Greetings Flag Branch members and friends and thanks for taking the time to join me, Pastor Jordan, for some Fine Points from Sunday’s service and message “No Fear Of Failure”.
Disappointment occurs when things don’t turn out the way we want or expected. Disappointment is a common occurrence in our life. Therefore, when we publicly place our hope, trust and effort into someone or something and it doesn’t work or turn out the way we say it would or should, we end up looking foolish and feeling disappointed and ashamed.
Disappointed and ashamed we believed and had faith in something or someone others didn’t. In some cases, we even tried to get them to believe as we had in which case they would be disappointed and ashamed as well.
This is part of the dilemma Christians face in believing and sharing the gospel. Disappointment occurs because some things are not certain. In other words, we are not sure how a situation or circumstance will unfold.
For a Christian to say he or she knows that everything in the bible is true and everything will occur just as the bible says is first a statement of faith for there is no way to prove this and second it eliminates the need to be justified by faith or need faith.
The fear of being wrong about God, Jesus, the bible and all that is in it is what keeps many, if not most, people from becoming or behaving like God’s eternal people. People have a tendency to want to avoid being ashamed, disappointed and wrong about public declarations that require sacrifice.
So, people consider themselves playing it safe by investing in the here and now and have given up on or declined the invitation to the now and later. This worldview and life principle is one in which people search and seek for whatever is available here in this world in order to enjoy life now as opposed to living now in a manner to seek and please God to receive eternal life and prosperity after or later.
People with this former view tend to focus on things they believe they can control in order to limit their failures and subsequent disappointments to maximize their pleasures and joys of life. People with the later view also do the same as the former with one major difference.
Those with the later view make decisions with an eye and ear open to seeing and hearing and doing the will of God. For them, the maximization of pleasure and joy cannot be sought when it jeopardizes or places at risk eternity with God. This is why expectations are so important in the life of believers and the people of God.
Most people and unbelievers have settled for dreams and expectations that this world can provide. They don’t look for nothing or much beyond it and therefore they act accordingly. God’s people dream and focus on the world to come and also act accordingly. The song “There will be no disappointments” is a song about realizing such a world.
The material aspects and opportunities in our present world and those going forward make it more satisfying and the other world less appealing. Coupled with the uncertainty of achieving and arriving at such a world, people have all but given up on settling eternally with God.
Therefore, we have settled into making our lives into sandcastles which we know will not last. We rush to build and design them to be as elaborate and beautiful as we can because we know we only have a day to do it before the tide or death comes in.
We are motivated in part to see who can make the most impressive castle. The more our castle seems to be better than the castle of others the better and more important it makes us feel. Yet no matter how successful we are at constructing our sandcastle, we still end up disappointed as we watch it being washed away by age, sickness and eventual death.
But the bible tells us that those who build their lives on belief in God will never lose them neither will they be disappointed or ashamed. This is why a life of permanence with God will always be and surpass a momentarily instance of pleasure derived from the satisfaction of building a castle made of sand.
True believers don’t doubt God’s ability nor accountability to make it all happen making them unafraid of failure and being ashamed or disappointed in placing their faith in God through Christ.
You can hear the complete sermon by clicking the sermon title above. You can also see and listen to our previous Sunday School, Missions and BTU sessions by clicking this link. Be sure to download our mobile app on your phones and mobile devices to get the latest news, updates and shortcuts to all of our ministries, functions and activities.
Click the SS Daily Bible Readings for an excellent devotional and preparation for the upcoming Sunday School study. Don’t forget to leave a comment or question down below. As always, remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
