Phil 1:28-30, Opposition, Suffering, and Struggle

This message originally delivered on April 21, 1991.

In verse 30 Kimber references 5 passages quickly, where other verses use the same word for Conflict or Struggle.  1 Timothy 6:12 - Fight, 2 Timothy 4:7 - Fought, Hebrews 12:1 - Agony of a Race, Colossians 2:1 - Struggle, and Luke 22:44 - Jesus was in Anguish.

Transcript

Kimber Kauffman: 0:00

The Book of Philippians. We're doing a verse by verse study in this epistle. Let's go to the first chapter Philippians chapter one. And we we left the last week in verse 27. We'll pick up this week at verses 28. And through the rest of the chapter. In fact, I got news for you, we are now finishing chapter one as of this week, so you ought to be encouraged by that working good progress. Philippians chapter one, they'll follow along as I read verses 27 through 30. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, then whether I come and see you, or only hear about you, in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit contending as one man for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved and that by God, for it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for him. Since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now here that I still have, you know, is extremely common these days, absolutely extremely common, because of the popular man centered theology where man is the center, and God is there to bless man, God is running around man and trying to make him happy all the time. That type of teaching breeds, the type of emphasis of all of the virtues and the good things of the gospel. In other words, there's nothing wrong with that, because there are many good things and many blessings that the gospel brings to our life. But what I'm saying is this, the emphasis is this. Do you want joy? Do you want peace? You want happiness? Do you want fulfillment? Do you want contentment? Or even some people say do you want financial prosperity, then you just follow this set pattern of believing in Jesus asking Him for help such as such, and that you're gonna have it. So much self. So much emphasis has been made about these things that many believe that if you have trouble in your life, if you have affliction, if you have difficulty, that somehow you're missing the point and God is against you are somehow you're not really a good person, if somehow you're struggling with some type of difficulty. But as in all parts of the Bible, there's always a balance. And if we're going to teach the whole counsel of God, that's one of the beauties of going verse by verse through a book of the Bible, carefully examining each word. Because in so doing, in teaching, the whole counsel of God, you get to understand really the balance of what it's all about. For instance, did you notice this is Philippians, the book of joy? This is the book of of happiness. This is the book of talking about victory. And yet right in the middle of this book, you see verses 2829 30 all discuss something very interesting. Look at verse 28. It talks about opposition, opposition that terrorizes or opposition that frightens people that are opposed to the gospel. Look at verse 29. It says this, not only has been granted on you to believe, but also to suffer. Look at verse 30. The struggle that I have, you also have, and here you have in these three verses opposition, suffering, and struggling. Now, I think it's very interesting last week, if you weren't here, we had a tug of war up here. We did, we brought in the strongest guy in our church, and we put him at that end, and we brought another guy we put we put 10 or 11 Little kids on this end, and they all pulled and the point is him by himself could just pull those little kids right across anytime, him by himself if there were just two or three, but you put 10 or so on that end, and they start to pull and guess what Big John Langford who can squat 750 pounds, you hurt his hand, even on the first part, do you know that he got hurt, actually, and here he is over here and he started giving it because we are to be pulling together. The enemy is not supposed to be on this side of the tug rope. The enemy is supposed to be on that side of the tug rope and we're supposed to be pulling together. Why? Because of what verse 28 says that's verse 27, verse 28, says, because there are real opponents, the kind that I want to frighten you. And because it's verse 29, says you're going to suffer and because it's verse 30, says, you're going to struggle. Now, let's talk a little bit about verse 28. And the real opposition, notice what it says, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. All says this. Look, as you're pulling together, Don't be startled. Don't be terrified. Don't be scared by anything about those who oppose you. Those who are strongly against you, the word oppose is where we get the word anti comes out of that anti against you, those that are against you. Hey, listen. In the one thing we've got understand in really, truly preaching a gospel message, it is something that is radically different than what most people are used to. For some reason, we've got this strange idea the sort of this father Mulcahy type of Christianity, where a gospel minister is the kind of oh, okay, bless you. Everything's fine. You know what? The apostles went into the towns and they chased him out with stones. Literally big stones thrown at them. They wanted to kill him. People were Same we will never eat again until Paul is dead. There was hatred, there is violence. Jesus