Pause
00:00
Pause
Seek 10 seconds backwards
Seek 10 seconds forward
00:00 / 47:15
Unmute
Enable Captions
Settings
Picture in picture
Fullscreen
Search in video
You can search the video captions for specific words or phrases.
Popout transcript
Hide Transcript
Skip transcript
00:00
Everybody and it's good
00:01
to be back here at
Thomas Road and
00:03
refuel and to be able
to share with you
00:05
every Bibles take
him out turn with
00:06
me to James chapter one.
00:08
James chapter one
is going to be
00:09
our text and want to
talk to you about
00:10
finding joy when pasturing
00:12
is hard but there's
00:13
actually not
a whole lot of verses
00:15
that speak
specifically to that.
00:16
So I want to actually look
00:18
at while finding
joy in life
00:19
is hard and apply it
to pasturing for us.
00:21
So again if you have a
Bible turn with me to
00:23
James chapter one
beginning at verse two.
00:25
Now you may you may you
00:27
may immediately say
Well you're not
00:28
a pastor so why
speak into that and
00:30
and so right now
00:32
I'm what's called an
interim teaching pastor.
00:34
So I preach every week
00:35
at at at Moody
Church in Chicago
00:37
where are elixirs now
00:39
the now the
Pastor Emeritus.
00:42
And so but it's
not the same thing
00:44
and and it's not
the same thing and that
00:45
mainly my job is to
preach and to teach
00:47
and the staff kind of
connection with others.
00:49
But I want you to know
that until they're
00:51
until about a
year and a half ago has
00:52
actually been a
pastor for pretty
00:54
much all of my life
and ministry.
00:57
Even when I was
00:57
the vice president
Lifeway actually
00:59
planted a church
as a volunteer
01:00
and serve as its pastor.
01:01
It's lead pastor
for awhile and
01:03
co-pastor and then
01:03
eventually teaching faster.
01:05
And so I want you
know a you know
01:06
this pasturing is hard.
01:08
And so I'm not
speaking of that
01:09
hypothetically I'm
telling you that
01:11
because you know
this pasturing
01:13
is hard at times and I want
01:14
to talk about finding joy
01:15
even when
pasturing is hard.
01:17
James chapter one beginning
01:18
adverse to is going
to be our text.
01:20
Let me read it
01:21
and then we'll
walk through it.
01:22
It says this
count it all joy.
01:24
My brothers when you meet
01:25
trials of various kinds
for you know that
01:28
the testing of
your faith produces
01:30
steadfastness lets
01:31
steadfastness have
its full effect
01:33
You may be perfect
and complete
01:34
lacking in nothing.
01:36
Now why does that matter
01:38
why is that important
we know it's
01:39
important for a lot
of ways because right
01:40
now there are a lot of
01:41
people that are
hurting in the world.
01:44
There are now
people are hurting
01:46
and our contexts.
01:47
And the reality is is that
01:48
this this pain that we all
01:51
experience at times doesn't
01:53
go away when we're in
pastoral ministry.
01:55
In fact the reality
01:57
is is that the
world's broken
01:58
because the world's
broken nobody
02:00
gets through
a broken world without
02:02
some brokenness in
their own lives
02:04
and I believe you can have
02:05
joy when life is hard.
02:07
If you'll trust God
through the pain
02:09
and what I want to
talk about today is
02:11
how we might do that.
02:12
How we might as pastors
02:13
leaders church
staff and others
02:15
Might trust God through
02:17
the pain because I
want you to see that
02:19
that and then we'll just
02:20
walk through this
outline that's gonna
02:21
be bad things happen but
02:22
they're an opportunity
for endurance for
02:25
character and to
bring blessing.
02:27
And that's why I
wanted to look at
02:28
today now I actually
really started
02:30
thinking about this passage
02:32
in depth after
I'd experience
02:33
something that wasn't it
02:34
wasn't life threatening
but I guess it
02:36
could have been but
I was driving down
02:38
the road I lived in
Tennessee at the time.
02:41
And I got into an accident
02:43
actually rolled my truck
it's Tennessee.
02:45
So everyone has
a truck there.
02:46
It's the law live in
02:48
Chicago now and
it's not so common.
02:50
But but I rolled
my truck and I had to
02:52
airbags were deployed and
02:54
and I was I mean it
was life flashed
02:56
before your eyes
and I sort of
02:57
climbed out of the sunroof
02:59
to get out of the car
03:00
and police said yeah I
was very very lucky.
03:02
And and I was very I've
learned a lot of pain
03:04
the next couple
days but no no
03:05
permanent damage
just the kinds of
03:06
things that you
have when you
03:07
have an accident
and and I was
03:10
actually in the process of
03:11
teaching through
the book of James
03:13
and and the next passage
03:14
that I was to come
to is actually
03:16
this passage and and
03:17
I was kind of challenged
by the Lord how
03:18
would I respond to
03:20
this moment in my life
right and we think
03:23
about accidents and you
03:24
think about how do you
03:25
respond to them
a lot of people
03:26
sort of sort of
blame others.
03:28
A lot of people
03:29
think they get through
it and don't think
03:30
about it again but
for some reason for
03:32
me it had some profound
spiritual impact
03:35
On my life rather
03:36
than just some
excuses are made now.
03:38
Now again I'm not against
03:39
excuses being made when
03:40
you get in a car you have
03:41
to go home to your wife
and tell her.
03:43
It wasn't your fault.
03:44
And I get that
bare fact there's
03:46
actually a list
of excuses or
03:50
descriptions
written and given
03:52
to insurance
companies that speak
03:54
about some of the
descriptions of access that
03:56
people give and someone to
03:58
assemble them together put
03:59
them on the internet.
03:59
They can't put it on
04:00
the internet if
it's not true.
04:01
So let me share with
you a few of them.
04:03
Here just some actual
descriptions from
04:05
from clean forms
04:07
from people that
were listed here.
04:08
For example the first one
04:10
is the guy was all
over the place.
04:11
I had to swerve a number
of times before I
04:13
hit him. The accident
04:16
the accident occurred while
04:17
I was attempting
to bring my car
04:18
out of a skid by steering
04:20
it into the other vehicle.
04:21
Alright good. Here's one.
04:23
As I approach
the intersection.
04:25
A stop sign suddenly
appeared in
04:27
a place where no stop sign
04:28
it ever appeared before.
04:30
I wasn't able to stop
in time to avoid
04:32
the accident or here's
here's another one.
04:34
An invisible car
came out of
04:36
nowhere struck
my vehicle and vanished.
04:39
I hate it when
that happens.
04:40
That sounds like something.
04:40
One of my my daughters
04:41
might put down when
they were younger.
04:43
Here's one coming
home I drove
04:45
drove into the wrong house
04:46
and collided with a tree.
04:47
I don't have which
makes sense.
04:50
The pedestrian had no idea
04:53
which direction to go.
04:54
So I random over.
04:55
Probably I pulled away
04:58
from the side of the road
05:00
glanced at my
mother-in-law and headed
05:03
over the embankment WWF.
05:06
Maybe some of you relate
to that immediately.
