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I had the opportunity to preach yesterday on the topic of suffering and the hope we have through Christ. Below is an excerpt from the sermon. You can watch the sermon here or in the link below (starts at 17:15).
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One of the most encouraging chapters in the Bible to me is Psalm 126.
Verses 1-4 indicate that the psalmist was experiencing the pain of an unfulfilled dream or lost dream. But the psalmist gives us these beautiful words of hope in verses 5-6:
Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.
Do you hear what the psalmist is saying?
He’s saying, as believers, God promises to use our present tears as the seeds of our future joys—meaning, in your suffering, you actually aren’t buried—you’re planted.
We will all be swallowed up by the dirt of suffering in this life. This doesn’t change when you become a Christian. What changes is that through Christ, when the dirt of suffering swallows us up, we’re no longer buried. We’re planted.
Our suffering is not (immediately) removed, but it is redefined. The Holy Spirit changes our tears from rocks—buried and lifeless in the dirt—to seeds—meaning every death and burial we experience, whether figurative or literal, has a promised resurrection. It will bear fruit!
You may say, “Okay, that’s a great concept—but how can I be sure that God will turn my tears into joy? I do feel buried in the dirt of suffering—how do I really know that God hasn’t abandoned me in the ground—never to rise again?”
Tim Keller gives a wonderful word to those who feel abandoned:
If Jesus wouldn’t abandon you on the cross, he won’t abandon you now. If he wouldn’t abandon you when Hell itself was coming down on him—if that didn’t separate his love from you—do you think you having a bad week is going to do it? Or when bad things happen to you and you say, ‘I must be abandoned!’ Remember: If he didn’t abandon you then, he isn’t going to abandon you now. He spared nothing—not even his life—for you. He put the weight of the world on his shoulders for you. And you think somehow he is going to let your life go off the rails now? He’s not going to leave you or deny you anything you need. This is the love you’ve been looking for all your life. (adapted)
Friend, if Jesus stayed on the cross for you, he is going to stay with you in your trial. If he stayed with you (and for you) in his deepest darkness, he is going to stay with you in yours.
Watch the rest of the sermon here. (Sermon starts at 17:15).
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P.S. Did you see my article on shame published yesterday on The Gospel Coalition? Read here.
Blake Glosson (MDiv, Reformed Theological Seminary) is a pastoral resident at Chapelstreet Church in Geneva, Illinois. He has been published and/or republished or referred by:
- The Gospel Coalition
- Life Bible
- Crosswalk
- Eternal Perspective Ministries (Randy Alcorn)
- Challies.com/Tim Challies (here, here, and here)
- DashHouse (Darryl Dash)
- Moody Radio (here, here, and here)
- The JOY FM (here and here)
- ChurchLeaders.com
- Monergism.com
- The Aquila Report (here, here, and here)
Previously, Blake served as the director of young adults at New Covenant Bible Church in St. Charles, Illinois.
Read “Why Does God Say No to Good Things?” here.
Read “Break Shame’s Chains Through Christ” here.
Read or watch “How to Find True Peace” here.
Read or watch “The Lord and Savior We Need” here.
Feel free to drop a comment below with thoughts or questions!