Step Out Of Your Boat

 

When I was a pastor in Lewisburg, several of the local churches decided to do a pulpit exchange and I ended up preaching at one of the Lutheran churches in the community.  What was nice is that they only had one service so I didn’t have to be at the church early.  From my first Sunday as a pastor in Altoona through today, I have always preached at two services and so have spent all of Sunday morning at the church.  That Sunday I didn’t have to be at the church until 10:30, so in the middle of the morning I was driving through town and I was struck immediately by how many people were out and about.  Stores were busy, people were out with their families, lots of cars were on the road, and I honestly thought to myself - what are they all doing?  It’s Sunday morning. 

 I realized in that moment that I had been living in a pretty tight “church bubble” for a long time.  Obviously I knew that people did other things on Sunday morning than go to worship, but it kind of startled me to see it all taking place.  Living in this “church bubble”, it can be easy for us to think that God is only at work when we are together for worship, or that God is only teaching us when we are together for Bible Study and prayer.  We often compartmentalize our lives and think that God can only work here, and that He is only working in us, but this is simply not true. 

 Now to be clear, when we do gather for worship or study, prayer or fellowship, online or in person, God is present and God is working through the Holy Spirit in some very important and specific ways.   In fact, Jesus said that every time two or more gather in His name, He is there.  But we can never forget that while we come together to be fed, and filled, and equipped by God, God is also at work in the world preparing others to receive what it is that we have to offer.  God was working in everyone on the streets of Lewisburg that day, and God is working in people every day. 

 This has been the story of the church since day 1.  Acts 2:1-4.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

 This is the birth of the church.  The followers of Jesus had come together, and the Holy Spirit was present in that moment with power.  The Holy Spirit gave them the ability to speak in other languages and it gave them boldness to trust in Jesus.  They came together and were filled with power, God was at work in that room, but God was also at work outside the room. 

 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.  When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken…  Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”  Acts 2:5-6, 12. 

 God was at work doing two important things outside of that upper room that day, He not only gathered people together from all over the world but God gathered them outside the door where the followers of Jesus were staying.  When the Holy Spirit moved the church out from the upper room to where the people were, God then stirred up the hearts of the people so that they started asking questions.  What does this mean?  What is going on?  We want to know more?  God not only prepared the church to share the good news of Jesus, but God also gathered and prepared the people to be present to hear that good news.  They were gathered together and ready to listen.  On the day of Pentecost, God was just as active outside the church as he was inside the church. 

 Today God is just as active outside the church as God is inside the church.  God is at work gathering people together and stirring up the hearts and minds of people in all our communities so that they are ready to receive all that the church has to offer.  The question is do we really believe that this is happening? 

 A pastor in Sweden told the story of a man who showed up at their church one Sunday.  The Muslim man had recently arrived in Sweden after fleeing some of the worn torn areas of Syria.  In a dream, he saw an auditorium filled with people who all had their hands raised in the air.  He had that dream several nights in a row so decided to ask people what it meant.  No one could tell him what his dream meant but they did say that he should probably go to Stockholm because that is where there are many large auditoriums.  So he went to Stockholm, and when he got off the train in the city, the very first person he saw told him he got off at the wrong station.  Now understand, he hadn’t asked the man where he was, he hadn’t said anything to him, the man just went up and told him he needed to go back one stop. 

 Not knowing what else to do, the man got on a train and went back one stop.  This time he got off and went up to the first person he saw and he told him about his dream.  That person said, well that sounds like Word of Life Church which is right down the street.  The man found the church and since it was Sunday, the doors were open.  He walked in and saw hundreds of people standing with their hands in the air - just like in his dream - they were worshipping God.  He stayed around and heard the gospel presented and on that day he accepted Jesus as his savior.  The church then realized that thousands of Muslims were entering their country and were looking for hope and support so maybe God was stirring up more of them to hear about Jesus.  They began an outreach ministry that has not only helped thousands of Muslims but drawn many of them to Jesus.  

