Sober Not Afraid

Sober, Not Afraid

The Third Sunday after Trinity – 6/21/2026

1 Peter 5:6–11

Rev. Dr. Christopher W. Brademeyer

That portion of God’s holy Word for consideration today is our Epistle reading from the First Epistle of St. Peter with emphasis on verses eight and nine which read as follows:

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.”[1]

Thus far the Scriptures.

St. Peter presents a careful balance that we Christians are to maintain. On the one hand, he tells us to be alert, vigilant, and sober. On the other hand, he does not tell us to panic. He does not tell us to despair. He does not tell us to live in terror of the devil, of sin, or of the troubles of this world. There is a great difference between sobriety and fear.

A sober driver recognizes the dangers of the road but continues confidently to his destination. A fearful driver becomes paralyzed, seeing disaster around every corner. Likewise, the Christian acknowledges that temptation is real, that Satan is real, and that suffering is real. Yet the Christian does not cower before them, because Christ is greater than them all.

Peter begins by saying, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God.” This is the first, great struggle of the Christian life. Human pride imagines that we are strong enough to stand on our own. Pride says, “I can handle temptation. I can outsmart the devil. I can save myself.” But humility recognizes the truth: left to ourselves, we are weak, sinful, and destined for death and punishment.

Even though it is a recognition of weakness, humility is not hopelessness. Rather, it is faith. It is placing ourselves under the mighty hand of God, trusting that He who humbled us will also exalt us in due time.

Then Peter adds one of the most comforting verses in all of Scripture: “Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” Peter is nothing if not a realist; he does not say that Christians have no anxieties. He does not say that believers never struggle with worry or fear. Instead, he tells us where those burdens belong. They belong on Christ.

Too often we try and carry them ourselves. We lie awake at night worrying about our families, our health, our nation, our congregation, our finances, or our future. Sometimes we imagine that if we worry enough, perhaps we can control what is beyond our control. More often, we are simply left at the mercy of these worries. But anxiety is a burden we were never meant to carry. Christ invites us to cast it upon Him because He cares for us personally and individually. The Lord who numbers the hairs of your head also bears your cares and is concerned with your concerns.

Peter’s apostolic command to be sober-minded follows immediately after this promise.

What he’s saying is that Christian sobriety is not fueled by panic but by trust in the Lord Jesus. We are indeed engaged in spiritual warfare. The devil prowls like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Scripture never minimizes his malice or his cunning. He delights in temptation, accusation, deception, and despair. He whispers that your sins are too great to forgive. He whispers that God has abandoned you. He whispers that suffering proves God’s absence. Neither does Scripture downplay the reality of temptation and sin. It does not gloss over the power of evil.

The answer here is remarkably simple: we must “Resist him, firm in your faith.” Peter does not say to resist the devil through your own inner strength, your own cleverness, or your own willpower. You resist him by remaining steadfast in the faith once delivered to the saints, the faith created and sustained by God’s Word and Sacraments. The devil cannot overcome Christ. And if you belong to Christ through Holy Baptism, if you are absolved in His name, if you receive His true Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins, then your confidence rests not in yourself but in your victorious Lord.

This distinction is crucial. Christians should fear sin in the sense that we recognize its deadly seriousness. Sin destroys lives, hardens hearts, and drives us from God. We should flee temptation and repent quickly when we fall.

However, we are not to have a servile fear before God, as though He were merely an angry judge waiting to destroy us. Such terror forgets the Gospel. It forgets that Christ has already borne God’s wrath on the cross. Likewise, we recognize that the world opposes Christ and His Church. We see hostility toward the truth. We experience ridicule or pressure to compromise. Yet we are not called to hide in dread. Our Lord Himself said, “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”

The Christian life therefore combines seriousness with confidence. We lock the door, but we sleep peacefully. We acknowledge danger, but we do not surrender to it. We confess our sins honestly, but we do not doubt God’s forgiveness. We see the devil’s schemes, but we know his defeat has already begun at Calvary and will be completed on the Last Day. We have confidence and strength to look plainly at our sins and the state of affairs of this world not because we wish to fall into some kind of legalism, but because we are secure in the confident salvation of Christ. We can resist fear, anxiety, and despair because the solid foundation of Christ’s forgiveness stands even when we stumble.

Peter reminds his hearers that “the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.” They were not alone, and neither are we. Throughout history the saints have endured trials, persecution, illness, disappointment, and grief. Yet Christ has preserved His Church through every age and will certainly do so for you.

Finally comes this magnificent promise: “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” God Himself restores. God Himself confirms. God Himself strengthens. God Himself establishes. Your salvation does not ultimately depend upon the firmness of your grip on Him but upon His unwavering grip on you. This is why Peter concludes with praise: “To Him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Dear brothers and sisters, precious redeemed saints of the Lord: be sober. Take sin seriously, especially yours. Recognize the reality of the devil’s attacks. Do not become careless or complacent.

But do not be afraid with the fear of slaves who suffer without hope under the power of this world. You belong to a gracious Father. You have been redeemed by the blood of His Son. You are sustained by the Holy Spirit through the means of grace. Your anxieties are laid upon Christ. Your accuser has been defeated by the death of your Savior.

Therefore, live with open eyes and steadfast minds. Watch and pray. Repent and believe. Resist the devil by clinging to Christ. And when fear threatens to overwhelm you, remember that the God of all grace has promised to restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. The Lion of Judah is stronger than the roaring lion who prowls, and the victory already belongs to Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Lord.

In the holy Name of + Jesus. Amen.

 The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

[1] 1 Peter 5:8-9