Michael Reeves: Take up Your Cross

well good afternoon friends now being at this conference I think of a couple of years ago I was at a conference where the average age was somewhere around 25 to 30 and I'm not sure anyone at that conference knew but that day my father was in hospital and it was too late for me to go and be with him I was too far away but just before one of the sessions I found out that his heart had stopped and I didn't know if they'd be able to get it going again my father was a believer he is still a believer I wasn't worried about his fate but hearing my father's heart had stopped death loomed pain was large for me and at that conference every single song was about sins forgiven guilt dealt with wonderful beautiful gospel truths but none of them were really hitting directly with where I was at right then that day with my father in that state I needed to hear what the gospel has to say about suffering pain death but because the demographic of the conference was young death and suffering weren't dealt with they weren't the felt needs of the majority and in my experience that's a common blind spot it means that Christians are going out into life without the gospel ballast to deal with storms of life says Christians yes we do deal with guilt and sin but sometime or other we also have to face opposition we face friends family dying we just come across the awfulness of a fallen world of abuse robbery rape we face getting old ill hurting dying and we need to hear what the gospel has to say to all that when we're in pain in case you're wondering am i advocating less joy and praise and more doom and gloom more focus on death more focus on suffering and pain no huddle we don't need that but we do need realism that we do live in a broken fallen world and we need a gospel perspective on that and we need to know I made all our struggles how secure and how superb is glory would you come with me to 1 Peter chapter 4 first Peter chapter 4 from verse 12 this is the text we're really going to Bay them 1 Peter chapter 4 from verse 12 where Peter writes beloved do not be surprised that the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you now I love that the I'm using the ESV here I love that the ESV is so literal here the fiery trial the fiery nature of it is sometimes undone in some translations but it is the fiery trial and that's important because have you noticed where Peters writing from chapter 5 verse 13 he's in Babylon not literally it's Peters way of saying the church is in exile as in the hostile world just as Israel was in Babylon but okay he's in Babylon talking about a fiery trial what's on that scripture soaked mind of his it's got to make us think of Daniel 3 shade rack Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace in Babylon and remember Nebuchadnezzar throws in the three Saints and he looks into the blaze and he sees a fourth figure as the old King James Version puts it looking like the Son of God as they are tested this fourth figure like the son of God is with them in the blaze and Peter says do not be surprised beloved the fiery trial when it comes upon you but verse 13 it's this hard to imagine as possible rejoice rejoice insofar as you've share Christ's sufferings the Son of God came to be with those Saints in the fire in Babylon but now Peter says he's already there with his Saints in the fiery trial he's already gone before us to the place of suffering and he invites his Saints to join him in the fire to have fellowship with him there in the place of trial and that is why Peter can say rejoice in your sufferings and it's not because he's a loopy religious masochist but because he knows Christ is the first born he is our forerunner and where he goes we go he is the head and as in a birth the body must follow where the head goes through suffering to glory and if we do not go through suffering we cannot be like him how could we be like Christ if we do not go through any suffering when his life and death was so marked by suffering how could we be like him to follow him the man of sorrows must be to go through suffering thing is everyone suffers everyone gets sick it's ill age the body breaks down that's that's true for everyone but for the Christian it's all changed because for us it's not pointless born again into Christ's new humanity we've been taken out of that terrible but simple downward slide into death for if this is the horror for the unbeliever it's all downhill for the unbeliever when you're young and healthy that's the best it's ever gonna be and then old age and sickness and death and then they hope against hope but for us believers united Christ we've been taken out of that downward slide we've been brought into Christ's life so we share his direction of travel now not out of this direction of travel and so Peter says rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed if you were insulted for the name of Christ you're blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you dear brother dear sister and Peter is no hypocrite who just trots this out on paper in acts 5 Peter and the Apostles were flogged before the Sanhedrin and they left we are told rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name for the name the dear name of Jesus now it wasn't that the flogging didn't hurt it was that their desire to be like Jesus was stronger and so there was joy to be found and in sharing in the sufferings of Christ I want to push on that a little bit let's have a look at the first time the sufferings of Christ are mentioned in Scripture can you think well that is its genesis 3:15 genesis 3:15 the lord says to the serpent i will put enmity between you and the woman and between your offspring and her offspring and he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel now that of course is a promise telling us about V offspring a V seed V Sun Christ Christ the Promised One but here's the interesting thing Paul picks up genesis 3:15 and he says it can also apply to Christians so in Romans 16:20 he writes to the Roman Church saying the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet you see what Paul's done he's saying believers are taken into