Embracing Gentleness and Hope in God's Love
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor acknowledging the children who have left the main service to attend children's church and sharing some housekeeping announcements. The pastor then moves on to the main message, emphasizing that God loves the congregation more than they know and will be with them no matter what they face. The pastor reminds the congregation of the context of their text, highlighting the longing of the people of Israel for a Messiah after hundreds of years without hearing from God. The pastor mentions the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus, who announced the coming of the kingdom of God, fulfilling the hopes and desires of the Israelites.
The pastor then discusses the importance of gentleness in the Christian life, explaining that gentleness cannot coexist with the passions and desires of the flesh, as they are in conflict with each other. The pastor emphasizes the need for a good attitude in practicing gentleness, as a bad attitude undermines the purpose of sacrificing and considering others. The pastor also highlights that gentleness is a recurring characteristic mentioned in scripture and is an essential aspect of being a follower of Jesus.
The pastor then reflects on the concept of God's creation and the presence of suffering and death in the world. The pastor acknowledges that while God declared His creation to be very good, the experiences of standing by a loved one's deathbed or mourning at a gravesite reveal the presence of pain and sorrow. The pastor emphasizes that something has entered into God's good creation, changing it. The pastor refers to the biblical account of Adam and Eve, the tree of sin, and the fall of man, which introduced evil, sin, sickness, sorrow, and death into the world.
The pastor then discusses the meaning behind Jesus' statement, "Blessed are those who mourn." The pastor emphasizes that Jesus did not mean mourning for one's own sin, but rather mourning the loss of a loved one. The pastor criticizes those who try to interpret the passage differently and avoid discussing death, even when it is clearly presented in scripture. The pastor highlights the comfort that comes from the promise of resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God.
The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of clothing ourselves with humility, gentleness, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. These characteristics enable us to bear with one another and forgive each other, which is something many people struggle with in today's society. The pastor reminds the congregation that as followers of Christ, we are called to forgive as the Lord forgave us.
Key Takeaways:
- God loves us more than we know and will be with us no matter what we face. He fulfilled the hopes and desires of the Israelites by sending John the Baptist and Jesus to announce the coming of the kingdom of God. [10:15]
- Gentleness is an essential aspect of being a follower of Jesus. It requires sacrifice, submission, and considering others as more important than oneself. A good attitude is necessary in practicing gentleness, as a bad attitude undermines its purpose. [20:30]
- While God declared His creation to be very good, the experiences of standing by a loved one's deathbed or mourning at a gravesite reveal the presence of pain and sorrow. The biblical account of Adam and Eve, the tree of sin, and the fall of man introduced evil, sin, sickness, sorrow, and death into the world. [30:45]
- Jesus' statement, "Blessed are those who mourn," refers to mourning the loss of a loved one, not mourning for one's own sin. The comfort that comes from the promise of resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God is highlighted. [40:55]
- As followers of Christ, we are called to clothe ourselves with humility, gentleness, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. These characteristics enable us to bear with one another and forgive each other, which is something many people struggle with in today's society. [50:10]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 5:1-12: "Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will show mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.'"
2. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57: "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
3. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14: "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."
Observation Questions:
1. What are the characteristics of those who are blessed according to Matthew 5:1-12?
2. What does 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 say about the power of death and sin?
3. How does 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 describe the Christian perspective on death and mourning?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of being 'blessed' in Matthew 5:1-12 relate to the characteristics of humility, gentleness, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness?
2. How does the victory over death and sin through Jesus Christ, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, provide comfort to those who mourn?
3. How does the belief in resurrection and eternal life, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, influence the way Christians grieve and mourn?
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you found it challenging to exhibit gentleness. What could you have done differently?
2. Can you think of a person in your life who is currently mourning? How can you comfort them with the promise of resurrection and eternal life?
3. How can you demonstrate humility, gentleness, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness in a specific situation you anticipate facing this week?
4. Reflect on a time when you struggled with forgiving someone. How can the victory over sin through Jesus Christ help you in forgiving others?