said, Hey, I didn't come to bring peace I came to bring division mother and father and children will be to divide against one another because of my coming. There's going to be some real difficulty. And the thing is one thing that you ought to expect in lazy, easygoing, America, we don't have it too much. But down through the ages, ever since the gospel has been preached, there has been real opposition. And we have become so nitpicky, what happened is, in the 20s, and 30s, a lot of the fundamental evangelical churches realized that there were the seminaries, and a lot of the pastors were going liberal, they weren't believing in the virgin birth, they weren't believing in salvation by faith, they were starting to turn away from the Scripture being the Word of God. So guess what happened. They all started fighting, they got together groups, and they bound together fundamental groups, different denominations, but they bound together, they said, We got to get rid of these guys. That's heresy that's wrong. Pretty soon they got rid of them. They went to their way. And these people were there. The only thing is, these people were so used to fighting somebody that they had to keep fighting. And this group has evolved out of that what I mean by this group, I don't mean necessarily this particular group, but I mean, fundamentalist Christians, if you want to call yourself out evangelical Christians that believe in the fundamentals of the faith is what I mean. And that is this, you're here on this side, and you're pulling, but you're so used to having an enemy that we start slapping the guy next to us. You see, that's causes all kinds of trouble, because the opponent is not supposed to be here, but it supposed to be there. But in truly purchase wizard. We've had Jewish people, just to show you what I'm talking about have come to this service at our church, and they've been highly offended. And guess what offended them. The fact that we sing songs about Jesus, the fact that we preach that apart from Jesus, you cannot know God. The fact that we made that type of emphasis that the Word of God is absolutely the authority but they said they get mad. I've seen people steam out of the service before they've been so mad. And my point is, that's a little that's nothing compared to what they did with Paul's. You know what they did with Paul in Acts chapter 16, when they founded the church at Philippi. Guess what happened? When those men realized that they weren't gonna make any money from that demon possessed girl who was prophesying and foretelling futures, and they realized they're open, they're making money was gone. They had them beaten, Scourge, flogged, thrown into prison and they're Paul and Silas were singing praises and praying, pray prayers of adoration and worship to God. Opposition, you know something, it hasn't happen too much in Indianapolis is like a piece of cake compared to where I came from. When you're pastor, a small little church, in a small town over Ohio, I was chased for my life on two different occasions with shotguns. I'm not the kind of guy that goes around trying to cause trouble. I'm really not, I hope you believe me. I'm not trying to cause lots of trouble, but just in holding to the gospel and telling people they need to repent. There's hostility bred because we want to know that we're good. We want to think that we're okay. The Gospel says this, there's good news. But first, there's bad news. The bad news is you're alienated from God, you're sinful, you're far from him, you must repent and trust Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. And that brings opposition does. Christianity cannot gain any considerable strength without materially affecting the income of many classes who live by the wages of unrighteousness. Remember Paul and emphasis, they were not going to able to make idols to Diana anymore? And so what happened? They terrorized ball and they brought trouble. The Gospel brings radical change. Today, we want churches listen, I hope this never happens in this church, but it seems like sort of the end sort of cute little fundamental everybody cozy, aren't we sort of nice church goes like this. You let's don't offend anybody. Let's don't cause people to feel guilty. Let's don't call let me tell you something. I would never want to cause someone to feel guilty. But you know, something. It's all part of knowing Christ is that there is a tremendous amount of guilt, you become poor in spirit. You say I wretched man that I am. Who shall deliver me? And so anyway, my point is this. There's a tremendous amount of opposition. You'll notice the next part of verse 20. It says this, it says, this is a sign to them that they will be destroyed. Get this now this is proof as these ungodly people attack Christians, and the Christians don't retaliate by saying, oh, yeah, you hit me, I'll hit you bang. But instead, as Jesus was when he reviled he reviled not again, when they see the quiet confidence, when they see the encouragement, even in the face of suffering that Christians have, it's proved to them that they're going to be destroyed and that the Christians are right. That's what verse 28 says. Listen, the good missionary Mr. Ellis states that when he visited Madagascar in 1862, after the death of the persecuting queen, he asked the Christians often to what they thought must chiefly be ascribed the astonishing increase in their numbers during the time of terrible suffering. And that and replied They mentioned among other influences, an indescribable