INTRODUCTION
A. I first introduced you to Saeed Abedini several months ago – many heard name on news
1. American citizen –Iranian descent – pastor – has been in Iranian prison since 2012
2. His crime – preaching about Jesus – for that -8 years –worst prisons in world
3. This past spring – he was beaten so badly – taken to hospital – nursed back to health
4. So he could be beaten some more – No sign of release, nothing from our govt –no hope
B. His wife, Naghmeh –travels, speaks –encourages others with their story
1. But this past spring, ““This news is devastating to our family. This development also came as a complete shock to all of us. Saeed’s family, who was present at the hospital when this occurred, witnessed the severe beatings that Saeed received – at one point seeing him collapse before being taken away. We’re very concerned about his health.”
2. Reality at this point – with the beating, torture he has experienced –toll on his health…
3. Even if he were released today – not the same man –never will be
4. He has been broken-crushed- all in the name of Christ
C. It is not uncommon when we are going through a difficult time for us to confess –can’t take it
1. Others to encourage, “God will not give you more than you can handle.”
2. I look at stories like Saeed and I think, “Really?” How much more can he handle? Wife?
3. I look at the 2000 year history of Christianity –stained with the blood of martyrs – really?
4. Our own lives, our own trials – times when feel like we can’t hold on –God piled on us
5. Wonder –how much more can we take? How much more does God think I can take?
D. Warn you – there’s nothing “feel good” about this message today – but want it to be honest
1. Last thing I ever want to do is make hollow promises that the word of God –not support
2. Never want to make you feel like a failure –something wrong with you –can’t hold on
3. Truth is –Bible never says God will not give you more than you can handle
4. Jesus said –in this world you will have trouble, promised beatings, humiliations, rejection
5. Families torn apart – None of that says, “God will not give you more than you can handle”
6. Tells me is God loves you – and he wants you to love him more than your own comfort
E. We get this idea “God will not give you more than you can handle” – passage in 1 Corinthians
1. 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
2. Be clear –passage is about sin and temptation – from idolatry to adultery-in between
3. Does not speak of suffering –pain –sickness –torture- despair of life
4. To turn it into a promise God never made –wrong –harmful for those looking for hope
5. And completely ignores the reality of what Christ calls us to – may include suffering
6. It ignores what we learn from those who endured – like the Saeed - or Apostle Paul
7. TEXT: 2 CORINTHIANS 1:8-11
Trans: I read those words and I see no promise of an easy life, a light burden, or the comforts of this world. Instead I see this call from the Apostle Paul, in the midst of his despair, to:
I. RELY ON THE ONE WHO IS CRUSHING YOU
A. Ever considered just how much stress a phrase like, “God will not….” Puts on a person?
1. When down and out –discouraged –nearing the end of our rope – doesn’t give hope…
2. Feel like we’re not measuring up – “If I’m supposed to handle this, why can’t I?”
3. I know we mean them as encouragement –but those words can be very discouraging
4. Cause us to build a wall – if I can handle this –why do I need God? Why need anyone else?
B. Look at Paul’s honesty about his pain – verse 8 – Despaired of life – saw no way out
1. Consider –Philippians 3:8, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”
2. He wanted to know Christ –no matter the cost –even if didn’t know the way out
3. Verse 9 – Paul’s pain/despair felt like a death sentence – some of you have been there
4. Easy to let that kind of pain become all consuming – draw into yourself –woe is me
5. But instead he remembered –God raises the dead –raised Jesus from the dead
6. If he was able to do that –he is able to raise me up from my despair – from my death
Trans: That is a greater promise than simply trying to believe God will not give you more than you can handle. Because in those moments when you cannot handle any more, that’s when you can:
II. BUILD TRUST UPON TRUST
A. There’s an interesting dichotomy between Paul’s experience here in 8-11 – blessing in 3-7
1. As shares his experience –raw – honest –we thought we were dead – gone –no hope
2. But having experienced that – he was able to give them this blessing – read 3-7
3. I submit to you – you don’t get to that kind of trust/comfort –without suffering
4. Realization that his sufferings –his despair –wasn’t just for him – for others
5. So others could learn from what he experienced – verse 10
B. I love it when you tell your stories – in fact – I love telling your stories for you
1. Because other people hear your stories and they find God – grow in trust –hope
2. I think of Joe Harmon –first diagnosed we prayed –more than anything-glorify yourself
3. When he could no longer speak, “Still want glory?” Nodded his head in agreement
4. Bill Carreon – told me –I don’t have anything to complain about – tell others? Of course!
C. And I think about the Apostle Paul – just three chapters later
1. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
2. Somehow he went from feeling totally abandoned –realization –not been destroyed
3. He didn’t get there because God went easy on him. You understand that?
4. We tell our stories to build trust – for ourselves – for others – reminder
5. God got us through this – he will see you through as well.
Trans: We have to tell our stories – we have to share our experiences – even the worst of them, because that’s where we build our hope and our trust. If God gives you more than you can handle I want to know about it, so I can bear it with you. In those moments you have to know:
III. YOU NEVER HAVE TO BEAR ANYTHING ALONE
A. This past week – been in prayer for our friends at Camp Illiana, Washington, Indiana
1. Such an important ministry – so many of us encountered God for the first time –new ways
2. Monday –while trimming trees –Camp Director David Bean was killed – devastating loss
3. Our prayers are with family as well as campers – thankfully –mercifully – not present
4. “Camp Illiana has been given a very tough trial by GOD today that we must come together in order to persevere.”
B. Did you hear that? We must come together in order to persevere
1. Your perseverance isn’t about how tough you are, how much you can take-handle alone
2. Not that you won’t whine, that you will suck it up – but rather – that you will share it
3. You will share your load so others might know Christ – might know his strength – his grace
4. Verse 11 – “We must come together in order to persevere” – willing to learn that?
C. Folks, you don’t learn that until you’ve been given more than you can handle
1. You don’t learn that until you have to bear with someone else – share burden/load/pain
2. Comes a point where I have to realize –if my pain/burden draws someone closer to God…
3. If for his sake I suffer the loss of all things and count myself as rubbish…tell story of grace..
4. Will I be ok with that? Will I let God use me by breaking me?
CONCLUSION
A. I believe something happens when we give ourselves over to God’s purpose
1. He doesn’t lighten up on us – go easy – doesn’t suddenly decide we’ve had enough
2. Instead there is the realization that some things are more important than my comfort
3. More lasting – and have a greater effect.
4. We see it in Paul in this one letter –starts here verse 8 – burdened beyond our strength
5. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
B. Those burdens that felt like a death sentence didn’t become light and momentary afflictions because God went easy on him. – changed because he saw a greater perspective.
1. Changed because Paul was able to see past his pain – his sufferings
2. See that God was telling his story through him
3. Paul didn’t get there alone – and neither do we – we get there with support –love
4. Get there because no matter the trial we go through it together.
C. Rich Mullins “So go out and live real good and I promise you'll get beat up real bad. But, in a little while after you're dead, you'll be rotted away anyway. It's not gonna matter if you have a few scars. It will matter if you didn't live.”
1. God not only wants you to live – he wants your life to be a story of his grace
2. More than a story of your success, your comfort or what you have – a story of lack
3. And a story of how you need him more than anything else.
