Sorrow Not as Those That Have No Hope

If you don't have a Bible this morning, please raise your hand, and one of the ushers will be glad to come down the aisle and provide you with one. We have Bibles available for you. If you have an open seat next to you, please consider doing a Calvary crunch so that we can fit more people in here as they arrive.

You're going to need a Bible this morning because we have a lot of things to look at. In light of what has happened this week and what Pastor Mark has announced, many of you already knew that Joyce had gone to be with the Lord because you keep up with Pastor Pat's blog or have called the church. However, for some of you, this morning's announcement may be the first you've heard of it.

As I was preparing for this morning's message, I spent most of Thursday and Friday looking through the passage we were going to be in, which is Luke chapter 17. By Friday afternoon, around 4 o'clock, I still didn't have anything concrete. I thought, "Lord, do you have something else you want to speak to us?" So, if you would, please open your Bibles to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4.

It is never easy for a family member or friend when someone goes to be with the Lord, whether it is sudden or prolonged. Death is never easy or painless. I've talked with different people who have lost someone suddenly, and they say it is easier when you lose someone suddenly. Conversely, others who have experienced a prolonged loss say it is easier because they have more time for closure. Ultimately, it is never an easy thing.

As a church and as leadership here, we have experienced both types of loss this year. Pastor Richard's son went to be with the Lord earlier in the year suddenly, and then Joyce passed away this last week. In light of these events, I have been reflecting on this passage specifically and many others over the last few weeks, knowing that Joyce was in that process.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, the question that comes to mind is, "Is it all right to sorrow?" To that question, I believe a resounding yes needs to be given.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13, Paul says, "But I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep." That's a nice way to say concerning those who have died. He continues, "I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning those which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus God will bring with Him. Paul states, "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep." The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the air to meet the Lord. So shall we ever be with the Lord.

"Sorrow not" is for those who have no hope. The implication of this verse is that there are those in the world who don't have hope. There are individuals, especially in the context of a loved one dying, who have no hope. It is a miserable place to be in, to have someone go to be with the Lord and have no hope of where they may be.

The hope of the world is different from the hope described in the biblical sense. Many times, you hear people say, "Well, I hope so." In fact, if you go with Josh and some of the guys down to Grand Avenue at the street fair and talk with people about the Lord, you might ask them the question, "If you died tonight, would you go to heaven?" A lot of them respond, "Well, I hope so." However, that hope is a blind, wishful thinking kind of hope. It's uncertain, just a vague, "I don't know; I sure hope so." But it's not the hope described in the Scriptures.

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary defines the biblical term hope as absolute certainty of coming good. We, as believers, have an absolute certainty of coming good. Notice what the basis of this hope is in verse 14: "For if we believe." In fact, underline that in your Bibles: "If we believe." You see, without faith, there is no hope.

But if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, what are we believing in? Of course, the resurrection is mentioned there. The resurrection is the hinge pin, I guess you could say, of our faith: the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord. We are reminded not to sorrow as those who have no hope. If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the light of Christ's resurrection, the scripture makes it clear that we can have certainty; we can know that He will also raise us to newness of life.

Now, notice what verse 18, the last verse of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, says: "Wherefore, comfort one another with these words." The Word of God is a comfort. It brings to light and understanding this thing called the resurrection, this hope in which we stand. Yes, we will sorrow. When people go to be with the Lord, when people die, and when suffering comes to our doorstep, we will sorrow. But we do not sorrow as believers, as those who have no hope. For we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ, the one who is raised from the dead and has the power to raise us also to newness of life.

The word "comfort" in verse 18 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 is the word "parakaleo" in Greek. Some of you, when I say that word "parakaleo," know that it has another word associated with it in the scriptures. In John chapter 14, the root word "parakaleo" is used in the word "parakletos." In John chapter 14, verse 16, Jesus says, "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him. But you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you."

The promise there of the Holy Spirit is significant. The Holy Spirit is able, in the life and heart of the believer, to minister hope. We have the comfort and hope of the scriptures that God has given to us, but we also have the comfort and hope of the Spirit, the Comforter that God has poured out upon us. Why do we need that kind of Helper? Why do we need that kind of comfort in this life?

