“Fear not.” “Do not be afraid.” Those words of reassurance from the angel Gabriel are scattered throughout the story of Christ’s first Advent. Zechariah, Joseph, Mary and the shepherds in the fields all heard this statement. But why were they afraid?
Perhaps the circumstances of the message called for reassurance. Fear would seem like an understandable response when addressed by any angel, let alone Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and serves as his messenger. (See Luke 1:19. Any being that can manage to stand in the terrifying presence of God and live to tell about it would certainly be intimidating.)
Image via Wikipedia
For Mary and Joseph particularly, the content of the message meant reassurance was necessary. Mary became pregnant before she was married, under somewhat mysterious circumstances. To everyone who didn’t hear Gabriel’s explanation of the pregnancy firsthand, Mary was an adulteress, an offense punishable by death under the Jewish law. Joseph was also vulnerable for having a pregnant fiancee. Perhaps some thought he had gotten her pregnant? In first century Israel, Mary and Joseph had plenty of reasons to be afraid.
But I think there was a more basic need to be reassured, which is tied to our need for the Gospel announced by Gabriel. Because of the Fall and our sin, we are all marked by fear. As God’s image bearers, we were designed to live in proximity to him so that we could reflect his image to his creation, thereby giving him glory. Being near God kept us safe. But then we sinned in the Garden and we felt fear for the first time:
“And [Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool of the day, and [they] hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him ‘Where are you?’ And he said ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” (Genesis 3:8-10)
Our sin separates us from the safety of God’s presence. It also makes us fear God himself. Not reverential “fear of the Lord” spoken of in scripture, but rather the fear that comes whenever the unrighteousness in each of us is in the presence of the righteousness of God. It is fear that comes from shame caused by sin and the resulting expectation of punishment (1 John 4:18). It’s as if we are living in a perpetual state of getting caught with our hand in the cookie jar. You know…busted.
The law given to Israel did not help our fear. God’s standard for righteousness was codified. And so was fear of punishment. (Violating sabbath laws could get you killed.) The law, while holy, could not save us. It just drove the point home that our own efforts to become righteous would never work (Romans 7:15-25). We were stuck in our sin which made us afraid. Very afraid.
But then Gabriel shows up and tells us to “fear not.” He has some very good news, which is, in fact, what the Gospel is. The Son of God is coming to rescue us from our sin:
“For our sake (God) made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (1 Corinthians 5:21)
Because of God’s great love for us, he has given us grace in the form of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Our faith in him makes us righteous so that we can return to the safety of God’s presence. We no longer need to be afraid. Perfect love has cast away fear (1 John 4:18). And that is Good News.
May the Grace and Peace of Christ, Emmanuel, be with you always.
Jim
