Confidence in God Amidst Cultural Chaos

 

Summary

In today's discussion, we explored the theme of confidence in a post-Christian culture, drawing insights from the book "A Time for Confidence" by Dr. Steve Nichols. We live in an era marked by rapid change and moral confusion, often described as post-Christian and post-truth. This cultural shift challenges long-held biblical truths, particularly regarding human identity, gender, and the sanctity of life. In such times, it's crucial for Christians to respond with boldness and courage, rather than retreating or compromising.

The conversation highlighted the historical context of these challenges, tracing back to the early 20th century when Darwinism and German higher criticism began to undermine the authority of Scripture. Today, these challenges are compounded by social sciences questioning foundational biblical truths. Despite these pressures, the call is to remain steadfast, placing our confidence in God and His unchanging Word.

Isaiah 40 serves as a pivotal reference, reminding us to "behold our God" amidst discouragement and uncertainty. This chapter shifts from judgment to comfort, encouraging Israel—and us—to trust in God's sovereignty despite the chaos around us. The difference between sight and vision was illustrated through the story of Henry Wanyoike, a blind runner who regained his vision and purpose, symbolizing the need for spiritual vision beyond our immediate circumstances.

The discussion also addressed the temptation of misplaced confidence, whether in political systems, cultural acceptance, or human wisdom. True confidence is rooted in a robust understanding of God's sovereignty and the authority of Scripture. The conversation concluded with a reminder of the enduring nature of God's Word and the importance of maintaining confidence in Christ, the Gospel, and the hope it brings.

Key Takeaways:

1. Confidence in God Amidst Chaos: In a world marked by rapid change and moral confusion, our confidence must be rooted in God. Isaiah 40 reminds us to "behold our God," shifting our focus from the chaos around us to the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. This perspective helps us navigate uncertainty with courage and boldness. [08:10]

2. The Importance of Spiritual Vision: The story of Henry Wanyoike illustrates the difference between sight and vision. While physical sight may be lost, spiritual vision allows us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and trust in God's greater plan. This vision is essential for maintaining hope and purpose in challenging times. [13:31]

3. Avoiding Misplaced Confidence: It's tempting to place our confidence in political systems, cultural acceptance, or human wisdom. However, true confidence is found in God alone. Jeremiah warns against boasting in wisdom, riches, or power, urging us to boast in knowing and understanding God. [21:35]

4. The Authority of Scripture: In times of cultural change, there's a temptation to compromise the authority of Scripture. We must affirm the Bible's inerrancy and authority, recognizing it as God's Word, fully true and sufficient for life. This conviction anchors us amidst shifting cultural norms. [29:08]

5. Endurance in the Mundane: Isaiah 40 concludes with the promise of walking and not fainting, emphasizing the need for endurance in the ordinary aspects of life. While soaring and running are occasional, walking is constant. God's strength sustains us in the mundane, enabling us to persevere daily. [48:15]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to Dr. Steve Nichols
- [01:01] - Why "A Time for Confidence"?
- [02:42] - Historical Context of Post-Christian Culture
- [04:18] - Challenges from Science and Social Sciences
- [06:26] - The Church's Response to Cultural Shifts
- [08:10] - Beholding God in Uncertainty
- [11:23] - Sight vs. Vision: The Story of Henry Wanyoike
- [15:47] - Historical Examples of Christian Confidence
- [19:17] - Misplaced Confidence in Politics and Culture
- [23:38] - Confidence in God's Sovereignty
- [27:52] - Confidence in Scripture and Its Authority
- [30:43] - Confidence in Christ and the Gospel
- [37:47] - Lessons from the Reformation
- [41:29] - Union with Christ: Our Source of Confidence
- [46:08] - Confidence in Daily Life and Struggles

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Isaiah 40:1-31
2. Jeremiah 9:23-24
3. Genesis 1:26-28

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Observation Questions:

1. What cultural shifts and challenges were highlighted in the sermon as contributing to a post-Christian society? ([01:15])

2. How does Isaiah 40 transition from a message of judgment to one of comfort, and what is the significance of the phrase "behold your God"? ([06:41])

3. What was the story of Henry Wanyoike used to illustrate in the sermon, and how does it relate to the concept of spiritual vision? ([11:23])

4. According to the sermon, what are some examples of misplaced confidence that Christians might be tempted to rely on? ([19:17])

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the historical context of Darwinism and German higher criticism relate to the current challenges faced by Christians in a post-Christian culture? ([02:58])

2. In what ways does Isaiah 40 encourage believers to shift their focus from their immediate circumstances to God's sovereignty? How might this apply to personal struggles? ([08:10])

