Interesting Days?

Warren and Jason pull off this episode from two different locations (thanks to COVID-19 social distancing), but you'd never guess that was the case (thanks to our excellent, intrepid sound editor). It's chock-full of insights about the kickoff of our new "I Am" sermon series, some thoughts on the virus and also some keen insights from Warren's Sunday sermon from John 6:22-40. These are very good days to be hearing the words of Jesus! Also, to get regular updates on all things related to COVID-19's impact on our church and access online streaming of this Sunday's sermon, don't forget the SGC Info Hub here. 

Transcript

spk_1:   0:05
Welcome to Church matters. Podcast for sGC. Marlton, this is episode number 11. I'm Jason raises associate Pastor. Here s Que Sea. And with me is Warren Better Ontario and senior Pastor Warren's. Great to have you.

spk_0:   0:20
It's great to be together again,

spk_1:   0:23
even if it is virtually so right. Not together today

spk_0:   0:28
way are not together. I'm not looking you face to face, but is through a computer which is not my preference

spk_1:   0:35
Know. And did you ever think you'd be using technology like this?

spk_0:   0:39
I am. I'm eating crow right now in my prisons technology, I am now completely dependent on technology is your thio. But to communicate with the people I love the most self our church.

spk_1:   0:55
Well, well, hopefully all kidding aside, I mean, hopefully this will kind of convince you to join and get on Facebook and other social media platforms as well. What's that doing that for you. Yeah,

spk_0:   1:06
I just needed to know how to do that. Have someone do it for

spk_1:   1:09
me and we'll get your tutorial on that new Prada. Their problem? Well, this let's just jump in because there's a number of things to talk about, especially in these uncertain days that we find ourselves in the first thing that I wanted to touch base with this. Just get here. It's too simple. Authorities, okay, during a time of pandemic crisis that we find it, find ourselves in. How should Christians think about this? And also ha. Should churches approach this as well?

spk_0:   1:38
Well, I think Scripture again. Scripture is gonna help us through all of our decisions. God's word is good. It's authoritative. It's wise, it's helpful. So the scripture tells us to obey. The Thor is over us. The governing authorities over us and Romans 13. So I think we just apply that in this situation. They're not asking us to disobey the Lord in anyway, so we want to. We want to follow their authority and they're asking us to distance ourselves socially not to have certain meetings toe wash your hands. We want to follow that because they're instructing us. Do. And then we saw also arrest, respect, the expertise that's involved. We're not experts in issues like this. They are, you know, employing experts. And so I think one. There's a humility in our in our mind and a submission and humility to trust those that have more information than we do. Trust those experts and trust the experts. Not every Ponte a pundit. Not every blog's fear. Not every post that comes out to trust the experts submit to the governing authority and Godel onerous and that God will care for us through them. It's still God's care. It's not their care. It's ultimately God's care to us through those authorities,

spk_1:   2:52
right? Right, Yeah, that's that's That's good wisdom. I think there's been some confusion in regards to this, especially when we've approached in churches in the United States about closing service's, you know, their congregants and so forth. I think there has been some pushback, you know, from certain segments in the church population, and unfortunately it does seem as though it's not. It's a push back. That's that's really not really here into what God's word has to sack. It seems to be more of a kn emphasis on just the Holy Spirit's power to go hidden and protected and everything else like that, in which, obviously, we we recognize God has the power to do all these effects. You know, you certainly Theo in Egypt, you know, with the nation of Israel and protected them and so forth. But we also get in the great chapter of bathing in Hebrews that there's plenty of other people that that's to come to torture. Ah, martyrdom and sickness. And it won't, Scripture says, of which the world is not worthy to even utter their names. You know, there's there's a god behind all of it that we have to be in tune with, and it's really an assertion of just arrogance. You know, that just says, Hey, I'm just gonna do this. And if I because got it really does seem to read more pride than it does really, a submission to God would agree.

spk_0:   4:15
Yeah, I think it Kendry presumption and there's not. These things are not contradictory. We can fully trust God. He can fully protect us, and he can also help us to endure sufferings and trials. Scripture talks about trials of various kinds ran, and so yes, he protects, delivers and helps us endure. And this is where God's word again, this is really a rock. Ross, in God's love for us is that is really

spk_1:   4:43
the foundation. That's good. Yeah, and certainly covered. 19 would fit in the various kinds. All right, well, the I am serious. You kicked it off last week on grateful for you. The very 1st 1 was I Jesus, a statement. I am the bread of life. And so I just want to ask you this is kind of a unique time in our history where we can be experiencing temptations to fi beast, if you will, on the bread of the world. Where would you see that? Right now, I

spk_0:   5:16
think the temptation for us is to be consumed with the news. So and I can snot just aware of the news but consumed by the news. So I think we could be in a place to where we are looking for muse 25 times a day.

