Pivotal Circumstances

The Five Things God Uses to Grow Our Faith #5 Pivotal Circumstances

This morning, we are finishing our series called, “Five Things God Uses to Grow Our Faith”.  If you happened to miss the one of the previous weeks, all I can say is, you have missed quite a bit.

This series, is about five ways in which we can draw closer to God.  We all want our faith to expand and to grow.   Each and every one of us, wants a closer, more intimate relationship with God.  We are all searching to know God better.

This week, I got to hear faith stories from our new members here at BBC, it is always amazing.  Their stories move me.  They are full of encouragement to anyone in the room.  Often when I listen to their stories, I see how God used these five catalysts to grow their faith.


September 27, 2015
Pivotal Circumstances
Pastor David Pranga, Brewster Baptist Church

Audio only[powerpress]

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been looking at these five things.

  1. Practical Biblical Teaching – We talked about finding your Bible, dust it off, open it up, and begin reading it and then applying God’s Word to your life. Read one chapter and apply it to your life.
  2. Providential Relationships – God brings relationships into our lives to grow our faith. To help us take the next step.  We need to be available to these relationships.  For some of us we need to be intentional in making these connections to help someone grow in their faith.
  3. Personal Ministry – God brings opportunities our way to serve people. In serving other people, we are able to meet a need and our faith grows.  We see God show up!
  4. Private Spiritual Discipline – This is the one that requires work on our part. If we want to see our faith take off, we need to practice meeting with God, praying, reading the Bible, and giving.  Spiritual disciplines takes the attention off ourselves and puts it on God.
  5. Pivotal Circumstances

This morning we are going to talk about “Pivotal Circumstances”.  I really believe God uses “Pivotal Circumstances” as one of the most important ways in which to grow our faith.  God uses “Pivotal Circumstances” in ways in which our faith in Him can come alive.  It is during these circumstances, that we either turn to God and faith increases or we turn away from God and our faith decreases.

I want to give you some examples of Pivotal Circumstances of people I know and their faith grew:

  • The birth of a child. Then finding out she has Down Syndrome
  • After 30 plus years of marriage, my spouse told me they wanted a divorce
  • A daughter is in a serious automobile accident and taken by “Flight to Life”
  • A person that had open heart surgery
  • A breakup with a boyfriend or girlfriend
  • My boss told me my services were no longer needed at the company
  • There was this person that came into my life and shared with me about this cool church
  • A birth of a child and then I came back to church
  • God entered my life, when I felt like there was no hope

DavidPranga3In the past few years, as a pastor, I have seen many pivotal circumstances.  These pivotal circumstances are incredible experiences where I say to myself…wow, how did you handle this.  When people have shared with me how God got their attention, they often share these life changing circumstances that make my jaw drop.  I am speechless when they share.

Many of these people have shared with me that they would not have signed up for it.  They would not want to go through it.  They would not wish it on anybody.  But then they say, they’re not sure God could have grown their faith the way He did, except for what could be described as a pivotal circumstance.

Here is the amazing thing about pivotal circumstances: they can be both positive and negative.  I have seen people go on a mission trip and served people, and when they came back their life was changed forever.  I have seen where a new couple have a child.  They then decide to attend church.  I wished more people shared these good stories with me.

Most of the time it is during negative circumstances of life.  It usually when something comes out of the blue: a phone call about a loved one was in accident.  It could be a doctor saying your health is more desperate than what you thought.

Then all of a sudden, you are faced with circumstances that seem bigger than life.  All those things that you used to worry about, means nothing now.  When this happens to us, we don’t know what just happened, or even what the next step is.  We just sit in a fog.  We begin to ponder about life.

And it is during those moments, whether we are religious or not, we start to turn to God.  We might have never really thought about God before.  Yet, when these moments occur.  We throw everything out the window.  We begin to pray.  We start getting on our knees and asking God for help.  We beg God for help.  We even start attending church.

I think C.S. Lewis says it best…”God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.  It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

This passage in John 11 is a great example from Jesus’ life….

John 11:1-3

“Now a man named Lazarus was sick.  He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.”  So the sisters sent word to Jesus.  Lord, the one you love is sick.

