“Trust in the Lord”

The Sateré-Mawé, an indigenous Amazonian tribe, have a very powerful way of differentiating prospective warriors from their fake counterparts. They sedate bullet ants, whose sting is akin to being shot, and then weave them into leaf gloves. Initiates wear the gloves for several minutes and must withstand the stings of hundreds of these ants as they come out of their sedated torpor. One sting causes unimaginable pain, and yet the inductees must withstand the suffering with restrained dignity (they cannot holler).

One such ordeal would be sufficient to test anyone’s toughness, and yet the young men must endure this tribulation twenty separate times. If all it took to become a warrior was the completion of ten push-ups, nearly everyone could complete the task. ... (It is) a rite of passage that serves as an honest signal of toughness and courage, and you’ve solved the problem of identifying the fakers.

Great picture of what it means to suffer for Christ and why its important. Suffering and pain continue to be that which causes us to differentiate between the genuine authentic believers from the unauthentic. The true from the phony. The real from the fake. Suffering, trials and tribulations are those things that cause us to find out what it is that we really believe. What it is that we truly seek. What it is that we truly desire. Our faith is being tested. And not only do we find out how weak or strong our faith is, we develop the wonderful characteristic called perseverance. And when perseverance finishes it work we will be mature complete and not lacking in anything. This is why true Christians will rejoice in their suffering. But the disingenuous? They leave. True Christians will understand an important principle.

A famous evangelist told the following incident: I have a friend who in a time of business recession lost his job, a sizable fortune, and his beautiful home. To add to his sorrow, his precious wife died; yet he tenaciously held to his faith -- the only thing he had left. One day when he was out walking in search of employment, he stopped to watch some men who were doing stonework on a large church. One of them was chiseling a triangular piece of rock. 'Where are you going to put that?' he asked. The workman said, 'Do you see that little opening up there near the spire? Well, I'm shaping this stone down here so that it will fit in up there.' Tears filled my friend's eyes as he walked away, he got new meaning to his troubled situation.

We grow. We mature. We recognize our purpose. We see our place. We learn. We develop. We need to develop. We are gonna be kings and queens in the kingdom of heaven. You don’t want the angels upset that you will rule over them. We are being shaped. We are being groomed here today.

Yet today for many of us… we waste our suffering. Instead of maturing and getting stronger, we need the Lord to bail us out. Instead of developing and growing, we gotta get rescued. Instead of shinning our light in the darkness, the Lord’s gotta pull the plug.

How are we doing with all the suffering and calamity and hardship today? Do we see Christianity today as a better way to live? Is Christianity merely our best shot for a thriving life? Is Christianity just something you are trying out today to see if it works for you? Is Christianity simply the best thing we got right now and hopefully one day something better will come along? Is Christianity just something that is just working for me right now? Or do we say like peter in the face of tragedy, where else will we go? We gots lots we are all going through. He gives and takes away. Will we still say today blessed be the name of the Lord?

Habakkuk 3:17–19 NLT

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. (For the choir director: This prayer is to be accompanied by stringed instruments.)

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.

Loss of Lifestyle

More then Enough

The God of Our Salvation

The first thing we will look at today is the real loss of life and lifestyle for Habakkuk and the people of God and how we still experience hardship today. Second, we will look at how Christianity has shown more than enough to give His people hope. Finally, we will see the beauty of the salvation we have in Christ and how it is the hope that will sustain us .

Thesis: Though sin and the pattern fo this world may cause us to lose hope in Christ in the face of suffering, it is the truth of scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit that will give us the hope that no matter what we face in life we will always rejoice in the God of our salvation.

I. Loss of Lifestyle

- We fear the loss of lifestyle.

A. In Verse 17 Habakkuk describes a picture of what it was in ancient times to lose lifestyle and life. The loss of figs, fruits, and olives shows that the land ravaged by war with the Babylonians would no longer provide the choicest of resources for lifestyle. The Babylonians would leave the people without means of the luxuries of figs, the fruit of the vine, and the healing and perfuming provisions of the olive tree.

B. These products of luxury were mentioned in the scriptures as important and most sought after resources in the land. Judgement came and the armies destroyed the precious.

Joel 1:7 NLT

It has destroyed my grapevines and ruined my fig trees, stripping their bark and destroying it, leaving the branches white and bare.

C. And the prophet continues to deepen the calamity. Sure in ancient times for many survival without luxury is clear but it gets worse. Gone are the fields, the flocks and the cattle. This is a picture of the foundational necessary products for daily life. The staple diet in Palestine was wheat and barley. No more milk or meat provided by the cattle and no more wool for clothing or merchandising.

