 We are in the very last moments of 2020 and for most of us we would say I can't wait for this year to be over. It wasn't what we expected as I was here with you last year at this same time going into 2020 as we talked about the 2020 vision. A lot of things that were unexpected took place but as we step into 2021 there is still much uncertainty about the future. For some there's uncertainty about our jobs or our businesses. For others there's uncertainty about our bank accounts or our financial security or our retirements. How am I going to pay the bills? There's uncertainty of the direction of the future of our country and the direction our country will go politically. There's uncertainty of what will even happen with the presidential election. There's uncertainty for maybe some newly drafted in homeschool parents who never thought they would ever homeschool but have now been drafted and appointed to be homeschool parents and the uncertainty of will my kids learn anything. The uncertainty if I wonder if I can get through another day without committing murder. I read one mom who wrote this it's day two of homeschooling my two kids and already one is suspended and the other is expelled. There's all sorts of uncertainty isn't there. There's uncertainty of how long this pandemic will last and what life will be like when it's over and maybe the scariest of it all. The uncertainty if grocery stores will ever ever carry your brand of toilet paper again. There's all kinds of uncertainty we are facing and we as human beings don't do very well with uncertainty because with uncertainty comes the fear of the unknown. Psychologists and sociologists actually have discovered how the fear of the unknown is the fundamental fear of all other fears. Literally the fear of the unknown is the one fear to rule them all. In other words all phobias or fears that people have stem from the fear of the unknown and what takes place often in uncertainty is that the fear of the unknown creeps into our lives and we as Christians can become paralyzed in fear and no longer walking the life of faith that God has called us to live. We have seen that in our country and around the world this last year. So while scientists are looking for the antidote to the coronavirus I want to give you tonight the antidote to fear because the fear of the coronavirus is more deadly to your spirit than the actual virus is to your flesh and I say that the fear of the virus is more deadly than the actual virus is to your flesh because fear and faith cannot coexist together. We will either be fear filled or faith filled and what I want to do today is speak into this crisis from a Christ perspective. As followers of Christ I want us to see three things tonight. What do we do? What will we see and as Christ followers how do we respond? First what do we do? Number one write this down. We look to Jesus. If you've ever seen a suspenseful movie or have read a thriller of a book then you know the next time you watch that movie or read that book it's not nearly as suspenseful and doesn't cause us nearly as much anxiety because you know how the story ends. You've seen the last scene of the movie you've read the last page of the book and you know it's all going to work out. The same is true for the Christian life. When we realize how the story ends and how it's all going to work out the problems that would normally cause us anxiety or the situations that would normally have power over us or the questions that we would normally cause us perplexity no longer seem to affect you and me. Why? Because we know how the story ends. The answers are in the back of the book so I want to invite you tonight to flip to the back of the book the book of Revelation because in the time in which we live it's easy to be filled with worry and anxiety and perplexity about what in the world is going on until you remember how the story ends. You see the book of Revelation is a prophetic book with information of what's going to take place at the end of the world and I love how this book starts. Let's take a look Revelation chapter 1 verse 1 we're just going to be looking at the first 28 chapters tonight. No I'm kidding happy new year. I just want to look at this first verse with you it starts this way the Revelation of Jesus Christ. This book the Bible and the book of Revelation its primary purpose is not that you would become a scholar in Bible prophecy primarily it's that we would first write this down encounter Jesus personally because when we see Jesus it changes how we view everything you see when you read the story of the book of Revelation you realize that Jesus is on the throne Jesus is coming back and Jesus is going to take us home and that's all that we need to navigate any problem it helps us find the answer to any question Jesus is on the throne that means that he's in control ultimately of everything Jesus is coming back that means I want to live my life for him if he's coming back for me and Jesus is going to take us home I don't have to worry about what's happening in my life presently because I know where I'm going to land up ultimately do you remember when the disciples had their encounter with the resurrected Savior the disciples were hidden in a room doors locked shutters closed blinds drawn and now the disciples are hidden sheltering in place if you will they're hiding in fear of their lives because they lost sight of Jesus Jesus had been put to death and they were in fear that the same thing would take place in their lives so they were hiding but something changed in those disciples those closest followers of Jesus Christ something changed in their lives you know what it was they had an encounter with the resurrected Savior they had a revelation of Jesus Christ and my prayer for you is that we would have a New Year's revelation more than we need a New Year's