220814 Suffering for Glory's sake

Two men. One a Marine, another a Sailor. The Sailor was inadvertently attached to the marine unit when another Corpsman was pulled out. Marines affectionately call the Corpsman, “Doc.” The two, The Marine and the Doc were unlikely companions; The young marine was a country boy, the young Navy Corpsman grew up a city boy; one a Marine, the other a sailor. The young Marine’s ministry was and still is discipleship. If there is a gift of discipleship and I believe that there is, The Marine has that gift.

On a Mediterranean deployment on the Ship Nashville 1982,

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The unlikely lifelong friendship began as the two lives interacted together. Doc would approach the Marine, antagonistic toward his faith and came at him with questions initially that appeared to be seeking to see if he could shake the faith of the Christian.

You don’t have much to do on ship, so the Sailor continued to chase down the Marine for more conversation, but as time wore on there was less antagonism as Doc began to seek what the Marine had already found and that was

The truth of God’s word.

The two found themselves in combat action in Beirut Lebanon but even through the battles, the two stayed in contact, discussing God and God’s future plan for the believer.

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That was Just 40 years ago.

Both were early 20’s full of life’s energy and looked forward to taking on whatever the future held for them.

The teacher, the one doing the discipling, was not just a source of information leading another out from going to hell, but he opened the door that would open the eyes of another to God’s glorious Kingdom that lies ahead.

Today the two are still connected and still on the line fighting, but a different battle.

Opening Hymn Oh hail the power of Jesus Name

Opening Prayer

2 Thessalonians 1:1–5 (NASB95) — 1 Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

When a person is born again, that one is not just born from something, but to something. A person is not just born out of going to hell, but is born into a new Spiritual life and into a future destiny which promises a glorious future in a Kingdom that is forthcoming.

Paul knows this.

Paul knows of the crown of righteousness that he longs to receive and by the end of his life is most excited about.

Paul knows that there is a glorious future for those who are faithful, especially for those who perseveres in the faith.

But Paul also is knowing that to whom much is given (the kingdom inheritance) much is expected.

Where it was that it was Christ suffering that opened the door for your salvation and mine, suffering is also opened up to the one of faith on the way to receiving the crown of our own and rulership function within the eternal state.

2 Timothy 4:5–8 (NASB95) — 5 But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; 8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Paul prays for the brethren in Christ but the one thing that is not included in his prayers is sympathy or even surprise that those whom he loves are faced with adversity.

While he had for himself prayed to have his own thorn removed, he had come to know what the thorn is all about.

2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (NASB95) — 7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

The answer to prayers for the hurting may not be for God to remove the pressure, the sickness, the hurting or the persecution, but prayers may Moreso be to stand along side the one who is suffering the trials that is a part of the growth of the Christian.

Do we want our Crown now and forego suffering as Christ was offered in the wilderness testing (Matthew 4:8-9)? A crown that is perishable? Or would we rather go for the crown that is imperishable that is eternal.

1 Corinthians 9:23–27 (NASB95) — 23 I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

οῦ m: one who participates with another in some enterprise or matter of joint concern—‘partner, associate, one who joins in with.’[1]

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the game’s exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath,26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Who will the Lord deem as worthy to suffer for the crown that is imperishable?

2 Thessalonians 1:4–5 (NASB95) — 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. 5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

We must come to understanding that suffering of the believer is walking faithfully in the Lord is not accidental but very much purposeful. And while the Lord places a hedge of protection around the baby believer the Lord will lower that hedge in order to test the faith of the believer in Christ.

Paul says that the presence of undeserved suffering is the indication that God has judged you

n: the legal decision rendered by a judge, whether for or against the accused—‘verdict, sentence, judgment.’[2]

That is that the Lord has put you on the witness stand. He has evaluated you and found that you are worthy to have your faith proved under intense circumstances.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NASB95) — 13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

The Cross examination comes from Satan as Paul noted earlier in our lesson.

It was Job who was cross examined by Satan.

The Lord declares to Satan

Job 1:8 (NASB95) — 8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

First Satan accuses and then the Lord lowers the hedge of protection so that Satan could get at Job.

IN the end, Job would regain all that he had lost over and above.

Satan also looked to get at the Lord’s disciples

Luke 22:31 (NASB95) — 31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you (all) like wheat;

And the Lord granted permission for all of the Apostles went through the gauntlet of suffering for the faith. and as a result,

what would be their reward

Matthew 19:28–30 (NASB95) — 28 And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. 30 “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

And to those whom God has deemed worthy for rulership in the coming kingdom he has granted the same permission to the adversary to cross examine to prove the quality of their faith for future royal function within the kingdom.

No, those who are faithful should not automatically assume that they had done something wrong but for that which they have been faithful that they Lord judged to be worthy of such privledge.

Maybe it is the one who seems that all is right in the world, minus any adversity at all, no pressure, maybe it is that one that should be asking, “what am I doing so wrong?”

But if you are faithful in the time of peace, remember that in peace, we train for war. in war we prepare for peace.

There are crowns and rulership positions in the eternal kingdom for you. And if so, then there is the proving of your faith that lies ahead in this life.

In peace, we make intercession for those who are currently being proved, while at the same time we prepare for our own testing which may lie ahead.

Note:

1. It is the doctrine that you learn today which is for tomorrow’s application.

2. There are no guarantees that there will be the availability to take in God’s word tomorrow.

3. Because of sickness or circumstances the believer may not have the resources to study.

4. all that the believer on the front line has is that which he has stored up in hid heart.

The one you are praying for is the one who will one day sit upon one’s own throne ruling with Christ as should be our desire and what we are preparing in this life to do.

Sergeant Foy and Doc Sully remained close friends after the deployment to Beirut Lebanon. Both continuing their journey in the Lord faithful in God’s word being strengthened in the faith.

Both have entered into the arena of adversity testing. The Lord’s righteous judgment must have deemed them worthy to bring both in at the same time.

After a tour in Honduras in 91 The Marine’s health plummeted for no discernable reason that the doctors could figure out.

Today there are not many days that Tim is without pain as his body continues to deteriorate from cancer and other physical impairments. But none the less there is not a time that you will hear the Sergeant complaining or feeling sorry for himself.

Doc Sully had a tree fall on his car in a storm with his family in the car in 05. The family was uninjured, but Sully suffered severe back injuries that to this day has left him in chronic pain for the past years.

Outsiders to that suffering can only feel sympathy for what the two are going through but both recognize what the suffering is. Both know that they have been deemed worthy by the righteous Judge to suffer for the sake of the Kingdom. Though they may not look forward to the wakening of another day of suffering, as Jesus himself dreaded going to the cross, the two are looking forward to the future glory that lies ahead.

Romans 8:18–25 (NASB95) — 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.

2 Timothy 2:11–12 (NASB95) — 11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him;

Suffering is a part of the program folks. For the Christian, we cannot only suspect that there is suffering ahead but we should know that the adversity is inevitable and that suffering will meet us Glory’s road.

But as it was Jesus did not suffer for not, but for our salvation and for the glory of God, it is suffering that comes to us for God’s Glory and for our blessing.

The question is not whether we are going to suffer, but whether when suffering comes are we ready to suffer well For God’s Glory and the future how of the Kingdom.

It is not in the perception of God’s word that God is glorified.

It is the application of bible doctrine where there comes blessing growth and glory to God.

[1]Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 446). United Bible Societies. [2]Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 554). United Bible Societies.

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