18-AUG-2013

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In the Midst of the fire(crises) –Part 3

 by Pastor George

 

Suffering is an important part of the faith walk. There is a lot of teaching today, especially on the lines of the prosperity gospel, where suffering is totally excluded from the faith walk and in fact, it is even taught that once a person comes to put his trust in Jesus, and becomes the child of God, he will no more have any form of suffering.

Strangely, every saint of the Bible, even the heroes of faith seem to have suffered due to their faith and otherwise. We also have the story of Job, which is a masterpiece in the study of suffering from a biblical perspective.

More importantly, our Saviour Lord Jesus Christ suffered while He lived on earth. The Bible in Isaiah 53: 3, it says:

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (ESV)

Jesus said in John 16:33b:

“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We see that Jesus clearly tells us that we are bound to suffer here on Earth. Let us see what the Bible says about suffering from the context of the life of Jesus Christ.

 

DIVINE PURPOSE OF SUFFERING: FROM JESUS PERSPECTIVE

In Hebrews 5:7-9 :

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.

 

Here we can clearly see the purpose of suffering, crises, difficulties and challenges in our lives. God uses these to mould us in to the image of His Son. Through suffering one learns OBEDIENCE.

If the Son of God learnt obedience through suffering, we the redeemed saints of God also should learn obedience through suffering.

 

For our Lord, the way to the CROWN was only through the CROSS. We need to walk along the same WAY. Our Lord asked us to TAKE UP THE CROSS and follow HIM. At the end is the CROWN!

 

Last week we saw from James 1: 2-8 (MSG), that suffering, trials, challenges and tribulations are called GIFT especially when it comes from ALL SIDES. Under pressure, our faith-life is forced into the open and shows its TRUE COLORS!. James also warns us not to exit prematurely. He encourages us to stay on, as suffering produces maturity and makes us developed and not deficient in anyway.

 

 

FROM THE PSALMIST’S PERSPECTIVE

 

Listen to what the Psalmist says

Psalm 119:7-8: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

The Psalmist seems to indicate strongly that he had gone astray from the faith, out of fellowship with God, and this state was prior to an affliction that he suffered. Interestingly, the next verse starts “BUT NOW” meaning post suffering, he keeps God’s Word. He has begun to practice obedience! Learning obedience through suffering – just like Jesus did. He goes on to say that God is good, and that He does/did good. The Psalmist implies that God did good by afflicting him so that he could return to God’s Word.  In Psa 119:75 it says : I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.  Here the Psalmist almost sounds crazy as he says that God’s faithfulness is demonstrated by afflicting him. In his affliction he recognizes God’s  faithfulness. He is able to see it strangely in this manner as he was drawn back from going astray and brought back into fellowship with God when God allowed affliction on him, which got his attention.

 

Suffering As Discipline: Hebrews 12:6-9

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

 

The writer of Hebrews is describing in these passages a wonderful truth that will draw us close to the Lord and give us hope in our times of crises. God allows affliction in our lives because he treats us like His sons. If you don’t want any part of this, then you cannot be His sons, and the bible calls such illegitimate/bastard! Strong words I must say!. God is serious about this. Such affliction only increases our fear and respect of our Heavenly Father.

 

NOTE ON REARING CHILDREN in the context of the above verse:

 

  1. If you do not discipline your sons, you are going contrary to the word of God.
  2. If there is anything worth giving your child, give them discipline. Only that will sustain in the long run.
  3. If you don’t apply that rod for your child, someone will apply a thicker rod on them.
  4. Stop the outsourcing of disciplining to mothers- YOU FATHERS!!! Discipline your children.
  5. The more we discipline our children, the more the respect we get from them.

 

Litmus paper test: If you are not sure about your child’s discipline status, please  answer the below:

  1. 1.       Is my son/daughter a nuisance to my neighbours?
  2. 2.       What is the honest remark of my child’s school teacher?