feeling of interest in the Christians or sympathy with them in the injustice and cruelty with which they suffered. And pressing some of the feeling that they there must be something important connected with Christianity. They saw these Christians suffer. And they said there must be something important about it. Look at the way they're suffering, the patient and most uncommon conduct of the Christians under such trials, not cursing their persecutors, but praying for them, not seeking to be revenged, but to convert affected the minds of many, by the way, you knew also the fact that Paul who at that time was called Saul. And when Steven was being stoned, what did he do is the stones are falling down upon them. He prayed father, Elena office against them. And Saul watched that he was later converted to Jesus Christ. It also says that the way you suffer, the world is going to realize that there is a God, the world's gonna realize that they're wrong, and they're going to be destroyed, they're going to perish. But it also says this, that it will be for your salvation to the point here is this as you taste of God's strength in the middle of your difficulties from opposition from opponents, as you taste of that and handle it properly, it's a sign that you're going to be saved in the future. So it's a proof to them that they're lost. It's a proof to you that you're a child of God. Now, notice something else. Now as we move right into verse 29, says this foreign has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also the stuff reform, you know, this is a verse I've always wanted to know about. And this verse is absolutely staggered me this week. This verse is so full of tremendous truth, please get this don't miss it is one of the most important parts I want you to see. Look at this. It has been granted you. Verse 29, it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for him. You know, the word granted translated there in the NIV actually is the word chorus, where we get the word grace. And it means this. It has been granted as a gift of love. It has been from the favor or kindness of God, it is used to show this, that what has come your way has come as a gift from God. What What's he talking about this, not only that you believe on Him, but that you also suffer for him? Are you with me? The Bible teaches right here, as clear as it can be. You can't twist it make it any other way. The Bible says right there, that part of God's gracious gift of salvation so that you would believe Christ includes the fact that in believing Christ, you're also going to suffer for him. You can't miss it. It's it's unmistakably clear there. It's been granted as a gift to God. Now, think of me how reversed we are, we always think of how opposite that we are compared to the last but think of us in compared to the church, even the church today. You have the services and they say, come on forward and get your healing. come on forward. And I'll lay hands on you and you'll get your financial woes gone. Come on forward. And we'll get rid of all of your problems, your your cancer, your, your diseases, your sore back, whatever it is. But you realize what this is. This is look just as surely as you've come to believe in Him. So also you can expect right along with it tremendous amount of suffering. It's been given by God, don't look at it as a phone, don't look at as an enemy. Look, as as a friend, God has a purpose in it, and you're going to suffer for him in behalf of Christ, it's been granted that you would also not just believe in him, but also suffer for him. Listen, it's an awesome privilege to suffer for God. The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they have been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for his name Majan they had been beaten, they've been ridiculed, they've been rebuked and mocked and everything and they leave they're gone. Yes. Praise God that I've encountered was on the side of Jesus, they hated him. They're gonna hate me. He was more of an artist. The world hates you. They hated me. First they put me on the Cross I suffered. You think somehow you're better off than Jesus, that you're not going to suffer? Suffer, he's going to come your way. It's an awesome privilege, we got to look at it as a friend. And not only that, but the suffering comes by the ways of the struggles in life. We're going to says in verse 30, since you are going through the same struggle, you saw I had, you're not gonna believe this. I love this word. I say you're not gonna believe this. That's sort of the bad way. You're supposed to believe this. Okay, but is this is the Greek word agony. Here, you know, what did we get it agony as in the Sports Illustrated guy? I mean, why would a sports guy he falls the agony of defeat ax? Do you see them? It's where we get the word translated agony. And Paul says, you not only been called to believe, but also to suffer and you're going through the same agony that I went through when I was there. What agony did Paul go through? Well, remember, he was preaching the gospel. And as a result of the in the town of Philippi, this Roman colony, they took them and they beat them and they flogged them. And they threw him in jail. He was in stocks and bonds. They was in stock stocks and bonds. He was in stocks. And and you didn't know about that. That's another insight. So If he was in stocks, and he was greatly, he was greatly persecuted. Listen, this same word agony is translated five other places in the Bible, guess how it's translated. Listen to