 Too many times we think the Holy Spirit is only moving in us when we are together for worship, or that the Holy Spirit is only working in us as we try to learn more about our faith, but what if we really believed that the Holy Spirit was just as active - even more active - outside the church and outside of us than inside?  What if we truly believed that every time we came together for worship, study, prayer, or fellowship we knew beyond any doubt that God was working to prepare one person, 10 people, 100 people to receive all that we had to offer them in Jesus’ name.  What if every morning we got up and said to ourselves, God is preparing someone today for me to share my faith with, for me to love, and care for? 

 From the other perspective, let me tell you a story of when I found myself one of those people that God was preparing.  40 years ago this month I walked onto the campus of MSU.  I didn’t know anyone in the state of MI let alone at MI State.  My roommate never showed up so on move-in day I sat in my room alone and waited.  All day.  The days didn’t improve very much and I found myself pretty lost and alone.  I began to wonder if I had made a huge mistake.

 At the registration area for freshmen, there were tables set up for all the different campus groups you could join.  One large sign said InterVarsity so I kept on walking assuming it had something to do with sports.  As I headed back to my dorm room, I again questioned the wisdom of leaving CT to attend MSU.  It was that very afternoon I got the letter.  

 Cindy was a high school friend of mine and we had been in youth group together for 4 years.  She told me that her sister had gone to MSU years early and was part of a great Christian group called InterVarsity and that I should check it out.  I had literally just seen that sign so I went back and talked to Gary and Ruth Abbot who invited me to the first meeting which was being held - guess when? - that night.  I went that night and met other freshmen from my dorm complex who invited me to hang out with them and eat with them.  I joined a Bible Study and in so many ways that one day changed my life.  God was just as active outside of that IV group, preparing me to hear all that God had for me, as He was inside. 

 If God is always working through the Holy Spirit to prepare us to share and give while also working to stir up the hearts of other people to listen and receive, then what do we need to do? The first thing we have to do is Believe that the Holy Spirit is at work.  We have to trust that God is doing exactly what God said He would do, which is to be with us, and to prepare us for God’s purpose.  Jesus promised that when He left this world He would send someone who would be with us forever. 

 John 14:16  I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever.

 That Advocate is the Holy Spirit and Jesus said the Holy Spirit would  prepare us and teach us all we need to know. 

John 14:26.  The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

 And the Holy Spirit does all of this so we can share what we know with others. 

 Matthew 10:18-20   you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,  for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

 Jesus was clear that the Holy Spirit would always be with us and give us the wisdom we need and the boldness we need to share God’s love with others.  All around us there are people whose hearts have been stirred up and are longing to hear what it is we have to share.  They are hurting and need comfort.  They are in despair and need hope.  They are living in darkness and need the light of Christ.  While many times we don’t feel adequate to share God’s love or any message of hope, the truth is that God not only prepares us to share but He is stirring up the world to listen.  

 If we believe this is true, then we need to Step out of our boat.  In Matthew 14, Jesus sent the disciples ahead of Him in a boat while he dismissed the crowds and got a few minutes alone with God.  He then went to join the disciples by walking across the lake on the water.  When the disciples saw Him they were terrified because, as experienced fishermen, they knew that no one could walk on water.  They knew that what they saw was not possible, but Jesus called out to them, and then Jesus invited Peter to step out of the boat and walk with Him.

 I have always loved this story and I thought about it as we sailed on the very still waters of the Sea of Galilee.  What’s important to think about when we read this story is that Peter didn’t get out of his boat to walk on the water until after Peter had invited Jesus into his boat to be with him.  You see, months earlier, Jesus was walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and the crowds were so large that he asked Peter if he could get into his boat to use it as a floating stage.  Peter invited Jesus into his boat, he invited Jesus into his life, and that began a relationship that grew in faith and trust until finally Jesus said, OK Peter, now it’s time to get out of your boat and walk with me. 

