Hard Times Produce Holy Lives 困境如何促成屬 靈的成長 患難生出聖潔

INTRO

Church family it is so good to be back here with the opportunity to share with you from God’s word. It has been a long time! Before we jump in to the text this afternoon, I want to take just a minute and express some gratitude. These past two and a half months have been the hardest of my entire life and I will share more about that later on in the sermon. But during this time I want to say how thankful I have been to you as a church family and the prayers you have offered and the encouragement I have received. The texts, emails, food, ect have been comforting to me. I know that God has used your prayers to lead me through this time. I am thankful for all of the people who have stepped up and filled gaps in all of the areas that are needed here at CityLight. This is what it means to be the body of Christ. I want to say from the front how thankful you should be to have elders like John and Rich and their families. Their leadership has been an enormous encouragement to me and I know they have led well in my absence, and will continue to lead well. Finally I want to publically say thank you to my wife. She is the strongest, most faithful person that I have ever met. And in my dark days, when things were unknown, she has been a strength for me, she has been a picture of Jesus to me, over and over again.

What is God doing in difficult times?

Today I want us to turn our attention to a passage in the New Testament. But before we get there I want to ask you this question. For a Christian, what should hard times do in our lives? What should hard, difficult, dark times do in our lives? Scott shared last week how in difficult days God gives us permission to lament and to bring our complaints before the Lord, but today I want to focus on what the Lord accomplishes in our lives in difficult times.

Main Idea: Difficulty develops spiritual growth in our lives. Hard times can produce holy lives. As one author put it, the bitter can make us better.

2 Corinthians 4:7–16 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:7–16 CNVT

我們有這寶貝在瓦器裡，是要顯明這極大的能力是屬於　神，不是出於我們。我們雖然四面受壓，卻沒有壓碎；心裡作難，卻不至絕望，受到迫害，卻沒有被丟棄；打倒了，卻不至死亡。我們身上常常帶著耶穌的死，好讓耶穌的生也在我們的身上顯明出來。我們這些活著的人，為耶穌的緣故常常被人置於死地，好讓耶穌的生也在我們必死的身上顯明出來。這樣看來，死在我們身上運行，生卻在你們的身上運行。經上記著說：「我信，所以我說話。」我們既然有同樣的信心也就信，所以也說話，因為知道那使主耶穌復活的，也必定使我們與耶穌一同復活，並且把我們和你們呈獻在他的面前。這一切都是為了你們，好使恩惠既然因著許多人而增多，感恩的心也更加增多了，使榮耀歸給　神。 所以，我們並不沮喪，我們外面的人雖然漸漸朽壞，但裡面的人卻日日更新，

Difficulty Destroys Self-Sufficiency

2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 CNVT

我們有這寶貝在瓦器裡，是要顯明這極大的能力是屬於　神，不是出於我們。

Treasure:

What is the treasure? Jesus. The Gospel. We have been given this treasure.

What difficulty can do is burns away all of the other treasures in your life. Comfort, health, your family, and brings you to this place where you see that your relationships with Jesus is the greatest treasure that you have. Suffering “burns the fat off(燃燒脂肪)” our souls.

I have had days where I struggled to pray. Where I could not feel God’s presence. Where my faith was being attacked. In those difficult moments, I can tell you, what was most important to me was not my health, was not my status, it was my relationships to Jesus. My treasure.

If you had treasure where would you store it? Maybe you have an heirloom wedding ring, or some kind of expensive object. Where would you store it? In a safe? In a nice box? Where has God placed this treasure?

In weak, clay vessels.

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 ESV

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

1 Corinthians 1:27–29 CNVT

但是　神卻揀選了世上愚笨的，使那些有智慧的羞愧。他也揀選了世上軟弱的，使那些剛強的羞愧。他也揀選了世上卑賤的和被人輕視的，以及算不得甚麼的，為了要廢棄那些自以為是的，使所有的人在　神面前都不能自誇。

Why did God do this? Paul tells you why. “to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” In Paul’s life his weakness was a platform for the glory of God. His weakness, his suffering, was a platform to display the power of God.

Reminded of Mary who broke the vessel at Jesus’ feet: in the same way how is God’s surpassing power shown? Many times it is through the breaking of the vessel. It is the breaking down of the idol of self sufficiency in our lives.

“We ARE”

Paul is speaking to us today as a fellow sufferer.

afflicted in every way:

perplexed

persecuted

struck down

These words have to do with both mental and physical suffering. There is something comforting how Paul comes to us as a fellow sufferer. He has experienced suffering that none of us will have to experience. Look at us Paul says:

if you feel this way today. If you feel perplexed, if you are going through suffering, if you are mentally attacked or physically in pain, Paul says welcome to the club. This is what it means to be a clay vessel. This is the normal Christian life.

A few weeks ago I was talking to a few people about the last few months in my life. I was sharing how there have been some dark days, and as I was sharing he took out some medicine in his pocket and said oh this is what I take for this issue, and began to share some other stuff, and said, “we’re all broken”. That’s right. We are all broken. We are all jars of clay. God does His impressive work through very unimpressive people.

But you will not believe that unless you allow God to destroy your self sufficiency in times of difficulty.

What they did to Jesus they do to us. We are identifying with the sufferings of Jesus. We have a Savior who suffered for us, but we also have a High priest who suffers with us. He can empathize with us. He knows. Remember that He knows.

