0:00 Brothers and sisters, good morning. Praise the Lord. So this morning, I don't have a new message. I have an old message from an old book. So the verse in my heart is from 0:18 first epistle of Peter. First epistle of Peter chapter 4 and verse 19. Therefore, 0:36 those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. Those who suffer according to the 0:52 will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. So most of us know the background of the this letter this epistle written by Apostle Paul. This this was written around 1:15 60 AD and Peter himself was around that age. a few years later uh he he was persecuted um and he was killed and the purpose of this letter is to encourage 1:34 to remind the Christians those days and as we know they were persecuted by their faith maybe we can look at the first verse we'll get an idea uh Peter 1 chapter chapter First verse one, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ to 1:58 those who reside as aliens scattered throughout Pont Pontis, Galatia, Capidoshia, Asia, and Bethnia who are chosen according to the fornowledge of God by the father, God the Father, by the sanctifying work 2:16 of the spirit to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood. So they were Christians. They were chosen by God. No doubt they were separated by the work of the Holy Spirit to obey Jesus Christ. But they were scattered because of their 2:33 faith. So they had to leave their hometown and they had to go to different places because of their faith. And and the persecution in the first century was in a the magnitude of that persecution was much higher than we see or hear in our 2:52 days. But uh Peter felt a burden to encourage them. And then he's writing this uh letter to encourage them. And you know you don't need to turn there but uh it was not uncommon the word persecution and suffering these verses were not uncommon 3:11 in those days. In fact when apostle James write uh writes the book of revelation he reminds them that I am a brother. I'm your brother but a fellow partaker in the tribulation. 3:29 So he he counted himself as a a brother and he also reminded them I am I am partaking I am like you. So he he was uh sent to island of Patmos and then he was suffered there. 3:46 But in the midst of all these things Peter is reminding them there is a suffering according to the will of God. And when you do suffer, when you suffer according to the will of God, don't fix your eyes on your circumstances. 4:05 Fix your eyes on a faithful creator who created you. He control this whole universe. He is sovereign God. He's mighty God. Fix your eyes on him. Maybe we can turn to the same chapter again. First 4:22 Peter chapter 4. I'd like to read from verse 12 onwards. 1 Peter 4:12. I'll go through a few verses very slowly. Beloved, do not be surprised at the 4:39 fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing. They had to go through a fairy testing. God values faith and our faith is precious in God's eyes. 4:59 But the faith which is tested is more precious. The it says this trial which came not to punish you. You know the human way of thinking any suffering or pun uh sickness this is 5:15 because of sin. That's what uh you know when the disciples met a man who was sick they asked Jesus who sinned he or his father they had no doubt this is because of sin but God has had some different plan 5:33 and even Job when his friends came and observed this they said no an innocent man cannot suffer like this there is something hidden sin in your life beloved let us remember God permits in his sovereign wisdom testing of faith 5:51 not to put us to shame. You know we heard we had that memory verse those who believe in God will not be put to shame and the it's taken from I think Isaiah 25 it says those who trust in the Lord those who believe in the Lord will not 6:05 be shaken and this is what God want us to make a children of God who trust him in in the winds of trials again we'll come back to verse 13 one first Peter chapter 4 and verse Vers 13 but to degree that 6:25 you share suffering of Christ keep on rejoicing so that at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice with exaltation that is great joy. You know, when the Lord comes, I believe it will be a very joyful day for those 6:44 who trust him, those who walk in the light, those who walk in obedience. You know, just like a bride meet her bridegroom at the wedding day, it'll be a joyful day when the Lord returns. But for some people, they will rejoice 7:00 with exaltation. So those are those who suffered, those who partake in the suffering of Christ. And in verse 14 it says, "If you revile for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God 7:18 rest on you." You know what is a mark of uh God's blessing? Brothers and sisters, what is the mark that the spirit of glory or the spirit of Christ is resting upon us? They say some say they speak in tongues or they will be always full of joy and 7:37 uh full of grace. Yes, that is true. But here is an other mark here. It says if you revile for the name of Christ, you're blessed and the spirit of Christ spirit of the glory and glory of God rest upon you. And next verse it speak about the wrong 7:54 kind of suffering. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer or a thief or evildoer or a troublesome medddler. Yeah, we can suffer. We can suffer by doing the wrong things. Getting involved in things that do not 8:11 matters to us. Unwisely getting into things which is not God's will, which is out of boundary. Without taking godly counsel, following our own natural strength and courage, we can fall into trouble. 8:28 But Peter reminds this, don't do that. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed. Verse 16. And verse 17, it says it's time for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it begins with us first, 8:47 what will be the outcome of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with the difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and sinner? It says this verse reminds us the judgment of God begins with the 9:05 household of God. I believe to whom more is given more is required. You know when Jesus told about that story of slave I can quickly read Luke 12:47. Luke 12:47. And the slave who knew his master's will 9:29 and did not get ready or act in accord with his will receive many lashes. But the one who did not know it and committed deeds worthy of logging will receive but a few from everyone who has 9:49 been given much. Much will be required and to whom they entrusted much of him they will ask the more. We don't need to fear to come to the church. But our heart, our motive is not to obey 10:07 the Lord and follow the Lord. We must fear to come to a church proclaims the truth of the gospel, truth of God's word without compromising. Because if you know God's will and you don't obey it, it is God's will that we 10:24 must forgive. It's God's will that we must live righteously. It's God's will that we should not put our confidence in anything else but in Christ, not in our own works. But if you don't obey it, it says 10:43 if you know his will and don't do it, they will receive much lashes. Well, coming back to verse 19. Therefore, those who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. 11:03 So, I was reminded of that song. It says, we sing sometime the line goes something like this. Courage brother, do not stumble. Though your path be dark and night, there is a star to guide the humble, trust in God 11:20 and do the right. Though your park, sorry, though your path be dark and night, there's a star to guide the humble, trust in God and do the right. When a path is dark, it can be a sickness, it can be a trial, it can be a 11:37 persecution. No matter what we go through, we need not be shaken. It says we can entrust our souls to a faithful creator and do what is right. You know when we get into something which we don't anticipate. We expect something 11:57 and then something else happen immediately the panic hits. Why this happening to me? Why God allowed this thing? Is anything wrong? The first thing I can do is to trust the Lord. the the Lord without Lord's knowledge 12:16 without your father's knowledge not even a hair on your head is falling and and he's a caring father so we can trust him and second do what is right not to somehow escape and uh God will provide a way of escape 12:35 but not to you know put our own uh schemes and try to escape and I want to point out two examples in the scripture who followed this. Uh first is uh you know I want to ask you a question you know um there is an 12:52 incident where heaven opened all of us know it is at the time of the baptism of Jesus Christ the heaven opened and a voice came from heaven this is my beloved son so is there any other place which is written heaven is opened so 13:07 it's a question sorry Jacob okay any anywhere in the new testament Transfiguration any other place? Yeah. Stephens. So we can turn to the book of 13:24 Acts. Acts chapter 6. So Acts chapter 6 verse 5. So they wanted a few brothers to help in the church and they decided to choose seven men. Seven brothers. I believe they were 13:43 young brothers. U I'd like to read sir Acts 6:5. The statement found approval with the whole congregation and they choose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit 14:01 and few other names there. So they choose Stephen and there are only two things it's written about him. He was a man full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. That should really encourage us brothers and sisters, not his 14:16 certificates, not his uh bank balance, not his family background. What is precious in God's sight, he was a man full of faith and he was full of the Holy Spirit. Every young people can be like this. Uh 14:34 we don't need to understand too much complicated doctrine. Yes. Yes, you can learn and understand and by heart God's word all these things are true. But Stephen, I don't this was a new church. It's not a very old mature 14:53 church. It's a new church, a new movement, new beginnings. And uh but he was full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. And Stephen was chosen according to God's plan. And verse 7, the word of God kept on spreading and the number of the 15:13 disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem and great many of the priests were becoming obedient to faith. And Stephen full of grace and power was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 15:30 So God's grace was upon him. He was doing great wonders and great miracles and and signs among the people. So what blessed me here, God could use him but uh he remained humble till the end. 15:50 So no matter what God accomplished through this young man, he remained humble. He remained small in his own eyes. It's a great challenge for us. And we see how they treated Stephen. 