Firm in Suffering

Today we continue in the series entitled “ Stand Firm” in which we are investigating the admonition of Paul to stand Firm in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Last week we answered the question of “How to remain firm in the faith” by encouraging each other and building each other up in the faith.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (CSB)

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.

We talked about the difference between affirmation and true encouragement. We discussed the need for our church to create a true family environment in which everyone knows everyone else and seeks to only speak those things that will encourage and build up each other.

Now as we mentioned last week, one of the biggest reasons why people leave the church is due to discouragement. The principle of encouragement is that critical.

Today we are going to look a common method of discouragement used by the enemy to get us to quit or to attempt or cause fear so that we are less affective.

The method used is often suffering.

Does suffering always come a direct attack from the enemy?

Suffering can come from evil people.

Suffering can come, of our own making, through bad decisions or the natural consequences of our sin.

Suffering can be a result of living in a broken sin-cursed world where our bodies fail us, sickness and disease thrive, and crops fail.

But no matter what the source of suffering is the enemy will try to use it, to discourage you and ultimately attempt to discourage you to the point of walking away or affecting your usefulness as a believer.

Listen to this quote from R.C. Sproul.

It is when we view our suffering as meaningless—without purpose—that we are tempted to despair.

R. C. Sproul

I . The Reason for their suffering - The Gospel.

1 Thessalonians 1:4–6 CSB

4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance. You know how we lived among you for your benefit, 6 and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit.

As we discussed last week Thessalonica was anything, but a Christian city. People came from all over the known world to live in this city and benefit from its commerce and trade. Eventually 1/3 of the population became Jewish. So as you can imagine the Jews were quite influential. So when Paul originally began to preach to the Jews in Thesalonica he was met with both success and great persecution.

In acts 17 Paul and Silas travel to this region and begin to preach the gospel many people believe but many of the influential Jews became jealous of the new church influence and immediately begin to persecute the new Christians. So much so that Paul and Silas had to escape at night.

1 Thessalonians 2:17–18 CSB

17 But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.

This is how the church was birthed in Thesalonica

So the salvation of the Christians in Thessalonica faced immediate backlash so much so that Paul and Silas had to leave by night in order to avoid arrest. They then later wrote this letter to the new believers in order to encourage them and let them know they had not abandoned them.

Now I want you to imagine with me a situation where the only reason you are suffering in this world is because of the Gospel.

How would you feel about your newfound faith that is causing you and your loved ones harm because of it.

What do you do?

A simple denial will end all of your present suffering.

It will stop the unjust treatment of your kids and family. How do you remain faithful to your faith when it seems that God has forgotten you? What is the point of all this?

Have you ever felt this way? I am sure many of you have. I have as well. My wife will tell you that Just like many of you, I have been tempted to give up and go do something else.

So then what will keep your feet firmly planted when things get tough?

The answer or hope comes through the very reason why we often suffer. The Gospel.

II. The Hope in their Suffering - The Gospel

Listen to this scripture.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 CSB

3 We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

This scripture gives us several things to think about before we choose to walk away.

#1. God is working through you.

Don’t waste it by giving up now. You’ve worked to hard to give up now. Develop a divine stubbornness. Your faith and suffering is producing works. Keep going. Finish strong. Don’t suffer in vain by quitting the race.

You must remember that you are not a lone in your trials.

1 Peter 5:8–9 CSB

8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

You are not the first to go through trials. That doesn’t mean your trial is easy, but rather you are not alone in experiencing

Grief

mocking

Pain

Loss

Depression

Fear.

There is a long line of people that have come before you and many even now that are endured hardship for the sake of the cross. Let their faithfulness be a reminder that with the power of Christ in you. You can endure too.

Do not let the enemy decieve you into believing that no one understands what you are going through and that you are isolated and alone. It is not not true. Endure, Stand Firm.

In doing so you will be an example to those coming behind you. Which brings us the next part of this verse.

#2 Endure for the love of those around you.

As a pastor, I feel this reason deeply. The longer I am here the more I love you all and the more that love keeps my family and I devoted to serving here. I remember often that I am not the only pastor in this world and there there many faithful men preaching in small obscure towns, where it is hard.

What would it say to people around me If I were to give up and go some place else because revitalization is hard.

What does it say to the people around you when you decide to give up and go some place else. It says you are not worth the effort. But when we love we are willing to endure and work hard together to ensure that this community has a gospel presence.

Your willing to give up your preferences and creature comforts for the sake of others and the gospel. You realize that struggling well,l leaves a lasting example for those coming behind you.

You realize your love for others and your faithful testimoney will outlast the trials you face.

So we continue on because Love...

1 Corinthians 13:7 CSB

7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love keeps us together....

We cannot say we love each other well if we are not willing to labor together for the sake of the Gospel. We realize life and the mission is bigger than us. So we labor together. We strive together. We suffer to together. And together We Stand Firm.

We remind ourselves that we have placed our Hope not in the present world, but in Christ.

You see the solution to their suffering is

III. The Solution to their Suffering - The Gospel

AMG Bible Illustrations (Suffering for Christ)

There was a certain king whose son was sent upon an errand to a far country, and when he came into that country, although he was the lawful prince of it, he found that the citizens would not acknowledge him. They mocked at him, jeered at him, and took him and set him in the pillory, and there they scoffed at him and pelted him with filth. Now, there was one in that country who knew the prince, and he alone stood up for him when all the mob was in tumult raging against him.

And when they set him on high as an object of scorn, this man stood side by side with him to wipe the filth from that dear royal face; and when from cruel hands missiles in scorn were thrown, this man took his full share; and whenever he could he thrust himself before the prince to ward off the blows from him if possible, and to bear the scorn instead of him.

Now it came to pass that after awhile the prince went on his way, and in due season the man who had been the prince’s friend was called to the king’s palace. And on a day when all the princes of the court were around, and the peers and nobles of the land were sitting in their places, the king came to his throne and he called for that man, and he said, “Make way, princes and nobles! Make way! Here is a man more noble than you all, for he stood boldly forth with my son when he was scorned and scoffed at! Make way, I say, each one of you, for he shall sit at my right hand with my own son.

As he took a share of his scorn, he shall now take a share of his honor.” And there sat princes and nobles who wished that they had been there—they now envied the man who had been privileged to endure scorn and scoffing for the prince’s sake! You need not that I interpret the parable. May you make angels envious of you, if envy can ever pierce their holy minds. You can submit for Christ’s sake to sufferings which it is not possible for seraphim or cherubim to endure.—C. H. Spurgeon

You see you maybe suffering for the sake of Christ because of the Gospel. Yet the solution to your suffering is remembering the Gospel message itself. Why did you trust the gospel in the first place? Because it is our Hope that suffering is not forever. Those who stand firm in suffering will be rewarded with our Savior Jesus Christ.

So keep on reminding yourself that this is temporary and nothing can separate us from God.

Say this next passage with me as a public confession of your Hope in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:38–39 CSB

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.