Trials as a Means of Grace (3)

The point: Respond to trials, afflictions, and chastisements in a biblical manner for them to advance the work of grace.

A quote from an unnamed commentator (referred to as 'The Lord' from another generation) on Hebrews is used to clarify that affliction itself is not the means of grace, but rather the presented action of regarding it as the Lord's chastisement, which promotes spiritual improvement.

our afflictions, chastisements, in a biblical manner, that these things advance. The Lord, from another generation, has stated it in His commentary on the book of Hebrews, and here let it be distinctly understood that it is not affliction, but a presented action, unto be, as the chastisement of the Lord. The natural effect of affliction

6:04 - 6:48 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second principle is to submit to the sovereign God, who is our loving Father, rather than merely to the abstract concept of His sovereignty. Drawing from Hebrews 12, Martin…

The comparison between the reverence given to earthly fathers who chasten and the much greater subjection due to the Father of Spirits is used to highlight the reasonableness and righteousness of submitting to God's discipline.

which so clearly appears in Hebrews chapter 12. Hebrews chapter 12. In this section, in which the writer to the Hebrews is, gently with pastoral skill, reminding his readers that there are certain truths already revealed in scripture that they have forgotten to apply to their present difficult, afflictive providences. He tells them in verse 9, Furthermore, we have had the fathers of our flesh

11:49 - 12:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Acquiesce in God's right and sovereignty to do what He will with His own, even when trials shatter your life.

An analogy of believing in God's sovereignty when life is easy (wind at your back, smooth road) versus when trials blast one's fairest hopes is used to challenge the depth of one's submission to God's right to do what He wills.

to have the right, you see, to object. This morning the wind is at our back, and the warmth of the sun upon our cheek, and our road is smooth, and someone walks up, taps you on the shoulder and says,

24:05 - 24:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not murmur at an act of God's love; submit to heaven's sovereign.

A terse quote is used to summarize the sinfulness of murmuring at God's acts of love (chastisement) and the treason of not submitting to heaven's sovereign.

As one has tersely expressed it, it is inexcusable to murmur at an act of love whom the Lord loves he chases. It is inexcusable to murmur at an act of love. It is treason not to submit to heaven's sovereign. Two beautiful examples of this in the Old Testament.

28:29 - 28:54 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not respond to grief and pain with stoicism or an unnatural response, but allow for mourning while still worshipping God.

Job's story is presented as a prime example of someone whose afflictions were immense, yet he responded with worship and submission to God's sovereignty, even when not for sin but for godliness.

Perhaps you have already thought of them. Job chapter 1. Here is someone whose afflictions, whose trials, whose tribulations, whose chastisement knows bounds beyond perhaps that which any other human being ever knew, save the incarnate God-man Christ Jesus. And yet in one day, when this man, who was disciplined not for any sin in his life, but because of the consistent godliness of his life,

28:54 - 29:36 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not respond to grief and pain with stoicism or an unnatural response, but allow for mourning while still worshipping God.

David's response to the death of his child, after Nathan's prophecy and his earnest pleading, is used as another powerful example of submitting to God's will and worshipping Him, demonstrating a non-stoic but ultimately submissive grief.

Though he sinned so grievously, 2 Samuel chapter 12, 2 Samuel chapter 12, you remember the prophet came after a period of almost a year between his sin and his repentance. And after getting to his conscience through the use of a parable, he turns and says, You are the man, David. And David breaks and owns his sin. And then the prophet speaks to him and tells him, verse 14 of 2 Samuel 12, Howbeit because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child that is born unto you

31:50 - 32:33 Read in full sermon

The point: Fall at the feet of a living, loving, sovereign God and Father, for in that is your safety and sanctification.

A poem by Margaret Clarkson from her book 'Grace Grows Best in Winter' is quoted to beautifully capture the principle of trusting God's faithfulness and grace in times of darkness and misunderstanding, resting in His planned purposes.

Grace Grows Best in Winter, taken from a phrase out of the writings of Samuel Rutherford. There are a number of her own poems and hymns in that book, and one of them so wonderfully captures this principle. It's brief, but it's profound. It's entitled, In Darkness.

36:59 - 37:21 Read in full sermon

The point: If caught in obvious sin that brings chastisement, plead for thorough repentance.

The analogy of being 'caught with our hand in a cookie jar' is used to describe situations where the reason for God's chastisement (specific, blatant sin) is immediately obvious.

They were turning the Lord's table into a horrible, horrible charade. And He says because of this, verse 29, 1 Corinthians 11, He that eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he discern not the body, if you're not coming to the Lord's table with all of your faculties intact and with your mind and spirit filled with the spiritual realities that are represented at that table, He says you're eating and drinking judgment to yourself for this cause many among you are weak and sickly and not a few sleep. But if we discerned or discriminated ourselves

40:33 - 41:17 Read in full sermon

The point: Pray for wisdom to respond as you ought to afflictions, even if it means submitting blindly when no light comes.

A scenario is described where past, unexplained trials become clear years later when God uses the believer's felt experience to comfort someone else in similar agony, revealing God's long-term purpose.

and you say ah now I see God who comforted us in all our tribulations that we might be able to comfort others God was laying up in store in your own soul the felt experience of that period of unusual testing that concentrated pressure of affliction because he knew six years later he was going to bring someone into your life who would in agony of soul bare his or her heart and say has anybody ever gone through this? is there any light at the end of the tunnel? you can put your hands on their shoulder

48:32 - 49:15 Read in full sermon