Josh McGuire - Labor Pains of Truth | Austin CFC | 2023-05-14
Summary
The speaker emphasizes the biblical principle that believers are commanded not to be anxious, pointing to First Peter 5:6-7 as a remedy. The core message is that overcoming anxiety requires actively humbling oneself and casting all burdens onto God because He is powerful enough to handle everything. The sermon also uses the analogy of labor pains to describe the process leading up to spiritual rebirth.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Recapping the call to humility and overcoming anxietyThe speaker opens by briefly reviewing the previous week's message on First Peter, emphasizing that anxiety is sin and that God gives grace only to the humble who yield control to Him.
Sharing a personal testimony of spiritual labor painsReflecting on his past conversion testimony from June 1999, the speaker compares the process of being born again to labor pains that preceded spiritual birth.
Praying for the truth in a hotel roomFeeling empty, lonely, and bound for military service he hated, a young Josh checked into a hotel in New Mexico and prayed a sincere prayer asking God to show him the truth.
The overwhelming realization of defeat by sinWhile trying his hardest to live right and lead a Bible study in California, Josh faced complete defeat by sin, leading him to the terrifying logical conclusion that he was going to hell.
God answered the prayer by exposing the heartLooking back, the speaker realizes God answered his prayer for truth not by giving easy rules, but by revealing the painful reality of the sin and weakness inside his own heart.
The thief on the cross embraces the truthThe thief next to Jesus initially mocked Him, but an encounter with the truth revealed his own wickedness and deserved punishment, leading him to find comfort in Jesus.
The woman at the well is exposed by JesusJesus gently probed deeper than the Samaritan woman's initial truthful statement, exposing her five divorces and current living arrangement, prompting a powerful transformed life.
Peter is rebuked for looking out for his own interestsWhen Peter tried to stop Jesus from suffering, Jesus sharply rebuked him as Satan for looking out for human interests rather than God's, highlighting the pain of exposing selfish motives.
Recap: Loving the truth when God exposes usThe speaker recaps that just as he experienced 24 years ago, believers must continue to love the truth and embrace God's exposure of internal sin and selfishness.
Pilate asked about truth but walked awayReflecting on Jesus' conversation with Pilate, a sharing brother notes that Pilate asked what truth was but walked away immediately, warning listeners not to do the same.John 18:36–38
Coming to weakness to receive the truthAnother speaker reflects that biblical figures like the thief, the woman at the well, and Peter all had to reach a point of weakness or receive stern correction before they were ready to truly receive.
The Rich Young Ruler rejected the medicineThe final speaker contrasts those who embraced truth with the Rich Young Ruler, who asked what he lacked but refused Jesus' hard prescription because truth hurts.
Allowing ourselves to be crushed like oil productionUsing the analogy of coconuts being crushed in a mill to produce oil, the speaker emphasizes that experiencing the true life of Christ requires going through a painful crushing process.