 For us, that boat represents all that is safe and secure in our lives.  It is what we are comfortable doing and who we are comfortable being.  Before we can move beyond what is comfortable we have to first invite Jesus into our lives and prepare ourselves for the day when we are called to go beyond what is comfortable.  Inviting Jesus into our lives means believing that the Holy Spirit is at work in us every day to prepare us for God’s purpose and plan.  It’s believing that God is working in us, but also in the world around us, so that when we step out of our boat we will be able to do all that God wants us to do.  

 If you are with us today, the Holy Spirit is at work in you.  God is preparing you for something, for some purpose, and a plan that God has for you.  Do you believe this?  Do you really believe this?  Do you believe it enough that when the opportunity to act comes, you will step out beyond what is comfortable and into the life God has for you?  Can you believe this? 

 And what about us as Faith Church, as the community gathered together, do we believe that every time we come together God is preparing us.  Do we believe that God has been preparing us for years, generations really, for this day, and that while the Holy Spirit is at work in us, the Spirit is also at work in our community?    Where is God gathering groups of people all around us who are ready to hear what we have to share and ready to experience the life we have to offer?  God is stirring up the hearts of people around us, will we share Christ with them?  Do we believe this enough to step out of our boat and walk on the water?  Where is God calling us to go?

 This week, let’s ask God to move us beyond what is comfortable and easy and trust that He has not only prepared us to share what we have but that God has also prepared those around us to receive it with joy.  Let’s step out of our boat and walk on the water.

 

 

Next Steps

Step Out Of Your Boat

When have you seen the power of the Holy Spirit at work in you or in someone else?

 When have you experienced God preparing you to share something great or receive something great?

 Read about the work of the Holy Spirit.

●     John 14:15-31

●     Matthew 10:17-20

●     Acts 2

 What would it look like for you to believe the Holy Spirit is with you at ALL times?  Would believing this change how you live? 

 Think about how Jesus was invited into Peter’s boat before he invited Peter to walk on water. 

●     Luke 5:1-12

●     Matthew 14:22-32

 How can you invite Jesus into your life this week?  What is one step you can take to deepen your faith in Christ?

 Pray for guidance asking the Holy Spirit where it is you need to step out of your boat and follow Jesus.

 Almighty God, Thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit who is with me always to help, comfort, and guide me in all things.  Help me be open to the Spirit’s guidance, and give me the courage to step out of my boat when I hear you calling.  In Jesus name I pray.  AMEN

Things Jesus Never Said - You get what you deserve

 

This month we have been looking at things Jesus never said because we can learn new insights about what Jesus did say by comparing it to what He could have said but didn’t.  Last week we looked at what Jesus didn’t say when He was getting ready to leave this world.  Instead of telling His followers that everything was going to be great and there were only going to be good days, Jesus told them straight out that there would be times of trouble.  Today we want to look at one of those days of trouble for Jesus, the worst day for Jesus, the day He died on the cross. 

 Luke 23:33-34,  Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

 Before we go on, let me ask you a question.  How many people were crucified that day?  Not really a trick question.  How many? That’s right, 3.  Just remember that and we will come back to itt. 

 I always find it amazing how simply the gospels record Jesus’ crucifixion.  In each gospel we only find a sentence or two describing the crucifixion and here it is just 4 words.  They crucified him there.  The truth is that when the gospels were written, a lot of explanation about crucifixions wasn’t needed because everyone knew what they were like.  People knew it was the most painful means of execution that usually began when the criminal would be whipped with leather straps that had bits of stone and bone embedded into them.  The skin would be ripped off leading to a tremendous loss of blood.  Once the person regained enough strength, they would have to carry the beam of the cross to the place of execution.

 Once they arrived, 7-9 inch spikes would be driven into the wrists and ankles of the criminal so that the weight of their body would be held to the cross.  This made any movement incredibly painful and breathing was impossible unless you pushed up with your arms and legs to get air into your lungs.  That movement was excruciating - which is where that word comes from.  The word, excruciating means from the cross - or the pain that comes during a crucifixion. 

