Original URL Wednesday, January 11, 2023
Transcript
so as was mentioned I chose the topic xthat I wanted to um the Bible up x
and discuss with you tonight on
x
the very tough question and sometimes x
um you know almost taboo topic of why x
does God allow suffering and I did so x
with
x
um the thought in mind of you know a lot x
of the things that your equation has x
been going through in the prayer request x
that we've been getting x
regarding some of the tragedies that you x
guys are are dealing with the Heartbreak x
that everyone's x
working their way through so x
I wanted to try to offer this as a as a x
scriptural help to really kind of get x
back to
x
the nuts and bolts of x
you know looking Beyond just x
the impact that sorrow and suffering can x
have but like x
what's the what's the big picture
x so as we know even though we might be x
sheltered here in America we are acutely x
aware that there is a massive amount of x
distress that is felt all over the globe x
you would agree with me that this x
ongoing pandemic
x
all the news headlines about natural x
disasters
x
we have x
current new threats of terrorism the x
increase of War
x
not to mention economic instability x
that's now making the cost of food at an x
all-time high
x
all these things on a macro level and x
then especially down to a personal level x
of dealing with
x
anxiety
x
living with depression
x
perhaps living with a disability x
or stress over money stress over family x
issues x
we almost feel some sense of x
hopelessness
x
as we see how the world is falling apart x
and that there are so few answers to be x
had sometimes
x
and as I mentioned I asked brother Nate x
if this topic might be appropriate or x
perhaps even a bit too much because I x
know that your Ecclesia is going through
x um x
just it feels like trial after trial
x I know that there's an immense amount of x
prayer that needs to continue to be had x
for the families that you mentioned and x
individuals that you mentioned x
and we do pray that our God hears these x
prayers and allows his angels to answer x
them swiftly to intervene
x from my own experience when you start x
exchanging stories between ecclesias x
about who's on your prayer list and x
um you start learning about other people x
that you didn't even x
know needed to be included in prayers x
it can get x
pretty harrowing pretty quickly
x
um
x
when you comprehend the consequences of x
some of these requests x
um you know particularly I believe x brother x
Tom Cannon
x
just how much
x
lives both can and will change just in x
an instant and it can make your heart x
sink in your chest
x
crying out for answers
x
and it feels like these days if it's not x
something that's
x
particularly impacting us x
then it's something else that's too x
close to home I Know Myself personally
x
um back in the spring with the Uvalde x
shootings that was something that really x
really struck a chord to me because I x
was still teaching at the time and
x um x
just feeling for what that school must x
have been going through
x every week we keep hearing about more x
mental health related suicides
x more mass shootings
x the key word behind all of it is x
suffering
x
human suffering
x we might have a tough time dealing with x
this accepting why is it that people x
have to go through such affliction
x
what good is it doing
x um x
I think the question that can come to x
most people's minds is that cliche why x
do bad things happen to good people x
I think that this question in particular x
has driven people both Believers and x
non-believers alike into three different x
camps
x
so I think there's really three x
different ways that people have chosen x
to try to answer this question
x
and that's what I've got on the screen x
at the moment x
the first is to just x
flat out say that there is no God x
that we just suffer for no reason
x
that the events that unfold in our x
personal lives as well as to nations in x
general are just random chaos x
and that's like the heartbreaking x
equivalent of saying you know what I'm x
really sorry that your daughter was x
killed by a drunk driver
x
I'm really sorry that your country is x
running out of clean water
x
tough luck
x the second view would at least x
acknowledge
x
that there is a Divine something
x
that created the world and its x
inhabitants but that now events would x
just unfold on their own
x
um much like a clock that's been wound x
up and is now just ticking away
x
once again this kind of answer would say x
that we just suffer for no reason x
there's nothing to stop it there's no x
hope of intervention
x
so obviously the third point of view x
that I'd like to express this evening is x
what I hope most of us believe in that x
there is a personal and involved x
God
x
that both created this Earth and still x
controls it still intervenes in this x
world but yet
x
we still suffer
x
so then there has to be a reason for it
x I think the first step in understanding x
why God allows suffering begins with x
understanding and perhaps accepting as x
