The Key to Contentment – Commitment to Your Sovereign Sympathetic Savior

Following prayer, my wife Jane was saying. Does Jesus care accompanied by Sue Lynch and I would like to ask you is she is singing.

If you go ahead and turn to Isaiah 50 during her songs. We will be prepared for that: we have the message again Isaiah 50 if you look that up as Jane and Sue are doing special music. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. At this time fathers, we come before you want to praise you for your grace in our lives. Your grace and salvation and more burden for unsaved loved ones and we acid in your grace and mercy and quicken them to life that like I she would quicken them to life and grant them faith and repentance we asked you to help us to be a testimony for them, not only through our lips, but our lives, we praise you for the grace of sanctification. How you grow us in the grace and knowledge of God through your word and we praise you for the grace it strengthens us and gives us wisdom for service. Thank you for reviving for beacon Baptist Church and for our families.

We do pray for businesses and schools as they begin opening, we pray specifically for Naomi Williams, Amy Freeman's mom is in the hospital with cancer.

We pray for Robert Sweet who will be having 1/6 heart Tomorrow. We pray for Larry Noris's niece, Robin Robinson, who is on a ventilator at Duke med center father we think of Ruth Patterson and Dinky Smith, Hazel Garcia, Evelyn Butler, all of whom are in elder care facilities, protect them, strengthen them. We pray for Nelly Hunter, a Betty Duncan and Francis Easley as they each endure chronic back pain. I think of Nelly. In particular, she goes to the doctor this week. Pray that you would enable her to get an MRI done of her back if that would please you.

We think of Larry Apple. Also, as he recovers from back surgery I pray for our pope in a Braley is a deal with COPD and Shirley Watkins who continues to have health issues. Lord we asked for sustaining grace for group Guthrie as she's dealing with terminal cancer. We also pray for Duane Craig's dad, the doctors would be able to discern the best course of action in his life as he has congestive heart failure lift up the following missionaries in prayer who have health issues. I think of Trevor Johnson and Paul Snyder, Dave and Donna Eden's Steve Wirth and Mike Webster.

We also pray for Laverne's family has a recovered from home-going of Stuart that is both a blessing and yet also a burden for them as they miss him intensely.

We pray for our nation. We ask that your will would be done on earth as it is in heaven perfectly and entirely, we asked you give our government officials, wisdom, conviction and courage father most of all the night asked, you bring honor to yourself.

May I not do anything that would keep you from blessing your people to be wisdom, give me liberty of thought and freedom of speech as we, for a few moments dwell upon your work in our lives. Lord, how we can trust you during emotional and physical and spiritual times of trial will praise you for what you accomplish in us and through us in Christ. Amen.

And she will pay to even leave all men and was we all will know all nights.

All my and knees on and some lines all when I like mine is all nights is all my will all all I see is not the nearest on my will is all my will all all things in. Thank you Jane and Sue are message tonight is entitled.

The key to contentment commitment to your sovereign sympathetic Savior. Our main text is going to be in Matthew 26 and will get there eventually. As I mentioned earlier, I trust you turned Isaiah 50 but let me give you a brief introduction this message was prompted by visits that I've made two people in our church. Quite frankly, that are hurting in a variety of different ways and I want to be an encouragement to them denied and I trust and pray that I be an encouragement to some were going through things and I'm not even aware of. I know what you're going to how often have those words been sincerely shared in an effort to encourage someone in their time of need.

The problem with using those words as they are not entirely true. The full impact of a trial can't be understood by someone else.

There can be the heartache of loneliness so deep that the one hurting feels adrift and alone in a crowded room.

There can be the physical pain so intense and prolonged that the public person struggles with the wish to die and go on to have in there can be the spiritual burden for unsaved loved ones, that haunts a burden. One thing is is comforting as it is certain. Jesus knows what you are personally going to the writer of Hebrews assures us that Christ can and does sympathize with our greatest weaknesses in our most intense pains. Because of this we can come boldly to the throne of grace where we can obtain mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. For those who are suffering emotionally, physically or spiritually. There is no better remedy from which to draw strength in considering Christ who committed himself to God who judges righteously tonight for a few moments want to consider the example of Christ.

To separate emotionally in Gethsemane physically at GABA and spiritually on Golgotha, the strongest of Christians can be tempted to ask, does Jesus care. I pray that our considerations tonight will draw from you.

Oh yes, he cares.

