The 4 F’s:
Fear  Focus on the Father  Freedom from fear

To start the lesson, open with a time of sharing about our fears – it could be physical, emotional or spiritual. Guiding questions:
- What are the things we fear most?
- Recall a time when we feared something or someone
- What did we do – how did we handle that situation?


Next, we will explore 2 examples in the bible!

1. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
Read Luke 22: 39 – 44
Imagine this scene: Jesus was spending time in his usual (39) place; he knew that his enemies were after him, and he knew that they knew exactly where to find him and capture him. All he could do is sit and wait for his capture and death. How do you think Jesus would be feeling in those moments? What can you tell of Jesus’ emotional state from the passage?
- Anxious
- In anguish
- Earnest
- Worried
- FEARFUL
Like us, Jesus was placed in a fearful situation. In Mark 14:35 and 26: 37-38, it writes that Jesus even “fell to the ground” and was “very sad and troubled…to the point of death.” In fact, Jesus was even so troubled and worried that he sweated blood! (refer to the bottom of pg 75 for explanation as to why he could sweat blood) This situation that Jesus was facing is even more fearful and more severe than any situation any of us have ever experienced in our lifetimes. Yet how did he react to his fears? Let us compare his reactions with some of our reactions:



Jesus did not focus on the fear or the outcome or anything else around him. He focused on God, and God listened to him – He did not take the capture and the death on the cross away from him, but He sent His angels, and took away Jesus’s fears. Now, we can explore Q2: What promises does the bible give us?

2. David
Psalm 23
Why was David not afraid of the valley of the shadow of death?
- David did not turn to the other ‘sheep’, instead he turned to his Shepherd
- David knew that God is with him (“You are with me”)
- David knew where to look – he looked to the “rod and staff”
- Thus, he was able to say “I will fear no evil”
Explore Q3 & Q4
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A Race to Run
How do we constantly keep our focus on God? We could do so by viewing our life as a metaphor of a race:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
– Hebrews 12:1-3
Take time to read the passage on pg 77 – 78: “Since heart disease runs in our family... Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Compare the physical pain, physical fears and physical barriers the author encounters. In our lives as children of God, we are all running His race too. Along the way, we may encounter pains, suffering, we may grow tired and weary, we may face fears – difficulties in overcoming barriers, in failing to finish the race well, in stumbling falling… but if we fix our eyes on “the author and perfecter of our faith,” he will surely not disappoint us!

Now, link this with The Fear of Loneliness part: All others may abandon us along the way, things and circumstances may fail us, and we may feel alone in dealing with our troubles and fears. But we are never alone – God will never forsake us. Jesus is always running the race with us every step of the way.
Read the passage at the bottom of pg 78: “Don’t avoid life’s Gardens… Who’s to say he won’t do the same for you?”
Memory verse for the week: Philippians 4:6
Before going through the Heart of the matter, ask the kids to say one thing they have learnt today! Clear their doubts etc.

The end!