![\"Lamb](\"http:\/\/www.all-creatures.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/lambleft.jpg\")
<\/a>A Sermon Delivered to
\nThe Compassion Internet Church<\/p>\n
30 June 2013<\/p>\n
Frank L. Hoffman, Pastor<\/p>\n
Scripture References:<\/p>\n
2 Kings 2:1-14
\nPsalm 77:1-20
\nLuke 9:51-56<\/p>\n
When we keep going in hope, we keep our vision set on the goal.<\/p>\n
When we watch cats, dogs, or even wild animals play with each other, and even make up games, doesn\u2019t it give us a nice warm feeling?<\/p>\n
This is because they are living as God intended them to.<\/p>\n
When we look around the world at all the suffering being inflicted upon millions of our fellow human beings and billions of animals every year, doesn\u2019t it fill us with frustration and sadness?<\/p>\n
And what makes matters even worse is that most of the world\u2019s population is indifferent to the suffering of animals, particularly when it\u2019s not their own \u201cpets,\u201d and we keep praying to God to bring an end to all the suffering or to come now and usher in His heavenly kingdom forever and ever.<\/p>\n
This makes us feel very much like what we believe the psalmist was feeling when he wrote Psalm 77:1-20.<\/p>\n
1. My voice rises to God, and I will cry aloud;
\nMy voice rises to God, and He will hear me.<\/p>\n
We know God hears our prayers, but even after more than 30 years of praying, we haven\u2019t seen any real change toward ending the suffering, and it becomes very depressing.<\/p>\n
However, what keeps us going is that we do see some small positive changes, and we keep going in hope.<\/p>\n
2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord;
\nIn the night my hand was stretched out without weariness;
\nMy soul refused to be comforted.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not so much for our own trouble that we seek the Lord; it\u2019s mostly for the suffering animals that we ask, as well as for an end to the world\u2019s warring madness and, like the psalmist, our souls are not comforted.<\/p>\n
3. When I remember God, then I am disturbed;
\nWhen I sigh, then my spirit grows faint. Selah.<\/p>\n
We know a lot of loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God all around the world, who care deeply for all animals and don\u2019t eat them, and most of them feel the same way.<\/p>\n
4. Thou hast held my eyelids open;
\nI am so troubled that I cannot speak.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s as though we can never get away from all the horror in the world; it\u2019s constantly before our eyes, but we cannot give up, for those who cannot speak for themselves need our voices.<\/p>\n
5. I have considered the days of old,
\nThe years of long ago.<\/p>\n
6. I will remember my song in the night;
\nI will meditate with my heart;
