God’s Grace and Mercy in s Grace and Mercy in Suffering Matt Morgan, Pastor ... , suffering is...
Transcript of God’s Grace and Mercy in s Grace and Mercy in Suffering Matt Morgan, Pastor ... , suffering is...
God’sGraceandMercyinSuffering
MattMorgan,PastorBethanyBaptistChurch
Godlovesyou
Godisforyou
Godisgracious
Godismerciful Godisfaithful
Godisastrongtower
TheRootsofSuffering
TheRootsofSuffering• PersonalSin:Painproducedbyourownsinfulactions—Consequences/Discipline• PersonalAttacks:Sorroworiginatingfromunmeritedhurtinflictedbyothers—Persecution• GeneralToil/Trouble:Difficultyfromaworldcorruptedbythefall—Disease,difficulty,death• EpicEvents:Circumstancesthatbringsudden,widespreaddevastation–cosmiccatastrophe
GeneralTruthsaboutSufferingq Therootsofoursufferingshape ourexperienceofGod’snature.
q Oftentherootsofsufferingarelinked together.
q Sufferingisthetangiblereminderthatlastingjoy canbefoundinGodalone.
q Forthebeliever,sufferingisalwaysameans andneveranend inGod’splan.
Grace MercyJustice
Righteousness
TheRelationshipofGraceandMercy
ü MercyDefined:Thewithholdingofjustpunishment/consequencesthataremerited byrebelliousactions.
RelatedBiblicalTerms:Compassion,Pity,TenderLove,andLoyalLove
TheRelationshipofGraceandMercy
ü GraceDefined:ThegenerousgiftofGod’sfavor andrighteousness tothosedeservingcondemnation.
RelatedBiblicalTerms:Favor,Goodness,andLovingKindness
Grace Mercy
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinDeliverance
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinTemporalDeliverance
q Providingrelieffromphysicalsufferingwascentral toJesusearthlyministry.(Luke4:14-21)
q Humansufferingcontrastsourvolatile naturewiththeunchangingnatureofGod.(Rom8:18)
q Goddeeplycares forthesufferingofHispeople.(Ex3:7-10;Luke4;1Pet5:6-7)
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinTemporalDeliverance
q God’scomfort inoursufferingenablesustoserveasinstruments ofcomfortforothers.(2Cor 1:3-7)
q God’smanifests Hispowerandpresenceinourweakness.(2Cor12:7-10)
7 Sotokeepmefrombecomingconceitedbecauseofthesurpassinggreatnessoftherevelations,athornwasgivenmeintheflesh,amessengerofSatantoharassme,tokeepmefrombecomingconceited.8 ThreetimesIpleadedwiththeLordaboutthis,thatitshouldleaveme.9 Buthesaidtome,"Mygraceissufficientforyou,formypowerismadeperfectinweakness."ThereforeIwillboastallthemoregladlyofmyweaknesses,sothatthepowerofChristmayrestuponme.10 ForthesakeofChrist,then,Iamcontentwithweaknesses,insults,hardships,persecutions,andcalamities.ForwhenIamweak,thenIamstrong.(2Cor12:7-10ESV)
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinEternalSalvation
q God’smercyisthebasisforthenewbirth.(1Pet1:3;Tit3:5-6;Eph2:3-5)
3 BlessedbetheGodandFatherofourLordJesusChrist!Accordingtohisgreatmercy, hehascausedustobebornagaintoalivinghopethroughtheresurrectionofJesusChristfromthedead,4 toaninheritancethatisimperishable,undefiled,andunfading,keptinheavenforyou,5 whobyGod'spowerarebeingguardedthroughfaithforasalvationreadytoberevealedinthelasttime.(1Peter1:3-5ESV)
4 ButwhenthegoodnessandlovingkindnessofGodourSaviorappeared,5 hesavedus,notbecauseofworksdonebyusinrighteousness,butaccordingtohisownmercy,bythewashingofregenerationandrenewaloftheHolySpirit,6 whomhepouredoutonusrichlythroughJesusChristourSavior,7 sothatbeingjustifiedbyhisgracewemightbecomeheirsaccordingtothehopeofeternallife.(Titus3:4-7ESV)
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinEternalSalvation
q Godpromisesadefiniteend tosuffering.(Isa25:8-9;Rev7,21:3-5)
3 AndIheardaloudvoicefromthethronesaying,"Behold,thedwellingplaceofGodiswithman.Hewilldwellwiththem,andtheywillbehispeople,andGodhimselfwillbewiththemastheirGod.4 Hewillwipeawayeverytearfromtheireyes,anddeathshallbenomore,neithershalltherebemourning,norcrying,norpainanymore,fortheformerthingshavepassedaway."5 Andhewhowasseatedonthethronesaid,"Behold,Iammakingallthingsnew."Alsohesaid,"Writethisdown,forthesewordsaretrustworthyandtrue."(Revelation21:3-5ESV)
