Tag Archives: Trouble

Encouragement – Sermon on Romans 15:4-13 for the Second Sunday of Advent

Romans 15:4-13

4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, 

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, 
and sing to your name.” 

10 And again it is said, 

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 

11 And again, 

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, 
and let all the peoples extol him.” 

12 And again Isaiah says, 

“The root of Jesse will come, 
even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;
in him will the Gentiles hope.” 

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

If your mailbox is anything like ours, you’ve noticed it being fuller than normal over the last couple weeks. It happens each year – usually beginning sometime around Thanksgiving. You start getting advertisements for Black Friday sales. Different organizations and charities send requests for end of the year gifts. If you live in Polk County, you receive your estimate for next year’s property tax. Packages arrive with gifts that will be wrapped and placed under the tree. Family and friends start sending out their Christmas cards and newsletters. Some of this extra mail makes you excited; some of it makes you mad or, even, overwhelmed. You’re more likely to be excited to open a package or read a Christmas card than you are to open your property tax assessment. And you might be frustrated with how quickly some of that mail fills up your garbage can.

In these verses, Paul is talking about God’s mail to you. He’s referring to the Bible. And all of it has a purpose. He says, “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” This verse (Ro. 15:4) is an extremely important verse for preachers. It and 2 Tim. 3:16-17 are where Scripture itself tells us what the purpose of Scripture is. Scripture teaches that there are five different ‘uses’ or ‘purposes’ of God’s Word. 2 Tim. 3:16-17 gives the first four when it says, “All Scripture is breathed out,” or ‘inspired,’ “by God and is profitable for 1) teaching, 2) reproof, 3) correction, and 4) training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

The fifth use/purpose of Scripture is here in Ro. 15:4 – encouragement. When preachers are taught this five-fold use/purpose of Scripture, the two that float to the top as the most important uses of Scripture, the ones that should probably always be in a sermon, are teaching and encouragement. The other three – reproof, correction, and training in righteousness – yes, they are important, but they don’t need to be part of every sermon. The text that’s being preached is what should guide the preacher as to which of the five ‘uses’ make it into the sermon because each text has a different focus. But teaching and encouragement are something that should happen in every sermon – at least, to some degree.

Dear saints, according to Scripture itself, God is encouraging us whenever we read the Scriptures. The Bible wasn’t written for the benefit of the authors so they could write a best-seller and earn a living. Neither are the Scriptures merely personal notes or stories or genealogical records. No. The Scriptures were inspired, written, recorded, and preserved by God to teach you and to give you hope, comfort, and encouragement.

The Holy Spirit inspired each author to write what they wrote to give you encouragement. God Himself is the author of all Scripture. So, He inspired Moses to write Genesis-Deuteronomy for you. He had David write the Psalms for you. The Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah and Jeremiah and Malachi to write so that you – along with all the saints who have come before you and will come after you – could learn and be encouraged. The Scriptures are God’s Word. The contain God’s promises that He gave to our brothers and sisters in Christ who came before us. But they are written and recorded for your sake. In other words, we all benefit from them. Every line of Scripture is written for your benefit.

Sadly, many think that the Bible is nothing more than an old book with dead authors and dead audiences. That wrong idea leads them to conclude that the contents and the subjects that Scripture addresses are dead as well. But they aren’t. The Bible is not a bunch of words for a former time that are intended for former people. As Christ’s children, you know better.

The Bible is God’s Word for you and to you. The Scriptures are written for your learning and mine. The applications that can be made from the Scriptures are for us – even when the things that occur in them happened to somebody else. The Scriptures are for your learning, reproof, correction, training in righteousness, and for your encouragement.

The word that Paul uses here for ‘encouragement’ is the same word that Jesus uses to refer to the Holy Spirit in Jn. 14-16. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, the Helper, the Advocate of God’s people. The Holy Spirit uses that Word to point you to Jesus (Jn. 15:26), who is also your Comforter and Advocate (1 Jn. 2:1). And the Spirit uses that Word to bring you to faith in what is firm, certain, strong, and unchanging. Christian, you don’t have to speculate about God or wonder what He thinks about you. The Scriptures tell you exactly what God thinks and what He promises to give to you and to do for you. That is the source of your encouragement.

