We Are Still Here!

We are Still Here

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

On December 30, 2019, Wuhan Municipal Health Commission in China reported cases of what they at that time called “undiagnosed pneumonia.” Since then there has been over 295 million confirmed cases and over 5 million deaths from Covid-19 and we are now facing the Omnicron variant which is 2-3 times more infectious and is spreading at alarming rates across the world. While wearing masks, self-distancing and using lots of sanitizer is of some comfort, for many the possibility of catching such a ferocious virus is downright frightful! Given the fact that Apostle Paul calls us fragile “jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7) and that we live in a fallen world filled with injustice, illnesses, wars, famines and earthquakes and many other tribulations (Matthew 24:6-8) it makes one wonder is it possible to persevere these difficult times in faith and feel a sense of peace in our lives? It is easy to rejoice standing on the rock of our salvation when we are on the mountain tops of blessings but when faced with unsurmountable odds of tribulations that can easily break our bodies and fracture our minds how is it possible to feel unspeakable joy especially amidst such intolerable pain, unbeatable enemies, broken relationships, financial hardships and/or with incurable diseases? Not only do Christians face unprecedented tribulations in the world but they also face decreasing church attendance for many are either too scared to meet in public places, and with the quick spread of the virus who could blame them, or their lukewarm hearts just don’t want to play church anymore! And though we be hard pressed on every side, perplexed, and often struck down we are not crushed, not in despair or destroyed for we are still here and far from done serving joyfully in God’s kingdom (2 Corinthians 4:8-12)! The following sermon is going to review Biblical stories of those who put their faith in God and in doing so were able to not only persevere heinous enemy attacks, persecution, and illnesses but were also able to thrive and feel unspeakable joy!

Facing Horrendous Giants

Sun Tzu once said, “first learn to become invincible, then wait for your enemy’s moment of vulnerability.” The problem with this teaching is that since no one is invincible one will sooner or later face an enemy that one simply cannot conquer! Just thinking about the ferocious ability and nature of such enemies often floods our minds and souls with a sense of doom as fear shreds away peace and hope in our lives. For example, with the desert, sea and marshes barring any means of escaping some 600 or more of Pharoah’s fiercest of chariots, the Bible states the Israelites “were terrified” and complained to Moses that they wished they had remained slaves of Egypt (Exodus 14)! Scripture also tells us that the Israelite people were “dismayed and terrified” at the mere sight of the Philistine Champion Goliath who was close to ten feet tall, wore a bronze helmet and scale armour weighing about 125 pounds, and a spear shaft that weighed about 15 pounds (1 Samuel 17:4-7)! Then there was the time when king Sennacherib of Assyria lay siege to the fortified cities of Judah and again the Israelite people were terrified because his commander kept telling them stories of the other great nations that had easily fallen by their hands despite their prayers of deliverance to their respective gods (2 Chronicles 32)! And can you imagine the fear of Elisha’s servant when he looked out the window of his hut and saw king Aram’s horses and chariots, a formidable and unbeatable force sent just to kill him and his master (2 Kings 6:8-15)? “We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed” (2 Corinthians 4:8a).

We have all faced enemies that by our own might and power we simply cannot defeat! During such occasions it is imperative that we trust in the Lord with all our heart and allow Him to guide our response to the enemy that is trying to subdue us with fear (Proverbs 3:5-6)! Fear of an enemy can incapacitate even the strongest of Christian but the moment we realize that the arrows of the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms cannot penetrate the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:12-17), because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), we get to claim victory and have the peace of God flood into our souls! For example, when the children of Israel stood still God parted the Red Sea and later collapsed it and drowned the “unconquerable” Egyptian army (Exodus 14). When a young shepherd boy put his faith in God with just a sling and five smooth stones, he was able to sleigh an “unconquerable giant” (1 Samuel 17)! When king Hezekiah cried out to the Lord for aid the Lord sent a single angel who “annihilated all the fighting men, commanders and officers of the Assyrian king” (2 Chronicles 32). And when Elisha prayed that his servants’ eyes to be opened, they were and he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around them and upon praying to God the “unconquerable” army of king Aram was blinded, rendered helpless (2 Kings 6)! While God sometimes “prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies” our “cup overflows” with blessings (Psalms 23) because we know that perseverance leads to spiritual maturity (James 1:2-4) and He who is sovereign over all things seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16) will always do good and protect those (Romans 8:28-31) He calls by name and chose to follow Him! “We are perplexed but not in despair” (2 Corinthians 4:8b)!