ROM-50-141015 - length: 71:18 - taught on Oct, 15 2014
Class Outline:
Welcome To
BARAH MINISTRIES
a Christian Church
Rory Clark
Pastor-Teacher
Good Morning!
Welcome to Barah Ministries…a worldwide Christian Church based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark. John, Chapter 16, Verse 2 says…
“They (God’s enemies) will make you (my apostles) outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour even is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.”
This is a perfect description of the apostle Paul. Before his conversion to Christianity, his daily routine involved killing Christians in an attempt to wipe out the first century Christian Church. Paul described his obsession with murder in Philippians, Chapter 3, Verse 6a…
…as to zeal, (I, Paul, was) a persecutor of the church…
First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 9…
For I (Paul) am the least of the apostles, and I am not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
For those early Christians, they had God’s peace, yet they experienced tremendous tribulation. It is the same for us Christians today. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we Christians have the simultaneous distinction of being “in union with Christ” while also being “in the world.” We live in the kingdom of God’s enemy, Satan. John, Chapter 12, Verse 31 says…
Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast
out (will be dethroned).
In John, Chapter 16, Verse 33, the Lord says…
“These things I (the Lord Jesus Christ) have spoken to you (my apostles, my disciples, my believers, concerning the things you will experience when I am gone), so that (you remember that) in union with Me you have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
When our lives are in the predicament of tribulation from being “in the world,” we stand courageous in the face of it, knowing that God allows this to be, and knowing that God allows the pressures from this world to beset us for our benefit. To quote a Leon Russell song, “We’re up on a tight wire…one side is ice and one is fire.”
Welcome to the place where you can get relief from the tribulations of life through the comfort of the Word of God.
MUSIC AND REFLECTION
Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ
Enjoy the Singing of His Praises
COUNT IT ALL JOY
Let’s begin our worship of the Lord in song. The opening song is… COUNT IT ALL JOY.
OPENING PRAYER
Let us pray...
We’re grateful to you, Heavenly Father, for demonstrating Your unconditional love for us by allowing us to encounter tribulation…and thank you for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…which gives us peace in the face of tribulation…
Remind us that You work all things together for our good…remind us that
You allow tribulation for our refinement…and help us to embrace tribulation
just as surely as we embrace your peace…
We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit...in Christ’s name...
Amen.
TODAY’S STUDY
Tribulation and Peace Reflect God’s Grace
In John, Chapter 16, Verse 33, the Lord says…
“These things I (the Lord Jesus Christ) have spoken to you (my apostles, my disciples, my believers, concerning the things you will experience when I am gone), so that (you remember that) in union with Me you have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
THE BOOK OF ROMANS
Chapter 5
GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND GRACE
Passage
Romans 5:1 to Romans 5:11
We continue our study of Romans…Chapter 5…and in the first five verses, we are taking a look at two subjects…the peace of God…and tribulation.
We believers in Christ have peace with God. Since the Cross, God has nothing against us. We believers in Christ have access to the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension. And we believers in Christ have tribulation. Romans, Chapter 5, beginning at Verse 1…
Therefore, having been justified on the principle of faith in the past, we believers in Christ now and forevermore keep on having peace with God the Father through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ…
…and through our union with Christ also we have obtained our direct access to a Person of privileged rank, God the Father, who placed us into this sphere of grace, a sphere in which presently we stand; and through our union with Christ also we keep on exulting in hope of the glory of God.
And we not only exult in these things (our past…righteousness and justification…our present…peace…our future…glory), but we also keep on being exulted by God the Father in our tribulations that are given to us by God the Father, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance…
…and perseverance brings about proven character; and proven character brings about hope…
…and hope does not disappoint, because the unconditional love of God the Father has been poured out within our hearts through God the Holy Spirit who was given to us by God the Father.
