Rev. David Holwick ZO
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
December 14, 1997
Romans 8:19-25
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I. Distractions/frustrations at Christmas.
A. Putting up tree.
1) New wrinkle - putting up outside lights.
B. Composing Christmas letter. (Everyone is waiting, not started)
C. Buying all presents.
Lee Strobel offers a unique perspective on life in the 90's:
"If you really are a person of the 90's...
You feel like life is whizzing past you at 90 miles an hour.
You work 90 hours a week, and you've still got 90 items on
your to-do list.
You're on a 90 calorie a day diet because you look 90 pounds
overweight in your swimming suit.
(or - you gained 90 pounds on all that eggnog and fruitcake.)
You've got 90 different bills to pay, and you're already $90
overdrawn.
The minimum payment on your VISA this month is $90-- and that's
just the interest.
You're still paying $90 a month on your student loan, and you
don't know where you're going to get $90,000 to send your
kids to school.
You've got 90 channels of cable television, and there is still
nothing worth watching.
You drive your kids to 90 different activities and events a
month.
Your toddler just asked "Why?" for the 90th time today.
"And you think everything would be fine, if you were just making
90 grand a year.
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II. Should real Christians ever get frustrated?
A. An emotion we associate with immaturity, impatience.
1) Adds tension to family, because we lash out.
2) Special problem with men.
B. Frustration will always be true of Christians in this life.
1) Real life always produces frustrations.
2) But we can choose how we deal with them.
III. Frustrations this side of heaven. Romans 8:20-23
A. World is a mess.
1) Global warming to melt ice caps?
2) Paul mentions tension in environment.
B. Not just planet, but humanity in a mess.
1) When will there be true "peace on earth"?
2) Eat in darkness, frustration, affliction, anger. Eccl 5:17
C. Not just humanity, but each of us.
1) It's not just everyone else who has a problem.
2) The realization we can't "have it all."
a) We groan because we are incomplete at best. Rom 8:23
b) At worst, we are sinners.
IV. Special frustrations of Christians.
A. Frustration with incompleteness of other believers.
1) Disappointments when they sin, fail, betray us/Jesus.
a) Being hurt by Christians.
2) Frustration of limits of Christian fellowship.
a) Problems in early church.
1> Grumbling.
2> Divisiveness and personality cults.
3> Spiritual deadness, even hostility.
b) Problems in Ledgewood Baptist...
B. Frustrations with ourselves.
1) Most Christians have obvious flaws.
a) Can be very discouraging.
b) Do they see *us* this way?
2) We want to change, but don't.
a) We want to feel God's power, but he can seem distant.
C. Frustrations with God himself?
1) Hard questions.
a) Bizarre things in Bible.
b) Pain / suffering in world, especially of innocents.
c) Mysteries of prayer, God's will.
2) What can God really do for us?
a) We want him to speak to us, to guide us.
b) If he did, would we recognize it, or say it is just us?
V. How to deal with frustration.
A. Realize we cannot answer all the questions.
1) Mary pondered things in her heart - she didn't have all
answers.
2) May not be satisfying, but some things have to be left with
God.
a) (Futility of Flight #800 hearings? Families not
satisfied even when every scrap of flesh is analyzed.)
B. Deal immediately with roots of bitterness and stress.
1) Victim-thinking permeates our society, including the church.
a) The trouble with bitterness is that it does not stay
the same; like a cancer, it grows.
b) It distorts reality. It keeps us chained to the past.
2) Helen Lescheid offers several steps to becoming better
rather than bitter.
1. Acknowledge the problem.
2. Stop feeding bitterness.
3. Rid yourself of every root of bitterness as soon as
possible.
4. Initiate reconciliation.
5. Proclaim God is sovereign.
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C. Count your blessings.
1) Cheer up - things could be much worse!
The Hope Health Letter (10/95) included this story:
Once upon a time, there was a man who lived with his wife,
two small children, and his elderly parents in a tiny hut.
He tried to be patient and gracious, but the noise and
crowded conditions wore him down.
In desperation, he consulted the village wise man.
"Do you have a rooster?" asked the wise man.
"Yes," he replied.
"Keep the rooster in the hut with your family, and come see
me again next week."
