Untroubled in a Troubled World

Matthew 24:6-7

In his book, The Millennium Matrix, futurist and consultant Rex Miller says that North America is headed for rough times.  In he wrote,

I was raised in a world that changed more than it stayed the same, with the certain knowledge that tomorrow’s news would bring some new jolting crisis or accomplishment.  Today, I have great concern about the world my children will inherit.  I wonder more than once where the rule book went that seemed to work so well for past generations.

He goes on to describe this as sort of a cultural vertigo - the sensation that the external world is spinning out of control.  He said these things in 2004!  And he argued that no one will be spared - individuals, families, churches, schools, colleges and universities, businesses, and politics - everything will spin from in these turbulent times!

And, our response should be - duh!  Can you say that with me - duh.  “Duh” was introduced into the dictionary in the 1960’s and its used to express something that is obvious.  It’s obvious because we have read the Book - and we not only know how it all ends, but we also know that from time to time things will get pretty rough…pretty scary…down right terrible.  Jesus said that you and I will hear and see things that will make us thing the end is near, but, he said, these things will normal, the end is yet to come.  See to it that you are not troubled.

So, that’s exactly what we’re going to do this morning - we are doing to see to it that we remain untroubled in a troubled world.  And, we are going to do this by remembering three very important secrets.

OUR TIMES ARE IN HIS HANDS

This is the first and perhaps most important point.  Our times are in God’s hands.  Ed Chinn, from Focus on the Family, said, “God orders and administrates life on this planet with a full and varied palette of times and seasons.”

One of the apostle Paul’s most famous sermons was given on Mars Hill at the city council of Areopagus.  This was the same council that listened to Socrates just before they sentenced him to death.  The council had a membership of roughly 100 philosophers; and Paul stood to address the court in Acts 17.  And in his remarks we have something very important about world events and history and divine providence.

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

We might be tempted to think that the world is spinning out of control.  Facebook has tanked, California is on fire, the middle east is still at war, hurricanes are brewing, Russians are meddling, the mid-west is having record heat waves, and tomorrow a new crisis will be upon us!  But guess what?  The sky is not falling.  The world is not ending.  We need to speak truth to chaos like David did in Psalm 31.  “I trust in You, O Lord…my times are in Your hand.” 

I’d like to share one of my favorite illustrations that exemplifies what this looks like in real life.  In Jan 1974, Guidepost interviewed Hollywood’s greatest cowboy - John Wayne!

Are times scary?  Sure.  Are we living in a bit of a cultural vertigo?  I think so.  But the real question is do we trust God?  Do I trust God’s ability to administer life on this planet; on this continent; in our times?  If you and I are going to remain untroubled in a troubled world, then the answer to these questions has to be YES.  My times are in His hands, and I trust God.

OUR TIMES ARE BEAUTIFUL

Now, the first point was the most important, but this one is the most difficult.  It’s difficult because it’s hard to accept that troubling times are beautiful.  But the king Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 3:

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Everything under heaven has its place - and God has made it beautiful.  I want to show you something that will make you sad.  

Honestly, it’s hard for me to see the beauty in the decline of the church in America.  The Church has been the mother of my Christian faith.  It is here that I have learned how and why to pray, to sing, to serve, to grow in the Holy Spirit.  If you’re like me, and you have a hard time seeing beauty in it - then we could probable use some good ole Job humility.  Do you remember Job?  He and his friends questioned God as to why he was suffering.  God waited until he was finished, and then he reminded Job that if he wanted to see from God’s view that he would need a lot of humility.  God reminded Job that it was Him who created this planet; set the stars in the heavens; and created all the plants and animals.  And that before we - part of the created order - try to question the Creator, we might want to humbly consider whose design this is.

The most difficult point this morning is seeing that our times are beautiful - but with a little humble faith we can recognize that God’s design allows for different seasons and each is beautiful.

OUT TIMES SHOULD NOT WORRY US

This point brings us full circle - back to Jesus’ teaching that we should not be troubled in a troubling world.

I want to show you a picture.  Is it a picture of a log sticking out of the lake, or a tree?  A better question might be why is that tree growing there?  

That tree has decided that it doesn’t matter what’s going on around it - he’s going to grow anyway.  Adapt and overcome is key to surviving and weathering troubling times.  Don’t be gullible or allow yourself to be taken advantage of.  Judge our times with your eyes wild open.  And not being troubled with help you have more patience with others.

Everybody is Somebody to God

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Most of the time my views of self worth are influenced by society and culture - without me even realizing it.  

I read an article of a young lady named Kate who feels the same way.  Kate lives in Florida, and for months her friends has been on her about upgrading her phone to the new iPhone.  Finally she did, and she says that it was the best thing that happened.  She fell in love with the iPhone.  She said that after a week of app-ing and texting like crazy she was hooked.  And then, one day it hit her why people love their smartphones - “it makes them feel important; it makes them feel needed; it makes them feel that they are a supply in demand.”  

