Peace in Tribulation

 Temple Baptist Church - 5-29-2024

John 16:25-33

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Tonight, we will end John, chapter 16.  In our verses for tonight, we find the reiteration of the context beginning with John 14:1 and ending with John 16:33.

 

B.  The Lord spent three chapters making sure that the disciples would be comforted by the coming of the Comforter and have faith and peace in the tribulations that would come upon them.

 

C.  The will of Christ for His disciples was for their hearts not to be troubled because He was leaving.

 

John 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

 

John 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

 

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

D.  In chapter 17 of the Book of John, we will find Christ Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane interceding for not only His disciples but for all of His children who will come later.

 

E.  Our Lord wants His children in these last days to have the same faith and peace!  Last week, we looked at “that your joy may be full!” 

 

John 16:24  Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

 

1.  This is the will of God for you and me.  “Joy full” makes one “Joyful!” 

 

2.  Now, the choice belongs to each of us.  A heart ruled by joyfulness or a heart ruled by fearfulness.  You choose!

 

Colossians 3:15-17  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.  (We must allow peace to rule.)

 

F.  Now, to the crux of the matter.  God promised the disciples “tribulation” in this world.  Promised the disciples and prophesied to the rest of us.  If we think that this world is going to get better, we had better think again.  The Bible says that things will wax worse and worse as we approach that day when Christ will come for His own.

 

G.  Here is our Lord’s promise of peace.  John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 

H.  Four times in the Gospels, our Lord used the words “O ye of little faith.”

 

1.  Little Faith pertaining to Clothing.  Matthew 6:30 (Also Luke 12:28) Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

 

Interesting that the Lord never mentioned a roof over your head as He spoke of His having none for Himself and the servant is not greater than his Master.

 

Matthew 8:20  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

 

2.  Little Faith pertaining to Circumstances.  Matthew 8:26  And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith  ? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 

 

Master, carest thou not that we perish and He was in their boat.  The Lord does not have to swim AND NEITHER DID THEY!

 

3.  Little Faith pertaining to Cuisine.  Matthew 16:8  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

 

J.  When writing to the church at Thessalonica, Paul said this:  “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

 

1.  “The Lord … give you … the Lord be with you”  “Always by all means” – in both the good and bad times.  “By all means” – God has given to us precious promises in the Bible that will instill peace in our hearts.

 

2.  Anytime, anywhere!  Every time, everywhere!  The God of peace will give to each of us His wonderful peace.

 

“Peace, peace, wonderful peace; coming down from the Father above; sweep over my spirit forever I pray; in fathomless billows of love!”

 

K.  God’s desire for His children is that they have peace in all things which includes all our tribulation and troubles.  The disciples’ problem was simple: a lack of faith in what the Lord said.

 

L.  Their lack of faith involved the Person of the Son of God and also the Truth of the Word of God.  So is our lack of peace today!  The Bible says:

 

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  (6)  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

 

Does that sounds simple enough to quote and should be simple enough to live.  Hello?

 

M.  Here are some areas of our lives where there is often a lack of peace through a lack of faith. 

 

1.  Peace in our Salvation.  I thank the Lord for assurance of salvation.  Everything else takes second place which is first loser.   

 

Psalms 62:5-8  My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.  (6)  He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.  (7)  In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  (8)  Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

 

2.  Peace in our Promises.  I thank the Lord for the promise of peace to those whose mind is “stayed” on the Lord. 

 

Isaiah 26:3-4  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  (4)  Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

 

3.  Peace in our Companionship.  I thank the Lord that I am never alone. 

 

Hebrews 13:5  Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

 

4.  Peace in our Supply.  I don’t know what tomorrow will be like for America, but I know that the One who feeds the sparrow will feed me. 

 

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

 

5.  Peace in our Protection.  The Lord has and will continue to take care of His children. 

 

1 John 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

 

6.  Peace in our Predicaments.  No matter what comes, there will be peace in the storms of life.

 

Isaiah 43:2  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

 

7.  Peace in our Persecution.  Barbara and I have stood where no person should ever stand and can assure you that God will be there with and for you when it is your turn.

