“The Benefits of Suffering”
(Phil. 1:12-14)
Dr. Richard S. Koole
Chapel Pointe
June 8, 2008
I. Introduction
A. Tim and Erica
1. Trying to stay on a very volatile mission field
2. Yet family health problems may prevent their return
3. Not a new or isolated story
B. Let me share a tragic story of a missionary
1. Warned not to go to a certain mission field
a. Went anyway
b. Nearly killed by a mob
c. The authorities arrested him to save his life
d. All kinds of charges were levied at him
e. Spent two years in jail awaiting his trial
2. Transferred to the capitol for trial
a. Another two year delay
*still a prisoner
b. Had so much work he couldn’t do
3. He had planned to go to Spain to start a church
a. Ended up a prisoner and never got there
b. What a waste of time
c. …or was it?
4. The prisoner was a guy named Paul
a. The great Apostle and church planter
b. And it happened 2,000 years ago
1. Story is told in the book of Acts (20-28)
c. Why did God allow it?
d. Did any good come out of his four years as a prisoner?
C. Some of you feel like prisoners
1. Have so much you want to do but can’t
a. Feel like you’re wasting time
2. Suffering more than people will ever know
a. Wondering “Why me?”
3. Why does God allow his children to suffer?
4. And why does a loving God allow suffering at all?
a. Book by Alex McFarland
1. “The 10 Most Common Objections to Christianity”
2. “A Merciful God Wouldn’t Allow Suffering”
b. #1 reason many atheists cite to dispute the existence of God
5. Let me try to answer these questions
II. Background
A. Paul wrote a letter to the church in Philippi
1. We know it as the Book of Philippians
2. To one of his favorite churches
3. They wanted to know how he was doing in Rome
a. Four years in custody
b. They were feeling sorry for him
B. The news wasn’t good
1. Still chained to Roman soldiers
2. The soldiers of The Imperial (Praetorian) Guard
a. Palace police
b. Six-hour shifts
c. For 2 years
3. No privacy at all!
4. What a waste of time!
III. Text (Phil. 1:12-14)
A. Paul’s encouragement
(12) Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. (13) As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. (14) Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”
1. His imprisonment and suffering was serving to advance the gospel
2. Incredible!
a. Seems like it would hinder the spread of the gospel
B. Understanding Suffering
1. Suffering allows you to prove the authenticity of your faith
(13) As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.
a. I Peter 1:6-7
“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 honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
b. You don’t know what’s inside a teabag until it’s put into hot water
c. Suffering will separate the genuine from the fake
d. Suffering purifies the church
1. The frauds run away
2. Suffering produces personal growth and hope
a. Romans 5:3-4
“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”
b. Spiritual giants are forged on the crucible of suffering
c. You’ll never know what some have gone through
d. Stretching hurts…but is necessary
e. Suffering produces character
3. This suffering is insignificant compared to our future glory
a. Let me offer you a deal
1. A lifetime without any suffering
2. Live a life free of pain….and then a painless death
b. Only one catch
1. You couldn’t go to heaven after you die
2. Would you make that deal?
c. Romans 8:18
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18)
d. I Cor. 2:9
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”
e. Stan’s grandchildren
1. Their suffering while on earth
2. Wouldn’t change a thing
f. For many their rewards won’t be realized until after they pass away
g. I Peter 1:6-7
“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 honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
h. A much better time to receive honor
4. God is not the cause of suffering
a. We live in a world ravaged by sin
1. God created it perfect
2. Our sin allowed a curse to fall on the earth
a. Cancer and heart disease
b. Alzheimer’s
c. Disease
d. Lying
e. Crime
f. War
b. We bring much suffering on ourselves
1. Cigarettes and lung cancer
2. Overeating and heart disease
3. Alcohol and broken marriages
4. Lose job because of laziness
5. Cheat on spouse and your world falls apart
5. Suffering can be a great tool for reaching the lost
(13) As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. (14) Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”
a. Four soldiers per day
1. Six hours each
2. Short chain
3. One-on-one with Paul!
b. Guess what Paul talked about?
1. Jesus!
2. His passion!
(Ephesians 6:19-20) “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
c. Soldiers were chained to Paul
1. Four per day
2. Got the whole guard
d. Emperor’s personal body guard
1. 10,000 hand picked
2. The very best
3. Called the “palace guard”
4. Or “Caesar’s Household”
e. Soldiers served for 12 years
1. Retired with high honor
2. …and a large sum of money
f. Powerful men
1. “King-makers”
2. The movers and shakers
g. Paul’s years were not wasted
1. God put him right in the middle of the action
h. They saw Paul’s influence
1. That time described in Acts 28:30-31
30 “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.”
2. Many got saved!
(Phil 4:22)— “All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.”
