Jesus Says Take Off The Mask
Following Jesus | Episode 11
Pastor Josh
July 25, 2021

Jesus Says Take Off The Mask

Luke 12:1-12

A Few Pegs:

An Ominous Warning (v. 1)
Guard Against Your Disposition To Be A Phony

Inside Baseball (v. 2-3)
Everyone Has Their Mask Taken Off In The End

The Radical Recalibration (v. 4-5)
Don’t Be Bullied Or Intimidated By The Toothless Boogeyman

A Loving Affirmation (v. 6-7)
You Are Known… And Loved…

The Powerful Promise (v. 8-12)
The One Who Is In You Is Greater Than He Who Is In The World

3 Big Ideas:

BIG IDEA #1:
Followers of Jesus should have backbone; they can’t be bullied or bought.

BIG IDEA #2:
The fear of man brings instability, insecurity, and death.

Fear of Man is NOT:
1. …seeking counsel for other opinions when making decisions
2. …listening to sage advice and changing your mind
3. …wanting the affirmation of good people

Fear of Man IS:
1. …finding your identity in what other people think of you.
2. …caring more about your reputation then your character
3. …sacrificing your so-called convictions for the sake of social convenience
4. …constantly taking a reading to see which way the wind is blowing
5. …the exhausting act of reacting to what everyone else thinks you should be
6. …failing to think for yourself, settling instead for letting other people think for you.
7. …letting the voice of others drown out the voice of your conscience…which is God.
8. …remaining silent when you should speak up (because it might cost you something)
9. …the way of the coward…fear of man is where courage dies.
10. …honoring Satan and insulting God.
11. …idolatry at the most fundamental level.

Signs You Might Be A People-Pleaser:
1. You’re always over-committed…inability to say no.
2. You’re easily embarrassed or uncommonly shy.
3. You second-guess your decisions based on what other people think.
4. You avoid conflict at any expense
(including the truth and relationships).

BIG IDEA #3:
The fear of God brings stability, security and life.

How To Overcome Fear of Man:

  1. Resolve to be ok with suffering for Jesus’ sake.
  2. Rehearse God’s never-ending love for you.
  3. Reframe your situation in light of coming Judgement.
  4. Regularly cultivate a deeper fear of God…publicly.
  5. Remember the Holy Spirit is always with you (vs.11-12).

Last Thought:

This isn’t a one-time lesson; It’s an ongoing daily decision.
(because everyone deals with this… even you)

Discussion Questions:

Getting to Know Me

  1. What are some summer activities you’ve been up to?
  2. What does it mean to fear man?

Into the Bible

  1. Read Luke 12:1-12. What are the reasons Jesus gives for not fearing man? How should these reasons change the way we live?
  2. What does Jesus mean by “the yeast of the Pharisees” in Luke 12:1?
  3. Looking at verses 4 and 5, what does Pastor Josh mean by the toothless boogeyman? Why do we often choose to fear those with little to no power?
  4. What is the difference between the fear of man and the fear of God? Share specific verses that talk about each (like Proverbs 29:25 and Proverbs 14:27).
  5. Read Galatians 1:6-10. How does this passage relate to Luke 12:1-12 and the sermon?

Application

  1. What was your main takeaway from Pastor Josh’s sermon? How were you impacted/ encouraged? Did you have an “ah-ha” moment or realize something new for the first time?
  2. In what areas of your life are you currently fearing man? What causes you to have this fear? How does Jesus’ words in Luke 12 guide you away from your fear of man?
  3. How can we be on guard against and overcome the fear of man in our daily lives?
  4. How can we cultivate a life of fearing God over man?
  5. How does Luke 12:1-12 grow your reverence and love for Jesus?
  6. What is one thing God is asking you to do, one prayer God is calling you to pray, or one action step God is inviting you to make as a result of listening to this sermon?