16:07 Verse 12, we read, "They stirred up people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the council. They put forward false witnesses." 16:23 So here is a young man not experienced but he was full of faith and full of the Holy Spirit. He had to face something. He had to face a a persecution. I don't know whether he was anticipating but suddenly people turned against him and 16:41 there were false witnesses came and accused him and they dragged him. So there was physical mental torturing. And verse 15, and fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the council 17:01 saw his face like the face of an angel. So it's a great uh encouragement, brothers and sisters. Even though he faced all these uh uh persecution and difficulties, his face was like the face of an angel. 17:18 So I believe the reason his face was like face of an angel because his heart was pure. There was no root of bitterness. Yes, we can put a a plastic smile when we have worries and cares and fears in our heart. 17:36 But uh truly if we follow the footsteps of these men, the path of uh forgiveness, the not giving place to the devil, our face can be like face of Stephen. So 17:55 I I look back to my own life and you know the the reason I feel most heavy when some somebody misunderstands me. I find it very difficult to rejoice inside my heart and recognize hey this is something which God permits. So what a 18:11 strong pressure that builds up in our spirit. No I have to clarify I have to justify my stand. Not Stephen. But his uh heart was full of forgiveness and mercy and and when he got a chance to witness he used that opportunity. 18:28 Next uh chapter act 7. So he got an opportunity and then he shared he shared a brief message and then again towards the end 54 he started his message like brothers and 18:46 fathers but he concluded that you stiff necked people you crucified Christ but then people heard it they were cut to I'll read from verse 54 4. When they heard this, this is Acts 7:54. 19:04 When they heard Stephen speak, they were infuriated, and they begin nashing their teeth at him. But Stephen being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked intently into heaven and saw the glory of God. And there we see Jesus standing at the right 19:21 hand of God. And he said, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." But they shouted with loud voices and covered their ears and rushed at him with one mind. When they had driven him 19:40 out of the city, they began stoning him. And the witness laid aside their clocks at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they went on stoning Stephen as he called the Lord and said,"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he fell on his 19:57 knees and cries out with a loud loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." And then he felt asleep. So here is a man who trusted God and did what is right. Did what is right in God's eyes. 20:15 So here also we see the mark of open heaven is not uh always full of joy and the mark of open heaven can be sometimes the stones can come to us. Brothers and sisters, I believe the 20:31 reason for you know when we many of the questions which I we comes to our heart can I do this can I not do this can I wear this dress can I go here all these yes or no questions most of the time it's an indication of a a very 20:49 shallow consecration to the lord and to the church but if we like the lord lord I have come to do your will have all these questions questions we'll have only one question Lord is this your will if this is your will I want to do it if 21:05 this is your will not your will I don't want to do it so there is a rest there is a peace when we come to that point I believe Stephen was like that he was not too much worried his eyes was fixed on heaven his eyes was on the Lord and the Lord is not 21:23 partial brothers and sisters if you are like Stephen I don't believe he will shut heaven for you if we follow his footsteps. I believe the Lord will open heavens for us. And the second example which I want to point out is from the Old Testament. 21:40 So this was an example of a suffering because of the persecution and the next example is from the book of Job. So he didn't go through persecution as such but there was a incident in his family and sickness. He was not an ordinary man. Job was not 21:57 an ordinary man. All of us know. Yes, he had never had his light never had the light on his self-righteousness. But the life which he lived is a it's a very high much above many of us. He lived he walked with a clear clear 22:15 conscience as we heard last Sunday. You know couple of verses I want to point out from Job 31:E1. It says uh I covered my I have made a covenant with my eyes. 22:32 How then I could gaze at a virgin. So he was not super spiritual. He was not pretending there was no temptation. He said but I made a covenant with my eyes and I will not gaze at a virgin virgin. And verse 33 it says, "Have I covered my 22:52 transgression like Adam by hiding my iniquity in my bosom." So he didn't cover up his sin. He was uh honestly acknowledged before God. And verse uh chapter 29:15, 23:10 I I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was father to the needy. He didn't live a selfish life. He lived according to the light with a clear conscience and he he sought to help others. But suddenly something happened. 