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Posts Tagged ‘hope’

Sin and human suffering

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on September 11, 2019| 1 Comment »

I shared a few months back on the topic of God and our suffering and I want to pick up on this theme again this morning – this time with a focus on the role of sin in our human suffering.

There are different understandings of where suffering comes from:

  • For instance, some say it’s only in our minds and if we can just get our minds to think straight that will solve the problem (Christian Science).
  • Others say that we suffer because of karma. That is, you get what you deserve in this life, in part, based on what you did in your former life (Hinduism).
  • Others say that the forces of good and evil are equal and locked in a never ending fight which causes us to suffer (Dualism).

But as Christians we confess that –

1. Human suffering and death are rooted in sin

We learn from Scripture that the sin of Adam and Eve brought suffering and death (Genesis 3). Paul tells us that “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin” (Romans 5:12).

Scripture also teaches that we all sin, so we are all a part of the problem (Romans 3:23). And we are also taught that all who sin die, so we all experience the suffering that sin brings (Romans 6:23; James 1:15).

But not only this sin has opened the door for powerful forces of evil to rule this world, so that Satan is now called “the god of this world” in 2 Corinthians 4:4 (John 12:31; 1 John 5:19). And even the non-human creation is disordered and broken due to sin as we read in Romans 8:20-22.

So suffering and death are symptoms of sin’s work and presence in the creation and in our lives.

2. But how sin and suffering are connected in our individual lives is complicated

How many times have you asked, “Why am I going through this suffering?” “What did I do?” We often think, “If I do good I shouldn’t suffer. It’s only when I do bad that I should suffer.” We think life in this world should be fair. But this isn’t how the fallen world works.

It can be true that when you sin, you will suffer immediate and specific consequences for it. Proverbs 10:4 tells us that “a slack hand causes poverty . . ..” If you don’t work, you will suffer lack. As a general rule, there are consequences. In Acts 5:1-11 God immediately judged Ananias and Sapphira for lying to the Holy Spirit. And in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32 those who abused the Lord’s supper experienced sickness and death as a specific judgment from God for what they did. (See also John 5:14)

But not always!!! Yes, you reap what you sow (Galatians 6:7) but you may not experience the consequences or full consequences of your sin until the final judgment.

So there’s no automatic one-to-one correlation between your sin and your specific suffering in this life. There might be at times, but more often than not, I think, there isn’t.

Scripture talks about this when it asks, “Why do the wicked prosper?” (i.e. Psalm 73:3; Jeremiah 12:1). And we all know of people who are notoriously evil who live the good life and those who are relatively innocent who suffer greatly.

Here are some examples of the latter from Scripture:

  • Joseph suffered due to the sin of his brothers, who sold him into slavery and also due to Potiphar’s wife who falsely accused him of sexual assault, which got him thrown into prison (Genesis 37-40)
  • Job’s suffering was terrible, but God specifically said it was not due to his sin. God described him as “a blameless and upright man” in Job 1:8
  • Jesus said of the man born blind, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3).
  • And of course, Jesus, the sinless one, was murdered on the cross.

Luke 13:1-5 says, “There were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, ‘Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.’”

Jesus does not accept that much sin brings much suffering. There’s no one-to-one correlation between our sin and our suffering in this life.

As Ecclesiastes 9:11 teaches us, life isn’t fair. “Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.”

Rather, we are all caught in a complex web of sin where our actions affect each other, sometimes in unpredictable ways. So even though our sin might not cause us specific suffering, it can cause others to suffer. For instance the drunk driver who walks away unharmed from an accident, but in the other car several people are killed. And in just the same way the sins of others can cause us to suffer

Think about it we’re all affected by Adam and Eve’s sin. We are born into a world full of sin and suffering. As I said before, Potiphar’s wife sinned, but it was Joseph who went to jail (Genesis 39). And if someone commits adultery, many people’s lives are wounded, not just those guilty of the sin. We have to acknowledge that we have all have sinned in ways that have damaged others and in turn we have suffered because of the sins of others.

3. But there’s hope!

Suffering is real. It’s not an illusion. But it isn’t linked to an endless cycle of karma and reincarnation. Nor is it woven into the fabric of the way things are. And because this is true, God can bring an end to suffering. God is able to overcome it.

In the present, God can use suffering to accomplish his purposes. As Hebrews 12:11 says, “For the moment all discipline (or times of difficulty and suffering) seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

God can transform suffering to bring about his will. For instance, God used Joseph’s suffering. Joseph said to his brothers, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life” (Genesis 45:4-5). His brothers did evil, but God brought good out of it. In like manner, God used Jesus’ suffering to bring us salvation.

And the salvation that God brings about through Jesus will bring an end to suffering. It’s hard to even know what life would be like without sin and suffering, but we have a portrait painted for us in Isaiah 25:6-8. “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces . . ..”

On that day, we will say, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55, referring back to Isaiah 23, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Suffering is not the final word. Sin, suffering and death will be no more.

4. Victory in the midst of our current suffering

Suffering will end, but until then we will still suffer in various ways. We live in the time of the “already and not yet.” The kingdom of God has come, but it’s not yet all the way here; redemption has come, but it’s not yet all the way here. We have the reality of salvation – the forgiveness of our sins and new life by the Spirit of God. But not the fullness of it. This comes when Jesus returns, when evil is defeated and when all things are made new, including our bodies.

Until then Christians suffer the same kinds of things everyone else does. Paul says in 1 Corinthian 10:13 that “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone” (NRSV). And Christians will also suffer in ways that are not “common” to all people – persecution for our faith.

We must beware of teachings that diminish the ‘already’ of salvation, for instance that we don’t have God’s power working in and through us now. And we must beware of teachings that exaggerate the ‘already’ of salvation, for instance that we need not suffer now because we are saved. One version of this is the so-called health and wealth gospel. Such things await the fullness of the kingdom.

Even though this is true, Christians can experience victory in our current suffering. Paul says in Romans 8:35-37, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Since we know that God can use our suffering for good and we have hope for a future without suffering, we can have joy by the power of the Holy Spirit in the midst of our suffering (James 1:2-4, Matthew 5:11-12, Romans 5:3-5).

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Despair & Hope. Psalm 77

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on October 24, 2018| Leave a Comment »

We’re looking at Psalm 77 today and the themes of despair and hope.

Let me say at the beginning that parts of this Psalm are translated differently, but I’m not going to get into any of that. I will use the NIV today.

Let’s jump right into the first part of the Psalm. And here we note that . . .

The psalmist is really struggling

There are several indications of this. 1) He’s desperately calling on God. 

v. 1 – “I cried out to God for help;I cried out to God to hear me.”

2) He refuses to stop crying out.

v. 2 – “When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;at night I stretched out untiring hands and I would not be comforted.”

Stretched out hands are a posture of prayer. He is, as it were, lifting his prayers up to God. Yet despite this, his prayers are unanswered. There’s no relief.

3) When he thinks of God, instead of being encouraged, he’s dejected.

v. 3 – “I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint.”

 4) He’s unable to sleep.

v. 4a – “You kept my eyes from closing.”

Here he addresses God directly and says, ‘You’re the reason I can’t sleep.’

5) He’s so upset he can’t talk.

v. 4b – “I was too troubled to speak.”

