Standing up to a virus
Coronavirus • Sermon • Submitted
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28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Hold this truth in faith. Hold this and reflect on this reality.
24 Now in this hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, because who hopes for what he sees?
31 infected, 2 loved people died. in San Joaquin County.
1,200 people in california infected
31 infected, 2 loved people died. in San Joaquin County.
1,200 people in California infected
307,377 people in the world infected
564,000 filing unemployment claims in California this past week
254,996 confirmed infections. 10,444 loved people died. This represents 0.004% of the world's population infected.
87,351 people have recovered. (📷coronavirus.jhu.edu)
*some numbers are up to the minute, some are March 19.
13,048 deaths in the past three months in the world
27 deaths in California
564,000 filing unemployment claims in California this past week
Thanks for tuning in to the horrible news network.
Thanks for tuning in to the horrible news network.
I want to start with reality which is those are the actual numbers and God is still at work. He is Alive!
Pastor Harry truly gave us a word from the Lord last week that in a crisis people look to
Denial or Control
Denial or Control
I caught myself so many times so mad that I had lost control of my freedom, my job, my perceived control of my plans.
How many of you joined me this week in realizing it is almost impossible to make plans right now.
Denial is ripe as well isn’t it? From some claiming that we need to stop worrying about the future, hunker down, and we can go back, it will be just like a long Christmas break. To others claiming that the disease isn’t that big of deal and they are going to do whatever they desire to do.
One way we have tried to control is get information, get the truth is even hard to find and tough to grasp. So much bad rumors, falsehoods, projections, speculations.
The truth is even hard to find and tough to grasp.
Truly Control has slipped from our hands and denial peaks up in innocent ways.
I made a mistake this week. I was talking with my nephew’s and his wife about her brother.
“That is the least of our worries”
God is not denying our pain, He hears even the least of our worries.
3 He heals the brokenhearted
and bandages their wounds.
4 He counts the number of the stars;
he gives names to all of them.
God is limitless in his concern and in his ability to comfort.
Your grief is valid; God hears your heart cry.
Your grief is valid; God hears your heart cry.
Some of you are mourning your favorite restaurant, others loss of achievements, others employment, and the death of a person. Some are anxious as they go to work.
Part of loving our neighbor as ourselves is to follow Paul’s example
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.
:!5
Now about your fear.
Perfect love casts out fear.
I was asked if this is the beginning of the end, if this means Jesus is close to coming back.
My response
Yes, that’s how time works the end of the world is always getting closer. It can’t get farther away.
I wasn’t asked if this was the end of the world back in January when China was going through hell. We haven’t asked if the world was ending when over 24,000 Rohingya people were killed 2 years ago, that’s more than double all the people killed in the world by Coronavirus.
Does that mean that Coronavirus isn’t serious? No, It is very serious. But so were they and so are the current 6.5 million Syrian refugees close to the heart of God.
Their is a saying in economics. A recession is when your neighbor loses their job. A depression is when you lose your job.
Yet friends just because it is happening to us, doesn’t make it more important to God than when it is happening to them. Whoever they are.
God cares about you.
God cares about you.
Our faith is not .
Our faith is not .
Jesus cares about you and cares about everyone else
Jesus cares about you and cares about everyone else
You can believe 100% in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will still face grief. The only way to not face grief is to die before ever loving another.
Peter was crucified. Paul beheaded. Christians through the centuries and even today have been killed, raped, mutilated, denied work, and lived life in poverty but didn’t deny Christ.
Your faith does not protect you from heatache.
As I began to reflect on my situation in life and on the very uncertain future. I was so angry. Anger is one of the stages of grief if you don’t know. At that moment I went to prayer and the Lord reminded me of this verse
This past week I was so angry. Anger is one of the stages of grief if you don’t know. At that moment I went to prayer.
19 And my God will supply all your needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Ever heard your parents say, “You may want that but you don’t need it?”
God is near us. God will provide. At the same time, everything is different.
The world is not going back to the way it was in November.
Lot, was told by God through angels that his home was going to be destroyed.
The angels told him to get any of his family run and leave the city. His son-in-laws thought it was no big deal and they died.
The angels told Lot to run and don’t look back. Lot, his daughters, and his wife ran but his wife looked back and died.
Lot and his daughters survived but his daughters thought they had to take care of their own needs, that they were abandoned by everyone and did the unspeakable with thier father.
When Jesus spoke of the end of time, he also told us how to live every day,
32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to make his life secure will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
The temptation today is to be overally concerned about yourself, your family, your feelings, your money.
This are real concerns!
If you are unemployed today I urge you to look for work online immediately. If you need help today I urge you to get help today.
But if you are freaked out today, fearful of tomorrow, you feel abandoned and we start doing sinful things like hoarding, spreading lies, stealing, committing fraud, being reckless, because we are afraid. Here the words of Jesus
24 If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will save it. 25 What will you gain, if you own the whole world but destroy yourself or waste your life?
Our lives are past. If you are waiting to return to life as you know it, stop waiting.
Our leaders have said a few weeks and then they said a few months. They are doing the best and we are going to pray for them but rest in this God knows.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
30 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 31 What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. 32 People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.
30 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 31 What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. 32 People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. 33 Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
I love this description of the
Seek God’s kingdom in your home. Speak openly of how Jesus saved you as you talk on the phone to your friends and neighbors
28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.