well our position before him
x
the Bible tells us that we are but dust
x
that our egos need to be left behind
x
we were not created to be waited on hand x
and foot but in turn we were made to x
serve him and to give him the glory
x
it says as as uh hopefully you can see x
on the screen in Isaiah 64 verse 8 x
but now oh Lord you are our father we x
are your clay x
you are our Potter x
and we are all the work of your hand
x
and on a similar note in Romans 9 x . what ill what is molded say to its x
motor why have you made me like this has x
the Potter no right over the clay
x
I think that something we're all x
familiar with and hopefully
x um x
you know something we can accept
x and another obvious thing that I believe x
needs to be said right off the bat is x
that a hard burden of Affliction is not
x
our Maker's fault as some would x
carelessly suggest is in fact our own x
the Bible also tells us this x
that the suffering that we understand is x a direct x
correlation so the consequences of our x
own sin
x
that in the beginning x
God did create the Garden of Eden as a x
paradise
x with x
the most ideal conditions there was no x
disease no injury no disaster no crime x
no pollution these things did not exist x
we did not understand stress
x
violence death
x
they were not experienced by mankind
x God said that he saw everything that he x
made and behold it was very good
x
we know that Adam and Eve's Disobedience x
introduced
x
uh a separation x
between us and our master x
from them being so easily persuaded away x
from obeying God they chose to change x
things
x mankind
x
no longer dwelling in harmony with God's x
laws we have Disobedience and affliction x
introduced to our human experience and I x
think most of us would probably also x
agree that it if it were not Adam and x Eve x
it would have been us it would have been x
myself making those same poor decisions x
thinking of x
the lust the eyes the lust of the fresh x
the pride of life
x Yahweh fairly told them x
in Genesis 2 verses 16 and 17. x
that the consequence of their x
Disobedience would be death
x
says you may surely eat of every tree of x
the garden but of the tree of the x
knowledge of Good and Evil x
you shall not eat for in the day that x
you eat of it you shall surely die
x so today
x
is the result of that 6 000 years of x
Disobedience willful Rebellion against x God x
so it's clearly evident why this x
existence of suffering is something x
that's so entrenched in our existence x
that it's so Perpetual that even though x
we have your babies and young children x
that have not chosen yet to disobey God
x
born in them is a nature to even x
disobey parents just because x
that's that's the the downfall of the x
flesh
x
this is the long-term effect of being x
removed from righteousness
x
and if you went back to our three x
answers and you went back to answer x
number one and you said well you know x
there is no God and we just x
we just suffer random once again there's x
no hope then there's no intervention and x
if you say again that answer number two x
there has been a Divine creation but x
that was just at the beginning x
things just almost go like a clock now x
once again we're looking for what is x
that answer of why is there suffering is x
there any reason behind it
x it's interesting to note also
x that it says that God does not force us x
to act against his will x
that displeases his righteous character x
he would wish that we would fear his x name x
and in fact the scriptures indicate that x
mankind is generally determined to x
oppose the wisdom of God
x
in Ecclesiastes 8 and 11 it says
x
because the sentence against an evil x
deed is not executed speedily
x
the heart of the children of man is x
fully set to do evil
x
and in chapter 9 verse 2 x
it is the same for all x
since the same event happens both to the x
righteous and the wicked x
to the Good and Evil x
the hearts of the children of man are x
full of evil and Madness is in their x
hearts where they lived
x
and after that
x
they go to the Grave
x
so I lay these things out x
really really just to push the issue
x why should we question the presence of x
evil and suffering x
when Humanity x
we're told despises the very means of x
its solution which is to obey God
x all the horrible things around us that x
we could point to famine War disease
x
these are all a result of Mankind's x
greed
x
are
x
insatiable appetite to please ourselves x
the lust of the eyes and flesh
x mankind given the responsibility to x
write its own destiny has just brought x
us to this point x
which is ignoring the Bible ignoring the x
advice of God ignoring
x
her recognization of a Creator and a x
need to respond to that creator
x
so
x
this would then be a fair time I think x
to insert the tough question
x
well if that's the case
x
why doesn't God intervene x
if God is truly benevolent if he truly x
loves us
x
if there is a reason why is he let it go x
so bad
x I think there is um
x
there's a point in emphasizing x
