Faith, Hope, and Proclaiming the Gospel in Crisis
Summary
In these challenging times, we are called to be the most balanced, stable, and hopeful people, grounded in our faith and trust in the Lord. As Christians, we have a living hope and an eternal perspective that should manifest in our lives, especially during crises like the current global health situation. This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our faith by being joyful and peaceful, knowing that our eternity is secure in Christ. We are reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 6, urging us not to worry about our lives, as our Heavenly Father knows our needs. This is a time to be a living testimony of true faith, showing the world what it means to trust in the Lord without fear.
The current situation presents a unique opportunity to proclaim the gospel. Throughout history, during times of crisis, people have been more open to hearing about the hope and security found in Christ. Whether it was during the Northridge earthquake, the Watts riots, or 9/11, these moments have been pivotal in sharing the gospel. The fear of death is real for many, and it is in these moments that we can speak of the eternal life promised to those who trust in Jesus. We are not in control of our lives or deaths, and this realization can open hearts to the gospel message.
As a church, we must come together to meet the needs of our neighbors, showing the joy and peace that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is not a time for confrontation or debate but for declaring the gospel with clarity and conviction. We are called to be heralds of the good news, proclaiming the truth of God's love and salvation through Jesus Christ. In doing so, we reflect the dignity of being made in the image of God, a truth that is often lost in our culture.
The doctrine of providence assures us that God is in control, orchestrating all things for His purposes. This understanding should comfort us, knowing that even in the midst of uncertainty, God is working all things together for our good and His glory. We are reminded that we are not in control, and this should lead us to hold temporal things lightly, focusing instead on our eternal inheritance.
Key Takeaways:
1. Faith Over Fear: In times of crisis, Christians are called to demonstrate their faith by being stable, hopeful, and joyful. Our trust in the Lord should be evident, as we know our eternity is secure in Christ. This is an opportunity to show the world what true faith looks like, free from fear and full of hope. [00:52]
2. Proclaiming the Gospel: The current global health crisis is a unique opportunity to share the gospel. People are more open to hearing about the hope and security found in Christ when faced with the fear of death. We must seize this moment to declare the eternal life promised to those who trust in Jesus. [04:02]
3. Unity and Joy in the Church: The church must come together to meet the needs of our neighbors, showing the joy and peace that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is not a time for confrontation but for declaring the gospel with clarity and conviction, reflecting the dignity of being made in the image of God. [05:16]
4. Understanding Providence: The doctrine of providence assures us that God is in control, orchestrating all things for His purposes. This understanding should comfort us, knowing that even in uncertainty, God is working all things together for our good and His glory. [13:14]
5. Embracing Trials: Trials and challenges are opportunities for spiritual growth and sanctification. We should embrace these moments, knowing that God is using them to perfect us and draw us closer to Christ. This perspective helps us hold temporal things lightly and focus on our eternal inheritance. [12:07]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:22] - The Church's Response to Crisis
[00:52] - Living Hope and Eternal Perspective
[01:44] - Fearlessness in Faith
[02:29] - Gospel Opportunities in Crisis
[03:39] - Historical Moments of Gospel Proclamation
[04:53] - Unity and Joy in the Church
[05:41] - Proclaiming the Gospel
[06:30] - The Role of a Herald
[07:44] - Declaring the Gospel
[08:13] - Human Dignity and the Image of God
[09:55] - Motivation for Holiness
[12:07] - Embracing Trials for Growth
[13:14] - Understanding Providence
[15:06] - An Exciting Time for Christians
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 6:25-34 - Jesus' teaching on not worrying about life, as our Heavenly Father knows our needs.
2. Romans 14:17 - The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
3. James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy when you face trials, as they produce perseverance and maturity.
