Fear of Flying, Part 1

Fear of Flying, Part 1

Sermon Notes

August 5, 2007

Rev. Jim O’Neal, Senior Pastor

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

9248 E. Riggs Road, Sun Lakes, Arizona 85248

(480) 895-8766

Matthew 10:26-31 NRSV

²⁶“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. ²⁸Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

A. Introduction

1. Airport Pacifier

a. Grandma wanted to see the new baby, but health concerns did not allow her to fly to Arizona. So she sent her daughter Mary tickets to fly out to Ohio with baby Jennifer. After two weeks, Mary and Jennifer flew home. This was in the old terminal at Sky Harbor and in the days before strict airport security. Mary and Jennifer were greeted right there at the gate by husband and daddy Bob, and his parents. Bob kissed Mary and said, “Just wait here and I’ll get the luggage.” Of course, the paternal grandmother just had to hold the baby, and she and granddad followed Bob to the luggage area. Mary was left alone sitting there with the passengers waiting to board the next flight holding the baby’s pacifier. People began to laugh. Finally a flight attendant came up and asked, “Excuse me, but is this your first time to fly?”

b. Some people really have a phobia about flying. Others have fears about different things. And all of us have things that cause us anxiety and worry.

2. Today’s Scripture: Matthew 10:26-31

a. Today’s Scripture gives us hope. In the Tenth Chapter of Matthew, Jesus is sending His followers out to share the Good News and to faithfully live the Christian life. He tells followers then and now this: When we witness about Him in word and deed, people will oppose and even persecute us for standing up with the Lord. These are the “them” he tells us not to be afraid of in verse 26. Ultimately Jesus reminds us that God is in control. God loves us so much that the Almighty will not let evil destroy us. God takes care of the birds of the air, and God will take care of you. You are God’s special creation, made in the image of God. “So do not be afraid,” Jesus says. (Matthew 10:31 NRSV)

b. The fact that Jesus uses a rather broad term like “them” is significant. His words hold true no matter what fear you are facing. Jesus gives us hope facing all fears. He gives us the strength to face the fear caused by evil persons. He gives us the strength to banish our self-imposed demons and dragons. In Jesus is our hope, and that’s what today’s message is about.

B. Recognize that everyone has fears.

1. Movie: “Psycho”

a. The original movie “PSYCHO” was done over 45 years ago. Yet most Americans seem to have some memory of Hitchcock’s shower scene where Janet Leigh is repeatedly stabbed. After filming and watching the scene Janet Leigh was seized with an overwhelming and lasting terror. She stated, “I stopped taking showers and even now I take only baths.” In fact, for years after whenever she stayed at a hotel or with friends and there was only a shower, she had a panic attack. And whenever she took a bath she said, “I make sure the doors and windows of the house are locked and I leave the bathroom door and shower curtain open. I’m always facing the door, watching, no matter where the shower head is.”

b. Janet Leigh may have been an extreme case, however all of us have things that cause us worry and fear. For some it may be violence real or imagined. For some it’s a little tape in the back of their head saying, “You’re going to fail” and so they don’t even try. Others are so afraid of rejection that they let others walk all over them.

2. Unknown Comic: Joe Ancis

a. Have you heard of Comic Joe Ancis? Probably not. In the late 1940’s Buddy Hackett, Rodney Dangerfield, Lenny Bruce, and some other aspiring young comics hung out at a New York luncheonette on Broadway called Hanson’s. Joe Ancis was one of them. Buddy, Rodney and Lenny would tell people that Joe was the funniest guy there. Dangerfield said, “He cracked up everybody all the time!” They dubbed him: “The funniest man in the world!” He could tell funnier stories than all the other young comics. No one could better him in a “put down” contest. He could stand toe to toe with any of them and out shine all of them. But Joe Ancis never made it big, because he was terrified of audiences. He tried once and just couldn’t do it. In small groups with his buddies he was the best, but on stage he froze. He went into selling aluminum siding.

b. We all have things that terrify us. Today’s message is for anyone who has allowed fear to rob them of joy, of potential, and of being the person God made them to be.