05:08
I was on I was on my way to
05:10
the doctors with
rear-end trouble
05:12
when my universal
joint gave
05:14
way causing me to have an
05:15
accident don't you
hate it when that
05:16
happened but the reality
05:19
is is that we
kind of are in
05:20
difficult
situations at times
05:23
and the question then
is how do we respond
05:25
to them because
I'm convinced
05:27
that pasturing gets
05:29
hard but that gives us
05:30
an opportunity for
endurance for character
05:33
To bring blessing let's
05:34
take a look at
this number one on
05:35
your outline is
pasturing gets hard.
05:37
Now it's you
know it's about
05:38
life here and I'm
applying it to
05:40
pasturing but I've
convinced you can
05:42
have joy when
pasturing is hard.
05:44
If you'll trust God
05:46
through the pain
so what does it
05:47
say about life that we're
05:48
applying to pasturing
Look at verse two.
05:50
It says whenever you meet
05:52
trials of various kinds
whenever you meet
05:56
trials of various kinds
05:57
various kinds of
original language kinda
05:59
speaks almost a multi-colored
array of trials
06:02
and you've experienced them
06:04
pretty regularly
06:06
right I saw
a bumper sticker or
06:07
not that long ago that said
06:09
more or less stuff
happens. And it does
06:13
And it's rights he problems
06:15
are are kind of
part of life.
06:16
And and then we sort of
06:18
sometimes assume
maybe we have
06:19
unrealistic
expectations going into
06:21
the Ministry that they
06:22
wouldn't happened to us.
06:23
Now the question then is
06:24
why and and I will
tell you let's let's
06:26
go to the bigger
picture for
06:27
just a second not just
our situation but to
06:30
the the bigger picture
06:31
because I think
when it comes to
06:32
problems we understand
it's not it's not if.
06:35
But when it's not
06:37
if but when it
says whenever when
06:41
they've not not
Will you might
06:43
might you not
maybe you will
06:45
but whenever you meet
06:47
trials of various kinds.
06:50
So we've got to start by
06:52
understanding that
the system is broken
06:55
We understand that
the system is broken
06:57
you'll live in sometimes
06:59
difficult but
you'll live in
07:00
an expectation that
07:02
problems do come you
07:03
say it and I I don't know.
07:05
I I've I rather be hearing
07:06
messages and doing
preaching on how
07:08
if he doesn't think
good thoughts and
07:10
and try better things
and and really
07:12
you know and I really
have a positive
07:13
attitude that things will
07:14
will ultimately always be
07:16
good and I gotta tell you.
07:17
That's just not.
That's just not
07:19
what the Bible Promises.
07:21
The Bible doesn't
promise us
07:22
a problem-free
life actually.
07:24
Jesus tells us that
will have difficulties.
07:28
The question is
not whether or
07:29
not we'll have
difficulties.
07:31
The question is how
will respond to them
07:34
now actually in
John 1633 Jesus
07:37
says I have set
07:38
these things to
you so that you
07:40
and me you may have
peace in the world.
07:42
You will not you
might not it's
07:44
possible in the world you
07:45
will have tribulation but
07:48
then there's
the promise. Take heart.
07:50
I have overcome the world
07:52
and I want to know
they're going to be
07:53
times when you
are serving as
07:54
a pastor in the midst
of difficulty in
07:57
conflict interpersonal
struggles
07:59
financial difficulties
and sickness.
08:02
And at the end
of the world you
08:03
will have at the end
of the day you will
08:05
have tribulation but you
08:06
can still know Jesus
has overcome the world.
08:09
But that might be
08:10
the only thing
that gets you
08:11
through is knowing that
08:12
you've read the end
of the book and in
08:14
the end Jesus wins
08:16
But first on 44 puts
it this way.
08:19
He who is in
08:20
you is greater than
he was in the world.
08:22
So you can have joint.
I'll say you know.
08:25
So many of our people
are actually watching
08:28
some times people
on television
08:31
in Christian programs
and that are
08:33
basically telling them that
08:34
they won't have sicknesses.
08:36
They won't have problems.
08:37
They won't have difficulty.
08:40
Can I just tell you
passers you need to
08:41
help your people to
08:43
discern what really is
08:45
the message of the
Bible and what's not
08:47
and sometimes
that means saying
08:49
to them that if
you're watching
08:51
somebody on
television that's
08:53
basically saying
just give give give
08:55
me money and you won't have
08:56
difficulties or if actually
08:58
all their constant
messaging has
09:00
really nothing that
would apply to
09:02
somebody who's
been a disaster
09:04
in the Philippines
to somebody who's
09:06
poor in Yemen to somebody
who's struggling
09:09
in Ghana then ultimately
09:11
that's not
a Christian message.
09:14
Now you say well what
do I tell him will tell
09:16
ness tell them tell them to
09:17
send you all the money.
09:19
Tell me you'll
buy a new Hummer.
09:21
With fog lamps
give my wife to
09:24
get a big hairdo and
thick makeup and
09:26
promise that God will
09:27
make you rich and happy.
09:29
But the problem
is at the end of
09:31
the day when it rains it
09:32
rains on your house
and their house.
09:36
You know it's actually
be paraphrasing.
09:37
Paraphrasing the
words of Jesus.
09:39
Jesus said that when
it rains it rains
09:41
on
09:41
the just and the unjust
the message is clear.
09:43
We are not exempt
09:45
from problems as
a matter of fact I've
09:46
become convinced after
09:47
30 years of pasturing that
09:49
the differences in
not in the number of
09:51
problems but in
our response to them.
09:53
So again the Bible
actually nowhere says
09:57
why bad things happen
09:59
specifically to
good people.
10:01
Now the Bible
generally addresses
10:02
that and and maybe
10:03
like you you've had people.
10:04
I've had people come
to me maybe like
10:06
you asking me.
10:07
Well what do you
what do you have
10:08
to say in the midst
10:09
of this Las Vegas tragedy
10:11
And actually
I've had friend
10:13
my Vance Pittman.
10:14
He's actually been at
this conference before.
10:16
We talks about he's
pastor in a church in
10:18
Las Vegas and and we've had
10:19
to do some interviews
together and
10:21
and talking about some
of the brokenness.
10:23
And I was actually
lecturing downtown
10:25
at a brokerage firm in
downtown Chicago where
10:27
I live in and this
10:28
happened just a
couple days before I
10:30
had plans a message on the
10:31
what the gospel is
and and it was all
10:33
secular and Christians
10:34
together but they
invite people
10:35
into this hall right off
10:37
the bond trading floor.
10:38
And and I walk in and
10:39
people and hear
about one thing.
10:40
How do you explain
10:42
this because it can't
10:46
in some ways but you
10:47
can another. Let
me let me explain
10:49
The reality is you can
10:51
remind people
that the system
10:53
is broken and
a broken system
10:55
has brokenness
as its result.
10:57
And in doing so I
often remind people
10:59
that really the story of
11:01
the whole world
is defined in
11:03
four acts right act
one is Creation.
11:05
Act Two is the fall act.
11:07
Three is restoration.
11:08
Act for is assuming
11:10
factory is redemption
act for is restoration
11:12
so creation fall
11:13
redemption and
restoration of
11:15
four act play that
11:16
describes all of
human history.
