Sermon, Sunday Message about God's Silence, Female Public Speaking
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EnglishVoice Age
Young Adult (18-35)Accents
North American (General)Transcript
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and if y'all don't know who I am, I am, the youth pastor here, my name is Karen. I like to, I like to tell the youth, hi, my name is Karen, but I'm not a Karen, that's my little joke him. Um but um, I get to speak today and we're gonna be talking about when God seems silent and I think we've all experienced when it feels like God just isn't saying anything when God just isn't doing anything in our lives, we just felt just like there isn't, he's just not there, right, We've experienced that. And um as the youth group, well, about a year ago, we went through the bible stories together and um I started showing these pictures whenever I was reading scripture to them, just to kind of keep their attention and it kind of became a little joke because they're really dated pictures. Um and one at one point, um one picture really stuck out to me. And um when God point something out, we we listen, right, we better listen. And this is this is the picture that stuck out to me. Um it's supposed to be of the Israelites crying out to God when they had become slaves in Egypt. And at this point, um during this picture, uh it had been hundreds of years since God had revealed himself to joseph and his dreams. It had been hundreds of years since Jacob and joseph, their leaders had died. So the Israelites didn't have a leader and they didn't have any actual written bible, they likely had oral history and stories to kind of go off of, but they didn't have the bible like we do, and they were being oppressed, they were slaves and being oppressed by the worldly leaders at the time. And so they were crying out to God and I can only imagine how long they had been crying out, its, you know, centuries. Um it's very likely that some of these people didn't even know what it was like to not live in slavery and so they didn't know what it was like to be free. Um and they've been crying out and asking God and being like, hey, God, look at us, look at what we're going through for centuries and maybe you can relate to that. Have you ever felt like you've been crying out to God to change things for what feels like centuries. Maybe you can place yourself in this photo, maybe you see that hairy chested Israelite and think, yep, I know that feeling, but you've been crying out to God and waiting for what feels like your whole life. Maybe, maybe you're waiting for someone else. Maybe you've been waiting what feels like somebody else's whole life for God to come and move and to change that situation. So we've been experienced a lot of awesome God moves here at church, right? We've seen a lot of amazing healings, amazing things go on. And when that happens, there's people who are discouraged, we see a lot of excitement and we see that people that get healed and like praise the Lord. But there's some people who are like, hey, like, what about me? Why didn't I experience that healing? And we kind of have to acknowledge that um we kind of have to deal with that, that hurt and that pain and that kind of discouragement. Um, and so maybe, you know, maybe talking about healing is is hard for you because you've been asking for so long for healing and you're like, Gods never answered this, this, this prayer for me. So it might strike a chord. Maybe you're like, can we stop talking about healing please? Because it's never happening for me. Um, and maybe maybe you've given up on asking, maybe you're like, okay, we can talk about healing, but I'm sure not gonna go up for prayer because that's not for me. Um, maybe God has felt silent and unmoving. There's one other time that we see in the bible where God goes silent and it's the years between the end of the old testament and the beginning of the new testament and each of these silent times, in the bible, we can really teach us what to expect and how to live when God seems silent. So first we see it in the years of before the in genesis and exodus, those two books, we see um God is silent when the Israelites um our first enslaved and then we see it again between the old testament and the new testament. And before the Israelites actually went through this oppression in silence. God actually told them what to expect. He prepared them for the silence. And so in genesis we see God tells him exactly how long they will be sojourners and that they will even be enslaved. So genesis 15 13 says then the Lord said to him, I know for certain that for 400 years your descendants will be strangers in a country, not their own and they will be enslaved and mistreated. We actually see the fulfillment of this in exodus, actually, sorry. But yeah, so they're gonna be inside. He tells them that exact right there. And then after that in genesis he he tells them that God promises growth through the process. So first he tells them how long it's going to be and then he promises there's gonna be growth through this. And so there's often growth spiritually in God's silence. And so in this actual situation with the with the Israelites, we see growth physically like there's a lot of them and a lot of them. And that's part of the the promise that God had made to Abraham. So God promises growth through the process. And that's genesis 46 3 he says, do not be afraid to go down to Egypt for I will make you into a great nation there. And so there was a physical thing and we see that in exodus 17 it says. But the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful. They multiplied greatly