spk_1:   5:35
Apologized. Right now, I am recording from home and you do hear my dog barking in the background. So step for our listeners. I

spk_0:   5:43
was interpreting. The dog is saying a mento, all the things That's what you're gonna

spk_1:   5:47
get a lot of a mention.

spk_0:   5:48
Yeah, So you just have a charismatic dog?

spk_1:   5:51
Yes, I d'oh. Um Where?

spk_0:   5:56
Go ahead. I'm sorry. Yeah. The dog is not impressed by your snapping your fingers or

spk_1:   5:59
no, is not

spk_0:   6:01
so. I think for me the concern. Ah, now I know it's my own temptation. Let's listen to the news multiple times. Let's read every article, every headline and I think that can distract us. So I don't know that's healthy. We want to be. We want to be more in God's word than we want to be in the headlines. We want to hear what God saying more than what experts are saying. So I think that's what's most important for us right now is that we not be consumed. So if your news feeds are, you know you're going 2030 40 times a day, that may not be the best thing for you on, and you'll just we don't wanna be tossed to and froze. You know, the Scripture warns us not to be tossed through and through to and throw through winds of doctrine. Well, let's not be tossed to and thrown through wing the winds of the latest news media. The latest statistics. If we are where, um don't you were aware only once a day that would probably be adequate, but there's not things that doesn't change that dramatically even day today. There's a long term view here. We wanted to meet resolution. We're not going to get an immediate resolution. So we're gonna go up. Um, there's gonna be more predictions. We want what we want way that over time and not just in the moment. So let's not be consumed. Are the latest headlines, the latest reports, the latest statistics? Let's have God's word steady our hearts through this.

spk_1:   7:38
That's good. That's good. It. The other part of the concern of the obsession with news is that if we feast continuously on that, it really does leave us with little hunger for the war right now. All right, so this is This is one area that we do need as Christians we need to be mindful of and what drives wise. Now again, we are not saying we're against the news. We're not saying it's it's it's wrong to be informed of what's going on. That's not what we're saying. So obsessive amount. If education alone or news alone will lead us to deliverance. Yeah, I don't think so. Jesus. Go ahead. I

spk_0:   8:15
just don't think news is gonna be our refuge goddess are. So let's feast of God's word, not the words of the world.

spk_1:   8:23
John 6 35 which is our memory verse for this week, says this. Jesus said to them on the bread of Life, Whoever comes to me shall not hunger. Whoever believes in me shall never thirst. So really, the call for us, as Christians is in the question is, what are we feasting upon it? So which leads me to our next category that we want to be talking about it we probably will be talking about over the next few weeks. Is is how not to waste York warranty? You will. Now I know that not everybody is mandated it in in a quarantine, but But there are many folks, even in California, they announced yesterday, You know, I wanted to be in a safe place instead, you know, so so thoughts for consideration or us because there's temptations to worry. There's temptations Day anxiety in this season that about right now, Um and so I want to preface this question about not wasting your warranty by just giving you a little bit of a thought just with regards to my own life. When I first got sick, it was interesting There's a normal break from routine on me, and I think most people, when you get the flu, your routine kind of goes out the window. Then it's It's rest of its hide rehydrate, and it's watching a lot of TV okay or sports or what have you, But it's It's a break from routine on, and I know for myself. After three weeks of being sick, it became apparent that this departure from routine really, uh, beating on the departure routine was lack of feeding on God's word prayer and then seeking to actively love others. It really was not leaving my soul satisfied, just continuously left it hungry and emaciated. And so when we talk about, don't waste your quarantine. We have categories. So I 1st 1 address just with regular adults again. There's more of that age, and this would include teens okay, in this category as well. You know what would be some here by some of your council for us in terms of not wasting your quarantine?

spk_0:   10:29
Well, I think one. Let's understand our temptation andare difficulty. It's a challenge when routines are disrupted. Um, it's a challenge for us, where sometimes boredom can even set in. There's there's the isolation. Usually, when we're in crisis, we gather together. You think about snow storms or even that's good that we've had the Hurricanes where we lost electricity for a week on our block. Well, the neighbors are out. We're out gathering together of being together. We're eating together. We're talking together. And here this crisis tends to isolate us, right? I think it's a very disorienting crisis. I think that presents unique temptations in a crisis like that. But those temptations, then, can lead to either binge watch TV or binge watch the news. And so that's where I think. I think your counsel Jason, is so helpful. You had to live through this. So you had the disruption of normal life that disruption played, played through time. And then you realized you had to bring a new morale on, uh, normalcy. Normalcy? Yeah. And so, what's a healthy, normal see look like in times like that? So this is where um yeah, how we praying, Howie, Partaking of God's word. How we caring for others, Um, and again social media, which I think has done sometimes great harm. It could be used for great good right now. So let's really how do we connect with other people in this time in caring ways? I'm so sharing stories, sharing even funny moments. Humor can still be a gift in a time like this. Um, so I've been blessed by humors things that people have posted through these things. So I think it's just don't let the immediate crisis become a lifestyle. Now we have to work through what's new, the new normal. But let's try to work towards the new normal,

