Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. And all that we do and all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. and thank you for joining us this morning. All of Bethel Crossroads, happy Veterans Day to you, and what a wonderful time it is to be in the house of the Lord, amen. Here today, if you would, take your Bibles to Matthew chapter 27. Matthew chapter 27 verse 54 and Matthew chapter 28 verses 2 through 4, as we talk about living beyond fear. Living beyond fear. I wonder today, as this morning, did any of you wake up afraid? Did you feel any kind of fear? Because we cannot live without fear. You don't want to get rid of fear entirely. You must be afraid of some things or else you're going to get in trouble. You must fear the other drivers on the road or else you're going to put yourself in harm's way. Small children must be afraid of dangerous things. You teach them how things are hot. or else they could injure themselves. We cannot live without fear. We need fear. Forget about living without fear, but we can live beyond fear. We can live beyond fear. We can understand fear and discover that we don't have to be paralyzed by fear. We can put on our confidence in something that will take us beyond merely wallowing in fear. And there's a way to live in confidence. No matter what we are afraid of, there's a way to live beyond fear. Did anything frighten you this morning? Did you feel any kind of fear? Maybe you looked in the mirror and all of a sudden, Maybe the truth is we're all aging. And some of us are getting more and more into a decline every day. You weren't ready to turn 40, but that sounds like middle age. You weren't prepared for the big 5-0 because that suggested there were more behind us than there is ahead of us. And all of us deny 60 and maybe 70. We try to deny it because it reminds us that maybe it won't be long now. who basically is getting all of us closer to death. And that's about fear. Fear, life is too short. So we wonder, did anything frighten you this morning? All of us, as we go through life today, as you take your Bibles over to Matthew chapter 27, verse 54, Matthew chapter 28, verses two through four, we look at living beyond fear. When we look at the acronym, the acronym for fear, we spell the word fear with F standing for faith. Faith in the resurrection that calls us to a deeper faith in Jesus, knowing that He conquered death and we live eternally. Not only do we spell fear with the F of faith, but the E of eternal. Jesus' resurrection is a promise of eternal life, not just for Himself, but for all who believe in Him. And then, we can live beyond fear with the acronym of not only spelling the F of fear with faith, the E with eternal, but the A of fear with aliveness. The resurrection confirms that Jesus is alive and active in our lives today, offering guidance, hope, and salvation. And then we sum up the acronym of fear not only with the F of faith, the E of eternal, the A of aliveness, but lastly, the R of reality. The resurrection is not a myth. It is the ultimate truth that changed everything, proving Jesus' divinity and His power over sin and death. And so, if you're able to stand with us this morning as we honor the reading of the Word of God, Matthew chapter 27, verse 54, the Bible says, Now when the centurion and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, And those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly, this was the Son of God. We look on down at Matthew chapter 28, verse 2. And the Bible says, And behold, there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. In verse 3, His countenance was like lightning and His raiment white as snow. In verse 4, And for fear of Him, the keepers did shake and become His dead men. You know, as we look at this, Let's have ourselves a word of prayer before we go any further. Heavenly Father, we come before you with humble hearts, grateful for your mercy and strength as we confess our sins before you, asking for your forgiveness, knowing that without your grace we're lost. Grant us the power to put on the full armor of God daily as Ephesians 611 reminds us that we may stand firmly against the challenges of this world. And as we honor our veterans today, may this message encourage us to live courageously in faith overcoming fear, finding strength in your word. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. You know, I'm glad today that each and every one of us, we remember here as Matthew chapter 27, verse 54, the centurion's reaction to Jesus' death is profound. The hardened soldier is suddenly shaken by the power of what he witnessed. Paul Harvey shared a story of a battle-hardened Marine who, in the midst of heavy combat, cried out for help from a God that he previously ignored. With bullets flying, he experienced what he described as an undeniable presence that filled him with strength and peace that he couldn't explain. He returned home transformed, knowing God had protected him. Uncertainly, yet God's message through the angel was not one of fear, but one of hope and strength, reminding us that we all can accomplish what we never could before. In our society today, where many people face crisis beyond their control, We are reminded not to rely solely on our strength. Whether in our careers, whether our families or our communities, God calls us to lean on His power, to be courageous in the face of fear. And we may not have control, but God does. And so, we're able to live beyond fear, praise God. And so, in a world where bravery