Worship Gathering
And we've been working through a little series here in 1st Peter is going to stretch all the way through 2nd Peter and you know you start with a good plan and then you start preaching longer than you planned to preach and your pastor just got to get messed up. So what we're going to do today is finished chapter 3 and they're going to take a little three week break for Christmas Even though today ties into the whole Christmas. We will get there in a minute and then we'll be back in 1st Peter chapter 4 in January will keep working through our serious here on through 2nd Peter. So I weren't 1st Peter chapter 3 today and we're still working tending to talk about what it means for us as Believers in a world that is against the things of Christ what it means for us to live as as those who are in a hostile environment if you will now listen, Here's the reality. We're talking about things and 1st Peter all through scripture. In fact about believers who are facing persecution. We were facing tribulation who were facing suffering because of the faith. It is hard for us sometimes to connect with that reality just because of the freedoms that we have to come to church to worship to be out where with our faith we don't quite face the kinds of things that other believers do in other parts of the world, but but trust me it's happening persecution is happening suffering is happening for the faith. And um, we kind of have this this mentality in our country that pain and suffering and trouble it is bad and doesn't mean that God's blessing you or the guy likes you very much or what-have-you. We sort of have things flipped upside down. It's so it's kind of hard for us to connect. I think with the reality of 1st Peter had a question Wednesday night. We're walking through Some eschatological stuff and Mark and about the end times in about what will happen as we await the return of Jesus which will include persecution and stuff ring in Tribulation and all that. The reality is even though we might not taste it today the way other believers in the world. Do I believe we're going to Steve this morning is that we we do face suffering because of the face now. He may not be in the form of people standing up to us or standing up against us. But skin thin has its claws on this world. This world is falling because of then there is that because of thin we have to get up and go to work and it's a grind it's not joyful service to God like it was supposed to be in Eden It's a Grind and and childbirth is a pain. We got to wear gloves when we text of the Fall touch everything and it challenges are faced when we when we deal with that kind of stuff removed we deal with the effects of the following we lose love ones and we're struggling with what Finn has poured out on this world. It challenges are fake. No, I don't want to spiritualize this because I believe tribulation and women struggle because of our faith when it comes to the public is is real. It may not be arresting us here. Like it doesn't other places, but it's real I believe. I don't know about you. Can you watch the news when I watch the news? I think it's increasingly on its way. It's over. We're not settled in our faith when it comes to the effects of the Fall. We're not going to be settled in her face when it comes to face to face persecution. That makes sense. So we got to get ground and I'm hoping to have a lot of fun today. I plan to go to Isaiah. We might even deal with some Genesis. We might jump the Revelation 20 a little bit. I'm not exactly sure where we're going to go but we ran some fun to go with me get your thumbs warmed up. I want to look at a few things up as we work through this and what Peter is going to tell us today the message to his audience in the message there for us today. is basically this when we Face trials and tribulation because of our love for Jesus we can have hope and we can do so gladly even in the advice that might be crushing us because we look to Jesus the forest who faced suffering himself and who is exalted and for those of us who are in Jesus and therefore because of Jesus we Face struggles in this world in this Fallen world that we live in we know one of these days in Jesus, there will be Vindication. We will be exalted with him. That's our hope right? So we're going through a whole lot of stuff here that some of this kind of controversial and so Wherever we land. That's the point of the message today to write that. Remember it and you leave there's the cliff notes. All right. So here we go. We're 1st Peter chapter 3 beginning and verse 13 verse 13 is a rhetorical question that comes out of the previous Versa look within verse 12. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. So there's favor for those who are in the Lord there is judgement for those who are against the Lord and his people and because of that Peter's going to ask this rhetorical question to get us thinking we would have think deeply about the implications of that reality. Okay. So here it is not who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? Who is there a harm you if your zealous for what is good? Cuz if you're jealous for what is good verse 12 tells us you have the favor of God, if you're not sell it for what is good verse 12 tells us you have the Judgment of God, but for those of us who are zealous for good now, let's just stop right there because you might be sitting there thinking. I just don't have a lot of zeal in my heart to help somebody across the street today or to do some good deed or whatever. You might just be thinking. What does it mean to be zealous for good? I think what it means is this when we Sinners and we recognize that our sin has a penalty and that penalty is death. We recognize that there's not enough good things we can do to fix that and God by his grace opens our eyes to see the beauty of the gospel and we have that gift of faith that sees Jesus and sees the cross and recognizes that God made the way for us to have access to him through his son. It's strange Bible tells us that makes us a new creation when we're all together different in the defining point of our heart is a Zeal to do what is good because of what God has done for us in Jesus. There's something in us that's not what it used to be. It's a desire to do. What is good. Now did everybody do completely good this week? Anybody nobody sore human right? It doesn't justify our spin, but there's still something that defines us not a desire for evil and forced in we don't want to do this thing. Just a desire in his deal for what is good. And what is right. What is true? What is Honorable, right? That will help for that kind of worries me that I can get a lot of agreement there, right?