some say that God could remove all these x
Dreadful circumstances from our our x
Earth from our existence and he could x
he could there there's power in x
admitting that brothers and sisters we x
believe in a god that is able
x
that is able to
x
end all things in a moment and he does x
allow
x
suffering to continue
x but we know that if God came in and x
fixed everything
x
that we had wronged they would just x
validate the mischief and sin x
that we would get up to
x
God has told us from the beginning he x
hasn't purposed he wants to accomplish x
with us which is to fill the whole Earth x
with the knowledge of his glory and to x
produce a people for his own name a x
people that are called out to represent x
him
x so I think it stands to make a point x that x
we should be thankful that our God does x
not change that he is righteous he is x right x
he stands by that same principle x
throughout time he does not Bend our x
circumstances but it's that we should x
bend to his x
even to the point of being humbled even x
to the point of being broken
x um x
there's a number of different scriptural x
characters that we'll reference
x um x
the Apostle Paul x
job as well
x the honest truth is that without x
suffering
x
we would not then know the relief of the x
mercy and love of God
x
it's an understandable point to say you x
know without a in a perfect world you x
wouldn't see a need for God
x
if there was not trouble and discomfort x
we would not cry out for him we would x
not cry for help we would not ask for x
guidance we would not seek answers to x
these things
x if there was not Affliction we would not x
have any need to draw close to a god x
that we saw any need of
x
and that's unfortunately where you've x
got people who've answered those three x
questions with the answers of number one x
and number two assuming that x
if there is no
x
Divine creator that is intervening on x
their behalf
x
then they just look past any hope of x
ending reflection
x
and that's the exact problem with what x
happened with Sodom and Gomorrah the x
days of Noah it's the humanistic x
thinking that well
x
you just live for it today eat
x
drink
x
be merry x
and one day you'll die
x
and people I guess just accept x
suffering is just
x part of that existence
x something I wanted to
x
bring up x this is a little bit of different x
thought that I had
x let me pull this screen up for you guys
x this just came to me recently but I was x
thinking about the instance of when x
Jesus healed the man who was lowered in x
through the roof this is one of my x
favorite x
um healings because of how unique it was x
for a lot of different circumstances but x
you'll note that this is the only person x
that received technically two different x
blessings from Jesus he famously forgave x
his sins which then shocked the room but x
then he also to prove that he had the x
power to forgive sins insisted that he x
would also heal the Man's legs and he x
gave him that healing as an additional x
I think it's important to note here that x
was not part of the original plan
x presumably
x
Jesus only sought
x
to forgive what he felt this man needed x
the most in order to better his life and x
to return closer to his God which was to x
forgive his sins x
Jesus did not intend to heal this man's x
physical calamity x
something that most people would assume x
was his main point of suffering
x presumably
x Jesus would have left the man lame if x
not for the murmuring of the Pharisees x
who questioned him
x
it reminds me of a similar circumstance x
with Paul
x in second Corinthians 12 Paul mentions
x
praying for his Affliction to be removed x
from him multiple times
x but yet it was it wasn't
x
and in both instances the fact that x
Jesus presumably would have left this x
man with his physical x
um disability
x
as well as somebody like Paul x
praying that a simple bodily Affliction x
would be removed from him
x
and in both instances
x it was going to be allowed to remain
x
that might be a little bit of an insight x
to us into how
x
and why
x
God sometimes has the ability x
to reverse the situation but chooses not x
to
x
Paul writes in that reference from x
second Corinthians 12. x
starting at verse 7 through verse 10. x
so to keep me from becoming conceited
x
because of the surpassing greatness of x
the revelations a thorn was given me in x the flesh x
messenger of Satan to harass me to keep x
me from becoming conceited and three x times x
I pleaded with the Lord about this that x
it should leave me but he said x
my grace is sufficient for you for my x
power is made perfect in weakness x
and so therefore x
I will boast all the more gladly of my x
weakness so that the power of Christ May x
rest upon me
x
for the sake of Christ then
x
I am content with weakness I'm content x
with insults
x
hardships I'm content with persecutions x
I'm content with calamities because it x
is when I am weak then I am truly strong
x but it's when we see I think suffering x
especially suffering that we feel is x
undeserved from people that we're close x to that x
