Sermon

Fall Retreat 2021: Saturday Morning Session

November 20, 2021 Trinity Cambridge Church

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Let me pray for our time together.
God, we thank you so much for just this privilege of worshiping you together as your people.
What wondrous reality that we have become part of.
Adopted children of God.
Heirs of your eternal kingdom.
Brothers and sisters bought by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Lord, it is our prayer that as Kyle preaches from your word again.
And points us to you and to your son Jesus again.
That truly joy that surpasses our circumstances.
A joy that overcomes our fears.
Our uncertainties.
The certain joy that is found in Christ alone.
Would fill us.
That we would be reminded of it.
That we would be taken captive by it.
And that he would direct us and constrain us to live in a manner that pleases you.
In a manner that exudes delight and joy and thanksgiving.
So please do that work.
And be with Kyle.
May he preach with freedom and power that comes from your spirit.
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Good morning.
Good morning.
It is always a helpful sign when there are more people present the second time you speak than there were the first.
So it means at least we're on a good trajectory.
Because there are alternatives to more people being there the second time.
Turn in your Bibles to the Old Testament book of Habakkuk.
And you're allowed to use the table of contents for this one.
Habakkuk.
In our first session last night.
As we're looking at this theme of surpassing joy.
And looking at our reasons for surpassing joy.
We specifically dealt with this in the context of uncertainty.
The challenge of life's uncertainties.
And how the reasons we have for joy.
The clarity we have in those reasons.
Far exceeds any uncertainty we can have in a temporary sense.
In this session and the next.
We're going to press into when life is hard.
And doesn't make sense.
How do we have joy.
When hurt is pressing in.
The setting of this book.
Is.
When Judah has.
Been hardened in sin.
And the rule of God is being ignored.
The northern kingdom was already conquered.
Over a century before.
The people had seen the example of God's judgment on Israel.
With the coming of the Assyrians.
And yet the southern kingdom has gone the same way.
And we have the prophet Habakkuk.
A man who loved the Lord.
And his ways.
And he is greatly discouraged.
By what seems to be the free reign of injustice.
Throughout the land.
And that's how he begins in chapter 1.
Look at verse 2.
Oh Lord how long.
Shall I cry for help.
And you will not hear.
Or cry to you violence.
And you will not save.
Why do you make me see iniquity.
And why do you idly look at wrong.
Destruction and violence are before me.
Strife and contention arise.
The law is paralyzed.
An interesting way to describe it.
That's what it looked like.
The rule of law unable to do what it's supposed to do.
Justice never goes forth.
The wicked surround the righteous.
So justice goes forth perverted.
Life's burdens have no sense of fairness.
It's not as though we can look around and see.
Yeah that person lives a lousy life.
And look how bad it is.
Well that person's.
They're pretty good.
So yeah they don't have much that's hard.
It's not as though we just look at people.
How they live.
Look at their difficulties.
Oh it all makes sense.
Now we know life will be hard at times.
We recognize in this world of sin and rebellion.
There will be difficulty.
It's not just what we do then in failures and things brings hardship to us.
We're splattered by the effects of the sin of others.
It's not evenly divided.
And we want difficulty and trial to at least make sense.
Somehow we can get our minds around it and have a framework.
Okay I get where it's coming from.
Where it's going.
And at least let it be evenly divided.
Let us all have a fair share.
We expect God to reduce our burdens.
If we're faithful.
Like Habakkuk.
We wonder.
When is God.
Going to get involved.
Will you not hear.
When I cry.
Will you not save.
I remember talking with a pastor.
Who was overwhelmed.
And he said.
If I can just see God in it.
I'll be okay.
I just want to see God in it.
That would sustain me.
Here Habakkuk.
He's not seeing God in it.
And that's true for all of us at times.
We don't see God in it.
Verses 5 and 6.
Look among the nations.
And see.
This is God's response.
Wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work.
For I am doing a work.
In your days.
That you would not believe if I told you.
For behold.
I am raising up the Chaldeans.
That bitter and hasty nation.
Who marched through the breadth of the earth.
To seize dwellings.
Not the room.
So the Lord's response to Habakkuk.
I am in motion right now.
