The
Refuge

“In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills, and people will stream to it.  Many nations will come and say, “come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of God of Jacob.”           Micah 4:1-2

Our church can be Your home.

 

 

 

The Post Crucifixion / Pre- Resurrection Trauma

Text: Matthew 26: 31-35

Thesis: Faith in God brings hope and courage in uncertain times.

 

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I. This was a leaderless time for the disciples.

 

A.      Jesus may have been absent in body but his words will forever.

 

1.      In tough times remember the promises of God.

 

·   “I will never leave or forsake you.” Joshua 1: 5c NIV

 

·   “…for the lord your God will be with you wherever you go” Joshua 1:9 NIV

 

·   “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalms 23:1 KJV

 

·   “And we that all things work together for the good, to those who love God and

to those who are called according to his will.” Romans 8:28

 

·   If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31 NIV

 

·   “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 KJV

 

II. The disciple’s dreams appeared to be dashed.

 

A.      They were hoping things would be better, but for the time being it became bitter.

 

“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord,” Habakkuk 3:17-18 NIV

 

B.      God had a plan they had not realized yet.

 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11

 

III. The disciples had to live by faith in an unseen God.

 

A.      God was still sovereign over their lives.

 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8: 35-39

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Last modified: 07/09/05