All Eyes on Jesus

There are many kinds of pain in life: physical, emotional, spiritual. My wife has been nursing a cold or allergies the last couple days, and has almost lost her voice. Our sister in Christ, Yvonne, has struggled with shingles the last few weeks. I have a Pastor friend who has been dealing with depression for the last few years.

Pain does different things to different people. Some turn to drugs and alcohol to cover it up. Others ignore it and bury it, thinking it will go away, except, ultimately anything buried alive will resurrect itself. Some people turn to church—not God—to ease their pain. They see the smiling faces in television churches, see pastors who smile and promise nothing but wonderful things for their lives.

But, is this the real view of the Christian life? According to God’s Word the answer is “No.” In the Epistle for today from Hebrews, we see that where there’s no pain, there’s no gain, and

The Way through Pain to Gain Is by Keeping Our Eyes on Jesus

So today we will address the fact that (I). Pain is a Reality; (II). Almost All Gains Come Through Pain; and (III). The Way Christians Can Make it Though the Pains of Life is to See their Pain in Light of the Cross. Let us pray: Lord Jesus, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of each heart, be acceptable in Your sight, for You are our Rock and Redeemer. Amen.

I. Pain is a Reality

I. Pain is a Reality.

What was the most painful moment of your life? For each person, that answer will be different. Perhaps it is a divorce, abuse, neglect. For me it was seven years ago: My mother died the end of April 2012, Tanya’s dad died the first of July 2012, my dad died the first of August 2012, and the first of October that same year I felt the knife of betrayal from the hand of my best friend, causing a whole host of people I trusted to turn on me, which lasted for nearly 8-months. As I get to know many of you, I know that we each have our own pain that we live with.

B. No matter what pain you name, all of it is sin-related.

No matter what pain you name, all of it is sin-related.

Sin has marred everything God has created. One of the ways the effects of sin show up in our lives is through pain.

1. Sin has marred everything God has created. One of the ways the effects of sin show up in our lives is through pain.

We can deny it or try to ignore it, but that does not deal with it. Eventually, the root problem must be dealt with.

2. We can deny it or try to ignore it, but that does not deal with it. Eventually, the root problem must be dealt with.

How do you deal with the pain that is a part of your life today?

C. How do you deal with the pain that is a part of your life today?

1. Do you turn to the Word of God for answers? deny there is a problem? or simply ignore the problem?

Do you turn to the Word of God for answers? Deny there is a problem? or Simply ignore the problem?

2. Maybe you turn to a church for answers. Maybe you have joined this church thinking that by becoming a Christian, you can get rid of your problems and pain. The truth of the matter is you have only signed up for more pain in this life—not less.

Maybe you turn to a church for answers. Maybe you have joined this church thinking that by becoming a Christian, you can get rid of your problems and pain. The truth of the matter is you have only signed up for more pain in this life—not less.

And the truth of the matter is that the Devil will use our pain to set a trap for us that is designed to cause us to fall away from the faith.

So, let’s look at some of the greatest people of faith and ask this question: “How did they get through the pain?” The answer may surprise you.

II. Almost all Gains Come Through Pain

The first example given in the reading today is Abraham.

1. He is often called “the father of the faithful.”

He is often called “the father of the faithful.”

Yet even the father of the faithful had his share of trials and pain along the way. Abraham’s most painful moments are found in , where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to Him.

2. Yet even the father of the faithful had his share of trials and pain along the way. Abraham’s most painful moments are found in , where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to him.

3. How did Abraham make it through that trial? V 19 gives us the answer: “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” Even in the most difficult of circumstances, Abraham focused on God rather than on the circumstances.

How did Abraham make it through that trial? V 19 gives us the answer: “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” Even in the most difficult of circumstances, Abraham focused on God rather than on the circumstances.

The second example in this section is Moses.

B. The second example in this section is Moses.

Moses may not come to your mind when you think of suffering and pain.