He is definitely going through a hard time: distress – v. 2; without comfort – v. 2;  groaning – v. 3; faint of spirit – v. 3; sleepless – v. 4; troubled – v. 4; speechless – v. 4.

Now let’s look at –

The source of his distress

v 5-6a says, “I thought about the former days,the years of long ago; I remembered my songs in the night.”

He’s thinking about a time in his life when things were better. When he used to sing joyful songs. When all was well. It isn’t like this anymore. Now he’s overwhelmed by difficulties.

This leads him to deep thought.

v. 6b – “My heart meditated and my spirit asked.”

And from this pondering he is able to articulate his inner struggle. This comes in the form of six questions – vs. 7-9:

“Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

It’s obvious from these that he feels rejected by God, uncared for, and forgotten. God is not answering prayer and seems entirely absent. All seems hopeless, which is highlighted by his language – “forever, never again, for all time.” It’s never gonna get better.

This is a full blown crisis of faith. He has the expectation that, if God is truly God, things should be a certain way – like they were before his troubles. So there’s a gap between what should be, his assumptions and expectations, and what is.

This leads him to question God’s character. Exodus 34:6 gives a foundational statement of who God is in the Old Testament. It says, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” It’s this very description that the Psalmist is struggling with in his questions, using some of these very terms. Is God really like this? Has God changed?

Now, his actual circumstances aren’t made clear. From the questions, and the Psalm as a whole, it seems that it’s not just something in his individual life. The problem involves the whole people of God; the people of Israel. And it has gone on for a long time without resolution. It could be that he’s speaking from exile in Babylon wondering if God will ever remember and deliver them from that foreign land.

Remembering the deeds of the Lord

This brings us to v. 10,which is the turning point in this Psalm.

“Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal: the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.’”

He decides to look back at when God was so active among Israel; when God’s favor was abundantly evident – in the days of Moses.

vs. 11-12 – “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”

The focus is now on God’s actions in the past: “deeds,” “miracles,” “works,” “mighty deeds.” These, the Psalmist will “remember” (2x), “consider” and “meditate on.”

When he looks back at what God has done for Israel in the past, he can see God’s greatness.

vs. 13-15 – “Your ways, God, are holy.What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.”

 This refers back to the Red Sea crossing and even uses some of the language of Exodus 15:11-14, where Moses talks about this. From this the psalmist remembers that God is holy, that is, better than and greater than all other gods. He remembers that God is in a class all his own. God performed miracles and did deeds of power. God rescued his people.

Finally, the psalmist describes –

The great Red Sea deliverance

– in more poetic detail.

We need to remember here the symbolic meaning of “the waters” as chaotic, evil and in opposition to God. The waters were blocking Israel from escaping the chariots of Egypt. But God confronts the waters, who are afraid of him.

v. 16 says, “The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.”

vs.  17-18 picture God coming as a warrior on the storm clouds –

“The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth. Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind, your lightning lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.”

vs. 19-20 speak of the Red Sea crossing –

“Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen. You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

God defeated the waters of the Red Sea and saved his people by making a way through for them. And he did this without leaving any footprints.

The message is clear: God will also act to deliver the Psalmist and the people of Israel in their current situation. This is who God is. This is what God does.

So by looking back, he takes heart. He can’t see God at work in his present circumstances, but by seeing who God is in the past; God’s track record – he can have hope even in his difficult circumstances.

Lessons

What can we take from this? 1. You will go through times of despair. When we are young in years or new in faith, we may not think so. I didn’t. But your faith will be tested. It will be tried so thoroughly that you will have deep inner struggles and doubts about God and God’s faithfulness.

The Psalmist certainly went through this. And the point here is that this is normal. It’s a part of walking by faith. So, don’t be surprised when it happens.

2. It’s good to bring your doubts and complaints to God. Just as the Psalmist does here.

It should be done with respect, for sure. But we can be honest with God. God already knows our thoughts and feelings. So pour out your heart:

  • God, this is my distress.
  • This is how I feel.
  • This is what I don’t understand.
  • These are my questions

When we do this then God can help us to gain a right perspective. We can both be honest and also look to God for help in dealing with our situation.

3. When we’re despairing of God’s purpose, it helps us to see the bigger picture. In the smaller picture of our current crises all we can see is cause for despair. This was true for the psalmist. But when we step back and see the bigger picture; when we remember who God is and what God has done in the past to deliver, this gives us something to hang on to; it gives us some hope.

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Renewed hope. Letter to the exiles. Jeremiah 29:1-7, 10-14

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on August 1, 2018| Leave a Comment »

We’re still on break from our series in the Gospel of Mark and we’re back in Jeremiah today, in chapter 29, looking at a letter Jeremiah wrote to the Judean exiles. This is a very well-known passage of Scripture and I want us to see what it has to say to us today.

Last week in Jeremiah’s temple sermon, in chapter 7, we saw how he called the people to repentance so that they wouldn’t be taken away into exile in a foreign land. And he called them to lay aside their deception and false security – that just because the temple was in their midst, God wouldn’t judge them.

As we saw, Jeremiah had to speak some hard words to the people. In chapter 1:10, at his calling to be a prophet, God said that he is “to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow.” That is, he was to be a prophet who had much to say about judgment. But that wasn’t the entirety of his call. v. 10 also says that he’s called, “to build and to plant.” That is, he’s not just a prophet of doom. He’s also a prophet of hope for the future; for the remnant. And this is what we see in our passage today.

Let’s start with some –

Background

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon has now come, as Jeremiah said he would, and deposed the Judean king Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), and set someone else in his place – Zedekiah. And he has taken away Jeconiah and his court along with a number of other important people from Jerusalem into exile in Babylon, 700 miles away. This took place in 597 BC. (2 Kings 24:10-17)

Jeremiah’s letter is written to this first wave of exiles not too long after they arrived. So this letter was sent somewhere between 11 and 14 years after his temple sermon.

The worst, however, is still to come with regard to Judah. At this time the city and temple are still standing. They will be destroyed and the rest of the people taken into exile in 587- some 8 or so years after this letter.

Jeremiah’s letter

– has this for an introduction:

1These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem.

Verse 3 goes on to tell us that –

3The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

Elasah was a part of a powerful family that was friendly to Jeremiah. And Gemariah was the son of Hilkiah, who may be the same Hilkiah who was Josiah’s high priest and a leader of the reform of Judah under that righteous king’s reign. So Jeremiah has some friends in powerful places. These two men were on a mission to Babylon, perhaps to bring tribute – and also then brought this letter along with them.

If before the false prophets were saying Judah would be just fine, now that some have been taken away into exile they are saying that they would only be there a short time. (Hananiah predicted it would only be two years – 28:11) It seems that some of these prophets among the exiles were even stirring up rebellion against Babylon.

Jeremiah has a lot to say about these false prophets in his letter, but we won’t get into that part. We’ll focus on what he has to say to the exiles themselves about their situation.

4Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Although Nebuchadnezzar would have boasted of his great triumph, the Lord makes clear here that he is simply a pawn in God’s greater plan. God says, I have sent them into exile. Nebuchadnezzar is merely his instrument of judgment on Judah.

5Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

In contrast to the false prophets, Jeremiah tells them to settle down for the long haul (29:28). They will be there a long time. So instead of rebelling and fighting against it – he’s saying, ‘start a new life in Babylon.’ They are to multiply even as Israel did while they were in the foreign land of Egypt. (Genesis 1:28) (Notice that the key words from the positive, hopeful part of his calling are mentioned here – “build” “plant.”)

