Hope When Life Is Unfair - Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. Life is life is consistently in blatantly unapologetic, unfair. The only question is how do you respond to the naturally aggressively blaming others passively victimization trying to deny completely and repressing your feelings or spiritually to evidence the humble submission Micro Center just like your sacred joining of today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now is once again he shows us how God's word meets our world is of us except the guys on the staff have bosses that are unfair. You see how this runs against the grain for you is this runs against regarding this doesn't make any sense that the loss of all he says something there in 20 them. He said if you do what is right and suffer for patient and patiently endure this find favor with God. Now when you go to Hebrews chapter 10, 11 and 12.

These are the great chapters on faith and you know what the writer of Hebrews says what's the great test of faith. What will it indoor what will faith indoor that's what chapter 10 it brings up after Chapter 11 is a whole list of people in chapter 12. He says that we are to fix our eyes. He said as we live the Christian life run this race before fix our eyes on Jesus, and then it says what did Jesus do, he endured what the cross. What's interesting about this, by the way is that this methodology as anti-instinctive as it is for you. One the world for Jesus Christ.

It one of the Roman world. It's astounding how this works who you think might know that God I think so many of us as Christians when it comes the unfairness of life basically don't buy, don't buy but basically the philosophy of Scripture as we by the philosophy of Islam fight just like them. Craig said no endured submit verse 21, for you have been called for this purpose. Since then he says now if you want to know what unfairness is as you say who should suffer when it's unfair.

You should why he did, he says, for you have been called for this purpose. Since Christ also suffered for you is anything ever been more unfair in the history of this world than to take a sinless, perfect human being.

Now him to the cross and then pour all of the wrath of God on them for the sins of everybody. Nothing is that unfair that you gladly submitted. Aren't you glad he endured. You see what happened. Out of that millions and millions of us have our sins forgiven a relationship with God. Because Christ did that, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps canopy clearer than that didn't seem so unfair.

They belittled him and they came and arrested him and then he grabbed him he had those illegal trials and they spit on him and they slapped them and they punched him. Then they mocked him, and they took him in a scourge them with a Roman cat of nine tails and tore his flesh off of him and then he marks them up the Name nailed him to a cross. Many hung them in their how unfair could that be is if you follow my example, while he said who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth and while being reviled. He did not revile in return noticed no fighting.

He did not revile in return while suffering he uttered no threats heat and here's hope he kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously, there is the real reason why when I submit when lives unfair. I'm trust myself to him who judges righteously. That's why because Hebrews 12 says that he endured the cross for the joy set before him. What a day. We entrusted the father and said you know what this is all going to work out, to the glory of God, there can be millions of people say because of the submission of mine in the unfairness of life.

You see, whenever we submit in that way. That's what were saying. I am trust God. God doesn't miss anything.

He is righteous as a judge he doesn't let anything slide forever but I have to entrust myself to him that he will judge at the appropriate time not the time that I think so and not in the way that I think would be best.

I have to entrust myself to him who judges righteously, he says, and he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live the righteousness, for by his wounds we were healed. He says for you were continually straying like sheep but now you have returned to the shepherding guardian of your souls go to see how great this turned out he submitted to the unfairness. Now you do it is our example and then he is not done he moves from government and the workplace to your home in the same way. In the same way. In the same way as Jesus Ewald wants to talk to you wives who have lousy husband in the same way by only seven versus here, by the way, six verses are directed toward women one versus directed toward men.

One commentator basically said it this way, that the reason for it. Is it six times harder to be a woman in a marriage than it is to be a man of this. Probably some truth to that, in the same way as Jesus in the same way you wives be submissive to your own husbands, so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word is unfair, disobedient to the word and more likely because of the context of the rest of the verse. These are unsaved men. These are men who are not saved. Now what we understand as a bad way or chauvinistic way for a man to treat a wife and our culture is nothing compared to what it would've been like in that culture. The woman was basically own.

She virtually had no rights. How can he possibly say something like this again. The audacity of this in the same way you wives be submissive to your own husband so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word here is they may be one without a word, by the behavior.