Well, there's another passage in John, John chapter 16, at the end of the chapter, that says, "In the world you will have much trouble. But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." That's a promise of the Lord, maybe not one that you like to claim when you wake up in the morning. "Lord, I just thank you for the promise that I'm going to have trouble in this world." Probably none of you have ever done that, but it is a promise of the Lord. In the world, you will have much trouble.

That word "trouble" is interesting. It's a word that means to be restless; it means tossed to and fro, to be shaken to the core. It's not just like you wake up in the morning, you're getting out of bed, and you step on a Lego or something, and it's a bad day. No, this is being shaken to the core. That word "trouble" is used in John chapter 14, verse 1. There, Jesus gives us another command: "Let not your heart be troubled."

Wait a minute. How possibly can I fulfill the command of Christ here in John chapter 14, verse 1? "Let not your heart be troubled." It seems impossible. In the world, we will have much trouble. How can I not have my heart troubled in the midst of trouble, the tossing to and fro, the restlessness that comes, the difficulty that comes in this world? Every one of us experiences this, whether they be a believer or an unbeliever; we will all experience this trouble here in this life. But Jesus says, "Let not your heart be troubled."

Why does He say this? Well, just before that in John chapter 13, Jesus had told His disciples, "Little children, yet a little while I am with you, and you shall seek me. As I said unto the Jews, 'Where I go you cannot come,' so now I say to you." Jesus says, "I'm going away. I'm going to depart." Do you think that His disciples liked to hear that from their Lord? "I'm going to depart from you, and where I go you can't come with me." This is at the near end of Jesus' ministry, and these disciples had followed Jesus everywhere He went for the last three plus years. And now He says, "I'm going somewhere that you can't go."

His disciples weren't very excited about that. Down in verse 36, Simon Peter said unto Him, "Lord, where do You go?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterwards." Peter then asked, "Lord, why can I not follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Your sake." His disciples were troubled, and Peter was expressing the anxiety that was coming upon them as they heard the news that their Lord was going away and that they couldn't follow.

So, Jesus says in chapter 14, verse 1, "Let not your heart be troubled." But what is the basis upon which we can fulfill that command of the Lord? We always need to read on. "Let not your heart be troubled." You believe.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 tells us, "Sorrow not as those that have no hope, for if we believe." Let not your heart be troubled, for you believe in God. Pause right there for a second, if you would. Because if the verse ended there, you might have cause for trouble and concern, because even the demons believe in what? They tremble in fear.

To believe simply in God without the Lord Jesus Christ is a problem. Jesus says, "You believe in God, believe also in Me." Why? "In My Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there you may be also."

This great promise of a life after this, an eternal life, is what Jesus came to give—life and that more abundantly. He says, "In My Father's house are many mansions," a place that is not here on this earth, a city whose builder and maker is God. If you believe in God, believe also in Me, and I will prepare a place for you. If I prepare that place, then I will come again to receive you unto that place, that where I am, there you may be also.

Again, back in 1 Thessalonians 4, we are told at the end of verse 17 that there is coming a day when the Lord will catch up those that remain, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, both those who have gone ahead and preceded us to glory.

And we that remain shall ever be with the Lord. At that point in time, Jesus says in John 14, "And where I go, you know, and the way you know." But Thomas said, "Lord, we know not where you go, and how can we know the way?" Then come the great words of Christ: "I am the way."

Lord, we lift up whoever was just in that accident to You. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through me." I am the way. He tells us, "Let not your heart be troubled." Let not your heart be troubled. Because of this faith, because of this understanding that there is a place prepared for us, we will be confronted with trouble in this world, as everybody will. However, we can have this place of surety, this place of strength on the foundation of hope, this absolute certainty of coming good. There is an absolute expectation that we will be with the Lord.

"You believe in God, believe also in me," Jesus says. Put your faith in Christ, and everything changes. In my Father's house are many mansions. This life is not all there is. Amen? That understanding is so foundational to our faith—that this life is not all there is. Unfortunately, we get distracted and become so focused on this life. Why is that? Why do we get so focused on this life?