C. Realize that fear limits you.

1. Basketball Player Billy Green

a. In 1963 there was a basketball player at Colorado State named Billy Green, who had all the pros talking! One sports reporter said, “This kid has the moves, he has the shot, and ‘oh my’ how he can twist and turn and fly through the air and still get the ball into the hoop!” Coach Red Auerbach of the Boston Celtics was impressed. Billy was just the player they needed to take them to a championship! So Red traded and finagled, and got an early first round draft pick, and made Billy Green his team’s first selection. The young man looked great in training camp! Auerbach was ready to give Billy a great big contract when the young man dropped a “bomb shell.” Billy asked to talk about his “special” traveling arrangements. Green was afraid to fly in an airplane and thought like in college he could take the train or bus and meet the team in the various cities where they played. Neither Auerbach, the team physician or specialists brought in could talk Billy Green out of his phobia. His fear was too great. Auerbach ended up cutting him from the team, and wasting a number one draft pick. Red Auerbach later said, “I now make sure a kid can fly on and off the court!

b. Fear of flying limited Billy Green. He could have made it in the NBA, but gave it all up because of his fear. Too many of us are that way. We give up, because we let fear dominate our lives.

2. Tandem Bicycle

a. George took his girlfriend Yvonne for a ride on his new tandem bicycle. It was his plan for them to pedal to the top of Turner’s Hill. There they could enjoy the sunset and a candlelight picnic dinner. They never did make it. George found the climb far more difficult than he anticipated. Half way up sweating profusely and thoroughly exhausted George and Yvonne headed back down the hill and had their dinner on Yvonne’s front porch. A tired George said, “Boy was that a hard climb.” Yvonne replied, “It certainly was, good thing I kept the brake on the whole time or we could’ve slid down backward.”

b. Fear is like having the brakes on. It keeps you from obtaining your goals. It limits you.

D. Believe in yourself!

1. Sweet Alice Harris

a. Robert Schuller in his book “POWER THOUGHTS” tells of a woman named Alice Harris. She is so sweet and kind, and has such a wonderful smile that everyone calls her “Sweet Alice.” It was not always that way. Alice grew up in what many of us would call a ghetto: The Watts area of Los Angeles. At twelve years of age she was in jail. At thirteen she was pregnant. By the time she was fifteen she was homeless and had attempted suicide. She felt like a nothing. She had ruined all chances in her life.

b. But then one day a woman named Anne Cohn told Alice that she had a million dollar smile. Anne assured Alice that she had great potential. No one had ever said that to her. Alice began to improve herself. She got a job. She found a little apartment. Then in 1965 the Watts Riots flamed in L.A. Alice formed a group called POW: Parents of Watts. They began work on improving their community. Literacy programs were started. Community watches were organized. Drug dealers and porno shops were closed. Sweet Alice bought a home and turned it into a homeless shelter. Then she talked businesses and Churches into opening 9 other shelters. She is convinced that God is rewarding her by giving her more to do.

c. In 1993 the first President Bush invited her to the White House. There she was presented a “Hero Award” and Essence Magazine’s “Essence Award” for her work with POW and the homeless shelters. Later Bill Clinton would honor her for her continued work in bettering the community of Watts. In 2002 Alice was named California “Woman of the Year.” Recently she was named “Woman of the Year” by MS Magazine, and current President Bush invited her to the White House and presented her with the “Thousand Points of Light” award. By 2004 Sweet Alice had bought eight more houses to be used as homeless shelters. Her own home and others were damaged in the November 2004 floods. Later that year Alice’s home was fixed up by the TV Show EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION. Sweet Alice has been honored along with Senators, Olympic athletes, and business people for her contributions to American society. And all because one person noticed her million dollar smile and Alice began to believe in herself!

2. Holy Scripture: Matthew 10:29-31 & Ephesians 3:20

a. Too many of us are ruled by our fears, because we lack confidence in ourselves. Hear again Jesus’ words from Matthew 10:29-31. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (NRSV) And it is true: Each person here is of infinite value to God!

b. And each person here has vast potential to love and bless others, and to make a difference in the world. As the Holy Bible says: “With God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:20 NCV) In other words, God has made YOU able to do far more than you ever imagined or dreamed! Believe in yourself. Trust that God has made you to overcome your fears.

E. Conclusion: Recap

1. Recognize that everyone has fears.

2. Realize that fear limits you.

3. Believe in yourself!

Matthew 10:26-31 NIV

Fear of Flying, Part 1

1. Recognize that everyone has fears.

2. Realize that fear limits you.

3. Believe in yourself!