Sermon

Questioning God Through Hardship

Bruntsfield Evangelical Church - Sermons

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  1. Well, thank you so much, everyone who's participated in the service so far.

  2. Thank you so much, Charles, for leading us in prayer.

  3. And it's wonderful to see you this morning, folks,

  4. particularly maybe this is your first time or you're visiting Edinburgh.

  5. We're just so delighted that you've taken this Sunday to join us.

  6. And we just hope that you're blessed during your time with us.

  7. Come with me to Job 32.

  8. We're going to try and take in the breadth of these six chapters today.

  9. Some wonderful truths that God has for us in his word.

  10. But as you're turning there, let me tell you about a conversation I had recently.

  11. Our car was faulting a bit.

  12. So I was trading it in this time last year.

  13. And I'm talking to the car salesman, getting to know him a little bit.

  14. We're talking about our families.

  15. We're talking about life.

  16. The stuff had just opened up.

  17. It was last summer again.

  18. We're talking about everything that's been going on.

  19. And we're talking a little bit about our jobs.

  20. And he's asking me about my job.

  21. And I'm telling him about what I do.

  22. Leads to some great conversations.

  23. He's listening to me tell him what I do for a job.

  24. I'm a pastor.

  25. I'm a minister of a local church.

  26. So I ping the question back at him.

  27. And I say, well, mate, how long have you been selling cars?

  28. How long have you been doing this?

  29. And he starts telling me how long he's been doing it.

  30. And then he starts telling me about his former life when he used to be in the army.

  31. And he used to spend a bit of time in the 90s in Northern Ireland during the riots.

  32. So he starts telling me about everything, having learned what I did for a job.

  33. He starts telling me about everything that he went through.

  34. And if I remember the conversation rightly, he says something to me along the lines of,

  35. listen, son, when you've been through what I've been through,

  36. when you've seen the things that I've seen,

  37. do you know what?

  38. I used to believe in that God stuff.

  39. But having been through everything that I've been through,

  40. seen everything I've seen,

  41. how on earth could a good God allow all of that to happen?

  42. So three things go through my mind.

  43. First of all, guys, we need to take really seriously

  44. reaching people with the goodness of Jesus,

  45. who from their own admission will never darken the door of our church.

  46. How can we reach people in our city with the goodness of Jesus?

  47. They ain't going to come to us.

  48. We need to go to them.

  49. Okay, thought number two,

  50. there's some really painful stories that people have in life.

  51. Some big questions about everything that goes on.

  52. Some of you will be sitting here today with your own stories and your own scars

  53. about things that have happened in your own life.

  54. Okay, we're not to duck them.

  55. We have to listen and walk with people through their pain.

  56. And thought number three, as I listened to him,

  57. it occurred to me once again,

  58. that how often is it true, friends,

  59. that when suffering comes, we go through painful times,

  60. whether it happens to ourselves,

  61. whether it happens to other people that we know and love,

  62. it can cause us to ask some really big questions

  63. and begin to doubt the very character of the gods who we claim to know.

  64. Yeah?

  65. So things like in our minds,

  66. does God really love us?

  67. Is God really there?

  68. Is God really fair?

  69. Can this God really be trusted?

  70. Is God really in control?

  71. And if the answer to those questions you think is yes,

  72. then how do you know that?

  73. Have you ever asked those sorts of questions in your life?

  74. I take it we all do in the life of faith,

  75. as we go through life.

  76. Who is this God?

  77. Well, see, as we tap into Job this morning,

  78. here's what I reckon is going on in his mind.

  79. Okay, if you're joining us this morning,

  80. we've been in this book for a number of weeks now,

  81. and we've journeyed with Job and his friends.

  82. Here's what I reckon is going on.

  83. Because of everything that Job has suffered,

  84. compounded with the absolute drivel,

  85. which his friends have offered him as an explanation

  86. as to why those things have happened.

  87. I wonder whether Job started to believe things about God

  88. and question his very character

  89. and wonder why the things are happening to him

  90. the way they're happening.

  91. Okay?

  92. Now, let me just say,

  93. that has been the aim of the devil ever since Genesis 3.

  94. Did God really say?

  95. Which, if you can dig beneath the surface of that question,

  96. underneath it is the subtext, sub-question,

  97. can God really be trusted, right?

  98. What is he hiding?

  99. How can you know God's heart?

  100. Did God really say?

  101. It's been the serpent's light ever since the beginning.

  102. And I reckon,

  103. having spent a lot of time in these chapters this week,

  104. I wonder whether those thoughts are in Job's mind.

  105. And so, enter stage left.

  106. I don't even know whether it's stage left or stage right,

  107. but we're going to stage left, right?

  108. Enter stage left in this drama,

  109. this man called Elihu.