this. It's translated fight in First Timothy 612. Fight, the good fight of faith is translated fight or fought in Second Timothy four, seven, it's translated race. In Hebrews 12. One, it's raised the idea of agony of eraser stretching. And when we get this struggle, Colossians two, one and anguish. Jesus was in great anguish, Luke 2244. He was in great anguish. He was in great agony. And you know what you see three or three things here you have opposition, verse 28, you're going to suffer verse 29, you're going to be an agony in the middle of that suffering in verse 30. And notice, Paul said, you saw in me they saw it when he was there. And now you hear me? He's in Roman prison. And he has no right now. That's basically the text. We've worked our way through it. That's basically the text. But now listen to me. You may say, yeah, yeah, yeah. But we live in America, and you can preach the gospel. And I can stand on a constitutional right that I have my freedom of speech and religion, and no one's gonna bother me, right? Let me just say something to you, all, who live godly, in Christ, Jesus WILL suffer persecution, every body. And it may not be from stones that people throw or from webs that they use discourage you, or from trouble that may be brought there. But it may be this sort and listen to me, it might be this sort. Because everybody in this room was affected if you're following Christ. It may be this, maybe you're overlooked for a promotion, because you don't drink and party with the rest of them. Hey, that happens. There's people in this church that have come to be heartbroken, they've missed the promotion, because they're not drinking party with the rest of them. Or how about this, you're divorced, you're rejected by an unbelieving or a disobedient spouse. Or you get sick kids. Or you're, someone in your family or you yourself, are struggling with some type of problems, all types of cancer, back problems troubled. I mean, you don't need to name it. It can be various and sundry sorts, but you suffer, you suffer from a result of it. Women that have never been able to bear children and have a tremendous burning desire to have children is a form of suffering. The mother that stays at home. And she's very talented and very gifted as you can make a good amount of money out in the marketplace. But she says no, it's my conviction that I don't want somebody else that raising my kids, I need to raise my kids, I will stay home. And we'll take an economic setback. And we'll we'll cut our lives back to do this. You know, something, the world looks at her and goes out, you lose her and you're not really out there being fulfilling who you are. So if I take you to stand there, you might suffer or loss of friends over commitment to the Word of God or financial trouble. I don't mean the kind that you know, you're wrong, you're wrong up 40,000 On your Visa card, and then go oops, God, forgive me. That's your own trouble. But I'm talking about financial trouble that you get in the come your way troubles and pressures of life, or your reputation being slandered on and on and on. We could go. But everybody suffers. It's part of the Christian life. It has been graciously given by God that you suffer. Now you have those middle two lights, Nancy, and I want you to see something. Did you know that Scripture is full of comments on the purpose of suffering? Did you know that? Unbelievable, the Scripture talks over and over and over about it? There is purpose in suffering? And please remember that I'm gonna give you the first one. This is the one that everybody thinks up. Everyone thinks of this Oh, yeah. God's gonna get your type of suffering and that is in regard to the unbeliever or the disobedient. God often sends pain and affliction as means of judgment. You can read that job for seven through nine. But you know what? Also this pain and affliction are the means to turn the individual or the nation back to the Lord, the individual Jonah, he disobeyed God brought a sea monster to swallow them and actually put them out on the shore. That was some suffering while he was in there the seaweed hanging on to the juices dripping down on found on the fish slapping them in the face and all the different things that could have been going on right? You use your imagination. Anyway, this Israel in the tribulation Zechariah 12. What is it? God brings the Great Tribulation down and turn the heart of Israel back. What is that chastisement upon the unbeliever, the disobedience. But you all think that there's the tendency for people to take this one in the wrong way. And that's all they focus on. When they think of suffering. It's just this and so they're out there suffering. God's getting me Oh, it's if God is some mean cruel guy up there every time you step out of line. That's not God. But yet this does happen when you persist in rebellion. This does happen. Now, notice the second thing, something sometimes the believer and turn to Hebrews 12 I want you to see this with me. Sometimes. The believer will be afflicted as a means of loving chastisement. You can read that in these passages. Now you know what that is? I take my kids, and I discipline them at times, and they hate it and they cry, and they don't want it. And then afterwards, I love them. But I've got to do it because I don't want them to drink the poison that's under the sink. I mean, that's a bad illustration. I don't think they're disappointed for that. I don't want them to play in the street with the cars are going by I want them to stay