Deuteronomy 20:5-8 excuses people from military service if they have just built a house or planted and vineyard or are newly married. That Jeremiah references these very situations communicates to the exiles that this isn’t the time to rebel and fight against Babylon.

This also shows that the exiles are not under God’s curse. Deuteronomy 28:30-32 speaks of these same activities – taking a wife, building a house and planting a vineyard, but in the context of judgment, these things are taken away. Here they are granted. The exiles are under God’s blessing despite all the judgment going on back in Judah with more to come (Also Jeremiah 24:4-7).

7But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

This is very counter-intuitive. The Babylonians are their enemies and they are captives in the land of Babylon. And the Babylonians are about to destroy Jerusalem and the temple. Yet they are to seek Babylon’s welfare. The word “welfare” is shalom which means peace, well-being, wholeness; what’s best for them.

And they are to pray for them as well, for their welfare. Their destiny, at least for now, is tied up with Babylon’s and so this will also be a blessing for them.

Then we skip to v. 10 –

10For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

Jeremiah is saying to them you will not make it back to the promised land. And maybe not even your kids. But your grand kids will go back to Judah.

God’s promise here refers to Deuteronomy 30 where God states that if his people are sent into exile, and they repent, he will bring them back to the land. (And this is also stated in Jeremiah 24:4-7. And see 1 Kings 8:46-53).

11For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

This is the really well-known verse in our passage.

God has not forsaken the exiles. He has not abandoned his people or his promises or his plans. Things are terrible now, but God has plans for their good, not their harm. They should not give up in despair, God has a future for them and so there’s hope. He will bring them back after 70 years.

12Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

This is an expanded paraphrase of Deuteronomy 4:29 where Moses talks about how if the people are sent into exile – and they pray, God will hear them. This verse says, “seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart, and with all your soul.”

And v. 31 goes on to say, “For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”

God will hear their prayers of repentance and seeking and bring them home.

And then we have –

The rest of the story

As you know, the exiles eventually listened to Jeremiah and settled in. And after 70 years many began the process of returning to the land, as we see in the book of Ezra. They rebuilt the temple and Jerusalem and its walls as we see in the books of Ezra, Nehemiah and Haggai.

God brought them back and his plan for his people continued on.

Let me end by asking –

Do you have hope?

First of all, the hope that God gives to his people in this world? Did you know that the New Testament has the same understanding of our place in the world as the exiles here?

  • We are living in exile, God’s people, among the nations of the world. And we will live out our lives in these nations (James 1:1; 1 Peter 1:1, 17; 2:11; Hebrews 11:13). 1 Peter 2:11 says that we are “sojourners and exiles” among the nations.
  • And we are to pray for the peace and seek the peace of the country we live in: Canadians for Canada, Russians for Russia, Venezuelans for Venezuela, Americans for America, Iranians for Iran. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:2 that we are to pray for “kings and all who are in high positions that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life.” This comes from Jeremiah 29. In their peace we will find our peace.
  • And God has plans for us – a future with hope. Jesus will return and gather us up to be with him in the kingdom of God, just as he promised to gather the Judean exiles and bring them home. Mark 13:27 says that when Jesus returns, “he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” Jesus will gather us from the nations and bring us home.

This world is not our home. The place where we live, wherever it may be, is not our true country. We are just traveling through, sisters and brothers. Our hope as Christians is to come to “the city. . . whose designer and builder is God” – Hebrews 11:12. Our hope is “a better country, that is, a heavenly one” – Hebrews 11:16.

God does indeed have “plans for our welfare and not for evil, to give us a future and a hope.”  We will be with him in the kingdom of God, forever.

What about in your personal life as we dwell here on this earth? Maybe you’ve failed God and he has been disciplining you and things are hard – like with the exiles in our passage. Well, if you turn to him, just as with these exiles, God will have mercy on you too. And the promise in Jeremiah is the promise to us, God will hear you. God will not give up on you or abandon you. God has “plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Maybe you haven’t failed, but things are still hard. God allows this to train us and to accomplish his work in our lives, just as Jesus went through hard times. Don’t fret. God has not abandoned you. Rather God has plans for you; God has a purpose he is working in you. “Plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

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Jesus is our hope!

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on April 3, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Our title today is Jesus is our hope! The theme is hope because the message of Easter is a message of hope and because Jesus is all about bringing hope to people. This is clear from when Jesus walked the earth. Here are some examples from the gospels:

  • Jesus gave hope to the sick. Mark 1:40-42 tells the story of a man with leprosy. He came to Jesus and asked for healing. He said, “If you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus was moved with compassion – and healed the man immediately. He was set free from a condition that had ruined his life. And now he was able to move forward and live again.
  • Jesus gave hope to those who had sinned. In Luke 7:36-50 a woman, most likely a prostitute, came to Jesus in tears and anointed his feet as an expression of devotion and as a response to his message of repentance. Jesus said to her “your sins are forgiven.” Her repentance was accepted. She was forgiven and she was given a chance for a new life; a fresh start.
  • Jesus gave hope to those who were enslaved by evil powers. Mark 1:23-26 tells of how a demonized man was set free by Jesus. He simply said, “Come out of him” and the demon had to leave. This man was miserable and enslaved, but Jesus set him free and now he had new life.
  • Jesus gave hope to those who were excluded. Luke 5:27-32 tells how Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners. Those not acceptable to the rest of society. Instead of being outcasts, now they were befriended by Jesus and given another chance.
  • Jesus gave hope to those who were confused. Mark 6:34 says, “Jesus saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. Those who were lost and needed guidance learned from the good Shepherd himself, the paths of righteousness and peace.
  • Jesus gave hope to those who needed new purpose in their lives. Matthew 9:9 recounts how Jesus called Matthew out of a dead-end situation in life, a tax collector for the very empire that was oppressing his people. Jesus said to him “follow me.” that is, come and work with me. And he did. Matthew found a new life focus that was full of meaning and true significance.
  • Jesus gave hope to those who needed God to be near. God worked through Jesus by the power of the Spirit. God’s presence was real to people when Jesus was around. In Luke 7:16, after Jesus raised a young man from the dead, the crowds said, “God has visited his people!” Those who felt far away, even abandoned by God, were brought close, as the Spirit worked through Jesus.

So in all of these examples we see people who were suffering, miserable, confused, disillusioned; who were despairing. And Jesus gave these very ones hope.

But the world we live in doesn’t like the hope Jesus gives. It tells us to chase after false hopes that are empty and useless. And if we do hope in Jesus, it seeks to crush this.

In Jesus’ own day, the guardians of the way things are – the authorities and the powers of evil caught up to Jesus. And they killed him. As the two men on the road to Emmaus said, “we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). Jesus gave them hope, but now their hopes were dashed.

But guess what? Jesus didn’t stay dead! Amen? The “powers that be” thought they had extinguished our hope; they thought they had extinguished Jesus. But they failed! And oh how they failed. As the angel said to those who looked for Jesus’ dead body, “He has risen; he is not here” (Mark 16:6).

Jesus lives! And so our hope lives. For since Jesus is still alive, he is ever with us, to continue to help us. And so I ask . . .