  110. Now, come with me to chapter 32.

  111. This is where we meet him.

  112. This man called Elihu.

  113. Now, just notice the details at the beginning of chapter 32

  114. as we get to know him a little bit.

  115. He's a young guy, okay,

  116. who I think we're meant to understand.

  117. He's been there with Job and his three friends

  118. this entire time.

  119. He's been there, right?

  120. So, he's seen Job's suffering.

  121. And he's heard the three friends offer their unsympathetic

  122. and untrue claims as to why this is happening to Job.

  123. So, he's heard all of this.

  124. And he's heard Job give his defense

  125. in which he's continually pleaded his innocence

  126. before them and before God.

  127. Okay?

  128. So, Elihu's heard all of this.

  129. He's seen all of this.

  130. And now he speaks uninterrupted for six chapters.

  131. And here's my take on him.

  132. And people do see this differently,

  133. but here's my take on him.

  134. I think he's coming on the scene here in the drama

  135. playing an almost prophetic role in the story.

  136. So, he's bringing truth about who God is

  137. to Job's attention and into Job's situation.

  138. Now, let me just give you a few things in the text

  139. that might suggest that

  140. because I think it's important that we kind of wrestle with

  141. what is this character doing in the story.

  142. In the context, it's really interesting

  143. because not only does Job not respond to Elihu's words

  144. like he's done his other friends,

  145. but the very next thing in the story that happens

  146. once Elihu is finished,

  147. end of chapter 37,

  148. as we enter chapter 38,

  149. the very next thing that happens is God speaks.

  150. God speaks.

  151. Which, as a side,

  152. is that not a wonderful testimony to the patience of God?

  153. Because God could have rightly broken in at chapter 3,

  154. couldn't he?

  155. And answered Job and his three friends.

  156. Could have broken in at that point.

  157. But no, God waits.

  158. Graciously, patiently,

  159. seeing and hearing everything that's going on

  160. before giving his response.

  161. You know, we had some friends around recently

  162. who were reflecting on that.

  163. We're 36,

  164. they're around our age as well.

  165. We're reflecting back

  166. on the things we used to do in our 20s

  167. and the things we used to think and say.

  168. How patient is God with us?

  169. We reflected.

  170. As we think back on that,

  171. how patient is God with us?

  172. And do you know what?

  173. We'll be saying exactly the same thing

  174. in 10 years' time.

  175. How patient is this God?

  176. It's interesting when God speaks,

  177. he corrects Job.

  178. You see that next week and onwards.

  179. He corrects Job,

  180. and he certainly corrects the three friends,

  181. gives them a stinging rebuke.

  182. But he's nothing to say to Elihu.

  183. Nothing to say to Elihu,

  184. which again, I think,

  185. might add another weight to the understanding

  186. that he's playing an almost prophetic role here.

  187. Now, two things I want us to see

  188. before we get into what Elihu says.

  189. I want us to see two things

  190. about how he goes about his job.

  191. Okay?

  192. Now, firstly, notice that Elihu's desire

  193. is a godly one.

  194. Okay?

  195. Four times in the first five verses

  196. of chapter 32,

  197. we're told that there were what?

  198. Look for the word.

  199. What's the word?

  200. He's angry.

  201. Okay?

  202. See it?

  203. He's angry.

  204. Now, we immediately can read that

  205. in light of everything that's come,

  206. and we conclude that this guy's

  207. a bit of a hothead.

  208. Okay?

  209. Youth, arrogance,

  210. we put it together

  211. in light of everything that's come before,

  212. and we think that's the case.

  213. But look at verse two.

  214. Why is he angry?

  215. He's angry because he's been listening

  216. to Job and his friends

  217. say things about God

  218. which just aren't true.

  219. So Elihu has a fire in his belly

  220. that this God is represented

  221. and understood rightly.

  222. His desire is a godly one,

  223. and I think his approach

  224. is a humble one.

  225. Look at verse six

  226. of chapter 33.

  227. Just glance at it there.

  228. Speaking to Job,

  229. he says,

  230. I am the same as you

  231. in God's sight.

  232. I too am a piece of clay.

  233. Now he views himself.

  234. He's a piece of clay.

  235. Isn't it a very humbling thing

  236. to say?

  237. Right?

  238. Weak,

  239. fragile,

  240. brittle.

  241. You ever been to

  242. doodles on the meadows there

  243. and make clay pots?

  244. That's what it is,

  245. isn't it?

  246. You mould it.

  247. Fragile,

  248. weak,

  249. vulnerable.

  250. That's what he's saying

  251. about himself.

  252. He's not speaking to Job

  253. from his ivory tower.

  254. He's coming alongside him

  255. as a piece of clay.

  256. And verse seven,

  257. no fear of me

  258. should alarm you,

  259. nor should my hand

  260. be heavy on you.

