Has His Love Ceased Forever?

Intro

Humanity - we all come out crying … crying isn’t something we have to learn to do … it isn’t something we practice

Tears/crying … birth … death … sickness … pain … joy … weddings … engagements … frustration … disappointment …

Eccl 3:4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

Our current fallen world … we have an almost constant sense … this isn’t the way it’s suppposed to work … disease … funerals … storms real/figurative

Some of the best pastoring/preaching advice I have heard in 25 years … was that we need to preach for preparation … sometimes when we are in the midst we can’t hear it … maturity means that we learn how to walk all of the roads … so the elders decided that we needed to work our way through lamentations this summer … typically we choose a wisdom book - proverbs, psalms, Ecclesiastes … designed to be drop-in and out and helpful

I’ve learned that while crying is very natural and easy,

lamenting – the kind that is biblical, honest and redemptive – is not as natural.  There is something about lament that at first makes me uncomfortable, even scared.

I have been in some pretty intense moments … the weeping/wailing/this is uncomfortable for the people around you kind of moments

the teen daughter who overdosed

the teen son who committed suicide

the husband who died on his way to his wife’s surprise b-day party

the meeting where the wife confessed her affair to her husband

the phone call with the son who

the church discipline where the elders wept and the congregant sat stoically

moments that get etched in your heart and mind

We know how to cry.  But we may not know how to lament.

Big Picture

This study of the book of Lamentations is intended to look at the same concept of pain, but to look at it from two different perspectives: 

1) To view pain in a corporate or community setting and

2) To consider what we should do when pain does not resolve quickly.  In other words, where do you go when pain is widespread and when it does not look to end soon?  What language do you use?  What biblical categories are available to you?  How do you pray?  What should you think?  How can you help someone who is in the middle of a season of lament?  These are some of the questions that we will try to address.

We want to look at the subject of lament and the book of Lamentations, specifically, for the following reasons:

Pain is inevitable, and I want you to be prepared. I want to prepare you not only for the time when you will suffer personally, but also for a time when you are suffering with a circle of friends, your comunity group, a neighborhood, a city, or a nation.  I want you to know how to lament corporately.

Pain creates strong emotions, and I want you to know what to do with them. Our tendency is either to deny them or to try to solve them too quickly.

Sometimes pain does not go away quickly, and I want you to learn to live in lament.

I want you to see that lament is not just a path to worship, but it is a path of worship

I want you to see that it is the pen of pain that writes the songs that call us to dance.

Suffering or lamenting well provides a great opportunity for evangelism as the world hears and sees a God-centered language that they do not have.

Eugene Peterson offers this insightful thought:

“. . . One reason why people are uncomfortable with tears and the sight of suffering is that it is a blasphemous assault on their precariously maintained American spirituality of the pursuit of happiness.  They want to avoid evidence that things are not right with the world as it is – without Jesus, without love, without faith. . . . It is a lot easier to keep the American faith if they don’t have to look into the face of suffering. . . .So learning the language of lament is not only necessary to restore Christian dignity to suffering and repentance and death; it is necessary to provide a Christian witness to a world that has no language for and is therefore oblivious to the glories of wilderness and {the} cross.”

Let me say it more plainly … I have watched the churches response … our response … my response to the last several years … and what is painfully obvious to me … we have no idea what to do when hard things happen, when suffering occurs … we can not, have not and frankly refuse to believe that it is even possible to see the glory of the wilderness and the cross.

We all know how to cry … but few have learned how to lament

Do you know how to deal with your own pain, the pain of others, or the pain of a community? 

Do you see the value and purpose of learning the language of lament? 

Do you see how important biblical lament could be to a world that does not have a categorical solution for suffering?

What is Lament?

A lament is a loud cry, a howl, or a passionate expression of grief. It gives voice and words to emotions that believers feel because of pain, suffering, and the questions that surface.

The Psalms are filled with laments. At least one third of the Psalter is a lament – forty-two are individual laments and sixteen are corporate laments. Laments are found through the Old and New Testament.

Psalms of lament provide much of the detail regarding the crucifixion of Jesus. Psalm 69:21 references the vinegar that Jesus was given to drink; Psalm 109:25 predicts the mock crowd; Psalm 22:18 references the soldiers gambling for Jesus’ clothing; Psalm 22:16 says, “they pierced my hands and my feet”; and Jesus famously quoted Psalm 22:1 at the end of his life: “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?

Laments can be personal, communal, or both. They can be confessional as a person deals with his sin or the sin of the nation.  Laments can be imprecatory, as they deal with sins committed against us. 