Here's my plan.
I'm raising up the Babylonian empire.
And they're going to come and assault your nation.
And carry it away.
That's God's plan.
And that made no sense to Habakkuk.
Verse 12.
Lord you've ordained them as a judgment.
You a rock.
You've established them for reproof.
Lord you who are of pure eyes.
And to see evil.
And cannot look at wrong.
Why do you idly look at traitors.
And remain silent.
When the wicked swallows up the man.
More righteous than he.
God had an answer for.
The evil that had permeated.
The people of Israel.
God was sending the Babylonian empire.
In judgment.
They would absorb the nation.
And cart them off.
And that.
As an answer from God.
Made no sense.
To the prophet Habakkuk.
How can your answer.
Involve.
A.
Pagan nation.
Who doesn't care for you at all.
And in our pain.
Sometimes God's plan and activity.
To us seems no fairer than the world.
We look at the sovereignty of God.
And think.
Oh.
I'm believing God rules.
And is in control of all.
But.
Then why is it like it is.
And we're not seeing the goodness of God.
In that plan.
So how is joy possible.
When life is hard.
When.
We're believing and being told.
That actually God is at work.
And then.
All this that is difficult.
God is.
That's actually God's hand.
It's part of it.
He's using these things.
That are hard and unpleasant.
How can joy be possible.
Even when we come to a.
At least an intellectual conviction.
Okay.
I'm believing God is still sovereign.
I'm believing he's in control.
I'm believing he's there.
But.
Believing that.
And then leaping to.
Having joy.
Seems.
Too far.
And too.
Hard.
When all we see is our hurt.
It's hard to trust.
But God.
As we've already sung.
Is worthy.
Of it.
Those.
Those.
Who don't have Christ.
They're trusting.
Themselves.
And what the world will figure out.
Chapter 2.
Verse 4.
Behold.
His soul.
Speaking of the.
Sinful man.
His soul is.
Puffed up.
Meaning.
The world lives by pride.
In their opinion.
We're going to figure out.
We know.
If we can.
If we can get control.
Of the situation.
If those.
From our.
Perspective.
If we can gather control.
We know.
We can fix it.
And that's the hope of the world.
That.
We who are right.
And that's the opinion of everyone.
We're right.
If somehow.
Our side.
Gains the mechanisms.
Of influence and power.
We will make it better.
They have said and thought.
For centuries.
And millennium.
And there are.
Bright.
Committed.
Well intentioned people.
Throughout the world.
Trying their best.
To make it.
Work.
They truly are.
Seeking.
To make it.
Work.
But.
The only improvements.
We ever have.
Really.
Is.
Is.
Is our comforts.
That's the only thing.
We've really been able to improve.
Throughout human history.
Life is much more comfortable.
We live without all the diseases.
We've had.
We.
We.
This morning.
I had a hot shower.
I thought many times.
How many billions of people.
Throughout history.
Never.
Experienced.
A hot shower.
Most of humanity.
No one had a hot shower.
They never even thought of it.
They were happy.
If you had clean and running water.
You could jump into.
I had a.
Hot shower every day.
Or last night.
Ice cream.
How many people.
Never.
Centuries.
Generations went by.
Never.
Knowing.
Ice cream.
We are improving.
All sorts of.
Comforts.
But the human.
Soul.
Has never.
Improved.
Despite.
All humanity.
Has done.
To try to make life.
Work.
We haven't.
Lifted.
The needle.
Of.
The condition.
Of the soul.
And human.
Experience.
Outside.
Of our comforts.
The.
The world.
Lives.
By trusting.
In themselves.
What they can accomplish.
In that same.
Verse.
Four.
The righteous.
Live.
Live.
Live.
By faith.
But the righteous.
Shall live.
By faith.
Meaning.
Our hope.
Is not.
That we can gain power.
And then.
Control.
And make it work.
Our hope is.
We follow.
A God.
Who knows.
What he's doing.
Who is good.
And faithful.
And as we follow.
What he is doing.
Life is whole.
It is the statement.
That then is quoted.
By the apostle Paul.
In Romans 1.
17.
That then.
Is what started.
The Protestant Reformation.
The just.
Shall live.
By faith.