11:18
And so downtown of
11:19
that brokerage
firm I got on
11:20
a white board on the
training room and I said
11:22
listen I want I
want to tell you
11:23
why the system is
broken and I walked
11:25
and explain the
Christian worldview
11:27
that from creation it was
11:29
good and it was right but
11:30
the reality is
the fall has come.
11:32
Now not only are we
sinners by nature and
11:35
by choice but the system
itself is broken.
11:37
There's an
irreparable glitch in
11:40
the program that only
the programmer can fix.
11:44
And so so we walk
11:46
through this and I
said So now we live
11:47
so redemption comes in and
11:49
God's making people
knew their being
11:51
born again by the power
of the gospel and but
11:53
the reality is
though they have
11:54
become new citizens
of the kingdom.
11:56
They're still living in
11:57
the broken glitched system.
12:00
So bad things happen.
12:04
And then restoration
comes and
12:06
Jesus makes all things
right you do
12:08
believe Jesus
is coming back
12:09
right my back this
week I prayed a lot.
12:12
I said thy kingdom
come thy will
12:14
be done on earth as
it is in heaven.
12:16
Because when you
think about the evil
12:18
perpetrated in a place
like Las Vegas.
12:21
It's hard to come up
with explanations.
12:24
But that's
the general answer.
12:25
The answer specifically
is why did
12:27
this happen here's here's
the answer Pastor.
12:28
Let me. Let me give
you the answer.
12:30
You can pass it on to
12:30
everybody you know
here's the answer.
12:32
I don't know.
Some as pastors.
12:36
We think that our job
is to sort of
12:38
defend God we gotta
stick up for his honor.
12:40
So we gotta we gotta tell
12:41
people no no here's
the explanation.
12:43
I'm going to
say. Here's God
12:44
doesn't give us
the explanation
12:46
He does this tell
us there's gonna be
12:48
problems in
the world because
12:49
the system is broken.
12:50
He then gives us new life.
12:51
So we can minister in
12:53
the midst of
the broken system.
12:55
Then he gives
us a new gospel
12:56
that week proclaimed
others so they can be
12:58
part of this new family
13:00
that ministers in
13:00
the midst of
the brokenness.
13:02
So don't miss what
James is saying here.
13:05
If you're Christianity is
13:06
genuine it's going to
show up in trouble.
13:09
That's where Julie is.
13:11
So your faith
coordinate Jamie shows
13:13
up in not shrinks
away and troubles.
13:16
And you can have joy
13:17
when pasturing
and life is hard.
13:19
If you'll trust God through
13:21
the pain but you
already know that
13:23
pain is not going to be
absent from our lives
13:28
And the sooner you get
13:30
that and I get
that the sooner
13:31
our expectation is that
13:33
we're going to pastor
among people and
13:35
sometimes they're gonna be
13:35
mad at us is going to be
13:36
relational conflict.
I gotta tell you.
13:38
I can't tell you
how many pastors
13:39
are just shot with
13:41
the relational
conflict that they
13:43
have and I've sat down
with many of them.
13:44
Sometimes I said
the reason we have
13:46
so much relational
conflict gives
13:47
you cuz that follows
13:50
them from church to church.
13:51
So that's my my view.
13:54
But the other reason
13:55
you have relational
conflict
13:56
is that the system
is broken.
13:59
And I will tell you
that if you don't
14:01
have I've told just
foreign past years if you
14:03
don't have 10% of
your church mad at you
14:04
you're probably not
14:05
doing anything significant.
14:06
Have you got 70% you
need to slow down
14:13
But the reality is
is that pasturing
14:17
gets hard number two but
14:20
that gives us
an opportunity
14:21
gives us an opportunity
because you
14:23
can have joy when passed
during his art if
14:25
you'll trust God
through the pain.
14:28
Now you know others
14:29
have already
talked about this.
14:30
You probably preached on it
14:31
that that the reality is
14:32
there's difference between
happiness and joy.
14:35
Happiness comes from
the same English word
14:37
as happenstance
same root word in
14:39
our English language as
14:40
happenstance
happenstance of
14:41
course speaks of
circumstance.
14:43
So happiness is
14:44
a transitory and fleeting
14:46
experience that we have
14:47
when things
aren't going well
14:49
Joy is a deep and pervasive
14:52
reality because
we know that
14:54
Jesus is in control.
14:56
So this is why James
writes Count it all joy.
15:01
My brothers when you
15:03
meet trials of various
kinds now with some of
15:05
you've already
considered all joy
15:07
the actual the more
literal translation is
15:08
count because it's
15:09
a banking term
how you evaluate
15:12
and how you measure
your trials
15:16
actually will
impact how you
15:18
live to and through them.
15:21
So count it all joy
my brothers.
15:22
This is actually
again referring to
15:24
brothers and
sisters but when
15:25
you meet trials of
various multicolored kinds
15:30
various kinds
15:32
right so we're making
a femur going to
15:33
Mrs. all different
kinds and
15:35
the keyword here
though is to consider.
15:37
So how do you
15:38
consider your troubles
how do you value them
15:42
how do you count
them how do you
15:45
count them one on one
15:48
of the things I've
been having fun too
15:49
and it's a little
strange but it's
15:50
sort of fun when
you're when
15:52
you're the interim pastor
15:53
of an historic church
15:55
try them out every sermon
I try to quote
15:57
a former moody
church pastor.
15:59
Because I think
every time I quote
16:01
a former moody
church pastor and
16:02
Angel gets its wings.
16:05
And he knows the
most quotable of
16:07
all the former moody
church pastors
16:08
to shout it out.
16:09
Who do you think
Where's B of
16:11
course whereas bees like
16:13
the fourth member
of the Trinity
16:14
when it comes
to quotations.
16:16
So here's me by
the way used to
16:18
say come visit us
sometime in Moody Church.
16:20
If you're in Chicago
where we used to
16:22
say his famous line
at the beginning of
16:23
church or when
people were coming
16:25
in what's come on and
grab a seat any seat.
16:26
They're all equally
uncomfortable.
16:28
So we want to invite
you to common not have
16:30
these fancy seats that
16:32
Jonathan and
the highfalutin
16:33
people in Lynchburg AF.
16:35
And here's what he said
16:37
He said our values
determine our evaluations.
16:40
If we value
comfort more than
16:42
character than trials
will upset us.
16:43
If we value the material
16:44
and the physical
more than the
16:45
spiritual will not be
16:47
able to count it all joy.
16:48
If we live only for the
16:49
president and forget
the future than
16:50
trials will make us
better not better.
16:54
So don't miss
this. Past spring
16:56
is going to get
hard at times and
16:58
you're at that point
going to have
17:00
to make some
decisions about
17:01
who you are how you respond
17:02
and I want you
to hear this.
17:04
I know far too many
bidder pastors.
17:08
Couch it in
17:09
spiritual terms that
ultimately they're
17:11
bitter at the conflict
in the difficulty.
17:13
So whether
your problems make
17:14
your bidder or
your problems make you
17:16
better is largely
determined
17:17
by how you consider them
17:20
Now again we want
to make clear
17:21
that our trials
on a temptation
17:23
right so we're talking
here about trial
17:25
so it's not a temptation
17:27
or as a temptation
from God.
