First Words of the Gospel

During the Christmas season, more and more people (some who have not opened a Bible in 360 days and will not open it again for another 360 days) will open to the first two chapters of the book of Luke. Luke details Christ’s birth more than the other writers. From Luke’s account of the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, readers KNOW that Jesus was completely human and completely Divine, God’s Son. My constant prayer throughout the holidays is that someone who looks to the Bible for the record of Christ’s birth will come to know Him and the Salvation found in His name. As one opens up Luke’s gospel account (the good news of Jesus Christ), they are met by the words, “fear not.” Over and over again throughout this book the reader sees great lessons from the repetition of the words, “fear not.” By way of Bible study, let us consider these passages:

Luke 1:13 – Here we find the first dialogue in the New Testament concerning the Gospel, the first words of God’s plan for man’s salvation, as the angel spoke to Zacharias (the father of John the Baptizer), “Fear not.” As the heavenly being spoke to a man, the angel reassured that man with the comforting words of God, “Fear not.”

Luke 1:30 – As the angel spoke to Mary, announcing that from her womb, she, one who had not known man, would conceive and gift birth to the King of Israel, the Son of God, Immanuel, he spoke to her with the same words of comfort, “Fear not.” Before Mary could express her fears or question the angel, she heard those comforting words.

The phrase, “Fear not,” is found seven total times in Luke, twice as mentioned above spoken by angels and five times by the Savior. The context of each one is very telling. In Luke 5:10 Jesus gives these words of assurance as a call to faith to disciples who are leaving the security of their occupations to become fishers of men: men dedicated to following Christ and spreading His Word. When we leave the comfort of this life to serve Christ, He says to us, “Fear not.”

Jesus uses the same words of comfort and hope in Luke 8:50 to show His power over death. These words comforted the ruler of the synagogue whose daughter had just died (before Christ raised her from the dead) and comfort us today as we look forward with hope to the final resurrection. When we wonder if God cares for us, once again He says, “Fear not,” (Luke 12:7) even the very hairs of our head are numbered and known by our heavenly Father. When we wonder if God will provide for us, Christ says, “Fear not,” Luke 12:37. What great words of comfort to those who put their trust in God. As faithful Christians we have nothing to be afraid of in this life or on this earth.

The final “Fear not,” is found in a much different context in Luke 18:4. Jesus tells a parable of a man, a judge, “who fears not God.” He was a man whose pride consumed him and caused him to trust only in himself. When one trusts in God, he has nothing to fear. However, if a man does not fear God, he will not keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13) and should be very afraid because he stands condemned in the sight of the Almighty.

this is a reprint of an article for the San Marcos Sounder