The Joy In The Suffering

Let’s examine one more passage on the joy of suffering

Most of us have heard or read James 1:2 “count it all joy”

But I’d like us to look at verses 3-8 as well, and particularly verses 7-8

James 1:2-8(read from my bible)

V2- as Christians, we are going to experience trials

V3-faith produces patience

V4-patience has its’ perfect work, complete and lacking nothing

V5-ask for wisdom (when facing trials) and have faith

V6-doubting not allowed

V7-for if we do, we receive nothing from God

V8-double-minded and unstable (in their faith)

If we have doubt, God is not going to bless us!

RE-READ Colossians 1:24

So, Paul is telling them “I rejoice in my sufferings FOR YOU”.

Think about his words here.

• Personally, I don’t mean to sound selfish or ungrateful, but if I’m over here suffering, I’m ok with you getting some of your own! (speaking sarcastically, of course)

But not Paul, he is standing in the gap, and offering the suffering on their behalf. Wow!

How ashamed should I be in my selfishness?

Several years ago, I heard Zig Ziglar say

“If you were accused of being a Christian, would you be acquitted due to a lack of evidence?

Listen to what Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12: “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution”.

I believe in over the last few weeks, God is asking me where my suffering is…

Paul is saying “I am taking my turn in suffering”.

I think that being a couple thousand years removed from the passion of Christ, it is hard for us to imagine the hatred there was for Him at the time of His death.

It was so deep that they weren’t satisfied with His death alone, it was an insatiable hatred, so they persecuted those who remained, the church.

However, I think we are starting to get a glimpse of that type of persecution, in our world today.

Paul is saying he is suffering for the church, the body of Christ.

The Greek word for the church is “Ekklesia” (ek-lay-see-a) which literally means “the called-out ones”.

Have you been called out?

Tell Sean’s persecution story

What’s your persecution story?

You see, I don’t have one!

Revelations 6:9-11 (read from my bible)

I’d like us to look at a couple of other passages that have special reference.

Philippians 3:10 (fellowship)

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death”. The Greek word for “fellowship” is Koi-no-nea, which means “an intimate sharing of oneself with another.”

Paul is saying “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and have an intimate sharing of His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death”.

Listen to what Jesus says in John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”

• We will be persecuted for His names’ sake.

I’m convinced that if we aren’t being persecuted, we aren’t doing anything!

• Think about this:

o Since both Paul and we are part of Christ’s body, then Christs’ sufferings affect us, and our sufferings affect Christ.