Weeping Prophet
Sermon: Where is Gods response, we wonder will suffering then have the last word? Will despair be triumphant in the life of a man dedicated to obeying God? God says in chapter 1, before you were born I set you apart and I have appointed you as a prophet for the nations

Verse1 Among Your wrath please love, restore Your servant, Lord 
 Or let a Father’s prove, like an avenger’s sword. Your arrows stick in my heart, my flesh is sorely pressed
 Between the sorrow the smart, my spirit finds no rest.

Sermon: Why is He not acting? If we don’t have a theology of suffering, if suffering doesn’t fit into our idea of what Christianity is, then we’ll say, “better had I died in my mothers womb”.

Verse 2
My sins a heavy burden, over my head are gone
 Too heavy for me to bear, I can not atone. My thoughts are like a troubled seas, my head still bending down
 I go mourning all the day, beneath my Father’s frown.

(Chorus) You are my God, my only hope, my God will hear my cry! 
 My God will bear my spirit up, when Satan bids me die.

Sermon: Ephesians 1:4 “for He”, God, “chose us in Him” Christ, before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight”. Chosen to be happy did it say? Chosen to be comfortable, chosen to walk on easy street? No, God has chosen you to be holy. Set apart for Him without blemish or stain of sin. And he is working that out in your life right now. He is able to use the pain, sin and suffering of this world, that even the works of the enemy to accomplish His task. It’s not your happiness, but your holiness. So that you might be able to dwell with God eternally. He has the end goal in mind. He knows what He’s working towards. And it’s in that way the He will be most glorified. Paul, writing from prison expresses that the church, in Ephesians he says, “It is able to manifest Gods glory to world, particularly brightly because of how we handle suffering, and handle the troubles of the world.

Bridge:
My foot is ever apt to slide, my foes rejoice to see they rise
 Their pleasure & their pride, when they supplant my feet. But I’ll confess my guilt to Thee, and grieve for all my sin
I’ll mourn, How weak my graces be and beg support divine from thee, My God, forgive my follies past, and be for ever nigh;
 My salvation, haste, before Thy servant die.

(Chorus)

Sermon: But how? How can we be sure? How can we be sure that God is able to take oppression and suffering and turn into our good and His glory? Because we have the cross. Jesus Himself is the best example of this. He understood His calling. In the upper room He says, “I will not speak with you much longer”, He’s saying I don’t have a lot of time. “For the prince of the world” we call him Satan, “is coming”. “Don’t worry he has no hold on me” He can’t handle me. “But the world must learn that I love the Father, and I do exactly what my Father has commanded me”. Perfect God who took on humanity so that He might show perfect obedience, take on our sin and punishment that we deserve, conquer the power of sin and death by rising again. And yet God used it for the greatest good possible. The redemption and justification of His people. You redemption, my redemption, which results in Gods greatest glory.