What I Thank God for Most
The sermon emphasizes the importance of experiencing God's reality in our hearts, suffering with Jesus, and realizing His persecution, leading to a deeper love and dedication to Him.
In this sermon, the speaker shares their personal testimony of losing and rediscovering their faith in God. They reflect on how the destruction of their city in an air attack in 1944 served as a turning point in their spiritual journey. They emphasize the importance of experiencing the reality of God in one's heart, rather than just having head knowledge. The speaker also expresses deep sorrow over the ridicule and persecution that Jesus and Christians face, and encourages believers to be willing to suffer with Christ and follow Him wholeheartedly.
Full Transcript
God lives and works today, and the happiest people in the world are those who know that God is alive, not just from outward evidence, but who have experienced His reality in the depths of their hearts. Today's meditation is the testimony of someone who lost and rediscovered the reality of God. Looking back over my life, it seems very wonderful to me that the Lord used the destruction of our city by an air attack in 1944 to touch my heart anew.
Very softly and gradually, the first love for Jesus began to blossom again. As Jesus drew near to me anew, something happened. During my youth I had also experienced this, but at that time it was more of a head knowledge than a heart knowledge.
I came to know our Lord Jesus as the man of sorrows. Now I not only know about His suffering today, but I can bear it as a wound in my heart. The fact that there are musicals like Superstar and Godspell and others which ridicule Jesus brings my heart to tears.
And the fact that I can cry about this is a great blessing for me. Thus the Lord has given me a test to show me that I do love Him, that I can suffer with Him. I realize with my intellect that probably all Christians will be persecuted tomorrow in one way or another.
But I realize even more deeply that Jesus, our head, is being persecuted today. And that is much more painful than when we, the members of His body, are persecuted. Because of our sin, we deserve to suffer and to be chastened.
But what wrong has God done? Our Lord Jesus Christ loved the world so much that He gave His life for it. And the Father continues to sustain the world in spite of its sin. Nevertheless, they are so hated.
This indeed is worth shedding tears over. And how much it must hurt Him if we Christians do not realize that He is being despised and ridiculed. Yes, if we even pretend that this is just a different way of proclaiming the Gospel.
I am truly grateful that the Lord has laid His suffering on my heart and let me suffer a little bit with Him. What amazing grace! Jesus forgives our sins so completely that we are inspired with love for Him so that we want to share and carry His sufferings today in our hearts. My fervent wish for all of us is that if the Lord wants to lead us into suffering tomorrow, we will follow Him in complete dedication of love.
Jesus, Lord, to love you only, I shall live for that alone. To your heart some comfort bringing, all your suffering making known. Not I care now for my troubles, since I've seen your pain and loss, but endeavor to console you, willingly take up my cross.
May my heart now burn within me for your grief and agony, leading then to heed your suffering and your comforters to be. For more information, please write to God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85028-4099. That's God Lives and Works Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85028-4099.
God bless you.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Reality of God's Presence
- A. God is alive and active in the world
- B. Those who experience God's reality in their hearts are the happiest people
- II. Rediscovering God's Love
- A. The Lord can touch our hearts anew through trials and experiences
- B. Head knowledge can be transformed into heart knowledge through personal encounter
- III. Suffering with Jesus
- A. We can bear the suffering of Jesus as a wound in our hearts
- B. This is a great blessing and a test of our love for Him
- IV. The Persecution of Jesus
- A. Jesus, our head, is being persecuted today
- B. This is more painful than our own persecution
- V. The Importance of Realizing Jesus' Suffering
- A. We should not pretend that ridiculing Jesus is just a different way of proclaiming the Gospel
- B. We should be inspired with love for Him and want to share and carry His sufferings
Key Quotes
“The happiest people in the world are those who know that God is alive, not just from outward evidence, but who have experienced His reality in the depths of their hearts.” — Basilea Schlink
“I am truly grateful that the Lord has laid His suffering on my heart and let me suffer a little bit with Him.” — Basilea Schlink
“Jesus forgives our sins so completely that we are inspired with love for Him so that we want to share and carry His sufferings today in our hearts.” — Basilea Schlink
Application Points
- We can experience God's reality in our hearts through trials and experiences, transforming head knowledge into heart knowledge.
- We should be inspired with love for Jesus and want to share and carry His sufferings, not pretending that ridiculing Him is just a different way of proclaiming the Gospel.
- We can show our love for Jesus by bearing His suffering as a wound in our hearts, and this is a great blessing and a test of our love for Him.