October 30, 2016 "When Life is Hard", Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley

but light can get so hard that it forces you to wonder about the God you worship if God is God why is this happening if God can do whatever he wants why not do what I asked somebody sounds a good question she bow and being prayer with me a father of God you are amazing we thank your God for the abundance of your grace and your mercy it is amazing to us every day for the opportunity we have now to hear you speak to our hearts Lord clear any distraction and disturbance that we might be focused on what the Spirit would speak to us Lord touch my head in my heart use my mind in my mouth allow there to be no gap between your will and my words speak Lord for your servants are listening in the name of our Jesus and our Christ we do pray amen as we seek to hear God speak today won't you turn with me in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament the third book of the New Testament if you would navigate a journey into the seventh chapter there is a word from the Lord that sets the foundation for our lesson of life today beginning in verse 18 going into the eighteenth verse of the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke and once you've located that if you're physically able we asked to its stand that together we might reverence the reading of God's Holy Word from Luke chapter 7 beginning in verse number 18 reading this morning out of the New King James Version of God's Holy Word and says then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things and John called him two of his disciples to himself sent them to Jesus saying in Jesus are you the coming one or do we look for another when the men had come to him they said John sent us they asked to say are you the coming one or do we look for someone else and that very hour Jesus cured many of infirmities afflictions and evil spirits and too many blind he site jesus answered and said to them now go and tell John the things you have seen and heard that the blind see the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the Deaf hear the dead are raised and the poor have the gospel preached to them and blessed is he who is not offended because of me we hang out there in Luke chapter 7 which is also paralleled in Matthew 11 today I want to talk teach preach about what to do when life is hard you may be seated in the presence of the Lord when life is hard I shared openly with you before and I reiterated today that once a month I go sit on a Christian counselors couch I visit my therapist once a month now before you judge me let me tell you some of you could stand to visit a therapist once a month I visit my therapist for a couple reasons number one i pastor y'all and that's a stressful job number two I'm trying to grow and be the best me I can be and at this stage in my life I realize that I've got some flaws some failures some wrinkles I need to iron out some stuff I'm trying to fix and so I meet with the therapist to help me identify ways in which I can grow and be better one of the things I've noticed about myself at this stage of life that my staff will quickly attest to is one of my flaws one of my weaknesses one of my wrinkles I'm trying to work out that I have a tendency to be a little short patient with people I I got to confess every now and then folk can really get on my nerves and although I'm a little bit older now and I don't say some of the stuff I used to say Delton it's quickly evident on my face when you're getting on my nerves I can give you that look that lets you know you're gay on my nerves so I'm trying to work on being patient I'm trying to learn to be more patient with people and when I was meeting my therapist she said we remember what you need to do you need to journal and take note of the things that a great irritate and frustrate you because you can't work on being patient until you know the buttons that make you impatient so I started taking note of what aggravates frustrates and irritates me I came to the conclusion that one of the things that quickly aggravates irritates frustrates me gets on my nerves gets under my skin is when I have to sister Paula repeat myself I don't like having to say something twice and you know it really aggravates me y'all pray for me it activates me when folks ask me questions that they should know the answer to if they've been paying attention to what I was saying you hear me hear me I'm working it out I'm working it out I know I got to grow but but when you ask a question that you should know the answer to if you were paying attention it lets me know that when I was speaking you weren't paying attention and when I speak I expect you to be listening I got aggro I got to grow that area but but it a Gravette smiie when folk aren't listening to what I'm saying and they ask questions that they should know the answer to now before you judge me let me tell you that that makes me a little bit like Jesus because as you look at the humanity of Jesus you will see that Jesus seemingly gets aggravated when people ask questions they should know the answer to if they've been listening to what he's been saying if you don't believe that you need to reread Luke 7 a little bit you'll find out that Jesus shows a little frustration with what goes down here in Luke 7 John the Baptist's since two of his disciples to Jesus to ask the question are you the coming one are you the Messiah are you the one we've been waiting on are you the one Isaiah prophesied about John the Baptist wants to know is Jesus the coming one now if you read Bible you ought to know that this is a really curious question coming from John the Baptist because if anybody should have known who Jesus was is John the Baptist I wish I had a Bible reader that you remember in Luke chapter one in the story of the birth of Jesus that Jesus and John are cousins you were called that when Mary finds out she's pregnant