Birth Pains

Presentation Notes

• Good afternoon, church
• As you know, we just had a baby. ...
  • Thanks for prayers and support. …
    • It’s amazing to hear that people we don’t even know were praying for us.
• We waited a long time for this to come about.
  • It’s difficult to have patience over a long period of time.
    • To hold on to hope
  • It’s even harder when you aren’t certain whether that thing is going to come about at all.
  • And even if you do believe that something is coming, not knowing when it will happen can be hard too.
• However, we are all in a situation like this.
  • We’re waiting for something.
  • The realization of a promise.
  • Something that we as a body have been waiting for for a very long time.
• We are desiring the return of our King, and the birth of the messianic kingdom.
• However, there are certain things that need to happen first,

before this can come about.

• When Andrea and I got married we expected to have children quickly.
  • That’s the ideal story right?
  • Both of us love kids.
  • Andrea grew up wanting to be a homemaker and mother.
    • She didn’t have any desire to have a career.
    • Therefore, there wasn’t anything else to occupy her time.
• Waiting is hard.
  • There is little more frustrating than having to wait

an unknown amount of time.

• • It’s easy to become discouraged when months and years start to go by.
    • It’s hard just to wait in traffic sometimes.
• Patience is a fruit of the Spirit.
  • It’s one that we all could probably use some more of.
• Do you know how God develops that fruit?
  • By making us wait.
• Not only that, there are false starts along the way.
  • In football, a false start is when someone on the offensive line makes a move before the ball has been snapped.
  • Once they have taken their positions, it is illegal to move until the leader of the team, the quarterback, gives the command to hike.
  • Doing so results in a 5 yard penalty.
• Throughout the ages there have been people predicting when Messiah will return.
  • It’s one thing to speculate based on

the fulfillment of prophecies or certain signs.

• • It’s probably even a good thing that we believe His return is imminent.
    - The New Testament teaches that we have been in the last days

and to remain watchful.

• • However, when people set dates and declare that they know when Messiah will return, it causes unnecessary discouragement,
    - It has the potential to cause some to lose faith altogether.
    - And to make the rest of the body look bad.
    • They’re moving before the quarterback has made the call
• There were times in the past few years when I felt like

God was saying that it was time, but it wasn’t.

• • We need to be very careful to discern whether the voice we are hearing is from God OR our own hearts.
• While we don’t know all of the details, God has had things on His calendar that

need to take place before the return of Messiah.

• There are a number of prophecies that needed to be fulfilled.
• There is also a period of time that needs to take place before He can come back.
• You see, God had something He wanted to do with our family before we could have our own children.
  • This little girl needed to be brought in through adoption first.
  • Although she was born outside of our family, she has become part of our family.
  • She needed to be grafted in to our family tree.
  • But she’s loved just as if she was natural born..
    • There is no distinction.
• That’s us, church.
• Matthew 24:14 - “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
• Romans 11:25 says “that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.”
• Can anyone here claim natural lineage to Abraham?
  • We were not part of the promise.
  • We were total aliens.
  • But we’ve been brought in by the blood of Messiah.
• It’s a glorious thing, but we’re still waiting for that which is even better to come.
  • Paul calls this the “redemption of our body”.
  • We know that we are redeemed in spirit, but there is a redemption that needs to take place for our bodies and for the earth.
  • This is what we are waiting for.
  • In fact, all of creation is crying out for this to happen. It is groaning like a woman in labor.
• In the scheme of things, I believe this is what would be referred to as pre-labor.
• In Matthew 24, Yeshua describes the troubles that will appear before his second coming as labor pains (sorrows).

Matthew24 says 3As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

...

42. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:42-44)

• To many, it will come suddenly and they will be completely unaware, like when a robber breaks into someone’s home.

Paul reiterates this in 1 Thessalonians 5 1But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

• For us, it isn’t going to be like a thief in the night. It will come just as suddenly, but we expect these things to come. In that sense they are more like labor pains.
• A mother does not know when labor pains will show up. It could be during breakfast, or when she is at the store, or they might make wake her up at 3 am.
  • She also doesn’t know whether the pains are the beginning of her true labor, or just a precursor.
• However, while she doesn’t know exactly when these labor pains will come, she will know approximately when the delivery is expected, usually within a week or two in a normal pregnancy.
  • She will know the season.

A thief, on the other hand, gives no warning. One minute you’re fast asleep, then suddenly there’s a crash. You don’t know what happened. Someone might have dropped a glass. Maybe it wasn’t even in your house. Maybe you just dreamed it. Then there’s more noise. Now you’re worried.