spk_1:   12:25
right? That's good. That's good. Yeah, I think those routines you know of Scripture intake, you know, prayer, regular prayer are gonna be just show so crucial right for us. Right now, let me ask you some other categories, then about parenting. You know, how do not tow weeks. Your warranty.

spk_0:   12:46
Um, I actually talked to someone our church, whose schedule has changed, and but he's very intentional of enjoying the new normal with his wife. So they have more time together and with his Children with his child. So I would say the same thing. Um, we're together. How do we build us a family? How we talk about this with our Children By the way, this is a phenomenal opportunity to parents. Um, our kids, we're going to see our faith lived out, right? Really? A once in a lifetime events. That's an opportunity to talk about things that are really so even talking about our real temptations with our kids. Not We don't want to give our kids moralism right now. Nor just a triumphal view. Let's share with them our temptations. Let's share with them our weaknesses. Let's share with them, are uncertainties in one sense, and then bring God's word to bear to those things. Let's share with them about how we can care for neighbors and others through this. So I think there's great parental opportunities in something like this that to really share real life, um, we can. And this week in the news, we do partake of look, att, help our Chrissy, How's the world responding? And sometimes the world's actually responding very well. There's been certain people world. They're actually thinking of others. Um, and sometimes Christians have been more fearful when the world don't say how we serve another. So kids look at grocery stores that are trying to care for the elderly by having them shop said it separate times. Isn't that a wonderful expression of common grates? So let's let's see, common grace in the world. But let's exceed that common grace. So how do we apply our faith? Um, so we can talk about temptations of anxiety, but But house got word. Trump those anxieties, right? Our kids, our kids are going to see a living faith right now, and they're experiencing their dislocations, right? They're experiencing the norms are not the norms for them.

spk_1:   14:48
Right? Right. Interruption and relationships School. Although,

spk_0:   14:52
yeah. So I think where normal Bible study can be very esoteric, sometimes theoretical. This makes it very, really. So let's share the reality of our faith with our kids.

spk_1:   15:04
Yeah, very good. Very good. Very concrete. Yeah. I mean, there's numerous. Great resource is, too that we wanna commend, you know, to the church. I know. For me ah, of the years battling on belief by John Piper has been a great source on it. Sze basically fighting these temptations of anxiety with script with the the truth of God's word. And so I have despondency. You have anxiety. You have worry. You have to spare. There's a category, and I think a lot of people in the world right now I can relate with. It's really good, you know, it's really another would be a Class B Jeri Bridges trusting God s again. Just one of those that early on in my Christian life, you know, in terms of walking out, my faith that cut my teeth on and just so grateful you have read this book is normal times. And then there's other biographies, too. You know, there's something of where this isn't new on the team. Say there's nothing new under the sun is just so different. Different expression bled Viruses and pandemics have existed throughout history. And so right now I just started reading a new biography. It's called a Camaraderie of Confidence. It's on Spurgeon Bollinger and Hudson Taylor, Um, and what these men, you know, walk through as well. It's doing something for my soul, you know. So I think it's time that we can go ahead and lean in that direction and make the boast of this time as well. You know, you have more reading time, you know? Yeah, on dso this to be a great way to build our souls up. Yeah. Yeah. So are there any other any other suggestions that you would have as well?

spk_0:   16:39
No, I think there's a great suggestions. I think reading this is where rather than news. You know, go to a website. Where you here? John Piper. Preaching? Yeah. When suffering. Um, another resource is, um the saints of all will speak to us. Yeah. As will Scripture speak to us in these things. Ah, been reading on Esther a lot lately. Their entire civilisation had a threat to be eliminated. Right? Brand in this wonderful book where you don't even hear the name of God mentioned, Really? But God's working at all. Andi is gonna turn fortunes and and God's activity. So those things are very confident. So we we want to really entertain ourselves with both God's word. But also, let's hear from the saints of old. They have They have messages for us.

