Faith Five Scripture Readings for 31 Days of Scripture Reading on Fear  
Find a quiet place where you can be alone without interruption for at least 5 to 15 minutes. Begin by sharing the high and low of the day of each person present.  Read the scripture for the day.  Talk about what you have read and how it relates to your highs and lows.  Then pray, something like “Lord, thank you for today. Thank you for…” (mentioning the highs and lows and “fears” of all present). Close with this blessing for each person: “You belong to the LORD. May the LORD keep you safe in thy arms. May you remember the LORD is always by your side.”  

DAY ONE (1/01/19): Deuteronomy 31:6—Moses is speaking to the Israelites just before his death. He is commissioning Joshua to lead the Israelites into battle in the Promised Land. Marching into war is frightening, but listen carefully to Moses’s words to the Israelites.

DAY TWO (1/02): Joshua 1:9—God is reassuring Joshua as he is preparing to lead the Israelites into battle. God’s promise to be with Joshua is the reason he can be “strong and courageous.”

DAY THREE (1/03): Psalm 3—The Psalms were prayers written in the form of Hebrew poetry and often set to music. Their words capture the fears and faith not only of their authors but of all who have found comfort in them.

DAY FOUR (1/04): Psalm 56—Often the psalmists were facing enemies-other nations attacking Israel or others among their own people who were mistreating them. Several lines in this psalm, including verses 3 and 4, are powerful affirmations of trust in God.

DAY FIVE (1/05): Proverbs 3:25-26—The Proverbs represent the collected wisdom of ancient Israel. They reflect what the writers observed in their own lives and in the lives of others.

DAY SIX (1/06): Isaiah 12—Isaiah’s words in this chapter promised a day when the people of Israel would be delivered from their enemies. The words were initially spoken in a time of great difficulty, and it was trusting in these words, in the midst of adversity, that gave them peace in the face of the storm.

DAY SEVEN(1/07): Isaiah 47:8-10—To a people living in a very frightening and difficult time, Isaiah penned these words on behalf of God. As you read, imagine God speaking them to you.

DAY EIGHT(1/08): Matthew 8:23-27—As you read this story, bring to mind the storms in your own life. Christians believe Jesus is in the “boat” with them all the time.

DAY NINE (1/09): Matthew 10:26-33—Jesus tells us that even the hairs on our head are numbered – an expression indicating that God knows us even better than we know ourselves.

DAY TEN (1/10): Matthew 14:22-33—In this scene at sea, Jesus comes to the disciples in the midst of the storm and bids Peter to walk on the water with him. You are Simon Peter in this story.

DAY ELEVEN (1/11): Matthew 28:1-10—Twice in this passage, which follows Jesus’s resurrection after he had been crucified by the authorities, the women who had come to Jesus’s tomb are told not to be afraid. How does the resurrection of Jesus deliver those who believe in it from fear?

DAY TWELVE (1/12): Luke 1:26-38—In this well-loved story, the young Mary is told by God’s messenger that she will have a child. Both the appearance of the messenger and the nature of the message must have been frightening. We’re often called to do things that are frightening. Mary simply trusted God.

DAY THIRTEEN (1/13): Luke 2:8-10—When the angels appeared to the shepherds to announce the birth of the Savior, the shepherds were terrified. How does this beloved story speak to us about fear and how we respond to it?

DAY FOURTEEN (1/14): Luke 5:1-11—After a miraculous catch of fish, Jesus calls four fisherman to be his disciples. Both the miracle and the calling likely made them afraid.

DAY FIFTEEN (1/15): Luke 12:4-7—You read Matthew’s version of this already, but Luke’s is slightly different. How does fear of the Lord actually decrease our other fears?

DAY SIXTEEN (1/16): Luke 12:22-34—Again, you’re reading Luke’s version of what you already read in Matthew, but bears rereading.

DAY SEVENTEEN (1/17): John 6:16-21—You read this story in Matthew on day 10. Here’s John’s version of this important story. Imagine Jesus speaking these words to you.

