Nature of Suffering
Suffering • Sermon • Submitted
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· 172 viewsSince the fall, human beings have suffered in various ways. Scripture provides insights into the nature and place of suffering both in the world and in the lives of believers.
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Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
No One is Immune
Suffering can not be bypassed or skipped
It’s inevitable
Suffering is something we all go through.
Suffering is something we all go through.
Ro
Suffering is something we all go through.
Illustration - physical, divorce, death of a spouse , financial loss,
We all Go through it
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
Dictionary of Bible Themes 5560 suffering
The experience of pain or distress, both physical and emotional. Scripture is thoroughly realistic about the place of suffering in the world and in the lives of believers. To become a Christian is not to escape from suffering, but to be able to bear suffering with dignity and hope
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To become a Christian is not to escape from suffering, but to be able to bear suffering with dignity and hope
Dictionary of Bible Themes 5560 suffering
The experience of pain or distress, both physical and emotional. Scripture is thoroughly realistic about the place of suffering in the world and in the lives of believers. To become a Christian is not to escape from suffering, but to be able to bear suffering with dignity and hope
illustration
Dictionary of Bible Themes 5560 suffering
The experience of pain or distress, both physical and emotional. Scripture is thoroughly realistic about the place of suffering in the world and in the lives of believers. To become a Christian is not to escape from suffering, but to be able to bear suffering with dignity and hope.
‘You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have’ Corrie Ten Boom
Illustration -
We must ask the question ‘what does a loving God want for the human beings he created?’
Here are two possible answers: It’s God’s job to keep human beings happy, comfortable and pain-free. That’s what a lot of people assume is meant by God being ‘loving’.
But there is another possible answer: God’s purpose for human beings is to bring them to know and love him.
Those are two very different responses.
Suffering in others should also move us to action
MESSAGES THAT MOVE US TO ACTION
MESSAGES THAT MOVE US TO ACTION
In suffering there is also a message of compassion. Jesus said,
matt 25.3
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Lets look at how it all started
I Suffering began with the fall
I Suffering began with the fall
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Our problems all started with the fall of mankind.
Suffering began with the fall
Suffering began with the fall
When sin entered into he world so did suffering.
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
From the beginning, it seems clear that God carefully planned an idyllic environment for mankind. From water to dry land, from seeds yielding herbs and fruit of all kinds, from every beast of the field, bird of the air and creature of the sea, our Creator brought forth all that was necessary to sustain human life.
On the sixth day, God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (). From Adam’s rib, God created man’s perfect complement and united Adam and Eve as husband and wife.
Then God placed them both in a beautiful garden—the Garden of Eden. Surrounded with lush greenery and an abundance of food and water, God encouraged them to freely eat of every tree in the garden except one—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Should they decide to eat of that tree, He warned them, they would surely die.
Satan then proceeded to call God a liar! He assured Eve that she would not die if she ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In fact, if she did eat of it, her eyes would be opened and she would become like God—able to know the difference between good and evil. Eve ate the “forbidden fruit” and gave some to her husband, and a chain of events immediately unfolded.
The results of disobedience
The results of disobedience
God addressed the serpent, the woman and the man. God cursed the serpent; described the pain and sorrow that Eve and all mothers would face in the course of bearing and raising children; and cursed the ground, warning Adam of the extreme hardships he and his family would experience as a result of their disobedience.
The Birth of Suffering
II Different kinds of suffering
II Different kinds of suffering
II Different kinds of suffering
II Different kinds of suffering
Different kinds of suffering
Different kinds of suffering
a) Physical pain and illness
a) Physical pain and illness
The scriptures are full of stories of sickness, pain and death.
And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
b) Emotional stress
b) Emotional stress
My heart is sore pained within me:
And the terrors of death are fallen upon me.
Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me,
And horror hath overwhelmed me.
Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop:
But a good word maketh it glad.
See also “Ben-Oni” means “son of my trouble”; ; ;
Illustration - here
c) Spiritual suffering
c) Spiritual suffering
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
Separated from God
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
See also
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
How many people suffer and fret over the prospect of death!
II Major causes of suffering
II Major causes of suffering
III Major causes of suffering
III Major causes of suffering
a) The disorder in creation
a) The disorder in creation
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Natural disasters, pestilences, disease, infections
See also ; ; ; ;
b) Human cruelty/sin
b) Human cruelty/sin
For strangers are risen up against me,
And oppressors seek after my soul:
They have not set God before them. Selah.
Murder:
Murder:
; ; ; ;
Simeon and Levi are brethren;
Instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
O my soul, come not thou into their secret;
Unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united:
For in their anger they slew a man,
And in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce;
And their wrath, for it was cruel:
I will divide them in Jacob,
And scatter them in Israel.
Oppression:
Oppression:
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
; ; ;
Family troubles
; warfare; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Family troubles
Family troubles
When my father and my mother forsake me,
Then the Lord will take me up.
See also ; ; ; ; ;
c) Old age
c) Old age
Cast me not off in the time of old age;
Forsake me not when my strength faileth.
See also
d) Satan’s activity
d) Satan’s activity
And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
See also ; ; ; ; ;
IV Overcoming Suffering
IV Overcoming Suffering
a) Cast Your care upon him!
Memories
Memories
a) Cast Your care upon him!
I am weary with my groaning;
All the night make I my bed to swim;
I water my couch with my tears.
Mine eye is consumed because of grief;
It waxeth old because of all mine enemies.
Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity;
For the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.
The Lord hath heard my supplication;
The Lord will receive my prayer.
Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed:
Let them return and be ashamed suddenly.
Oh that I were as in months past,
As in the days when God preserved me;
b) Realize God’s ways are not your ways
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
Isaiah 55
c) You will make it
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
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Closing
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Suffering is a fact of this fallen world. The Bible is a testimony to this reality. However, the complete message of the Bible is that God has His plan for redemption all worked out. Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ have a wonderful hope - a hope of eternity with God in a place where there is no more suffering, evil or death (, , , , ).
Fears
Fears
;
Resentment
Resentment
Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.
Sin and suffering
Sin and suffering
They are not necessarily related
They are not necessarily related
Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
See also ;
They are sometimes closely related
They are sometimes closely related
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
See also ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
God’s final judgment
God’s final judgment
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
See also ; ; ; ;
Effects of suffering
Effects of suffering
Hardness of heart
Hardness of heart
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
See also ;
Repentance
Repentance
;
Blessing
Blessing
It is good for me that I have been afflicted;
That I might learn thy statutes.
See also