The Gifts of Faith and Suffering

Introduction

Illustration

Hard Times aren’t Fun. We don’t like hard times.

Review

What are the 3 Rules to reading the Bible?

What is the context of Philippians?

Who wrote it? Who received it? Where was it written from? Why was it written? What were the recipients going through?

Gospel adversity advances the gospel. Phil. 1:12-14

Proclaim Jesus. Phil. 1:15-18a

The cornerstone of our joy is our salvation and Christ’s glory. Phil. 1:18b-20

The Christian’s dilemma is living is Christ and dying is gain. Phil. 1:21-25

Reflect the gospel in your identity, your community, and your voice. Phil. 1:26-27

Read Text: Phil. 1:28b-30

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Main Idea

God graciously gives both faith in Christ and suffering for Christ so that Christ will be glorified.

Transition

“This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.”

“This” is referring to the united community who stands firm, strives together, and remains fearless in the face of opposition for the gospel.

The fearless church declares to the world their destruction and our salvation.

Which salvation is he referring to?

Justification? The fearless church certainly declares they have been made right, but that doesn’t seem to be the focus.

Sanctification? The fearless church also declares they are being made more like Jesus, but that also doesn’t seem to be the focus.

Glorification? The fearless church declares to the world that their future is certain. Why should they fear death and suffering? This is the focus.

Final salvation comes from God. How can we know our final salvation comes from God and is certain?

#1 (Phil. 1:29a): The Grace Gift of Faith

Read

“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him”

Explanation

“For” is the same word as because. It answers the invisible question, “How can we know that our final salvation will come from God without a doubt?”

“has been granted” is a beautiful word. This is a gospel word. Christians should love this word.

There are multiple Greek words that mean “to give” or “to grant”, but Paul uses the one related to another popular Christian word, “grace”.

Grace is unmerited favor. Example: Parent gives a gift instead of punishment. Example: Judge frees guilty criminal and gives gifts.

"has been granted” literally means “to graciously give” or “to freely give” or “to grace”.

Who is the one who graciously gives? Psalm 145:8, “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”

“to you” has an emphasis on it. ““For it has been granted to you”. The Philippians have been graciously given something from God.

What motivated God to graciously give from himself?

“that for the sake of Christ” means “on behalf of Christ”. This has two interpretations. I think both are appropriate.

For the glory of Christ. Out of love for Jesus, God the Father graciously gave to the Philippians.

On the grounds of Christ. Because Jesus unites sinners to himself, God the Father is willing to graciously give to them.

“For it has been granted (graciously given) to you (the Philippians) that for the sake of Christ (for the glory of Christ and on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice)”

Everything the Father does for the church is motivated from his love of Christ. God graciously gives to Christ’s church because they were purchased by Jesus and glorify Jesus.

“you should not only believe in him” emphasizes two things.

God graciously gave the Philippians faith to believe.

Faith is not the only thing God graciously gave to the Philippians.

That word “to believe” is the verb form of the word “faith”. Paul is talking about a faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. This is a saving faith, not just a belief.

James 2:19, “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!”

The faith that justifies us before God… Rom. 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” … is a grace gift from God.

Faith is a gift graciously given to us by God the Father for the glory of Jesus and because we belong to Jesus.

Application

We all like that! That sounds like good news! And it is good news! Those were dead in their sins and trespasses have been graciously given a gift from God that they don’t deserve and can’t earn that will justify them before God and bring them peace with God.

That IS good news! We are so utterly dependent on the grace of God in our lives that we needed him to provide for us not only the way of salvation but the means to obtain salvation.

And God in his great grace, out of his love for his Son and those that are united to his Son, did and still does give this gift of grace, faith.

If this gift is given by God, then we can have confidence God will not abandon us but we will receive final salvation from God.

How should you respond to this? In the same way that God gave man the breath of life to live and so he breathes, so did he give you the faith to live united to Christ everyday and so believe.

Believe on Christ today. Believe on Christ tomorrow. Believe on Christ everyday. Your faith justifies you before God and allows you to live for God.

