Victorious Living In The Midst Of Uncertainty

Scripture: Matthew 28:16-20; John 14:25-27; Acts 4:23-31

Theme: Assurances in the Midst of Uncertainty

Title: Victorious Living in the Midst of Uncertainty

This sermon is about how to live victoriously in a time of uncertainty. How can we live a victorious life in the midst of living in a pandemic, racial inequality, social injustice, financial instability and a growing tenor of violence and anger? God gives us three assurances that can not only help us but enable us to transform the narrative; the atmosphere around us.

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

I want to share with you today some of God’s Assurances. I want to share with you some of God’s Assurances that we as Christ followers can hold on to during these uncertain times in which we live.

And we do live in uncertain times. We find ourselves still living in the midst of a global pandemic. We live in the midst of racial inequality. We live in the midst of economic insecurity. We live in the midst of a world increasingly filled with anger and violence. We find ourselves living in the midst of a world that seems to be spinning out of control.

As Christ followers do we hide?

Do we ignore what is going on around us like it is not happening?

Do we lash out with an equal force of anger and violence?

Or do we lean into some of God’s Assurances this morning?

I believe if we will lean into God’s Assurances then we will find ourselves being able to victoriously navigate our lives during these uncertain and precarious times. I believe in the midst of all the uncertainty that surrounds us, all the confusion and all the propaganda we can find a peace that the Bible says:

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:7

I don’t know about you, but I believe that all around us there are people that very much need to lean into the grace of peace that only Jesus can give. They need the grace of peace that can not only bring a supernatural stability and calmness into their lives but will enable them to create an environment of peace around them. We do as well.

We all know that the Apostle Paul had the ability to be at peace in the midst of chaos. Like us, Paul lived in very uncertain and perilous times. In fact, it could be said that Paul’s times were far worse than the ones we find ourselves in this morning.

He lived in a time when there was constant financial uncertainty, political upheaval and social unrest. He lived in a time when at a moment’s notice a person could find themselves arrested, beaten and placed into prison or even worse be stoned, beheaded or crucified.

And yet, as we read the Apostle Paul’s story and the stories of other Early Christ followers, we find that that they were filled with this peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. They were constantly being filled with supernatural strength and courage. They were able to stand tall in the midst of all the pain and suffering that they had to endure.

So, how did they did they live so victoriously?

How did they keep their life boats afloat in the midst of all the turbulent waters?

What enabled them to not only be able to withstand the storms of life but become overcomers?

Let’s take a few moments and look at three assurances that I believe they committed their hearts, the minds and their spirits too that enabled them to enjoy victory.

I. They leaned into Jesus’ Assurance that He would always be with them as their Resurrected Lord

Those early Christ followers believed Jesus when He told them that He would be with them until the end of the age. They took Jesus’ words literally. They held His words close to their hearts. Each day they lived with the assurance that in some way they would be able to experience Jesus’ presence, power and peace.

Some of them had actually seen Jesus after His Resurrection. They had watched Him, touched Him, eaten with Him and listened to His words. They had heard Jesus’ assurances with their own ears.

Some of them had seen Jesus as He ascended into heaven. They had seen the heavens open up and receive their Him as the Son of God. They had heard the words of the angels who told them:

“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:11).

But the majority of Early Church did not see any of those things. They had to put their faith into what they heard from the Apostle and other Christ followers. They had to open up their hearts, their minds and their spirits to trust and believe that Jesus was the Risen Lord. They had to live by faith and believe that Jesus would be with them each and every day.