Otherwise, they may be one, you mean to Christ. Yeah I think that's exactly what he saying, what is it you want to do what your natural response when your husband is not fair, pouting, sulking, scheming, nagging, coercing, humiliating bargaining. That's how you do it right. It just day Adam pushed me around & back that's a true statement. By the way, but that's natural is not God. As of your flesh. Notice he said they may be one without a word of their wives as they observe your chase and respectful behavior. He gives an piece of advice here is funny to me. Interesting your dorm.

It must not be merely external. He said the braiding of here, the wearing of gold jewelry, or putting on dresses, but let it be the hidden person of the heart. He says with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is presses again in the sight of God is of the most important thing about you as a woman and especially as a woman is a wife is your internal character by the way he's not saying churches have taken us over the years and that Christian women should not, it should not in any way braiding her hair is a Bible for bids or wear jewelry because of Bob. That's not what Peter is saying if that's the case, by the way, Christian women should wear dresses really know he saying don't let it be merely external. There's a whole lot more to you than simply what you see and or something much more important to God than how you look outwardly, so you need to worry about how you are inwardly because of that inner beauty of your soul. That type of thing. That's the priority of your life. He said that's precious in the sight of God. He says let me give you an example, he said, for in this way. In former times the holy women also who hope in God there's hope again what is it saying God at work this out that he works on God's timing, not ours. He said for in this wave.

In former times the holy women also who hope in God used to adorn themselves being submissive to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord, and you will become your children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. By the way, understand Abraham was a great man in many ways he's the father was always faithful. Let me explain something about him.

He was a lousy husband. He's the guy that twice tried to save his own skin by offering his wife. They take you, then it won't hurt me. What kind of man is that the real question is how to turn turned out pretty well been. He said that's what happens is that your role was not conditional. I thought that was interesting.

Verse six is just as Sarah obeyed Abraham. That word obeyed is Hoople cup low interesting word. It means she listened attentively to them and then acted wisely. That's what it means is not the normal word for blind obedience. She listened attentively and then acted wisely and she did.

Now I just three Commandments, the husbands all three in the imperative mood and on the surface looks easy for you but it's not here's it's new husbands in the same way singly is to be submissive. Your wife the same way that she submissive to you the same way that Jesus was submissive the same way we should be submissive.

The human government in the same way you husbands now you'll be submissive. First one he says live with your wives in an understanding way done that I live with her. I made it all afternoon.

As Lavinia not somebody say he's not saying that when all he saying be at home with your wife. It's a way of expressing intimacy you be there with her, you need to be with her. You see, she's not a property you own. She's part of the one flesh relationship. He says in an understanding way not only to live with your wife. But to understand her. He said in an under standing way according to knowledge. I remember years ago hearing someone say this and stuck with me ever since seminary guys want the most important things God wants to view of your Christian husband is this, you better be a student of your wife.

You should study her. In other words what that mean you should know all about her and by the way, don't pretend men that I'd I just don't know if I could do that. You know how men with hobbies he ever hear fishermen talk about fishing think they can remember.

1400 Lors that you use the catfish they can remember everything sports and you get a man on his hobby night, he knows everything, possibly about what you know about her will. She lives here with me in. We have kids says you don't do that. You said you have to you have to live with her.

You have he says to live with your wife. You have to know your wife.

That's the priority of the relationship, and then he says you husbands in the same way live with your wives in an understanding way as with someone weaker know you all see God. He's putting women not not not necessarily.

Some interpret this word weaker as she simply physically weaker than you. I get that that word can be used that way but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

In the context doesn't make sense what you are stronger in her saloon with an understanding way.

I'm not sure about that. But this word also means in a sense, weaker, in a sense, as fragile. She's more fragile. She's more emotionally intuitive. When I teach marriage classes. I always say it this way pretty much. This is how I see this verse. Women are basis men are buckets. Okay, that's the difference between a woman and a man. You look at a base and you could study it is a piece of art you look at a bucket you see a bucket. That's why if you really look at a man and really look at it and what you can find not much there.

