Iliff and Saltillo UM churches
August 29, 2004
“Disappointments New Christians Face”
I Peter 1:6-9
James 1:2-4
INTRODUCTION: Think back to the time when you first came to the Lord and made your decision to become a Christian. You might have been a little child in Sunday school. It may have been when you were a teenager at church camp, or later on as an adult. It could have been a sudden and dramatic experience where you felt the load of sin and guilt lift off of you in such a way that it was overwhelming to say the least. Or it could have been a gradual experience--steady and sure--but you realized that a transformation was taking place.
Look back to that time--then and now. Has your Christian experience been all smooth sailing? All joy? All uphill with no disappointments?
In today’s scriptures both Peter and James speak about disappointments especially that new Christians face. Although we all face disappointments as we go through our Christian journey, sometimes the disappointments seem more overwhelming for anyone new in their faith. Problems and disappointments not only overwhelm us but some even fall by the wayside and give up--some quit going to church altogether and say, “I just can’t make it. It’s no use. I just give up... Things are a mess.”
Peter and James wanted to help people understand some of the disappointments that they would face and help them to progress in their faith rather than to become a “spiritual drop out.”
Peter is connecting with the people when he says, “I know how you feel when you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime.” But he goes on to say, “Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it PROVED to be pure. Genuine faith put through this suffering comes out PROVED genuine” (Message Bible I Peter 1:6-9).
James follows up this same idea by saying, “Count it a sheer gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well developed--not deficient in any way” (Message Bible, James 1:2-4).
These two writers are telling us that we will face disappointments when we become a Christian, but it is not necessarily a bad thing for it only serves to test our faith and to show that it is genuine. The hassles we go through serve their purpose--to help us become strong and mature in our faith.
STORY: Justin had two goals in life. One was to have fun and the other was to do nothing. According to his Mother, he does both quite well. He headed for the school bus one fall morning and a few minutes later, he was back at the front door.
His mother opened the door and saw Justin standing there. She demanded to know why he was not on the bus.
He said, “I’ve quit school.”
“Quit school,” she repeated in disbelief. “Why have you quit school?”
Without hesitation the six-year old dropout said, “It’s too long, it’s too hard, and it’s too boring!”
“Justin,” his Mother said firmly, “You have just described life! Now get back on that bus!”
Peter and James are telling us the same thing in these scriptures.
What are some common disappointments that we probably will face at one time or another in our Christian walk? I would like to look at three different things.
1. Disappointment with Ourselves: Sometimes you may hear the statement, “Come to Jesus and all of your problems will be solved.” When people find they are still facing the same weaknesses as before, they wonder, “What is wrong with me?” Have you ever felt this way? Why am I still having a struggle with temptations? Why don’t I FEEL joyful all the time? Why do I still have the same addictions? Why does my temper still flare up at the drop of a hat? Why do I still have financial problems? I thought Jesus would “FIX” all of this for me.
Many people become Christians excited about the forgiveness of sins, the chance to start over, excited about the help God is going to give them to change. But many times the changes that will take place happen gradually rather than instantaneously--in the ongoing growing process. So people begin to feel disappointed in themselves and think there is nothing to Christianity.
ILLUSTRATION: A teenager at Juvenile Detention said, “I prayed once and nothing happened so I’m not going to pray anymore.”
Some of us have unrealistic expectations for ourselves. We live in an instant society where computers are not fast enough, food preparation takes too long, and we impatiently honk our hors if the red light doesn’t change fast enough. We think our Christian growth should take place instantly but this is not realistic. When we come to Christ He DOES forgive us of our sins the minute we ask, but that is THE BEGINNING of our transformation toward maturity. Our faith is tested and tried over time to see if it is genuine--to see if it can stand the fire of the refining process.
Luke 8:13 in the parable of the seed tells us that the seeds sown on “the rock are the ones who receive the Word with joy when they heart it, but they have no roots. They believe for awhile, but in the time of testing they fall away.”
Temptations and tests may be just as strong or stronger for Christians and especially for new Christians who may expect too much too soon.
Do not be disappointed in yourself if you seem to stumble over and over again. Peter, who wrote these words for believers, was a Christian who was always getting his foot in his mouth, blurting out something inappropriate, disappointed in himself. But he didn’t give up--he became a ROCK--a steadfast person of faith.
Two scriptures to encourage you when you become disappointed with yourself--
Romans 12:1-2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind.” It’s a process.
Colossians 3:5-11 “Put to death therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature... You USED TO walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you “...have PUT ON the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”
2. Disappointment with Others: Sometimes we get our eyes too much on people and the inconsistencies we see in their lives. New Christians especially will be overwhelmed by Christians who do not “practice what they preach” and allow these people to become stumbling blocks to them. This really hurts when you see others that you have looked up to do something that shocks you. You might say, “I just can’t believe that they did that!”
Galatians 2:11-14 tells us that this is not new. Paul and Peter got into it over some inconsistencies. It is critical in our Christian life not to pattern our lifestyle after people because there is always the chance that they may let you down and you will be disappointed.
Other times Christians are disappointed by the way that other Christians treat people. Harsh words and criticism may cut to the bone especially for new Christians. This can happen in the church, in Sunday school classes, committee meetings or anywhere. Insensitive, harsh words can cause new Christians, especially, to turn away from the faith. How do you treat other people? Are you abrasive and rude to people? How do people even know that you are a Christian?
Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you--BY THIS shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you have LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.
You can tell people, “I love you with the love of the Lord,” but if you don’t treat them nice, it is just an empty statement and does more harm than good.
ILLUSTRATION: We had a preacher’s wife who would hug people and say, “I love you with the love of the Lord.” Then she would treat you really nasty.
I Timothy 4:12 tells us to “...set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” We need to be careful to set better examples for others by the way we relate to others.
3. Disappointment by the World: Often the new Christian is drawn away from a consistent Christian life by the cares of the world--by the job, the family, hobbies and pleasures of life. Not necessarily bad in themselves but so time consuming that they take up all free time. No time left for Christ.
Your friends will often serve to discourage you by luring you back into the things of the world, the old self-destructive patterns of life as well as harmless hobbies and pastimes that just take up too much time. We’ve got to “wise up” to these subtle temptations.
Paul warned, “Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God...” (I Cor. 15:33, 34).
Christian, do you demonstrate what it means to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33)? Does your daily life exemplify this to the people you work with? to your family and to your friends? Are you making it clear to others where your priorities lie?
CONCLUSION: There may be other areas of disappointment for new Christians but these three seem to be most common.
1. Disappointment in ourselves
2. Disappointment in others
3. Disappointment by the world
Realize that you will not always maintain the “ball of fire” stage. There is also the “reality stage” when disappointments start to come but where growth begins to take place. Faith is tested but that is not a bad thing. There are the “up and down stages” like Peter experienced as well. But keep on going--you’ll get to the “steady as a rock stage” where growth is progressive and steady.
Proverbs 4:18 says, “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines brighter unto the perfect day.”
Let us Pray:
