Trials are a fact of living in this fallen world, so we all need to learn what God’s Word tells us about how to handle them. The problem is, the biblical approach to trials is just plain crazy! Paul says that he glories or rejoices in his tribulations.
But it’s not just Paul. James says the same thing (1:2-3): “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” Peter also gets in on this in (1 Pet. 4:13-14): “But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”
Even when you trace the behavior of the apostles through the Book of Acts, you discover that they actually practiced this strange response to trials. When the apostles were beaten by the Jewish Sanhedrin, we read (Acts 5:41), “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” When Paul and Silas were illegally beaten, imprisoned, and fastened into the stocks in Philippi, we read (Acts 16:25), “But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God.” Paul told the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:9b-10), “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 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.”
So we can’t escape the fact that this strange response of exulting in trials is the uniform teaching of the New Testament. But if you’re like me, you have to admit that this is not your normal response! Some of us may be able to say that we don’t complain about our trials. We grit our teeth and endure them. A few of us may be able to say that you usually rejoice in spite of your trials. But how many of us can honestly say that we glory or rejoice in our trials? So Paul is trying to teach us something here.
Because someone will say to you, or maybe you’ve even wondered - “if you have peace with God, then why are you going through this hard time?” “if you have such a standing in His grace, why doesn’t God protect you from trials right now? “If you are the object of His love and Grace, shouldn’t you be enjoying a trouble-free life?”
So Paul is showing us why God brings trials into the lives of His saints: because through the trials, we grow in endurance, proven character, and hope. And our hope will not disappoint, because even now God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
V. 3-5 OUR PRIVILEGES AS BELIEVERS
(Ill. We’ve already learned that we are saved and we are secure, but right now, we live in a world of trials and tribulations. So we need help today in these areas as well. Notice some of the great privileges that are ours as believers in Jesus Christ.)
A. The Ability To Rejoice In Trouble - Paul says that the Christian can rejoice (the word, literally, is boasting or glorying in) in the bad times of life. Why is this true? Because of the little word "knowing". When the trials of life descend, the true believer knows that God is working out His will in our lives and is attempting to produce in us a state of Christlikeness. In other words, God is trying to make us more like Jesus. (I just gave you the ending in the beginning)
(Ill. The word "tribulations" means "pressure". There are certainly times when this life will apply pressure on the child of God. But, the mature Christian also knows that it takes pressure to produce Christlikeness. Pressure is the process used to turn coal into diamonds. And likewise, it is pressure in the life of the believer that forces out more of the old, sinful nature and reveals more of the image of God.)
(You see, we can rejoice in trouble if we will just remember that every trial is a blessing from the very hand of God, that’s why Rom. 8:28 says “and we know all things work together for good to them that love God.” That means that although I’m going this trial, although I’m going through this test, I can rejoice in it because I know that God is working it all out for my good.
The bad is working for my good.
The ugly is working for my good.
The pain is working for my good.
The hard times is working for my good.
The so called friends walking out on me is working for my good.
The sickness is working for my good.
The financial struggle is working for my good.
The people scandalizing my name is working for my good.
All of it is working for my good!
So for every trial in my life, all I have to do is keep in mind that God is producing in me more of the image of Jesus. So even in my tribulation, I can rejoice because He has chosen me to suffer for Him, He has found me worthy of the pressure! He wants to make me shine! I can rejoice because He is simply helping me become more like Him.
B. The Ability To Recognize Our Troubles - In this text, Paul tells us all about the benefits derived from the "pressures" of life. Notice the progression mentioned in these verses.
1. Tribulation - pressure
2. Patience – endurance or perseverance
3. Experience – proven character or maturity
4. Hope – the confident expectation that we will not be disappointed.
Tribulation (“pressure”) brings about perseverance (endurance) that is, the ability to hold up and not fold up; to joyfully keep trusting God in the face of opposition to his promises. Paul’s point is that you don’t develop perseverance unless you go through trials. That’s why you shouldn’t pray for God to give you patience, if you don’t want the tribulation, because the bible says patience is born out of tribulation.
There was a young Christian man who asked an elderly believer to pray that he would have more patience. The older man got down on his knees and began, "Lord, send this young man tribulation in the morning; send this young man tribulation in the afternoon; send this young man--" At that point the young Christian blurted out, "No, no, I didn't ask you to pray for tribulation. I wanted you to pray for patience." "Ah," responded the wise Christian, "it's through tribulation that we learn patience."