resolution because when you have a New Year's revelation it changes everything in your life these disciples went from hiding in fear in their homes to going and proclaiming who Jesus was to crowds of people that potentially could put them to death what changed in their lives they had an encounter with Jesus and I bring this up because for many we have so focused on the pandemic and the politics of 2020 that as Christians we've lost sight of Jesus we've taken our focus off of Jesus and we put them on the things that are around us the cares of this world the things that are going on and we need to refocus our vision we need to place our focus on Jesus because in a time in which we live is a time in which the world needs the church the most you see we need to no longer be fearful but we need to be faithful the world needs the church and so many times the church the church the body the believers stop being the church when the church is needed most when the world outside of the church needs the body of Christ you see James chapter 5 verse 14 says if there's any sick among you let them call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord James didn't say if anyone's sick and not contagious we'll just anoint you with a six-foot pull but he said when someone is going through something here's where they are to turn they're to turn to Jesus when someone's going through something that the power of prayer and anointing of oil Jesus even reached out and touched lepers he could have spoke healing to them because he told a blind man he could have sight without ever touching him and he had sight Jesus could have done the same with a leper but he didn't he touched that person and we've lost something so important in the church that is realizing the Lord is on the throne we've taken our eyes off of Jesus and listen when the church isn't being the church and the church is absent people's lives are destroyed right and it sounds like you're getting some news off some right-wing conspiracy theory website cnn reports these headlines in japan more people died from suicide last month than from covid in all of 2020 the article goes on to say in japan government statistics show suicide claimed more lives in the month of october than covid 19 has the entire year to date the monthly number of japanese suicide rose to 2153 in october according to japan's national police agency as of friday japan's total covid 19 toll was 2087 the health minister said and japan is one of the few major economies to disclose timely suicide data certain cities in sacramento area won't even release data on their suicides right now for the state of california but it's reported worldwide that suicide has claimed five times the amount of lives worldwide than covid 19 has not to mention the damage and death from the increase of domestic violence elicit drug abuse prescription drug abuse alcohol abuse which has been far more deadly than the virus has been to begin with and it's not just around the world but it's in our own backyard these headlines i saw last week california elementary student commit suicide during zoom distance learning class and now experts are starting to warn that the pandemic could lead to a mental health crisis globally as mass employment social isolation and anxiety are taking their toll on people globally and now we start to understand the importance of what god's word has to say for the church the church that god has designed and established is essential god has created the church for such a time as this and the church is so much more than just a social gathering for the word church in the bible in the new testament's a greek word ecclesia which is defined this way gathering or grouping of the called out ones god created it because he knows the importance of it in our culture in the united states i believe we've taken church much too lightly where it's become a family tradition or part of our religion or something that we just have done out of habit in our convenient christianity we go to church when it fits in our schedule or when we don't have something else to do it's something nice they have good programs and comfortable chairs air conditioned building and in the comfortability of church we have lost the necessity of church because for us in the united states church has never cost us anything but around the world today and throughout history people were willing to give their lives to be a part of it well brendan isn't it dangerous right now to go to church i'll let you do your own research and decide that as i've done mine but i will tell you this it was much more dangerous to be a christian in the early church where they could be put to death fed to lions burnt at the stake simply for gathering and worshiping and studying god's word and that still didn't stop them and it's still more dangerous around the world today as christians are the number one persecuted group worldwide more people die for their christian faith than any other religious group combined people are dying for their faith and that still doesn't stop them from gathering together as the church and i believe it's time for followers of jesus to remember the church is essential that following jesus is essential and it doesn't matter what political party you align yourself with or what media outlets you listen to we first as christians need to put the bible as our primary authority in our lives what does god's word tell me to do because that's what i'm going to listen to because jesus christ needs to be our authority well pastor brennan i could die and i know that kovat has claimed lives and i know other things claim lives too and death is tragic but there's something as a christian that needs to reframe our perspective and that psalms 139 verse 16 the psalmist declares you saw me before i was born every day of my life was recorded in your book