Where is God when life hurts?
Mark 5:21-43
November 6, 1999
Morning Service
INTRODUCTION
I. You know it’s going to be a tough day when….
You wake up face down on the pavement
You look to see the birds outside your window and see nothing but buzzards
Your B-day cake collapses under the weight of the candles
You wake up to discover that your waterbed broke and then you remember that you don’t own a waterbed
Your horn goes off accidentally and remains stuck as you follow a motorcycle gang on the freeway
You come home to find that irritating investigative reporter from channel six in your front yard
II. The pain of tough days
A. We all have tough days
1. Days when you wished you hadn’t gotten out of bed
2. Days that are filled with pain are tough
B. Phrase: “If it doesn’t kill; it will only make you stronger”
1. This is totally untrue
2. Pain works on us
a.) Pain ebbs away at our lives
b.) Pain steals our quality of life
c.) Pain saps our strength
III. Pain is the only constant reality of life
A. Three types of personal pain
1. Physical Pain – Focus on our personal relationship to ourselves
2. Emotional Pain – Focus on our interpersonal relationships with others
3. Spiritual Pain – Focus on our lack of relationship with God
B. We all live with pain
1. No one can go through pain for us
2. We don’t have to bear it alone
Q - Where is God when life hurts?
READ TEXT
BODY
I. Jesus offers hope in the midst of our pain
A. Jesus is never too busy for you
1. Jesus is always there when you need Him
a.) Jesus will never leave you or forsake you
b.) Jesus wants to help you in times of pain
2. Jesus can help you in your pain
B. Jesus is waiting to help you
1. Jesus is always available in times of need
2. Jesus is waiting for you to ask
a.) Jesus cannot help you unless you go to Him
b.) Jesus cannot heal your hurts until you offer them
II. Jesus offers healing for our pain
A. Jesus wants you to bless you with peace
1. Quote: “Christ did not come to do away with suffering; He did not come to explain it; He came to fill it with His presence” – Paul Claudel
2. The peace Jesus offers allows us to live
a.) Peace gives us power for life
b.) Peace gives us the ability to weather any storm that life may bring
B. Jesus wants to free you from your pain
1. Jesus gives you love
a.) The love of Jesus transforms life
b.) The love of Jesus begins the healing process
2. Jesus gives you healing
a.) Jesus can heal any hurt in your life
1.) Do you believe this?
2.) Do you accept it for your life?
b.) Jesus can heal the pain deep within your heart
1.) We tend to hold onto our pain
2.) There is nothing Jesus doesn’t already know about you
He knows your every weakness
He knows your every care
He knows your every difficulty
He knows your every heartache
Now is the time to stop hurt in your pain and start handing it over to Christ
III. Jesus offers wholeness from our pain
A. Jesus wants to restore your life
1. Jesus wants to heal your pain
2. Jesus wants to restore your wholeness
a.) Our pain steals part of our life
b.) Jesus wants to put back what you have lost and more
B. Jesus wants to give you new life
1. Jesus makes life worth living
a.) Jesus brings completion to our lives
b.) Jesus takes the old pain and offers new living
2. Jesus allows us to find wholeness
a.) Without a personal relationship with Jesus; you will never be whole
b.) Wholeness begins and ends with God
1.) The Father created you – Wholeness was a part of who you were meant to be
2.) Jesus restores you – Wholeness can be regained
3.) The Holy Spirit empowers you – Wholeness can be a way of living
CONCLUSION
Illustration: The Fire
I’ve been through a fire that has deepened my desire, to know the living God more and more. It hasn’t been much fun, but the work that it has done in my life has been worth the hurt. You see sometimes we need the hard times to bring us to our knees, otherwise we do as we please and never heed him. For he always knows what’s best and it’s when we are distressed that we really come to know God as he is.
I. Jesus cares about your pain
A. Jesus loves you
B. Jesus wants you to be free from your pain
II. Jesus wants to bring you healing
A. Jesus wants you to have peace in your life
B. Jesus wants you to be free from your pain
III. Jesus wants to bring you wholeness
A. Jesus has the power to heal any hurt in your life
B. Jesus wants to remove your fear
C. Jesus wants to give you new life
IV. Renoir and Matise
Renoir was elderly and suffered from arthritis that was incredibly painful
Matise asked why he persisted to paint through such intense pain
Renoir – “The pain passes, but the beauty remains”
Today, allow Christ take away your pain and let the beauty of His new life to remain in you.
