Breakthrough And Good Grief Series

Video Transition: Lauren Daigle on Grief

Our Theme this year - Breakthrough 2020

Thesis: In 2020 we are looking for spiritual breakthroughs in our lives, our souls, our families, our church, our school, and our community. This is our vision and prayer! But to get the desired breakthrough in our lives we need to have 20 – 20 vision from the Lord. We need to see into the spiritual realm and learn how to use His weapons which will bring the spiritual breakthroughs.

Scripture Texts:

2 Corinthians 10:3-4: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

Philippians 4:19: "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

Summary of last week’s message – Job and his three friends – the poor counselors – they piled more pain on Job rather than comforting Job.

Job’s 3 friends!

ELIPHAZ THE BLAMER and SHAMER (Job 4, 5)

Eliphaz responded by telling Job in 4:6-9. He is declaring, "God is angry with evil people and He destroys them, but the innocent are spared." (Johnson, 32). You are responsible for your suffering not God Job – you did evil – He is punishing you for it! He accuses and blames Job for all his problems.

BILDAD, THE ANSWER MAN (Job 8)

He says, “You sinned, your children sinned, therefore, you got what you all deserved” (Job 8: 2,3,4). Like the coaches of the U.S. gymnastics team say, "Suck up the pain and deal with it." How is that for empathy! Bildad has no clue how to help someone going through trauma! Bildad’s the one, two, three do this solution guy to all life's problems. Job I have a program follow it and all will be well.

ZOPHAR, THE BULLY and EXCUSE MAKER FOR GOD (Job 11)

Zophar is not the brightest of the three but he is full of emotion. He comes in throwing his "guilt bombs". Johnson's point here, "How weak are our attempts to "help" God or defend His ways. We are false witnesses when we pretend that what ought to be, is." (65) Job. 11:3: “Will your idle talk reduce men to silence? Will no one rebuke you when you mock?” Then – “I will defend God!”

We need to learn from these three friends what not to do in times of suffering and instead be dispensers of Good Grief for people going through the trials and tribulations of life.

Sermon 4: Breakthrough and Good Grief

Thesis: The Body of Christ needs to learn how to administer “Good Grief” in times of loss, in crisis and in trauma situations of life. You may ask “Why?” answer is so we get spiritual breakthroughs and we help others get spiritual breakthroughs. “Why?” So, our church becomes known as a church that brings healing not hurt to others going through suffering.

Introduction:

We learned last week that Job was in a severe state of grief and sorrow not because of sin but because he was sinless. We need to know that we all will face times of loss and trauma in life as a result of sin or because we are living God honoring lives. As a result of this truth, we need to learn how go through Grief in a good way and here are some important lessons to know about Grief?

We need to look at grief as good not bad. Grief has purpose it helps us to heal and it is used to make us interdependent on God and others. Grief is the journey to healing of a wounded heart, and we need to have appropriate responses to it. Grief also has certain recovery steps that we need to understand and progress through and help others progress through. In spite of dealing with death and tragedies as God’s fault we need to still believe God is good! We need to understand that death is not the end but the beginning of a “Great Story!”

A story of Good Grief - The hymn story: It is well with my Soul

Mr. Horatio G. Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago and a member of the Fullerton Avenue Presbyterian Church in that city. In the financial crisis of 1873, he lost most of his property. In the stress and strain of the times, he prevailed on his wife and four daughters to take a trip to France—to get as far away from the scene of worry as possible. He booked passage for them on the Ville de Havre. They set sail November 15, 1873.

The trip was uneventful, and its hundreds of passengers were enjoying the indescribable uplift of an ocean voyage. That is, until the night of November 22.