  • Do you suffer sickness? Are you in need of healing? The same Jesus who healed a leper and so many others, still lives to heal us and help us in our suffering. And when the Father says it’s time, Jesus will give us a new resurrection body that will live forever without pain or suffering. We too have hope for healing and the redemption of our bodies.  Jesus is our hope!
  • Do you feel guilt and shame for sin you have committed? The same Jesus who forgave sins and who laid down his life on the cross for the forgiveness of sins,  still lives to forgive us when we turn to him in repentance. We too have the hope of forgiveness. Our guilt and shame can be taken away. We can have a new, clean, fresh start. Jesus is our hope!
  • Are you enslaved by powerful evil forces; unable to break free from sinful habits? The same Jesus who cast out demons with a word, still lives to deliver us from the evil one. We too have hope of freedom and new life from the powers of evil that seek to enslave and destroy us. Jesus is our hope!
  • Do you feel excluded, alienated, left out? The same Jesus who welcomed any and all who would follow him, still lives to befriend us. We too have hope of connection with Jesus; of acceptance by him; of relationship with him – and his people. Jesus is our hope!
  • Do you need guidance in your life? Are you confused about God’s will? The same Jesus who taught the crowds of old, still lives and makes known to us his teaching. We too have hope that we can know God’s way and that we can learn, from the good shepherd himself, the paths of peace. Jesus is our hope!
  • Do you feel adrift in your life; without a purpose? The same Jesus who gave Matthew new direction, still lives to call us from our dead ends and our wrong turns – to come and follow him and to finish what he began. We too have hope for a meaningful and significant life doing what God has called us to do and what God has gifted us to do. Jesus is our hope!
  • Do you feel separated from God; that God is far away? The same Jesus who made God present to the people of old by the Spirit, still lives and he pours out this same Holy Spirit into our hearts and lives so that God lives in us. We too have hope of knowing and being near to God; to have a relationship with God; to have God come and live within us by the Spirit. Jesus is our hope!

Indeed, no matter what problem or circumstance we find ourselves in, because he lives Jesus gives us hope. A hope that cannot be crushed, but that sustains through all of life.

 

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10 promises you can stand on

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 11, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Series: Faith in God

Last time we talked about how, to have real faith, you need a word from God to stand on.  And when you don’t have a word to stand on, it’s called presumption, because you are presuming upon God to do something that he never said he would do. This leads us to have unwarranted confidence, which can lead to wrong actions, which leads to a mess.

As we saw, one of the things we need to do to avoid all this is to know what God’s promises are – their context, the scope of what they cover, and the conditions that are attached. We need to know what they mean. We need to know God’s will so that we can have faith in this and receive from God.

So today, I want to give you 10 promises that you can stand on; that apply to you. And I hope as we go through this, God will speak to you about where you need more of him and his blessings and that you will latch on to this by faith.  

1. God will forgive your sins

 “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you” – Matthew 6:14

The condition certainly stands out right at the beginning. We have to give grace to receive grace. But if we do this, God tells us here, he will forgive our sins. As Psalm 103:12 says, God will remove our sins “as far as the east is from the west.” As 1 John 1:9 says, God will “forgive us our sins and . . . cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Others may not forgive us, we may struggle to forgive ourselves, but in faith we can stand on this promise that we are indeed forgiven by God.

2. God will give you the Holy Spirit

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him” – Luke 11:13

In Luke 11 Jesus talks about asking with persistence in our prayers. And then he ends this teaching with this verse. So he is saying, ‘If we persistently ask for the Spirit, God will answer.’

It is the Spirit who gives us life. It is the Spirit who makes God’s presence known to us. It is the Spirit who gives us God’s guidance and comfort. It is the Spirit who empowers us to do God’s will and to minister in his name. So, this is a promise we all need. We need to be continually filled with the Spirit as followers of Jesus.

3. God will give you eternal life

“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

This is a familiar and popular promise and rightfully so. Because of God’s love for us and  what Jesus has done for us, if we believe in Jesus, we will not be judged, but we will have eternal life. That is to say, right now. No waiting. God’s life comes into us and this will continue on forever.

4. Jesus will set you free from bondage to sin

“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” – John 8:36

Just before this, Jesus talks about how “everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” But the promise is that Jesus is both able and willing to set us free; to break the chains of our bondage so that we can serve God and live a new life.

This doesn’t mean that it will always be easy, and that there won’t be hard choices and difficult times ahead. But Jesus will give us what we need to remain free.

If this is where you are, I encourage you to claim this promise by faith. Ask Jesus to come and set you free.

5. God will provide for your material needs

“But strive first for the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” – Matthew 6:33

Notice the condition: seek the kingdom and his righteousness. Give this more thought and time than worrying about how you will gather up what you need for this life. And then, Jesus tells us, God will provide.

Now this is no promise of great wealth. In this scripture here (Matthew 6) the promise is for food and clothing. Like in the Lord’s prayer, we ask for daily bread. The promise is that God will give us what we need, not what we want. But yet, God’s provision is all we truly need.

6. God will providentially watch over you

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than sparrows.” – Matthew 10:29-31

Jesus spoke this to the disciples while teaching them about persecution and the danger of death. Jesus promises that God watches over us as his disciples and knows what goes on in our lives, down to the details.

If we find ourselves in danger, and we are walking with God – we don’t need to fear. God knows what’s going on. Whether it goes badly for us, or we are rescued, we know that we are in God’s loving hands.

7. God will give you wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” – James 1:5

We need to ask, and we need to ask in faith as James goes on to say. But if we do this, God will give us guidance and good judgment in how to make decisions and how to live our lives. And who doesn’t need wisdom, really, every day of our lives? What a great promise!“It will be given.”

8. God will give you peace

Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7

We don’t need to be stressed out. Rather, we can lift up our burdens to the Lord, give them to him, and ask for his help. And the promise is that God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds to keep the stress away. Like a soldier keeping patrol.

Unless, of course we let our worries back in. We have to let go of them all, and give them to God knowing that he will take care of us.

9. Nothing God calls you to do will be impossible for you

“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you” – Matthew 17:20

 Jesus had commissioned and empowered the disciples to cast out demons as a part of their work. But they had a case they couldn’t handle. Why? Because they thought it was way too hard!

And so Jesus teaches them, and us, that whatever God calls us to do we will be able to do, if we simply trust in God to act for us in each situation. Even if it seems impossible, like moving a mountain from one place to another.

10. God will give you a blessed future

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven . . .. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The promise is that Jesus will return. And when he does, all faithful Christians will be resurrected to new life, with a new body.

We have an amazing future ahead! Things might not be going well for us now, but we have blessings waiting for us. And we “will always be with the Lord.” We can keep this in mind when we are going through hard times. In faith, think on these things and be encouraged.

  1. God will forgive your sins.
  2. God will give you the Holy Spirit
  3. God will give you eternal life
  4. Jesus will set you free from bondage to sin
  5. God will provide for your material needs
  6. God will providentially watch over you
  7. God will give you wisdom
  8. God will give you peace
  9. Nothing God calls you to do will be impossible for you
  10. God will give you a blessed future

So these are some of the many “precious and very great promises” that God gives to us, to use the words of 2 Peter 1:4. We will not be presuming upon God if we ask for these things.

