My Faith Looks Trustingly

Why do bad things happen to God’s people? This is a question that has been wrestled with by almost all Christians. We often wrestle with this question when our bodies no longer work the way they are suppose too. I remember the day my father had surgery, Aug 28, 1998 and the surgery did not go as planned. My father who walked into the hospital under his own power, was wheeled out of the hospital and into a nursing home. I also remember December 13, 1997, when my son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. I also remember January 8, 2003, when my father passed away. Many of you wrestle with health problems and many of you have lost loved ones. You all have dates that you can remember, times of turmoil, times of strife... There are many times that we are dropped to our knees by situations at hand, asking God "Why"? The hymn we just sang, "My Faith Looks Trustingly", often brings sweet words in times of trouble. The lyrics to today’s hymn focus on Christ. "My faith looks trustingly, to Christ of Calvary, My Savior true!" It is the third verse that speaks to us with such feelings in times of darkness.

While life’s dark maze I tread and griefs around me spread,

Oh, be my guide; Make darkness turn to day, Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray From you aside.

The sermon text today comes from the Gospel reading of John and promises more times of darkness ahead of us. Where will you turn? Will you turn away from God? Will you turn to some other vice to try to wash away your troubles? Will you trust God? Let’s listen to the teachings of the Gospel lesson, to learn the truths that Jesus is teaching his disciples. Jesus is teaching about "signs" of the End Times.

1 As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

We have all marveled over "great buildings" with beautiful architecture. The Temple was a building built for the purpose of worshiping and receiving God’s benefits. It was a beautiful structure. Josephus writes the temple was made of huge white stones, some of them as large as 37 feet long, 12 feet high, and 18 feet wide. We are talking about enormous stone blocks that would be difficult to move today, let alone, over 2,000 years ago without the use of modern cranes. Lenski, a bible commentator writes "All of fifty years had already been spent in replacing one building after another in grander and richer form. The work was not yet done; it went on for years until shortly before the great war." Another commentator writes "The temple of Jerusalem, which Herod rebuilt, was considered one of the wonders of the world, being built of marble and richly adorned with gold." The disciple is overwhelmed and is astonished to the point that he has to share the view with Jesus. "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!"

The disciple was astonished at the building, but Jesus response is more astonishing. Jesus replies: 2 "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." This statement not only catches the disciple off guard, but catches me off guard even in the year 2,003. The beautiful Temple that took decades to build would be destroyed. This was on the minds of the disciples which again address the issue with Jesus while looking on from a distance at the Mount of Olives. Scripture reads:

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?"

I can only imagine the tone they asked this question, not an exciting tone, but a serious, soft tone. "Tell us, when will these things happen? The disciples want to know when and will there be a sign? If Jesus had said the same thing about the World Trade Center, then we would be asking when... because we would not want to be in it or around it at that time. We would also want to warn others to keep them from dying. If we had only know that the twin towers would have collapsed, how we could have saved many lives. Well, let the World Trade Center be a wake up call to us Christians. Jesus has promised that the End Times are coming, and that there will be a judgment where the believers will go to heaven and the unbelievers will go to hell. If you wished you could have warned the people in the World Trade Center, you have an even greater threat coming and that is the End Times. By sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you are "saving lives" from eternal damnation and bring eternal life. Your warning to those people at the World Trade Center would have spared their lives by maybe another 20-50 years, IF they would have listened. The unbelievers would still have died as unbelievers and suffer eternal damnation. The message we can share is different in that it offers "eternal life". The End Times are coming.

Listen to Jesus instructions. He warns of being lead astray and of false prophets.

5 Jesus said to them: "Watch out that no one deceives you. 6 Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many.

Most of us today can look around and see the results of false prophets, many claiming to be Christ himself. To name a few, we have Charles Manson, Rev. Moon, Jim Jones, David Koresh. There are many false religions such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims, and many others. The problem with these religions and false prophets is that they add to the requirements of Salvation through faith alone, tacking on works and self-righteousness. Jesus tells you to "WATCH OUT THAT NO ONE DECEIVES YOU." You need to always be on our guard wearing the full armor of God.

The End Times signs include times of turmoil between nations. Jesus says:

7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 8 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

America is at war today and there are rumors of war with North Korea. There have been many wars between different nations in the last 100 years. Is the End Time coming? Yes! We, like the disciples, ask "When?" There have been wars, earthquakes and famines which mark the birth pains of the Second Coming. Will Jesus return in your life time? I don’t know, but we can live each day with the reminder that he is coming! Mark writes in Chapter 12, verse 32: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Jesus just mentioned that nations would be under attack, but now He warns that YOU will be under attack!

9 "You must be on your guard. You will be handed over to the local councils and flogged in the synagogues. On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. 11 Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.

On account of Christ, you will be under attack! Jesus states in John 15:20: "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." There are some words of comfort is the passage that was just read. Notice that when it comes time to be taken to trial, God steps in. He doesn’t promise to bail you out, but He will be present through the Holy Spirit. Jesus instructions to you are not worry before hand about what to say, for that will be given to you by the Holy Spirit. He will not leave you alone. It is comforting to know that even in times of trials, we will be witnessing the Gospel to others as the Holy Spirit speaks through us.

Jesus continues stating that faith in Christ will even bring division within the family.

12 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 13 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Being a Christian is not easy. It is Jesus’ words that haunt us "All men will hate you because of me". We want to be liked by everyone, but that is simply not going to happen. Jesus concludes the sentence by stating "but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." Persevere in faith to the end and you will be saved! What does it mean to be saved? It means that at the end, you will live in a world where there are no more wars, there will be no more trials, your brothers and sisters in Christ will all get along with no division, and you will no longer be hated by all. You will be living in the full presence of God in Heaven. A world where sin does not exist! It is God alone that gives you faith and it is God who sent His Son to fulfill the law that you couldn’t. You are saved by His action! No matter what hard times we have to endure, our focus is on Christ alone. He alone died four our sins. He alone has forgiven us. He alone is our Salvation. The End Times are coming, but for those with faith, it is not an "End", but a New Beginning! It will be a new beginning of living with the one who loved us first, Jesus Christ.

Today you have received faith through God’s Word. Our message is far greater than the World Trade Center, it is a message of eternal life. Going back to today’s sermon hymn, you can reflect on this beautiful hymn and the words of comfort. We rejoice in the promises of God. The final verse reads:

When ends life’s transient dream, When death’s cold, sullen stream rolls over me,

Blest Savior, then in love Fear and distrust remove;

Oh, bear me safe above, Redeemed and free!

You are Redeemed and free! Amen!