every moment was laid out before a single day had passed the psalmist declares that every single one of my days has been written to the day before i ever lived that means that nothing is going to take my life before god is done with me and if god is done with me and he's ready to take me home then so be it i'm ready to go but nothing will hinder the plans that god has as long as i'm obedient to him nothing is going to change that but listen i will no longer be silenced or be quiet as i've seen people struggle and hurt and die needlessly because the church is no more we need to stop being filled with fear and put on and putting our focus on the virus and we need to fix our eyes and focus on jesus look to jesus look for jesus and look at jesus so what do we do we look to jesus this is the revelation of jesus christ number two that we would know number two jesus is coming quickly it goes on to say in verse one this is a revelation from jesus christ which god gave him to show his servants the events that must soon take place you might say the events that will soon take place wait a minute this was given two thousand years ago and it said it would soon happen well the word soon or shortly is the greek word in toky it's where we get the english word a ticometer it's the gauge in your car that shows the rpms when the engine is revving and the word actually means that the actual translation is once these things come to pass or take place talking about the events of the end times it's going to happen fast with rapidity when god says it's time when the engine is revving if you will when things are warming up things are going to happen in succession with rapidity it's going to take place fast and when this pandemic started towards the beginning of this year i remember on monday i was on a pf chains with pastor don mcclure and my brother having lunch and we started getting notifications on our phones that disney land just closed and these things just closed and we were hearing about all these things on monday that could possibly happen by friday it already took place and it happened with such rapidity where everything changed if you remember that far back everything's happened so quickly and it set things in motion that i believe that god is allowing to set the stage of his return the rapture of the church the tribulation and christ second coming i hope that you realize tonight that the stage has been set for the lord's return in two ways first prophetically speaking of the last thing that needed to take place in bible prophecy before the prophecy of the lord's return or the rapture of the church i should say was that israel would become a nation and that was fulfilled back in may 12 of 1948 once that took place everything that said would be done before the return of jesus has taken place so prophetically the stage has been set but the lord hasn't come back since 1948 i believe because the stage hadn't yet been set practically practically things had to be set in place well what what are we seeing practically today well we're seeing a technological society you know growing up in church hearing my whole life talking about the end times what seemed like a science fiction movie my pastor pastor chuck smith talking about a chip that will be so small they'll be able to inject into your hand or into your forehead which seemed crazy at the time now today thousands of swedish citizens have been microchipped in their hands the technology is there practically and is in commonplace in many other countries not only are we there practically in a technological society but we're also now a cashless society i had the privilege of traveling a few times during this year and i'll never forget when i got on the plane i won't say what airline it was but it talked about the one world alliance that this airline was a part of and i literally thought i was reading something out of the jerry b jankins left behind books it literally said welcome to the one world global alliance now a cash-free environment no longer taking cash on the planes will accept alternative forms of payment like ni ni ni ni ni ni this is the twilight zone what is going on but now it's common place well the catalyst for that was the pandemic because money could be contaminated i'll never forget i saw this woman that had her husband very mad at her because she started to film all of this money thousands upon thousands of dollars that she tried to self sterilize by heating in her oven because once it got to a certain temperature she was told that the virus would die but she didn't realize her money was paper and it would burn and she had laid out all of these bills upon upon her counter of burnt to the chris money and people were so freaked out about the contamination of money that now there's been catalyst into society a non-contact payment system also we see a coin shortage i don't know if you've noticed that going to different places oh there's a coin shortage well where did all the coins go they just disappeared all of a sudden all of a sudden there's not enough coins don't exchange cash because it contains the virus not safe contactless payments is the way to go and you start to see the things happened in rapidity in succession quickly setting the stage for what i believe we are drawing very very near to not only a cashless society but we're also a worldwide currency this year the u.s treasure treasury secretary let it slip that he was quite open to the idea of an eventual move towards a global currency run by the international monetary fund the imf there's been a globalist movement pushing towards a one world currency that has been going on for over a decade but what's missing is a catalyst for cause what would propel a simultaneous agreement around the world to get rid of money country's currency and to join a global one world currency how about