'Fear of Change" 1-19-25
Overview
Facing the Fear of Change
The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously said the one constant in life is change. Scientists confirm it about the universe; we feel it in our own lives. Plans shift, bodies age, relationships move, crises morph into new crises. Change can be good, but it can also be deeply unsettling—especially when we're waiting on a doctor's report, watching a child suffer, or staring at the phone ringing at three in the morning. So what are God's people to do when change provokes fear?
Psalm 46:1 gives us three glorious descriptors of God: He is our refuge (a place of safety), our strength (the One who holds us up), and a very present help in trouble. From these descriptors flows a logical conclusion in verse 2: therefore we will not fear, "though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea." Read literally, those words point even to the end of the age; read figuratively, they speak to every moment when our world feels like it's falling apart. Scripture contains 366 "fear nots"—one for every day of the year, leap year included—because our God knows how prone we are to fear Psalm 46:2-3.
If we're honest, we don't always share the psalmist's confidence. Why? Because we look for stability in things that can't provide it. Every relationship, job, and circumstance on this side of heaven is subject to change. Freedom from the fear of change comes only from being grasped by an unchangeable God. That is why Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God"—a holy command to stop the wargaming and rest in who He is. And who is He? He is the God who sent His Son to the cross, who shed His blood to pay our debt, who rose from the tomb, and who delivers His promises concretely in the waters of Baptism and at His Table where we receive Christ's very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
This God is immutable—unchanging in essence, character, and will. He cannot grow more loving, more gracious, or more merciful, because He is already perfect. Psalm 102:25-27 says the heavens will wear out like a garment, "but you are the same, and your years have no end." Malachi 3:6: "I the LORD do not change." James 1:17: with the Father of lights "there is no variation or shadow due to change." Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Heraclitus needed a second sentence: the one thing constant is change—but fear not, for you are held by the God who does not change. When the new year arrives, when the test results come, when the phone rings in the dark, the unchanging God who claimed you in Baptism still holds you fast. Be still. He is God. And He is yours.
Transcript
Would you open your Bibles please with me to Psalm 46, Psalm 46, if you're using a 3s
Pew edition of Holy Scripture, you're going to find that great Psalm on page 480 in the 9s
Old Testament. 16s
Psalm 46 for our study this morning. 17s
Heroclitis, heroclitis. 22s
He was a Greek philosopher. 26s
He predated Socrates, an Aristotle and Plato. 29s
And there is a line that's attributable to heroclitis. 35s
Perhaps he used it. 42s
There's one thing constant. 44s
There's one thing constant, he said. 55s
Change. 59s
Scientists tell us that the universe is constantly in a state of change. 63s
And bring it down to the micro, bring it down to ourselves, and will change is just a part of life, isn't it? 71s
We all have an expectation of what today will look like. 84s
Most likely that expectation is going to change during the course of the day. 88s
Something unexpected comes up, or what we expected will all of a sudden change. 93s
Change, change permeates everything. 100s
Now change can be really good, right? 106s
Change can be good, but also change can be bad. 111s
The question I want to address this morning is this. 123s
What if you fear change? 128s
What if you fear change? 133s
To do so, I want to look at Psalm 46. 140s
Just the first few verses of this great Psalm. 143s
And notice how God is described in verse 1. 148s
The Psalmist writes, 152s
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 153s
Those are beautiful descriptors of God, isn't it? 163s
God is our ponder this word, our refuge. 166s
Set a place of safety where we are protected. 170s
God is our refuge. 176s
Scripture says, God is our strength. 179s
We are held up, we are buoyed. 184s
We are led by the very strength of God. 186s
And the Psalmist writes, he's a very present help in trouble. 190s
A very present help in trouble. 196s
Remember Jesus said, I will never leave you. 198s
I will never forsake you. 201s
God is present. 203s
God is not absent. 204s
God is present. 205s
God knows full well what is going on in the world and all of our lives. 207s
He is fully present in the time of trouble. 213s
The beautiful descriptors of God are refuge. 218s
Our strength, very present in times of trouble. 222s
And those descriptors then lead to a logical conclusion. 227s
The Psalmist draws it because the very next word at the beginning of verse 2 is 232s
therefore, because God is our refuge, because He is our strength, 238s
because He is a very present help in trouble. 246s
Because of this logical conclusion, cause and effect, 249s
