2016, YEAR OF THE NEXT LEVEL
VISION 1000
APRIL, MONTH OF GROWTH
ATTITUDE TO GLORY 2
Phil. 2.5-11
INTRODUCTION
Attention
Between greatness and glory is suffering. You have to be willing to suffer but beyond that, you have to suffer the right way. Otherwise, you will miss the glory even though you have suffered: e.g. writing exams. Great people are able to suffer with grace.
Problem
What makes it possible for great people to suffer with grace.
Orientation
Great people are willing and able to suffer with grace because they choose their glory. They accept it. They don’t waste time avoiding their suffering. The confidently submit to it. They know where it leads and they have no problem accepting it. They determine their purpose in life, choose the appropriate suffering to help them reach the glory of attaining it. The key to glory is purpose; the route to glory is suffering.
Purpose
To challenge worldchangers to be more deliberate in their suffering and learn to choose it to facilitate their glory.
GREAT WEAKNESS OF THE CHURCH
1. We prefer to be recipients of the benefits of Christ to being his representatives. We prefer to be children of God to being his sons.
2. We are intended to be co-workers with him, Jn. 14.12; to live like he lived and suffer like he suffered, Jn. 21.20.
3. We believe we are not supposed to suffer.
4. This is not true. Great people are willing to suffer if that suffering will result in glory.
5. Ultimately, they choose their suffering.
EXCELLENCE OF JESUS
1. The life of Jesus showed that the road to glory is suffering, Heb. 12.2.
2. He wholeheartedly chose and accepted his suffering, Phil. 2.5ff.
3. From the beginning, he announced he came to suffer, Matt. 1.21; 16.21. Peter the 21st century Christian tries to stop him and gets his sternest rebuke yet, Rom. 8.17.
4. He knew you can’t run away from the suffering of glory so he chose it himself.
5. He knew his purpose; knew some suffering was necessary for it and chose it.
6. He could have avoided the whole thing. He didn’t blame anyone.
7. It is possible to suffer with joy when your suffering is the outworking of your decision for your glorious objective. The errand a boy sent himself is never tedious.
CHOSE YOUR SUFFERING
1. Be responsible in suffering. Moses was, Heb. 11.24, 25. He determined his purpose and chose his suffering.
a. Two types of suffering: one life throws at you; one you bring on yourself.
b. Be ready and willing to win in both by accepting and confronting them.
c. Choosing your suffering helps you avoid unnecessary ones life throws at you and prepares you to manage them when they are inevitable.
2. Start with foreseeing and choosing your suffering.
a. Naomi painted for Orpah and Ruth a perfect picture of gloom and suffering, Ruth 1.8-18. Often when the picture of glory alone is painted for people, they are unable to reach it because no one prepares them for the suffering it will take.
b. Naomi was brilliant. She knew the preoccupation of the girls and made her position clear on it to them. They needed a husband. Find out what your need is in a relationship and be sure that the relationship can deliver it. Communicate it.
c. Orpah was narrow. If she was ever thinking that Naomi would give birth to her next husband, she was being funny. She needed to broaden her thinking. No one relationship can meet all your needs. Take what a relationship can give and move on. But one relationship can give you platforms to meet other needs. Naomi would connect Ruth to her husband.
3. Sorting people by painting a picture of suffering
a. Nothing sorts people out for you than painting a picture of suffering. A picture of glory gets everyone excited. A picture of suffering gets everyone real.
b. Gideon sorted his men by painting a picture of suffering and pain, Ju. 7.3.
c. You need this sorting done early enough. Otherwise, it will still happen but perhaps when you have trusted the person with too much.
d. Orpah couldn’t see beyond the suffering so she got scared and ran away. When a person can’t see beyond suffering, they can’t move.
i. Orpah embarked on the trip: it seemed natural and others were doing it.
ii. She never really thought deeply about it. It is important to think about your life yourself. You don’t want to go with those who have not thought about what they are doing. Help people think.
iii. If she met the troubles later on, it would have spelt crisis for everyone.
d. Orpah was still returning to suffering but one she had not articulated, Ru. 1.11-14. Did she keep some husband back at home to marry her? No.
i. The only difference is that she was running from suffering she has articulated to one she has not articulated which could ultimately be worse.
ii. Ruth was running to suffering she has articulated. Ruth made her life a function of her choice not chance.
e. In contracting relationships, talk challenges not just goodies.
f. This is the same case with the four lepers. They articulated their suffering and chose it – to fall into the hands of the Assyrians. That will seem ridiculous but they have thought it through. What was the alternative?
g. Focus your life on something. Don’t leave it for chance.
DETERMINE AND INSIST ON YOUR PURPOSE
1. The most painful part of life is not presence of suffering but absence of meaning.
2. What makes life worth living is not absence of suffering but presence of meaning.
a. Solomon’s frustration was not suffering but meaninglessness, Eccl. 2.1.
b. Abundance without meaning is worse than lack with meaning.
3. If there is meaning, we can cope with suffering and even enjoy it.
a. A guy carrying a load for a girl he wants to win doesn’t complain.
b. Jacob suffered for Rachel and didn’t feel it, Gen. 29.20.
4. Meaning comes from purpose. Be a purpose driven person.
5. Find a purpose to live by and suffer for it.
6. Focus on the glory
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