Scripture Introduction
Jesus calls us blessed when reviled and persecuted on his account. We hear that and probably grit our teeth and determine to bear it should the need arise. The possibility of suffering frightens, and the culture of comfort surrounding us suggests we avoid situations where we might be troubled for our faith. But today’s text offers suffering as a gift of God’s grace. Let’s give attention to God’s word, then see how we might accept it with faith and joy.
[Read Philippians 1.29-30. Pray.]
Introduction
“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.” The Greek word for “granted” is (Word in Greek) [charidzomai]. Its range of meaning includes: “to grant or give graciously; to deal generously with, forgive, or pardon; to release a prisoner or cancel a debt.” It appears 23 times in the New Testament. For example, when Jesus gives sight to a blind man, the verb is (Greek word). When a storm destroys Paul’s ship, God (Greek word) (gives) the lives of the other men as a gift to Paul. Romans 8.32 tells us that God “graciously gives” (Greek word) his people all good things. And in Philippians 1.29, suffering for Jesus’ sake is a (Greek word), gracious gift.
D. A. Carson (professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) explains: “The Philippians’ call to suffer on behalf of the gospel has been granted to them; it is a gracious gift from God! Not only have they enjoyed the privilege of coming to faith, they currently enjoy the privilege of suffering for Christ…. That is not the way we normally think of suffering, not even the suffering of persecution. But that is what Paul says. If their salvation has been secured by the suffering of another on their behalf, their discipleship is to be demonstrated in their own suffering on his behalf…. In what sense could it be said of us that we follow Jesus Christ, if there is not cross-bearing in our life?”
How do we embrace such a gift with joy, when the very thought naturally repels us?
The gold bricks at Ft. Knox weigh nearly 30 pounds. Suppose I stack some on the stage and say, “I have a gift for everyone in the church. I’m sorry that they are so heavy, but if you are willing to endure the “misery” of carrying a 30 pound brick to your car and the “hassle” of finding a place to sell it, you may pocket the profit.”
So you lug one to your car, find a gold dealer, carry it to their office, fill out the paperwork, sell the gold, and at this week’s prices, deposit a check for $468,000.00.
Next week at church I meet you at the front door and before you can say I word, I begin to apologize: “I am so sorry I made you carry that heavy burden. I feel so bad using your time and effort to find a place to sell it. I have a heavy and guilty conscience; will you please forgive me for putting you through that, so that I can take communion this morning?”
You may wonder if I am crazy, but there are two responses you are unlikely to give. First, you probably will not be angry with me, holding a grudge, bitter because of the heavy load I made you carry. Was there a “cost” to obtain the cash? Yes; but to haul the brick to the car and sell it was so small in comparison that you would never think of it as a true burden or an offense against you. Second, you probably will not brag about your work in earning almost one-half a million dollars. You do have a part in the transaction, but not one that deserves praise (at least not in comparison to the giver of the gift).
I think you would you say: “Don’t be silly; it was no burden at all. Thank you for the great gift.” You might even say the time and effort you put into hauling and selling the gold, “not worth comparing” to the benefit.
It is a silly illustration, but it may be closer to a Biblical answer than we imagine. At least it seems that Paul thought so. Listen to how he describes his troubles in 2Corinthians 4: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus….” The life of faith was hard on the apostle; so we might expect the next verses to be filled with either complaint or self-congratulations. But he does neither because the burden was easy and brief compared to the reward. 2Corinthians 4.17-18: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
That sounds like gold bars of reward for a flea bite of irritation. Suffering for Christ is a gracious gift when we trust God’s promise of great reward. So if we accept that description, what does faith do with the promise? Two things:
1. Faith Accepts Light and Momentary Affliction as Working Great and Eternal Glory
It seems natural to respond to the possibility of persecution with fear, or flee, or a combination. We fear suffering, wondering how much pain we can endure and doubting that we will remain faithful. We also flee it, avoiding the circumstances which might lead to persecution or problems living in this world. When it does sneak up on us, we naturally ask, “Why does God allow this? Why must I suffer?”
