Fear is obviously present all across our country. This fear can be like a poison, polluting our society, crippling the efforts of humankind. Many are fearfully concerned about the future of our nation. Since 9/11 the threat of terrorism has plagued us and the war against terrorism drags on. While this remains a concern, perhaps even more people are fearful of the economic instability that has a profound effect on nearly everyone.

In The Decline of the West, Oswald Spengler wrote, "You are dying. I see in you all the characteristic stigma of decay. I can prove that your great wealth and your great poverty, your capitalism and your socialism, your wars and your revolutions, your atheism and your pessimism and your cynicism, your immorality, your broken down marriages, your birth control, that is bleeding you from the bottom and killing you off at the top in your brains - can prove to you that these are characteristic marks of the dying ages of ancient states - Alexandria and Greece and neurotic Rome."

For our scripture this morning I have selected a few verses from Jesus' teaching of His disciples in John 13-17. This began as an intimate time with some of Jesus' close friends, the twelve disciples before His death. A great Bible verse to remember is: "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

Can you imagine that, peace in a world characterized by trouble? That's what Jesus said. Sometimes people, Christians and non Christians have the mistaken notion that our world and our lives should not have any troubles. Where do we get such ideas? This is certainly not taught in the Bible. For those who may not trust the scriptures, history certainly does not teach such a thing either.

Steve Halliday describes what he calls turnabout experiences in his book, No Night Too Dark. He revises the old maxim, "Turnabout is fair play." He shows how turnabout is often God's play. What he means is that God excels at taking life's tragedies and shaping them into strategic triumphs. Yes, God can bring peace when the world's going to pieces.

What I am suggesting is not a quick fix. Returning to basic values may be helpful to us in this endeavor of overcoming fear. This might be illustrated with the story of a sea captain who made it the practice of going into his little cubicle at the beginning of each day, and carrying out the same ritual. After looking around to see that no one was watching he would take out a key, open his center drawer, and remove a small lock box. Then he would slowly open it, unfold the small piece of paper inside, read it, put it back in the box, and lock it up again.

This practice went on for weeks and the ensign who had observed this activity told his fellow officers and this ritual became the talk of the ship. Everyone wanted to catch the captain in the act.

Soon after he had opened his little box one day the captain got called away on an emergency. He quickly put the box back in the drawer without locking it, and left to tend to the emergency. The ensign saw this as his golden opportunity, opened the drawer, pulled out the box. He unfolded the paper and saw just six words: "Port is left, starboard is right."

Likewise, what our society needs is to get back to the basics. While this may seem simplistic, to bring peace, to solve the fear problem in a society going to pieces it would be well for us to get back to four basics.

I. Restore Community.

The word community is from the Greek word, koinonia. An obvious meaning is to hold in common. Often people live in fear of differences rather than stopping to think about all that we hold in common with our neighbors. They may have career aspirations and frustrations, spouses and kids they love, financial challenges, homes and cars to keep in repair, etc.

William Haney said, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." That sounds something like the early church, people getting to know and care about others, perhaps a first century version of 'neighborhood watch." There is a sense in which when we take time to get to know a person, he or she becomes our neighbor. Neighbor literally means "to draw near to."

When we lived in Des Moines during crisis like the flood of 93 or the ice storm a few years before that many worked at becoming community. In rural areas many people band together in community to assist one another in times of need. What are you doing to restore community in the midst of the everyday challenges and fears?

II. Rebuild Christian Family.

Where is the family and more specifically, where is dad in the families of our modern society? A local Christian counselor, Gary Rosberg, tells a sad story on himself. During the days when he was working on his doctor's degree he spent very little time with his family. One day his daughter explained a picture that she had drawn of their family. Her mother, sibling, and dog were in the picture, but dad was not. After that painful discovery, Gary determined to get in the picture and restore his Christian family. God is now using him to help other men do the same.

Again and again in the teaching of Jesus He refers to His Father. In the midst of the huge problems of people all around Him, Jesus maintained a close relationship with His father. He also demonstrated His great love for children. While on earth, Jesus interacted closely with families. In recent years millions of men across our country, including some from our churches, have attended Promise Keepers men's gathering. Many of these men have promised to do their best with God's help to be better husbands, fathers, friends, and church leaders. One pastor remarked, "It appears that God is using Promise Keepers to restore the withered arm of the church." I hope many men here today will determine to be a promise keeper, rebuilding the Christian family.

III. Rediscover Church.

Before Jesus left the earth He was seeking to establish the church of people who had come to know Him to banding together to pray, to grow in God's teachings, and to serve and share His love with a hurting society. After the memory verse I mentioned a few moments ago we find a prayer of Jesus for the church in the world. Telling of events shortly

IV. Return to Christ.

The last basic in facing fear of a society breaking down really underlies the others I have mentioned. Peace, inner peace comes as people return to Christ, making the ultimate life choice. Peace will spread a more persons make the choice to live for Christ.

Pollster George Barna says that 51% of Americans have no philosophy of life. When life is without meaning, it becomes cheap and moral values decline. Certainly that is part of my fear of our society going to pieces. The return to Christ of individual persons brings God's intended meaning to our lives.

As the Twentieth century began the country of Wales experienced a revival, of many people returning to Christ, the one way to God. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by Me. Historian, J. Edwin Orr spent years researching and writing about major revivals. He noted that as people sought the infilling of God's Holy Spirit they did everything in their power to confess their sins and right the wrongs they had committed. It is interesting to hear what happened in the shipyards along the coast of Wales as a result of their acts of restitution.

Over the years shipyard workers had stolen all kinds of goods. Many persons had come to genuine faith in Christ and felt convicted to return what they had illicitly taken. As a result the shipyards of Wales soon began to overflow with returned property. Actually, so many pilfered tools were brought back that several of the shipyards posted signs that read:
"If you have been led by God to return what you have stolen, please know that the management forgives you and wishes for you to keep what you have taken." How wonderful it would be to see such a movement of God in our society today!

Conclusion

Such peace, such calming of our fears in a society that is going to pieces could take place as we get back to the basics: Return to Christ, Restore Community, Rebuild Christian Families, and Rediscover the Church. Join me in these basics as we live out our faith, facing down our fears.

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