is often reserved for soldiers and heroes, each of us face a battlefield of our own. And so, there was a young soldier in the midst of a storm of bullets, paralyzed with fear, and he almost froze in the heat of battle until he remembered his father's words. You're never alone, son. God walks with you." And so he found the courage to press on, his heart racing not with fear but with faith. Just as that soldier conquered his fear through trust in God, so are we called to overcome fear in our daily lives. And so, fear often feels insurmountable. like a shadow lurking at every corner of our lives and yet Jesus commands us in Matthew chapter 28 verse 20, I'm with you always even until the end of the world. Today as we honor those who have served our country, we also look at how we can live lives of courage and faith moving beyond our fears to fully trust in the one that promises to be with us every step of the way. And in the same way as veterans step forward to protect and serve, we as men and women of God are called to press forward, empowered by God's promise and presence. You know what? When we look at the soldiers that have shared their experiences of fear on the battlefield and the strength that came from unexpected moments of faith, we remember how that these soldiers faced an enemy's gunfire, found it terrified, and yet, with a whisper of prayer, felt an overwhelming calm. that credited to the power beyond ourselves, a courage that did not come from within, but from a firm trust in God. And for many veterans and for each of us facing life's battles, living beyond fear is only possible when we have a greater strength to lean on. When we look at the active duty personnel back of our U.S. military of 2023, we've got 1.1 million soldiers in the Army, 330,000 sailors in the Navy, 330,000 airmen in the Air Force, 180,000 Marines, and 43,500 active duty U.S. Coast Guard. that drops an average of 20% each year. Then we also have 8,000 guardians that was established in 2019, which is called the Space Force, that come under a military branch in December of 2019 under the wonderful direction of then President Donald Trump. that he did through the National Defense Authorization Act, the NDAA for the fiscal year 2020, that authorized the establishment of Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to create this branch that will protect us in space against asteroids and all of the other things of fear that none of us have no idea that is colliding close to the Earth's surface. I'm looking at right now in Etrex that tracks satellites. I can look and tell you how many satellites are overhead right now. What could fall down at any given time or what could happen with all of these satellites and all of this traffic that's in the skies that none of us can see right now that if we did, we would be afraid. We look and we realize that first of all in Matthew chapter 27 verses 54, we see the origin of fear and amazement because we witnessed God's power. We read in the Word of God in Matthew chapter 27 verse 54, now when the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly saying, truly this was the Son of God. We see these Roman soldiers who haven't seen Jesus' death and the earthquake will overcome with a fear and awe. A fear that stems from realizing that we're in the presence of a divine power. C.S. Lewis said one time, and I quote, safe? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe, but he's good, unquote. You see, we cannot live without fear. And so we can, though, live beyond fear, beyond fear. Two reasons why we live in fear and why fears don't get resolved is because, first of all, of why we're afraid. Because first, we're afraid because we get caught up in things that we didn't ask for. And second, we're afraid because we don't like not being in control, even when things are going well. Why are we afraid? Because we get caught up in things that we didn't ask for. And we're afraid because we don't like not being in control, even when things are going well. And so, to knock the underpinning out of everything, almost everybody, how could it have all happened so quickly, we say? And so the parade as Jesus entered the city had turned on a dime. Everything had moved with lightning speed. A near riot in the temple caused some skirmishes in the streets, backroom meetings, a betrayal, an arrest, a trial, a cruel crucifixion, a horrible death, and a hurried burial. Anyone would have had nerves of steel not to be fearful in the midst of all of that. But of course, if anybody had nerves of steel, it would have been the Roman soldiers, hard-boiled veterans of war, trained in crowd control, soldiers that had seen it all, that were ready for anything. All they had to do tonight was to guard a dead man's grave. Not much to fear, but then it happened. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, came, rolled back the stone, sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, his clothing white as snow. For fear of him, the guards shook and became like dead men. Soldiers just doing their duty. Something happened that they didn't ask for. They didn't bargain for it. Hey, I was just trying to do my job, but what is all of this about? And for fear of him, the guards shook and became like dead men, paralyzed with fear, feeling caught up in something they had nothing to do with, just innocent bystanders. Fear, fear, fear. And so, We see so much of life is like that. So many things can happen to us that we didn't ask for. A new neighbor turns out to be a hostile, makes your life miserable. We didn't ask for that. Your parents moved and you're a new kid at school and why is everybody staring at you? You didn't bargain for that. a sudden death in the family, and we're taking care of a child that we never expected to deal with. Somebody decides to reorganize the place where we work. And without warning, there's a new job description, a new supervisor, a new set of demands. We don't know if we can do what is called for. It's easy to be paralyzed with fear. Boy, I'm gonna tell you, each and every one of us, when we look and realize, talk about the guards at the tomb being paralyzed with fear. You haven't seen fear till you've seen a preacher with his tongue all tangled up with fear. I remember one time I was in a service with 10,000 preachers and their wives. And man, I don't think I could have said nothing. My tongue probably twisted every which way but left. But I'll tell you, the fear of being in a situation that you didn't ask for, for which we're not prepared, we fear the unexpected. And there's one reason to fear. But the second reason that we fear is very close to that one. We fear because we don't like not being in control. We just don't like not being in control, even when things are going well. Fear is a natural response, but it often paralyzes us when we least expect it. And the Roman guards, trained soldiers, found themselves utterly undone in the face of divine intervention. Their fear rendered them powerless, but the resurrection of Jesus reminds every one of us on this Veterans Day that even fear must bow to God's authority. Fear of the unknown, that we're out of control just as the guards feared what they couldn't understand. Fear of powerlessness, like the guards we can be immobilized with our human strength seemed insufficient. Fear of change that intensifies when familiar foundations shake, but God uses even disruptions to fulfill his divine purpose. And so we see that we can The origin of fear and amazement is we witness God's power, but secondly, we experience divine intervention. Because in Matthew chapter 28 verse 2, And behold, there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and wrote back the stone from the door and sat upon it. Fear even often grips us in the face of unknown, but God's intervention here through an angel demonstrates that he's sovereign in all things. Charles Spurgeon reminds us that when you go through a trial, the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which you lay your head. The Roman guards were not only the fearful people at the tomb of Jesus, Mary Madeleine and the other Mary and the women who had come to anoint the body, they were in for the shock of their lives. They were listening to the most stupidest news anyone had ever heard. The messenger at the tomb announced, and I know that you're looking for Jesus who was crucified. He's not here, for he has been raised, as he said, come and see the place where he lay, and then go quickly and tell his disciples that he's been raised from the dead. Raised from the dead, wow, tremendous, glorious, more than they could have ever hoped for. Jesus is alive. What was their reaction? What stirred in them? Well, the scripture says, so they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. They left the tomb with fear and great joy. Fear! Fear at what? Why fear in the face of joyful news? Fear because we do not like not being in control. Fear because even good news has a way of propelling us into situations that we cannot manage. Fear because in our anxiety we're not sure that even when blessings come that we're going to be able to match the occasion. Go tell the disciples. And I see the women hurrying along the road afraid of all sorts of things that might happen. Will they believe us? Will we get the story straight? Will they ridicule us for making up a fairy tale? The woman that we loved was dead and is now alive, but what if there is more to the story? When we're living beyond fear, what if we have been tricked somehow? What if, what if, what if you and I fear the what ifs even when life is going well? We lose confidence in ourselves. And so, Each and every one of us, life is going well. Even when things are going well, we're afraid of things that we cannot control. And so, when we see the origin of fear and amazement, we witness God's power. We experience divine intervention. But thirdly, a fear that leads to belief. Because in Matthew chapter 27 verse 54 and Matthew chapter 28 verse 4, we see, and for the fear of him, the keepers did shake and became as dead men. The fear led them to a moment of truth when we encounter God's presence and our fears can either consume us or they can turn us toward faith. Christian artist Chris Tomlin sings the story, you're the God of angel armies and I know who goes before me, unquote. So we see the origin of fear and amazement. But secondly, we see moving from fear to faith. Because in Proverbs 3, 5, the Bible says, trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not unto thy own understanding. Faith requires trusting even when we don't understand it. And for veterans and for each of us, this faith helps us push through moments of fear. Oswald Chambers said, faith never knows where it's being led, but it loves and knows the one who is leading, unquote. And so, moving from fear to faith, faith is beyond our understanding. But secondly, the courage that is found in Christ, because Paul said in Philippians 4.13, I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Our courage