God’s Purpose in a Variety of Testings: Taking Loved Ones

God's Purpose in Testings: Taking Loved Ones

Good morning to each of you listening. I trust that you are staying safe and warm on this Lord's Day. I wanted to begin by opening our Bibles to a familiar verse of Scripture that's found in Romans chapter 8 and verse number 28. And you can probably quote it along with me even without turning. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

And let's ask God's blessing in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity that we have to look into your word. We pray your blessing upon our thoughts as we hear the word and as we meditate on the things that we've heard, we pray that this will be beneficial to us and that even as we hear it and we respond to your word that you would be honored and glorified through our responses. In Jesus' name we ask, Amen.

Scripture informs us that God causes the Son to shine upon the just and on the unjust. He causes the rain to fall on the believers as well as unbelievers. But there's something that God only does for His children and that is He chastens His own. He does not chasten all His creatures. In fact, we are all God's creatures but because of sin, we are not all God's children. The only way we can be reconciled to God is by faith in Jesus Christ, by humbly trusting in His salvation alone.

I wanted to turn over, if you will turn with me to Hebrews chapter 12, and I'd like to read a couple of verses from Hebrews chapter 12 that support the claim we just made. There in Hebrews chapter 12 verse 7 we read, if ye endure chastening God dealeth with you as with sons. For what Son is he whom the Father chastenseth not? But if ye be without chastisement whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. We have seen before that the Greek word for chastening, Paideia, is literally, it means to instruct children. It comes from the Greek word Pais which means child.

Scripture teaches us that chastening includes rebuke. That means telling us when we're wrong. It includes correction which shows us where we went wrong and what needs a change. And also instruction, the Scripture teaches us that chastening includes instructing us or teaching us how to do it the right way moving forward. It can safely be said that everybody, every creature experiences trouble in life, but only God's children experience chastening. Job tells us that man is born to trouble and the sparks fly upward. But when it comes to the matter of those troubles having and those pressures having a teaching effect, only God's children experience that from an eternal teaching standpoint, for our eternal good, only those who have trusted in Christ and have turned to Him can experience that beneficial trouble, we might say.

There's a provision that God has made for sinners though that they can be convicted. In fact, the Holy Spirit is working even now, working upon hearts of sinners to draw them to faith in Christ. The Father is drawing so that sinners might become His children. They might be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. They might no longer be alienated or separated from Him because of their sins. But the full privileges of God's teaching love in the form of chastening is really specifically for those who call Him Father.

Trouble naturally tends to make a person harder, doesn't it? It tends, it has a tendency to make someone more bitter and more jaded. But as children of God, our heart, our mind, our conscience have been renewed by God's word. And He is able to, as we trust in Him, to make us understand that the things that happen to us are not accidental. Therefore, there is a purpose, we just read that in Romans 8:28. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Let's see, the Holy Spirit opens our eyes. The Holy Spirit can open the eyes of a sinner to see that God is at work and drawing him to faith in Christ. But the Christian sees God at work in His life. He sees that behind every joy and every trial that comes to His life, there is a loving purpose in that. There's a purpose to draw him closer, to draw him in holiness of life, to purify doubt in His life, to purify him of any sin that he might confess that and get it under the blood and to be purged through that testing.

And just as an earthly father disciplines his own children, so we see that our Heavenly Father disciplines His children. But He doesn't discipline others that are not His children. This is why we must pray to God for Him to convict sinners of their need of Him. Because unless God is drawing them to salvation, our words will hold no weight with them. Their minds are closed, their eyes are blinded, their heart is darkened. But as God worked through the ministry of the apostle Paul, we must also pray for God as we see there in His ministry. The prayer was that God would open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ.

Do you remember what Jesus said in John 6 verse 44? He says, no man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him. Even back in verse 37 of that same passage, John 6 verse 37, He says, all that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.

This message today is primarily to those who are in Christ, believers, children of God. In the next few messages, I would like to focus our hearts upon this subject of God's purpose in the various kinds of testings that He's bringing into our lives. What is this purpose in those things? We're going to see one of those purposes and one aspect of that testing today, God willing, as we look into His word.

