Why is this man Suffering? (Part 2)

The last time I spoke to you, we were in John chapter 9 and we were talking about the issue of suffering and having a right understanding of suffering

Please open your bibles there

English Standard Version Chapter 9

9 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

The disciples, in making their observations, about this man voiced the common understanding of the people of that day.

That is, that suffering (in this case, blindness), was always the result of sin.

Jesus immediately challenged their understanding by saying this:

“It was not this man who sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

For the disciples, this must have been a revolutionary statement. “What? You mean that there is more to suffering than just being punished for sin?”

And for us, maybe we are scratching our heads and wondering, ok, what are the works of God that He wants to display in us?

This past week, as I was preparing for this sermon, and searching the Scriptures, I began to get a little overwhelmed at amount of Scripture which addresses this subject of suffering and hardship in the life of the Believer.

So what we are going to look at today is going to barely scratch the surface of what could be said about it.

But it’s so crucial that we talk about this.

Paul David Tripp, in many of his writings and sermons says words to this effect:

No one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do.

You are in an unending conversation with yourself. You are talking to yourself all the time, interpreting, organizing, and analyzing what's going on inside you and around you.

And when suffering comes into our lives, we talk to ourselves about it and we interpret what’s happening on the basis of what we understand.

So it’s so important that we understand rightly the purpose of suffering

But as I studied this past week, here are some observations that I made.

The Gospel that we profess is rooted in suffering

The Gospel is that when we were sinners, living in darkness, blind, without hope in this world, God, who is rich in mercy, did what we could not do.

He sent His Son, Jesus to be born as a baby, not as a prince, but as a peasant, surrounded by filth and animals, in the small town of Bethlehem

And He grew and lived among us, not as a King, living in grandeur, but as a servant, an itinerant preacher, one without a home, mocked and scorned

He sent His followers out to preach the good news of the Kingdom, warning them that they would be arrested, brought before the council, flogged and put to death

He was finally being arrested, flogged, and put to death in the most horrific way possible

paying the price to reconcile sinful man with their Holy God

He was put in a tomb but conquered death, rose again, returned to His Father and is now actively and constantly interceding for us as our advocate

Without Jesus being willing to suffer, there would be no Gospel.

Without Jesus being willing to suffer, we would still be far from God,

Followers of Jesus are called to suffer

John 15:20–21 (ESV) 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.

2 Timothy 3:12 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

1 Peter 2:21–24 (ESV) 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

These passages talk mostly about being persecuted for righteousness. But the principle is the same.

We have been called to suffer. Jesus, even when he wasn’t being harrassed and put to death, lived a life of sacrifice and suffering.

1 Peter 4:12 (ESV) 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

This is not strange. It’s to be expected. It’s part of our calling as Believers

Followers of Jesus are to welcome suffering

Oh, this is a hard one! But it’s true

It is clear as we read the NT that suffering as a Believer is never spoken of in a negative light

It’s not something that we should run from, but something that we should embrace!

In Acts 5, we see some apostles leaving the Sanhedrin rejoicing. Why? Because they “escaped with their lives?” or “whew, that was a close one”?

No! Because they had been counted worthy to suffer for His name!

They embraced it! They welcomed it! in fact, they counted it as a privilege

1 Peter 4:12–13 (ESV) 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

Why are His followers to welcome suffering? This is where we see the works of God being made manifest! Here are some things

It shapes us as people Romans 5

It produces endurance

The Summer Olympics are canceled this year. But there were hundreds of athletes who have spent years preparing for this event.

They sweated, they suffered, they beat their bodies into submission to build up just that one extra ounce of muscle, that fraction of a second faster start, to shave that fraction of a second off their time, so when the great race came, they could endure and win

In the same way, suffering and trials strengthen our spiritual muscles. How? By building our reliance on God who can be trusted.

But showing us that He was present in this small trial. And in His presence, I can face this bigger trial

It produces character

You know this is something that we as parents say to our kids when they have to do something they dont want to do: “It builds character”

Makes the kids role their eyes.

Character is a natural result of endurance. The Greek word is δοκιμή (dokimē) 1. LN 27.45 examination try out by testing (2Co 2:9; 8:2), tested character (Ro 5:4+); 2. LN 72.7 evidence, proof that something is genuine

I love being around people who are real, genuine. People who just have that openness about them. They are steady, honest. You sense that there is little or nothing that can knock them off the path of following Jesus.

That’s because they have endured through suffering! They have been tried and tested and found to be genuine.

1 Peter 1:7 (ESV) 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

It produces hope—a looking forward to in confident expectation

That hope It’s based on reality. The reality that God has been proven to be true and faithful in your life and your hope is real

It purifies us

It should bring about repentance

It should loosen our grip on the things of this world.

The more that we suffer, the less the things of this world should have a hold on us.

Why, because if we let suffering do the work that it’s intended to do, Jesus should become ever more clearer, His glory ever more magnified in our hearts. Our dependence on Him should increase, our love for Him should grow. And in His light, the things of this world should be fading ever more into the background.

It’s evidence of the Spirit of God on us

1 Peter 4:14 (ESV) 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Did you ever think that your suffering is evidence that the Spirit of the Lord is resting on you? That’s what this says.

This is a cause for rejoicing! The Spirit of the Lord identifies you as one of His Ephesians 1:13 (ESV) 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

But there is an enemy that fights against Jesus and all who are identified as His. Is it any wonder that when you are identified as belonging to Him, you face suffering?

This message is foolishness to the world

In 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul says “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God”

What is the message of the cross? Salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus, yes.

But also a message of suffering. The message of suffering is the power of God to those who are being saved.

This is something that the world cannot grasp. Just doesnt get.

And what’s sad is that there are an increasing number of Christians who dont’ understand this either.

There are an increasing number of prominent preachers in America and around the world who preach the message that if you are suffering, it’s because you are out of the will of God.

if you are suffering, it’s because you aren’t exercising the right amount of faith.

Because after all, God doesn’t want you to suffer. He wants you to be happy and extremely wealthy.

It’s called “The Word of Faith Movement”

Preachers like Joel Osteen, T.D. Jakes, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, They do not understand, and probably don’t want to understand that followers of Jesus are called to suffer and that God uses that suffering to accomplish His will.

These preachers put the focus on you. They say it’s all about you. YOU need to be happy. God doesn’t want YOU to be in pain or sick.

But they are so wrong. The focus isn’t us. The focus is, and always should be, HIM! It’s about Him and what He wants to do in us and through us

We should be expectant to see the works of God revealed in us!

And the moment you hear a preacher say otherwise, you better check what else he is lying to you about.

When I look at the early church, I see a church that was harshly and brutally persecuted. They went through extreme hardship and suffering. But it was a church that was full of joy and power, exploding across the known world

Why? Because they understood suffering. they expected it. The welcomed it. They rejoiced in it. And as a result, God used them powerfully

Contrasting that to today. When I look out across the landscape of the American church, I see a church that is increasingly desirous of wealth, comfort, and ease.

And I see a church that is in many cases weak and dying. Without direction, without a cause.

Why? Because we don’t have a biblical view on suffering. We have been conditioned to expect peace, ease of life, lack of conflict.

As a result, we have gotten weak and sick. (I’m talking about the American church as a whole)

And when trouble comes, and we are tested, we find people falling away.

As I look at the coming months and years, I feel that there are tougher times coming. Times which will test us as Believers. And we have two choices:

We can rail against a system that is based in fear and injustice

Or we can turn our faces and hearts heavenward and ask our loving Shepherd to use us powerfully and work in us what is good.

I think it’s crucial that as followers of Jesus we have a correct view of suffering and that we live it out.