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#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus instruct us not to worry about in Matthew 6, and why? [01:16]
2. How does the sermon describe the role of Christians during a crisis? [00:52]
3. What historical events were mentioned as opportunities for gospel proclamation, and how were they used? [03:39]
4. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the doctrine of providence in understanding God's control over events? [13:14]
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#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the assurance of eternal life in Christ influence a Christian's response to fear and uncertainty? [02:07]
2. In what ways can the church demonstrate unity and joy during times of crisis, according to the sermon? [05:16]
3. How does the concept of being made in the image of God relate to the dignity of human life, as discussed in the sermon? [08:13]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between trials and spiritual growth? [12:07]
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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt anxious or worried. How can Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6 help you approach similar situations differently in the future? [01:16]
2. Identify a specific way you can be a living testimony of faith and hope in your community during this global health crisis. [02:07]
3. How can you actively participate in proclaiming the gospel during this time? Consider practical steps you can take to share your faith with others. [04:32]
4. Think of a neighbor or friend in need. What is one tangible way you can show them the joy and peace that comes from the Holy Spirit this week? [05:16]
5. Reflect on a trial you are currently facing. How can you embrace it as an opportunity for spiritual growth and draw closer to Christ? [12:07]
6. Consider the doctrine of providence. How does understanding that God is in control of all things change your perspective on current events? [13:14]
7. What is one area of your life where you need to hold temporal things more lightly and focus on your eternal inheritance? How can you make this shift in perspective? [12:34]
Devotional
Day 1: Faith as a Beacon of Stability
In times of crisis, Christians are called to be a beacon of stability, demonstrating unwavering faith and hope. This faith is not just a personal comfort but a testimony to the world of the security found in Christ. By living joyfully and peacefully, believers can show others that their eternity is secure, and fear has no hold on them. This is an opportunity to reflect the light of Christ, offering hope and assurance to those around us. [00:52]
1 Peter 1:6-7 (ESV): "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Reflection: Think of a specific situation where you can demonstrate your faith as a source of stability and hope to someone who is struggling. How can you practically show them the peace and joy that comes from trusting in Christ?
Day 2: Seizing Gospel Opportunities
The current global health crisis presents a unique opportunity to share the gospel. People are often more open to hearing about the hope and security found in Christ when faced with the fear of death. This is a moment to speak of the eternal life promised to those who trust in Jesus, offering them a perspective that transcends the temporal fears of this world. As believers, we are called to seize this moment with clarity and conviction, proclaiming the good news of salvation. [04:02]
Colossians 4:5-6 (ESV): "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."
Reflection: Identify someone in your life who may be open to hearing about the hope found in Christ. How can you initiate a conversation with them about the gospel this week?
Day 3: Unity and Joy in Community
The church is called to come together in unity, meeting the needs of our neighbors and showing the joy and peace that comes from the Holy Spirit. This is not a time for division or debate but for declaring the gospel with clarity and conviction. By reflecting the dignity of being made in the image of God, the church can be a powerful witness to the world, demonstrating the transformative power of the gospel. [05:16]
Ephesians 4:3-4 (ESV): "Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call."
Reflection: Consider how you can contribute to the unity and joy of your church community. What specific action can you take this week to support and encourage a fellow believer?
Day 4: Trusting in God's Providence
The doctrine of providence assures us that God is in control, orchestrating all things for His purposes. This understanding should comfort us, knowing that even in uncertainty, God is working all things together for our good and His glory. By trusting in His providence, we can hold temporal things lightly and focus on our eternal inheritance, finding peace in the knowledge that God is sovereign over all. [13:14]
Isaiah 46:9-10 (ESV): "Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.’"
Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you struggle to trust in God's providence. How can you surrender this area to Him, trusting that He is working for your good and His glory?
Day 5: Embracing Trials for Growth
Trials and challenges are opportunities for spiritual growth and sanctification. By embracing these moments, believers can be perfected and drawn closer to Christ. This perspective helps us hold temporal things lightly and focus on our eternal inheritance, knowing that God is using these trials to shape us into the image of His Son. [12:07]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Identify a current trial you are facing. How can you view this challenge as an opportunity for spiritual growth and draw closer to Christ through it?