17:28
It's not a
temptation for God.
17:30
When you have a trial
right James 113
17:32
a little bit later on
17:33
James is making it a point.
17:34
He says Let no one say
17:35
when he is tempted
I am being
17:37
tempted by God for God
17:38
cannot be tempted
with evil and he
17:40
himself to Tim's
no one but it's
17:42
an opportunity a trial
17:43
is an opportunity to trust.
17:44
Scott John 1427 Jesus
17:47
says Peace I leave
with you my peace I
17:51
give to you not as
17:52
the world gives
do I give to you
17:54
right so the world's
peace comes and
17:56
goes with the circumstances
of the moment.
17:58
So of course
you're going to be
17:59
a good godly
peaceful pastor
18:02
when things are going well
18:03
but Jesus is
calling you to be
18:04
a good godly
peaceful pastor
18:06
when things are
going in the can.
18:08
And that's harder let not
18:12
your hearts be
troubled neither
18:13
let them be afraid.
18:14
So it's on a temptation
18:16
or you can have
a temptation in
18:17
the middle of a trial
18:18
but it's not
the same thing.
18:20
I remember years
ago I was I
18:22
planted a church in
Erie Pennsylvania.
18:24
I was actually
doing some training
18:26
here just finishing
up some training.
18:28
Here in Lynchburg
and elmer towns
18:30
was my instructor
18:32
teaching the
church planting.
18:33
I remember his
classes very very
18:35
well and graduated
from Liberty.
18:38
And so Elmer would
18:39
teach me and I go
back and I try to
18:41
plant this church
and I'd taken
18:42
my classes when I was
planting in Buffalo
18:44
and I was down
the road in Erie.
18:45
So I felt like I had.
18:46
I had the spirit of
18:48
elmer Towns ready
to help me plant
18:50
that church and we
18:51
planted that church
and it went
18:52
we went well that
18:53
wrote about
the good ol details.
18:54
That's not the point
of illustration
18:55
but one day I
was sitting in
18:57
a building we had acquired
18:58
and someone said
to me he didn't
18:59
turn on the television
was went turned on
19:01
the television and
there was a flood and
19:03
raining and raining
in Erie Pennsylvania
19:05
and it actually rains
19:07
seven inches and a
couple of hours.
19:09
Now again you
didn't hear this
19:10
on the national news but
19:11
it made our news
and they said
19:14
they were shutting
down the roads
19:15
because there
was a river now
19:16
running through
Mill Creek I live in
19:18
this town outside of
Erie called Mill Creek.
19:20
I was actually
named after a creek
19:21
that years ago
they had channeled
19:23
under the town
through a giant tube
19:24
seven inches of rain
overflowed that
19:26
and now the river
was flowing
19:28
and I listened on
the television
19:30
and then I turned
on the radio and
19:31
they began to
describe the 38th and
19:33
stare attain is now block.
19:34
There's a river running
19:36
through 38th and
stare attain
19:37
yeah which I happen to
19:38
live at 38th and
stare at him.
19:41
So I did what
every good God-fearing law
19:44
respecting Pastor did is
19:45
I snuck around
the police lines
19:48
and I went back
to see what was
19:49
going on in my place.
19:51
And I wouldn't do that if
19:52
I were you but I
did and I went in
19:53
there and and the water it
19:54
come right up
to the edge of
19:56
the entrance to
my apartment but not
19:57
into the first floor
19:58
but I knew I
had a basement.
19:59
So I got in and
20:01
the flutters
we're starting to
20:02
recede and but in
20:04
my basement the waters were
20:05
at four foot six inches
20:07
Now first I knew I had
20:09
insurance so
that's actually
20:12
a good thing in one way
20:13
because if you want
something to be
20:14
destroyed in your house
20:16
and be covered
by insurance.
20:17
It's the junk you
store in the basement.
20:20
Alright so I'm like Yes
20:22
please because
it's down there
20:24
because I wasn't
sure if I was going
20:25
to keep it or not.
20:26
So now I got paid for it.
20:29
And I said Thank you
Lord but I went down
20:30
in there and I walked
into the water
20:32
and I went over to turn off
20:33
the power where things
supposed do in a flood
20:34
but as I reached up for
the electrical botch
20:36
realizing I was
standing and 40
20:38
foot six inches of water.
20:39
This didn't seem
a wise choice.
20:40
I I got a little
stick and I
20:42
turned it off
and I realize I
20:43
was in the dark
and the basement.
20:45
So needless to
say it wasn't
20:46
the brightest bulb in
the pack that day.
20:48
I finally got
a flashlight and I
20:50
looked around and I saw
20:53
a water was at 4-5-6
20:54
but there's some things
20:55
on our shelves that are
20:56
a little higher that hadn't
20:57
been destroyed or made
20:59
made wet which
functionally would destroy
21:00
them and I'd get
covered by insurance.
21:02
And there was this thing on
21:03
the shelf
21:04
this laser printer
that I'd actually
21:05
brought down there
a week earlier
21:07
because it was acting
up I bought it
21:08
with my own money
21:09
because they didn't
have enough money in
21:10
the church plant
budget and I had
21:11
this laser printer
but then the
21:13
toner wasn't working right.
21:14
And there it was sitting
21:16
at four feet
seven inches of height.
21:20
I knew that if it got
21:22
wet that the Lord would be
21:24
honored and there'll
be a new printer for
21:26
his charge to be used
among his people.
21:29
Now the problem
was the water was
21:31
pretty steady at
this point it wasn't
21:33
rising anymore but I
knew I was there and I
21:35
knew I could make
some waves in that water.
21:39
That's the temptation
21:41
in the middle of the trial.
21:43
So you'll have
the temptation
21:45
to do what's wrong and
21:46
sometimes it comes
in the middle
21:47
of the trial.
21:49
You want to know the end
of the story right.
21:51
High rather not share.
21:54
I was young. No I
didn't I did not.
21:58
I did not know
I didn't I did.
21:59
I figured that if it
22:00
fell in and of
itself it would be
22:03
okay so I leaned
it as close to
22:04
the edge as I could
but no it did not.
22:07
It did not do this.
22:08
Can I can I tell you
though as a pastor
22:11
one of the greatest
moments you will
22:14
have to show how
22:16
God works and
how Jesus rules.
22:18
He's by walking
through a trial
22:22
walking through
the pain and
22:25
trusting Jesus in
the midst of it.
22:27
You know it's interesting.
22:29
I had breakfast with.
22:30
Kay Warren last week
when I was
22:32
at was spread of conference
22:35
out their church planters
conference in
22:36
k and Joy and I got
together for breakfast.
22:38
We talked a little
about some research on
22:40
Suicide published
interview with
22:42
K. I think it goes up
22:43
today a christening today.
22:44
And I was just
sitting there.
22:47
And here you know
I mean they're
22:47
coming up this church
they've got
22:48
a small struggling
church that they
22:50
Pastor out there
in California.
22:51
Not really made a lot
of a difference.
22:54
Didn't didn't write
the best-selling book in
22:57
the history
hardcover book of
22:58
history and language
other than the bible.