Who is there to harm you if you were a zealous for what is good? Who who is there that can harm you if you are one of God's children who's been changed whose heart is now defined by a desire for what is right? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake you will be blessed. I was just up there for a second that kind of sounds funny some might take that verse to say that suffering is not normal. That it is not the thing that really happens in life for those who are believers. Will you tell that to the audience Peters riding through who's suffering for the faith? Right? It's actually the norm and then we're going to talk further about that in just a moment, but that's not what he's saying. He's not saying it shouldn't happen or if it does happen your blast. And so that stuff was not really suffering. I don't know if Stephanie wasn't really suffering would actually a blessing then why would we call it stuffing right stuff for her? But there's something about that suffering for righteousness sake and other words for the stake of a heart that has Zeal for what is good cuz of parallels there. If we're just suffer because we are country to this world. We've been set apart made me we belong to God and the things of this world a country to got it. So we're in this weird place in this world that we walk in this advice and we stay struggles because of our being in Christ. Where does heel for good we've been transformed, right?
We're actually blessed now Peters not minimizing the pain. He's not staying or it's Mind Over Matter troubles going to happen and you just need to know what a blessing. Thank you. So, what are you saying? The texture of the language look at it. You will be blessed future, right? Let me tell you what it's going back. Just going back to what Peter's going back to this entire letter so far go back with me to chapter 1 verse 4. Well verse 3 and we'll start the middle of a sentence blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great Mercy. He has caused us to be bored again to a Living Hope for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead here. It is to an inheritance that is a perishable undefiled and unfading kept in heaven for you. There is an inheritance that awaits the children of God. So listen when we suffer when we go through struggles because of spins consequences in this world. whether it
lost whether it's straight up persecution. You will be blessed. That suffering becomes the path for the blessing in the blessing. Is that which is before 6 this inheritance that is ours be kept in heaven. You see when we get together. We have a prayer meeting in our prayer meetings are framed for heaven. Now, we don't to go to the mess. We don't want to die. I go to have we just want God to fix everything now Little Bit of Heaven on Earth right now. That's what a lot of times our prayer readings turn into what we're living for is not what we can get now. Oh, God bless me bless me. I need you to help me. We need your blessing don't know he's blessed us that busting awaits us and our eyes are on it. But because our eyes are on it. It means our hearts have been transformed. We have a Zeal for good with it. Is it a Zeal for what is right and it puts us at odds with the world is so because of who we are and what we have we're going to have trouble.