  261. He's not come to Job

  262. seeking to add burdens

  263. to his life.

  264. He's come to help

  265. and bring truth.

  266. And I take it,

  267. did you see during the Olympics

  268. the gymnasts

  269. who were on the rings?

  270. I love this image.

  271. What is it they do,

  272. the gymnasts?

  273. This is where you see

  274. the biceps.

  275. What do they do?

  276. They grab both rings tightly,

  277. don't they?

  278. Both rings.

  279. And friends,

  280. see when it comes to

  281. our relationships

  282. with one another,

  283. a love for God's truth

  284. and a love for God's people.

  285. Right?

  286. We hold just one of them

  287. and let the other one go,

  288. we will fall.

  289. Okay?

  290. We need to hold

  291. both of those things

  292. when we come to

  293. loving one another.

  294. Take a leaf out

  295. of Elihu's book,

  296. Love for God's truth

  297. love for God's people.

  298. So here's what I want to do

  299. really quickly

  300. in the time that we have left.

  301. I want us to pick me to,

  302. I want to pick out

  303. four truths

  304. that Elihu brings

  305. to Job's attention

  306. about this God

  307. and then we'll try

  308. and bring it together

  309. at the end

  310. to see its central message.

  311. Is that okay?

  312. Here we go.

  313. Okay, here's number one.

  314. Elihu's saying,

  315. Job,

  316. God's grace

  317. is deeper than you think.

  318. God's grace

  319. is deeper than you think.

  320. Here's what I think

  321. Elihu senses

  322. as he looks at Job

  323. and as he listens

  324. to what he's saying.

  325. He senses that Job

  326. as a believer

  327. has begun to think

  328. that God is treating him

  329. like his enemy.

  330. Now,

  331. have a look at chapter 33

  332. and verse 9.

  333. We're going to be

  334. a lot in the text today

  335. because I want you to see

  336. where this is coming from.

  337. Okay?

  338. So verse 9 of chapter 33,

  339. Elihu's quoting Job.

  340. Right?

  341. This is what Job is saying.

  342. I am pure.

  343. I have done no wrong.

  344. I am clean and free from sin.

  345. Yet,

  346. God has found fault with me.

  347. He considers me his enemy.

  348. Do you see that word?

  349. His enemy.

  350. That's how God views me.

  351. And Elihu comes on the scene

  352. and says,

  353. that is simply not true.

  354. That's not true.

  355. Verse 23,

  356. in this you are not right.

  357. God is gracious.

  358. And see where Elihu takes Job.

  359. He takes him to the very fact

  360. that Job knows him as God.

  361. Okay?

  362. Verse 22 onward.

  363. Just see the flow.

  364. God acts to save people

  365. from the pit of their destruction.

  366. You see where he takes him?

  367. This is what this God is like.

  368. This God acts to save people's souls

  369. from the pit.

  370. Okay?

  371. You hear Jesus in the New Testament

  372. talking about the place

  373. of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

  374. He's talking about hell,

  375. isn't he?

  376. This is what this God does.

  377. He saves people from that place.

  378. And God in his grace provides,

  379. verse 23,

  380. a mediator

  381. who will declare them right

  382. in God's sight.

  383. And because of what that mediator does,

  384. has done,

  385. the person who knows God,

  386. verse 27,

  387. because what of God has done,

  388. will sing to others,

  389. I have sinned,

  390. I have perverted what is right,

  391. but I did not get what I deserved.

  392. That's what this God does.

  393. God has delivered me

  394. from going down to the pit,

  395. and I shall live to enjoy

  396. the light of life.

  397. This is the song of the people

  398. who know God is their redeemer.

  399. This is what he has done for them,

  400. and they sing it to the world.

  401. They sing it to others.

  402. And that is the heart of this God,

  403. to save sinners,

  404. graciously.

  405. So Job,

  406. never entertain the thought

  407. that as a believer,

  408. God isn't gracious.

  409. Never entertain the thought

  410. that he is your enemy.

  411. The very fact that you know him

  412. as God,

  413. as provider,

  414. as forgiver,

  415. as redeemer,

  416. is proof of the fact

  417. that his grace is deeper

  418. than you think.

  419. It's wonderful, isn't it,

  420. when we get to the New Testament.

  421. What is,

  422. how did God show his love?

  423. That while we were still his what,

  424. he died for us.

  425. He sent Christ for us.

  426. While we were still his enemies,

  427. we will never be an enemy

  428. in his sight

  429. if our faith is in Christ.

  430. God's grace is deeper

  431. than you think, Job.

  432. It's deeper than you think.

  433. Secondly,

  434. and we'll rattle through these, okay,

  435. God's ways

  436. are fairer than you think.

  437. Chapter 34,

  438. and I think the whole

  439. central issue

  440. in this chapter,

  441. and you could argue

  442. it's the whole issue

  443. of the whole book.