This happens to me all the time!  Has it ever happened to you?  Do things ever make you feel important - smartphones, clothes, shoes, hair, relationships, cars, house, career?  If you don’t have the right one…well then you’re a nobody.  And nobody wants to be nobody. Society is really good at picking winners and losers - nobodies and somebodies.  And if we are not careful our views of self worth will be influenced by society and culture - without us even realizing it.

But when we turn to God’s Word, we realize something different…we realize that everybody is somebody to God.  God’s Word helps us find the truth about self worth.  The truth about self worth is that…

It’s already here (Genesis 1:27)

We were created in the image of God.  And that means that every person - man, woman and child (and even unborn child) bears the image of God, and therefore has no more or less of that image than anyone else.  The basic desire for self worth - to be more than we are - is in each of us because we were created to be more.  We were created with self worth.  But sin has tainted that image; it has created a barrier between us and God.  So we search for worth in all the wrong places.

This was the issue the Christians in Corinth faced.  Corinth was a proud Roman city.  A place where is was easy to pick winners and losers - somebodies and nobodies.  Lines were drawn, groups were formed, and labels were assigned.  Paul was teaching them that they were missing the point.  They were searching for self worth in all the wrong places.  They had forgotten that the truth about self worth is that its already here, and can be discovered through a relationship in Jesus.

And can be discovered through a relationship in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30-31) 

This should not be a surprise.  The logic is sound and consistent throughout Scripture.  

God created humans with ultimate self worth.

Sin has negatively affected all humans.

Therefore, sin must be removed.

Our passage this morning reminds us that through faith in Jesus our sin is dealt with once and for all - and the self worth that we were created with can be discovered through that faith.

Church Division

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Division within the church is devastating.  Crystal Cathedral in Orange County, California is the largest glass building in the world, and has one of the largest musical instruments in the world - the Hazel Wright Memorial organ.  The congregation was founded in 1955 by Robert Schuller and grew to be a world renowned mega church.  In 2010 the church filed for bankruptcy, and in 2012 it was sold.  What happened?  Different people wanted different directions.  Division took hold and this once mega church with wonderful preaching and fantastic music went the way of many churches.  

I think sometimes we feel like those early Christian didn’t have to struggle with what we struggle with; that they didn’t have an uncle Billy or aunt Bobby Sue who always has to get their way; that they didn’t have to put up with a neighbors that were apathetic to the message, children that fought all the way to church, or visitors that decided to sit in their pew, or discussions, meetings, and committees being formed to determine the single greatest thing we will accomplish this year - what color to paint the restrooms!  

I thank God for the apostle Paul, and his decision to put pen to paper.  Because one day, while ministering to folks in Ephesus, he received word about those Christians in Corinth.  And the word was not good.  They are not united!  They are dividing along lines of personal preference, and it’s going to destroy the church.  So Paul took to writing, and we have a letter to the church in Corinth.  This morning and during the month of February we will be learning from the struggles and challenges of those Christians.  And I think part of what we are going to learn is that we are not that different.  The struggles we face they faced, and if we are open we might avoid a lot of heart ache and division among our brothers and sisters.

This text underscores the challenge of a church being effective while dealing with internal divisions.  Divisions within the church based on groups, clicks, or personal preferences weaken the message and mission.

Divisions are self-serving, v 12

To visualize just how silly division is within the Body of Christ imagine someone shopping for new clothes and only considering what the eyes finds appealing…

The most recent statistics on church closings are alarming.  In 2010, according to the Barna Research Group an estimated 75 churches closed each week.  How many church closings are related to divisions from within.  You see, this is something Paul knew 2,000 years ago.  The moment a congregation starts to move inward - groups, clicks, personal preferences - they lose touch of their message and mission.  One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a church is for it to begin to think that it exist primarily for them (their group, click or interest).  The church does not exist to house the saints; it exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ.  And that brings us to our second point.

Churches are self-giving

When you account for our message and mission we are self giving!  Our message can be found in John 3:16, and our mission in Matt 28:19-20.  The single greatest way to avoid divisions within the church - stay focused on the vision!

Sundays-a-coming

Mark 16:1-2

There are seven days in a week.  Each day has a distinct character, feeling, and attitude.  But one of those days is more important than the others.

Monday
There's not many folks who enjoy Monday.  For most of us it represents back to school or back to work.  If something is going to go wrong, chances are it's going to be on a Monday - but Sundays-a-coming.

Tuesday
What a difference a day makes!  Just about everyone loves Tuesdays.  It has a restaurant - Ruby Tuesdays.  It has a retail store - Tuesday Morning.  It even has a book - "Tuesday's with Morrie".  Most folks like Tueaday - but Sundays-a-coming.

Wednesday
It is loved for its "hump".  Wednesday is "hump day".  It is the middle of the week, and therefore enjoyed by every student and weekday employee.  It's only claim to fame is one holy day - Ash Wednesday.