does not come from ourselves. It is drawn from Christ who strengthens us to face whatever lies ahead. And I'm glad. Christian songwriter Lauren Daigle writes, you say I am strong when I think I am weak. And so we experience divine intervention, but we move from fear to faith because faith is beyond our understanding. the courage that is found in Christ as well. But thirdly, we stand firm in God's armor. Because in Ephesians 6-11, we put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. And God's armor shields us from fear, enables us to stand firm, secure in His protection, no matter the trials we face. I was told in the military that first step off the cliff, after that you'll be okay. Well, you know what? First, we realize why we're afraid, what gives fear such power. But also, we proclaim to you that living in Jesus Christ makes it possible to live beyond fear. Because you can discover with me that the risen Christ makes it possible to go beyond our fears. We live beyond fears when first we know that Jesus Christ is completely trustworthy. And then secondly, we can live beyond fear when we do what Christ calls us to do. Let me repeat that. To live beyond our fears, we need to know that Christ can be trusted, and we need to step out and do what he wants us to do. You see, because Christ rose from the dead, it means that we can trust him. It means that he is completely trustworthy. And because he rose from the dead, we know that he keeps his promises, his word is good. And the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid. I know that you're looking for Jesus who was crucified, and he's not here. For he has been raised, as he said, come see the place where he lay. He's been raised, as he said, and they hadn't really heard it. They were preoccupied as they were with other things. But Jesus had promised that after three days that he would rise from the dead. And on more than one occasion, he had said this. And so, he made good on his word. He was trustworthy. Do not be afraid. He's been raised, as he said. Friends, if Jesus made good on his promise, doesn't that mean that he'll make good on his other promises? If he can promise something this impossible and do it. Can we not trust Him with other things as well? If He can say that He would come back to life after destructive death, and He did, how much more can we be sure that He will do all that He promises to do? We can live beyond fear because Christ has promised us that He's able to keep us from falling and to hold us in all things. We can live beyond fear because the one who was raised from the dead, just exactly as He said, is completely trustworthy. He promises so much. He promised never to leave us. He promised that when He begins to change us, He will not stop until He has finished. He promised to all who would trust Him that we too may have eternal life. And if He can promise to be raised and make good on that promise, then can He not only trust Him, as we do for eternal life because he's worthy to be trusted. He's completely trustworthy. And so, the same one who promised that he would bring those who follow him eternal life promised that there would be others to whom he must say, I never knew you. We better trust that too. Because the same one who spoke of welcoming many into the kingdom, he said, come ye blessed of the Lord. And I'm glad that each and every one of you, when we look and see that he told us. Come ye blessed of the Father and inherit the kingdom prepared for you. That same one spoke of rejecting others as well. Depart from me ye who work iniquity. If you are not going to take Jesus at his word, you need to take all of his word. If you're going to think of the loving Jesus who wants to embrace us, think also of the wrathful Jesus who must judge all of us because he is completely trustworthy. All that he says, he will do. And so, if you want to live beyond fear, Live in Him. You must be in a relationship with Jesus. It's not enough just to cherish ideas about Jesus. It's not enough just to agree with certain propositions about Jesus. To live beyond fear, you must trust Him to be your Savior and your Lord. You must take Him as He is because He's completely trustworthy. And you must do as He says, not only that He rose from the dead, that we can trust Him, but we must do as He says, to live beyond fear. Living in Christ is not something for the armchair, not merely a head trip. It's not some kind of lovely lily and trumpet tune. Living in Christ is not showing up at church or being nice to your neighbor. Living in Christ is going and tell. Living in Christ is being on mission. Living in Christ is living beyond our fears because we put ourselves out there for Him, doing what He tells us to do. Do not be afraid. Go and tell. Men who, a few days before, had cowered in a room afraid of being rounded up, marched out into the world and told everybody about this risen Christ. Women who had been struggling down a weary lane to anoint the body of a slain leader who were soon opening their homes to accommodate hundreds of his followers. Fishermen who had wanted nothing more than to go back to their trade that were preaching all over the countryside. A tent-making rabbi who had intended to stamp out the foolish Christian stuff became the power behind the spread of the entire gospel to the city after city, living in Christ, doing what he tells us to do, drives away our fears, banishes our doubts, destroys our anxieties, brings us to new life. And so, Remember, I am with you always to the end