When the Rubber hits the road

[0:00] I'm going to get personal here, talking about what it looks like when the rubber hits the road.

[0:22] ! It's the saying that we have as to when we really face real life. What it is that we need. We need God's power in our lives. We need to stand in awe of God.

[0:38] We need His truth to guide our lives. The question is, how do you apply Christianity when you face reality?

[0:50] When the rubber hits the road? When you face those realities of life? The hardships of life sometimes. How do you translate Christianity into Australian?

[1:04] I'm still learning Australian. I'm not really an Aussie. I'm someone from another country. And I'm going to a better country. And Australia is pretty good, but there's a better country.

[1:18] And I'm still learning how to speak Aussie. How to put my faith into Australia. How to make it live in this country of Australia. How do you make your faith live? Is the question.

[1:30] How do you make your faith live when you face setbacks and disappointments? Now this came home hard to me a little even just last night. We've been in this building five years about today.

[1:44] Five years in this building. And how long do hot water services last? About five years. And I saw the hot water service busted. And knowing the massive outlay that this will mean, along with many other pressing commitments, that seem out of reach. And it's when the rubber hits the road, isn't it?

[2:01] When you face these things. And I know another brother was telling me just last week that his hot water service had flown. So you know, well, that's a big cost. You know, that's something we've got to bear.

[2:12] And how does your Christianity work when you get these things happen out of the blue? When you face the circumstances of life? How do you apply the Bible in the 21st century in Adelaide?

[2:25] South Australia. And this is where the rubber hits the road. That's the kind of intent of this message. And we're going to look at as many scriptures we could have covered and talked about.

[2:37] And I know Pastor Adam, in terms of the faith that endures. There's an enduring, isn't there? There's a sense of enduring, of resilience that God calls us to have.

[2:48] And for example, there's one Bible exhortation such as this one. Philippians 2 verse 12. It says, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

[3:08] Paul says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. How do you do that in Australia? How do you do that in Adelaide? How do you work out your salvation with fear and trembling?

[3:20] It sounds serious, doesn't it? Serious. Fear and trembling. What does that look like? Here, where you live. Here and now.

[3:32] In your life and mine. How do you apply your faith? Make it live in your shoes. How do you face the real challenges that we all have to bear with?

[3:44] In your everyday world with all the ups and downs and sometimes more downs than ups. How do you make it live? How do you make it real? One of the practical things of our faith that should guide us and sustain us and help us and guide us and lead us to what is good and right and godly for our lives.

[4:05] I put it to you that we need a Christianity that is truly relevant. We need relevance to our faith. A truly relevant faith.

[4:17] A relevant Christianity that's lived out in our shoes. This is the right kind of relevant Christianity that we need. Not one that's caving in to the world and buying all the messages of the world.

[4:32] But a Christianity that lives in the real world. That we're in the world but we're not of the world. And it answers questions like how do you live holy? How do you live as would be pleasing to God?

[4:43] How do you live such as when you look back in the rear vision mirror of your life that it will be a life lived. A life of no regrets. What does it look like when the rubber hits the road for you and for me in this reality that we live in?

[4:59] In for example the challenging times that we face as Paul gave the challenge to Titus. He said, For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.

[5:11] Teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us.

[5:29] That he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. It's saying there that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all of us.

[5:43] And it teaches us how to live godly, how to live righteously, how to live soberly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope. He's come to redeem us, to set us free.

[5:57] And to purify us, to be a people zealous of good works. So what does it look like, feel like, taste like this kind of life that we call to have?

[6:14] How can we live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world? What is it that gets us through? Paul says grace teaches us.

[6:25] It's grace that teaches us. It teaches us how to get through. When the going gets tough. And when everything gets peeled back to the very core. What is it that sustains you?

[6:36] When the chips are down, when we face disturbing times. What is it that we can rest on in times of hardship and setback and trial and loss?

[6:47] When grieving, when injured, when unwell. When we face financial tests.

[6:59] What can we rest on in those times of trial? And what can keep us going on, going on and on. When our natural inclination is to throw in the towel and just give up or give in against all the opposition and difficulty that we face daily.

[7:15] Sometimes it's easier just to quit. What holds us steady in this life that we're called to live? So we're not thrown off course.

[7:26] What is it that keeps us firm and faithful when all seems, it seems as all hope is lost sometimes? When we face an obstacle we can't seem to overcome.

