In today’s sermon, Rev. Jim Short takes the Stump the Preacher torch around the question — why do the scriptures have so many references to fearing God? Does God wants us to shrink in fear and focus on thinking, doing or saying something that might bring punishment down upon us? Why are so many religious and non-religious people drawn to the image of a God to be afraid of and use those images of God as if they are somehow good news?
 
Jesus confounds the whole question with the many references in the New Testament to “be not afraid”? Does Jesus really mean that, in this fearful world, we should not be afraid? Isn’t being afraid human? Rev. Jim unpacks some of these question using Luke 12: 31-42.