I want to speak today on God's purpose in taking away dear ones from us. I speak especially of dear ones who have been examples and mentors to us in the faith. This may be a parent, a grandparent, maybe a sibling, a pastor, a teacher, or some dear friend to us that God has greatly used in our lives.

If you'll turn with me, let's turn over to Acts chapter 20, and I'd like to begin the reading there in verse 17. The scripture reads, and from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church. And when they were come to him, he said unto them, ye know from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I have been with you at all seasons. Serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews, and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed you and have taught you publicly and from house to house. Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

And now behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there. Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

I have coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. And when he had thus spoken he kneeled down and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him, sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake that they should see his face no more and they accompanied him unto the ship.

We will recall that the Apostle Paul had faithfully ministered at Ephesus for three years during his visit with them in the previous chapter, chapter 19. The Apostle Paul spent the most time of any place he was in Ephesus and he gave some of his deepest insights when he was there with them. And he makes it clear that he had declared the whole counsel of God to them. He did not shun to declare unto them anything that they needed to hear. And even now he tells these elders that they are without excuse. Take what you've been given and perpetuate it. Give it to faithful men who will be able to teach others also as Paul would tell Timothy. And we know that to whom much is given, much is required.

So these elders were under shepherds. That is, they were shepherds under the great shepherd of the sheep and they had a task. They had a calling to minister that word to the sheep and to oversee and to feed the church of God. But notice that the first thing Paul tells them is that they must take heed unto their own selves because there would be some that would even arise among them that would draw disciples after themselves but not truly shepherd as an under shepherd those disciples for Christ's sake.

And so that's why it's so special when we have a dear faithful Christian, whether it be a pastor or teacher or one who has been a mentor to us in some way. And the spiritual, true spiritual genuine encouragement to us in the faith and has edified us. What a privilege that is. And oh how dearly we miss that individual when the Lord takes him or her away from us. But eventually there is a time that must come when our loved ones, those that we've respected, those that we honor, the Lord is going to call them to depart. The time of their departure is going to come to pass.

I think of Jesus even during His earthly ministry, as you remember His earthly ministry was drawing towards its close, He began to wean, we might say, wean His disciples from His physical presence. He began to prepare them. He began to say some things to them that would prepare their hearts for the time when He would no longer be with them in physical presence. Of course, we know that He would send another comforter to be with them. And in that sense, He was with them all the way even to the end of the world.

But in Matthew 16 verse 21, let's look there together. Jesus, we read of what He says to them here. In verse 21, from that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples how that He must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took Him and began to rebuke Him saying, be it far from the Lord, this shall not be unto thee. But He, that is Jesus, turned and said unto Peter, get thee behind me, Satan, for thou art an offense unto me, for thou savorest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

Well, what is it that men naturally want? They want to live forever. They want to discover the fountain of youth. They don't want to die. They don't want to leave this present world. But as Christians, we always need to be ready to go. Our departure is always nigh in a sense because the Lord could either call us home in death or come for us in rapture. And we see that that was the spirit of the Apostle Paul. We see Peter's reaction here, though, in what we just read was very much like ours might be. We would never choose to let go of our loved ones. In fact, we may even fight against it and even become despondent when God chooses to take one of those that's very near and dear to us.

God's will is to take us all at some point and it is His timing that is the best. So while shedding tears, of course, is a natural expression of grief and it's a necessary part of grieving for a loved one that's departed, we must remember that God has us here still for a reason. He has more to teach us. He has more to use us for His purposes. And so there is a time of grief, but there's also a time to tighten up the shoelaces, we might say, and learn what it is the Lord has for us.

I think of you dear ladies today, there's some of you that the Lord has taken your husband and you're now having to learn how to do a lot of things. Some of you are at different places in that process. Some have been without a husband for many years and others, not as long. But as you think on perhaps the husband that the Lord has taken, you know, you had to learn, maybe some of you had to learn how do I pump gas? How do I talk to the mechanic? How do I call the plumber and do even just some of these practical things of life that was a ministry that my husband had to me. It was his role to fulfill and now I'm going to miss that or the times we had together in God's Word and so on and so forth. How he was a help in guiding our home and making decisions that I did not have to shoulder the load of that and do it all on my own. Well, thank God that He's ever present help to us.