Crucifixions were also expensive because they could last for days and Roman soldiers had to be paid to stand guard during the entire time.  The Romans wanted the deaths to be slow and painful because they wanted people to see what would happen to them if they disobeyed Rome.  The length of time it took, and the cost of the execution, meant that crucifixions were usually reserved for those who were the most dangerous. 

 So when Jesus was crucified with 2 thieves, we know these other men weren’t just pickpockets.  These weren’t people who had just made one bad decision.  These were hardened, violent criminals that deserved this means of execution.  Jesus was crucified with these kinds of men and beyond the physical pain, there was also emotional humiliation as the crowds insulted him, the religious leaders celebrated, and Jesus’ ow followers had disappeared.   During this pretty bad day for Jesus, this is what He never said, take them all out God.  Send down your angels and rescue me.  Then destroy them.  And Jesus never said, I don’t deserve this God, they do but I don’t.  

 Jesus never said that, instead he said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.  In the midst of the injustice, the physical pain, the personal humiliation of being stripped naked, and even the spiritual humiliation of being hung on a cross, which in Jewish tradition was seen as a cursed life, in the midst of it all, when Jesus could have justifiably called down all the power of God to destroy the people, He didn’t.  He didn’t give them what they deserved - he gave them grace. 

 Jesus offered words of mercy and grace but those words fell on the deaf ears of one of the criminals hanging with Jesus. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”  But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Luke 23:39-42,

Once again, Jesus had an opportunity to speak out and this is what He never said, No!  You are getting what you deserve.  Jesus never said, No! You had your chance to turn to me when you heard my teaching and preaching.  You didn’t respond then, you can’t respond now!  Those are things Jesus never said.

 These are common phrases Jesus never said.  Finish them for me...

What goes around… (comes around)

Your past will come back to… (haunt you)

You made your bed… (now lie in it)

 All those statements tell us that we get what we deserve, but Jesus never said that.  Jesus rose above that desire but if we are honest, there are times we don’t.  There are many times we take guilty pleasure in thinking - what goes around comes around.  There is at least one moment when I think we all secretly feel this way.  We are driving down the highway and going the respectable 7 miles over the speed limit when a car flies by us going 90.  We might say a few choice words at the time, but a mile down the round when we see the flashing lights and that same car now getting a ticket… come on, doesn’t that feel good.  He is getting what he deserves.

To the crowds watching from afar, or the thief who was up close, Jesus never said, you will get what you deserve, instead He offered mercy.  To the crowds, Jesus asked His father to forgive them.  To the thief on the cross, Jesus said, Today you will be with me in paradise.

 Did this thief deserve paradise?  No.  He was a violent and hardened criminal who was getting what he deserved from the state.  Could he do anything to show Jesus he meant what he said?  Could he get off the cross and change his life, turn over a new leaf, or make restitution for all that he had stolen?  No.  Could he get baptized, give to the church, read the scriptures, and pray daily?  No.  He couldn’t do anything, he couldn’t earn anything, and he didn’t deserve anything, and yet to this heart filled with faith Jesus said, Today you will be with me in paradise.  You are forgiven.  You will not get what you deserve.

You will not get what you deserve.  That is what Jesus says to all of us.  It’s what He says to you, and to me.  I don’t deserve God’s mercy.  I don’t deserve the daily grace and forgiveness that God extends to me.  More often than not, I feel like the Apostle Paul who said I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?  Romans 7:18b-19, 24

 This wasn’t me years ago before I was a pastor, or before I was a believer, this is me today.  There is still so much good I want to do but don’t, and the evil that I don’t want to think and do, I too often keep doing.  I don’t deserve God’s forgiveness, what I deserve is God’s wrath.  Ephesians 2:3, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 

 This is who we are.  We are the thief on the cross.  We are the people hurling insults, we are the crowds who stand around and do nothing.  And to all of us, Jesus says, You don’t get what you deserve.   We were by nature deserving of wrath.  But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.  Ephesians 2:3-5

 Thank God we don’t get what we deserve.  Psalm 103:10-12 says, God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.  For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 By looking at what Jesus never said, it helps us see the power of what He did say.  To the thief on the cross, who could do nothing to earn His forgiveness and certainly didn’t deserve it, Jesus said, today you will be with me in paradise.  You don’t get what you deserve.  Now let me go back and ask you again, how many people were crucified that day.  Three.

