"Message of the Martyr Pt. 2; God with Us”

Church Life                   “Message of the Martyr, Pt. 2; God with Us”                                      Acts 7:9-16   Providence (vv. 9-13)   Isa. 45:5a; 46:9-10.  Pro. 16:4,9 33  Ro. 8:28    Promises (vv. 14-16)   "Why?"- evil, pain and suffering?   1. Salvation (Gen. 50:20) as we just heard today from Joseph. I can tell you the gospel is going out & the Lord is going to save people in the aftermath of that storm and recovery as hundreds of Christian volunteer workers (FBC Disaster Relief) are going to love on those victims and serve them, showing and sharing Christ and his gospel.  E.g .of 2 former church friends of mine and brothers -David Rodriguez (and Fred S).  So many stories like that..   This is a massive truth that echoes somewhat what the Lord said after the Tower in Siloam fell and killed those 18 people. Rather than directly answer the ‘why’ of that disaster he told them, “Repent or you will likewise perish!” God sovereignly chooses some to suffer an affliction or tragedy so that will uniquely comfort others, even leading some to salvation (2 Cor. 1).   2. Sanctification (Ja. 1:2-4)   It is the will of God in both what he desires and what he decrees, that his children suffer because it strengthens and confirms our faith. Life is hard but that matures in the faith. I’ve never heard of anyone maturing in faith and character while sipping on daquiris at the beach. I love being at the beach but that’s not the best way to grow in Christ likeness. Pain is.   C. S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world” (The Problem of Pain).  God uses suffering to bring us to the end of ourselves and back to Christ to draw close to him and be dependent on him and that’s worth any cost.     1 Pet. 1:6-7 rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 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.   You don’t want to be found without a tested faith when Christ returns. Listen, one of the greatest proofs in the NT of knowing you’re a Christian, is not a prayer you prayed so many years ago with a decision, or even giving and church attendance as good as those things are. It’s endurance- perseverance of faith (fortitude). Will you hang on to Jesus with everything you’ve got when you have nothing else? As someone wrote, “You don’t really know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”     3. Glorification (Jo. 9:3)