out of the street because I love them. I want them to grow up. What's the desire for our kids, that they would know Christ, they would live for Christ all the days, their life, what's the purpose of raising them, so that they could do that on their own by themselves someday? And that takes discipline. In fact, the Bible talks about this, look at Hebrews 12, a look with verse five what it says, and you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons, please get this. This is a word of encouragement. You understand? This is not some harsh word by some guy. That's it. It's a word of encouragement, my son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline. Do not lose heart when he rebukes you. Because the Lord disciplines those he loves. He punishes everybody that he accepts as a son, listen, Are you a child of God, then you're gonna have to be disciplined. The Bible says only the parent that doesn't love their children never discipline them. But the parent that loves their children brings discipline down upon them because they want them to be productive people. So God does nothing less than his dealings with us. He brings discipline to help on our lives. Look at verse seven, endure hardship as discipline Hey, are you in some hard times? Are you in some difficulty? Is there some problem that you're facing that's really eat me up, whatever can be various the sundry doesn't have to be done in one category can be almost anything. Listen, endure hardship is discipline. You know what you're not supposed to do? Don't make light of it. You know what that is? Be callous, or ignore it or say, I'll be still I can put my bottom left. handle anything, man. There'll be that way. Also, don't lose heart. You know what another thing you do. I have the I'm telling you, this is good for me to hear. I have a tendency to do this. troubles come criticism comes difficulties come some type of little minor suffering compared to what Paul went through. It's just like a little splinter in your finger compared to what he went through. But I hear God does not love me. Oh, you know, nobody cares. Oh, no, who cares? What happens to me and you lose heart, you lose heart difficult times come and you either say be stoic about it or you become you lose heart. Don't do either one of those but endure it as discipline. Realize that hard times come into your life. It's because God isn't mad at you. This is a word of encouragement, the text says, is there because he loves you. And he's there to bring discipline or trouble in your life. I don't get any joy out of disciplining my children. But I do it because I love them. And so God brings this into our lives and notice what else it says. It says, verse nine. Moreover, we all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the father of our spiritual if our fathers disagreed with us for a little while as they thought best and by the way, human fathers are wrong. But God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. By the way, if you're disciplining your children, and it's not painful, then you're not disciplining them. Good point. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. How do you get trained by it? Well, you don't become callous towards it. You don't say, Oh, poor me. Nobody loves me. You say, God, this trial is coming my way. You're sovereign, you've allowed it into my life for a purpose. There is no way I'm gonna miss the point. I want to learn that listen to what most Christians do at this point. And this is very important. Most Christians do the stupidest thing and you don't grow. You know what you do? You get your eyes on the person who's bringing you the trouble. You get your eye on the company that didn't give you your fair shake. You get your eye on the person that slandered you or it gets your eye on the person that's causing you trouble. It's like this. People on radio we're gonna have hard time understanding that when you're, you're mad. You know, what would you forget it? Do you know that when those it's not the people. It's not them endure hardship as discipline. God says this look, you think you know what's best. But he says, Boy, they're so long. They're missing the point. Discipline comes into our life for a reason. It's good it by the hand of God. Listen, if there is any area of your life that is outside of the control of God, then God is not God. All things come from God. Everything that happens to your life, every problem, every difficulty, everything that comes your way is the result of God not reaching out because he hates you, but loving chastisement towards his children. Do you ever wonder sometimes why those who don't know the Lord can get away with murder and seams? And you as a believer all the time you can discipline because you have a loving Heavenly Father that is dealing with you. And so there's purpose hardship DISA When suffering comes in that direction, now listen. There's more here, hang on. Look at this. Go to second Corinthians 12 When they want you to see this, second Corinthians chapter 12. Sometimes God will bring suffering or trouble, as it should be not a but as preventative medicine to keep believers from falling into particular temptation. Look at chapter 12. And look at verse seven. Paul says, to keep me from becoming conceited. Because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses and insults and hardships and persecutions and difficulties for when I am weak, then I am strong. Do you understand what he's saying? Like this, this whole idea that it's out there popular