 In the Bible, numbers are very significant and symbolic, and the number 3 means completeness.  We talk about God in 3 persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Israel had 3 great fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  The Temple in Jerusalem had 3 main sections.  Jonah was in the belly of the whale for 3 days, Paul was blind for 3 days,  The Wiseman brought Jesus 3 gifts.  Jesus had 3 disciples who were the closest to him, Peter, James and John.  Jesus prayed 3 times in the Garden of Gethsemane with those 3 friends, and Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days.  In each situation the number 3 means that what is being described is full and complete. 

God is complete in 3 persons.  All of Israel was included when they talked about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  All the gifts of the world were given to Jesus in gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Jesus gave all of himself in prayer when he prayed three times, and all of death was defeated during Jesus’ 3 days in the tomb.  And in the 3 men on the cross, all mankind is represented, all sin is accounted for, and all creation is redeemed. 

 But there’s more.  Notice Jesus hung on the cross for 3 hours and at the third hour, 3 PM, the gospel of John declares that Jesus said one word.  Tetelestai.  If we translate that one word into English, guess how many words we need?  That’s right 3.  It means.  It Is Finished.  In that moment, the work of God on the cross was finished.  The sin of all humankind was forgiven, and we were redeemed. 

 Tetelestai was also written on business documents in Jesus day so it could also be translated with these three words.  Paid In Full.  While the price of our sin is death, that penalty was paid in full by Jesus.  It is finished.  Paid in Full.  We don’t get what we deserve because Jesus was willing to take on what he didn’t deserve. 

 On the cross - Jesus didn’t get what He deserved.  Instead, Jesus persevered in love so that we wouldn’t get what we deserve.  Jesus never said, watch out - you're going to be sorry - you're gonna get it.  Instead He said then, and he says to us today, you are forgiven, you are redeemed.   Thanks be to God. 

 

Next Steps

Things Jesus Never Said

“You get what you deserve.”

 “What goes around comes around.” 

●     Why do we like this idea for others but not for ourselves? 

●     When have you been glad to see that someone else got what they deserved? 

●     How did you feel when someone didn’t get what they deserved? 

 

Read the account of Jesus’ crucifixion in Luke 23:13-49. Read the other accounts in Matthew 27:27-56, and Mark 15:16-41.

●     What did Jesus deserve in this situation?

●     Why did Jesus not call for help or condemn the injustice of the situation?

●     What is significant about 3 men being crucified, Jesus hanging for 3hours and dying at the third hour?

 The Bible is clear about what we deserve. 

●     Ephesians 2:1-10

●     Romans 3:9-20, 6:23

●     Psalm 103:10-12

 Jesus said we don’t get what we deserve.  We call this grace. 

●     When have you experienced God’s grace in your life? 

●     Where do you need to receive God’s grace in your life today?

The thief on the cross could do nothing to earn God’s mercy and he didn’t deserve it. 

●     How does this make you feel when you think about yourself?  (In what way are we this thief?)

●     How can this help shape how you look at others? 

Things Jesus Never Said - You won't have any bad days

 

In the final few days of his life on earth, Jesus had an opportunity to lift up his disciples with some parting words of encouragement.  These would be some of his last words and this is what Jesus Never said, If you keep trusting me, you will never have any bad days.  He never said, all you want in life will be yours if you just follow me.  He never said, keep believing in me and all your pain and problems will disappear.  I wish he had said these things.  I wish following Jesus and trusting God would mean that we would never have any bad days, but those are things Jesus never said.  

