Bittersweet

Introduction:

Two funny stories to get us started this morning.

How many of you tried cocoa when you were a kid thinking you were going to get a sweet chocolately treat only to discover it was bitter, chalky, and disgusting. I’m guilty and only make that mistake once! What I thought was going to be sweet, was in reality very bitter!

Another true story is when I bought a bag of chocolate covered blueberries! I used to buy them all the time a CVS and I can’t find them anymore.

But I loved them and one night I sat down and ate an ENTIRE BAG BY MYSELF!

Oh how sweet it was until a couple of hours later. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say the sweetness didn’t last very long. It wasn’t long before I regretted my gluttonous journey and I’ve never eaten an entire bag in one sitting again.

Isn’t that the way it is with a lot of things in life?

Solomon told his son it was that way with adultery:

Proverbs 5:3–5 NKJV

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell.

Solomon also warns his son about the dangers of strong drink:

Proverbs 23:31–32 NKJV

Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper.

In the passage before us today we find the Apostle John being told to “eat the little scroll.” He is told that when he eats the little scroll it will be sweet to his taste, but bitter in his stomach...

This concept is not new to Scripture as we’ve already seen, but let’s explore a few more examples before we talk about this text in greater detail:

Examples of Bittersweet

Parenting Can be Bittersweet

Oh the JOYS of seeing a child born into this world and watching them grow, and talk, and walk.

But there is also the BITTERNESS of watching them make decisions that will harm them and scar them the rest of their lives, knowing there is nothing you can do about it. Or watching that same child suffer with disease, or seeing them being taken advantage of by someone they trusted.

Saying Goodbye to a Loved One Who Dies in Christ

It is sweet because we know they are no longer suffering, no longer in pain, no longer struggling in this broken world, but grief is bitter, and we long to be with them, to talk to them, to laugh with them again. Their absence leaves a void.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.”

You see a glimpse of the “bittersweet” in that verse…you see the words “sorrow” and you see the word “hope”

Forgiveness Can be Bittersweet

Forgiveness provides FREEDOM from bitterness, but it doesn’t take away the scars of they betrayal or problem that had to be forgiven.

Conviction Can be Bittersweet

I’m so thankful that God loves me enough to “call me out” and speak to me. But it’s tough to watch the Holy Spirit expose the reality of my pride and sin.

The Calling to Ministry Can be Bittersweet: It was for Jeremiah

Jeremiah 1:5 ““Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.””

Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord.”

Jeremiah 1:10 “See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.””

Jeremiah 1:18–19 “For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land. They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.””

Jeremiah 20:7 “O Lord, You induced me, and I was persuaded; You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I am in derision daily; Everyone mocks me.”

A preacher who preaches the Word the way God intended for it to be preached has to REPROVE SIN, REBUKE those in rebellion, and EXHORT believers...it’s not always easy and it’s not always popular and sometimes it leads to your HEAD being placed on a platter as in the case of John the Baptist, or being stoned to death as in the case with Stephen, or being FIRED as in the case with others. There is a JOY in preaching God’s word, but there is also a WEIGHT!

But when Jeremiah tried to quit preaching notice what happened in

Jeremiah 20:9 “Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.”

Of course we know the Apostle Paul dealt with similar things. Think about what he said in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10

2 Corinthians 6:3–10 ESV

We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Did you catch that last phrase. Paul talks about the reality of the bitterness that comes along with doing God’s will, yet he says there is such a SWEETNESS in doing God’s will as well. To the world it appears that Paul has nothing, but he says we have “EVERYTHING.”

I can say from my own experiences ministry has been “bittersweet”:

You see people saved, baptized, discipled, transformed, growing in the faith

You see people walk away from church and their church family and give NO EXPLANATION, refuse to return messages, and avoid you and you have no idea why.

Coming to Black Mountain was Bittersweet

We had poured 12 years of blood, sweat, and tears into Erie, Pa and the congregation known as Flagship FWB Church. We saw people saved and baptized. We saw people grow in their faith. We did people’s funerals and preformed people’s weddings, and we dedicated their children, and we bought and remodeled a building together...but we knew God was weaning us away, we look back now and know that God wanted us to leave so the congregation would learn to depend more on God and move forward with a new pastor, and we now know that God was providing for us a new place to serve, wonderful people like yourself, who have been so amazing and encouraging to Michelle and I. It was bitter to leave Erie, but it was sweet to arrive at Meadowbrook.

Revelation is Bittersweet

John indicates to us from the last few verses in Revelation 10 that the rest of the prophecy that God has for him to reveal is going to be bittersweet.

Here are just a few examples that we will look at over the coming weeks:

In Revelation 11 two witnesses are going to proclaim the sweetness of God’s truth, but face the bitterness of death

These same two witnesses are going to face the bitterness of death but face the sweetness of resurrection!

Later in Revelation 11 we will see the sweetness of praise rising up to God and the bitterness of the dragon trying to destroy the woman’s son in Revelation 12.

We will also see the sweetness of Satan being cast down to earth, but the bitterness of him continuing to persecute the woman.

We will see the bitterness of the beast in Revelation 13 and the sweetness of the Lamb and the 144,000 in Revelation 14.

We will see the bitterness of God’s judgments that fall but also the sweetness of Babylon’s fall.

We will see the sweetness of Christ arriving on a white horse, the beast and the antichrist being defeated as well as Satan being bound for 1,000 years.

We will see the sweetness of Christ’s reign, and the bitterness of the Great White Throne judgment.

We will end with the sweetness of the New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem!

As we prepare to close out our service today I also want to remind you that...

Jesus’ Sacrifice is Bittersweet

When you came in this morning you received the cup and bread which reminds us of the bittersweet sacrifice Jesus made when He gave His life as a sacrifice for my sins and yours.

We are reminded of the bittersweet sacrifice throughout Scripture:

Isaiah 53:3–5 “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.”

Hebrews 5:7–9 ESV

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

Romans 5:8–9 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 CSB

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 12:2 “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

He drank the BITTER CUP meant for you and meant for me. He did it so we could enjoy the SWEETNESS of being RESTORED and RECONCILED. He did it so we could enjoy the SWEETNESS of forgiveness. He did it so we could enjoy the SWEETNESS of Heaven and avoid the bitterness of Hell.

And today we will eat the bread and drink the cup as a REMINDER of the BITTERSWEET sacrifice He made on our behalf.

But before we do Scripture calls on us to EXAMINE ourselves:

1 Corinthians 11:18–22 NKJV

For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.

1 Corinthians 11:27–29 NKJV

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

For the next FOUR minutes, if you have been born again I want you to earnestly pray and ask the Lord to EXAMINE your heart and see if there is a divisive spirit, unforgiveness, bitterness, bad attitudes, or other sin in your life that you need to confess and forsake before partaking of the bread and the cup.

If it is take the BITTERSWEET action to CONFESS and REPENT and receive FORGIVENESS!

If you do not know Jesus today let me encourage you to confess your sin to Him and call on His name right NOW to save you! We will be glad to pray with you if you want to know Him or know how to know Him.

The Lord’s Supper

Ask one of deacons to pray and thank God for His sacrifice

1 Corinthians 11:24 “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.””

1 Corinthians 11:25 “In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.””