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The episodes are the weekly sermons from 922 Ministries (St. Peter and The CORE) of Appleton, Wisconsin.
Promise Land
Week 4 - The CORE
Pastor Tim Glende
Good morning again. Welcome to our service here at our downtown campus, The CORE week 4 of Promise Land. If you didn't catch it at the beginning, Pastor Michael shared with you, I’m Pastor Tim, one of our five pastors here at 922 Ministries, mainly up at our north campus. It's always great to be down here. As I have an opportunity to worship with our family here at the CORE here in this sermon series on promises. And I pray that you're blessed today as we unpack promise number four and to get you thinking about, am I telling you a story from my life? It's 14 years old and I set foot in a weight room for the first time. Our coach on our football team walked us through. He showed us all the different machines and how to use them properly. So we won't get hurt. He showed us the different things that he wanted us to do as a part of our regular weight training with a purpose. There was a goal back in the day. Maybe you've heard this phrase and probably still use it today with athletes bigger faster, stronger. Like all these things are intended to help you get bigger so you could be better, stronger, so you could play better, faster, so your team and you would be better. And I bought in hook line and sinker like I loved working out in the gym, four days a week hour and a half each day, Guns and Roses was all the rage and the album on that little thing called a tape.
The last little workout Appetite for Destruction, like, can I get a name in on the old people. Young people like Guns and Roses sounds really weird and I bought in hook line and sinker because of this, it was going to serve a purpose. I wanted to play more as a sophomore on the JV and be a starter. I wanted to get playing time as a junior and then also on the varsity maybe as a senior, be a captain or, at least get a chance to play both ways like bigger faster stronger, the pain that we would go through as our coach told us would come with a purpose and a win a game. And did all those things happen, but there was more like, as a freshman, at my high school. Our football, team won the state championship first time in only time, Michigan Lutheran Seminary went to state championship and I looked at all these big dudes, they faced dudes. And I saw them walking around campus with an amazing thing called the pound-for-pound club t-shirt. It was amazing. You got this T-shirt. If you could bench press your weight, And so now not only the pain produce the gain from from a football standpoint, but now a personal standpoint. Like, I wanted to be a part of that. And so all the workouts served a purpose and sure enough by the end of my senior year, one of the things that you got was not only a powerful pub town club t-shirt when you bench-pressed your way but you could get one for further, always up the scale. And by the end of my senior year, I had one that said four hundred pounds on it. I know that's pretty cool. Don't ask me if I could do it today because if I do all these other pastors will be filling in for me as I recover from some kind of surgery on my shoulder arms, pectoral muscles and everything else known to man but I did it. The pain that I went through the workouts that were hard served, an amazing purpose.
And I want you to have that in mind today because that's really the tension that exists and why today's promise is so important and relevant. You and I would probably agree if we're gonna throw the first thing on the screen for today and fill in some blanks about the tension for today that we buy into the phrase. No pain, no gain. When the pain we go through. Search the purpose and there is a game as a result. Like, every athlete would tell you that you have to go through the pain of leg day. It might not feel good for the next 24 to 48 hours, but the gain is real and helping you achieve your goals.
Any woman who's ever gone through pregnancy. There is pain involved over the nine months. It is painful in the process of giving birth to a child. But in that moment when you hear that cry and you hold that child for the first time moms, I know this is true, there is a whole lot of gain in the pain that served as a part of it. It's not as much on your mind. The pain, we can go through it and are willing to suffer it. If we know there's a gain, You know, that's it at work. Maybe the first time you graduated from college and applied for a job. The boss said, hey, you're gonna have to start at the bottom rung of the ladder, you're gonna have to work hard, you're gonna have to set yourself apart, you're gonna have to stand out, we're gonna ask you to do things that might not be enjoyable, but you will see the fruit of your labor and the pain will come with a gain of climbing the ladder, having more authority, maybe at work getting better benefits like all these things will be part of it. You'll put yourself through it because there's a game at the end of the pain. Any college student who is getting close to graduation and wants to go under grad school or med school or law school or any school, like that knows. You’ve got to pass these tests that are super impossible and super hard and we'll require a whole lot of time and a whole lot of sleepless nights and it'll be painful. But you recognize that going through the pain will lead to a game.
