New series: Do not be afraid
Our new service series, starts on Sunday 1st December, the first Sunday in Advent.
Throughout the gospels which tell the story of the birth of Jesus, there is a repeated refrain: ‘Do not be afraid’.
An angel says it to the virgin Mary as he announces she will bear a child, who will be called the Son of God; Joseph is told it in a dream when he is perplexed by Mary’s pregnancy; and it’s the first thing the shepherds hear as they’re given the good news that Jesus has been born.
What’s more, fear is a constant theme of the stories: Herod’s fear of losing his precious crown; and the fear of Joseph and Mary together as they are faced with a difficult journey and a seemingly uncertain future. What can we learn from their story that will help us to not be afraid?