Adversity: The Case of The Believer.

Opening Greetings

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus the Savior, 4 who gave himself for our sins, so that he might deliver us from the present evil world-system, in obedience to the will of God, our Father. 5 To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen. Galatians 1:3-5

Opening Scripture

2 Looking away to the Initiator and Completer of our faith, [a] Jesus — who, in exchange for obtaining the joy set before him, endured execution on the Cross as a criminal, scorning the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. [b] 3 Yes, think about him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you won’t grow tired or become despondent. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in the contest against sin. Hebrews 12:2-4

Message

With this brief, I will seek to speak on the topic of suffering, and difficulties, in the life of the Christian, relying on Bible verses to speak. My comments will be limited, if any at all.

Adversity is a part, and a fact, of human life, due to the curse. No one can escape it.

16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pain in childbirth. You will bring forth children in pain. Your desire will be toward your husband, but he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to what your wife said and ate from the tree about which I gave you the order, ‘You are not to eat from it,’ the ground is cursed on your account; you will work hard to eat from it as long as you live. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat field plants. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your forehead till you return to the ground — for you were taken out of it: you are dust, and you will return to dust.” Genesis 3:16-19

Jesus suffered. 

He(Jesus) himself suffered death when he was put to the test. Hebrews 2:18

Men of God faced indescribable adversities.

36 Others (servants of God) underwent the trials of being mocked and whipped, then chained and imprisoned. 37 They were stoned, sawed in two, murdered by the sword; they went about clothed in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted, mistreated, 38 wandering about in deserts and mountains, living in caves and holes in the ground! The world was not worthy of them! Hebrews 11:36-38

The Believer must expect adversity.

12 Dear friends, don’t regard as strange the fiery ordeal occurring among you to test you, as if something extraordinary were happening to you. 13 Rather, to the extent that you share the fellowship of the Messiah’s sufferings, rejoice; so that you will rejoice even more when his Glory is revealed. 14 If you are being insulted because you bear the name of the Messiah, how blessed you are! For the Spirit of the Sh’khinah, that is, the Spirit of God, is resting on you! 15 Let none of you suffer for being a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or a meddler in other people’s affairs. 16 But if anyone suffers for being Messianic (Christ-like), let him not be ashamed; but let him bring glory to God by the way he bears this name. 17 For the time has come for the judgment to begin. It begins with the household of God; and if it starts with us, what will the outcome be for those who are disobeying God’s Good News? —
18 18 “If the righteous is barely delivered,
where will the ungodly and sinful end up?”[b]

19 So let those who are suffering according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator by continuing to do what is good. 1 Peter 4:12-19

There may be a purpose to Adversity.

2 In bringing many sons to glory, it was only fitting that God, the Creator and Preserver of everything, should bring the Initiator of their deliverance to the goal through sufferings. Hebrews 2:10

We are to have hope when things are not going well, and the assurance they will turn out right.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

For everything written in the past was written to teach us, so that with the encouragement of the Scriptures we might patiently hold on to our hope. Romans 15:4

The blessing in adversity.

If we are children, then we are also heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ — provided we are suffering with him in order also to be glorified with him. Romans 8:17

The Christian, Believer, must always have his/her eyes on the prize, and not on the pain.

Looking away to the Initiator and Completer of that trusting, [a] Jesus — who, in exchange for obtaining the joy set before him, endured execution on the Cross as a criminal, scorning the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Invitation

36 Therefore, let the whole house of Israel know beyond doubt that God has made him, Jesus, both Lord and Messiah — this Jesus, whom you executed on the Cross!” 37 On hearing this, they were stung in their hearts; and they said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter answered them, “Turn from sin, return to God, and each of you be baptized on the authority of Jesus the Messiah into forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost! 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for those far away — as many as The LORD our God may call!” Acts 2:36-39

Closing Greetings

14 Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. 1 Peter 5:14