RT Kendall Mysterious Reasons for Suffering

my message this morning is based upon the premise that we have to take from God mysterious reasons for suffering I want to read to you from Colossians chapter 1 verses 24 to 26 now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake and in my flesh I'm filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body that is the Church of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you to make the Word of God fully known the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his Saints they're gonna be pleased to bless the reading and the preaching of this is most holy and infallible word brief word of Prayer Heavenly Father I asked now for the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus by your spirit to rest upon every mind in this place in order that their perception of what I say will be heard as you intend cleanse my tongue that I will be your transparent instrument to say all that needs to be said nothing that doesn't need to be said help me to be very very simple very very clear and I pray that this will be a life-changing word that all of us here will never be the same again and that this will be a word that brings great honor and glory to your name I pray this in Jesus name Amen you may recall that Paul has not met the Colossians therefore they've never met him and he's writing to them from prison let me ask you a question if you received a letter from a man in prison who had a bad reputation hated by the world and he writes you a letter and wants to tell you how to live your life would you listen to him well the Apostle Paul knows he's got his work cut out for him first of all Paul had enough difficulty with some of his own followers that knew him you know he had a problem with a group we now call them Judaizers they were horrible people Jews who professed faith in Christ whether they were saved is is doubtful but they said they were and they went wherever Paul had been and Colossians or one of those groups that it that they went to and they would turn people against Paul the very converts of Paul turned against Paul because of the Judaizers so he had enough problems with those who already knew him now he's having to address people that don't know him and you should know this that Paul was self-conscious of being a prisoner when he wrote to his beloved Timothy actually said don't be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me his prisoner would be easy for Timothy to have to say well I'm out of here I'm not gonna let a man be my mentor who's in prison well now Paul's trying to influence those who don't know him and this was part of Paul's suffering knowing that he had to overcome this but here's the thing you should know Paul accepted his suffering you may have forgotten that on the day of his conversion Jesus told him how he would suffer he was told immediately that he would suffer you can read in Acts chapter 9 verse 16 well now in this word that I just read Paul could say I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake strange comment why well it was the challenge that he himself took on board for him and for them and his point is it gave them an opportunity to embrace a further stigma offense namely to listen to Paul well why should they well Paul is urging them to do so well it was a challenge that he took on his heart and for them for him and it gave them to have this opportunity as I said I want to talk to you today about suffering and if you are a Christian and I suppose that is virtually everybody here almost everyone here and this could be relevant to you now there are two levels of suffering the highest level if I may put it that way and primarily refers Paul refers to this is suffering for Christ persecution for the gospel that's the highest level when you're there that's as good as it gets when you suffer for righteousness sake not for your errors but because of the gospel and that's primarily what Paul means here however not only that there's this second level and that gets all of us you may say I've never really suffered for the gospel could I say to you that will change they're Arminius days ahead for britain i don't know how long i will live but i can tell you if things are happening so rapidly there is a demonic spirit abroad that's gonna take over this country and Christians are going to be persecuted like you've never thought look what happened in Sri Lanka just a week ago a couple hundred at least killed because they were hated because they were Christians and that's coming here I wish I could preach this sermon in Sri Lanka but I want all to take this on board possibly the most important sermon I've preached at Kensington temple and all the years that I've been here but there as I said a second level that means any kind of suffering if you're in pain right now you qualify if you've lost your job if you've been betrayed by a friend or jilted and you're in pain today perhaps there's emotional psychological suffering and people don't want to admit to mental illness it can be so painful perhaps you suffered from not being able to sleep when you see the Apostle Paul had this sort of suffering as well and you need to know Paul believed in healing and remember throughout my message today Paul believed in healing he prayed for the sick saw sick people healed but he himself wasn't always healed he talked about a thorn in the flesh that's a phrase he uses 2 Corinthians 12 and he said I've asked God three times to remove it it wouldn't go away how do you know that you've got a thorn in the flesh well possibly which when you keep praying that something will and it doesn't consider that could be your thorn in the flesh and what's the purpose of it Hisss in Paul's case he said it was so that I would not take myself too seriously or be too highly exalted God has a way of humbling us but it may not be always for the gospel it's you well listen to Paul he talks about in 1 Corinthians 4 he says to the present hour we hunger