  444. Pick me on that afterwards

  445. if you want.

  446. The whole issue here

  447. is the justice of God.

  448. Is God right

  449. in doing what he does?

  450. And look what Job

  451. is saying,

  452. verse 5.

  453. For Job has said,

  454. I am in the right

  455. and God has taken away

  456. my right.

  457. In spite of my right,

  458. I am counted a liar.

  459. My wound is incurable,

  460. though I am without transgression.

  461. So, Job is accusing God

  462. of being unfair.

  463. And what is Elihu's response

  464. to that?

  465. To underscore

  466. the rightness

  467. and goodness of God

  468. in all that he does.

  469. Travel with me, okay.

  470. Verse 10.

  471. Just see how he does this.

  472. Far be it from God

  473. that he should do wickedness.

  474. Do you see it?

  475. Verse 11.

  476. For according to their deeds

  477. he will repay them.

  478. Verse 12.

  479. Of a truth God

  480. will not do wickedly

  481. and the Almighty

  482. will not pervert justice.

  483. So what he's saying

  484. is that this God,

  485. there is no partiality

  486. with him.

  487. There is no evil

  488. with him.

  489. You're not going to dig

  490. underneath the surface

  491. of God

  492. and find

  493. some impurity there.

  494. No, God is holy

  495. and his ways

  496. are always

  497. right

  498. and his ways

  499. are always

  500. good.

  501. As the saying goes,

  502. friends,

  503. we might not always

  504. see his hand

  505. but we can trust

  506. his heart.

  507. This God

  508. is good.

  509. He's perfectly just.

  510. We might not see it

  511. in this life

  512. but friends,

  513. one day when Christ

  514. returns,

  515. we will.

  516. It's what the Narnians

  517. always say of Aslan,

  518. isn't it?

  519. That all will be right

  520. when Aslan

  521. comes to sight.

  522. You know,

  523. the first song

  524. they sang

  525. at the Keswick

  526. Convention

  527. this year

  528. and it's just finished

  529. was the hymn

  530. Great is Thy Faithfulness.

  531. I've heard

  532. countless churches

  533. up and down the country

  534. who when it came

  535. to the first song

  536. that they were going

  537. to sing

  538. after 16 odd months

  539. of not singing

  540. went for that song.

  541. Great is Thy Faithfulness

  542. because they just,

  543. it's not just wonderful

  544. to be reminded

  545. in song

  546. that God

  547. never changes.

  548. Everything in our world

  549. has changed

  550. and yet this God

  551. never changes.

  552. Great is Thy Faithfulness

  553. O God my Father

  554. there is no shadow

  555. of turning with Thee.

  556. Thou changest not

  557. thou compassions

  558. they fail not

  559. as thou hast been

  560. thou forever will be.

  561. He's got the old English

  562. right there.

  563. He's not going to come

  564. and go

  565. like fashion.

  566. Right?

  567. He's not going to go off

  568. like a pint of milk.

  569. This God

  570. never changes.

  571. He never changes.

  572. And His compassions

  573. will fail not.

  574. God,

  575. Job,

  576. don't think

  577. that God

  578. has changed.

  579. His ways

  580. are fairer

  581. than you think.

  582. And thirdly,

  583. friends,

  584. His purposes

  585. are bigger

  586. than you think.

  587. God is all-wise,

  588. Job.

  589. He's all-wise.

  590. And His wisdom

  591. is just,

  592. it's just so much

  593. greater than ours.

  594. Right?

  595. It's not like

  596. we're in the championship

  597. and He's just one league up

  598. in the Premier League

  599. in terms of His wisdom.

  600. Right?

  601. No,

  602. if God

  603. were to explain

  604. all His ways,

  605. it would be like

  606. a parent

  607. trying to explain

  608. neuroscience

  609. to a toddler.

  610. Right?

  611. It just,

  612. it just can't happen.

  613. It's just on a different

  614. level to us.

  615. His wisdom.

  616. Verse 5 of chapter 36,

  617. I think it's slightly

  618. better than the ESV.

  619. Behold,

  620. God is mighty

  621. and does not despise any.

  622. He is mighty

  623. in the strength

  624. of His understanding.

  625. Verse 22,

  626. God is exalted

  627. in His power.

  628. Who is a teacher

  629. like Him?

  630. And that is a wonderful

  631. truth about this God

  632. that somehow

  633. in His wisdom

  634. He can use even

  635. the most horrific

  636. of things

  637. for His good

  638. purposes.

  639. Look at verse 15.

  640. He delivers the afflicted

  641. by their affliction

  642. and opens their ear

  643. by adversity.

  644. Right?

  645. So this God,

  646. He teaches us things

  647. through the hardships

  648. that I take it,

  649. friends,

  650. you and I

  651. wouldn't have learned

  652. any other way.