23:00
But you know when I I talk
23:02
into k What I said
was I think the
23:03
greatest difference
that they probably
23:04
makers when the world
got to watch
23:06
them go through
their pain and
23:07
they still clung to Jesus.
23:10
And I'm not saying
that we said anybody.
23:12
But if any part of
the challenges is
23:14
we we want to
calm and we want
23:16
to bring answers when
23:17
really we don't
have the answers
23:19
right so I remember
when my sister died or
23:21
birthday it was just
a few weeks ago.
23:22
She died
23:23
She was 21 of a rare form
23:24
of cancer that if
she just had gotten
23:26
it ten years
later she would
23:28
have lived because
subsequently treatment
23:30
has changed so much but I
23:31
remember holding
her hand and maybe
23:33
it's on my mind
because I visited
23:34
the at a funeral yesterday.
23:36
I've one of my staff
members whose sister
23:38
died of cancer
and so so so I
23:40
remember holding
her hand 21 years of
23:42
age and and
watching her die I
23:44
remember holding
your hand to
23:45
the last minute and then
23:47
seeing or take
her last breath.
23:48
And I remember going on
23:50
I've just mad at
God and I was
23:51
broken and I didn't
know how to respond
23:53
say God why why why and
23:54
and and I know
God never gave me
23:56
an answer but he
gave me himself.
23:59
But then I had
24:01
to deal with
well-meaning Christians
24:04
You will too and don't
B1 but they come up
24:06
to me and they said to
my mother and others.
24:09
So we you know the Lord
is going to work this
24:11
together for good and
24:13
something better is
going to come out of it.
24:15
Kinda connect Can
I tell you that is
24:17
the least perhaps the
24:18
least helpful
Christian thing
24:20
you can say to somebody.
24:21
Because first of
all the reality
24:23
is that first
24:24
quoting Romans
chapter eight verse
24:25
20 is that God's working
24:26
in these things
for the good
24:27
but what happens is the way
24:28
people casually
throw it around.
24:30
What they're
saying is listen.
24:31
I know your sister died.
24:32
A slow torture is
daft but think of
24:34
all the good things that
24:35
are going to come
from a lizard.
24:36
I'd rather have
my sister back.
24:39
And the Lord never told me
24:41
why and I assume
I won't get
24:42
an answer until
the other side
24:44
of eternity.
And when I do I
24:45
kind of hope and trust and
24:47
pray that somewhere in
there the Lord will
24:48
tell me but I maybe
24:49
I'll just be
worshipping them for
24:51
eternity and I give
a second thought to it
24:53
after he's dragged
the tears. I don't know.
24:55
But what I would say
24:57
is an unrealistic
understanding
24:59
of suffering will
undermine your ministry.
25:01
And God will give you
25:03
the opportunity
to model how
25:05
to respond to him in
the midst of that.
25:09
They come in
all different sizes and
25:11
all different ways marriage
25:12
health relationships.
25:13
And I'd say what's
been one of the most
25:15
hard things is parenting.
25:17
Because every mistake
my kid makes I
25:19
feel it in a way I
didn't expect to feel.
25:22
And I got good kids.
25:23
I got three
daughters there.
25:25
131590 you just
figured out that
25:28
I have three teenage
25:29
daughters at the same time.
25:31
I'm like the lead counselor
at Camp estrogen.
25:36
And I gotta tell you I
25:40
have I'm not
much of a crier.
25:42
But when my daughters have
25:44
relationship issues
I'll actually
25:46
sometimes go and
I'll just cry.
25:47
He should just know hurt
25:49
like the hurt you have for
25:50
your kids than when
25:52
they struggle
when they fossa.
25:54
And so if you've
see your kids walk
25:55
away from the faith
and I get that.
25:57
I get the pain
of that right
25:59
Here's the reality is I'm
26:01
convinced that
people are watching
26:03
our responses and
you know what maybe
26:06
that doesn't
matter but it's
26:07
an opportunity for
us to minister.
26:08
But more than that
I'm convinced we can
26:11
actually have joy when
26:13
life and pasturing is hard.
26:14
If we'll learn to trust
God through the pain.
26:17
So we know first
26:20
and foremost the
pasturing gets heart.
26:22
But that gives us
an opportunity.
26:25
Let's look at the
opportunity or whenever you
26:27
start opportunity
I'm not saying
26:28
that hey this is
a great thing.
26:29
Let's turn into
something better.
26:31
Because I think
sometimes again people
26:33
you ever ever notice
26:34
those Christian
people who think
26:35
that if they're not
happy all the time that
26:38
somehow God we'll
get a bad reputation
26:41
And I literally had
26:44
a conversation with
somebody who was just
26:45
in a car accident
a broken leg
26:46
I was visiting them
years it goes up faster.
26:49
And they were one of
26:50
those people who
thought that
26:51
God's entire
reputation was hinged
26:53
upon them being perpetually
26:55
happy no matter what
happened to them.
26:56
And so they said
Well praise God.
26:58
I only only broke one leg.
27:01
Can I say to you
27:02
the phrase praise
God only broke
27:03
one leg is not
helpful to anybody.
27:07
And the reality
is is God did
27:09
not design you
to be happy all.
27:11
It's how much here this
one here. There's one
27:13
here there's gently
and lovingly.
27:14
If you are happy all the
27:15
time you need to
seek treatment.
27:20
God designed you to
be sad. Sometimes.
27:24
God designed you to weep.
27:26
Sometimes. God
designed you to
27:28
be happy sometimes had to
27:31
blast and the myths
that happiness but
27:34
supernaturally
God calls you
27:36
to have peace and joy.
27:37
At all types doesn't
27:39
mean you will lose
it for a moment.
27:40
I gotta get it back
but it's always
27:42
there because he's
always there.
27:46
Number three in
our outline is
27:48
for endurance
for endurance.
27:51
So we looked at
pasturing gets
27:53
hard but that gives
us an opportunity.
27:55
It gives that gives
us an opportunity
27:57
to grow and endurance.
27:59
Why because you
can have joy
28:00
when pasturing and
28:01
life is hard if
you'll trust
28:03
gone through the pain.
28:04
Let's look at
the verse three.
28:05
It says for you
28:06
know that the testing
of your faith
28:09
produces steadfastness
steadfastness of
28:12
the more technical
term endurance.
28:14
Maybe your translation says
28:15
steadfastness or endurance.
28:17
Why because it produces
those things right.
28:19
Now look look at
Romans Chapter five.
28:20
Paul writes this
in Romans chapter
28:22
five beginning in
verse three says
28:23
not only that but
we rejoice in
28:24
our sufferings right
so Paul here's
28:26
pastor apostle leader right
28:28
so we rejoice in
our sufferings I want you
28:30
not to Mrs. right
he doesn't say we
28:32
rejoice for our sufferings.
28:35
Now that
28:38
is another place you
need to seek treatment.
28:41
Because actually
28:43
there's been
theological ever
28:44
and movements
throughout the
28:45
centuries that
have done that.
28:46
They're actually sets for
28:48
example that you would wear
28:49
a hair shirt you'd
28:51
wear a shirt made
of hair like animal
28:54
hide that you'd
wear it inside
28:56
out so that you
would suffer.