Well, we have this earthly tent, and this body only exists here. It will not go on into that life. For this flesh that every single one of us carries, this is all there is. I don't know if you noticed, but our flesh is pretty strong. The desire of our flesh to live is impressive. Some of you have had the experience of sitting next to a family member who is in the throes of death. You can even see it in their last breaths that this body desires to hold on. Why? This flesh hates death. There in the Garden of Eden, God told Adam...

You shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die. I do not believe it was God's intention that man would die. However, there was that option for man to take hold of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and when Adam did, he immediately, at that point, spiritually died.

How do we know that? Well, what were the first words of God to Adam after Adam's sin? "Adam, where are you?" There was a separation that had taken place. There was a death in the relationship between man and God. Adam spiritually died, but a physical death began to start at that moment, and this flesh does not want to die. It wants to hold on. It hates death. That's why there are many people, both in the church and outside of it, who won't go to funerals. I've met several people who have said, "I've never gone to a funeral before. I don't go to funerals. I don't like funerals. I don't like memorial services," because this flesh does not like death, although it is a reality. It's not something we can escape.

Millions and billions of dollars are spent every year on trying to find a way to defeat death, to cheat death, to get out of it. Some people are paying big bucks to have their bodies cryogenically frozen after their death so that maybe when we find the cure for death, they can be brought back to life. Why is that? Well, they love this world. I don't know; I don't know that I want to spend eternity here. Actually, I'm quite certain of it. But our flesh does not want to die.

Now, we experience this daily as Christians because the Scripture says in Luke chapter 9 that we're to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. We're to die to ourselves. The desires of our flesh, we're to put those to death. We've been crucified with Christ. Paul says, "I die daily." How many of you find that death to self easy? No hands. Why is that? I'm not raising my hand. Why is that? Our flesh hates to die. We don't like it, and we don't like to be confronted with death in our flesh. We don't like to be around death in our flesh.

However, for the believer, we have this hope. We do not sorrow as those who have no hope. What is our hope? This world is not all there is.

And as 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. When we, as believers, die, a physical death is the separation of your soul from this tent. To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord. Peter would tell us that when we see Him, we shall be like Him. There's going to be a transformation that takes place. Joyce experienced that this week, and she is with the Lord in glory. In His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. She has preceded us to glory.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 was an encouragement to the believers in Thessalonica because they were worried that some of their friends and family members who had died had missed the day of the Lord. Paul says to them, no, they haven't missed it. In fact, they have preceded us. We will not prevent them to that point. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. Some nurseries have that on their walls in the church: we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed.

1 Corinthians chapter 15, speaking of the resurrection, says we shall not all die. There is this doctrine, this teaching in the scripture of the rapture, the coming of the Lord, where He catches away His church. When that is, we do not know. We pray it is soon. We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye. This corruption shall put on incorruption. This mortality shall put on immortality. The scripture makes it clear that we shall ever be with the Lord.

Now, this hope brings joy in the midst of sorrow. The hope that you and I have, based on the sure promise of God, brings joy in the life of the believer. This hope and this comfort really only come as we study the scriptures. Why? Because Jesus, as 1 Timothy chapter 1 tells us, brings to light life and immortality.

The gospel gives us understanding in His word about this truth. Before Jesus came and before God spoke His words, humanity had no understanding about the afterlife. Although many in the Old Testament had faith in the coming resurrection, they didn't fully grasp what it was all about. This is evident in Isaiah chapter 38. In this chapter, King Hezekiah was confronted with the news that he was going to die. The prophet Isaiah came to him and said, "This sickness that you have is unto death; you're going to die."

However, Hezekiah turned to the wall, wept, and cried out to God, "Lord, I'm not ready; please give me more life." God answered his prayer and granted him 15 more years to live. Immediately after that, there is a passage of scripture in Isaiah that reflects Hezekiah's song of praise or prayer of gratitude after receiving this news. In that prayer of praise, he expresses the darkness that surrounded death and the afterlife. Even though he understood there was a resurrection, he didn't quite comprehend what it entailed.

Jesus brings to light life and immortality in the gospel through His word. By doing so, we have hope. We are comforted in the midst of sorrow, and we experience joy. The world looks at this and says, "You're nuts! What do you mean you have joy?" It appears strange to those who lack this hope. Sadly, many people in this world do not possess this hope. There are some of you in this room this morning who do not have this hope.

