The Why and the Who.
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 8 viewsNotes
Transcript
I would be safe to say that those who know the Paul family have spent some time over these last few day Shedding tears, mourning and are asking the question “WHY?”
CRYING
Many of us might have been raised in the culture that viewed CRYING as something that wasn’t showing strength. It wasn’t something that was good for a person to do.
It would make people uncomfortable.
I have to admit that early in my marriage I didn’t like to see my wife cry.
I have learned though that crying is good for you.
Some might even say that its “Good for the soul.”
Humanly speaking, crying is not something that is isolated to us mere mortals.
Understanding that Christ is fully human as well as fully divine
We read in John 11:35 “Jesus wept.”
There are two different Greek words for wept .... Dakryo (one tear) - Klaio (Intense weeping)
“Jesus wept” - Dakryo
Luke 19:41 - “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,” - Klaio
He simply shed a tear as if to say to those around Him that He was Master of the situation, even if that situation was death. Our Lord is never said to have wept aloud as if wailing, except when He stood over unrepentant Jerusalem in Luke 19:41, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, [being unrepentant and having rejected Him] and wept [éklausen {2799}, wept aloud] over it.” Before the dead Lazarus He simply shed a tear, but before unrepentant Jerusalem He shows deep, loud grief in crying.
Nothing makes the Lord Jesus more sorrowful than when He is rejected as the Savior that He came to be.
I share this with us today to help us see .... Jesus Cries!
Our culture views crying as a weakness.
If this is how they view it then listen to this as I read a passage from Hebrews 4:15–16 (ESV)
15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
In our weakness, by drawing near to God, we will RECEIVE Mercy .... we will FIND Grace to help in these times of need.
There is those of us who have experienced times where in our weakness we had no idea what to do or say!
God understands though!
Romans 8:26–27 (ESV)
26Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
27And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
In our weakness the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.
Those moments where no words can be produced .... The Holy Spirit intercedes.
When we think of mourning, our culture really doesn’t know what to do with it or how to handle it.
Many, when they do mourn, do it alone!
There is a time to mourn by yourself.
There is a time to mourn with your spouse.
There is a time to mourn with family and friends.
But know this when it comes to mourning ....
Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
God is with you!
Scripture goes on to tell us ....
Matthew 5:4 (ESV)
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
The word blessed means free from daily cares and worries.
We are blessed (free from daily cares and worries) by Gods comfort.
What we might be struggling with today is the “WHY?”
I don’t thin we will walk away today with an assurance in our hearts to the question “WHY.”
We will not find peace in the answer to the question “Why.”
We will not find comfort in the answer to the question “Why.”
Because the question “Why” cannot be fully answered.
The reason it cannot be fully answered in our hearts is because we are not God.
We dwell in the physical realm / God dwells in the physical and the spiritual.
We can get a glimpse of the spiritual but until we pass from the physical to the spiritual we will not understand the full satisfactory answer to the questions “WHY.”
But here is what we can walk away with today .... the answer to the “Who?”
What we all want in life is peace and comfort / love and assurance!
The answer to the “why” will never be fully satisfied.
But the answer to the “WHO” can be.
Who will bring about the fulfillment of life, bring about peace and comfort, love and assurance ..... JESUS.
Gods word is so clear about this
I Peter 5:7 is one of many verses.
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
Here is one that I hope would bring comfort to the family today ......
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
John, Dee Dee .....
I know where Gabe is at this moment .... I trust you have peace, comfort and assurance about the same thing.
My prayer would be is that you let that be what sustains you!
Someone listening today might be asking “How can you be sure where Gabe is today?”
Because I have heard many of you mention attributes about Gabe:
..... He was kind, loving, caring, gentle spirit, he ha a calmness about him.
All of these are what we should find in a follower of Christ.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
For those of us who are followers of Christ .... those who exhibit these qualities .... you have faith that you will see Gabe again.