Lament wrestles with the circumstances of life which raise difficult questions regarding the seeming absence of God’s presence and the mystery of his purposes. In other words, laments ask at least two questions:  1) “Where are you?”  and 2) “If you love me, why is this happening?”  It is the heart of Psalm 22:1- “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?”

Lament is not the opposite of praise, even though it asks difficult questions and wrestles deeply. Lament is a path to praise.  It is the transition from pain to promise.  Lament is a place of wilderness through which God leads us.  Lament wrestles with the brokenness in us and around us.  Lament is the land between brokenness and God’s mercy.

To lament is not to be faithless. Given the prominence of lament in the Psalms and throughout the Bible, to lament well is actually an act of faith.  Problems, pain, and suffering are a part of what it means to be human.  And to struggle, to question, and to lament is part of what it means to be a Christian.  When you understand the problem of sin in the world, God’s power, the beauty of redemption, and the future plan, the heart of the Christian cries out in faith, “How long, O Lord!” (Rev. 6:10).

Every lament is really a prayer.  It is the cry of a hurting, confused, pain-filled yet believing heart.  Lament is an act of faith where we resist the temptation to stop talking to God because we are angry or disenchanted with Him.  Laments express to God what He already knows about our hearts.

To cry is inherently human; to lament is inherently Christian.

Pray to Remember

We will use Psalm 77 for the introduction to this series because it provides a wonderful example of both the depth of pain of a lament and the way that a lament brings resolution. 

Psalm 77 is filled with honest struggle, deep pain, tough questions, determined trust, and a biblical grounding.

The Psalms is ascribed to Asaph, according to Jeduthun. 

Both of these men were part of the priestly service, appointed by David (1 Chronicles 6:39) to lead the congregation in worship and to sing at the dedication of the temple (2 Chronicles 5:12).

Psalms 50 and 73-83 are attributed to Asaph’s writing.

We don’t know the specific circumstance that prompted the writing … we do know from the psalm that the nation is suffering, probably because they have displeased God. v9 No specific enemy is mentioned

It has a singular/personal voice and questions/doubts … but he seems to be speaking for the whole of the nation

Painful pray being poured out before God … but anchoring His hope in the character and faithfulness of God

Pray in Pain

The Psalm begins

v1 - I cry aloud to God

in pain … not silent … taking that pain, grief, weeping, doubts … to God

v1 - He will hear me; v2 - In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying

In the midst of this pain (whatever & wherever is has come) he is pursuing God, reaching out for Him

This takes faith … showing up to ask God why … is an act of deep faith

Don’t miss this … this is better than silence … there is still hope in lament

Lament and despair are opposites … silent, resigned despair is the manifestation of unbelief, denial that God has the power or will to help

Messy relationships … communication, even when its messy is at least a place to start …

I’ve known folks through the years who quit speaking to God … quit praying, reading

perhaps today you can at least internally aknowledge that you are someone who has quit … you’ve quit trying, quit praying …

Have you ever heard a new believer, young believer or a child start to pray … they don’t have all of the words right, they don’t sound flowery, end with in Jesus name … sometimes it just sounds like they are repeating phrases they’ve heard someone else pray

I can think of few sweeter sounds … when the child, young/new follower of Jesus begins to speak, begins to pray … like a baby learning their first words … the parents are eager and excited, they love and cherish the mispronunciations and grammatical miscues … recount them for all their friends ...

Imagine in the same a father who hasn’t heard from or spoken to one of his children for an extended period of time … that first letter, email, text, or call … cherished, shared as an answer to their deep heart longings of restoration …

How much more would God our Father desire to hear … fumbling, it might not have perfect theology, $12 words …

the psalmist in v2-4 … refuse to be comforted; moan; faint; so troubled I can’t even speak

He is at least praying … doesn’t feel like it’s working, doesn’t feel like it’s getting through … but he is trying, crying, begging, moaning …

v5-9 we see that he has a central question … it is my question, your question, universal question

-Why isn’t God doing more?

-consider the days of old

-remember my song

-meditate in my heart

-make a diligent search

he is wrestling, considering, thinking, remembering … and it’s painful because it brings up these questions

1) Will the Lord spurn forever?,

2)  {Will He} never again be favorable?,

3) Has His steadfast love forever ceased?,

4) Are His promises at an end for all time?,

5) Has God forgotten to be gracious?, and

6) Has He, in anger, shut up His compassion? 

Notice that he is questioning the favor, the love, the promise, the faithfulness, and the compassion of God.

