Tag: victory

Victory from Defeat

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(Genesis 3:8-15)

The team that gets swept in four games doesn’t win the championship. The candidate with fewer votes doesn’t win the election. The contestant with the wrong answer doesn’t win the gameshow. There’s no rigorous testing or investigation that needs to happen in such cases to determine the winner from the loser; it’s plain to see.

Unless you’re God. Then it’s more of a challenge. Why? Because God wins, and God doesn’t just win in victory, but God has repeatedly shown that he also wins in “defeat.” In other words, no matter how things may appear to us through our earthly eyes, whatever we’re seeing, God is able to use to win – to bring victory out of it. Yes, even victory from defeat. 

We have the follow-up to what appeared to be the most tragic defeat in all of history in our verses from Genesis 3. God had spoken the world into existence and established Adam & Eve as its keepers and overseers. He gave them the freedom to enjoy the created world in countless ways, while also providing them with opportunity to worship him by honoring the one command he did give them: not to eat the fruit of a certain tree. Satan, though, had his rebellious heart set on turning the created against their Creator, and never before and never again will one bite come at such a price. With it, sin had infiltrated God’s perfect world, and the occasion in our verses details for us what happened next. 

The question is often asked, “Why didn’t God just start all over after the fall?” That’s actually a fair question. The thought behind that question comes from the rationale that starting over could have avoided so much of the devastation that sin has caused in the world. While that may be true, if God had elected to take a mulligan and do it all over again, he would have been bound to his own word that warned of hell for anyone who ate the fruit from the one tree he prohibited (Gen. 2:16-17). To start over would have resulted in the first two souls ever created being sentenced to hell for eternity.

So God chose the better way, laid out in these verses from Genesis 3, so that no one – not even our first parents – would need to be sentenced to hell for eternity, because his Son would serve that sentence in our place.

The same question, “Why didn’t God just start all over after the fall,” could be asked from another perspective: that of God’s righteous wrath. Why didn’t God instantly turn his holy face from them? They had disobeyed his clear command. They didn’t deserve an explanation from him, let alone to ever have any interaction with God again. He surely could have written them off, condemned them, and started all over again based on just their actions alone.

Instead, God shows us who he is. He is more interested in pursuing sinners than he is in punishing them. Do you believe that about God? He reveals that to us about himself in this very account. Not only that, but our top-down faith also allows us to see that God is more than capable of bringing victory out of defeat. 

While God will not force anyone to come to faith in him or to love him, what God will do is make those things possible for everyone. Not only that, but he also provides more than enough reason for our faith and love to be directed to him.

Perhaps no account demonstrates this so clearly and so powerfully as “The Fall.” In fact, the heading for this section in our Bibles might be better labeled “God’s Determined Grace.” For even though the fall into sin brought irreparable damage to God’s perfect creation and to our lives and relationships, it was also the occasion through which God introduced his radical grace. And the greatness of God’s grace will always far outshine the severity and shame of sin. That’s because grace makes it possible to experience victory even in defeat. 

That doesn’t otherwise happen outside of grace. The losing side loses. While there may be some lessons learned and some positive takeaways, the defeated side in any war still loses. The losing party in the election still loses. The jury in a courtroom doesn’t rule in favor of both sides; there is a winner and a loser in every trial. That’s the way it works. The winning side enjoys the victory while the losing side is defeated.

But God’s promise in Genesis 3 turned that on its head. Even as God lays out his first gospel promise in all of Scripture, what is he doing but announcing victory in the face of defeat? The serpent had won. He had succeeded in deceiving Adam & Eve in sin. He was victorious. Yet look at how God proceeded with the interrogation process and judgment rendered after the fact.

He started with Adam, and the fact that he was hiding was a dead giveaway, an obvious indicator of his guilt. In a roundabout “I did it but it’s not really my fault” kind of way, double-dishing the blame on both the woman and basically God for putting her there with him, he did at least admit his defeat. He had eaten the fruit. Guilty. 

Instead of declaring Adam’s sentencing for his guilt right then and there, God moved on. The woman was up next. Taking her lead from Adam’s example, in similar fashion she gave yet another “I did it but it’s not really my fault” response, pinning it on the serpent. But at least she did admit her defeat. She had eaten the fruit. Guilty.

Instead of declaring Even’s sentencing for her guilt right then and there, God moved on. The serpent was up next.

This time, however, there is no interrogation. There is not trial. There is no opportunity for the serpent to defend himself. Instead of providing Satan with the opportunity to respond, God has only one thing to declare: judgment. Defeat. Yes, Satan looked like the victorious one as the juice from the fruit trickled down Adam & Eve’s lips, but God had something else to say about it. In no uncertain terms, he declared Satan’s defeat at the hands of the Savior, and victory for any and all who would believe it. The Lord God declared to Satan about Eve’s offspring, Jesus, “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (Gen. 3:15). 

