Nathan Lewis - Class 5: Lamentations - Fellowshipping His Sufferings

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1. 0:01

   Thanks, brother. James we now look forward to brother Nathan’s. Final study to the theme. The fellowship of his sufferings. Thanks brother. Nathan. Well, thanks for the grant and good morning. My dear brothers and sisters in our Lord. Jesus Christ. Well, we have come to the end of our foray into the book of Lamentations.

2. 0:32

   And hopefully it has enlarged your understanding and maybe even your enjoyment of the book. But now that we’ve finished the book itself, I thought we might slow down a little bit this morning because I know we’ve been moving it, a bit of pace and Just try and spend a few minutes this morning just considering the subject of suffering itself as the main theme that emerges from Lamentations finding meaning looking for meaning in the misery.

3. 1:07

   And you remember that we lift Lamentations yesterday with this thought or question in our minds. If Lamentations chapter 3 is going to be the picture of Christ in the middle of two. Thieves the man who has seen Affliction despite his innocence but who would offer meaning and Hope. Then we have a choice before us.

4. 1:33

   Do we want to be part of an unrepentant Community? That’s Afflicted because of sinfulness, but we end up just going through life, enduring, grief, without meaning. That’s The Afflicted, Daughter of Zion or are we determined to be affected by this man in the middle and be the repentant thief? The faithful Community inspired by this man’s example and his perspective to Why on God and to patiently wait for him to join ourselves to the precious sons of Zion because the nation before Lamentations 3, and after are totally different, in their perspectives in the choice is ours, when it comes to suffering, do we want to be bitter? Beta.

5. 2:28

   Do we want to be resentful or renewed? Do we want to wallow in an enlightened self pity as the people of Lamentations 1 and 2 did or do? We identify with this man who has seen affliction? Do we recognize and him? Our fellow, our representative, our example are we willing to let him drastically alter, our thinking, are we ready to side with him and share his Hope and unshakable Faith? Are we ready to investigate?

6. 3:08

   What it means to Fellowship? His sufferings I mean, if Lem, if Isaiah 53 in the first instance, has the suffering servant as Hezekiah. And he was able to inspire the nation in the times of sennacherib invasion. And if in Lamentations 3 in the first instance, the man who has seen Affliction was actually Jeremiah and he was able to turn the nation from self-absorbed, disbelief, to repentance and Contrition, then how much more can Messiah change and touch us heal us. I’d like to start our story this morning in Mark chapter 5. This is a story that we we mentioned in an earlier class, but I want to just look at briefly this morning, Because it’s relevant to the healing.

7. 4:15

   That comes from our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark chapter 5 and verse 24. And Jesus went with him that is with gyrus and much people. Followed him and thronged him in a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, and had suffered many things of many Physicians, and had spent all that she had and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse.

8. 4:49

   This woman is a graphic picture, a type of ourselves, all of us. Without Christ without his healing. This is where we all start suffering. Suffering, many things. And it’s not just from the incurable bruise of sin, But it’s from our own attempts to cure ourselves. We want to turn to anything. Anyone other than the true source of life?

9. 5:22

   No other physician can heal the hurt of our souls and she is broken and lost. In worse. She is deteriorating. She instinctively knew that all she needed to do, was to touch him, to align herself with him to identify with him. And by his stripes, by his experience of suffering himself. She knew that she could be healed. Now, we know the story, but Mark chapter 5 records for us. A couple of things that Luke chapter 8 does not, it tells us that she touches the border of blue of His Garment in verse 30 tells us that virtue.

10. 6:18

    Literally, it should be power had gone out of him. She felt the healing come into her body, verse 29, and he felt The Virtue. Leave his body verse 30, both of them were affected. They were both affected by the same interchange of power. LinkedIn Fellowship by the removal of the plague of suffering verse 34.