God hears those questions and he is not silent to our cries. The Biblical answer is nuanced and varied, but one thing is consistent: God promises that affliction results in greater good.
Doug came to faith in Jesus after Multiple Sclerosis began wasting his body. His testimony always included his favorite verse, Psalm 119.71: “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” God used his suffering to wrench his heart from sinful desires and set them on a superior satisfaction. Afflictions which kill sinful corruptions are cause for rejoicing.
Suffering for the sake of Christ can also prove our faith. James 1.2-3: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” Pastor John Flavel wisely reminded his congregation: “One sharp trial will often do more to satisfy our fears and resolve our doubts, than many a sermon you may hear.” Comfort and ease never satisfy the conscience when it asks, “Is our faith is genuine or simply convenient?”
Suffering frees the church from hypocrites, who are a reproach and burden to gospel ministry. Suffering unites the church in the work of the Kingdom as we learn to pray for one another and bear each other’s burdens. Suffering drives us to God, weans us of self-sufficiency, increases our hope, and delivers us from love of the world. These blessings and more make bricks of gold from the straw of suffering and turn our burdens into light momentary affliction.
As wonderful as those blessings are, however, none motivates and moves the Christian’s soul as knowing that God is glorified when my satisfaction in him overwhelms all present and momentary troubles. So let’s think about how God’s character and nature are seen through the gift of suffering.
God’s holiness is shown valuable when we suffer under his discipline, as he demonstrates to the world that even though he loves his people, he does not indulge our sin. (This is why we read Hebrews 12 in the service this morning.)
God’s power is revealed as sufficient as he sustains us in affliction. John Flavel notes: “No people are so privileged, so protected, so delivered, as the people of God. Much less opposition than has been made against the church, has overthrown, and utterly destroyed, the mighty monarchies of the world.” Paul honors this power in 2Corinthians 12.9-10: “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
A third glory to God in our afflictions is the displaying of his wisdom over Satan and the powers of evil. Whenever trouble comes upon us, whether from sickness, persecution, or hostility from others, Satan intends such adversity to destroy our faith by tempting us to doubt the goodness of God and to leave the path of obedience. But the Father’s wisdom uses the same circumstances to strengthen our faith and to press us into the path of obedience! What Satan intends for evil, God brings to good!
There are others; but let’s look at a specific example. When Jesus was here, three of his dearest friends were Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. One day Lazarus falls ill; in fact, he is dying. Because Jesus loves these friends, we expect him to rush to the sickbed and heal.
John 11.6: “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” That seems strange; why would he tarry? More than that, he waits out of town until Lazarus dies. Only then does Jesus travel the two days to the hometown of his friends.
Martha meets him first and says to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” A few minutes later Mary comes to Jesus and falls at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11.21, 32). They knew Jesus could heal, but he does not. Instead, he gives the gift of grief so that through it the reward would be more than they could dare imagine. In fact, Jesus goes to the tomb and weeps with them.
Then he approached the large stone covering the cave which they used as a tomb and said, “Take away the stone.” Martha (always practical) said, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”
But Jesus answered: “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
There it is: the Glory of God! Why does Jesus allow Lazarus to die, his sisters to cry, the grief to stab so deep? There was a superior purpose behind their pain: the glory of God. Unless Lazarus die, they would never see Christ’s power over death and the grave.
It is unlikely that your griefs will so clearly connect to God’s glory. But though we may not see the line, the Almighty, Infinite Father, faithfully loving his own, traces it with his own finger. Faith accepts affliction as working great and eternal glory.
2. Faith Accepts Light and Momentary Affliction as Giving Superior and Lasting Joy
Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus chose suffering to increase his joy: “Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12.2). No one took his life from him; he laid it down of his own accord (John 10.18).