therefore, we will not fear. 253s
We will not fear. 264s
Remember there are 366 fear notts in Holy Scripture. 269s
There is one for each day, including Leapier. 273s
Fear not. 276s
God continues to tell us. 277s
Then he draws it out for us. 281s
He says, therefore, we will not fear. 283s
Then the second part of verse 2, though, the earth should change 286s
though the mountain shake in the heart of the sea. 291s
Earth changes mountains shaking in the heart of the sea. 295s
We will not fear. 299s
Why? 301s
We back it up because God's our refuge. 301s
God's our strength. 304s
God is our very present help in times of trouble. 305s
We will not fear. 310s
Verse 3, though it's waters roar and fall. 313s
Why? 317s
We go right back into verse 1. 317s
The attributes here of God. 319s
We read, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. 324s
We will not fear. 329s
Why? 331s
I'm it's all of this change that is being revealed. 333s
We will not fear. 337s
Why? 339s
God's our refuge. 342s
God's our strength. 343s
God's a very present help in the time of trouble. 345s
Read these words literally. 352s
Literally, these words are pointing to the end of the age. 357s
It's pointing to when the world comes to an end. 360s
When God and God's perfect timing rolls it all up. 363s
Because those words are echoed elsewhere when it talks about the end of the world. 368s
So quite literally then we read these words and we say. 376s
We will not be afraid of the world coming to an end. 382s
We will not fear it. 387s
So you read those words literally and you can also read those words figuratively. 390s
Have you ever used the phrase? 395s
My world is falling apart. 400s
These words are applicable literally. 407s
They're applicable figuratively. 410s
And we can say with the samast, 414s
therefore we will not fear though the earth should change. 417s
We will not fear. 425s
But now let's be honest. 435s
Do you find yourself struggling at times? 441s
Do you have the same level of confidence as the samast? 444s
We fear change. 454s
We fear it. 457s
Because we like stability. 461s
It's understandable. 464s
We like things to be stable. 467s
And so we can fear change. 469s
Because change. 474s
Well, change can be good. 477s
Of course change can also be bad. 479s
And so we can fear change. 485s
Because change can bring instability. 488s
We live in an unstable world. 496s
It's always been unstable. 500s
Ever since the fall into sin, 504s
the world has reflected sin. 506s
And the world reflects instability. 508s
It always has been it is and it always will be. 512s
Beliefs change and priorities change. 519s
Problems at home and problems abroad. 523s
One crisis seems to morph into another crisis. 526s
When we reflect on our own lives, 532s
we understand changes physically. 535s
Perhaps mentally. 542s
We change permeates. 543s
And we can fear it. 550s
Because change brings instability. 555s
We're told, fear not. 564s
Fear not. 567s
And yet it's hard not to fear. 570s
When you're waiting in the exam room for the doctor to come in, 576s
with the results from the tests that was done several weeks ago, 582s
and you know that what that doctor says 586s
has the potential of dramatically changing your world. 590s
And it can be hard not to fear. 598s
It can be hard not to be afraid. 603s
Not to be afraid for your child who has gone through something, 609s
and you play it out and you realize that this could have ramifications 613s
that extend into adulthood. 616s
And it's hard not to fear. 618s
It's hard not to be afraid when the phone rings at three o'clock in the morning, 627s
because it's never good when the phone rings at three o'clock in the morning. 632s
And you look to see who it is on the caller ID. 637s
You look to see who it is. 642s
And you've been awakened out of a sound slumber, 644s
but your mind is firing. 647s
And you are already wargaming it out of all of the scenarios 650s
of why that particular person is calling you at three o'clock in the morning. 656s
Because you're afraid that a change is about ready to be told to you. 664s
Change can be good, yep, yep, yep. 673s
But change can be bad. 677s
And change can bring instability. 681s
Can bring instability. 690s
Because who wants to be on the deck of a boat 694s
as the boat pitches a midst the storm. 702s
Our fear of change. 715s
Our fear of change reveals a deeper issue. 719s
The deeper issue is that we look to things that change for our stability. 726s
That's a deeper issue, isn't it? 743s
There isn't one thing this side of heaven that can't change. 747s
Not one thing. 754s
Relationships, jobs, situations, life expectancy, all of it. 757s
It all can change. 763s
And the issue is of why we can fear change is because we're looking for stability in things that can change. 764s
And we want things that are stable. 776s
But our problem is is we look for stability in the things of the world. 781s
Here's the point. 790s
Here's the point. 792s
Freedom from the fear of change is a result of being grasped by the unchangeable God. 796s
Fear of the fear of change is only dealt with by the grasp of an unchangeable God. 811s
Look, please, at verse 10 with me. 829s
The Psalmist writes, be still and know that I'm God. 836s
