By Pastor JoEl

We do not get to choose the time in which we live.

As I’ve talked with others, I hear a recurring theme. Its difficult to continue engaging with the national and international news. It’s disturbing. The war atrocities in Palestine. The dehumanization of immigrants. The cutting of funds to the poor while cutting taxes for the rich. The polarization that divides our country, the churches within our country and even families. I understand when a friend tells me, I don’t read or listen to the news anymore. I find myself when engaging the news feeling fearful and helpless about the present and the future.

I don’t know about you, but this is not the time I would have chosen to live in. My desire and expectation was that my lifetime would be better than my parents or at least no worse. I hoped for peace and prosperity for not just
myself, but our community.

This reminds me of a quote from Frodo in the Lord of the Rings. An evil power was rising and it was searching for the ring of power which Frodo happened to have in his possession. Frodo says: “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” And his mentor Gandalf replies “So do I, and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” We do not get to choose the time in which we live, all we can choose is how to use the the time given to us. How are we to live with in a times of trouble? I am going to be sharing three stories. At the end of the story, I will be putting the question back to you. So listen for what God would have you hear in the stories of his faithful people.

As followers of Jesus, how do we live with peace, joy and purpose in times of trouble? I’m reminded of the story of Farid from STANDING IN THE FIRE by Tom Doyle. As of 2017, Farid lived in Syria in the midst of the world’s most feared killing machine, ISIS. Along with other Christians, he dedicated his life to living and dying for the Lord. For Farid, this meant continuing to visit churches thru out Syria and continuing to share the joy of knowing Jesus with his Muslim neighbors. This was in a country where just being a Christian made you a target, and inviting others towards Christ was to sentence yourself to death. As a result, Farid regularly receives death threats. As a symbol of his commitment to his faithfulness to Jesus, Farid as a young man, bought a gravesite for his anticipated death. He travelled thru war zones where many cities look like an earthquake demolished them – a 6 year earthquake of war.

Yet, Tom Doyle writes, if you met him today, you would be shocked because he appears to live with less stress than you or I do in the relative safety of the United States. The hatred, violence, corruption, and injustices that surround him are far greater than any we face in our neighborhoods. Yet, Farid’s heart overflows with peace, and he is quick to smile. Farid doesn’t merely survive. He thrives in Syria, though he should be dead by now. Yet hemis standing – standing in the fire.

………………………….

As followers of Jesus, how do we live with peace, joy and purpose in times of trouble? I think of Zakhira, a Pakistani Muslim, who came to know the forgiveness, love and joy of Jesus. When her father found out, he called the village to gather. He announced publicly, that he would give her 30 days to return to Islam. That he would schedule Muslim scholars to question her and instruct her daily in order to bring her back to the faith. Then he said, “If
in 30 days, she does not come back to Islam. I will kill her myself, I will call all of you standing here tonight and you will see me do it.”

Zakhira was facing trouble. She writes, “I started fasting at that moment No food or water passed my lips for the rest of the day, and I decided not to eat or drink until I’d stood up in front of the scholar and whoever else would be there. If I wanted to speak boldly about my faith in Jesus Christ, I would need God’s strength to do it.

As the hunger and thirst started to build within me, my prayers grew bolder. I thanked God for choosing me. I thanked him for his grace, his love, his hope of eternal life. I thanked him for his blood which and set me free. And I thanked him for this situation I now found myself in.”

“But Lord,” I prayed. “I don’t know what I should say to the scholars. I’m worried I’ll let you down. Will you handle them and deal with them? Let the people know that you are the Lord God in heaven and on earth. Lord Jesus, if you want me to die, then I am ready. My life is already yours. You have purchased me and you are the owner of my life. Whenever you want to, you can take it back. Jesus, there’s one think I know: I love you because your loved me first. If they kill me tomorrow, I’m going to be so happy to be coming to you. I am yours. I surrender everything.”

Still,” Zakhira continues, “I did not sleep well at all that night. There were some moments when I was able to pray, my faith strong within me. But in other moments, the feeling of loneliness was too much to take. The tears came so fast they stung my eyes and it was all I could do to suck in enough air between sobs.

A little after 3 a.m., I was lying on my bed trying to ward off another wave of tears, when I heard a gentle voice whisper from my Lord, “My daughter do not say, “I’m just a child.” You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you to say. Don’t be afraid of them, for I am with you. I will rescue you.”

The tears returned again, but this time they weren’t tears of fear or sorrow. They were tears of joy and thanksgiving. I was at peace. Whatever was about to happen, I knew that I could trust God was leading me. Whatever I would say, I could speak with confidence and courage. And whatever happened after that, I could leave to God. If the coming of sunrise signaled the start of my last day on earth, then I would spend every breath and every heartbeat of that day in service to my Lord.

………………………….