we always wish that it goes away we x
always wish that our our you know x
prayers are heard
x I think it can be brothers and sisters x
one of the hardest things to square away x
in your mind when you pray fervently x
for someone to be healed
x
especially if it's drawn out over a long x
time
x
and then it doesn't happen
x
and people can fairly question
x why weren't our prayers answered
x did did we not pray enough
x
why is it that some people recover
x
and then we see others only get worse
x foreign
x
we are very prideful as humans
x
we get very uncomfortable when we feel x
weak
x
when we feel that we don't have the x
control over a situation and I think if x
we get angry about this very easily we x
despise
x
an awareness of being limited we despise x
feeling weak
x we say
x
How could a merciful god let this happen
x
how am I supposed to trust God if if x
grief and suffering remain in my life if x
I continue to have to deal with this x
burden
x people say
x
God has abandoned me
x
so I'll abandon him
x
and people Curse God in their heart
x we make an enemy of our own maker
x but yet all these things don't do x
anything to take away the pain
x that doesn't stop a loved one from dying x
that doesn't blunt regret
x people will leave the thought of God x
behind
x because they despise the idea of being x
left in our weakness
x
such as Paul was asked to do
x remain without
x
full capabilities have no control
x
feeling like they're being made to x
suffer and that the fact that there x
could possibly be a reason for it but x
that is not being shown that's how x
people come to think that there is no x
God and that we just suffer for no x
reason
x and I don't mean to be cheap when I say x
this but some people x
want the crown but are unwilling to x
carry the cross
x
some people want to be glorified with x
Christ but are unwilling to suffer with x
him
x we're told though that key verse from x
second Corinthians 12 it is through x
weakness that God shows his glory in us x
our ability to trust in him and let go x
and and allow ourselves to be limited x
and to be weakened to be vulnerable it x
is in our sufferings
x
that the love of God is made perfect
x that he's willing to take all these x
things away if we trust him if we show x
our faith
x but of course I say that x
fully aware x
that
x
it is a really sad thing when
x
righteous men and women
x
especially ones that are close brothers x
and sisters close family x
it is tremendously sad when we're seeing x
them subjected to tremendous grief
x
trials burdens that we feel that even x
they cannot bear
x as I mentioned in the beginning I'm sure x
even Beyond this past couple weeks I'm x
sure many of us that our lives have x
known faithful loved ones
x
who went through very tough times x
despite their love of God if maybe it x
frustrated us
x that's okay it is okay to be frustrated x
and be upset it is okay to question God
x why should Yahweh permit even his own x
beloved people who he has called x
to still suffer the effects of evil
x actually I just want to check in because x
I'm not looking at my zoom screen
x
can everyone still hear me and see my x
screen okay
x
everything looks great okay we can hear x
you just fine thank you
x so
x
one of the big things I think hopefully x
most of you know and I assume because x
this is what you were just talking about x
before we started our class but the job x
phenomenon is one of the key pieces of x
understanding the role of suffering for x
a believer
x a lot of the times it's for someone's x
development it could be your own x
personal Spiritual Development x
it could also be a way to help others x
understand the reason for suffering
x
you can't go over the concept of x
suffering without mentioning job he's x
the poster child for it despite having x
that righteous attitude
x the very first first of the very first x
chapter his introduction x
describes him as a man that was x
blameless
x
and upright he was a man who feared God x
he turned away from evil x
and you would think that surely of all x people x
he would be protected by the God that he x
served from the experience of suffering x
but Yahweh saw x
that there would actually be benefits x
gained by job personally
x
and by those like him in every x
generation after x
if in that moment he were indeed tested
x job wisely did not condemn his Lord for x
his anguish x
recognizing that all he possessed x
came from God originally and belonged to x
him
x
famously it says in Job 1 21-22 he said
x
excuse me x
naked I came from my mother's womb
x
naked shall I return
x
the lord gave
x
and the Lord is taken away x
and all these things blessed be the name x
of the Lord
x
and we're told that in all this job did x
not send a did not charge god with wrong
x okay
x
there's another interesting x
Bible character that came to me recently x
thinking about this aspect and that's x
Jacob
x Jacob had a very tumultuous life for a x
lot of different reasons but when I x
think about his suffering I think x
