Chico Alliance Church
November 14, 2021
Recognizing Life’s Awe-Full moments amid Life’s Awful moments
Introduction
We live in an awful broken world and won’t fully realize the God-embedded longings and dreams for a restored Eden until Jesus’ glorious return.
For now…we don’t fully realize the full wonder of our identity in Christ.
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be, has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2
For now, our true life seems hidden from the world and sometimes us.
Our true life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:3-4
For now, Satan, the prince of the power of the air, exercises authority and influence over this world.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 1 John 5:19
For now, death continues to permeate every aspect of life on this earth.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26
Only Jesus can and will turn the awful aspects of this current world into the awe-filled wonder of a restored perfect Garden of Eden where communion with the incomprehensible Trinity in a perfect glorious environment becomes an eternal reality. In Christ, God will ultimately reunite all things in heaven and on earth.
So many times in my life and ministry, I have cried, “God what are you doing”.
Sometimes I have even cried, “God where are you?” or “God how could you!”
God, time and time again allowed me to experience the AWE-full amid the awful.
At other times, I still struggle to make sense of other awful moments in our life.
An Omniscient God could have stopped it.
An omnipotent God could have prevented it.
All around the world, seemingly pointless awful tragedies devastate the unbeliever and believer alike.
We tenaciously cling to the declaration of Scripture that God IS good and that He continually orchestrates all things together into good and God’s glory. No one escapes life’s awful moments of pain, confusion, struggle, tragedy. It stems from humanity’s determination to live life on their own terms. God sometimes mercifully and mysteriously still turns awful moments into awe-filled moments. Beauty from ashes. Light for dark. Hope from hopelessness.
The Bible recorded 100’s of examples of life’s awe-full amid life’s awful moments. I hope to encourage you to begin recognizing some awe-filled moments amid some of the awful and even mundane moments of your life.
JOB
Job suffered an awful life tragedy when God allowed Satan to snuff his stuff and his kids. This transpired despite his faithful prayers for their protection.
And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. Job 1:5
Scripture noted Job’s AWE-full response.
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and WORSHIPED. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong. Job 1:20-22
Job’s awful moments continued with the excruciating loss of his health. He still recognized the awe-full reality of God’s sovereignty.
Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
2:10
Job continued to pursue the why and got no help from his three friends. Eventually, Job demanded God directly explain Himself. God didn’t provide the answers Job demanded but granted the awe-filled encounter Job needed.
Then Job answered the LORD and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:1-6
God doesn’t always resolve the awful but grants recognition of something AWE-full.
KING DAVID
David suffered numerous AWE-full moments amid the awful. A prominent example concerned the sickness and death of his son.
The LORD afflicted the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he became sick (fulfilling Nathan the prophet’s prediction). David, therefore, sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 2 Sam 12:15-16
The servants thought that David might harm himself if they told him the baby died.
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.” Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and WORSHIPED. 2 Sam 12:19-20
Numerous Psalms record the psalmist’s struggle with the awful and reveal awe-full encounters with God that adjust their whole perspective on the awful.
ABRAHAM AND SARAH (Genesis 21:7-7)
God turned the awfulness and shame of infertility to the AWE-full reality of a supernatural birth.
And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
JACOB (Genesis 28:15-17)
Jacob’s deceitful theft of his brother’s birthright separated him from his family.
God reached out to him in his awful exile in an AWE-full defining moment.
Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
ELISHA AND BEN-HADDAD’S ARMY
The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?” “It’s not us, my lord the king,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!” “Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.” So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha. “Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!” Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. 2 Kings 6:11-17
DANIEL
Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. Dan 6:21-23
Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” Daniel 6:25-27
SHADRACH, MESHACH, ABEDNEGO
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this is so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Dan 3:16-18
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:24-25
ELIZABETH AND ZACHARIAS (Luke 1:6-7, 11-13,25)
Elizabeth and Zacharias suffered the awful shame of infertility despite sincere pleas for a baby.
And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
God met the awfulness of their infertility by an awe-full encounter with an angel followed by the awe-full birth of a baby filled with the Spirit in utero followed by Spirit-inspired prophesy.
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. Luke 1:11-13
“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
God also granted children to Hannah and Rachel
LAZARUS (John 11:41043,45)
The gospel record recorded the awfulness of Lazarus’ sickness leading to his death. It also records the awe-full moment when Jesus called him out of the tomb three days later.
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” John 11:41-43
Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him.