DAY EIGHTEEN (1/18): John 12:27—Jesus spoke these words to his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion to prepare them for what lay ahead. How do they speak to you?

DAY NINETEEN (1/19): Romans 8:14-17—How does being a child of God and having the Holy Spirit help us not to fear?

DAY TWENTY (1/20): Romans 8:28—This single verse is often quoted in unhelpful ways, but its underlying message is powerful. It is not teaching us that God wills everything that happens, but that God has a way of forcing good even from evil, tragedy, and pain.

DAY TWENTY-ONE (1/21): Romans 8:35-39—A powerful affirmation that we cannot be separated–cut off or somehow disqualified–from God’s love by anything or anyone.

DAY TWENTY-TWO (1/22): Philippians4:4-7—Read these beloved verses carefully. They include several important keys to living without fear.

DAY TWENTY-THREE (1/23): Philippians 4:8-9—Like yesterday’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, these verses contain a powerful key to finding peace.

DAY TWENTY-FOUR (1/24): Colossians 3:12-17—As you read, notice Paul’s prescription for finding peace with others and with God in the face of fear.

DAY TWENTY-FIVE (1/25):1 John 4:16-21 (with a special focus on verse 18) —How do the love of God and the love of others drive out fear?

DAY TWENTY-SIX (1/26): Psalm 23—Notice the psalm opens with an affirmation about God, but when the psalmist turns to the subject of fear, he begins to speak directly to God. What do you take away from that?

DAY TWENTY-SEVEN(1/27): Psalm 55:1-5, 16-19—Remember, the Psalms reflect the faith and life struggles of their authors, often in times of great adversity. Notice the psalmist prays evening, morning and midday (the Jewish day began at sunset). This threefold pattern of prayer is helpful in combating fear.

DAY TWENTY-EIGHT (1/28): Proverbs 29:25—This one short verse is worth meditating upon when you find yourself afraid of others.

DAY TWENTY-NINE (1/29): Isaiah 41:1-10—These are powerful words from God to the Israelites. Hear them as God’s words to you.

DAY THIRTY (1/30): Isaiah 43:1-3a—These verses do not promise that you won’t face adversity. Instead, God says that when (not if) you pass through waters and fires of trial he will be with you and what you face will not destroy you.

DAY THIRTY-ONE (1/31): Revelation 21:3-4—These powerful verses paint a picture of a day when God will make all things new and there will be no more sorrow, suffering, or pain.

Dear Brooklyn United Methodist Church,

It has been a long few days for your pastor.  I have been listening to our people and praying.  Many of our people are hurting and scared, a few are angry with their pastor, a few more are asking God if they should leave this land and go back to a country they hardly know.

Today I spent the day visiting some of our folks who are recovering, in assisted living, home healing, and I got to attend worship with our own Jack Rogers preaching at St. Therese. While running to the next stop I ran into a local fast food restaurant to grab something to eat, and no it was not McDonalds.  One of our members was working and she greeted me with a huge smile and a “Hello Pastor Rich” and then introduced her pastor to the others behind the counter.  As I stood there waiting for my order the person following me was having trouble with his order.  Communication is not always easy.  He lost his temper and shouted at our member, “Why don’t you just go back to your ***hole country, we don’t want you here.”  Many of you know I’m not often silenced or without words.  But for a moment no words could come out of my mouth.  The man just stormed out after a few minutes of rough language and shouting back “Make America Great Again” and ended it with a “B” word that should not be used for any reason, especially in reference to any woman.

What would you have done if you were me today?  I was so stunned and so scared for our fellow BUMC member, and frankly for my own safety, I said nothing until the man left!  Then and only then did I jump behind the counter and hugged her…we prayed, with all her co-workers joining in and then they sat down with me and they talked.  The stories they told me of the verbal abuse they face daily shocked me.  It brought me to tears.  And I must admit I have been shaken all day (it’s now 10pm as I write this).   So back to my question—what would you have done if you were me today?  I hope you would have been able to speak out.  I failed today as a person, as a Christian, as a Pastor, and as an American.  As I see it, I was too afraid and too shocked to “preach” the Gospel message, I did not love my neighbor.  I sinned!