Quotes
Well, I think we should be the most balanced, the most stable, the most sane, the most reasonable and rational. And even beyond that, of course, we have a living hope. We know where we're headed. Eternity is settled for us far better to depart and be with Christ so that the worst that could ever happen to us would be the best it could ever happen. And I think this is a time for us to make manifest our faith. [00:38:36]
And the Psalms are just full of divine promises that God is our refuge and our strength. And so this is an opportunity for Christian people who say they trust in the Lord and they put their faith in Jesus Christ to demonstrate that by being stable and even hopeful and even joyful. The kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Spirit and this is a great time for that. [00:86:67]
So we should be the people who have no fear. We should be without fear because our trust is in the Lord and this is an opportunity for us to declare that if you have no hope and if you have fear and all people do when it comes to controlling their life and particularly their death, this is a great time for us to be a living testimony of what true faith in the Lord looks like. [00:129:66]
So absolutely, I think the fear of death is real and it's legitimate if you have no hope. If you're just wishing for the best after you die and you're not in control of your death, that's a terrifying reality. So this is a time for us to speak of the gospel and the security we have in Christ and the eternal life that He promises those who put their trust in Him. This is a great gospel opportunity. [00:229:44]
This is when we need to show the joy in the Holy Spirit that Paul talks about in Romans 14. This is when we need to show the peace that passes all understanding in our hearts because we know we're locked into an eternal redemption and we have an eternal inheritance laid up for us in heaven. And this is the time for Christians to have joy, to demonstrate peace, to declare their faith. [00:301:74]
We're not called by the Great Commission to have some kind of an argument or even some kind of evidentiary presentation with the gospel. We're called to proclaim the gospel. This goes back even to the Old Testament. "Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all people." I think this is the time for us not to decide whether we can win the argument with a nonbeliever, but to take the opportunity to declare the gospel. [00:362:19]
Without newspapers, authorities would send a herald into town and he would declare a message from the authorities to the people. That's how we need to present the gospel. It isn't that we're looking for some kind of argument or debate. You just herald the gospel of Jesus Christ. And in Acts 13, I think it's so interesting. That's what they did. They declared the gospel and it says in the next verse, "And as many as were appointed unto eternal life believed." [00:402:23]
The motivation for us to live a holy life is that Christ is in us and we are in Christ. There's no higher motivation than that. If we're motivated by anything other than the honor of Christ and the glory of God, that's a secondary or tertiary motivation. Everything should be for the love of the Lord. Everything should be for the honor of the Lord. Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. [00:598:02]
Everything that comes our way, by the way, even this kind of thing as James would say, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials because they have a perfecting work." This is all part for the believer of the conditions in life that maybe we wouldn't choose, but that God uses as part of our perfection, part of our move toward Christlikeness. So I think we embrace these things. [00:662:79]
So, these are the best of times. I even tell pastors, embrace trouble, embrace tribulation because this is God doing best work in your heart and drawing you near to him. And I think believers in this hour need to look at this as God perfecting them. God may be trimming off some unnecessary things, maybe lessening their preoccupation with what is temporal because it is so fragile and so temporary. [00:706:38]
Providence in my mind, is a greater miracle than a miracle because it is God accomplishing His own ends and His own purposes not by suspending natural law, but by taking all the elements of natural law and blending them together in a masterful way that He achieves His purpose but never interrupts what is the natural and normal course of things. This is providence. [00:809:22]
Every day of my life is a day full of providence and it's a different providence every day. It's something, "Wow, how did that happen? Whatever made those circumstances come together to bring it to this point?" So we live in...I think the most thrilling thing about the Christian life is providence. Just seeing it unfold day in and day out and if you're in tune with the Lord and in tune with His Word, you're really seeing it unfold and you see God at work in ways that have no human explanation. [00:867:23]
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