The Call to Suffer
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Introduction
Introduction
A Man Named Lazarus Was Sick — He was from Bethany, brother to Martha and Mary…the same Mary who poured out sweet perfume on Jesus feet and wiped it off with her feet…a story we will see in chapter 12.
In verse 5 we see — He was a friend of Jesus. Someone whom Jesus loved. In fact, Jesus loved this entire family very much. They had a special place in his heart. They were like family to Him.
It is not often that you see the grammatical structure in verse 5 where each person is named separately. It is not simply said that Jesus loved THEM. Jesus loved Martha, her sister and Lazarus. They were special.
Yet, when the word came that Lazarus was gravely ill Jesus did not rush to the side of the sick man. He did not pronounce healing from afar as He did for the centurion’s servant. Jesus in affect, did absolutely nothing. He stayed where He was for two more days.
Why? Why would Jesus allow Lazarus to suffer? Allow Martha and Mary to see their brother suffer and die? Why would he allow the sisters to grieve four days as though they were never to see their brother on this side of heaven again?
Why Suffering? — It begs the question doesn’t it? Why do we suffer? Why does God allow His people to suffer? It is one thing to allow this sin sick, wicked world to suffer but why would God allow His people to suffer? We all want that answer don’t we?
None of us want to suffer. I don’t want to suffer, you don’t. I don’t even want to preach this message dare I be tested on what I say! We dread, run from and even live in denial of the possibility of our own suffering. Yet, we know should we live long enough that we will do just that…suffer. BUT WHY???
There is a school of thought in some churches today that says if you have enough faith, or strong enough faith, you will never have to suffer. Your faith will be enough to remedy any problem and reverse the course of any circumstance which might cause you to suffer. This is one of the most unbiblical, satanic ideas ever to come into the doors of a church.
Before you get upset at my calling such an idea satanic just remember the words of Jesus to Peter. Jesus had told the disciples that He was going to have to suffer…Peter says NO! And Jesus says get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me! You do not have the things of God in mind but the things of men.
From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.
Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.”
But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”
A belief system which promises the absence of suffering is from hell. It is not from God and do not be fooled by it. Jesus Himself PROMISED His followers that in this life we would have tribulations…trouble...suffering.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”
But WHY? WHY would a holy, perfect, loving God allow us to suffer? The story of Lazarus gives us our answer and the answer will increase our faith so that we might suffer well when it inevitably comes to our own life.
We Suffer For God’s Glory
We Suffer For God’s Glory
There are three kinds of sickness in scripture: Demonic, sickness unto death and sickness unto the glory of God. This sickness, the one Lazarus was suffering, was for the glory of God. It was an occasion to suffer for God’s glory. Lazarus was sick so that God could disclose Himself to the world. So that the world could see God’s existence, His power and the truth that Jesus was the Son of God.
We must understand something about our life on this earth…We exist in order to enjoy and glorify God.
Glorify — to be a witness of His power and character
Our life remains on earth after we profess faith in Christ so that we might make much of Him…So that we might show the world He exists, He is all-powerful and the perfection of His character.
If you think your life has any other “greater” meaning you have completely missed the point of your existence.
We gave our life to God when we received His salvation. We belong to Him…our life is about His purposes. He has all of the rights to us. We died to self and all self interest when we turned from our sinfulness and the idolatry of self to receive His forgiveness and resurrection to new life in Christ.
Lazarus was a follower of Jesus. He loved Jesus. Had faith in Him. Therefore his life was at the disposal of God for the glory of Jesus. This is how it works with us as well.
Jesus loves us enough to make us a part of what He is doing and give us an opportunity to bring glory to Him. There is no higher purpose and no greater opportunity this life affords the believer in Christ. To live is Christ!
This sickness was not to end in death but was for the glory of God.
God allows suffering in the life of the believer in order to provide for us an opportunity to bring glory to Him in a way that is impossible in the absence of it.
Lazarus was sick and soon to die. He didn’t know why he was sick. He had no idea why he was meeting an untimely demise. He had no understanding of what God was doing. Martha and Mary had no idea. No idea why God was allowing this. No idea why Jesus had not dropped everything to come and heal the one whom He loved.
All three of these people could have and maybe they actually did…raise their voices in a collective cry, “WHY WHY WHY OH GOD WHY?!? Why would you let the one you love suffer this way?
The answer is that God loved Lazarus enough to make Him a part of the work Jesus was doing. In fact, He loved Lazarus enough to allow Him a crescendo moment. If there was any crescendo in the ministry prior to THE crescendo moment it was the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead!
Lazarus, Martha and Mary were clueless but they were being permitted to be a part of one of Jesus’ greatest moments on earth prior to the cross…a moment which would shout to the earth the Savior had come!
Illustration: Comedian who talked about those men who landed on the moon.