[7:37] In such times of turmoil, of crisis, you can trust God. You can trust God for yourself. You can trust in Him. You can rest in His sovereignty. You can rest in His power.

[7:49] And you can take hold of God for yourself. Who believes that today? Can you take hold of God? Can you trust Him? I pray that you can and you will. And we read that it's His grace that teaches us how to live.

[8:02] It's His grace that shows us God's real truth applied in our real lives. God's real grace in our everyday situation. And His grace still avails. His grace still abounds.

[8:14] Thank God. His grace is surely as real and as sure and as relevant. And we have much more grace to learn day by day. What do I mean by grace? Grace could be described as God's generosity and His abundance that He grants to us when we don't deserve anything of it.

[8:35] His grace that shows His love and His kindness to sinful men. And this is Christianity lived out, translated into Australian for the 21st century.

[8:47] This is what it looks like. It's grace that teaches us when the rubber hits the road. And here's some thoughts about, again, how do I make this Christianity that we're hearing about, how do we make that live in our shoes?

[9:03] And I put here a few references that I have found relate that to me. So, for example, Paul cried out in Philippians 3 verse 10, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings being made conformable unto His death.

[9:25] When the rubber hits the road, it looks like the fellowship of His sufferings. The Lord Jesus, the one, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This Lamb of God who died in man's place, bearing man's sin, sinless of himself, yet bearing the sins of the world.

[9:43] This is how we translate it into Australian lingo for the Aussie of today. The fellowship of His sufferings. What does that mean?

[9:55] It means shouldering a cross. It means taking a bold stand for the Lord against all the odds. It means strengthening your faith and making it stronger and stronger, growing it day by day and holding to your testimony.

[10:08] No matter what faces you, the fellowship of His sufferings. In some countries it means going to your death. To claim Christ, it's no mere words.

[10:21] It means signing your death warrants in some countries. And we need to get that in our heads. It means a power beyond your own, the fellowship of His sufferings. It means that you will face whatever lies ahead for you.

[10:34] No matter what. Because it matters for you. It matters more than anything else. And Jesus knows what it is like. This one who is full of grace and truth.

[10:46] This one, the Lord Jesus Christ, He knows what it is like to be rejected, to be reviled, to be turned aside. The fellowship of His sufferings.

[10:57] It can get ugly. It was ugly. The cross was ugly. It wasn't some shiny little symbol around someone's neck.

[11:08] It was an ugly thing. Where Christ bore our sin and shame and paid for it as the nails were driven into quivering flesh as He bled for you.

[11:23] In His body was your sin and mine. That's ugly. And we're called to the fellowship of His sufferings. We're called to this one, marred more than any man. This man, wounded, scarred, nailed for us.

[11:36] He calls us to this fellowship, the fellowship of His sufferings. To share in these tough times. To continue to hold firm. And He has called us to a toughness and a resolve that will break through the pain barrier.

[11:50] And see victory won. You've heard Pastor Adam talk about the resurrection. He's no longer nailed. He's risen. He's alive. Victorious. Our Saviour.

[12:01] Praying for us. Knowing us. Crying out for us. Calling unto us. Victorious. And what does it look like when the rubber hits the road? It looks like the fellowship of His sufferings.

[12:14] Listen to this moving testimony of a martyr. A martyr means someone who's died for their faith. In this case in Christ.

[12:25] They've died for their faith in Christ. He writes this. He says, I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.

[12:37] The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His and I won't look back. Let up. Slow down. Back away. Or be still.

[12:48] My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure. I'm done. I'm finished. With low living. Sight walking. Small planning.

[12:59] Smooth knees. Colourless. Dreams. Tamed visions. Mundane talking. Chink living. And dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence.

[13:11] Prosperity. Position. Promotions. Plaudence. Or popularity. I don't have to be right. Or first. Or tops. Or recognised. Or praised.

[13:22] Or rewarded. I live by faith. Lean on His presence. Walk by patience. Lift by prayer. And labour by Holy Spirit power. My face is set. My gate is fast.

[13:34] My goal is heaven. My road may be narrow. My way rough. My companions few. But my guide is reliable. And my mission is clear.

[13:46] I will not be bought. I will not be compromised. I will not be bought. Compromised. Detoured. Lured away. Turned back. Deluded. Or delayed. I will not flinch. In the face of sacrifice.

