I
am Afflicted (suffering)!
Ephesians
3:1-13
“I’ve learned that there
really aren’t intimidating people—only lost people.”
We will suffer!
What kinds of afflictions
(sufferings) are in the bible?
If
we’re in Christ, we should expect to suffer like Christ and for Christ. We
worship a God who came to the earth and was afflicted. And throughout the
Scriptures and the history of the church, those who have served him most
faithfully have been afflicted most painfully. Among the most legendary is Paul.
·
Paul went from persecuting Christians
·
To suffering for Jesus
·
Read 2 Cor 11:35
I want to share
with you fourteen kinds of suffering that I see in the Bible.
·
What happens is when we’re suffering, I think
it’s helpful to understand what kind of suffering we are experiencing, what
kind of affliction we are enduring.
·
I want you to think of this in two ways: number
one, how are you afflicted? Where is life hard right now? It’s painful, it’s
difficult, it’s a season of trial.
·
And what categories of suffering are others
experiencing that you know? Family, friends, neighbors, coworkers—what can you
learn and how could you help them? Well, fourteen kinds of affliction.
1
Adamic affliction.
·
Because of Adam and sin entering the world, the world is just a
broken place. It’s why there’s death.
·
It’s why we get sick.
·
It’s why, as we get older, our bodies start to wind down.
·
It’s why the world just isn’t the way that it’s supposed to be.
·
It’s just the general result of sin, and that’s Adamic
affliction.
2
Punishment affliction.
·
For those who are not Christians, sometimes their affliction is
punishment from God and that culminates in eternal hell where there is
punishment .
·
Where people who have sinned against God and don’t turn from sin
and trust in Jesus, they have affliction eternally.
3
consequential affliction.
·
We reap what we sow.
·
You eat poorly and you’re of ill health.
·
You drink too much and you blow your liver out.
·
You spend too much and you’re in great debt.
·
You don’t show up to work on time and you’re unemployed.
·
You’ve made a mess of your own life. It’s the consequences of
your own sin and stupidity.
4
Demonic affliction.
·
This is where Satan and demons are harming one of God’s people.
·
This could be sickness,
·
This can be torment,
·
This can be night terrors,
·
This can be hearing of voices,
·
This can be demonic accusation
5
Victim affliction.
·
This is where someone sins against you
·
This is where you didn’t do anything wrong, they just harmed
you.
·
This is where people are attacked,
·
This is where children are abused,
·
This is where women are mistreated
·
This is where somebody did something that was just wrong. You
didn’t deserve it and in no way should you have endured it, but you were sinned
against.
6
Collective affliction.
·
This is where you’re part of a people who are suffering and so
you’re suffering with them
·
Is there someone you know suffering and so as a result you are
suffering with them
7
Disciplinary affliction.
·
This is where, for a
believer, God allows some affliction, not to punish them but to mature them
·
For some of you, the season you’re in is under the loving hand
of God. He’s trying to mature you and correct you, so he’s allowing some
hardship to come upon you to inspire you, to motivate you to mature.
8
Vicarious affliction
·
That is people seem like they hate us, but what they really hate
is the Jesus in us, that we love Jesus and they hate Jesus, and since we love
Jesus, they hate us.
·
How many of you have family members, friends, they just don’t
like you, coworkers, just because you’re a Christian?
9
Empathetic affliction.
·
This is someone we love is hurting and so we’re hurting too.
·
The more people you know, the more opportunities there are for
this kind of affliction.
·
The Bible says that we are to mourn with those who mourn, and
that’s what it’s talking about.
·
It’s talking about you love someone, and when they’re hurting,
you’re hurting for them, and you’re hurting with them.
10
Testimonial affliction.
·
This is where you’re being afflicted, but it’s primarily as an
opportunity to show people who Jesus is and what he’s done
·
That is most certainly
the case with Paul. He has not sinned or done anything wrong. He’s been
preaching and teaching about Jesus, so they arrest him and throw him in jail,
but it’s testimonial affliction
11
Providential
affliction.
·
This increases the worship of God. Someone goes
through a hardship, but they endure it in such a way that other people come to
know and love the God they’re devoted to.
12
Preventative affliction.
·
This is where God allows
some hardship, but it’s to warn us and spare us from a greater hardship.
13
Mysterious affliction.
·
And here’s the answer: we don’t know. We don’t know why we’re
suffering; we don’t know what’s going on.
14
Apocalyptic affliction
·
The Bible speaks of increased suffering that will signal the end
of this age, as seen in the prophecies of the Old Testament and of Jesus. While
we don’t know when the end of this age will be or when Jesus will return but we
know things will get worse and suffering will occur before his return!
Don’t worry about the why,
worry about the who!
·
To many times we ask why
·
We worry about the why
·
We question God
·
We need to remember the who
o Who is Jesus and who are you
in Christ?
o What’s your identity through
your affliction, because your affliction doesn’t establish your identity, but
your identity will get you through your affliction.
o Who is Jesus? Who are you? I
don’t have all the “why” questions. Jesus does, and when you see him, he’ll
straighten it all out, I promise you that, but the “who”—who is Jesus and who
are you?
As
we suffer, we must think deeply about Jesus’ suffering so we don’t waste our
suffering, but rather use it for God’s glory. Our God didn’t suffer so that we
wouldn’t suffer. He suffered so that when we do suffer, we can become more like
him and point more people to him.
There are three things God
through Paul is trying to tell us!
1) Afflicted for Others’ Good
What
is the first thing that we do when we’re suffering and we’re hurting?
·
We look inward and all of a sudden we lose sight of others,
right?
·
We forget other people are hurting too. Other people are
suffering too.