The.
The words that converted.
Martin Luther.
Meaning.
Those who are righteous.
Live.
By trusting.
Meaning.
It's not just an intellectual exercise.
We entrust.
Our heart.
Our attitudes.
Our actions.
We.
Entrust.
Ourselves.
That God.
Really is.
Wise.
Really is.
Good.
Really is.
Sovereign.
And because.
We believe that.
We.
We live.
With the perspective.
As if that's true.
If God is.
Ruling.
Sovereign.
Good.
Wise.
Faithful.
Then.
Our.
Heart's.
Demeanor.
Our.
Attitudes.
And actions.
Will represent.
That God.
Is.
All of this.
All of the time.
That he truly is.
The sum.
Of all.
Perfections.
It is.
A big jump.
To go from.
Saying.
I believe.
God is perfect.
To what is the.
Implication.
Of that.
God is always.
Being perfect.
Toward me.
You can't have one.
Without the other.
God cannot be perfect.
And then we not be able to say.
So Lord.
Right now.
And in everything.
You have been perfect toward me.
God has shown himself.
Worthy to be trusted.
And that's.
Part of the foundation.
That we sought to build.
Last night.
As we looked over.
The.
The immensity.
Of gospel promise.
And fulfillment.
God is worthy.
To be trusted.
For when.
We.
Bowed before his gospel.
He did make us clean.
And he did give us new life.
And when we follow God's word.
We are.
Strengthened.
And life may continue to.
Be.
Hard.
In certain ways.
Yet there is.
Stability.
There is certainty.
There is peaceableness.
Like Habakkuk.
In fact.
Better than Habakkuk.
We know enough about God.
To trust him.
Chapter 3.
Verse 2.
Habakkuk.
Habakkuk.
Confirms.
His faith in the Lord.
Oh Lord.
I have heard the report of you.
And your work.
Oh Lord.
Do I fear.
Habakkuk is.
Is.
Submitting to what God has said.
Of his plan and goodness.
And though it doesn't make sense.
Habakkuk is saying.
I know you.
So Lord.
I'm trusting you in this.
And.
Inserted in this.
That should be that dynamic.
Of what we saw yesterday.
In 1 Peter.
Where.
The prophets.
Who.
Were.
Hearing the promises.
And even giving them.
And.
And searching.
And wanting to know.
How is God going to do this.
And we now know.
Habakkuk is.
Habakkuk is able to say.
I have heard enough of you.
To be content.
And what we know.
And have heard.
Of Christ.
Crucified.
Raised.
And reigning.
Is.
Far greater than the prophet had.
It really does leave us.
Without excuse.
In terms of trusting.
We know.
God has created.
And sustains.
And will judge.
All things.
Everything is.
Before him.
We know.
What he promised.
Centuries before.
Has.
Now taken place.
The promises.
Are fulfilled.
God became flesh.
He was born of a virgin.
He did die on a cross.
He was raised from the dead.
We know.
That he came to us.
Not in arrogance.
Demanding.
You bow before me.
I'm God here.
He came in humility.
Calling us to believe.
And receive.
His sacrifice for us.
There will still be.
Circumstances.
That don't make sense.
Isn't that the part of the dynamic of trust?
If it always makes sense.
And if.
We always have a backdoor plan.
Where for press.
Well we know how we're going to fix it.
Faith and trust really become.
Redundant.
What helps me.
When I think of.
Lord it doesn't make sense.
Or this is too much.
Or this is too hard.
Picture yourself.
With.
With those complaints.
That in the moment.
We think are so justified.
Think of.
Yourself.
Make those complaints.
Not to.
Kind of the idea of God.
Out there.
Make those complaints.
As if.
You are standing.
Before.
Jesus.
On.
The cross.
Imagine yourself.
Him.
Unrecognizable.
He's been beaten.
So badly.
His life.
Literally.
Flowing.
Flowing.
In blood.
And you're hearing.
The jeers.
And you're hearing.
The mockery.
And you're seeing.
The suffering.
And in.
That context.
Tell the.
Sacrificing.
Crucify.
Jesus.
This is too hard.
This is unfair.
It changes our perspective.
A little bit.
When we.