You will be blessed doesn't take away the pain. suffering still suffering
But when we suffer because we are set against a Fallen World we suffer because we are in Jesus and our eyes are on him we suffer because we belong to God not to this world. We know we are blessed. We will be blessed that they scumming we hang on to that and faith. Have no fear of them. Nor be troubled but in your hearts regard Christ the lord as holy. Peter for the second time so far in this letter. I'm references back to Isaiah chapter 8 first time you did it was in 1st Peter 2:8 when he brought up the stone of stumbling in reference to Jesus the Cornerstone at which everyone would stumble he he is the Cornerstone of the building that is being built. We are that building. He's the Cornerstone of it, but those who are against got stumble on it. And now in this part right here have no fear them nor be trouble. But in your hearts regard Christ the Lord Is Holy so you might have been wondering why in the world is Jacob reading this weird verse at the beginning of the service with weird names like for Amalia and resin and what in the world was that all about Willis go back Isaiah. It's fingers ready. Let's do the walk in here Isaiah.
in Isaiah 7 and 8
We know that the Kingdom of Israel been divided against the northern kingdom of Israel got the southern Kingdom of Judah Northern Kingdom of Israel was in cahoots with another kingdom and they were fixing to come and gang up on the southern Kingdom King ahaz Wicked King ahaz was King of the Southern Kingdom and the southern Kingdom of Judah was really worried and scared because they knew what was about to happen. and in Isaiah 7 God is finding Isaiah the king ahaz and say listen.
Don't worry trust in God. We can look at this time of this chapter in the days of a has the son of Jonathan's son of Uzziah king of Judah. Rosin the king of Syria and Pica the son of Hermione the king of Israel came out to drusen to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it when the House of David the southern Kingdom of Judah was told styria is in League with f from the heart of a has in the heart of his people should give the Trees of the four shake before the Whitney saying Gods, come on saying don't fear them. I got this under control you trust me. And the Lord said Isaiah go with me. They has you and share some of your son at the end of the condo to the upper pool on the highway to the washers. Feel the same. Be careful. Be quiet. Do not fear. You don't let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stump Sapphire Brands and it's just them next time you getting well, no, we're not supposed to get in arguments with anybody were to be that's pretty good stuff you to smoldering stump Sapphire Brandy. They try that soup time that works in the next.
As you read on we receive that God is is finding this word. Listen. Don't fear them. Trust me. Don't fear them you fear me. Don't fear them you fear me cuz I'm about to spend a stereo on them and going to attack them. You trust me. I've got this now. What a has does his doesn't trust God and makes up his own war horses and losses.
But then we see the beginning of verse 10 to sign of Immanuel verse 14 there for the Lord himself will give you a sign to hold the Virgin shall conceive embarrass son and shall call his name Emmanuel Emmanuel me God will be intertwined in this weird passage hear that Jacob started the service with these prophecies about the one who would come and crush the head of the seed of the serpent right susak rule passed through there and and got to tell him what I'm going to do a whistle for the fly. That's at the end of the streams of Egypt verse 18 for the beat. That's in the land of Assyria least. Tell me what's going to happen. You just say, what's your me? Don't fear them. Don't make up your own device this year. You trust me. It's fear me alone and verse chapter 8 then the Lord said to me take a large tablet right on it and Comic characters belonging to My Hair Salon Posh Paws. I've been practicing that all week and I will get reliable Witnesses your right of the Free by the son of jebara Kia Optima test for me and I went to the prophet that said she can see the Border son in the Lord told me call his name on her show at hospice before the boy knows how to cry my father or my mother the wealth of Damascus in the spoilers to Mary will be carried away for the king of Assyria. So does this sign God's given that listen to this one is going to be my first time that I'm going to come through with this and in those two smoldering stump Sapphire man's going to be taken care of Don't Fear them you fear me first 5 where Jacob picked up this morning Lord spoke to me again because this people have refused the Waters of Shalom that flow gently and rejoice over. Resin the son of her Maya there for behold. The Lord is bringing up against in the waters of the river Gods bring a judge. The northern kingdom and their Associates and he's reminding me has don't worry about them. You just fear me I got this. There's a reason he's called wicked King ahaz, though.
