Faith, Hope, and Luck part 4

Andy Stanley - Faith, Hope, Luck Part 4

At some point in our lives we ask for something from God
- what do you do when there’s no answer or you just hear silence?

Foundation of our faith is not an exp but Jesus
- we always try to figure out ways to get God on our side and do what we want
- the reason we continue to believe even when things suck is because of the person of Jesus

sometimes God will give us what we hope for, but he always gives us what he’s promised
- what happens when God doesn’t say yes to the things we hoped for

2 corinthians 12:7-8
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.”
- paul was given something that made him unimpressive and hard to be around
-- a physical affliction that ensured he would always be dependent on God
- for this amazing man of faith, there was a time when God was completely silent
- this can be of comfort because there are times when we wonder if God even knows our name
-- it isn’t the absence of God
- Paul had perfect faith if anyone had perfect faith and god still didn’t give him a yes
-- our goodness/faith level doesn’t make god listen or do things for us

2 cor 12:9
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
- CHRIST’S GRACE not our own
- grace is power/ability/energy to endure
- Christ’s grace is sufficient to keep us going
- this same grace is available to us as well!
-- the power that kept paul going is the same power that is available to us
- paul says “how can I walk away? I know Christ is true and my faith is based on him”
-- therefore Paul leaned hard on Christ because there was no other option
- paul finally got to the place that this was what God had chosen for him
-- for god to display his power through his weakness
- for the world to look upon the dreadful state he was in and see that God was using such weakness; it could only be God
- people were saying “are you serious? This is what you’re using to spread Christianity?”
- God’s will is for us to live lives dependant on him
-- that was the purpose of this ailment
-- God filled the gap in Paul’s life with his power, not paul’s

2 Cor 12:10
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- for Christ’s sake he delights in all of that crap
-- because when he is weak and powerless, he is strong
--- why? Because it is then that he is most dependant
- Paul has recognized that it is far better to be dependant on God than look good to the world
- God wants us to be dependant on him rather than fine in the sight of the world
- MY GREATEST WEAKNESS IS GOD’S GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIS POWER ONLY IF I DECIDE TO TRUST HIM
- if I choose to walk away from that, I walk away from his empowering grace that I so desperately need in the midst of something I cannot control or change!
-- I need the grace because I am out of control
- if I run from God I turn to other things that only break and pull me down
- the situation may not change, but that doesn’t mean God isn’t there
-- it may be God’s way of pulling us into dependence on him
-- without this affliction, I wouldn’t see my need for dependence
-- God’s grace is sufficient and available only if I come to him
- must go boldly and every time I go I will find grace and mercy in those moments of weakness even whenever God says no to my hopes
- it takes a lot more faith to endure a no than acquire a yes
-- when God says no, it is not a reflection of my faith
-- when god says no, I have an opportunity to be a reflection of his grace
- this is hard
-- Paul doesn’t want a God that allows his servants to suffer; neither do I

Here’s the kind of God I want: _________________________

- what does this paragraph say? Does it show I want to be God or God to be my butler?
-- is that really a god that I need? One that is a butler to everyone?
- I need a God who is bigger than me; a God who can empathize with me; and God who can pull me from the crap I experience; who can give me the strength to get through the crap I’m in
- that grace is available but I can’t get it till I lean hard on god
-- in that moment, it will be sufficient for you
- I can never make life the way I want it to be; god will never make life the way I want it to be
- what I can get is the grace and mercy to endure the way my life is

Faith, Hope, and Luck part 3

Andy Stanley – Faith, Hope, Luck Part 3

No formula of “good things” ever gets God to bend to our will
- circumstantial faith is merely a way of trying to get control over God
- faith isn’t seeing God in the details, although that happens
-- foundation of faith is a person who lived 2000 years ago
-- faith = God is who he claims to be and that he’ll do everything he promised to do
-- bridge between faith and hope are the promises of God
--- the only things that we can count on god to do is what he promised
--- hope – I really hope this happens
--- faith – God, these are your promises and I’m holding you to those

God has not promised:
- to keep bad things from happening (just look at his disciples—they were beaten, stoned, martyred, stranded on an island, etc) John 16:33 – we will have trouble
- wealth (just look at his disciples—they were all poor)
? – if there’s nothing in it for us, why believe? Because Jesus is raised and this is true
- healing (John 5 – Jesus healed only one of the multitude of sick people)
- to reverse consequences of sin (sometimes he will, but not always. These are things we hope for that sometimes God answers)