spk_1:   17:35
That's good. That's good. Well, there's all obviously with this cove in 19. There's unemployment, You know that. It seems to be really on the rise right now in our nation, I believe I saw a report. There's something like 2.5 million new cases just this week alone. So ah, of a nation of 350 million people that substantial on DSO That's just this week. So there are temptations that surround this. The loss of a job from men and women Yum that you really get The Lord uses in providential ways expose where we may have grounded our identity. No, in a role. So can you speak to that rock like you have your listeners? Yeah,

spk_0:   18:23
I think the temptation of identity, identity and security exists and both. Understandably So, um, if we do find our identity in a role that could change, obviously, and for some that will change. And Christians are not gonna be protected and provided for, But they're not immune from from that, and we already know that's happening. So, um, you know, when we think about back to the Great Depression, when 25% of Americans were unemployed? Um, that's amazing. Uh, and that was the sole wage earner for those homes are unemployed, and yet men carried shame. So men you had men going to work for six months because they did feel shame in telling their wives they were unemployed, and they actually took responsibility for that. And I hope we've grown from there. This is not based on responsibility. Um, this is beyond our control. Outside of the things we we have the ability to to manage. So hopefully that men or women will not fall into that as a reflection on identity. But we have to ground our identity in Christ right now s o I'm a child of I really am a child of the Lord, adopted by God, Adopt forever grab. And that's my identity, not my career. And I'm the other temptations pra vision, which is an understandable temptation. Um, I think we will find structure to be true. This does not mean we will not face pressure, but we will find prescription be true that when I was young and I'm old, I've never seen God's Children bagging bread. God will provide. There may be 7 25 absolutely on. God will provide, and it actually gives the church an opportunity. Care for one another through these things and I think the church will do that will rally and we will care for one of us. I I absolutely trust God's provision. My dad was unemployed three times. There was no crisis that caused that unemployment. It was job changes. It was different things. Some of those things outside of his control way had a face that as a family, and so were there lean times. Absolutely. Were there pressures? Absolutely. Um, but did God provide? Absolutely. I get scared. I I have complete trust in that.

spk_1:   20:47
Well, it's interesting. It's even note that just from your own childhood, because it does seem, is the God's sovereign plan is multi generational. You know as well I certainly can can adhere to, you know, subscribe to that as well. And I've seen the Lord just provide for our family growing up in miraculous ways in that that left an indelible mark. You know me to really be able to trust the Lord of these facts. And so, you know, for those of you who may be listening and you're walking through the be anxiety and the difficulty of unemployment, we do wanna encourage it. Gods in this, God knows what he's doing. I mean, there's always knows what he's doing for your wife and for your Children isn't well, you know, I'm so we can trust the Lord of that. Well, listen, we want to talk about church updates real quick before we go ahead. And Ah, and our podcast for today. We want to just make this commercial announcement. If I could, all of our listeners please check the church website as well as Facebook. Twitter an instagram as we will not be emailing the church with massive amounts of updates. And we do. And primarily this is because we don't want to overwhelm your inbox. Okay, said church don't look for e mails from us, but look to the website and look to other social media. Platt forms for information about cancellations, closures and those types of things. And it is good to know that cancellations are ultimately under God. Sovereign control, right? It's our responses to trust the Lord in these things, right, Warren? So just briefly, the plan right now with regards to our church activities, what is the current closure plan

spk_0:   22:30
right now, we're playing to have everything closed through Saturday, April 4th. Um and obviously that doesn't mean we're going to meet we We want to meet us. There is a There is a long in my heart. Absolutely be with God's people, Um, and there's nothing that once and satisfies that longing. Virtual reality doesn't satisfy that longing. So I long to be with God's people. So we're canceling all activities through April 4th. Um, but this situation is very fluid. We may not be even at the peak of things, so it certainly could extend beyond that on. We will always inform you of our plan, but that's our plan through now. Just see you now, through April 4th, there'll be no church activities and will be evaluating as time goes on,

spk_1:   23:16
right. And we'll be updating the church. You know, appropriately from that. So well, Warren, thank you again So much for your time today. I really appreciate you being here and so grateful as well. For if you are not, our listeners have not checked it out yet. Psalm and Devotion finds in daily just emotional that you're providing for our culture going through the psalms. Grateful for that. Thank you for doing that Monday through Friday. Church. You can check

spk_0:   23:40
this out. It's gonna be Monday through Saturdays. We're doing that now. So money Saturday school. Just take Sundays off. Some money through Saturdays will do that.

spk_1:   23:48
That's nice little update there. So and you heard it first here on church matters. So thanks again for listening to another episode of church matters. Thank you. Warn again for being with us today and until our next episode, Godless.