But, like that reality that we accept when pain has a purpose behind it, when there's a gain that we can see at the finish line, Is different when the game is not there. Like the tension. No pain, no gain. What we experience and see is this? When there's no gain. Do you know what most people say about the pain?
No, like if there's no pain, I don't want pain. Like, if there's no gain, it serves me, no purpose. Like I would not go through leg day in the gym. It is horrible like it is nothing that you would want to experience. How about at work? If your boss said to you and as you applied for a job, like we're gonna put you at the bottom of the ladder and you're gonna always stay at the bottom, rung of the ladder and you're gonna be miserable at work because you're not gonna like the bottom wrong of the ladder. But this is what you get and the pay isn't very good. You would say no. Like no. Thank you. And I get an amen. Like there are no games. So why would I go through the pain?
Like I think we get that tension too, right?
And sometimes even the tension that really is important for us to wrestle with. Be honest with, be transparent about, is sometimes when there's no game we cry out to God, and say, why pain?
Like that's just no pain God, but why?
I actually say to you that some of you are watching today and some of you with that are here today are probably in this position right now where you're dealing with pain and and you're wrestling with God. Why?
God, there's no evidence gained for this pain. I actually would tell you that there are people that maybe, you know, maybe this is, were you, or maybe you're wrestling with this right now. That they say one of the biggest reasons why they will not believe in God, the God of the Bible. The God that that we believe in that we preach that you're pastor Michael and pastor, Mike talk about all the time down here at the core. And we talk about at our Saint Peter campus, is this God who is love and this God, who is good? And this God, who is gracious? And is God, who is big and this God of the Bible who performs miracle after miracle, and the Savior, who does healing If that's the God, you believe in, but this is the garbage that he gives. I'm on nothing to do with that God. Like a lot of people push back on Christianity. Is that if that's the god, that you believe in? I want no part in it.
Because there's a lot of pain and seeing that there would be any gain. Some gone. No, thank you.
So, I don't know if that's what you wrestle with. I don't know if that's what you're struggling with. I don't know if this tension is real in your life right now, but the odds are pretty good either it has been it is or it will be at some point in your life. And that's why today's promises, are so important to help us when this tension is high and real. And it helped us understand that today, I'm super excited that we're gonna unpack a chapter in the Bible that I would tell. You might be one of the greatest chapters in all of the book. Now, I'm not here to say that. Any part of the Bible is better than another part of the Bible because it's all inspired. But there are some that have so much in it in their so full of benefits, and blessings that when we stick with them and we unpack them, we truly see some amazing truths. Roman chapter 8 is one of those chapters like Ezra 2 is inspired, but how many of you have ever memorized diverse from Ezra chapter 2? Anybody do any of you even know what book of what part of the Bible? It's in the Old Testament, New Testament, where you find it, how long would it take you to page through your Bible to get there? Without looking at the table of contents? Like Ezra inspired the book of God but Romans 8. Amazing. And write the middle is the section where God speaks to Christians, who are dealing with that tension. Of pain.
And they're getting into the book talks about being saved by grace. God is amazing. The Holy Spirit produces fruit in our hearts to bless us. This letter has an amazing, it ends with an amazing, reminder of our identity and that nothing can rob us of in God, right in the middle, is this section on pain that oftentimes undermines our lives and effects. Our relationship with God. So I want to share some verses with you, so you see it in context to give you some truth before I get to the promise because I believe these truths are vital and important for you and for me to truly understand this promise and all its beauty and to believe it differently. Because I'm gonna pitch to you right now here today that all God's promises. This might be one of the best ones for us, this side of heaven, to hold on to and have. But it's the least belief, perhaps of all the promises of God by Christians because of that tension.