But we do have to trust in God to receive all that these verses talk about; to receive the blessings of God. As I have said several times now, without faith, we should not “expect to receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7). But with faith, “all things are possible” (Mark 9:23). We can receive all that God has for us.

And let’s not be satisfied with what we have already received. We need to up our game! For instance, we need more of the Spirit, some of us need more deliverance, we all need more wisdom, peace in difficult times and power to do God’s will. Let’s raise our expectations and trust in God to act for us, standing on his promises.

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Are you weary? Isaiah 40:28-31

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on May 30, 2017| 11 Comments »

We are looking at Isaiah 40:28-31 this morning, verses which are both powerful and encouraging.

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted. But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

We see in these verses that . . .

God’s people were weary

They were discouraged and overwhelmed because they had been defeated by another nation and taken from their homes and now were living as strangers and exiles in a foreign land – Babylon. Yet they also knew, they had heard, that God still had a purpose for them as a people. And that God had promised to bring them back to their home – Jerusalem.

But in their weariness and despair they wondered: Can God’s promise really be true? Is God really able to come through on it? They were enslaved by the most powerful empire of their day and they were at the mercy of its king. How in the world would they ever be able to leave and return home

Considering all this they were tempted give up, “to faint” as our text says. In the ordeal they were facing, as v. 30 says, “even youths shall faint and be weary and young men shall fall exhausted.” Even the strongest among them were overwhelmed.

And so the prophet speaks God’s word to them.

First of all, he tells them that God is able to come through for them. God is the everlasting God. God is the God who created all things. God is the God who doesn’t grow weary or faint. You know, God isn’t now all of a sudden tired and weak and thus unable to help Israel.

Yes, their situation seems impossible, but God is able to bring them back to the land at the appointed time. God is able to keep his promise to them.

Secondly, the prophet tells them that the Lord can strengthen them. Instead of giving up in their difficult situation, to “faint” or to “fall exhausted,” they should “wait for the Lord” – v. 31. To “wait for the Lord” means to have an expectant and confident trust in God and his promises, knowing that God has heard us and knows our situation and will come through.

The prophet is saying, if they look to the Lord in their difficult situation, that is, if they wait on the Lord, God will strengthen them – v. 29. Even though it’s so bad that it overwhelms the strongest among them in their own strength, God gives of his strength to those who look to him. And because of this, their strength will be renewed – v. 31. And they will be able to walk, and to run, and to fly. That is, to keep going even in the midst of their troubles in exile, knowing that God can handle their problems and will deliver them.

And you know what? God did come through for them! God raised up another nation which took over and released the Israelites to go to their home. The promise was fulfilled, they were returned to their land, and God worked out his purpose for them.

Well, I share this with you today because . . .

We too can become weary

We all go through difficulties, whether health crises, financial crises, broken relationships with family or friends, personal failures and weaknesses or in general – experiences of deep pain and suffering.

And we will continue to do so throughout our lives. Our faith is not “escapist.” A false promise that things will be just fine, if you have enough faith. No. This life is full of trials and God doesn’t just step in and take them all away.

And as we go through these hardships we can become overwhelmed, discouraged and faint. And even though we know that God has a purpose for each one of us, and that God has given us “his precious and very great promises” as 2 Peter 1:4 says; promises to help us, to save us and to bring us into his eternal kingdom – we too still doubt at times. We become fearful and exhausted.

And in our despair we ask: Can God’s promises really be true? Is God really able to come through on them? And will God come through for me? We are tempted to give up, “to faint,” to give in to our weariness.

And so we too need to hear the message of the prophet, because there is a word in this for us, each one of us. We need to hear and know that God is able to come through for us. For you and for me!

We may be overwhelmed by our circumstances, but God is not. v. 28 says, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.” God is able to help us. God is able to keep his promises to us, just as he did with the Israelites.

And we also need to hear and know that the Lord can strengthen us. We too are to “wait for the Lord” – v. 31, knowing that he hears us and knows our situation. And we are to put our hope and trust in God and rely on him. And when we do this God gives us of his strength. As 29 says, “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

We tap into the strength of the Everlasting God himself; we lean on him, the One who never grows weary or faints. In this way, despite our troubles, our strength is renewed. As 31 says, “the Lord shall renew their strength.” And through this strength we are empowered to move forward in our times of difficulty, because we hope in the Lord; because we know that he will fulfill his promises to us.

We can move forward, as v. 31 says, “They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” In the midst of our problems we will walk and not faint, we will run and not be weary, we will mount up with wings like eagles.

Are you weary this morning? Do you feel overwhelmed? God invites you to come to him and find hope and strength.

 

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How long, O LORD? Psalm 13

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 3, 2017| Leave a Comment »

The literary structure of Psalm 13

Psalm 13 is really powerful; full of intense and honest struggle, but also faith. And I want to hold it up for you as a model for when you are being overwhelmed by difficult circumstances.

As we get started, a few words about –

Psalm 13

It is the shortest prayer for help in the book of Psalms. There are shorter Psalms, but these are not requests to God.

In terms of how it is put together, there are three obvious parts to this psalm.

  • In vs.  1-2 the Psalmist pours out his heart to God.
  • In vs. 3-4 he makes his request
  • And in vs. 5-6 he expresses his faith and hope in God

And each of these sections has the name of God or “Yahweh” in it, indicated in English by the capitalized “LORD.”

We don’t know the specifics of his situation, but it involves enemies and the threat of death. This is a Davidic Psalm (written by him or in honor of/about him) perhaps referring to his time in the wilderness hiding from King Saul, who was trying to kill him. Whatever the case may be he is facing a very serious situation and needs God’s help.

Let’s look at the first section, which is a cry of despair.

“1How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?”

There is no indication in these verses that the Psalmist has sinned or has been unfaithful so that his difficulties are the result of this. He is simply in an overwhelming time of testing and trial.

Notice the phrase “How long?” This is used several times in scriptural prayers, but this is the only place where it is repeated four times, and in such a short space. There is an intensity in this prayer in asking this question of God. These questions also show us that it’s OK to ask God questions like this. God can take it. We don’t have to put on a smile, or fake it when we come into God’s presence. After all, he already knows what we are thinking and feeling. We only need be careful that we do this with proper respect for God.

You can feel the raw emotions and the brutal honesty of this prayer as you read these two verses.

  • In relation to God the Psalmist feels abandoned and ignored by God. God has hidden his face, that is it feels like God has turned away and is not looking out for him; he feels that God has forgotten him.
  • In relation to himself he feels greatly distressed within. “Taking counsel in his soul” perhaps has to do with trying to sort out what he should do, since God doesn’t seem to be acting for him; it has to do with anxious worrying. And he has sorrow in his heart.
  • In relation to his problem , his enemy, he feels defeated. His enemy has the upper hand and this means that his life is in danger.

Also notice the time indicators, the “how long?” questions, the word “forever” and the phrase “all the day.” The sense is that he is barely hanging on. He is worn down. He is at the breaking point. The test is so hard that he can’t take it anymore. So if God doesn’t act soon, it will overwhelm him and be too late.

Next we have his request to God.

“3Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, 4lest my enemy say, ‘I have prevailed over him,’ lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.”

In general, he wants God to consider him or take note of his situation to answer him. He’s saying, ‘God, don’t forget me or hide your face from me.’ He wants God to act to bring him help him in the midst of his difficulty.

