Francis Chan Sermon: Suffering

and um I was praying for you guys this morning because I have a message to give and I've been praying that you would accept it um not because it's like a weird obscure verse that I'm gonna you know point something out and hope you believe me uh no it's it's an obvious teaching it's all through the New Testament you read about it this week several times every week you'll read about it it's just that you don't hear a lot of people preach about it so you almost feel like it's not really in the Bible and I'm going no it's all over the thing and the topic is suffering and how as Believers we need to learn how to embrace suffering as I've been praying for you because as a church I get okay man we're doing so well in these different areas and if we can really Embrace this and get this truth that you'll see all through scripture we read about it all week long all year long if you understand it and accept it man that's what's going to make us Unstoppable as a church once you learn to embrace suffering because there's so many churches out there that are going oh if you follow Jesus everything will be good that's not what Jesus taught so it's time to grow in Christ hey what's up guys I'm Nick Acosta with let's grow in Christ and today we're going to watch a sermon from Francis Chan together about suffering I think this is a really important topic I think this is a topic that doesn't get discussed much um or at all in the majority of the church at least the American church and I think it shows uh in the life of of Christians so let's go ahead and watch this let's think about what the word of God says let's compare this to scripture and let's try to learn something today because we can't grow in Christ unless we learn The Words of Christ and what he meant his words to teach us okay so let's watch this and then at the end of the message I'm going to give you guys my thoughts about it let's grow he taught the opposite every time he called people to himself because you sure you want to do this because this isn't going to be easy he goes hey don't make don't think that I came to bring peace to your family I actually came to bring division is what Jesus said I I actually came to bring a sword I mean sometimes you're gonna have to stand up against even family members because I'm bigger than all of that and I want you to love me with all your heart soul mind he goes you sure you want to do this because if you want to follow me you don't have to deny yourself pick up your cross and follow me I mean Jesus laid it out from the start and it's so different from how we teach Jesus nowadays where we just want to talk about the good part and man of course we want to talk about the grace of God of course we want to talk about his forgiveness what is there without God's mercy but at the same time Jesus was very truthful and very upfront you know we don't try to lure people into becoming Navy Seals by saying oh it's gonna be a blast all right you just lay it out and go okay are you sure you want to do this okay it's gonna be worth it in the end you're gonna be a stud I mean you're gonna be amazing you're gonna be ripped you're gonna be like no one else but you sure you want to do this and that's the way Jesus taught he goes look this is like a treasure in a field there's nothing greater than this but I'm telling you the truth it's going to be tough he goes I don't even have anywhere to sleep tonight I'm worse than a fox I'm worse than a bird I don't even know where I'm going to live tonight you sure you want to do this that's the way Jesus taught and and Peter we read through first Peter today this week right those who are doing the Bible readings and what in a what an amazing book but I caught some things in uh in chapter four that that just really stood out to me as I was I was praying on Wednesday like what am I going to teach what am I going to teach on and then I went through the reading and I'm like whoa this is it this is what I want to teach on on Sunday he says in chapter 4 First Peter chapter 4 verse 1 he says since therefore Christ suffered In the Flesh arm yourselves with the same way of thinking for whoever has suffered In the Flesh has ceased from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God okay so since Jesus suffered In the Flesh okay everyone you're with me you guys agree Jesus suffered In the Flesh okay he didn't live a comfortable easy life I mean it was suffering it was rejection Non-Stop yeah that one moment the triumphal entry where everyone's cheering for him but a couple of days later the same people are yelling crucify him okay his life was crazy he was he was a Man of Sorrows and he said because Jesus did that then he says arm yourselves with the same way of thinking arm yourselves with the same way of thinking I thought arm yourself we don't normally think this way arm yourself like think of armor I was going to bring my motorcycle helmet and I forgot um I called you and you didn't answer the phone okay but my because I was just going to put on a motorcycle helmet and have you throw things at my head you know because I want to show like I love like like you know as Zeke was playing baseball this year and every time he had his batting helmet on I just couldn't help but throw things at his head you know because it's just funny you know it just bounces off don't you know hit it with the bat it's just that's the idea of armor right you can't hurt me because I got my armor on and he says he goes this is this is why I want you to think it's like armor when you arm yourselves with the thinking that Christ gives you with that same way of thinking that look following Jesus is going to hurt because once you arm yourself with that mentality you can't get hurt anymore you realize I actually expect suffering and I kind of want some see once you you get what Jesus says you know like Jesus taught in Matthew 5 and the Beatitudes he goes okay when they curse you when they say just malicious things about