28:59
And that would
lead you to be
29:00
more holy and
rejoice in Christ.
29:03
So so so again people
29:04
would read these verses
but it doesn't
29:06
say rejoice for
our sufferings.
29:09
It says rejoice in
29:11
maybe in spite of but
29:13
Moore's voice in
our suffering.
29:14
So let's look at it again.
29:15
Romans five verse three.
29:16
Not only that
but we rejoice
29:18
our sufferings knowing that
29:20
suffering produces
29:21
endurance and
endurance produces
29:23
character and character
produces hope.
29:25
I don't know about you
but I want to skip
29:26
to the end of that line.
29:28
So when we get to
give just give me
29:30
character and hope let's
29:32
skip endurance
and suffering.
29:36
But I can tell you.
29:38
I've had the privilege
of knowing a lot of
29:39
pastors my mostly
29:40
my ministry is pastures
the graduate program.
29:43
I lead it we
College graduate school
29:44
now and the
Milgram centered.
29:46
We mainly minister to
pastors and leaders.
29:50
I will tell you oftentimes
29:52
the most broken ones
who've gone through
29:54
the most pain or walking in
29:56
the greatest joy and
29:58
experiencing the
greatest spiritual power
30:00
I don't like that.
30:03
But again a Christian
30:04
is someone who lives for
30:05
God when it's a hard time.
30:06
And I think God uses are
30:07
difficulties in our pain
30:09
and in ways that
30:10
are sometimes even
supernatural.
30:12
Here's what I believe right
30:14
how you face problems
as pastors Christian.
30:17
And with whom you face
30:19
them will determine if
30:21
your problems will
make you better
30:22
and better I've been there.
30:23
And I found easily that
God was working in
30:27
my life at times and
30:28
easily that I would
30:29
slip away into bitterness.
30:30
And I gotta tell
you when you become
30:32
a bidder pastor it's
30:34
evident to people
around you.
30:35
It's evident to
you because you're
30:37
kind of like I
just couldn't get
30:37
away from these people.
30:38
I begin to resent
these people.
30:40
I begin to get angry
at these people
30:42
And I see them
as interruptions
30:44
I see them as
problems and I
30:45
start my attitude begins
30:47
to shift and like
why Kevin just
30:48
listen why don't gotta be
30:49
foolish and then
we get a words get
30:51
stronger and it's
like they're just
30:52
being stupid
sometimes and it
30:54
builds up a resentment
30:55
in us and want
you to hear this
30:56
write it then gets into
30:57
our spouse and
into our children.
30:59
And the result is is that
31:01
the pain that we have
31:03
received has then been
31:05
shared in the form of
31:07
anger and bitterness
with others.
31:09
Now I think you know joy
when life is hard if
31:13
you'll trust God
through the pain.
31:16
So how might we
31:17
do that well I mean
here's the thing.
31:19
You know that some of
31:20
the things you go through
31:21
actually enable
you to minister
31:23
to the people you serve
31:25
Better I'm not
I'm not saying
31:27
I like that but I see that
31:28
God even sometimes in
the scriptures would in
31:31
the Old Testament prophets
31:32
would actually bring
31:33
them through
painful things.
31:36
As a prophetic picture
to the people.
31:40
And I think God sometimes
does that too for
31:43
us. And I don't like that.
31:46
But it allows us
31:48
to minister from
a different place
31:49
with a limp but with
31:51
also a strength that
comes from Jesus.
31:53
John John Eldridge
writes the story of
31:56
the Scottish discus thrower
31:58
from the 19th century
31:59
said Elder city live
32:01
in days for
professional trainers.
32:02
So he kind of developed his
32:04
skills on his own.
32:05
He had actually read about
32:06
a discuss you know
discusses that
32:07
thing that people
throw in sport
32:09
and Olympic sport
and other places.
32:11
And so you read in
32:12
a book what it
look like cooking
32:13
measurements made
one out of metal.
32:15
But he never had
a trainer never was in
32:17
an actual competition
32:19
Eldridge cells historian.
32:20
And so what
happens is when he
32:22
finally gets to
a competition
32:23
one day arrives
there and he's
32:24
handed an official
desk as well.
32:26
The disc is actually
not made of all metal.
32:27
He just saw the description
but it's actually
32:29
made of wood and
covered in metal.
32:31
So he had been practicing
32:32
for years in
the highlands of
32:34
Scotland throwing
something that was four
32:36
times heavier than
the actual viscous.
32:40
And he had trained
under a great burden.
32:45
And so are we sometimes
32:47
so that's sometimes
having moved
32:48
through that we
can minister to
32:49
others because God
is actually at work
32:51
Philippians 213 promises us
32:54
for it is God who is
32:55
at work in you both to will
32:56
and to work for
His good pleasure.
32:59
So you can have joy
when factoring is hard.
33:02
If you trust God
through the pain.
33:06
Number four is remember
33:09
we're walking
through this right
33:10
right Pat pestering me
hard and but there's
33:12
an opportunity
for endurance
33:13
and for character.
33:14
For character verse four
puts it this way and
33:18
let steadfastness
have its full effect
33:22
You may be perfect
and complete
33:24
lacking in nothing
that you know
33:25
the phrase perfect and
33:26
complete is often
used to describe
33:27
a fullness or a
maturity right
33:29
so it's speaking about
growing into maturity.
33:31
And I want you
to hear that.
33:33
I mean you've
heard this before
33:34
God's more interest in
33:34
your character
than your comfort
33:36
you know that.
33:37
But I want you
to hear this hey
33:39
I believe that one of
33:41
the greatest problems
in Christian ministry
33:43
today is pastors of
33:45
undeveloped or
a mentor character.
33:47
Now and I'll be
very careful that
33:49
you're not a meaning
33:50
somebody else's
situation and
33:52
not considering your own.
33:54
Because what has happened
33:56
and I and I've
seen it I've I've
33:57
I've I mean I've been up
33:59
close and some of
these situations where
34:01
Nowadays if you're
a good communicator
34:03
you can be
elevated suddenly
34:05
and dramatically to
a national platform and
34:07
just as dramatically your
34:08
character can
take you down.
34:10
And for some of us maybe
34:13
our communication gifts
don't elevate us so
34:15
quickly but at the same
time character issues
34:18
are real and I want
you to hear this
34:19
sometimes God's going
to use your pain.
34:21
Now again I'm
not saying that
34:23
I'm not saying
that God did this.
34:25
So you'd be a person of
34:25
greater character
34:26
this terrible
thing happened.
34:27
I don't know why
the terrible thing
34:28
happen and you
don't either.
34:30
And you'll know on
34:31
the other side of eternity.
34:32
But here's what I do now
34:33
after the terrible thing
34:34
happened God can use it for
34:37
my character and
he often uses
34:39
trials to help you
34:41
trust him and to
comfort others.
34:43
Think about
34:45
significantly it's
Chapter One blessed
34:46
be the God and Father Lord
34:48
Jesus Christ the
Father of mercies
34:50
and the God of all comfort
and I listen to
34:51
those words who comforts
34:53
us all in our affliction.
34:56
Now listen comforts
us all an affliction.
