When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonades
- 1. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADES! A SERMON PRESENTED BY BRO. NDIANABASI UDONKANG THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, SANGOTEDO, LEKKI
- 2. INTRODUCTION Why do I suffer? This is one of the most frequent questions asked by Christians.
- 3. BACKGROUND Lemon is a member of the citrus family (same family as orange, tangerine, grapes, etc). It is known for its acidic and sour taste. Lemons are yellow in colour and are similar to lime (except that lime is green in colour). Since limes are common in our environment, when you think about lemons remember limes.
- 4. BACKGROUND Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink sweetened with sugar. Lemonade signifies a transformation of someone bitter, sour, unpleasant, and undesirable into something acceptable and pleasant to everyone.
- 5. THE CHRISTIAN LEMONS The Christian Lemons signifies all the various kinds of trials, tribulations, sufferings, calamities, weaknesses.
- 6. FEW CASE STUDIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN LEMONS! 1. Joseph (a Story of Captivity to Royalty) – Genesis 37 – 41 Joseph was the favourite son of Jacob >> Genesis 37:3, We had two dreams that signified his future authority over his brothers (even his parent) >> Genesis 37:5 – 10, The brothers grew envious and sold him into slavery and Joseph ended up in Egypt >> Genesis 37:12 – 34, Joseph was tempted and tried during his sojourn as a slave. However, he triumphed over all his trials >> Genesis 39,
- 7. FEW CASE STUDIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN LEMONS! Joseph helped interpret the dreams of Pharaoh’s officials and later Pharaoh’s dreams >> Genesis 40; 41:1 – 39, Joseph was exalted. He was instrumented to the survival of the people of Egypt and other neighbouring countries >> Genesis 41:41 – 57.
- 8. FEW CASE STUDIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN LEMONS! 2. Job (a Story of Absolute Trust in God) Job was a blameless, upright, God-fearing, and wealthy man >> Job 1:1 – 5, Job was tried and he lost all his children and wealth >> Job 1:13 – 18, In all his trial, Job did not sin against God. Because we preserved, his children and possessions were stored to him in multiple folds. >> Job 1:22; 42:12 – 17.
- 9. FEW CASE STUDIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN LEMONS! 3. Daniel (a Story Captivity to Royalty) Daniel was a young Israelite of noble background who lived in captivity in Babylon and was invited into the service of the King of Babylon >> Daniel 1:1 – 5, Daniel trusted in God and did not partake in the meals offered by the King. He also grew in wisdom >> Daniel 1:11 – 20, Daniel interpreted the dream of the King of Babylon and was honoured by the King and appointed the Ruler of the entire Province of Babylon >> Daniel 2:46 - 49,
- 10. FEW CASE STUDIES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE GIVEN LEMONS! Daniel overcome different trials which tested in belief, faith, and trust in God. He refused to obey the commands of the king which was against the Laws of God, He was thrown in the Lion’s Den but was saved because in trusted in God absolutely >> Daniel 6.
- 11. THE CHRISTIAN LEMONADE The essence of trials, sufferings, tribulations, temptations, insults, weaknesses, hardships, persecutions, and calamities in the life of a Christian is that of transforming the Christian into a perfect and complete person in Christ who is lacking in nothing >> James 1:2 – 4. The product or result of this transformation is known as the Christian Lemonade. The Christian Lemonade is the wholesome and desirable quality of a Christian.
- 12. INGREDIENTS IN A CHRISTIAN LEMONADE The desirable quality of a transformed Christian include: 1. Joy (because of eternal glory that will be revealed to us) (Joy is the emotion of pleasure and happiness; being happy despite the circumstances) James 1:2 NIV • “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Romans 12:12 NIV • “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 5:3 NLT • “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.”
- 13. INGREDIENTS IN A CHRISTIAN LEMONADE 2. Perseverance or Endurance (Not giving up; to persist in doing something no matter how difficult) James 1:3 NIV • “Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:12 NIV • “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
- 14. INGREDIENTS IN A CHRISTIAN LEMONADE 3. Proven Character (Character is a person's essential qualities; proven character is a good and tested personality) Romans 5:4 NIV • “… and perseverance, proven character; and proven character …”
- 15. INGREDIENTS IN A CHRISTIAN LEMONADE 4. Hope (the feeling that something desired will be fulfilled) Romans 5:5 NIV • “… and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” 2 Timothy 2:12 NIV • “… if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us …”
- 16. INGREDIENTS IN A CHRISTIAN LEMONADE 5. Confidence in God "a feeling of trust and firm belief in yourself, someone or something." 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT • “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
- 17. INGREDIENTS IN A CHRISTIAN LEMONADE 6. Comfort “A state of being relaxed and feeling no pain; to give solace or to soothe.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT • “For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” 2 Corinthians 1:5-7 • “For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.”
- 18. CONCLUSION The essence of trials, sufferings, tribulations, temptations, insults, weaknesses, hardships, persecutions, and calamities in the life of a Christian is to make the Christian complete by endowing the Christian with joy, perseverance, character, hope, confidence in God, comfort, and, ultimately, salvation. Today, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. May the Lord continue to give us all the strength to run the race to the end, in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.