you he goes rejoice rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven this is what Jesus taught okay so if you arm yourself with that kind of thinking where you go wow he wants me to rejoice when I suffer for the kingdom when I suffer for his name because that's a great reward and my reward in heaven is is greater than any suffering and this is like light and momentary trouble so then you're like oh man I hope someone curses at me for the name of Jesus because I'll get an eternal reward today he says once you arm yourself with that who can hurt you then it's then then I have nothing to fear like if I suffer for the gospel I get Eternal reward whatever pain that that they inflict on me whatever rejection he promises me a great reward so if I arm myself with that mindset the same mentality that Jesus who endured the crosswalk for the joy set before him the reward was going to be so great this relationship with us to him he saw that as valuable that we would be his children that we would be with him forever that the father would exalt him to the highest place and give him the name above all names it's like man I'm going to endure this I'll I'll go through the cross so when we can arm ourselves with the same mindset and we actually expect suffering it's like putting a helmet on go ahead throw things in my head it's not going to bug me anymore see it's just this false teaching that tells you hey follow Jesus he'll make you rich he'll make you healthy he'll make everything work out your family back this this this I mean you just heard from demario's testimony right I follow Jesus not everything came together and perfect what we call blessing things get tough in the home I remember because I used to speak at youth camps all the time and and kids would come forward and I'm like okay God now just bless them like crazy show them that by following you it's just it's just awesome everything's great and and they'd go home and their parents were divorcing or a brother a sister dies and I'm like Lord what the heck I thought I thought you were just gonna make everything nice and smooth and the opposite would happen and you start realizing okay that's not promised in Scripture that's just what people say what the scriptures say is arm yourselves with the same way of thinking see Jesus way of thinking he says look the son of man didn't come to be served he knew that ahead of time because I did not come on the earth to have everyone serve me even though I'm your Creator and I would think that would make you want to serve me like you didn't exist until I made you he goes but when I came I didn't come to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many so Jesus understood look I didn't come here to have all of you worship me and serve me I actually came here to serve you and actually to die for you that's what I came with see do we even have that mindset coming here today I think people even come to these gatherings to be served you know and so then we get disappointed well I didn't really like the songs they chose they didn't like the you know they didn't sing the one I wanted and he didn't teach you know the verse I wanted taught and then you know the testimony I was hoping for someone older you know and then you go home it's like man outside really it's cold and it's hot it's like I don't know what to do what is this about why because you came to be served well the son of man didn't come to be served he came to serve and he came to give his life for Manny and he says Hey arm yourself with this way of thinking then you won't ever be disappointed see then you go back and you go gather next week you know in the house and your mindset is I actually came to serve other people I actually came as a servant can I clean up the bathroom afterwards when you guys are done you won't be disappointed you know if that's your mentality because the bathroom will always need to be cleaned okay it's like you're not gonna be let go it's like okay that's cool reward in heaven let me go actually encourage someone else let me go in to die to myself to use my gift for other people his arm your what yourselves with that we're thinking because whoever has suffered In the Flesh has ceased from sin have you ever thought about that I love that phrase Whoever has suffered In the Flesh has ceased from sin okay once you get this this is when you can walk away from your sin is when you understand suffering like when you can rejoice in suffering which I got to ask you have you ever think this through have you ever done that rejoiced in suffering where you go to bed at night and go that was good you know it's like reward reward oh I took this I took this I took this I'm actually glad that was a good day I got rejected I one of my buddies was telling me he was on a campus um just they were talking about abortion and he was trying to hand something out to this gal and this girl looks at it basically throws it on the ground and says F you you little you know yeah beep beep you know you should have been aborted and he's like wow it was first time someone said that I'm like man that's so cool you know I mean if you he goes man I tried to do it in love you know it wasn't like he was being a church you know and I know the guy real humble it wasn't like and it was like wow that's awesome man I remember being on the TL so Sean Breaky one time and and uh you know I get this phone call hey Sean just got punched in the lip I'm like wow that's so awesome you know like it's just this is good this is good stuff as long as we're going in love but have you do you have that mindset just once you get that he goes That's when you can cease sinning whoever is suffering In the Flesh has ceased from sin look the Conquering of sin requires suffering the Conquering of sin requires suffering so if you refuse to suffer you will remain in your sin can you kick heroin without suffering no yeah you you go nuts right can you kick anything without suffering it's all about suffering even those