“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth”—
    let Israel now say—
“Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth,
    yet they have not prevailed against me.
The plowers plowed upon my back;
    they made long their furrows.”
The Lord is righteous;
    he has cut the cords of the wicked.
May all who hate Zion
    be put to shame and turned backward!
 Let them be like the grass on the housetops,
    which withers before it grows up,
with which the reaper does not fill his hand
    nor the binder of sheaves his arms,
nor do those who pass by say,
    “The blessing of the Lord be upon you!
    We bless you in the name of the Lord!”
Psalm 129

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The life of a disciple is marked not by ease but by endurance. Psalm 129 reminds us that perseverance isn’t just necessary, it’s sacred. From Egypt to exile, Israel’s survival was a testimony of God's faithfulness, not their strength. This Sunday, Pastor Ryan painted a vivid picture of the pilgrim’s journey: one scarred by pain, but held together by hope. Through affliction, we’re shaped and reminded that victory often looks like survival. Our perseverance is rooted in trusting the Lord’s justice, not taking matters into our own hands.

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PAIN IS PART OF THE JOURNEY

• Oppression is a consistent part of the history of the Israelites, and when the apostles followed Jesus, their lives became more challenging—not easier. 
• Just because you’re going through a storm doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong place (see Matthew 8:23-27), but our call is to not give up.
• “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-12
• Paul first describes being “afflicted in every way”—the word afflicted in Greek is associated with feeling pressure on all sides, life closing in. 
• Even when it seems like you can’t find a break or you’re under fire, God can bring you through. You will not be crushed.
• Next Paul says he was “perplexed, but not driven to despair.” To be perplexed is be at a loss, confused and disoriented.
• When perplexed, we ask God questions like, “How could this happen to me? How did I get here?” and we’re like a traveler with no map.
• But with God, we are not those who despair. Though perplexed, we know that it will not be dark forever.
• Next he describes being “persecuted, but not forsaken.” To be persecuted is to be hunted like prey or unjustly targeted.
• You may face seasons where you feel like everyone is against you, but even if the world were to turn their back on you, God never will.
• God does not forsake, abandon or betray us. He is faithfully on your side.
• You may be “struck down, but not destroyed,” because even if you feel like a fighter knocked to the ground, scripture promises that it’s not the final victory.
• If even death couldn’t keep our Savior down, then in Him we are more than overcomers.

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SCARS MEAN TRIUMPH, NOT DEFEAT

• We will experience victory, not if we don’t shed tears or don’t admit pain—but if we don’t give up.
• The Psalmist uses graphic imagery, saying “the powers plowed upon my back.” This is a picture of deep wounds that leave scars.
• It would be bad theology to believe that we won’t experience pain or scars. But scars don’t mean that you’ve lost the battle.
• Even in victory, Jesus kept his scars as a reminder of what he endured and part of the promise that “by His stripes, we are healed” (see Isaiah 53, Hebrews 12).
• If victory was won for us by Jesus’ scars, then the scars we endure in challenging seasons don’t mean defeat.

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JUSTICE IS THE LORD’S

• If we persevere, it’ll be according to what we believe about God in our afflictions.
• “If you are not anchored in the goodness of God, you will lower your theology to match your pain.” Christa Black Gifford
• When the Psalmist says God “cuts the cords of the wicket,” he’s painting a picture of God as a liberator, releasing us from bondage.
• “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” - Galatians 5:1 
• We are no longer bound to that which oppressed or hurt us. We are not obligated to keep live under that pain.
• Sometimes the more pain we experience, the more we crave revenge. But God sets us free from bitterness and unforgiveness.
• Freedom in Christ is freedom from having to be god of your own life.

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OUR LEGACY IS GREATER

• Our perseverance can be shaken when we don’t feel like we see the immediate rewards that others do, but the world leaves a fickle legacy, like grass that sprouts then withers.
• In ancient Israel, roofs were flat, made of mud and clay so while grass might sprout from dust, without depth, it quickly withered away.
• When we see others “like the grass on the housetops,” then we can appreciate what the Psalmist says: that the best life is one where others can see that you are blessed by the Lord.
• We never need to be discouraged by those who live in comfort, ease and abundance—because we have a greater legacy.
• We can stay rooted, not envying the loud, flashy opposition to our faith, because if it’s not grounded in God, it won’t last.
• In the Parable of the Talents, the master says, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (see Matthew 25:23). It’s not “Well done, rich, talented, servant,” but it’s faithfulness that God values.

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DINNER PARTY QUESTIONS

• In seasons where you felt afflicted, perplexed or persecuted, what helped you endure? In hindsight, where can you see God’s faithfulness?
• How can your scars testify to God’s sustaining grace? Are there any places your scars could play a part in someone else’s encouragement or healing?
• What "cords" has God already cut in your life—places where He set you free from past bondage or bitterness?
• Where are you tempted to compare your life to others—especially those who seem to have ease, success, or comfort? How are you building that legacy today through faithfulness?

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