primarily about x
losing his son Joseph
x
it caused him such grief
x
broke his heart
x
because Joseph was his favorite son
x would it have been better in any x
circumstance for him to instead lose x
one of the other 12. x one of the other 12 that was born to one x
of the handmaids and not to Rachel one x
of the other 12 that he very clearly x
loved less than Joseph
x
we know that it caused a great amount of x
animosity between the family x
to the point that the brothers wanted to x
kill and get rid of Joseph because of x
their Envy because of the emotional x
damage and Trauma that clearly they x
suffered from understanding that their x
father loved them less than he loved x
Joseph
x from Joseph's sorry from Jacob's x perspective x
losing his favorite son x
caused the most amount of suffering than x
it would have the others x
but from God's perspective
x any x
son lost x
should be cause for tremendous suffering
x
would it have really been better x
just hypothetically but just want to put x
this thought out there
x would it have really been better that he x
instead lost x
Reuben or Judah or Simeon
x
and then perhaps not been as upset x
because well thankfully still got Joseph
x
that's not the kind of heart that our x
Lord wants to create in US
x God cherishes all of his children x
equally life is precious to our God
x
and perhaps this is the hardest lesson x
to handle we asked the question the x
cliche the cliche question x
why do bad things happen to good people x
but
x
the parallel concept
x
you could say why do good things happen x
to bad people
x there's something wrong with that kind x
of mindset x
and this is why I I think it included x
this as part of the teaser and this has x
been something I've been thinking about x
in the past couple years
x
we should not want for only good things x
to happen to good people
x
because the inverse is not glorifying x
God whatsoever we should not want for x
only good things to happen to good x
people and only bad things to happen to x
the bad people because where is that any x
salvation
x
then for those who we feel are bad x
or those who were less fortunate those x
who've been mistreated those who've x
never had the good things in the first x
place
x
one of the x
very impactful things you learn from x
being a teacher is that
x
you can't punish a bad child
x
because a lot of the reasons that x
they're probably already acting out is x
because they've been neglected because x
they need positive reinforcement
x there is a quote that is such a true x
quote and they'd say it every year which x
is the kids that are hardest to love are x
the ones that need love the most
x okay
x so it's important sometimes for us to x
take a step outside of our own thought x
about suffering and think about x
we shouldn't wish that
x
we don't have to deal with the suffering x
so that someone else has to
x
because
x it's not that anyone else deserves the x
suffering more than us
x I'll give you an example
x it can be easier I find this is just x
pure I'm emitting this myself it can be x
easier to tune out the horrific news I x
hear about places that I'll never go x
or people that I might already look down x
on
x
it's easier for me to tune out suffering x
when I hear about another famine in x
Africa
x
or another news clip about a drive-by x
drug shooting in downtown Philly
x I could just say well x
that's just how it is they must just be x
in that position due to some bad x
decisions x
that's what you get
x but then
x
how does God feel about that suffering x
that Affliction that loss of life
x
we wanted to be different to God when x
it's our own precious child that has x
cancer we're looking for answers
x
why should
x
why should my family suffer why should x
my my innocent child you know be x
diagnosed with cancer
x
well in God's eyes
x
yes you and your family are just as x
precious as that poor family that
x
lost someone to a drive-by drug shooting
x
or that Village in Africa that's x
still running out of food
x along those same lines
x to God
x
Judas was just as cherished as Jesus was
x
of course Jesus was his own beloved Son x
who did no wrong and Judas betrayed him
x
but it's important to take a step back x
and say that death is not something that x
is pleasing x
to the god of life
x
Our God that we Love Takes no pleasure x
in our suffering
x
what he does look for
x
his hearts that acknowledge
x
how limited we are
x
how thankful we are x
that when things are plentiful and when x
things do go well in our life when we do x
have joy
x that we trust him
x God wants us to trust him
x holy and not necessarily that we should x
be willing to lose all things
x
but that in faith that he will provide x for us x
no matter what Affliction we may be x
going through
x
that it will be enough
x just another example from scripture is x
the Widow of Zarephath from First Kings x
17. x the Prophet Elijah comes across a widow x
and her son x
who we come to understand have been in x
such a state of Affliction that they've x
been starving to death x
