Suffering is Sacred, Part 4

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Today, as we continue this sermon series titled, How Free People Suffer, Rich challenges us to reframe the way we view suffering. He shows us from God's Word that suffering is sacred. The apostles knew this about their own suffering. After receiving a beating for sharing the gospel of Christ in Acts 5, the apostles left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. Listen as Pastor Rich unpacks 1 Peter 4, 14 through 16, to show that suffering is a unique opportunity to engage in the highest purpose. This is part four of a message first preached February 12, 2023. Some of us have been denied a promotion because of our position. This stuff is happening. This is how we need to pray for each other, that we would be bolded Christ and that we would see that we would be counted, that we would rejoice because we're counted worthy to suffer for the name.

There is so much honor in it. I'll give you an example. Gordon College professor and author Paul Borthwick was on a visit in Beijing, China, and he attended a church with four young men who became believers through one of his friend's ministry over there. And so they went to a particular church service, and it was in Mandarin. So Professor Paul did not understand any of it because he didn't know Mandarin. But he did think that the pastor was a very senior man.

He seemed a little boring. He was soft-spoken, a little stooped over and preached without any expression, just not a dynamic speaker. And at lunch after the service, Paul was with four young believers that were with him, and he asked these young men, he says, is your pastor a good preacher? And they exclaimed, oh, yes, he is a great preacher. He spent many years in prison for Jesus Christ. Do you see how that reality gripped them? The honor of having been faithful in suffering, their measurement of the sermon's pastor and ministry had nothing to do with his ability, but it had everything to do with a life of faithfulness in the face of suffering.

That's honor. I mentioned before, we're talking about what Gamaliel said in Acts Chapter 5, verses 39 to 41, you know, the Jewish leaders of Sanhedrin, they were threatening the apostles. And Gamaliel pipes up, and he says, now be careful. There have been others who have risen up, other movements that have risen up, and they rise, and then what? They fall.

They just peter out, because they're man-made. And he says to them, he says, if this is man-made, it's gonna fall, but if this is of God, watch out. You could just find yourself opposing God.

He didn't know that he was right. He says, and I quote, if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow it. Grasp that in the sacred suffering of being identified with Jesus Christ. The last third point today is glory, verse 16, the second half of verse 16. But let him glorify God in that name.

Let him glorify God. I'm not talking about personal glory. It's not about our own glory. It's about God's glory. Instead of shame, instead of shame, with a person who is identified as a Christian, as a Christ follower, you are, in fact, pointing the unbeliever to God.

And listen, you may not recognize it, and they may not let on. In fact, they might let on like they're just ridiculing you, and denouncing you, but listen, you don't know what the Spirit of God is doing in their heart. You're pointing people to God, and when this sacred suffering happens, it is for God's glory and for Fran's good.

What do I mean by Fran? Friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors, some of them might denounce you for your faith, but your faith publicly expressed is for their good. It's God's glory and their good. And what you are doing when you glorify God, instead of being ashamed, you glorify God, what you are doing is you are valuing the eternal over the transient. You are valuing the eternal over the transient. Another example in Scripture, Hebrews 11 26, this is of Moses. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

Know that. What does this require of us? It requires of us to maintain the big picture, the big picture, the faithfulness of God, the line, instead of being preoccupied with that tiny dot on the line which represents your temporal transient life under the sun. That's what we're going to be talking about in tonight's seminar, turning lament into worship. Psalm 77. It's exactly, it's calling to memories. It's learning to use our memory well. The things we remember can lead us to gloom and despair, but engaging that memory in a different way can lead us to hope and worship.

Tonight, Sunday night seminar. I recognize it's the Super Bowl. My team's not playing, so what do I care, right? Can you say this about yourself?

I really can you say this about yourself? I consider the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of this earth. What if being a Christian means, ends up meaning something's going to get taken away from you?

A job, a position, a house, a family member. The reproach of Christ is greater wealth than anything on this earth, for he was looking to the reward. What does that mean? He was living with the end in view. He was living for the opinion of one, but also Romans 1 16. We know this verse well, don't we?

Romans 1 16. Let's all say this together, for I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. I'm ashamed of the gospel.

Why? It's the power of God. You see, you're not simply out there communicating your opinion. The gospel is the power of God, and the power of God transforms lives, and God just might use you in that transaction. That's exciting, but it might come at a cost. Therein is blessing. It gives us a unique opportunity to engage in the highest purpose. This sacred suffering is a unique opportunity to engage in this highest purpose. That is, the purpose of God reconciling people to himself. God uses you as a seed planter and a bridge builder.

It's what you are. You're in ministry if you're in Christ. Amy Carmichael was an Irish missionary to India back in the first half of the 20th century, and she said, certain it is that the reason there is so much shallow living, much talk but little obedience, is that so few are prepared to be like the pine on the hilltop, alone in the wind for God. I don't want to be alone in the wind. Some of you might feel like you are at your workplace.

You feel like you're alone in the wind. Are you ready to receive that blessing? Because that's what it is.

That's what Peter calls it. So relish the opportunity to identify with Christ. Relish the opportunity to identify with Christ. Last thing today from the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, he said this, God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools, and he has not been disappointed. Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity.

Be fools for Christ, and have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world. And he did, and we should. We are called to this, loved ones. Let us not be ashamed. We are called to this. Let us not be ashamed by protecting our name and preserving ourselves. Let us move out with bold confidence, representing Jesus Christ with grace and truth. It is a blessing.

It is sacred suffering. Father, we are grateful for the call that you have upon our lives. You have called us to reconciliation, and that is based upon the justification that is ours in Christ. And as we have been reconciled to you, Father, we acknowledge that we are free. Free from the penalty and the power of sin.

Free from the bondage of our own rebellion. But we are free to know you and walk with you and delight in you and proclaim you, because we know, Father, that you are most glorified in us when we are most glorified in you. So, Father, I pray over us today as a church that you would find this to be true of us. That we would welcome the blessing of sacred suffering.

That we would not be afraid when someone approaches us to denounce, but we would only see them pinning the badge of honor, because that badge says follower of Christ. Father, thank you for this call upon our lives. And so encourage us by your spirit, Father. May we move out of this place this morning with renewed joy and confidence and perspective. By your spirit, thank you for what you have done and for what you will do. We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen. 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.