Ps Patti Hardy spoke last week about “Lifting the lid”. One of the obstacles she identified that put a lid on our faith is disappointment.
I want to dig deeper into that today.
When grief or disappointment hit, questions arise in our hearts.
· God, can I really trust you?
· God can I trust you with “precious things”? Things that are most dear to me. Hopes and dreams for me and others I love.
ILLUSTRATION: A NEW LIFE. About 20 years ago our family moved to WA from the Eastern States. At the time, for job opportunity. Career (and spiritual walk) had plateaued. Job offered big salary, perks. Side benefit – reconnection with mother and father-in-law, who were isolated from other family. But I was motivated at heart by $$$ (not a good reason).
Within 18 months, job went pear-shaped. Company agreed that I would take sideways shift and stand down from the senior role.
Thought “this is good”, but went through period of disappointment and grief. Hit me like a truck.
For a time struggled inwardly with others making decisions, but God was doing a work in me and that time became really important for me spiritually.
Started dig deeper into God – reaching out to people here are Sun City.
Eventually, able to let go of the disappointment and see that God always has something better – can redeem any situation.
Moved from a place of “WHY GOD?” to “I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT I TRUST YOU”.
SOMETIMES GOD CALLS US TO LAY DOWN PRECIOUS THINGS FOR SOMETHING GREATER.
OR TO PICK UP THINGS (GOD GIVEN HOPES AND DREAMS) AND STAND BY FAITH.
KEY IS: IS HE CALLING THE SHOTS OR ARE WE? Can mask it spiritually. God wants to bless me so I’ll take that high paying job, etc. Manipulating circumstances.
MAYBE YOU’RE HERE TODAY AND:
· Prayers seem unanswered.
· God seems distant.
· God doesn’t answer the way you expected or hoped for
GOD IS HERE RIGHT NOW. WANTS TO BRING FAITH TO YOUR SITUATION.
PERSPECTIVE, HEALING, HOPE AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO YOU – WHATEVER YOU’RE GOING THROUGH.
BEYOND WHY: Three questions we ask – deep heart level - when we’re hurting:
· GOD, DO YOU CARE?
· GOD ARE YOU WITH ME?
· GOD CAN YOU MOVE IN THIS (POWER)?
Want to encourage you today that the answer is YES, YES and YES!
Enemy’s strategy: doubt the goodness, presence and power of God (from Garden to now)
John 11
1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, [‘UNANSWERED’ PRAYER. Don’t mistake SILENCE for SEPARATION – or DELAY for DISTANCE. Or PAIN – not PRESENT. “God is near to the brokenhearted” (Ps 34:18). “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ear is attentive to their cry” (Ps 34:15). HE SEES YOU. When prayers seem unanswered, easy to think God has forgotten us or doesn’t care, or somehow punishing us. VEIL IS PEELED AWAY SHOWING GOD’S HEART] 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
STUCK OR DRAWING NEAR: Two responses to pain. One immediately draws near to Jesus, even in all the confusion. Another is overcome by despair and disappointment (maybe shut down because feel let down) in a place where they are stuck. Can you relate? No desire to pray, fellowship. BRING IT ALL TO JESUS. TRANSPARENT WITH JESUS. COME TO JESUS.
DARE TO HOPE. Martha doesn’t understand – sees the problem BUT also DARES TO hope in God. What do you see? Is God calling you to look up? Been looking down so long. Faith dares to look beyond our experience to the “God of all hope” (Rom 15:13). HOPE IN CHRIST DOES NOT DISAPPOINT (Rom 5:5). “BUT GOD..” “WHATEVER YOU ASK”. THIS IS FAITH IN ACTION. “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 Jn 5:14).
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
AN HONEST CONVERSATION WITH JESUS WILL CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE! Great faith declaration! WHO JESUS IS. NOT JUST A MAN, BUT GOD HIMSELF! Jesus LOOKING for faith. BUILDS faith. DRAWS out faith. PROBLEMS = OPPORTUNITIES FOR GOD TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG IN OUR LIVES.