[13:57] Or hesitate. In the presence of the adversary. I will not negotiate. I will not negotiate. At the table of the enemy. Ponder at the pool. Of popularity. Or meander in the maze. Of mediocrity.

[14:08] I won't give up. Shut up. Or let up. Until I have stayed up. Stored up. Prayed up. Paid up. And preached up. For the cause of Christ. I am a disciple.

[14:19] Of Jesus. I must give. Until I drop. Preach. Until all know. And work. Until he comes. And when he does come. For his own.

[14:30] He will have no problems. Recognising me. My colours will be clear. Now this was a statement. By a young African pastor. I am told. Found among his papers.

[14:41] In Zimbabwe. After he was martyred. For his Christian faith. These were not just mere. Meaningful words.

[14:54] Much more than that. They were his life. His testimony. And let us too. Be unashamed. Unashamed. To be a part of this fellowship.

[15:05] The fellowship. Of. His sufferings. Let us keep in fellowship. Fellowship means getting together. Gathering together. With God's own people.

[15:16] With like minded people. Who genuinely love. The Lord Jesus Christ. How will you. Weather. The storms of life. You can face the trials.

[15:27] Of life ahead. With faith. As you are part of the fellowship. Of his sufferings. Knowing this. That the trying of your faith. Worketh patience. James 1. Verse 3.

[15:39] So what does it look like. When the rubber. Hits the road. It looks like the fellowship. Of his sufferings. Another one is. It looks like.

[15:50] A fight. A fight can get ugly too. Can't it? When people get. Wounded. You know. I've.

[16:01] I've. A few blood noses. As a youngster. It looks like a fight. It's an ugly thing. It's an unpleasant thing. People get hurt. I think I received more than I gave.

[16:12] But. 2 Timothy 2. It said. War. And your hardness. As a good soldier. Of Jesus Christ. No man. That war. And tangleth himself. With the affairs of this life.

[16:23] That he may please him. Who have chosen him. To be a soldier. It looks like a fight. When you are. Living the. Life of the Christian.

[16:34] When the rubber. Hits the road. It can look like a fight. There's many other analogies. The Bible gives us. Of running a race. Of a. Of a boxing match. As it were. Of a warfare. Of a warfare.

[16:45] What does this mean? A fight. It's saying to us. That we are in a war. A war. Of mammoth proportions. And it's no play fight. This is not war games.

[16:57] This is the real thing. It's a fight for the dead. It's real. It's for real. There's a war on. A war on. For your soul. There's a war on. Against Christianity. And there's need for fighting men.

[17:10] Fighting men. And fighting women. We have need to contend. Earnestly. To contend. Earnestly. For the faith. To contend. It needs to earnestly struggle. Put every fibre. And sense of your being into it.

[17:23] We can expect satanic opposition. And we are in a struggle here. This is a mortal combat. Mortal combat. And we are going to have to march forward.

[17:34] Into battle. To go over the top. As it were. Out of the trenches. And attack. As it were. And sustain some attacks. Of our own. Get used to it.

[17:45] This is the normal Christian life. I know. When someone. Makes a profession of faith. I like to. Inform them. That they are entering a war zone.

[17:58] That they can expect opposition. They can expect. To get tempted. To face. Attacks. To face doubts. And. Things that would. Seek to deter them.

[18:09] That are launched against them. Because we face a real enemy. And. This is something. We need to get used to. And as a Christian. You may get wounded. You may get hurt.

[18:20] In the battle zone. As the rubber hits the road. Friends. There are seducing spirits at work. The spirit of the new age. The spirits at work. As it were. As much as we don't major on.

[18:31] Such. Forces. And think there's a. Devil in every. Cough that someone has. Or whatever it be. But there are the spirits of the new age. The spirits of this age. We.

[18:42] We do face a real. Invisible foe. A spiritual foe. A committed foe. The enemy of our souls. And so. No one ever said. That it would be easy. You know. Some like to preach. That it's.

[18:53] Your best life now. And. When you become a Christian. You're suddenly going to have. A padded wallet. And. A fancy. Life. And everything's going to be rosy. No sir. No sir.

[19:04] No sir. No. No sir. No. No sir. When the rubber hits the road. You might. Find. You lose everything. No one ever said.