The world has always experienced wars and calamities. But the signs of Messiah’s return will be unlike anything previously experienced. The world will be like someone whose home is broken into.

What do we know about birth pains? Do they start strong and get easier as they go?

No, they get more intense!

The world will be waiting, hoping that things settle down and go back to normal. But of course it won’t. It will just seem to be getting worse and worse. They won’t know what to do or where to turn.

Don’t let your friends, family, or neighbors be without any hope when things fall apart. You might not be there to give them the answers in that time. Win them to the kingdom now.

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief.” 2 Peter 3 8-13

I believe we will be protected from many of the judgements. But we will still have to see them happen around us, and will have to deal with persecution like we’ve never experienced here in America.

Matthew 24 “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”

Birth pains are not enjoyable. They hurt. They don’t stop, and they are exhausting. However, there is an inner strength and joy that comes from knowing what those pains will bring. Even in times of great distress, we can look forward and rejoice, knowing that our King is going to return. His kingdom will be worth the wait, the trials, and tribulations.

• A mother does not want to experience birth pains. But at the same time, she does want to experience birth pains.
  • In one sense there is wariness that they might be unbearable, or that something might go wrong.
  • But in another sense, she knows that they will bring about the one that she has been carrying for 9 months.
• Over the course of those 9 months there has been a weight of excitement, expectation, and hope building.
• The birth pains must come.
  • The only way past them is through them.
  • Once they begin, there’s no going back.
• The kingdom of Messiah has been growing over the last 2 millenia.
  • It is ready to be birthed.
• We know that the pain will increase as we get closer,
  • But we also know what comes after the pain.
• Persecutions must come.
  • Not only do they mean that Messiah is closer to coming,
  • They make us more like Yeshua in the process

By learning to endure

• We don’t know exactly what trials and tribulations the future holds.
• However, while we know they are coming, there are also ways that we can reduce the suffering of that time.
• There are things you can do to make things happen more smoothly, and there are things you can do to make matters worse.
  • Labor is an amazing thing.
    • The body knows what to do.
    • Once it kicks into gear there all these different mechanisms to go into action at just the right time,
      • Before, during, and after birth.
  • But a mother can do things to help that process go more smoothly.
    • Having a relaxing atmosphere.
    • Taking certain herbs.
    • Different movements or positions.
    • etc.
  • However, there are also things that you can do to halt your body’s natural processes.
    • Stress does not help.
      • Even subtle things like feeling the pressure of the clock, like you are on a timer.
    • Worrying can cause the pain to be even worse.
    • Giving into fear can create stress that prolongs the labor.
  • It’s the same with anything - attitude is everything.
    • If you’re having a bad day at work, complaining is just going to make it that much worse.
    • That contagious negative spirit can spread to your coworkers
      • Until it’s one big pity party
    • Focusing on the things you would rather be doing can make time go by more slowly.
    • Believing that things will not turn out well can contribute to that being the case.
    • Stress can end up causing physical harm to your body over time.
  • Likewise, if we are in a difficult situation, we need to hear God’s voice
    • However, if we doubt the goodness of God, we will not be in a position to hear Him
    • If we are not speaking and thinking the truth, we cannot expect to have the peace of God.
  • On the contrary, the Bible says: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phillipians 4:6)
  • Having a consistent prayer life will keep you in the presence of God.
    • You will be in a receptive state where you’re ready to be guided by God,
      • Perhaps bypassing trials that you would otherwise stumble into.
    • You will be able see the hand of God more clearly, readily giving Him the praise and worship that He deserves.
    • You will be able to be used by God when you sense His nudging.
    • The gifts of God will be able to flow through you more freely.
  • In this way we can lighten the sorrows that we will face in this life.
  • In addition, the more people that do this, the more gracious God is going to be, even as He is delivering justice.
    • He may reduce the severity of the judgements and withhold the hand of Satan.
    • He may even postpone judgement as He did with Nineveh.
      • While this may seem disappointing that it will also delay His return, we should not be like Jonah who was sad that the Ninevites didn’t get what he thought they deserved.
• So, while we can ease some of the suffering that we encounter now or in the future, we know that the world must go through tribulation.
  • For the world, famines, pestilence, wars, disasters.
  • For us, these things along with persecutions.
• However, just like when a woman finally delivers her child, the pain is immediately gone and replaced with joy.
  • The hours and hours of difficulty and pain are forgotten when there is a little child in her arms.
• Romans 8:16-25 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.