increased in number and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. And so we see that fulfillment there, of that promise that God had made to them. And often when we experience silence, we grow And then God promises he is still with them. Despite the silence and genesis 46 4 says I will go down to Egypt with you. And so that's a big deal. Um Jacob didn't even want to go back to Egypt because he was like, that's where you told us not to go. He was like, we're not supposed to go to Egypt. But God had to show up in a dream and be like hey or a vision. And it's like, hey, it's okay to go to Egypt, I'll go with you. And then God promises return. And Genesis 46 for the rest of that says, and I will surely bring you back again. And so he promises he'll be with them despite the silence and then he promises the return. And so listen to this, God promises growth, he promises he's still with you. He promises return, it won't last forever. I think the greatest thing, the greatest hope in that in their silent journey is that God says he is still with them. Even in his silence, he is with them. Even in his silence, he is with you. This is a reoccurring promise throughout scripture, it's everywhere. I have so many different verses and I'm sure I could have even more, but Deuteronomy 31 8 says it is the Lord who goes before you, he will be with you. He will not leave you or forsake you do not fear or be dismayed. Then Hebrews 13 5 says, be content with what you have for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. And Isaiah 41 17 says when the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them. I the God of Israel will not forsake them. And then psalm 94 14 says for the Lord will not forsake his people, he will not abandon his heritage. So God is with you. Even in the silence, you can look at all of these scriptures, he's never gonna forsake you, he's never gonna leave you, even when it feels like he's not there. And so if God is not absent when he is silent, what is God doing in the silence? So let's look at the time of silence between the old testament, the new testament and see what God was doing in that time. So there were a few things that need to happen before jesus could come um to and and the silence could be ended, right? So jesus had to come, that was what they were waiting for. We were waiting for jesus, waiting for the messiah and a few things had to happen for this to take place and this is just to that I'm gonna give you, there's plenty more that needed to happen. But one thing was, there needed to be a common language spoken throughout the known world, so there needed to have this language that we could share jesus with people, if we don't have the same language, we can't talk about it. And they're also needed to be a way of transportation from different parts of the known world and so many other things, but those were two of the big things that needed to happen before jesus account and without these things happening, the news of jesus's death and resurrection wouldn't have been able to be spread as quickly as it had been. And so the thing God was doing in his silence was rearranging things to set up the time and place for what he had planned, he was rearranging, he was making sure that what he had planned was set up right and so you might be experiencing silence right now and it could be because God is setting you up, he's rearranging your thoughts, He's rearranging the times and places around you so you can be in a specific place that God has for you to fulfill that purpose for you and so what can we do and how should we react when God seems silent, so I'm gonna give you a couple of things, what we can do. Um one thing, this is so important because remember the Israelites didn't even have a bible, they had no actual written word, they just had the oral stories. And so the bible is God's word. And so just one thing that's so important to remember is we're never in silence as much as it may feel silent, were never in silence because we have God's word. And so um God may seem silent on moving, but we can always turn to his word for hope and to hear his voice, his word is his voice, and we we can turn to it, and so we usually take this for granted. Um the bible, right? We have it, it's many of us have many of them in our homes. Um but the Israelites didn't have, they didn't have this, and there's people in countries who don't have the privilege of owning a bible without it being illegal, and there are still people who don't even have it translated in their native language. So yeah, we take the bible for granted, but it's it's God's word, we we never have to go in silence of God because we have this um God's word is his voice and we neglect to open it far too often. We wonder why God is silent. And yet we have, we haven't even said our hearts to read his word. So the first step when God seems silent is to trust his word and not your feelings. So a lot of times God seems silent because it's our feelings right? We feel like, oh we haven't felt God and worship today, we didn't feel like God was there when we took communion today, Maybe you were taking taking communion, you're like, yep, I hear Neil, but this isn't hitting a chord and that's when we feel like God is silent, right? We're not feeling what is being around us. And so we trust his word and not our feelings, Jeremiah 17 7 through nine says, but blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when he comes or when silence comes, its leaves are always green, it has no worries. In a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure, who can understand it? We can't trust our feelings, but we can trust God's word and