  653. and I say that

  654. sensitively

  655. because I know

  656. what people

  657. have gone through

  658. and perhaps you are

  659. going through

  660. right now.

  661. But this God

  662. for us in Christ,

  663. He molds

  664. and shapes

  665. and renews

  666. and teaches

  667. and He has

  668. committed Himself

  669. to us

  670. always

  671. as His people.

  672. What is the promise

  673. Jesus made

  674. right at the end

  675. of the Gospels?

  676. Behold,

  677. I am with you

  678. until the end

  679. of the age.

  680. I've heard so many

  681. of you testify

  682. to me

  683. in my time here

  684. that in times

  685. of horrific pain

  686. and suffering

  687. that you can

  688. honestly look back

  689. and hand in heart

  690. say

  691. that not only

  692. did you come

  693. out the other side

  694. of a horrendous

  695. situation in your life

  696. knowing God

  697. in ways

  698. that you never

  699. thought possible

  700. before

  701. but that through

  702. your story

  703. and your pain

  704. and your experience

  705. God has used it

  706. to help

  707. others.

  708. And honestly

  709. when I get to glory

  710. and they ask me

  711. who were some

  712. of the saints

  713. that encouraged you

  714. along the way?

  715. Friends,

  716. a number of you

  717. will be there.

  718. As I've seen you

  719. just keep on

  720. clinging to God

  721. through your

  722. hardships.

  723. You know,

  724. it was C.S. Lewis

  725. who famously said

  726. God whispers to us

  727. in our pleasures,

  728. speaks to us

  729. in our consciences,

  730. but shouts

  731. in our pains.

  732. And his famous

  733. phrase,

  734. it is his megaphone

  735. to rouse

  736. a deaf world.

  737. God's purposes

  738. are bigger

  739. than you think,

  740. Job.

  741. And finally,

  742. God's power

  743. is greater

  744. than you think.

  745. And in Job's mind

  746. he's saying to himself

  747. verse 3

  748. of chapter 36,

  749. he's saying to himself

  750. what's the point

  751. in trying to be good?

  752. What's the point?

  753. What does he say?

  754. What advantage have I?

  755. How am I better off

  756. than if I had sinned?

  757. So he's saying

  758. what's the point

  759. in being good?

  760. And I think

  761. he's beginning

  762. to believe

  763. the prosperity

  764. gospel lie.

  765. Remember that his friends

  766. have been subtly

  767. sowing all the way.

  768. And it's the inverse

  769. of what his friends

  770. have been saying.

  771. He's thinking that

  772. because I'm following God

  773. surely things

  774. should be going well

  775. for me.

  776. But Elihu comes

  777. in the scene

  778. and he says almost

  779. that that's the wrong way

  780. of looking at things.

  781. Right?

  782. Not to worship God

  783. for his stuff.

  784. Not just to worship God

  785. when things are going well.

  786. Worship him

  787. because of who he is.

  788. And Elihu breaks in

  789. at verse 14

  790. and he says,

  791. I love this,

  792. hear this,

  793. O Job,

  794. stop and consider

  795. the wondrous works

  796. of God.

  797. So look up,

  798. stop what you're doing,

  799. look up

  800. and think about

  801. who God is.

  802. And as we'll see

  803. next week,

  804. there are massive echoes

  805. of what Elihu says here.

  806. Massive echoes

  807. of it in what the Lord

  808. says next chapter.

  809. From verse 16,

  810. right?

  811. Just follow the questions.

  812. Have you journeyed

  813. to the springs

  814. of the sea

  815. or walked

  816. in the recesses

  817. of the deep?

  818. Right?

  819. Rhetorical question.

  820. Have the gates

  821. of death

  822. been shown to you?

  823. Have you seen

  824. the gates

  825. of deepest darkness?

  826. Have you comprehended

  827. the vast expanses

  828. of the earth?

  829. Tell me

  830. if you know

  831. all this.

  832. Friends,

  833. don't let anyone

  834. tell you there's not

  835. sarcasm in the Bible.

  836. He's saying,

  837. isn't he,

  838. rhetorically,

  839. think about who God is.

  840. You know,

  841. we're doing that

  842. on a holiday.

  843. Sitting with the girls

  844. on the beach

  845. just looking at the clouds.

  846. Looking at the shape

  847. of the clouds.

  848. Right?

  849. All these different shapes

  850. doing different things.

  851. And thinking,

  852. wow,

  853. isn't that cool?

  854. But it's not exactly

  855. what Elihu's saying.

  856. Job,

  857. were you there

  858. when the skies

  859. were laid out?

  860. Consider the manifold

  861. power and wisdom

  862. of God.

  863. Who is this God?

  864. You should look up

  865. and consider who he is.