And we need to see it for what it is and believe it with our whole heart because it will truly be a blessing to you. But to have the whole perspective of it, I believe will help you appreciate even more and live in the promised land of God. All right, so Romans chapter 8 how do we deal with that tension? What does God want us to remember? Let's unpack it. Beginning with verses 19 through 22, the 19 to 22 are important in the context because the apostle Paul is making a case for what he's about to say, in the promise of God that he's going to give for the creation weights and eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed like creation weights for God's children to be truly revealed and who they are in, all their holiness, everything that God longs for us to be for the creation, with subjected to frustration, not by its own choice. But by the will, of the one who subjected God and hope that, the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into freedom. And glory of the children of God, creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, or by its own doing. But by God, Here's the thing, that the apostle Paul is exactly this world in which we live is broken. Creation is broken as a result, but creation had nothing to do with its brokenness like the trees, the sun, the moon, the stars, the animals did not sin.
And yet they suffer the results of sin.
The creation, literally, we know the whole creation has been grown as in the pains of childbirth, right up to the present time like right up to this present time for thousands of years creation is groaning waiting longing for the arrival of the game.
But the reality is creation. And all of it. Is suffering from pain.
Brokenness.
Like here's a truth that you need to have in mind in order to truly appreciate today's promise, I believe this truth. So much, undermines people believe belief in this promise or why they forget this promise. And here's the truth that you need to have in mind that this section reveals to us pain. Was never a part of God's plan.
God never intended for creation to be subjected to frustration and pain.
God never intended for Adam and Eve to endure and feel pain and go through suffering. It wasn't a part of God's plan.
Like pain is a part of this world brokenness is a part of your life because Adam and Eve broke the command that God gave them. Adam and Eve sinned.
And the consequence of their sin very clearly in Genesis chapter three. You can open the book and you can read it. God said to them very clearly right up front, that is the result of your sin. One of the biggest consequences, one of the first ones you will experience is pain. Like Adam. The work that you will now do is the work of the ground. The sweat that will come down from your head, the blisters that you'll get on your hands, the exhaustion that you already feel as a result of 12-hour days, like that is a consequence of saying, the pain that you will have is a part of the broken world you now created, so to speak by your action. And Eve, you will now be in pain. When you carry children in and give birth to them, there will be pain as a part of childbirth because of your sin like the pain that is in this world is not a part of God's plan. He's not the cause of it. Sin is the reason for it.
And so, when we have the question, why pain? And we start to question God, I need you to come back to this truth. First and foremost, before you can truly understand. And and then see the promise for what it is because if you get this part confused, that tension will be overwhelming to you, your heart will wrestle with God. Your fist will shake at God, your faith will be shaken and doubt will be real. But pain was never a part of God's plan.
God doesn't want. To see and it breaks the heart of God when he sees fruitless. And faithless marriages and the pain that results.
Like the heart of God breaks when the cancer diagnosis is given to that young child or to your spouse, who then hears the news that there is no cure. This is terminal, you will die, way too young.
Like that kind of pain was never a part of God's plan.
But it's a part of our reality. Because we live in a broken world. As creation groans for. What God has in store first in the future? We live as a part of that broken world. And we are broken people who do life with broken people. And we feel pain.
I'll not minimize that one bit. It is real.
The pain and suffering, we go through this side of heaven Israel.
Physically, and emotionally. Relationalally spiritually. But it was never a part of God's plan.
And when you know that and when you see that, then the rest of what we're going to talk about that, Romans 8 reveals to us will help us truly not only appreciate the promise of God. But but rely on in a completely different way through, a completely different perspective. Later on in Romans chapter 8, the apostle Paul says this in light of the fact that pain was never a part of God's plan. He says this to you and me when we're in the midst of our pain, it actually connects us to one of the promises we heard before. But here are the words from God, Romans 8, chapter verse 26, and the same way the spirit helps us in our weaknesses. The holy spirit who lives in us helps us in those moments. We are going through pain when we are struggling with circumstances when the situation and tension is real, and we don't understand what good could this pain be for me? What purpose could it serve? Why the pain in the same way? In the midst of that the spirit helps us And when we do not know what to pray for the spirit of self intercedes for us through wordless groans, have you ever been there when you've been in pain, when you've been going through something? There? Where there's seam? No gain, you didn't know what to say, how to say it, how to express it. Like, if you've been there, God knows. Because he's present in your pain. Like the Holy Spirit is literally there. The one who searches your hearts, that's God. Knows the mind of the spirit he's connected to God. That God our God is triune three persons one God, because the spirit in receipts is God's people in accordance with the will of God, what God wants for you, what God longs for you. The Holy Spirit takes to the throne of God like in the midst of your pain. When you don't know what to say when you're struggling to find the words. When the hurt is that real and that deep you wonder if could there be any gain in knowing that God knows and know that God cares and that God is present. Like when it comes to pain you understand, that it was never part of the cloud, God's plan but when you're in pain and when you're wondering why pain, why God why now what purpose know this about God? He is present.