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. [STUCK? WHEN YOU HEAR JESUS CALLING YOU, GO TO HIM! FALL AT HIS FEET. POUR OUT YOUR HEART. Up until now, Mary had not heard from Jesus. Now she hears his voice, she runs to him] 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Same accusation from Martha. Talked about it. Pours disappointment to him. God big enough to handle it. No words of faith, but Jesus TENDERLY RESPONDS. Will tenderly respond to you too. “He will not break a bruised reed, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Is 42:3).
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.
God not distant and unfeeling. Not robotic. Cares passionately for His people. Cares for you, whatever you are going through. Weeps with you. HE IS THE GOD WHO CRIES!
“DEEPLY MOVED” = anger.
GOD CAN CRY AND BE ANGRY AT THE SAME TIME, STIRRED TO ACTION.
Something in Jesus so angry by brokenness caused by sin. Moved to do something about it. Not sentimental love. THIS IS REAL LOVE. LOVE THAT WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE TO DO RIGHT. CAN TRUST GOD LIKE THAT. LOVE THAT DROVE HIM TO CROSS.]
CALLS YOU AND I TO MODEL THAT LOVE TOO – A LOVE THAT ALWAYS CHOOSES TO DO RIGHT FOR OTHERS, NO MATTER THE COST.
36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” [WATCH OUT FOR ENEMY’S VOICE … Distrust God’s character (NOT REALLY GOOD. DOES NOT CARE) and power (CAN’T DO IT). Unbelief. If God was real He would do this or that. Blinds us to what God is wanting to do. Robs us of peace and trust.]
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.
“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
“BAD ODOUR”: THE SITUATION YOU ARE IN MIGHT STINK. MIGHT SEEM DEAD AND GONE. BUT GOD CAN RESURRECT IT!
40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING JESUS TOLD YOU? STAND ON HIS WORD.
ILLUSTRATION: A DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN GOD SPOKE DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY.
41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
1. RELIGION CAN BIND YOU UP, BUT JESUS WILL SET YOU FREE. ANYTHING HE ASKS YOU TO DO CAN ONLY EVER SET YOU FREE. Living holy in the world. Not missing anything. You are free.
2. DISAPPOINTMENT CAN BIND YOU UP, BUT JESUS CAN GIVE YOU GREATER DREAMS. Girls were looking for a healing miracle. God gave them something even greater – resurrection. Don’t settle for your own little dreams. Look to God for His plans. Do you have hopes and dreams that have come from God? Keep them in Jesus hands. He will never let you down.
ILLUSTRATION: Circle back to story at start of message. How God turns things for good. Late mother in law and late father in law. After job turned pear shaped, Jen and I and the kids - at different times - stepped out in faith and said yes to being in CHURCH DRAMA OUTREACH – Heaven’s Gates, Hells Flames. PULLS NO PUNCHES. Acts out stories of real life and facing God after death.
URCH STREET. First drama. Mum comes along. IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN BOOK OF LIFE? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE? Says yes, with tears.
SECOND TIME (years later). Isaac says to me – really feel like I should invite Mario along. OK. Says yes. Isaac and I go to Heaven and Hell at different times. IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN BOOK OF LIFE? DO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE? (Sharon Jacques!) Says YES!
GOD BROUGHT US ALL THE WAY TO WA NOT FOR A JOB BUT TO SEE FAMILY RESTORED TO GOD!
THREE QUESTIONS:
· GOD, DO YOU CARE?
· GOD, ARE YOU WITH ME?
· GOD, CAN YOU MOVE IN THIS (POWER)?
Answer is: YES, YES, YES.
ARE YOU READY TO MOVE FROM “WHY GOD”? TO “I DON’T KNOW WHY, BUT I TRUST YOU”?
Want to give you an opportunity today to do business with God.
· TO BRING SHATTERED DREAMS TO HIM. God offers beauty for ashes. Bring your dreams to Him. TO HAVE FAITH FOR SOMETHING GREATER.
· TO COMMIT TO TRUST. Hope in Him will never be misplaced.
· TO RECEIVE COMFORT IN DISAPPOINTMENT. God is calling you to bring your disappointments to Him. The despair. The confusion. HE WEEPS WITH YOU and wants to show Himself strong in your life.
· LASTLY, if never accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we would love to introduce you to Jesus. HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN OFFER ETERNAL LIFE.
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