of you that are right now addicted to pornography you every time you walk away that's it's suffering you you can't get away from your sin without suffering that's why he says Whoever has suffered in the flesh is ceased from sin it's those of us who refuse to suffer you're going to remain in your sin for the rest of your life but those who suffered In the Flesh cease from sin so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God see I hear people man I've been a pastor a long time and I hear people whine about well but I prayed to God that he would take away my desire for you name it for weed for alcohol for pornography I prayed and I begged God to take it away from me and he didn't so in other words you were hoping to defeat sin without suffering you were thinking God would just magically take it away and you wouldn't have to suffer at all I'm just saying that's not what the scriptures say and people well it didn't work it didn't work look what the scriptures say unless you're willing to suffer you're not going to overcome your sin whatever it is and then he goes on and he says no longer for human passions but for the will of God you can spend the rest of your life once you get this mindset that this suffering is good you know whether it's that glance at that girl or just that the putting down of the drink and walking away from it and you can just walk away and rejoice and go man I did it that was good that was difficult but I did it he goes until you get that you're not going to be able to figure this out and be able to to no longer live for human passion see we live in a day and age now where people say man God can't tell us to not live for our own passions our own desires if I want to do something he put that desire in me and so he should make me free to do whatever I feel like doing I'm like man that's a whatever philosophy that that's not that's not biblical what is he saying here the whole point is that you wouldn't live for your human passions but you would live for the will of God that passion or desire of God and he goes on I love verse three I love this whole thing so I'm going to say that a lot I love the Bible um by verse 3 it says for the time that has passed suffices I love that word the the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do living in sensuality passions drunkenness orgies drinking parties Lawless idolatries he's speaking to the Believers and he goes come on the time that's passed that's enough right have you had your fill of sin okay I don't care how much sin you've had or how little sin but look back to who you used to be was that enough for you easy Peters come on you guys you saw where that led you are you at a point right now where you go I've had enough just that one word enough I'm done with it I saw where that took me I saw what that was doing to me I saw that what I was doing in my relationship with God I'm done with it whatever I did in the past or is there a part of you that goes man I kind of want to go back maybe maybe just one more day maybe just one more month and then I'll start January 1. I'll change my life first of January or are you right now go no I've had enough I've had the enough of the old me and where I was taking myself I want Jesus now I want to die I'm willing to suffer because I want this man the the past it suffices it's good enough that I do everything I wanted to do no you know what I did enough I I did enough to see where that led me and I'm done it's enough you know we read this this week also in second uh Peter 2 how it talks about how the dog returns to his vomit right and the Pig returns to his mud why is that because dog's always going to be a dog and a pig's always going to be a pig that's such a gross picture it's a picture picture me vomiting right now it's beautiful huh you know just all over and we all just go oh gross gross and then I come running back with a spoon exactly but that's what I've seen many people do you saw how ugly your sin was and then you go running back with a spoon that's just gross or Pig you wash it all off spray it all off and what's the first thing it's going to do just look for some mud right sauce for the first time a couple weeks ago over at this Ranch you know they washed this pig and then they had to just you know chain it all you know hog tie you know whatever just keep it away from any dirt because that's just as natural tendency as to run back to the dirt why because he's still a pig see and that's what Jesus can change into is he can change your very nature where you're no longer a pig you're no longer a dog it's like I'm a new creation so I don't go back to my vomit you know it's not me where I go back to my mud it's like whatever's done the past suffices I'm good now I'm a new creation oh man I'm so done with all the stuff the unbelievers do the Gentiles do I'm not in it anymore whatever I did in the past that was good enough I know where that leads that's a great Passage man this is what we read this week then he goes on verse 4 with respect to this they're surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery and they malign you but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead this has happened to some of you right you give your life to Jesus and then suddenly your whole crowd it says they're surprised when you don't join them anymore remember the first time you looked at some of your friends and you're like I just don't want to do that anymore I'm not into that anymore and they just look at you like what what are you talking about this is our whole lives is all we've ever done and you just like that that day when you made that break and you just go man what I've done that that was enough for me I don't need anymore I don't want anymore I'm a different person now I don't go back to that I used to do that and it says that they get surprised like what do you mean you're done with it how does a pig not go back to mud and you have that opportunity to share them you have got this new nature now