a worldwide virus you see in order for the antichrist to control all buying and selling there will have to be one currency and that seemed to be an impossibility to economics for that to take place when one country suffers economically another country benefits if you don't understand how that works you can just read a book on global economics and there was never a need or an understanding of that because if one country went down another country grows financially and it balances out but this past year we saw for the very first time in modern day world history a worldwide economic collapse and so we're seeing the coronavirus be a catalyst a push towards a one world currency now whether that was enough or not in the future you're understanding how the stage is being set where people won't bat an eye when it actually comes to take place the things that the bible had predicted thousands of years ago and as we see the first time in world history we're seeing things being set practically the stage was set prophetically in 1948 but practically this year fast forwarding through 2020 has set the stage in every single area practically for the priming and writing of people for what would take place during the time in revelation chapter six through 19 called the tribulation so it's obvious to me that things are being set up and the foundation is being laid and everything's in place so it won't be thought of as weird or strange but society now today looks at these things as normal so what do you do as a follower of christ we look to jesus why so that we would know jesus is coming quickly and if jesus is coming quickly the number three how do we respond don't tune out for this please hear me on this number three we live by faith not by fear since when have we allowed the world to frame and form our decision-making process as followers of christ when have we allowed the world to dictate how we should think enact our filter is not the same as the world's the filter that forms our decisions is different from the world because the bible the word of god is our filter so we are not like this world in fact speaking of the word not the title of this message not afraid going off of the word not we are not of this world we're not to be conformed to this world we are not like everyone else in this world because we do not live like those who have no hope of the world and because the title of my message is not afraid the reason why is because the antidote to fear is faith when jesus was comforting his disciples in john chapter 14 he said in john chapter 14 verse 1 do not let your hearts be troubled you believe in god believe also in me then he goes on to say in verse 27 peace i leave with you i leave with you my peace i give you i do not give you give to you as the world gives so do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid he says do not let your hearts be troubled you believe or have faith in god have faith in jesus and when you do the peace of god that surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and mind in christ jesus god doesn't give to us as the world gives he declared what the world is giving in 2020 is fear fear of the unknown the fear that rules all fears the greatest fear that there is uncertainty but god doesn't give to us what the world gives no god says let not our hearts be troubled and for us not to be afraid i like how the new living translation translates jesus's words in john 14 27 in the nlt it says i am leaving you with a gift peace of mind and heart the peace i give is a gift the world cannot give so do not be troubled or afraid when the rest of the world is in fear and worry we can open up the gift of peace of mind and heart it's peace that the world doesn't understand because it surpasses understanding and i hope you understand as we went into 2020 not expecting the year to go as it did i hope you understand god's not in heaven thinking oh no i didn't see that one coming what am i going to do now apparently there's a global pandemic our god is still in control our god is always faithful our god is always good our god has a plan our god won't leave us nor will he forsake us our god is working all things together for good in everything everywhere our god is for you and if god is for you then who can be against you the answer is nothing that's why as a christian the fear of the unknown is conquered by what not by what you know but by who you know we live by faith because we know jesus christ speaking of not paul said in second timothy one verse seven for god has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power love and a sound mind so we are not panicking but we have the peace of god we are not fearful for we have faith in the presence of god second christians five seven for we live by faith not by sight acts 246 every day the early church continued to meet together in the temple courts they broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts the early church they met publicly and they did this when christians were being dragged out of their homes thrown to lions dipped in hot wax and burnt as candles in nero's garden but they didn't let fear of the unknown control them but they put a huge emphasis on gathering together to worship and glorify god it's not that they didn't care about the potential and real dangers it's just that worshiping jesus was more important it was that christ and what he called them to do was the primary purpose of their lives the church has always been a spiritual refuge for people who are hurting and if there's ever a time that the world needs the church it's now that's why i'm so proud of pastor david for taking the stand when he did although now the supreme court ruled that the rules and dictations against the church meeting in person was unconstitutional and thankful that two weeks ago the ruling passed that churches can meet