Where Do You Turn When Times Get Rough?

Where do you turn when times get rough?

Question: Where do you turn when times get rough?

1. We all know that we all go through hard times

a. People get sick

b. The car breaks down and you can’t afford to fix it.

c. The bills keep piling up and it making you crazy

d. The rent is due but the paycheck isn’t enough

e. You’re feeling lonely and you just don’t know if there is any relief on the horizon in this thing we call life.

Where do you turn?

2. You are burdened down with sin and its getting the best of you

a. You know it has to go!

b. Its keeping you from reaching the place you want to be spiritually

c. Its killing you inside

Where do you turn?

Many turn to different things.

3. Sometimes we turn to drugs and alcohol.

a. Sometime we turn to food.

b. Many eat lots of ice cream.

c. Sometimes we turn towards a friend if we are lucky to have one we can truly turn to.

Life can be painful at times so as we go through life trying to ease the pain we will gravitate towards things that make us feel better.

d. Some people turn towards sexual relationships.

e. Some turn towards pornography and things of the sort.

f. But turn towards something we must.

g. It’s natural in us to do so.

4. We need to ease the pain and feel better

5. We talked about life being filled with shadows

a. Soldiers are dieing

b. Families falling apart.

c. Shadows are everywhere

d. What do you do!

Where do you turn?

This isn’t a new problem

1. Its been this way ever since the fall

a. The people in Jesus day also had problems.

b. Many were the same

c. Many were different.

d. But they struggled also.

2. We hear stories in the gospels of people being blind, and cripple.

a. We read about people being poor and begging for money.

b. We hear about the man Lazarus who was a beggar sitting outside the rich mans house just hoping for some scraps.

3. So pain and heart ache isn’t a new problem.

a. Jesus saw it.

b. Not only was he aware of the problem of people having a hard time with life

4. He was aware of people having a hard time with religious burdens.

a. These people who needed help and should have been able to turn towards the church…

b. The temple and religious leaders couldn’t because they put to many burdens on them…

c. With the law and rules that the religious leaders weren’t any answer for them

d. Sometimes we might feel we can’t go to the church because they won’t understand either.

e. We need forgiveness

f. We want it but are afraid of what the church might think and its making you crazy (Learn from me confess)

So were do you turn?

Jesus gives us a good description of where to turn when life just seems too much. He not only tells us were to turn but how to turn and the effects of doing so.

Where to turn

Matthew 11:28 - 30 (NIV) 28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Are you burdened in life? Jesus says come to me. Are you weary? Jesus says come to me! Are things tough? Are you burdened down with life? are you lonely…Jesus said come to me…Jesus is where we turn.

This is a wonderful picture of Jesus love and Grace for humanity. We see Jesus here with compassion for those who are weary and burdened. We see one of Jesus’ mission in life.

The problem in life is we turn to too many of the wrongs things

1. The first place we turn?

a. Friends

b. Family

c. We turn inward

2. The last place we turn is Jesus

a. But he should be first

b. He’s the only one who can help deep down inside

All can come

Matthew 11:28 - 30 (NIV) 28“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

God doesn’t discriminate

c. The religious leaders discriminated

i. Samaritans

ii. The sick we considered cursed by God

iii. The poor where considered low and worthless

d. We discriminate

i. Race and color

1. Blacks

Illustration: Lexies class mate discriminated against

Illustration: Hair cut talking about the ss teacher saying racist jokes

ii. Certain church cliques

1. If they aren’t in your circle

2. We go out of our way for friends