I think about you men, God may have taken your wife from you and now you're having to learn how to cook, how to clean, how to pay attention to a lot of details around the house that you never needed to before. Above and beyond these natural adjustments though, God has wanted to teach us more things about Himself when He takes away some dear loved one from us. It may not be a spouse, it may be a teacher in our life. Someone we looked to, we always knew we could go to them and ask them a question when we were needing wisdom on a matter, we were needing counsel. Thank God for using that person but their time is, God has called them back to Himself and we need to learn what it is He wants to teach us now.

In John 20, let's look over there together and John chapter 20, let's look there in verse number 11. In this here in verse number 11, Jesus speaks to Mary Magdalene. We see that she in verse 11 stood without at the sepulcher weeping and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulcher and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain and they say unto her, woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him. And when she had thus said she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She supposing Him to be the gardener saith unto Him, Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him and I will take Him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary, she turned herself and saith unto Him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had spoken these things unto her.

I believe that there are two very clear truths that come to the surface in this passage we just read. The first one that stands out to me here is that Jesus was about to ascend to His Father brethren, when Mary realized He was indeed her resurrected Lord. She wanted to touch Him. Oh, she wanted to embrace Him. She wanted to just show how glad she was that He was alive. But Jesus, the second thing I see here is that Jesus instead of letting her touch Him, wanted her to go and tell the disciples He was indeed risen from the dead and that He was going to ascend back to His Father soon. I believe it's very clear here that Jesus was weaning Mary from His physical presence, but He was also giving her a task to perform. He not only took away His physical presence, but He commissioned her. He gave her clear instructions as He would give His disciples instructions of go into all the world and preach the gospel, right?

Well, if God has taken dear ones from us and left us here, you can count on it that He has a specific purpose for you now to fulfill. And we need to hear what the Spirit saith. We need to learn what it is that God is telling us that we now need to do, even through His word by the Holy Spirit. I think about Paul how he spoke to the Ephesian elders. He told them what they needed to do after his departing. If you remember what we read over there in Acts 20 verse 28, we read number one, take heed therefore unto yourselves. Number one, take care of your own walk with the Lord, right? And number two, to all the flock, you need to take heed to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. And number three, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.

So you have, you've got to take care of your own walk first. And then those that God has committed to you in a stewardship, you need to attend to them as well. You need to minister to those that God has put in your path, those that God has appointed for you to minister to. In this case, the elders were to take heed to the flock, they were to watch and guard them, but also to feed them. And so some time later, once Paul had gone back to Jerusalem and he had been falsely accused by his own countrymen, the Jews, and they sought to kill him. And remember, they sought to kill him and then he appealed to Caesar ultimately. He got on that boat heading to Rome where he would write once he got there. I would be during that time, he would ultimately die in Rome, but we see that while he was there before the time of his departure came, he would write to the Ephesians. He would write the Epistle to the Ephesians. And he would tell them one final time of his prayers for them.

And I think it's very insightful for us and helpful for us to read in Ephesians chapter 3, what he said to them. Ephesians chapter 3, he will say beginning in verse 17, his prayer was this that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints. What is the breadth and the length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God? Now, unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen.

In this passage clearly, it's Paul's great desire for the Ephesians that their relationship with the Lord would deepen just because I'm leaving, just because you're not going to see my face again does not at all mean that you should not be growing in your walk with the Lord. In your love for the Lord, in your understanding of how much He loves you, he greatly desired for their faith and their love to grow stronger and he prayed to this end and he told them what he was praying for them. While Paul certainly had pointed them to Christ while he was here, he prayed that they would continue to increase in their knowledge and their love, their faith even after his departing.

