Standing Firm in Pain

Good morning, everyone! Whether you're here with us in the room or joining online—listening live or later—I am truly glad you're here. Leaf River Baptist church exist to Know Christ, Grow in faith, and to Go make Him known.

Hey, if you’ve got kids with you this morning—now’s a great time for them to head to class. We’ve got an amazing team ready to welcome them and help them know Jesus in a way that makes sense to them.

Now we’ve been in this series in 1 Thessalonians becuase I want us to understand who we are as a church. Who are we when compared to a first century church. Are we pointing in the right direction, or are we going off base somehow. I want us, as a church, to both know who we are…but also know why we are.

You see, it’s important to understand why we do things…why we believe certain things…why we behave a certain way…why we have the leadership we have. These are all important questions that I hope will be answered as we continue moving through this series.

Now, before we move into our passage for today, which is 1 Thessalonians 2 if you want to go ahead and turn there, we’re going to finish the chapter today and talk a little about standing firm in the faith, even in suffering.

But first I want you to image that you purchased something that has claims to be incredibly strong.

The company says this item can withstand tremendous pressure.

You even believe them that will hold anything.

Actually, there’s this tape that came out about 15-20 years ago called “Flex Tape”.

Man this stuff said it could do anything.

But…there’s a difference between hearing that something is strong, and seeing it tested under pressure yourself, isn’t there.

You don’t know how strong that tape is when there’s no water leaks.

But you learn something after using it as an emergency repair one evening.

I’ll tell you, I didn’t believe that Flex Tape worked at all.

Then one Friday night there was a leak behind the bathroom wall of our house in Lafayette, and I couldn’t get in to actually cut the pipe apart and repair it…

So, I pulled that tape out and I had enough room to stretch and wrap the pipe with this stuff…

While the pipe was pressurized and actively leaking…I wrapped this tape around the pipe, and it completely stopped the leak. And it held!

In the same way…you don’t know the depth of someone’s faith when everything is going well.

If something holds under pressure…that reveals things, doesn’t it.

The Thessalonians had recieved the Gospel. They believed the gospel, and they had experienced the transforming power of Christ.

But then came suffering…and maybe some of you can relate to this.

But Paul doesn’t take their suffering and say, “Something has gone wrong here.”

No, Paul looks at their suffering and says, basically…

This doesn’t mean the gospel has failed...

In fact, the way you respond to suffering demonstrates that the Word of God has taken hold of your heart.

So this morning the questions isn’t whether Christians will experience pressure.

No, the question is: What happens to your faith when the pressure comes?

Now Christianity isn’t merely about believing doctrines in a comfortable environment.

When the gospel enters a person’s life, it changes your relationship with God, with sin, with the world, and ultimately with your priorities.

And becuase the world is opposed to Christ…there will be times when following Christ becomes costly.

So, Paul wants the Thessalonians — and us — to understand something very important: Your suffering doesn’t mean that God has lost control. Your suffering doesn’t mean the gospel has failed. In fact…something pretty amazing is that God can use our suffering for his purposes.

In fact, this passage gives us three things that God accomplished through the suffering of his people.

Before we split this section apart…I want us to hear Paul’s argument as a whole. While I read this…listen especially for what he says about recieving the Word, suffering, opposition, and his longing for these believers.

1 Thessalonians 2:13–20 ESV

13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last! 17 But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

Paul’s first emphasis is that these believers didn’t merely hear the gospel. They recieved it for what it actually is — the Word of God.

Paul shares how that Word was at work in their lives even when receiving it became painful.

That’s actually our first point this morning. The first thing you have to do is…

Receive the Gospel (v. 13-14)

The gospel is not just information we hear — it is God’s Word that works in the lives of those who receive it by faith!

This is what the church has been built on, the Word of God. This is the very message of Jesus Christ.

The same Word that brings us salvation — enables us to live for Christ and endure suffering for his sake.

