Through Many Tribulations

INTRODUCTION

When I was growing up, my favorite author was Roald Dahl and my favorite children’s book was, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”

In that book, Grandpa Joe tells Charlie the story of Prince Pondicherry.

He was an Indian prince who loved Wonka’s candy creations and he requested the Wonka build him a chocolate palace.

Wonka builds it and he tells the man that he better start eating it because it will melt.

Pondicherry says, “No. I’m not eating it. I’m going to live in it.”

Well, it is India, where it gets rather hot.

So on a hot day, the sun was bearing down on the chocolate palace and next thing you know, Pondicherry had a chocolate swimming pool from where the chocolate all melted.

Pondicherry did not get to enjoy the thing he invested in.

He did not get to enjoy the thing that he built.

Thankfully, the Christian life is not like Prince Pondicherry’s experience.

Thankfully, the kingdom of God is not like his chocolate palace.

Instead, those to whom the Kingdom belongs...

Those who have been used to build it...

They will enjoy it forever as those who have walked the path of affliction with the King.

CONTEXT

We are back in Acts 14 today. As we wrap it up, we will be wrapping up Paul’s first missionary journey.

He has come from Antioch to Cyprus, by way of Seleucia.

On Cyprus, he and Barnabas go to Salamis and then Paphos, where they encounter the false prophet, Bar-Jesus.

From there, they go to Perga in Pamphylia and from Perga, they go to Pisidian Antioch.

And then it was the places we saw in chapter 14—Iconium, Lystra and now Derbe in this passage this morning.

And then we will see that from Derbe, Paul and Barnabas work backward through the places they had ministered, eventually returning to Antioch, the place of their commissioning.

All of this takes place over a period of two years, in 46-47 AD.

And as we look at the end of this journey, we will have three teaching points this morning:

Those who enter the Kingdom are those who suffer with the King (v. 22; Romans 8:17)

Those who enter the Kingdom are those who overcome in the King (v. 22; John 16:33)

Those who enter the Kingdom are those who build for the King (v. 21-28)

And then we will close with two encouragements for those who suffer now where we bring these ideas together.

Acts 14:21–28 ESV

When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples.

SUFFER WITH THE KING (v. 22, Romans 8:17)

We have Paul and Barnabas going back through the cities in v. 21, strengthening and encouraging the disciples that had been made in their previous efforts.

This is both an individual and congregational work that they are doing.

They are strengthening the souls of the disciples—this is individual work in the believers there.

This is pastoral care that is helping the people of the churches along in their early steps of sanctification.

But they are also encouraging “them,” —the entire church—to continue in the faith.

This is a pastoral exhortation to the whole family of faith in each of the cities.

They were speaking to the whole church saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (v. 22).

I believe this verse is the key to this passage and in many ways, sums up all of chapter 14.

It is not just a statement of doctrinal fact.

This is a statement of Paul’s experience.

He has lived this and the brothers and sisters in these places know this.

They have seen the way he was threatened and chased and conspired against all throughout his mission work.

He has been a walking, talking example to them that the kingdom of God is entered through many tribulations.

WHAT HE DOES NOT MEAN

Let’s start with what Paul does not mean.

He does not mean that we are working for our salvation by earning favor with God through suffering.

Taken out of context, one might try and argue with that.

This is where basic hermeneutics will help us.

Hermeneutics is art of biblical interpretation.

One of the most basic principles of hermeneutics is that no passage of Scripture will contradict another.

So when the Bible says:

Ephesians 2:8–9 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

…That lets us know that Paul is not saying that you must suffer in order to earn your place in God’s Kingdom.

I don’t think that would be a very encouraging message that would compel them to continue on in the faith (v. 22).

So—What is he saying?

WHAT HE DOES MEAN?

Well I believe he was telling them something about the Christian life.

The Apostles suffered like Christ.

Those who respond to the Apostles’ preaching should expect the same.

They will suffer like the Apostles.

Paul is preparing them for the road ahead.

They should not expect to find it marked with health, wealth and prosperity.

They should expect it to look like the road they’ve seen Paul traveling—one marked with hardship and adversity.

One marked with tribulations.

This brings us to our first teaching point this morning:

1. Those who enter the kingdom are those who suffer with the King (v. 22, Romans 8:17).

As we look as verse 22, the word tribulations translates from the Greek word thlipsis.

It means afflictions and distresses.

And it cannot be disconnected from Paul and Barnabas are doing earlier in the verse—they are “encouraging” these young Christians to continue in the faith.

They are calling on them to endure to the end.

They are strengthening their souls with precious discipleship in order to prepare them for what is to come.

And Paul says, “Just take a look at my last couple of years—the narrow road comes with cuts and bruises.”

“Continue to the end! Just know it will get tough.”

In many ways, this is a call to suffer with the King.