23:27 Things didn't go in the way which he expect which he was expecting and he lost his home. He lost his relatives and he lost his health. how he how he responded we can all of us know still we can look at Job chap chapter 2 Job verse 22 sorry maybe first 23:47 we can read from Job 1:20 Job 1:20 the first question which came from Job's mouth Job's heart it's not Lord why this is happening to me 24:03 so the first question first action says, "The job arose, tore his robe and shaved his head. He had a great sorrow and he fell to the ground and worshiped and he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return 24:22 there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." These words won't come into our mouth if we study by heart. If we have allowed God to do a work in our heart. If we allow God to open our 24:41 eyes to see there is nothing which we have on this earth which is not received from the Lord. Everything that we have is received as we read in the New Testament and Job could Job knew this deep down in his heart. That's why he could say this. 24:59 Otherwise at the middle of the trouble when we hear a bad news the first question will come from our heart. Lord why this is happening into my life? Don't feel condemned. Don't feel discouraged brothers and sisters if you ever said like that. But we have 25:17 been given these examples to learn from these examples. And again the next uh chapter Job chapter 2:22 then verse 7 sorry Job 2:7 25:40 then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and smoked Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head and he took a portrait to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes and then with his wife and came and said 25:57 to him, "Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die." So it's like the fire increasing increasing fire. When Daniel's friends were put into fire, they said increase the temperature. 26:15 Here we see the fire is increasing. Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die. But he said, "You speak as one of the foolish woman speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" 26:34 It's like Jesus could see the cup which my father sent. The eyes of Job was not closed. His eyes were open. He could see this is God permitted in his own life. So Job what he did was he shut the mouth of the devil brothers and sisters. So 26:53 dear brother sister if you are going through a difficulty or suffering you have an opportunity to shut the mouth of the devil and uh you need to decide what you want to do and God can help us. So I want to share in closing. Now this is not 27:12 natural. This is not natural that we embrace suffering and uh we our flesh naturally likes comfort. You know that incident you don't need to turn there. I'll very briefly I'll share when Mark chapter 10 when Jesus said um 27:29 the son of man must be delivered into the chief priest and the scribes. They're going to condemn him into death and uh they will mock him. Maybe Mark 10:33 onwards they will mock him and spit on him and scourge him and kill him and 3 days 27:48 later he will rise again. So he was going to he was speaking about his suffering. But uh James and John two sons of Zebedee came to Jesus saying teacher we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. When Jesus asked them, "What do you want me to do for 28:05 you?" They said, "Grant me that grant that we may sit on your right hand on your left in glory." So they had no interest in what Jesus is going to go through. They didn't ask, "Lord, how are you going to go through this?" Their 28:23 eyes was uh eyes were fixed on the glory when the Lord comes. Lord, we want to sit with you. We don't want to go through suffering. We want the throne but we don't want the cross. Peter was like that when you know Matthew chapter 16 when Jesus told about 28:41 his suffering we read you know when Peter took him aside this is in verse 20 2122. So when Jesus told foretold about his suffering Peter took him he said no no Lord you should not suffer you should not suffer this should never happen to you. the 29:00 words of uh self-pity, the words of human wisdom. This is not God's way. This is man's way. So, so Peter was not gripped by the word suffering. But you know when when Peter writes the first epistle, 29:19 the the words which is repeated, the word which is repeated more is the word suffering. So brothers and sisters you don't need to feel heavy at the word suffering because along with the word suffering a word comes many times in the first 29:36 apostle of Peter is glory not suffering suffering is not the end but there is glory maybe I'd like to read this verse 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 17 1:7 sorry 1 Peter 1:7. 