Specifically, he wants God to “light up his eyes.” In Scripture to have dim eyes means that you are overwhelmed, weak and weary (Job 17:7; Deuteronomy 34:7). And to have eyes that are lit up has to do with being strong, full of life and vigor (Deuteronomy 34:7; Ezra 9:8; Proverbs 29:13). Even today we can tell how someone is doing by their eyes, right? We can tell whether they are full of energy and life or whether they are worn down and discouraged. You can see it.

So, being worn down by his trials, he is asking God to give him strength, new life, vigor, encouragement and hope.

And he doesn’t just make his request for help, he gives God three reasons to act:

  1. lest he die, because he is in danger of death.
  2. lest his enemy win
  3. lest they rejoice at his downfall

In this situation the Psalmist understands himself to be in the right; he is doing God’s will but is being persecuted by evildoers. And so, yes, he wants to be saved and vindicated, and have his enemies put down. But it is bigger than this. He is appealing to God in all this to act for your Name’s sake. Since he is representing God and the righteous, it’s not good that evildoers think that God doesn’t care about their evil, or about the well-being of his own. He needs to act for his Name’s sake and for the sake of righteousness.

In section one the writer is hanging by a thread. In section two he is asking God to give him strength. And then we have a tremendous change of tone in vs. 5-6 where the Psalmist speaks of his faith and hope.

“5But I trust in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. 6I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

Two things are going on here:

1) He is given strength to trust in God. God has indeed begun to enlighten his eyes, even as he has been pouring out his heart and asking God for help. (It is healing to pour out our hearts to God.)

 Now, instead of seeing just his outward circumstances and choosing to give up, he sees God’s faithfulness; that is his “steadfast love” or “unfailing love.” This is God’s covenant love or commitment to him and his well-being. So he has his circumstances on the one hand and then God’s character and promises on the other and he chooses God. This  is called faith.

2) He now looks forward to God’s salvation; for deliverance from his trial and testing. We know he is not yet delivered because his salvation and rejoicing is spoken of as a future reality. But he can now move forward in faith and hope that God will save him, since his faith has been renewed.

  • Even though he may still have some “sorrow in (his) my heart,” – v. 2, now that his faith has been renewed he can look forward to when “(his) my heart shall rejoice” – v. 5.
  • Even though his enemies are exalted “over (him) me” – v. 2, now that his faith has been renewed he can look forward to when God will have dealt bountifully “with (him) me” – v. 6.
  • Even though his enemies are “exalted” – v. 2 over him and seek to “rejoice” – v. 4 at his demise, now that his faith has been renewed he can look forward to when he “shall rejoice – v. 6 in God’s salvation.

And this will not just be a minor thing. God will “bountifully” deliver and save him.

Finally, I want you to look at –

Psalm 13 as a model prayer

It is a model for when you find yourself in times of testing and are ready to give up. Follow the threefold pattern we find here:

1. Pour out your heart to God. Be honest with God. Express your emotions to God – about how distant he seems; about how you are in inner turmoil; about how your problem has the upper hand. And ask God questions, What’s going on? Why, God? Or as here, how long?God, I’m barely hanging on.

2. Ask God for strength. God, enlighten my eyes. Give me renewed life, vigor, vitality and encouragement. And tell him why; so you don’t give in and fail in time of trial and thus dishonor his Name; so that others will see and know that God is faithful to his own and upholds righteousness.

And then, 3. Receive renewed trust in God to make it through. Let God work a work in you as you pour out your heart and as you make your request known and as you think of his unfailing love for you and commitment to you.

Receive the strength to choose to trust in God and stand on his character and promises despite your difficult circumstances. And having been renewed, look forward to God’s salvation; deliverance from your trial when you will rejoice and sing praises to God.

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Hope for the future. Lamentations 3:1-24

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on November 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The book of Lamentations consists of 5 poems of lament, or expressions of sorrow and mourning that come from great suffering. The context for the book as a whole is the destruction of Jerusalem in 587/586 BC by the Babylonians. This judgment of God for Israel’s unfaithfulness was long foretold, but here having been experienced, the full impact of the grief and pain are expressed. It’s possible, but not certain, that the prophet Jeremiah wrote this book, which is why it shows just up after the book of Jeremiah in our Bibles.

Our text, in chapter 3, is the first part of the the third poem. This whole poem is an acrostic where every 3 lines of text begin with the 22 successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This passage contains an amazing expression of hope for the future, from a person who knows suffering and hopelessness, which can help us to know how to think more clearly about our own hope for the future, no matter what our context might be. Let’s begin with the writer’s –

Great suffering and hopelessness

1 I am the man who has seen affliction
under the rod of his wrath;
2 he has driven and brought me
into darkness without any light;
3 surely against me he turns his hand
again and again the whole day long.

God’s judgment is described as affliction, wrath and darkness. And it is relentless.

4 He has made my flesh and my skin waste away;
he has broken my bones;
5 he has besieged and enveloped me
with bitterness and tribulation;
6 he has made me dwell in darkness
like the dead of long ago.

These verses speak to his lack of health, his suffering and how he is like someone who is in Sheol, the realm of the dead, which is a place of darkness.

7 He has walled me about so that I cannot escape;
he has made my chains heavy;
8 though I call and cry for help,
he shuts out my prayer;
9 he has blocked my ways with blocks of stones;
he has made my paths crooked.

There is no way out from his suffering and God is not answering his prayers.

10 He is a bear lying in wait for me,
a lion in hiding;
11 he turned aside my steps and tore me to pieces;
he has made me desolate;
12 he bent his bow and set me
as a target for his arrow.

He is like a person mauled and torn apart by a wild animal, like the target for an archer. 

13 He drove into my kidneys
the arrows of his quiver;
14 I have become the laughingstock of all peoples,
the object of their taunts all day long.
15 He has filled me with bitterness;
he has sated me with wormwood.

He is full of arrows, he is shamed and full of bitterness. Wormwood is a plant with a bitter taste.

16 He has made my teeth grind on gravel,
and made me cower in ashes;
17 my soul is bereft of peace;
I have forgotten what happiness is;
18 so I say, “My endurance has perished;
so has my hope from the Lord.”

He has no peace, he can’t remember what happiness is, and his endurance is gone. This is a person who knows what hopelessness feels like, as he says in v. 18, my hope has perished. Then the poem goes on to talk about –

Finding hope again

 19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings,
the wormwood and the gall!
20 My soul continually remembers it
and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:

He gives a brief prayer for God to remember his suffering, because he can only remember it and be overwhelmed by it. But v. 21 begins in a different direction. This is where he remembers who God is, and this gives him hope.

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

Remembering who God is, gives him hope. Specifically two qualities are mentioned:

  • “steadfast love” – which can be translated as kindness, faithful love or great love.
  • “mercies” or compassion. It is the love that a parent has for a child.

And then God’s “faithfulness” in giving this steadfast love and mercy is highlighted:

  • God’s steadfast love “never ceases”
  • God’s mercies “never come to an end”
  • “They are new every morning”

This is his portion or allotment in life. God’s ever renewed love. He has lost everything else – his city and home were destroyed and no doubt he had family who were killed. And yet this is enough. As v.24 says, “’The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’”

A word of hope for us

Now I can say with great confidence that I have not suffered as much as the writer of this poem has. And I thank God for that. But precisely because he has suffered so much, he has the ability to speak to us. For if he can find hope in God in his circumstances, surely we can as well.

