Faith or Fear | Pastor Robert | April 27, 2025
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Click here for last week's message from Pastor Robert on moving from Fear to Faith - the transformative power of an encounter with the resurrected Christ. Pastor Robert spoke about the Significance of Relational Knowledge, that true wisdom does not come from our own limited perspective, but from a humble, relational knowledge of God. In the Proverbs 3 passage two different Hebrew words are used for knowledge and understanding: the word "bînâ" in Hebrew refers to the ability to distinguish, analyze, and understand intellectually. This is an important aspect of wisdom, but it is not the whole picture. Yet the word "yāda" speaks of a deeper, relational knowing - a meaningful engagement with the divine that goes beyond mere information processing. As theologian Miroslav Volf describes it, "Yāda is not just knowing about God, but knowing God." In John 20 we witness the disciples' response to the resurrection of Jesus. Initially, they were gripped by fear, huddled behind locked doors, uncertain and anxious. But then, the risen Christ appeared to them, and everything changed. The disciples experience a leap from bînâ to yāda, which signifies a profound, relational, and experiential knowing, a deeper layer of understanding that goes beyond mere facts. We can know God not just as a concept, but as a living reality. It's the difference between knowing about someone and truly knowing them—having a relationship that is rich, dynamic, and transformative. Consider a compass: It can guide you based on logical direction, but without feeling—without understanding the terrain, weather, and your emotional state during the journey—you may lose your way. Or imagine being in a rocky dessert where you are challenged to make it to a life-saving oasis, but you have to decide between A) the best map to use on your own, with all kinds of very precise data on it, or B) a local guide going with you who knows the terrain inside out, as he has walked it countless times. What would you choose? Reflection questions: 1) In what ways has fear or doubt impacted your faith, and how can viewing these challenges as invitations to go deeper "transform your perspective?" 2) What is a current doubt or fear that you can share with a person you trust?