with Jesus she goes to see Elizabeth who's pregnant with John and when a pregnant Mary with Jesus in her womb walks into the presence of a pregnant Elizabeth with John in her womb the Bible says that John gives some embryonic praise and begins to do backflips in his mother's womb because even in the womb John knew who Jesus was can I push it and that same John goes out into the wilderness and begins to preach and proclaim Jesus so the John who knew him in the womb is the John who preached about him in the wilderness and if that wasn't enough in Luke chapter three one day John is down by the river Jordan baptizing folk Jesus shows up says I need you to baptize me John says I'm not worthy to baptize the Son of God Jesus commands him to do it anyway and John's baptizes Jesus in the Jordan and and after he pulls him up the heavens open a dove shines down and then God speaks and God says in the presence of John the Baptist just in case folk don't know who that boy is I want everybody to know that is my son and whom I am well pleased John John knows Jesus in the womb he preaches about Jesus in the wilderness he hears God speak by the water and the question you ought to be asking is how can a John who knew him in the womb proclaimed him in the wilderness and heard about him by the water can now reach a place where he's unsure who Jesus is how can John have doubts about Jesus well part of the answer deals with the context of where John is when he sends his question the reason John doesn't go to Jesus himself and ask are you becoming one it's because of you read the other synoptic Gospels you'll find out that when John asked this question John is in jail how did John the Baptist get there I'm glad you asked Herod who's King has married his own brother's wife and everybody knows that's how to order but nobody says anything but John the Baptist John the Baptist calls Herod out for what he knows is an act of immorality John writes a blog puts it on the Internet it goes viral everybody knows that what Herod has done is wrong and Herod is embarrassed has John the Baptist arrested only for his stepdaughter to demand that John be beheaded and so now John is in jail under a death sentence and while he's in jail he now has doubts about who Jesus is because life can put you in such a hard place that you wind up having doubts about the goodness of God coming here let me preach to you right here it doesn't matter what your church title is it doesn't matter how big your Bible is it doesn't matter how many consecutive Sundays you come to church everybody in here can wind up in some circumstances that make you question whether God is who God said he was I know I know I know I know you can't shout right here you can't say man cuz you want your neighbor to think that you're saved and sanctified Holy Ghost field and you wake up every morning with your mind stayed on Jesus but there's some of us who can admit this morning I've been in some tight situations that made me go to God and ask why did you let this happen to me when is this going to be over are you going to make a way will you take care of this has anybody ever questioned the goodness of God cause like light can get so hard that it forces you to wonder about the God you worship if God is God why is this happening if God can do whatever he wants why not do what I asked somebody's asked a good question and what's amazing about this question that John asks is that Jesus never answers it John sends a simple question I just need to know are you who I think you are and Jesus doesn't give a simple answer would it been easier for Jesus just to say yes I am Jesus doesn't answer because he needs to send a message to John that did win life is hard like that when you find yourself in locked up situations when you're wondering about the goodness of God you don't need an easy answer you need something deeper to hold your life together hear me beloved that when people are in rough seasons of life I can't stand Church cliches I don't need easy answers I can I be real every now and then them easy answers get on my nerves alright I know he may not come when I want him to but but that ain't helping me right now I know he'll never put my on me then I can bear but but that ain't I know when the praises go up the doctor ain't helping me right now have you ever needed more than an easy answer have you ever needed more than some cliche that's been rehearsed in microwaved a thousand times have you ever needed more than that - Jesus says when life gets hard you need more than these easy Church answers and so watch what this text teaches us about what you need when life is hard on you there are three things every believer every child of God needs when life is hard number one you need faith that is firm in days of disappointment you need a faith that is firm in days of disappointment let me teach by before minute the reason John is questioning Jesus Allan Cole pepper's PhD in New Testament says is because John is wrestling with disappointment he is the cousin of Jesus who has preached Jesus and was trying to do right and wound up in jail and John is trying to figure out how can I be your cousin how can I preach your word how can I try to do right and I still wind up in jail that this was not supposed to happen to me and beloved I come back and tell you that if you walk long enough with God you will have some moments when you go to God and say to God this was not supposed to happen to me I wish I had some true believers who can declare listen I've been trying to do right why did God let this happen I come to church this ain't supposed to happen I serve in ministry this is supposed to be my lot in life when you do right it's hard to understand how you get wrong but here's what I come out and tell you this morning and it's a bitter pill to swallow that when you walk faithfully with God there will be some moments when God disappoints you there will be some moments when what