[19:16] That would be easy. And we have need of separation. In the sense that. We should be wearing the uniform. And standing fast. As the church of the living God. As a mighty army. As reliable soldiers.

[19:28] In this force. And not fraternizing with the enemy. Holding fast and faithful to this dear cause. To please. Your commanding officer. As 2 Timothy.

[19:40] 3 verse 4 says. Please the one who has chosen you. It's a privilege. To be called up. Into this military service. Of our great God and Saviour.

[19:51] To say yes sir. To our commanding officer. As it were. The commander in chief. The Lord Jesus Christ. To be a part. Of this fighting force. And that is what. He calls us to.

[20:02] To be a resolute witness for Christ. In a broken world. To be prepared. To stand fast. And to go through the hard things. And to say the hard things. To be prepared. To be mocked.

[20:13] And rejected. Where the rubber hits the road. And that can be. That fight can take place. In your workplace. Amongst your family. And your friends. Don't hold back.

[20:25] Please him. Who has called you. Who has chosen you. To be a soldier. Ephesians 6. Verse 10. We know that familiar passage. Where it speaks to us. Finally my brethren.

[20:36] Be strong in the Lord. And in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God. That you may be able to withstand. Stand against the wiles of the devil.

[20:48] For we wrestle not against flesh and blood. But against principalities and powers. Against the rulers of the darkness of this world. Against spiritual wickedness in high places.

[21:01] Finally my brethren. Be strong in the law. We need to join the battle. And our battle is not against. Sadly deceived.

[21:12] People such as homosexuals. Who think that that's okay. Okay. Our battle is not against such people. But the spirits that control them. They're in the devil's clutches.

[21:24] And our fight is with Satan. And his demon army. That wants to enslave the masses. And even the upstanding members of the local churches. Who don't know Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

[21:36] The devil's got a hold of them. Just as surely as those more evidently in sin. So fight on regardless. And may we be devoted to this end. When the rubber hits the road.

[21:48] We need to devote every nerve. Every muscle. Your every thought. Bringing it into captivity. To please your Lord and Saviour. And to this end. For this.

[21:59] Our God given goal. We want to devote ourselves. This is real life. Real faith. Real integrity. When the rubber hits the road. I urge you.

[22:10] To take heart. And to take note of the godly examples. For example. The biographies. The human stories. That God's word gives to us. Of real men and women.

[22:22] Of faith. For example. Job. It says in Job 2 verse 3. And the Lord said unto Satan. As they had some conference there. Talking about what was going on. And the Lord said to Satan.

[22:35] Hast thou considered. My servant Job. That there is none. Like him. In the earth. A perfect. And an upright man. And one that feareth God.

[22:46] And assureth. Or in other words. Shuns. Evil. And still he holdeth fast his integrity. Although thou movest me. This is Satan. Against him. To destroy him.

[22:57] Without cause. Satan said to God. Have you considered Job. He holds fast his integrity. He's holding fast his integrity.

[23:08] What does it look like. When the rubber hits the road. Will you be like Job. And hold fast your integrity. Will you have that.

[23:20] Stamina. That resolve. What does it look like. When the rubber hits the road. In your life. In your life. In your life. It looks like war.

[23:34] It looks like a fight. And it feels like a fight. Doesn't it. Sometimes. It looks like Job. When the rubber hits the road. It looks like the fellowship. Of his sufferings.

[23:45] And so. Another one is. It looks like prayer. Prayer. Is something. That is evident. When the rubber hits the road. When you face the challenges. That overwhelm you. It's good to pray.

[23:57] It's good to pray anyway. Isn't it. It's good to pray. When you've not got problems. To talk to God about. And to thank him. For your many blessings. Count them. For many blessings.

[24:08] Mark 14. 38. The Lord says. Watch ye. And pray. That ye. Lest ye. Fall into. Temptation.

[24:19] He says. Watch and pray. Fall into. Temptation. We face many. A temptation. When you become a Christian. The temptations. Don't suddenly stop. They're probably more evident.

[24:31] In your life. You're probably more conscious. Of them. We're powered by prayer. We're meant to be powered. By prayer. And grace. Teaches us. Let us lean on his grace.

[24:43] Depend on his grace. And grow in his grace. We may face many. A temptation. We can expect it. The Lord Jesus says. Pray.

