Holy Suffering

Introduction

Personal introduction

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Connection Point:

Our last message in our set apart series as we have explored what Peter wrote about holiness.

I want to talk to you today about holy suffering. Suffering that is set apart for the Lord.

John 16:33 gaurentees us trials and problems in thi world.

Suffering takes different forms. At it’s smallest form it’s suffeering the company of someone you don’t want to be around. In larger forms it comes with torture and dedath.

The question we have before us then is not will we face suffering, it’s how will we respond when we do?

Understanding how to rrespond to suffering is important becuase of how our response will reflect not only us, but our savior.

We can’t respond well until we accept the purpose and outcome of our suffering.

I believe we will see that suffering leads to growth in our pursuit of Jesus and leads to potential salvation for others.

Today I want you to see that suffering in any form is not a negative experience if experienced well. It may not be pleasent…but it doesn’t have to be negative.

You have to know that suffering is apart of God’s plan. Does that mean God always sends the suffering? no. We have to accept that every problem we have in life not some divine thing happening. it could be, and hear me out here, it could be that we are suffering becusae we made a stupid decision or it could be that we are suffering becuase we live in a sin cursed world. Either can be used by God in His plan.

When you suffer though, you can feel assured that their is purpose in your sufferring.

SO hat when you suffer, no matter how small or how big, you can chooe to suffer for Jesus.

How do you respond when suffering?

Are you one that suffers in drama? LIke a child that throws a fit or walks around pouting.

Or maybe you suffer in anger? bad things happen and you get mad at the world. It’s their fault, they did thiis to me, they made me feel this way, also known as a victim mentality

Suffer in sadness? Someone that doesn’t process the sadness associated with suffering well and begins to fall into a depressive state.

Imagine for a moment how you think the outcome of suffering in any of those ways are. Do they help you as a person grow in christlikness? Do they positively impact others for the glory of God?

do they make you feel better about what you are going through?

So how do we accomplish holy suffering for the Lord?

Three ways: Suffer in Righteousness, suffer in silence, and suffer in obedience.

Look with me at how Peter writes

I. Suffer in Righteousness

1 Peter 2:18-20 “18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”

Exgete:

Petere is peaking directly to slaves in this passage. Now I know we can think of slavery as it was in America. And while in this culture it wasn’t always different, there weree instances were people became slaves or servants by choice. Pay off debt, secure safety for their family, etc.

And while in this state of servitude they were being instrucred to obeey their master whther their master was good or not.

And wheether they deserved the suffering or not.

Peter tells them to accept their suffering if thye deserve it. If you were speeding and get pulled over…own it.

I believe my dad is the one that taught me this and it’s deefintely something I teach my kids. If you are going to do something…own it. Good or bad, own that you did it. That’s part of being a man, own your mistakes right?

However what about when you are being wrongfully accused? What about when you are doing the right things and suffer for it?

You see anyone can accept that if I did wrong then I should suffer the consequences, but what abotu when we do right?

What about when you really werent speeding andd the cop writes you a ticket?

That one time you actually didn’t leave the clothes in the floor but your being accused of it?

That one time you actually did fill the car up but your being accused of not?

It’s in the moments that we are being accused of something we didn’t do OR something that we rarely do you can become the most defensive.

For instance, how many times have you been told “You always do...” or “That one time you...”

How do we respond? “I don’t always do that.” That meeans you can think of at least 1 time you didn’t and your planting your flag on that hill.

“That doesn’t always happen” …again…you’ve thought of one time and your planting your flag on that hill.

It’s during these time our character is revealed and i’s during these time we have ot choosee to suffer in righteousness.

Illustrate:

What does that look like though? Are we supposed to be a door mat and let people walk over us?

no.

We are to be meek.

Matthew 5:5 “5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

What is meekness? it is strength under control.

What does it look likee in your life?

It’s you knowing you are right without the need to prove it. It’s you being capable of winning the argument, but not needing to.

It’s you being strong enough to surrender your will to his and suffer when you are right.

This use to be a major area of contention for me.

Being from the south there are number of cliches I find myself or my family living up to. For instance, when I see the “people of walmart” posts…I look to see if any of them are related to me because I’ve seen some of them and how they go to wal mart.

I also grew up in and around trailer parks and it was there I learned some people have no shame in airing theeir dirty laundry…physical laundry and emotional.

Nonetheless, growing up around this it never bothered me to have public disagreements. So early in Sarah and I’s marriage if we were arguing about something and we were going to the storee, I had NO problem continueing that argument with any tone I chose.

I may hve been right, I may not have but I wasn’t interrested in right and wrong. I was interested in winning the argument.

That’s a very immature way to think and act. Whether in public or not.

I thank God He workedd in my heart to grow out of that.

I’m sure Sarah does too.

I was making the suffering of the argument and what we were going through about me. I was being selfish, immature, and inconsiderate.

And what did the people around me think of me? “Wow, that guys right. Listen to how loud his voice is.” or “Man, that guy really knows what he is doing. I’d like to be like him and hi marriage.”