Christ the promised seed and so what is true of him becomes true of us in him we're brought into the one who is bruised and bruising he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel it speaks then of the special bruising Christ's people must go through being United to the bruised one see where once we were at peace with the god of this world where once we loved how he blinded us we loved how he covered us with darkness it hid our shame we liked it but our eyes have been opened and we come out from under his dark Dominion and our old master is angry with us and so are his offspring still following the Prince of the power of the air returning to love Christ friends family they think you're weird fanatical threat a war has begun and we feel it in our bones sin which once was so purely sweet to us has lost its sweetness it shapes and we long to be rid of what once we loved right that's the Christian experience of the sin that remains though the world the flesh the devil yes of course Christians are going to suffer but look at the weight of how it is Paul writes the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet further believers we are brought into Christ bruised and bruising yes we will get bruised as we follow Christ but what bruising we will do that is the perspective all of Scripture wants to give us it's never triumphs allistic wading happily through life in pure triumph or no pain never triumphs allistic but definitely triumphant don't be naive definitely be jubilant Satan no balls at our feet we crush his head we're head into glory but even as we are bruised now know it as you're being faithful in pain if you're going through it now even as we're bruised now with our great firstborn brother we do some bruising on Satan and his kingdom just think when you suffer patiently like Christ as you are content when all the world is so unsatisfied when you walk away from the glittering rubbish of the world you show that all the world is not satisfying their new show how Satan has been stripped of his power every time you rejoice in Christ resist sin proclaim him show his love you do something completely unnatural you show your freedom from the Serpent's chains and you stomp on the old dragon's head we begin the crushing of him now now before we get to see just how secure and superb is glory we need to see a little bit more how we can rejoice as Peter says in the sufferings will face some of you I know in here right now are suffering I know some of those issues some of you are going through great pain and trial and temptation even now and what Peter is writing is not something that should frustrate you as you think how possibly could IRA joy we're not going through this right now Oh Peter suffered and he's not writing a frustrating command but here is hope let's read if you're insulted for the name of Christ verse 14 you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you just just think on that one if you're insulted for Christ it proves you're standing with Christ and you know where that takes you but let none of you suffer as a murderer or a fee for an evildoer or a meddler yep the good word that you can't simply dress up suffering because you've sinned or because you've been an idiot you know I've got a hangover I've got a speeding ticket I'm suffering for Christ no no yet if anyone suffers as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in that name for this time for judgment to begin at the household of God and if it begins with us what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God if the righteous is scaley scarcely saved what will become of the ungodly and the sinner therefore let those who suffer according to God's will and trust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good now that phrase it is time for judgment to begin of the household of God the point is this our wonderful father is all about removing what is foul and evil from his world death sin wickedness he began the process of the cross and one day the fire of his wrath will envelop the entire world and he will cleanse it completely for now the fire of his judgment burns mostly among his people who he is baptized with the Spirit and Fire he does his winnowing work among his people now for those who love sin and who don't love Christ that fire of God's judgment is purely an utterly terrible but for us who love Christ it is entirely different our sinful identity and status was put to death of the cross sin is no longer our identity and so when we are picked through the fire it's not us who are consumed but Peter put it in chapter 1 verse 7 we are as it were like gold refined when we go through the fire the dross is consumed the gold is refined not us but our sin is burned up that's not comfortable but while that's not comfortable isn't that what we want to be free of our sin you know when you think on Christ human but of course he's better than those shriveling ways of my sin of course he is and when I remember he's pure and loving ways they are life and freedom and when I remember that I think Lord cleanse me because I want to be like you not shriveled by sin you know personally my own experience is suffering has always taught me far more than comfort far more than ease and I rarely understand why I am going through what I'm going through during a point of struggle very rarely does it make any sense but I am glad as I look back at those times of trial and I'm grateful to the Lord for them because it's left me less attached to old addictions it's left me more contented or joyful more free I see sorrows throw me on to the Lord fear tribulation they they make me cling to him whereas times of comfort I can feel self-sufficient and not feel a need to cling to him so they push me on him and then when I lose things losses they can also do something good to me they reveal the insufficiency of everything around me so that I can appreciate the all sufficiency of Christ more it's a bit like you enjoy the stars better when it's darker when things are dark in your life you really do enjoy heavenly glories more it's not that they're any better but you appreciate them you couldn't somehow can see them better so Hebrews 