When we think.
Who is it we're complaining.
To.
And what is it that.
He.
Has.
Done.
For us.
When we see.
Clearly.
God.
Himself.
Just God.
Is sufficient.
Reason.
For joy.
And that.
Is.
Maybe.
Maybe the.
The key.
Statement.
To think of.
To take.
From this session.
God.
Himself.
And what.
He has done.
Promised.
What we already.
Have.
That.
Is sufficient.
Reason.
For joy.
Which brings us to.
The end of Habakkuk.
What is.
What is.
What is.
In a sense.
The punchline.
Of the book.
And this is.
Habakkuk.
It's like.
Ecclesiastes.
Where.
All of the book.
Really is about.
The last couple verses.
And everything.
Just leads to.
Just this.
This final statement.
So.
For Habakkuk.
Verse 17.
Though the fig tree.
Should not blossom.
Nor fruit.
Beyond the vines.
The produce.
Of the olive.
Fail.
The feet.
The fields.
Yield no food.
The flocks.
Be cut off.
In the fold.
And there be no herd.
In the stalls.
Now.
What he's speaking to is.
He knows.
The Babylonians.
Are coming.
He knows.
What do conquering.
Armies.
Do.
They take.
Everything.
And they leave.
Destruction.
In their wake.
So Habakkuk.
Who knows.
What is coming.
And.
From an agricultural.
Society.
Means.
From that perspective.
Everything goes wrong.
Your crops.
Your herds.
The orchards.
Everything is going to be destroyed.
So he's saying.
Lord.
When it is all.
Stripped.
Away.
Verse 18.
Yet.
I.
Will.
Rejoice.
In the Lord.
I will.
Take.
Joy.
In the God.
Of my salvation.
Habakkuk.
Is describing.
Circumstances.
That are overwhelming.
And yet.
He will.
Take.
Joy.
In God.
When.
When.
Everything.
That.
Is around you.
Seems to be going wrong.
And why.
Why would he do that?
How could.
Any reasonable person.
Do that?
And the answer is.
He is.
He is the God.
Of.
My.
Salvation.
And we took time last night to think about.
So what is this salvation?
What is embedded?
How great is this salvation?
Our salvation is greater than any loss.
It is greater than any struggle.
And no aspect of our salvation is affected by any struggle.
Our adoption is not affected.
The removal of our guilt is not affected.
That we are beloved of God is not affected.
That we will reign with Christ is not affected.
There is nothing of our salvation that is altered, diminished, affected in any way by our difficulties.
So though the difficulties are here and they're real, the pain of it is there.
Yet the full glory of our salvation always remains.
Why he will rejoice is God who he's rejoicing it.
Is the God of my salvation.
I rejoice in him.
Because my salvation.
And all that it gives.
He's the one that gives it.
And how does joy come in this?
This was revolutionary for me.
He says, I will take it.
Now that's.
That's important to notice.
He doesn't say.
If I just think about it.
And wish about it.
And pray enough.
Joy will just fall upon me.
Joy is something to take hold of.
He's not waiting for joy to come.
He is not hoping for it.
He is going after it.
He is owning the reasons he has for joy.
And if the reasons haven't changed.
That means I can find it.
It's out there.
One of the phrases that has been picked up and repeated rightly.
And for our benefit.
And for our benefit.
And for our benefit.
Over and over.
And last 20 years.
Is the idea of preaching the gospel to ourselves.
Jerry Bridges heard it.
Heard it.
Popularized it.
And everyone else quotes it.
We speak of it a lot in our church.
Preaching the gospel to ourselves.
Meaning we are reminding our own soul and one another regularly.
Of why we have reason for joy.
Or is it Martin Lloyd-Jones.
As he put it.
The reason that Christians stay in depression and discouragement.
Is that they listen to themselves.
Rather than speak to themselves.
Meaning we listen to the recording.
This is so bad.
I'm no good.
This is so hard.
Everyone's against me.
We listen over and over to that voice.
Convincing ourselves.
Rather than pushing that away.
And speaking to ourselves.
I have Christ.
I am in Christ.
Christ is faithful.
He is here.
He has saved me.
He has given me hope.
We preach to ourselves.
