The Will of God
Suffering
I Peter 4:19
Introduction
· C. S. Lewis describes the role of suffering in the life of the believer as “soul-making.” It is the shaping of the Christian with the hammer and chisel of adversity. Lewis also said “God whispers to us in our pleasures; speaks in our consciences; but shouts in our pains.”
· Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
~ Helen Keller
· Do Christians Suffer? Should Christians Suffer? Why Do Christians Suffer?
· The answers are: Yes, Yes, and because of their sin, or their faith?
Those that suffer should…
I. Be mind IF it’s in the will of God, ‘according to the will of God’
A. Non-Christians suffer because of their sins
1. They suffer in this life,
2. They will suffer in the next life, Rev. 20:11-15
B. Carnal Christians suffer because of their sins,
1. I Pet. 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
2. I Pet. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
C. Spiritual Christians suffer because of their faith
- II Tim. 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”
- I Pet. 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
- I Pet. 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
- I Pet. 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
- I Pet. 3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
- Five Reasons Spiritual Christians suffer
1. That we might learn patience, Romans 5:3 -- "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"
2. That we might experience grace, II Corinthians 12:9 -- "And he said unto me, My GRACE is sufficient for thee:..."
3. That we might experience power, II Corinthians 12:9 -- "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
4. That we might experience fellowship with Christ, Philippians 3:10 -- "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;"
5. That we might reign with Christ, II Timothy 2:12 -- "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:"
Those that suffer should…
II. Turn their lives over to Jesus, ‘commit the keeping’
A. This means to surrender to Jesus, ‘commit’
1. To place alongside, to deposit, or to set before
2. It carries the idea of giving up something that you currently possess
a. A Police officer will tell a criminal ‘surrender your weapon’
b. This means that any and all weapons must be given to the officer, or you are consider resisting arrest, and will have to suffer the consequence.
B. This means to trust in Jesus, ‘the keeping’
1. You do this by faith,
a. No matter what you’re going through, it takes FAITH for it to pass through
b. 453 times, the phrase, it came to pass’ is used in the Bible.
c. Aren’t you glad it came to pass, and didn’t come to stay?
2. You do this repeatedly
a. Committing our souls to Jesus is NOT a one time event
b.
Those that suffer should…
III. Be busy doing good works, ‘in well doing’
A. Doing Good is the will of God for your lives
B. Doing Good focuses your attention on others, and off of self
C. Doing Good will silence those that speak evil about you
D. Doing Good will earn you treasures in this life and in the next
Conclusion
· "Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it."
~ Helen Keller
· Will you be an Overcomer?
o (1 John 5:4) "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
o (1 John 5:5) "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"
o (Rev 2:7) "…To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
o (Rev 2:11) "…He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."
o (Rev 2:17) "…To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
o (Rev 2:26) "…he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:"
o (Rev 3:5) "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."
o (Rev 3:12) "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."
o (Rev 3:21) "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne."
o (Rev 21:7) "He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son."
