Latest / Belin Memorial UMC / Pastor Jonathan Nettles - "When I Feel discouraged"
Transcript
- Belin Memorial UMC: ⁓ The epistle lesson is from Romans 5 verses 1 through 11. It's such a great passage, beginning with verse 1. Therefore, since we've been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings. Knowing that sufferings produce endurance and endurance produces character and character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame because God's love has been poured into our hearts through this Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak at the right time, Christ died to the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die. But God shows his love for us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since therefore we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. Much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. The word of God for the people of God. While visiting with my son recently, we went to the National Atomic Testing Museum. And it was a very interesting visit. One thing we learned was how much space is in an atom. Can anybody guess or know how much of an atom is just space? 99.9%. And I thought about that some, and it's kind of funny, it made me realize that All of us are a lot less solid and more spacey than we like to think. But it also reminded me of the mystery of creation that even as Job said, God really holds it all together. This world life, humanity is so amazing. The visit was also unsettling. We learned that a bomb, one bomb detonated by Russia. ⁓ was 3,300 times as powerful as the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. That's scary, isn't it? The fact that our technology has developed to the point that we could literally destroy humanity and sadly our morality hasn't kept up. There's a lot to be concerned about in life. I've been hoping to lead another pilgrimage to the Holy Land. That was such a blessing to me. It is when I return and I love seeing people especially who go there for the first time the way God works through that pilgrimage. I thought, well, things settled down a little more, but now with the war with Iran, no. I have to think, well, it may be a while. And the reality is, watching the nightly news, it can be enough to ruin your day, can't it? I've learned and I've heard many of you say, I have to limit my exposure to the news. Enough maybe to have a clue of what's going on, but not too much. So the reality in these trying times, it's easy to get discouraged. It's easy to be concerned about the future. And I think one of the ways we deal with that as parents especially, we want our children and grandchildren to know that in uncertain times they are loved with an unconditional love. We want them to use that unconditional love and all that we give them to build a good, strong, a solid life, including a life of faith. We hope to prepare and strengthen them so that they can make the most of whatever comes down the road. We know we won't be here forever. We want them to be fully prepared for life. And think in many ways, Paul is trying to do the same thing in this passage to the Roman Christians. The Christians in Rome are a relatively new faith. Most of the resources that we share today and that we appreciate so much, they didn't have. And Rome was a pagan culture. Rome was often hostile to Christianity and Paul knew they had a rough road ahead. so he wants them to fully grasp the hope and the victory that are found in a life of faith. far greater than any challenges they can face. And that hope and victory are true every bit as much for us today and our children as it was for those Roman Christians. In chapter four, sort of put this in context, Paul makes an argument for justification by faith. We are right with God not by working our way so hard to get there, but because of grace and faith. Chapter six, he stresses that God's grace is meant to lead to transform lives. It's not just a ticket to heaven, far less just an excuse to continue sinning. It is meant to lead to a transformed lives. So then and now, in order to fully receive that grace, and in order to allow it to help us become the saints that we are destined to be, to do this in a broken world filled with struggles. We must know what is ours in Christ. And Paul tells us, we are justified. The sins, the failures, the flaws, they're cast as far away as the East is from the West. Though our sins are red as scarlet, they're white as snow. And as believers, I think so many times we've felt it grasp this. I had a lady, over 100, she had taught Sunday school for 70 some years. If there was ever one person you would say, is a saint, she was it. And one day in a talk at her house, she said, pastor, there was something that happened decades ago. And are you sure that God has really forgiven? He was saying, yes, I've tried to live such a faithful life, but I messed up. And are you sure that grace really covers it? Yes. All that we carry, those weights of past failures. Because of that grace, we can let it go. We can truly let it go. We have peace with God. Nothing stands between us. And that also leads to peace with one another. I hope you realize that. Peace with God and peace with others. During World War I, there were Christmas truces. between the British and German trips in 1914, between the French and German in 1915. They signed carols together, they shared food and clothing, they played sports. Can you imagine in the midst of a horrible war, enemies coming together, God's peace breaking through because they realized how it was meant to be, why Christ came. And God's peace. It is meant to make a major difference in our