This Sunday, Ryan preached from Hebrews 4:14-16, where the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to our weakness: “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

If we are not suffering in a serious way right now, as Ryan said, we should be preparing to suffer. That’s why we have a section on our site of book recommendations dedicated to this topic, and that’s why there are literally dozens of sermons on the subject of suffering in our audio catalogue.

The occasion of this sermon also provides a good opportunity to highlight the ministry of Nancy Guthrie, who speaks regularly on the subject of suffering. Nancy is the featured speaker at our annual Women’s Conference, November 12-13. This year’s theme, Holding On to Hope, is taken from her important book by that title.

Nancy has written several helpful books on the subject of suffering. In, Holding On to Hope, Nancy retells her story of losing a son and a daughter to a metabolic disorder through the lens of the book of Job. Two other books are worth noting as well. Be Still My Soul is a collection of writings from faithful theologians and pastors on the subject of suffering – its causes and how we can know God better in our suffering. In Hearing Jesus Speak into Your Sorrow, Nancy explores ten things Jesus said to hurting people for own comfort in suffering. We recommend visiting her site for a list of her other books and additional resources.

Also, starting this week, September 7 and 8, DSC’s Women’s Ministry will host a weekly study through the book of Hebrews using Nancy Guthrie’s book, Hoping for Something Better. The study meets on Tuesday evenings or Wednesday mornings.

For more information about our ministries to women, please contact Julie Wesselman at julie@desertspringschurch.org.

Christ is a Risen Savior, he is a Reigning Savior, and he is a Sympathetic Savior. This good news for believers in a fallen world.

In follow up to Sunday’s sermon, here are three resources to help you better understand and explain the gospel:

• Book: What Is The Gospel? by Greg Gilbert. We will have copies of this book available at the book stall this Sunday for $11.
• Short Video: John Piper answers the question, What is the Gospel?
• Web Gospel Presentation: Two Ways to Live, by Matthias Media

In Sunday’s sermon, Ryan expanded on last week’s exposition of Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman from John 4. Here are thirteen Lessons from Jesus on Witnessing.

1. We must go to them

2. We must remember that everything is a “divine appointment” or a “God-moment”

3. We should connect with people in normal ways

4. We must, at some point, make a conscious turn toward the spiritual

5. We must talk about sin appropriately

6. We should appeal to the emptiness of this life (and Christ as satisfaction)

7. We must be wise and clever to avoid the rabbit trails

8. We must focus on Jesus – who he is and what he came to do

9. We must communicate substitution and the nature of saving faith

10. We should explain what salvation is “unto” (i.e., worship)

11. We must be confident that the results are up to God

12. This mission should be our “food”

13. When in doubt, simply tell your story and invite others to examine further

We were privileged to have Ed Stetzer preaching for us on Sunday, July 18th. He preached from 1 Peter 4:8-11, “Empowering All God’s People for Mission.” If you missed it, please do take the time to listen.

Dr. Stetzer is President of LifeWay Research (SBC) and is LifeWay’s Missiologist in Residence, where he oversees a large team of Christian researchers examining the health of churches worldwide. He has planted, pastored, and revitalized numerous churches; and he has trained pastors and church planters around the world. He holds two master’s degrees and two doctorates, and has written several books. Dr. Stetzer is frequently cited or interviewed in news outlets such as USA Today and CNN.

In short, he is one of this generation’s leading thinkers in the areas of evangelism, church planting, and culture, so, again, it is a great privilege for us to have him preach for us. He’ll be preaching from Invite a friend to join you that Sunday.

If you’d like to spend some time getting to know Ed and his work some more, here are some things to check out:

• You can click over to his blog for all kinds of stats, studies, and articles
• Specifically, you may want to read a series of blog posts on what it means to be “missional”
• You can watch Ed faithfully preaching the gospel and mission on TBN of all places
• You can watch him teach on “The New Media” at R.C. Sproul’s Ligonier Conference
• Or, you may want to pick up one of Ed’s books and start reading

Fred Zaspel was recently at DSC, preaching a wonderfully helpful message on suffering in the book of Job. His outline alone was, frankly, worth memorizing:

1. Suffering often comes as the result of an unseen conflict in the spiritual world.
2. The inadequacy of human reasoning in the presence of tragedy and suffering.
3. God is sovereign and supreme over Satan and our suffering.
4. We must read this book as Christians.

From an article on the same theme, Fred expounds this last point like this:

Throughout the book Job feels lost, lost in maze of unanswered questions. Chiefest of his concerns is his desire for God. This is why we hear him say things like, “O that I knew where I might find Him!” “O that I had someone to go to Him for me!” And so on.

And it is right here that we find ourselves giant steps ahead of him. He searched for a mediator, someone Who could speak for both parties. We have that mediator, and we know Him. He is Jesus Christ. Job wanted someone Who would not only plead his case, but sympathize with Him. We have Him, and He is the One who “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” He is “touched with the feelings of our infirmities,” and so He invites us to come boldly before His throne of grace and there find “grace to help in time of need.”

At this point there is a world of difference between us and Job. We have the revelation of Christ, Who has told us and shown us His great and undying love. He has told us that through Him we have direct access to the Father. And He has told us that we may and should come to Him with every problem we face, and there find Him not only sympathetic, but full of grace & mercy perfectly suited to our specific need.

With that advantage over Job, Job’s faith is all the more remarkable. And ours is all the more reasonable.

If you missed it, please take the time to listen to the whole of Fred’s message; or, even if you did hear it, read through the article version. I know how I need these truths impressed upon my remembrance and affections more and more. Lord, work in us such that we might suffer well!