christ’s presence expands vision to purpose and calling. When Jesus sits in the boat, storms remain real but no longer determine destiny because presence reframes peril as part of God’s commissioned journey. Faith does not erase storms but anchors the heart amid them. [07:21]
• 2. True power provokes uncomfortable change Power that restores order can unsettle the status quo and expose vested interests and identities. The healed demoniac shows how wholeness threatens economic, social, and personal comforts, and fear can drive communities to reject the very liberation they witnessed. Spiritual change often demands loss of old securities before gaining new life. [15:31]
• 3. Knowing Jesus reshapes fearful expectations Correct titles without deep understanding leave people stranded at half-truths; the Messiah who conquers does so through suffering and resurrection. Grasping that paradox turns fear of missed opportunity into confidence in the unfolding of redemption across history. True knowledge of Christ converts confusion into courage for mission. [19:53]
• 4. Fear can lead to faithful restoration Fear-driven failure need not end spiritual life when Christ intercedes in advance and in ongoing prayer. Peter’s denial and subsequent restoration illustrate that moments of fear can expose weakness without annihilating faith when met by divine mercy and renewed commission. Fear becomes a context for grace and strengthened obedience. [26:37]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [00:30] - Waking to the question of fear
• [02:33] - Airplane story: calling and protection
• [04:41] - Series setup: four post‑resurrection questions
• [07:21] - The boat: storms, sleep, and faith
• [12:34] - Gerasenes: demoniac and community fear
• [19:14] - Who do you say I am?
• [23:33] - Last Supper: betrayal and prayer
• [28:20] - Emmaus: hope, doubt, and Scripture
• [30:24] - Post‑resurrection peace and mission
• [32:18] - Ascension: worship replaces worry

Bible Reading
Luke 8:22-25 (ESV)
One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

Luke 24:36-39 (ESV)
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

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Observation Questions

1. In Luke 8:22-25, what specific actions did Jesus take during the storm, and how did the disciples respond before and after He calmed the storm?
2. After Jesus healed the demon-possessed man in the region of the Gerasenes, why did the townspeople react with fear and ask Jesus to leave? (Refer to the sermon example: [15:31])
3. What did Jesus emphasize about His identity and mission when He appeared to His disciples after His resurrection in Luke 24:36-39?

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Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus asked the disciples, “Where is your faith?” during the storm (Luke 8:25) instead of immediately calming it? What does this reveal about the relationship between fear and faith?
2. The healed man in the Gerasenes was sitting “clothed and in his right mind,” yet the community was afraid. What does this teach us about how true spiritual power can disrupt comfort or control in our lives?
3. Jesus prayed for Peter in advance of his denial (Luke 22:31-32). How does this prayer show the difference between temporary failure and permanent loss of faith?

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Application Questions

1. When facing a current “storm” in your life (stress, uncertainty, or crisis), what practical step could you take to focus on Jesus’ presence rather than the danger? How might this shift your perspective?
2. The Gerasenes feared the changes Jesus’ power brought. Are there areas in your life (habits, relationships, priorities) where you resist God’s work because it might disrupt your comfort? How can you surrender those areas?
3. Jesus assured the disciples, “Peace to you!” after His resurrection. What doubts or fears about His presence or promises do you need to bring to Him this week?
4. Peter’s failure didn’t disqualify him because Jesus interceded for him. How does knowing Jesus prays for you (Hebrews 7:25) change how you handle moments of weakness or fear?
5. The disciples’ worry turned to worship after Jesus ascended. What specific worry could you intentionally replace with worship today?