she literally has just enough x
food
x
for what she says she assumes will be x
their last meal
x
and after that she proclaims that she x
expects to die
x through God
x
Elijah makes it so that the jars of x
flour and oil x
that the cake was made from never run x
out
x so coming from their moment of x
desperation
x
God teaches this family to trust and x
have faith that even at the point of x
having such intense suffering x
he can still through weakness show his x
love and Glory
x well that son of her still died x
that Widow
x
still did lose her son
x
but once again God by his Mercy through x Elijah x
raised him back to life
x
the point being that she still had to x
experience that suffering that fear x
perhaps that worst fear she could have x
ever had having already lost her husband x
losing her own son
x but nothing is beyond the power of our x
God
x when we lose something x
or someone
x
dear to us it'll always hurt more to x
look inwardly to dwell on what I have x
lost
x
it will always be harder to think x
outwardly and think of the rest of the x
world around us and have empathy
x
say man you know I may have just
x
lost a dear family member who suffered x
for a long time but
x
man others must have also lost someone x
as well this must be so hard for all of x
us
x
I think there's a lot of healing that x
can go into looking Beyond ourselves and x
thinking of a general need for the x
return of Christ x
and to ask God to to implore God x
to help us have whatever it is that we x
need to carry on
x again it can hurt to dwell on
x who x
or what we have lost
x
but some of us some people have never x
even had those same blessings at all
x we have people in our Collegiate who x
throughout the course of their life have x
developed crippling disabilities that x
now leave them as basic prisoners inside x
their own bodies
x you hear about x
children who are born to drug addicted x
mothers
x work in the school system long enough x
you'll see plenty of broken families
x it may be hard to hear but any blessing x
you have is a blessing blessings are x
blessings having healthy family members x
clean food safety and shelter these are x
things to be praising God for x
recognizing there are people around the x
world that don't even have these things x that x
grow up without any family structure x
grow up without easy access to clean x
food and water
x
grow up knowing that their body is x
severely
x
disabled
x so again there can be a lot of healing x
and just appreciating and praying and x
testifying to God for his Mercy and x
praying that others may have these same x
Comforts may have the same Joy
x so like job
x
we need to be careful that
x
we don't blame our Master for any x
trouble that might come our way because x
it may in fact be x
his means x
of perfecting our character
x the thing that we fear going through the x most x
maybe the thing that's preparing us for x
the greater purpose that he is in store x
for us
x I've been told this before and I like x
reminding people that
x
faith begins
x
at the edge of our comfort zone
x and our moment of Sorrow
x that can end up being your final test of x
faith are you willing to trust God even x
through this x
this last affliction
x for Jesus that was his moment on the x
cross
x to the last test
x so will we rely on God x
to see us through
x
or
x
when suffering comes do we curse the day x
that we are born which is what job's x
friends told him to do
x well the result of job's trial
x
was that by his faithful endurance x
his three friends also came to a x
knowledge and love of the lord and there x
was by his strength it changed not only x
his life but even the lives of those who x
witnessed his great loss
x
this is something that really sticks x
with me because it's something I felt x
like I suffered x
and witnessed firsthand
x
um
x
there's two dear friends of mine years x
ago when I was living in Detroit x
I'm sure you've heard of both of them
x
um Mary bobus and Grant Anderson
x one that eventually lost her Battle of x
cancer
x
and another who survived x
and near fatal car accident x
but will be permanently brain damaged x
until God restores both of them
x and
x
we were completely floored
x
by the tragedies that came upon these x
faithful young believers x
I mean we're all in our young 20s
x but it witnessing it it was by both of x
their tremendous strength and their x
faith in God even through their x
suffering dying from cancer or
x
waking up from a coma
x that
x
God's glory was shown all the more x
brighter because of their faith
x and that's sometimes
x
how suffering can be a greater benefit
x
to the people
x
around them
x based on how the individuals handle it
x
how others perceive it
x
showing that even in your weakness even x
in being limited even in being
x
without answers
x
still having faith testifying that God x
is in control
x long after someone passes that can be x
the lesson that someone learns for the x
rest of their life
x and we're told at the VIN in job 42 x
that his latter end
x
