Glory Rises out of Suffering
Good News of God
By Greg Johnson
January 7, 2007
http://www.LovingGodFellowship.org
Romans 8:16-27
One subject that few care to talk about is suffering, but yet none can avoid the reality of it. Suffering is a part of the life we live here on earth and none of us are immune to it. Suffering does not feel good. No one looks forward to it, but everyone is confronted with it. It resides within no social or economic boundaries.
A truth that we can always hold on to is that glory rises out of suffering. God’s Word says (Romans 8:16-18 NIV) "The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. {17} Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. {18} I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."
GLORY RISES OUT OF SUFFERING FOR A COMMUNITY.
My wife Becky and I have witnessed a whole tri-state area go through much suffering. Both of us were raised in Huntington, West Virginia. Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia all come together at Huntington and it is known as the tri-state area. Huntington is the home of Marshall University. On November 14, 1970, the Marshall University football team was flying home from a football game with East Carolina University. It was a rainy and foggy night. I was nine years old and I can remember it like it was yesterday. I will never forget it.
I have flown in and out of Tri-State airport in Huntington many times. Tri-State airport sits on top of a hill. Planes come in and land on the runway on top. That night, the plane carrying the football team, suddenly and without warning crashed into the side of the hill and went up in flames. It was a terrible crash killing all 75 on board; players, coaches, parents and sport reporters. There were 28 children in Huntington that lost their parents that night on the plane.
The whole community suffered; the school, the city, parents and children. It was devastating as funeral after funeral was conducted; loved ones and friends buried. The crash was so horrific that there were six bodies that could not be identified; the remains of those being buried together around a memorial in a cemetery sitting on top of 20th street hill in Huntington. The suffering was real and intense as the community looked for any ray of hope.
In growing up there and graduating from Marshall University in 1983, I witnessed first hand the glory that rises out of suffering. The football team was rebuilt and played their first game in the fall of 1971 consisting of mostly of freshman. A powerful movie came out a couple of weeks ago concerning this story. I highly recommend seeing the film We Are Marshall.
Marshall did not have a winning season until 1984 which was a year after I graduated. I don’t think I missed a home game during my four years there, never giving up hope. Marshall was the most losing team in college football in the 70’s, but became the most winning team in college football in the 90’s. Marshall won 5 conference championships, 5 straight bowl games and 2 national championships. I learned growing up and being a part of this tragedy that glory raises out of suffering.
GLORY RISES OUT OF SUFFERING FOR JESUS.
Jesus suffered much. He was despised and rejected by his own people. The religionists of his day were continually trying to trap him with their legalistic interpretations of God and His Word. They didn’t get His message and as a result they retaliated against the messenger. For the last three and a half years of His life on earth, Jesus was homeless. Scripture tells us that He didn’t have anyplace to lay His head. Then there was the cross which would be the focal point of horrendous suffering.
At the cross, Jesus was beaten. His beard was plucked. He was spat upon and mocked. He was striped naked and nailed to the rough lumber. He chose not to bypass the cross even though He could have done so. Instead, He endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). When we look at the blood stained cross and peer into the empty tomb, we are reminded that glory rises out of suffering.
GLORY RISES OUT OF SUFFERING FOR FOLLOWERS OF JESUS.
In the midst of present suffering, followers of Jesus have been given a deposit of the glory that is to come. God’s Word says (Romans 8:22-23 NIV) "We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. {23} Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies."
The Holy Spirit is the down payment for the full redemption that is yet to come. He is our supernatural helper that will strengthen us on our journey from earth to glory. May these verses encourage those that are suffering today: (Romans 8:26-27 NIV) "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. {27} And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will."
The night the Marshall plane crash occurred, my family was visiting with my uncle and aunt, Garland and Frances Travis in Ironton, Ohio, approximately 45 minutes northwest of Huntington. My aunt Frances wrote in our Christmas card this year some words that I want to share with you today. She wrote "I would like to write you a book, but time keeps passing by and that’s good because it makes me think that our wonderful Saviour, Lord and King will shortly be here. The older I get the more homesick I get for heaven and being able to see Christ our Lord."
Beloved endure suffering knowing that glory is coming. You have been given the firstfruits of glory through the Holy Spirit. You like my aunt Frances are homesick. You long to dwell in the presence of Jesus for all eternity. You grown for glory as a woman laboring in childbirth and the Spirit Himself that resides within you intercedes for you with groans that cannot be expressed in words. Glory is rising out of suffering!
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