 | What Can You Do If Life Caves In? |
Tue, 10 Dec 1996
Clergy/Leaders' Mail-list No. 326
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Shalom! Rowland Croucher
Director, John Mark Ministries - resources for pastors/leaders.
(Bookroom, library, and worldwide F.W.Boreham Trading Post)
Home Page: http://www.pastornet.net.au/jmm
SERMON SUGGESTION FOR SUNDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 15
Title: What Can You Do If Life Caves In?
Text: "Out of the depths I cry to thee, O LORD" (Ps.
130:1 RSV)
Scripture Reading: Psalm 130
Introduction: In Psalm 130 the psalmist speaks from his
heart in the midst of a time of difficulty and agony. All of
us will sooner or later face the painful problem of
suffering. What will you do if life seems to cave in on you?
Have you developed a technique for dealing with failure,
disappointment, defeat, disgrace, and trouble?
Suffering may come as a result of a combination of many
different factors.
1. Some suffering comes as a result of the rule of law.
The law of cause-and-effect always works.
2. Suffering may come as a result of the privilege of
freedom that we enjoy. We are free to do right as well as
wrong. Others also have this freedom, and their misue of it
may harm us.
3. Some suffering comes as a result of joy of
relationships that are precious. These relationships carry
within them the potential for suffering and heartache.
4. Much suffering is due to the existence and the evil
desires of Satan who seeks to destroy.
5. Some suffering is permitted by our loving God because
of what we can learn through experiencing pain.
Other factors may also contribute to suffering. It is
interesting to note what the psalmist did with the problem
of suffering.
I. The psalmist gave himself to earnest prayer (Ps.
130:1-2).
A. By prayer we establish communion with God.
B. By prayer we offer petitions to God.
C. By prayer we intercede on behalf of others.
D. By prayer we listen to the voice of God as he speaks
to us.
When suffering comes there is no better thing for us to do
than to give ourselves to prayer and especially to the type
of prayer in which we let God speak to us.
Bible study can be thought of as the listening side of the
prayer experience. Each of us would be wise to always open
up God's Word and give him the opportunity of speaking his
message to our heart through the printed word when we are in
agony and when suffering threatens to destroy us.
II. The psalmist confessed his sin and trusted God for
forgiveness (Ps. 130:3-4).
"What have I done to deserve this?" is usually the first
question that comes to mind when we find ourselves in the
midst of great suffering. This is a good question to ask,
because much of our suffering is due either to our own
ignorance or to our own error, or perhaps even to a
deliberate choice we have made.
While all sin will result in suffering of one sort or
another, not all suffering is due to some sin that has been
committed by the person who is suffering.
A. Some deal with sin merely by ignoring it. They act as
if there is no sin or error in their lives.
B. Some deal with sin by trying to cover it up.
C. Some deal with sin by means of rationalization, and
they seek to blame their faults and mistakes upon others.
D. The proper approach to the problem of sin is to
confess our sin and forsake the love of sin, trusting God
for forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9). To really
confess sin means to sit in judgment upon it and to view it
from God's perspective. It means to be in complete agreement
with God concerning the evil destructiveness of sin. The
psalmist rejoiced in the fact that his God was the God who
forgave sin. When God forgives, God forgets. He refuses to
remember our transgressions against us. We need to accept
God's forgiveness. We need to accept his love, mercy, and
grace.
III. The psalmist encouraged himself in God's Word (Ps.
130:5-6).
There is no substitute for the devotional study of God's
Word in which we let God speak to the needs of our hearts
and lives. We should read God's Word not as a record of what
happened in the ancient past, but we should read it as a
revelation of what God wants to do for his people in the
present.
A. We are to bring our burdens to the Lord and trust him
to sustain us (Ps. 55:22). This is not merely a pious
platitude. It should be looked upon as a precious promise of
our Lord to bless us in our times of great need.
B. We should trust Christ for the strength that will
enable us to adjust to all circumstances (Phil. 4:13). Paul
is not making any boast concerning some stupendous
achievement. Instead, he is registering his faith that
through Jesus Christ he can adjust himself triumphantly to
any circumstance in which he might find himself.
C. We should trust God to be with us as a helper in every
trial and trouble of life (1 Cor. 10:13). Nothing can touch
the life of one of God's children without his permission.
God will not permit anything to come upon us that we cannot
endure with the help that he makes available.
To live a triumphant and grateful life in the midst of
trouble, we must encourage ourselves in God's Word and let
him guide and strengthen us.
IV. The psalmist commended the way of faith to others (Ps.
130:7-8).
By faith the psalmist believed that God works in all things
for the good of those who love him, because the love of the
Lord is a steadfast enduring love. The psalmist voiced his
faith and kept silent concerning his fears. Instead of
doubting his faith, he doubted his doubts and trusted in the
trustworthiness of God.
Conclusion: What are you going to do when trouble comes?
Let us hope and pray that it never comes, but in the
meantime, let us develop a deeper faith in God's goodness.
Let us discover the great promises of his Word. Let us
listen to the voice of those who have been through trouble
that we might be strengthened by their testimony. Let us
beware lest difficulty discourage us and cause us to live a
life of despair. Our God is as close to us when we are in
the depths as he is when we are on the heights.
-----------
Taken from THE ZONDERVAN 1996 PASTOR'S ANNUAL: AN IDEA AND
RESOURCE BOOK by T.T. Crabtree. THE ZONDERVAN 1997
PASTOR'S ANNUAL is now available ($15.99 / ISBN
0-310-20963-3 / 448 pp. / 1996 / Zondervan) It includes: *
A planned preaching program for a year * Morning and
Evening Service ideas * Complete sermon outlines *
Applicable Illustrations * Appropriate hymn selections *
Bible studies for Midweek Services * Messages for special
occasion * Sentence Sermonettes * and more.
------------------------------------------------------------
Remind your congregation that, to help them strengthen their
daily spiritual life, they should regularly visit your
church library and local Christian bookstore.
------------------------------------------------------------
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