11. 6:51

    She was made whole again, and this is a type of us, our lives. This is a type of a healing, and our healing is with him virtue, goes out of his body and into her body. It’s by him, it’s with him, it’s through him. He beers our iniquities Isaiah 53 and verse 11 weird joined to him in the experience of suffering and the bearing of it away. We have it in common And it’s not just suffering as it, it’s suffering for a higher purpose suffering with a goal in view suffering for an ultimate goal, we are inseparable e linked to him by this experience.

12. 7:44

    And did you note that after 12 years of slowly growing worse? They could be no mistake when she came in contact with Jesus Christ immediately healed slowly deteriorating for 12 years immediately healed. There could be no mistake this man can totally and drastically change our lives.

13. 8:09

    Now we know that we are linked to Christ in suffering because of how the scriptures talk about the necessity for Christ and ourselves to suffer. Look at these references, we know them pretty well but you might like to take a note of them somewhere. It’s about how Christ had to suffer the inevitability of his suffering.

14. 8:33

    Ought not Christ to have suffered these things look Four verse 26, in verse 46. And thus, it behoved Christ to suffer. It was appropriate, it was right. That even a sinless man had to go through suffering. But those things which God had showed by the mouth of All His prophets that Christ should suffer. X 3:18 X chapter 17 opening and alleging that Christ must needs. Have suffered and risen again from the dead and Acts 26 verse 22 to 23.

15. 9:14

    I continue unto this day. Witnessing that Christ should suffer and be the first that should rise. It was prophesied by all the prophets. It was inevitable. And the same is true of us. We are linked to him, we Fellowship him in the fact that we are all suffering for a greater good and that that’s God’s will just as he suffered for a greater good, just as it behoved Christ to suffer, it, behoves us to suffer X-14, we must through much, tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

16. 9:58

    Philippians 1 For unto you, it is given not only to believe on him but also to suffer. For his sake, first Thessalonians, 34 verily, when we were with you we told you before that we should suffer tribulation second. Timothy 3. Ye all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. And first of Peter for beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you it’s appropriate.

17. 10:34

    It’s right that you suffer because In this way, you are inseparably linked. To the man who can bear that suffering away. We Fellowship our Lord, Jesus Christ and his suffering. Would God exempt us from what it was necessary that even Christ experienced. Suffering is our father’s way of touching teaching, our heart, rather than just a head. Suffering encourages intimate, moments and experiences. We know this to be true brothers and sisters when we feel alone and desperate and lost and Abandoned. And in despair, we turn to God in a very real and authentic way.

18. 11:27

    It doesn’t just happen by books, does it? It doesn’t just happen by reading the Scriptures. It happens by the experiences of life that our hearts are turn to God. There’s no energy for superficiality or pretense when times of suffering and difficulty come upon us. We’re brought down to the essence of who we are and what is important and we turn to what’s important in those difficult moments.

19. 11:58

    Do you know brother Grant mentioned in his prayer? A couple of Beatitudes from Matthew chapter 5? You remember, what the Beatitudes sound like? But listen to how General, they are until a point. Matthew Chapter 5 says this, you don’t have to turn it up. Just listen. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

20. 12:28

    Blessed, are they that mourn for they shall be? Comforted blessed, are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed. Are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain Mercy. The pure in heart for they shall see God. The peacemakers for they shall inherit it be called the children of God, but when it comes to persecution, When it comes to suffering blessed, you.

21. 12:57

    When men will revile you and persecute you and say, all manner of evil, against you falsely for my sake rejoice and be exceeding, glad there’s something about suffering, that makes the truth intensely, personal it takes it from a generalization down to our lives. In that moment, it brings us to know God, we learn things that we could not learn in any other way.

22. 13:27

    Joseph in jail. Daniel in the Lion’s Den Jeremiah and a pit pull in a shipwreck, we have something in common with Christ something that we fellowship with him, a heavenly father, who’s interested enough to shape Our Lives by suffering. Should we be surprised to find that trials and pressure are inevitable. Look what Peter says. Why do you think it a strange thing that these things are happening to us?