In your pain. It's truth number two, God is present in your pain. God didn't have it as a part of his other plan but now that it's here and it's real for you and me he doesn't leave, he hasn't deserted us it was promised. Number one I believe God is here. God is with you. And he is in pain.
And that's so important.
Because the devil would log for you, in that moment to not believe that a victory or anything, good is possible.
The enemy is what he intended for bad in the garden. God wants you to hear and know that. He knows. He's present.
But he can turn it for good.
Can.
Many use maybe have heard of an author by the name of CS Lewis a 20th-century author. Wrote many books as an atheist and became a Christian. He wrote probably one of the most famous books that Christians turned to on pain, the problem with pain. So when you have a problem with pain, he said there are a whole lot of questions and a whole other things that people will struggle with and wonder about God. But he also gives us insight about pain that God never intended as a part of his original plan, but pain that God can use. And here's one of his quotes, he said pain and why knowing that God is present and then leading to how God can work it for good with that, enemy intended for evil pain, CS Lewis said shatters the illusion that all is well,
A good one, everything to be, well, none of us want to have pain, but we live in a broken world. We are sinful human beings.
And the result of sin, the consequence that each and every one of us deserves Is eternal pain.
Like pain, this side of heaven is one of those things that that reminds us that not all is well and not things are not as they intended to be CS Lewis went on to say it shatters. The illusion that all as well, that what we have the things that we have are family, friends, are possessions the things that we have in this life whether good or bad in itself is our own and enough for us like pain shatters. The illusion that those things are our own and are enough. Like there's something off, there's something missing, there's something better. CSLS also said pain is God's megaphone shouting at the world to wake up. Like some of the greatest spiritual waking awakenings in history, are at some of the worst times in history when people are enduring pain,
Those of you who are alive, who remember 9/11 and what happened after 9/11, like people flocked to churches for a time, ran to the place where they could find peace and hope in a world that's so broken and so much pain. I guess in times like that, the shouts of God, go out and God wants you and me to understand in our life, too. And when we feel pain, there's something that's wrong. There's something that's missing. There's something that is better. But God uses pain.
And so, when we have the question and are restful with the tension when we don't see the benefit, and we don't see the gain, God wants you to know that there is one, that there is a purpose that God can take something bad that Adam and Eve brought in, that wasn't a part of his plan and use it for good, your eternal and spiritual good. As Paul is going to give this promise in just a second. I want you to remember that a few chapters earlier in the book of Romans.
He said this: Since who were under attack for their faith, the Roman Christians for the next many years that we persecuted for their face. So we're gonna die at the hands of lions. Some of them, were gonna lose their life at the hands of Nero. The persecution of Christians was going to be real and big and it'd be easy to question all that pain when they were sharing their faith in God and standing up for what they believed. So, Paul said to them by inspiration, these words, not only so, but we glory in our sufferings, we sell celebrate our sufferings, they are things that God can use for good, a good for you. And for me, because we know and here it is, that suffering produces fruit. From a spiritual perspective, God says suffering in pain, while not a part of my intended plan. Now that it's here, I can even take that bad that the devil wants to work for evil and use it for you, a good for you. And for me and for all it can produce perseverance.
That God wants you on the spiritual journey to have perseverance because the race is long and life is hard. He doesn't want you to be not off the course of the path to heaven. Along the way suffering, sometimes wakes us up and drives us back to God, you can use it for that spiritual good. It produces character. Like, a lot of people times will say, what God uses for suffering in my life, was to refine me to bring me closer to God, to celebrate grace as sufficient. All the things that God longs for your character, your spiritual character. Oftentimes God can use pain for good and character, my friends, produces hope.
You know, they say is, sometimes the most powerful force, or people going through pain Or dealing with the disease. For facing challenges and struggles that are big and maybe no worldly answer. Hope. Like a lot of times the person who's who's going through chemotherapy and radiation treatment, save the power of hope. Helps a lot of people get through it.