·
Remember this is a hard season for you, but it’s a hard season
for them.
I
really am amazed by the fact that Paul is in prison again, not because he did
anything wrong, but because he wouldn’t stop talking about Jesus. And he is
using His suffering for the good of others!
Lets take a look!
Ephesians 3:1–3 (ESV)
3For this
reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard
of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made
known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
What he is saying
her is his suffering has a purpose
Ephesians 3:4–6 (ESV)
4 When
you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to
the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy
apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This
mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and
partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
·
Her is what he is saying
o I am a prisoner for Jesus
o I’m in jail because I love
and serve Jesus
o This is for others good
o I’m suffering for the
gentiles
Paul is saying, “I’m in jail because I want people to
come to know Jesus and my suffering is an opportunity for me to testify about
Jesus.”
·
All of a sudden, people are paying attention to
him.
o Have
you heard about that pastor in jail?
o Have
you heard why he’s imprisoned?
Here’s my question
for you: how can you use your suffering to help others come to know Jesus?
How could you use your suffering to help others come to know or grow in Jesus?
Because you have been afflicted, you have a powerful credibility, and I would
say that your suffering, and your hurts, and the afflictions that you endure,
they’re going to cost you a lot. They’re going to take a lot of your time, a
lot of your energy. They’re going to consume a lot of your life, so let’s not
waste them. Let’s invest them in people. And I don’t mean this to sound trivial
about your suffering, I just want your suffering to be meaningful, and
valuable, and purposeful. You’re going to pay such a steep price for it; I want
you to make a good investment with it.
2) Afflicted
for Your Growth
Ephesians 3:7–9 (ESV)
7 Of this gospel I was made a minister
according to the gift of God’s grace,
which was given me by the working of his
power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all
the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the
Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what
is the plan of the mystery hidden for
ages in God who created all things,
When we suffer,
we have a divine appointment to learn three things about affliction that help
us grow as Christians.
First, we gain a deeper understanding of how humble and gracious God is to
serve us as our Suffering Servant, Jesus Christ. God came not in glory but in
humility to serve, not to be served.
·
VS 1 Of this gospel I
was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace
o Paul
is maturing in his suffering
o He
says everything I do is by Gods grace and power
·
He sees himself in the light of his savior
·
What about you?
o To
you look at your suffering in the light of Jesus
o Do
you seek understanding and look for ways to mature because of it?
Second, we learn to better love and appreciate those who serve us. We discover
how deep some people’s love for us truly is when we are hurting, needy, and
inconvenient. Those who reflect the character of Jesus to us most clearly
become the greatest gifts in seasons of suffering.
·
God
never intend us to go through suffering alone
·
Paul’s
church is suffering with him
·
He is
not there serving them, he is a burden to them, but they keep suffering with
him
·
Have
you ever had a person that sticks by you through anything
·
Who
loves you at your lowest, most devastating time
·
My
question to you, are you that person for someone else?
o We were a burden to Jesus so much he died
for it
o We abandoned him at the cross
o We betray him wit hare sin
o But he just keeps loving us through it
Third, as Jesus and others serve us, we learn new ways to serve those who
suffer. We can easily become consumed with our own lives and callous to the
needs of others. But through affliction God teaches us to open our hearts,
eyes, and finances to meet the needs of others who are afflicted.
·
Is there a way that you could use what you’re
going through to help others and to grow personally so it’s good for them and
it’s good for you?
·
Can you take what God has allowed you to go
through and use it for someone else’s good?
I know some of you what your going through is just
devastating. I know that right now it feels, like you are just barely hanging
on. I know some of you fight depression, and discouragement, and despair. I
know that some of you are right on the border of hopelessness. I know the last
thing you want to hear is more points and principles, that you’ve had enough
self-help and self-talk. But God could use this season to make you more like
Jesus, and let me say, if one of the great goals of your life is to become more
like Jesus, then even though it’s a horrible season, it also could be—and I
don’t want to make light of it or be religious about it—it also could be a
wonderful season. Again, if you’re going to go through it, don’t waste it.
Afflicted for Gods Glory!
Ephesians 3:10–13
(ESV)
10 so
that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to
the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the
eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and
access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your
glory.
So I ask you not to lose heart!
Is he saying,
·
“I don’t want you to grieve”? Is that what he’s
saying? No.
·
“I don’t want you to be sad”? Is that what he’s
saying? No.
·
“I don’t
want you to talk about it”? Is that what he’s saying? No.
·
What he’s saying is, “Please don’t lose heart.”
Folks, would you please not lose heart. I see it in the
faces of people who they have lost heart.
·
They’re not going to fight for their marriage,
·
They’re not going to fight for their kids,
·
They’re not going to fight for their health,
·
They’re
not going to fight for their joy,
·
They’re
not going to fight for their future.
·
They lose heart. There’s something worse than
being afflicted, and that’s being afflicted and losing heart.
You’re not
blessed!!
·
We are not telling you to be blessed all the
time
·
We are not surface religious people
·
We care about you and want you to bring your
suffering
·
That’s why it's so important to get involved in
a small group
·
Men’s group, some kind of small setting so we
can share in your suffering
People are watching you suffer
·
Who is
watching you??
·
In
Paul we see him glorifying God in his suffering
·
Are
you glorifying God, and the people watching see God as your identity in your
suffering
o Your coworkers, family, friends, enemies,
critics!
·
Are
you saying it's ok that I suffer, because Christ suffered for me?
·
Do
they see you helping other because of your suffering
·
Do
they see you growing in your suffering??
Who’s watching? God is watching. God is
watching. He loves you, he grieves with you, he’s been where you are, and he’s
in the place where you are going.
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