 

2 Timothy 4:16-17  At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.  (17)  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

 

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

The Word of God and Life

 Temple Baptist Church - 5-26-2024

Psalm 119:145-152

 

Introduction:

 

A. Psalm 119: 176 verses broken down into twenty-two stanzas with each stanza correlating with one of the 22 letters in the Hebrew Alphabet. Each stanza is comprised of eight verses which, in the Hebrew Bible, each verse begins with the associated letter of the Hebrew Alphabet forming an Acrostic. What a wonder that we hold in our hands tonight!

 

B. KOPH ק – the 19th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. KOPH in Hebrews means The Palm of the hand or the sole of the foot. God’s perpetual protection in salvation and our personal protection in walk of life.

 

1. The child of God is in the Hand of God and is therefore protected. John 10:28-30 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. (30) I and my Father are one.

 

2. The child of God holds in his/her hand the Word of God and is therefore guided. Psalms 119:105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

Proverbs 6:20-23 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: (21) Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck. (22) When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee. (23) For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

 

C. KOPH ק has a numerical value of one hundred in the Gematria (numbering system), which speaks of fullness or completeness in quantity: an entire lifetime or fulness in a biblical sense. It is sometimes associated with the fulness of age or experience.

 

D. KOFH ק is said to be derived from a pictograph of the eye of a needle. To see what lies ahead in a straight or narrow view signifying paying attention to the end or completion of something. “Tunnel Vision!” The Word of God keeps our focus on the end instead of the circumstances. Within God’s hand, we are guided in our walk by the Word of God and subdued by the will of God.

 

E. The meanings of this letter are "bend" and "curve," from the shape of the palm, as well as to "tame" or "subdue" as one who is been bent to the will of another.

 

F. The life of the child of God is in God’s hand and illustrated here in this stanza by both prayer and answer to prayers. Prayers are to according to the will of God. Then prayers are answered by God in His way and His time. This stanza shows us the importance of living a life of prayer.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

 

G. In our verses, we find the memories of prayer of the Psalmist. He accounts the times that he prayed in his devotion and his prayers for divine deliverance from his trials in life. I read this somewhere: “He who has been with God in the closet will find God with him in the furnace.”

 

1. The Psalmist prayed, and God answered but, in His time, and in His way.

 

2. The Psalmist bowed to the will of God when answers were delayed.

 

Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (9) For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

 

1. Verse 145. How he prayed. A Heart Felt Prayer. “cried … whole heart”

 

a. Much of the prayer life of the Christian is spend in communication and communion with the Lord and these things are essential to the believer.

 

2 Corinthians 13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

 

b. Then there are times when the cry is one of distress. Here in verse 145, the word “cried is used: to accost or to call out. A sincere, plaintive, painful, natural utterance, as of a creature in pain. This cry was a plea for help.

 

Psalms 18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

 

c. It is followed by a vow to continue in obedience to the Word of God. “I will keep thy statutes.”

 

2. Verse 146. What he prayed. “save me” The plea of a drowning man. The plea of a helpless man who could not save himself.

 

a. The Psalmist prayed to the only One who could save him. There will be situations in life that are out of the power or control of the believer and his ability to overcome.

 

b. The Psalmist prayed in full assurance of God’s willingness and power to perform.

 

Psalms 121:1-4 A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. (2) My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. (3) He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (4) Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

 

3. Verses 147-148. When he prayed and how long he prayed. This was not “Now I lay me down to sleep” praying (though it is good to say “Good Night” to the Lord, this was lengthy praying. Not only did the Psalmist fervently pray, but he also continuously prayed.

 

a. Prevented – to precede. In the New Testament, we find the same wording during the Rapture of God’s Church. He prayed before the dawning of the new day.