But God desires that you would have it, especially in the midst of the sorrow presented to us when someone dies. He wants you to have hope, comfort, and joy. Why? Because this is not all there is. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Do not let your heart be troubled.

Death is very real, and the reality of it confronts us every single day. If you watch the news or read the newspaper, sometimes the reality of it comes right to your doorstep with a family member or a friend who goes to be with the Lord. But let not your heart be troubled. Do not be tossed to and fro. Ephesians chapter 4 warns us not to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. There are many strange understandings and philosophies in our world about what happens after death, and all of them are somewhat murky and mysterious. But God makes it clear.

It is very clear for us that those who have the Scriptures have understanding. However, it looks strange to the world, and the world doesn't understand it. We see this clearly in the story found in 2 Samuel, chapter 12.

In this chapter, you may remember that David had sinned with Bathsheba, and she had a child who became sick to the point of death. In 2 Samuel 12:16, it says, "Therefore David besought God." He sought the Lord on behalf of the child, and David fasted. He went in and lay all night upon the earth. The elders of his house arose and went to him to raise him up from the earth, but he would not. Neither did he eat bread with them.

It came to pass on the seventh day that the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke unto him, and he would not listen to our voice. How will he then vex himself if we tell him that the child is dead?"

This child was sick to the point of death, and David went before the Lord, fasting, mourning, praying, and seeking God, pleading, "Please, Lord, save this child. Heal this child." For the last three and a half years, many people in the church have fasted and prayed, seeking the Lord for Joyce's healing. But, much like this child, she went to be with the Lord.

When that happened, the servants of David didn't know what to do. They thought, "When we went in there, he was fasting and praying for this child before the child had even died. He was afflicting himself and mourning. What is he going to do now that the child has died?" They were worried that their master, their king, would not handle the news very well.

In verse 19 of 2 Samuel 12, it says, "But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead." Therefore, David said unto his servants, "Is the child dead?" They replied, "He is dead."

So David arose from the earth, washed, anointed himself, changed his apparel, came into the house of the Lord, and worshipped. Then he returned to his own house, required that they set a meal before him, and he ate. His disciples were worried about how he would take this news. They might have been casting lots, saying, "You go in and tell him." "No, you go in. I'm not going to tell him."

Is the child dead? Yes, the child has died. Okay, I'm going to go worship the Lord and eat. He cleans himself up, goes, and worships at the house of the Lord. Then he returns and says, "Can you please prepare a meal for me?" His servants are looking at this and thinking it is strange.

The servants said unto him, in verse 21, "What is this thing that you have done? You did fast and weep for the child while the child was alive, but when the child was dead, you did rise and eat bread." It didn't make sense to the servants. David replied, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and I wept, for I said, 'Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me and that the child may live?' I knew that God had the power to heal, and I hoped that the Lord would heal. Who can tell? Maybe the Lord will be gracious and the child will live. But now the child is dead. Wherefore should I fast? Why should I continue to fast? Can I bring him back again?" The answer to that was a definite no. He said, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."

You see, David had faith in the resurrection. He understood that there was a coming resurrection, and it changed his attitude. His servants looked on and said, "This is just strange." People may look at the believer, the follower of Christ, who has joy—even though it is sorrow mixed with joy. They have joy in the midst of difficulty. The unbeliever looks on and asks, "How is this?"

And you know what it gives us? It gives us an opportunity. It gives us an opportunity to share the testimony of the hope that we have in Christ. It may look strange to the world, but it's more real than death even—the truth of the resurrection. For the believer, the scripture says, "Oh death, where is your sting?" It is really, truly, as the scriptures declare, a passing from this life to that.

Does our flesh enjoy it? Absolutely not. Our flesh hates it. When confronted with it, our flesh will cry out and say, "I don't want to die." But that's the flesh speaking, because the spirit desires to go be with the Lord. In fact, in Romans...