Perseverance means "steadfastness, the ability to remain under difficulties without giving in." That was certainly true in Paul's life and ministry. He had suffered beating, whipping, stoning, and shipwreck, yet he remained steadfast in the faith and did not give up when the going got tough. (tell somebody don’t give up)
Are you facing a difficult test? Then praise God! Because under His wise control, everything that happens to you, whether enjoyable or painful, is designed to develop perseverance. That's why suffering saints can glory in tribulation.
Can you trust God when you lose your job? Can you trust him when you’re going through a hard time in your marriage? Can you trust Him when you get sick? My brother/sisters, you don’t have to endure anything when everything is going your way. It’s not difficult to trust the Lord when you’re experiencing nothing but blessings. But can you endure by faith when life gets hard? Can you be like Abraham and keep hope against hope? Can you wait on God to move when trials come your way? “Wait on the Lord and be of good courage, and He will strengthen your heart.” “They that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength!”
But then he says, perseverance produces proven character (experience). This is a single word in Greek (do-ke-ma') that means a proving, or a specimen of tried worth. It means something that has passed the test. It comes out approved. (That’s shouting words right there). Shout it’s a process!
Job seems to have understood the value of this "process" to some degree declaring that God "knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." When you go through a trial trusting in God, your faith becomes proven. You’ve been through the test and passed. You know by experience that you can lean on His faithfulness. It proves that you’re not just a flash in the pan Christian. You’re not like the seed in Matthew that Jesus preached about that fell on the shallow soil, and faded quickly under the heat of trials. No, you’ve tried Him, and you know that He is good all the time, and all the time He is good. Patience works proven character.
God is more concerned with us being holy than He is with our happiness; and He is more committed to our character development than He is to our comfort. He saved us in order to conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. That means He must continue to work on us, pressing out the things that need to be removed. Grinding and chiseling off the corruption that’s in us. Burning the bad behavior that sin has stained us with – until we look just like Jesus!
Then Paul adds that proven character works hope. This brings us back full circle to verse 2, where we who have been justified by faith “exult in hope of the glory of God.” It’s the same hope, but now it’s stronger. It works like this: The initial hope comes from understanding the blessing of being justified by faith. We begin the Christian life full of faith and hope. Then we get hit by difficult trials. We cling to God like we’ve never had to cling before. We prove His faithfulness and He develops proven character in us as we endure. We come out the other side more certain of the hope of eternal glory with Him than we were before the trials. Our hope is stronger because it has been tempered in the flames of affliction.
Maybe that’s why Marvin Sapp said “I’m strong, I’m wiser, I’m better, much better!” because when I look back over all He’s brought me through, I realize that I’m not the same person I used to be.
Basically, what Paul is saying is that when troubles come in our lives as a result of our walk with the Lord, we learn to endure and through endurance we are matured and proven in our character, then as we see God sustain us in the difficult times, we can rest in the deep settled knowledge that He is in control and will see us through.
Ill. Simply stated, the more we endure for Jesus, the more we become like Him! And that is a good thing!
(Ill. You can mark this down, "The road to maturity is paved with struggle!" Just ask any growing saint of God.
1. Ask Abraham and he will point to Mt. Moriah.
3. Ask Joseph and he will point to a Pit and Egyptian prison.
4. Ask Moses and he will point to the backside of the desert.
5. Ask the three Hebrew children and they will point to a fiery furnace.
6. Ask Daniel and he will point to a den of lions.
9. Ask Jesus and He will point to the cross.
C. The Ability To Rest In Our Troubles - If life is to be difficult and if there is to be trouble in my life, then how can I rejoice and how can I rest? The answer lies in this text. Paul tells us that the love of God, like a river, is constantly being poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit! When we were saved, God placed His Spirit into us. The Holy Spirit is like a pipe through which streams massive quantities of the great love of God.
(Ill. As we go through this life, there will be many difficult days. However, as we face all the things that will come our way, we always have the precious Holy Spirit in us to guide us, to teach us, to constantly remind us of the awesome love of God for His children.
He makes the trip bearable! He makes the destination believable. If we will just learn to rest in the Spirit of God, He has the power to keep our hearts in perfect peace, regardless of how difficult the way becomes, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.", Isa. 26:3.)
Conc: And so, these reasons are more than sufficient to give every child of God justification to rejoice in God and in His salvation. I am sure the Lord has spoken to some hearts this afternoon.
Maybe you aren't saved and want to get in on justification. Jesus is available is you will come to Him by faith.
Maybe you have been worried over doubts concerning your eternal security as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is help in Him if you will come.
Maybe you have been going through trials and tribulations and they have just about got the best of you. Why not bring them to Jesus and let Him let you understand that He is just reproducing His life in you?
If there are needs, this altar is the place where they will be met. Will you come if the Lord is speaking to your heart?