I know he cares his heart is touch with my great when the days are weary the long nights, dreary. I know my Savior cares our first consideration tonight is this that Christ new in detail the horrifying reality of what lay ahead. Christ new in detail the horrifying reality of what lay ahead of them and we notice first of all, under this the cup that he would drink was prophesied. I asked her to turned Isaiah 50 earlier and I want to read verses 6 to 7, and as I read this instead of going through that the verses completely. I like to stop and give you the meaning of the Hebrew word that I'll select that'll be a little more disjointed. But I want you to get the full impact of this Isaiah 50 verses six and seven I gave my back to those who struck me that word struck means to eat or give loan in my cheeks to those who plucked out the beer. The work plucked doesn't do it justice. That word means to tear out to make involved in other words, to rip the beard from the face. I did not hide my face from shame and spitting for the Lord God will help me.

Therefore I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed.

The Eastern people of all always held the beard and highest veneration to have been extremely jealous of its honor to pluck a man's beard is an instance of the greatest and dignity that can be offered.

Remember the Old Testament account of David sending some men to offer his consolation to the son of the king who it died and that son of the Kings advisor gave him bad advice. They said David is sent these men to spy out the land, and so to humiliate those men.

They cut their shirts off at the waist and shape half of their beard off. That goes back to what we said plucking the beard pulling it from the face was one of the highest forms of this disgrace.

You could give a man I want you to turn over just a couple of chapters to Isaiah 52 and we want to read verse 14 and we are considering the cup that he would drink was prophesied. Isaiah 5214 just as many were astonished that word means stupefied or stunned, stupefied or stunned, just as many as were astonished that you so his visage or his countenance was marred or disfigured. More than any man and his form more than the sons of men, sometimes we can read over Scripture and it can, it can affect us, but when we really contemplate that the prophet is saying no one has ever had this done drum like Jesus, they were astonished, stunned. When I looked upon turnover one more chapter for one last thing, as far as Old Testament prophecy and that is Isaiah 53 familiar and there are several words that were going to give the sense to if we may verses four and five are the ones that we will read.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. That word means anguish yeti esteemed him stricken.

That means to strike violently smitten by God, smitten means to beat to give wounds he was smitten by God, and afflicted. Put down humble but he was wounded and this this one. I never would've drained the meaning of it.

He was wounded. That means to profane to make common to the file to pollute far different than what we would think of the word wounded. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised or crushed for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed and we drop down to verse 10 yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.

He has put him to grief and outward grief means to make sick or weak will not ask you to turn there. Unless you care to, but were going to jump in the New Testament and look at Christ's words in Luke 1831. Listen if you would says. Then he took the 12 aside and said to them, behold, were going up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man man will be accomplished and beloved as I studied for this and I thought over this. I could not help but wonder when was it that Christ became aware that these Old Testament prophecies applied to him because as I thought about it, the first public words of Jesus when he was in the temple at age 12, 18 years passed before his public ministry began at age 30 and I wonder when was it that he is Jesus the man understood the magnitude of what was going to happen him in the point I want to make before I read Mark 1032 through 34 is this somewhere in that continuum between age 12 and age 30. The full weight of what lay ahead of him fell upon Jesus. And when you hear Mark 1032 through 34 fully knowing that he understood and great detail the horror that laid ahead issued impact does Jesus care. He cared enough to endure what were about to read Mark 1032 through 34.

Speaking of Jesus and the disciples. Now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem and Jesus was going before them and they were amazed that word means to astound or astonish. They were amazed and as they followed. They were afraid that he took the 12 aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to behold for going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man will be betrayed in the to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles, and they will mock him and scourged him, and spit on him and kill him. In the third day he will rise again. Beloved, I reminded the disciples and Jesus himself knew exactly scourged. They knew exactly what this group word scourge met by secondly as you say under this Christ new in detail the horrifying reality of what lay ahead of not only was the cup prophesied with the cup that he would drink was pervasive, as we shall see.

It would permeate his entire being emotionally, physically and spiritually in a permeate every aspect of an and then finally see the cup that he would drink was purposeful, listen to John 1227 and 28 Jesus said now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say father, save me from this hour, but for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven saying I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. What was the purpose for which Jesus came to this hour. The purpose was to save his people from their sin.

John 1014 and 15 on the good Shepherd.

I know my sheep and am known by my own as the father knows me. Even so, I know the father and I lay down my life for the sheep. The success of Christ wasn't just a possibility. It was foreordained before he ever became man. You recall that the angel told Joseph you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sin so we've considered first of all, Christ new in detail the horrifying reality of what lay ahead of him.

