Dan Henderson

Is It Worth The Trouble?

Mp3 audio sermon

Presented at Milam St Church of Christ in July of 2010

Is It Worth The Trouble?

Is It Worth The Trouble?

This world is full of suffering, sickness and sorrow.

Each of us faces difficulties on a regular basis.

Christians face what seem to be hardships & losses because of our faith.

Lose friends, family; Problems on the job; Etc.

Has always been so.

Abraham wandered in an unknown land

Joshua & Caleb endured 40 years in the wilderness

Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah & others endured hardship & suffering

Paul, Barnabas & many others suffered for preaching the Gospel.

Hebrews 11 lists faithful men & women who suffered for the Lord.

Yet all these remained faithful through to the end.

How?

Hebrews 11:13-16 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

Saw the Promise Ahead

Sought a Homeland

Desired a Heavenly Country

They endured because they looked beyond what can be seen here.

They saw a promised place of rest, outside of this world, which was a sure & certain reward to those who were faithful.

They understood that future reward was worth any suffering or hardship they would endure here.

Whatever price they had to pay, whatever suffering they must endure -- Heaven Was Surely Worth It All!

A Place of Joy

Matthew 25:20-23 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'  His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

A Place Without Sorrow

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

A Place In God's Presence

2Corinthians 5:8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

1Thessalonians 4:17-18 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Revelation 7:15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.

A Place For Eternity

Matthew 6:19 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

Matthew 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Matthew 19:29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Matthew 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Any suffering here means nothing when we compare it to our reward, Heaven

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Focus on Heaven that awaits and the troubles of life will fade away.

Heaven Is Truly Worth It All!

From an article by David Watts, Jr.