35. Suffering
It is hard, even for Christians
In Your Bible Read This
1 Peter 4, 12 to 5.11
Here Is Your Memory Verse
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
persecute you;
that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5, 44-45, KJV
Afterwards Talk About
This
Your own sufferings and pray for each other, comfort each
other.
Something To Do Before
Next Time
Find, comfort and encourage people who are suffering with
poverty,
ostracism, sicknesses like AIDS, or are in prison. Befriend at
least one person each
Written Diploma Work
Explain in greater detail the three reasons for the existence
of suffering and see if you can identify any more.
Meditate On These Verses
Luke 6, 20-23
Suffering touches all of us and for some it may last for years through illness or accident, or through emotions tortured by despair and black depression. Deaths, unemployment and betrayals are truly painful when they happen in marriage, family or church. Poverty brings suffering through, lack of food, clean water and medicine. Political or religious persecution is also intensely painful when it brings abuse, injustice, inequality and ostracism.
1. God, Where Are You?
Suffering is real, for God to be God he has to be all powerful and he reveals himself as a God of love. Men have wrestled with this dilemma since time began.
Author Steven Chalke Wrote This,
" Perhaps God wants to do something, but can’t. Perhaps ending the world’s suffering is just too big a job. But in this case, God isn’t all powerful. Perhaps God is all powerful, but just doesn’t care enough to end people’s suffering. In this case, he isn’t a loving God. Perhaps God does care and is all-powerful, but with his long-term view he doesn’t see suffering and evil as real or as threatening as we do. Maybe they are all part of a huge learning process. In this case suffering and evil are dismissed as an illusion."
Is There Any Answer?
Some say that suffering is not really all that bad, or is part of a bigger picture to help us learn, or is the result of people’s own sin, or it’s the devil’s fault in a spiritual war. Taken together these answers bring a partial explanation but we will never understand until Jesus explains it all in heaven.
2. We Do Know Three Reasons.
3. Jesus Suffered And Was Persecuted.
His own people did not receive him, they abused him, plotted against him, tortured him and finally killed him in the most painful way, after an unjust trial with invalid charges, false witnesses, no jury, no defence and no mercy. See Psalm 69.20; Isaiah 50.6; 53.5; Zec. 13.6; Mark 15.34; Luke 22.44; Heb 2.10; 5.8; 13.12; 1 Pet. 1.11; 2.21; 3.18.
4. Paul Suffered And Was Persecuted.
As were the disciples of Jesus and many men
of God in ancient times.
Acts 9.29; 13.50; 14.5;19; 16.22; 18.12; 21.36; 22.22; 23.10; 1
Cor. 4.12; 2 Cor 4.9; 11.24; 2 Tim 2.9; 3.11.
We Can Expect No Different.
Jesus said, "No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 15.20; 16.33. Paul said, " Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 2 Tim 3.12. In all ages believers have suffered and died for following Christ, even in Rwanda and Iran in 1997. There are trials that believers may be called upon to endure for Christ’s sake even today.
5. How To Overcome In Suffering.
Iran |
||
| People Name | Language | Population |
| Gilaki | Gilaki | 2,400,000 |
| Gurani (Bajalani) | Bajelan | 20,000 |
| Gurani (Bajalani) | Hawrami | 18,000 |
| Harzani | Harzani | 24,000 |
| Hazara (Khawari) | Hazaragi | 604,000 |