Chapter 8, Romans 8, verse 15, reads: "For you received not the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father." The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if we are children, then we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Notice this beautiful verse: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." Some of you remember Mike Callahan. Many of you do. Mike Callahan was a faithful usher at our church for years. Beyond that, he was dedicated to 1-800-HIT-HOME, the hotline. He was also committed to visiting the high schools here in town. I don't think there was a student at San Marcos High School who didn't know Mike Callahan, and many of them at Escondido High School and Orange Glen High School knew him as well. He was a fixture there, passing out water bottles and sharing the love of the Lord with people.

However, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a bar of soap, and his doctor said, "You have 4 to 6 months to live." Remarkably, he went on to live for 7 years. Some people, when confronted with such an outlook, adopt the mindset of those in the time of Isaiah: "Let's eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." They decide to go out and do whatever they always wanted to do, living it up. Others might say, "Forget it. There's nothing to live for anymore," and they just kind of shrivel up and die quickly.

Mike Callahan, however, said, "I'm living on borrowed time. Everything after those first 6 months was a grace from God." He served the Lord faithfully. Many times when I spoke with Mike, he reminded me of this verse: "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us."

The suffering of this world can be harsh and difficult, but the worst day here is better than the best day in hell. The sufferings of this world are not worthy to be compared with what God is going to reveal in us, this glory that He is going to pour out upon us when we step into His presence. Mike knew that, and he shared that with whoever he could.

Many times, he would start talking with someone he had never met before, and within 30 seconds, he was telling them, "I have a big brain tumor in my head." People would look at him, surprised, and then he would take out the MRIs and show them, saying, "See, here's my head and here's the brain tumor. Yeah, it's going to kill me." People would look at him like, "What's wrong with you?" He always used it as an opportunity to show people the Lord and the resurrection. He knew that this was not all there is, as did Joyce.

Although her flesh, at the end of her life, did not want to go, her spirit was ready. How do we know that? Romans chapter 8, verse 19 states that the sufferings of this present world are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us. It says, "For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God." We all, in our spirit, groan for that day when we are with the Lord. The earnest expectation, the great desire of our spirit, is not to be here on this earth, bound by this tent, but to be with the Lord in His presence fully.

The earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God. There is glory that shall be revealed in us, and the sufferings of this world are not worthy to even be lined up next to it. Never, when we get to heaven, will any of us stand around and say, "Man, it was really hard down there. Let me tell you about how hard it was." It's never going to be like that. You're not even going to remember this. I thoroughly believe, based on the Scriptures, that when we get to heaven, it will all be wiped clean.

However, the Scripture makes it very clear for the unbeliever whose final destination is not heaven but hell. Luke chapter 16 shows that the person who was in torment in hell had full memory of his life back here on earth. How tormenting would that be? But you and I, not so.

In John chapter 11, there was a man by the name of Lazarus who had died in a town called Bethany. Almost the entire town there, just outside of Jerusalem, was affected by his death.

They wept and mourned at the passing of their friend Lazarus. In fact, when Jesus made his way to that little town after Lazarus had been dead for four days, the scripture says that He was troubled within His spirit. That word "troubled" is the same thing that we read in John chapter 14. There is also a key verse, the shortest verse in the Bible, found in John chapter 11: Jesus wept. He cried when He came to the city. He wept, but not because Lazarus had died; He knew what He was going to do. He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus wept because of the unbelief of the people who were there. They all mourned greatly because Lazarus was gone. They had no joy and no anticipation of the resurrection.

In fact, Martha, Lazarus's sister, came to Jesus in verse 21 of John chapter 11 and said to Him, "If you had been here, my brother would not have died." Some people may even think that if the Lord had just done something, Joyce would not have died. But the Lord was at work and still is at work. Martha continued, "But I know that even now whatsoever you ask of God, God will give it to you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother shall rise again." The hope, the expectation of the believer, the follower of Christ: your brother shall rise again.

Martha replied, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." But Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." Then He asked her the key question that needs to be asked of everybody: "Do you believe this?" Without this faith, you will not have hope. And without that hope, you will not have comfort and joy in the midst of sorrow.

This morning, you may be sitting here and you don't have this hope. The reason you don't is because you don't have this faith. But you can. It's my prayer that you would. "I am the resurrection and the life," Jesus says. He that believeth...

