Experiencing Christ Through Faith Over Fear / Whole By Jesus

Weekend Service for May 17Scripture Readings: Psalm 13 / Psalm 34 / John 20:24-29 / Luke 22:42Weekend Service for May 17Scripture Readings: Psalm 13 / Psalm 34 / John 20:24-29 / Luke 22:42Fear is a universal experience, but our responses to it are as varied as the people who feel it. Some of us are like the little girl who picks up a snake without hesitation, while others freeze at the sight of a tiny spider. Fear is an emotion that signals danger or threat, but it doesn’t have to control our lives. We often respond to fear by fighting, fleeing, freezing, or even fawning—trying to appease what scares us. Yet, as followers of Christ, there is another way: faith.Throughout Scripture, we see people who faced overwhelming fear and yet chose to trust God. David, a shepherd boy, stood before Goliath not because he was fearless, but because his faith in God was greater than his fear. Daniel, threatened with death for his devotion to God, chose faith over self-preservation, even as he faced the lions. Their stories remind us that faith doesn’t erase fear, but it gives us the courage to move forward in spite of it.The Psalms show us that even the most faithful people wrestle with fear and sorrow. David cries out to God in anguish, but ultimately chooses to trust in God’s unfailing love and goodness. Faith is not a denial of fear, but a decision to trust God’s character and promises in the midst of it. This is a process—a journey of learning to lean on God, step by step, as we see His faithfulness in our lives.Even Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, experienced deep agony and fear as He faced the cross. He prayed for another way, but ultimately surrendered to the Father’s will. Jesus shows us that faith is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to trust God’s plan, even when it leads through suffering.Life will always bring moments that test us—loss, uncertainty, pain. Faith doesn’t guarantee a life free from hardship, but it does promise God’s presence with us through it all. When we choose faith over fear, we find peace, rest, and the assurance that, no matter what comes, we are never alone. Our hope is anchored not in our circumstances, but in the unchanging love of Christ and the promise of what’s to come.[00:00] Welcome[01:03] Fear Factor and Childhood Fears[01:58] Family Stories of Fear[02:47] Defining Fear[03:43] Playground Lessons and Fear Responses[04:57] The Four F’s: Flight, Freeze, Fawn, Fight[06:04] Introducing Faith as a Response[06:56] Biblical Examples: David and Daniel[09:57] Daniel’s Faith in the Lion’s Den[10:59] Psalm 13: Wrestling with Fear[12:31] Psalm 34: Choosing Praise[13:31] The Ongoing Presence of Fear[14:33] Faith Is a Learning Process[16:58] God’s Provision in Uncertainty[18:07] Jesus’ Agony in Gethsemane[19:54] Submitting to God’s Will[20:49] God’s Presence in Our Trials[21:42] Life Is a Journey of Faith[22:31] The Hope of Eternal Life[23:33] Confidence in Christ[24:12] Prayer for Faith Over Fear[25:41] Closing and Benediction