Martha, Mary and Lazarus are all close friends of Jesus.  Jesus is very familiar with this family.  Jesus knew where they had lived.  Jesus knew their names.  Jesus had eaten in their home.  The relationship with the family very special.

Lazarus is quite sick.  Now this is not that he has the flu.  This is life-threatening sickness.  This is really bad.  Mary and Martha is sending word to Jesus.   Lazarus, who you love is very, very sick.

The girls know Jesus and the power He has.  They had witnessed Jesus healing the sick… many and many times.  So you can understand that the girls would send word to Jesus.  They expected Jesus to respond right away.

John 11:4

When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

Jesus is a saying, that sickness, illness, and disease, that someone may be going through.  It all can be used for God’s glory.  God can use these events to be glorified.  Let’s continue…

John 11:5-6

Jesus loved Martha and his sister (Mary) and Lazarus.  So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

How many of you were expecting this?  How many of you expected that Jesus would get up and travel to see Lazarus, Martha, and Mary?  Yet, Jesus just decided to stay home for another two more days.  This is what makes the story more unbelievable.    It’s not what you would expect.

What do we do when a close family member is really sick?  We go to the hospital to see them right away.  Jesus, tells the disciples, we are not going anywhere.  For two days they do nothing but wait.

How many of you felt that God was not answering your prayer?  How many times do we pray, God, help me.  God, please make this person better.  God, you know I need a job.  God, I need your help this time.  We pray to God and we feel like he is not listening.  Are you there God?  Are you listening?

How many of you guys have been there?   How many of us start arguing with God?  How many of us start making promises to God?    We say, God, I promise… if you do this for me, I will go to church.  I promise… I will become a better person.  I promise.. that I will bring my kids to church.  We have all been there…

Let’s go back to the story… Then after two days, Mary and Martha watch their brother die.  Of course, Mary and Martha were expecting Jesus to come.  They probably took turns looking out for Jesus.  Jesus healed the sick, so of course Jesus will come back.

John 11:7

Then he (Jesus) said to his disciples, Let us go to Judea…

After two day of waiting around and doing nothing.  Lazarus is dead now.  Jesus decides to visit Mary & Martha.

John 11:11-14

After he had said this, Jesus went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.  His disciples replied, Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.  Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples through he meant natural sleep.  So then he told them plainly, Lazarus is dead…

We now have this conversation happening between Jesus and his disciples.  It was as if the disciples were not getting it.  The disciples were thinking Lazarus is sick.  That he needed rest and sleep.  I love it the next line… Jesus sets the record straight… Lazarus is dead.

Let us skip down to verse 21…  Martha sees Jesus coming down the road days later. She comes running towards Him.  Then she says something we all would have said to Jesus….

 

John 11:21

Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

I love that Martha is honest with Jesus.  If you, Jesus, would have been here, my brother would still be alive.  Jesus, this is all your fault….  Martha, is probably thinking to herself….  I have seen Jesus heal strangers.  I have seen Jesus heal people that were underserving.  I have seen Jesus heal people that were not even around…

Why, Jesus did you not show up?  Why, did you make me see my brother die?  Where were you, Jesus?  What is amazing to me, is what Martha then asked Jesus…

John 11:22

But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask

Now this is amazing.  Here Martha is angry that her brother died.  Her heart is broken.  She is angry that Jesus did not come sooner.  Yet, Martha knows something very important.  I believe God will give you whatever you ask for.  She had faith in Jesus.  She had faith that Jesus could still do something…

John 11:23-24

Jesus said to her (Martha), “Your brother will rise again.” (Pause)  Martha answered, I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Martha is not understanding what Jesus is saying.  Martha, is saying I know Lazarus will rise again in the last days.  This is what all Jews believed.  Jesus realizes that Martha does not understand…

John 11:25

Jesus said to her (Martha), I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?

Jesus is sharing with Martha that He is bigger than being a miracle worker.  Yes, I could have saved Lazarus from his death.  Martha, hear me…I am the resurrection.  Meaning… I am the Messiah.

