After All is Said and Done
See on YouTube
After All is Said and Done
Job 19:23-27a
Psalm 17:1-9
2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17
Luke 20:27-38
Why does Satan test us? Why does he put situations before us that are just terrible and difficult. Why are we inflicted with pain and suffering. All of this is for one reason and it is for the purpose that we would not believe or trust in the Word of God. It is so that we will not trust in the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. It is so that we might believe that God is bad or evil and that maybe he just doesn’t exist. This is exactly what his intention was concerning Job. He wanted to break job to the point that he would turn against God. He took everything away from Job. His family, his employees, his wealth, and his health. Yet when all was said and done Job’s response was not to curse or blame God. He didn’t even curse or blame Satan. His response was to worship the Lord. For Job, his predicament did not change God’s existence, nor did it change His goodness. From our opening scripture this morning we see that despite all that Job was experiencing, his hope was still found in that once his life was over then he would see the Lord face to face. Whether or not he was comfortable at the end of his life had no merit on his faith.
In our passage from the Gospel of Luke today we see Jesus being tested by some Sadducees. The Sadducees were an elite group of Jews who were also teachers of the Law. However, this sect of Jews believed only in the Pentateuch which is the first 5 books of our Bible. The Pharisees at least believed in the writings of the prophets as well. As a result of this the Sadducees taught that there is no resurrection at the end of time. Therefore, they use this argument about the resurrection to argue their point that there can be no resurrection for why how would it make sense for God to allow for such a scenario. They tell a hypothetical story of a woman who was widowed by and according to custom the husband’s brother took his sister in-law as his own wife so that she would be cared for as she had no children. Down the line they went as each new husband would die. So, then they ask, to whom she would be married to during the resurrection. Jesus, understanding that they were testing him and understanding their ignorance, explains this all to them. He points out their ignorance and points out that they should know this truth based upon their Pentateuch. Though in this life people are married and given in marriage, this is not the case in the kingdom of God because everyone becomes children of God. It is one big family and we all are brothers and sisters. Jesus also points out proof of the resurrection from the scriptures. Moses describes this in his account with the burning bush. God says that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He does not say was the God of them as in past tense, but is the God of them in present tense. Meaning that they are living in his kingdom. Jesus points out then that first of all, they are ignorant about life after death yet Jesus in being God is not so ignorant. In addition, Jesus points out that they are ignorant in the interpretation of their own scriptures. When all is said in done God is sovereign, all knowing, and all loving.
In 2 Thessalonians 2, we see that Satan is still up to his old tricks. Paul does not want us to be alarmed about the events that are to come. He explains how the Anti-Christ will be. He will be one that will exalt himself instead of the Lord and will exalt himself above all other gods so that he may sit on the throne of the Lord in the temple on the Lord and then declaring himself as the Lord. He will appear as if he is Christ returned but will be exactly the opposite of Christ. Unfortunately, many may be led astray by him and be led to evil things. But that has been his goal from the beginning. This is why we must hold strong and true to the traditions we have been taught so that we may not be led astray. When all is said in done though the Lord is the Lord and the Lord will return to bring us into his kingdom and the Anti-Christ will be destroyed.
This past year I have experienced a lot of hardship within my family. I am thankful for the support that I have found from this church and other friends and family members. It was a brutal experience to watch my father’s body and mind to deteriorate so quickly. It was brutal to watch my wife suffer through her hospitalizations. It was brutal to watch my mother care for my father and then right after help to care for my children while my wife was dealing with her healing in the hospital and then my mother fracturing her knee and being held up at home for a time. I prayed so much for these events to unfold differently and yet everything happened exactly the opposite of the way I wanted them to unfold. As a child I would have been angry at God for these events and would have blamed him for all that has happened. I would have questioned even his existence most likely. However, when all is said and done, the truth does not change. Just because my prayers were not answered in the way I wanted God’s goodness or existence does not change. Just because we go through tribulations in life it does not change who God is. When all is said and done, my dad is now with the Lord and is no longer suffering anything in life in this world. When all is said and done life still goes on in this world until Jesus returns. When all is said and done my life in the world goes on and I am blessed to have a wife and children. I am blessed to have my mother and sister. I am blessed to have wonderful in-laws.
Just because our prayers are not answered in the ways that we desire does not change God’s existence or goodness. The truth of his word does not change at any time. Man is the only one who changes. Man will choose to grow more sinful or they will grow more sanctified. However, God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Satan comes to kill and destroy and teaches man to kill and destroy. God brings love and life everlasting. Good things and bad things will fall on both the righteous and sinful in this world. The only difference is how to righteous and sinful respond to these events. There will be a day when we who believe and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, will enter His kingdom and will forever live as children of God and will forever live with the ones we love and who believed.
This past Friday evening we had some missionaries visit and share with us about the church mission in the Philippines. Pastor Arnel shared with us a bunch of numbers a statistics about the church growth in the Philippines and about their goals for continued growth. If we look at just the stats, we may say woopty do, great the church is growing and their getting butts in seats. However, it is more than that. These numbers are souls of people who are joining the kingdom of God. It is not just about numbers but it is about lives being transformed. When all is said and done, the number of butts in seats do not matter as much as the faithfulness of a people and the souls transformed into holiness. We can have people joining the church but if they are not being transformed by the spirit then there is no point in the numbers. Pastor Arnel pointed out that we are privileged in this country with so many resources for ministry. Yet despite our resources the statistics show a slow down and even a falling off of these butts in seats. The pandemic was part of it but I think in our privileges we have lost a sense of urgency for people to know the Lord. In other places around the world there is more of an urgency expressed for people to know the Lord. There should be the same urgency no matter how privileged we may be. When all is said and done some people will go to heaven and some people will not. If our mission as a church is to seek, find, and make disciples of all nations teaching them how to live and obey the truth of biblical scripture, then we need to be seeking, finding, and making disciples. That is all of us are charged to do just that. The church in the Philippines is being challenged to grow only 10 a year. How much will we grow in a year? When all is said and done, will God see that we have fulfilled our mission?