- can never get God to do anything just by doing __________

Hebrews 4:14-16
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize (empathize) with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
- Jesus is able to empathize with our weaknesses because he has experienced those things
-- Jesus spent a night dreading the events of the next day
-- Jesus knows what it’s like to be betrayed
- every time we fail, Jesus has been obedient in those situations so God credits Jesus’ righteousness to us
- because of this, let’s go to God with confidence not formality (enemy of intimacy) out of fear of offending God
-- we can go to God boldly, with extreme emotion, bare, exposed, dependant
--- so that we may receive mercy/grace
- if we come boldly, we’ll receive something from God EVERY TIME

God has promised:
1. mercy: God will take our issue seriously because they are our issues (not necessarily because they are serious)
-He takes it seriously because he loves us, just like a father takes his children’s issues seriously because he loves his kids even if the issues themselves are trivial
-- God knows what we’re struggling!
-- John 11, Jesus weeps outside of Laz’s tomb because he was empathizing with our struggle
--- Jesus isn’t too big or too great to deal with us
2. grace: strength/energy/ability to endure
-- God hasn’t promised us to deliver us from our circumstances
--- he has promised to deliver us through our circumstances
-- every time he will give us the grace to endure whatever we’re struggling through
3. his presence!

- must go boldly to him! Must rely/depend on him even when we can’t see him!

- we want a “can of intervention” from God
-- we want him to do our bidding and our will
-- we want grace and mercy to us and justice to others
- this is the age of grace and mercy to all
- the age of intervention will come
-- it will be the end of the world as we know it
-- there will be a day when we get whatever we want; it will be the end of sin/sorrow/death
-- it will be bigger than our little worries/desires
-- it will also be the end of God’s extension of mercy/grace

- when we see god’s grace, it isn’t because we had great faith but because God is good and gracious
-- our faith is in the person of Christ not our ability to get God to do what we want
-- we can pray for anything we want! And we can go straight to God!
--- lean on God! lose everything that comes between us and God!

Faith, Hope, and Luck part 2

Andy Stanley – Faith, Hope, and Luck Part 2

Pleasures of life erode circumstantial faith because faith is inconvenient

True faith in the person of Christ means that if God never showed up or answered a prayer, that we would still have confidence in God because of Jesus

CHRISTIAN DEFINITION OF FAITH:
- faith isn’t a force or power, it isn’t throwing a lasso around God so that he’ll do what I want, it isn’t a power I tap into, meditate into
- faith is not a formula
- faith isn’t confidence or hope; it isn’t saying “I believe/hope it works out”
- faith is not complicated
- the size doesn’t matter, only the object

Hebrews 11 – faith is the assurance of things hoped for; certain of what we do not see
- faith and hope are different
- call someone and leave a voicemail asking to get lunch w a person (hope)
-- faith is being certain that will happen
-- what will have to happen to make hope into faith
why do I believe God created the world?
-- by faith
-- did I meditate myself into that faith?

Who initiated noah and god’s interaction?
-- God
Noah built the ark by faith; confidence in things not seen

Abraham was told by God to leave and go
-- God’s idea but Abraham responded by faith

as a Christian, why do I believe God created the heavens and the earth?
- my idea? No
- Genesis told me
- my belief is an act of faith

the bridge between hope and faith is the promise of God
- the reason I would show up for lunch is because the person called me back and said they would show up (they promised so I can act on it)
- noah built the ark because God made a promise
- Abraham went because God made a promise

FAITH IS CONFIDENCE THAT GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS AND THAT HE’LL DO EVERYTHING HE PROMISED TO DO


Means we can come to god and ask whatever we want
- faith is confidence that God can do that, confidence that God loves me, confidence that God is still good/there/God even if he says no


luke 5
- man with leprosy fell at Jesus feet and begged (means he has something the leper needs)
-- doesn’t know Jesus will heal him but there’s no where else to go
-- doesn’t try to talk Jesus into healing him
- just falls on his face in humility before God; Jesus could walk away and the man’s opinion of his dependence on Jesus wouldn’t change

sometimes God is willing in the moment, maybe in the future, maybe not at all
-- but he is still God and I am not
- I am his beloved child not because he answered my prayer but because he sent his son to be my savior
-- this is proof!
-- JESUS IS STILL MY SAVIOR AND GOD IS STILL GOD
- this is why people can have extraordinary faith in tough times
-- say that God is still who he is
-- grateful that I am on the other side of calvary/saved
--- therefore God has been eternally good to me
--- anything else is just icing on the cake
- God doesn’t do my bidding, he is the creator and sovereign God!
-- but he wants us to address him as Father because I am his child
--- go to him because he is the one that can do something for me
---- not that he will, but he is the only one who can
--- if he is willing, he can and will do it

what has God promised?
-- what has he promised to do?
-- next sermon