23. 14:01

    It’s God’s way of linking us to Christ. It’s God’s way of yoking us to him. and when Paul was stopped in his tracks on the road to Damascus by that, by that blinding light, which was able to Blind his eyes, even through his tightly squeezed eyelids, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Told him you will be Christ to the Gentiles and the way in which you will be Inseparable, e linked.

24. 14:36

    To me is that I will show you how great things you must suffer for my sake X chapter, 9, and verse 16. This is what links us gives us fellowship with Christ. The experience of suffering. It’s not the only thing but it’s one of those things. So why is the fellowship of suffering? Such an important part of discipleship? Well because we know that difficulties and suffering and in trouble and Calamity builds character. Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 11 now, no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but Grievous, nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth.

25. 15:21

    The Peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them, which are exercised, their by James chapter 1, count it all joy. When you fall into divers Temptations, knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work that ye Maybe perfect. Or first of Peter, that the trial of your faith that would be tried with fire might be found unto praise and honor, if we are exercised by chastening Then it builds and gives us Peaceable fruit.

26. 16:00

    If we are have their minds energized and worked by our Temptations. We are made perfect. If we discovered to find what is behind our trials, we realize praise and honor. Suffering is all about character. It’s all about character suffering, is not just about losing things in suffering loss. It’s not about exact retribution, it’s not about having things taken away. I mean, you look at the experience of job who James puts forward as the great patient, man, of the Old Testament, who suffered enormous things from Job, chapter 12, chapter 42. He had everything taken away his wealth, his family, the security, his sense of purpose, but the listen Was really all about with a job and his three friends could still see that God was in control.

27. 17:04

    And when they learned that God, gave everything back everything back to Joe because it was not about the things, which he took away. It was not really about the deprivation. It wasn’t really about the suffering. It was really to build character, and when he received the character of job, greatly improved through that experience, all those things came back to job because it was all about character.

28. 17:32

    So, we asked the question, Suffering in our lives. Our calamities building character. How we actually just suffering? without thinking about meaning, are we suffering the same things over and over again and not learning? Is that why sufferings continuing? Because we’re just not getting it because we’re not attempting to understand how our characters might be changed. Are we progressing in our understanding through suffering, and what I’d like to propose for most of this morning, is that actually within the construct of suffering, there is a definite progression.

29. 18:18

    There is a process of development that enables Us in suffering. To be more like Christ that we might Fellowship his suffering and I’ve called it the hierarchy of suffering. You might have a much better word than that but it’s the reason the reasons why we are prepared to suffer. And those reasons I think you’ll see can be quite different. Quite different from each other.

30. 18:48

    And we want to see this morning a progression in our understanding of why we might suffer in Fellowship. The sufferings of Christ. We’re going to start down the bottom with the first step on the hierarchy suffering, without meaning this is where the really, the majority of the world. 99% of the world is in category.

31. 19:14

    Number one, suffering without meaning bad things. Happen, people get cancer, people died, early people lose money. People break up terrible things happen, terrible suffering, people die, and War atrocities, All of this is happening without any ability to find meaning as we have said, because meaning only comes from God. The rest of the world is stuck here, largely in this bottom section suffering. Without meaning suffering is endured as a universal experience, irrespective of sin or Merit and come to Luke Chapter 13 because here’s an example of that. We’re going to look up one example. For each of these, Luke Chapter 13 and verse 1. They were present at that season. Some that told him of the galileans whose blood pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

32. 20:12

    That’s a nice sort of euphemistic way to saying they were slaughtered And Jesus answering said unto them, suppose ye that, these galileans were Sinners above all the galileans because they suffered these things. Suffering happens as a universal experience, irrespective of sin or Merit. We just read, Mark chapter, 5 and verse 26. The woman with the issue of blood suffered, many things, and actually was slowly growing worse. This is the experience of our lives really without Christ suffering without meaning.

33. 21:01

    But then, we come to a point where we we are able to endure some suffering and we’re prepared to suffer some things because we accept that this can build character. There’s suffering with acceptance and you might even argue that some people in the world are prepared to go through suffering because they feel that there will be some intrinsic good. Even without God in their lives.