When we leave the garden and arrive at Golgotha, we see God’s promise of victory carried out – albeit a victory that would come through what appeared to be defeat. That supposed defeat, that Jesus had to endure the crucifixion as our substitute, was Genesis 3:15 playing out, for there Satan struck the heel of Eve’s offspring, the Savior. He had to suffer and die. 

His death, however, was not defeat; it was the first of a one-two punch to Satan and all of hell, by which Satan’s head would be crushed. His death served the sentence for all sinners. Jesus bore not only the weight of all sin of all time, but also all the fury and wrath of God’s righteous anger against sin by being abandoned and forsaken to endure hell in our place.

But not forever! No, the glorious final blow of the one-two punch came three days later when the very same Savior, Jesus, rose triumphantly in – not defeat, but in victory! So both in the garden and again at Golgotha, God rendered victory from defeat!

So God still does this for you and for me today. In one of the most painful experiences of what appears to be defeat, a loved one dies. We even speak in terms of defeat – they “lost” their battle with cancer or we “lost” them last night. Yet for those loved ones in Christ, theirs is not a loss at a all; rather, they have crossed the finish line of victory and made it home. They’ve won, because God wins.

It happens also in the aftermath of sin that we commit, when we’ve “lost” (there it is again!) the battle of temptation and are reeling from the collateral damage of that sin – ours or another’s. That empty cup of self-inflicted suffering is where God’s grace and forgiveness are poured out and overflow. So even sin, with all its damage and loss, must give way to the victory of forgiveness and renewal and reconciliation, which is ALWAYS right behind sin, cleaning up its mess. What looks like loss is the very grace of forgiveness that assures us of not only victory, but newfound strength that shapes us ever more into the image of the Savior, so that next time we don’t so easily or willingly stumble. We are battle-tested and better-prepared because of the grace of forgiveness. Victory from defeat. We win, because God wins.

That leads us to thank God through the joy of our sanctified living. But sometimes our sanctified living doesn’t look very sanctified. Sometimes, even though God’s grace has and always will declare us to be victorious, to be winners… we still live like losers, like those who have been defeated. This happens when the life of an unbeliever and the life of a believer appear to be virtually identical. The believer’s language still sounds like he’s on the losing side of the world. The believer still jokes the course jokes that sound like the losing side of the world. The believer is just as indifferent or disinterested in growing in faith and God’s Word like he’s on the losing side of the world. The list goes on.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, in the garden, God promised victory from defeat. At Golgotha, he delivered on that promise. Through faith in Jesus Christ as the Guaranteer of that victory, you have won. Your baptism solidifies it. The Supper reminds you of it. So let us live like it. Let us not be indistinguishable from those of the world who do not know or care to know about the victory we have in Jesus Christ. Let us stand out, like winners, like sanctified saints who have a spiritual swagger that is backed up by righteous living. In doing so, we reveal to others what it looks like for God to bring victory from defeat in our lives – and show what it could like like in their’s too.

Real Triumph

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(1 John 5:1-6)

“Jesus Crushed” might have been what the headlines would have read on Good Friday as the story started to spread. To those present, whose eyes had watched the most unjust death sentence ever carried out in all of history, it would have felt like an appropriate description. To those whose ears were filled with his final agonizing cries as God’s Son died, “Jesus Crushed” would have felt like an appropriate breaking news headline for what they witnessed firsthand. It certainly appeared that way.

But Easter Sunday exposed the headline as fake news – or entirely incomplete, anyway. The headline had to be extended to accurately reflect the truth: “Jesus Crushed… the Serpent’s Head!”

Jesus wasn’t defeated on Good Friday; rather, he was delivering the death blow to his enemy. Jesus was unraveling all of Satan’s plans to leave mankind culpable and condemned by sin. Jesus hadn’t been overcome by the plans his enemy had carried out. Instead, by those very plans he had overcome the enemy and won the ultimate victory, guaranteeing forgiveness and eternal salvation. No, Jesus hadn’t been crushed; he had carried out the crushing blow. He had overcome. 

That understanding provides some context to John’s words in our verses. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is theSon of God” (v.4-5). The victory, the triumph is real, and it belongs to those who belong to Jesus by faith.

The certainty of our connection to Christ and his victory on our behalf is one of the beautiful blessings of baptism, spelled out for us in Romans 3, where Paul wrote, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4). Just as surely as he died and rose, so in baptism we have died and risen with him. He has overcome; so, therefore, have we!

But what are we talking about? Really, what does it mean for us as believers to have the assurance of this victory, this triumph? What does it mean that we who are born of God “overcome the world?”

