It is good to be here with you again today; thank you for being here. Heralds of Hope is honored to study and share God’s Word with you. We count it a privilege to teach from the Bible and Thank God for the opportunity to share this teaching around the world via radio. Along with Bible teaching, we also do Bible distribution, and I share this example from one of our partners in Uganda. We had purchased native-language Bibles for him, and he was distributing them in his area. One of the pastors was overjoyed to have a new Bible because the Bible he was currently using started with Numbers 16 and ended at I Cor. 11; the front and back of his Bible were missing. Again, we were thankful to God to be able to help this man with His Word. As you think of us, pray for Heralds of Hope and ask God to guide us as we share His Word.
Today we are looking at the last few verses in John 19. Before we go there, imagine with me. Put yourself in the shoes of the disciples. You just spent the last three years with Jesus. You saw Him calm the storm. You were there when He healed sick people. You even saw Him call Lazarus out of the grave. You are convinced this is the Messiah. This is the one God promised; generations have been waiting for Him. You are convinced that He can do anything; this is the Messiah who will conquer and rule the world.
Unfortunately, all your hopes and dreams have been killed, just like Jesus. He is lying in a tomb, and your vision for the future is there with Him; it’s over. How could you have been so wrong? How can God be so far away and so silent? Why is God not listening, does He even care? You remember one of Jesus’ last questions, “My God why have you forsaken me?” You feel the same thing. It is dark, it’s difficult, and it’s depressing. You question everything: why am I here? What is true? Who is God?
This was a very hard time for the disciples. I am guessing you also have been in a season where God has been silent and felt far away. This is the desert, and the desert is God’s place of preparation. It is not easy or fun, but we can see how God has shaped many people through hard times. James and Peter call this the “trying of your faith.” Many have experienced a season of this, and if you are there, take courage; you are in good company.
For example, look at Moses; he spent 40 years in the wilderness before God called him to lead the children of Israel. That is a long time. Remember Joseph; his journey had many ups and downs. Just when things seemed to be going well with Potiphar, he was soon back in prison. I am sure Joseph wondered Where is God? I was doing what God told me to do. Think about David and how he was anointed king as a young man. Then he spent many years running for his life as King Saul tried to kill him. Psalms show us he wrestled with many of these big questions. Even Jesus spent 40 days in the desert. It was after the desert when He began His public ministry.
These are just a few of God using very difficult circumstances to mold and shape His servants. There are others in the Bible, and I am sure you know some of these stories.
If you are in this place where life doesn’t make sense, I offer two thoughts of encouragement. One, you can do it, hold on, and continue trusting God; every promise He has made is true. The only basis I have for saying this is the second point. If I could go back to the disciples in today’s lesson, I would have told them this, the resurrection is coming. Jesus is dead, but He won’t stay dead. I offer the same encour...