it's like my desires are different I used to be a slave to sin and now I'm like a slave to what's right and when I do sin it's not even fun anymore it's like I hate it I hate that it just it's not even a joke because I've got the spirit in me now and it's like every time I do something that's evil it's like oh it's like this master beating me I don't enjoy it anymore I've got this new nature I don't enjoy rolling around in the mud I don't know it's weird but it's not fun like it used to be the time that of the past that that sufficed and it says they they don't join you they're surprised when you don't join them and they malign you they start talking trash about you they start talking about how you're the one that's off see and this is where the suffering comes in right and Jesus is saying okay when that happens don't don't give in to the pressure of oh man now they're talking bad about no rejoice in that arm yourself with that thinking knowing hey when I go back to my friends and tell them I'm not going to live that way expect suffering put on that helmet arm yourself going okay this is what Jesus went through and I'm about to get some of this and I'm going to get some Eternal reward right now they're going to reject me I'm just expect I'm not going to expect them to go oh that's beautiful you're following Jesus now you're not going to do don't expect that arm yourselves with the way of thinking that Christ had he says they malign you but verse 5 this is why we don't go back but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead this is why we don't join them right it's either we suffer now or we suffer later and forever look sin's tempting I'm not saying that like I said it's suffering to not give up our sin some of you guys are in relationships you know you shouldn't be in you know Jesus would not have picked that person for you and to give that person up man you talk about suffering you talk about weeks on the couch crying yourself to sleep is suffering it's big time suffering but yourself for now you suffer later you know walking away from your friends I mean they're and I'm not saying walk away like never talk to them but walk away from what they do and maybe you need to take a break if you're not strong enough but man that's suffering when those are the only friends you've got it's suffering and he says man but do it because when the name of lying you you got to understand they're going to give account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead I'm not making this stuff read it yourself right it's right there the one who is ready when people say oh God doesn't judge God doesn't judge what he's ready to judge that's why he says like come on come on you know he's right there it's the moment you die he's right there he's ready you know people who say well just just one more week I mean I used to I used to work with youth a lot young people and they'd always say Well when I'm older right now I want to have fun when I'm older you know maybe on my hospital bed maybe you know when I've got a few minutes left really man why don't you take a walk with me through a cemetery sometime let's just read the Tombstones how long they lived you think everyone lived to 80. no you see five-year-olds you see two-year-olds see 12 year olds 20 year olds 30 year olds just just look at just just read the dates man and God's on the other side just waiting he's ready to judge the living and the dead it doesn't matter that no one knows see some of you you're doing stuff that none of us know about here I am going oh man what an awesome church but there's stuff hidden I know and I don't know about it but you're not getting away with anything you you reap what you sow God says it right there he's ready to judge he's on the other side he's waiting for it he says for this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead that though judged In the Flesh the way people are they might live in the spirit the way God does he's talking about those who are now dead people who have died that heard the gospel that's why the gospel was preached to them it may you may not have seen it on in life but they see it now they're living like Jesus did who died and rose again see that that's why we do this you can follow Jesus that's what it means to apologies we follow him in his suffering and we follow him in his glory and it's like okay I'll suffer on this Earth I'll suffer what I need to suffer in fact I want to suffer give me some of that because I really believe something better is coming and he says the gospel was preached to these people who are now living the way God Lives you see you can end up like Jesus or you could end up like your old friends for some of you your old friends where are they going to end up TL laying in the streets talking to themselves or hold up in an SRO with all the curtains shut paranoid just waiting to die and then face the judge who's standing and ready to judge on the other side that that's the way you want to end it or for others of you maybe it's not like that maybe on Earth it means you're rich and you're comfortable and you're laying on your couch watching movies spoil your kids Golf and Shop the rest of your life and then you stand before the Living God and what you do with your life see or do you want to be like Jesus do you want to join us and go you know what I'll take one on the chin I'll do it I'll do what I need to do I actually want some in my life and I want to rejoice in some of this because I'm not living for this world like Jesus you know what I can die to myself and I actually have armed myself with this way of thinking so even if some of you hate this message today please tell me like I want it I I I want you to tell me I'm insane you know suffering's okay and I'm learning more and more man I'm like you okay it's not like I In the Flesh like to get beat up it's not like I like to be rejected but when I arm myself with this mindset it's actually okay it's all good and so we join together and work