Like, when there's hope. And for Christians who know there's help. Got longs for you to have that in this journey of life until we reach heaven. God wants you to hear loud and clear pain was never a part of my plan. I'm present in it and I promise I want you to hear it. I want you to know it. It's a truth of my word that it can serve a good purpose. Pain serves a purpose in that when there's pain there is gain spiritually, speaking spiritual quality, spiritual fruit is produced. If you're filling in your blanks your truth, number three painters a purpose, which is a gift. I want you to see it for what it is. If God can use pain to give you perseverance to, refine your character to give you more hope. Is that not good?
Is that not God?
And when you wonder and when you doubt them and the tension is high, before I get to the promise, I want you to remember that tension and remember his name, his name is Jesus. Jesus, understood the tension and the principle. Of no pain. No gain.
Like Jesus, God's son came down to earth because he knew that if he didn't endure the pain you and I would
Jesus understood the principle. That without pain, there would need to be no gain for you and for me for eternity,
They didn't want that for you. That was not a part of his plan.
And so he stepped into our shoes. He took on human flesh. He literally endured the pain of living here on planet Earth. He saw the brokenness of all that it is. He endured and saw the pain of lost that people went through, and it broke his heart.
And he didn't want that for you or for me for eternity. He wants us to get the game. So he endured the pain of the cross.
Just didn't look at me and say no gain for me then no pain. No, he said, I'll take the pain. So that they have the gain.
Because you’re struggling with the tension, hold on, to the cross of our Savior, the the visual of the one who came down, who endured pain, so that you and I might get all the game, what God never intended to be, is not what God wants for you to be eternity.
And with all those truths in mind, that God is present in the pain, that God can use it for spiritual good to build you up to refine. You then and only then when you see that it was never a part of his plan, it's not a why God, but In the midst of the pain. How do I hold onto your promise trusting that there's a game?
And that's Romans chapter 8, verse 28. It's just a promise.
It is promised to a world that when there's pain, no matter how strong a faith, this promise is sometimes not believed or something that we ignore or forget.
Because you know what happens in times of pain and suffering, and difficulties and challenges, We look horizontally.
We get consumed by the here and the now the life that we're in the pain, that is real.
And we forget to look vertically.
Like looking for a clear reminds us of the one who who is now ruling over all things. The one who came down and went to across, we need to look vertically. And this promise is all about taking our eyes off of the pain and putting our eyes on the one who endured the pain so that we might get all the game.
And so the apostle Paul by inspiration has this promise for you and for me and we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him.
Literally in the Greek, the word. No is not the experience or knowledge, like one of the words, and for no to know something in Greek was experiencing, like, you went through it, you experienced it first hand, so you could say it. Like, there are times when I could say an experience, I went through that pain. But now, five years later I got to look back and see and understand I know, because I've gone through it, that it worked out for good but there are times when we never get to see it, there are sometimes we don't know it. Usually in the middle of it, we don't know experientially that this is for good, right? We have to trust God in his promise that it's good. That's this kind of knowledge. It's oyed a knowledge, it's intuition knowledge. It's knowledge based on facts that God is a God of promises that are God, has a trek record or keeping them that are God has proven throughout history, the apostle Paul could point to it, and we can point to it, that he works for the good of his people and even uses pain. And can use it for our spiritual good and our eternal good. Because we've been called according to his purpose. You know what, God's purpose for you and for me
It's to grow spiritually right here and right now and sometimes they'll use pain to do that, just for you. Like you did Paul.
Pulled right out at least me from this pain. God said, no, my grace is sufficient for you. My powers made perfect in your weakness. You might be going through a pain. It might never be removed and God can be using it to refine you spiritually. You bring you closer to him to be reliant. On the one thing that matters like CS Lewis said pain shatters, the illusion that this world is the be all and end all.
That heaven is the end goal is what God longs for, you immediately see and sometimes pain produces that purpose.
Pain. Like sometimes you'll go through it and it will never end for you but it serves good for them.
