Sermon Tone Analysis
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*Philippians III: Purposeful Suffering*
*Philippians 1:12-18*
*/November 11, 2007/*
Today we continue our series on Philippians and we will be reading from 1:12-18.
Let’s turn there.
At this point in the letter, Paul *answers* the *question* that he knows the *Philippians* are *asking*.
This letter was probably *hand* *delivered* to the Philippians by *Epaphroditus* who had undoubtedly *filled* *them* *in* on Paul’s life since they last connected.
Most scholars believe that Philippians was *written* while Paul was in *Rome*.
Here’s the *highlights* of his *life* since they’d met:
· Paul went to *Jerusalem* where we was nearly *lynched* by an angry mob, but saved by the *Romans* who then *arrested* him.
· He’d been in a *jail* in *Caesarea* for *2* *years*
· He’d been *transferred* to *Rome*, to be tried by Caesar.
· On the way he had been *caught* in a *storm*, *shipwrecked*, and then *bit* by a poisonous *snake*.
· Now he is sitting in a *prison*, facing a possible *execution*.
The *question* the Philippians are *dying* to ask their friend is:
· How are you holding up, man?
And *that* is the *question* Paul answers.
And in doing so, he does a lot more – by *showing* us how he *responds* to *hardships*, he *teaches* us how to *handle* *suffering*.
Today we will look at:
1.
Why God *allows* suffering
2. How *Paul* *responded* to suffering
3. How *we* should *respond* to suffering
Let’s read:
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.
The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.
The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.
But what does it matter?
The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached.*
*And because of this I rejoice.
/Philippians 1:12-18 NIV/
*Look whose talking*
As I *started* this sermon on suffering, I was a little *nervous* that God might make *me* the main *illustration*.
· I am even more worried about next week because that passage is on *death*.
But I feel *out* *place* talking about *suffering*.
I have had a *decent* *life*.
I’ve had the normal *ups* and *down*, but *no* *trauma*.
I know that in a *room* of this *size*, there’s been *true* *suffering*.
But *fortunately*, you don’t have listen *to* *me* so much as *Paul*, a man who *suffered* a *great* *deal*.
For instance in 2 Corinthians, Paul is *forced* by to *brag* on what he has been through:
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.
Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move.
I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers.
I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
/2 Corinthians 11:23-27 NIV /
*What’s happened to me*
And many of these things happened on the *trip* to *Rome*, so Paul has these *in* *mind* when he *writes*:
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me.../Philippians 1:12a/
I have to *stop* *there*: “What has happened to me”?
Paul, you’re *lucky* to be *alive*, and you are facing *execution*, and *all* you say it “what has happened to me”?!? That’s *it*?!? I’m sorry but *I* *couldn’t* do that!
· If it were me, you’d have a blow by blow account, written for dramatic effect.
But *more* than *that*, Paul is at *ease* with something that *troubles* me a *lot*, and that’s the *question*, “Why does God *allow* so much *suffering*?”
If I am completely *honest*, I have to *admit* that all of the *pain* and *evil* in the *world* can make it *harder* for me to *believe* in *God*.
Maybe this doesn’t *bother* *you*, but it *bothers* me.
*The problem of pain *
We are told that the only things *certain* in *life* are *death* and *taxes*.
To that we should *add* “*suffering*.”
To be *human* is *su**ffer*.
From stubbed *toes* to car *wreaks*, life is full of *hardships*.
· The *first* *half* of this sermon will talk about *why* God *allows* suffering.
If we can’t trust God to be good in the face of the world’s suffering, we won’t be able trust him to be loving in the midst of our suffering.
The question we are going to try to answer is:
*Q:* How can a *good*, all-*powerful* God allow such great *suffering* in the world?
The *philosophical* *term* for this question is *theodicy*, which is the attempt to *justify* God's *goodness* and *justice* in the light of *evil’s* *existence*.
There are basically *three* possible *answers*:
1) He is *not* truly *God*, meaning that either he isn’t *powerful* enough to stop it or that he simply *doesn’t* *exist*,
2) He is not truly *good*, or
3) He *allows* it for *reasons* we cannot *fully* *understand*, but are *consistent* with his *goodness*.
While I believe the *last* *one*, sometimes the *suffering* around us seems *so* *great* that it’s hard to *imagine* what those *reasons* could possibly be.
· I can *sympathize* with the *atheists* who say the world is just too *evil* and *meaningless* for there to be a God.
· Sometimes is seems *easier* to say that *maybe* God just doesn’t *exist*.
But I just *can’t* make myself *believe* *that*.
This world, with all of its pain, is simply *too* *wonderful* to be here *by* *chance*.
· I *have* *to* believe that there *is* a God.
Some would argue that God exists, but *isn’t* *good* or *doesn’t* *care*.
We are so *small* and *insignificant*, why should he?
Do you have any idea how *big* this *universe* is?
If you believe the *Gospel* accounts of *Jesus*, which I do for both reasons of *faith* and *rationality*, the *greatest* answer is found in the *life* and of *death* *Jesus* *Christ*:
God himself *choose* to become a *man* and suff*e*r with us, bearing *every* *pain* we’ve known and *more*.
This act of *love* demonstrates clear than anything that *God* is *good*, and that he *loves* *us*.
So then, even *with* *doubt*, I still am *driven* to believe that God *is* *there* and he *is* *good*.
· *Therefore* he must have a *purpose* behind *suffering*.
*Know in part*
*This* *side* of heaven, we simply will *never* *know* all the *why’s*.
We are far *too* *finite* to even *hope* to grasp it all.
Every now and again, I have to give our *cat* a *bath* and *flea* *medicine*.
She absolutely *hates* it, and makes me hate it too by *fighting* me *tooth* and *nail*, literally.
· But is kind of *funny*.
Have you ever seen a *long-haired* cat *wet*?
They look like *Bill* the *Cat* from *Bloom* *County*.
One time, as I was being *scratched* and *bit*, I was getting more and more *frustrated* and I said something along the lines of “You *stupid* *cat*, don’t you *know* this is for your *own* *good*?
You *hate* having *flees*.”
· Boy, *that* was effective, she just *calmed* right down.
Except that she *didn’t* – it had *no* *effect* whatsoever.
At *that* *point* I had a little bit of an *epiphany* – this must be a *little* like *God* *feels*.
Intellectually speaking, *I* am *closer* to the *cat* than to *God* (and so are you), so it shouldn’t *surprise* me that many of *God’s* *actions* are completely *mystifying*.
As the Bible says:
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