The cup that he would drink was prophesied the cup that he would drink was pervasive or all-encompassing. The cup that he would drink was purposeful. Now we want to look at these three different areas emotionally, physically and spiritually, and what were going to do will end up going to Matthew 26.

At this time and I'm going to read an extensive portion of Scripture as we go through this the different phases. First, one of the three Christ new emotional agony in Gethsemane. Matthew 26 will begin reading a verse 36 Matthew 26 verses 36 to 38 Christ new emotional agony in Gethsemane. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples sit here while I go and pray over there and he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and he began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

He said to them, my soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with me. The words exceedingly sorrowful mean grieved all around intensely sad in Gethsemane. His dread of the cup.

That was such that he requested three times that it passed from him folks when you think about his high priestly prayer in John 17 where he says I have glorified you on the earth. I have finished the work that you gave me to do Gethsemane gabapentin Golgotha still lay ahead of them and he said father I have finished the work he had purpose to do it in yet when he got to Gethsemane, and he considered that cup goes Old Testament prophecy. He ended up praying three times. Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Matthew 26, 39, 245, he won a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed saying all my father if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will but as you will and he came the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter what could you not watch with me one hour watch and pray less you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. Again a second time he went away and prayed saying all my father, if this cup cannot pass away from unless I drink it. Your will be done and he came and found them asleep again for their eyes were heavy so we left someone away again and prayed the third time, saying the same words that he came to his disciples and said to them, are you still sleeping and resting. Behold, the hours at hand.

The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Now I emphasize the words. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. I've heard that countless times. MacArthur ends up saying this about the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. He states at that very moment Jesus was locked in a struggle against human passions which, while not sinful in themselves must be subjugated to the divine will. If sin is to be avoided was a sign never forget.

He suffered in his humanity. He wanted the cup to pass if it be possible, but above his desire.

He wanted God's will to be done and I think it appropriate insert here. Just a very quick personal illustration. If you attend beacon regularly you know that last year on Father's Day had a heart attack and I don't want to belabor the point but when something like this happens to you.

It's front and center. Anytime you get a little bit of a pain in your chest that comes back to you.

You know when you feel the make sure you got your nitroglycerin little bottle in your pocket and I will never forget and I'll skip right to the point of going in there and being put in the room after six hours on an emergency room bed if you can call that a bed they got me to a room they close the door and it hit me. I may never never see my family again. But here's the thing that I want you to get not that yeah that's emotional friend that's emotional but there's also a spiritual aspect. I truly said Lord, my body is yours. You bought it with the price of your blood. I would ask that if it would please you, you would give me more time to serve. And yet, the best I know how, I asked your will to be done. Folks if we forget anything else. It said tonight that is the bottom line commitment to the sovereignty of a sympathetic save.

That's the bottom line is no magic pill.

It's a decision and let me say this to you, it brought peace.

That doesn't mean that the piece was insulated against human feelings still at a pace that if I and I was ignorant of having heart Ignorant what went through my mind. I'm either going to wake up in heaven, or wake up you know on an operating table earn recovery. Little did I know they don't put you to sleep during so I was a complete peace.

As far as my salvation. I knew I was going. If if it was not God's will for me to come to this but there was still a motion as I mentioned in another message I texted my wife sent that I texted our three kids sent that I wrote a text are grandchildren left unsent. I figure they can send that to them. If the Lord chooses to take me home. But here's the deal, the spirits willing but the flesh is weak. I know what that means. I know what that feels like I know what that feels like my spirit was willing Lord, have your will be done by flesh this week I want to hang around if it would please you, he requested his requesting I should say three times that the cup pass from and reveals the depth of his emotional agony.

If you can just envision him there going through that in Luke 22. Keep your place in and not Matthew but in Luke 22 Jesus prayed father if it sure will take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not as my will, not my will but yours be done. God's response was that he sent an angel that appeared to him from heaven, strengthening him. Now this is important, God sent an angel to strengthen Christ. That's verse 42 verse 44 says, and being an agony he prayed more earnestly. Then his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground. John MacArthur against gives us insights. This suggests a dangerous condition known as hemostat or process.

