Welcome everybody! Today we are beginning a brand-new sermon series that I’m calling COVID and the Christian. I admit it—that is a strange way to name a series of sermons—if it wasn’t the year 2020!
We are 7 months into 2020 and I don’t believe there has been a day go by this year when the word Coronavirus hasn’t come out of my mouth. This pandemic has dominated everything this year and I would be really surprised if there was a single person left on the planet who hasn’t heard about it.
Ok, maybe some long lost tribe out in the rainforest that has been cut off from the outside world… Maybe they haven’t heard of the Coronavirus, but that would be just about it!
My wife got a new shirt recently and I think it pretty much sums up most people's feelings about 2020! Her shirt says, "2020 gets a 1-star review and we certainly could not recommend it!"
If they ever remake the movie Back to the Future, I’m confident that they will most certainly add this new dialog. “Listen to me carefully, Marty. Whatever you do, don’t set it to 2020!”
Isn’t that how many of us are feeling right now? This has been a tough year; no doubt about it. Some days have felt like we’re getting over the hump, and other days have seemed like we’re getting nowhere! I think one of the hardest things for me is all the mixed and confusing messages.
• One doctor (or expert) says one thing, and another doctor (or expert) says the exact opposite…
• One researcher says this, and another says that…
• One leader takes a strong stand, two others call foul…
• One day we’re told this is vital, then next day it’s not…
• Months ago we were told that we had two weeks to flatten the curve. We did it, but now we’re seeing our highest number of cases ever.
• There have been days that have left me wondering if anyone knows anything at all! (and of course we all know people on Social Media who think they’re the expert on the virus, and mask wearing, COVID testing, and anyone who dares disagrees with their expert analysis is a nincompoop and probably voting for the other guy in November.)
Polarized is too soft a word to describe the state of our union currently. Not just when it comes to the Coronavirus, but in all walks of life it seems lately. What is happening in this great country? Lately, I read the news and it seems like the whole country has come unhinged. Riots and protests and calls to defund the police. Politicians whose rhetoric sounds not just unamerican, but anti-American. Civic leaders and local elected officials standing arm-in-arm with the anarchists in their communities… What is going on?
Coronavirus… civil unrest… Oh, I could point you to another dozen hot topics going on in our country right now and everyone’s opinion of them. But what I believe we should be the most concerned about is this: What does God think about all of it? What does the bible have to say about it? And how should we as followers of Jesus Christ conduct ourselves through it?
Today, we’re starting a brand-new series that has been stirring my spirit for several months now about how we as Christians are to navigate through the twisted maze of these strange days! The atmosphere created by the Coronavirus is unlike anything I have ever experienced before. And you could probably say the same thing. The question that overlays this entire series is: As a Christian, how should I be responding to this? When the world goes crazy, how should a Christian respond?
Full disclosure here… But the birth of what would become this series COVID and the Christian was born somewhat out of frustration and concern. I have been frustrated by how some Christians have chosen to respond to the Coronavirus! And NO, I’m not preaching this series out of any kind of anger at all, but I admit, what got me thinking down this path started with some anger! Some anger and frustration over how some Christians were choosing to respond and allowing themselves to behave in the midst of this pandemic.
There have been examples of tremendous perseverance and trust in the Lord and I have been greatly encouraged by those. But I have also seen fear in some Christian's eyes. There have been others who have been doubting God in all of this. The Coronavirus hit and some Christians seem to have forgotten that God was still in control!
I have seen some really great examples of mature faith during this pandemic, but I have also seen plenty of examples of immaturity that I feel have brought shame and embarrassment to the cause of Christ.
I have seen this pandemic produce incredible generosity, compassion, servant-spirited actions, and grace from the people of God. But I have also seen it produce some sad examples of arrogance, rudeness, gossip, slander, malice, discord, and flat out unchristian behavior that I fear have given some people more reason to not want anything to do with Christianity.
How we as Christians confront hard times and respond to them speak volumes about our faith in the Lord! You know, when we experience difficulty in life, we either become more like Jesus, or we digress and behave more like the world. COVID hit us hard and fast! Only you can say if your response and behavior reflects more of Jesus or the world.
COVID and the Christian: How should we be responding to all of this? That is what this series is all about for the next couple of weeks! To get us started, I like for you to please open your bibles to the New Testament book of 1st Peter!
I love the book of 1st Peter because what Peter writes to the 1st-century church seems as if he was writing it directly to us in 2020. The Christians in Peter’s day were not all that different from us! Peter writes this letter to them because they too were experiencing a very difficult season.
In this short letter, Peter mentions their suffering at least 15 times. Their suffering was directly linked to their faith in Jesus. These Christian were coming under attack! They were being mistreated, discriminated against, (downright persecuted) for following Christ. They were experiencing a very challenging time in their Christian lives.
And NO, their difficulty wasn’t a virus outbreak, but it was something that caused them to suffer. What Peter shares with them about their difficulties and how they should be responding to them as followers of Jesus Christ speaks volumes to us today!
Different challenges, but the same response as followers of Christ! And it’s in Peter’s opening words to these Christians that I believe we should all be reminded of today
1 Peter 1:3–9 (NIV)
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
There’s a lot going on in these first several verses, but Peter begins in the right place with his letter! Praise be to God! Before he even begins to address the hardships and trials that they are enduring, he starts with the greatest reminder of all times. Praise be to God!
Peter wanted to start this letter by simply making sure that everyone was on the same page and to make sure they were starting at the right place. It’s as if Peter is starting his letter by saying, “Hey I know there’s a lot going on in your lives right now. Times are tough for many of you, you’ve had to suffer, and many of you have lost a great deal. But before we get into that stuff, let’s start in the right place, let’s get focused on God and what he’s done for us and what he has in store for us! praise be to God.”