So

They received the Gospel as God’s Word

Look at the language Paul uses in verse 13. He is thanking God, not becuase they listened to the message…but because they believed the truth of the Gospel.

On top of that, Paul was thankful they had recieved the gospel for what is actually is — the Word of God — becuase this is how they endure the suffering they experienced.

Now, Paul is distinguishing between man’s word and God’s word.

This is important becuase he isn’t saying, “You people were impressed by my preaching”

Paul is saying that they recognized that the message was God’s Word.

Listen…they appreciated the message as God’s holy word.

They believed in their heart that this was God’s holy word.

and they applied the word in their lives…

You see, there is a difference between admiring God’s word, or agree with God’s word, or even participating in God’s word…all of those things are good.

However, receiving God’s word is far deeper because it takes root in your heart…The Thessalonians received the Word of God.

That’s why

The Word of God was “at work” in them

The gospel was in the process of actually changing them from the inside out…the same should be true about you.

The Word of God changes everything.

It changes: what you love — what you fear — what you seek — what you say — and even how you respond to suffering.

That’s because

Receiving the Word means following Christ — even when it’s hard.

These new Christians in Thessalonica became imitators of the churches in Judea because they had suffered at the hands of their own people already.

Look at how this happens too…

They received the word —> The Word changes them —> They followed Christ —> Following Christ brought suffering.

Now let me be clear here…this is not a failure of the Gospel.

This is what it means to follow Jesus is a fallen, sin filled world.

Jesus never promised his disciples that obedience would always be comfortable. And any Bible teacher that tells you that is lying to you.

In fact, what Jesus said is the opposite

John 15:18 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.

Then in a later letter Paul writes

2 Timothy 3:12 ESV

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

Now that doesn’t mean that every Christian will experience the same level of persecution.

It does mean that you really shouldn’t be shocked when your faithfulness costs you something.

So…ask yourself this morning.

What does obedience to God’s Word currently cost me?

Maybe it’s a relationship…a sinful hapbit…popularity…money…comfort…an opportunity, or a job…

Maybe there’s someone you need to talk to…or there’s someone you need to forgive…maybe the thing you need to do is stop hiding your faith.

Don’t measure the success of your Christian life by how comfortable you are…ask yourself if you’re willing to obey when it costs you something.

Now, the Thessalonians didn’t discover the Gospel was true because suffering came. No, suffering revealed that the Gospel had truly taken root in their lives.

They had received God’s Word…and God’s Word was working inside of them.

Paul doesn’t stop here though…You see, once you receive the gospel we need to understand something else is true.

There is opposition to the gospel.

So you need to

Recognize Opposition (v.15-16)

When you decide to faithfully proclaim Christ, you should not see opposition as a failure.

Actually, this is kind of amazing. You see, Thessalonian beleivers are experiencing the same type of opposition because they belong to Christ.

Here’s the pattern…First—there is rejection of the message…then there is persecution of the messenger.

The Gospel has always faced opposition.

Paul shows that these beleivers are not the first or the only beleivers who have suffered. They are experiencing something that God’s people have experienced throughout redemptive history.

So Paul points them backwards. These new Christians are a part of a long history of opposition to God’s messengers.

The prophets suffered — Christ suffered — the apostles suffered — now the Thessalonians are suffering.

Now this is actually important for us to think about…and important to remember.

Faithfulness does not guarantee the absence of opposition.

The thing is — somethings we think, “If I’m doing God’s will, everyone should appreciate it.”

Well…Jesus was perfectly faithful…and people crucified him.

Paul was faithful…and people opposed him.

The Thessalonians were faithful…and they were persecuted.

So don’t assume that if people reject you, that you must be doing something wrong.

Sometimes people reject us because they are rejecting Christ…

The reality is that

Opposition to the gospel is opposition to Christ.

