LORD THAT'S SO HARD!

"LORD, THAT'S HARD!"
1Pe 2: 1-10

Intro: "
What an amazing testimony to hard work and determination. Here we see a man who could easily have given up, and decided that he would just let those around him take care of him. Instead, though he knew it would be hard, he pressed onward in order to acheve his dreams.
There are so many lessons that we as Christians could take from this wonderful story. You and I know that in our spiritual lives there are those times when we want to throw back our head, and cry, "Lord, that's hard!" This morning, I want to look at a passage which contains two of those moments which make us want to say, “Lord that’s hard!” I want you to see these difficulties, and then I want to show you how they can be overcome.

I LORD IT'S HARD TO FORGET MY PAST (1Pe 2: 1)

1. Consider the past of some of the Apostles.
A. Jn 20: 27 Thomas who had once doubted Jesus!
B. Mt 9: 9 Matthew who had been a tax collecting cheat!
C. Gal 1: 13-14 Paul who had persecuted and killed!
D. Lk 22: 60-63 Even Peter, by whom the passage currently under examination was written, did the unthinkable and denied Jesus!
2. However, despite what they had done, we still find them serving the Lord!
A. Acts 1: 13 though he had once doubted the teachings of Jesus; Thomas was still to be found with the rest of the apostles in Jerusalem.
B. Acts 1: 13 Matthew, who had been a member of the oppressive Roman government, was also to be found in Jerusalem.
C. Gal 2: 20 Paul, who had been a killer, put all that behind him and led thousands to Christ.
D. 2Pe 3: 18 Peter also understood the need to put the past in its place.
3. The question then becomes, how did they do it?
A. It comes down to a matter of focus.
B. 2T 4: 8 they were not focused on there past mistakes, but rather they looked to their future rewards!
C. 1Pe 5: 4 though it might be hard, we must forget our past sins which have already been forgiven, and looked to the crown of glory!

II LORD IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE IN YOU AS I SHOULD (1Pe 2: 7)

1. Again, throughout the scriptures, we find examples of those who experienced periods of disbelief.
A. Gen 17: 17, 18: 12 rather than believe what the Lord told them he would soon do, they laughed instead.
B. Ex 16: 2-3 the nation of Israel didn't believe in God's promises to them, so they longed to return to bondage.
C. Lk 24: 1 rather than believing what the Lord had taught them, none of the disciples came to the tomb to await his return.
2. In each of these cases, those involved didn’t believe God capable of performing the impossible.
A. Abraham thought it impossible for God to be able to provide a child.
B. Israel thought it impossible for God to be able to provide food.
C. The apostles thought it impossible for God to be able to raise his son.
3. The same problem exists for us today; the question is how to correct it?
A. Just as in the cases above, belief is possible, only when we consider all the blessings that God has already given to us.
B. Gen 13: 14-18 God had already done the impossible and blessed Abraham beyond measure.
C. Ex 12:51 God had already done the impossible and brought the children of Israel out of Egypt.
D. Jn 11: 44 God had already done the impossible and raised the dead.
E. Lk 1: 37 in the same way, God has already done the impossible in so many different ways in your life, and there is nothing that he can't do for the one who believes in him!