ENDURING
INTRO:
In 2 Cor 4:8- 18 (rd)
Here the apostle Paul is speaking to the Corinthian church about some of the hardship & trials that he & his co- workers were subjected to for preaching the gospel.
1. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed;
2. we are perplexed, but not in despair;
3. Persecuted, but not forsaken;
4. cast down, but not destroyed;
In saying this, Paul is teaching every Christian something they need to know.
2Co 4:16-17 Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person34 is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
Paul is teaching us that what we suffer now can’t be compared to the glory of heaven that awaits us ! ( getting to heaven is our No.1 priority)
In fact he says that our suffering is light when compared to the weight or the load, the abundance, the eminence, the excellence of heaven !!
But he notes the fact that there are hardships & suffering in preaching the gospel & in life in general.
In 2 Cor 11 The great apostle Paul is speaking to the Corinthian Christians, or more like exhorting them for:
1. Putting up w/ false teachers (who were questioning his apostolic office)
2. These false teachers were questioning Paul’s authority, saying that he was’nt qualified to be an apostle, he was’nt eloquent w/ words & he was weak.
3. They were saying that Paul had’nt really accomplished much for the gospel.
4. Paul refutes their lies & accusations & begins to tell the Corinthian church about what he had suffered for Christ.
2 Cor 11:23-28 Rd
a.) He suffered:
- 5 times he was whipped or given 39 lashes!
- 3 times he was beaten w/ clubs.
- Once he was stoned.
- 3 times he was shipwrecked.
b.) He faced danger from:
- Rivers, robbers, people he knew & people he did’nt know !
- In the city, in the country & from believers who turn out to be false friends.
- He’s been w/out sleep, hungry & thirsty & overwhelm w/ anxiety for the churches that were in his care.
- The man had a heavy load to bear!!
- & when you read these vrses they’re not exactly promoting or shouting victory !!
- & the picture we get here is of a Christian man, or man of God suffering & enduring some heavy things for the gospel !!
c.) Now, Paul is teaching us something very basic here & that is:
1. We’re all going to face some hard things that are going to test our faith as we move forward to get to where we’re going.
- & we have to remember that according to 2 Cor 4:17 the place we’re trying to get to is the glory of heaven. (priority)
2. Also, Paul is teaching us that we’re not always going to come out on top, we’re not going win every battle.
- We know that because Paul himself tell us that he suffered countless beatings & imprisonment & almost lost his life. 2 Cor 11:23
2. Key Words.
a.) There some key words here that teach us what serving God is all about.
1. In vrse 23 Paul says, “…in labours more abundant..” the NIV version says, “…I have worked much harder ..”
2. In vrse 26, He says, “In journeyings often..” the NIV version says, “I have been constantly on the move..”
- What we see here is that even in the middle of hardship & suffering, Paul continued to work harder than any one else!!
- We see that even though he went thru times of suffering Paul continued to be constantly on the move.
-This clearly shows us that that though he suffered many things, he endured & never stopped moving forward !!!
- Paul was able to take a severe beating & yet continue to move forward !!
- He was able to endure intolerable conditions & still continue to work hard !!!
Show Rocky clip: - “It’s not how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit & still move forward.”
- I’ve seen many Christians fall apart, unravel under trials.
- I’ve seen many Christians get hit & go down & stay down & miss their or lose their destiny !
II. TRIALS.
1. Every Christian will face trials, that’s a fact.
- Whether it’s gospel related or just the trials life brings, it does’nt matter, point is we’re all going to face trials !!
a.) Trials & tribulations.
Jesus said in Jn 16:33 “…in the world you shall have tribulation..(trouble, affliction, anguish, burdens, pressure) ”
Act 14:22 confirming the souls of the disciples, calling on them to continue in the faith and that through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God.
1. Christianity is not about what you can get, but it’s about what you can endure !
-Because there are going to be times when you’re going to experience something heavy !
- There going to be times when you’re going to be challenged in a way you’ve never been challenged before !!
- There are going to be times when you’re going to face even suffering!!
- There are going to be times of pressure, trouble, affliction, anguish, burdens
-& it’s here, right here & how you respond that determines the blessings of God upon your life !!!
- It’s like Rocky Balboa said, “It’s not how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit & still move forward.”
- It’s how well you can take a severe beating & still move forward !! (JL)
- The one thing I’ve learned living in England is how to take a hard punch, (beating) & still move forward !!