lives and in our world. And that difference is so needed today. And we are the ones who are to show the world a better way. ⁓ Paul says we stand in grace. What does that mean? ⁓ Have any of you ever worked for an employer who constantly doubted you, criticized you, and you knew you would never be able to measure up? Such a miserable experience, and that is sort of what it's like being under the law. and compare that to hopefully something you've experienced, being praised and encouraged and empowered to give your best from the heart. That reminds me of my grandfather and he was such a powerful influence in my life. I remember when he got his first weed eater. It had some power. And he was proud and he showed me how to use it and I was just amazed. You remember those old hand sickles or the clippers that would give you blisters? And I thought, wow. And he could see I was just so eager to try it out. He said, you want to give it a try? I said, yes. And I grabbed a hold of it. I cut a hunk out of the grass. The sod came up. It was powerful. And he looked at me and he said, good try. Let me show you an easier way. He proceeded to show me how. And that was always his way of doing things. Good try. I appreciate your effort, but let me show you an easier way or a better way. that's more grace. That's the environment God wants us to live in. And grace really does cover it all. Paul mentions that we also hope to share the glory of God. That means having God's image in which we are created, all of us, all of those we sometimes look at and maybe think how terrible a life they're living, created in the image of God. Parts of the church sadly have really stressed primarily our sin. We're sinners, terrible people. But it is not that sin that primarily defines us. It is the image of God in which we are created. That is so important. And what Paulists say is that image is being renewed. That is what God longs to do. I remember a movie years ago, don't remember the name, much of the plot, but a young man and woman who didn't know each other too well were wandering in the woods and he disappeared and he came back covered with his face covered in mud. And she was horrified and started running, but when he caught up with her, he said, I just want you to know how I feel on the inside. At times, don't we all feel muddy on the inside? Broken. We realize how imperfect we are, how sometimes even though the actions are right, the motives are wrong. And that weighs upon us because we know we are made for so much more. The good news is God is working continually to wipe away the mud and the muck, to free us from the brokenness. to fill us with his life and his love and his spirit, to let his glory shine through our lives. And that can happen in so many ways in this life and in the life to come. We will be creatures of glory so great that we can't even begin to imagine. Amazing. But it's not easy, is it? That transformation. C.S. Lewis uses the illustration of a tin soldier becoming real and how the tin soldier jumped at the opportunity to become real. But then when you start cutting the tin away, that tin soldier has his doubts. Not easy. Takes high temperature and pressure to form a diamond. ⁓ takes heat to purify gold. And the reality is you and I aren't that different. You know, I think it's important to realize that God doesn't cause all the struggles in our life, doesn't bring disaster. Often the choices we make, others make, part of living in a broken world. But God promises to use those struggles. the good and the bad in this life to continue his transforming work within and often if we're honest, the biggest changes in our lives, the most transformation has probably come through the struggles. He will use them to renew his glory within us, to renew that image. Romans 8 28, all things work together for good, for those who love God, for those who are the called according to his purpose. This passage, suffering leads to endurance, which leads to character, which leads to a hope that doesn't disappoint. The reality is pain and discontent. It can be a catalyst that leads us onward into holiness. It helps us let go of those things we have clung to way too long and move ahead when sometimes we get stuck. And on a deeper level, the message is there's also great value in the journey. And that took me a long time in my spiritual journey to realize. I hope you have, but have you ever thought, well, why doesn't God just remove those? things in my life that are displeasing, those disordered desires, those attachments to things that aren't helpful. Why doesn't God just make me perfect and get it over with? Have you thought about that? I mean, really, God's God, could He not just zap us with holiness when we say yes to Christ? What do you think? But He chooses not to. And to me, that says very clearly that. ⁓ There's something to be gained through the journey, through the struggles, through the successes and failures, the pain and the joy. In all of that, somehow God is working in a way that he couldn't maybe otherwise to help us fully become those glorious creatures we read of, but we kind of doubt that we could ever fully be. God is using the journey, so it's okay. It's okay to not be there yet. It's okay to be works in progress. It's okay to not have it figured out. It's okay to be on the journey. And then Paul doesn't want us to forget the gift of God's Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit isn't just a sidekick. I think sometimes we think, well, there's the Father and Son, and well, then there's the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit is fully God, God's