{"id":3673,"date":"2015-10-08T00:11:40","date_gmt":"2015-10-08T07:11:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3673"},"modified":"2015-10-08T00:11:40","modified_gmt":"2015-10-08T07:11:40","slug":"108-glorified-in-defeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/10\/08\/108-glorified-in-defeat\/","title":{"rendered":"10\/8: Glorified in Defeat (\u8bd7118:17-29 \u897f4:2-18 \u803616:1-17:27)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u8bd7118:17-29 \u897f4:2-18 \u803616:1-17:27<\/h2>\n

Glorified in Defeat<\/h2>\n
\n

I will never forget a conversation I had with Father Raniero Cantalamessa, Franciscan monk and preacher to the Papal Household. He was about to be involved in a public debate with one of the \u2018New Atheists\u2019 in Italy.<\/p>\n

I asked him whether he thought he would win the debate. He replied that he did not know. He said he might lose. \u2018But,\u2019 he added, \u2018the Lord can be glorified in defeat<\/em>.\u2019<\/p>\n

Jesus turned the world upside down. He reversed the values of the world. Supremely, on the cross, Jesus turned the world upside down. In an act of ultimate humiliation and apparent <\/em>defeat he brought the greatest victory the world has ever known.<\/p>\n

It was said of his followers that they were \u2018turning the world upside down\u2019 (Acts 17:6, NRSV). In each of today\u2019s passages we see how this works, and how the Lord can be glorified in defeat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

1. God can bring success out of apparent failure<\/h2>\n

Psalm 118:17-29<\/a>As I look back on my life, God seems to have used the difficulties and defeats more than any apparent success.<\/p>\n

The psalmist has clearly been through a difficult time. He writes, \u2018God tested me, he pushed me hard\u2019 (v.18a, MSG). Yet he is full of thanksgiving, praise and rejoicing: \u2018I will… give thanks <\/em>to the Lord\u2019 (v.19). \u2018This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice <\/em>and be glad <\/em>in it\u2019 (v.24).<\/p>\n

He is full of thanksgiving because he sees that God is able to bring success out of apparent defeat. He writes, \u2018The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone\u2019 (v.22, AMP).<\/p>\n

Jesus is the supreme example of God bringing success out of apparent failure. He is the stone that the builders rejected, which has now become the cornerstone of the church. Jesus quotes this verse in Psalm 118 as referring to himself (Mark 12:10). Peter too makes this application (1 Peter 2), pointing out that Jesus is \u2018the living stone \u2013 rejected by human beings but chosen by God\u2019 (v.4). Jesus is now the chief cornerstone in the church on which the whole church rests.<\/p>\n

Our response should be like the psalmist: \u2018Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever\u2019 (Psalm 118:29).<\/p>\n

The worship song, Cornerstone<\/em>, has beautifully articulated this in its chorus:<\/p>\n

\u2018Christ alone, Cornerstone
\nWeak made strong, in the Saviour’s love
\nThrough the storm
\nHe is Lord, Lord of all.\u2019<\/p>\n

Lord, thank you so much for the way in which you bring success out of apparent defeat. \u2018You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you\u2019 (v.28).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

2. God can use you in spite of your circumstances<\/h2>\n

Colossians 4:2-18<\/a>At times we are distracted by many \u2018if onlys\u2019. If only we were married. If only we were not married to the wrong person. If only we were in the right job. If only we didn\u2019t have to go to work. If only we didn\u2019t have so many children. If only we did have children. If only we lived in the right place\u2026 But God used Paul in spite of his circumstances, and almost because of them!<\/p>\n

Paul writes, \u2018Make the most of every opportunity\u2019 (v.5, MSG). We cannot all be \u2018successful\u2019 but we can all do our best in whatever situation we find ourselves. Paul writes that they are to tell Archippus, \u2018Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best<\/em>\u2019 (v.17, MSG).<\/p>\n

Paul was extraordinarily gifted. He had a vital message to proclaim to the world. We would have expected that God would place him in a position of authority and power so that he could best use his gifts and proclaim his message.<\/p>\n

However, God allowed him to end up in prison. He ends the letter, \u2018Remember I am still in prison<\/em>and in chains<\/em>\u2019 (v.18, AMP). Yet the Lord was glorified in his apparent defeat. God turned Paul\u2019s situation upside down. Almost 2,000 years later we are still reading the words\u00a0Paul wrote while in prison. God used his words to change the world.<\/p>\n