Admittedly, it does sound like a pretty pumped up pep talk to know that we’ve overcome the world, but that elation will fade pretty quickly if it doesn’t translate into understanding for us. Otherwise, it would be like flipping through channels to stumble upon some infomercial that grabs our attention because of the guy’s energy level and excitement. While we pause because we are drawn to that energy and excitement, if after a few moments we still can’t figure out what product he’s peddling, then we’ll just resume flipping through the channels. So for this confidence that we “overcome the world” to resonate with us, we really have to understand what John is telling us. 

Let’s not overthink it. Take that word “overcome” and flip it around. We know what it’s like to be overcome by something. Someone trying to explain their out-of-character behavior might chalk it up to being overcome with emotion. Parents watch their child’s team play a great game, only to see the other team overcome them in the end and steal the victory. 

Perhaps another common word speaks to us a little more clearly: overwhelmed. When we talk about being burdened or overcome we are saying that we’re overwhelmed. It’s too much. We have too much on our plate. We can’t keep our head above water. We aren’t getting done everything that needs to get done, or at least aren’t getting it done as well as it needs to get done. We’re failing. We’re suffocating. We’re overwhelmed and overcome. Sometimes it may even just be a feeling or emotion we’re experiencing and aren’t sure why. One way or another, we’ve all experienced that overwhelm to some degree! So how do we get the upper hand when we’re feeling overwhelmed, overcome? We tell ourselves the truth.

A pastor friend shared an insightful encouragement that he had recently come across that he found helpful to pass on to others: “Talk to yourself more than you listen to yourself.”

Think about it. Nobody talks to you on any given day more than you talk to yourself. The conversations, the dialogue – it’s going on non-stop in your head. It’s the thoughts you have about another person who enters the room. It’s the way you react when you read something online. It’s the memory that is narrated in your head when a nostalgic aroma arises.

Every experience we have throughout the day involves some back and forth inside our minds. That’s fine – so long as we realize we’re in control of what we tell ourselves. We determine the narrative. And we can tell ourselves either the lies that the devil would have us repeat or we can tell ourselves the truth that God reveals to us in his Word.  

So hear again the truth that God reveals to us in his Word for any who for any reason whatsoever are feeling overwhelmed and overcome in this world: “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is theSon of God” (v.4-5). Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? Then the world doesn’t overcome you; rather, you overcome the world. In and through Jesus, we have victory. We will triumph. 

Let’s also understand what this does not mean. It isn’t a guarantee that he’ll get the girl or that she’ll get the guy. This is not a blank-check promise that you’ll land the job of your dreams or get accepted into your first choice for college. This is not the promise of some divine forcefield that will shield you from every financial woe or sickness. 

No, it’s actually better than all of that. John’s promise that we overcome is directly connected to some of the most powerful, peace-possessing words our Savior ever spoke. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

I absolutely love these words of Jesus! He tells us like it is. He doesn’t pretend to hide the ugliness of our broken world with some flowery greeting-card language, but gives it to us straight. Yes, ours is a dysfunctional and distraught world… and Jesus has overcome it. This world’s troubles are not permanent. The best is yet to come, and it is ours because he has overcome. Take heart! Have peace!

Occasionally at a sporting event, you may hear the players or fans cheering a familiar chant at some point in the game. They’ll repeat the words, “We believe that we will win. We believe that we will win.” Each refrain gets louder and more intense, as the players do their best to rally and win. Such a chant can inject the confidence needed to pull out the victory. 

As Christians we can chant something similar. But we need to change it slightly because we already know the outcome. “We believe that we have won! We believe that we have won!”

We have. We know where we’re going. We know the worst of this world is temporary. We know we overcome. We know it. How can we be so sure?

John provides proof to eliminate any doubts that may exist. He points to the evidence in verse six. “This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.” Even though there are a number of ways these words could be interpreted, any way we take them, John’s purpose is the same – he’s pointing to proof that Jesus was and is who he claimed to be. The Messiah. Our Savior. Our Redeemer. 

One interpretation takes John’s words to refer to his own eyewitness testimony of Jesus’ crucifixion. To make sure Jesus was dead, when his side was pierced, John’s Gospel points out that not just blood, but blood AND water flowed from the wound. Jesus had really died.

A second interpretation takes the water to be a reference to the start of Jesus’ public ministry at his baptism and the blood to refer to the completion of his ministry by his sacrifice on the cross.

A third interpretation takes the water, blood, and Spirit to picture the means of grace. The water refers to baptism and the blood to Holy Communion. Together with the powerful promises of the Word, the Holy Spirit uses those means to testify and proclaim the truth of the gospel, by which he creates and strengthens faith.

Whichever interpretation one takes, they all serve the same purpose of the author here: to provide proof that we can know beyond mere speculation or feelings or emotions that because of Jesus’ completed work as our Savior, we overcome. We have the assurance of real triumph. Live in that triumph as you remember your baptism. Celebrate that triumph through the Supper. 