34. 21:30

    That this this will build character and make us a better person. Obviously, in Christ, we understand it to mean that we will build a spiritual character in our lives. So, come to First of Peter in chapter 4, And see how this is no longer suffering without meaning, this is suffering with acceptance that it might bring forth good in our lives, it might build character.

35. 21:57

    Verse 19 of first of Peter for wherefore, let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator. Now it doesn’t say as unto a faithful Heavenly Father it says unto a faithful Creator because when we suffer God is creating something in us and that That thing is character the character of Jesus Christ and so we are prepared to suffer some things because we accept that it will build our character.

36. 22:39

    First of Timothy 4 says we suffer reproach because we trust in the Living God we acknowledge that there will be some good things that come out of our suffering. But then we come to a point where we are prepared to go even further. We’re prepared to suffer more things because we identify with Jesus Christ.

37. 23:08

    This is suffering with identification, we’re prepared to suffer more things because it’s for his sake. So Philippians chapter 1 And look what it says in verse 29 of Philippians chapter 1. For unto you. It is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake.

38. 23:41

    To suffer because of him. For his name, Acts chapter 5 and verse 41, says they counted it in honor Nothing of Worth to suffer shame for his sake and for his name. So we’re prepared to suffer more things because we identify with Christ, we’re no longer suffering just abstractly because it might be good for us. We’re doing it because we’re doing it with him for him, for his sake, because we identify with Jesus Christ. and then I think we progress from this to suffering with love, we’re prepared to suffer most things because we can see that it might lead to the Salvation of others rather than just having an inward Focus, where suffering might give us good or because we identify with Christ now we’re prepared to suffer most things because we can see that it might help other people who are motivated for something outside of ourselves for the Salvation of others, come across the second of Corinthians and chapter 1 in verse 6.

39. 25:05

    Perhaps we read from verse five. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us. So our consolation also aboundeth by Christ and with it. We be afflicted. It is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings, which we also suffer, or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation and our hope of you is steadfast knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings.

40. 25:46

    So shall ye also be of the consolation we’re prepared to suffer verse six because we can see that it might be helping. Somebody else we do this out of love for our brothers and sisters. Second Timothy 2 in verses 9 and 10 says that we endure, all things for the elects sake, we’re prepared to put up with immense suffering for each other. Well, that’s a another level.

41. 26:17

    Isn’t it of our willingness to engage in the sufferings of Christ? And we do this because this is Christ’s example, look at Hebrews 13 and verse 12, Wherefore Jesus. Also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered, without the gate. He’s a man who was prepared to suffer so that he could sanctify his Brethren. He’s suffering out of love, he’s suffering because it might help and save others.

42. 26:56

    This is the next stage in our understanding and progression of why we suffer. So we’re prepared to suffer some things. We’re prepared to suffer more things, we’re prepared to suffer most things. What about suffering with faith? I don’t know about you brother and sisters, but here’s where it gets tough for me suffering wrong things because this is Christ’s example, we appreciate that. This is the ultimate example of Christ. Now, I don’t know about you.

43. 27:39

    But I’m, I’m kind of prepared to undergo some degree of suffering because I can see greater good. I’m prepared to do that for Christ. I am prepared to even do some of those things for you. but man, when I have to suffer something wrong for Christ’s sake, that’s where it gets really tough for me. When Sue’s comes and says, we need to talk. And that talking really means you need to listen. And that listening really means.

44. 28:24

    He is how you’re wrong, and I don’t agree, and I don’t think it’s fear. It is extremely difficult to remain silent and to not justify myself suffering. Wrong for Christ’s sake, is enormously difficult and here’s our next level. Are we prepared to suffer wrong? Because we appreciate that. This is the ultimate example of Christ First Corinthians 6 is, are you prepared to suffer yourself, to be defrauded? Come to First of Peter and chapter 2, because we should really read these words because these words are well known to us, but bring home this message better than I could first of Peter chapter. 2 and verse 19.