[24:54] Pray. We face a temptation. The temptation sometimes. To compromise. It's easy to compromise. To just fall into line. And go with the flow.

[25:05] To get casual. Cool. And comfortable. With the crowd. That's the easy way. That's the easy way. Isn't it? To be counted amongst the convenient Christians. Where slackness and slothfulness prevails.

[25:17] But what does it look like for you. When the rubber hits the road. I pray. You'll be amongst them. Who will stand firm. And stand. In God's strength. Leaning on that.

[25:28] And it looks like prayer. Looks like a church praying together. In the midst of chaos. As we see in Acts 12. When Peter was in prison. What did the church do?

[25:39] The church prayed. Acts 12 verse 5. It says. Peter therefore. Was kept in prison. But prayer was made. Without ceasing.

[25:50] Of the church. Unto God. For him. The church didn't stop praying. Until Peter got out of prison. He was. Imprisoned. Because he.

[26:01] Testified. And stood. For the Lord. And the church kept praying for him. Kept on praying. Likewise. For you. For me. Let's be a people who pray. A people who pray.

[26:13] Pray personally. Pray together. Pray faithfully. Pray powerfully. Pray believing. Pray in faith. Pray together. Do not neglect. The power of prayer.

[26:24] When the rubber hits the road. It's a resource for you. It's a strength for you. There's a power in prayer for you. Do not neglect the power of prayer. Do not neglect the place of prayer.

[26:35] The house of prayer. When your heart is overwhelmed. May your prayer be as David's. In Psalm 61. As he cried out. Hear my cry. O God. Attend.

[26:46] Unto my prayer. From the end of the earth. Will I cry. Unto thee. When my heart. Is overwhelmed. Lead me. To the rock. That is higher. Than I.

[26:57] For. Thou. Has been a shelter. Unto me. And a strong tower. From the enemy. I will abide in thine tabernacle. Forever. I will trust in the.

[27:08] Covert. Or the covering. Of. Thy wings. See. Hear my cry. O God. Attend. Unto my prayer. You can pray to God. Turn to your Lord.

[27:19] And pray. Pray through. When you don't have enough money. To pay your bills. You can build around. And ask him to lead you to the rock. That is higher than I. When the rubber hits the road. Don't neglect to pray. And you can pray.

[27:30] All times. All the time. But especially in those times. When you don't know who to turn to. You don't know the answers. There is one thing you surely can do.

[27:42] Turn to God. Turn to your Lord. And pray. Pray through. When you don't have enough money. your bills you can pray when you don't know how to get a job when you don't know how to get through the study when you don't know how to get through the family issues you can pray you can pray james 5 16 it says confess your faults one to another and pray one for another that you may be healed the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much it says there's a prayer the prayer for one who is righteous that it is effectual prayer and it will avail much much will be the result from that prayer so don't neglect the power of prayer when the rubber hits the road when you face those challenging days when the rubber hits the road it looks like the fellowship of his sufferings it looks like a fight it looks like prayer and it looks like the word put into action this word is meant to be alive living quick powerful active relevant and it is and it's most of all meant to be put into action as we are anchored in god's word as we trust his word as we put his word into our hearts we hide his word in our hearts so we would not stand against him as we anchor in god's word it gives us a strength a stability and it helps us to live in those day-by-day times i love that familiar simple parable that our lord tells of the two houses and the two methods of construction of the man who was wise who built his house on the rock and the man who was not wise and built his house on the sand he says the man who hears these sayings of mine and does them i will liken him unto a wise man who built his house upon a rock and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock and everyone that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be like a man who built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beads upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it it's obvious isn't it the foundation has to be right when the storm comes your foundation has to be right when the rubber hits the road build your life on the word of god be as the wise man have built his house he builds his life on the word of his god and what does it look like when the rubber hits the road it looks like a house built strong a built to last a people steadfast in their god building strong building lies that count building on the word of god biblical truth biblical truth is our foundation this is our moral compass this is our anchor this is the light unto our path the lamp unto our way this is the spiritual liberty that the truth shall set you free and we can know god's will because of his word we can know the comfort of the scriptures there's an encouragement there there's comfort here when we need comfort there's guidance when we need guidance there's strength when we need strength and this is what sustains us so what does it look like as we're coming to wrapping this up and these are somewhat different contexts that i've put to you tonight that speak to me about how we live a life that pleases god

