TRIUMPH THROUGH TESTING TIMES
(All my sermons use illustrations found at www.sermoncentral.com and ALL scripture is NIV unless otherwise noted)
After a long series of sermons on giving God room to work, it almost seems fitting, to look at scripture and find a place where God tells us, that tough times will come, BUT we need not worry, He is with us.
We all know that God stood by JOB, we see from the book of JOB that after JOB was tested and passed, he was rewarded for his great faithfulness. But he is not the only example in scripture.
In his book, When God Whispers Your Name, Max Lucado tells the story of John Egglen, who had never preached a sermon in his life before the Sunday morning when it snowed and the pastor wasn’t able to make it to the church. In fact, he was the only deacon to show up. He was not a preacher, but he was faithful and that meant on that particular Sunday morning he preached. God rewarded his faithfulness, and at the end of his hesitant sermon, one young man invited God into his heart. No one there could appreciate the significance of what had taken place that morning. The young man who accepted Christ that snowy Sunday morning was non other than Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the man who has often been called, the "prince of preachers." God blessed his preaching and when he was still less than 30 years old he became the pastor of London’s Metropolitan Tabernacle. His sermons were so powerful that although the building could hold 5000 people, the crowds who came to hear him were so thick that they would line up outside trying to hear his sermons. That amazing life of faith all started on a cold Sunday morning with the faithfulness of a deacon who had never preached a sermon before that day. Faithfulness means being committed to what God lets us have the chance to do, whether it looks like a big assignment, or a small one. Giving the sermon to a handful of people on a Sunday morning when almost no one shows up doesn’t seem all that significant, but it demanded faithfulness & God blessed John Egglin’s faithfulness.
This morning won’t you turn with me to LUKE 22:31-32. Here I want you to see
that although testing times will come, Jesus is in our corner and He is predicting we will succeed.
Luke 22:31-32 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
PRAYER
I. SATAN WILL TEST US!
Here we see a passage that is very similar to that of an Old Testament story found in the book of Job. We could see that Peter is considered a faithful servant of God’s. He has followed Jesus in His ministry and he has been, and will be, faithful to God. Job, was considered a righteous man in God’s sight, BUT. Satan explains that away with: Job 1:9-12 "Does Job fear God for nothing?" Satan replied. 10 "Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." 12 The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger."
Now, we see Jesus warning Peter that the same thing is about to happen to him, Jesus tells Peter that Satan has asked to test Peter, and that Peter will falter. Remember, God uses Satan to TEST us. I mean even in this scripture passage, Satan says, Hey God, if YOU strike down everything the man has surely he will curse you to your face, BUT, God replies, “OK, I will allow everything he has to be in YOUR hands Satan, but don’t lay a finger on him.”
God uses Satan to test our faith, and he is about to allow that testing to happen to Peter. Jesus knows that Peter will falter, later on in this chapter he tells Peter as much, he tells him that he will deny Jesus three times before the rooster crows. But then Jesus, says something that you and I must take to heart, he says: But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail.
II. JESUS HAS PRAYED
Now that changes things for me, knowing that Jesus is my advocate before the Father is something special, it changes everything and makes the tests of life so much more bearable.
One preacher tells it this way: I was watching some little kids play soccer. These kids were only five or six years old, but they were playing a real game- a serious game- two teams, complete with coaches, uniforms, and parents. I didn’t know any of them, so I was able to enjoy the game without the distraction of being anxious about winning or losing- I only wished the parents and coaches could have done the same.
The teams were pretty evenly matched. I will just call them Team One and Team Two. Nobody scored in the first period. The kids were hilarious. They were clumsy and terribly inefficient, as only children can be. They fell over their own feet, they stumbled over the ball, they kicked the ball and missed it, but they didn’t seem to care… they were having fun!
In the second period, the Team One coach, pullout out what must have been his first team players and put in the scrubs; with the exception of his best player, who he left at goalie. The game took a dramatic turn. I guess winning is important even when you are five years old, because the Team Two coach left his best players in; the Team One scrubs were just no match for them.