  866. Stop.

  867. Do some of us

  868. need to do that today?

  869. To stop and consider

  870. the wondrous works

  871. of God.

  872. And just notice

  873. where Elihu leaves it

  874. right at the end

  875. of chapter 37.

  876. What does he want

  877. for Job?

  878. It's a great question

  879. to ask as we go

  880. through all of this.

  881. What does he want?

  882. Surely he wants

  883. that Job would stop

  884. and repent

  885. of saying wrong

  886. things about God

  887. and run back

  888. to this God

  889. and know him

  890. as the gracious

  891. God that he is.

  892. Right?

  893. Verse 24

  894. of chapter 34.

  895. Therefore men

  896. fear him.

  897. He does not regard

  898. any who are wise

  899. in their own conceit.

  900. So what is the right

  901. response to knowing God?

  902. The answer here

  903. is fear of the Lord.

  904. Fearing him.

  905. So friends,

  906. big questions in life,

  907. right?

  908. Does God really love us?

  909. Does he really love us?

  910. Is God really fair?

  911. Can God really be trusted?

  912. Is God really in control?

  913. And the question comes,

  914. how do we know?

  915. How do we know?

  916. Friends,

  917. we know

  918. so much more

  919. where we stand in history

  920. because of the

  921. truer and greater

  922. Elihu.

  923. Right?

  924. The prophet,

  925. the word of God

  926. who doesn't just

  927. bring truth

  928. but who is truth.

  929. Grace and truth.

  930. You know,

  931. here's something

  932. I was thinking about

  933. in holidays.

  934. You just see the connections

  935. as you're going through

  936. the gospels

  937. reading about it.

  938. One of my favourite things

  939. in the gospels,

  940. Mark chapter 4.

    Mark 4 chapter mention

  941. Right?

  942. Tucked it at the end

  943. of Mark chapter 4.

    Mark 4 chapter mention

  944. Jesus,

  945. we read it earlier,

  946. on the boat

  947. with his disciples.

  948. Right?

  949. What is happening

  950. in that scene?

  951. The boats are getting

  952. hammered by the waves.

  953. Something like

  954. something out of the North Sea.

  955. Remember that program

  956. Trollerman and BBC?

  957. It's how I always picture it.

  958. The boat getting hammered

  959. by the waves

  960. and you always know

  961. it's a crisis,

  962. don't you?

  963. When the professionals

  964. start to panic.

  965. It's what they always said

  966. about the credit crunch

  967. in 2008,

  968. wasn't it?

  969. When the professionals

  970. start to panic,

  971. that means the rest of us

  972. can panic.

  973. Here's hardened fishermen

  974. in the boat

  975. and they're freaking out,

  976. aren't they?

  977. We're going to die.

  978. We're going to die.

  979. And all the while

  980. they're suffering.

  981. They're looking at Jesus

  982. and what is he doing?

  983. He's sleeping.

  984. He's sleeping.

  985. Can you just get in the boat

  986. with the disciples

  987. asking all sorts of questions

  988. about Jesus,

  989. looking at him,

  990. sleeping,

  991. thinking,

  992. does he care?

  993. Does he know?

  994. Does he see?

  995. Does he love us?

  996. All this stuff

  997. that's come before us,

  998. he's healed people.

  999. Has he spoken to people?

  1000. And yet here we are.

  1001. Does he care?

  1002. All comes together

  1003. in their question.

  1004. What do they say?

  1005. What do they say?

  1006. Do you not care

  1007. that we are perishing?

  1008. Because at the moment

  1009. it doesn't look like

  1010. any of that stuff is true,

  1011. does it?

  1012. Being there.

  1013. Does Jesus care?

  1014. Jesus wakes

  1015. and he speaks

  1016. three words,

  1017. peace,

  1018. be,

  1019. still.

  1020. and the waves

  1021. stop

  1022. and there's calm

  1023. at sea.

  1024. Because

  1025. and to nick a line

  1026. from Elihu,

  1027. the one who created

  1028. the vast expanses

  1029. of the earth,

  1030. the one who laid out

  1031. the heavens,

  1032. the one who laid out

  1033. the skies,

  1034. the one who knows

  1035. the depths,

  1036. through whom

  1037. all things were created,

  1038. is in the boat.

  1039. He's in the boat

  1040. and here is the creator

  1041. bringing order

  1042. from chaos

  1043. and what happens

  1044. to the disciples

  1045. as they look at Jesus?

  1046. What are they filled

  1047. with in their hearts?

  1048. They're no longer

  1049. looking at the storm.

  1050. That's not what

  1051. they're scared of.

  1052. Fear fills their hearts

  1053. as they look at Jesus.

  1054. Now I take it

  1055. when we think about

  1056. fear of the Lord,

  1057. what does that mean?