The Lord taught us to do the same. Matthew 5.11-12: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” That sounds like gold bars to me.
Christians who went before us did just this: Hebrews 10.32-34: “But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” Gold bricks of superior satisfaction and lasting joy!
Moses offers one of the clearest Biblical examples of trust in God’s future promise of reward. Hebrews 11.24-26: “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”
We can summarize the teaching in this way: we embrace affliction as our joy when we realize that knowing Christ overwhelms every unpleasantness of suffering with rewards here and in heaven. The burden of the brick is not worth comparing to the rewards God offers.
3. Conclusion
I would offer a four-fold application.
First, recognize patterns of avoidance. Maybe we remain silent when Jesus’ name is used as a curse, or refuse to speak up with God is blasphemed. Maybe we never pray in public, lest someone think us a religious fanatic. Maybe we fail to quote the Bible around unchurched friends, or we act like coworkers or fellow students so they will not mock us for being different. Maybe we laugh at crude jokes to fit in, or remain “secret agent Christians,” rather than risk the plundering of our homes and goods. How each of us avoids tiny acts of persecution is between you and God. But know this: the culture of comfort pushes constantly against choosing to be mistreated with the people of God. If you do not recognize the ways you avoid the possibility of persecution for Jesus’ sake, then you will never find the reward.
Second, believe the promises. You heard many in texts today; there are hundreds more like them. Read, memorize, meditate, believe: preach daily to your soul the superior satisfaction of a better possession and an abiding one.
Third, seek faithfulness. You need not search out the reproach of Christ. 2Timothy 3.12 promises that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” We find the joy of being reviled on account of Jesus, not by seeking suffering but godliness.
My friend Tim watched one of the widows in his church as her health failed in old age. A couple of months ago, his family moved this dear lady into their home, converting their dining room into her new bedroom. The gift of suffering will not likely be a jail cell or chains of iron. In our place and time it will more likely be the snickering of coworkers and the sacrifices of time and freedoms. He and his family find joy in offering their house and energy to a fellow believer in need.
One final thing to remember: fourth, guard your heart against becoming angry or hungry for praise. Many who try to give up their own comforts find their hearts demanding credit for how great they are. The reward is knowing Jesus, not the praise of people.
Andree Seu wrote in World magazine about the five years in which she was able to sleep only 4 hours per night: “I petitioned the Lord for sleep during those years, and others prayed with me. I promised God that if he healed me I would seek the pastor’s permission to give a testimony before the congregation…. The elders laid hands on me and anointed me with oil—and that night I did not sleep. My friend David had words with the Lord, ‘Lord, why didn’t you hear Andree’s prayer?’ He received in his spirit an immediate answer: ‘I did hear it. She has treasure in heaven.’
“Well now, this I hadn’t thought of—that the blessing of prayer might not always be the receiving of what is sought, but in reward deferred till heaven.”
Andree then explains how meeting with another Christian showed her that what we think of as “unanswered prayer may actually be delayed answer.” She then reflects on some of the blessings received during the five years of delayed answer: “If I had received satisfaction in April 2005, here is what I would have forfeited: deliverance from fear of sleep deprivation; the discovery that man does not live by sleep alone; the self-discoveries that always come only in the wilderness; the establishment of a set habit of hour-a-day Bible reading.
“If a master had a servant whose loyalty he needed to test, how would he test it? If the man’s faith needed stretching, how would he stretch it? Jesus’ earthly healing of the merely sick seems like Faith 101 in comparison; it’s when he pushes the limits and lets Lazarus die that we enter the graduate course. Anyone who left town in disgust on day 3 missed the blessing. The question is, how long will you hang in with God?
The gift of suffering does not land very many people in jail. But for each of us it forces us to answer that question: how long will we hang in with God? Will the promise of a better possession and an abiding one sustain your hope and faithfulness? Believe and receive superior and lasting joy.