in the movements these days that God wants, everybody healed is forever dismissed right now. It simply isn't true. The apostle Paul was not to be healed of the problem that he was in that was caused him a tremendous amount of difficulty. Three times he went to the Lord, this is the guy that healed some 1000s of people. And the Lord said, No, not for you. Because I've got a preventative measure this difficulty, this thorn in the flesh, whatever it was, now, all of you can tell me what it was, because I don't know. But I'm sure you do. All right. And that is this, you can say whatever the problem was, whatever the difficulty was, I want you to know God. Paul said, I understand. And he writes to us sometime later, I understand it was given to me as preventative medicine, there was a reason for it. And that is to keep me from being proud. And so guess what? God will send trouble into your life to keep you from falling into sin into other areas. He will bring you into difficulties, and you're going to have to learn that you aren't strong enough, but that in your weakness, God's strength is made real. You know, I don't mean to make fun of people that do love the Lord, because I'm sure that these people love the Lord. But these people, they're there all the time bringing people up and saying, you know, be able to receive God's grace, you know, come on, what do you have? What problem do you have, you will just imagine, you know, what Philippians is saying Philippians saying your suffering is a gift of God's love. So we can do a little bit different this morning, you could come up here and I could say, come on up, you want some trouble? Your life's been too easy. Come on, let's go a little bit low. Let me give it to you no disease, trouble, you know, throw it your way. I mean, come on, we could honestly say that, we're not going to do that. And we would never do that. But you know what I mean? Because it is that much a gift from God to help you and your life. We can't forget that. Notice this? Here's one, you know, when it comes to the problem of pain, anybody that says that got all the answers to it is crazy. But here's one that can help you too. And that is this. Sometimes, no wrong one down here. Number four, on some occasions, the purpose of human affliction is to demonstrate to Satan, that there are those who serve God because they love them not because it pays to do so. Job. God says, Have you considered my server Job? Job says this, God did his job serve you for not you think he just serves you for he only serves you because of what you've done for him. My friends, you know what I'm saying? There. You may never know some of the sufferings that you go through. You may never understand why certain troubles have come into your life. You may never figure it all out. You can go back and look into your past and uncover every little thing and you may never know. But it may be this, that there's an angelic conflict going beyond what you know. And that conflict is this God is saying I say she or I say he will stand for me, no matter how difficult it gets. And Satan goes no way they're not sincere. Satan doesn't believe in genuine sincere Christians. There's a there's a fourth reason as to why difficulties or troubles may come in your life. But notice this, I'm gonna read this to you. First Peter four, one a two says this. Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As the result he does not live the rest of his earthly life for human desires, but rather for the will of God. You know what the point is? Suffering is often like a shot of adrenaline promoting sanctification. Hey, you know what all mark this down all sunshine makes a desert. If your life just went smooth down the road all the time, you'd be the most barren Christian there ever was. But God brings difficulties in your life. To give you a shout out Listen, how many times have you been at a testimony service, and the person stands up and gives a testimony. And it always has something to do with this. I was going this direction. It's like the psalmist Before I was afflicted, I went astray but now I follow your word. And God has a way of promoting spiritual growth and by the way this forever does away with something that I want to make sure you don't ever fall into. Please, please Listen to me. There's a thesis going around these days in the name of Christianity that goes like this. God wants you to be happy first and foremost, that flushed down the toilet. You know why? That's a bunch of baloney. It's no good. God wants you first and foremost to be set apart into holiness. He wants you to be growing and understanding who he is. He wants you to becoming like Christ. And you know what, it wasn't a cry. The whole idea of Christianity is not just make everybody happy, that's going to be in heaven, that will be the final day. Until then there's going to be suffering and difficulties they're going to come. Notice some of the things they do suffering. He's like a shot of adrenaline because it refines your faith, we'll turn the first Peter in a little bit. It's like a shot of adrenaline educates you in regard to Christian virtues such as endurance, and perseverance. Mark those verses down. It teaches you more of the sovereignty of God so that you understand the Lord better. You know what I love about that passage? Job. 42 234. You know what he says? He says, Before I was afflicted before these troubles came my way, guess what? I heard of you with the ear. But now that I've been through the sufferings, I see you with my