I think of many stories of Christian people who have endured pain. They've gone through all sorts of pain. And there's a story of a lady who was paralyzed at a young age diving into shallow water, unbeknownst to her, it caused her to, so then be paralyzed for the rest of her life, and enough, her 40 years, she's worked to be a blessing to people with disabilities. She's fought for things in Congress and people ask her all the time, don't you struggle and wrestle with the pain? And she says that the pain is real for me, but the game has been experienced by so many others.
Sometimes the pain you go through blesses and serves the spiritual fruits for other people. They see you in pain and they see God and they see your faith and your persons, and it wakes them up like pain serves a godly purpose. It may not be good in the moment. It might not be a good thing that you've gone through it. It's not a part of God's design and it breaks his heart when it happens. Which is the truth of this promise. I want to put it in these words so maybe it resonates differently. All things may not be good. The cancer is not good. Your spouse leaving. You is not good. Like having financial difficulties due to nothing that you did wrong is not good. All things may not be good but God, can and will work all things for good.
Your spiritual good.
And perhaps simple good is that it will be ultimately for your eternal good, that pain, and that suffering. And that brokenness takes you from this earth.
This thrown in heaven.
And as hard as that is, that's God using it for good. Because he doesn't want you to stay in the brokenness for good.
Which is why I want to give you a little glimpse of what the apostle Paul ended the chapter with to help reinforce this promise God can and will use it for good. You might not experience it now but he wants you to see the ultimate good and have this on your hearts that you can treasure this promise. Paul said this, I can consider that our presence and sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in this what awaits us the joy that awaits us. It is so much greater than the pain. It's not even worth having a conversation about the apostle Paul said I will use it for gain, like the ultimate gain, you will experience it because there's nothing in this world that can change your identity, God and you are good because Jesus endured the pain. And he wants you to know that in the pain, he can use it for your spiritual good, for their spiritual, good, and for your eternal, good. Hold on to it. Believe it. Never forget it. Remember the truths that are part of it because nothing, this side of heaven, angels demons present future any powers height depth, anything else in all creation that creation, that grows will be able to separate you from the love of God. That is in Christ. Jesus are Lord.
When there's pain. So easy to say. If there's no gain, I don't want it. I'll leave you the story with a pastor by the name of Tim Keller. Has anyone ever read a Tim Keller book? Lots of books, a Christian pastor in the city of New York, pastor to a large church in the city of New York is books as writings of blessed, millions, and millions of people, two and a half years ago, he came down with it was diagnosed with stage four, pancreatic cancer, Like that's a destined.
A lot of people wondered why. Like that man, shares the gospel with millions.
Tim Keller said these words when asked about all that he was going through and sadly, just a few months ago, he passed away and succumbed to the disease. He said this in a recent interview, he said, I spent all of my life saying that communion with God and the presence of God can satisfy us every morning. I spent all my career telling people what was available and experiencing some of it. But actually, every so often captain, I will say we are having a much better life. Now in the pain. In fact, I said this about his spiritual life, and how God was using it for good. He said, when I felt with this before, it came on, I thought I had a really good prayer life, but when I broke through into another dimension, I realized, oh my goodness. I was much much less. Frankly, my prayer life wasn't very good at all. He said my prayer life improved significantly my relationship with God grew significantly said, he learned in the pain that he had ignored. One of the most important things of his life, all the jobs that he had the interviews, he got to do the books, he got right. When he went through the pain, he had to slow down and get to spend time with his family. Like God, used it for good for them for two and a half years. For his spirit of good, bringing him closer to God, in fact at the end when he was interviewed a few months before he died, he was basically asked this Like, if you could have it taken away, he prayed every day for it to be taken away. If you could have the cancer gone and removed and no more pain, but go back to what your spiritual life in the way it was, or be door. Be you the cancer? Remains you die from it, but you get the spiritual fruit and blessings you've experienced. He said, I take door be every day all the time.
Because there's so much better and God used it for good.
This promise, my friends, God wants to use it to bless you in times of pain. To purchase that kind of fruit.
No pain, no game.
We apply the principle in our willingness, to go through it and we see the purpose. And God says I can use it for good for a purpose, spiritually eternally for you. Brothers and sisters hold to that promise.
Until that day when he removes you from the pain.
Which will be so good.