once again legally but even before that a pastor that took a stand knowing the importance of the ecclesia the church the church is more than just listening to a message it's people coming together joining together as the body of christ aw tozer said this and i quote a scared world needs a fearless church that's why we as a church need to be faith filled and not fearful not afraid and if you look up the bible verses in the new testament that features the word not i want to just close with this because from the beginning of jesus's life when an angel appeared to those shepherds the angel said do not be afraid for we bring you good news and great joy when jesus saying why he came to the world he said i did not come for the healthy but for the sick not for the righteous but for the sinners and because we today are not of this world we do not live by bread alone but by every word of god jesus does not lead us into temptation but he deliver us from evil therefore we do not store up for ourselves treasure on earth but store up in heaven do not worry about tomorrow each day has enough trouble of its own we walk by faith not by sight god has not given us a spirit of fear like jesus not my will be done but yours we are saved by grace not by works justified by faith in christ not by the works of the law and god did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation therefore we do not set our minds on earthly things like what we read in social media or what we hear or watch on the news no we set our mind on things above let perseverance finish its work not lacking anything and do not become weary in doing good because we will reap a harvest if we do not give up will it be a battle yes but we struggle not against flesh and blood but against rulers and authorities and powers of this world and we will not be overcome with evil we are the church of jesus christ and we will overcome evil with good we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed but those who have faith and are saved the lord is not slow in keeping his promise we will not grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope we will not give up meeting together because the lord is our helper we will not be afraid not ashamed of the gospel or the name of jesus or the power of the gospel because it's the gospel that brings salvation to everyone and like the first century believers in the book of acts they could not stop talking about what they've seen and what they've heard and like them we cannot stop worshiping we cannot stop giving we cannot stop serving we cannot stop attending because we know jesus and we are told not to be anxious for anything but in everything by prayer and petition to make our requests known to god and the peace of god that surpasses all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in christ jesus we are different from this world because we are not of this world the minds are not conformed to this world we live by faith not by fear we are sacrificial not selfish we shine the light we do not hide it and closing 2nd Corinthians chapter four verse seven says but we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that all surpassing power is from god and not from us we are hard pressed on every side but not crushed perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not abandoned struck down but not destroyed because of who he is because of what he has done because of his power because of his grace because of his presence that will never leave us nor forsake us we church are not afraid because jesus is with us he goes before us and he's behind us who are we we are the body of christ and that's why we fear nothing church 2020 before us much uncertainty of the future but we don't have to know the future we have to know the one who holds the future in his hands we serve god almighty and nothing else so fix your eyes on jesus and stop looking at everything else that's happening around you follow him be obedient to him and i can guarantee you pursue jesus like you've never pursued him before no longer controlled by your fear but having faith in jesus you're gonna have the greatest year of your life you can take that one to the bank i guarantee it because god's word will not return void make 2021 the best year of your life when the world is afraid of everything fear nothing for the lord is our help and our salvation in jesus name amen would you pray with me lord we understand the reality of the things that we face but god we understand also that everything changes when we put our eyes on you when we realize you're in control when we realize that nothing can happen in our lives that you don't allow nothing happens by chance nor by accident but whatever you allow into our lives it's because you have a plan and a purpose that you're accomplishing as long as we're walking obediently to you nothing happens by chance nor by accident but lord we understand tonight as we've refocused our eyes upon you that we need to have faith in you that what your word says is true forgive us lord if we've been filled with fear or if we've allowed fear to dictate our obedience to you for you are on the throne you are in control and you also desire to be the authority of our lives not because you need to be but because we need you to be and father i ask for each and every single one of these my family members that you would help us to not be afraid but be filled with faith and what your word says and that we would trust in you for you have a plan and a purpose and you promise to work all things together for good even when we don't see it we still believe it because we walk by faith not by sight and as heads are closed or eyes are closed and heads are bowed tonight in this heart of prayer whether you're watching this online right now or you're here in person perhaps fear has had a hold on you but you realize