45. 29:18

    For this is think worthy if a man for conscience toward God in Jeweler grief. Suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it? If when you be buffered for you, folks, for your faults, you take it patiently. But if when ye do well, And suffer for it. You take it patiently. This is acceptable with God.

46. 29:50

    This is a higher level, isn’t it? This is a harder thing to do chapter 3 in verse 17. For it is better, if the will of God be so that ye suffer for well. Doing then for evil doing people accuse us of doing or saying something wrong and we haven’t actually done that. We are suffering for well doing, it’s all very well to suffer because of our sins.

47. 30:23

    That’s kind of like stick number one. That’s what everybody does. We all sin, we all experienced suffering. It’s a universal law of consequences that came in in Genesis chapter 3, But suffering, wrongfully. Willingly for Christ’s sake. Oh, this is a lot harder. This is a much harder cool, isn’t it? That we’ve been called to Well, how about then? The next step we are prepared to suffer the loss of all things that we might win Christ.

48. 31:04

    Philippians chapter 3 and our reading tonight. We know these words so well. We know the The qualifications of Paul has experience. How many years? Did he put into University brothers and sisters? How many hours did he put in late at night? Studying the Scrolls How many deprivations did Paul put up with to sit at the feet of Gamaliel?

49. 31:38

    And he’s going to tell us I’m prepared to suffer the loss of all things, because that’s what Christ did. This is not just suffering. Wrongfully. This is suffering. The loss of all things that we might win Christ, this is suffering with hope. We believe that we will be likin if we emulate him.

50. 32:01

    And lastly we come to the last step. We Rejoice to Suffolk anything that might allow us to fill up our fellowship with the sufferings of Christ. This is now suffering with joy suffering with joy. The Fellowship of his suffering come across if you’re in Philippians One page to Colossians chapter 1 in verse 24. We’re of, I Paul and made a minister who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up that, which is behind of the afflictions of Christ.

51. 32:52

    In my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the Ecclesia we’re of. I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you to fulfill the word of God. And the Apostle Paul. Knew what it was like to rejoice. In suffering, anything that might bring him closer to the sufferings of Christ.

52. 33:21

    That’s what he did. Denis in Acts chapter 16 with Silas by his side, his feet in the stocks beaten, nothing to be thankful for in this life and they sang Praises of joy that rang through the prison. His his, the objective of suffering to get to this point where we’re prepared, Hard to reduce to Suffolk anything that might allow us to associate and fill up that, which is behind of the sufferings of Christ.

53. 33:54

    First of Peter, 3 and verse 14 says, if ye suffer for righteousness sake, Happy are ye that’s a difficult place to get to as an IT brothers and sisters. A very difficult place to get to, but Paul got there. And presumably Silas got there. And presumably, some of the other Apostles got there. And I would dare to say that there’s people who gave their lives in the Inquisition Faithfully for Christ who got there.

54. 34:27

    And I would dare to say there’s probably older brothers and sisters in our knowledge and experience. Maybe even sitting here who have got to that point, it’s not going to happen. Probably win, we’re 17 years old. Is it? But this is the Journey of a lifetime up this hierarchy of suffering. Now, this hierarchy is not perfect, you might want to change it, you might want to adapt it, you might be sitting there and thinking, I’d like to see one, two, and three. And then I’d like to see faith, hope and love all kind of on the same level.

55. 35:03

    And then finally Joy at the top. That’s okay. It’s really the idea. The idea that we are growing upwards. It’s the spiritual framework? That’s important. It’s not a strict schedule. Where we graduate to the next level, but it’s a gradual progression. A gradual Improvement of thought of motivation in our lives. A gentle transformation upward as we grow spiritually, as our characters are molded to be more receptive. To his gentle hand, we mature, maybe we endure suffering for different reasons.