[31:45] how we live a life that gets true when the rubber hits the road the realities of life that we all face what does it look like it looks like the fellowship of his sufferings it's not always going to be easy it looks like a fight likewise it looks like prayer as we more depend on our savior and it looks like the word as a sure foundation to build our lives upon we are founded upon a rock what does it look like this is relevant christianity it's relevant for the 21st century and for where we live here because it sets an internal perspective as we battle here below we realize there's an eternal dimension that's far more important that really matters and we set our affection there our love is there our love is not for this earth as it's passing but for our lord and his purposes it says colossians stream if then you be risen with christ seek those things that are above where christ sit and on the right hand of god set your affection in other words place your love set your affection on things above not on things on the earth you know this world may at times disappoint you might go through life and not really make it as the world would rate it yet have a life that pleases god that is far more valuable far more precious far more important there was a man of god jonathan edwards who said oh god stamp eternity on my eyeballs stamp eternity on my eyeballs so that we look at life through that lens if you like that there's an eternal dimension that really matters god is going to shape this earth he's going to shape the heavens it says and it will pass away we read in hebrews 12 it tells of receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved and the writer says let us have grace there's that word again receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve god acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our god is a consuming fire serve god acceptably have eternity stamped on your eyeballs that we have a kingdom that cannot be moved that's what counts things are going to get shaky there's this there's some stockbrokers feeling very shaky at the moment around the world there's there's people who are worried that their whole life savings are going to get wiped out that's one thing i've never played with the stock market but some people might be having second thoughts that they have done so but there's things getting shaky today isn't that isn't the shaky things the shaky countries the shaky governments the shaky economies god is going to shake the earth and the heavens but we receive a kingdom that cannot be moved we are sure of this that we are citizens of a kingdom that cannot be shaken and grace makes it all possible praise god so when you face those times realize it's temporary i know my dad likes to say this too shall pass you know whatever you're going through you might be going through a sheer torment right now but you can say this too shall pass amen it's going to pass and eternity is just around the corner and as we wear those lenses as it were of eternity we can see life through a whole new way can't we a whole new way of looking at life and these passing temporary trials we've got reason to endure as pastor adam's been telling us in one peter there's reason to endure

[35:52] because we're being fitted for a world yet to come in 2 corinthians 4 17 it says for a light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory while we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal it puts it in perspective doesn't it that eternal dimension that light affliction as it were you know there's people been telling me their various afflictions i feel like a doctor sometimes with people telling everything that's wrong with them uh you know at least some of what that's wrong with them but uh yeah we know that this this temporary affliction this light affliction is just for a moment just for a moment and for the meantime we need to be resilient trust in god he's teaching us through whatever happening for us as the rubber hits the road of life the light affliction is just temporary compared to the eternal weight of glory and so we can bear up under the hurts the disappointments the the problems of life because grace teaches us how to get through and you know think of how paul described it as light afflictions and when you read about what paul actually went through he was attacked he was misunderstood had light affliction this is what light affliction looked like to paul he says uh i mean labors more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in deaths off of the jews five times received i forty stripes save one thrice was i beaten with rods once was i stoned thrice i suffered shipwreck a night and a day i've been in the deep in journeyings often in perils in waters in perils of robbers in perils of my own countrymen in perils by the heathen in perils in the city in perils in the wilderness in perils by the sea in perils among false brethren in weariness and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness beside those things that are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the churches you know he had a big load to carry and grace teaches us as it taught paul the light affliction is just for a moment and we can handle adversity you can handle whatever goes across your path whatever the devil throws you away you can handle it and you can have reason to endure because of the power of the lord jesus christ in your life and he'll help you he'll see you through he'll guide you he'll strengthen you as you shoulder his cross as you share in his sufferings in fact it's a privilege to do so in james 1 another scripture along this vein paul james says my brethren counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations in other words different tests and trials counted joyful joyfully he says the trying of your faith work of patience so what does it look like what does it really look like when the rubber hits the road it means for you and for me this is real this is real and it's relevant and it's applicable to you to me to our lives right here right now and the wonderful truth is that god works in the ordinary day by day ordinary lives he uses for his glory god works in the lives of ordinary people he uses common everyday garden variety people just like you and me that's who they were back in the bible they were just flesh and blood men and women just as fallible if not more so just as frail than you and me and god uses common

[39:55] average ordinary people when the rubber hits the road he used samson with the jawbone of a donkey just this piece of the the donkey skull the jaw bone of the donkey and he killed 1000 philistines in judges 15.