was even more Splendid than his x
beginning
x God blessed him
x
to such a greater extent
x than he even had
x and all these things he recognized that x
it was the Lord who gives and the Lord x
who takes away
x this is a parallel to what Paul tells us x
in Romans 8. x
Paul says I consider that the sufferings x
of this present time are not even worth x
comparing
x
with the glory that will be revealed in x
US
x Paul understood that suffering is part x
of Human Condition it's a key part of x
our trials
x
and in fact it's essential
x
to the aspect of a life in Christ
x second Timothy 2 18 the saying is x
trustworthy for her
x
if we have died with him we will also x
live with him
x
if we endure we will also reign with x
them
x and first Peter x
chapter 2 Peter writes
x
this is a gracious thing
x
that when you're mindful of God
x
one endures sorrows x
while suffering and jostling
x
for what credit is it then if you sin x
and are beaten for it and you endure x
but if when you do good and suffer you x
endure this is a gracious thing in the x
sight of God x
for to this thing you've been called x
because Christ also suffered for you
x
leaving an example said you might follow x
in his steps x
foreign
x as we move towards our conclusion that's x
obviously x
our confidence and our example though he x
did no sin or cause any harm to his x
fellow man Jesus the Christ suffered x
greatly at the hands of evil x
Godless men x
who hated him
x
because his righteousness was a living x
rebuke to their wickedness
x
so of course x
we could say why should a sinless man
x
be subjected to such unwarranted x
suffering and persecution
x
and we are told plainly in Acts chapter x
2 x
it says his death was according to the x
definite plan x
and for knowledge of God x
he
x
had to die he had to die to show
x
that God was righteous in the beginning x
from the very beginning x
for allowing mankind to suffer and die x
for their sin
x Jesus being morally sinless Rose from x
the grave opening the way for us to x
follow his example with the hope of x
eternal life that is free from the bonds x
of affliction
x Our Savior refused
x
excuse me x
refused to conform to the sinful way of x
life surrounding him he now provides for x
us a blueprint on how to stand apart x
from the world
x
even though yes it may bring about x
difficulty yes it may bring about x
persecution
x he gave us a model on how to endure x
through sufferings
x
in order to obtain up our prize our x
crown of righteousness x
even just a hope to see life restored x
and God can and will do those things
x that says we have a high priest who is x
not unable to sympathize with our x
weakness
x one who in every respect has been x tempted x
just like we are yet without sin
x so we know that suffering now
x
prepares us
x we I would never choose to go through x
some of the things that I've talked x
about some of the examples I've given x
and I know a lot of us would agree
x
I have things that I am
x deathly afraid of having to endure fears x
that like well what if this happened in x
my life what if God brought this event x
happened I don't think I could handle x
that I don't think it'd be x
prepared for that
x and the fear of the unknown x
is not something that's ever gonna x
make it not happen
x
but we have confidence in what is known
x
we're told that suffering now
x
in whatever form that may take It x
prepares us for the coming kingdom of x
God
x
and the kingdom of God is x
coming
x so it's important to remember that inner x
moments of suffering
x
for time
x
other people have suffered like this x
other people have said similar trials x
sometimes even much greater trials than x
us
x
and such experiences develop in us the x
human character and the important x
Priestly qualities of empathy
x
compassion
x by which we are strengthened to triumph x
over those difficulties to encourage x
others to do likewise
x
we're told this in second Corinthians 3. x
I'm sorry second Corinthians 1. verses x
three to five
x
where it says blessed be the God and the x
father of our Lord Jesus Christ the x
father of Mercies x
the God of All Comfort x
who comforts us in our Affliction so x
that we may be able to comfort those who x
are in any affliction x
with this comfort with which we x
ourselves are comforted by God
x
for we are to share abundantly in x
Christ's sufferings so that through x
Christ we share abundantly in Comfort x
too
x
foreign
x thing to remember is that
x
when we are at our weakest is when x
God can be at his strongest when we are x
going through our worst suffering x
and without answers is when God is x
working the most directly with us
x we should take comfort in that x
we know that God tells us he'll never x
put us through more than what we can x handle x
even with his own son he was willing to x
send Legions of Angels in a moment's x
notice
x you were never beyond what your God x
believes you can bear
x now say that again
x you are never Beyond
x for your God you created you believes x
you can bear x
he wants us to pray to him
x
