Sermon Tone Analysis

Why?

On February 15, 1947 Glenn Chambers boarded a plane bound for Quito, Ecuador to begin his ministry in missionary broadcasting.

But he never arrived.

In a horrible moment, the plane carrying Chambers crashed into a mountain peak and spiraled downward.

Later it was learned that before leaving the Miami airport, Chambers wanted to write his mother a letter.

All he could find for stationery was a page of advertising on which was written the single word "WHY?" Around that word he hastily scribbled a final note.

After Chambers's mother learned of her son's death, his letter arrived.

She opened the envelope, took out the paper, and unfolded it.

Staring her in the face was the question "WHY?"

Why?

A word that appears to form the most prominent questions heard from humanity.

The passage from Philippians we are about to read teaches that a different word should form the most prominent questions of Christianity.

The passage from Philippians we are about to read teaches that a different word should form the most prominent questions of Christianity.

What Paul writes to the Philippian Christians

How does God want to us me?

How is God using this to advance the gospel?

How can I encourage others?

How can I glorify God?

How can I respond?

Stand with me together as Holy People to Honor our Holy God in reading His Holy Word.

Why?

We hear and surely have many why questions ourselves.

We hear and surely have many why questions ourselves.

Why such devastation in Houston?

Why the chaos and crime around the country?

Why are Christians around the world being behead or thrown in Jail?

Why have I lost my job?

Why is my boss, coach or teacher treating me this way?

Why is my co-worker or classmate being such a bully to me?

Why did my loved one die like that?

Why is my child going through this illness?

Why has my family experienced so much suffering?

Joanna and I met a lady named Kathy, who became one of our dearest friends during one of our greatest trials of pregnancy complications leading up to Silas’ birth.

Over the past 12 years we have watched her loose her home, struggle together with a husband having a mid-life crisis, later go through a difficult divorce, and now is walking her 2 year old son through treatment of a rare childhood cancer.

We and she has asked may times, why?

Unfortunately on too many occasions, from too many pulpits and from too many pews, there has been either a flippant unrepentant or a calloused judgmental approach to the reality of suffering.

No problem is more common to man nor a more serious threat to faith.

The evils which come from the destructiveness of nature, sorrow, sickness, accident, death, war, poverty, vice, the sufferings of the young, the righteous, the innocent—these are parts of the painful mystery which inevitably causes man to ask of God “why?”

The problem is serious for Christianity because it involves the very nature of God. - Gordon Clinard (Southwestern Journal of Theology)

Why?

Why do people suffer, whether Christian or not.

There will be occasions of suffering that we just will never know why, because the Bible confesses the mystery of suffering.

- The ways and thoughts of God are not the same as that of humans.

He has a sovereign purpose for humanity and history that on occasions we cannot understand.

How do you answer your suffering when you cannot see a reason from scripture?

Faithfully Trust God and Persevere.

Job had God and God is enough.

Time does not afford me the ability to go very deep into the reasons for suffering today.

That will take a series of sermons, but let me give you a cursory glance (from that Journal).

Retributive - Your suffering at times is judgment from God, because of His holiness and righteousness, upon your sinfulness and unrighteousness.

Sin brings suffering but not all suffering is from sin.

Examples: Zacharius-mute, Ananius and Sapphira-death, Elymas (sorcerer)-blind

Your Answer: Repent and Submit

Disciplinary and Educational - Closely related to above.

This is affliction from God, not for punishment but discipline (teaching rather than retribution) to draw you closer to Him.

In OT (Jer.) it was national and individual (potter’s wheel).

In NT and now both corporal (church) and personal (Christian).

See and &

Your Answer: Love the Lord as your Father & Learn what He is teaching

Revelational - God intends at times to allow suffering in your life to give you a greater awareness of His nature and His character.

You learn how comforting He is by needing His comfort, how wise by needing His wisdom, how He provides by needing His provisions, so on.

Examples: Job about God Majesty and Mightiness, Hosea about God’s un-ending love in the face of spiritual fidelity.

See of the close relationship of Christ w/His people

Your Answer: Open your mind and heart to God then give Him Glory

God allowed the most powerful and committed missionary he had to be imprisoned.

Why?

v.12 - “what has happened” - Paul could be talking about his current situation or everything up to this point.

Beaten during a riot

2yr prison term in another city

threat of murder

shipwrecked on way to Rome and now this

These last 2 biblical reasons for all these sufferings are what he writes about in the text.

Temporary and Evidential - Evil exist in the world so the Godly wait for the Day of the Lord (wrath upon the wicked and redemption of the righteous).

Your character is revealed as your faith is tested.

Christ promised you that following Him would entail suffering, thus suffering is evidence of being in Christ.

Habk.

wrestled with why righteous suffer - but not permanent.

Paul - deeply committed follower - writes Philippians from Jail.

See

v. 12-13 - The Roman authorities, by throwing Paul in jail, thought “hey we will shut this loud mouth Christian up once and for all.”

The Christians in Philippi, probably saw this trial as an obstacle to the Great Comission.

Paul sees it differently from a divine perspective.

He reminds the church that God has a purpose, and it is being done from jail because people are being positively impacted.

This is where the sermon title comes in.

Paul uses an interesting word here.

He says that his trials have actually “advanced” .

The word in the Greek was used to describe blazing a trail or clearing the way for an army.

Paul sees God has clear the path.

He has literally blazed a trail for the gospel to go into places he never imagined the gospel would go.

.

Trials Turn Into Trails When Traveled Together

Caesar’s household.

The home of several Imperial Guards, over 9,000 of them.

The city of Rome itself.

All were being saturated with the gospel because Paul was not gripping, was not complaining, was not whining about his suffering.

He was telling the gospel, evangelizing, making disciples.

Together with his partners, Paul followed trail of his trials to give testimony to Jesus any time he could.

People all over Rome and beyond for centuries have been saved because of Paul’s joy in the midst of suffering.

D. A. Carson told the story of Peter O’brien during one of his sermons on suffering.

Caesar’s household.

The home of several Imperial Guards.