29:58 So that the proof of your f faith being more precious than gold which perishes through though tested by fire may be found to result in praise, glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. the testing that you go through today, 30:17 the testing of faith that you go through today and it can result in praise and glory and honor at the coming of Christ. Another verse from 1 Peter chapter 5 verse 10. After you have suffered for a little 30:36 while, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. After you suffer for a little while, the God 30:54 himself will perfect you. He will confirm and he will strengthen and establish you. You know how did this transformation happened in Peter's life and apostles life? One of the verse in Acts 5:41 it says they went on their way 31:12 from the presence of the council rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for his name. So when God allowed them to be persecuted and suffered, it says they counted it as a great gain. 31:30 They started rejoicing. How this change uh happened, brothers and sisters, I believe the only reason is the genuine true baptism of the Holy Spirit. Nothing else. Not hearing a message about suffering, 31:47 not hearing a testimony or uh reading a testimony of somebody who suffered. The real true baptism of the Holy Spirit, it changed something within them. It didn't change the circumstances, but it changed the way they looked at the 32:02 circumstances. You know, Peter himself, I thought, you know, he was with the Lord. He was physically seen Christ. And uh when he write this epistle he's only mainly one thing he writes about Christ it is good like you know the other day I 32:21 was uh I met a sister in our church he was in an old sister he was in Bak's church for some time I asked her sister what do you remember about Bak Singh and she said something and I was blessed so we would always uh keep the memory of 32:36 those whom we love and those whom we walked with and what is the the one most One most precious thing Peter reminds about Christ. You know when he write this letter many things he could write. He could have uh wrote about the 32:54 incident which happened at the mount where Jesus was transfigured and he could have testified how Jesus walked him helped him to walk in the water. many other incidents. But you know what uh Peter writes? What is the center of this letter? The center 33:12 of this letter is not suffering or glory. It is a person. It is Christ. And the the picture we need to have the person which we need to have in our heart is Christ. How he suffered, how he endured. 1 Peter chap 2 21. 1 Peter chapter 2 21 33:40 For you have been called for this purpose since Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example for you to follow in his footsteps who committed no sin nor was any deceit found in his mouth and while being 33:57 reviled he did not revile in his return while suffering He uttered no threats but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. Peter had no doubt about the power which Jesus had to face any difficulty. 34:17 But at the cross he saw something different. He could see pet Jesus emptying all his resources silently hanging his head without reviving return and suffering. He was not threaten threatening back. So what a picture, 34:35 what an example we can have, brothers and sisters. And uh I've heard of uh uh the wife of Richard Wumrand uh a lady called Sabina Wumrand and she was in prison for a number of years and 34:54 their son when he was at the age of 11 because of uh all the persecution what they happened in their family his faith was little and there was an opportunity for him to see his visit his mom in the prison and when he came his name was Mihi when he 35:13 came to see her and she came back she was already suffering too much I read it is he couldn't barely recognize her he couldn't even recognize her but he she came back and and gave her witness 35:32 and and that was the moment where Mihi was converted So brothers and sisters, uh we are called to win. We have called to follow the footsteps of Christ and the Holy Spirit can help us, the least of us. If he could change Peter, he can change any 35:50 one of us. May the Lord uh give us that faith and open our eyes. Praise God for what we heard this morning. Let's turn to 1 Peter 4:19. what we heard. Therefore, those who suffer according to 36:12 the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right. We heard about the suffering of Joseph and we heard about Stephen as well. Everybody in the world you meet anyone, 36:31 everybody has suffering. They go through a lot of trials and difficulties. Even as Christians, we also go through trials and difficulties. What is the difference between the suffering of a believer and a suffering of a person who doesn't know God or is 36:47 an unbeliever? So, we read about Job, Job's suffering, and we know what was the outcome, how God blessed him after he was proved and tested. And we also know that Job is the first book uh which God intended to write and 37:07 it speaks about a man and about his suffering. In the same way the first book in the New Testament is the letter of James. So he was inspired by the Holy Spirit and see the first few words what he says. Consider it all joy my brethren 37:26 when you encounter various trials. He says, "Brothers and sisters, if you have various trials, if you're going through sufferings, rejoice." He says, "Consider joy." And he says, "When you encounter various trials, he didn't say one or two 37:44 trials, various." So we know various means we can't count. Sometimes we say to people, I have 101 problem. But if we sit down and note down our problems, it may not exceed more than 10. So that's how we think that we have so many 38:01 problems and sufferings. But here he says when you have so many trials, consider it joy. Why? Knowing