Paul points out that they killed the Lord Jesus. That’s important because the opposition we experience is not about an ideology…Christianity is not a philosophy to be opposed. Opposition to Christianity is about an opposition to a person.

God commands you repent and believe in Christ.

The problem is that this is a message that confronts human pride.

We want to save ourselves…we want to be our own authority.

We don’t want someone telling us, “You are a sinner who needs a Savior.”

That’s exactly why the gospel provokes opposition.

Becuase when you share the gospel with someone, you’re telling them that they have sinned against a holy God, they cannot save themselves, and that they need a savior.

Now…there’s something else you need to realize…

There’s a big difference between being persecuted because you are faithful to Christ.

…and…

being disliked because you’re being foolish, arrogant, combative, or unloving.

So…

Don’t confuse gospel opposition with personal hostility

Some of you know exactly what I’m talking about because there are some folks you just don’t personally get along with…or maybe you are the one that others don’t get along with.

1 Peter 2:19 ESV

19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

The key idea here is suffering unjustly.

So…when people oppose you, you should ask,

“Are they rejecting Christ — or are they rejecting my bad attitude?”

The thing is that it’s not our job to manufacture persecution.

Our job is to be faithful…We speak the truth boldly…We speak the truth lovingly…We live holy lives…We don’t compromise with the gospel…And then we leave the results up to God.

Now I want to ask you all to do somethign specific this week. Identify one place where you have been tempted to soften, hide, or compromise the gospel because of the potential reaction of someone else.

The…ask yourself this question: “What would faithfulness look like here?”

Maybe it means standing firm when you talk to your coworker, or refusing to participate in a sinful conversation.

Maybe there are some of you here today that need to realize that faithfulness means talking to a family member about the gospel, and even explaining why you will not compromise your convictions.

Maybe for someone else it means simply refusing to be ashamed of Jesus and openly sharing your story about what God has done in your life.

Listen…The gospel will be opposed. We don’t need to look for opposition, but we also shouldn’t be surprised by it .

Paul is about to get more personal with all of this. Suffering doesn’t just affect our relationship with the world…it affects our relationship with one another.

So…sometimes you just need to

Rejoice in Fellowship (v.17-20)

Listen…sometimes we can feel alone as we experience various trials and suffering…but Christians may be seperated physiclaly, but that distance cannot tear the bond of fellowship created by Christ.

To be able to endure the hardships that come along with persecution…

Christian fellowship matters deeply.

Paul talked about the realities of persecution…but then he turns a bit more personal. Paul tells the Christians in Thessalonica that how much he longs to see them again.

Paul’s heart is with these new Christians…he shares that they are not alone in their suffering.

Even more than that…I think we can all be encouraged here because we see that Christianity is not about being alone.

We are saved individually…but we are saved into the more full body of Christ.

In other words, the Christian life is not about “Me, Jesus, my Bible, and nobody else.”

God has given us the church…he has given us pastors and teachers…he has given us other believers to encourage us when we are weak.

But listen…

Satan seeks to hinder gospel fellowship.

Paul even talked about that in this passage…that Satan had hindered them.

Now, this is pretty interesting here. You might remember that when we talked about Acts 17 as we started this series, we saw that a Christian named Jason had to give financial securities to be released from custody.

When Paul is discussing how Satan, which means adversary, has hindered them, he is likely referring to their joint persecution…including this arrest which made Paul leave the area.

Paul want’s to rejoin them…but he is unable to do that, due to spiritual warfare.

Folks…if you don’t listen to anything else this morning…you need to understand the reality of spiritual warfare.

There’s something really cool here though. You see, Paul is pointing out the spiritual battle that is ongoing…but he never indicates that Satan won does he.

Paul doesn’t say, God tried, but his plan failed…You see, there’s a difference between being hindered…and being defeated. Satan hindered Paul…he did not defeat God.

Satan can hinder our plans here on this Earth….He cannot overthrow God’s purposes.

That means that when we suffer, either alone, or with others…there may be circumstances that we can’t change.