Comfort and encouragement is always for those who are troubled. There are all sorts of things in this world that might cause you to be troubled, but the Scriptures seem to divide the trouble you face into two main categories 1) a troubled conscience and 2) a troubled heart. And it’s helpful to keep a distinction between those two.

When we think about the encouragement that the Bible gives, we might think mostly about the comfort that has to do with our sin, which is probably good. Scripture is where God tells us all the things that we must do, all the things we must notdo. And as we hear that, we recognize that we are sinners because our conscience is troubled by our sin. Then, of course, God’s Word comes and tells us that for the sake of Jesus Christ, God removes our sin as far from us as the east is from the west (Ps. 103:12) because Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:29). Jesus died for those sins, bearing them to His now-empty tomb. All of us need the encouragement that our sins are forgiven so we would be comforted in our conscience.

But Scripture also wants to encourage your troubled heart, which is different from a troubled conscience. In Jn. 14:1, Jesus tells the disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” There, Jesus isn’t addressing the disciples’ sin. Instead, He’s comforting and encouraging them because of what’s about to happen. He’s about to go to the cross and be parted from them. He’ll be in the tomb for three days. That fact is going to give the disciples troubled hearts.

So, the distinction between a troubled conscience and a troubled heart is the root cause. A troubled conscience is caused by sin. But a troubled heart is caused when you see the things going on in this dark, fallen, sinful world and recognize that things are not as they should be. They are not as God created and intended them to be.

This is why all of Scripture – every book, chapter, paragraph, verse, and word – all of it is for your encouragement. Sure, you might gravitate to certain comforting and reassuring passages. That is natural. It’s fine and, even, good. But all of it is for your encouragement. Even the Law portions of Scripture, the parts that tell you what you must do and must not do, even those are encouraging.

Think back to the idea of the different kinds of mail you receive this time of the year. You’d probably rather read the Christmas cards than open your property tax assessment for the upcoming year. Just like you’d probably prefer to read Ps. 23 about God being your Shepherd than, say, Lev. 14 about the laws for a person with leprosy. But both are for your encouragement.

Even God’s Law and Commands are comforting because you are clearly told what is required of you. God doesn’t hide anything from you. There will be no surprises on the Last Day when it comes to what God demands. He’s not shifty. He is open and clear. So, whenever you read Scripture, look for the encouragement. Sure, there are portions of Scripture that you might – at least not initially – think of as comforting, but that’s not a problem with the Scriptures. That’s a problem with our perspective of the Scriptures. In His holy Word, God has laid everything out on the table. Everything He wants you to know, He has told you in His Word. He hasn’t held anything back.

One of the most encouraging things in the Scriptures that should always be on your mind is that Jesus is coming back to rescue you. Our Gospel reading today (Lk. 21:25-36) makes that clear. Sure, some of the language in that reading is troubling. Jesus mentions all sorts of things that can cause a troubled heart – signs in the sun, moon, and stars; distress of nations; the roaring of the sea and waves; and the powers of the heavens being shaken. People will be fainting with fear and foreboding for all the things that are coming on in the world. And we see a lot of that going on today. We see the wars and hear rumors of wars. We see violence and division. We see evil people doing evil things. We hear reports and speculations of all sorts of bad things that might happen in the future. And all of this can cause our hearts to be troubled. But be encouraged. Jesus has plainly told you that these things will happen. So, He’s not surprised when they do. And because He’s not surprised, be encouraged because Christ is still on the throne, and He knows how to deal with all those things.

Your crucified and risen Savior, Jesus Christ, has ascended into heaven and now rules and reigns over all things for your benefit, believer. And He is coming back to rescue and deliver you from every trouble and every evil. That is your hope, that is your comfort, that is your encouragement each and every time your heart is troubled. Open the Scriptures and be reminded that Christ is coming to deliver and rescue you. 