you expect from God is not what you experience of God that God doesn't answer prayers the way you always want them answer God doesn't move in times when you want him to move I don't care how much so tired is I don't care how loud you shout you cannot force the hand of God to act in ways that are comfortable and convenient for you that in his sovereignty God will oftentimes disappoint us this ain't for the kindergarten this ain't for the faint of heart this is for the growing Saint I come by to tell you the truth that God doesn't always say yes God don't always move the mountain God don't always take the thorn out God don't always make away God has a way of disappointing you and you've got to have faith that holds onto God when God doesn't do what you thought God should do can I preach right here you got to have a faith that can endure some disappointments because real faith beloved is not expecting that God will do something will real faith is believing in God when he doesn't come come here real faith is not me just expecting God to do great things real faith is when I trust in God when God doesn't do great things when I hold to God in spite of whatever happens to me when I believe in God when the bottom of my life drops out when I worship God without a dime in my pocket when I pray to God when I got sickness in my body when I hold to his hand no matter what hell I go through that my real faith is seen when I trust God when God has disappointed me that that's that's why Jesus says blessed is the one who's not offended because of me because I'm gonna do some things that will upset you I'm going to move in some ways that will leave a bad taste in your mouth I'm gonna answer your prayers in ways that you don't appreciate I'm gonna let some stuff happen to you that you didn't think should happen to you and in that moment don't be offended don't walk away don't give up on me don't turn your back on me I've got a plan I'm up to something I'm doing something in your life I just - - trust me I got my god is your faith firm when God disappoints you you know that reminds me of Marcus reminds me of a rural pastor who went to visit a member of his church goes out in the country visits member and when guests of the member's house on the farm the stable that there is a weather vane that moves with the wind and the weather vane has written on it god is good and so he and his members standing there and they see that God is good but then add the wind shifted and the weather vane moved and where they were standing they could no longer see God is good and so the preacher said to his member he said you know what that's a theological inaccuracy for you to put God as good on the weathervane because you're suggesting that when the wind blows the right way I can see God is good and the Old Farmer's said no brother pastor that's not what it means he said I put God is good on the weathervane so that I would be reminded no matter which way the wind blows that God is still good the wind doesn't have to be at my back for me to know that God is good that no matter which way it goes I can declare God is good and I'm looking for about five folk right here right now who can declare no matter what happens in my life I've got enough faith to say that God is good when the bottom drops out God is good when mama goes home to glory God is good when my money is funny God is good when the one I love doesn't love me back God is still he's good you you need some faith that is firm in the days that God disappoints you let me tell you what else you need Jesus said listen Ilena's John needs some firm faith but number two you need friends who are faithful witnesses of God's wonders can I tell you what makes a hard situation worse when you got the wrong people in your life when when life gets hard on you you've got to be careful about who's in your inner circle some of y'all are messed up right now cuz you got the wrong folk on speed-dial let me tell you the kind of people you need you need people like these two disciples whom John calls these two disciples come to John they take this question of Jesus and they bring Jesus answer back to John let me tell you let me take my people you need you need some people number one who you can be real with what says here is John the Baptist's the preacher the elder the bishop the prelate the presiding elder whatever title you want here is John the Baptist with his religious sanctify itself and he's struggling in his relationship with the Lord now who does the pastor speak to when the pastor's having trouble with God but John has two folk in his life that he's comfortable enough taking his title off and showing them I'm just another brother who has struggle with God just like you do because everybody needs somebody who you can be real with and share what's really happening in your life can I preach right here I am tired of religious environments where I have to pretend to be what I am I'm trying to come to church and having to act every week like I'm blessed and highly favored then I woke up shouting thank you Jesus every morning know that some of us that can be real there's some moments I've come to church and giving God glory was not on the top of my list cuz I felt like I was losing my mine and and I just need a place where I can be real about my struggle but here's the problem with church you have found out the hard way you can't trust church folk I can trust you with my John the Baptist but I can't trust you in my real John I can trust you with Reverend doctor but I can't trust you with Howard John I can trust you with with my Bible carry himself I can't trust you with my switchblade in my back but I got cuz there's there's a side of me that that you can't really handle the truth I'm looking for some folk that I can be real with and you not judge me I want to be able to tell you that that I'm having trouble with God I want to tell you that I'm about to lose my mind I want to tell