and thirst we're poorly dressed do you ever feel odd that you're poorly dressed some people don't want to go to church that's why I can't go to church because all these people will be well-dressed he says I've been buffeted homeless we labor working with our own hands humbling job for a person who's also an apostle when reviled we bless persecuted we endure when slanted we entreat and we become are so like the scum of the world how would you feel if you felt in your heart you're scum that was Paul and he says at the beginning of this paragraph he says I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all like men sentenced to death because we become a spectacle to the world to angels and to men and listen to him in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 he says I've been stoned three times I was shipwrecked a night in a day I was adrift at sea on frequent journeys in danger from rivers dangers from robbers danger from my own people danger from Gentiles danger in the city danger in the wilderness dangerous sea danger from false brothers in toil and hardship through many a sleepless night just anybody here have a problem sleeping well how you react to any kind of suffering will determine whether you qualify for the kind of suffering we're going to talk about today never forget that Paul believed in healing but it's now going to talk about a suffering that goes on and you say lord please relieve me of this I want us to see three things today first predestination and suffering is there a connection yes first of all we've all who are saved been predestined to be saved what's that mean well chosen from the foundation of the world not according to works God just was gracious to you you may ask throughout eternity why me I don't deserve to be here but all you can do is say God was just gracious to me if you question this read acts 13:48 where Luke who wrote the book of Acts makes a commentary on the fact that Gentiles who were ordained to eternal life believed as many as were appointed to eternal life believe you say well Artie I believe as many as believe were appointed to eternal life that would be a true statement but that's not what Paul believed that's not what Luke stated as many as were ordained to eternal life believed and so we're saved by the sheer grace of God but then you ask are you also saying we're predestined to suffering the answer is yes Paul says it again and again 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 verse 3 he says to them don't be unmoved by these trials knowing we weren't destined for them 1 Thessalonians 3 verse 3 he said to the Philippians 1:29 not only is it given to us to believe on Christ but to suffer for his sake James chapter 1 verse 2 count it pure joy when you face trials troubles of any kind you know when you first read that verse in James count it joy when you're in trouble or you're having trials you may say well I need a little joy so I'm just go out look for a trial don't be a fool it will come soon enough but the issue here in fact the Greek reads if you fall into the trial in other words you didn't ask for it you didn't go looking for it you fell into it it happened you might like to know the reason for that petition in the Lord's Prayer it says lead us not into temptation we should always pray that the word temptation comes to the Greek word that just means testing testing a trial and we should pray Louise and I pray the Lord's Prayer every days I've told you many times lead us not into temptation don't ask for it but delivers from the evil one but there are times when God says he looks around the body of Christ and thinks hmm I think you can have a trial about now and your first reaction if if you're predictable like most of us you'll say no please how could this happen to me I'm talking to somebody today you're in a real trial and it hurts and this is a message just for you well predestination and suffering when you realize that God is at the bottom of it all it helps endure the pain not that God is getting even with you not that you are being punished but he knows you and a reckons you're up to it and if you were not up to it he wouldn't let it happen to you no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly well that's the first thing predestination and suffering second the purpose of suffering we come now to one of the strangest comments Paul ever made and it is only here in the whole Bible it's in the New Testament it's in Colossians and it's this verse right now only time you're ever going to hear it he says I rejoice in my sufferings for you and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body that is the church so what is the purpose of suffering well first it is for the body of Christ we're all part of the body of Christ we're all in this together so if one suffers we all suffer and so you may be the head you may be the hand but if the hand hurts you hurt so anybody in the church if they're suffering it affects you Revelation chapter 1 verse 9 I love this verse John said I am your brother and companion in tribulation so if you can't find anybody who will sympathize with you I read those people in the Bible had gone through the same thing you're part of a big family and so what's the purpose of suffering first for the body of Christ second listen to this filling up what is lacking now I've only had one person in my lifetime to address this subject you've heard me speak of Joseph's son he's the man who years ago came at a critical time i-i-i died thousand deaths in my mind when I think of what if I'd never had Joseph's son come to me in our darkest hour and you've heard me tell it some of you Artie you must totally forgive them for until you totally forgive them you will be in Chains it's that Joseph song I invited him to preach at Westminster Chapel and it happened he was planning to preach a sermon on mysterious reasons for suffering I have used his title for this one here trying to preach that sermon but the night before and these