In light of our triumph, our victory, consider some of the differences between the behavior of the losing side versus the winning side. Losers are dejected. Losers make excuses. Losers blame the refs. Losers give up. Losers complain about it not being fair.

We aren’t losers. In Christ we are triumphant. We win because he wins. Winners are joy-filled. Winners celebrate each other. Winners keep working hard. Winners give credit where it’s due. Winners love God by carrying out his commands. Live like it! Love others like it. That’s how we celebrate that Jesus crushed the serpent’s head and has overcome. That’s how we celebrate real triumph!

Victorious Over Meaninglessness

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(Luke 24:44-53)

Aristotle was on to something with the phrase, “well-begun is nearly done.” He was emphasizing the importance of not only getting a project started, but starting it in a strong or favorable way. The theory is that the rest of the work comes much easier from that point on, significantly increasing the likelihood of completion. 

The expression also applied to Jesus’ words at his ascension. Well-begun is nearly done. Jesus got the mission of the church rolling, and he got it off on the right foot: he suffered, died, and he rose. That’s a great start! When on the cross Jesus cried, “It is finished,” he was speaking of your salvation. That part is done. There is no unfinished business or requirement that needs to be met in order to restore a perfect relationship with God that had previously been ripped apart by our sin. It’s all done. We’re all good with God.

But just as surely as Jesus stated, “it is finished,” from the cross on Good Friday, from the clouds at the Ascension, Jesus might as well have said, “It isn’t finished.” Because it isn’t – that is, his mission. No, Jesus’ mission – your mission, our mission, the church’s mission, is why we’re here – because that job is not yet finished. We’re here – living, breathing, alive – because that mission has not yet been completed. You’ll know when it is completed because that will be the day Jesus returns to put a permanent end to suffering and sin.

Until then, though, our mission continues. After beginning the mission and completing the backbone of it in order for us to continue carrying it out, Jesus spelled out our mission. Before returning to the right hand of the Father, he said, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (v. 46-48).

Jesus did the heavy lifting to solidify our salvation. In truth, Jesus is still every bit as much the one who does the heavy lifting today. His disciples are the ones who bring that mission to completion by witnessing to others that Jesus has already done the heavy lifting. Let’s be a little clearer: you are the ones who bring that mission to completion by witnessing to others that Jesus has already done the heavy lifting.

You get to tell others to put down their heavy burdens. You get to tell others to set down their work righteousness. You get to tell others they can let go of their guilt. You get to tell others they do not need to keep carrying their past record of wrongs. You get to tell others their sentence of an eternity of community service has been commuted. You get to tell others there is rest in Jesus, forgiveness from the Faithful One and salvation in the Savior. 

That is your mission, my mission, our mission. Is it clear? Do you need more explanation? Is something fuzzy? Good news: Jesus stands by ready to clarify, just as he did with the first disciples. “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures” (v.45).

Consider how the phrase “open-minded” is used today. It is not usually a compliment when someone tells you that you need to be more open-minded about something. It implies you’re stuck in your ways, that you can only see a matter one way, that you are incapable of viewing it any other way. So here, Luke uses the phrase to indicate that Jesus’ disciples had a very limited understanding of Scripture. The very purpose of opening their minds was for them to gain a better grasp of Scripture. Why did they need a better grasp of Scripture? So they could understand the mission better, not just in terms of what to do, but why to do it.

Much is made of this in the way of leadership development these days, and rightly so. If people are only given a “what” – the nuts and bolts and ABCs of carrying out some task, they lack the drive to carry it out. They need to know the “why” – “why does this matter? why is this important?” Jesus covered the “why” by reviewing his suffering, death, and resurrection, thereby setting the tone for rolling out the mission: “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (v.47-48). 

When a believer or a group of believers has lost sight of the mission, minds need to be opened to understand the Scriptures and get back to the “why” of our mission: the good news of Jesus’ perfect life, willing suffering, innocent death, powerful resurrection, and glorious ascension. These are the bedrock of our very being. These remind us of where we stand with God and why – we are at peace with him – sins paid for in full – because Jesus did it all. That news is for us to soak up for ourselves!

That news is also for us to share with others! Nothing has changed in the 2,000 years since Jesus ascended; the mission remains the same. We soak up that message; we share that message.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located in Arlington National Cemetary in Virginia, is a monument dedicated to all of the unidentified military service members who have died fighting in our nation’s wars. It is guarded by soldiers of the United States Army, and it is considered one of the highest honors to be selected to serve as a sentinel (fewer than 20 percent of volunteers are accepted). Visitors can watch the ceremony that takes place as the guard is changed at various times. When that takes place, the guard being relieved will state to the oncoming guard, “Post and orders remain as directed.” The other then responds, “Orders acknowledged.” In other words, the mission to stand guard at the tomb is the same today as it was on the day it was first given, to stand guard at the tomb. 