34:58
Why so right now it's about
34:59
God It starts with
God and how He
35:00
comforts us says
Who comforts us in
35:03
our affliction right then
35:05
we go on from there.
35:05
It says so that we may
35:07
be able to comfort
those though
35:09
we may be able to
come for those
35:11
who aren't with
in any affliction
35:12
with the comfort
back to God
35:14
which we ourselves
are comforted by God.
35:15
So it's God
comforting us on
35:17
one side God
comforting on the
35:19
other in the
middle from the
35:20
that we minister
and comfort others
35:23
Whereas we share a
bundling Christ suffering
35:24
so through Christ we
35:26
share abundantly
and comfort to.
35:28
So God uses those trials.
35:33
First Peter chapter
one reminds us
35:35
this way versus 67.
35:36
It says in this
35:37
you rejoice though
now for a little
35:39
while if necessary
you have been grieved
35:41
by various trials so that
35:43
the tested genuineness
of your faith
35:45
more precious and
goal though that
35:47
Paris's though it is
tested by fire may be
35:50
found and result in
praise and glory
35:52
and honor at the revelation
of Jesus Christ.
35:53
So like like gold it is
35:55
purified by fire
and I think
35:58
sometimes God wants
a more pure pastor in me.
36:04
And then you know again
36:06
it's not. Man
problems are great.
36:08
I love them. I
embrace them.
36:09
Let me have the more No.
36:09
That's just weird.
Don't do that.
36:11
Right I mean they've been
36:13
hole movements over
the centuries that
36:14
embrace things like that.
36:18
But that's not
ultimately God's goal.
36:20
But the reality is
when bad things happen
36:24
and I will tell you
that in the midst of
36:26
all this you have to
36:26
ask and answer
the question.
36:28
What are you
going to do with
36:30
that reality cuz you
don't get the answer.
36:32
So if you don't get
36:32
the answer that
can make you
36:33
bitter or you could say
36:35
God I don't understand at
36:36
all but I want to learn
in the midst of it.
36:39
All. I'm not
that Can you for
36:41
the trial I'm
learning to thank
36:42
you in the trial.
Number five
36:46
Pastor and gets hard but
36:48
there's an opportunity
for us for
36:49
endurance for character and
36:51
number five to
bring blessing.
36:54
Says this in verse 12
36:56
we're jumping down in
the text a little bit.
36:57
It says this blessed
is the man who remains
36:59
steadfast under trial.
And that's you and me.
37:03
But that person
we want to remain
37:05
steadfast under trough when
37:07
he has stood the test.
37:09
He will receive
the crown of life which
37:10
God has promised to
those who love him.
37:12
It says blessed blessed.
37:14
So don't miss that.
There's a connection with
37:16
blessing and
trial steadfastness
37:19
and endurance and
that blessing
37:21
we receive but also it
37:23
gives us the
opportunity to be
37:26
a blessing others in
the midst of their pain.
37:29
In Romans chapter
eight verse
37:30
18 it says For
I consider that
37:32
the sufferings of
this present time
37:34
are not worth
comparing with
37:35
the glory of this to
be revealed in us.
37:37
And I want you to notice
two misses are going
37:38
to be times when
you're suffering.
37:39
As a pastor I wanna
say you don't
37:41
give up asked
the Lord Lord.
37:43
What are you
trying to teach
37:46
me you say Well
well God promises.
37:48
He'll never give me
37:49
more than I can handle it.
37:50
Well first of all he never
37:52
says that anywhere.
37:54
I want to please
he'd never.
37:58
Bible says that
no temptation
38:00
is so great that
you can't escape
38:02
it. I gotta tell you.
38:04
There are going to be
trials that you cannot
38:07
face for all of
38:10
us nobody gets to
38:11
this broken world
without some brokenness.
38:12
And and the answer then
38:14
is is actually just to
38:15
grab ahold of Jesus the
38:17
rock that is sure
and to hold on.
38:19
Because she can't
God does give you
38:22
or allows you
to walk through
38:23
more than you can handle.
38:26
So the reminder for us
38:27
is to look and say
there's going to come
38:29
a time when these things
are gonna be made
38:30
right and
38:32
for my call is how
do I respond to that
38:35
so what four days ago I was
38:39
sitting at a restaurant in
38:41
downtown Wheaton College
where I work.
38:44
And I mentioned to you
38:46
Vance Pitman and Las Vegas.
38:47
And we've been kind
of tag team and
38:48
some interviews I did
interview with him.
38:49
And then I opened to go
38:50
We did some radio stuff
38:51
together and other things.
38:52
And so
38:53
the British Broadcasting
38:54
Corporation asked us both
38:56
to do an interview
and I was kinda like
38:58
I'm not going to be
38:59
my daughter on
Saturday morning.
39:00
I wanna focus on her and
39:01
so advance did
the interview.
39:03
And it was the BBC
goes all over
39:05
the world and he's
39:05
just been
representing Christ.
39:06
So well the name
of the church
39:07
was Hope Church and I love.
39:08
He's bringing
hope in the midst
39:10
of the pain and Las Vegas.
39:11
Press in Chicago it also
39:13
became a little
more personal
39:14
because the the shooter
actually it appears
39:18
rented a room overlooking
our music festival.
39:21
Couldn't get the hubs all
39:23
over the news and
Chicago couldn't
39:24
get the the right.
He ran a two rooms.
39:26
Couldn't get
the right angle to
39:28
rain death down
39:29
upon our people but
39:31
did it instead
in Las Vegas.
39:33
So I'm sitting there and
39:35
vance calls after
the interview.
39:37
I'm actually still sitting
39:38
there with Donna
My wife and
39:40
Jacqueline my
middle daughter
39:41
and I knew I saw was
Vance's homage to sake.
39:43
It's just for second
we'd spend some time
39:45
together all just
sitting around
39:46
their relaxin and and
39:47
and he was on
the phone I hated him.
39:49
And he said it's he said I
39:51
still have more questions
39:53
than answers one largest
tours in Las Vegas.
39:54
I still have more
questions than answers
39:57
So I said what do people
39:59
do when he told me people
39:59
relying WE were given
40:00
blood there they'd beat.
40:01
I mean this is like
something out of
40:03
a of a movie people
lining up to
40:05
give blood because
so many because
40:06
one just the
almost 60 who were
40:08
killed but the hundreds who
40:10
were injured and
churches all
40:12
over become places
where people to pray
40:13
and events and I so I
40:15
don't I still have
more questions
40:17
than I have answers
but I do know
40:19
that God has rallied
his people that
40:21
people are
beginning to serve
40:23
and beginning to
love one another.
40:24
And so I wouldn't wish
this on any place.
40:26
I wouldn't wish
this on anybody.
40:27
I'm paraphrasing his words.
40:28
But but now I know
40:29
that that when you
go to Vegas and
40:31
and maybe maybe you've been
40:32
to Las Vegas and you
40:34
You know I mean
like my.and I
40:36
actually got uncomfortable
V in there because
40:38
the billboards were
so filled with
40:41
admonitions away from God
40:43
right so I'm going to be in
40:45
the room 20 minutes.
40:46
Here's this latest review
40:47
of this latest show
and they're
40:48
all the billboards
all around.
