The God of All Encouragement: Part 2 - Santosh Poonen - November 17, 2013
http://rlcfchurch.org/the-god-of-all-encouragement River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The message emphasizes that true spiritual understanding requires deep study of scripture, comparing the need to understand spiritual meaning to looking up words in a dictionary. The core focus is on Jesus' profound value for fellowship with the Father, which he feared losing even more than physical death. The speaker urges listeners to value this relationship above all else, recognizing that sin breaks this fellowship.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What does it mean to mourn?Using Jesus as our dictionary, we learn spiritual meanings that surface-level reading misses, such as how Jesus mourned over sin and spiritual death.
Mourning over broken fellowship with the FatherJesus dreaded the three hours on the cross where our sin would be placed upon Him and the Father would turn His face away, valuing that fellowship above all else.
Mourning over God's people strayingJesus wept over Jerusalem and felt compassion for the multitudes because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.
Sighing and groaning over abominationsIn Ezekiel, God puts a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan in secret over the abominations committed in the temple, rather than pointing fingers.
Jesus wept with those in griefEven though Jesus knew He would raise Lazarus, He was deeply moved and wept with Mary and Martha, showing us how to share in others' burdens.John 11:33
Suffering together in the body of ChristFirst Corinthians teaches that if one member of the body suffers, all members suffer with it so there is no division.
We have a High Priest who sympathizes todayJesus understands our weaknesses right now in the present tense, allowing us to draw near to the throne of grace with confidence for help.
The true meaning of comfort and the Holy SpiritThe Greek word parakaleo means comfort, encouragement, and help, pointing directly to the person of the Holy Spirit, the Parakletos.
The Father of mercies and God of all comfortGod comforts us in all our affliction not for our own sake alone, but so that we may be able to comfort those in any affliction.
The gift of prophecy as edification and comfortTrue prophecy in the church is meant for edification, exhortation, and consolation, which every believer can share with one another.
Knit together in love and encouraging one anotherWe are called to encourage one another daily so that no one is hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, making fellowship a priority.Hebrews 3:13
God does not afflict willinglyLamentations assures us that even when God causes grief, He does so with compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness.Lamentations 3:32
Sowing in tears and reaping with joyThose who go to and fro weeping while carrying their bag of seed will undoubtedly come again with shouts of joy bringing their sheaves.
God collects every tear in His bottleGod keeps an account of our wanderings and stores our tears in His bottle, promising an end to all crying in His presence.