Perhaps Paul said something similar to these believers as he said to the Romans about ten years later.

Romans 8:16–17 ESV

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

We belong to God and we are adopted into His family by grace. We are children of God.

And sonship means heirship.

If we are His sons, then we get His inheritance.

Christ is God’s preeminent Son and His inheritance is the whole world—the nations.

Psalm 2:8–9 ESV

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

And Christ is the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:29 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

The word firstborn is not meant to be taken literally. It is a metaphorical term that is pointing to Christ’s preeminence—His unique and exalted position.

As the only begotten Son of God, Jesus is the One who inherits the nations.

However, since we sons of God by adoption and we are the younger brothers of Christ by grace, His inheritance is shared with us.

It is beautiful imagery.

However, what we are seeing in Romans 8:17 is that if we are going to reign with Him and be glorified with Him, then we must suffer with Him.

What does it mean that we “suffer with” Christ?

Here is William Shedd explaining it:

Suffering on account of the Gospel is fellow-suffering with Christ.

William Shedd

This logically makes sense, right?

If we are going to share in the inheritance that comes at the end of the age, doesn’t it make sense that we must be willing to suffer with Christ during this age?

If we are going to be inheriting the nations with Him then, surely we must be willing to endure the rage of the nations with Him now?

If there will be fellowship in the inheritance, there must be a readiness to have fellowship in the suffering.

As Paul looks at these young Christians, with his body run down from two years on the mission field being persecuted at every turn...

Having experienced a wide range of reactions to their ministry, with everything from being worshipped to being nearly killed and left for dead...

He is able to say to them from his own experiences— “through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

He is telling them that faithfulness gets hard.

And if they want the glory that comes at the end of faithfulness, they will have to endure the suffering that comes from carrying your cross and doing what God has commanded you to do.

In Paul’s discipleship, there is no category for simply ingesting religion.

He’s got no version of Christianity to offer you where you show up for church here and there and consume.

You get some virtue to help you with your vices and then you leave and pretty much go about your life like the rest of the world that does not believe.

In Paul’s discipleship, there is no category for imagined religion.

He’s got no version of Christianity to offer you where you don’t read the Bible or go to church or obey Jesus, but you still claim the name of Christ because it was what you were raised in or what you have mentally assented to.

The only religion Paul seems to know is the kind where you lock in the chin strap and you hit the guy next to you on the shoulder pads and then you go out on the field and run the plays and deal with whatever pain that comes.

Paul has an “on the field,” sort of faith in mind when he says, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom...”

And I love the football illustration. Here is why:

If you play in a football game, you don’t have to look for contact.

Just keep playing—the contact will find you.

We know that Paul is not saying that suffering for Jesus’ name saves you.

No work can save you.

So in light of that, we don’t need to go out and seek persecution in order to gain the prize of eternal life.

Jesus has won eternal life for you by dying for your sins. By rising again.

Instead, we simply respond to His gift of love by obeying Him and serving Him.

If you do that—if you obey Jesus and serve Jesus in this world—you don’t need to seek out the persecution.

Just keep proclaiming and praying and loving well in Christ’s name—in a world that is filled with blasphemous hatred for God, the contact will find you.

BUILDING FOR THE KING (v. 21-28)

But this is where I want to be clear—the Christian life is not one where we just receiving reviling everyday and then go to our prayer closets to cry and get bandaged up by the Holy Spirit.

There are certainly days like that.

But as much as it can be a life of suffering for the King, it is also a life of building.

As you enter the Kingdom through many tribulations, you get the joy of serving Christ as a kingdom-builder all along the way.

2. Those who enter the Kingdom are those who build for the King (v. 21-28).

Paul has suffered greatly in his first missionary journey, but he has also done great things for the Lord.

This is evidenced by Luke’s description of the end of the trip.

Here is a summary of what Paul and Barnabas have done after Paul is stoned at Lystra.

They go to Derbe and make disciples there

They travel back through Lystra to Iconium and to Pisidian Antioch

This is worth stopping for a moment and talking about.

From Derbe, Paul and Barnabas could have traveled east for 140 miles and gotten to Tarsus.

And then they could go 140 miles further and they would have been back in Antioch.

But instead, they make the choice to double back through the cities they had already been to in order to disciple the young believers in those places

These were cities in which they were persecuted and chased and harmed and yet, for the sake of the spiritual growth of the church, they sacrificed comfort and convenience and risked life and limb.

One of the most important things they do in these cities is to appoint elders for them in every church

Elder/Pastor are interchangeable terms

Notice a couple of things:

First of all, they appoint multiple elders in each place

It is not good for men to shepherd alone

There should be a plurality of male elders who are governing the church with the Word of God

Titus 1:5 ESV

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—

Secondly, notice that there is no pastor search committee

They aren’t putting up a vacant position for the new Derbe church plant on the state convention’s job board

They are raising these men up from within each congregation

You can see why Paul and Barnabas would travel backward and put forth so much effort to revisit these cities.

