Toil Of Obedience

INTRO

Good afternoon. I want to speak to you all this afternoon as your pastor. I have had a heavy heart and a full mind over these past few weeks. As a people, as the church, we are faced with issues that we must respond to. Very few times, will I, or have I ever taken a Sunday to speak to current issues, but this afternoon the text we find ourselves in I believe gives us some footing for the issues that are plaguing us over the recent months as weeks. As Christians we have convictions about things. We have beliefs and stances about issues that are happening right now throughout our world. When you look at systemic injustice, in America and also in China, or you look at the world crisis of Covid-19 and the economic strain that has placed on people, we as Christians have been given tools by our Lord Jesus that helps us respond to these things. At times you may feel helpless. At times you may feel, what can I do? You may even give into despair, that says “This is just how things will be”. But I want you to know that Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church, has not left you, has not left His church powerless in these times. I want to talk about the toil of faith. There is a grind, a hard work, when it comes to obedience to Christ and when it comes to faith. Mark is going to show us 4 things about Christ that can encourage you, and remind you that in this fight, in this toil of obedience, Jesus has not left us alone, nor has he left us powerless. Let’s stand for the reading of God’s word:

We believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully man He is the 200% perfect man. Therefore I think in one aspect Jesus was praying that He would not succumb to the temptation of the crowds. Jesus knows how God the Father has planned for Jesus to be exalted as King and it’s through the cross, and yet we know that Jesus was tempted in every way possible and yet victorious. Here He is praying what He prayed in the Garden, “Not my will Father, not the crowds will, but YOUR WILL ABOVE ALL BE DONE. IN YOUR WAY”

TOIL(sin) spinning wheels, creation, fall, redemption, Jesus getting in boat everything dies down ultimately we will be delivered from that in Heaven.