are the days when there was the Iron Curtain he comes from Romania and he got news that in his own church in Romania closest friends and family were persecuted and suffering beyond measure and it was it was fresh on his mind and we were all so moved by him preaching on that and he talked about mysterious reasons for suffering referring to this verse only time I've heard anybody referred to it but also he made up this in his mind that angels are watching and he pointed out how God looked over a creation and said to Satan have you considered my servant job I don't know how familiar you are with a book of Job you all have a Bible reading plan I know that once a year at least you read through the book of Job and we know a job went through horrible suffering don't ever forget that God started it God says to the devil have you considered my servant job and the devil says well look how he is blessed you've given him everything he's wealthy he's got everything I bet you if you took that from him he would curse you to your face and so job became an exhibit for the angels to watch they wanted to see if there or such a person who could have everything and lose it all and not curse God have you ever thought that when you're going through a trial you didn't know that in the heavens God looked over his creation and said to the devil have you considered my servant Simon have you considered my servant Scott you just came in just in time for me to use you an illustration that shows you at the right place at the right time don't leave any more this is no joke if you're going through a trial remember God had already orchestrated it why because he says you're up to it and this is why James can say count it pure joy God knows you can do it you say no Artie I'm so weak I can't endure it you can you certainly can the angels are watching you see if you are like most the odds our trouble comes to your way and you say no I can't do this I can't have it why me here's what happens and Paul makes an astonishing point so much suffering has been allocated to the body of Christ a coda a certain quantity such suffering is called Christ's afflictions pain in his body and God is looking for people who will suffer and not complained and I can announce that there is space available because so many have complained and they lost their slot and God is looking for others when you consider the trouble in the world today I am told two hundred million Christians suffering right now as we speak not to mention earthquakes in the Philippines in recent days their floods famine as I said Sri Lanka and where it's all a part of the body we're part of this body and Paul could claim that this is precisely the explanation for his own suffering he says I'm doing it in my flesh I'm filling up what is lucky in Christ's afflictions and he's taking this suffering therefore with both hands with both hands and it must be said that this suffering is not punishment it's God's preparation in fact Hebrews chapter 10 verse 12 that you might be partakers of his holiness is there anybody here who loves by nature holiness I can tell you we're all congenitally opposed to holiness there's nothing about holiness that we're going to like at the natural level and so God puts us through chastening to drive us to our knees so that we say yes Lord for example God said to Jonah go Jonah said no God said really and he sent the wind he sent the fish and the next three days Joe a Jonah was praying to get to do what he didn't want to do he's now Lord give me another chance and God has a way that we might be partakers of his holiness all right predestination and suffering but purse if suffering but now and you could see it coming the privilege of suffering what a privilege as we saw so much suffering has been allocated to the body of Christ let me put it to you this way by way of illustration so if let's say so much money has been allocated to you but would you not welcome it but what if it's given to someone else because you don't claim it well I want you to know that suffering is money in the bank for you and God has determined that so much suffering is allocated to the body of Christ but there are those who reject that opportunity and you know some get more than others and over the years I've seen people suffer there was one woman who was a member of Westminster Chapel actually she was I haven't asked permission to say this but she was a convert of Louise Louise went to her door knocking on doors in those days we did in and event cutter came to the Lord and I followed her life I've said to Louise in my lifetime I've never known anybody to suffer as much as Yvette cutter it's awful not just with a family and everything one day our Verger Westminster Chapel Fred Jenks came up to me and he said I've just got back from Gordon Hospital saw event I said how she doing well he said when I went there I felt so sorry for her I said how are you here bad and she said I'm just praising the Lord because dr. Kendall taught us that when we suffer we should just praise the Lord and I'm just sitting here praising the Lord she had a mental illness they used to call it manic-depressive they now call it bipolar I felt so sorry for her and I've often thought this and I I believe it's gonna be like this you know how Paul the Apostle referred to himself as the Apostles would be last in the queue hey here's partly what he means picture this we're all going to stand before the judgment seat of Christ one day you and I will be there oh what a day what a day and we're all told wait until your name is called and then you go and stand before the Lord you think yourself I wonder he's going to be first in the queue Oh probably the Apostle Paul or st. Augustine Martin Luther Jonathan Edwards oh I know who will be first in to keep Billy Graham or maybe Charles Spurgeon look here high profile below means low profile up there low profile below when you are a nobody and can take suffering with grace and dignity high profile there so that