Jesus goes on and says, anyone who trusts Me, anyone who puts His trust in Me will live, even though he dies.  And whoever lives by believing in Me will never die.  And then he says to her, Do you believe this?

Jesus wants more than for her to simply believe…  This is all about Martha’s faith.  This is about her confidence in Jesus.  And what lengths would Jesus go, to grow that confidence?

That God would go great lengths to increase someone’s faith.  That is how important your faith and my faith is to God.  It is saying to God, I am putting my faith in your hands.  Even when my world is falling upside down.  Even when I have very little energy or faith at this point.  I am giving you everything, God.

John 11:27

Yes, Lord, she replied. (Deep breath)  I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.

Martha with tears in her eyes is saying, I believe that even though you let me brother die; I believe that even though you did not come; I believe that even when you did not answer my prayer; I believe that in spite of the ridicule of people that tease her.  Martha, with her heart open and filled with sorrow.  She says to Jesus; I believe you are the Messiah and the Son of God. 

John 11:35-36 –we see intimate moment

Jesus wept.  Then the Jews said, See how he loved him!

We get to see the human side of Jesus.  Jesus who could have done the miracle.  Jesus, who is Messiah.  Jesus, who knows what he is going to do in a few minutes.  Instead of rushing in and doing a miracle.  Jesus, pauses to feel exactly what Mary and Martha were feeling.  Jesus stopped everything he was doing to feel the pain.

When something happens in your life.  You may feel like God did not come through for you.   Jesus understands how you feel.  It’s that same feeling when you lose your job, when the kids you raise for umpteen years go the wrong direction.  It is the same feeling when your marriage crumbles.  Jesus stops what he is doing and he understands how we feel.  Jesus is there to comfort us from our heartache.

Then all of sudden, Jesus does the miracle…

John 11:39

Take away the stone, Jesus said….by this time there was a bad odor, for he had been there four days…

(Skip to) John 11:43-44

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man (Lazarus) came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

I can picture when Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb.  Jesus probably ushered up a small prayer to his heavenly Father.  The miracle was performed.  We see that Jesus has been given power over death.  This was more than a simply healing.  This was the power to bring someone back to life.

Imagine Martha and Mary’s faith at this minute.  Imagine the eyewitnesses who saw this happen.  Lazarus comes out of the tomb with strips of linen on him.  Here is how the story ends…

John 11:45

Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did put their faith in him.

Jesus used this painful circumstance.  You may even say, he created this one.  Why?  To show us the connection between pivotal circumstances and the growth and development of our faith.  God is so honored by your trust.  God is honored by your belief.  God is honored by our faith that He will leverage circumstances in our life to grow our faith.

I want to say that everyone in this room has had pivotal circumstances that affect them at one time in their life.  This the most important question is…

Do you know what makes the difference between a person who leans into God and whose faith get bigger and stronger and a person that leans away from Him?

In most cases, the thing that makes the difference are the people they are surrounded by.  Because in difficult times, when it seems like God is nothing but a big disappointment, that is the time when we need people to come around us.  To frame the question differently or to interpret the circumstances differently.

In my experience, when men and women have faced tragic, tragic circumstances but have been in a community of faith, when people are able to frame this and give context for the pain; it is amazing how people come out on the other side.

I have heard similar stories or testimonies, the same pain can either grow a person’s faith or it can destroy a person’s faith.   When you have a friend or family member that can reframe your pain to you.  I am not saying excuse God from it.  But to explain that God understands it.  This pain in not new to God.  God can use this pain we are experiencing.  Tragedy and pain are part of our human life here on earth.

All of us, at moments and times in our lives will be disappointed in God, but you can be disappointed with God but still be able to trust Him.  Even when God does not answer your prayer the way you want; even when bad things and it will happen to you.  It is ok to be disappointed.  It is ok to be mad at God.

Yet, it is still important for us to trust Him.  It is still important for us to believe in Him.  It is important for us to have faith in God.