As believers in Christ, we must never consider tribulation to be unusual. Instead we consider it to be part of the graciousness of a righteous, just and loving God who wants the best for us at all times. We must conclude that the best for us does not always involve our comfort. More often, it involves the pressure of tribulation. There is no more perfect person to encourage us than one who is all too aware of his own imperfection, the apostle Peter, the self-righteous one who after vowing that there was no way he would ever deny his relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, fulfilled the Lord’s prediction that he would indeed deny even knowing the Lord…a quick look at the Lord’s prediction in Luke, Chapter 22, Verses 31 to 34…
“Simon (Peter), Simon (Peter), behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift all of you apostles like wheat…”
“…but I have prayed for you specifically, Peter, that your faith may not fail; and that you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”
But Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to
prison and to death!”
And the Lord said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
Peter could comfort himself with the Lord’s words as he sat in the middle of the floor beating himself with a rubber hose…weeping…sobbing…at his betrayal of the Lord…Peter could reflect and know that he was not as strong as he thought…Peter could realize that “in the flesh” he failed…he failed himself, and more importantly he failed the Lord…but that the Lord would
use the pressure of the tribulation, in the sphere of grace, so that Peter could strengthen his brothers.
Turn in your bibles to First Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 3…here is Peter’s compassionate and understanding prayer of encouragement in the face of the tribulation designed to strengthen his brothers, including you and me…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us believers in Christ to be born again (the spiritual birth) to a living hope (an absolute confidence) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…
…to ensure that we obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for all of you believers in Christ…
What does it mean when something is imperishable? It means it is everlasting…it cannot be destroyed…it means it is not like a banana which is subject to decay…imperishable means indestructible. Because you have chosen to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you are saved, and your salvation cannot be destroyed by any means. It is protected by the omnipotence of God…it is protected by the Word of God…it is protected by the Person of the Godhead. Don’t ever let anyone put doubt in your head about your “so great” salvation, which you cannot lose. First Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 5…
…(you believers in Christ) who are protected (shielded by a garrison) by the
power of God (divine omnipotence) through faith for a salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.
You know of your salvation through God’s Word…but you also have the absolute confidence that in the future you will not only see your salvation but also you will experience your salvation that the Lord has already provided for you in eternity past.
It’s always my pleasure to remind you that your salvation is not something that you are worthy of, not something that you can work for, not something you can earn, it is a free gift a gracious God and Father provided on the basis of the amazing work His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, which was performed at the Cross on your behalf. First Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 6…
In all of this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials…
What are you to do as a Christian now that you know how secure your salvation is? You are to ACT! What is the action? You greatly rejoice! Again, I say rejoice! How do you do that? Well for you who watch the news, every time the kingdom of darkness scares you…every time the kingdom of darkness makes you think you need to be scared about something…just as Deacon Denny Goodall illuminated for us in last week’s offering message…all our concerns about the world and where it is going… right after we get scared we reject the fear with faith. Here’s what John reminds us of in First John, Chapter 5, Verse 4…
For whatever is born again of God the Father overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.
It’s always fun to reject the kingdom of darkness by expressing our confidence in God and His Word. Every minute you spend in bible study allows you to form contradictions in your soul…you can say to the kingdom of darkness…you say one thing, but my God says a different thing in His Word…I believe Him. Na na boo boo! Take a five-minute break.
BREAK
In Your Presence
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Welcome back!
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us believers in Christ to be born again (the spiritual birth) to a living hope (an absolute confidence) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…
…to ensure that we obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for all of you believers in Christ…
…(you believers in Christ) who are protected (shielded by a garrison) by the
power of God (divine omnipotence) through faith for a salvation ready to
be revealed in the last time.
First Peter, Chapter 1, Verses 6 and 7…
In all of this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials…
…so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in
praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ…
When gold is being refined, it is put in the fire…just like you are placed by God under tribulation…what happens to gold when it is placed in the fire is that a substance called “dross” is removed…dross is waste matter…likewise tribulation takes away all the waste matter of your spiritual life and leaves nothing but the good part…the things of intrinsic value that enable a deep intimate and personal relationship with your God…when we are refined by the fire of tribulation it makes it clear to us in whom we have faith…our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Tribulation is always a cause for joy! First Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 8…
…and though you believers in Christ have not seen Jesus Christ (like I, Peter did), you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory…
…obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
Your faith is much stronger than empiricism. We believers don’t have to see the Lord to believe in the Lord. We believers don’t have to see the Lord to have a relationship with the Lord. Remember what the Lord said to one of his apostles who was doubting the reality of His resurrection from the dead? John, Chapter 20, Verse 29…
Jesus said to Thomas, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? (empiricism) Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed (faith).”
