Certainty
Commentary
Everyone I meet wants certainty. They want to be certain they have chosen the right career, the right wife, the right faith. They want to be certain they know the right things to do, to believe, and to say. They want to be certain all the choices they make are the right choices, and to be done with any anxiety in life.
Certainty is hard to come by.
Absolute certainty is unlikely.
Life is seldom made up of certainties. The truth is we live mostly by our best guesses, our intuition, and whatever evidence we can gather from life.
The truth is we can never always be certain everything will turn out right, but ...
We can approach life with a deeper sense of security and certainty if there is, in us, a deep trust in and commitment to the pursuit of the will of God, coupled with a conviction that there is one in the midst of our lives who always acts in our best interests.
To be certain does not mean one always knows how things will turn out so much as it means that we live with a certainty that God will be with us however things turn out, that he will be there to help us make the best of every situation. (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
To be certain is not to be able to face a risk-free future but to know that, while there is risk in choosing, acting, and living, there is one who, while he has set us at risk, understands us and knows who and what we are and is ready to forgive and restore when we have fumbled the ball. (Psalm 103:13, 14)
To be certain does not mean we have the world by the tail because God is on our side, so much as it means the world is his world and it is good (Genesis 1) and we can accept and live in that world "on his side" and receive his promise to be with us (Matthew 28:20).
OUTLINE I
Can God Take Our Impatience?
Genesis 15:1-12, 17, 18
Introduction:There is a general opinion in our midst that God gets angry when he is distrusted. We imagine him slam-banging things around in a petulant spirit when he is questioned. Our images of how things ought to be come from such sentimental hymnal concoctions as " 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," when the truth is that it is not always so easy.
A.
Trundle out the biblical examples of those whose patience wore thin or who didn't quite see things as God did. Abraham, of course. But what about Moses: "Me?" Or Jonah: "Surely not me!" Or Job: "What do you think you are doing?" Or Jesus: "If possible let this cup pass." There is no record of God getting all huffy and hurt and stalking away.
B. The implication is that it is okay to blurt out our questions and give a voice to our doubts. A scanning of the Psalms ought to give you plenty of quotations. You'll learn more if you look for yourself.
Conclusion: Call the congregation's attention to the patient way in which God deals with Abram. And notice what righteousness is here. We find no moralizing. Abram was not righteous because he was morally perfect. He was treated righteous because he believed the Lord, trusted him. Little wonder the writer of the Hebrew letter will later emulate these impatient, questioning, yet trusting people. See Hebrew 11, especially verses 13-16 and 39. He would hold them up as examples and offer the invitation in 12:1-2.
OUTLINE II
How to Hang in There!
Philippians 3:17--4:1
Introduction:Remind the congregation most of those in Paul's churches are recent converts and pagan converts at that. They have come from religious backgrounds that were filled with superstition and void of any ethics. The lived in a world where it was not easy to embrace the Christian faith. The temptations to recidivism (backsliding) were powerful. Paul seeks to give them needed encouragement.
A.
Imitate Me: Paul is not suggesting himself as a moral pattern. What he is doing is calling them to the same steadfastness that he exhibits. His has been no easy road either, but for a different reason. Paul is a Jew who became a follower of Jesus as the Messiah. His fellow Jews thought he had gone mad. But he hangs in there and invites his Philippian readers to do the same.
B. Mark the Others: One can also be helped by watching others to get clues as to what not to do. I am reminded of the old saying no one is so bad that he can't be a good example of what not to be. So watch and learn.
C. Wait: Paul is certain their waiting is not in vain. They have the word of their Lord. They can, then, get on with life, live without anxiety, and know that the promises made will be kept.
Conclusion: Let the congregation know that you know it "ain't always easy" to hang in there. Remind them they will have a hard time of it unless they do it as Paul suggested, "in the Lord;" not trusting in their own strength, but in his promises.
OUTLINE III
Lenten Choices
Luke 13:31-35
Introduction: Review the events that precede this meeting with the Pharisees. It is clear that while Jesus had his problems with the most rigid and self-righteous of them he had made some inroads. Here some come to warn him.
Response 1: Jesus declares that he intends to go on with his work. Apparently he will be careful and stay in the shadows. He can see what is coming. Here the realist surfaces.
Response 2: Jesus mourns that the leaders of his beloved city have chosen to refuse his warnings. He can see that the "hard line" they have bought from the hawks will lead to confrontation with the Romans and the city will be destroyed. He has invested his life in trying to turn them around and they will not listen. Now the truth of what he has had to say will not be seen until after his death.
Response 3: Jesus tells them they will have one more chance. He will ride into the city on an "ass," symbol of one who comes in peace. He will not speak, but his message is clear: Choose! We know what they chose and what happened.