together at this and uh and then he says in verse 7 the end of all things is at hand therefore be self-controlled sober minded for the sake of your prayers you guys look we're the end's near we don't have much longer he goes so be self-controlled show some self-control I know you want to do this you want to do that show some self-control he goes and be sober minded your mind clear don't get it all foggy with all of this junk in there all his media all these movies all this this this this this just it's just like oh I'm just cluttered with all this stuff he goes no don't be be sober minded clear-minded and that takes self-control it takes self-control not to be checking your phone every few minutes and go oh you know uh watch this video watch this video look at this look what this guy said look at it's like man just calm down get in the presence of God get your mind clear read the scriptures get in the word every morning erase your mind of all the other junk and just stand before God without your mind just going 100 miles an hour show some self-control he says show that for the sake of your prayers so you can have a good prayer life man if Christ is returning you want to have a good prayer life it is but that takes self-control that doesn't just mean there's some Supernatural that happens once you get in that room alone with God no take self-control ahead of time what you do ahead of time is going to determine how your prayer life's going to be whether you exercise self-control he goes on above all keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins okay Christ is coming so let's just love each other even more okay is because love is what's going to cover up our sins look I'm going to offend you I'm going to sin against you but if you love me you overlook it right haven't you done that in your life where someone like I remember when Lisa and I were first dating like she she has a coke with her everywhere and uh she used to be more clumsy I feel like you're less clumsy now but when you're younger and she would just spill a Coke you know on the car on me on whatever and it was just like haha so cute you spilled Coke you know why because I'm in love I don't care fill it all over me wow I can't believe you're still going out with me you know you know then over the years you get used to someone it's like just be able to get you know it's but love right love covers over a multitude of sins and so if you really love me man I'm gonna do stuff that bugs you okay but you love me so much ah it's just Francis all right spill some more you know and for us to start looking at each other if you get bugged by these people around you it's because it's a lack of love you just just if you find yourself always getting bugged and annoyed by people it's because you're not a very loving person um man I'm talking to myself I know when I love someone they don't irritate me that much so you arm yourself you keep loving each other you show Hospitality to one another without grumbling I love this word Hospitality it's it's the care and to love strangers you show Hospitality you love strangers people you never met before without grumbling without grumbling key phrase there you know why because when you complain about serving God who gets the glory when you walk it on so exhausted because you know I was calling my people all night and oh man I just like I'm fasting I'm just exhausted and you know people are harsh on me who gets a glory right then it's all you every time you complain it draws the attention to you but when you can just show hospitality and not complain about it's like man who gets the glory yeah it's like man it's so good I get to be like Jesus why because Jesus changed your nature and he just loves serving it I mean these these things I can't go through every verse um okay maybe one more as each as each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's very Grace whoever speaks as one who speaks the Oracles of God whoever serves as the one who serves by the strength of God supplies in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to him belong glory and Dominion forever and ever amen because everyone has a gift so serve as everyone's been given a gift you did not come here to be served today just put that helmet on put that mindset on the same mindset of Christ you didn't come for me to serve you for Jonathan the worship team to serve you for for you know people cooked to serve it you came to serve you came here to give and that's what we do all right let me just keep going verse 12. because I'm using my gift like he says verse 12. I'm not doing it because it's like oh I have to do this it's like man this is my joy I want you to get this passage okay verse 12 beloved do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you but rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed if you're insulted for the name of Christ you're blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you okay can you be any more clear his brothers don't be surprised when the fiery trial comes upon you and isn't it crazy that we read that passage this passage on the same day that we read Daniel 3 where it talks about Shadrach Meshach and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace that was crazy they gave us an Old Testament Reading New Testament reading he goes don't be surprised at the fiery trial when those guys were like hey go ahead throw me in the fire I mean God may have me die there and he may rescue me there I don't know I mean just right there that's a lot of good theology right there it's not like go ahead throw me in the fire I know God's Gonna rescue me he goes I don't know God may have me die here God's had people die plenty all throughout the scriptures you see it on TV now pull it up on YouTube our brothers and sisters are being killed okay sometimes that's his will and that's what Shadrach Meshach and Ben and go they go go ahead throw us in the pit I don't know what he's going to do either way I'm not going