40:51
And so they had said
so so I guess I
40:53
don't have answers. I
don't I don't know.
40:55
I just know I supposed
to minister to
40:57
people and rally people
40:58
and prayed for people.
40:59
But I do know that
41:00
the billboards that
last week were pointing
41:02
people away from
God this week
41:04
keep coming up new ones
41:05
pointing people to God.
41:07
We say pray and look
to God and see.
41:14
The reality is this.
41:16
Strength is perfected
in weakness.
41:21
And character is
forged in pain.
41:25
He said this is not
41:27
a fun message for
the afternoon.
41:30
Can I just say I get it
41:31
but we're hurt and as
a nation right now.
41:34
There's a lot of
people with a lot of
41:35
questions about
41:37
natural disasters
political discord evil
41:39
raining down from hotels.
41:42
People at a
concert and more.
41:44
I'm the one way
that God could use
41:46
us in this time is
to be a people who
41:49
suffer well who glorify
God in the midst of
41:52
it but have peace and
41:53
joy in the midst
of it as well.
41:56
Because that's
a beautiful picture of
41:58
Ultimately what
maybe maybe Paul
42:00
was talking about when he
42:00
writes in
Philippians chapter
42:01
three says this
That I may know him
42:04
and the power of
42:05
His resurrection and
say hey man that's what
42:06
I want and may share
His sufferings.
42:09
Okay let's skip that part.
42:11
Becoming like him
in his death.
42:14
That Bellamy's possible I
42:17
might attain
the resurrection from
42:18
the dead part
of life here on
42:21
earth is to face suffering.
42:24
When I first became a
42:25
Christian nobody told me
42:26
that I came a christian and
42:29
kind of assume that going
42:30
there forward my life
42:33
would be free of
42:34
pain and heartache
and difficulty.
42:38
I was a young believer.
42:40
I found out very
quickly that
42:42
was not the case.
42:43
The difference between me
42:44
and my neighbors when
42:45
it rains it rains on the
just and the unjust.
42:47
When the economy turns
down people who loved
42:50
Jesus lose their
jobs and people
42:51
who don't love Jesus
lose their job.
42:53
So the difference
between me and
42:55
my neighbors was not in
42:57
the frequency of
my problems maybe in
42:59
some ways didn't engage
43:00
in everything maybe
that they did.
43:02
But not the frequency of
43:04
the problems but
my response to them
43:06
So passers This is
43:09
a pastor's time
of exhortation I
43:10
really do and I exhort you.
43:11
Here's I want
to exhort you.
43:13
When we face suffering
43:17
whether it's
worldly suffering
43:18
because we're
marginalized and some of
43:20
the challenges are
there or whether
43:22
it's whether it's
suffering that comes from
43:24
natural disasters
whether suffering that
43:26
comes from conflict
within the church.
43:28
Well whatever it
may be when we face
43:30
suffering if you
suffer enjoy.
43:33
You will model a way
43:35
for people who need more
than the pat answer
43:37
that just smile be
43:39
happy because
43:40
Jesus is going to
take care of it all.
43:42
And you'll be able to show
43:44
in the midst of the pain.
43:45
He didn't take care of
43:46
it but he gave me strength
43:49
in my weakness to trust him
43:51
so suffer when you do
43:54
enjoying and you'll
know Jesus more
43:56
deeply I believe
you can have
43:58
joy when pasturing
in life as art.
44:01
If you'll trust God through
44:02
the pain one of the US
and where to prayer.
44:04
And I want to pray
for you because I
44:06
imagine that some of
44:07
you are in that
suffering right now.
44:10
Some of you are coming out
44:11
of a season of suffering
thanking God for it.
44:13
Some of you are unaware
that you may be going
44:15
into one and you need
strengthen preparation.
44:17
And we have our heads
44:18
together and ask His grace
44:20
father. Thank you for
your love for us.
44:24
Thank you for the fact
that we can trust
44:27
you in the midst
44:29
of our suffering
and our difficulty.
44:30
Thank you that
by your grace
44:32
you have redeemed
us and call this by
44:33
name in the midst of
44:35
a world in
a four act play of
44:37
career days creation
redemption creation
44:40
fall redemption
and restoration.
44:41
We live between
redemption and
44:42
restoration but
the system is
44:43
still broken and we're
still hurting at
44:45
times just with your head
bowed guys close.
44:48
I know we say that
but I really want you
44:49
to do that for
just a second
44:51
and I just wonder how many
44:52
of you would say I don't
44:53
need you to pray for me.
44:54
I'm in one of
44:54
those seasons of
suffering right now.
44:56
We just raise your hand
hold it up for just
44:57
saying your heads are bowed
44:59
your Priam and
there's people all
45:00
over this room with
their hands raised
45:02
put your hands down
Father. I pray
45:05
for those who are
hurting right now.
45:08
People all across
this room who
45:11
say I'm suffering I need
you to pray for me.
45:13
While I pray that
you'd give him
45:16
strength and only
comes from Jesus piece
45:17
that only comes from above
45:19
joy that only as President
45:20
this supernatural
way through the end
45:22
dwelling of
your Holy Spirit.
45:24
Father I pray that you
45:26
might for all of us
prepare us for those days
45:29
of suffering so that we
45:31
might be able
to stand before
45:32
a congregation say we are
45:34
struggling but we're
finding strength in
45:36
jesus move it away
45:38
from the pretending
that it's always happy.
45:40
It's always easy.
45:41
It's always whatever.
45:43
But instead saying I
don't have the answers.
45:46
He didn't give
me the answers
45:48
but he gives me himself.
45:50
And Jesus is enough.
45:54
In Jesus name we pray amen.
46:04
And let this
prayer continue
46:06
what ended was just
talking about.
46:08
I know this is
already happening
46:09
because it's
a conference and people
46:10
do this since I see
some of you out
46:12
praying together
and talking
46:14
it around the campus.
46:15
I know I've been
meeting with with
46:17
some guys and just
trying to encourage
46:19
If you need encouragement
46:20
if you need prayer come see
46:22
one of us or talk to one
46:23
of your friends
are come over here
46:25
to the LC in room
46:26
and don't go out
of here alone.
46:28
Some of the stuff
that he was talking
46:29
about make sure that you're
46:31
sharing and we're bearing
46:32
burdens with each other.
46:33
We're going to take just
46:35
like five-minute
break stretch.
46:38
If you haven't yet go on
46:40
the liberty church
Network website and
46:42
register just sunup for
the dinner tonight.
46:46
We're going to come
back in here hear
46:48
from Dave Stone and
let me tell you.
46:49
You're going to
want to come
46:50
back and we're going
46:51
to have a special
prayer over
46:53
our chaplains who are
46:54
on the front line and we
46:56
respect them and
we're going to be
46:57
praying over them and
just a few moments.
46:59
But they'll take about
a five minute break
47:01
Stand up stretch say
47:03
hello to each other
sign-up for the dinner.
47:05
And we'll get cranked
47:06
up here in just
a couple minutes
Resume AutoScroll
Refuel - Ed Stetzer
15 plays
15
Related Media
|
From TR Media October 13th, 2020 |