The next week, the man returned and told the wise elder that
living conditions were worse than ever, with the rooster
crowing and making a mess of the hut.
"Do you have a cow?" asked the wise elder.
The man nodded fearfully.
"Take your cow into the hut as well, and come see me in a
week."
Over the next several weeks, the man -- on the advice of the
wise elder -- made room for a goat, two dogs, and his
brother's children.
Finally, he could take no more, and in a fit of anger, kicked
out all the animals and guests, leaving only his wife,
his children, and his parents.
The home suddenly became spacious and quiet, and everyone
lived happily ever after.
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2) Perspective helps.
a) (Blind man who spills pens on busy New York sidewalk.)
b) Our problems are truly insignificant compared to others.
3) See the positive in unlikely situations.
a) (Celeste and walk in snow - overwhelmed, but appreciated
the beauty.) "Stop and smell the roses."
b) Be thankful for family, job, health, faith, friends.
VI. True contentment.
A. Christmas as it ought to be.
1) We aim to have a quiet Christmas, family-oriented.
B. Is something lacking in your life? Or present & shouldn't be?
1) Sin leads to a sense of futility. 1 Pet 1:18, 2 Pet 2:18
2) Lack of God will always make us seem empty.
a) God gives contentment to those who trust in him, but
frustration to wicked. Ps 146:9
b) If we try to be wise without God, we will always be
frustrated. 1 Cor 1:19
C. Quietness can melt frustration.
1) Learn what it means to rest in God.
2) Follow the example of spiritual people.
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On back of sermon handout:
==========================
CATEGORY: Contentment, Frustration, Assessment, Test, Envy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TEXT: x
Number: 4240 Hard copy: y
SOURCE: Discipleship Journal, #97
TITLE: ??
AUTHOR: Tim Sanford
PAGE: DATE: 1/1/97 Typist: ENTERED: 12/14/97
DATE_USED: 12/14/97 [handout]
ILLUSTRATION__________________________________________________________________
: 1. The following quiz by Tim Sanford can help you examine your personal
level of frustration (or positively, your contentment).
T F I struggle frequently with envy or jealousy toward others.
T F I'm satisfied with my marriage and family.
T F I like the way my standard of living compares with my friends'.
T F I often feel like something is missing from my life.
T F Most of my dreams and goals for my life have been fulfilled.
T F I feel good about my job.
T F My paycheck is sufficient to meet my needs and most of my wants.
T F I often struggle with disappointment about how my life has turned
out.
T F Most of the time I feel inferior to other people.
T F My present life is pretty much in line with my expectations.
T F I'm easily irritated when things don't go my way.
2. What kinds of people and circumstances are most likely to affect your
sense of contentment? How?
3. When you allow discontent to rule you, what are you saying about your
perception of God?
4. What alternatives to discontent do you find in the following verses?
Psalm 100:4-5 and Psalm 131:1-3
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copyright, Discipleship Journal, Issue 97, January 1997
#4240
*
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David Mains' version, Advent Sermon 3:
I. Theme: Even when complications multiply as the time gets closer,
you need to follow through on what you've decided is most
important.
A. (re-work: too much like last week.)
B. Emphasize complications/frustrations of life.
C. Relate effort on Christmas letter.
D. Alternate outline:
1) Examples of Christmas frustrations.
2) Main causes.
a) Relationships.
b) Failed dreams.
c) Sinful tension.
d) Feeling unworthy, sometimes acting out so you are
treated this way.
3) Solutions to frustration.
a) Keep perspective. (man with crowded house)
b) Time with God.
II. Jigsaw puzzles.
A. A family pasttime for Mains'.
B. At first Christmas, few were working on puzzle.
1) Elizabeth and Zechariah.
2) Mary and Joseph.
C. Puzzles can be hard, easy, fast, slow.
1) Questions Mary must have had in her head.
III. Focus on what's most important.
A. Trust God for the hard pieces.
IV. Why Christmas's don't pan out.
A. We feel we put in more than we got.
B. Many complications...
C. Results: self-pity, depression, anger, helplessness.
V. Keep at the game plan.
A. Be intentional.
B. Follow up on last week's suggestions.
C. We still have time to work on the puzzle.
Copyright © 2024 by Rev. David Holwick
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