5. How can the belief in resurrection and eternal life influence your perspective on death and mourning in your personal life?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing God's Unfathomable Love
God's love for us is beyond our comprehension, and He is always with us, regardless of the circumstances we face. His love was demonstrated when He fulfilled the long-held hopes and desires of the Israelites by sending John the Baptist and Jesus to announce the coming of His kingdom. [10:15]
Zephaniah 3:17 - "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's love in a profound way. How did that experience shape your understanding of His love for you?
Day 2: Cultivating Gentleness in Our Lives
Gentleness is a crucial aspect of our Christian journey. It requires self-sacrifice, humility, and prioritizing others above ourselves. A positive attitude is essential in practicing gentleness, as a negative one can undermine its purpose. [20:30]
Galatians 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Reflection: Consider a recent situation where you could have shown more gentleness. How can you approach similar situations differently in the future?
Day 3: Understanding the Impact of Sin on Creation
God's creation was initially declared very good, but the presence of pain, sorrow, and death reveals the impact of sin. The biblical account of Adam and Eve, the tree of sin, and the fall of man introduced these elements into the world. [30:45]
Romans 5:12 - "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned."
Reflection: How does understanding the impact of sin on creation influence your perspective on suffering and death?
Day 4: Mourning with Hope in the Resurrection
Jesus' statement, "Blessed are those who mourn," refers to mourning the loss of a loved one, not mourning for one's own sin. The comfort that comes from the promise of resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God is highlighted. [40:55]
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 - "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep."
Reflection: Is there a loss you are currently mourning? How does the promise of resurrection and eternal life bring you comfort?
Day 5: Clothing Ourselves with Christlike Virtues
As followers of Christ, we are called to clothe ourselves with humility, gentleness, compassion, kindness, and forgiveness. These characteristics enable us to bear with one another and forgive each other, which is something many people struggle with in today's society. [50:10]
Colossians 3:12-13 - "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Reflection: Identify one Christlike virtue you want to cultivate more in your life. What practical steps can you take to grow in this area?
Quotes
"If you only hear one thing, I want you to hear that God loves you more than you know and he will be with you no matter what you face." [30:19]
"The people of Israel, the children of God, they were looking for, they were longing for a messiah. It had been hundreds of years since they had heard a word from God and John the Baptist bursts on the scene, Jesus follows, and they are announcing that the kingdom of God is at hand." [30:59]
"Gentleness is an important part of putting the Christian life into practice. It requires sacrifice, submission, considering others as more important than yourself, and all of that has to be done with a good attitude." #!!01:15:28!!#
"In Colossians, Paul tells the Christians to clothe themselves with gentleness, along with compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. These same characteristics are recurring over and over in Scripture. This is what it means to be a follower of Jesus, to be a disciple of Christ." #!!01:16:03!!#
"Something has entered into God's good creation that has changed it... sin, sickness, sorrow, and death." #!!49:39!!#
"Jesus said blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted... the natural meaning of this passage is those who mourn the loss of a loved one that they will be comforted in the kingdom God is ushering in resurrection and the promise of eternal life become our possession." #!!47:25!!#
"Now we are Christians, we believe that Jesus is God in the flesh. So when God arrives at the tomb of his friend Lazarus, what does God do? The Bible says he weeps. This is the answer to the question that wells up within us in the midst of our grief and loss, where is God?" #!!54:50!!#
"I want you to understand in the midst of your pain in the midst of our pain in the midst of our sorrow that God is with us, he is weeping with you... God has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'" #!!55:30!!#
"Jesus said to Martha, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live even though they die and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.' Unbelievable, did you hear that? If any one of us dared to say that, people would think we were crazy. But Jesus isn't crazy, he is the Son of God in the flesh." #!!57:02!!#
"When we clothe ourselves with these things, we will bear with each other and forgive. People in our day struggle to forgive each other... Facebook becomes an acidic environment where we voice our opinion and grievances, but the king of kings and the lord of lords calls us not to voice our grievance but to forgive each other." (#!!01:18:01!!#)
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