The river Mighty and Minnie the king of Assyria and All His glory in a rise of channels and go over all this makes it was sweep on in the Judith overflowing pass on reaching you to the neck and the shop spring Wings will fill the breath of your land. What? Oh. Emmanuel God With Us
looking first 11 for the Lord spoke this to me with a strong hand up on me and warned me not to walk in the way of this people sing do not call conspiracy. All these people Falls conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear. Here's what Peters telling his audience. He's bringing Isaiah into this what happens right here is Meaningful for Peter for the situation of the Believers in that day and time do not fear what they fear nor be and rabbits the Lord of hosts him. You shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear and let him be your dread and he will become a sanctuary to Stone of a fence in a rock of stumbling that's back and forth Peter 2:8. And as you read three get the chapter 9 of Isaiah.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light those who dwelt in Atlantis deep Darkness on dim light his shine. 4642 us a child is born unto us a son is given Souza Christmas Pastor just left corner trying to make right. The government shall be upon his shoulders name should be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God Everlasting father Prince of Peace. The increase of his government in a piece of urbino in on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and uphold it with Justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The Zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. So go back to First Peter Peter is riding to believers who are suffering and going through struggles because of their Zeal for what is good because of their desire for what is righteous and not what is unrighteous because I've been transformed by God's grace made his children through Jesus Christ. They are in this situation if Peter comes along and he quotes Isaiah and here's this point. Don't fear them you forgot you trust God. Have no fear them nor be troubled but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord Is Holy interesting like he kind of changes the wording of Isaiah and he translates what would have been interpreted in Isaiah's time is Yahweh to Christ as Lord because Jesus is the god man, right? Jesus is
God In the Flesh Emanuel
In your heart's always regard Christ the Lord Is Holy. Always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asked you for a reason for the hope that is in you sometimes this verse makes us think of a courtroom. You ready to give a defense write the word there. The Greek is apologia is where we get the word apologetics, which is a study. We got to give a degree in apologetics right Jacob. Well, we study anyway not mean the ability to go and argue. That's not what the word hear that this means means to give an answer to give a f*** full large achill. Well thought-out answer always being already talking to all of us his followers of Jesus. To make a defense to anyone who asked you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect having a good conscience so that when you are slandered those who Reveal Your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame for it is better to suffer for doing good if that should be God's will. and for doing evil for us today as Peter writes this message, as soon as this message to these Believers in the first century scattered all over modern-day turkey who are going through not not a Organized political suffering that hasn't been exercised yet under Nero that's come later right now. It's just random.
Issues that are cropping up because these were followers of Jesus are different and everybody else and in some situations. It's causing them friction in their life is causing some struggle some persecution. How do you say listen? Don't fear them fear God. What you need to do is Step Christ a part of your heart is Holy. You continue to think the fire Christ in your heart and you simply be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have. What's the hope that we have? The Inheritance
He points back to Isaiah who's talking about the coming Christ. Christ is already coming first Peter and he's pointing them to his second coming right is it you keep your eyes on Jesus your God you be ready? He's assuming listen. He's assuming that every believer has the intellectual capacity to explain why they're different.
Not all of us have studied apologetics not all of us have reason logical answers to you know, the flood and all these questions that people have we have our Bibles right? We haven't studied all this. I'm about to dip my toes in that section here into some weird stuff that I just I'm going to tell you why I think it is what it is and others don't think that
Don't have an answer for that. But here's what we do have an answer if your believe or follower of Jesus you are able you have the intellectual capacity. You have the knowledge to give an account for why you have hope. And we need to be ready to do it not arguing apologetics is not the art of debate. Nobody ever gets debated in the heaven. But with a clear conscience if I got a clear conscience about all the opportunities you had to share the reasons for the hope you have man if I could go back to high school. I knew Jesus and I had so many opportunities, but I was too worried about proving why I wasn't like my dad and wasn't going to be a preacher like my dad. See how that turned out.
Trying to be something other than what I was in Christ I missed opportunities.