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinEternalSalvation
q Godprovidesasacrifice inJesustosecureeternaljustice andfreedom fromlifelongslaverytosin.(Heb2:14-18;6,13)
14 Sincethereforethechildrenshareinfleshandblood,hehimselflikewisepartookofthesamethings,thatthroughdeathhemightdestroytheonewhohasthepowerofdeath,thatis,thedevil,15 anddeliverallthosewhothroughfearofdeathweresubjecttolifelongslavery.16 Forsurelyitisnotangelsthathehelps,buthehelpstheoffspringofAbraham.17 Thereforehehadtobemadelikehisbrothersineveryrespect,sothathemightbecomeamercifulandfaithfulhighpriestintheserviceofGod,tomakepropitiationforthesinsofthepeople.18 Forbecausehehimselfhassufferedwhentempted,heisabletohelpthosewhoarebeingtempted.(Heb 2:14-18ESV)
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinEternalSalvation
q God’sgiftofrighteousnessestablisheseternalpeace.(Rom5:1-5)
Therefore,sincewehavebeenjustifiedbyfaith,wehavepeacewithGodthroughourLordJesusChrist.2 Throughhimwehavealsoobtainedaccessbyfaithintothisgraceinwhichwestand,andwerejoiceinhopeofthegloryofGod.3 Morethanthat,werejoiceinoursufferings,knowingthatsufferingproducesendurance,4 andenduranceproducescharacter,andcharacterproduceshope,5 andhopedoesnotputustoshame,becauseGod'slovehasbeenpouredintoourheartsthroughtheHolySpiritwhohasbeengiventous.(Rom5:1-5ESV)
TheRoleofGraceandMercyinEternalSalvationq God’sabidingpresence nowandmorefullyforever.(Ex33;Matt
1:23;28:19-20)
q Substitutionaryatonement isGod’sperfectvictoryoversuffering.(Rom3:26;2Cor 5:21)
21 Foroursakehemadehimtobesinwhoknewnosin,sothatinhimwemightbecometherighteousnessofGod.(2Cor5:21ESV)
Grace Mercy
21 InthatsamehourherejoicedintheHolySpiritandsaid,"Ithankyou,Father,Lordofheavenandearth,thatyouhavehiddenthesethingsfromthewiseandunderstandingandrevealedthemtolittlechildren;yes,Father,forsuchwasyourgraciouswill.22 AllthingshavebeenhandedovertomebymyFather,andnooneknowswhotheSonisexcepttheFather,orwhotheFatherisexcepttheSonandanyonetowhomtheSonchoosestorevealhim."(Luke10:21-22ESV)
ØGodshowsustheinfinitecontrast betweenourheartandHisthroughtesting/trials.
ØGod’sorchestrates sufferingwithinourlimitstoproducecharactertransformation untilwearecomplete.(Jam1:2-4;Rom5:2-5)
TheRevelationofGraceandMercyinSuffering
2 Countitalljoy,mybrothers,whenyoumeettrialsofvariouskinds,3 foryouknowthatthetestingofyourfaithproducessteadfastness.4 Andletsteadfastnesshaveitsfulleffect,thatyoumaybeperfectandcomplete,lackinginnothing. (Jam1:2-4ESV)
ØGod’sunchangingcharacter isthebrightbeaconoflightpenetratingthescarydarknessofourfallenworld.(2Cor 4:6-12)
ØGodiscommittedtodirectourheartstowardtheonlytrueandlastingtreasure:Himself.(2Cor 3:18;4:15-18)
TheRevelationofGraceandMercyinSuffering
God’sGloriousCharacter
Ex32-34AppealtoGod’sCharacter
Psalm6,13,35,62,74,79,80,89,90,94
God’sTransformingGrace
Paul—DamascusRoad(Acts9;2Tim1:15-16;Rom8)
God’sGloryinChrist
Jesus(Heb 2:17;4:14-16;7:25-27;9:11-12,25-28;13:20-21)
God’sGraceGod’sMercyGod’sFaithfulnessGod’sPromisesGod’sPresenceGod’sPower
TheRecipeforHope
Firstaddmercytoremovetheguiltandcondemnationofsin,thenaddabundantgracetorestoreustoGodandempowerus.UsesufferingtothoroughlymixwhilesprinklinginGod’sfaithfulness.FinallyaddinGod’spromises,presence,andpowerthenplaceinthefurnaceofafflictionuntilhopeisfullybaked.
q SET theeyesofyourmindonthecharacterofGod.(3:21)
q SPEAK thetruthaboutGod’sinfiniteworthtoyourself.(3:24)
q SAVOR God’sgoodnesswhileyouwaitquietlyforHisdeliverance.(3:26-27)
TheRecipeforHopeinSuffering—Lamentations3
ASongofAscents.OfDavid.OLORD,myheartisnotliftedup;myeyesarenotraisedtoohigh;Idonotoccupymyselfwiththingstoogreatandtoomarvelousforme.2 ButIhavecalmedandquietedmysoul,likeaweanedchildwithitsmother;likeaweanedchildismysoulwithinme.3 OIsrael,hopeintheLORDfromthistimeforthandforevermore.(Psa 131:1-3ESV)