When your heart is troubled because of all the evil that surrounds you, remember that Jesus promises that evil is the sign that His return is drawing closer. He says, “When these [troubling] things begin to take place, straighten up, raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Lk. 21:28). Not only is it drawing near, but it is here as our Savior comes and invites us to His table. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Php. 4:7). Amen.

Determined – Sermon on Job 14:1-6 for the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity

Job 14:1–6

1 “Man who is born of a woman 
is few of days and full of trouble. 
2 He comes out like a flower and withers; 
he flees like a shadow and continues not. 
3 And do you open your eyes on such a one 
and bring me into judgment with you? 
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? 
There is not one. 
5 Since his days are determined, 
and the number of his months is with you, 
and you have appointed his limits that he cannot pass, 
6 look away from him and leave him alone, 
that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Seasons change. This year, we’re having a particularly long Fall. We’ve been hitting 50°F regularly. The forecast says we’ve got a couple more days of that, but it’s definitely Fall. The sun is lower in the sky, and it’s getting dark earlier and earlier each day. Your grass might still have some green in it, but the brown is steadily progressing. Most of the leaves have fallen off of the trees, and you’re probably ahead of me in getting them off the lawn.

We’re used to these seasonal changes in this part of the world. During the months that end with ‘-ber,’ we start smelling autumn in the air. And I know some of you are already eagerly waiting for March and April when you get those first, faint scents of Spring. This portion of Job is like those brief whiffs of new life. But, because of his suffering, Job is deep in the declining days of autumn, and yet he is determined to smell the sweetness of Spring again.

To get the context of where we are in Job 14, remember: Three times in the first two chapters, Job is described as a man who is blameless, upright, one who fears God, and turns away from evil (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3). In other words, Job is a Christian. But God allows Satan to cause him all sorts of suffering, both in material and physical ways. Job’s suffering puts him in this autumn season of death.

As he suffers, Job’s three friends come to talk with him. Well, we call them “friends,” but that’s using that word extremely liberally because, honestly, they’re really, really bad friends. Each of them thinks he’s wise enough to know why Job is suffering and tries to explain it. The problem is that their ideas of why Job is suffering only make Job’s suffering worse. In fact, the conversation Job’s friends have with him is, basically, a third round of suffering inflicted on Job.

The first friend, Eliphaz, basically tells Job, “You’re suffering because you are being punished for some sin. But you should be thankful because this suffering is going to make you a better person” (Job 4-5). The second one, Bildad, basically says, “You’re getting what you deserve. Just repent, and your pain will go away” (Job 8). The third, Zophar, basically says, “Actually, Job, you deserve a lot worse. Make yourself worthy to stand before God and then your life will get better” (Job 11). It’s almost like each one of those friends is actively trying to be worse than the previous at explaining why Job is suffering.

Job had responded to each of those friends’ claims, but our text today is the second part of Job’s reply to the three of them collectively. The summary of what Job says in Job 13 is, “This suffering isn’t because God is punishing me for some particular sin. You guys can say whatever you want, but I have no problem insisting that I am righteous before God.” And remember, Job is right when he says that. Job hadn’t heard it, but God Himself declared Job to be blameless and upright. And even though Job is in the autumn of suffering, he stands righteous before God through faith (Hab. 2:4; Gen. 15:6).

Now, here in Job 14, Job longs for Spring and the season of new life. But he speaks about it in ways where we only get the faintest whiff of it. He’s still deep in the autumn of his suffering. That’s why Job talks about the few, troubled days of all mankind (Job 14:1). Job rightly says that all of us are like a flower that sprouts up but then withers (Job 14:2).

Look again at in v. 5. Job says, “[Man’s] days are determined, and the number of his months is with You, [God]. You have appointed his limits that he cannot pass.” Yes, Job is in a very dark place. He’s enduring a suffering that is hard for us to fathom. He’s lost his all of his income, and his children have died. But Job still recognizes that God is the One in control of all his days. Job knows that God determines both the beginning and end of a person. Because of sin, all of us are mortals. We all die, and each person has a God-determined number of days (Ps. 39:4, 139:16).