We are looking at things Jesus never said to better understand what He did say.  When we look at what Jesus said in very specific situations during his life it helps us understand how we need to live our lives.  When Jesus was getting ready to leave this world, he never promised his followers that life would be easy and trouble free, he did say, Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.  John 16:20.  And He said, in this world you will have trouble.  John 16:33

Jesus never said that if we follow Him our business will always prosper, our investments will always increase, our relationships will always be strong, and our bodies will always be healthy.  He never said that if we trust Him we will always get promoted at work, always be popular on social media, and always get good cell reception and free wifi.  To quote a hit song from the 1970’s, Jesus never promised us a rose garden.  

Jesus did say, you will weep and mourn.  He did say, you will have trouble, and the Bible is clear that trials and hardships will be part of our lives.  In the OT, the prophet Isaiah said, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  Isaiah 43:2.  God doesn’t say if these problems come He will help us, but when they come.  

In the NT, the Apostle Paul said it this way, we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

While there are times in life when we do feel pressed in on every side, right now many of us absolutely feel this way.  Families are feeling the pressure of how to work full time and homeschool kids if that in person option for school doesn’t last more than a few weeks.  People are feeling financially crushed and wondering if they will have enough from week to week, month to month, or enough for the future.  Dreams of retirement are being put on hold, weddings are being postponed and downsized, and for some, going away to college now means virtual learning in our parent’s basement.  Life isn’t at all what we thought it would be.  We are perplexed and feeling pressed in and persecuted.  In our world right now we are facing troubles.  

Our community this week was struck down in many ways with the news of the Big 10 cancelling fall sports.  Jobs that were once secure in our area are now being lost.  An economy that was once booming has come to a halt.  Happy Valley, which has come through economic downturns so well in the past, is now facing a huge challenge as hundreds of millions of dollars won’t be coming our way through Penn State Football.  In our world right now we are facing troubles.

These are serious hardships we are facing, and during difficult times we often think that somehow God has left us, but instead of thinking that God has abandoned us, or is angry with us, or is just not able to do anything to change our situation, what if we looked for some purpose behind the pain?  If Jesus told us there will be bad days, then maybe there is something we can learn from them.  What can God teach us as we walk through this challenging season of life? 

One clear thing that pain and problems can show us is how strong our faith really is.  Problems can Prove Our Faith.  I had a friend in college who always said, Jesus won’t be all you need until Jesus is all you have, and for some of us this is absolutely true.  When everything is going well, and we have all we need, and the future is secure, and all our days are good, it is easy to think we are trusting God in every way.  But when things get difficult, if our trust still isn’t in God, then maybe it wasn’t in God all along.  

Peter wrote a letter to encourage Christians who were experiencing some bad days.  Some really bad days.  Peter wrote to followers of Jesus in Rome during a period of time when the Roman Emperor Nero was persecuting Christians.  Those persecutions included sewing followers of Jesus into animal skins and then tossing them into arenas to be torn apart by wild animals.  It has also been said that Nero set Christians on fire and used them as torches to light his gardens and grounds.  

These Christians were enduring some horrific days and into that situation Peter said, for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.   1 Peter 1:6-7. To be clear, the persecution wasn’t sent by God, but it did become an opportunity for the believers to reveal the power of their faith.  It proved their faith.  Pain can prove or reveal the depth of our faith.

It is important to have deep roots to our faith so that when we do go through difficult times we won’t be crushed, swept away, or defeated.  The more we can trust Jesus in the small problems we face, the more we can trust him when the really bad days come.  The stronger our roots are, the steadier and more peaceful we will be when the storms come - and storms do come into all our lives.  Problems really can be moments to prove to ourselves just how strong our faith is.    

Problems not only prove our faith, they can also Prepare us for our Purpose.  What if the problem we are going through today is what will develop us into the person God wants us to be tomorrow?  If the pain we are going through today is what is needed to make us stronger, more resilient, and teach us new skills so that we can be more of the person God wants us to be.  There are some things that only hardship and struggle can teach us for.  The pastor and author Craig Groeschel said recently “the pathways to our greatest potential is often through our greatest fear”, and fear often comes when we face our greatest problems.   