12 put it famously my son do not lose heart when he rebukes you because the Lord disciplines those he loves if we are the brothers and sisters of the one who has made perfect through suffering then our father will you suffering to perfect us to make us like Jesus do you know I don't if you can listen to one bit I think is this naturally we are so quick to take suffering to mean that God is against us you've been that life falls apart and you think it's because God doesn't love me always forgotten me he's somehow weakened in his care for us friend that is not so and we should therefore not be too easily dismayed by our troubles in a failing world friends will fail you we will hurt we will feel a frailty and our emptiness and our corruption but none of that is any indication that our father has forgotten us or failed us nor that we might no longer be useful you see here's the difference in other religions God will give ease to the good and health to the worthy it is not like that in Christianity because in Christianity goodness is Christ himself and conformity to him and so God is not simply going to reward believers with ease in this life because that would make ease rather than Christ the great prize what is the great price he wants to give us not a yeast but Christ and suffering friends is therefore a covenant mark a proof the God is our Father and cares enough about us to do everything necessary to mold and clip us into the likeness of his happily holy son now that might seem like bad news for the believer after all who wants to hurt but those who never have to push through waves of difficulty in their life they never grow in strength and maturity like those who do those who never experienced the discipline of trouble tend always to be more frail and feeble in their faith the great 19th century preacher Charles Spurgeon said and he was a great sufferer himself he said you need to know he not only suffered personally a great deal but he also had a wildly outwardly successful ministry so hear him when he says this he says uninterrupted success and unfading joy in it would be more than our weak heads could bear our wine must be mixed with water lest it turn our brains and my witnesses those who are honored of the Lord in public have usually to endure a secret chastening or carry a peculiar cross lest by any means they exalt themselves and fall into the snare of the devil yes friends God uses everything even suffering for our ultimate blessing our almighty father uses everything he uses suffering he did it at the cross through that darkest day that deepest bit of suffering he definitively overturned and defeated the very root of darkness through through his death he defeated death and through our comparatively light sufferings he's able to defeat our selfish independence our foolish wandering and make us more like himself and for those who have glimpsed the unfettered beauty of Jesus for those who have seen something of his glory that thought puts metal in our joy because having seen what it looks like to be free of sins power we want to be more like him and we are even prepared to hurt to become more like him and with that paul sartre peter has given us something the world simply cannot understand how to rejoice even in suffering can I be as clear as I can be now Peter talks about suffering and then glory but he does not he does not mean suffering and only then afterwards comes joy there's not what he means no solid grounded joy in Christ is what will get you through the suffering for Christ and his people joy precedes and follows and undermines and in cases all suffering suffering for Christians is set about on all sides by joy and that's how we deal with it see Christ had joy before he had all pain before the world existed it was joy that strengthened his resolve to suffer Hebrews 12 for the joy set before him endured the cross and that is what Christ shares with us a preceding joy that enables us to endure suffering it is the happy secret of the saints who have borne most cheerfully and bravely for Christ the more we find out pleasure in him the more willing we'll be to suffer for him as the happier Puritan Richard sibs said we will not suffer with Christ if we will not first feast with him we will not suffer with Christ if we will not joy in him that makes sense you'll go through suffering when you love him and find your joy in him so much that you're prepared to go through the suffering because you want him more than you want comfort so friends find your joy in Christ ensure that his glorious beautiful more than sufficient for you and you will rejoice in your sufferings you'll know that secret it means friends the church cannot be silent about suffering and how our Father uses us if we're silent about it believers will be unprepared but neither can we simply say it's suffering now glory later know believers need to hear it's about following Christ it's about living his slipstream sharing his suffering to then share his glory so if you would comfort believers in their trials tell them about Jesus fill their eyes with the glory of Christ so they love him only then are they going to rejoice in their sufferings because only then will they want that much to be like him and the other thing about being Christ centered here is this Christ is not just the one who is powerful to bring us beyond our sufferings he is also the one who has gone through suffering dear suffering friends Christ understands he has compassion right now his beating heart on the throne of heaven is filled with compassion for his beloved ones who are struggling he groaned with pity over the leper he was moved his his very bowel studies Gus churned when he saw the harassed and the helpless he groaned with pity over them and just so is he now in heaven he sympathizes with our weaknesses in Hebrews 2 tells us Christ was made like his weakened tempted brothers in order that he may help those who are being tempted and in the same way now you know it is the weak and struggling who minister best to the weak and struggling God could have used angels or supermen to minister to his people but their very strength would mock our weakness and therefore