Mark Dever

The Bible isn't always a happy book. It's hopeful, but it isn't always happy—which is a good thing because the people who come to your church week after week aren't always happy either. Suffering is real. Life hurts. That's why we need honest, biblically-based sermons that address real pain with the real Word. In his sermon series from the Book of Lamentations (we offer Part 1 this week), Mark Dever delivers a powerful sermon on how God's real Word addresses our real pain. Dever says, "The sun of God's love may be constant, but as long as I'm here on this Earth, the clouds of trials may obscure that fact for me sometimes." Listen, learn, and see how he moves through the first two chapters of Lamentations.

Mandy Smith

Speaking of suffering, preachers have an amazing opportunity to help people see their pain in a new light—the light of the gospel. Suffering is bad enough, but many people in our churches also spin a story out of their suffering that adds to their pain. But as Mandy Smith notes in her article "Seeing Pain with New Eyes," our sermons can help people tell a new story about their pain. And of course, as Mandy reminds us, "God's favorite story is death and resurrection."

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Christopher Hitchens Considers Christ's Resurrection
• Featured Video: 1 Peter 1 - Using time-lapse nature footage and hand-crafted text, this meditation on 1 Peter 1:1-9 celebrates our God and His grace to us in Christ.
• Featured Sermon: "Christians Aren't Always Happy" by Mark Dever
• Featured Skills Article: "Seeing Pain with New Eyes" by Mandy Smith

Matt Woodley
Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.