Believe in Christ’s atoning death. Believe in his resurrection. Believe in the promises of his Word. He will be with you always even to the end of the age.

Transition

So we see that Paul identifies faith as a grace gift, but we see that he also identifies one other thing as a grace gift. >>>

#2 (Phil. 1:29b): The Grace Gift of Suffering

Read

“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake”

Explanation

“but also suffer”. Not only have the Philippians been graciously given the faith to believe, but they also have been graciously given the suffering to suffer.

This is where most people, especially Christians, will become confused. Isn’t suffering bad? Doesn’t God just want me to be happy and healthy? How could Paul call suffering a grace gift?

Before we answer this dive into suffering as a gift, we need to convince some of you that God is in control of suffering. God can’t give suffering as a gift if he’s not in control of suffering.

Gen. 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Job 1:21, 2:10, “And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord… Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”

Jn. 9:1-3, “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.”

When has suffering ever been a gift? Suffering is never viewed as a gift. We don’t usually thank the people for their precious gift of suffering they caused on us. How can suffering be a gift?

We have to understand that Paul isn’t just talking about suffering for the sake of pain. Suffering is a grace gift because we suffer for the sake of Jesus.

God the Father has graciously given us suffering for the sake of Christ. Our suffering for the gospel glorifies Jesus as we stand firm and strive forward for the gospel.

The gospel is the good news of who Jesus is and what he has done. When the gospel is believed, Jesus is glorified. When the gospel is suffered for, Jesus is glorified.

Acts 5:41-42, “Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.”

Phil. 1:12-18 “12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”

Phil. 1:25 “25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”

Not only does suffering bring glory to Christ, we also benefit from our suffering for Christ. To be a Christian, we are called to participate in his suffering.

This is why Paul say in Phil. 1:7, “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”

Phil. 3:10, “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

1 Peter 4:12-14, “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. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

Those who are united to Jesus in his death, must share in his sufferings. Those who share in the sufferings of Jesus will attain the final salvation of God.

Application

The Gift of Faith is a constant gift while the Gift of Suffering is an occasional gift.

We all like the fact that faith is a gift of God, but we don’t like the fact that suffering is a gift, but if we want to attain the final salvation of God. We must share in his sufferings.

But like I said, suffering for Christ has benefits for the Christian outside of the glory of Jesus and sharing in his sufferings.

Rom. 5:3-5, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

James 1:2-4, “2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Matt. 5:10-12, “10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

How should you respond to this? Well, if God gifted you faith so that you will believe in his Son, then should you not also suffer for Christ since he gifted you with suffering?

Not that you should seek suffering. You should seek to live a godly life.

2 Tim. 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”

What will that look like for you? Probably a lot different than what Paul and the Philippians went through. However, you will experience some of the same sufferings.

Humiliation and mockery.

Transition

Faith in Christ and Suffering for Christ are both gifts from God the Father meant to aid us in our ultimate struggle in this life.

#3 (Phil. 1:30): Struggle for the Gospel

Read

Philippians 1:30 ESV

engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

Explanation

“engaged in the same conflict” means that the Philippians are currently undergoing the same struggle. What struggle?

“that you saw I had and now hear that I still have”. Paul is referring to a struggle that the Philippians have seen him go through before and hear that he is in currently. What is that struggle?

It is the struggle for the gospel against those who hate Jesus and hate his gospel. Remember, Acts 16.

Phil. 1:7, “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”

Application

How is this verse supposed to be good news for us? It means that we are not alone in our struggle. They were “the same conflict”. Christians, like them, are also engaging today in the same conflict, the struggle for the gospel and the whole faith.

You guys are on the front lines in your schools and at your jobs. You are sent by God wherever you go to share the gospel of his Son, believe in his Son, and suffer for his Son.

Is that easy? No. Is it enjoyable? Not all the time. Is it the call of the Christian life? Most certainly.

Conclusion

Main Idea

God graciously gives both faith in Christ and suffering for Christ so that Christ will be glorified.