THE WIDOW AND HER SON
And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” Luke 7:13-16
ANANIAS AND SAPHIRA
Their awful death due to public hypocrisy and deception led to an awe-full moment for the church.
And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. Acts 5:11
PETER
And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:28-33
PAUL AND SILAS BEATEN AND IMPRISONED Acts 16:22-34
The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. Acts 16:22-2
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened.
Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. Acts 16:30-34
PAUL’S LIFE OF SUFFERING
Paul suffered countless awe-full moments amid awful moments in his life and ministry.
far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28
Paul’s AWE-filled perspective
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 2 Corinthians 4:17
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Romans 8:18
And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city." Acts 18:9-10
PAUL’S AWFUL THORN 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger (angel) of Satan to harass me (beat with the fist. Same word used for what they did to Jesus), to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that he (the demon) should leave me.
The AWE-full sufficiency of Christ.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
PAUL’S ABANDONMENT
At my first defense, no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:16-18
JEREMIAH
Awful appropriately describes Jeremiah’s whole life. He is known as the weeping prophet. Despite the promise of God’s presence, the awful siege, and final devastation of his beloved city Jerusalem finally got to him. Notice where he put the blame in this passage.
I am the man who has seen affliction because of the rod of His wrath. He has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light. Surely against me He has turned His hand repeatedly all the day. He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away, He has broken my bones. He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship. In dark places He has made me dwell, like those who have long been dead. He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chain heavy. Even when I cry out and call for help, He shuts out my prayer. He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked. He is to me like a bear lying in wait, like a lion in secret places. He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate. He bent His bow and set me as a target for the arrow. He made the arrows of His quiver to enter into my inward parts. I have become a laughingstock to all my people, their mocking song all the day. He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drunk with wormwood. He has broken my teeth with gravel; He has made me cower in the dust.
He reached the end of his endurance.
My soul has been rejected from peace; I have forgotten happiness. So I say, "My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the LORD." Lam 3:1-18
Then with absolutely NO change to his awful circumstances, Jeremiah remembered the awe-full truth of God’s awesome goodness.
Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD NEVER ceases; his mercies NEVER come to an end; they are new EVERY morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion (restored strength?),” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. Lamentations 3:19-27
THE AWFUL SUFFERING AND DEATH OF JESUS
We so strongly recognize God’s divine purpose in the awfulness of Jesus’ suffering and death we call it GOOD Friday.
Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. Isa 53:4-6
The AWE-FULL RESURRECTION
We NOW gratefully recognize the ultimate awe-filled power of the resurrection.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:8-11
The righteousness of God will be counted to us who believe in Him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 4:24-5:1
We confidently anticipate His awe-full glorious return.
PERSPECTIVE ADJUSTERS
The key to recognizing the awe-full moments amid the awful and even mundane moments of life has to do with eternal perspective. All of Scripture reinforces an eternal perspective on life in a broken and twisted world.
The Person and Purpose of God.
The reality of good and evil.
The reality of Satan’s continued war against God and His people.
The reality of a certain future and promise of full redemption and restoration.
Eternal perspective enables us to anticipate and recognize awe-full moments amid awful moments.
Always remember He NEVER leaves us or forsakes us.
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Heb 13:5-6
Behold, I AM WITH you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
Always remember God loving orchestrates EVERYTHING for ultimate good.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Always rejoice, pray, and give thanks IN EVERYTHING.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Always pray about EVERYTHING.
Stop being anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Always cast EVERY care on Him. 1 Peter 5
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties/distractions on him, because he cares for you.
HOMEWORK
If we TRULY believe that God continually orchestrates good out of EVERY aspect of our life, it should be possible to recognize the awe-full amid all the awful and even the mundane moments of our life.
Take some time alone this week and look for the AWE-FULL in the various aspects of your life.
BECAUSE OF JESUS…
• What is awe-full about you?
• What is awe-full in your current life?
• What is awe-full in your current family circumstances – spouse, children, grandchildren?
• What is awe-full in your current ministry/job circumstances?
• What is awe-full in the sphere of people currently in your life?
• What is awe-full in your current relationship with God? Jeremiah before or after perspective change?
• What is awe-full in the current state of country/world around you?
REMEMBER!
God brings beauty out of ashes.
God shines light into the darkness.
God reveals Himself in the chaos.
Make the effort to recognize the awe-filled moments amid the awful moments of life.
We do have an AWESOME God.
Since we have been raised with Christ, let us seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set our minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For we have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then we also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4
