Why should we suffer for Christ ?
Main points
- Produces eternal glory
- Present troubles are small
- Produce long term eternal glory (2 cor 4:17)
- Produces Endurance
- Athletes practice; eat right
- Long distance produces endurance
- Sufferings produce endurance and endurance produces character (Romans 5:3-4) -> hope
- David suffered many times
- Jeremiah scroll burnt (Jeremiah 36:21-23)
- Jeremiah asked to write again (Jeremiah 36:27-28)
- Jeremiah put in dungeon (Jeremiah 38:6)
- Joseph in prison
- Suffer for the company ; work hard;
- Endure pains for the good of the company.
- They beat them and let them go (Acts 5:40-41)
- Produces growth of kingdom
- Stephen killed but church grew
- They ran at him (acts 7:57)
- They cast him out (acts 7:58)
- Great persecution (acts 8:1)
- Scattered ones preached (acts 8:4)
- Produces mass conversion
- By one man Jesus condemnation replaced by justification for all (Romans 5:18)
- By Jonas whole Nineveh saved
- Cried to God (Jonah 2:2)
- Arose and walked 3 days (Jonas 3:3)
- By Joseph the entire family of Jacobs
- They hurt his feet (Ps 105:18)
- They cast him into a pit (Genesis 37:24)
- Sold him for profit (Genesis 37:26)
- By Daniel the entire Babylon hears the gospel
- Darius encouraged all to follow God of Daniel (Daniel 6:25-26)
- Produces healing
- Jesus suffered outside the gate (Hebrew 13:12)
- Released Barabbas & scourged Jesus (matt 27:26)
- Soldiers mock Jesus (Matt 27:29-31)
- By His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5)
- Samaritan brought healing to wounded man,
- Your words can bring healing
- Tree of life: leaves are for healing of nations
- Produces reward
- Moses endured ..looked to reward (Hebrew 11:24-26)
- Paul encourage Timothy to endure affliction (2 Tim 4:5)
- There is a crown for finishing race(2 Tim 4:8)
- Produces evidence of a minister of Christ
- Not by degree or qualification
- But by how much we suffer
- List of Paul's sufferings (2 corinth 11:23-27)
Prayer
- Am I mocked for gospel?
- Am I scorned, despised for the gospel?
- Do I have the marks of a minister?
- Blessed are you when men revile for the name of Christ for your reward is great in heaven (Matt 5:11-12)