Conclusion: Remind the hearers that we are always choosing. And remind them that he still grieves over those who choose death rather than life.
Certainty is hard to come by.
Absolute certainty is unlikely.
Life is seldom made up of certainties. The truth is we live mostly by our best guesses, our intuition, and whatever evidence we can gather from life.
The truth is we can never always be certain everything will turn out right, but ...
We can approach life with a deeper sense of security and certainty if there is, in us, a deep trust in and commitment to the pursuit of the will of God, coupled with a conviction that there is one in the midst of our lives who always acts in our best interests.
To be certain does not mean one always knows how things will turn out so much as it means that we live with a certainty that God will be with us however things turn out, that he will be there to help us make the best of every situation. (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
To be certain is not to be able to face a risk-free future but to know that, while there is risk in choosing, acting, and living, there is one who, while he has set us at risk, understands us and knows who and what we are and is ready to forgive and restore when we have fumbled the ball. (Psalm 103:13, 14)
To be certain does not mean we have the world by the tail because God is on our side, so much as it means the world is his world and it is good (Genesis 1) and we can accept and live in that world "on his side" and receive his promise to be with us (Matthew 28:20).
OUTLINE I
Can God Take Our Impatience?
Genesis 15:1-12, 17, 18
Introduction:There is a general opinion in our midst that God gets angry when he is distrusted. We imagine him slam-banging things around in a petulant spirit when he is questioned. Our images of how things ought to be come from such sentimental hymnal concoctions as " 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," when the truth is that it is not always so easy.
A.
Trundle out the biblical examples of those whose patience wore thin or who didn't quite see things as God did. Abraham, of course. But what about Moses: "Me?" Or Jonah: "Surely not me!" Or Job: "What do you think you are doing?" Or Jesus: "If possible let this cup pass." There is no record of God getting all huffy and hurt and stalking away.
B. The implication is that it is okay to blurt out our questions and give a voice to our doubts. A scanning of the Psalms ought to give you plenty of quotations. You'll learn more if you look for yourself.
Conclusion: Call the congregation's attention to the patient way in which God deals with Abram. And notice what righteousness is here. We find no moralizing. Abram was not righteous because he was morally perfect. He was treated righteous because he believed the Lord, trusted him. Little wonder the writer of the Hebrew letter will later emulate these impatient, questioning, yet trusting people. See Hebrew 11, especially verses 13-16 and 39. He would hold them up as examples and offer the invitation in 12:1-2.
OUTLINE II
How to Hang in There!
Philippians 3:17--4:1
Introduction:Remind the congregation most of those in Paul's churches are recent converts and pagan converts at that. They have come from religious backgrounds that were filled with superstition and void of any ethics. The lived in a world where it was not easy to embrace the Christian faith. The temptations to recidivism (backsliding) were powerful. Paul seeks to give them needed encouragement.
A.
Imitate Me: Paul is not suggesting himself as a moral pattern. What he is doing is calling them to the same steadfastness that he exhibits. His has been no easy road either, but for a different reason. Paul is a Jew who became a follower of Jesus as the Messiah. His fellow Jews thought he had gone mad. But he hangs in there and invites his Philippian readers to do the same.
B. Mark the Others: One can also be helped by watching others to get clues as to what not to do. I am reminded of the old saying no one is so bad that he can't be a good example of what not to be. So watch and learn.
C. Wait: Paul is certain their waiting is not in vain. They have the word of their Lord. They can, then, get on with life, live without anxiety, and know that the promises made will be kept.
Conclusion: Let the congregation know that you know it "ain't always easy" to hang in there. Remind them they will have a hard time of it unless they do it as Paul suggested, "in the Lord;" not trusting in their own strength, but in his promises.
OUTLINE III
Lenten Choices
Luke 13:31-35
Introduction: Review the events that precede this meeting with the Pharisees. It is clear that while Jesus had his problems with the most rigid and self-righteous of them he had made some inroads. Here some come to warn him.
Response 1: Jesus declares that he intends to go on with his work. Apparently he will be careful and stay in the shadows. He can see what is coming. Here the realist surfaces.
Response 2: Jesus mourns that the leaders of his beloved city have chosen to refuse his warnings. He can see that the "hard line" they have bought from the hawks will lead to confrontation with the Romans and the city will be destroyed. He has invested his life in trying to turn them around and they will not listen. Now the truth of what he has had to say will not be seen until after his death.
Response 3: Jesus tells them they will have one more chance. He will ride into the city on an "ass," symbol of one who comes in peace. He will not speak, but his message is clear: Choose! We know what they chose and what happened.
Conclusion: Remind the hearers that we are always choosing. And remind them that he still grieves over those who choose death rather than life.