you that this burden is too much for me to bear I want to tell you that I couldn't sleep last night I want to tell you that I'm trying to be holy but I backslide every now and then I need to be real with you I need you to touch somebody and ask them can I be real with you I need oh can you handle the fact that that that I've got a Bible in my hand harm and some Hennessy under my shelf because when one don't work I might reach for the other I just need to know can't you handle the real me yeah be wise gonna be some emails on that one gonna be some emails over here uh he can be real with these folk and watch it here here is the real shout when these two disciples find out that John is struggling with Jesus notice what they do with it they go right to Jesus you missed you miss it when he shares with them his real self the only thing they do with it is go right to Jesus okay one more time when he takes the mask off and shows what's underneath the road there's some folk that when they find out he's just human they don't go tell nobody but Jesus and that's what you need in your life some folk that know how to get right to the throne room of God and call on the Lord on your behalf yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah uh-huh here it is what's hurting some folk in sanctuary today you've got friends with the wrong skillsets you you you you got friends that can do the wrong things right right right now right now if you if you if you're in a hard place and you want to go out to the club and and drop it like it's hot you got somebody you can call right now who's down for the get-down who will meet you at the club and stay there to the joint shuts down you you got somebody with that skill set you got somebody right now that when life is hard if you needed to call on him to help you go bust out somebody's windows they got your back all day long you got some thugs in your life who has show up with a black hoodie on and say girl let's go do what we got to do you got somebody with that skill set get if you wanted to do something in the dark you got somebody you call right now who show up at your place 2:00 in the morning cuz they got that skill set but that ain't what you need when life is hard you need some prayer warriors who you can call on and tell them I need you to pray for me and you know that they will go down on their knees lift up their hands and talk to God on your behalf my god do me a favor texting I tell them that's what you need that's what you need you need some folk didn't know how to pray you need some folk that know how to go to the Lord cuz they're gonna come some moments when you don't know how to pray as you should have you ever knelt down and you didn't know what to say have you ever bought your head and felt unworthy to talk to God and in that moment I'm so glad somebody had me on their mind so that when I couldn't pray as I should pray I got some prayer partners and some prayer warriors who went to odd and whispered my name and God bless me coz of their prayers okay I got all right I gotta go I gotta go uh yeah I'm tired you need faith that is firm in days of disappointment you need friends who are faithful witnesses of the wonders of God let me tell you the third thing you need where life gets hard you need to find fulfillment in the praise of other people here is what hinders many people when life is hard you only praise God on your own stuff what watch what Jesus does this this a Bible say lesson and I guarantee about two people on your pew go missing some have to say it more than once John is in a hard place when Jesus finds out that John needs help Jesus opens the eyes of some other blind folk Alexander I knew - goodness I'm try to get when when John is in a hard place and jesus knows John needs some help Jesus causes some lame brother to get up and walk new dirt we went when John needs some help Jesus finds a sick sister and heals her you missed it when John needs some help the Lord tries to bless John by blessing somebody else because he wants John to know don't limit your praise to God based on your own personal stuff I'm going to surround you with people who I've been good to and I want you to learn to bless God for the blessing your neighbor has I want you to get happy cuz the sister sitting next to you got happy I want you to lift your hands cuz the brother in front of you lifted his hands I want you to be happy cuz of what I did for somebody else so here's what God does I'm done when the Lord sees you in a hard place he will surround you with those who he's been good to as a way of encouraging you to know that if God could do it for them and if God opened her eyes and if God paid his bills and if God healed her cancer and if God protected his children then surely God is able to do the same for me um have you ever noticed that when you're in a hard place the ushers always sit you next to sister shout aloud you you you ever come to church you're in a bad mood try to work some stuff out with God and brother stand up is right in front of you you you ever come in try to figure some stuff out and they put you next to that neighbor then want to touch their neighbor 30 times and worship the Lord says I'm trying to place you in a crowd a folk that I've been good to because you really have no reason to just sit with your arms crossed every Sunday that even if you think you don't have a reason to shout yourself when you see what God has been doing in the life of your neighbor you ought to reach a point where I can bless God not on my own stuff but I bless God because he's been good to you and I think

Channel: Alfred Street Baptist Church

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Keywords: Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, 2016, When Life is Hard, Alfred Street Baptist Church

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Length: 31min 57sec (1917 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 04 2016