\nAnd my spirit ponders.<\/p>\n
And we keep going in hope\u2026<\/p>\n
7. Will the Lord reject forever?
\nAnd will He never be favorable again?<\/p>\n
8. Has His lovingkindness ceased forever?
\nHas His promise come to an end forever?<\/p>\n
9. Has God forgotten to be gracious?
\nOr has He in anger withdrawn His compassion?\u00a0 Selah.<\/p>\n
This is a very common feeling for most vegan animal rights people, and unfortunately many of them have turned away from the church and God because of the hardness of heart and indifference to the suffering of animals that they\u2019ve encountered.<\/p>\n
But if we turn away, things will only get worse.<\/p>\n
We keep going in hope, trying to wake up the church; for we believe that it is their indifference to the suffering in the world that has angered God.<\/p>\n
10. Then I said, “It is my grief,
\nThat the right hand of the Most High has changed.”<\/p>\n
11. I shall remember the deeds of the LORD;
\nSurely I will remember Thy wonders of old.<\/p>\n
12. I will meditate on all Thy work,
\nAnd muse on Thy deeds.<\/p>\n
13. Thy way, O God, is holy;
\nWhat god is great like our God?<\/p>\n
14. Thou art the God who workest wonders;
\nThou hast made known Thy strength among the peoples.<\/p>\n
15. Thou hast by Thy power redeemed Thy people,
\nThe sons of Jacob and Joseph.\u00a0 Selah.<\/p>\n
But at the same time that we remember the past deeds of the Lord, we also see the continual suffering and death of millions of our fellow human beings and billions of other animals every year.<\/p>\n
16. The waters saw Thee, O God;
\nThe waters saw Thee, they were in anguish;
\nThe deeps also trembled.<\/p>\n
This is just like our hearts and souls feel.<\/p>\n
17. The clouds poured out water;
\nThe skies gave forth a sound;
\nThy arrows flashed here and there.<\/p>\n
18. The sound of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind;
\nThe lightnings lit up the world;
\nThe earth trembled and shook.<\/p>\n
19. Thy way was in the sea,
\nAnd Thy paths in the mighty waters,
\nAnd Thy footprints may not be known.<\/p>\n
20. Thou didst lead Thy people like a flock,
\nBy the hand of Moses and Aaron.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, like today, most of the people didn\u2019t listen.<\/p>\n
But because of the ones who do listen, we keep going in hope.<\/p>\n
In 2 Kings 2:1-14, we are told a story about Elijah and Elisha, and how they kept going on in hope and faith.<\/p>\n
1. And it came about when the LORD was about to take up Elijah by a whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.<\/p>\n
2. And Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here please, for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.<\/p>\n
This is Elisha\u2019s expression of hope and faith, for he knew that the Lord had more in store for him to do, just as we should know that the Lord had work for us to do to help end the pain and suffering in this world for all living beings.<\/p>\n
3. Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; be still.”<\/p>\n
We hope we all see how our hope and faith can keep us going even in the face of naysayers.<\/p>\n
4. And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho.<\/p>\n
5. And the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” And he answered, “Yes, I know; be still.”<\/p>\n
6. Then Elijah said to him, “Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.” And he said, “As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.<\/p>\n
Following Elisha\u2019s example, we keep going in hope.<\/p>\n
7. Now fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.<\/p>\n
8. And Elijah took his mantle and folded it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.<\/p>\n
9. Now it came about when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”<\/p>\n
This is Elisha\u2019s expression of hope.<\/p>\n
10. And he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”<\/p>\n
11. Then it came about as they were going along and talking, that behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.<\/p>\n
12. And Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.<\/p>\n
13. He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.<\/p>\n
14. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters and said, “Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
Elisha\u2019s hope and faith came to pass.<\/p>\n
We just can\u2019t afford to give up.<\/p>\n
We also need to keep going in hope and faith.<\/p>\n
In Luke 9:51-56, we are told a story about how Jesus kept going on in hope and faith, and taught the disciples to do the same.<\/p>\n
51. And it came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem;<\/p>\n
52. and He sent messengers on ahead of Him. And they went, and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make arrangements for Him.<\/p>\n
53. And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
54. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”<\/p>\n
James and John weren\u2019t going on in hope and faith; they wanted to take revenge on the wrongdoers of this world.<\/p>\n
55. But He turned and rebuked them, [and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;<\/p>\n
In other words, the peacemaking children of God shouldn\u2019t think that way, and this applies to everyone today who is trying to free creation from its present corruption.<\/p>\n
Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and we need to also be peacemakers.<\/p>\n
We are to love people into the Kingdom, even the evil ones, for most of us were like them before we changed.<\/p>\n
56. for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. “] And they went on to another village.
\nNASB<\/p>\n
This is an important lesson for all of us.<\/p>\n
We are to do everything in our power to try to wake up and save the people who do all the evil to the animals and humans.<\/p>\n
We are to expose their evil ways to the world around us, and we are never to compromise on anything that would cause any other living being to suffer or die.<\/p>\n
We keep going in hope and faith that things will become more loving and compassionate for the glory of God.<\/p>\n
Amen.<\/p>\n
Since ![\"date\"](\"http:\/\/all-creatures.org\/images\/date.gif\")