You get the picture...but go to bed on Saturday and wake up the next day, and you will have Sunday!

Sunday
Sunday is different from any other day of the week.  It was the day that Jesus rose from the dead, and walked out of the tomb.  Of all the days of the week, God chose Sunday - the first day of the week.  That makes it special.  The hope that we have in Jesus Christ rest in the significance of that day.  The next time you are faced with a challenging circumstance or particular hardship remember Sundays-a-coming.

Star Struck Joseph

Matthew 1:18-25

When Joseph became star struck with the news of Jesus he changed his mind about his future plans with Mary.  And in so doing he reminds us why change is so important to the Christian faith.

Change allows us to become partners with God
Joseph had to be convinced that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle; and once he was convinced he changed his mind about calling off the wedding, and in so doing he became a partner with God.

Have you ever considered your Christian service as being partners with God?

Change allows us to be part of God's plan
The angel suggested Joseph do two things: marry the young Mary, and name the baby Jesus.  Joseph's choice to partner with God and do as he was commanded allowed him to become part of God's plan.

Have you ever imagined that when we respond to God's calling in our life that we become part of God's divine plan.

And change allows us to be in new relationships
Had Joseph not changed his mind he would have missed arguably the two most important relationship in human history.  He would not have known Mary, the mother of Jesus.  He would not have married her, loved and cared for her, made a home and family with her, or anything else.  And Joseph would not have known Jesus - as a baby, as a boy, and as a young man.

Does God bring people together?  Have you ever considered the relationships you have as being part of a divine conspiracy?  The two greatest commandments are to love God, and to love our neighbor - God is in the business of making new relationships.  But if we are not willing to change, we might miss out on one of the most significant friendships we could ever have.

Standing next to another christian ought to make you want to shout AMEN

Romans 15:4-13

They are your brother and sister in Christ 

Romans 15:7, “receive one another, just as Christ also received us.” Through out this passage the theme of christian brotherhood is clear. This is more than tolerate. Verse 5 states, “be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus”; and verse 6 “one mind and one mouth”.  

Christians come in all shapes and sizes; with different nationalities, languages, and ethnicities…and yet we all share a common re-birth through faith in Jesus Christ - and that makes us brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jesus calls us “the church”. He did not use the more common phrase “congregation”, but used a more greek word - “church”. It means being called to a public assembly. In essence, we are a new community - called out of the life of sin and into a life redeemed by Jesus Christ. And this new community is not limited to people groups, nationalities, or anything else…its open to all who believe that God was working through Jesus on the cross to bring about salvation. We are not merely saved as individuals but we are saved as a people.

and together we bring glory to God

Verse 6, “you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And again verse 7, “receive one another, just as Christ received us, to the glory of God."  

I’ll never forget visiting the Christian community in Arib Emirate of Dubai. 11 different churches worship in the same building. Standing in their building challenged my views of segregated christianity. Now why is all of this important? How does Christian brotherhood and sisterhood bring glory to God? How do groups of different people, redeemed by Jesus and reborn by the Holy Spirit, bring glory to God simply by their unity? Christian unity brings glory to God because it is a reflection of heaven - one family united by our faith in Jesus Christ. It brings glory to God because it illustrates to a broken and hurting world how to live in peace and harmony with one another. It brings glory to God because it shows the universal love and salvation of God’s plan. And thats why standing next to another christian ought to make you want to shout amen!

The single greatest decision we can make everyday is the decision to put on Jesus Christ!

Romans 13:11-14

Keys, books, coat, wallet, purse…we prepare ourselves every morning - why is it so important to also remember to put on Jesus Christ? Putting on Jesus Christ…

Establishes our Identity 

Have you noticed how obsessed our culture is with identity - particularly our self identity? We have become enamored with ourselves! The Oxford Dictionaries Word of the year for 2013 is “selfie”. Selfie is defined as a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.  Our culture is training us to be obsessed with ourselves. But sadly, its not even our true self - its a shadow of our fallen nature that we are catering to. And this is no place for a person born of the Spirit, washed of our fallen nature to be.

In his book Mere Christianity, CS Lewis addresses this issue of our fallen self and our true self found in Jesus Christ. He relates it to table salt. Salt is a strong substance, and its hard to imagine how something so strong could be good. Yet, salt bring out a deeper, truer flavor. The same is true of Jesus. It is only when we give ourselves over completely to his personality, that we, for the first time, experience our true self.

Romans13:12: “Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Daily we are faced with forces that influence the way we think, act, and speak. Sometimes these they capitalize on our weakness, other times they chip away at our foundation. But regardless of the type of influence, it requires daily attention to our identity in Jesus Christ. Establishing our identity in Jesus is achieved by, what Paul calls, “putting on the armor of light”, which is the same as “putting on Lord Jesus Christ”. It is only through giving ourselves completely to Jesus Christ that we can experience our true self.