when we trust God's word and what he has already done and already said, we can't be shaken even in times of silence. So first trust his word and not your feelings. And then secondly, ask yourself if there is anything in your life that might be causing a rift in the relationship with God. There are times when God seems silent because we've removed ourselves from allowing him in part of our life and just like when you might disobey a parent or be doing something, maybe your spouse doesn't approve of, you're gonna want to distance yourself from that person. And so this isn't always the reason for silence, but it is something we should consider if we're experiencing silence. So psalm 66 16 through 20 says, come and listen all you who fear God and I will tell you what he did for me for I cried out to him for help praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened, but God did listen, He paid attention to my prayer, praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me. Did you get that? If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Our sin separates us from God. And then Isaiah 59 2 says, but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God and your sins have hidden his face from you that he does not hear. So, sometimes it's because there's something going on in our life that we shouldn't be having going on. And so here's some questions maybe you're like, maybe that's me, I'm not positive, that's me. So here are some questions that you can ask yourself, Like, is this why God is being silent? Is there someone you need to forgive? Unforgiveness is a really big deal to God. Um I mean, forgiveness is what our faith hinges on Forgiveness is what God gives us. And so it's so very important that we're willing to give that to others. Matthew 614 through 15 says for if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, their trespasses, neither will your father forgive your trespasses. It's a big deal. Unforgiveness is a really big deal and that's why he makes it such a big deal here. He's like, you need to forgive people so I can forgive you. And so we that's so important unforgiveness. And that's one question we can ask. And even when we worship, if there is unforgiveness, our worship can be hindered and so often our worship is where we hear God right? And so this is so important, Matthew 5 23 24 says, So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar, go and be reconciled to that person, then come and offer your sacrifice to God saying if you're worshiping and you're like, oh man, this person is mad at me and I did something that I shouldn't have done, I need to go tell, I need to make things right. This is he's saying do it, do it before you worship get it over with like this is something that you need to deal with And and it's so important that he's like, let's do this right now. Not later, but right now. And so is their unforgiveness. That's one of your biggest questions is maybe as to why maybe you're experiencing silence and then another one. Is there something you love more than God? The first commandment is this, I am the Lord, your God who rescued you from the Land of Egypt? The place of your slavery. You must not have any other God but me that's exodus 2022 22 through three, no other God but him. And so if you're putting something before God, if you're putting even your family, even your your work good. It can be good things that you're putting before God. It can can cause that rift with the Lord. And Matthew 6 24 says no one can serve two masters for you will hate one and love the other. You will be devoted and to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. Often money is some something that we put before God our our finances, we say no, I'm gonna deal with this, but I'm not gonna let God deal with that. And that can cause that can cause some silence on our part of God. And then the last question we can ask and this kind of encompasses those two. But it makes a little bit more broad, Is there something I am doing on a regular basis that doesn't line up with his will for my life and because any sin is gonna cause and usually it's regular sin, something that you do every single day because we all sin right, we're all gonna fall short. But when we do it every single day, it's like maybe you should deal with that. Um Hebrews 10 26 to 27 says dear friends. If we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there's no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There's only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. So sin is sin is a big deal to God, just like forgiveness. But sin is something that we need to take care of. He says, it's we're supposed to confess and then be clean. Um So sin can cause that rift any sin. Um and so all of these questions can help us see if there might be something on our end hindering us from hearing from God. So first we trust his word and not your feelings. Then we ask if there's something in our life that might be causing that rift. And then this is important. This is if you get nothing else, get this, keep talking to God, Don't give up. Don't give up talking to God because you can't hear him or you can't see him, don't give up on asking for healing or deliverance because you haven't seen it yet. We see this. The psalmist has felt like God had abandoned him but continues to cry out. Some 2020 psalms 2022 22 1 through two says, my God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? Have you ever felt like that? He was far away? Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer every night I lift my voice but I find no relief. Remember he does this every day, he's still calling out, he may not feel like God is there, but he still calls out And then job in in the book of job, he cries out to God for answers and God is silent for the majority of the book, 39 chapters, God is silent and but God does eventually answer him And then Matthew 7738 says keep on asking and you will receive what you ask for, keep on seeking and you will find keep on knocking and the door will be open to you for everyone who asks receives and everyone who seeks fines and to everyone who knocks the door will be open. So keep talking even when God doesn't feel like he's there, he is. Remember those scriptures earlier, I read like five different scriptures about how God has not left you alone and there's so many more in the bible if you need to turn to those. I think sometimes um I've gotten discouraged because I'm like, why didn't God do this? Um or talk to me at that point? Sometimes um we'll go to camp and uh there's somebody who gets this word from God, this amazing word from God and you're like, man, why didn't I get that? That was really cool. But like I could have used that, right? And I think sometimes God is trusting us with that silence. He's saying, you know, you didn't really need that word for me. Like you trust that I'm here, you trust that God is, I'm good. He's like your you didn't need that word for me. But that person, they were on the edge of breaking and they needed that word and sometimes I had to remind myself like maybe I just didn't need that, but they did. And so sometimes we just need to remember like God is trusting us with his silence, he's saying, you know, you can go through this, I'm still here, but I'm gonna let you go through this. And so God may seem silent to you today. He may feel unmoving, but in his silence he is rearranging, that's the hope that we have. So don't give up, keep crying out. He is listening christian you can come on up. So maybe you're experiencing a time of silence and this maybe not because you're sinning. It may not be because there's something on your part that you need to do, but you're just experiencing silence and you need to continue to trust his word. Look to his word for hope and encouragement. He gave it to us. So we don't have to experience full silence. Like the Israelites had to, we never have to experience that full silence ever again. So if you don't, like, if you're like, yeah, I don't feel like I can hear from God today and you're maybe this is your like, maybe it's an invitation to say, maybe I'm going to dive deeper into his word. Maybe it's an invitation to just open your bible more than you used to. Um, if you don't know where to start, there's plenty of awesome plans on the bible app that you know, even look up plans for silence, those are out there and maybe it's been a long time since you've cried out. You've been, you've given up on God today's the day to cry out again. God hears you. He wants you to talk to him 1st, 57 says cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. God cares for you. He wants you to talk to him, he wants you to come to him, He wants you to be like, hey, God God God God, he wants you to keep knocking and keep poking at him because he loves you, He wants to know you, he wants to hear from you, You're never too far gone to turn back to him and if the prayer team could come up, this last one kind of has a call, right? So first you can dive deeper into the God's word and maybe you just need this during this last song, call out to God. Maybe you've decided, I'm never talking to God ever again about this. Maybe there's a certain healing that you've just decided, I'm never gonna ask God ever again about that. But maybe you just need to call out again for that. And then lastly, maybe you're here today and you know, there's been something you've been doing in your life that is hindering you from hearing from God and getting close to him first, john 19 says if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all in righteousness, he pure, he purifies us, not our works, not what we do, but he makes us clean Today is your chance to confess and repent. Today is your chance to come up to somebody here and say, hey, this is what I'm going through. This is what I've done and I don't want to do it again. Can we walk through this repentance together because that's what we want to do as a prayer team, we want to get you to where you don't feel like you wanna do that again. Where that temptation may even gone, but he is faithful to forgive and he is even more faithful to make us clean. It's his work that makes us clean, not what we do. So I'm gonna pray and we're gonna do this song and I just want y'all to cry out if you've, if you've given up cry out, if you need to make things right with God do that. So I'm gonna pray God, I thank you for your word that you are not silent anymore. God, I pray Lord for those that might be experiencing your silence that they would remember that you're you're never you're not gonna stay silent forever. That there is a return. Lord, I pray that for those that have given up that have said I'm not asking anymore about that because it's never gonna happen. I pray that you would renew their hope in you. God renew their hope in what you have for them. God. I prayed that they would cry out and trust in you and trust in your word God and Lord, I pray that if there's things hindering us from hearing you Lord, that you would help us to see those things point those things out to us so that we can get right with you God and I pray that you would help us in that repentance because we can't repent and change our minds alone. Only you can change our minds God and I pray for that Lord in jesus name. Amen.