D. The picture is clear. This would be a clear economic and social disaster for the prophet and the people of the land. They would lose life as they no it, and even life itself. Not just loss of lifestyle, but life. None of the needs and pleasures in life would be available for the people.

Bailey and Barker writes,

Together, the losses spelled economic disaster and devastating loss of hope—loss of their daily provisions, loss of their economic strength, loss of the Lord’s blessing due to their sin.

E. This is the face of trials and tribulation to the maximum. It is clear life hardship. It is clear suffering for the people. It is clearly a reason to lose hope.

F. And what Habakkuk is describing today serves as the detrimental to faith common today. What I mean by this is… Of all the years of being a pastor I have to say that trials and tribulations are the number one reason why people walk away from Christ today. You might think… Oh Shane I just saw and read something that convinced me that God does not exist… happens but not very common. Shane I watched a documentary that made me believe something different. I met a girl and she told me to reject Christ and she will be my girlfriend. If I turn from Christ a company told me they would give me a raise and a promotion.

G. It remains for me and also testified by other pastors I know… it is suffering that causes people to lose hope in Christ and will then walk away from Him. When things in life go bad… people lose hope and walk away.

Shane you don’t understand I have been praying and praying for God to save my marriage but He didn’t. Bye. I have been need God to help me out of financial hardship, but he does not help me. Bye. I have been need Jesus to heal me of my sickness and disease and he does not help me. Bye. My life is a bad life I am not accomplishing any of my goals and He is not helping. Bye. My life is just one disaster after another. Bye. Times is hard hard hard very hard… He does not make it go way. Bye. I’m looking for success in life… if he does not give it to me what good is He. Bye. You said my life would be better, its not. Bye. You said I would have peace, I don’t. Bye. You said I would have the good life, I don’t. Bye.

H. This happens all the time. But its not like it is a surprise to our Lord.

Matthew 13:20–21 NLT

The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

I. As soon as we got problems in life we gone. Suffering for many results in anger, rebellion, disappointment, and the crushing of hope.

J. Ted Turner, the cable TV Mogul, said he had a strict Christian upbringing and at one time considered becoming a missionary. "I was saved seven or eight times," the newspaper quoted him as saying. But he said he became disenchanted with Christianity after his sister died, despite his prayers. Turner said the more he strayed from his faith, "the better I felt." 

K. But why is this the case? It is a clear misunderstanding resulting from the dominant philosophical methodology in our culture today. It is pragmatism… thinking of or dealing with problems in a practical way, rather than by using theory or abstract principles. Are things in your life working for you? Are they making your life better? Are you finding these things to be successful? Are these things giving you a happy life?

L. So as you can see… People turn from Christianity when there is pain and suffering, because its just not working for us. My dreams are not coming through. I’m not prospering. My problems are not going away. I just don’t feel like Christianity is helping me at all.

II. More than Enough

- Rejoice in the God of our salvation.

A. But there is hope. But remember that our hope is not found in what we need him to do now. But our hope rests in what He has done already. Habakkuk continues to say I have heard… and we went through all that he heard God has done. All that he has heard that gave him hope to rejoice in God. But the amazing grace of God and His salvation did not stop after Habakkuk’s time. What else has He done.

B. Have you heard that the Babylonians came and brought the judgement of God upon Judah He brought His justice in the land. Did you know that many of the people of God were taken into captivity in the land of Babylon fulfilling His Word if there was disobedience in the land. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Did you know that even while they were in captivity, the Lord was still with them? Did you know that the wonders of God continued in the revelations given to Jeremiah. Did you hear about the incredible visions and messages given to the prophet Ezekiel with the wheel within the wheel, the chariot, the throne and the incredible picture of the valley of dry bones. Did you know that the king of Babylon made a stature for all to worship, but Shadrach mishac and abednego refused to bow and was thrown into a furnace and was not consumed. The God of our Salvation.

C. Did you know that the finger of God wrote a message of judgement on the wall. Did you know that Daniel was thrown into the lions den and he was not destroyed. It is the God of our salvation. Did you know that Israel was saved from captivity with the decree of Cyrus and they were set free. Did you know that by the power and grace of God in the face of all opposition finished rebuilding the city. Did you know that by the grace of God even the temple was rebuilt. Did you know that the Lord showed Daniel that the Persians would be defeated by Alexander and that is exactly what happened. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Did you know that when Israel was under the oppression of Atiocus Epiphanes the Maccabeans and Hasmoneans arose to protect the priests and the temple of God.