Gospel truth.
We remind ourselves.
That we are in the story of Christ.
It is our story.
We reminded ourselves.
That we are in the flow.
Of what is eternal.
Life is not just.
The framework of birth to death.
We are in something.
That is before time.
And does not end.
Our perspective is an eternal one.
Rather than now.
I said I would be a little bit.
Biographical today.
This text.
Has been the single most revolutionary.
Revolutionary.
And I don't overstate it.
Passage of scripture.
In my life.
Apart from.
Knowing and hearing.
That Jesus died to save me.
Hearing a sermon on this text.
By CJ Mahaney.
Years ago.
Hearing a recording of it.
Led to.
Huge change.
Time when I was.
Overwhelmed.
And discouraged.
And didn't know what to do.
And the church was struggling.
And I was pulling down.
That it's my fault.
And I.
I have.
I have.
No idea.
What to do.
Or how to fix it.
And nothing is working.
I would get up.
When it was dark.
I would spend.
Hours.
Before the Lord.
Praying.
Calling on him.
Pleading.
And.
Not just.
Every once in a while.
Day after day.
After day.
After month.
Hours.
Before him.
Desperate.
Lord.
I'm.
I will get up early.
I will.
Call out to you for hours.
I'm desperate.
And.
Every day.
I would end.
More discouraged.
Than when I began.
Because it really.
It wasn't calling out to God.
It was whining.
And complaining to God.
After dinner.
I would go to bed.
Because I wanted.
To be.
Unconscious.
It was starting to affect.
My health.
And God brought a number of.
Streams together.
But the most prominent.
Was to learn.
What it says.
In verse 18.
To learn that.
I have a responsibility.
To be joyful.
I'm not waiting.
Waiting for God.
To make things.
Better.
And likable.
Now I can have joy.
No.
It's.
It's my responsibility.
To pursue it.
Because.
Everything in the gospel.
Is true.
And greater.
Than I can imagine.
And when I began.
To turn.
All that time.
Of whining.
And complaining.
And crying.
Out.
And woe is me.
And it's so bad.
And God.
When are you going to change it?
When are you going to fix it?
And.
I stopped.
For long.
I didn't even ask God.
Of anything.
I just worshipped.
And those.
Mornings.
I would come.
And just.
Speak of him.
And think.
I would take a different.
Theme.
Different days.
Something.
I'm just.
That God would come.
In flesh.
Or what it meant.
For Jesus.
To take our sin.
Or if the glory coming.
I would just.
Fill my mind.
And spend it all.
Thinking.
And.
Worshipping him.
Before then.
When I would wake up.
As soon as my foot.
Hit the floor.
Or.
I wasn't even past.
The end of my bed.
Every morning.
The voices would start.
Of accusation.
So when I would.
Go.
In my study to pray.
I had already been hearing.
All the accusation.
You're a failure.
The church is going to ruin.
It's been built up.
By those before you.
And you're going to.
Tear it down.
And I would just.
Hear accusation.
And then.
After this.
I don't remember.
How long it was.
And.
The timing of this.
Actually was.
The first time.
I went to a.
Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference.
And along with this passage.
And discovering.
Sovereign Grace Music.
And.
At one moment.
During one of the sessions.
I don't remember.
What the teaching was on.
Or who was teaching.
I just remember.
Thinking.
This.
Realizing the thought.
That just came to me.
Has nothing to do.
With what's being taught.
So it was just.
God.
In this moment.
Just striking me.
With this seemingly.
Random thought.
Which was.
You've been a pastor.
All these years.
And you've never studied.
Or read about worship.
And it struck me as.
How could that be?
How could I have spent.
All this time.
And never seriously.
Studied.
Or thought about worship.
So from the.
Listening to.
To good worship music.
Every day.
And in.
Thinking of.
Taking joy.
And seeing myself.
Fundamentally.
I am a worshiper.
That is my most basic identity.
I am a worshiper.
And I can remember.
The morning.
When I realized.
That.
When I got out of bed.
And was making my way.
To the place of prayer.
It wasn't accusations.
That were in my mind anymore.
It was the words of songs.
People began.
To tell me.
I'm a.
Your preaching is different.