Not really labored, that there's no layers to them. Men are pretty much just the way you see that's her struggle. He says you need to see your you need to see her in a different context. You need to understand her, you need to study her and then he says this and show her honor as a fellow error. The grace of life, you need to live with her, you need to know your wife and you need to honor your wife. It doesn't just mean on in the generic sense turn back to chapter 1 for a moment. Verse 19 verse 18, 19, together, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold, but from your feudal way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished spotless, the blood of Christ that were precious same word the precious death of Christ. How honorable is that he said that's the way you want your wife you need in the sense to honor her or put it this way, you need to convince her of just how precious she is to you. That's commandment by the way, not an option is not an elective. You live with your wife.

You know your wife and you honor your wife. He said if not, look what happens so that your prayers will not be hindered with you mean by that he means your spiritual life is going to be affected in all of your life this way, she doesn't have a quiet and chaste behavior. If you don't have that in your marriage. He said, don't expect me when you're praying in this and very much. The witness don't why because your hypocrite and I'll listen to hypocrites you hinder your own prayer life so you become less how important this is.

Wow. Life is unfair. Not my home, not in the workplace, not in the state, not in this country since yeah here's what I want to do, submit to work this out. You trust yourself to me know what's what he says, verse eight. To sum it up by me to sum up what I've said so far. He said all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly kindhearted, humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult by giving a blessing instead for you were called for this very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

He says no matter what happens harmonious with other sympathetic the fuel with others to rejoice and weep brotherly to be friends with other people, kindhearted, humble nieces. Don't you dare return evil for evil, even when you want to and that's what you want to do when life is unfair. What's the typical marital conflict. The returning of evil for evil. Are you said that the mean woman say this to you. You sediment what I'm telling you now. We say that a typical marital conflict starts out like this.

We take too little being shooters and we hit each other with it and then we get mad and we start coming out with bigger things and then were throwing rocks and then we got guns and then we bring out a can and then we try to Newcomb.

In other words, it just keeps escalating and escalating evil for evil for evil. That's our instinct. If you're unfair to me. I'm going get you for this.

He says that's categorically wrong.

He says in verse 10 for the one who desires life to love and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit when life is unfair to you. Do you speak with an evil tongue because even talk to people not justified, but God won't God says don't you dare do that if you desire life and to see the good in your days, don't you do that you control your tongue. He said he must turn away from evil and do good.

He must seek peace and he must pursue it reconciliation. Blessed are the peacemakers, and he says and then this for the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears attend their prayer you anything you approach unfairness the way I'm telling you in my eyes and my years are directly on you. You do it and I'm listening.

You see you and trust yourself to me. I work this out. It's all going to work out read the end of the book. I went to see God's as you entrust yourself for me. You have a hope in you, you don't act like that but notice what he says if you decide to approach unfairness in the natural way.

He then says, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil is alter my face against you. That's what he says this is about as unpopular subject matters. We can life is unfair. Life is consistently and blatantly and unapologetically unfair.

The only question is how do you respond to the unfairness in your life. Naturally, aggressively blaming others passively victimization trying to deny completely and repressing your feelings or spiritually to evidence the humble heart of submission. When life is unfair to you, just like your Savior did when it was unfair to him entrusting yourself to him who judges righteously because you hope in him the spring. Father this subject matter is an area where it's a matter of who influence us us the most over influenced by your word and example Christ are we influenced by the culture in which we live. The culture in which we live, says you always stand up for number one, you always fight unfairness you find on any term you can you try to overcome it and beat it down further. That's not what Jesus did. That certainly know what the early church did and they experienced unfairness of the level that we never will.

And yet you were glorified the lost were brought to the Savior in the whole world was changed.

May each of us be challenged to trust in you and your sovereign judging the role of creation that we entrust ourselves to that, and that gives us a whole that allows us some of the words and bathroom.

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4600 Clearview Pkwy., Metairie, LA 7006 if you would be interested in hearing today's message in its original format that is is a sermon, the pastor will deliver during a Sunday morning service of fellowship monitored visit our website FVC Nola.org that FVC and of LA.O RG at our website you will find hundreds pastor Bill sermon you can browse through our sermon archives defined sermon series you're looking you can search by title. Once you find the message you're looking for. You can listen online or if you prefer, you can download the sermon on listening and anchoring. And remember all this absolutely free of charge. Once again our website is FVC Nola.org forecaster Bill Gebhardt and Jason Gebhardt. Thank you for listening to fellowship in order