Destined for Affliction
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Please take your Bible and turn to 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5. Say something about what passages go on the screen ...
Richard Wurmbrand was a Romanian evangelical Christian minister of Jewish descent. In 1948, having become a Christian ten years before, he publicly said Communism and Christianity were incompatible. As a result, he experienced imprisonment and torture by the then Communist regime of Romania, for his beliefs. After serving a total of fourteen years, he was ransomed for $10,000. His colleagues in Romania urged him to leave the country and work for religious freedom from a location less personally dangerous. After spending time in Norway and England, he and his wife Sabina, who had also been imprisoned, emigrated to America and dedicated the rest of their lives to publicizing and helping Christians who are persecuted for their beliefs. He wrote more than 18 books, the most widely known being Tortured for Christ. Variations of his works have been translated into more than 65 languages. He founded the international organization Voice of the Martyrs, which continues to aid Christians around the world who are persecuted for their faith.
Wurmbrand’s experience, though foreign to the U.S., is not all that unusual when taken in the light of the whole history of Christianity. As a matter of fact, it was somewhat of a common lot for devote followers of the One and Only True God whom we serve.
This morning, out text brings us to a topic which is really not a favorite of anyone, and yet, since it is often repeated in Scripture it must be an important one. And the title of our message says it all: Destined for Affliction.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that chapter and verse divisions of the Bible are a man-made editorial thing. They are extremely helpful, especially if you are trying to find a specific statement. But sometimes I think the divisions interfere with the flow of thought of the text. I believe that 1 Thess 2:17-20 belong with 1 Thess 3:1-13. These sixteen verses comprise one, four-part section.
Paul yearned to be reunited with his spiritual children (2:17-20)
Paul sent Timothy to check up on them (3:1-5)
Timothy returned with his report (3:6-10)
Paul breaks into a prayer as a result of the good news from the report (3:11-13)
Today, as we look at the second part of this four-part section, we will note that affliction is the common lot for all who follow Jesus. We will look at how the Thessalonian church was born in affliction, Paul’s concern about the effects of affliction on this infant church, and Paul’s fear concerning Satan’s role in affliction.
Before we begin, let’s read this passage in its entirety:
But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while—in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us. For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.
Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone, and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know. For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith; for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
Before we delve into this text, let’s consider
The Commonness of Affliction
The Commonness of Affliction
Perhaps it would be helpful to define what Christian affliction is and is not.
Christian Affliction is:
Note that:
Christian Affliction is Suffering for the Cause of Christ
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
On the night of His betrayal, He told the faithful apostles to expect affliction.
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.
If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
Christian Affliction is not:
Suffering for our own wrong doing
Fighting and quarreling within the Body of Christ — although it could have to do with dissensions with those who are wolves in sheep’s clothing
Aches and pains from the aging process
Having to wear a mask in a public venue
Note that:
The People of God have always faced affliction
If you were to read through the Hall of Faith located in Hebrews 11 you would find a record of how many OT saints endured affliction.
Abel was afflicted by his own brother
Enoch was afflicted by the ungodliness of his day
Noah, being a representative of the remnant, was afflicted by the rest
Abraham was afflicted by members of his own family, as well as the peoples in whose land he lived as an alien
Isaac was offered up as a burnt sacrifice — talk about affliction!
Jacob was afflicted by Laban
Joseph was afflicted by his brothers
Moses was afflicted at every turn and in every circumstance
The list could go on and on. I love the parenthetical statement by the writer of Hebrews
All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.
The point is that for the people of God affliction is not an uncommon thing. David said it well in
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Let’s look next at how the Thessalonian Church was
Born in Affliction
Born in Affliction
Note that:
Like the suffering that comes with natural child birth, new birth in Christ often comes with affliction
The Church’s Origins
The Longing of Paul to Learn How They are Holding up Under Pressure
Notice verse 1.
Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,
The Representative From Paul
Notice verse 2.
and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
Brother in Christ
Minister of the Gospel
Timothy’s mission
Strengthen
Encourage
Here faith does not refer to the body of doctrine as in
Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.
Instead it refers to faith in the body of doctrine
Let’s consider next Paul’s concern regarding
The Effects of Affliction
The Effects of Affliction
Look at verse 3-4.
so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.
Note that:
Believers need to be firmly established in the Word of God to prepare them for affliction
Though a mature believer is better equipped to withstand the intense pressure of affliction, even they can cower. And if they can cower, what about brand new believers? This must have been going through the mind of the missionaries as they determined to send Timothy to check on the Thessalonian believers.
Disturbed — shaken — moved
As I was considering this term, which originally referred to a dog wagging its tail, I was reminded of a song from my Junior High days. Though it was a love song, about a love that probably ended badly, the reference to shaking reminded me of it.
Oh, I'd build a bridge made of love
A love so strong
That nothing known
Could ever shake it
Oh, I'd build a bridge made of stone
And I would stand
And defend it
And never let it fall
In a sense that was the assignment that Paul gave to Timothy. But rather than building a bridge, he was to build up the body of Christ so that it would be unshaken. After all, that is why God has given us spiritual leaders within the local church. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
We know that during the short time the apostle was in Thessalonica he prepared this church for the coming affliction, since he said you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. For … we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction.
Finally, let’s consider Paul’s concern regarding
Satan’s Role in Affliction
Satan’s Role in Affliction
Look at verse 5.
For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.
Note that:
Satan might be powerful, but he is not omnipotent
Obviously the tempter refers to Satan. We saw in last week’s passage that Satan hindered Paul from going back to Thessalonica. Now we see that Paul feared that he also tempting these new believers to abandon the truth of the gospel.
Three Basic Approaches of Satan
Prevent People from Believing the Gospel — “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving …(2 Cor 4:4)”
Destroy someone’s Initial Interest in the Gospel — “The seed sown on the rocky places … (Matt 13:20-21)”
Weaken the Faith of Those Who Believe — “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ … (2 Cor 11:3)”
Though Paul was more than willing to endure persecution for the sake of Christ, he did not want that painful labor to be in vain. Therefore, he sent his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, to strengthen this young church so that they would be able to stand against the pressure of affliction.
As I consider how we as believers are destined for affliction, there are some questions that come to my mind.
Do we, in the American Church, really know what it means to suffer affliction? Do we, at Britton Bethel, really know what it means to suffer affliction?
If all who are godly suffer persecution, then does that mean that we are not godly if we are not suffering persecution?
I believe that we live in the greatest country in the world. And one of its finest points is the freedom of worship which is protected under the First Amendment. Sometimes I wonder if this freedom has allowed us to become too casual in our faith. I wonder how I would endure if forced to belong to some form of an underground church?
Friend, if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, after a message like this you might be wondering why anyone would want to embrace a faith that is destined to bring affliction. But the truth of the matter is that affliction is temporary. And what awaits the believer in the next life is so wondrous that our present sufferings pale in comparison.
Though unbelievers will not suffer for the sake of Christ in this life. They will suffer in the next life because they have rejected Christ in this life. And that suffering will not be temporary — it will be eternal. Eternal torture in the Lake of Fire.
If you are not a believer, I encourage you to seriously consider the truth of the gospel message.
God
Man
Jesus
Response
Believers, my hope for you is the same as that which Paul expressed for the Colossian believers:
Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
Prepare yourselves for affliction. It is bound to come since we are destined for it. But the sufferings of this present time do not compare to the glory that will be revealed in us.
Let’s pray.
Closing Song: #718
Day by Day