The Christian And Suffering

Title: “The Christian and Suffering” Phil. 1:13-14

Type: Expository series Where: GNBC 5-18-25

Intro: The problem of pain is inescapable, its effects profound. No one can deny it. Many use it as a way to remove God from reality. It fuels the flame of doubt and sometimes undermines the believer’s faith. It empowers the atheist’s argument. To be a follower of Christ and to live in the world, one must determinedly, intentionally face the issues and difficulties that lie inherent and obvious in the problem of pain. C.S. Lewis, a frontline witness to evil in the world, was not immune from personal pain. As a boy, he experienced the death of his mother followed by the emotional abandonment of his father. As a young man, he directly encountered the ugliness of war. As a brilliant Oxford don, he suffered rejection from academic colleagues. As an older man who finally discovered young love, he endured the painful loss of his wife. In 1940, at age forty-two, Lewis penned The Problem of Pain accompanied by a humble, written admission. Fully realizing that he might be underestimating the reality of serious pain, he was compelled to intellectually address the issue, for he understood its profound implications toward belief, or disbelief, in God. Lewis states that “pain would be no problem unless, side by side with our daily experience of this painful world, we had received what we think a good assurance that ultimate reality is righteous and loving.”1 The innate relationship between the existence of God and pain must be rightly understood if we are honestly to confront the difficult issues that lie therein. Without such an understanding, faith is at risk of crumbling. I believe the Apostle Paul does just that in Phil. 1:13-14

Prop: Examining Phil. 1:13-14 we’ll realize two important principles in bearing fruit while suffering.

BG: 1. Philippi was an important city in Northern Greece, commanding the land route to Asia minor. The city grew in importance with the discovery of god mine just outside its borders. 2. As a colony, Philippi had the same legal status as cities in Italy. Its citizens were Roman citizens. Philippi was the 1st church founded in Europe on his 2nd missionary journey. Wrote this letter along with Colossian, Ephesians, and Philemon while under arrest.

Prop: In Phil. 1:13-14 Paul shares 2 important principles for the Christian to bear fruit while suffering.

I. The Fruitfulness of the Christian’s Suffering

A. Paul Realized that His Suffering was Testimony to the Watching World.

1.Paul Refuses the Way of Self-Pity Preferring to Describe the Effect of His Sufferings Upon Others and Not Upon Himself.

a. The Apostle Paul was a man who proved Jesus’ words in the crucible of life. In our text, we find Paul in circumstances in which we could not fault him for being unhappy. Think of who he was--God’s chief apostle to the Gentiles. He was well-educated, experienced, influential. He had founded churches all over the Roman Empire. He had been used of God to pen much of our New Testament. He had endured much persecution and hardship in his labors for the Lord. By now he was over 60, at a time in life when a man looks forward to enjoying the fruits of his lifelong labors. Many American pastors by this time are looking forward to a relaxed schedule, a little more golf. If you’re as successful in ministry as Paul was, you could expect to live off your book sales and speak at a lot of conferences and retreats. However, instead of being invited to speak at G3 or C3 or 9 Marks, or BLDRS, or Ligonier, or Shepherds Conference, the majority of his days is taken up with an audience of one. His captor.

b. v.13 – Paul gives insight into who his captor was. “In the whole Praetorian guard” – This was the elite imperial guard of first 10k and later 16k hand picked warriors. Originally, only of Italian birth, but later Macedonian, Noricum, and Spanish. They were the most loyal troops, receiving special assignments, special privileges, 2x pay, and receiving a full pension after serving 12 years. These men could be absolutely ruthless if the situation or emperor dictated. Yet, they were still lost men who needed Christ. (Christian, no matter who you are around…regardless of the size of the muscles or number of tattoos or piercings, rainbow colored hair, or menacing glare, at the end of the day, they are simply individuals who need Christ, who need to know God loves them and Christ died for them.

2. Paul states that his suffering has given opportunity for the entire Praetorian guard to know that he was held captive not so much by the emperor’s decree, but by the Love of Sovereign of the Universe. He was no longer in a dungeon as he was for two years in Caesarea (Acts 24:27), rather, now, he was in private rented quarters, but still with a captor 24/7.