Growing up, I thought Advent was just the countdown to Christmas — four weeks of candles and anticipation. But the Bible tells a different story. The first Advent wasn’t all warm feelings and nativity scenes. It was filled with fear.
Pastor Josh White walked us through two very different responses to the birth of Jesus, and what they teach us about fear then and now.
Fear That Turned to Joy
The shepherds were simple men — watching their flocks by night in the dark fields. Then the sky lit up. An angel of the Lord appeared, and the glory of the Lord shone around them.
And they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” — Luke 2:9-10
They were terrified. But the angel’s words cut through the fear: do not be afraid. The same announcement echoes throughout Scripture — God breaking into human history with good news. The shepherds went to Bethlehem, saw the baby, and returned glorifying and praising God. Their fear became joy.
Fear That Turned to Murder
Then there’s Herod. When the wise men arrived asking about the King of the Jews, Scripture says Herod was troubled — and not in a good way. He feared losing his throne, his reputation, his legacy.
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him… he experienced fear for an entirely different reason — he feared what he was about to lose. — Matthew 2:3, 32:54
Herod had built his kingdom with ruthless ambition. And now a newborn King threatens everything. Out of that fear, Herod made a devastating choice: he ordered the killing of every male child in Bethlehem, two years old and under.
Two responses to the same message: the shepherds’ fear gave way to worship, Herod’s fear gave way to violence. The difference? What they were afraid of — and what they trusted in.
The Real Reason Jesus Came
Why did God become a man? Why was Jesus born?
Jesus had to be born, God had to become a man, because you are a sinner and our sins must be punished. Every sin that you and I have ever committed or will ever commit must be punished. God cannot glance over anyone’s sin. God is Holy, and His Holiness and His Justice demand that sins be paid for. — Pastor Josh White
This is propitiation — God’s wrath satisfied through the payment made by Jesus on the cross. Without His birth, life, and death, you and I would pay for our own sins. That’s why Christmas matters.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16
But John’s gospel doesn’t stop there. Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save it — yet verse 18 makes the stakes clear: whoever does not believe is condemned already. The light has come, but people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.
Fear and the Second Advent
Where does fear fit into what’s coming? We’re living between two Advents — Jesus came the first time to provide salvation, and He’s coming again.
When this event happens — when Jesus returns — the Earth is going to be filled with fear. When 20, 30, 40% of humanity is gone, there is going to be fear and terror unlike any other time in human history. — Pastor Josh White
Those left behind during the seven-year tribulation will face chaos and uncertainty. But for the believer? We have confident hope. We’ve been delivered from the fear of death.
He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, and to make propitiation for the sins of the people. — Hebrews 2:17
So What?
Christmas has become a circus in our culture — trees, lights, shopping, sports. And while none of those things are wrong in themselves, they can blind us to the real reason Jesus was born: to pay for our sins and deliver us from the fear of death.
Here’s the application: If you’re trusting in Christ, you have no reason to fear God’s judgment. You have eternal life. That’s not because you’re good enough — it’s because Jesus was born, lived perfectly, and died in your place.
But if you’re not yet trusting in Him, the announcement is still the same: Fear not — good news of great joy has come.
Scripture References
- Luke 2:8-20 — The Shepherds and the Angels
- Matthew 2:1-23 — The Wise Men and Herod
- Hebrews 2:14-18 — Jesus Made Like His Brothers
- John 3:16-21 — God’s Love and Judgment
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 — The Return of Christ
- Matthew 24:29-30 — Signs of the Second Advent