Study 5 - God s Glory in Suffering

Transcription

1 Study 5 - God s Glory in Suffering Aim: To show that being a Christian will very likely mean that we will suffer for our faith. To show that suffering and trial for Jesus s sake can bring both glory to God and blessing to us. (Please note that the main focus is suffering as a direct result of being a Christian and follows on from Study 4 God s Glory at Stake. Standing up for what we believe (and for what is right) is likely to have consequences). Worship: Blessed be your name VAK Moment: Lead a discussion with the group on people they know or know of who have suffered for being a Christian (e.g Brother Yun (book The Heavenly Man, the Korean Christian Aid workers in Afghanistan etc). Allow 10 mins. Suffering for being a Christian Read together: 2 Tim 3 v 12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, and then the key verse 1 Pet 4 v 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. (Note Acts 11 v 26b.. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. ) Ask the group why might we suffer for being a Christian? Because the Devil wants to limit your effectiveness as a Christian. 1 Pet 5 v 8,9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. ( Notes: God also provides us with armour for standing our ground see Eph 6 v In the book of Job God allowed the Devil to test Job under suffering. See Job 19 v it was not obvious to Job that his situation was as a result of the Devil being allowed to put Job in a position of trial but he was still able to say I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Because those that we love may reject or disown us. Matt 10 v Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter God s Glory in Suffering Page 1 of 5

2 against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, a man s enemies will be the members of his own household. Because others may hate you because of Jesus. (We thank God that we don t have that experience here in the UK but the experience of many Christians in other parts of the world is very different.) Matt 10 v 22 All men will hate you because of me but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. John 15 v 18,19 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. See also the experience of Jeremiah Jeremiah 20 v 7-12 O Lord, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed. I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. (However also note his response: But if I say, I will not mention him or speak any more his name, his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.) So that we don t rely on ourselves but on God 2 Cor 1 v 8,9 We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. So that trials prove our faith as genuine 1 Pet 1 v 6,7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. c.f parable of the sower/soils Matt 13 v 3-8, Mark 4 v 30-32, Luke 8 v 5-8 Others, like the seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. So that our Christian qualities may grow - Rom 5 v 3,4 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. So that we may be like Jesus - 1 Pet 2 v But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore God s Glory in Suffering Page 2 of 5

3 our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. Ask the group for their thoughts on the passages and lead the discussion. You might want to invite the group to share personal experiences when they suffered for their faith and what the result was. Or perhaps what they saw when other Christians suffered. You might want to expand on the responses of Job and Jeremiah to trial and suffering. Note that in many cases over the years Christian suffering and persecution has lead to death. (Matt 16 v 24,26. Then Jesus said to his disciples, If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul. ) Ask what it might mean if we do not suffer persecution of some kind for our faith (see 2 Tim 3 v12) Glory to God through suffering and trial Read 2 Corinthians 6 v 3-10 together We put no stumbling-block in anyone s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity; understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing yet possessing everything. (see also 2 Cor 11 v 23-29) What effect could it have on others if they see Christians suffer for their faith and persevere under trail? How much more likely are they to be challenged by Christian beliefs if they see a believer suffering for that belief? We don t know what Paul s expectations were when he came to faith (apart from a pretty frosty reception from those he had previously been persecuting). What were your expectations of the Christian life when you came to faith? Were troubles, hardships and distresses, beatings, imprisonments and riots, hard work, sleepless nights and hunger etc included in those expectations? If we are honest how is the our relationship with God dependent on our circumstances? Read again having nothing yet possessing everything. God s Glory in Suffering Page 3 of 5

4 What does Paul mean? In this passage how is Paul able to separate his feelings from his circumstances? How can we do the same? What perspective did Paul have on life as revealed in these verses? (Think back to cat and dog theology). Conclude this section with the glory that comes from genuine faith read again 1 Peter 1 v 6-7 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. Blessing through suffering and trial Read the following passage and verse 1 Peter 4 v 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. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. James 1 v 12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. How would we feel about being blessed in these way? There are many ways in which we probably like God to bless us perhaps a new house, new job, new car, nicer holiday, a child, or a promotion or pay rise. However, these blessings may or may not be granted to us. But the blessings in these tremendous verses are promises from God you are blessed., he will receive remember them in times of suffering and trial. We will be blessed, although not necessary in the ways that we expect. God s blessings can come in so many different forms. Conclusion After what may have been a difficult session for some, ask the group to list the positive or good things that can come from suffering for your faith? (grow stronger in faith, more able to comfort others, learn greater dependency on the Lord, you will be blessed, and your genuine faith will bring glory to God.). We may suffer for our faith. Are we prepared to? God s Glory in Suffering Page 4 of 5

5 Allow a quiet time for reflection before prayer. Prayer (you might want to include prayers for Christians around the world who are persecuted for believing in the name of Jesus). Doxology: (Choice of three) John 16 v 33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. Or Romans 8 v Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Or 1 Pet 5 v 10,11 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. Author:- Carl Lee God s Glory in Suffering Page 5 of 5