Whether we are being disciplined for our sins, as was the case here with Jerusalem, or God is just letting us go through hard times to train us and build our character, or we are experiencing good times God’s steadfast love and mercy and his faithfulness in giving these is what sustains us. It is the basis of our hope for the future.

This is the text I first shared with you when I came 9 years ago; my first sermon as your pastor. I told you that our hope in that time of transition was not in me, or in you, or in our circumstances, but only in God. And so I end by saying the same thing to you today.

As your pastor I now commend you into the hands of our God who faithfully gives you his steadfast love and mercies day by day. And I encourage you to have a strong hope for the future, because of who God is.

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Don’t grow weary and give up! Galatians 6:9

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on September 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Our title today is “Don’t grow weary and give up!” And our text is Galatians 6:9, if you would like to turn there in your Bibles.

Galatians 6:9

The apostle Paul says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”

Let me begin by pointing out a few things about this verse. The phrase, “grow weary” can also be translated, “get tired,” or “become discouraged.” It means, “don’t lose your motivation in continuing a desirable pattern of activity.” [BDAG]

In this case what is desirable refers to doing what is right or as the ESV says, “doing good.” This means living the Christian life, or more specifically in v. 10 it means doing good for others – that is, being a Christian and ministering to others both within and outside of the church.

The sense is that you have been doing good for a while and the temptation over time is to get tired and weary of this. The promise is of a harvest in due season; of fruitfulness in due time. (The reaping language comes from vs. 7-8) And the condition is “if we do not give up;” that is, if we don’t lose heart or faint from weariness.

If we put all this together it can read: “And let us not grow weary/ get tired of doing what is right/good, for in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up/lose heart.”

Now, let’s look at –

Galatians 6:9 in the context of the book of Galatians

Galatia was the name of a Roman province in Paul’s day, in what is now modern Turkey. Paul preached the gospel here on his first missionary journey, recorded in Acts 13 and 14. And a group of several churches was formed in some of the cities in this territory – Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

Well, it wasn’t long after Paul left that new teachers had come in and were teaching a different Gospel saying that Gentile believers need to become Jews to truly be saved. In other words, faith in Christ and his death on the cross was not enough. And some in Galatia had accepted this new teaching. And this led to a terrible conflict with lots of hurt and pain all around.

1. Paul was upset. There is no letter quite like Galatians, where his emotions are raw and in the open. For instance, he says in 3:1-3 – “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” It seemed to Paul that these new teachers had put a spell on the Galatians so that they abandoned the truth. 

2. Accusations were made against Paul. These were made by those whom Paul labeled “trouble makers” (6:17).

– They said, Paul is a people-pleaser. Specifically, when he is around Jews he preaches circumcision, but when he is around Gentiles like you, he doesn’t. He does this to make it easier for you; gain more converts. (5:11; 1:10). Paul corrects this by noting he has suffered persecution for the cross of Christ, which is not a mark of a people pleaser; and that it is they who seek an easy life by preaching circumcision since in this day most of the persecution came from Jewish sourses (6).

– They said, he is not a real apostle with a message from God. Paul responds in detail, of how God called him and gave him a message to preach on the Damascus road when he saw Jesus. (1, 2)

– They said Peter doesn’t support his ministry. Paul responds that Peter along with James and John had approved of his message before he came to Galatia. They gave him the right hand of fellowship. (2). [It’s a bit more complicated than this given the Antioch incident, where Peter seemed to be against Paul, but Paul notes that he corrected Peter publicly.]

3. There was dissension and division in the church of Galatia. In his list of the works of the flesh, notice how many have to do with conflict gone awry – “enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions” – 5:20.

And Paul talks about the danger of gossip and slander – “if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another” – 5:15. He talks about the danger of “becoming conceited, provoking one another, envying one another” – 5:26.

To all this he contrasts the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” – 5:22-23. Paul is saying, the manifestation of the Spirit in our lives in these ways is the antidote to such destructive works of the flesh.

4. There were strained relationships. Paul says in 4:13-20 – “You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose . . . my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.” They worked together closely and cared for one another, but now Paul is not sure where he stands with them.

5. Difficult action needed to be taken. This was serious stuff and sorting through it was not necessarily easy.

  • Those who were confused needed correction. Paul works at this throughout most of his letter. And he comes out and says it bluntly in 5:4 – “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.” Some people needed to relearn the gospel.
  • Those caught in sin needed help. Paul says in 6:1-2 – “Brothers and sisters, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Notice how this involves gentleness, humility and love on the part of the one who seeks to restore another.
  • The false teachers needed accountability. He says in 5:7-10 – “You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.”

What a mess!!! Can you imagine? One thing we learn from all this is that conflict isn’t new. It was there in the apostolic period, recorded for us in the New Testament. And as we look at this particular example in Galatia – we don’t know how long it went on, but surely it would have taken a toll on them. And thus we understand the the temptation to give up from weariness. And also the need for this exhortation not to do this in Galatians 6:9, which is his last word of teaching to them, before he closes out the letter. “And let us not grow weary/ get tired of doing what is right/good, for in due season we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up/lose heart.”

I believe –

This is a word of encouragement to us

Perhaps you have been through conflict or difficult times in your personal life, in your church life or at work or school. And the result is that you are weary this morning. The word of encouragement is – Don’t give up! Why? Because we will reap a harvest. God will come through for us. When? In due season. It may be in this life, or it may not be. Some labor faithfully with little fruit to show for it in this life. But certainly the harvest will come in the fullness of the kingdom.

This is a message of hope. Your work is not for naught. Despite our difficulties, God is faithful and will give us a harvest of blessing. So don’t let life’s difficulties cause you to give up and put you on the sidelines. Continue on with your Christian faith strong. And continue to do good and minister to others.

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The Day of the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on November 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Series: Paul to the Thessalonians

We are continuing to let 1 Thessalonians guide us each Sunday, so that whatever Scripture text we are up to is what we will talk about, trying to understand carefully what Paul has to say. And today Paul is teaching on the topic of  –

The day of the Lord

This is an ominous teaching, often spoken of in the Old Testament. It is when God breaks into history to judge sin and set things right. It is a time of darkness, despair and destruction. Let’s look at a few Scriptures to get a sense of this:

  • Isaiah 13:6, 9 – “Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! . . . Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation . . ..”
  • Jeremiah 46:10 – “That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes.”
  • Ezekiel 30:2-3 – “Thus says the Lord God: Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’ For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.”
  • Joel 1:15 – “Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.

So this is a terrible time of judgment. [Now, whenever God breaks in to judge a nation, this is a day of the Lord event. For instance Isaiah 13 is talking about the destruction of the Babylonian empire. But this also foreshadows what will happen at the end of the world itself.] 

But there is another aspect to the day of the Lord which is what Paul highlights here. Just as there is judgment on the unrighteous, the day of the Lord is a time of deliverance and salvation for God’s people. For instance in Zechariah 14, when the Lord comes with all his holy ones, as we talked about last week, God’s people are delivered (also Isaiah 14:1-2 following chapter 13; also in 13:9 the destruction is against “the sinners” in the land; Joel 3:18.)