of the age. I'm glad that the origin of fear and the amazement that we see witnessing God's power, experiencing divine intervention, a fear that leads to belief, and not only the origin of fear and amazement, but moving from fear to faith, faith beyond our understanding, the courage found in Christ, and standing firm in God's armor. But thirdly, we see living as ambassadors of hope, And so, in 1 John 4, 18, we see that we can reflect Christ's love in a fearful world because there's no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear in 1 John 4, 18. Because as followers of Christ, we are called to demonstrate a love that dispels fear, offering hope in a fearful world. An unknown writer said, fear knocked at the door, faith answered, and no one was there, unquote. We reflect Christ's love in a fearful world, but secondly, courageously we share our faith. In Matthew 5, 16, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. By living in faith, we become lights for others, encouraging them to live beyond fear. And so, We see that living as ambassadors of the hope, we can reflect Christ's love in a fearful world. Secondly, courageously sharing our faith. But thirdly, reaching for the eternal reward. 2 Timothy 4, verses 7 and 8 says, I fought a good fight. I filled my course. I've kept the faith. Like Paul, we strive to complete our journey in faith, knowing our hope rests in eternal life with Christ. And so, in the movie Facing the Giants, Coach Taylor leads a high school team with a history of losing. But as he challenges his players to face their fears and trust God, everything begins to change. The coach and his team learn that it's not about the outcome, but about trusting and working in faith. Their transformation isn't just on the field, it's spiritual. And as they learn to trust God in their battles, This is similar to the disciples who feared when Jesus was crucified and then witnessed the angel's declaration of his resurrection. Their fear turned to faith and as they realized that God had conquered death itself, every one of us, when we go through life, We're able to identify the source of courage. Just as the centurion recognized Jesus' true identity, we're invited to see beyond our fears and place our trust in Christ's power and presence. We can trust God beyond the impossible. The guards at the tomb couldn't stop the power of God. Our challenges may seem impossible, but God is greater than any obstacle we face. And not only we can identify our source of courage, we can trust God beyond the impossible. But the third application for you and I is to reflect the resurrection courage in your life. And like the disciples, we're called to live boldly because Jesus lives. Let his resurrection inspire us to face our fears and proclaim his love fearlessly. And so every one of us, when we get the grip of fear, We have the promise of the resurrection, that we can live beyond fear through obedience. Because I'm glad that He told every one of us, Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I've commanded you. Lo, I'm with you always, even unto the end of the world. To live beyond fear, we must live in obedience to Christ's command. And that is the Great Commission not only calls us to go, but reminds us that Christ is with us, empowering us to face whatever comes our way. We walk in his authority, we embrace his mission, and we rely on his presence, praise God. I'm glad that each and every one of us, as I close out, we see the experience of a woman who, after a long drive through the wilderness, faced car trouble in the dead of night. Alone and frightened, she feared the worst, but saw a faint light in the distance. She walked toward it. Her heart was pounding. Every noise amplified her anxiety. And yet, when she arrived, She found warmth, hospitality, and a safe place to rest. The terror of the unknown dissipated, replaced by peace. Isn't it true that fear has a power for hold over us? But sometimes what we fear most can lead us to unexpected peace. And as we reflect on the power of the resurrection, let us remember that fear has no authority over a life surrendered to Christ. And the guards at the tomb were paralyzed by fear, but the women, thought fearful, obeyed and shared the news of Jesus's resurrection. And Jesus's resurrected power transforms all of our fears into courage. And we may still fear, but we're no longer controlled by it. As I close out, fear is a natural part of human experience. But as we look at the scriptures, we see that God has given us the tools to overcome it. He provides us with His presence, His power, and His promises. And through these, We learn to replace fear with faith, courage, and hope. Veterans, exemplify your courage and your sacrifice. And as Christians, we're so thankful for your service, veterans, men and women of all armed forces. And we too are called to live courageously through faith in God's love and power, and in the hope of eternal life. And Bethel Crossroads as well today, Thank you and Pastor Keith Dempsey for this great opportunity to speak on Veterans Day. Let's close out in the power of prayer. Father, thank you for being greater than our fears and our uncertainties. Help us to see beyond our own limitations and trust in your mighty power. Transform our hearts so that like the centurion and the disciples, we may boldly proclaim truly this is the Son of God in both word and action, and give us courage to help us live beyond fear, showing your love to a world in need. In Jesus's marvelous mighty name. you