to bow down to some gold statue you made I'd rather die than that that's ridiculous look at that thing that didn't create me I'm not scared I actually I'd be happy to die in the name of God throw me in there and God rescues him and he says don't be surprised see what I'm saying don't be surprised I mean how many times do you hear Christians why going why why is this happening to me why is it so hard it's because we don't preach passages like this if we preached what the Bible obviously preached we wouldn't be asking why except during times of comfort foreign because the gist of this book man over and over and over is expect suffering don't be surprised at the fiery trial and most say this was written during the time of Emperor Nero when he was taking Christians and he would just put fuel on them he would just light them on fire just to light up his garden every night just grab a couple Christians and Peter's telling those people hey don't be surprised by this you knew what we were getting into you remember what our our Master said rejoice and be glad and that's what the apostles did right you see in Acts five they get beat up and what do they do they Rejoice oh man they just tortured Us in the name of Jesus so this was not just a a vague you know like what we do to so many Bible passages we can know this is the real thing if you're insulted for the name of Christ you're blessed see that's not what we teach today we teach if you're rich you got a big old house and all this money in the bank [Music] you're blessed that's not what Jesus said he says if you're insulted for the name of Christ you're blessed because the spirit of God the spirit of glory and of God rest upon you it's like oh man you're a blessed person because you can endure suffering that means God's spirit's really in you that means just like Jesus suffered and he rose you're gonna suffer and you're gonna rise man you're the blessed one because it's Gonna Last see is that what you hear on Christian television is that what you hear preached all around the states so what do you see in the scripture though verse 15 but let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler he just had to throw that in okay because Christians man sometimes we go oh man I'm so suffering for the Lord you're hungover because you gotta try has nothing to do with the Lord you're in prison because you shot that has nothing to do with the Lord there's no Eternal reward in that okay just make sure that we don't get rewarded for hangovers you understand that okay okay you lost your job because you didn't go to work okay that's why you're laying streak you're lazy okay you don't get returned you're like oh I'm gonna be blessed in heaven no this is about suffering for the Lord then I actually made through the whole chapter watches at the end yet if anyone suffers at a Chris as a Christian let them not be ashamed let him glorify God in that name for it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God and if it begins with us what will be the outcome of those who do not obey the gospel of God and if the righteous is scarcely saved what will become of the ungodly and The Sinner therefore memorize this verse 10 verse 19. therefore let those who suffer according to God's will and trust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good got that those who suffer according to God it's going to be God's will that some of us suffer probably all of us because at that moment just entrust your soul to God to a faithful Creator from God I know you see this right now I know my soul It is Well it Is Well with My Soul blessed be the name blessed be the name of the Lord I've got you God we got this we got this eternal reward I'm trusting my soul you're faithful you see all this I'll be bless and he goes while you're doing go just keep doing good just take it take it on the chin look I am so grateful like I said for this church not just because oh good we love each other not just good because I I feel like you guys got my back and and I got yours and it's just nice but I I know that some of you you'll suffer for the for the name of Christ and it may sound weird but one of the things I'm most thankful for this Thanksgiving is that I've got some brothers and sisters that are willing to suffer with me I don't know what the future holds man but I know some of you well enough to know you know what I could look you in the eye in the midst of suffering and go come on let's take it let's take it and it's an honor to serve and to suffer with some of you and if that day comes before it gets real physical man that's what I'm really grateful for some of you because this isn't just a game to you this isn't just something you show up for on a Sunday morning I know some of you well enough to know that and go into persecution comes you're not all gonna run I know some of you well enough that we'll look each other in the eye and go come on arm yourself we got this we got this man I praise God for that because the real thing and then as Jesus just lifted up I'm going to be lift it up again all right guys so I hope you guys enjoy this message and what I mean by enjoy I mean I hope you needed it and I hope you you received it and you're appreciative for it and you feel challenged and convicted and and built up and encouraged in some way um I know I was you know I listened to this message uh before I um created this video you know before I figured I'd put it on our YouTube channel to bless you guys with it um and I was blessed by it I was really really encouraged by it because even though the things that were said in the sermon were challenging and tough these are things that I've been uh seeing in the word of God for the last few years and these these are things that I have been preaching and these are things that I that I was trying to you know teach the body of Believers that that were you know learning from me for these last few years and and this is one of those topics that also you know frustrated me um because