56. 35:41

    As we mature, we make progress upwards through. This hierarchy, maybe we’re at different places for different things in our lives. But the most important thing is that we are climbing towards him. We Are Climbing towards the top, we go from a miserable and reluctant acceptance. That maybe there might be some character development possible, and trial to a joyous Freedom, that enables us to suffer. What either our heavenly father and his wisdom thinks is necessary that we can Fellowship Shear in the experiences of Christ and be like him, the man intimately acquainted with suffering.

57. 36:28

    You think what a privilege it is, brother and sisters. That we’ve been called to be like him. To be like him. How are we going to go from being like a selves? And I won’t describe myself because you know all too well what I’m like to that. How are we going to go from here to there?

58. 36:55

    There’s only one way by pressure by suffering by conforming us to His Image. So again, this is not a perfect diagram but hopefully it’s a helpful one as we sort of try and appreciate our journey and look where it ends what an end point for suffering. Who would have put Joy? As the in point for suffering, that’s what James chapter, 1 and verse 2 says count it all joy when you fall into divers Temptations. It’s an incredible point to get to in our lives and as we’ve said absolutely impossible without God but this is where our Lord got to.

59. 37:41

    Remember these words for the joy set before him and when we are able to endure suffering or we might say chastening which would probably be a better word and when we’re able to endure it for more and more mature reasons, this is what Paul calls sharing the fellowship of his suffering. It’s suffering for the right reasons, it’s suffering for his reasons with him.

60. 38:16

    The aim is gettin to Joy in suffering. Do you know? This is what Moses said, Way Way Back In. Psalm 90 verse 15. Make us glad according to the days, wherein thou Hast Afflicted Us in the Years, we’re in, we have seen evil, make us glad. There’s the incredible perspective of a man who understood this word, and You know, we say, Jeremiah suffered anti did and many of the prophets suffered that can you imagine leading 2 million, 2 million miserable whinging, Israelites through the Wilderness for 40 years in this man, suffered enormous things as well. And he said, make us glad according to the days, wherein thou Hast Afflicted us.

61. 39:11

    What an incredible perspective. We’re aiming for joy in our sufferings So how can we reach Joy? Well, as we conclude our study of Lamentations in the meaning of suffering, it’s really for three reasons in the first one is that suffering is for our ultimate good.

62. 39:38

    Now we all know that suffering doesn’t feel good. Suffering never feels good. That feelings are not facts and the facts are that actually suffering is for our good. Look what Joseph says in Genesis 50. But as for you ye thought evil against me but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive couldn’t almost get a better description of the atonement in the Book of Genesis, then that little phrase

63. 40:19

    This whole thing is meant for our good to save us alive and everything that looked evil was actually for a good order on me, eight, who fed them with Manna in the wilderness that he might humble thee improve the and do the good in thy latter, end? Some 119. It is good for me that I’ve been Afflicted. Good for me, that I have been Afflicted that I might learn thy statutes or Romans 8, we know that all things work. Give it for good, for those that love God. And the greatest example of this has to be the crucifixion, does it?

64. 40:56

    Not I mean, when we look at the crucifixion it’s so wrong. And so evil that that happened to a perfect lovely man, but out of the greatest evil, And the cruelest suffering Kane, the greatest good. Suffering is for our good. There is more cause for joy in our suffering Beyond just goodness though. And that’s because suffering, ultimately will bring us to perfection.

65. 41:33

    Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 10 for it, became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation. Perfect through sufferings. And it’s not just Christ, it’s ourselves sees Peter, but the God of all Grace who is cooled us unto his Heavenly Glory by Christ?

66. 41:56

    Jesus. After that, you have suffered a while make you perfect stablish. Drinks and see to you. This is our hope suffering is not just to ultimately realize good. But to ultimately realize perfection. In Christ, and in US. And yet, I think you would agree that even this has a tinge of selfishness. It’s our good.

67. 42:34

    It could be we us seeking after our Perfection that the ultimate purpose of suffering is for our changed lives to Bear, testimony to something, not of ourselves, but of God and the clue as to what that is is right here. And these two quotations on suffering, perfecting us. Because the ultimate good is really hidden in those two verses, its the glory of suffering suffering is to bring us to a point where we reflect God’s glory and his character as we saw last night with a brother Ben. Actually, the true in point of suffering is the Declaration of God’s glory in US.