3. How does the story of Henry Wanyoike illustrate the difference between physical sight and spiritual vision, and why is this distinction important for maintaining hope? ([13:31])

4. What does Jeremiah 9:23-24 teach about the dangers of boasting in human wisdom, riches, or power, and how does this relate to the sermon’s message on misplaced confidence? ([21:35])

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by cultural changes or personal challenges. How can Isaiah 40's message of "beholding God" help you navigate such situations with confidence? ([08:10])

2. Consider the story of Henry Wanyoike. What are some areas in your life where you might be relying on physical sight rather than spiritual vision? How can you cultivate a deeper trust in God's plan? ([13:31])

3. Identify a specific area where you might be placing misplaced confidence, such as in political systems or cultural acceptance. How can you shift your confidence to be more rooted in God and His Word? ([19:17])

4. How can you affirm the authority of Scripture in your daily life, especially when faced with societal pressures to compromise biblical truths? ([29:08])

5. Reflect on the concept of endurance in the mundane aspects of life. What are some practical ways you can rely on God's strength to persevere in your daily routines? ([48:15])

6. Think about a current challenge you are facing. How can the message of God's sovereignty and faithfulness in Isaiah 40 provide comfort and guidance in this situation? ([06:41])

7. How can you actively engage in conversations about faith with those around you, especially in a culture that often challenges biblical truths? What steps can you take to share the hope and confidence found in the Gospel? ([30:43])

Devotional

Day 1: Confidence in God's Sovereignty Amidst Chaos
In a world characterized by rapid change and moral confusion, it is essential to root our confidence in God. Isaiah 40 serves as a reminder to "behold our God," encouraging us to shift our focus from the chaos around us to the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. This perspective allows us to navigate uncertainty with courage and boldness, trusting that God remains in control despite the turmoil we may face. By anchoring our confidence in God's unchanging nature, we can find peace and assurance in His plans and purposes. [08:10]

Isaiah 40:28-31 (ESV): "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

Reflection: In what specific area of your life do you need to shift your focus from chaos to God's sovereignty today? How can you practically remind yourself of His faithfulness in that area?


Day 2: Spiritual Vision Beyond Immediate Circumstances
The story of Henry Wanyoike illustrates the difference between sight and vision. While physical sight may be lost, spiritual vision allows us to see beyond our immediate circumstances and trust in God's greater plan. This vision is essential for maintaining hope and purpose in challenging times. By cultivating spiritual vision, we can perceive God's work in our lives and align ourselves with His purposes, even when the path ahead seems unclear. [13:31]

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (ESV): "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: What is one immediate circumstance that is clouding your spiritual vision? How can you begin to see this situation through the lens of God's eternal perspective today?


Day 3: Avoiding Misplaced Confidence
It's tempting to place our confidence in political systems, cultural acceptance, or human wisdom. However, true confidence is found in God alone. Jeremiah warns against boasting in wisdom, riches, or power, urging us to boast in knowing and understanding God. By recognizing the limitations of worldly sources of confidence, we can redirect our trust to God, who is the ultimate source of wisdom and strength. This shift in focus allows us to live with a sense of security and purpose that transcends the uncertainties of life. [21:35]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: Identify one area where you have placed misplaced confidence. How can you begin to shift your trust from this area to a deeper understanding and knowledge of God today?


Day 4: Upholding the Authority of Scripture
In times of cultural change, there's a temptation to compromise the authority of Scripture. We must affirm the Bible's inerrancy and authority, recognizing it as God's Word, fully true and sufficient for life. This conviction anchors us amidst shifting cultural norms, providing a firm foundation for our beliefs and actions. By upholding the authority of Scripture, we can navigate cultural challenges with confidence, knowing that God's Word remains relevant and powerful in every situation. [29:08]

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV): "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

Reflection: How can you intentionally affirm the authority of Scripture in your daily life? What specific steps can you take to ensure that God's Word remains central to your beliefs and actions?


Day 5: Endurance in the Mundane
Isaiah 40 concludes with the promise of walking and not fainting, emphasizing the need for endurance in the ordinary aspects of life. While soaring and running are occasional, walking is constant. God's strength sustains us in the mundane, enabling us to persevere daily. By relying on God's strength, we can find purpose and joy in the everyday tasks and challenges, knowing that He is with us every step of the way. [48:15]

Galatians 6:9 (ESV): "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up."

Reflection: What is one mundane area of your life where you need God's strength to endure? How can you invite His presence and power into this area today?