We need to hear the same reminder today, “post and orders remain as directed.” The mission that Jesus gave to his church at his ascension is the same mission of his church today. Nothing has changed. “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things” (v.47-48). Nothing has changed. That is our mission. 

In addition to speaking of opening the disciples’ minds, there is another term that Jesus used that includes the idea of changing one’s mind. That is essentially the meaning of the word, “repentance,” which Jesus stated was a part of our mission. As disciples today witness, the Holy Spirit changes minds through the Word. Repentance takes place as others are led to see their sin and rejoice in their Savior and his forgiveness. Minds – and eternities along with them! – are changed as the mission is carried out. Repentance changes minds about Jesus.

Do our minds “need to be changed?” Does repentance need to take place where we have lost sight of the mission? Do we need to confess that the reason we’re not carrying out the mission is that we’re not caring about the mission? Do we need to acknowledge that we’ve too readily admitted to failing at the mission but have not been very quick to make any changes and resume carrying out the mission we’ve been given? Have we too often told ourselves the “I’m too _______ to carry out the mission” – too timid, too inexperienced, too young, too old, too tired, too… etc.? 

The truth is that we’re “too” forgiven not to carry on the mission. Jesus takes the least qualified, and sends them – sends us – to carry out his mission. That was who he sent at his Ascension, and that is who he sends today. And those he sends, he equips, just as he did ten days after his Ascension through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. That was what Jesus was promising in verse 49: “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” 

To those willing to carry on the mission today, Jesus promises the same powerful Spirit. He equips us with the Word of God, he has dressed us properly in our baptism, and he feeds us regularly through the Sacrament. We lack nothing for carrying out the mission. Jesus needs only hearts stirred by the gospel and lips willing to speak. That’s really all he is looking for, and he can work with that wherever he finds it. Will he find those two things when he looks to you for them?

We live in a culture that clamors for fame. Influencers hope their social media accounts blow up and lead to fame. YouTube offers the hope of a viral video that might pave the way to fame. Sadly, the prevalence of shootings can be tied to a desire for fame – even from such tragedy. In a fame-focused culture, let’s commit to the same pursuit; let’s chase after fame.

But not for you and me. Let’s make Jesus famous. Let’s recapture for a world disenfranchised by the Christian Church what Christianity is all about: Jesus. Let’s stop praying small and start playing big. Let’s stop tearing down the world and focus more on lifting up Christ. Less of digging in our heels and more of digging into the Word. Let’s worry less about making Christianity unpopular and focus more on making Jesus famous.

After all, he got it all started – “well begun is nearly done.” Let’s faithfully finish what he started. Let’s let him bring to completion through us what he brought to completion on the cross. At his Ascension, he spelled out his mission clearly for us. Let’s recommit to carrying it out by making our lives less about us and more about Jesus as we carry out his purposes. Jesus’ resurrection – and ascension – have given your life meaning – let’s let our lives mean as much as possible in pursuit of winning as many souls as we possibly can together!

Victorious Over Grief

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(John 16:16-24)

Agree or disagree? Christians are better off than non-Christians. You might presume that how a person answers that question depends on whether or he or she is a Christian. If you are not a Christian, you would likely disagree with the statement (otherwise you’d have become a Christian, right?). If you are a Christian, then you might either agree or disagree. One Christian might have a number of unbelieving friends who appear to have great lives, while another Christian might completely agree on the basis of God’s promises in Jesus, he is always better off. 

Either way, the point is not to nail down who is better off, but rather to nudge us to think about exactly what criteria we’d consider to determine our stance. If the criteria is based on circumstances or situations, then disappointment will always follow. At that same time, how is it that some Christians who have endured exhausting lives are some of the most joy-filled people you’ll ever meet?

That would seem to go against the flow of conventional thinking. We tend to think that joy and happiness exist in the absence of adversity, not in the presence of it. How then does one explain it? How can some who have had a very rough life still be so full of joy? Let Jesus explain for us this morning. 

Be ready, though, because his words might catch you off guard. “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve… A woman giving birth to a child has pain  because her time has come; So with you: Now is your time of grief…” (v.20-22a). Jesus plainly states that life right now will be painful and hard! So for those who aren’t Christians, after reading that, let me try to read your mind. I’m guessing you hear those words and say to yourself, “Where do I sign up??? This whole Christian thing sounds like a blast!”

Now you can be turned off by that, embittered by that, resentful of Jesus for that… or you can be comforted, because as it turns out, Jesus was a straight-shooter with us. He didn’t paint some pretend pollyanna promise for us, but gave it to us like it is.