presence, power, comfort, guidance, living within us. We're told the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives within us. Have you ever really stopped to think about that, what that means? And then best of all, my favorite part of this passage and powerful argument that Paul sets forth, God's everlasting love. Even when you and I were far from God, unconcerned with God, perhaps even enemies to God, Christ died for us, yes, for all of humanity, but also for you and for me. So now, as reconciled dearly beloved children of God, is there anything that God won't do? to make us fully whole and see us safely home. What do you think? Is there anything God won't do to reach each one of us, each one of those outside our doors and to transform us and to lead us home someday? God is fully committed to making that happen. So if we ever feel that we or others, have messed up too many times or fallen too far or that surely God is ready to give up on us. Have you ever started to feel that way? Surely God is too disappointed in me. That is really not a statement about the severity of our sin or our failure, but it's rather a sign of our limited understanding of Jesus' work in God's grace. Jesus' work was fully sufficient. It is enough. The reality is you can't fall beneath the net of grace. You can't. We may choose not to accept grace, we may reject what God offers, but you cannot, no matter what you do, where you've been, who you are, you cannot fall beneath the net of grace. It is always there, willing to catch you. If only you will receive it. Anybody get discouraged at times? I do, I do. I think, God, surely I should be further along by now, or God, how did I mess up again, or God, surely you've got somebody better to do this work. And when I start feeling that way... when I wish I wasn't on the journey but I was there. Wonder why it's taking so long. I ask myself, did God bring me this far? All the opportunities he's given me along the way to grow, understand, to become. All the people he sent into my life who believed in me and loved me and helped me in my journey of faith. His work. His endless work, even before I knew about grace, to draw me to Him and to help me grow in my faith and to transform me. Did God do all of this only to watch me crash and burn? And I know, I know deep within my heart with all my being, the answer is no. That is not who God is in my life or in yours. God is fully, fully able to complete his work in our lives. His love can break down our walls. It can reach and heal our hearts and souls. And it can see us through the worst storms. ⁓ And sometimes we look at what God wants to do with our lives and who we're meant to be and we think it's just too big, we just can't do it. And that's true, we can't do it. It is so far beyond us. But it is not our work, it is God's work. And God is able. Now, our part is to say yes to Jesus, I wanna follow you. It's to cooperate with that work within us when we feel those nudgings of his spirit. It's to give him room to work, and that's something we focus on on Lent, when we open our Bible and truly place ourselves before his word, when we go to him with heartfelt prayer, when we embrace various spiritual disciplines, ⁓ whether it's serving others or listening to music that touches our hearts and our spirits. In all those ways we give God room to work. We find time for Him. That's part. But God does the heavy lifting. So, life can be overwhelming. It is hard at times. Some of us are in the midst of those struggles now. ⁓ But none of us is children of God. None of us have to give in to the fear or the discouragement. We can learn, and it is something we learn, to see each day, each moment through the eyes of faith. We can live by grace. we can focus on and thank God for the blessings and they are always there. See the good. And we can strive to look beyond the brokenness of this life to another world far more real and to the unimaginable glory that lies ahead for all eternity. The apostle Paul, he saw it. He really saw it and understood. That's why he said the sufferings weren't worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us, not to us, but in us. the sufferings, and he knew suffering, they weren't even worth comparing. So each moment, try to remember what we have and where we're headed. Thank God that you're never alone. God walks with you each step of the way, and God has given us each other to journey with, brothers and sisters to help in the journey. Let us remember, we are loved, you are loved with an everlasting love by a God who will do anything and everything to see you safely home. Amen. I invite you to join me in a time of prayer. ⁓ father, we... We thank you for your good news, for your love for us, for your plans for our life, for your faithfulness, for the transformation that you are bringing about, and for a grace that covers it all. Help us, help us let your love fill our lives. so that we can fully share that love with the dark and needy world. We do lift up the world around us, areas like Iran and the Ukraine torn by war and violence. We think of Dennis' brother and others with physical needs. We think of those who are grieving or living in poverty, those overwhelmed by addiction, the many, many needs and the hopelessness. Help us to shine your light in all those situations. And Father, this day, let your truth sink more deeply into our hearts and help us to leave this place, to live each moment more fully, loving and serving both you and neighbor in all our ways. We ask these things in Christ's name as we continue in prayer. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power. Glory forever. Amen.