I'm exalted among the nations I'm exalted in the earth. 843s
He's communicating here, the God's words. 848s
God saying, be still and know that I'm God. 851s
Let me give you a loose translation. 855s
Calm down. 858s
Calm down. 861s
Be still. 864s
Be still. 865s
Stop it. 869s
Stop all of the wargaming. 873s
Stop all of the fearing. 875s
Stop all of it. 877s
Calm down. 880s
And know that I'm God. 883s
And who is God? 893s
But God is the one who sent His Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to the cross. 896s
And on the cross, he shed his blood for us, 901s
paying the debt we could never pay, reconciling us, bringing us back into relationship with his blood. 906s
The Lord Jesus Christ, winning for us, effecting for us forgiveness, being raised out of the tomb, death being overcome. 917s
God and His graciousness and love for us amidst our sinfulness and rebellion. 927s
Bearing our sin and bringing us into relationship with him, giving to us what he is one on the cross. 937s
So concretely in the waters of baptism. 947s
God washing us in His promises. 952s
Bringing us to the table and giving us the very body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 956s
We receive the forgiveness of sins and in the words of my former professor, we swallow it. 967s
So we know that it's ours. 973s
That's who God is. 980s
God says, that we still, that's all of the change and that's all of the change you can fear. 983s
Be still and know I'm God. 993s
Secondly, who is God? 1002s
God is immutable. 1004s
In other words, he does not change. 1005s
It does not change. 1010s
He's immutable. 1012s
He's unchanging in his essence and his character and his will. 1013s
God can't change because God's perfect. 1019s
God would only change if he were imperfect and if he were imperfect, he wouldn't be God. 1024s
So he can't change. 1031s
In other words, God cannot grow in being more loving. 1033s
He can't grow in being more gracious. 1038s
He can't grow in being more merciful because if God could grow in that, then God wouldn't be perfect. 1041s
And if God's not perfect, then God isn't. 1050s
God. 1053s
So God doesn't make new years resolutions. 1055s
God doesn't say, I'm going to be more gracious in 2025 than I was in 2024. 1059s
I'm going to be armed more omnipotent in 2025 than I was in 2024. 1064s
I'm going to know more about things in 2025 than I knew in 2024. 1070s
No. 1077s
God's unchanging. 1080s
He's immutable. 1082s
He redeems us and he is unchanging. 1084s
Psalm 100 and 2 records this. 1091s
Long ago, you laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the work of your hands. 1095s
They will perish but you endure. 1102s
They will all wear out like a garment. 1105s
You change them like clothing and they pass away. 1109s
But you are the same and your years have no end. 1113s
Here what it says about God? 1121s
He's the same. 1125s
He's the same. 1127s
Malachi the third chapter. 1130s
The Lord says, for I, the Lord, do not change. 1132s
James 1 chapter. 1140s
Every generous act of giving with every perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of lights. 1142s
With whom? 1151s
There is no variation or shadow do to change. 1152s
He brews the third chapter. 1162s
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and forever. 1171s
He's the what? 1178s
He's the same yesterday, today, forever. 1179s
You know, I knew you're a zeive when the ball drops. 1193s
I'm always struck with the level of enthusiasm. 1200s
I knew you're a zeive. 1205s
And you listen to the language and the people that are interviewed and they'll talk about the 1210s
the newness of the new year. 1218s
And there's an optimism associated with that. 1221s
That's fine, huh? 1227s
But when the confetti is all swept away, 1231s
and the bustle returns to the streets and when the, when the funny hat is thrown away and the party horn is long in the trash. 1236s
I probably by the time the people get home. 1247s
I would imagine they would wonder. 1253s
I wonder what 2025 is going to look like. 1257s
Maybe 2024 was great. 1262s
And now when enters into the new and the freshness of it, and there is the wondering. 1265s
I wonder if things are going to change. 1273s
And what if they don't change for the good? 1279s
What if this new year? 1285s
I don't like the change. 1289s
I just see we all bring the same problems from 2024 into 2025, right? 1293s
The only thing that's changed is a number. 1298s
And so we can say, I wonder if that's going to change in 2025. 1302s
And amidst the exhilaration of the ball dropping and all of the optimism with it, 1308s
will then the reality of life fits in, right? 1314s
The reality of life comes right back in. 1317s
And you say, I wonder what this year brings. 1320s
And I'm scared of it. 1330s
I'm scared of it. 1333s
Her a clay that said, the one thing constant is change. 1341s
But there needs to be another sentence, right? 1356s
There needs to be another sentence. 1359s
And the sentence, born of scripture, and the sentence, born of a merciful and gracious God 1363s
that has called us his own and the waters of baptism. 1369s
The other sentence is, but fear not for you are held by God who does. 1373s
Not change. 1394s