68. 43:34

    This is the purpose in our lives. I’d like you to come back to Luke chapter 15. Because as we close this morning with just a couple of references, I’d like to draw your attention to the story of the prodigal son because epitomized in the story of the prodigal. Son, is the lesson of suffering.

69. 43:57

    The change, the change from Lamentations 1 and 2 to Lamentations 4 & 5. Now, we know we know the story but embedded in, this story is a key for our lives and it’s the proof that suffering makes a difference. Suffering, makes a difference, Luke chapter, 15, and verse 12.

70. 44:27

    Reading from verse 11, he said a certain man had two sons and the younger of them said unto his father. Father, you might want to put a circle around these words. Give me give me the portion of goods that falleth to me and he divided unto him as living and he went out.

71. 44:47

    And he spent everything rapidly and foolishly on himself when he had spent all there arose, a mighty foe. Famine in the land and he began to be in want and he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country and he sends him into the fields to feed swine and he would have eaten has eaten his fill with the with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him verse 17. But when he came to himself, He said. How many hired Servants of my father’s have bread enough, and to spare, and I perish with Hunger. I will arise and go to my father and said to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

72. 45:36

    Make me as one of the hired servants and you might like to put a circle around those words make me, this is the story of The Prodigal Son. The purpose of suffering is to make us come to ourselves to realize the wonderful character of our father and to throw ourselves on his mercy.

73. 45:59

    And we go from, give me to make me and suffering is the difference. It takes us from focusing on our self to focusing on God. And we see in our prayers that our prayers go from Comfort, be. Two. Conform me. It’s no longer give me. It’s make me. This is spiritual maturity. This is the difference between Lamentations one and Lamentations five. God’s glory can be seen brothers and sisters in transformed lives.

74. 46:50

    It’s not just seen in people who suffer button, people who suffer with the right attitude for the right reasons, people who understand the purpose of suffering, and the ultimate end immortality. And more more than just that a fellowship with Christ Family likeness with him, We’re All God’s Children. He and US conformed to His Image. Come a few will to Romans chapter 8 in conclusion of our studies together this week.

75. 47:27

    These well-known words. Verse 17. Or reading from verse 16, the spirit itself, beareth witness, with our spirit that we are the children of God. and if children, Then ears is of God and Joint heirs with Christ. Why are we joint is with him? Because we have been joined together in fellowship with him by our sufferings.

76. 48:06

    Joint is with Christ. If so be that. We suffer with him, that we may also be glorified together for. I reckon that the sufferings of, this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which shall be revealed in US.

77. 48:29

    This is all about developing a family likeness. We are children. We are Sons. We are joint ears but only if we suffer with him, our sufferings are not worthy to be compared with what God has promised to give Christ. And if we are prepared to Fellowship, his sufferings, and fill up the sufferings of his body behind, then we are in him, and we will inherit all things and her brother, Harry tenant said, The Best Is Yet To Come.

78. 49:04

    It’s all going to be worth it. Brothers and sisters. It is all going to be worth it. Some of you may have had The experience of watching your wife, give birth.

79. 49:20

    And all of the pain disappears in just minutes. And I asked her after, the last time, ten minutes after she gave birth, we’re ten minutes earlier. She was saying something quite different. Would you do it again? And she said in a heartbeat, In a heartbeat, all the pain and the suffering dissolves in a moment of time with the joy of that child.

80. 49:51

    This is what it’s going to be like, brothers and sisters, which of us having experienced, only 10 minutes of immortality, 10 minutes of immortality will not say, I’d do it all again. In fact, I’d put up with a lot more. To be here right now. 10 minutes into eternal life. This is our hope brothers and sisters.

81. 50:13

    This is our goal. This book can be at inspiration. Let’s pray that his glory might be seen in all of us revealed in US perfected by suffering. And that the Timeless message of Lamentations for us, might not have been in vain.