I'm so worried about other things that I think that opportunity. I didn't realize it at the time but with a clear conscience. What is always be ready? Just because worst if we are not living in fear this world. We live in fear of God. We also know that there's different now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, right? So what we don't stand like in frightening fear, we stated confident fear of God that he's got it. It in those opportunities. We're giving a platform to share the reason why we have hope. We need to be ready for that. So that was a good conscience. We know we have done but gots called us to do and even in that point when we are splattered those who are revealing us. They're going to Revival us because we're different we're different because we're we have a Zeal for what is good. We have a desire for what is righteous. And in the end that's not going to hold water their arguments. In fact, what we're going to find is favored for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous. His ears are open to their prayer and those who are revealing us simply because we're trying to live for God. What are they going to fight find? Face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Part of living in this world as a follower of Jesus by the will of God for 17 is that we Face suffering.
And as we Face suffering, we know we will be blessed.
And because we're going to be blessed we're going to face suffering because we've been set apart of this world. We're not like this world and it's going to be against now there's something better to see here than just that. So let's quickly move through this verse 18. Here's here's the ground. The really here's here's the here's why we should live that way. Christ also suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. Here's where it gets weird in which she went for claim to the spirits in prison because they formally did not obey when God's patience waited in the days of Noah and the Ark was being prepared in which a few that is a person's were brought safely through water baptism, which corresponds to this now stays you not as removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for good conscience do the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels authorities and Powers having been subjected to him. first and foremost the basis of all of this is the the vicarious substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ the once for all sacrifice for sins suffered, That we were all unrighteousness might become the righteousness of God right that we who were separated from God might have access to God that he might bring us to God Amen. That's a whole sermon right? There is Jesus and his substitutionary sacrificial death on the cross to free us in the make us new people. Whose have a Zeal for what is good and who are living for this world anymore. We had their eyes on something better and are living in view of it rather than living for the ways of this world. And look at the flow here. I'm going to give you theirs there's lots of different. There's at least four different ways of thinking about these. This is the weird part of this text. Two of those I think are acceptable Within. Orthodox Christianity one of them is the one I go with rather than laying all that out and give you a whole bunch of Bible study here. I'm just going to tell you why I believe what I believe. Here's what I believe Peter saying here.
Being put to Death In the Flesh. She died on the cross was very for 3 days and he made alive in the spirit. He resurrected. He lives at the right hand of God, right? He is on the throne. He's alive.
In which she went and Proclaim to the spirits in prison because they formally did not obey when guys patients waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared in which a few that is a person safely through water the point of staying here is this in Noah's day. There was a minority a very very micro minority who trust in God and you will obey God and who were saved on The Ark 8 of them against the whole world that was destroyed by the flood. In our day and time we who are Christ's or minority and we have the word of Christ. That's what we claim to and we shared as we have opportunity, but we will be staying through this even though it we we live in this world that that is outnumbered and so on and so forth. I think that's the correlation here. What does it mean that Christ went and preached to those in prison in those days. So there's several theories to remove give you mine why I think that what it means is
Peter has already told us that the prophet spoke through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit So they spoke God's word. Holy Spirit was right there too. And we speak kind of just trying Beauty and all of this is so when Noah was preaching and saying hey y'all come get on the boat because guys bring a judgment and nobody listened. He wasn't just speaking on his own. He was speaking the word of God. He was speaking by the inspiration of Holy Spirit. He was speaking by Christ the Eternal Son of God the word of God even in the Old Testament is is from God the Father God the son God the holy spirit. It's all right there. It's Old Testament is is is is giving credit to Jesus even in the New Testament is he spoke from his eternal place?
You can go back here some of the arguments. All right, go back to Genesis. There's a part there before the flood that says that the sons of God came to Earth as slept with the daughters of men. Jesus tells us that when he's trying to get into the trying to trip up Jesus on the resurrection and they make up this crazy story about this woman with all these husbands and then ended in eternity which wife was she which husband will be her her husband in eternity and he says hey you don't know the scriptures. You don't know what you're talking about because neither given in marriage or taking a marriage but they're like angels in heaven. I take that to me angels are asexual. There's no
Just leave it like that. Right? So you go back to Genesis. And you say that the sons of God were Fallen Angels who came down and slept with the daughters of men taking what Jesus says then we kind of have an issue. All right, so I don't think what is thing here is that Jesus died while he was in the grave in his fear. He went into the abyss where these evil on Angels were imprisoned. I preach to them.
