In our second reading this morning, the author of the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews talks about the journey of faith undertaken by Abraham and Sarah, and continued by their descendants, Isaac and Jacob. They perceived that there was more to life than this earthly life. "They ... were strangers and foreigners on the earth ... seeking a homeland." In a sense ... it is a journey shared by all people of faith. The journey? This idea we will never find ultimate security this side of the Kingdom.

Oh, but how we try! We devise stronger locks and higher walls and louder alarms in order to keep out the terrors of the night. And that is prudent. And yet still we awaken at times in a cold sweat ... frightened, knowing we shall never master ultimate security. And so our Gospel text is terribly timely, as Jesus says, "Do not be afraid, little flock...."

I agree with the preacher who feels if we could put the Gospel of Jesus Christ into one phrase, it would be, "Do not be afraid." What did the angels proclaim to the shepherds in Bethlehem? "Do not be afraid." And what were the first words of the angel on Easter morning: "Do not be afraid." It is what the risen Christ said to his disciples in the upper room on Easter afternoon and they were among his final words before his Ascension into heaven, "Do not be afraid. I am with you always." And of course, from our text for this morning, "Do not be afraid, little flock...." Now what would cause angels to speak such words? And Jesus himself? Why else? The words were addressed to folks who were frightened, almost literally shaking in their sandals. I remember the punchline of an old joke, "Anybody here not scared doesn't really understand the situation!"

One of my seminary classmates had a very slight speech impediment, and he worked hard to overcome it. For lack of a better term, his high school English teacher labeled it "Lazy Tongue Syndrome." Occasionally the little hitch in his speech occurred, as the letter "c" turned into a "th." For example, "ice cream" became "ithe cream." John would kid around and say, "Well, I'll just make sure I never preach a sermon about ice cream." Of course, when the word "disciples" came out "dithiples," John knew he better keep his lazy tongue well exercised.

Now second year students were assigned to preach a sermon to the entire seminary community, and the sermon was graded. When it was John's turn, he became a homilectical hero for a day. The text was the story of the disciples (oh, oh - disciples) the day they were fishing on Galilee and a sudden storm threatened to swamp the boat! The disciples were frightened by the storm and the waves, and John was frightened enough not to use the word "disciple," just in case. Very deliberately John said, "And Jesus commanded his followers, "You must faith your fears." Well, that just about brought down the house.

In class that afternoon, when the sermon was critiqued, Dr. Hoefler, our preaching professor, had a twinkle in his eye. "John, there are times you know you've lost the congregation and you might just as well say, 'Amen,' and sit down. This was one of those times." He continued, "Faith your fears. Marvelous. You're getting an 'A' for the sermon." After thirty-five years, the fact I remember the sermon means John's "A' was well-earned! "Faith your fears" is another way of saying, "Do not be afraid, little flock..."

And yet, the fact of the matter is we are afraid. Tom Long, in a wonderful sermon suggests, "When we think about it, our fear is not just about the stock market or the possibility of violence in the streets. Those are symptoms of a deeper fear that we are frail and temporary creatures set in an uncertain space. The philosopher Pascal expressed it well when he said, 'When I consider the short duration of my life, swallowed up in the eternity before and after ... I am afraid.' "

We are afraid ... and there are legitimate things to fear. As a parent, I fear for my children. On Friday I preached at the funeral of a vibrant and talented sixteen-year-old girl who just suddenly - for no apparent reason - died. As a preacher, plumb full of faith, I could proclaim with confidence the faith which says, "I am the Resurrection and the Life and the one who believes in me will never die." I'll preach that until I'm blue in the faith (lazy tongue?), and yet as a parent, I fear for my children. When he was seven, my son Chris had a fascination with motorcycles. I told him he could not have one until he was thirty-five. In three weeks - he turns thirty-five!

Believe me, I struggle to take hold of our Gospel text for this day, "Do not be afraid...." For myself I am not all that afraid. But I need to shore up my confidence when it comes to concern for family and friends ... and even those I don't know who are - with us all - "strangers and foreigners" sharing this pilgrimage through life.

The Bible is helpful as we try to faith our fears. It certainly is. You know what else is helpful? Our Baptismal banner. Our banner preaches a sermon every time you see it. The verse is Isaiah 43:1, in which our God says, "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."

Again, Tom Long: "Isaiah knew that the Lord who spoke those words is not some distant deity, some impersonal force loose in the universe, a God pulling the strings of history. Our God is more like a mother who listens in the night for the cries of her children. 'Do not be afraid,' says the Lord. 'I created you. I formed you. I have redeemed you. I have called you by name. You are mine.' This is the God who knows your name, who knows the number of the hairs on your head, the God who remembers you and does not forget you, the God who, even when the winds howl and the seas roar, listens for your voice, knows your cry, and says to each of us, 'Do not be afraid. I know you. I have called you by name. I am coming to help you. You are mine.'"

For sure these are scary times in which we live. Metal detectors in malls and airports and libraries and schools. Knapsack searches at ballparks and stadiums and downloadable terror alerts for your desktop computer. But life has always been a rather frightening journey. But, do not be afraid little flock for our God is in ultimate control. Do not be afraid, Kate and Shawn, for this day God is calling Samuel by name. Do not be afraid you parents and children alike - because the God who created you will never abandon you.

Be prudent, of course, but realize whatever comes our way in life, one day we are going to inherit the homeland for which we yearn. Jesus says, "For it is the Father's good pleasure to GIVE you the kingdom." Do not be afraid. When the waves get high and the storms more severe - do not be afraid. The God who created you knows you by name. Not even death will part us from God - or ultimately - from one another. Lazy tongue aside, when our earthly journey is fully complete, we will see our Lord, faith-to-faith.