I'm not sure what it is.
My wife.
Could see a difference.
And I could see a difference.
And.
You know.
The circumstances.
And situations.
That had led.
To all that sorrow.
Didn't.
Change.
At all.
Indeed.
They just continued on for years.
Unending.
Pressing in.
And yet.
My whole.
Approach.
To the Lord.
To preaching.
To life.
Has.
Been.
Changed.
By the gracious.
Mercy.
Of God.
To.
I've been raised in.
Hearing the gospel.
Preaching the gospel.
To say.
Be gospel centered.
I thought I was.
Because we were giving the gospel.
But I really wasn't.
Because I wasn't.
Applying the gospel.
To.
How I was.
Thinking.
The gospel.
Is what you gave.
To those.
Horrible people out there.
Who needed Jesus.
In their desperation.
It wasn't.
Applying it to.
My own soul.
We have a.
Responsibility.
To take joy.
In the Lord.
Because.
Of what we have.
In him.
Because of who he is.
In all of his greatness.
And glory.
And this God.
Of greatness.
And glory.
Is not.
A far off.
God.
He's not a God.
That looks at us.
With judgment.
He is the God.
Who says.
You are my beloved.
And you are mine.
Forever.
And so.
To take.
Joy.
From.
The truth.
That's all.
This really is.
This is really.
A matter of just.
Seeing the truth.
And letting.
The truth.
Be.
What affects us.
And.
The truth.
Is.
We have.
Far.
Greater.
Reason.
For joy.
Even.
When everything.
Around us.
Is going wrong.
That.
This doesn't mean.
We never have sorrow.
Before God.
Some things.
Are sorrowful.
And the Bible.
Says.
There's a time.
To cry.
And.
We cannot.
Properly.
Care.
For people.
If we don't.
Suffer.
With them.
First.
Corinthians.
Twelve.
We mourn.
With those who mourn.
Christians.
Who come.
Alongside.
Those who are hurting.
And just try to.
We think.
We'll make them feel better.
We make them feel worse.
Because.
We're.
As if we're minimizing.
Their pain.
So they can't.
Own the fact.
That this just hurts.
So we.
We enter into the pain.
Of others.
We mourn.
With others.
There's a time.
To cry.
Joy.
And.
Our joy.
At times.
Is muted.
Some.
But.
As.
John Piper says.
It should be.
Indestructible.
Our joy.
Is indestructible.
Because the reasons.
For our joy.
Are indestructible.
The realities.
Of what we're joyful.
About.
Are indestructible.
Because Christ is.
And his kingdom is.
And our salvation is.
And his promise is.
And so learning the skills.
It's one thing to say.
Take joy in our salvation.
Pursue that.
Well how do we do that?
And it's not a.
You know.
Okay.
I'm going to give you the three things.
You just do these.
And by the end of next week.
You'll get it.
You'll.
You'll be there.
We all recognize.
That.
There are certain.
Things worth.
Becoming.
Skilled at.
That we seek.
To be.
Skilled at.
Means.
Learning.
The nuance.
Of it.
Pursuing it.
Doing it.
Over and over.
Bob Coughlin.
Founder of Sovereign Grace Music.
He'll say.
People come up to him.
All the time.
And say.
Oh I wish I could play.
The piano like you.
And he says.
You can.
He says.
All you have to do.
Is.
Spend.
Three to four hours.
Every day.
At the piano.
For five years.
And you'll be like me.
What people are saying.
I just want it to happen.
Well.
It didn't just happen.
For him.
He spent three or four hours.
A day.
Every day.
For five years.
I can't give you.
Do these things.
And it will happen.
What I can encourage you is.
That it's worth learning to be skilled.
At the pursuit of the person of God.
God.
I can say.
It involves.
For me.
A long season.
Long season.
Where I barely asked anything of God.
He knows.
And it's not that I never asked.
But my focus was.
Was offering praise.
And worship.
And just working on that.
And that.
That's where theology is needed.
If our theology is shallow.
We don't have much to say.
Or think about.
In terms of worship.
The more.
Our theology.
Runs deep.
There's more.
That we understand.
And there's much more.
We have to say.
Back to God.
And.