Your words are powerful. Paul writes, \u2018Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you]\u2019 (v.6, AMP). We need wisdom to know when to speak, what to say and how to say it.<\/p>\n

God also used Paul\u2019s prayers to change the world. Here is another challenge to our priorities. He writes, \u2018Devote yourselves to prayer\u2019 (v.2). The world considers prayer a complete waste of time. Paul saw it as the highest priority of our lives. He commends Epaphras because he is \u2018alwayswrestling in prayer<\/em> for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured\u2019 (v.12).<\/p>\n

He wants his readers to pray that \u2018God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should\u2019 (vv.3\u20134).<\/p>\n

Here is yet another challenge to our priorities. Paul does not want them to pray for large crowds to come and hear him \u2013 rather he prays that he may proclaim the message clearly.<\/p>\n

Paul doesn\u2019t want them to pray for an open door to the prison, but an open door for the message of the gospel to be proclaimed. Rather than looking to the future when you might be in a better situation in which to serve God, focus on how you can serve God in the present, whatever the situation.<\/p>\n

Lord, help me to get my priorities right \u2013 to devote myself to prayer and proclamation whatever my circumstances. Give me wisdom today to know when to speak, what to say and how to say it.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3. God can make the \u2018worst of times\u2019 the \u2018best of times\u2019<\/h2>\n

Jeremiah 16:1-17:27<\/a>\u2018It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.\u2019 These are the opening words of Charles Dickens\u2019 novel A Tale of Two Cities<\/em> (1859), set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.<\/p>\n

Again, we can see that God can be glorified in apparent defeat. A \u2018year of drought\u2019 can become a \u2018year of bearing fruit\u2019 (17:8). I recently heard Rick Warren say, \u2018One of the things that I believe is that bad times are good times for the church. The good news gets better as society gets darker, because our light just shines brighter.\u2019<\/p>\n

He continued, \u2018In the 1930s [recession] there were two things that increased: theatre attendance and church attendance. People were looking for escapism and they were looking for meaning. The economy is very tough in the US right now; it\u2019s tough globally. This really is a good thing.\u2019 Rick\u2019s point was that \u2018This is the time for us to expand and push out, not for us to retreat.\u2019 The worst of times can be the best of times.<\/p>\n

Something like this is expressed in this passage. Jeremiah continues to warn of the coming judgment because the people have followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts instead of obeying God (16:12). He cautions us against the danger of deceiving ourselves: \u2018The heart is deceitful above all things\u2019 (17:9).<\/p>\n

We can easily deceive ourselves. If we want something our minds can present a variety of reasons why we should have it. We can easily justify ourselves even when we are in the wrong.<\/p>\n

This is one of the reasons we need to stick close to God (v.7, MSG). We need to be constantly checking ourselves with the Word of God and the wisdom of the Christian community, or else our trust can end up in the wrong place. The Lord says, \u2018Cursed are those who trust in mortals, who depend on flesh for their strength and whose hearts turn away from the Lord<\/em>\u2019 (v.5).<\/p>\n

On the other hand he says, \u2018Blessed are those who trust in the Lord<\/em>, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear<\/em> when heat comes<\/em>; its leaves are always green. It has no worries<\/em> in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit\u2019 (vv.7\u20138).<\/p>\n

Again, God turns things upside down. \u2018When heat comes\u2019 we would expect the leaves of the tree to dry out and turn brown. Yet because the tree is planted by the water it sends out roots by the stream and the leaves are always green. The psalmist likens this to the person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him, that person will not fear nor worry when heat comes.<\/p>\n

There are times in your life when the \u2018heat\u2019 increases. You are tested by difficult circumstances and challenges. If you stay close to the Lord, trusting in him, God is able to turn things upside down. \u2018Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in him\u2019 (v.7).<\/p>\n

Lord Jesus, you brought success out of apparent defeat. Thank you that I can trust you even when circumstances seem to be against me. I put my trust and confidence in you today.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Pippa Adds<\/h2>\n
\n

Jeremiah 17:7<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.\u2019<\/p>\n

Trust is being able to let go and give oneself, or a situation, over to God, without holding back. It is a child in a parent\u2019s arms, never doubting for a moment that they are safe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u8bd7118:17-29 \u897f4:2-18 \u803616:1-17:27 G […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":148,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bibleinoneyear"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3673"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3674,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3673\/revisions\/3674"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}