On November 12th, our “Elephant In The Family Room” Sermon Series will take us to the issue of grief. We will discuss two ways that we can approach grief: through “worldly grief” and “Godly grief”. “Worldly grief” leaves our families empty and without hope, where “Godly grief” results in hope and healing.
Each of our families have experienced loss resulting in grief. Our church family has shared in that grief as we have mourned together the loss of dear loved ones in our church.
The circle of grief widens beyond our families, beyond our church family and to include brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the U.S. and around the world. We grieve the losses and tragedies that fellow believers face.
This definitely includes the recent tragedy that took place yesterday in Sutherland Springs Texas that claimed the lives of at least 26 people. Yesterday marked the 3rd church shooting in the last 3 years in the U.S.
It’s easy to immediately grab onto fear and doubt. It’s easy to focus on questions like: who and why?
My advice through it all, is to focus on the God who is good no matter how bad things get. We need to trust in our God whose light is stronger than the darkness. We need to hold onto our God who has conquered evil and overcame death through our Savior, Jesus Christ. In the midst of evil and uncertainty, we can be certain of this: Although our grief is great, our God is greater!
As the days get darker and the evil in the world is more prevalent, let’s hold unswervingly to these truths:
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NLT)
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, NIV)
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1 Peter 1:3, NIV)