The thankfulness.
For Sean.
The theology committee.
In the new statement of faith.
If.
Your church.
Sees that.
Aware of it.
Reading through.
And praying over.
The statement of faith.
That would be one thing.
Just taking it.
And phrase by phrase.
Reading that phrase.
Each phrase.
Is dense.
God glorifying.
And just.
Let your mind.
Think about.
All that.
Is in that.
And praying.
Over that.
Listening.
To.
Worship music.
That has some depth.
To it.
Allowing that.
Being around.
People.
Who.
Love the Lord.
Just talking about.
What God is doing.
When we talk about.
To each other.
Even the simple things.
What we're seeing God do.
Or what we're thankful of.
Or what we.
How many times.
Do we see something.
In someone.
And we think.
I really appreciate it.
We just never say it.
We.
We see it.
Acknowledge.
We never say it.
The more we share.
What is going on.
What it does is.
We start becoming more aware.
Of how active God is.
As we're communicating.
To each other.
The little things.
God is doing.
And.
We start realizing.
Wow.
God really is busy.
God's active.
Speaking of it.
With each other.
Reading the Bible.
Not to get done.
The section.
Today.
Reading.
God's speaking to me.
What is God saying to me.
And finding the ways.
That help you.
But.
Seek to be skilled.
At being a worshiper.
At being someone.
Who's pursuing.
Joy.
Joy.
And.
Outside of.
Salvation.
Itself.
Nothing.
Has served.
Me.
Better.
In.
All life.
And ministry.
Than this.
Passage.
Than this.
Verse.
And the importance of this.
I'll close with this thought.
The importance of being people.
Who pursue joy.
Who take joy.
It's not just for yourselves.
Because everyone.
Around you.
Has pain.
Everyone.
We're covering it.
We're pushing it down.
We're ignoring it.
You don't have to press too deeply.
And pain.
Comes out.
Everyone.
Everyone is struggling for answers.
When people.
See.
Your joy.
And hardship.
How could that be.
Unbelievers.
Unbelievers.
Want to know.
Why.
How.
Believers.
Are encouraged.
Their faith is strengthened.
As they remember.
Yes.
The gospel is true.
God.
Is glorified.
And then our soul.
Is further enriched.
God.
God.
God.
Will use us.
I enjoy being with pastors.
I spend.
Time with pastors.
All the time.
And.
I would hear from pastors.
When I would.
We'd have lunch.
That.
They were encouraged.
And it would always amaze me.
I'm thinking.
Why?
Well.
We just talked about stuff.
And they would say it.
As though something meaningful happened.
And I'm wondering.
What am I missing?
What.
What was so great?
Then I realized.
It was.
I was seeking to.
Be.
Struggle forward.
In conversation.
Rather than the typical.
Pastor thing.
Where you're trying to impress.
With how many you have.
Or how well your programs go.
Or.
Of just.
Leading.
Yeah.
These are things.
We're struggling with.
And weakness.
And.
And then just answering.
With.
God's goodness.
But he's good in all this.
And I began seeing.
How much that was affecting.
Other men.
Who were thinking.
They had to hide behind.
Success.
We don't need to hide.
Behind.
Success.
We just need to be honest.
About.
Christ.
And what he is.
And who he is.
Because that's.
What.
The.
World.
Needs.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father.
I thank you for these.
Whom.
You have so wonderfully.
Fully.
Gloriously.
Gloriously.
Saved.
These lives.
That are delight to you.
These people whom.
Zephaniah has said.
You sing over them.
Your delight is so great.
May they see.
Oh.
How rich and full is this love.
May they see.
The depth and breadth.
Of the gospel.
How much is true of them.
For them.
And in that.
Their hearts would be enriched.
Their souls build up.
You glorified.
People impacted.
Impacted.
So.
Help us each.
Not just to be.
Emotionally.
Built up.
By these messages.
Or time.
But.
Help us to be instructed.
Give us tools.
Speak to us.
In ways that.
We can go forth.
With practices.
And habits.
And ways of thinking.
That truly do.
Move how our life is lived.
We ask for this grace.
In the name of the one we know.
Loves to give grace.
In.
Jesus.
Name.
Amen.