SUNDAY LESSON, 1/19/25
BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS:
RECOGNIZING OUR CORE FEARS
1 John 4:18; Acts 15:36-41
We are continuing our new year series: BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS. This Sunday we will see how our underlying fears adversely affect our relationships as we study: RECOGNIZING OUR CORE FEARS.
The command “FEAR NOT!” is recorded in the Bible more than any other command because we are naturally fearful people. Yet, that is not how God created us. In fact, Paul told Timothy that “God does not give us the spirit of fear [cowardice]…” (1 Timothy 1:7 KJV). After Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, they experienced an emotion they had never felt before, FEAR. Because of sin, Adam and Eve started a destructive cycle that every person in a strained or shattered relationship gets into: THE FEAR CYCLE.
Behind problems that often cause friction and arguments in relationships is usually some underlying fear that is triggered. In fact, we will study the possible core fears behind Paul’s and Barnabas’ “sharp disagreement” that Luke records in Acts 15:36ff. Paul, who wrote “the Lord’s servant must not quarrel” (2 Timothy 2:24), had a doozy of a quarrel with his fellow-missionary and dear friend, Barnabas. But why? What could have possibly triggered it?
1 JOHN 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
ACTS 15:36-41
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