What is that it's the effusion of blood in your perspiration. It can be caused by extreme anguish or physical strain capillaries under the skin, dilate and burst mingling blood was sweat. Christ himself stated that his distress and brought them to the threshold of death, beloved Christ knows what emotional agony is all about. You may be going to the toughest from your perspective, but none of us touches what he went through in Gethsemane, but also in Gethsemane, Christ knew the father's ability to deliver him. Same chapter versus 46 to 56. He said to his disciples rise. Let us be going say my betrayer is at hand. And while he was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the 12 with a great multitude with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and elders of the people now is betrayer had given them a sign saying whomever I kiss is the one season. Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, greetings Rabbi and kissed Jesus said to him, friend, why have you come and they came and laid hands on Jesus and took him, and suddenly one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. But Jesus said to put your sword in its place for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. I notice this or do you think that I cannot pray now to my father and he will provide me with more than 12 legions of angels. How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled that it must happen. Thus, in that our Jesus said to the multitudes have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to date me. I site daily with you teaching in the temple and you did not cease me sees me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled than all the disciples forsook him and fled.

Mark's account Jesus prayed Abba and that is a word of endearment.

I guess we can say similar cardboard daddy but an intimate term.

He prayed Abba father.

All things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me.

Nevertheless, not what I will but what you will.

And the point that were making Christ knew the father's ability to deliver him if he so chose chose to do that of Christ agony in Gethsemane. The commentator Adam Clark writes this is agony and distress can receive no consistent explanation. But this he suffered just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, O glorious truth. Oh, infinitely meritorious suffering and all above all, the eternal love that caused him to undergo such suffering for the sake of sinners.

Jesus knew emotional agony number three.

Christ knew physical agony and gabbed with Matthew 26 again and let me say this before we read the text that I want you to look at Matthew 2657 all the way through chapter 27, 25 records Christ trial before Caiaphas. It records Peter's denial, the remorse of Judas records try Christ trial before Pilate, all we want to look at tonight are the verses that deal with him suffering physically were going to the right to that tax and that'll be versus 26 20 well of first 67 and 68 of Matthew 26 Matthew 2667 and 68. He's before Caiaphas and the elders they spat in his face and beat him and that would be means to wrap with a fist.

They spat in his face and beat him another struck him with the palms of their hands saying prophesy to us, Christ who is the one who struck you at turnover one chapter. If you would, to Matthew 27 and will read verses 26 to 30 and this is Christ before Pilate verse 26 then he Pilate released Barabbas to them. And when he had scourged Jesus and that was with the Magellan or we would also know what is a cat of nine tails when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered them to be crucified than the soldiers of the governor took Jesus and of the praetorian guard of the whole garrison around commentators tell us that the garrison is a cohort of about 600 soldiers. Can you picture that in your mind 600 soldiers men who got up every day realizing I'm going to kill or be killed. Hardened men the whole garrison was around verse 28. They scripted and put a scarlet robe on him when they twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and a reed in his right hand.

They bow the knee before him and mocked him, saying, hail, King of the Jews than they spat on him, took the raid and struck him.

That word struck means to pummel repeatedly. They struck him repeatedly on the head when they had mocked him, they took the robe off him put his own clothes on them and let them way to be crucified.

The prophecies that we read earlier from Isaiah 50 and 52 and 53 concerning Jesus physical suffering were fulfilled down to the minute detail. The word scourged in verse 26 that I mentioned earlier in the messages, especially gruesome. I meet quote the commentator hardened men who were adept with the flagellum or cat of nine tails would flog the individual mercilessly an expert at wielding the scourge could literally tear the flesh from the back, lacerating muscles, sometimes even exposing the kidneys or other internal organs scourging alone was fatal. In some cases. Can you imagine and you think back, especially Isaiah 54 people were astonished at his visage not only his face but his body and recall that the prophet Isaiah said no other human being had been afflicted to that degree. Understand that Isaiah 52 verse 14 refers to Christ's appearance after gap. So when we read that prophecy were seeing a picture of what he looked like after you have the lyrics his robes for mine to his robes mind don't overstate the brutality of gabapentin. Let me quote and we love singing the song, but when you sing the song and really meditate upon the message which is most it's it's jarring for lack of a better way of putting it.

Listen to this. Jesus is crushed. Jesus is crushed and thus the father's plea in the physical agony of GABA Christ again committed himself to the father's sovereign will finally and we looked at the fact that he knew emotional agony in Gethsemane there alone.

He knew physical agony and GABA I at the hands of the Romans. But we also want to see that Christ knew spiritual agony on Gog, to be sure his crucifixion on Gog. If a involved indescribable pain and emotion, and I want to read just a summary at cut it short to be quite honest with you, the MacArthur has in his study Bible concerning crucifixion.