- & I praise God for the people, situations & circumstances that taught me that ! (good & bad)
- I’ve learned to endure, & you can’t put a price on endurance !
2. Blessing Through Endurance.
Jas 1:2-4 My brothers and sisters,4 consider it nothing but joy5 when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.
Col 1:11-12 You are being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might, so that you might patiently endure everything with joy and might thank the Father, who has enabled us to share in the saints' inheritance in the light.
a.)Believe it or not, there is something powerful you experience when you endure trials & sufferings.
1. What is it ? God’s blessing.
Jas 5:10-11 Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. They were patient when they suffered unjustly. We consider those who endure to be blessed. You have heard about Job's endurance. You saw that the Lord ended Job's suffering because the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
- We all know what happened to Job, in the end he was twice as blessed for enduring all that he suffered !
Job 42:10 So the LORD restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the LORD doubled all that had belonged to Job.
Job 42:12-17 So the LORD blessed the second part of Job's life more than the first. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuk. Nowhere in all the land could women be found who were as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongside their brothers. After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, old and full of days.
b.Paul teaches us the same thing.
1. In 2 Cor Chptrs 11 & 12 Paul talks about all that he suffered for the gospel’s sake.
- It’s sounds like he’s boasting about his accomplishments, rank & talents but he is’nt, he’s actually boasting about his weakness.
(Actually he put in a position where he is forced to boast )
- He boasts about his weakness, because he knew that thru weakness something powerful happens !!
2Co 11:30 If I must boast, I will boast about the things that show my weakness.
b.) In Chpr 12 he talks about how God showed him things that ere un-believeable, the divine, heavenly things.
1. So that he would’nt become proud about what God had revealed to him, a thorn in the flesh was given to him.
- Paul called it a messenger of satan that came to buffet him.
- The word “buffet” means to hit or punch.
2. & the bible says that he prayed to God about this “thorn in the flesh” 3 times to remove it.
2Co 12:8 I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me, but he has told me, "My grace is all you need, for my power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most happily boast about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why I take such pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong.
c.) God said, “My grace is all you need, for my power is perfected
in weakness”
1. Jesus was telling Paul that thru his weakness, He (Jesus) would be there to support him.
- Jesus was promising Paul that he would’nt allow him to crumble under the weight of his trial (thorn).
- He was comforting Paul in that he had nothing to fear !
- & though the affliction would’nt be removed, there was still the promise of God’s constant favour upon his life !
-His redeemer would’nt allow him to sink under the burden of worries & woes !! (remember that !)
- & he will not let you sink, go under, capsize, cave in, descend or disappear under the burden of your worries & woes either!
c.) Jesus tells Paul, “for my power is made perfect weakness."
1Jesus was telling Paul & us, that the strength that He gives is complete when we’re weak !!
- God does’nt impart his strength to those who feel they’re strong & don’t need help from God!
- He imparts It to those who are conscious of their weakness & know they need help!!
- That’s when Jesus manifests his power upon us to help us endure !!
- Enduring your trials brings about God’s blessing upon your life !
- How can any one experience God’s blessings if they’ve never endured hardship first !!!
- You’re blessed now because of what you endured back there!
d.) The blessing we experience by enduring hardship is God’s Presence, Strength, & Blessing!!
(1) Presence & Strength: We have the assurance that just as Jesus was with Paul to support him & comfort him.
- He was there to make sure that Paul never crumbled.
(2) Blessing:
1. I believe that God blesses spiritually, physically, emotionally & financially when we endure hardship !
2. We know that because Job tells us that !
Job 42:10 So the LORD restored what Job had lost after he prayed for his friends, and the LORD doubled all that had belonged to Job.
Job 42:12-17 So the LORD blessed the second part of Job's life more than the first. He had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-Happuk. Nowhere in all the land could women be found who were as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance alongside their brothers. After this Job lived 140 years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, old and full of days.
- The Christian life is about enduring all things !
- Temptations = marital problems = family problems = financial problems = demonic attacks etc !!
- God is not going to allow his people to crumble under the weight of financial problems (expound).
- I know times are tough, but even in times like these God wiil supply our need ! Ps 37:25 = must believe this !
III. CONCLUSION.
1. In the end, when the smoke cleared, & the fight was over, Paul was blessed beyond measure !!
2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. Now there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but also to all those who love His appearing.
a.) “The crown of righteousness”
1. The mark of royalty !
2. The victors prize !
3. Eternal blessedness, heaven for all who endure & finish this race !!
- Remember “It’s not how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit & still move forward.”