What did they think of my savior if they knew I was a Christian? What if I bumped into them later in the store and started sharing Jesus? What do I say when they come at me with “Does following Jesus mean I treat my wife like that?”

Now, at the time I would not have professed faith in Jesus.

Apply:

Suffering in Righeousness is less about being right and more about meek and understanding.

The next time you are in an argument, the next time you are being told your wrong when you know you are right, the next time there is a situation where you are suffering becuase of doing the right thinig, choose meekness not selfishness.

When you get pulled over, respect the authority and calmly take the ticket and fight the proper way.

When the argument starts, deteermine if both of you are in a good place emotionally to have it. Decide to say “Honey, I don’t think I’m in a great place right now to have this discussion. can we talk later?” OR when it’s with someone else “I hear what you are saying and I just disagree. I’m ok with us disagreeing on that, is that ok with you?

And allow time to tell whether you are right or wrong. Then don’t lord it over someone with the famous “I told you so!”

Peter goes on to write about

II. Suffering in Silence

1 Peter 2:21-23 “21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”

Exegete:

In short Peter writes that Christ’s example if the one we should follow when we are suffering.

He had done nothing wrong…and no guile or deceit was found abotu him. When people insulted him he didn’t insult back or threaten them.

He was silent.

Illustration:

This happened in

Matt 27:27-31 “27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. 28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30 And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. 31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.”

he was being crucified for doing nothing wrong. He was beign hit, scourgedd, and beaten for somethiing He never did adn yet he stayed silent.

We can’t stay silent if we get cut off on 72.

We can’t stay silent if someone says something on facebook.

We can find ourselves defensive even when we are wrong.

However Christ gave us the example of suffering in silence.

What it had looked like if he had chose to argue with them?

Woudl they have listened?

We often think that when we argue bacck we are helping make our point but 99% of the time, we are just participating in an argument…that won’t end well in the moment.

What if Jesu had started responding to them? “Your not the Messiah.” “O yea, and your not going to Heaven!.”

“You are a liar” “No i”m not, prove it. I never lied.”

What type of example woudl that had been? It wouldn’t hadd been holy suffering. that is how the world suffers. He chose to suffer in silence.

Apply:

What did his silent suffering lead to?

Luke 23:34 “34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”

He asked for God to forgive them. and after his death...

Matthew 27:54 “54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”

His silent suffering reflected not only on who he was but who God was.

When you suffer in silence you are choosing to elevate Christ over yourseelf and that is when people see Jesus in you.

Most people don’t see Jesus in us on our good days. It’s on our bad days that people see Jesus in us.

lastly Peter writes about how to

III. Suffer in optimism

1 Peter 2:24-25 “24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”

Exegete:

What a beautiful description of what Jesus went through in order for us to be saved.

We arer his sheep.

A sheep is not the smartest animal out there. AAnd needs the shepherd to guide, direct, and care for them.

Jesus is all of that to us. He is our savior and our shepherd. The bishop or overseer of our souls.

As the shepherrd moves the flock along there arre sometimes that one sheep that just…well..you know…does sheeep things. Like try to jump off a cliff or into a lake.

I can identify with that sheep.

And when that sheep is doing what he things is best for himself, the shepherd has to come along and use that shepherrds staff to correct them.

Now the sheep…doing sheep things, baahing and prancing aorund…is bout to be made to suffer as the shepherd has to wrap tht staff around its neck and pull it in.

If the sheep was smarrt enough though he would understand why he should be optimistic in his suffering.

He has a shepherd that is caring for him and going to do what is best for him in the long run and not just in the short term.

The sheep need to change his perspeective.

Illustrate:

I read a story recently by Bob Benson and told about his conversation with a friiend that had a heart attack

“Well, how did you like your heart attack?”

“It scared me to death, almost.”

“Would you do it again?”

“No!”

“Would you recommend it?”

“Definitely Not.”

“Does your life mean more to you now than it did before.”

“Well, yes.”

“You and Nell have always had a beautiful marriage, but are you closer now than ever?”

“Yes.”

“How about that new granddaughter?”

“Yes. Did I show you her picture?”

“Do you have a new compassion for people-a deeper understanding and sympathy?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know the Lord in a deeper, richer fellowship than you had ever realized could be possible?”

“Yes.”

“…how’d you like your heart attack?

Apply

In hindsiight the man was able to see how his suffeirng a heart attack lead to great things.

When we suffer through trials with the optimistic view in front of us, the understanding of our Shepherd and his plans, it won’t make the suffering go away, it won’t make us desire to experience the pain or loss associated with it, but it will make us grateful for the experience as we are going to come out of it better thann we went in.

Your view of suffering is dependent upon yourr view as your Savior.

When you see Jesus and what He did for you, and know Him as your Savior and Shepherd, you can trust His work through the process.

And when we suffer in optimism we are able to show others why we are optimistic.

Because our holiness and our actions are a reflection of our relationship of our Savior and demonstrate to others how great our Savior is.