I don’t know how well you handle hard times, but I sometimes don’t always start in the right place. Sometimes at first, I only see the problem, the “immovable mountain” that’s in my path and I don’t go to God who can move those mountains.
Peter helps these persecuted Christians get focused on the right things by reminding them of what God has done for them! Peter starts off by getting these Christians on the right focus!
? Given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus…
? Eternal life…
? Filled with Inexpressible and glorious joy…
When days are dark and difficult, it’s easy to lose some perspective. I believe that the Coronavirus caused some Christians to lose a little bit of perspective. [expound]
? Given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus…
? Eternal life…
? Filled with Inexpressible and glorious joy…
1 Peter 1:6 (NIV)
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
Rejoice about the “right” things and you’ll be able to endure anything!
Bill and Gloria Gaither have written many wonderful Christian songs. One that Gloria wrote in the late 1960’s came while she was expecting a child. The couple was going through some terrible problems. Bill had been seriously sick, their music had been attacked as not being spiritual. On new years eve night, Gloria sat in a dark room experiencing a time of torment and fear. She said, “I sat alone in the darkness thinking about the rebellious world and all of our problems - and about our baby yet unborn. Who in their right mind would bring a child into a world like this?”
She was at the height of her fear and then something happened. She said, “I can’t quite explain what happened in that next moment, but suddenly I felt released from it all. The panic that had begun to build inside was gently dispelled by a reassuring presence and a soft voice that kept saying, ‘Don’t forget the empty tomb, don’t forget the empty tomb.’ Then I knew I could have that baby and face the future with optimism and trust for I had been reminded that it was all worth it just because He lives.” And she wrote: “How sweet to hold a newborn baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives; but greater still the calm assurance, this child can face uncertain days because He lives. Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone, because I know He holds the future. And life is worth the living just because He lives....
It's very easy to lose perspective! Look at what’s going on in the world today and our minds can run wild. But the words of 1st Peter help us keep the right perspective in this strange season! Sure there is suffering. There are trials. There in pain. But no matter how hard things can get, we all have reason to rejoice. God has done great things for us and he will see us through. He died on the cross and now he lives and because of that, no matter what is thrown in my path, I can face it!
Rejoice about the “right” things and you’ll be able to endure anything!
And why will you be able to endure it? Because when you rejoice and are focused on the “right” things, you’ll clearly see the benefit of the trials you’re enduring!
1 Peter 1:6–7 (NIV)
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
This is an interesting verse because Peter is saying that trials are actually a good thing! It’s through trials (the things that are tough) that our faith (which is more valuable than anything even gold) may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ I revealed, -- when he returns.
One of my favorite shows on TV right currently is call Bering Sea Gold! It’s a show about a bunch of gold miners who dive into the icy waters off the coast of Nome Alaska. With suction dredges, they try to suck up gold that has collected on the ocean floor. It’s extremely dangerous, but they’re willing to risk they’re very lives to get it. WHY? It’s because gold is extremely valuable. Gold prices are way up and just a few ounces is worth thousands. There are people today who are willing to do anything, endure any hardship, go to any extreme to get it!
A few weeks ago, our family was vacationing in Colorado and we got to do some off-roading in the mountains. While we were doing that, we came across several abandoned gold mining towns. They were ghost towns! They used to be booming little communities full of people who were willing to risk it all for gold.
One of these little gold mining ghost towns was called Animas Forks. It sits at an elevation of about 11,000 feet. Fascinating place if you like history and old things like that. There were a few signs and pictures posted around the ghost town describing what life was like back during the late 1800’s gold rush. Listen to this description of life in Animas Forks:
Imagine how hardy those first settlers must have been to scratch out a living from these mountains. Snowstorms up to 5-feet, and prolonged sub-zero temperatures were not uncommon in this remote corner of the Rockies. Avalanches following several storms of epic proportions in the 1880’s isolated the community for months at a time. It’s hard to conceive of the deep resilience and determination these miners had to muster.
Throughout history, gold has always been valuable and sought after!
Peter says you have something that is more valuable than what is considered the most valuable stuff in the world. Your faith is of greater worth than gold! Trials are God’s way of proving that to you, and bringing glory back to Him! As Christians, I believe that the Coronavirus (and all the challenges that come with it) should be increasing our trust, faith, hope, and dependency on God. God is doing something with all of this, and one day it will all be revealed… So praise be to God.
I’ve been the minister here at New Life for almost 6 years now, -- doesn’t seem like it’s been that long to me, but it has. And during these 6 years, I could list off this a number of folks from our congregation who have gone through some very trying times over the years.
? Severe illnesses…
? Lost loved one…
? Experienced some great disappointment…
? Betrayal…
? Gone through severe trials…
If they were up here today, I believe they would testify that the trials they endured or are still enduring at this very moment has strengthened their walk with Christ.
James 1:2-4…
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Friends it’s time that we start treating our faith as more valuable than the gold that we wear around our necks!
(My utmost for his highest)
Oswald Chambers writes, "A saint’s life is in the hands of God as a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see; He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says, "I cannot stand any more." But God does not heed; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly." -- Oswald Chambers in The Love of God. Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 12....
How do we as Christian respond to all that happening around us? We chose to either become more like Jesus, or we digress and behave more like the world.
If our choice is to be more like Jesus, then Peter's words can have a great impact on our lives and help steer us down the road to a more Christ-like response.
Rejoice about the “right” things and you’ll be able to endure anything!