They needed instructions for some of the most basic things like getting pastors in place

They commit the new believers and churches to the Lord with prayer and fasting.

They pass through Pisidia and come to Pamphylia.

This is an 11 day journey—175 miles.

They preach the Gospel in Perga—the capital of Pamphylia

After all of this, they sail from Attalia to Antioch, who sent them out, and they report to the church all that the Lord had done in opening up a door for the Gospel in these pagan places.

This summary of the end of Paul’s trip does not sound like a life of drudgery.

While we know that he will come back to Antioch bearing scars on his body for the Gospel’s sake, we also see that he comes back with a report of the Lord’s work on his tongue.

And Paul has this report because he is building the Kingdom.

He is surrendered to God’s call on his life and he is being used. He is being poured out.

God is building His Kingdom through the Apostle.

KINGDOM CITIZENS WILL BUILD

Now, the question is—why was Paul so surrendered to his calling and the work of building the Kingdom?

2 Corinthians 5:9–11 ESV

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

One day, Paul will stand before God’s throne and answer for his life.

He wants to stand there as a man who has pleased God.

Therefore, knowing the fear of God, he persuades others as an ambassador for Christ.

It is ultimately a reverent, healthy fear of God that will lead us to fulfill our ministry, no matter the cost and to build God’s Kingdom.

And it is a healthy fear of God that will lead us to deal with the consequences of that ministry.

Paul made a choice that he would rather suffer here than before the bar of Christ when he is called to account for his life.

You might say, “But didn’t Paul love the people he ministered to? Didn’t that motivate him?”

Absolutely.

But behind that love, there is a servant of God who is saying, “I want to please the God I fear by loving His people well.”

And he is committed to do that no matter what—even if they stone him and leave him for the birds to eat.

He will get back up, keep ministering and then stop in the city on his way back through to set up pastoral elder bodies in each city so that the Gospel will carry on long past his time.

OVERCOME IN THE KING (v. 22, John 16:33)

Now, if the message this morning was, “God has saved you, so go out there in your own strength and try and live for Him and suffer for Him and hope to see you on the other side!” then it would not be very good news.

The words of Romans 8:17 about suffering with Him and being glorified with Him would feel like a long-shot at best.

Paul’s words in v. 22 would actually be anxiety and despair inducing.

Who can enter this kingdom? Who can stand these tribulations? Who dares to build the Kingdom, knowing the consequences that could come...

But in order to offer Good News and hope, let’s look to our final teaching point this morning...

3. Those who enter the Kingdom are those who overcome in the King (v. 22, John 16:33).

To understand how we have not been left alone in the world as we suffer for Christ, let’s turn to Jesus’ words in John 16:33:

John 16:33 ESV

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

What does it mean that Jesus has overcome the world? And why should that statement give us the ability to take heart in a world which will bring us tribulation?

OVERCOMING THE WORLD

Well, I think that Christ’s overcoming the world refers to His entire work as the Messiah.

He has been tempted and yet, He is without sin.

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Satan came for Christ and tempted Him to sinfully fill His belly, to sinfully test God and to sinfully take a shortcut to the inheritance of the world’s kingdoms, but at the end of the bout, the devil has left Him and God’s angels are ministering to Him—showing how the Son is still in favor with the Father because He has remained sinless in the face of severe temptation.

He has been obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:8 ESV

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

This is what Jesus was born to do. To save His people from their sins.

And this meant that He had to die the death that should have belonged to you.

This meany He was a Substitute for us. A sacrifice for sin.

He has been resurrected from the grave, conquering death.

Revelation 1:17–18 ESV

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

Jesus has the keys of Death and Hades as the One who has died and rose again.

He has authority over Death.

He is the Living One who has shown that authority by defeating death in the resurrection.

This resurrection signified that Jesus’ sinless sacrifice was accepted by God the Father.

This resurrection vindicated Christ’s words and proved He is who He said He was.

And this resurrection showed Him as the Victor over His enemies—Death, Satan, sin and the world.

This Messianic work of Christ in His life, death and resurrection has neutered the powers of this age. He has overcome them.

Jesus’ point is that by his death he has made the world’s opposition beggarly. The decisive battle has been waged and won. The world continues its wretched attacks, but those who are in Christ share in the victory He has won. They cannot be harmed by the world’s evil. They know who triumphs in the end.

DA Carson

So in John 16, as Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to leave them in a world filled with tribulation, this is the thing they are to be clinging to.

This is the thing that will give them the heavenly courage to face the day.

They are to take heart because Jesus has overcome the world in His ministry.

He has overcome the world in His living, dying and rise again.