3. INCREDIBLE!
4. That’s why the Gospel spread so fast in Rome
5. Rome became the new center of Christianity
i. Others in chains
1. Joseph
a. Brothers turned on him
b. Almost killed him
c. Sold into slavery to Egypt
d. How God used it
· Rose to power
· Influence in palace
· A mighty nation
e. His words—“You (his brothers) meant it for evil but God meant it for good”
j. God can use any circumstance you are stuck in
1. On my back in the hospital
2. Sharing at 2 in the morning
6. Times of suffering should never be wasted
a. Your plans may not be God’s plan for your life
1. Paul had a plan….God had a better one
2. Now is the time…..this is the place
3. No better time or place to serve God
b. Stuck at home raising kids!
1. Susanna Wesley
Young mothers may feel chained to the home as they care for their children, but God can use those ‘chains” to reach people with the message of salvation. Susanna Wesley was the mother of 19 children, before the days of labor-saving devices and disposable diapers! Out of that large family came John and Charles Wesley, whose combined ministries shook the British Isles.
c. Physical
At six weeks of age, Fanny Crosby was blinded, but even as a youngster she determined not to be confined by the chains of darkness. In time, she became a mighty force for God through her hymns and Gospel songs.
d. Marriage
1. Patience with an unsaved spouse
2. He’s chained to you!
e. A “dead-end” job
1. Look for the people
2. It’s all about people
f. The Chapel Pointe story
1. Our early days
a. Humbled by our circumstances
b. Yet out of the suffering, God did the unexplainable
2. We gave the church totally to God
a. Joshua 3:5
“Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you”
b. We determined to consecrate ourselves
1. Faithfully teach the word of God
2. Speak the truth with love
3. Be Genuine
4. We wouldn’t steal the glory from God
c. We determined to let God do the “amazing things among us”
1. And He has
2. He restored life into a dying church
3. We yearn to be a place where the “unexplainable happens”
a. Where our kids can experience the supernatural presence of a holy God
g. A one-of-a-kind church
1. It’s not about programs and gimmicks
2. Its about making Jesus Christ Lord of this church
3. Its about people
h. Our goal is not size or building…..but faithfulness
1. And yet God has continued to draw people to us
2. And the day is coming when we’ll be out of room
3. Multiple services…..why?
i. Will be remembered as the most exciting time of your life
1. Raising kids in a growing church
j. Sometimes I get impatient
1. Remember how quickly it happened in California
2. Yet God knows the timing
3. The next explosion could occur at any time
7. Your suffering will give courage to somebody around you
(14) Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.”
a. Might have scared other believers
1. “Keep it down—or end up like Paul”
2. “Chains”
b. But, that didn’t happen
1. “Having become confident by my chains”
2. Are much bolder to speak the word without fear
3. COURAGE!
c. The courage I get from those in suffering
d. Two types of Grace
1. Saving Grace
2. Sustaining Grace
8. Suffering will protect you from pride
a. II Cor. 12:7-10
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’”
b. To keep us humble
1. Especially those with “powerful” and “public” gifts
2. God won’t use the proud
a. They’re dangerous
b. Will try to steal the glory
c. My goal as your pastor
1. Vision coupled with a servant’s heart
d. Ministries get in trouble during the “good times”
1. They get up off their knees
2. They begin to think they did it!
e. Christians get in trouble during the easy times
9. Suffering helps you get your priorities straightened out
a. Gordon MacDonald
“They never screamed out immediately when ignored. I could neglect my spiritual disciplines, for example, and God did not seem to shout loudly about it. I could make it just fine for a while. And when I did not allocate time for the family, Gail and the children were generally understanding and forgiving...often more so than certain church members who demanded instant response and attention. And when I set study aside as a priority, I could get away with it for a while. These things could be ignored for a while without adverse consequences. And that is why they were so often crowded out when I did not budget for them in advance. Other less important issues had a way of wedging them aside week after week. Tragically, if they are neglected too long, when family, rest, and spiritual disciplines are finally noticed it is often too late for adverse consequences to be avoided.”
b. Suffering reminds us of the importance of the “non-negotiables”
1. The things that really matter in life
c. Pastors who think their church is the most important
10. Suffering drives Satan crazy
a. Satan stood in arrogance before God
1. “Job only loves you because”
2. God “tested” Job.....and he passed
3. Satan slithered away as the angels cheered
b. How have you done in recent tests?
1. Exams this week
11. Suffering is to be expected
a. Call from Jerry
1. Philippians 1:29 “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him but also to suffer for Him,”
b. This is part of God’s plan
c. God isn’t picking on you or causing the suffering
1. But in his wisdom he allows it to happen
d. Pastors....called to suffer
a. Sheep will at times break my heart
b. Like we at times break the heart of God
12. Suffering allows Christ’s power to be more clearly seen in your life
a. II Cor. 12:9
“But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for 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.”
b. Horatio Spafford
1. In the middle of the North Atlantic
2. His four daughters died due to iceberg
c. Read words of “It is well with my soul”