Team Two swarmed around the little guy at goalie. He was an outstanding athlete for five, but he was no match for three or four who were equally as good. Team Two began to score. The goalie gave it his all. Recklessly throwing his body in front of incoming balls, trying valiantly to stop them. Team Two scored two quick points in succession. It infuriated the young boy. He became a raging maniac- shouting, running and diving. With all the stamina he could muster, he finally was able to cover one of the boys as he approached the goal. But, that boy kicked the ball to another boy twenty feet away, and by the time the young goalie repositioned himself, it was too late. They scored a third goal.
I soon learned who the goalie’s parents were. They were nice, decent-looking people. I could tell that his dad had just come from the office, tie and all. They yelled encouragement to their son. I became totally absorbed, watching the boy on the field, and his parents on the sideline. After the third goal, the little kid changed. He could see it was no use; he couldn’t stop them. He didn’t quit, but he became quietly desperate- futility was written all over his face.
His father changed too. He had been urging his son to try harder- yelling advice and encouragement. But then he changed; he became anxious. He tried to say that it was okay- to hang in there. He grieved for the pain his son was feeling. After the fourth goal, I knew what was going to happen. I’ve seen it before.
The little boy needed help so badly, and there was no help to be had. He retrieved the ball from the net and handed it to the referee-and then he cried. He just stood there while huge tears rolled down both cheeks. He went to his knees, I saw his father start onto the field. His wife clutched his wrist and said, “Jim, don’t. You’ll embarrass him.”
But, he tore loose from her and ran onto the field. He wasn’t supposed to, for the game was still in progress. Suit, tie, dress shoes, and all- he charged onto the field and he picked up his son so everybody would know that this was his boy. And he hugged him and kissed him- and cried with him. I have never been so proud of any man in my life.
He carried him off the field, and when they got close to the sidelines I heard him say, “Scotty, I’m so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my son.”
“Daddy,” the boy sobbed, “I couldn’t stop them. I tried, Daddy, I tried and tried and they scored on me.” “Scotty, it doesn’t matter how many times they score on you. You’re my son, and I’m proud of you. I want you to go back out there and finish the game. I know you want to quit, but you can’t. And son, you’re going to get scored on again, but it doesn’t matter. Go on, now.”
It made a difference- I could tell it did.
When you’re all alone, and you’re getting scored on- and you can’t stop them- it means a lot to know that it doesn’t matter to those who love you. The little guy ran back on to the field, and they scored two more times; but, it was okay. I get scored on every day. I try so hard. I recklessly throw my body in every direction. I fume and rage. I struggle with temptation and sin with every ounce of my being- and Satan laughs.
And he scores again, and the tears come, and I go to my knees; sinful, convicted, helpless. And my Father rushed right out on the field- right in front of the whole crowd- the whole laughing world, and he picks me up. And he hugs me, and he says, “I am so proud of you. You were great out there. I want everybody to know that you are my child. And because I control the outcome of the game- I declare you the WINNER.”
And folks that is what Jesus does when He prays for us, when He becomes our advocate and prays for us something wonderful happens, and Jesus tells us that in the next half of verse 32: And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
III. WE WILL COME BACK
Jesus tells Peter, WHEN you have turned back, knowing that all though Peter will falter, he has not failed. WHEN, indicates that he will turn back to God, he might turn away for a bit, but he is coming back, God says it and that settles it.
Each of us has faltered, maybe even today, but each of us has the strength to come back, and with the lesson we learn we too can strengthen others.
You can go from hero to zero in a relatively short time; just ask Wrong Way Riegels. On New Year’s Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played UCLA in the Rose Bowl. In that game a young man named Roy Riegels recovered a fumble for UCLA. Picking up the loose ball, he lost his direction and ran sixty-five yards toward the wrong goal line.
One of his teammates, Benny Lom, ran him down and tackled him just before he scored for the opposing team. Several plays later, the Bruins had to punt. Tech blocked the kick and scored a safety, demoralizing the UCLA team.