that the testing of your faith endures produces endurance. So and let endurance have its perfect results so that you may be perfect and 38:21 complete lacking in nothing. So as a Christian when I go through when we go through a lot of sufferings there is a purpose behind our suffering. James writes that purpose is that God wants all of us to be perfect complete and 38:37 lacking in nothing. That's what we read in verse four. So that is the purpose behind our suffering brothers and sisters. And we heard the example of Job. He had the example of Stephen and another example is Jesus himself. We can all turn to 38:57 Hebrews chapter 5. It says verse 9, "And having been made perfect, he became to all those who obey him the source of eternal salvation." It says Jesus having been made perfect. He was made perfect. 39:15 So the purpose of suffering is to make us perfect. Jesus was made perfect. how he was made perfect. In the previous verse, we see although he was a son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered. He's already a son, but why he has to learn 39:33 that obedience? That's how God intended. He learned obedience through suffering. Suffering on the cross or just two or three days before the crucification. No, he had learned that obedience by suffering 39:51 when he was on this earth when he was living as a human being 33 and a half years. We read about in many places in Mark 3 we see that his own family members they called him this is a senseless fellow he's mad that's what 40:06 they thought and in some place in John also we see that they misunderstood him that why are you doing a miracles here secretly go and do in public so you want to become famous and popular right he was mis misunderstood and they said to him that once in John 40:24 chapter 7 we said that they said you have a demon And one place they said you are an illegitimate child and you have we don't know who your father is. And many places we see that they were seeking uh planning to kill him. They were planning 40:38 to stone him. In one place they took him to the hill and they wanted to push him there. So all these sufferings which Jesus went through, not even one place we see Jesus answering back, reviling back, no you are misunderstood. 40:54 Oh no no no no this is not I didn't come to be popular no I don't have a demon I have the Holy Spirit in me. He never tried to argue. He never tried to defend. He never tried to justify himself. He just kept quiet because he 41:07 learned that obedience through the suffering. That's what we read in the life of Jesus. Suppose if you can just picture this as after we finish this meeting and we go to our uh place of work or to our community where we live 41:21 an apartment. Somebody calls you. Hey, you have a demon. How do we react? They say that uh you are uh born out of fornication. How do we react? We will try to defend and say that or we'll try we'll if we are in office we'll try to 41:39 escalate and try to uh tell to the HR and this fellow spoke like this. That's how we will but where is the spirit of Jesus? If I'm a Christian, I should follow the footsteps of Jesus. That's what Jesus learned through the 41:54 suffering. He learned obedience through suffering. So we also see another mark of uh the obedience in Jesus is Isaiah chapter 50. We all know this verse verse 6 and 7. I gave my back to those 42:12 who strike me and my cheeks to those who pluck out the beard. I did not cover my face from humiliation and spitting for for the Lord God helps me. Therefore, I'm not disgrace. Therefore, I have set my face like a flint and I 42:29 know that I will not be ashamed. Here we see Jesus telling that he was not ashamed of being humiliated. Whenever some criminals when they get caught immediately they take a newspaper and they put cover their face so that their 42:42 face should not come in media or when somebody police or somebody try to slap them nobody will say okay slap me but Jesus was like that. It says my face is like a flint. They was about to slap him. He was standing like this. How he 42:57 was able to boldly stand. What made Jesus to endure this suffering boldly? We read in verse 5, the Lord God has opened my ear and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back. The secret is Jesus 43:13 decided to obey God and he was able to feel the presence of God in his suffering. He decided to obey God. There is a song we read trust and obey. There is no other way to be happy in Jesus. Yes brothers and sisters in the 43:29 circumstances what we go through either we can obey God or we can disobey God. We heard that when Jesus was reviled he never reviled back. I have to follow the footsteps of Jesus. So that is a secret that is the footstep Jesus example which 43:43 Jesus given to us and are we willing to really take up that way of Jesus and follow him. And we also sometimes you might see that when I'm going through difficulty situations, I don't see I don't feel the presence of God. I don't 43:58 uh see that God is helping me. I don't see the power of the Holy Spirit helping me. And I was as I was reading I was I just saw this verse Acts 5:32. and and we are witness of these things 44:15 and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. It really came to me very powerfully. Some of the areas where the Lord has already spoken to me, I have not obeyed that. That's reason I don't