Mock the gospel and so God normally minister to his people he ministers through those who have been humbled and he ministers through those who've suffered normally because suffering enables us to share the compassion of the man of sorrows if you haven't suffered it's harder to show compassion and sympathy for someone who's struggling not impossible but it's harder see when people are going through trials you can't just vomit out a set of technically correct theological answers you're struggling look to Jesus your mum's got cancer cheer up glories coming you know you need to have compassion as Christ does you can say some true things in a heartless way yes Christ does offer a glory that outweighs yes he is the resurrection of the life but first he weeps at his friend's graveside even as he is the resurrection of the life he weeps so friends if you would lift up the suffering and encourage the Saints do it gently do it gently like him who's moved to pity when you stumble let the hurting the struggling no he cares you care and that when they come to church they come to a supportive family of brothers and sisters not a fake smile Club blind to the reality of struggle our Savior has compassion on us and is powerful finally to remove all suffering but suffering is not where we should finish this morning often terrible but short-term ultimately small perspective we must move on from looking at rejoicing our sufferings to this exceeding joy this exultation verse 13 when his glory is revealed because to endure trials friends you need to know glory is certain secure for the Saints he is in glory now and one day all the world will see it and as surely as Christ is in glory his own must join him because the head cannot have glory without the body the bridegroom will not keep his status and riches to selphie must share it with his bride glory is certain now the accuser loves to have people doubt this he loves to whisper foul Cinna what can you have to do with glory slink away because of your failures glory is not for you you're suffering because he's abandoned you you must answer back Satan what what kind of Christ do you think I have a faithless Christ an abandoning Christ no I have one who says no one will snatch them out of my hand Martin Luther said when the devil throws up our sins to us and says we deserve death and hell we ought to speak like this and say I admit Lee deserved death and hell what of it does this mean I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation by no means for I know one who suffered and made satisfaction in my behalf his name is Jesus Christ the Son of God and where he is there I shall be also you know I was looking at the English reformer John Bradford recently Bradford was the one who coined the phrase there but for the grace of God goes I he said it when he saw criminals being led to their execution because he knew his sin when he deserved death Bradford he had some daily meditations that he wrote applying the gospel to daily life so he'd have his a meditation for when you wake up in the morning when you get out of bed and when you put on your clothes when you eat your lunch all these little gospel meditations for different times of day and here's what he said for the last one of the day he said when last thing you climb into your bed just as you are not afraid to enter into your bed be not afraid to die more certain than waking from our sleep we shall awake and rise from death in that happy morning and a very short distance from here Bradford proved his confidence when he was 45 years old he was sentenced to be burned to death at Smithfield as part of bloody Queen Mary's campaign against the evangelicals tight of a stake he turned to his fellow martyr John leaf and said be of good comfort brother for we shall have a merry supper with the Lord this night be of good comfort my brothers and sisters in all you're going through glorious secure our Savior is certain glorious superb and to get the full helping of what Peter's saying notice he doesn't say heaven he says glory because glory captures something more than heaven for it the center of heaven the very center is the glory of the Lamb who is it's radiant lamp the center of our gospel and our hope is what Paul calls the Blessed hope the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ that day when his shining glory is finally and fully revealed on that day friends it will be like the Sun rising on a winter morning driving wailed darkness his warmth making everything blossom and on that day there will be no more night for the glory of God will give light universally darkness defeated well that day will be like him at last free at last from all pain or sin will be like the light of the world those who are wise says Daniel 12 will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the Stars forever and ever we will be with him in glory and like him in glory friends rejoice in your sufferings and share this hope and in all the trials that you face fix your eyes on him and our forerunner who for the joy set before him endured the cross and is seated now beckoning of the right hand of the throne of God let's pray oh mighty father we want to be like your beloved son to be with him open our eyes we pray make him more glorious to us so precious that we want him more than comfort strengthen and help us to comfort his dear ones in all that they face and so may the world see a church that is full of a supernatural rejoicing now so may they glorify your name and in his name we pray it oh man you

Channel: Ligonier Ministries

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Keywords: ligonier ministries, ligonier conference, ligcon, london conference, 2019 london conference, the light of the world, lights in the world, reformed theology, reformation theology, english reformation, educational, christian, protestant, teaching ministry, michael reeves, christian suffering, christian trials, carry the cross, pick up your cross, john 15 18, philippians 2 15, Matthew 16 24-26, Matthew 16 24, if the world hates you, take up your cross

Id: sGAPIlA9m-Q

Length: 45min 34sec (2734 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 04 2019