Mar 26, 2015
Welcome to the Revolution
Suffering and Redemption
I didn't eat…
"Everything happens for a reason"Is a great saying
"The universe has a Greater PurposeFor all things
All will be revealed one day"
"Everything happens for a reason"Is a great saying
Just not true…
Fired…flat tire…relationship ended
"I stole that money and got fired…
But everything happens for a reason"
"I said those things about himAnd he quit being my friend…
But everything happens for a reason"
"Everything happens for a reason"
Never takes awayPersonal responsibility for our actions
Painkilling Salve
Responsibility Dodge
Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason
But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose
"The universe has a Greater PurposeFor all things
All will be revealed one day"
Purpose: glorify God
The heavens declare the glory of God- Psalm 19
If what happensDoesn't result in God being glorified
I've missed the purpose
Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason
But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose
How do we find PurposeIn the things we face?
Timothy, Paul and SilasIn Philippi
And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where
we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to
the women who had come together
One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller
of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay
attention to what was said by Paul
And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.”
And she prevailed upon us
As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a
spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.
She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most
High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation”
And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed,
turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour
But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul
and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.
And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.
They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to
accept or practice”
The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off
them and gave orders to beat them with rods.
And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them
into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.
Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison
and fastened their feet in the stocks
Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason
But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and
the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake,
so that the foundations of the prison were shaken
And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were
unfastened.
When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,
supposing that the prisoners had escaped
But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in,
and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
Not every door God opensShould be walked through
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and
you will be saved, you and your household”
And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds;
and he was baptized at once, he and all his family
Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them.
And he rejoiced along with his entire household that
he had believed in God- Acts 16:13-34
Missionary Journey…
Great dangerReach and Preach
Strengthen and move on
Lydia hears the gospel And comes to know Jesus
Girl with SpiritFollows around…
Girl with SpiritFollows around…
She is delivered
Follow the money…
Beaten with rods= in great pain
Beaten with rods= in great pain
Shackled to the groundDank, dark, smelly, freezing prison
"This is unfair! We tried to serve You.Why are you doing this to us?
We gave our time, our livesPut ourselves in danger for You.
Why did you allow this to happen?"
And God answered by releasing the shackles and setting them free…
And this has been repeated over and over again in history NEVER
Bitterness, complaining and blaming God
have never brought about one single miracle
Not even one move of God's Spiritin all of history
David poured his heart outAnd then turned to praise
And a reaffirmation of his FaithAnd God's goodness- every time
And God continually delivered
Do all things without complaining or arguing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and
twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…
- Phil. 2:14-15
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God
We trust you: FaithWe love you: Worship
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel
- Psalm 22:3
Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel
- Psalm 22:3
Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason
But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose
When we respond
in Faith andin Worship
What are you facing?
What are you facing?
How are you responding?
…and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there
was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the
prison were shaken
1 – The Prisoners heard Real Believers2 - God showed up
Shackles fall off
Jailer is so scared he wants to be dead
Salvation comes to himAnd his household
THAT redeems their pain
Brings Purpose into Hardship And makes it all worthwhile
(For anyone who loves Jesus)
Did it happen for some cosmic reason?
God redeemed it for his Purposes
Because of their response
- Faith- Worship
If it causes God to be glorifiedBy you or by others
God has redeemed itAnd Purposed it for something Greater
If it causes God to be glorifiedBy you or by others
God has redeemed itAnd Purposed it for something Greater
(There will be joy in the pain)
"Everything happens for a reason"
It's not about you and your painIt's about God and his glory
Faith and WorshipGive God room to work
Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason
But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose
Today:
"God, give me faith to knowThat you are with me regardless
And that you've got meRedeem this for your glory
And my ultimate joy"
Today:
"I trust youAnd will rely on you
Instead of myself and my resourcesAs I go through this"
Today:
"Lord, I praise you that I don'tHave to face this alone
That you are more than enoughTo handle everything I face"
Layman Church:
"God, we Trust You for daily mannaWe will obey as you lead
We Praise You for new lifeSpringing up all around us"
Next Steps…
- Identification- Read NT Gospel- Pray- Share- Prioritize Fellowship