And thank God for how He uses teachers, He uses preachers, parents, spouses, friends in our lives to point us to Himself. But even when they're gone, the Lord is going to continue. He's going to raise up others. He's going to continue to work in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. He is our ultimate helper. He is the constant of our lives, even though people change and the people who are in our lives come and go. He will never leave us nor forsake us. If you're in Christ today, He is in you and He's able to do far above what you or I can even imagine for nothing is impossible with Him. And that's what God wanted the Ephesians to see here. That's what their apostle desired that they would learn. Even though he was gone or would soon go, God is unchanged. God is faithful. God is able.

Remember we read in Romans 8:28 and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to His purpose. Everyone that God takes, He means it for good. He meant it for good when He took Job's children for the present that chastening didn't seem to be joyous, did it? But through the chastening, God taught Job so much about Himself. And He used the situation to humble Job's friends, didn't He? He showed Job many things about Himself, especially in those latter chapters of that testing. And He taught Job that nothing was impossible with Him. He blessed him with even more children than he had in the beginning. Not that Job didn't miss the children they had before, but God restored Him. God strengthened Job and I wonder how many blessed things, how many wonderful truths that Job passed on to His children after that and how many things and how many ways they became a blessing to the future generations because of what God had done in Job's life.

We see that God meant it for good when He allowed Jonathan's life to be taken. Because David now knew that he must fulfill the kindness to Jonathan's offspring that he had promised Jonathan he would fulfill. We see how he was so kind and gracious to Mephibosheth. We see that God meant it for good when He took King Uzziah as we pointed out the other week for it was in that very year that Uzziah died, that Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah finally saw the Lord, high and lifted up and began to be greatly used by the Lord. We see that God meant it for good when He took the life of His only begotten Son on the cross. For it was in that death, ultimately, that the gospel spread throughout the earth, and many sons and daughters were brought to glory. We see that God meant it for good when He allowed Herod to take the life of the apostle James for through that deep trial and Peter's imprisonment that followed the death of James. We see the church was united in prayer and even when the church was scattered in the diaspora, we notice that it multiplied, it grew, it increased through the hardship.

Yes, we sorrow when God takes loved ones, especially those who were such a blessing to us for Christ's sake. But we must never forget, we have a gap to stand in ourselves. We have a mission to fulfill. We have a great commission. We have a calling that God has laid upon our lives. We need to stand up for and be set for the defense of the gospel, but we also need to spread the good news to those that are around us. God's purpose is for us, not only to reminisce on their walk with Him, but ourselves, now to point people to their Savior and ours.

I think of the words of that familiar hymn by William Cowper. God moves in a mysterious way and it was in one of those verses where He says, His purposes will ripen fast unfolding every hour. The bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower. Yes, death, departure of loved ones is bitter. But if you know Christ, you can move forward with the confidence that He will sweeten the trial because you know Him and you know that He will be with you each step of the way. You know your call according to His purpose. This purpose is not that you always feel good at every moment, but that you are conformed to the image of Christ.

Even when we sorrow, we don't have to sorrow without hope like the world does. We sorrow with hope, knowing that even though it doesn't seem to be joyous for the season, it's going to bring better good things to our lives because God is behind it. God is orchestrating the trial. God is testing us and He's wanting us to grow in love and faith in Him. Well, the next chapter in our lives after God takes a loved one, a dear one from us like this, as we've been seeing today, is that the next chapter in His will is built upon this chapter. This chapter may be a somber one. It may be a sorrowful one, but we can't come to the next chapter of our lives without going through this one and may God help us to see that even though the bud may have a bitter taste, sweet will be the flower because God is in it. God is orchestrating it. God is sovereign over these tests He brings to our lives.

Let's pray. Father, thank you for the moments we've had in your word today. We pray, Lord, that we will have gained something from the passages that we've looked at and there will be application to our own lives that we will benefit from. We pray, Lord, that you keep each and every one safe in these storms, those that have to be out on this icy Sunday, Lord, and we just pray that you would have your hand of protection upon them. We pray, Lord, that you bring us again together soon in your will and your timing. And we ask these things, help us to keep our eyes up looking for your soon return. In Jesus' name, Amen.