There is no need to despair.

The world still might bite us, but because of Christ, all the venom has been taken out of their attack.

We share in His victory.

This is what carries us to the finish line in a world of tribulations.

This is the grace we ride into the Kingdom.

MORE THAN CONQUERORS

Paul says it this way in Romans 8:37:

Romans 8:37 ESV

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

If you read that passage, Paul is asking whether or not tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword can separate us from the love of Christ.

And his resounding answer is NO.

Not only do these things not separate us from His love—we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us in all these things.

How can that be?

Because as these things weaken us, Christ gives us His strength.

And as we depend on Him, we love sin less and we love Christ more, making us more into His image.

So then, with each bit of tribulation, we are being sanctified and moving closer and closer to the glory that is to come.

The beggarly world then beats on us, but we are able to endure because we know that the punches are ultimately powerless.

Moreover, we know that any temporary weakness the world’s punches bring, will be met by the overcoming strength of Christ who will use the suffering to sanctify us.

And then one day, we will stand faultless before the throne of God by the grace of Jesus and our overcoming in Christ that we have sewn will reap its ultimate and final reward:

Revelation 3:21 ESV

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

APPLICATION

But this is where I want to remind us that we are not like Prince Pondicherry from Grandpa Joe’s story.

We are not suffering for and building a Kingdom that will melt around us.

We are not suffering a Kingdom we will never enjoy.

We have had three points this morning:

Those who enter the Kingdom suffer with the King.

Those who enter the Kingdom build for the King.

Those who enter the Kingdom overcome in the King.

Here is how those three teaching points converge and compel us to go back out into the world, doing the work of ministry tomorrow:

As those who overcome in the King, we will get to enjoy all of the blessings of the Kingdom that we suffer to build.

Let me repeat that just to be sure we got it:

As those who overcome in the King, we will get to enjoy all of the blessings of the Kingdom that we suffer to build.

The Kingdom we are building is the Kingdom we will inherit as co-heirs with Christ.

The Kingdom we bleed for is the Kingdom that we will enjoy forever because of Christ’s blood.

The Kingdom we suffer to advance is the Kingdom we will joyfully serve in forever in the light of God’s glory.

The writer, Leo Tolstoy, said:

The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.

Leo Tolstoy

And this is true—the things we have done which will have their echo in the halls of the heaven are the things we have done for the Kingdom.

But we are not like the people who were working in the coal room at the bottom of a luxury ocean liner back in the early 1900’s.

They would be down in the bowels of the ship shoveling coal to keep everything running, while the rich and affluent were up top eating and drinking like ancient rulers.

The people in the bottom were working for blessings only to be enjoyed by others. They would never taste them.

Instead, we are more like the sons and daughters of royalty who spend our days working hard to enlarge and advance the Kingdom that belongs to us.

We will go to war for the Kingdom.

We will be ambassadors for the Kingdom.

We will proclaim the glories of the Kingdom far and wide.

And we will do these things at a high cost.

But we are willing because the King of the Kingdom has promised that not only will the Kingdom be ours—but so will the King.

He will be our God and we will be His people forever.

A CALL NOT TO GIVE UP

Our Church Covenant says this:

Having been brought by God’s grace to repent and believe in Jesus, having given ourselves to Him, and having been baptized following our profession of faith; we, relying on God’s grace, joyfully enter into this covenant with each other to seek to walk worthy of the calling we have received by doing two things:

LIVING OUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE GOSPEL TOWARD THE WORLD

Through demonstrating the love of Jesus through hands on ministry to the community

Through finding ways to share the good news of Jesus

Through faithful financial giving to support the work of this church and its ministry to the world

PARTICIPATING IN THE MINISTRY OF OUR CHURCH

By discovering our gifts and talents

By being equipped to serve by and with our pastors

By developing a servant’s heart

Sometimes we get TIRED as we do these things.

Sometimes we get SCARED as we do these things.

Sometimes we get TIRED of being SCARED.

Sometimes we get SCARED of being TIRED.

Sometimes we think about the rejection that we might receive if we really obey Jesus and we recoil.

Sometimes we think about the recoiling we have already done and we are in despair.

But I want to say to you—press on.

Don’t shrink back now.

Continue to living out this Gospel to the world.

Continue to participate in the Lord’s ministry.

Do not get discouraged.

Understand that whatever cost we may pay in there here and now will come back to us a hundredfold in the Kingdom.

Matthew 19:29 ESV

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

Whatever loss you have suffered or you are suffering or you will ultimately suffer for Christ is no loss at all.

For you, as an overcomer, it is gain.

Therefore, keep building.

Those who suffer with Him are glorified with Him.

Those who overcome in Him reign with Him.

Surrender your heart to be a Kingdom-builder.

Whatever you give up now, you will gain later and you will enjoy forever.