eyes, you know what he's saying? Now, I really know God. And also gives you an opportunity to imitate Christ. When you suffer. First Peter three, we become like him say, I want to be like Christ, then friends. Get ready to suffer. one more page here, hang on. This is some of the good ones. Oh, hang on just a few more. Turn to for Second Corinthians when you got to see something. I just love this. So if I ever say to you, hey, how many of you want to be used of God? He'd read many of you would raise your ego. How many of you really want the fruit of holiness to be in your life so that other people are strengthened and encouraged because of you? You'd raise your hand? Well, listen, this suffering prepares you for future ministry to others who are in trouble. Go to second Corinthians chapter one and look at verses three and four. Look what it says. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion, the God of all comfort, get this now verse four, who comforts us in all our troubles? So that here's the purpose, God gives comfort in your trial so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. Hey, so if we prepare you for future ministry, others do you really want to be used, then you gotta ready to suffer. I told the first service people, there was two men in our church that are preparing for the ministry in the first service today. And I said, we need to pray for these guys. So it's not just that No, I don't want to make it seem like it's just people that are going into the ministry. It's anybody that wants to be used to God, and you know what that is? Do you really want to be used of God? Well remember the same it's doubtful whether God can ever use a man or a woman until he crushes them. You know what that is? A bunch of intellectual knowledge. I told this to Steve do it. He was our interns couple of years ago. I said, Steve, you're nice. You're gifted. You're a good man, you have a sincere heart for the Lord. But I'm gonna tell you something you haven't been tried yet. I said, you get ready. If you're going to be used in the ministry, God's gonna have to try you severely. Well, he called me up this week in the verge of tears. He says, Kim, I've been thinking about what you've been saying, I'm in serious, serious hurt right now. We got to pray for Steve. But you know what it is. Suffering prepares you the comfort that you received, when you were down in the mud in the blood and the beer in that place. God has a way of getting you up. And that very tasting of that same hurt. And yet tasting of the comfort of God at that time allows you to minister as it is no doubt abundantly clear in my life. This is so clear to me. It's unbelievable. trials that I have gone through when I have been so downhearted and so discouraged, and athlete in the last 11 years or even before that, I'm telling you, the hurts even from childhood, some of the hurts of my family splitting up and all the things that I can remember the pain, I want to tell you something, God has comforted me through that. And as a result has used it so I can minister to others. It's not all bad. Don't always look at it as like, You got to get over it. Somehow God will use you because of it. That's what you got to remember. And it's something so wonderful to know that he's preparing you there is not one wasted heartache, there is not one wasted ounce of trouble that comes into your life. Notice this, I'd like you to turn to First Peter because I want you to see these next couple of verses. This is a little bit normally we sit on one text, but this this brings out this Philippians text very well go to First Peter, chapter one, I want you to see something with me. Do you know something else suffering does? I skip down to many suffering First Peter one six and seven suffering proves that your faith is genuine. Did you know that? Hey, do you believe in Jesus? Yes. How do you know? Well, you know one of the ways you know when you're in the middle of a difficult time and in the person that gets mad. And by the way, it's alright to get mad as long as you don't go overboard. You get mad and you say God why is this happening? The Psalmist did that but just that you always keep yourself in check. You don't ever go to where you condemned God or anything. You say, Why is this happening to hurt so bad? Look what the Bible says, verse six, it says, In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief and all kinds of trials. These have come purpose notice the purpose. These have come what various trials have come, so that your faith of greater worth than gold which parishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine, and they result in praise, glory and honor. When Jesus Christ is revealed. Notice it may be proved genuine, you know what happens? Listen, Jesus said the soil went forth. So here he is going on casting the seed up, throws the cedar, there was the seed out, throws the seed out, throws the seat up, for kinds of places they land. And guess what only one produced fruit. Some of the soil sprang up quick and the sun dried out. Some came up in the trials of life bringing up some difficulties and suffering, you know what happens? suffering and difficulty proves whether or not you're really a Christian? That's right, Your faith is proof genuine, First Peter, one, six and seven. When you go through those difficulties, it's not that you have to be totally successful. And they go like this, you know, like some terrible traumatic news coming. Oh, this is so great record. I'm so happy. That's not what I mean. But I mean, as these troubles come into your life, you say, God, I trust your sovereign hand. You have got a reason for this. And though it hurts me deeply, and though I really wish I could have my way and though so badly, I want to have what seems to be a normal request. Couldn't I have this I want you to know nonetheless, that you know what's best. I will trust you like Jobe said, Though He slay me yet well, I praise him. What kills me I'll stick faithful to Him. Suffering also notice the next part of that same verse, suffering also prepares your faith so that at the Bema Seat judgment, it will result in praise, glory and honor. Look what it says there in verse seven. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold which parishes even though refined by fire, maybe prove genuine and now that's that's the first point maybe Virginia we know it's the second boy and they result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed, you know the song about you see, friends remember something I've said it before, but remember something. All theology goes astray when you try to make heaven come to earth now. All these people are promising all these things. Now that's wrong. Heaven isn't heaven until you get to heaven. And praise glory and honor suffering now prepares you so that the Bema Seat judgment when God evaluates your life, the suffering now will bring praise, glory and honor if you know what, all through Scripture, please get this. God uses suffering and affliction as a prelude to exaltation. The theme of suffering and glory is prevalent in the scriptures. Go with me to Romans eight. And look at the verse 18. This is the last one next to last verse, we're gonna look at Romans eight. And we will need a verse 18. While you're turning there, I want to read you something for First Peter for 13. It says, Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. Now look at Romans 818. Look what it says. Romans 818 says this, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The Apostle says this look, the trouble that you have now is there for a purpose. You can't even compare. There is a just God, listen, people have talked about about you, somebody's ripped you off. You know what the Bible's clear about there is not the one word that's come out of someone's mouth that they won't have to give an answer for. And the hurt that you've been with someone who's slandered your name, or the trouble you've had with somebody has ripped you off, or somebody did something so that you've had some big financial trouble or, or, or that. Whatever it could be, I don't need to imagine it. You can imagine it I'm sure. But whatever it is, the point here is this. If you hang on and live by faith, and trust God and live for him, there is going to be reward in heaven. And you can be sure that you won't be overlooked. You're not gonna be sent up there after years of suffering and then God say, oh, yeah, who are you again? I don't think you're on this list. Here. We're Oh, yeah. John, Jamie, okay, okay, well, we'll we'll put something together for you here. That's not the way it's gonna be in heaven. There's gonna be a great reward there for the person that has gone through the sufferings and afflictions and realize it's a it's a prelude. You see this in the life of Christ. You see the life of Christ, you see the life of a believer, and you see it here in the scriptures. You see, when the Bible says this trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to your own understanding. Please don't try to always figure that you can figure it out rationally, you may never want to close by reading your passage out of revelation 21. If you can meet me there, you can read it with me otherwise, I'll read it to you. Revelation 21 Because it says verse, verse, one of revelation 21, then I saw a new heaven, and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. And there was no longer any See, I saw the holy city of the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. This is heaven friends, look at this, verse three. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people. And God himself will be with them and be their God. Verse four, He will wipe every tear from their eye. They will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain. Or the old order of things has passed away. Please understand something. A balanced view of Christian doctrine tells you this. Yes, there is joy. Yes, there is happiness. Yes, there is peace. But there is also trouble and difficulty and trials. And those two will be a part of our life in an unmistakable way, until we get to heaven. And then there'll be a day when there'll be no more, there will no longer be that kind of problems. And so the Apostle Paul says, Do you through the book of Philippians today, hey, you believe in him, it's the book of joy. Also, hang in there and read. Remember to live by faith in the midst of your suffering in the midst of your agony in the midst of your trouble. Let's pray. Thank you, Father. For the wonderful insight into everyday life that we receive from Philippians 120 through 30 and many other scriptures. Help us to buy faith to understand it's for some reason, it's hard for us to understand that. sufferings are granted to us as a loving gift from your hand to help us mature. Even the agonizing struggles that we have in our life cause father, us to be humble people that submit to your will with faith that we can completely trust that you know what you're doing. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.