see the presence of God 44:32 in my sufferings. That's reason I'm not able to overcome sin or my difficult situation. I get angry. I try to justify. I grumble and I speak back to people who hurt me. Somewhere I have not obeyed the voice of God. Today I can 44:48 repent and come back to Lord. Lord, I want to obey your words. Lord help me to overcome myself. I want to be sensitive to the words which you are telling me. Lord I want to really follow your footsteps. I want to do I want to go 45:03 through the sufferings which is according to your will taking up the cross like you did Lord. If we really commit ourselves to the Lord definitely the Lord will really help us. And in closing Romans chapter 8:E1 17 you can see here if indeed we suffer 45:21 with him so that we may also be glorified with him for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. Yes, brothers and sisters, whatever sufferings we go through, trials we go 45:35 through, when compared to the glory which we are going to receive when the Lord comes, it is nothing. Brothers and sisters, uh in the early 19th century, there was a missionary uh from America. He went to Africa. He served tirelessly 45:49 for 24 years in the among the tribal people in Africa. He suffered a lot. He fell sick. His children fell sick. His wife fell sick. And in spite of all this difficult sufferings, he really endured and he finished the work which the Lord had 46:06 given. But when his health was very bad, he returned to America. He was coming in a ship and he informed the church people that I'm coming back home. So he was expecting that people at least two or three families will come and receive 46:20 him. But when he landed in the uh harbor, New York Harbor, there was lot of uh music and uh lot of balloons and decorations. Noise was all around. He thought okay I didn't expect my church people welcoming welcoming me like this. 46:39 So as he was the first person came out of the ship and somebody said hey go. So they pushed him side and behind him uh the president that time was theater result. He was back from Africa. He went for 3 weeks for hunting. 46:55 So he was killing the animals there and he's back after from his hunting to New York. They were welcoming the president. So nobody from his church came to welcome this missionary. So he and his wife went to home and he was very he was 47:08 very troubled and he he spoke to the Lord. Lord I worked tirelessly for 25 years without seeking any honor anything Lord but not even one soul came but this man who killed animals and enjoyed 3 weeks and the whole world is uh 47:23 welcoming him so that's when the Lord said my dear son you are not yet back home when you are back home in heaven there will be so much of joy there is so much of reward and celebration for all your sufferings which you endured in the 47:38 earth so there is a verse which 1 Corinthians 15:58 we see there it says that whatever sufferings which we go through 1 Corinthians 15:58 therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord 47:55 knowing that your toil is not vain in the Lord brothers and sisters whatever sufferings we go through in this earth it is not vain God records everything and he will reward us according to his will If we are willing to suffer 48:11 according to the will of God, may the Holy Spirit help us to live this life. Amen. >> Thank you. It's such a privilege that we can hear the truth. Um thank God God has given us his scripture 48:28 scriptures to us. We have been taught the truth. See truth uh we may not like truth because truth always uh bitter for us as human beings u because we have a poison of selfishness and pride and we love 48:47 comfort love to be appreciated love to be respected honored but that's not the way laid down by our lord Jesus Christ uh but there is a honor which comes comes from the Lord. See the Lord grants 49:04 grace to the humble. Uh only those who can discern can discern the one who has grace. That's the reason uh Jesus was not popular and Peter and Paul most of the apostles in fact Stephen goes on to say that which of the prophets I think 49:23 in acts 752 maybe which of the prophets you didn't persecute mean all those who spoke the truth you persecuted why that um anger is there in us I put myself because we have a flesh which is totally 49:42 ly corrupt. It doesn't like to hear the truth about ourselves because truth is bitter. But the Lord helps us. Here Paul writes here in Galatians 6:9, 49:58 "Let us not lose heart in doing good." Sufferings is there. It's it it is suffering. When I say no to my flesh, I take up the cross and say no to myself, 50:15 it's suffering. Like in fact, I think Peter says for 1 Peter 4:1, those who suffer in the flesh will cease from sin. So it's a battle within us. I if I stop suffering uh or hating myself, 50:35 I start loving myself, I lose out on salvation. Here it says, "Do not lo uh let us not lose heart in doing good. For in due time we shall reap, we shall reap eternal life." That means 50:53 God's life will come forth. Is that what we are here for? I think uh as a church we have been heard we have heard the truth and the Lord has separated us and brought us here for what? Not to have a nice time on this earth but uh to 51:11 partake of the life of Jesus Christ. That's the call. That's why um we heard about Job what it says what James says about Job. We heard the