I don't think some some take this to me that there's a second chance that that even is even the Dead who are apart from Christ. Jesus enough goes and preach to them and gives them another chance. I don't believe that's what scripture teaches right I take a Genesis by the way to mean that the sons of God and the daughters of men to be the line of the seed of the woman in the line of the seat of the flesh. I'm getting all kinds of crazy. It was like, okay like this.
God being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit in which you went for a plane to the spirits in prison, because if we did not obey we got two patients awaited in the day of know how to do that God the Eternal Father Son is Spirit gave there were two the prophets such as Noah who proclaimed the word of God. That's how Jesus preached to them. In the point of it being while the work was being repaired in which a few that is a person's were brought safely through water. Baptism which corresponds to this now saves you. Not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience to the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven. And is that the right hand of God with angels authorities and Powers have been subjected to him. I got to deal with this too. Cuz I don't want anybody to be confused. It says baptism which corresponds to this. So anyway, you got this minority of people on Ark who passed through the floods to the water and that corresponds them how to our baptism when we place our faith in Jesus Christ, and we are baptized at the symbol of that Faith. It's finished here baptism, which corresponds to this now saves you add. It does not save you because Peter Goes On At Elders Not as removal of dirt for the body baptism doesn't do something magical doesn't clean you and make you righteous. What is an appeal to God for good conscience what baptism is is a living illustration of a reality and a heart that we have set price apart in our hearts that he transformed this made us new just as he died and rose again, we had him it died and rose again and it's the peel this public appeal for good conscious and we have been made new in Jesus. All right there. Baptism doesn't save you supporting his beautiful because it reflects the Republican to the world that you are brand new that you're no longer a part of this world. You now have a Zeal for what it's good. You set apart Christ in your heart. You don't belong to the here and now you belong to him and your eyes are on a different Price Rite. now who has gone through for good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ who has gone into heaven and has the right hand of God with angels authorities and Powers having been subjected to him. Here's what here's what you're saying. Jesus suffered the once for all sacrifice for sins He did that in order to save us in the bring us to God. I listened were called to lift Faithfully in the midst of suffering. We don't do it for the same reason as Jesus. Did it Jesus? Did it The Stave us when we looked at our eyes on Jesus and persevere where that are not staving anybody else, right? But we have him this 4Runner in our eyes are on him. And when we follow him what belongs to Jesus is going to belong to us and he suffered the king of glory suffered and he gave us to make us right with God and not he rules over every Power that be the rules over the Demonic rules over everything. He's the king of kings and Lord of lords. So for those of us who face win if while we're facing stuff free while we are facing tribulation simply because we don't belong to this Fallen World, but we spent Jesus apart of the heart. We have this hope. We're going to be blessed. Because of what Jesus has done we know what's going to be but because we set up our genes that are life. We're going to live in Conflict to this world. But take heart. Jesus rules over all And when he returns we will be blessed and will be joint heirs with Jesus. We will be exalted we will be Vindicated. See what we like to do, especially when the going gets tough. When we get pressed and we put the old.
Maybe it's just me. I don't like getting pressed. I don't like it. My my feathers ruffled I get defensive.
I'm not looking for an opportunity to share the hope that I have I want to protect myself and when I gets planted I want to be Vindicated right? I don't want my name to be drug through the mud. I don't want to false bad reputation. What is going to happen? Because we live in Conflict to a world that does not have the things of God in mind and because we are different there's going to be that conflict and what Peter staying listen don't fear that. You're going to be blessed.
You're going to be Vindicated you put your eyes on Jesus. you take up your cross and follow Jesus who has been exalted who has been Vindicated who is already Victorious because in him you will be
Don't worry about Justice. You just live out the grace that is yours to Jesus Master to buy your head to close your eyes. I don't know where you're at today how perhaps this applies to you. Perhaps this morning you're being pressed.