way quietly and the name comes a vent cutter people look at each other who's that Evette cutter do you know any vet or anybody no a vet cutter and she this little lady comes over that's my baby oh he's calling you go go all the way me yeah he's calling you and here's this lady standing before Jesus and he looks at her as his event I saw you in Gordon Hospital how you wept and you just kept praising the Lord you didn't think anybody noticed we saw you Evette welcome home well done that's the way it's going to be and you may have no profile but it will all change one day well the nobodies of this world are given the attention of the sovereign god of the universe and that day is coming the privilege of suffering and so to whom much is given shall much be required and it could be there's a work for you to do and maybe your day has not come look Joseph son of Jacob who was betrayed by his brothers and then has an opportunity to have an affair with part of his wife and he moves to Egypt he could not have known that he had been earmarked to be prime minister of Egypt but they came and it's possible there are people here you have no idea what's in mark for you down the road and the suffering you say what's not really suffering for Jesus look whatever suffering sleepless nights losing your job physical pain it's a test here's why Jesus said he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much and the test if you're faithful in a few things then God will give you grace for the big one when you are persecuted for righteousness sake so Paul therefore is not complaining quite the opposite here's a verse for you one of my favorite verses in the Bible it's Acts chapter 5 verse 41 it's when Peter and John are before the council called the Sanhedrin made up mostly of Sadducees a few Pharisees and they were the judgment Council like the Supreme Court of Israel well six weeks before both Peter and John ran from Jesus when he was arrested Matthew 2656 all of these disciples forsake him and fled you know Peter he thought you put Peter under a lie-detector he thought that he loved Jesus more than the other eleven he thought that you've seen people like that maybe you're like that you think you're more spiritual than the person next to you well that was Peter he he wants to outdo all the other said Lord don't wash just my hands but my whole head Jesus said I think you're going to deny me oh not a chance I'd give my life for you really the truth is you're gonna deny me three times before the rooster crows in the morning Peter says not a chance lo and behold that's exactly what happened and when Peter denied the Lord the third time the rooster crowed and Jesus heard it Peter heard it and they looked at each other oh that moment when I get to heaven I want to see a video replay we're told Peter went out and wept bitterly he was so sorry he was so sorry I can't believe I did this and who's here today you've let the Lord down you know you have you've done it and you are so sorry well I can tell you now Peter was looking for a chance a chance to show that he was sorry and he would be different he got the chance he's now being persecuted he's brought before the Supreme Court of Israel they beat him black and blue both Peter and John they get it and then said don't teach anymore in the in this name and let him go you know what was going on inside the council that pharisees the sadducees well we've taught them a lesson we won't worry about them anymore what they couldn't have known that Peter and John couldn't believe their luck that they got to suffer they passed the test this time in fact read it X 541 when they departed from the council they rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the shame of his name what a privilege have you let the Lord down and you say Lord give me another chance you see suffering is allocated we all run from it but those who will take this lock and say lord thank you that you've chosen me well you ought to know for your comfort when we are persecuted Jesus feels it in fact he said it's Saul of Tarsus why do you persecute me well Saul says I was persecuting Christians oh Jesus said you've persecuted me never forget this if you hurt it hurts Jesus when they hurt you they hurt him if the world hates you says Jesus know that he hated me first and then Paul gives himself the title minister he's not just an apostle he's minister and that just means one who serves not a prestigious word you know the minister sounds prestigious he's doesn't say dominar sees that I'm a minister he was given a stewardship from God that means he'd been entrusted with truth and Paul talks about such truth being a mystery hidden for ages but it long last revealed to his holy ones and he said part of the package is that I've been chosen to suffer not running from it welcoming it so such suffering is preparation not punishment and here's why God is allowing it you're missing he's not finished with you yet it's part of what you need at this moment my mother who died at the age of 43 when she was a little girl in her teens she was a part of a group that would sit at the feet of a 90 year old saint of God a woman who would just talk to the young people and they would hang on to every word and there's one thing that this old lady kept saying I've served the Lord for so long now that I can hardly tell the difference between a blessing and a trial it becomes a part of a lifestyle if God has chosen you to suffer don't reject it be flattered you're honored say thank you the greater the suffering the greater the responsibility to whom much is given shall much be required so are you suffering take it with both hands count your blessings name them one by one count your blessings see what God have done count your blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord hath [Music]

Channel: Kensington Temple

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Length: 38min 0sec (2280 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 29 2019