Suffering is Shared, Part 1

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Rejoicing in the face of suffering really seems counterintuitive. We might expect surprise, worry, fear, or anger in the face of hardship. But 1 Peter 4-13 calls us to rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.

But how do we do that? Today, Rich shares the confident expectation we can have that will lead to settled satisfaction in the midst of deep pain. Let's listen to this message titled, Suffering is Shared.

in the ancient Roman Empire. But as we saw last week, look at verse 12, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. Last week we looked at the reality that suffering is not strange.

And that is true particularly for those who are free. Suffering is not strange. We live in a broken world, we understand that.

But as it's been pointed out already so well is that all of it, there is a purpose behind it. So we look at today, our theme is suffering is shared. Number one, suffering is not strange. Number two, suffering is shared.

The lapel's not working. Sorry, we'll have to use the pulpit mic. Look what he says in verse 13, but rejoice.

Stop there just a minute. Don't you think this is a platitude? This is a command. This is an imperative. The Bible's not just being idealistic here. Are you ready to accept that? All the time, God puts together suffering and joy. Are you ready to accept that?

There's a reason for that. And it's what we're going to be talking about this morning in part. Suffering is shared. He says, but rejoice. What is joy? Even in the context of the broken world that we experience, and that brokenness exists even within me, so I contribute to the suffering. Even in that brokenness, I can know, I can know a settled satisfaction, not complete and full and ultimate satisfaction, that will never come this side of eternity. But I can, in the brokenness, enjoy a settled satisfaction because of the confident expectation that I have in Jesus Christ. You see, it requires an understanding of the big picture. It requires an understanding of what God has disclosed to us of his character and his purpose.

It requires an understanding way beyond coffee mug theology. Now, this rejoice is counterintuitive, isn't it? We don't naturally put suffering and joy in the same thought. It is counterintuitive because in the natural world, the flesh will scream against that, and the natural response in the world, which is not entirely wrong, because we were created to thrive, which is why we covered last time, that's why we're surprised, and we think suffering is strange, because we were designed to thrive. And yet, when we encounter suffering, it's like something's not right.

But the natural response to any kind of adversity would be surprise or worry or fear, avoidance or fighting it. In fact, by many standards, the world would say that those, as much as to the degree that you can have the experience, the absence of suffering, you are in your glory. Is that how you think?

You've allowed the world to squeeze you into its mold. Did you know that the cross of Christ was His glory? The Bible gives us a good example of this. For example, Luke chapter 16, where Jesus is giving the account of a man called Lazarus, and describe Lazarus, what was he? He was a beggar. He was a poor man. He had to depend on others for his day-to-day existence, had nobody to take care of him. And then there was this rich man, no name given to him, just Lazarus and the rich man. And the rich man was in his glory.

Why? Because he had everything he needed. You see the distinction that's there? And that's the distinction that the world makes. So as long as we can have all of our comfortable safety nets and cushions to keep us from the harsh realities of life, we're in our glory. And yet Jesus is the one who said, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? See, the natural way of thinking is not the accurate way of thinking.

We need to make sure that we're not doing that. We have to have our perspective enlightened by God's self-disclosure. We have to consider the big picture, understanding reality as it is, both the now, which is broken, and the future, where God has promised that he will make all things new. And it was Jesus who said, I make all things new. And so his resurrection and his miracles were glimpses that you and I have, is the one who makes all things new.

We need to know that. It's counterintuitive. So to rejoice in suffering, it is counterintuitive.

And that's why it requires a perspective beyond our own, to know it for what it truly is. Because not only is it counterintuitive, but the Bible presents it as a joyful partnership. Koinoneo, he says, but rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings. Koinoneo, to share, is a partnership.

That word means to do together, to join in doing. And that's what we do when we fulfill the command of Galatians 6, 2, for example, to bear one another's burdens. Those in the church who are suffering, and the attention that is given them, the cards, the meals, the help, the rides, the encouragements, all of that is sharing. And whether it's suffering because of the broken cosmos, or whether it's suffering because of the evil in the heart of mankind. And we are hit with a blunt end of that.

End of that. All of that we share in that suffering. And Paul refers to it in Philippians 3 10 as the fellowship of his sufferings. The fellowship of his sufferings. Consider what he says here, Philippians chapter 1, verses 27, 28. Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not, here it is, not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God, for to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake.

That's an amazing verse, isn't it? Dare we say that we are even appointed to suffering? If we are appointed to eternal life, we are also appointed to suffering. So this is what he says here, verse 13. You share in Christ's sufferings.

I want to look at four ways that that's true. How do we share in Christ's sufferings? Let me just review them very quickly, because remember this, understand, as we understand this, as we consider this, here's one thing you need to remember.

First of all, not first of all, this is the overall truth in this, okay? Christ, remember Christ, the second person of the Trinity, your creator willingly entered into our suffering. He didn't avoid it, he didn't run away from it, he didn't push back against it, he entered into our suffering.

Think about that. He shared in our suffering, and as he suffered now, we are called to share in his sufferings. So you share in Christ's sufferings. Let me just review the four ways. Number one, identification, number two, demonstration, number three, presence, and number four, honor.

Let's review those. We share in Christ's sufferings by identification. In other words, you identify with Christ, you suffer together with him, you share in his anguish because his history has become yours. His history has become yours, and instead of when you encounter, when you endure suffering of any kind, you don't just react against it naturally, you have more resource than that, but you perceive it and you engage it through the lens of scripture and in the presence and power of God's Spirit.

What is that? That's grace. You engage it with grace. We're so glad you've joined us for Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, Pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. You can hear this message and others anytime by visiting our website, www.delightingrace.com. You can also check out Pastor Rich's book, Seven Words That Can Change Your Life, where he unpacks from God's Word the very purpose for which you were designed. Seven Words That Can Change Your Life is available wherever books are sold. As always, tune in to Delight in Grace, weekdays at 10 a.m.