The strange play came in the first half. At half-time the UCLA players filed off the field and into the dressing room. As others sat down on the benches and the floor, Riegels put a blanket around his shoulders, sat down in a corner, and put his face in his hands. When the timekeeper came in and announced that there were three minutes before playing time, Coach Price looked at the team and said, Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second.
The players got up and started out, all but Riegels. He didn’t budge. The coach looked back and called to him. Riegels didn’t move. Coach Price went over to where Riegels sat and said, Roy, didn’t you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second.
Roy Riegels looked up, his cheeks wet with tears. Coach, he said, I can’t do it. I’ve ruined you. I’ve ruined the university’s reputation. I’ve ruined myself. I can’t face that crowd out there.
Coach Price reached out, put his hand on Riegels’s shoulder, and said, Roy, get up and go on back. The game is only half over. Riegels finally did get up. He went onto the field, and the fans saw him play hard and play well.
We will come back, Jesus has prayed and we will come back, and when we do:
IV. STRENGTHEN OTHERS
The Bible tells us in so many ways that we are not alone when we face temptation, we are not alone in our struggles, in tribulation and trials. 1 Cor 10:13 tells us: No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
No temptation has a got a hold of you that someone else has not been through, and therefore there is help to get past anything you feel might keep you from following God. If we would share, and encourage each other more, and keep from gossip and impure talk. If we ran to aide each other, humbly saying, “I know where you are, because I have been there before.”
Paul sees this as a huge part of unity, and I see it as a tool to Triumph Through Testing Times:
Eph 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Gossip can destroy a person, especially when we speak badly of people without offering them any help.
“In Charles Colson’s book, Loving God, he tells the story of an incredible ninety-one-year-old woman, known affectionately as Grandma Howell…
As she moved into the twilight of her life, she had more than one reason to let depression take over--to just give up and die. Her youngest son had died. Her oldest son was in declining health. Many of her friends were dying and she had begin to believe that she had nothing left to live for. One day she prayed with all of her heart and told the Lord that if He didn’t have anything more for her to do, she was ready to die. According to Grandma Howell, God spoke three words: Write to prisoners.
After arguing with the Lord about her lack of education and her age, Myrtle wrote her first letter:
Dear Inmate,
I am a grandmother who loves and cares for you who is in a place you had not plans to be. My love and sympathy goes out to you. I am willing to be a friend to you in correspondence. If you’d like to hear from me, write me. I will answer every letter you write.
A Christian Friend,
Grandmother Howell
When the letter was sent to the Atlanta Penitentiary, the prison chaplain sent Myrtle the names of eight prison inmates. That was the beginning of an unbelievable ministry of encouragement. Over the next months, this elderly woman carried on an extensive written ministry with hundreds of incarcerated men and women--- and all of it was done from her little room in a high-rise home for the aged in Columbus, Georgia. According to Colson, writing to the prisoners was only half of Myrtle’s joy. They wrote back! And their letters were warm, rich epistles of gratitude. One inmate who signed her name ‘Grandmother Janice’ wrote:
Dear Grandmother,
I received your letter and it made me sad when you wrote that you think you may not be alive much longer. I thought I would wait and come to see you and then tell you all you have meant to me. But now I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to tell you now.
You’ve given me all the love and concern and care that I’ve missed for years and my whole outlook on life has changed. You’ve made me realize that life is worth living and that it’s not all bad. You claim it’s all God’s doing, but I think you deserve the credit. I didn’t think I was capable of feeling love for anyone again, but I know I love you as my very own precious grandmother.”
Folks, I am here to tell you that we will fall, ALL of us will be tested by Satan, I know for a fact that we as a church have already, and will continue to be, tested by Satan, and WE WILL FALL. There is NO doubt that some of us will falter, we will slip, we will FALL. BUT, the great news is our own Lord and Savior will be praying for us. He wants us to succeed and we WILL. And when we do, we must use those lessons to strengthen others.
Are you here this morning, and the tests have been more then you can handle? Are you here, God has spoken to your heart and you know that you should be moving in the direction HE wants, but your not. Jesus is praying, and so am I. Won’t you use this time of invitation to make it right with God?
INVITATION