D. Did you hear about the angel that told Zechariah that he would have a son. Did you hear that an angel told Mary that she would have a son. Joseph was told by an angel that Mary would have a son conceived by the Holy Spirit. Zechariah was filled with the Spirit and he prophesied. Did you hear that the Son of God Jesus was born in a manger and an angel would make the announcement. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Did you hear that John the Baptist declared that the kingdom of God is at Hand. Did you hear that Jesus was baptized by John and God the father from Heaven declared Him to be His Son and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a Dove. Jesus turned water into wine. He healed the officials son. He dealt with the demoniac in Capernum. He healed Peter’s mother in law. They got a really really big catch. A leper was healed. A prarlitic was delivered, the widows son was raised form the dead. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Jesus calmed the raging storm. He told the woman with a blood problem that its not longer an issue.

E. Did you hear that Jesus brought life to Jarius’ daughter, he walked on water, he fed 5000 men and their families. Jesus healed 10 lepars. Jesus raised Lazarus. Jesus cursed the fig tree. Jesus healed the severed ear. We rejoice in the God of our salvation. Did you hear that Jesus took upon his shoulders the sins of the world and carried it all the way to the Cross. Did you know that Jesus took a theif on the cross next to Him to paradice that day. Did you know that when Jesus died darkness came over the land, the curtain of the temple tore, there was a huge earthquake, and the saint came out of their tombs. Did you know that in 3 days there was a new creation when Jesus came out the tomb alive and well making all things new. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Did you hear that Jesus ascended into heaven promising to His people the comforter, the counselor, the Holy Spirit.

F. Did you hear about John and Peter healing the lame man. People started speaking in different tongues. You mean to tell me that someone got heald by touching Peter’s shadow? Prison doors were open by an angel. Peter raised Tabitha and Paul raised Eutychus for falling asleep during his sermon. And Paul healed all the sick in Malta. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Did you hear that even though the Temple was destroyed by the Romans, the Gospel of Jesus began to spread further and further throughout the world. Did you know that the ancient early Apologist defended the truth of the Gospel from early false teachers and heretics. And because of the false teachings out there we found by the mighty hand of the the formation and final canonization of the Bible in the 5th century. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation.

G. Have you heard how Christianity continued to spread and influence the world through the ministries of Charlemange and the infamous Gengis Kahn. And in the 16th century when the Body of Christ began to falter the Lord moved upon the hearts of Wycliff, Hus, Zwingli, Luther, Viret, Calvin, and the work of Thomas Cranmer in England to bring back the purity of the Gospel of Jesus in the reformation. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. Did you know that the Lord continued to use persecution to spread the good news of the Gospel throughout the world as the Puritans and Separatists bring it to the New World. The Lord continues to move upon the hearts of His believers in America as a group of baptists decide to pool resources to send missionaries throughout the world. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation. In 1845 they would form the Southern Baptist Convention. And by the power of God have become the one ministry who have sent the most missionaries and have over 14 million members.

H. And have you heard that in the mid 20th century a group of Southern Baptist decided to plant a church in Aurora Colorado to declare the Gospel of Jesus making disciples of nations. And have you heard that Central Baptist Church is still here and did you hear that last week, in the face of cultural opposition, in the face of pragmatism, in the face of cultural and political unrest, in the face of continued moral decay, and in the face of a worldwide pandemic, they are still declaring to the world that we are not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus. He is alive, there is life and life more abundant, and that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose. We rejoice in the God of our Salvation.

III. The God of our Salvation

- The power of God for Salvation

A. Man if that is not enough to give us to give us hope. Then nothing will. But that is kinda the thing. It is the insanity of sin. It is sin that causes us to lose sight of all the truths of scripture. It is sin that causes us to lose hope when there is no reason to lose hope. It is the enemy. It is the downfall. It is our death. The wages of sin is death. But as we have seen, we can have hope.

B. We can rejoice in the God of our salvation because Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures and he was buried and was raised from the death all according to the scriptures. We can rejoice in the God of our salvation because Jesus came into this world to seek and save that which was lost. We can rejoice in the God of our salvation because Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners. We can rejoice in the God of our salvation because he became sin who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

C. The promises continue… if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead we will be saved. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

D. Christ has come to make all things new. He has made all things new. And because he has done what he has done, no matter what we may face in life. All things work together for the good of those who love God and are call according to his good purpose.

E. Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding bu tin all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.