Think about Joseph in the OT.  He rose to be one of the top leaders in all of Egypt and his position helped save a nation and his family during a severe drought, but that position only came through great pain and heartache.  Joseph was betrayed by his family, falsely accused of a crime, sent to prison, and then spent years working in prison to a place of authority before he was released from captivity to work for Pharaoh.  Those struggles prepared Joseph to be a leader.  

Peter failed Jesus on several occasions and it was those difficult times of failure that helped him become the Rock, the leader, Jesus said he would be.  Peter would never have been able to stand up and preach to thousands of people if he had not first failed and learned from those struggles how to trust God.  His faith had to be proven and strengthened through difficult and painful days.  

What makes us stronger isn’t comfort and ease but struggle and pain, all athletes will tell you that.  And what helps us deal with rejection isn’t always praise, as much as we need praise, but what helps us deal with rejection is rejection and learning how to fail.  I kind of joke about it, but one reason I took a job as a door to door salesperson was to learn how to deal with rejection.  None of us like it, but it does strengthen us.   

In many ways, everything that we go through in life, good and bad, helps prepare us for the future.  So the bad days are just as important and have just as much to teach us as the good days, so don’t ignore the bad days, don’t hide from them, or run from them, learn from them.  Endure through them.  In Romans 5:3-4 it says, we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Pain can lead to positive things.

And in James 1:2-4 it says, consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  

And then in verse 12, Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him

There are times we cannot be the person we want to be, or God wants us to be, or have the kind of faith we want to have without going through challenging and difficult days.  Our purpose in life may never be found without some pain, so the pain you are experiencing today, the struggles, hardships, and disappointments might all be the road that will take you where God wants you to be.  

We also need to remember that we were never meant to go through difficult times alone.  Yes, God has promised to walk with us through the rising waters and flaming fire, but we are also called to walk with one another.  Galatians 6:2 calls us to carry each other’s burdens.  This not only tells us that we will have burdens in life, but it tells us not to go through it alone.  We need to help one another along the way.  Carrying the burden lightens the load for those who are overwhelmed but it also strengthens the faith of those who are helping.  We all win.  

The last thing Jesus said about those bad days is that they will not last.  Jesus said, you will experience grief, but your grief will be turned to joy.  He said, in this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.  Because of the victory of Jesus Christ over sin and death, we know that the problems we face and the pain we feel will not last forever.  Sometimes the victory is found here as we find the purpose and plan God has for us, and sometimes the victory is not found in this world, but in the world to come.  

In Revelation 21:4-5 we get a glimpse of what the kingdom of heaven is like and it says, “God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

Bad days come, but they don’t last forever.  Seasons of hardships come, but the Bible says there is a season for everything, a season of hardships and a season of victory.  Jesus never said there would be no bad days, so when they come, or as we are walking through them today, let them prove our faith, let them draw us deeper into a relationship with God and deepen our spiritual roots, and let them lead us to a greater God given purpose.  And let us always remember that while Jesus DID say, In this world you will have trouble, BUT, take heart! I have overcome the world.  

 

Next Steps

Jesus Never Said - You won’t have any bad days

What are some reasons God might have for not shielding us from all pain and suffering?

What are some benefits of a faith that’s been tested?  What did you learned from times when your faith was tested?

Read:  Romans 5:3-4,  James 1:2-4, 12,  2 Corinthians 4:8-9,  Isaiah 43:2

How can these scriptures help us look at our pain and struggles differently?  

What problems and trials are you going through today?  

What are some ways you can start seeing these trials as opportunities to strengthen your faith?  What purpose might they be preparing you for?  

Read Galatians 6:2

How can we help carry each other’s burdens and help people find peace in the midst of their pain?  

● Who can you encourage this week?  

● What is one thing can you do to help?

Prayer for the bad days:

Father, Thank You for all the ways in which You push us and stretch us to become more like Your Son. Thank You for giving purpose to everything we experience—even times of struggle and hardship. Help us to find peace in Christ no matter what we face. In Jesus’ name, Amen.