Trust in the Lord

20 February 2013

 

Opening Prayer/Worship

 

Hymn: Abide With Me

 

Theme: The Lord is our Strength and Refuge

 

Topic: Trust in the Lord

 

Reading: Romans 10:8B-13

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim);⁹because^* if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.¹⁰For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.¹¹The scripture says, ‘No one who believes in him will be put to shame.’¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.¹³For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

 

Introduction

We all have inherent inclination towards weaknesses and faults; and the Lord our Maker knows and understands everything about us.  Whenever we face trials and temptations, one common strategy is to fight the issues in our strength.  However, it is clear from the Scripture, history and personal experiences that we cannot overcome our weaknesses by our own strength.  In fact, the harder we try, the more difficult it becomes and if we keep trying, we are most likely to become frustrated and discouraged.  The good news is that the Lord not only knows how to deliver us from all evil, but has given us His word that He will surely deliver us.  The key to overcoming trials and temptations is in putting our trust in the Lord and in His power to save us; but how?  In our study today, we will discuss on how to put our trust in the Lord at all times.

 

Questions/Discussion

1.  How do we know that the Lord is able to deliver all who put their trust in Him? 

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

¹ You who live in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,^*
2 will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.’
⁹ Because you have made the Lord your refuge, ^*the Most High your dwelling-place,
¹⁰ no evil shall befall you, no scourge come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
¹² On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder, the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

¹⁴ Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name.
¹⁵ When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble,

I will rescue them and honour them.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.

 

Psalm 107:1-32

¹ O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever.
² Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble
³ and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.^*

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to an inhabited town;
⁵ hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
⁶ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress;
⁷ he led them by a straight way, until they reached an inhabited town.
⁸ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
⁹ For he satisfies the thirsty, and the hungry he fills with good things.

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in misery and in irons,
¹¹ for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
¹² Their hearts were bowed down with hard labour; they fell down, with no one to help.
¹³ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress;
¹⁴ he brought them out of darkness and gloom, and broke their bonds asunder.
¹⁵ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
¹⁶ For he shatters the doors of bronze, and cuts in two the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were sick^* through their sinful ways, and because of their iniquities endured affliction;
¹⁸ they loathed any kind of food, and they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress;
²⁰ he sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from destruction.
²¹ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
²² And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices, and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

²³ Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters;
²⁴ they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep.
²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea.
²⁶ They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;

their courage melted away in their calamity;
²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress;
²⁹ he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
³⁰ Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven.
³¹ Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind.
³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

 

Mark 4:35-41

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’³⁶And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.³⁷A great gale arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.³⁸But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’³⁹He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.⁴⁰He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’⁴¹And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?’

 

2.  What are some of the lessons we can learn from the temptation of Jesus Christ? 

Luke 4:1-13

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,²where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.³The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’⁴Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’

⁵ Then the devil^* led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.⁶And the devil^* said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please.⁷If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’⁸Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,
“Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” ’ ⁹ Then the devil^* took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here,¹⁰for it is written, “He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you”, ¹¹and “On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’ ¹²Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’¹³When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

 

3.  How do we put our trust in the Lord? 

John 14:1, 15:1-8

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe^* in God, believe also in me.

Jesus the True Vine

¹⁵‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine-grower.²He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes^* to make it bear more fruit.³You have already been cleansed^* by the word that I have spoken to you.⁴Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.⁵I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.⁶Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.⁷If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.⁸My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become^* my disciples.

 

Ephesians 6:10-18

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.¹¹Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.¹²For our^* struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.¹³Therefore take up the whole armour of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.¹⁴Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.¹⁵As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.¹⁶With all of these,^* take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

 

Hebrews 4:12-16

Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.¹³And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account. ¹⁴ Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested^* as we are, yet without sin.¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Intercession/Worship

 

Conclusion

God knows that we make mistakes and fall into temptations.  Let us remember that the Lord who called us and saved us is able to keep us blameless and holy until the coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

 

Closing Prayer (Collect for Fifth Sunday in Lent)

Almighty God, whose Son fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are but did not sin, give us grace to discipline ourselves in submission to Your Spirit, that as You know our weakness, so we may know Your power to save; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.