Perhaps this morning you are facing. trouble Hey.
I know for a fact in our church family. Pain has caused a doubt.
Lost his caused doubt.
This world is falling.
this world is
under the effects of the Fall. There is sitting and there is staffed and there is tears and their sickness.
There is persecution.
And I know for a fact that our first response is so often not to see Jesus.
Stand up for ourselves. 1st MidAmerica
We have this we have this problem of celebrity Worship in America. Is the pain and suffering and hurt and harm and those kinds of things is not a prized. Value in America. That means the opposite of blessing. It's easy for us to store to get things. confused and when the going gets tough to begin to think God doesn't really love you or maybe God doesn't even exist.
When the fact is because you are his you were going to be at odds with this world the effects of sin in the fall in this world. Still going to haunt us and hurt us. We still will die, but we will be blessed because death is at the end, right?
So today, I don't know what you're facing what you're struggling with, but I want you to be encouraged.
once you be encouraged We get to the Book of Revelation. We have all this.
this reminder of what God did in the Old Testament how he his people were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. But how he delivered them? do the Red Sea on dry ground
and there's this beautiful passage in Revelation. It says in that day when Christ returns, we will sing the new song of Moses and will be brought through on dry ground.
We will be blessed in Jesus.
But in the meantime, we are sojourners. We are just passing through this place. We don't belong. and there's going to be trouble
and that trouble is not an accident that trouble is not beyond the sovereignty of God
But it is the path. to the price
So whatever you're struggling with right now, whatever pain you're dealing with whatever thing it is in your heart that you just can't quite understand and you sort of throw out there and question God's goodness.
Because you're living in fear of this world. Listen, don't fear. This world you fear God. You trust God you look to Jesus. Who suffered but who is been exhausted and know that in Christ we who are suffering will be exalted with him. That's our hope in her confidence. I'm going to pray for us. We're going to have another song. I'll be here to pray with you Matt Jacobs and Lacey. And Lisa John become in the back over there, and we just want to pray with you man, if you're dealing with. Stuff. This is the time. We just get together as brothers and sisters. We pray for one another. We courage one another maybe this morning give your recognizing you've never you've never look to Jesus. You've never put your faith in Jesus. And today you recognize you need Jesus to change you would give you his deal for what is good.
We'll talk about baptism. Maybe you recognize until you've never been baptized biblically as a symbol of your faith. You never made it out work profession of your inward reality you relationship with Jesus. Who is talk about that? See what the Bible has to say about that? Summer Frey and we're going to have a song here just sort of a time of response.
Yeah, we love you were thankful for your word were thankful for your promises.
What sometimes in your words are there some things we just don't quite understand like Even in our passes this morning different interpretations and so on and so forth.
But load the point of your word is still clear.
To help us not to get caught up on my new show. Let's remember. Point of your word and the encouragement that it gives us to trust you. To know that you are in every situation good and love.
It's a no always despite the situation.
That because we were in Christ.
We will be blessed.
I'm at day Christ returns, but we've begun our celebration of Advent. It's so hard for us to get back in the mindset of the Old Testament when they just were longing for the coming of the promised one. And won't load on this side of the manger and on this side of the Cross. We know that the coming one has come but we also celebrate Advent because we await and long and anticipate for the day he returns again.
God we long for that day. But in the meantime God give us faith. It was perseverance. Give us Trust.
Give us a clear conscience that we had every opportunity post about your goodness rather than our self-defense.
I got this Christmas season. I pray more than more than ever that you would press into a hearts these truths. That your light might shine brighter even as Darkness seems to get thicker.
In these few moments. We pray that you would break our hearts. That you would steer our consciences. She would have your way in a store help us today to set Christ apart in our hearts. What if there's not a Zeal for goodness in our hearts God we pray that you would increase that she would give us repentance.
So may we be the fine, but I fear in you alone. I'm praising Jesus name Amen Let stand at singing worship and respond as the Lord leads us.