As followers of Jesus, how do we live with peace, joy and purpose in times of trouble? The apostle Paul had a good life. He came from a wealthy enough family to study as a scholar. He was trained under one of the best Jewish rabbis. He was fluent in the Jewish Scriptures, in Greek language and wisdom, and he was a Roman citizen. All of these gave him status. Paul was a rising star.

But his life changed when like Farid and Zakhira he came to know the forgiveness, love and joy of knowing Jesus. Like Farid and Zakhira, he committed himself to living and dying for Jesus and to living and dying so others could know the joy that he had found. In II Corinthians 11, we are privileged to catch a glimpse of where Paul’s new passion and joy led him.

Paul writes, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face
daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?”

Paul’s life has changed drastically away from comfort, status, security and safety. Yet he counts it worth it. Turn with me to Philippians 3 verse 7. Paul writes, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. (His status as a scholar, his wealth, a comfortable life, nothing compared to knowing Jesus.) 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ (Even good things, most of seek in life.) 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Like Farid who bought a gravesite in anticipation of his death for sharingChrist, Paul willingly anticipates suffering and death as a part of his life with Christ.

…………………

So now I put the question to you. What did you hear in the stories of these followers of Jesus. How do we live with peace, joy and purpose in times of trouble?

First, to live with joy, peace and purpose in the face of trouble – expect trouble. Farid, Zakhira and Paul all expected trouble in life and they expected extra trouble as followers of Jesus. We may want heaven on earth, but we don’t get heaven till Jesus returns. So we lay down our expectations to education, health care, sexual satisfaction, and happiness… And we join Farid, Zakhira and Paul in expecting trouble and more trouble because we follow Jesus. And like Farid, Zakhira and Paul, we believe that God is able to that take our trouble and use if for his glory – take our suffering and make us more like Jesus – take our suffering and use it that others may know the joy of Jesus. Zakhira prayed, the night before she was to be killed. “Lord, however many drops of my blood are spilled, let that be the number of souls that come to you through my death.” First, we expect trouble and extra trouble for following Jesus and we expect that God can use our suffering for his glory and so that others may know him.

Secondly, to live with peace, hope and purpose – surrender control and trust God. Farid, Zakhira and Paul knew that they were not in control of the outcome nor did they attempt to control. This is not despair. Rather all three continued to faithfully follow Jesus and trusted the outcome and timing to God. We cannot have joy and peace when we are trying to control the outcome or others. We don’t get to decide how long the trouble will last or how it will be resolved or even what will happen to us. We can’t change our world. We can’t transform our nation. This is obvious when we take note of the fact that we can’t even change our children – or even often ourselves! Transformation comes from God. Joy and peace come from trusting the outcome to God even in the midst of trouble.

Thirdly, to live in joy, peace and purpose in the face of trouble – delight in Jesus.. Farid, Zakhira and Paul found their joy and peace in knowing Jesus. They desired his presence and love more than anything. Zakhira says it concisely when facing her death and asked, “Do you still want to follow Jesus.” And Zakhira says, “Jesus is like oxygen for me. You know that no one can live without oxygen, don’t you? So how can I live without him?” Jesus presence with us is enough for us in trouble. He is our joy and peace.

Lastly, to live with joy, peace and purpose in times of trouble -we need to understand our identity and purpose as the temple of God. I want us to turnto one more passage of Scripture. I Corinthians 3 verse 16, Paul makes an
illustration to help us understand both our purpose and identity He writes, “Don’t y ou know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” Now the temple was God’s holy dwelling place among an unholy people. It was a place where heaven and earth overlapped. Unholy Israelites would come to the temple to meet with, hear from and experience the holy God. But since Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, things have changed. God’s Spirit now dwells among us – the followers of Jesus. Because God’s is living among us, we are his temple. We are the community where heaven and earth overlap. When others see us, hear us, interact with us, they should be experiencing the love and truth of God. Others should get a taste of heaven and a glimpse of Jesus when they engage with us. This is our purpose. And we can fulfill it regardless of the outcome to trials we face.

As Farid, Zakhira, and Paul walked by the Spirit and Scripture, others experienced a taste of heaven. As they forgave and loved their families, neighbors and enemies, others tasted the love of Christ. As they boldly shared the story of Jesus even when it resulted in rejection, insults, beatings and death threats, others, others heard the way to experience the love and life of heaven. In the midst of the trouble each of them faced, they found purpose in being what God had called them to be – his aroma – a place where earth and heaven touch.

How do we live with peace, joy and purpose in times of trouble? First, we expect trouble and extra trouble for being followers of Christ. And we expect God to use our trouble to bring glory to himself and bring others to him. Secondly, we surrender control and the outcome to God’s plan and timing. God alone transforms. Thirdly and most importantly, we find our joy and peace in Jesus with us. And lastly, we live out of our identity as the temple of God – the place where heaven and earth overlap. We love, pray, forgive and share Jesus boldly, because this is who we are and as we do so, others catch a glimpse of heaven in us and among us.