to seek that jar of oil and flour that x
somehow will just keep going day by day x
it'll just find a way to keep going
x and that even through death itself
x help us to
x
have that complete faith that
x
life even will be restored
x
and like job x
that our latter end will be even more x
Splendid than the beginning that our
x
the glory that will be revealed in US x
it'll be like nothing
x
now where we are going through now
x perhaps we won't even remember
x so
x
I'll end just with one more tough x
question
x make sure I'm on the right slide
x needless suffering
x
is there such a thing
x I think you say that there's like a x
cliche picture of like you know starving x
children that are just all bones and x
skin
x
does that have to happen
x
is there such a thing as just needless
x
suffering
x I would say no
x
I would say that even by that child that x
you'll never meet
x
by it x
God is showing us
x
showing everyone that something's wrong
x any suffering is meant to wake us up and x
jar us and shock us x
remind us that the condition of the x
earth is out of place
x
and that it keeps getting worse the more x
we're separated from him it's not x
originally meant to be this way x
that's why we need intervention that's x
why answer number three is the only x
answer
x we need God's help
x
whether it is another Refugee crisis I x
mean the times you have to hear about x
these boats of refugees that try to flee x a country x
and then just sink somewhere
x babies that you're x
seeing are born with Incredible x
disabilities
x no that's not needless suffering x
this is just part of the human condition x
and it's meant to
x
have us feel the same shock and agony
x
that we're separated from our master x
there is no earthly solution that can x
change these pitiful things from x
occurring it's a reminder that only when x
God has set up Paradise again while our x
suffering end
x
and all these things even the most x shocking x
they're meant to Humble us to that end
x
to have empathy for our fellow man x
to try to comfort one another
x
to praise God for the blessings we do x
have good health and food
x
but remember that quick fixes in this x
life is all they are they're temporary x
and we need to recognize and reach this x
and testify to this x
that there's a need for a permanent x
change
x
it's one thing to cure a cold
x
to give me a covet booster
x
to even strive to cure cancer it's x
another thing entirely to do away with x
sickness and death altogether and that x
is what God has promised he will do
x First Timothy 2 tells us that it is x
God's desire that all mankind be saved
x
all of us x
that all mankind somehow come to a x
knowledge of his truth
x and by the means that that happens
x
sometimes requires suffering first x
you think of x
the leper
x
the man born blind in John chapter nine x
think of Jairus whose daughter died in x
his arms x
these individuals would have never come x
to Jesus if they were all fine they were x
not without grief if they were not x
severely aware of how limited they were x
It Is by their suffering that they were x
forced to not lean on their own x
understanding and to seek God
x
the same goes for us as well as all x
mankind our heavenly father x
does not want to lose any
x
he is willing x
that none should perish
x so lastly
x
just
x get to my last slide
x sorry
x we know that suffering sets the stage x
for joy
x
it is after x
bitter suffering that salvation tastes x
so sweet
x
and Romans 2 it says to those who by x
patience and well doing seek for Glory x
and Honor and immortality x
he will give eternal life
x
in Isaiah 40 x
but they who wait for the Lord x
shall renew their strength they shall x
Mount up with wings like eagles they x
shall run and not be weary x
they shall walk and not faint
x and in psalm 30. x
for his angers but for a moment
x
his favors for a lifetime
x
weeping may endure for a night but joy x
comes with the morning
x so we should
x
absolutely continue to pray for those x
who suffer x
we do believe that our God
x
his ear is not death that it does not x
hear his arm is not shortened that it x
cannot save
x
we believe our God hears our prayers he x
answers prayers his angels are working x
in our lives
x
the Bible gives us x
numerous accounts of healings and x
miracles that were done on the behalf of x
faithful prayers x
and a reminder to us that we x
should not lose hope x
prayer works there is such a power in x
prayer
x
but
x even if sorrow continues even if trials x
remain this doesn't mean that God is not x
still working in your life
x
we just never know the way or the time x
for the plans that he has in store
x
but this thing we do know
x
the promise of the age to come x
in Revelation 21 x
he will
x
wipe away every tear from their eyes
x Death Shall be no more
x
and there shall never again be Mourning x
nor crying
x
nor pain
x
for the former things that passed away
x so I would leave you with the statement x
that
x
God allows x
suffering
x
so that x
in that day we will truly know the x
unlimited extent of his love