Fear is something we all live with. It is part of life, as there are plenty of things to be fearful of. At the moment it can often seem like fear is all around us. And perhaps underneath all other fears lurks a common root – fear of death. Ultimately so many other fears – of the forces of nature, of sickness, of dark powers – are given their weight and intensity by the fear of our mortality.

That is why hope in the face of fear is so important, especially hope in the face of the fear of death. And that is why I am so excited about the next part of our series in Luke’s Gospel. Over the next three weeks we will see Jesus encounter fearful circumstances. This week (7th Nov) he will face the destructive forces of nature, something we are well aware of in Christchurch. Next week (14th Nov) he will encounter the demons that plague a man’s life. And then (21st Nov) he will encounter both sickness and death itself.

Through all of this, we will have a chance to see why Jesus continues to offer real hope in the face of fear – even the fear of death. We would love to have you join us as we do.

9:30am Sundays, 95 Percival St, Rangiora.