Triumph In Tragedy Series

In 1898 one of the greatest preachers of America was about to quit the ministry. Why? His name was George Truett. He was pastor of Frist Baptist Church Dallas. One of the church members, Captain J. C. Arnold invited him to go hunting. Truett’s gun went off hitting Arnold in the leg with birdshot. The doctors and nurses told him it was not a serious wound. Even Captain Arnold himself tried to console Truett. Then Captain Arnold died. It was determined as a heart attack, but Truett blamed himself and told his wife he could never preach again.

That night Truett had the same dream three times. In the dream Jesus spoke to him, “Do not be afraid, you are my man from now on”. He never doubted that God commissioned hi to preach from that moment on. There was a triumph in the tragedy.

In the life of the preacher Charles Spurgeon there was a great tragedy. He was preaching to a crowded auditorium, and someone yelled, fire! As people rushed out the balcony collapsed and killed those who came to hear him preach. He did not preach again for six months. There was another tragedy for him when his wife became an invalid. In these tragic circumstances Spurgeon became the “prince of preachers”.

In Psalm 22:1-21 the Psalm speaks of suffering and agony and points to the greatest suffering of all, that of Jesus Christ dying on the cross. The Psalm then takes a dramatic change. In verses 22-31 Psalm 22 turns from tragedy to triumph.

Psalm 22 makes this sudden shift and no longer is the Psalm a lament but a praise. The rest of Psalm 22 is overflowing with praise. The first part of the Psalm prophetically parallels Christ’s sufferings. At the verse 22 shift the Psalm parallels Christ’s victories.

Psalm 22 shows the depth of suffering so you may understand the extent of deliverance. The Psalm brings in to focus the purpose of Christ’s suffering. Psalm 22 becomes the Acts 1:8 of the Psalms.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Psalms 22 goes beyond the ends of the earth. God’s praises go out to other believers. To those who also have suffered. To all the nations. To the unborn generations (that is us).

Praising God amongst your own people. The Praises begin to overflow.

I will declare your name to my people;

in the assembly I will praise you.

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!

All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!

Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or scorned

the suffering of the afflicted one;

he has not hidden his face from him

but has listened to his cry for help.

25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;

before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. (Psalm 22:22-25)

The desire is to make the name of God known amongst the brothers in the midst of the congregation. Sometimes we show our thankfulness to God, by telling others who are believers, those in our own assembly.

When praise flows from our lives it becomes contagious. God may have seemed far off in the times of trouble and suffering, but now God’s presence is felt. Our hearts overflow with gratitude. Praise pours out of our heart and it touches and encourages those around us.

The results of staying faithful to God in suffering are untold and for reaching to the ends of the earth and to reaching future generations. The Psalmist, David, wants others to praise God with him.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

There is no thought in this Psalm of keeping praises to himself. One who worships is spreading the good news of great joy of God’s grace. When our focus is heavenward our hearts overflow outward. It grows until finally the whole earth is covered.

Now as he praises God, he fulfills the vows he made in distress. There are no tragic empty vows making a promise to God if He will only get me out of this situation.

Those who still suffer.

The poor will eat and be satisfied;

those who seek the Lord will praise him—

may your hearts live forever! (Psalm 22:26)

In all the praise and glory he does not forget about those who are still suffering, the poor. It is so easy to forget what we have been through and what other are still going through. Our suffering should give us an empathy for others who suffer so greatly.

When we see how deeply the suffering of David and the suffering of Christ, then we understand how grateful their heart is giving praise in deliverance from the suffering.