He said Roman crucifixion was a lingering doom by design an insert here it was done right outside of Jerusalem on a hill overlooking the city for any passerby would see the crucified person and it would be at a visual warning to anyone mess with us and this is what you get Roman crucifixion was a lingering doom by design Roman executioners had perfected the art of slow torture while keeping the victim alive.

Some victims even lingered until they were eaten alive by birds of prey or wild beast.

Most hung on the cross for days before dying of exhaustion and dehydration. Dramatic fever or most likely suffocation. How would that take place when the legs would no longer support the weight of the body. The diaphragm was constricted in a way that made breathing and possible. That's why breaking the legs ended up hastening death because the man could only keep himself up by his arms and after a while he could no longer do that and he would suffocate. But this was not done to Jesus why because of fulfilled prophecy that not a bone of his body would be broken. Why do we refer to Christ's spiritual agony on Gog, of the, rather than his ongoing physical agony because his cry of anguish. In Matthew 27 verse 46 near the end of three hours of darkness climaxes the extreme bitterness of the cup of wrath. He was given and I think you'll agree with me as I comment on this that cry is the climax of everything he endured the darkness from 12 to 3. Was symbolic of spiritual judgment in the cry that were referring to my God, my God, why have you forsaken me, Christ questioning of God is in the context of submission to the father's will.

It wasn't in any way shape or form negative toward the father. It just conveys the death of the spiritual agony that he endured. Commentators say that the extent of the temporary separation from God remains a mystery.

We cannot possibly comprehend what it was like the eternal son of God to be forsaken by his father. Let me give you some details under this it will color in even more force his spiritual anguish is especially moving because just prior to his high priestly prayer in John 17 Christ told his disciples this. Indeed, the hours, gas has come now that you will be scattered each to his own and will leave me alone now listen at this and yet I'm not alone because the father is with me folks that is tough sledding. I am not alone because the father is with me on the cross, Jesus was crying out in anguish because of the separation. He now experience from his heavenly father for the first and only time in all of eternity. That is a profound statement from a commentator for the first and only time and all eternity. He is separated from fellowship with the father.

It's the only time that we have record. Jesus did not address God as father. He didn't say my father my father. He said my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. It's the first and last recorded words that Jesus has that he uses the word father. Remember in the template age 12 first time that he Everest recorded. He told Joseph and Mary. I must be about my father's business. Then I insert my God, my God, why have you forsaken me in at the very end on the cross. He said father into your hands. Here's that word again.

I commit to commend my spirit and having said thus he breathed his last.

Again, I borrow some words from his robes for mine.

Jesus forsaken God estranged from God. That is a profound statement God estranged from God. Also, the words such anguish. None can know Christ, God's beloved condemned as though his fellow he as though I accursed and left alone.

I as though he embrace and welcome to. He was forsaken from God that we might have fellowship with God. What can we learn from Christ response to the tests that were emotional, physical and spiritual in agony.

First of all, except that your well-being is in the hands of Almighty God who sovereignly ordained each step of your journey. Do you believe that folks do you believe that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way and that the only reason you could even have the word good put alongside your name is Grace Grace. Do you believe that except your well-being is in the hands of Almighty God who sovereignly ordained each step of your journey. Now read this slowly, but this commentator hits it on the head. How many times in the Gospel of John, does Jesus talk about his our he would say my our has not yet come or the hour is coming, it was as if Jesus was hearing the chimes of a clock that nobody else could hear the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sum total of his ministry and mission was leading to this one final cry to tell us time it is finished from his birth to his boyhood manhood and public ministry, Jesus focus was to finish the work.

His father had given to them and network was the work of redemption. How do we apply that to our lives. Keep serving him until he takes you how keep serving him until he takes you home now I'm just going to generalize in this I stop by to get the oil changed in the car that the church lets me use and there was a gentleman there getting his done and we struck struck up a conversation and I don't know how I worked conversation spiritual things, but it happened and he said yeah. We are were in the process of looking for a pastor and he said the sad part about it is it all boils down to money and I I told him how the Lord bless my wife and I in ministry. Several different times just tangibly blessed us, met a need that we had and I made the statement because we got around of the conversation. How many jobs there are out there that people get it they wanted to.

I made the comment.

I can imagine fully retiring I would go bananas. I can imagine fully retiring. I'm going to be doing something somewhere.

God willing, until he said come home and folks. The bottom line in this first point is, except that your well-being is in the hands of Almighty God who sovereignly ordained every single step of your journey.

