Title: When You Suffer/John 16:32-33
When you are in trouble
Text John 16:32-33
Today is a Sunday to remember the suffering of Jesus and to rest in that grace.
Let's look at the history of Jesus' suffering and think about what we should realize and what we should do when we suffer.
1. Do not leave Jesus alone and do not scatter, but rather share in suffering
It is said that when a deer gave birth to a deer at a certain zoo, they gave birth without pain. Without the pain of childbirth, it would not be exerted on motherhood either. It is God's law of creation that there can be no creation without suffering, and that glory without suffering cannot be true glory.
If you do not have this belief, you will throw away Christ like a devoted partner whenever it is against you. Because he sacrificed nothing of his own to gain Christ. Such a person does not experience any thrill that comes from faith in Jesus, and has never thought that it is not worth it to give up everything for him.
These people do not want to have any effect on the stable foundation they are currently building on this earth by believing in Jesus.
It is unthinkable to be imprisoned or threatened with life because of Christ.
On the other hand, some members of the church speak in tongues, heal diseases, and cast out demons through the Holy Spirit experience, so they pride themselves on believing in Christ better than anyone else, but when they suffer for Christ's sake, they back down and sit down. When you need to take up your cross, you step back and sit down. In the place where they should bear the cross, Jesus has already carried the cross, so they are the members of the church who avoid it, asking why I will be crucified again. We must know that faith without suffering and faith that does not bear the cross are, after all, the same faith as chaff without grain.
(1 Peter 2:21) “To this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”
(1 Peter 4:12-13) “Beloved, do not marvel at the fiery trial that comes to try you, as if something strange happened to you. to rejoice and rejoice.”
▶ So Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount.
"Everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will not enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, we prophesy in your name, Have you not cast out demons in your name and have performed many miracles in the name of the Lord?' Then I will tell them clearly: I never knew you. Get away from me, you who practice lawlessness.” (Matthew 7) :21-23)
It is said that many people came before Jesus and prophesied and performed miracles in the name of the Lord. But there is no mention of suffering with Christ. There is no mention of carrying the cross.
▶ When Peter confessed to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," he was thinking only of the Christ of glory, the Christ the King. But when Jesus heard his confession, he was telling them that he would go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law, and then be killed and then rise again on the third day. Before Christ is the Christ of glory, He is saying that He is the servant of suffering and the Christ who must die on the cross.
Then He said, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow him." It was a time when the disciples had already abandoned everything and followed Jesus. However, this is not the end of it, but it is saying that there are still things to be done, to forsake oneself, and to bear the cross.
However, the disciples, who did not develop faith to share suffering with the Lord, but only dreamed of becoming something, experienced deep setbacks in front of the cross of Jesus, and were all scattered over Jesus who suffered and died on the cross. is
▶ Let's have the faith that we will be with the Lord no matter what kind of hardship we face during this troubled week. Let's not become a person who abandons the Lord like a devoted partner just because something is difficult.
2. Remember that we are not alone, our Heavenly Father is with us.
shouldn't
When faced with hardship, hardship, persecution, sickness, tribulation, and trials, many people think that God has forsaken them, so they feel sad, lonely, and disappointed.
However, it should be clear that the opposite is true.
Look at Jesus in today's text. You are saying that the Father is with you.
(1 Peter 4:14) “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory, the Spirit of God, rests on you.”
(Hebrews 13:5-6) "He himself said, 'I will never leave you, nor will I ever leave you.' (6) So we boldly said, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" do"
▶ The God who was with Abraham and Jacob when they were difficult and lonely.
▶ God was with Daniel's three friends when they went into the furnace
▶ God was with Cain and Hagar when they wandered in the wilderness.
3. You will face tribulation, but Jesus has overcome the world, so you must be bold.
Jesus in the text had a firm belief that he overcame the world even though he was being killed by the world.
(1 John 4:4) “Children, you are of God, and you have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
(1 John 5:4-5) "For everyone who is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. (5) Who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"
▶ (Romans 8:35-39) “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or threat, or sword? (37) But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (38) I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, neither present nor future things. (39) Neither height nor depth nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
▶ (1 Corinthians 15:57-58) “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, unshaken, and always diligent in the work of the Lord. knowing that I am not in vain in the Lord."
▶ The early church that conquered the Roman Empire