Suffering—What’s the Biblical Attitude? (Chantilly)

Little Fish Need to Wake Up!

Trouble is Normal—expect it!

Christ said, “Seek for the kingdom and all these things will be added to you.”  Buddha said, “Seek first the kingdom and then you will need none of these things.”  – G.K. Chesterton

Matthew 5:45 CSB – Jesus said, For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

The path of least resistance is the path of the loser. – H.G. Wells

Samson

Proverbs 17:25 CSB – A foolish son is a grief to his father
and bitterness to her who bore him

King David

The Story of Israel

Trouble Begins… when we look for an easy life

Looking for an easy life? You won’t find one by following Jesus

3 chairs

• John 10:10 CSB – Jesus says, I have come that you might have life and might have it to the full!

• John 16:33 CSB – In this world you will have trouble.

1. Hebrews 12:7-11 CSB – Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline—which all receive—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

2 Corinthians 1:5 CSB – the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 CSB – ⁸We do not want you to be uninformed, 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. ⁹Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.

2 Corinthians 6:4-5 – Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger;

4. 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 – …I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again.

²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,

²⁶ I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.

²⁷ I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. ²⁸ Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Quit Looking for An Easy Life

Look for A Better Life

James 1:2-4 says, Count it all joy,.. when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

You Don’t Want an Easy Life

You want Peace

John 16:33 CSB – Jesus said, in this world, you will have trouble?

Isaiah 26:3 CSB – You will keep the mind that is dependent on you
in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you.

You Don’t Want An Easy Life

You Want A Meaningful Life 

2 Corinthians 3:18 CSB – “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory”

“Meaninglessness does not come from being weary of pain. Meaninglessness comes from being weary of pleasure.” – G.K. Chesterton

Hebrews 11:36-39 CSB – Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.³⁷ They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. ³⁹ These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised

Hebrews 12:1b-3 CSB – let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus,the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.