If you’ve ever watched the WandaVision series, it’s based on a main super-hero character who has gone through some heavy trauma. In response, she fabricates an ideal “Leave it to Beaver”-type life. Her husband and family are perfect. Her neighbors are perfect and the neighborhood is perfect. Everything is perfect.

Jesus didn’t pretend. He said, “Life will stink. Life will be hard.” And he told us this not to embitter us, but to prepare us, so that when we encounter that reality, we aren’t shocked, we aren’t surprised or taken aback. Rather, we conclude, “Huh, it’s just like Jesus said it would be.” 

Now some may take issue with this because they’ve been sold on the idea that if there’s really something to this whole God thing, then nothing bad should ever happen in the world. However, that starts with a the false premise that the world could even come to an agreement on what is good (e.g., is the right to have an abortion good or not?)! All we have to do is ask opinions on hot-button issues and we see very quickly that no two people agree on what “good” is. Therefore, how could God possibly satisfy every individual’s idea of good in the face of so much contradiction?

Another thought presumes that if the world is good and bad things happen, then those bad things stand as evidence against God. But what if, on the basis of all-too-common atrocities like church and store shootings we flip that thought around: the world actually isn’t a good place – it’s a bad one! Then any good experience at all in such a bad world would be evidence of a good God!

Friends, if Jesus tells us what to expect now, and it plays out just like he said it would, doesn’t that grab our attention? If it’s just like Jesus said it would be now, doesn’t that give Jesus more credibility when he also tells us what it’s going to be like later? Doesn’t that make us think twice before dismissing what he says about our future as well?

If a year ago your financial advisor predicted accurately exactly where your tanking investments would be today, as tough a pill as it might be to swallow, wouldn’t you have more faith in him, not less, despite a plummeting portfolio? Wouldn’t you feel more confident with someone like that managing your retirement than an advisor who predicted earth-shattering gains, only to have to come up with some excuse or explanation for why he was so horribly mistaken? 

So let’s look at what else Jesus promises in these words, for they are far from all gloom and doom! “Your grief will turn to joy” (v.20)… “you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (v.22)… “your joy will be complete” (v.24). That’s Jesus repeating himself quite a bit in just these few verses – you think maybe there is a point he’s trying to get across? What was to be the source of all this joy?

In this case, it was Jesus promising his disciples that death wouldn’t have the last word, but that he would return to them from the grave. In his first words of this section, “Jesus went on to say, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’” (v.16). In a few days, Jesus would die and his disciples would not see him. Three days after that, however, they would see him again after he rose from the dead. He would vacate his tomb and through his victorious resurrection restore their joy. He would permanently rewrite the story so that death would not be the end. Gut-wrenching grief would give birth to the most jubilant joy!

For us that joy doubles, for not only do we have the benefit of looking back to see that Jesus made good on his promise to the disciples, but we also have the joy of looking ahead to his return on the last day when he ushers in eternal victory! Even before that, the assurance of Jesus’ resurrection and undoing of death makes a world of difference in the face of the ultimate grief of losing a loved one. 

It has not escaped my notice over the course of my life that there is a drastic difference in how people of other religions or no religion speak in the face of death compared to how Christians speak at the death of fellow Christians. I have observed others speak of a hope or an optimism that their loved one is in a better place, but noticeably lacking in that hope and optimism is any confidence. The Christian, though, even through countless tears, is able to confidently find peace not in hoping or being optimistic, but in knowing their loved one is in heaven. 

And before one writes off such confidence as misguided arrogance, realize that the difference comes from the founder himself. The best every other religion or religious figure or book ever promises is a chance at eternal life if the individual has been good enough.

Not so with Jesus! Jesus promises eternal life to all who are in him. So call him a liar, dismiss his promise, but at least acknowledge that the Christian’s confidence in the face of death is based on a very real and very clear promise, and not possibility, which is the best every other religion claims. And being fully confident of what the future holds is why many a Christian is so filled with joy in the present, right now. Yes, even in the face of grieving. Even in the face of adversity. 

We have an elementary school at my church, and in the morning I am there to greet kids an parents as they arrive at school. I think if you were to ask the students and parents how many times they’ve seen me in a bad or bitter mood, they wouldn’t likely recall any. But if you think that’s becuase I’ve never had a bad day or had anything go wrong on any of those mornings, you’d be wrong! Of course I have! We all have!

But still there is joy – every single day there is joy. Why? Jesus. My joy comes as a result of confidence of knowing exactly who I am in Jesus Christ, and the joy of knowing exactly what my future in Jesus Christ holds. In Jesus I am forgiven. In Jesus I am loved. In Jesus my reservation and home in heaven has already been secured. So there is joy. Always joy.