In me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. As I mentioned earlier, prior to Christ's coming, the whole concept of resurrection was a hazy and dimly lit thing. Although those who were saved in the Old Testament believed in it, we see that in Hebrews chapter 11. What was Abraham's faith in? God commanded him to go and take his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved, and offer him as a burnt offering. And Abraham went.

Why did he do that? Was he mad at his son? Did he not love his son? No, the scripture tells us in Hebrews chapter 11 that he knew and counted God faithful, that God was able to raise him from the dead. He believed in the resurrection. David, as we saw in 2 Samuel chapter 12, also believed in the resurrection. Although they may not have completely understood the mystery surrounding it, they believed in this coming resurrection.

We have faith in the resurrection as well, just as they did. We are saved by faith, just as Abraham was. Genesis 15 verse 6 says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him as righteousness." What did he believe? God had told him that he would have a son in his old age by his wife Sarah. And what did Abraham do? He laughed. But he counted that God was able to raise and resurrect the deadness of his wife's womb. Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him as righteousness.

They had faith in the coming resurrection. We have faith in the resurrection that has come in Jesus Christ. Jesus reveals the mystery; He brings to light life and immortality in the gospel. That which was hidden in times past, as Paul talks about in many of his letters, is now revealed. Christ in you, the hope of glory.

I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? Yes, our physical bodies, barring the rapture of the church, will go through physical death. Your spirit and soul will be separated from this tent, but it will be liberty. It will be sweet liberty to be with the Lord.

Absent from this body, where is the sting of death Paul talks about? It is just a passing for the believer in Christ. Do you believe this? It's what the Scriptures declare: the resurrection, the work that Jesus did. There is coming a day when we will be with the Lord, and things shall be changed.

In Revelation chapter 21, verse 1, John says, "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth. For the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea." That's a bummer for the surfers in the crowd. John continues, "And I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

Then, I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God." Notice this in verse 4: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things have passed away."

He that sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Jesus is going to make all things new. This is our hope. We have the hope of heaven—eternity with God in His presence. There, in His presence, things are going to be transformed. Things are going to be righted once again. There shall be no more death, no more sorrow, and no more crying. He shall wipe away every tear. Why? The former things, this world, shall pass away. There will be a new thing that God will do.

In light of this, we can experience joy in the midst of suffering. In light of this, we can have hope. Romans 15, verse 4 says, "For whatsoever things were written in times past were written for our learning, that through patience and comfort of the Scriptures we might have hope." Through patience and the comfort of the Scriptures, we might have hope.

That word "patience" could also be translated as "long-suffering." In this world, we will have trouble and we suffer. Sometimes, those times of suffering seem long.

As I consider Calvary Chapel of Escondido, this church has gone through some ups and downs, many of them especially over the last eight or nine years. A lot of you were here eight years ago when Pastor Tony had his mountain bike accident. It dramatically changed his life, his family, and this church. We experienced great sorrow in the midst of that. I remember at that time speaking with several different people within the church, and there was a confirmation among many that our church was going to go through a time of pruning, a time of dryness, a time of difficulty and suffering. It wasn't something that any of us were happy for or anticipating, like, "Oh yes, pruning." But there was an understanding that this was going on.

We have seen those ups and downs over the years, and this year has been particularly heavy with the death of Pastor Richard's son and now Joyce's death. However, there has been another confirmation among the leadership and many people I have talked to in recent days. According to the words we just read in Revelation chapter 21 and another verse we find in Isaiah chapter 43, specifically verse 18, it says, "Remember you not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing. Now it shall spring forth. Shall you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

I firmly believe that this is one of the things that God is speaking to our church right now: "Behold, I will do a new thing." Don't get me wrong; I am not in any way saying that Joyce was the thing that was holding God back at all. But God is able to use suffering, difficulty, and pruning in a church to bring us to the point where we are right now.

And why does God prune things? So that they will be more fruitful. God desires that the fruit of our lives...

God is doing a new work. He is doing a new thing even in the midst of suffering. Even Jesus talks about that grain of wheat falling into the ground and dying, which brings forth new life—a new thing that God is doing. Is it difficult? Yes, it is hard.

