When Darkness Comes

When Darkness Comes
Good Friday Sermon
29 March 2013
Wesley Methodist Church Singapore
Rev Kow Shih Ming

4 panel sketch note

Sketch noted live:
colour added later:
 annotated at leisure

Darkness is a common experience


Some complain "Why me?"


5 facts about darkness
1 INEVITABLE
2 UNPREDICTABLE
3 IMPARTIAL
4 TEMPORARY
5 PURPOSEFUL









1 INEVITABLE
It will happen
Not IF but WHEN
As surely as night follows day darkness will come
again and again
As surely as we have night after night after night

2 UNPREDICTABLE
We don't know when it will come
Often at the "worst" of times
Suddenly it is upon you

3 IMPARTIAL
Good people get it, bad people get it
Good or bad doesn't matter
So long as you are "people"

4 TEMPORARY
The sun will rise
(The Son will rise)
Darkness has a finite length,
a definite end,
It is like a tunnel
There is light at the end of the tunnel

1 Peter 1:6
So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.

5 PURPOSEFUL
God cannot cause evil
But God can allow that evil to help you grow
To test your faith
To build your faith

God is more interested in your character than your comfort

God is more interested in your holiness than your happiness

Your RESPONSE to DARKNESS

1 REFUSE
2 REMEMBER
3 REQUEST
4 REALISE
5 REMIND
6 RELINQUISH

1 REFUSE to be discouraged
You have a choice
Choose to be discouraged
Or choose not to be discouraged

2 REMEMBER God's limitless resources
Focus on God's power
There is a greater power with us
2 Chron 32:7
And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus Phil 4:19
ALL means all!
(NB all needs not all greeds)

3 REQUEST God's help
James 4:2
God wants you to ask
If you don't ask you don't get

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Rom 8:32

4 REALISE God is with you

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

No loneliness
No drowning
No burning
God is with us

5 REMIND yourself of the future
After darkness there will be light
The ultimate destination:
Heaven
Good Friday is followed by Easter Sunday

6 RELINQUISH control of your life to God

Note on SHADOWS
1 Bigger than Reality
2 Cannot hurt
Shadow of truck cannot knock you down or run you over
Shadow of dog cannot bite
3 There is no shadow with out there being light

When facing shadow turn around to face the light.

Difference for Christians when facing darkness
Remember it is Friday but Sunday is coming.
Stop fighting with God for control of your life.
Trust in the Name of the Lord
Rely on God

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the word of his servant? Let him who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. Isaiah 50:10

Evidence of a relinquished life is Obedience

Trust and Obey

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Psalm 119:165-166 (NIV)
As we entrust our life to God we gain
Great peace. Serenity. Confidence

Have you come to a patch of darkness?
You can not go over it
You can not go around it
You have to go through it.

Yet light can penetrate your darkness
But first you must let light penetrate your soul.
You need to let Jesus into your life.

Will you today relinquish the control of your life to God?
And let His light into your soul?