I know so many Christians are ignoring this so many Christians are not preaching this and Christians who are not preaching preachers are not accepting this message and they're refusing to to call this Christianity they're refusing to say you know what this is the normal Christian life because this is what the Christ of Christianity heart and promised so I think this message is so necessary to the body of Christ these days I was encouraged because somebody else is preaching this and I needed to hear Francis Chan you know reiterate this and remind us of the truth because you know it's a fact that being around people who are not set on truth as much as you are and people who are not zealous for God as much as you are and being around a Christian Church that's not biblically minded uh it could get discouraging it could get you know it could become like a bucket of water on on fire you know and I think that most Christians in America are that you know buckets you know I hate to say it unfortunately buckets of water on fire because the minute you quote scripture the minute you teach the Bible the minute you try to live the Bible and try to you know encourage and convict and Challenge and teach and lead and guide and help other Christians to live the Bible the more you get criticized the more you get hated the more people talk bad about about uh about you behind your back the less people come to your church you know the less people that share your YouTube videos the less people that share your Facebook posts Etc right and you know in my own life this has been a big frustration um in the last couple years you know especially because we were doing you know House Church I was pastoring for the last couple years and then you know trying to be a Shepherd to to to to the community of believers but it was always this this sense you know I always got this discernment this I would notice this hey these Christians here today in 2022 in America no matter what their age is no matter what their ethnicity is no matter what they look like no matter how long they've been Christians they don't want to be challenged according to the Bible they do not want to get pushed to obey Jesus like they don't want to get told that they need to suffer for Christ they don't want to get told that they need to be this and they need to do that and they need to talk like this and they need to change this up and they need to obey this in scripture and they need to stop disobeying scripture in this way and they need to stop disobeying Jesus in that way Christians don't want to hear that they only want to be made felt good they only want to be made felt good and it's unfortunate and uh well Francis Chan taught in this video is so vital for us guys I hope I hope you guys are not like this group who doesn't want to hear the truth and who gets offended of their Pastor for teaching the truth I hope you're not like the group that leaves churches when they quote scripture instead of just quoting motivational speakers okay I hope that you're like this group you're like the group of people who want to please God who want to end up in the kingdom of God one day and so you're fired up you're not a bucket of water you were fling fired up about living for Christ about doing things in a Biblical way no matter how hard it gets and that's the challenge right when you listen to this message he's like that's the challenge it's gonna get hard oh man I thought Jesus Paid the price I thought that he endured the the the epitome of hardship on the cross with all that suffering for us that we would never have to go through hardship no Francis sham you know he he exposed this Truth for us today no Christian Christianity does come with suffering and people will mock you and talk bad about you and hate you you might get punched you might get sped on you might get blocked right you might get a lot of gossips but you know made up about you you might get killed you might go to jail you know your spouse may leave you your family may leave you your family may talk trash about you your family may make jokes about you at the Thanksgiving table when you're not there because there's such thing as division in the home not peace right because Jesus said it he knew Jesus knew he knows the difference between light and darkness truth and falsehood righteousness and sinfulness wickedness right so we have to be encouraged today guys this message is so good Christianity does come with hard times and suffering and is not always going to be you know beautiful it's not always going to be healings and miracles it's not always going to be prophecies and words of encouragement it's not always going to be you know teachings that make us feel good and make us feel like we're great Christians it's not always going to be somebody giving us money it's not always going to be us getting a raise it's not always going to be you know the the the police officer not giving us a ticket right Francis Chan is is trying to help us understand what the Apostle Paul the Apostle Peter were helping us understand in the scriptures and in their letters if you are being righteous you are going to suffer and if you are truly living righteously one day you will get rewarded one day you will be glorified as Jesus our lord the one we ought to be following suffered and was glorified after suffered and was rewarded with the father with all authority with the kingdom after with a whole body of Christ with a whole church Jesus was rewarded with his own city right the church so our suffering is a form of sacrifice and sacrifice under God when we please God with a sacrifice comes with a blessing of God a reward of God in the future and that's what we have to remember okay that's what we have to remember I was talking to somebody a couple weekends ago and I was letting them know my frustrations right some of my frustrations and I was telling my man you know I feel like I've sacrifice so much for Ministry I feel like I've sacrificed so much for God you