The Way Of Christ - The Way Of Suffering

<< Previous | Index | Next >>
                          "THE WAY OF CHRIST"

                          The Way Of Suffering

INTRODUCTION

1. In this series we have seen how The Way Of Christ is the way...
   a. To God    d. Of love   g. Of unity       j. Of bearing fruit
   b. To life   e. Of joy    h. Of prayer      k. Of service
   c. To truth  f. Of peace  i. Of forgiveness

2. The Way Of Christ is also the way of suffering...
   a. Jesus had to suffer to enter His glory - Lk 24:25-26
   b. He calls us to follow in His steps, if need be

[As we examine this element of The Way Of Christ, let's start with...]

I. THE WAY OF SUFFERING TAUGHT

   A. BY JESUS...
      1. He warned His disciples they would be hated and persecuted - Jn
         15:18-20
      2. Yet He said they would be blessed for suffering for His name
         - Mt 5:10-12

   B. BY HIS APOSTLES...
      1. Paul warned his converts to expect suffering - Ac 14:21-22; Php
         1:29-30; 2Ti 3:12
      2. Peter wrote to prepare his readers for suffering - 1Pe 2:20-23;
         4:12-16; 5:8-10

[Those who followed The Way Of Christ in the first century knew well
that it would be the way of suffering.  Indeed, as we consider this
subject more closely we can find several examples of...]

II. THE WAY OF SUFFERING MANIFESTED

   A. IN THE EARLY CHURCH...
      1. The apostles suffered for the cause of Christ
         a. They were beaten and threatened - Ac 5:40
         b. They suffered hardship for their service - 1Co 4:9-13
         c. They all suffered martyrdom, with one possible exception
            (John, who was exiled)
      2. Paul in particular suffered much for Christ
         a. He lists many things he suffered as a minister - 2Co
            11:23-28
         b. He later experienced years of imprisonment and was finally
            beheaded
      3. Christians during the first three centuries suffered much
         a. By unbelieving Jews and Romans - Ac 7:54-60; 8:1-3; 9:1-2;
            Re 2:9-10,13
         b. By emperors of Rome - such as Nero, Domitian, Diocletian
      4. Yet consider their attitude toward such suffering
         a. They gloried in them, rejoiced in them - Ro 5:3-4; Jm 1:2-4;
            1Pe 4:16
         b. They knew that in Christ they were more than conquerors - Ro
            8:35-39
      -- As Jesus forewarned, many in the early church suffered for His
         name

   B. IN OUR TIME...
      1. Many believers in Christ continue to suffer much
         a. In Muslim and Hindu nations
         b. In communist nations like China and North Korea
      2. Even in the USA and other western countries there are forms of
         suffering
         a. Christians and their faith are often ridiculed
         b. Many are sometimes rejected by friends, co-workers,
            neighbors
      3. Remember the words of Jesus - Jn 15:18-20
         a. "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it
            hated you"
         b. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own"
         c. "If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you"
      4. Remember the words of Paul - 2Ti 3:12
         a. "...all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
            persecution"
         b. One cannot live godly in an ungodly world and not experience
            conflict
      5. Remember the words of Peter - 1Pe 4:14,16,19
         a. "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are
            you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you"
         b. "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be
            ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter"
         c. "let those who suffer according to the will of God commit
            their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator"
      -- We need to be prepared for suffering, in whatever form it may
         come

CONCLUSION

1. As stressed in previous lessons, The Way Of Christ is the way to...
   a. A truly abundant life even now
   b. A life of love, joy, peace

2. Yet God sometimes allows the wicked to persecute His children.
   Why...?
   a. "Persecution often does in this life what the last great day will
      do completely - separate the wheat from the tares." - James Milner
   b. Persecution (suffering) can have a purifying effect - cf. 1Pe
      1:6-7
   c. Enduring it can make us worthy of the kingdom of God - cf. 2Th
      1:3-5

So if it should happen that we suffer for the name of Christ, let us not
be discouraged, remembering the words of His apostle Peter:

   And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace,
   who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself
   restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (ESV) - 1Pe 5:10

Note that God has called us to "His eternal glory in Christ", which
leads to our last and final lesson in this series...
<< Previous | Index | Next >>
Home Page
Have A Bible Question? | Want A Free Bible Study Course? | Looking For A Church Near You?
Want To Talk With Someone By Phone? | Want To Discuss The Bible By Email?
Search The Outlines