2021: Purpose of Pain

Introduction

I get the pleasure of preaching the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021

I’ll spare the recap of the difficulties of this year

Hope it gets better (Looking forward to 2021?)

2021 brings no hope in itself

Feeling like there is no light at the end of the tunnel

How do we change this?

The irony of this year is all the things many trust to fix things are falling apart

The Government has proven to be questionable at best

Our financial stability has been shown to be an illusion in many cases

Relationships have crumbled faster than we expected

Even Science itself has proven to be confusing and untrustworthy

A phrase that I heard many repeat throughout the year is that “it’s okay to not know what’s going on because no one else really does”

Some Extreme charismatic groups have tried to reclaim a Spiritual power over the circumstances which has been futile which have led some to be disillusioned and frustrated

“Did faith let me down, or did I not have enough?” - Cody Fry

How do we keep going?

1. Perspective on Eternity (v. 18-25)

Working with teenagers - “Imaginary Audience”

Not just in teenagers

We Believers often buy into the idea that we are the center of the story, so we don’t understand when our story doesn’t seem to be ending well.

The truth is that we are in the middle of a story of which we are not the main characters

We are in a story that is so much bigger than us, but that we are in one that we are in whether we like it or not

English Standard Version Chapter 8

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Notice the “us” - you aren’t suffering alone

The consequences of the fall don’t just affect those responsible, but all of creation. This brings both fear and hope.

“Present suffering is not merely local; It’s cosmic. The future glory is not merely personal; it is universal.”

Although I mentioned the idea of imaginary audiences, This story does have an audience.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

The point is that this is a story that is so much bigger than you, so much bigger than me. And SO much bigger than 2020 or 2021

The problem is we have such a close up view aren’t seeing the whole thing (Picture illustration)

Chris Martin - “Life is beautiful with all its colors. Even the dark ones have their place”

So what does the picture look like when we zoom out?

English Standard Version Chapter 8

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

As Paul Tells the story of the world, one word is repeated as a theme - “Hope”

According to these verses that once we take a perspective from eternity, we can see the purpose to our pain and persevere with hope.

II. Persevere with Hope (v. 20-30)

“…One better accepts suffering if one knows its origin and anticipates its cessation.”

Uncomfortable question - How Could God write a story with so much pain and suffering and frustration. Isn’t he Good?

- How Could God will Suffering?

“I believe that all pain is contrary to God’s will, absolutely but not relatively. When I am staking a thorn out of a child’s finger the pain is “absolutely contrary to my will; i.e. if I could have chosen a situation without pain I would have done so. But i Do will what caused the pain, relatively to the given situation; i.e. granted the thorn I prefer the pain to leaving the thorn where it is.” - C. S. Lewis

Uncomfortable truth, God didn’t will suffering - we did. The “bondage to corruption” in verse 21 is because we chose to break the design. The thorn in our finger is because we reached for the rose we were told not too. But God allows us to feel the pain now so that we greater understand the triumph later. The best stories are the ones with the most difficult of conflicts, because the conflicts are necessary for the glory, or as Thomas Paine puts it in “Common Sense”: “The harder the victory, the more glorious the Triumph”

This hope becomes what gives our pain purpose

God didn’t lose control when we chose death and suffering over life in accordance with his authority. On the contrary he used the pain to create a desire, for “who hopes for what he sees.”

God had hope from the very beginning

Passage before points back to Genesis 3

English Standard Version Chapter 3

15  I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and her offspring;

he shall bruise your head,

and you shall bruise his heel.”

From the very first curse, we were not left in a curse, but in Hope.

This hope is at times inexpressible

English Standard Version Chapter 8

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Sometimes, you don’t even know how to say it, things are just not right. So often we see injustice and suffering that is inexplicable. And you don’t even know how to respond.

Good news is that we are not alone in our suffering or our hope, but the Spirit is leading us in groan for redemption.

We don’t hope in Vain.

English Standard Version Chapter 8

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 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. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

It’s important to note, that this does not mean that your life will turn out good on your terms

This “Good” is so much bigger than your immediate circumstances

Remember the bigger story here - God’s good will be accomplished, even if that good is hard for us to understand

However, v. 29-30 show us something about how we fit in. Just because the story is so much bigger than us, doesn’t mean it is irrelevant to us. Those who love God, he knows. And he knew exactly where and when and how our part of the story would play out. And he uses all of the wrong that we and others choose for the purpose of Glory and that Glory is shared with us.

But suffering is necessary for Glory

Noticed what we are predestined to: “To be conformed to the image of his Son”?

Aren’t we already created in the image of God?

What is the image of His Son?

To answer that question, let me draw your attention to Philippians Ch. 2:5-11

English Standard Version Chapter 2

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

His obedience to suffering for our sake, was the key to the Glory that God provided.

Christ’s image is humbly accepting suffering for the sake of God’s purpose and looking forward to the glory that’s coming

This is essential because is not only the example of our Victory; Christ is the very Victory itself.

The only way we can maintain an eternal perspective that provides hope for perseverance is to Focus on the Cross.

Focus on the Cross

English Standard Version Chapter 8

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;

we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The first thing Paul does is acknowledge the victory has already been won. Nothing can change the plan of God

This victory rests in Verse 32 which is the central point of the Gospel (preach the gospel)

Christ’s death on the cross secured our right standing with God and leads to our resurrection. We anxiously await the resurrection

It is in Romans 8 that we see the entire trinity at work to accomplish the plan of God

The father created the plan

The Spirit continues the plan in you and me

And the Son carried out the plan and gave us access to it

We can’t lose! (v. 35-39)

We shouldn’t fear persecution

We shouldn’t fear disease

We shouldn’t even fear Spiritual attacks, because the battle has been won.

The victory doesn’t mean that none of these things will affect us. This doesn’t mean that if you believe this your life will be so much easier and better. This victory is so much bigger than your circumstances. The victory of the Cross doesn’t change your circumstances but gives meaning to them.

This section reminds me of my favorite speech of all of cinema

“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here, but we are. It’s like in the great stories… The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes, you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened. But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even this darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something. That there is something Good in this world, And it’s worth fighting for.

You and I are in a story that really matters. A story that sometimes doesn’t feel like it’s going to end well.

The difference between this character and us, is that we aren’t holding onto some shred of optimism that there might be some disembodied good.

We hold onto the good that has a name. Yeshua, Salvation, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ.

We hold onto to the fact that the battle has already been won.

So What now?

Great news that the Battle has spiritually been won, but what do I do now?

We keep an eternal perspective

Remember that this story is so much bigger than you and me

Remember that we have a hope beyond 2021 and beyond our financial stability and beyond our government

We persevere with hope

We continue doing what we know is right

We continue loving our neighbor

We continue to show what this victory looks like by fighting to restore brokenness, to love the lonely, to care for the hurting.

Paul goes onto instruct Christians in Romans 13 to respect authority and Romans 14-15 to love one another and build up the church

We continue to love God and to show that love to others

We Focus on the Cross

We remember that the battle is hard but the war has been won at calvary

Bad news - IF you don’t know Christ, you don’t get to share in this victory. Maybe today is the day where you stop trying to live your own temporary and hopeless story and join the team that has won the cosmic victory and enter the kingdom of heaven.

Preach the Gospel.

Pray,