November 7, 2021

“Three Pennies and a Rock – Trust and Obey”

Pastor:
Passage: Psalm 84; Matthew 18:1-4
Service Type:

Introduction

  • Braves win first World Series since 1995
  • It was great being able to watch those games with my son.
    • Some of the greatest memories I have with my dad were at or watching Braves games so it is really special to get to do that with my own son
  • But, I gotta tell you, if it weren’t for Ben, I probably wouldn’t have watched many games
    • Braves and TarHeels
      • They lose a lot of big games
        • Yes, I know it’s nice to get there, just wish they could be dynastic like the Patriots or the 70s UCLA Basketball teams.
      • IT was Ben who trusted that they were going to win
        • Final game, I wanted to bail, especially as the game got later and later.
      • Ben had faith.
        • But, beyond that, Ben’s trust wasn’t so much an intellectual consent as it was an action
      • I talk frequently about love
        • How we primarily view it as a feeling, but the Bible sees it as action
      • Same thing can be said for Trust – It’s an action step.

Trust

  • First of all, we need to get rid of a couple of outcomes of trust so as to not have false expectations of what trusting God will deliver
  • FIRST - DOES NOT MEAN EVERYTHING WILL GO YOUR WAY
    • This was my big mistake.
      • Rain, T-Ball game, didn’t happen
        • I trusted God BUT I ONLY TRUSTED HIM TO DO WHAT I NEEDED HIM TO DO.
          • That’s actually doing a number of things deeply wrong with our faith
        • The Bible contradicts this
          • Jesus himself
            • John 16:33-34 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
            • 1st Peter really gets at this awareness
              • Because the World is broken by Sin, there is no getting out of here without suffering
              • But, Peter notes, it is far better to suffer for
            • We typically trust God to deliver things to us
              • Where it is easy to trust God
                • Grace
                  • I’m not perfect but I get into heaven, anyway
                    • Yeah, I trust God on that
                  • Comfort
                    • My yoke is easy, my burden light
                      • Oh yeah, that’s a really good one to trust
                        • Nope, this burden is too hard, can’t be from Jesus

Download Files Notes

« “Three Pennies and a Rock – Trust” “Three Pennies and a Rock – Forgiveness” »