You may have prayed and the situation never changed…you may have tried to fix something and couldn’t do it. You may even feel useless from time to time…

but remember something really important!

God is not limited by the things that limit you!

Paul was physically separated from these beleivers…yet God was still working towards our ultimate joy.

Do you know what that is?

Our ultimate joy is people standing before Christ.

here is where Paul tells us why these people matter so much to him.

He doesn’t point to money or success or reputation or any other earthy accomplishments.

Paul points to the return Christ as the ultimate joy…that moment when we will all be reunited.

Let me just read this section again.

1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 ESV

19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

Listen, Pauls greatest joy is that these people in Thessalonica belong to Christ.

His “crown of boasting” is not about a selfish pride, or earning anything before God. His joy is wrapped up in the spiritual fruit God has produced through the Gospel.

That is what gets Paul excited…

So, what gets you excited?

Why did we just rework our mission and vision as a church? Because we want to be a church that is clear about what God has placed us here to do.

That includes telling others about Jesus…not because we want to increase attendance, or increase baptisms for the numbers…

Not because we want people to think that we are a good little church over here in Leaf River…

No…we do these things becuase PEOPLE NEED JESUS!

PAUSE

Listen everyone…this is soo important.

There is coming a day when Jesus is coming back.

On that day…there is only one thing that will matter.

Christ will matter…and the people who belong to Christ will be with him.

Standing firm in our faith isn’t just about surviving until Jesus returns…Standing firm means remaining faithful to his mission while we wait for him to return.

PAUSE

If you want to know how a Christian stands firm when suffering comes…well…Scripture tells us where to look. Not at ourselves…look to Christ.

Hebrews 12:1–3 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Jesus endured

Jesus suffered

Jesus was rejected — mocked — beaten — and crucified

Not for his own sins, but for ours…

Now maybe you’re sitting here today and you are just now realizing something pretty important.

You’ve been trying to endure the hardships of life on your own strength and you realize you just can’t do that any more.

Listen, Christianity doesn’t start with you being strong enough before God.

Christianity begins with recognizing that you are a sinner who is not strong enough to save yourself.

You have sinned against a holy God…you deserve his righteous judgment.

But God sent his Son — Jesus Christ — the perfectly righteous Son of God.

Jesus lived the life you simply cannot live.

Then he went to the cross to bear the judgement that you deserve.

Jesus died — was buried — and then three days later he rose from the grave!

Now today…God commands you to repent and believe the gospel.

Turn from your sin, and turn from your own way of doing things.

You don’t need to prove yourself…you don’t need to make yourself worthy…you just need to trust Jesus.

John 6:37 ESV

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

PAUSE

Now Christian…your suffering is not wasted.

Some of you are in pain and you don’t know what to do with it…

Listen, your pain is not outside of God’s sovereignty.

Your hardship does not mean Jesus has abandoned you…just the opposite.

Just like the that flex seal tape held under pressure…your faith is tested under pressure…those trials reveal what you’re trusting in. They can expose your own weaknesses, deepen your dependance upon Christ, and demonstrate that God is at work in you.

PAUSE

The Thessalonians suffered becuase they recieved the Word of God and were living as followers of Christ

They suffered because they belonged to Christ.

They suffered because the Gospel was opposed…but their suffering didn’t destroy them…God used it.

Don’t waste your suffering Christian…Stand firm in the face of opposition.

The reason we can stand firm is not that we’re strong enough to hold onto Jesus…It’s that Jesus is strong enough — to hold onto us!

Let me leave you with this promise this morning. Peter does not deny suffering. He doesn’t pretend it isn’t painful. He tells us that suffering has an expiration date, but God’s grace does not.

1 Peter 5:10–11 ESV

10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

PAUSE

The suffering is temporary. The glory is eternal. And the God of all grace is with His people. That's a promise we can hold onto this week!

Let’s Pray