1. Moses may not come to your mind when you think of suffering and pain.

2. However, consider for a moment that Moses was a highly cultured person growing up in Pharaoh’s house. His compassion for his people led him out of the palace and into the desert of Midian, where he tended sheep for forty years.

However, consider for a moment that Moses was a highly cultured person growing up in Pharaoh’s house. His compassion for his people — the Hebrews — led him out of the palace and into the desert of Midian, where he tended sheep for forty years.

3. Moses suffered because he trusted God more than he loved his position and power. He looked forward to what was ahead of him rather than what was behind him.

Moses suffered because he trusted God more than he loved his position and power. He looked forward to what was ahead of him rather than what was behind him.

The third example is the prophets and patriarchs.

C. The third example is the prophets and patriarchs.

In vv 29–38, we find the third example of pain in the prophets and patriarchs. Look at the list of what these faithful men and women went through and the pain they suffered. Any volunteers today to be stoned? sawed in two? scourged? imprisoned? mocked? wearing clothes of goatskins? living in a cave? tortured?

1. In vv 29–38, we find the third example of pain in the prophets and patriarchs. Look at the list of what these faithful men and women went through and the pain they suffered. Any volunteers today to be stoned? sawed in two? scourged? imprisoned? mocked? wearing clothes of goatskins? living in a cave? tortured?

All were able to do this because their focus was heavenward.

2. All were able to do this because their focus was heavenward.

All of the people listed above suffered pain in this life—some more than you and I can imagine. They knew an important truth: that God is faithful, and where there is pain there is also gain. Football players understand. They go through a lot—lifting weights, working out, practicing each day during the season, and enduring injuries along the way. Why do they do it? Each one has one dream—of winning the Super Bowl. The same is true in our spiritual lives. Apart from pain, there is no gain. As Christians, it’s not a question of if we’re going to suffer. The only questions are when and how.

III. The way Christians Can Make it Through the Pains of Life is to See their Pains in Light of the Cross

All of the people listed in have two things in common with us.

They were sinners.

1. They were sinners.

2. They had faith.

They had faith.

B. We have something that they did not: the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus.

BUT, We have something that they did not: the fulfillment of God’s promises in Jesus.

1. They knew the Messiah was coming.

They knew the Messiah was coming, AND they longed for that time.

We can look back to the cross of Jesus and see God’s promise fulfilled.

2. We can look back to his cross.

We can look back to the cross of Christ to see our pain dealt with once and for all. As we look back, we remember what the prophet Isaiah wrote in . Our pains are nothing compared to the pain he bore on our behalf.

C. We can look back to the cross of Christ to see our pain dealt with once and for all. As we look back, we remember what the prophet Isaiah wrote in . Our pains are nothing compared to the pain he bore on our behalf.

We can look back to the cross of Christ to see our pain dealt with once and for all. As we look back, we remember what the prophet Isaiah wrote in . Our pains are nothing compared to the pain he bore on our behalf.

Isaiah 53:4–5 NASB95

Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

The Psalmist reminds us:

Psalm 55:22 NASB95

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

The word, “Cast”, is an “Imperative.” An imperative is often seen as a command like, “take out the trash.” But this imperative falls into the category as a Gospel Imperative, which says, “Come here, because I have something for you.”

Isaiah 53:4–5 NASB95

Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Psalm 55:22 NASB95

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Gospel imperatives are intended to be a great source of comfort in times of suffering.

D. As we continue our race, there will be pain. How can we endure it? By looking to the cross, to Jesus, who now is seated in heaven at the finish line. When we focus on him, our pain doesn’t go away, but we can bear it because we see what Jesus did for us, and we see what’s coming as well.

As we continue this race in life, there will be pain. How can we endure it? By looking to the cross, looking to Jesus, who now is seated in heaven at the finish line. When we focus on Him, our pain doesn’t go away, but we can bear it because we see what Jesus did for us, and we see the beauty of what’s coming as well. We can “cast our burden upon the Lord” because He will see us through the pain and suffering that we are living in today, to His promises fulfilled in us.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.