But then, in the verses that follow immediately after our text (Job 14:7-9), Job says that he longs for Fall to be over and Spring to come again. He says that there is still hope for a tree that is cut down because it can sprout again. Job acknowledges that roots grow old in the earth and the stump dies in the soil, but it will still put out branches at the first scent of water.

In other words, Job believes that, in spite of his current condition, God hasn’t and won’t abandon him – even after Job has breathed his last. Job believes in the Resurrection. In spite of his suffering, Job knows that he will rise again, and his own eyes will see his Redeemer standing victorious on the earth. That will become crystal clear in what Job says in ch. 19:25-27. But here in ch. 14, Job is still mostly in his “Fall funk.”

Now, I want to dig into v. 6 here a little bit. Listen to it again, “look away from him and leave him alone, that he may enjoy, like a hired hand, his day.” When I was initially reading this text to prepare for this sermon, that verse reminded me of other verses of Scripture like Ecc. 2:24 which says, “There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil.” The way I understood it was that Job was asking God to look away from him and leave him alone so he could just enjoy the rest of his days. But after doing more study on the text, I realized that’s not what is going on here. Not at all!

If you look in your pew Bible, you’ll see that the ESV (which is what is printed for you) has a footnote that says the way we should probably read that first line of v. 6 is, “Look away from him that he may cease.” In other words, Job isn’t asking God to leave him alone. Instead, Job is saying that, as soon as God looks away from us, we die. Now, it might not seem like it at first, but there are actually two bits of comfort there.

The first comfort is that Job recognizes God is not ignoring him or looking the other direction. Even though Job is suffering, God is looking at him and is aware of his situation. Since God knows Job’s suffering, He also knows your suffering. God sees. God is alert to all the causes of your pain. That’s precisely why He sent Jesus to rescue and deliver you.

The second comfort is a little harder to recognize – like the first scent of Spring. What Job is saying here is basically, “Look away from me so I can come to the end of my days and die because I know there is a resurrection where there will be no more suffering.” Now, Job isn’t suicidal here. Instead, Job recognizes that his life is like the changing of seasons. He’s in the Fall of suffering and decay. The cold, dead of winter will come when God decides it will come. But after winter comes the new life of Spring and resurrection. That’s what Job is longing for.

In context, that first line of v. 6 is Job saying, “God, I know that I’m not going to live forever. I know that this suffering is temporary. Eventually, I will die, but You will raise me again. Even now in this suffering, my life is in Your hands. But I also know that my eternal future is in Your hands. And my preference right now is to move on and get to the resurrection stuff.”

That understanding gives us a better picture of what the second line of v. 6 says where Job talks about a hired hand enjoying his day. During the sweat and toil of work, a hired hand looks to the end of the day when he will rest and receive his wages. That’s what Job longs for. Through faith, Job knows that God will reward him when his life has ended, and he will have eternal rest.

So, dear saints, let’s apply all of this to you. You aren’t suffering like Job is here, and may God grant that none of you ever do. But everyone suffers to one degree or another in this broken world. Like Job, you can confidently place yourself in God’s hands. Yes, you are a sinner, but God can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing (Job 14:4). Your God brings life out of death. God cleanses, restores, and forgives. No matter what you suffer in this life, God still and always loves you because of what Christ has done on the cross for you.

We suffer many things in this broken, sinful world. Whatever we suffer points to the fact that this world is ending. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus will mention several signs of the end of the world, and they are all some form of suffering. But Jesus wants you to take courage. Every war and rumor of war; every earthquake and hurricane; every corrupt government and politician; every sickness, disease, death, and threat – all of them are only signs that this world is broken and will not last. But know that even in the midst of all those signs, God hasn’t forgotten you.

Jesus lives, and He is returning for you. You belong to Him. Through Jesus, God has delivered you and declared that you are His people. Christ is determined to rescue you. He brings life out of death, and He will lead you in green pastures and beside still waters (Ps. 23:2).

Jesus is your God and Savior, and He is absolutely determined to bring you safely through the autumn of this broken world into the eternal Spring of the New Creation. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.