as god's word declares perfect love which jesus demonstrated on the cross for you cast out all fear fear and faith can no longer exist together if there's been an overwhelming sense of fear in your life i want to pray over you tonight that you would be set free from that fear and you would no longer be enslaved to fear but you would be free to follow christ in faith whether you've never given your life to jesus christ or you've walked with him for 30 years or 40 years but you've allowed faith to control you instead or fear to control you instead of your faith to control you i want to pray for you tonight would you face your fears tonight and would you let your fear know that there's no longer place for fear because you've been filled with faith and if that's you tonight and you would like to be prayed over that you could leave the fear at the feet of jesus tonight and go into this next year fearless because you've been faith filled i want you right now wherever you're at whether you're watching this at home or you're here in person to stand to your feet i want to pray for you that you could go boldly into 2021 for claiming who jesus is and being the example to the world that so desperately needs jesus christ because what the world needs now is to see jesus and jesus is not afraid and as his followers we don't need to be either as there's people standing all around this auditorium and perhaps many standing in their own living rooms right now god we pray as we begin this next year that nothing would control us or dictate to us who we are or the way that we should live other than you and your word alone god knowing that you'll protect us and nothing will happen that is it according to your will and lord for those that have been controlled by their fear i pray that you would break the chains of bondage of fear in their lives tonight that you would set them free to live a life a glorious life of faith forgive us lord for taking our eyes off of you and putting them on the cares of the world doing exactly what your word tells us not to do so god we refocus our perspective we turn our eyes to you now and we thank you god that you love us that you forgive us and you're willing to walk with us carrying us on to completion god i pray that the world that's so filled with fear would see a church that's fearless and have the opportunity to see christ in us and lord i pray for the church that it wouldn't be convenient christianity but for each of us never taking for granted again the opportunity to be the church ecclesia coming together as one you created us not to do life alone but to do life together i pray for those lord who physically can't i pray that you would sustain them and be with them and encourage them for those who have to be quarantining and not in contact with anyone although no contact with any people that they would realize they're never alone for you are with them for those who have had to stay at home because of physical ailments lord be with them but for lord those that have chosen not to be a part of the church because of fear of the unknown we pray god that you would give us a new perspective i used to see it the way that you see it and we thank you god that when we walk with you we don't have to worry about anything but in everything with prayer and supplication we make a request known to you and the peace of god that surpasses all understanding would guard our hearts and minds in christ jesus god 2021 guard our hearts guard our minds and help us to live for you like we've never lived for you before if this is the year you're gonna come back lord help us to have a sense of urgency to be the church what does it matter if you come back this year that we've made all of these changes and stopped being the church but god give us a sense of urgency to reach people like never before this upcoming year to invite people to church to come and hear the gospel the good news of salvation to be a witness to share with somebody give us eyes to see and hearts that feel for people who don't know you and that we would be the church that this world needs in jesus name we pray god help us and we all gather together to say amen amen let's all stand together Paul the apostle when serving and doing ministry was smitten by a serpent a venomous snake and those islanders knew the poison of that snake because they've seen what had happened to their family members when they were smitten by that same type of snake they knew it was certain death if you got hit with that snake but that didn't stop Paul from going and picking up sticks to lay on a fire to serve others when he himself had been shipwrecked cold and wet but he got up and desired to help others and when he was helping others he himself was smitten but he took that snake and he shook it off into the fire it says in the book of acts that he was not harmed we don't have to worry about the cares of this world because our god is greater than the cares of this world our god is greater than the coronavirus our god is greater than cancer our god is greater than everything if it's our time to go then god take us home we want to be with you and god if it's not as paul would say to live as christ to die is gain whether we go to heaven or we live on earth lord help us to live for you and you alone that god would reframe our perspective in the way that we view everything because we do not live for ourselves we live for jesus and him alone 2021 live for jesus serve him with your life pursue him like you've never pursued him before and watch how god will draw near to you watch how god will do through you what you never knew he could do before watch how god will make an uncertain year certain in the fact that jesus christ is on the throne live for him love him and watch what he will do 2021 is going to be a great year by faith in jesus name amen god bless you guys