We can believe the words of June’s opening song…the testing of your faith is worthwhile…we have God’s peace…we have God’s tribulation…and they are both magnificent parts of God’s grace.
How do you react when you face trials and tribulations? Do you give up or do you turn to God and the Bible? Trials are something we all will face as Christians, and we learn to get through them by keeping the faith and by praying. It IS easier said than done, that’s for sure. We can SAY that we just need to pray to find our way through trials, yet prayer isn’t the only solution.
Think of every awful thing that has happened in your life. Every single instance that was painful…and maybe you are still not “over it.” What can make a difference is praying to God for wisdom in tribulation, praying to God for healing in times of suffering, and praying to God for unconditional love to pass on to those who hurt you. No matter what hardships you are facing, remember that God loves you. He gave up his only Son for you! So pray for grace and pray for strength…each one of us can make it through each one of our trials. More than prayer, we need to realize that our strength in times of tribulation comes from the omnipotence of a Sovereign God, who is on our side and who is leading us through every trial and every tribulation….our strength does not come from our flesh…our strength does not come from the world. Deuteronomy, Chapter 31, Verse 8…
The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
With God, all things are possible. This is important to remember in the face of tribulation. We remember it, by thinking about the many places in God’s God’s Word where we are reminded that there will be tribulation and there will be a way of escape…Job, Chapter 5, Verse 19…
“From six troubles the Lord will deliver you, even in seven tribulations evil will not touch you.”
Isaiah, Chapter 38, Verse 17…
“Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; it is You Lord, who has kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back.”
This is a great thing to remember when you harbor bitterness toward anyone. As believers in Christ we are to do what the Lord does, and cast the sins of others behind our backs. Matthew, Chapter 19, Verse 26…
And looking at them Jesus said to them, “With people this (the salvation of a rich man) is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
We handle tribulation in confidence with God’s power. Romans, Chapter 8, Verse 28…
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans, Chapter 8, Verses 31 and 32…
What then shall we say then face-to-face with these things? If God is for us, and He is, who is successful against us? God the Father who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will the Father not also with our union with Christ freely give us all things?
Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 12…a series of exhortations from the apostle Paul…
…keep on rejoicing in hope, keep on persevering in tribulation, keep on being devoted to prayer…
Second Corinthians, Chapter 12, Verse 9…
And the Lord has said to me (Paul, in the past), “My grace is sufficient for you, for divine power is perfected in human weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I (Paul) will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
Hebrews, Chapter 2, Verse 10…
For it was fitting for God the Father, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation (the Lord Jesus Christ) through sufferings.
We too, are perfected through sufferings. Philippians, Chapter 1, Verse 6.
For I am confident of this very thing, that God the Father who began a good
work in you will keep on perfecting it until the day of Christ Jesus.
James, Chapter 1, Verse 12…
Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved (withstood the trial), he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
First Peter, Chapter 4, Verse 12…
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you…
Now that you know that peace and tribulation are both part of God’s grace toward you, never be tempted to connect tribulation to sins you have committed.
As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
First Peter, Chapter 5, Verse 10…
After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
Revelation, Chapter 3, Verse 21…
“He who overcomes, I (the Lord Jesus Christ) will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”
Enjoy your tribulation and the way it refines you…the way it conforms you
into the image of God the Son.
The Promises of the Lord Jesus Christ
When God makes a promise…
it’s a guarantee!
For by His glory and excellence the Lord Jesus Christ has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature…
God the Father who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with our union with Him freely give us believers in Christ all things?
Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
CLOSING SONG
When You Suffer
CLOSING PRAYER
Let us pray...
THANKS- INTERCESSION- PETITION
And we pray that You continue to shape the messages from this pulpit that are an accurate reflection of Your unconditional love, Your person, Your thinking, Your work, and Your essence...we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit, in Christ’s name, Amen.
Thanks for coming…for watching…for listening!
www.barahministries.com
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