Yes, troubles will come. But Jesus overcomes trouble. In fact he said that very thing! At the end of this same chapter from John, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (v.33).

Jesus’ words this morning are profound. They aren’t what we might expect. They’re profound in part, at least, because they’re… normal. Average. Real. He’s not the helicopter parent who pretends that nothing bad will ever happen to us in this world. It will, because it’s not the world he created, but a broken knock-off. Of course it will let us down! 

But that trouble won’t last. While I can’t personally relate to the comparison Jesus makes, the mothers gathered here this morning can. In referring to the temporary grief of this world that will be followed by the permanent joy of the next, Jesus compared it to a woman in childbirth. “A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world” (v.21). That moment when a mother first holds in her arms the very baby that she has been holding in her womb for 9 months is a moment of elated joy that eclipses the pain of childbirth. Gone is the grief; it has been overshadowed by overwhelming joy!

Yet even that joy will eventually fade. All of this world’s joy is short-lived and fleeting. It is quickly countered by discouragement and disappointment. The quick expiration date on the world’s joy means that it has such a short shelf-life! It spoils so soon! 

But you know what joy will not fade? The joy of Jesus, a joy that can never be taken away. That joy will lack nothing, but will “complete” and “no one will take [it] away.” That joy permeates our school – students and teachers alike! That joy is evident in our church congregation and compels us to gather together in an often joyless world. Because we know that here, in this place, where Jesus is the center of all that we do, his resurrection promises us joy; it is the promise that in him we are victorious over grief!

Victorious Over Suffering

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(Revelation 1:9-18)

What’s the most painful experience of suffering you’ve ever had? Was it physical or was it an emotionally draining experience? Some of us have sustained multiple significant injuries as a result of a devastating accident, possibly resulting in chronic pain. Severe sickness – or the treatment of it – can lead to pretty serious suffering, too. Maybe the worst bout of suffering came because of financial loss or a relational hardship. It’s a sobering reminder of the reality of this fallen world we call home that we could go on for quite some time sharing stories of personal suffering that we’ve experienced or even are currently in the midst of experiencing.

Then there is the kind of suffering we want to give our attention to in this post: spiritual suffering. What’s been the most painful experience of suffering you’ve had because of who you are in Jesus? I probably tend to diminish this area of suffering because it seems so unfair for us to complain of spiritual suffering when there are Christians in parts of the world who live in daily fear of physical injury or even death because of their faith. They worship Jesus where laws forbid it, resulting in their living under a cloud of constant suffering. 

But we, too, experience spiritual suffering because of Jesus. Relationships have ended or become extremely strained because of how others view our faith or have fallen from it themselves. Hostility or ridicule in the workplace, whether on a small or a large scale, is not uncommon for some of us. Some experience the suffering of spiritual isolation because they are not near any Christian congregations faithful enough to God’s Word with whom they can gather.

We suffer from the frustration of being a part of an increasingly godless society, seeing sin not just tolerated, but celebrated, and it weighs heavily on our hearts. And of course, we will endure seasons of self-inflicted spiritual suffering while we grapple with certain sins that may even threaten to sever our relationship with Jesus. Those times of real testing and struggle pummel us with guilt, even causing us to tiptoe dangerously close to Judas if we despair of our forgiveness and salvation. Yes, we experience very real spiritual suffering on a variety of levels.   

So as John reveals his visions in the book we call Revelation, right away we see that the one writing these words is relatable. He isn’t addressing us as the book-smart expert with no actual experience, but one who has been – and is, even as he writes – in the midst of spiritual suffering. “I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 1:9). 

He identifies himself as our “brother” and “companion” – and on what basis? On the basis of suffering as a Christian. He wrote these words while in exile, banished to isolation on an island, not because of insurrection, murder, or genocide, but because he was a Christian. It was “because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

John lived during the time of guys like Saul – not the first failed Old Testament king, but Saul the persecutor and public enemy number one of Christians before he was converted to that very same Christian faith and became the apostle Paul. There was persecution against Christians on multiple fronts, from both non-Christian religious zealots and the Roman government. John was experiencing real suffering and was writing to Christians in real congregations to uplift them with real hope in the face of real suffering. This hope springs from the Resurrection and the confidence it gives us that Jesus’ victory ensures that we, too, are victorious over suffering. 

What is John’s solution to suffering? “Look at the view!” My family just returned from Yosemite. As we made our way through all the twists and turns and started to come into the Yosemite valley, we suddenly noticed some pretty impressive waterfalls to our left and pulled over to check them out. We all escaped the van to get a closer look. After some “ooohhhing” and “aaahhhing,” eventually someone in our family redirected our view to the road right in front of us and our jaws dropped as we saw the first glimpse of a truly breathtaking view: Half Dome! We had been so singularly focused on a waterfall that we missed the bigger picture – the whole view that included the majestic Half Dome!