Even though our self sufficiency is being destroyed something else is coming out. The life of Jesus.

Paul is making a contrast between what is happening to the vessel and what is happening to the treasure. As the vessel is being broken, the treasure is coming out.

death is at work: through the fallenness of the world, through the attacks of Satan, through our struggle with sin. This is at work and it is destroying self sufficiency in your life

But something else is at work too: because of the treasure, Jesus’ life.

Only God can bring life from death.

Need application and illustration

church in the midst of covid, easy to put trust in our programs ,ect but what do we do now? Get on our face and say Jesus we can do nothing apart from you.

Faith Delivers Us Through Difficulty

How do we live this way? How do we embrace difficulty believing that God’s glory can be displayed?

Since we have the same spirit of faith:

Paul quotes this verse from the Psalms:

Psalm 116:10 ESV

I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”;

In this Psalm David was experiencing suffering, and yet in his time of suffering he said I still believe that I will see the goodness of God.

Faith is not positive thinking. It isn’t saying “okay well everything will be okay, I’m gonna be okay.” Faith is a confidence a trust in…??

This is the faith that Paul is referring to. IT is not a confidence that says that our suffering is good, but it is a confidence that declares God is still good and can use our suffering to bring about good.

Romans 8:28 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

God IS FOR US NOT AGAINST US!

“IF suffering stubbornly stays, trust that God is sovereignly shaping.”

Paul is confident that it can bring about good not just for ourselves, but also for others. “It is all for your sake” What motivates Paul in the midst of suffering is the ministry that can be done for others. Difficulty in our lives can create empathy in your heart for others.

I’ve seen this so many times, that our mess, our suffering, usually becomes a message that God uses for other people.

How many of us when we begin to go through suffering we are on the lookout for other people who have experienced what we have experienced? Whether it be marital strife, cancer, anxiety and depression, ect, we look for others who have experienced this.

When I first began to battle with anxiety and panic attacks, I looked everywhere for Christian brothers and sisters who not only battled with this but who are also living faithfully in the midst of this struggle. What I found out, was, there was a lot! So many people have similar struggles to us. You are not alone. The Devil will come and lie to you, and say you are alone, no one is as messed up as you are, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. The Devil wants us to be isolated in our suffering, because he knows, that our trials can be used for the blessing of other people. Don’t waste your suffering.

Where does this confidence come from? Not that stubborn self sufficiency we talked about. No, from the relying upon the Holy Spirit.

“he who raised Christ from the dead will raise us also and bring us with you into His presence”. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is bringing you, He is changing you, and He will ultimately raise you.

Don’t trust your emotions, don’t trust your circumstances, trust the word of God that the Spirit is bringing you. He is changing you, He is giving you faith. Difficulties can cloud your mind. Can attack your faith.

Illustration: When pilots fly in weather conditions that prevent him from being able to see the horizon or the ground. Points of reference that guide his senses disappear. His perceptions, senses become unreliable. He can no longer be sure which way is up or down. It can be deadly. The only way a pilot can overcome these moments is to trust his cockpit instruments more than his intuitive senses to tell him what is real. That’s why flight instructors force student pilots to learn to fly planes by the instruments alone.

That’s what Paul is telling you to do today. Fly by the instruments. Not confidence in your emotions, your senses, even your own mind, but going to the rock that is higher than you and trusting in Him and His Word.

When we do this, when we move forward in faith, ministering to others in our difficulties, trusting in the Spirits work despite what our feelings may say, God is glorified.

"Sooner or later He withdraws, if not in fact, at least from their conscious experience, all those supports and incentives. He leaves the creature to stand up on its own legs—to carry out from the will alone duties which have lost all relish. It is during those low periods, much more than during the peak periods, that it is growing into the sort of creature He wants it to be. Hence the prayers offered in the state of dryness are those which please Him best... He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

或許不是實際上但祂會從他們的意識及經驗中離開，並挪去那些支持及激勵。

祂讓受造物靠雙腳自己站立，僅僅靠著意志力去完成絲毫無趣的義務。

但是正是在這低谷，勝於處在高山上，受造者茁壯成為為神所期盼的存在. 因此一個人在枯乾的景況中所獻上的禱告反而最能夠討上帝的歡心。

上帝希望他們學習走路因而把手鬆開，只要他們存有願意行走的意志，縱使跌倒多次也討祂的喜悅。

不要被欺騙了，小鬼啊，我們的存在目的從未如此危險，就是當一個人即使在毫無意願的時候仍然堅持去執行那仇敵的意志，當他舉目抬頭環看周遭但看不件任何屬於祂的蹤跡，質疑自己為什麼被遺棄的時候卻仍然順服。

We sang this today:

When darkness seems to hide his face, we rest, we are confident, in His unchanging grace.

Brothers and sisters, faith can carry us through difficulty.

Difficulty Produces Eternal Glory

Read the text(verse 16-17)

Paul says that because of Christ, our difficulty is not working against us, but actually for us. Hear that again.

The very things that should beat us down are actually working for us. That’s how good God is, that’s how powerful our Saviour is.

“this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory”

Whatever you and I are going through: compared to what is coming: it is light and momentary.

The Message: Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.(儘管在外面看起來事情在我們身上分崩離析，在裡面，上帝正在創造新的生命，沒有一天沒有他展開的恩典?)