The Fear of the Lord

By Mark Ssesanga // Feb – 1st – 2026

As I was preparing this sermon, I had the best intentions to prepare the most encouraging sermon you have ever heard. However, the Word of God speaks what it says, and even God’s discipline is a form of encouragement. Before we begin, let us pray: Heavenly Father, we are thankful for this opportunity to come before You to hear the preaching of Your Word. I pray that You may help me, frail and feeble as I am, to preach with truth and clarity. Work in our hearts, change our attitudes, and lead us to fearful obedience through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

What would your reaction be if you saw the Lord and He spoke to you? Would you react the same way as when your boss tells you to do something, or perhaps as you did when you were a child and your parents ordered you to do something? Would your reaction be similar to a certain self proclaimed prophet in East Africa who claimed that when Jesus visited his bedroom, he saw himself in Jesus? More importantly, what is your reaction when you read the Ten Commandments or any part of God’s Word? Most of us have become so indifferent that reading Scripture elicits no reaction. It is like watching a movie for the seventh time where there is no longer any excitement or expectation. For many, God’s Word has so little meaning that they pursue “special revelation” outside of it. They prefer a “word from God” from a preacher over the infallible, inerrant Word of God.

The Trap of Servile Fear

In Exodus 20, we see the reaction of the people of God when He spoke to them. Verses 18 to 22 describe the Israelites witnessing thunder, lightning, a trumpet sound, and a smoking mountain. This was not a moment of warm, fuzzy feelings or ecstasy: it was a sight that invoked fear. This is what we call “servile fear.”

A reformed theologian named Zacharias Osinas defined servile fear as the kind of fear a slave has for a master. It consists of fleeing punishment without a desire to change one’s life. It is based on self preservation and leads to separation from God. The Israelites stood at a safe distance to avoid being consumed, and they even asked Moses to be a mediator because they were too terrified to hear God directly. This kind of fear does not lead to obedience. While Moses was up on the mountain, these same people were down below making an idol to worship.

I recently spoke with a friend about a man we know who is very active in his church and seen as godly, yet this married man is known to have slept with many women. My friend’s dilemma was how someone could be so prayerful yet so indifferent to their sin. This is the result of servile fear: being terrified of punishment but having no desire to obey God.

The Gift of Filial Fear

In verse 20, Moses tells the people, “Do not fear”. The purpose of the testing was “that the fear of God may be before them”. In other words, do not fear, but fear. There is a fear we ought not to have, which is servile, and a fear we must have, which is “filial fear”.

Filial fear, or holy fear, is a reverent and deep love for God that causes a believer to fear displeasing or being separated from Him. It arises from confidence and love. While servile fear expects eternal condemnation, filial fear is connected to the certainty of salvation. As Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments”.

We who believe in Jesus have not come to the terrifying, dark mountain of Sinai. Instead, we have come to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem. We have come to Jesus, our mediator, whose blood speaks of grace and mercy rather than the justice Abel’s blood cried for. We no longer need the blood of bulls and goats because Christ’s blood was sufficient once for all.

Even when we fall into sin and feel the daily lament of Paul in Romans 7, doing the very things we hate, we must remember there is no condemnation for those in Christ. Because our mediator sympathizes with our weaknesses, we can draw near to the throne of grace with confidence. As the hymn by CityAlight says, “Come you weary heart now to Jesus… there is perfect love and comfort in your tears”.

A Call to Fearful Worship

Our response to God’s grace must also be one of “fearful worship”. In verses 22 through 26, God gives specific instructions on how He is to be worshiped. Because the people saw no form or substance when God spoke, He forbade them from making any idols of silver or gold.

Instead, God called for simple altars made of earth and unhewn stone. He prohibited the use of tools to shape the stones. If they had been allowed to carve them, they would have likely created grand, elaborate structures that they would end up worshiping instead of God. We are prone to thinking that the bigger and brighter something is, the more God will be impressed by it.

True worship is simple and pure. It is not about emotional gimmicks or “calling God down” through repetitive songs. We often measure worship by how it makes us feel rather than what God has spoken. We must also repent of our casualness. We often show more respect to our earthly partners than to God, watching services from our beds with no sense of awe. God is calling us out of this casualness and into a worship that pleases Him through godly fear.

Conclusion

If you do not know Christ, you currently only have servile fear, which is a terrifying expectation of judgment. But as long as you are alive today, God bids you to come. He has made a way through the sacrifice of His Son, and all who call on His name will be saved. Do not harden your heart or retreat in trembling.

A day is coming when we will all stand before the throne to face judgment. On that day, will you hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant,” or will you hear the voice of condemnation? If you are unsure, I invite you to pray and ask God for mercy. You can also speak with me or any of our elders: Pastor Malcolm, Pastor Joseph, Pastor Dennis, or Pastor Zach. God is not calling us to a fear that makes us run away, but to a holy fear that leads us into His presence. May God guide you as you seek Him.