 

1 Thessalonians 4:14-15 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

 

b. Prevent – to precede. He prayed through the night watches: during the night season.

 

c. A two-fold promise: hope in the word (faith) and meditation in the word (saturation).

 

4. Verse 149. The basis of his praying. “according … lovingkindness” The Psalmist based his plea on the love of God for His children.

 

a. It is not a plea based upon deserving or debt. It was love based on God’s side.

 

b. Asking God to overlook sinfulness and imperfections in prayer. The believer appeals to the love of God from whom nothing can separate.

 

c. Quicken – to give life through strength as we, through weakness, become strong in the Lord.

 

2 Corinthians 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

 

5. Verses 150-151. The faith of his praying.

 

a. The wicked draw near. They will never compromise nor quit.

 

b. But God IS nearer. He will never leave nor forsake His own.

 

c. God’s Word can be trusted in all aspects of life and for a lifetime.

 

6. Verse 152. The witness of his praying. Psalms 119:152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.

War No More

 Temple Baptist Church - 5-26-2024

Isaiah 2:1-4

 

Introduction:  Tomorrow is Memorial Day.  A day set aside to honor the memory of America’s war dead.  May we never forget those who died or were wounded in the fight for freedom and liberty.  May we never forget those who served our nation and continue to do so today.

 

A.  War has always been a way of life for people as there is no freedom or liberty without it!  The Bible says that there is a time for war!

 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:  2  A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;  3  A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;  4  A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;  5  A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;  6  A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;  7  A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;  8  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

 

1.  There are times when it is War or Slavery.

 

2.  There are times when it is Kill or be Killed.

 

B.  It has been estimated that in the last 5,900 years there have been an estimated 14,600 wars and less than 300 years of world peace. The hearts of people worldwide long for peace! People have talked a lot about peace over the centuries, but they have experienced precious little of it.

 

C. This Memorial Day, our nation will once again honor our war dead with the placement of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

 

1.  Our nation’s freedom and propriety have come at great cost!  People nowadays stake these things for granted because they have not had to pay the price for them. 

 

2.  They called the people of WWII the greatest generation.  Those who have paid the ultimate price have always been the greatest generation in their times.  What a tremendous price has been paid for the freedoms that we enjoy today! 

 

3.  These statistics are In all of the American wars, either by our country or within our country, over 41,892,128 men and women have served in wartime with app. 1,190,085 war dead and app. 1,430,290 wounded in action. 

 

4.  That is a tremendous number of young lives who gave their lives and future so that we could live and have a future of freedom, privilege, and joy.  “Live, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

 

5.  Freedom is a privilege, not a right!  There are many in this country who enjoy their freedoms while misusing them.  We do not have the freedom to do wrong in this land.  We do not have the freedom to live here and defame this land.  America has had some sordidness in its history and still is not a perfect land, but it is my country and I say, “Love it or leave it.”

 

6.  Coming to America is a privilege, not a right!  Come to America and be vetted.  Come right or stay where you are.

 

D.  This Memorial Day, we need to remember those in the Bible who gave their lives because of their commitment to God’s Word and Ways. 

 

1.  From the blood of righteous Able, the blood of the prophets who would not bow their knee to Baal, to the blood of God’s Son of died on the cross for the sin of the world, to the Apostles and New Testament saints who gave their lives for Christ’s name sake.  (Hebrews, chapter 11)

 

2.  To the saints throughout the Church Age (50 to 100 million of the) who died to bring to us the Word of God and the Old Paths,

 

3.  To the Christians in our day around the world who die daily for the cause of Christ and the sake of the Gospel.  Christians are persecuted worldwide as the hatred for Christ and His children continues. (Foxes Book of Martyrs; Trail of Blood)

 

4.  But it doesn’t end there as the Tribulation Saints will be martyred!  (Revelation6:9)

 

E.  But now, it’s our turn!  We who love God, love the Son of God our Saviour, love the precious Word of God that we hold in our hands, and try to live a life pleasing to the Lord through separation from the world are now hated because we stand for the Bible which condemns the satanic actions of this present evil world.

