A year ago Michele was in her neck brace awaiting the insertion of a subcutaneous port to begin her chemotherapy to treat Lymphoma. Today she is cancer free, and we are debt free, despite the generation of over $280,000.00 in medical expenses. Praise God! It is easy to praise God at the end of a trial that has a happy ending. Many people suffer illness and trials that do not have happy endings.
Michele and I traveled to Wisconsin in July to help represent MMS Aviation at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual event called AirVenture. We have made many friends in that area over the years, including relationships with local churches. I was invited to speak in the morning service of one such church. As I struggled to put together a presentation that focused on MMS Aviation, I had no inspiration. Then I sensed God telling me to share from the heart, to wit, He gave me a message on suffering. When I say, "He gave me," I mean to convey the message that the scripture references flowed in a way which produced the sermon theme in a very coherent way.
Upon delivering the sermon, it became clear that God had intended this particular subject for a congregation that had many hurting souls. As usual, His timing was impeccable. In the weeks which have passed since then, it has been on my heart to share the content of that sermon on the blog, but I wasn't sure if that was a directive from the Holy Spirit or some display of ego. This morning, I prayed that God would either give me peace to leave it alone, or compel me to action. As our pastor began his sermon on, would you believe, "Suffering and Trials", I felt that familiar urge to comply. The result follows forthwith. This was about six pages in my hand written scrawl, so I won't be offended if you don't read through it. On the other hand, maybe it is being put here for you...
Ephesians 5:25 says, "Husbands love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it."
When Michele was diagnosed with cancer, it became my mission to be Christ to her, in the same way as Christ cares for, and relates to His church. But what exactly does that look like? Several scripture passages came to mind:
Philippians 2:5-8, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
Hebrews 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."
1Peter 4:12,13, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy."
And finally,
Isaiah 53:10, "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand."
What is this strange relationship between suffering and sanctification? Philippians 2: 13-15 gives us a hint: "For it is God Who worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."
God has modeled sacrifice in the most extreme way, through the example of Jesus' life and death on earth. Simply stepping down from His throne in heaven to live as a man on earth is a huge sacrifice.But Jesus' years as a human being were lived in a totally sacrificial way. He could have chosen to be born in America in the latter part of the 20th Century, where He could have been a member of an affluent family, gone to private schools, drove a Corvette, had His own office at the family business, and a penthouse apartment. He could have died peacefully in His sleep, and arose on national television during global coverage of His funeral. But the reality was the exact opposite.
He was born to poor parents who were transients at the time of his birth. He was born under the cloud of illegitimacy, and spent His early years one step ahead of authorities seeking His life. He grew up as an apprentice to a carpenter, a physically demanding occupation, requiring exertion and sweat in a hot climate. The society He lived in was highly prejudiced and never let Him forget that Joseph wasn't His father.
When He began His ministry, neither His family nor His community believed in Him, to the degree that His home congregation wanted to kill Him. He got up long before dawn and lay down to sleep late at night after ministering and preaching all day. He was tired and hungry and walked hundreds of miles.
At the end of His ministry on earth, He wasn't simply killed, He was savagely beaten and put on public display. Not only was He jeered at by the crowd that He fed and healed, but He was abandoned by His closest friends. His death was designed to inflict the most pain, over the longest possible time span. And yet the scriptures say, "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him."
In our self-centered understanding, such a statement seems unspeakably cruel. Is it any wonder that the world, our world of relativism and so-called tolerance, has pushed the name of Jesus out of sight? So is such a statement based in sadistic pleasure, or does it mean something else altogether?
Consider this scenario: If you had a loved one waiting for a heart transplant, would you be pleased to receive the call that a heart was available? Sure you would. But how does the family of the donor feel?
Humanity is under a death sentence for sin. We desperately need a donor who will serve our sentence for us. God donated His Son. What's more, He was pleased to do so. There is our example. When we are participants in Christ's suffering, we have the opportunity of sharing His grace...or not.
Let's face it, everyone suffers. While the degree of suffering varies greatly, no one is exempt. The question is; what does suffering do in your life? Does it make you angry and bitter? Do you want to hurt others, so they can feel what you feel? Do you worry about the possibility of suffering, and do everything in your power to minimize it?
Or do you greet suffering as an opportunity for personal growth? Do you use the lessons you've learned through suffering to help others through their dark hour?
The passage in Isaiah 53 goes on to say, "He shall see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities." (verse 11)
Since God is not willing that any should perish, (Ezekiel 18:23, and 1Timothy 2:4), it pleased Him to provide the means to deliver souls from damnation. It also pleased Jesus to be that provision. Hence the statement in Hebrews 12:2 that He endured the cross, "For the joy set before Him."
This is all fine as an academic exercise, but what about reality? All of the work God does in the life of a Christian will bear fruit only if we join Him in the effort. Jesus said:
"Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: And you shall find rest unto your souls." (Matthew 11:29)
We don't usually associate a yoke of endeavor with rest, but Jesus put the two together. Note that He gave two instructions:
- Take My yoke upon you
- Learn of Me
Think about this: Every army that has ever fought a battle has had to fight their first battle. What keeps a soldier from running away during that first exposure to violence? It's not natural to rush toward someone trying to kill you, so why would anyone do that? How could someone overcome the natural preservation instinct and act contrary to their fear? The answer is, preparation. The soldier is trained to act a certain way, no matter what. He rehearses this training until his mind is convinced. He acts, because he has decided to act. With the decision firmly made in advance of the challenge, the probability of following the training improves exponentially.
Suffering serves as the Christian's basic training. Hebrews 5:8 says, "Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered."
This learning comes from experience. It does not mean that we are beaten until we obey. Have you ever talked with someone who said, "You don't understand what I've been through!"? No one can ever say that to Jesus. Hebrews 4:15 tells us,
"For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
If suffering, the experience of suffering, is God's preferred means of instruction, why should we seek or expect an exemption? This is exactly what Peter is telling the reader in 1Peter 4:12 and 13; "Don't think your trials are strange, but rejoice!"
Peter wasn't alone in expressing this concept. James told his readers to, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." (James 1:2)
Knowing that difficulties are part of God's plan for our lives can help us to embrace the trials that come our way.
Learning from the experience of suffering will make us more like Christ.
Being more Christ-like will cause us to, "Shine as lights in the world," (Philippians 2:15). And that is our purpose for being here; in the world, but not of the world (John 17:15).
I had the privilege of ministering to my wife during the course of her suffering. She had the privilege of suffering in the flesh, and by so doing, she participated in the "Fellowship of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10). Through it all, God orchestrated events and contacts to touch the lives of people in unknowable ways. We were ministered to by many. There were those who testified that we ministered to them. The more faithful we are to Him, the brighter the light of His gospel shines in a dark world.
Suffering is for a purpose, and there is a reward. Romans 8:18 says,
"For I recon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
This is why the Apostle Paul wrote, "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13,14)
So this is both our testimony and our challenge. God is faithful, as demonstrated by the life of Christ, who suffered and died on our behalf, that we might have eternal life. Likewise, we should follow His example, and endure the trials of this life, with the joy that He gives, and He will use it for His glory.