Quotes

In these times, we can find ourselves feeling a certain uncertainty. We can even sense we're in a chaotic moment, and the question is, how do we respond? How do we live in this moment that we find ourselves in? And so I wanted to make it very clear from the title that this is a time for confidence. This is not a time to compromise. Certainly, it's not a time to cower and just simply go off in a cave somewhere and hide out, but this moment calls us to be bold, calls us to be courageous. [00:02:16]

If we just have our current horizon, right, if we're just seeing what's in front of us, we're just seeing what we watch on the news, we could be discouraged. We could feel defeated even, and we can even wonder what is God doing in this moment. And if we take this off of a level of culture and just put it on a level of an individual, so you're dealing with some tragedy in your life or you're dealing with some piece of suffering that comes into your life or even just something that's confusing to you, it's very easy to get discouraged at those times. [00:08:07]

We need to focus on God. We need not be turned aside or turned upside down by the present horizon. We need to focus on God. I think the second thing, and this ties into these attacks we were talking about, the attack on scripture from the sciences or social is we sometimes can sort of, we never come out and say it, oh, the Bible is no longer authoritative, but we might begin to doubt its authority. We might begin to wonder, is it sufficient for life in the 21st century? [00:09:14]

We must put our confidence in God. He alone is the only one worthy of our confidence and our trust, and he is a faithful promise-keeping God. To help correct those sort of that misplaced confidence, when you outline this book, you touch on five areas or five things we should be putting our confidence in, the first one being God. Just before I get to you explicitly calling out the other four that you write about, I'm just wondering for Christians out there that wouldn't call themselves reformed Christians that don't have a robust understanding of God and his sovereignty. [00:23:08]

We need a robust, full picture of who God is. This is exactly what Isaiah does, and when Isaiah says, behold your God, then Isaiah says, and you know what, the nations are a drop in the bucket. Now, how huge was Babylon, and not only is it a bucket, it's a drop in the bucket, right? The gulf between us and God in his true biblical character is infinite. It's truly infinite, and so that's the object of our confidence. [00:26:28]

In these times of cultural change, it's not just the temptation to cower, it's also the temptation to compromise, and we begin to say, well, maybe God's word is not so authoritative, right? And that's where we have to recognize, first of all, the Bible is God's word, and because it's his word, it's true. You know, the debate that Dr. Sproul was involved in back in the 70s was the inherency debate, and he led the team of scholars that produced the Chicago statement on inherency. [00:28:01]

We have to reflect on this. You know, it's very easy to not only be overtly affected by our times, and we see this, we see evangelicals left and right saying, oh, we need to think differently about same-sex relationships because of the moment in which we live. Do you know what they're saying at that point? What they're saying is we know better than the Bible, and now the Bible submits to our collective wisdom. That's effectively what's being said at that point. [00:29:34]

We have confidence in Christ and who Christ is, and this is kind of interesting too, Nathan. You know, Paul says that I may know Christ, the power of his resurrection. Now, that's a place for confidence, but there's before that he says the fellowship of his sufferings. So even in our sufferings, we know that we can have confidence because, as Hebrews says again and again, our sympathetic high priest. So there's reason for confidence in Christ both in terms of the fellowship of his sufferings and the power of his resurrection. [00:30:34]

We frequently need that kind of surge to soar like an eagle. We occasionally need that sort of power to run, but we constantly need the ability to walk. That's the mundane, and so the order is exactly right. So we don't end on a low note. This isn't some anticlimactic walk and not faint. That is the high note, that in the ordinary, in the mundane, God is a... I pass that along. [00:47:54]

We are helpless, and we are hopeless, and we are in the enemy's camp, and along comes Christ, right, and he rescues us, and he gives us back our identity. She had her identity. She lost her identity, and they gave it back to her in that symbol of giving her the American flag. We had our identity in the garden. We lost it, and Christ gave it back to us and restored us to be God's children. It's a beautiful picture, I think, of the gospel. [00:43:49]

We need to endure. The second thing I would say, and I find this really fascinating, I always have in Isaiah chapter 40, if I were writing Isaiah chapter 40 at the very end, I'd reverse the order, you know, but it says, mount up with wings of eagles. That's super cool. That's, you know, we have eagles here in Florida, and I watch them every once in a while out my window, and they're amazing how they can soar. Who doesn't want to do that? [00:46:56]

We have Eagles here in Florida, and I watch them every once in a while out my window, and they're amazing how they can soar. Who doesn't want to do that? Then the author says we will run, right? Okay, it's exciting, not as exciting as soaring with eagles, but running, and then he ends with we walk and not faint. Now, let's just be honest, it's a little boring. How mundane is walking, right? But you could look at it this way. [00:47:41]

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Transcript
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