Sunday Service May 3, 2026 Buzz & Bitterness in the House of Bread

``Now don't minimize what Jesus said there. Understand the cross is an instrument of death. Everyone who heard Jesus make that statement understood exactly what the cross was. It was an instrument of death. It would be like us today, like Jesus saying to us today, if anyone would come me, let him deny himself and take up his electric chair and follow me. That's the kind of statement that Jesus was making. And so what it basically what what Jesus was saying is if you're gonna follow me, you're gonna have to you're gonna have to surrender your all to me. You're gonna have to die to self and follow me. [00:31:39] (44 seconds)  #DieToSelfFollowJesus

Don't ever lash out at other people the way Naomi did to the women of Bethlehem when they ask, is this Naomi? She lashed out at them. Don't call me Naomi. Call me Mara because of what God had done to her. We never know enough. I heard this. I don't remember the first time I heard this, but I've I've thought about it so many times through the years. I've preached about it. I've talked about it. It's such a wonderful truth. Don't doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light. Let me say that again. Don't doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light. [00:54:18] (40 seconds)  #DontDoubtInTheDark

Naomi could not see all of the ultimate purposes of God that were at work here. She could not see how Yahweh would redeem her affliction and use it as a literal vehicle to bring about his eternal kingdom. These women coming back from Moab, God is working to bring about his eternal kingdom. So that teaches us don't give up. I think I said this last week, but let me say it again. We don't ever know enough to be bitter. We don't ever fully know enough to accuse God of negative things in our lives. God is always moving to bring about his purposes. [00:54:58] (48 seconds)  #TrustGodsPurposes

What an amazing picture of God's sovereign work in our lives. We talked about I told you that I I think Ruth is the Romans eight twenty eight of the Old Testament. Romans eight twenty eight, for God causes all things to work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. That's how God works. Remember our definition that that that we're using from Wayne Grudem of of what providence is. Providence is that God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he directs them to fulfill his purposes. [00:51:13] (39 seconds)  #GodsProvidence

So often when we are going through difficult times in our lives, when we're hurting, when we're in pain, we're we're tempted to grumble and talk negatively about what has happened to us. But notice verse 25, and he cried, that is Moses cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statue and a rule and there he tested them. Do you see what happened? God turned their grumbling to grace. He turned their bitterness, the bitterness of the water to sweetness. He gave them his grace. [00:43:54] (44 seconds)  #GrumblingToGrace

And God, over a thousand miles away in Rome, God moved in the mind of Caesar to declare a census was to be taken of all the Roman Empire. So God moved in Caesar over in Rome and all the Roman Empire so that people had to go back to their city of their family, to their origin in order to be taxed, to register and to be taxed. God moved in all of that just to get Mary to Bethlehem because the Old Testament had said, out of Bethlehem shall come the promised Messiah. [00:50:27] (46 seconds)  #GodOrchestrates

I told you last week, if this were a movie right there, you would have the Beethoven. Because something is about to change. This is like like a well written novel. Is an indicator that we've reached a turning point in this book. In the midst of her bitterness, there is grace and hope. Where is the grace and hope? It's in the barley harvest. God's use of the barley harvest to bring about his purposes. So what does that say to us? It says don't ever give up. Don't ever come to the place in your life where you think things are so bad that God can't use them for good. [00:53:28] (50 seconds)  #HopeInTheHarvest

As the poet said, Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace. Behind a frowning providence, he hides a smiling face. So how can we keep from being bitter? I wanna invite you to go go with me over to Romans eight twenty eight, that verse we're talking about. Please turn with me to that in your bible. How can we keep from being bitter? How can we trust Romans eight twenty eight? And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. For those who are called according to his purpose. The answer is the gospel. [00:55:47] (48 seconds)  #TrustRomans828