 

F.  This Memorial Day, we need to remember those that have gone on before, those who are dying now, and those who will continue to die after our days are done. 

 

President Ronald Reagan said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."

 

G.  War and Peace are two sides to a revolving door with neither side being open permanently.  War is necessary!  War is a way of life and war is a right thing!  The first mention of war is in Genesis 14:2 and the last in Revelation 19:19.

 

1.  God taught David to War - Psalms 144:1  Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:

 

2.  God taught Israel to War - Judges 3:1-2  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;  16217  Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

 

3.  We must teach our children to war!  Judges 3:1-2  Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;  2  Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

 

H.  Isaiah is the Bible in miniature. 

 

1.  Sixty-Six chapters which correspond with the sixty-six books of the Bible.  There is a false teaching that the Book of Isaiah had two individual writers: Deutero-Isaiah. 

 

2.  The error of such teaching comes from ignorance of the division in Isaiah.  The first thirty nine chapters correspond with the thirty nine books of the Old Testament.

 

3.  The last twenty seven chapters correspond with the twenty seven chapters of the New Testament.

 

4.  Why this information?  Because in Genesis, chapter 2, we find the end of the six days of creation, and everything created is “very good”.  Isaiah chapter two is prophetic of the Millennium or one thousand years reign of Christ on the throne of David. 

 

5.  In that day, the earth will be much like it was in the beginning of creation.  It is here that we find Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the end of  learning to war. 

 

6.  One day all earthly wars will end except for the Battle of Gog and Magog which God will fight. 

 

Isaiah 2:4  And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

 

J.  But, until that blessed day, we will have to continue to wage war.  War, since the fall of man, has been—is – and will be a way of life.

 

1.  Until Then We Will Have To Fight A War With Our National Enemies. 

 

a.  The enemies of peace understand only one thing:  strength!  You cannot negotiate peace from a position of weakness!  As long as sinful man is in control, wars will be fought. 

 

b.  Just before the Rapture of God’s Church, one of the signs of the Lord’s coming are wars and rumours of wars… For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

 

Ecclesiastes 3:8  A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. 

 

Exodus 15:3  The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

 

Psalms 24:8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

 

Psalms 45:3  Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

 

Revelation 19:11-15  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.  12  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.  13  And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.  14  And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

 

2.  Until Then We Will Have To Fight A War With Our Flesh. 

 

a.  Until we get a new body at the coming of the Lord, our old nature will not be eradicated as we will have to continue to dwell in a sinful body! 

 

b.  Our Lord Jesus Christ will deliver us from the body of this death.  At His coming, we shall all be changed and our new body will have no sin.

 

Romans 7:23-25  But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.  24  O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?  25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin. 

 

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

Luke 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

 

3.  Until Then We Will Have To Fight A War With Satanic Foes.

 

a.  We live in perilous times with our enemy active while the church sleeps!  He devours us while we devour each other. 

 

b.  We are to “withstand” in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  “Withstand” means to take a punch.  Do not think that Satan is either retreating or giving up.  One day, he will be put in the bottomless pit. 

 

c.  One day, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire but—until then—we are in a battle for our very lives.

 

Ephesians 6:12-13  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

 

1 Peter 5:8-9  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:  9  Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

 

4.  Until Then We Will Have To Fight A War For The Faith.

 

a.  The Battle for the Old Paths of our Fathers.

 

b.  The Battle for the Doctrines of the Faith.

 

c.  The Battle for the Word of God.

 

d.  Until He comes, we are commanded to “fight the good fight of faith.”

 

1 Corinthians 16:13  Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. God’s men have always been fighters!  God’s people have always had to fight! 

 

1 Timothy 6:12  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

 

Jude 3-4  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  (4)  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Conclusion:  God bless the memory of our War Dead.  God bless the memory of our Spiritual War Dead.  God bless America!