“Suffering”
I wonder what makes you happy?
Really happy?
I mean – deliriously happy. Overjoyed.
Passing an exam that you didn’t expect?
Passing a dental check that you didn’t expect to?
Maybe finally passing a slow driver after 62 km’s!
Maybe the birth of a child.
Or making a new friend.
Falling in love.
Being away on holiday – and somehow finding that you are rested.
Coming into some money?
Let’s change tack.
What would you boast about?
A particular achievement?
Owning a particular possession?
Knowing someone who is popular or famous?
Your looks?
Your experience?
I wonder what your definition of peace is.
I wonder if you are at peace.
With others.
With yourself.
I wonder if you believe that peace is even possible.
Truly.
Peace that has your mind and heart at rest.
“Peace is joy at rest. Joy is peace dancing”. (F.F. Bruce).
Life is messy. Wonderfully so. Delightfully so. Tragically so. Despairingly so.
It is relentless. It bruises. Batters.
Sometimes it rewards. It is exhilarating.
And overwhelming. Painful. Disappointing.
Inspiring. Energising.
But whatever it is – one thing it is not is predictable, neat, tidy, orderly.
Another question.
Think of someone who – and the language might be strong – who is your enemy.
Your worst enemy.
Someone who you really do not like or get along with.
Someone who just plays on your mind. Stresses you. Upsets you. Angers you.
And now – think about this…
What is the nicest thing they have ever done for you?
Think about someone who would consider you as their greatest enemy.
What is the nicest thing you have done for them?
One last question – imagine your worst enemy being God.
And that being the case – what He might do to you as an enemy.
Because as far as enemies go – having God against you is not a pleasant or desired thing.
So.
Joy.
Boasting.
Peace.
Life.
Enemies.
Quite a mix of issues wouldn’t you say.
Listen to this as far as an approach to life is concerned:
Read Rom 5:1-11
There are issues of joy, boasting, peace, enemies, life and suffering.
One thing this passage focuses on is suffering.
And it challenges how someone might deal with suffering.
The natural way, the understandable way when suffering is to try and make sense of it from your own perspective.
Why has this happened?
When will it end?
Who is to blame?
What have I done wrong?
How can I get through this?
Will I get through this?!
Where is God?
Where’s the grace?
Romans 5 presents a way of living in times of suffering which is utterly radical.
Yet utterly real.
It essentially says this – “Instead of having as your suffering as a starting point; have as the starting point God’s suffering”.
Consider the pain of God; the suffering of God. The death of God on a Cross.
Start there.
If you can – just suspend your pain and emotion caused by whatever has hit your life – and consider this.
You had – or have as the case may be – an enemy.
A terribly powerful enemy.
God.
A God Who can express devastating wrath and anger as He takes in the way the world and people live without reference to Him; and live lives which are godless and all that means.
And “God” being “God” judges the world and all in it and measures our lives against the measure of perfect justice.
We are found terribly wanting; we have sin and the result of that – we and God are enemies.
Mortally so.
So – what does this Divine Enemy do?
How does He deliver His judgement and wrath?
He turns it on Himself – because this Enemy of yours loves you!!
"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)
The wrath of God burns itself out in Christ.
And now – you have peace with God.
Now you are reconciled with God.
In this moment of weakness, when you and God were enemies of the worst kind – God got busy!
In this moment of weakness and enmity God the Father judged God the Son because He loves you – and God the Father pours His love into your heart by God the Holy Spirit. (Rom 5:5, 6-8).
Now here’s the thing…
If God did that while you were His enemy – what do you think He’ll do now that you are His friend?!
"For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life." (Romans 5:10)
You see – when you begin with the suffering of God – once again you become aware of just how active, busy and loving is your God.
Once again – you are orientated to and reminded of the lengths God goes to in order that you are at peace with Him and standing in His grace.
You are invited and located within the love of God.
Within the community of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.
You are invited to abide in God.
Now what?
Now you know truly what joy and rejoicing is.
Now you know truly what peace is.
Now you have something extraordinary to boast about.
Now – you might see that your suffering is not so much an occasion to question the grace of God but to learn more about it.
To depend upon it even more.
Now with this awareness and vision of the suffering of God – and that He did that when you were His enemy – now you can begin to consider how to cope with your suffering.
Now start asking those questions again.
Why has this happened?
When will it end?
Who is to blame?
What have I done wrong?
How can I get through this?
Will I get through this?!
Where is God?
Where’s the grace?
I wonder what kind of answers you are coming to mind now.
Romans 5 describes a chain reaction of sorts.
Suffering, perseverance, character, hope.
And hope that is sure because God has poured His love out into your heart.
How does He do that? How do I know that has happened?
There is no one simple answer to that – although I suspect for some that this morning the very description of this and explanation of this has changed something in your heart.
Has your heart skipped a beat?
Did you have a flash of confidence and belief that you might actually survive this?
Do things make a little bit more sense? Is there a new way of thinking about what’s happening?
If so – that is the love of God poured out into your heart and producing hope!
The message of Rom 5 is essentially this.
You are suffering and you are in pain. And with that comes experiences of isolation and despair.
With it come agonising questions and deep seated fear that you are not going to get through this.
You don’t know what to do or what to do next.
Consider this.
God suffered too. Terribly. He did it for one reason.
You and He were enemies and that was an outrage for God. So He suffered and died because justice demanded payment for the reasons why you were enemies.
He did this so that you would know peace and friendship with God; so that you could be assured of hope and that you are not alone.
He did this so that suffering will no longer have the final say in your life.
So that you in the most unlikely times in life – will know the presence and friendship of God.
That you will know the grace of God.
That you will be able to stand.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)
Presented By: Geoff