Partakers of Christ s Sufferings I. The Sufferings of Christ Abound in us. A. Christ was to suffer for us. He paid the sin debt. Isaiah 53:2-7 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. Can we visualize this type of suffering that Christ went through for us. Romans 5:8 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. B. Paul says that we will have sufferings in this life. 2 Corinthians 1:5-7 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. 6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation {deliverance; safety}, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. {is effectual: or, is wrought} 7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Page 2 Romans 8:18 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. C. Are We as Believers expecting sufferings to come on us? 2 Timothy 3:12 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Saul in Acts 9 knew that he would suffer for Christ. Acts 9:15-16 5 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. Philippians 3:10 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Peter preaches about the sufferings of Christ. 1 Peter 4:13-17 13 But rejoice, inas much as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 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. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? We as believers need to get prepared to suffer for Christ. 2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous {Fierce; dangerous} times shall come. II. We Need To Stand in These Last Days
Page 3 A. Ephesians 6:13-17 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. {having...: or, having overcome all} 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Good Soldiers get hurt. Our battle is Spiritual; however, Satan would like to physically harm you. Amos 6:3 3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near; {seat: or, habitation} Afflictions, persecutions will follow the believer. Psalm 34:19 9 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. B.. The Apostle Paul Suffered for the Cause of Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. III. Are We Willing To Suffer With Christ?
Page 4 A. Paul says to be ye followers of me. 1 Corinthians 11:1 KJV Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. B. Are we willing to suffer for Christ? Philippians 3:1-2 JV Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs {a person with an impure mind}, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision {cut up; mutilate}. Romans 8:17 7 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. C. The Churches in Thessalonica suffered. 2 Thessalonians 1:4, 5 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: D. Job, a saint of God suffered. Job 1:13-22 13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them: 15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {The fire...: or, A great fire} 17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them
Page 5 away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {fell: Heb. rushed} 18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {from...: Heb. from aside, etc} 20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, {mantle: or, robe} 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. 22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. {charged...: or, attributed folly to God} Job 2:7 7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown. Sometimes when we may be going through trouble, a family member or friend may give you the wrong advice and your family member may be one of your problems in serving Christ. Job 2:9-11 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. 10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Then of course, you may have friends that will give support. 11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him. IV. Persecutions, Afflictions we will endure.
Page 6 A. Paul wants us to realize that we will have sufferings in the Body of Christ. We are Partakers of His Sufferings. Remember Paul in 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Going through the 70 th week of Daniel will bring persecution and affliction. Philippians 3:2 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision{to cut up; mutilation}. This could happen to us as believers today. Satan don t like Christians who are led by the Spirit of God. If we were not going to be part of the 70 th week of Daniel, why would Paul be warning us? 2 Timothy 3:13 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. These are the kind of people we are to look for in the last days and they don t care about you as a believer being led by the Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:2-5 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent {without self control}, fierce, despisers of those that are good, {false...: or, one who foments strife} 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away You know folks. The power is in the gospel of Christ. Romans 1:16 Romans 1:16 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Paul summarizes by saying:
Page 7 Colossians 1:24 24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: B. Look what Jesus told the disciples in Matthew. Matthew 24:9 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. V. Let s Look at Christ s Sufferings in 1 Peter 1 Peter 4:13-19 3 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 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. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 1 Peter 2:21 21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: VI. Conclusion A. Do you think the Body of Christ will go through the 70 th week of Daniel? If you do, then be prepared to suffer tribulation, affliction, persecution and concision {cut up; mutilation} B. Do you think you will be caught up before the First Resurrection without any Scripture to prove it? Hopefully, you will find out from the Scriptures. How will you know when the 70 th week starts?
C. Page 8 Daniel 9:27-10:1 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Philippians 3:10-11 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. D. The Apostle Paul talks about the Lord will come as a thief in the night. 1 Thessalonians 5:2 2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. The Apostle Peter says that the day of the Lord cometh as a thief in the night. 2 Peter 3:10 0 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. E. Why would Paul mention this if you were going to be caught up before that time? Bishop Bob Teseniar Grace View Bible Ministry www.soundbibledoctrine.com www.justin.tv/graceviewbibleministries bobteseniar@soundbibledoctrine.com