welcome to the revolution suffering and redemption

Welcome to the Revolution

Suffering and Redemption

I didn't eat…

"Everything happens for a reason"Is a great saying

"The universe has a Greater PurposeFor all things

All will be revealed one day"

"Everything happens for a reason"Is a great saying

Just not true…

Fired…flat tire…relationship ended

"I stole that money and got fired…

But everything happens for a reason"

"I said those things about himAnd he quit being my friend…

But everything happens for a reason"

"Everything happens for a reason"

Never takes awayPersonal responsibility for our actions

Painkilling Salve

Responsibility Dodge

Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason

But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose

"The universe has a Greater PurposeFor all things

All will be revealed one day"

Purpose: glorify God

The heavens declare the glory of God- Psalm 19

If what happensDoesn't result in God being glorified

I've missed the purpose

Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason

But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose

How do we find PurposeIn the things we face?

Timothy, Paul and SilasIn Philippi

And on the Sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where

we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to

the women who had come together

One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller

of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay

attention to what was said by Paul

And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.”

And she prevailed upon us

As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a

spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling.

She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most

High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation”

And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed,

turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus

Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul

and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city.

They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to

accept or practice”

The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off

them and gave orders to beat them with rods.

And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them

into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely.

Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison

and fastened their feet in the stocks

Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason

But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and

the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations of the prison were shaken

And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were

unfastened.

When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself,

supposing that the prisoners had escaped

But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in,

and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.

Not every door God opensShould be walked through

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and

you will be saved, you and your household”

And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds;

and he was baptized at once, he and all his family

Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them.

And he rejoiced along with his entire household that

he had believed in God- Acts 16:13-34

Missionary Journey…

Great dangerReach and Preach

Strengthen and move on

Lydia hears the gospel And comes to know Jesus

Girl with SpiritFollows around…

Girl with SpiritFollows around…

She is delivered

Follow the money…

Beaten with rods= in great pain

Beaten with rods= in great pain

Shackled to the groundDank, dark, smelly, freezing prison

"This is unfair! We tried to serve You.Why are you doing this to us?

We gave our time, our livesPut ourselves in danger for You.

Why did you allow this to happen?"

And God answered by releasing the shackles and setting them free…

And this has been repeated over and over again in history NEVER

Bitterness, complaining and blaming God

have never brought about one single miracle

Not even one move of God's Spiritin all of history

David poured his heart outAnd then turned to praise

And a reaffirmation of his FaithAnd God's goodness- every time

And God continually delivered

Do all things without complaining or arguing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and

twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…

- Phil. 2:14-15

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God

We trust you: FaithWe love you: Worship

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel

- Psalm 22:3

Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel

- Psalm 22:3

Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason

But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose

When we respond

in Faith andin Worship

What are you facing?

What are you facing?

How are you responding?

…and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there

was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the

prison were shaken

1 – The Prisoners heard Real Believers2 - God showed up

Shackles fall off

Jailer is so scared he wants to be dead

Salvation comes to himAnd his household

THAT redeems their pain

Brings Purpose into Hardship And makes it all worthwhile

(For anyone who loves Jesus)

Did it happen for some cosmic reason?

God redeemed it for his Purposes

Because of their response

- Faith- Worship

If it causes God to be glorifiedBy you or by others

God has redeemed itAnd Purposed it for something Greater

If it causes God to be glorifiedBy you or by others

God has redeemed itAnd Purposed it for something Greater

(There will be joy in the pain)

"Everything happens for a reason"

It's not about you and your painIt's about God and his glory

Faith and WorshipGive God room to work

Not everything that happens has A Spiritual reason

But everything that happensHas the potential for divine Purpose

Today:

"God, give me faith to knowThat you are with me regardless

And that you've got meRedeem this for your glory

And my ultimate joy"

Today:

"I trust youAnd will rely on you

Instead of myself and my resourcesAs I go through this"

Today:

"Lord, I praise you that I don'tHave to face this alone

That you are more than enoughTo handle everything I face"

Layman Church:

"God, we Trust You for daily mannaWe will obey as you lead

We Praise You for new lifeSpringing up all around us"

Next Steps…

- Identification- Read NT Gospel- Pray- Share- Prioritize Fellowship