[40:13] in 1 samuel 17 david used a sling just a i guess a piece of leather that he threw that stone that killed the giant in 1 king 17 the widow of zarephath her flower and oil kept replenishing itself she was just an ordinary average everyday widow god used the simple things in her life we see the land who brought just five loaves and two fishes with limited resources five thousand were fed what will it look like when the rubber hits the road for you when you face those times of harshness when you face the chaos the struggle the contest of life he understands and he will guide you he is with you he's walking with you through the fire as he was in daniel 3 we read of those three men they would not bow to the golden image and the king three them into the burning fiery furnace and as he looked in he says lo look i see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the four is like the son of god they threw three in and jesus turned up the son of god the lord jesus turned up and he was with them and he's with you through the fire he's with you friends if you're going to face the fire the fourth man the lord jesus christ will be right there in the fire with you how do we make faith live in this culture it's grace grace in human lives human lives ordinary you and me as we are a part of the fellowship of his sufferings of with like-minded believers who love the lord and want to serve and be his god makes us into god's church grace makes us those people who will follow him as a family of god to be useful to be thankful to be powerful for god as the power of christ rests in us in 2 corinthians 12 just to wrap up uh paul was praying for a thorn in his flesh there was something that was driving him nutty that he just couldn't uh get rid of this uh affliction uh as it were this thorn that he had this trying uh element in his life and he kept praying and god said to him in 2 corinthians 12 verse 9 he said unto me my grace is sufficient for thee there's that word again grace my grace is sufficient for thee for my strength is made perfect in weakness most gladly therefore will i rather glory in my infirmities that the power of christ may rest upon me when the rubber hits the road it looks like a people empowered by an almighty god ordinary everyday aussies people just like you and me ordinary men and women empowered by the almighty god that's what it looks like and it's as his strength is made perfect in our weakness he compensates for our lack doesn't he and will be that model he wants us to be as his love compels us as our faith is more real growing exceedingly as we follow him when the rubber hits the road truth will be lived out in our shoes truly live as the rubber hits the road as it were when we face the realities of what monday morning's going to mean when we face the realities of trying to make a living and make a life when times are tough when you've got to make your faith live make it real apply it what does it look like

[44:20] just to recap this real life this real faith that's right here right now where you live in your shoes what does it look like it looks like the fellowship of his sufferings don't shy away from that you're in good company the fellowship of his sufferings the fellowship of the unashamed like that martyr the fellowship of his sufferings it looks like a fight and we'll press on we'll break through and we'll win that fight by god's power because he's fighting the battle it looks like prayer praying that will pray and pray through that's what it looks like it looks like the word of god put into action in your life that's what it looks like it looks like developing an eternal perspective having the eternal dimension that you set your affection not on these passing trinkets and fancies but on that which is above you'll set your affection there and it looks like the power of christ resting in you despite your weakness despite your weakness despite your lack despite your inadequacy history his power his grace in your everyday ordinary lives grace teaches us the grace of god that we can be saved to know that he's shed his blood he's given his life dying in our place as our substitute as the one paying our penalty he extends his gift and to you tonight that have yet to trust him i urge you do not put it off it's imminent as we've said this word that time is finite on this planet you have finite time in other words it's going to finish it's going to end and the door of opportunity will close for you to trust him to know him to receive him and if you've yet to trust jesus christ personally as your lord and savior to say lord jesus thank you for dying on the cross for my sin i trust you now i turn and i receive your gift i turn and turn to you and look to you and trust you believe you receive you and that gift of eternal life i receive it now by faith you can make that a reality today and for you that believe grace teaches us grace every day and grace more grace grace that is greater than all our sin grace grace exceeding grace abundant grace grace god's kindness his love unmerited undeserved it's grace every day and you'll have grace tomorrow and the day after and he wants you to grow in grace grow in grace and grace teaches us it teaches us it trains us how to live godly how to live soberly how to live righteously in this present world that's what it looks like when the rubber hits the road and you can be in heartened today to make this truth real in your life when you do face those real tests and trials you can hang firm and trust him and know his grace is with you every day let us pray in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some ways in some