Read the following passages together as a family:
Jeremiah 7:9-11 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? James 1:2-4 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Hebrews 12:1-2 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. In Jeremiah 7, the prophet Jeremiah is addressing people who are going to the temple to worship God. Although they maintained the outward forms of worshiping Go, they indulged in idolatry and sin behind the scenes: 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Generations later, Jesus referenced this passage when he rebuked the temple leaders for also turning the temple into a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:15-19). These passages remind us that real worship must be accompanied by repentance. If we do not turn away from sin, we cannot sincerely claim to be turning towards God. If we don’t repent, we’re not just asking God to protect us, we’re also asking him to protect our sins. This is a sobering reminder for our present time. As we seek God’s deliverance for ourselves and for the world, we must come before him with a repentant heart. And that starts first and foremost with ourselves, as we confess our own sin to Him. Like Jeremiah’s audience, many of us would come and worship weekly before God at church. But do our lives reflect a changed heart? Or do we think that God turns a blind eye to our sin? God’s promise is that if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive (1 John 1:9). And that is the only way to deal with sin. Sin doesn’t go away with time. It doesn’t disappear if we pretend it isn’t there. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from unrighteousness. Discuss: Spend some time as a family confessing your sins before God. Pray that God would also cause the hearts many to turn to him in repentance. James 1:2-3 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James teaches us how we can have genuine joy in trials. Trials are of “various kinds.” For example, everyone is experiencing the current pandemic differently. For some, the trial is the disease itself. For others, the trial is losing their livelihoods. For many, this is a time of great fear and uncertainty. But God is sovereign in all things. Because of that, you can be assured that whatever trial you are experiencing now is exactly what God has prepared for you. Nothing that God sends our way is random or meaningless. James tells us that when we meet trials, we know that it is a “testing” of our faith. No matter how old or young you are in the faith, the present crisis is testing our trust in God. Just as the process of refinement results in pure gold or silver, so testing reveals genuine faith. Discuss: What is the trial that God has sent you right now? Be specific; remember: God’s trials are personal, not generic. What happens when our faith is tested? James says that testing produces steadfastness. That’s interesting. Typically, we think that we need steadfastness before the test. You might be thinking, “I wish God would give me steadfastness and perseverance, then I would be able to make it through this trial.” But here, James is telling us that steadfastness is the result of the trial. Think about the physical body. A muscle only gets stronger when it is exercised. Strength is the outcome of “testing” our muscles. Similarly, by the testing of our faith, God produces steadfastness in us. The Greek word for “steadfastness” comes from the idea of “remaining under” something (like a heavy burden). That is a good image to keep in mind. As we are tested, we get stronger, more steadfast. And with greater steadfastness, we can handle more, hold more, bear more – not just for ourselves, but also for the people around us. Why does God test us? The purpose of all of this is spiritual maturity. “Let steadfastness have its full effect,” says James, “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” Here, “perfect” means being complete, mature. It also includes the idea of becoming like God. Jesus says that we are to be perfect, even as our heavenly Father is perfect (Matt. 5:48). God sends trials not to harm us, but to strengthen our trust in Him and produce spiritual maturity in us. This promise is the foundation of our joy. Our example of joy is Christ himself. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “…let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross….” On the cross, the only sinless man who ever lived died at the hands of sinners. Yet God was able to turn the suffering of Jesus into the salvation of everyone who believes in Him. Because of this, we can trust that God will also turn our suffering towards our good and His glory. Discuss: As a family, spend some time remembering and thanking God for his steadfast love and faithfulness. Pray that God would give us eyes to see his goodness in the present trial. Read Psalm 121 together as a family.
121 I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. 8 The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. Psalm 121 is full of promises of God’s protection. God is our helper. God never sleeps. Nothing ever catches Him by surprise. He will not neglect us nor forsake us. He is our shade to protect us by day or by night. God is our keeper. This word also describes Adam’s duty over the garden of Eden; he was to guard or keep it against threats (like, say, a serpent). God is our guard. In English, the word keep is also a noun that refers to the strongest part of a fortress or castle. So, we may also think of God as our secure fortress (See Ps. 18). Discuss: How have you experienced God as your keeper? Does this psalm mean that a believer will never experience suffering? That a Christian will never get sick or experience harm? No. The book of Psalms is full of anguish and suffering (see, for example, Psalm 6 and Psalm 38). King David, who wrote many of the Psalms, was deeply familiar with both personal and political disaster. Near the end of his reign, a plague killed thousands of people in Israel (1 Chr. 21:1-17). So, the Bible is not promising that believers will have an easy, painless life. Rather, the promise of Psalm 121 is that God is our keeper, no matter what evil, suffering, disease, or enemies we may face. None of these can thwart God’s plan for His people. Psalm 139:16 says that, “in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” God knows the exact number of our days. He is the one who gave us life, and he is the one who will call us home one day. He is the keeper of your life. Without a doubt, some Christians have already suffered and even died as a result of the coronavirus. Does this mean that God’s Word has failed them? Again, the answer is “No.” All of us will face death one day, and when that time comes, we have a savior who has conquered death. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 says, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” Because of this hope – Jesus who died and rose again – we can face danger, sickness, and even death with courage. For many people, the present crisis has cast an overwhelming shadow over all of life. While Christians are not exempt from the effects of this pandemic, we must not let it dominate us. Christ is still the King. God is still the shade at our right hand (v.5). We can remind ourselves of this by keeping to the rhythms of the Christian life. So, while we can’t meet for Sunday worship, we can still do the following: Pray: When we pray, we are recognizing that our help comes from the LORD. Looking to God as our help is not to deny the importance of things like medicine, doctors, and good hygiene. Rather, we are recognizing that God is the giver of these gifts and that, apart from Him, our efforts would be in vain. Therefore, let us pray for doctors, nurses, and other health workers, that God would supply them with strength and endurance. Let us pray for local authorities and government leaders, that God would give them humility, wisdom, and discernment. Let us pray for those who are particularly suffering – the sick, the poor and needy, those whose livelihoods are threatened – that God would protect and provide for them. And let us pray for ourselves, that we would not be overcome by fear, but that we would trust in God. Practice family discipleship/worship: If you haven’t been practicing family discipleship, this is a good time to start. Family discipleship doesn’t replace corporate worship on Sundays, and neither does corporate worship replace family discipleship. Both are necessary and commanded by God (see Eph. 6:4 and Heb. 10:24-25). Think about the cultivation of a plant. A plant needs soil, water, and sunlight. What is the “soil” of your family? What “water” do you give to your family? What is the “light” of your family? Is it Christ, or something else? Practicing family discipleship is one way that we can plant our families firmly in Jesus. What does family worship look like? It doesn’t need to be complicated. Each week, set aside some time to gather as a family (start with 15-30 minutes). Read and discuss God’s Word together. Sing a hymn together. And, at the end, pray for one another. Parents discuss: How are you actively discipling your children? Children discuss: How are you following the spiritual leadership of your parents? Read God’s Word: Hopefully, you’ve been spiritually prepared for this crisis because you’ve already been spending in God’s Word. If not, there is no better time to get back into reading the Bible. A Christian who doesn’t read God’s Word is like a soldier who goes into battle without a sword (Eph. 6:17). As important as it is for us to be careful about our physical health, it is even more important that we remain vigilant about our spiritual health. Let God’s Word be a lamp for your feet and a light for your path (Ps. 119:105). |
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