Lazarus lived the rest of his life as the man Jesus raised from the dead after he had been dead for four days!…which in itself is significant…the Jews believed in the possibility of resuscitation for a few days after death but after four there was no such hope…just a stinking body in a tomb.
He didn’t understand it at the time but he was living a life of great privilege…living out a great honor…He was chosen to make much of Christ…This act was so big, so strong, so powerful that it sent the pharisees and Sanhedrin decided Jesus had to die and die now! It was the final straw.
Our suffering is an opportunity to be a part of His story…a privilege to make much of Him…reveal who He is…His existence, power, glory and character.
George Atley was killed while serving with the Central African Mission. There were no witnesses, but the evidence indicates that Atley was confronted by a band of hostile tribesmen. He was carrying a fully loaded, 10-chamber Winchester rifle and had to choose either to shoot his attackers and run the risk of negating the work of the mission in that area, or not to defend himself and be killed. When his body was later found in a stream, it was evident that he had chosen the latter. Nearby lay his rifle -- all 10 chambers still loaded. He had made the supreme sacrifice, motivated by his burden for lost souls and his unswerving devotion to his Savior. With the apostle Paul, he wanted Christ to be magnified in his body, "whether by life or by death."
Writing on in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Robert P. Lightner said, "Paul's concern was not what would happen to him but what testimony would be left for his Lord. Release would allow him to continue preaching Christ. But martyrdom would also advance the cause of Christ."
Writing on in The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Robert P. Lightner said, "Paul's concern was not what would happen to him but what testimony would be left for his Lord. Release would allow him to continue preaching Christ. But martyrdom would also advance the cause of Christ."
Let us be of the same mind? May our life be a good testimony for Him
according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
We Suffer in Order to Grow/Mature Faith
We Suffer in Order to Grow/Mature Faith
Suffering does something else both for the one who suffers as well as and those who watch a believer suffer…It builds faith. Jesus says in verse 14, I am glad that I was not there and that Lazarus wasn’t healed. I am glad because now you are going to see something that will grow your faith.
When we see our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer while holding onto their faith in Christ. See the grace given them as they endure…We believe better and grow in our intimacy with Christ.
The witness of those who have suffered well can never be overstated to the cause of Christ.
“Without a doubt they were already “believers.” Yet their faith was not strong...The meaning will be that faith is progressive. There are new depths of faith to be plumbed, new heights of faith to be scaled. The raising of Lazarus will have a profound effect on them and give their faith a content that it did not have before. Faith will be strengthened”
Without a doubt they were already “believers.” Yet their faith was not strong, for at the critical hour they were all to forsake him. The meaning will be that faith is progressive. There are new depths of faith to be plumbed, new heights of faith to be scaled. The raising of Lazarus will have a profound effect on them and give their faith a content that it did not have before. Faith will be strengthened (cf.
Our suffering demonstrates God’s existence, power and character with the result that we ourselves and others will have a greater faith in Christ.
Morris, L. (1995). The Gospel according to John (p. 483). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Someone may be saved because of the way they see you endure the suffering of your life…by how you suffer differently from those who do not have a relationship with Christ.
Other believers in Christ will be changed and grow to new depths of faith and enjoy a deeper walk with Christ because of the way they see you suffer in Christ.
You yourself will come to know God in deeper, more intimate ways and grow to have a stronger belief, trust and love for Him through what you suffer.
Conclusion
Conclusion
God loves us enough to allow us the opportunity to be the instrument by whom He brings glory to Himself on this earth. A glory that results in a deeper faith for all who witness it.
God knows suffering hurts and He understand that pain.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus walked this earth…felt the temptation…felt the pain and sufferings of this life. Experienced grief…He knows how it feels to suffer as you are today.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Someday the suffering, all of it, will end. We will be taken from this sin sick world and it will all end
and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
In the midst of our suffering He comforts us. We can walk on, refuse to quit and endure suffering for our Christ because of the grace HE gives us in the midst of our suffering…the comfort He has for us in those moment.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
Suffering takes many forms…Some have died for their faith…others been persecuted, tortured…some suffer illnesses, loss of careers, jobs, estrangement from family or friends. Some are hungry today for basic food or thirsty and in need of water. Some need clothes or a place to live. Whatever the form it takes…God comforts those who suffer in His name for His glory for the sake of the Gospel of Christ.
We are entering a time in this country and world in which we as believers in Christ will face suffering in the form of great persecution. Will you be ready? Do you see your life in His hands? Does your life belong to you or does it belong to Him? Is it for your comfort and pleasure or is it for the purposes of Him?
Live long enough and you will suffer…what will you do with it? Will you respond in faith, with a sense of purpose and make much of Him?
There is purpose in our suffering…there is a plan…and there is grace when it comes so that we might do so in faith that we might walk in that plan.