STORY:  When I thought about pivotal circumstances this week, one story kept coming into my mind.  It involves my cousin Adam and his wife Jen.  They live in Northern Illinois.  Adam works for the bank and Jen trains horses on their farm.  Adam and Jen attend a church in their community.  I would say Adam was the more church goer one.  Jen actually just started attending the women’s bible study and was beginning to learn.  At the time of this story, Adam and Jen had three children.  The ages of the kids: around 4, 2, and three months…

One day, Jen was off to a horse show.  Adam was working from home and watching the children.  Everything seem like a typical day.  The kids were playing and the baby was upstairs taking a nap.

Adam went upstairs to check on their baby girl.  The baby was unresponsive.  There was no breathing.  The blanket was wrapped around the baby’s neck.  Adam did everything in his power but to no avail.  There was nothing the EMT could do either.  It was accident.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than a funeral for a child.  There is nothing and I mean nothing more heartbreaking than a broken-hearted mom and a dad that both felt responsible.  Even though they should not have.

I know they were both extremely disappointed and upset with God.  Their hearts were broken and hurt.  They experienced a level of sorrow that I could not even imagine.  I cannot even imagine going through the funeral of my child.  Then seeing the smallest casket you have ever seen for the grave site.

My cousin Adam did his best to make some sense of this.  I know Jen was angry at God.  My family prayed for Jen because for the first time, she was letting God into her life.  She had been attending church and having the kids involved in the children’s program.  There was so much progress but then this happens.

The pastor and people of this church came around the family and sheltered them with love and support.  It was a type of love and support they had never seen before.  The young Pastor came over to help them out.  The ladies from the church showed their love and support.  The entire town (not a big town) showed them unbelievable support.

What I loved about the story… they had people (pastor and congregation) that came up to them who framed this in a proper way.  We’re not going to try to explain this.  We are not going to try to attach meaning or purpose to this.  You can still believe in Jesus.  You can still trust in Jesus.

Here is what I know.  It may be months from now, it may be years from now, but I do believe God will use this tragedy in their lives.  I really do believe that God will use this terrible circumstance to help other people.

A couple of things that have happened since that tragic event two years ago.  The entire town came together over this tragedy.  Money was raised and they built a playground structure at the local elementary school, in honor of their daughter.  Adam and Jen’s faith is still growing and they are still attending church.

And for sure there are days with disappointment.  Because pain and suffering is not the exception to the rule.  Adam and Jen are still in God’s story.  They are still growing.  Taking one step at a time.  Still believing in God.  Still trusting in God.  Still having faith in God.

Each and every one of us will face pivotal circumstances.  Circumstances that will stretch us.  Some of these circumstances will cause us our deepest pain.  We will experience our darkest hours and days.  We will experience our deepest valleys in the same way.

We need to remember that God still loves us.  God uses these pivotal circumstances to grow our faith in Him.  Our faith can only increase when we need to rely upon Him more.  Unfortunately, we don’t get to sign up.  God chooses or allows what happens to us.  Our responsibility is, how are we going to respond?

What matters to God is our faith and belief in Him.  We need to trust God in the mist of our circumstances.  We need to believe that God has our best interest in mind.  We need to trust and believe in him.

Pray

Questions for Reflection or Discussion:

 

  1. In James 1:2-4 James writes that trials test our faith – our confidence in God. What relationship do you see between adversity and strong faith?

 

  1. James says that the goal of these tests is “perseverance.” The implication is that trials can create persevering faith in God.  But why trials?  How else could God create persevering faith?

 

 

  1. As you look at John 11:1-6, how does it make you feel to read that Jesus loved Lazarus, but did not go to him in his time of need?

 

 

  1. As Jesus speaks with Martha (John 11:21-27), what do we learn that she already believes about Jesus? What more does Jesus want her to believe?

 

 

  1. In John 11:41-42, what reason does Jesus give for pausing to pray before performing this miracle? What is the significance of that?

 

 

  1. Respond to this statement: “When it feels like God is allowing something to happen to us, it is easy to lose faith. But when we accept that he is doing something in us, we are candidates for the grace we need in order to endure.”

 

  1. If God uses pivotal circumstances to build our faith in him, what should our response be the next time life takes us by surprise?

 

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