This picture of Jesus here in verses 12-15, as well as other portions of Revelation, can grab our attention with their vivid and detailed imagery. We can easily get caught up focusing on one specific descriptive element or another, like a smaller picturesque waterfall, and end up missing out on a far more spectacular view as we fail to see the big picture

Notice who we’re seeing in these verses! This is not the Good Friday Savior who in perfect humility allowed himself to be the ultimate picture of weakness and suffering. There is no groaning, no supposed helplessness; there are no cries of mockery or jeering nearby!

No, this is a picture of the Easter Sunday Jesus, the victorious Jesus, the One who overcame our every enemy and now stands as an imposing picture of power and authority. While the many details of this image of Jesus carry with them a symbolism and figurative meaning (most of which are rather easily discovered by using the rest of the Scriptures), don’t miss the big picture; look at the view! See our victorious Savior in his resurrected and returning glory. He won! We win!

We can miss that important faith builder and confidence booster if we focus painstakingly on the details. It can be like coming across a gigantic work of art in a gallery and being so caught up in the masterful detail and skill in just one small portion of the work of art that we forget to step back and take in the whole picture. See the whole picture John is sharing with us in his vision here. Look at the view! See our victorious Savior!

It certainly left an impact on John. He shared, “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead” (v.17a). Remember this is a vision John is having. He is not yet in heaven, where there will be no fear. He is caught up in a vision from God that depicts in very colorful imagery the victory we have in Jesus Christ. We can hardly imagine our response being any different if viewing this in a vision ourselves!

Then notice something profound that solidifies for us that victory over Satan and our sin is certain. “Then he placed his right hand on me…” (v.17b). God is personal. God cares not just about the world, but about you. The power of personal touch in the face of dread fear is an expression of hope beyond hope! A simple gentle touch from Jesus calms John like no drink or pill or other earthly escape ever could. He is reassured by Jesus’ gentle touch, and even more so by the soothing words that follow.

“Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last” (v.17c). It’s as if Jesus is saying, “John, you have no reason to fear, for the ‘I AM’ God stands before you, the eternal God who always has been and always will be, neither preceded nor succeeded by anyone.” If he is the First and the Last, then he shall also have the first and the last word. What he says goes. What God promises stands. What Jesus carried out is trustworthy and reliable. There is no one else who can speak with any greater authority. So listen to what he says and to how he reveals himself to John.

“I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (v.18). See how Jesus identifies himself! He calls himself “the Living One,” and not “I was the Living One,” but “I am the Living One.” Good Friday happened. Jesus died. But it is not his death that defines him, but rather that he overcame death, that he is now the living one. “I was dead, and now look (“Look at the view!”) I am alive for ever and ever!” Death has no more part in the storyline. His role has been played and his character killed off, never to return again. Now life rules the day, because of Jesus Christ, the Living One.

How can we be sure? Because he holds the keys! Keys mean control. Keys mean authority. Keys are the power to give or withhold, to open or close, to grant or deny access. And see what keys he holds – the keys over life and death, over heaven and hell!

Ever lose your keys and immediately experience that feeling of dread the instant you realize it? You’re overcome with anxiety over realizing they aren’t in the pocket or purse where you thought they were and immediately fear the worst? You scramble frantically to find them while every possible place they could be is still fresh on your mind. Only after doing so do you think to ask someone else. Then, just as quickly as you were filled with anxiety, you are calmed down by the assurance someone else has them. A flood of relief washes over us.

How much more so to realize the one standing victorious is the one who holds the keys – and not just any keys, but “the keys of death and Hades.” That is to say, Jesus holds the power of life and death!

Now then, with all of this in mind, let us speak again of our Christian suffering. This picture from Revelation changes the conversation just a bit, does it not? No, we will not walk away with the fairy-tale notion that our spiritual suffering will suddenly disappear, as with the waving of some magical wand. We will still suffer specifically because of our Christian faith. Jesus himself promised it.

But it is his greater promises that allow us to endure, to patiently bear up under such suffering. Not the promise that suffering in this life will go away, but the promise that the victory of the Living One outshines our suffering. We are victorious over suffering, and that makes a very real and noticeable impact when we get better at doing in our daily lives exactly what we have done throughout this post: Look at the view!

Stare at your suffering, focus on that, become consumed by it, and it will consume you. 

But when you shift your gaze away from your suffering and onto your Savior, the very one who holds the keys of death and Hades, your suffering seems so much smaller. Because it is. In the grand picture of eternity, the joy of Jesus’ victory of Satan, over sin, and yes, even over suffering, is forever. Your suffering, dear friends in Christ, is not. It is temporary. Let your focus on Jesus’ eternal victory allow you to see more clearly that he has also made you victorious over suffering.