Perhaps they need to hear this part of it, having been scared by the despair, doom and gloom. Or perhaps they are anxious about how to be ready for such an event, if it can come at any time. Paul’s message to them here is one of reassurance. Although for the world it will be a time of judgment and destruction, for the people of God, it will be a day of salvation.

The day will not overwhelm you

“1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”

The phrase “times and seasons” refers to the when question. He is basically saying that they know that no one knows when the day of the Lord will come.  If in the previous section on the dead in Christ they needed some additional teaching, here they know this truth that it will come suddenly and unexpectantly like a thief in the night.

As we have already seen, Paul had taught them Jesus’ Olivet discourse about the second coming and the resurrection. And he will continue to refer to this in our verses today talking about the day of the Lord. In fact, much of what he says is a mash-up of the teaching at the end of the Olivet discourse found in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 about being ready. You can see the handout that illustrates numerous points of contact.

The “thief in the night” is a parable from Matthew 24:43-44 (also 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3; 16:15). It teaches that Jesus could return at any time, therefore we need to be ready at all times.

So the Thessalonians know this and can be alert. But the world does not know this. So they are not ready. “3While people are saying, ‘There is peace and security,’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.” This is very much in tune with what we saw above. The day will be a time of judgment. Paul uses the word “destruction.”

The phrase “peace and security” was actually a Roman slogan for what the empire and its armies gave to its citizens. So what Paul is saying is that precisely when people think things are good and peaceful – the day will come upon them. In other words, it is a false security that they have.

He uses the imagery of labor pains to say that it will come suddenly and with great pain. And, as with labor, there will be no escape.

“4But you are not in darkness, brothers and sisters, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day.” Although the world is unprepared, Paul is saying, you are prepared, so you won’t be surprised. You will be ready.

Why? Because they are children of light, children of the day. Paul is referring to the fact that they are Christians and live as Christians. They already desire and live under God’s rule and his way in the midst of a dark world. And so when the day comes to extend God’s rule to all the earth, they will be ready. (For similar language – sons of disobedience, children of light ,referring to behavior see Ephesians 5:8.) So he is giving them words of assurance. They need not fear.

Literally, v. 5 says that they are “sons” of light and “sons” of the day. Paul may well have the idea here that all Christians are inheritors of the blessings that will come on that day. Son-ship often carries with it the idea of inheritance, in this case applied to both female and male believers. Now we suffer, but then we will be blessed. (Inheritance language – 1 Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 5:21)

Also notice how he plays off the words “day” and “night” in v. 2 to speak of two different conditions and ways of life:

  • The world is in a state of darkness/night, which leads to a way of life – they are not prepared/not doing God’s will.
  • Christians are of the light/day, so they are prepared/ doing God’s will.

And these differing conditions and ways of life lead to differing results:

  • The world will be surprised and will not escape destruction.
  • Christians will not be surprised and so will not be destroyed.

Now, Paul wants to give them assurance from excessive fear over the day of the Lord, but he also has to encourage them to –

Continue to be ready

“5We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober . . .”

Paul is saying, since we are not of the darkness, but rather belong to the day – let’s act that way! Don’t sleep or be drunk. Don’t fall back into the world, into spiritual darkness, into being unprepared, not doing God’s will.

Rather he tells them: keep awake and be sober. Keep doing God’s will; keep living the Christian life so that you are ready. (Both of these exhortations are from Jesus’ teaching. The first – “stay awake” comes from the parable of the thief, and the second, “be sober” is a deduction from the parable of the householder.)

“. . . having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.” Here Paul further elaborates what it means to be awake and sober. Their lives are to be characterized by faith, love and hope.

Notice that Paul says that they have already put on this armor when they became a Christian. And he knows that they are still evidencing these virtues, as he pointed out in chapter 1:3. He is basically saying, maintain this armor of faith, love and hope, since you live in a hostile world. (Paul is most likely referring here to Isaiah 59:17a, where God “puts on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on his head.”)

– What does it mean to have “the breastplate of faith and love”? In both Isaiah 59 and Ephesians 6, where this is talked about, it refers to righteousness. Perhaps this image can be expressed in a phrase Paul uses in Galatians 5:6, “faith working through love” in our lives. That is putting our faith into practice by doing God’s will.

– What does it mean to have “for a helmet the hope of salvation”? It means to stay focused in our thinking about the hope of salvation we have in Jesus. And this is what Paul moves on to talk about –

Our hope

“9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.”

It is not God’s purpose for believers in Jesus to be judged by God’s wrath. That is for those who walk in darkness. Rather it is God’s destiny for believers “to obtain salvation” when the day of the Lord comes. This is our hope.

And this salvation is “through our Lord Jesus, who died for us.” Without this we are not saved. As Paul makes clear in chapter 1:10, it is “Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

And then, picking up the language of 4:13-18, Paul talks about how, on that day, whether we are already dead in Christ or alive and remain – we will live with him. That is, we will be resurrected to live with him forever. This is the salvation we will obtain.

So Paul ends with strong words of encouragement. Although the day will bring judgment and despair on those who are in darkness and are not ready. For those who are ready, we have a glorious hope!

“11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” Life is hard for them. They are suffering persecution. And so keeping an eye on the future will give them the strength to keep moving forward. And they are to help each other in this.

First of all, this passage fills out the picture of – 

What takes place when Jesus returns

–  Jesus will come

– The dead in Christ will be raised

– Those remaining will be raised to meet him

– Then, we learn from our passage today, will come sudden destruction; wrath and judgment, just as the day of the Lord passages in the Old Testament indicate.

(Paul clearly connects the day of the Lord to the second coming of Jesus and the judgment of the day of the Lord. It is when Jesus comes that there is vengeance and destruction – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. Also in 2 Thessalonians 1:10 – “when he comes on that day,” the coming and “that day” are the same event. Jesus’ “coming” and “the day of the Lord” are also equated in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 – “Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.” This also follows the Olivet discourse in Matthew 24. First there is the coming of Jesus and the resurrection of the righteous – 24:30-31, and then in the further teaching and parables – there are descriptions of judgment, which Paul will allude to throughout our verses -24:36-51.)

We are also challenged to – 

Be ready!

Now the tone here is different than in the teaching of Jesus, where the emphasis is on warning that disciples who are not ready will be excluded from the kingdom (Matthew 24:51). Here Paul is confident that they are doing well, and so the tone is different, as long as they stay ready. His message is keep awake, keep sober, keep on your armor, continue in your faith, love and hope.

And if you are doing well as a Christian today, walking in God’s will and finding forgiveness when you fail I would encourage you in the same way. Keep doing God’s will! Keep living the Christian life!

But if you are here today and you are not doing well as a Christian; if you are walking in known sin, then you need to wake up! You need to sober up so that you can be ready.

And if you are here today and you are not a Christian then you need to begin at the beginning with salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for you. Let him transform you and then begin to walk in God’s will for your life.

Finally, if you are ready –

Don’t be afraid!

Yes there will be judgment, yes there will be despair and doom. Think of the verses that were read about the day of the Lord. Amos 5:18 says – “Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light.”

But not for Christians! Because of Jesus death for us, because we are now children of light, because we are now changed within, because we now walk according to God’s will – the day of the Lord is a day of salvation! We are assured of this.

And so we can pray, “Your kingdom come!” And we can boldly pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” Because this will be a day of rejoicing for those who are ready; a day of inheritance; a day of blessing.

William Higgins

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