know I feel like I've done I've done so many things that I felt God wanted me to do but then at the end of that of that thing at the end of that time frame at the end of that tunnel I didn't see a reward like what do I have at the end of it I don't see the reward for my suffering for my sacrifice and and I was explaining to him a frustration that I've had you know uh things that I've done things that I've chosen uh you know certain certain decisions I've made that were based on trying to please God and Only God that were based on you know Ministry purposes instead of money or instead of family or instead of friends or instead of my own preferences I made a lot of decisions you know these last 12 years since 2010 based on what I felt will please God and then I was I was telling my friend like man A lot of times I don't see the payout of this I don't know where's the reward where is it and and so I think a lot of you guys also get frustrated like that and something I said in a tick tock um because of this frustration that I have it is is this I said sacrifice right sacrifice without a reward is just a waste of discipline and a waste of effort in vain it's just discipline and effort in vain if there's no reward after you're suffering is in vain you waste that effort you waste the discipline you're just disciplining yourself for what right a lot of us you know we we we we work hard at our job we work hard for for the company we work with and then we never get a raise or we never get a promotion what's the point of that you know a lot of us work out we work out we try to eat healthy and eat this and eat that and then we never lose weight or get in shape it's like what's the purpose of that I'm tired of suffering with no reward I'm tired of discipline with no reward I'm tired of effort with no reward I'm tired of sacrifice and no reward at the end I thought I thought reward was a promise what happened and if you're frustrated like that then I feel you trust me I feel because that's how I feel right now that's how I've been feeling for the for a little bit now but this message is what I want to share with y'all because it reminded me of Truth and encouragement hey who said the reward's not here who who said you never got the reward who said you never you never got the promise no let's keep suffering for righteousness sake let's keep suffering for obeying Christ let's keep suffering for walking in the spirit for walking in righteousness for Walking In Love for walking in Integrity let's keep suffering in the name of Jesus and one day we will be rewarded and blessed like Jesus Promised and like Jesus himself was rewarded and blessed by the father amen so I think that's the message we got to get today guys let's remember suffering does come with a reward with the glory of God one day amen let's remember that let's not give up and also remember what Francis and said as well which is what the Apostle Paul said he said hey you're only going to be rewarded and it's only commendable when you suffer for righteousness sake not when you suffer for a sin that you did for unrighteousness right if you get a ticket from a police officer and that police officer gave you a ticket because you broke the law that's not you suffering from righteousness sake as you suffering because you broke a rule you know that's not going to reward you for that but if a police officer stopped you because he knows you're a Christian and you weren't really speeding and he gave you a ticket and he wants to you know make you pay a lot of money or send you to court and make you go through all these situations just because he knows you're a Christian or just because you know he knows you're Hispanic and he's racist than if you suffered for being a Christian and that's why you got a ticket gotta reward you for that or if you knew he was doing that because he doesn't like Hispanic people he's racist and you didn't say any racist stuff to him back and you didn't treat him bad because he's racist or because he's white or because he's black gotta reward you for that right so let's remember that God rewards suffering for righteousness sake for the sake of obeying God Amen so I hope this blessed you please do me a favor let's continue putting this messages out let's continue putting these sermons out that Christians need to hear because there's so many sermons that Christians do not need to hear and they Flood YouTube they're everywhere you see them from the famous preachers from the famous podcasters from the famous YouTubers from the famous tick tockers there's a whole bunch of trash out there that's no good it's not scriptural it's only going to make you feel fluffy God doesn't want marshmallows God wants soldiers we don't need to feel fluffy fluffy and soft we need we need discipline sacrifice we need to be stretched challenge convicted we need the truth we need to be hard as a rock solid soldiers for Christ enduring suffering as good soldiers enduring suffering right for righteousness sake so do me a favor please share this sermon share this video on whatever platform you have the most followers and friends on please hit the like button please subscribe to our YouTube channel let's grow in Christ leave a comment in this in this video if you know this is a good sermon if you know this is the truth and I'll see you in the next one bye guys let's grow take care

Channel: Let's Grow in Christ

Views: 35,755

Keywords: suffering, francis chan, francis chan suffering, francis chan on suffering, christianity, faith, god, jesus, bible, lets grow in christ, religion, franci chan, francis chan sermons, francis chan sermon, sermon, sermons, francis chan videos, francis chan preaching, francis chan sermon suffering, francis chan crazy love, francis chan sermons suffering, christians and suffering, suffering francis chan, francis chan 2022, are christians supposed to suffer?, sufferings, suffering in the bible

Id: tXepFwDl7YY

Length: 52min 18sec (3138 seconds)

Published: Sun Nov 20 2022