  1058. It means

  1059. I'm looking at Jesus

  1060. and because I know

  1061. who he is,

  1062. I am taking my eyes

  1063. of him

  1064. no time.

  1065. I am looking at him

  1066. and of course

  1067. marking the context

  1068. it's about trusting

  1069. his word.

  1070. Here is who this

  1071. Jesus is.

  1072. That's what it means

  1073. to fear the Lord,

  1074. surely.

  1075. Not to run away

  1076. and cower

  1077. but to fix our eyes

  1078. on him

  1079. and trust in him

  1080. to go nowhere else.

  1081. I'm tying up

  1082. my whole life

  1083. leaning at all

  1084. on who he is.

  1085. So friends,

  1086. does God really love us?

  1087. Is God really fair?

  1088. Can God really be trusted?

  1089. Is God really in control?

  1090. Heaven's answer

  1091. to our questions

  1092. is a person.

  1093. Heaven's answer

  1094. to our questions

  1095. is Jesus.

  1096. You want to know

  1097. an answer to him?

  1098. Look at him.

  1099. Get to know him

  1100. in the Gospels.

  1101. This is who he is

  1102. as God unveils his heart

  1103. to us as human beings.

  1104. Jesus,

  1105. God in the flesh.

  1106. And more importantly,

  1107. heaven responds

  1108. to our questions.

  1109. Not just with a person

  1110. but particularly

  1111. with a person

  1112. on a cross.

  1113. If you're ever tempted

  1114. to think,

  1115. friends,

  1116. does God really love me?

  1117. Look nowhere else

  1118. but to Jesus

  1119. on the cross.

  1120. That's how God

  1121. showed his love

  1122. for us.

  1123. That while we were

  1124. his enemies,

  1125. Christ died

  1126. for us.

  1127. Consider the lengths

  1128. that he went to

  1129. for you.

  1130. You are his child

  1131. adopted into his family.

  1132. Justification,

  1133. I love this,

  1134. someone put it recently,

  1135. justification says

  1136. you're right in God's courtroom.

  1137. Adoption says

  1138. you're welcome

  1139. in his living room.

  1140. This is who you are.

  1141. Have you ever attempted

  1142. to ask the question,

  1143. do I matter to him

  1144. in light of what I've done?

  1145. Does he care?

  1146. Am I worth anything?

  1147. Am I precious in his sight?

  1148. Friends,

  1149. look at the cross.

  1150. He says God's yes,

  1151. surely,

  1152. to that question.

  1153. Have you ever attempted

  1154. to think,

  1155. is God fair?

  1156. Look at the cross

  1157. where Jesus bore

  1158. all of God's

  1159. righteous anger

  1160. against our sin

  1161. on the cross,

  1162. in our place,

  1163. didn't just sweep it

  1164. under the carpet,

  1165. pretend it didn't happen.

  1166. Jesus really did die

  1167. on a cross

  1168. for our real sin.

  1169. Have you ever attempted

  1170. to ask,

  1171. is God in control?

  1172. Then surely we have

  1173. to look at the cross.

  1174. If ever there was

  1175. a moment when it looked

  1176. like God was not

  1177. in control,

  1178. surely it was there.

  1179. Jesus despised

  1180. by his own,

  1181. abandoned by his friends,

  1182. seemingly powerless,

  1183. crucified by his enemies.

  1184. And yet,

  1185. is it not true

  1186. when we look at that,

  1187. that God used

  1188. the most horrific thing

  1189. imaginable

  1190. to bring about

  1191. the greatest good

  1192. that you and I

  1193. can ever know?

  1194. Friends,

  1195. is God powerful?

  1196. Is he in control?

  1197. Look at Jesus

  1198. on the cross.

  1199. Paul would call

  1200. the gospel,

  1201. the power of God

  1202. unto salvation.

  1203. Friends,

  1204. there are some

  1205. big questions

  1206. and horrible things

  1207. that happen in life.

  1208. But where does this passage

  1209. tell us to run?

  1210. Once we close,

  1211. let me just tell you

  1212. a story about

  1213. Corrie ten Boom.

  1214. Okay,

  1215. taken to the

  1216. Ravensbruck camp

  1217. in Germany

  1218. during the Second

  1219. World War

  1220. along with her sister

  1221. taken there to die.

  1222. And when they got there

  1223. they were put in a dorm

  1224. piled high

  1225. with bunk beds

  1226. and people.

  1227. And her diary,

  1228. if you read it,

  1229. it goes,

  1230. as soon as they got there

  1231. they were just

  1232. thrown upon

  1233. by fleas

  1234. everywhere,

  1235. started just

  1236. devouring their bodies.

  1237. You can imagine

  1238. the smells

  1239. and the sights

  1240. that would make

  1241. even the strongest

  1242. of us here

  1243. today sick.