Joe 14 five says of mankind, and I'm sure this was several people says of all men. His days are determined, the number of his months is with you. You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass for someone to make the statement he died too young irregular of Scripture.

He died exactly the that day in the hour and the minute that God had ordained for them to die of mankind. His days are determined, the number of his months is with you. Give appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass the second thing that I want us to consider. Tonight is what by web application. Apply the Scriptures in your difficult circumstances and I want to give you one example of this. It's of Christ.

He had taught unforgiveness. Luke 627 and 28, he said, but I say unto you, which here love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, and pray for them who which despitefully use you, beloved, is there any better example than Christ praying from the cross.

For those who mock him. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. He applied Scripture because his words are Scripture, are you going to physical agony. I'm not saying take Romans 828 like to aspirin and get plenty of sleep, but I am saying. Romans 828 means what Romans 828 says all things are working to gather for good. Some of it is flat out rough but it contributes to the big picture. Gethsemane was rough gabba thought was rough. Gog Golgotha was rough and when you put the whole thing together. You have a beautiful moving picture of what it costs for you to be redeemed so are you going to physical need, confess your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. If you indeed are Christian Lord, my body is yours.

I asked if it would please you give me more time yet. I bow the needier sovereignty and if you decide to take me home so be at rest in his sovereignty.

What about emotional agony. Go to second Corinthians 1, three and four. He's the God of all comfort and he will comfort you in ways that you in turn can comfort others. Are you going to spiritual agony go to the throne of grace and realize that salvation is of the Lord, don't let that be heard to lightly folks go to the throne of grace, realizing that salvation is of the Lord. Honor God, glorify God by praying that he and his grace and mercy will save those for whom your bird call out their name by name.

If you know them to be apart from grace, apart from Christ and if it's general in my case, I have several relatives that are rarely exposed to the word I send a devotional out every Sunday, and many of them are on that list but I also make it very clear that it sent to other people. I don't target them and I pray Lord if it would please you expose them to this or whatever you would choose but expose them to the gospel quicken them to like grant them repentance and faith for your glory apply the Scriptures in your difficult situation and then finally acknowledge that your circumstances can be used of God for the eternal good of others. I'll give you a real life example well both of I'm going to give a real-life Johnny Erickson Todd at 17, drove dove into the water hit her head fractured her spine and has gone years and years, decades literally decades, and she would readily tell you that she's been used of the Lord in ways that she wouldn't dream of being used as a typical 17-year-old even with age, sometimes on the way to church. Her short program will be on and I'm amazed at what her ministry is accomplishing acknowledge that your circumstances can be used to God for the eternal and temporal good of others. Here's the illustration that I get Matthew 2754 so when the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that it happened.

They fear greatly same truly this was the son of God now was that an omission of saving faith is certainly is an omission that Jesus was more than just a man. Secondly, in this one definitely speaks of saving faith.

Luke 2343 Jesus said to the thief on the cross. Assuredly, I say to you today you will be with me in paradise. Acknowledge that your circumstances can be used of God, the eternal good of others. I want to read for you. Just three verses out of Hebrews 12 in the punchline for these verses that I want you to get is that the last part of the novel Al pointed out to you familiar. Hebrews 12 123. In closing, therefore we also sense were surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, who are they the people in Hebrews 11.

Some of them had horrific things happen. Agonizing trial.

Therefore, we also see we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and a sat down at the right hand of the throne of God to listen to this last verse for consider him which we've done the night with consider Jesus emotionally and Gethsemane physically and gabba spiritually on Gog consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, why, lest you become weary and discouraged in yourselves folks Christ new in detail the horrifying reality of what lay ahead.

He knew that that cup was prophesied that it was pervasive. It would it would cover all of his emotion. All of them. He knew that it was purposeful. It was why he came to this earth, we look at the fact that he suffered intense indescribable emotion and Gethsemane that they brutalized him and gabba the that he said probably the most horrific sad words that any human tongue is ever said my God, my God, why have you forsaken me. May that be an encouragement to you.

Does Jesus care. Does Jesus care.

I want to adjust the course them are going to pray.

The question is asked in the first first is Jesus care when my heart is pain too deeply from Earth or song as the burdens press and the cares distress in the way grows weary, and long and the chorus.

Oh yes, he cares. I know he cares his heart is touch with my grief when the days are weary the long nights, dreary. I know my Savior cares for a benediction. I want to read second Thessalonians 216 and 17 in our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God. Even our Father which hath loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope to grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Amen and amen