The questions are hard, dont’ have easy answers … as I said earlier … I don’t think they reflect a lack of faith, but of a deep, abiding, what I can see with my eyes doesn’t line up with what I believe in my heart kind of faith

Pain creates these tensions … Jesus on the cross … He asks these questions …

My God, My God why have you forsaken me?

He doesn’t ask because He doesn’t believe, or know, or trust … He asks because He does believe and know and trust

“. . . It is better to ask them than not to ask them, because asking them sharpens the issue and pushes us toward the right, positive response. Alexander Maclaren insists that asking such questions is good. He writes, “Doubts are better put into plain speech than lying diffused and darkening, like poisonous mists, in {the} heart. A thought, be it good or bad, can be dealt with when it is made articulate.”

The father isn’t harmed by the question … praying through the pain, means we are taking it to the one place that can bring real comfort

What have you stopped talking to God about … What are you afraid to ask Him … Do you have a friend, loved one who is walking a hard road, how does this help you, help them?

Lament is humbly praying through the pain.  It leads us to worship while also being worship.

Remember the Past

Often we repeat words, phrases for emphasis … this is true in english and hebrew

The psalmist began v1 - repeating aloud … v11 - remember

Psalm 77 helps us as begin to learn about lament because it has both

1-9 - the tension

10-20 - the resolution

not every psalm … and defintely Lamentations does not take this “simple clear” approach … but we have the whole of scripture for our resolution

Psalm 22 - echoed by Jesus … my God, My God you’ve forsaken me … is resolved at the empty tomb … He is not here, He is risen, just as He said

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Lament leads to joy, it leads to restoration and resolution ...

But getting there doesn’t always happen quickly, easily, painlessly … or in the timeline of your expectation

In Psalm 77 - v10 Asaph makes a transition … then

appeal to his remembering … years of the mighty right hand of the most high

v11 - remember the deeds of the Lord … I will remember your wonders of old

v12 - I will ponder all your works and meditate on your deeds

and then his remembering shifts … from the works/deeds of God to His character

v13 - you way is holy, What God is great like our God

v14 - You are the God who works wonders, you make known your might among the peoples

and by v15 - the transition is to a specific historic moment … the key moment in the history of the nation

We will celebrate July 4th … almost 250 years as a nation … we remember our declaration of independence … we didn’t need a king, we didn’t want taxed w/o representation … and we remember … the events, the battles, the men/women, the flags, those who helped and those who worked for the other side

and that’s what Asaph is reminding his readers/hearers of … this was their moment … the Exodus

v16-20 - when they crossed the red sea

Let’s look at vs 19-20 - 19 Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen. 20 You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

He takes the pain and the doubt, the heartache and questions … back to the moment … when it seemed bleakest, when the doubts where highest, when they wanted to turn back, thought the were dead, that God had failed them the most … standing there at the edge of the red sea, pharaoh and his army bearing down … and then … God made a way, God walked in front, like a herd of sheep through the valley of the shadow of death

The Exodus was an anchor for his weary soul.  Remembering began to lead him through his lament.

Lament is Christian

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We have an exodus moment as believers … when the world was dark, broken, sin and death looked they had won … the enemy had found a betrayer, the beloved friend had denied even knowing him … and the crowd was lamenting … wailing, them women were at the foot of the cross watching, the men had either run or had lost faith … the cross was the trouble, the tragedy, the disease, the diagnosis, the betrayal, the pain, the waves crashing in and over, it felt and seemed bleak, no hope, all of the promises seemed to have come undone and unfulfilled … no kingdom, no thrones, no King … He was dead, defeated, crushed, pierced, bloody and powerless

they put him in the ground, they rolled the stone in front, they sealed it and posted guards to be sure that no one could get in

And then when all hope seemed lost … resolution, restoration, hope came bursting forth … the women showed up expecting to simply finish well and honor their friend … and instead they record for us the greatest moment in history, the literal turning point of everything

This is where we bring our questions, doubts, troubles … this is where we show up to moan, weep, stretch our hands and hearts … it doesn’t matter how dark, deep, broken, how stacked the odds are,

God in that moment proved, showed, demonstrated for the whole world to see … he is for us, not against us … and the very gates of Hell will not prevail … no weapon formed against shall stand

So we can lament the pain, the brokenness, the sadness, the suffering, the hurt, the betrayal … because we can anchor our souls to the bedrock truth of an empty tomb

We can join with our friends, our family, our church … we can join them in their lament, in their pain … because together we can gather and see an empty tomb, a risen savior

God’s Everlasting Love

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Friends let me pray for us