  1244. Fleas everywhere.

  1245. But the fact

  1246. there was fleas

  1247. everywhere

  1248. meant that the guards

  1249. never went near

  1250. their dorm.

  1251. Never went near it.

  1252. Don't want to go

  1253. and get bitten

  1254. by fleas ourselves

  1255. so they never

  1256. went near it.

  1257. So what the ladies

  1258. in that dorm

  1259. used to do,

  1260. every evening

  1261. a number of them

  1262. would gather

  1263. in a circle

  1264. and they would read

  1265. from this little

  1266. pocket Bible

  1267. that Corrie

  1268. had somehow

  1269. managed to smuggle

  1270. into their dorm.

  1271. So they'd get together

  1272. in this circle

  1273. and they used to

  1274. read it together.

  1275. And they would try

  1276. and translate it

  1277. into Polish

  1278. and French

  1279. and German

  1280. so that the people

  1281. from different places

  1282. could understand.

  1283. And reflecting

  1284. many years later

  1285. do you know

  1286. what she wrote

  1287. in her memoirs

  1288. about these little times

  1289. as they opened

  1290. the Bible?

  1291. She said

  1292. the blacker

  1293. the night around us

  1294. she's talking

  1295. about the suffering

  1296. everything that's

  1297. going on

  1298. the blacker

  1299. the night around us

  1300. the brighter

  1301. and truer

  1302. burned the word

  1303. of God.

  1304. And the scripture

  1305. that they came back

  1306. to every single

  1307. night

  1308. was Romans 8

  1309. 37

  1310. that we are

  1311. more than

  1312. conquerors

  1313. through him

  1314. who loved us.

  1315. Every night

  1316. they came back

  1317. to that verse.

  1318. So friends

  1319. when we're

  1320. asking those

  1321. big questions

  1322. about life

  1323. why does God

  1324. what's going on

  1325. is he in control

  1326. does he love us

  1327. where are we

  1328. to run

  1329. we're to run

  1330. to the word

  1331. of the truer

  1332. and greater

  1333. Elihu.

  1334. Right

  1335. we need to

  1336. cherish

  1337. and respond

  1338. to God's word

  1339. as it's come

  1340. at us

  1341. this morning

  1342. and fix

  1343. our eyes

  1344. on Jesus

  1345. Christ

  1346. and bask

  1347. ourselves

  1348. in his

  1349. great love

  1350. for us.

  1351. So why don't

  1352. we just take

  1353. a moment

  1354. just as we

  1355. finish this

  1356. morning

  1357. and everything

  1358. that's come

  1359. at us

  1360. I realise

  1361. we covered

  1362. a lot of

  1363. territory

  1364. there this

  1365. morning

  1366. why don't

  1367. we just

  1368. be still

  1369. and let's

  1370. bring our

  1371. prayers

  1372. and our

  1373. thanks as

  1374. well to

  1375. our creator

  1376. and then

  1377. I'll close

  1378. us in prayer

  1379. and we'll

  1380. stand to

  1381. close with

  1382. our final

  1383. song

  1384. but let's

  1385. just have

  1386. a moment

  1387. of quiet

  1388. and let's

  1389. just allow

  1390. God by his

  1391. Holy Spirit

  1392. to minister

  1393. amongst us

  1394. this morning

  1395. and so

  1396. Father we

  1397. thank you

  1398. Lord for

  1399. the

  1400. precious

  1401. truth

  1402. that while

  1403. we were

  1404. your enemies

  1405. Christ died

  1406. for us

  1407. Lord thank

  1408. you Father

  1409. for your

  1410. commitment

  1411. to us

  1412. as your

  1413. people

  1414. that in

  1415. Christ

  1416. you have

  1417. promised

  1418. never to

  1419. leave us

  1420. or forsake

  1421. us

  1422. and you've

  1423. given us

  1424. your spirit

  1425. to help

  1426. us know

  1427. that

  1428. and so

  1429. Father I

  1430. pray for

  1431. any here

  1432. this morning

  1433. who are

  1434. struggling

  1435. in any

  1436. way

  1437. Father that

  1438. you would

  1439. be the

  1440. comforter

  1441. this morning

  1442. so Father

  1443. we just

  1444. praise you

  1445. for who

  1446. you are

  1447. today

  1448. and we

  1449. thank you

  1450. for our

  1451. time together

  1452. in your

  1453. precious word

  1454. name we

  1455. pray

  1456. amen

  1457. that

  1458. do

  1459. nothing

  1460. I

  1461. want to

  1462. do

  1463. blah

  1464. so

  1465. can

  1466. do

  1467. .

  1468. Or

  1469. can

  1470. maybe

  1471. I

  1472. do

  1473. have

  1474. hope

  1475. to