God's Sovereignty & Christian Suffering

God’s Sovereignty & Christian Suffering

Acts 4:23-28

For the weak believer or perhaps a new Christian, it may be disconcerting to hear that God not only allows His children to suffer, in many cases He causes suffering. But as you grow in wisdom and knowledge and as your faith in Him increases, you will learn that suffering is part of His divine plan to make you a vessel that can be used for His glory. This reality is explained to us in - Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…

Before we go any farther it is important for you to understand that when I speak of Christian suffering, I am referring to suffering for the cause of Christ. Much of the suffering that we experience in this life has nothing to do with our faith in Jesus. Many times we suffer the consequences of sinful choices in our lives; that is another message for another day. Today I want to talk to you about the fact that Christians who refuse to compromise their faith will suffer opposition and persecution.

It is important for us to know that when these times of suffering come, we serve a sovereign Lord who can use these times to “conform us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ”. God can use suffering to teach us, mature us, strengthen our faith in Him and as a result He will be glorified by our lives. Without a doubt there are some trying times for the faithful Christian. We are blessed to live in a country with great religious freedom, but in recent years we have seen those freedoms begin to erode. It is very likely that there may come a day when we face intense persecution for our faith in Jesus Christ.

Throughout the Bible, saints are called to exhibit patience and trust in the midst of persecution. (1 Peter 4:19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.) The Lord’s Apostles endured much persecution for the cause of Christ. Paul described this in:

1 Corinthians 4:9 For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, in last place, like men condemned to die: We have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to people. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored! 11 Up to the present hour we are both hungry and thirsty; we are poorly clothed, roughly treated, homeless; 12 we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we respond graciously. Even now, we are like the scum of the earth, like everyone’s garbage.

- Christians are not only able to endure persecution; we can even rejoice when we are persecuted.

Matthew 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. 11 “You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

1 Peter 4:12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you.13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

Peter goes on to say “But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name.” (I Peter 4:16)

When Peter wrote these words, he was writing from first-hand experience. His bold preaching of the Gospel was the spark that ignited the fire of Christian persecution; that fire has been burning ever since, (and it will continue until the Lord returns.) The message that he preached at Solomon’s Colonnade infuriated the Jewish religious rulers and they arrested Peter and John and kept them in jail overnight. The following morning they stood before the Sanhedrin and defended their faith and the message that they preached. The Jewish High court threatened them and commanded them to cease preaching in Jesus’ name. Peter and John responded by saying “Whether it’s right in the sight of God for us to listen to you rather than to God, you decide; for we are unable to stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:19-20)