couple of weeks back that outcome of the Lord's dealing what was 51:29 the outcome? See there was an outcome. See he suffered suffered suffered suffered but there was an outcome. What he understood that oh God is so compassionate and merciful. Are we experiencing that every day? We go through sufferings but that's not the 51:46 end of it. What is the outcome? We should look for outcome. The outcome is every day I realize and recognize and experience God is so compassionate and merciful. Are we experiencing that or we are getting bitter every day? If we love 52:05 ourself, we get bitter and if we love the Lord and see if the Lord opens our eyes, then we see that oh Lord's dealings the outcome. See it's like a child uh sorry mother bearing a 52:21 child it's not easy 9 months but uh her hope is that one day I will have a child and all the sufferings she forgets uh because the hope is that joy is set before for Jesus suffering was a little 52:37 while in fact Paul says I think 2 Corinthians 12 he says I think 2 Corinthians 4 he says The light affliction. He says it's a very light afflictions. All the sufferings which he went through, he says light affliction. It will be true for us also at the end 52:55 of our life or experiencing God's mercy and compassion every day. We feel that that is what we should focus on. That's why scriptures are given to us. Examples of godly ones are given to us. Here the scripture says all scripture 2 Timothy 53:12 chapter 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 I'm just uh reading from living Bible the whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God is useful to teach 53:29 us what is true see there we didn't have truth that's why we were languishing in the world we were kind so selfish and cutthroat and uh doing everything to uh make our life better. 53:47 That was us and God has opened our eyes to see the truth. The truth is the living for the lord and this world is not our home as we heard our home is in heaven and we go through a little sufferings here because the world 54:04 doesn't like world didn't like Jesus the world doesn't like god world doesn't like the truth but god has separated us so that we love the truth and we be equipped realize what is wrong in our lives uh it straightens us out and helps 54:22 us to do what is right. This is what the scripture scripture in the sense the examples in the scriptures when we see God's heart and the example of Jesus the holy spirit opens our eyes then our life will get better in the process we have 54:38 to go through this thing called sufferings which is not permanent the everyday god encourages it is god's way of making us well prepared at every point fully equipped to do good to everyone that's how we keep on doing what is right. That's all our calling is 54:57 to do what is right. That means the what is kingdom of kingdom of God is righteousness. Jesus said that uh uh if you seek his kingdom and his righteousness and all that you need will be provided to you. That means what is 55:11 right in God's eyes. I keep doing what is right. If I have to ask forgiveness, I have to ask forgiveness. That is right. If I have to keep my conscience clear, I have to settle something. I have to settle something. But as I go 55:24 close to the Lord, God will show more light on myself and I get light and I get to know the truth and I get myself right with God and the outcome is uh becoming like Jesus Christ that that's the goal. And if I go away from the Lord 55:43 uh become more selfish and then oh nobody is helping me, everybody looks wrong. See this this transformation you see as I get close to the Lord I see what is lack in me and I seek the Lord as I go away from the Lord I see lack in 56:01 all the other places including God and oh I am okay I am fine that's the indication that's where uh we are heading we are heading toward God we are ready to suffer and accept the truth there's a maybe I don't have time to 56:15 read Psalm 112 is a wonderful psalm You can read the person who lives before God. I was just thinking about it. Maybe I I don't go through the whole thing. I'll just close with couple of verses. Psalm 112 is a wonderful psalm of a 56:34 righteous person. It says, "Praise God for all those who fear God and trust him. Blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing what is right in God's eyes." That's the calling. Even if it is suffering, I'll 56:47 do what is right. Then it says verse three uh maybe verse four I'll read it. When darkness overtake takes him light will come bursting. He is kind and merciful. See there's a transformation. This is the outcome of the Lord's 57:02 dealing. This man who is set his eyes on the lord. And uh even verse 5 says all goes well for the generous man who conducts his business fairly is righteous. And verse six says, "Such a man will not be overthrown by evil 57:17 circumstances. God's constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it. He does not fear bad news." You know, for a righteous man who is living for God, committed himself to the Lord, there is no bad news for him, nor 57:34 live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that the Lord will take care of him. This is the outcome of the Lord's telling. Let's go this way. This is the way Jesus went. All the apostles went. All godly ones 57:50 went. May the Lord help us. Let's bow our heads in prayer.