The ministry of the Messiah is outlined for us in Isaiah chapter 61, the passage that Jesus read from in Luke chapter 4. When Jesus had gone to his hometown of Nazareth, the scroll was brought to him. He opened the scroll of Isaiah to the place where he read, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me." Isaiah 61:1 continues, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted and to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."

At that point in Luke 4, Jesus sat down and told all the people present in that synagogue, "Today this is fulfilled in your hearing." But the passage goes on to speak of "the day of vengeance of our God" and to comfort all that mourn, appointing unto them that mourn in Zion. Here, the ministry of the Messiah reveals God's work for those who mourn: to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

There is a purpose for all of this—that they might be called the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. You see, God is able, in the midst of great difficulty, to give us beauty from the ashes. He has the power to give us joy in the midst of mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. All of it is for the ultimate purpose that He would be glorified.

When people see the joy that we have, my mom—many of you know my mom—occasionally sings on the worship team here. She told me several years ago, "At my funeral someday, I want you to make sure that everybody wears bright clothing and that you sing that song from Mary Barrett, 'When I die, don't cry for me; in my Father's house I'll be. It don't matter where you bury me.'" She said, "Make sure you guys sing that song and have a party because I won't be there."

And so, God is able to give...

God gives us joy and beauty, the garment of praise in the midst of sorrowful times. This is an example and a testimony to those who do not have this hope, so that they too would believe in Christ. Behold, God is doing a new thing. In Isaiah chapter 26, I’m sorry, Psalm 126 verse 5 says, "They that sow in tears reap in joy."

There has been some difficult work and planting over the years here at Calvary Chapel. In fact, one of the things I used to express a few years ago was that sometimes it feels like you’re plowing gravel. But those who sow in tears will reap in joy. In Galatians chapter 6, Paul says to the church, "Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season you shall reap if you faint not." There is that time of harvest, that great joy of harvest, but it comes through sowing in tears.

Sometimes the work is difficult. This life that you and I have is not easy. In the world, you will have much trouble. As a believer in Christ, it does not mean immediate happiness and pleasure here on earth, or a bed of roses on the highway to holiness. No, it’s difficult; it’s hard. But let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season, at the right time, you shall reap if you faint not.

Unfortunately, there are those who faint and fall by the wayside. They are like those in the parable of the sower who were planted on rocky ground. They sprang up quickly, but the sun came up and burned them out because they had no depth of root. Jesus explains to His disciples that the sun represents trials and tribulations; it’s difficulty that we will experience.

It’s not a good thing to share the gospel with people in a light that suggests when you come to Jesus, you will only have love, joy, peace, happiness, and all these great things, because that’s not what Jesus said. Jesus promised us trial, tribulation, and suffering, but He also said, "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." This isn’t it, guys. This is not all there is. Praise God, this is not all there is. However, we will encounter the same sort of suffering that the world does.

We, in the midst of suffering, have hope. It is my prayer that as we have gone through these passages this morning, your eyes have been opened a little bit to the hope that Scripture provides. Perhaps you kind of knew it before, but now you can connect the dots and see what the Scriptures have to say about it. We are not going to be here eternally.

I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. David said, "The child can't come back to me, but I will go to be with him." Joyce is not going to come back here; in fact, she'd probably be pretty upset if we tried to get her back. But we will see her again, and we will see the Lord. We will be gathered together in His presence, and that is our joy.

In 1 Thessalonians chapter 2, verse 19, Paul asks the question, "What is our hope? Our joy, our crown of rejoicing? Are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and our joy." Notice what he says there. What is it that we have hope in? What is it that we hold as our joy and our crown of rejoicing? It is the very fact that you are standing in the presence of the Lord at His coming. That is our glory and our joy.

It is the hope, Christ in you, the hope of glory. The hope of standing in His presence one day is not just wishful thinking, like, "Well, I kind of hope it happens; I don't really know." If that's your place today, then when the pastors and elders are up here in front this morning, you better high-tail it up here because that's no kind of hope to stand on. The hope that Scripture speaks of is absolute certainty. John Corson always says it is absolute expectation of coming good. We have absolute expectation of coming good. Amen?