On Sunday I spoke out.  Leading up to Sunday I prayed, I discerned, I asked for the Holy Spirit’s guidance before I walked into that pulpit and then I preached. That is my job, even if it makes us angry or uncomfortable. Thank you to the many, and I do mean many, who sent me a note, a card, some great bread! Thank you to the over 50 members who sent me stories of what you have endured while in public these last few days.  I cried over each one and my heart goes out to each one of you who have endured such vile language and abuse, racism in its many forms hurts to our souls and I believe God cries with us.  And thank you to the people who have criticized my preaching.  Thank you to those who have told me they do not want politics in church, and feel I was being political on Sunday.  For their perception all I can say is I am sorry I did not communicate well enough.  I can only ask that you do not leave the church, but instead communicate and remain in community with me and with the church.  The only way we are going to solve the challenge of racism is to talk it through. The only way we will love our neighbors sometimes is to speak out at injustice.

BUMC, over a third of our congregation is in pain and they are scared because they face injustice and racism like I witnessed today every day, because of the color of their skin. If we do not speak up, if we do not communicate and struggle as a church, then we are not being the church.  And what our President said is adding to the racism and thus pain of our neighbors.  I am not going to get into the debate of the words he said, or what is false news or who is lying.  I spoke out not because of rough language used but because the inference of the words was about a people, not wanting people because of the color of their skin. Debate the words all we want. The sentiment was about the people, and questioning why we are allowing brown people to come to our shores, not white people from “good” countries is the issue.  I spoke up Sunday as a Pastor of the Gospel, I failed to speak up today!  I stand by my words on Sunday, I am ashamed of my actions today!  Silence in the face if injustice, in the face of racism is a sin.

I am sorry my words did not communicate well enough to all.  I will strive to do better. I was striving to not be political, but pastoral, and yes prophetic in the face of racism. I have listened to my words on Sunday at least 25 times and again I say if I came across as political I failed to communicate well enough the Gospel message that I felt called to preach.  I never once used an adjective to describe our President and I only referred to him as the President.  I did invite him to BUMC. I feel it would help him as a person, as a leader, as a Christian, to meet all of you, especially our youth. And if he would ever come, we would be respectful.  But as your pastor, many of our pew neighbors are hurting because of the actions and words of too many in our community and yes the words of our President and those who believe that people of color who work with their hands and hearts should go back to their ***hole countries.  I spoke on Sunday to the best of my ability to a congregation filled with hurting people.  Today I did not speak when one of my people was verbally and racially assaulted and in my book, I not only did not do the right thing today, I did not communicate well enough on Sunday.

For the next two Sundays, at 10am in our Chapel, I will meet with any and all who would like to talk to me about my message last Sunday.  I will also talk with any and all about the stories I have read and heard from our members and what they have endured, and how since the President’s words hit the press, how it has increased.  I will talk to any and all about the United Methodist Church and our Resolutions to end racism. I will talk to any and all who would like to come and I will open up the Bible with you and learn from the life of Jesus Christ what I as a preacher am called to say and what we are all called to live…love God and love neighbor, heal a broken world (and folks right now we are broken and hurting) and reach new people.  Join me in the Chapel at 10am the next two Sundays for a discussion.

I also ask one thing, that you pray and discern, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you.  And as you pray please lift up those who are affected by racism ever day, at work, at play, and yes, even in church.  And one more thing, pray for your pastors, as they try to lead and preach through these times.  Ok, one more, speak up in face of racism.  Don’t do what I did today… speak the truth of the Gospel, be the Heart of the Brooklyns.

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Rich Zeck