Sermons on Suffering (Page 3)
Wrestling in the Darkness: Job and His Friends’ Quest for Meaning in Suffering
In Job 3-27, Job enters into a deep dialogue with his friends about the nature and meaning of suffering. They offer counsel that is, in one way, true, but is divorced from the context of Job’s life and God’s permission. We will talk about when to speak and when to be silent, how we comfort one another in suffering and also how we search out meaning together before God in suffering. (Job 3-27) Sermon Outline “I know that my redeemer lives,…
Reverence in the Darkness: Job’s Response to God in Suffering
What does it look like to turn to God in the midst of suffering? How do we recognize the reality of suffering, understand the nature of suffering, evaluate the cause of suffering, and grow through suffering? (Job 1:1-2:13) Sermon Outline “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:21) Setting the Stage for Job Overview of the Book of Job Prelude (Job 1:1-5) Acts 1 (Job 1:6-22) Cosmic face-off, part…
Occupied with Suffering
(1 Peter 4:12-19) Sermon Outline “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” (1 Peter 4:19) The Christ-centered Perspective on our Suffering (1 Peter 4:12-13) Unsurprised by suffering The joy of participation in Christ’s sufferings The glory to be revealed The Christ-centered Reason for our Suffering (1 Peter 4:14-16) The Holy Spirit in our suffering The wrong reasons for suffering The right reasons for suffering The Final…
Occupied to the End
(1 Peter 4:1-11) Sermon Outline “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude” (I Peter 4:1) Since Christ suffered in His body; join in His suffering and serve Him the rest of your earthly days. Suffering with Christ (1 Peter 4:1-6) Arm yourselves—A call to arms and ready for battle Prepare yourself Breaking from sin—Not sinless perfection or second work of grace Choosing Christ and the obedient way Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane…
Hidden Victory Within Suffering
(1 Peter 3:13-22) Sermon Outline “For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:17) Hidden victory within our suffering (1 Peter 3:13-17) Suffering and doing good Suffering and sharing hope Suffering and character Hidden victory within Jesus’ suffering (1 Peter 3:18-22) Suffering that brings us to God Suffering that proclaims the truth Suffering that upholds God’s authority DISCUSSION QUESTIONS When have you seen God use difficult circumstances in…
Righteous Suffering
(1 Peter 2:11-25) Sermon Outline “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12) The noticeable life of the exile (1 Peter 2:11-12) Exile abstinence Exile indulgence The social responsibility of the exile (1 Peter 2:13-17) Free submission Free for God’s will Free for doing good The upturned household of the exile (1 Peter 2:18-21) Upturned…
New Life
(1 Peter 1:1-12) Sermon Outline “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) ______________________ …a reality check (1 Peter 1:1-2) “To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia” (1:1b) Exile______________________ …the giving God (1 Peter 1:3) “Praise be to the God and Father…
Faithfulness in a Confusing World
God’s second response to Habakkuk includes a vision that gives him perspective on what’s happening and five woes about the sort of person who will experience the judgment of God. It is a sobering reality, but also an encouragement to those of us trying to gain God’s perspective. The end of the chapter is appropriate humility and worship before God. (Habakkuk 2:2-20) SERMON OUTLINE “See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright – but the righteous person…
Talking with God When Pain Looms Large
Habakkuk lifts his voice to God in lament again but this time calls God’s attention to the unending pain that His people are suffering at the hand of their oppressors. How do we respond to God when it seems that our suffering is larger than we ever thought possible? What do we do? (Habakkuk 1:12-2:1) SERMON OUTLINE “I will stand at my watch…I will look to see what He will say to me.” (Habakkuk 2:1) Eyes on God (Habakkuk 1:12-13)…
Suffering and the Surprising Plans of God
God’s first response to Habakkuk is surprising at numerous levels. God will respond to Habakkuk’s call for punishment of wicked but it will come in a surprising way. The punishment of wickedness will come at the hands of an even-more wicked people. The oft-quoted phrase here, “I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told” (Habakkuk 1:5), is actually a message of surprising judgment on the nations. (Habakkuk 1:5-11) SERMON…
Crying Out when God Seems Absent
The first of Habakkuk’s two laments begins with the prophet’s agonizing question about how long God will let violence and wickedness continue unpunished. What do we do when wrong seems to carry forward in the face of a righteous God? What does it look like to cry out to God in these times? (Habakkuk 1:1-4) SERMON OUTLINE “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2) Habakkuk’s Burden (Habakkuk 1:1) The context of Habakkuk…
Glorify
John’s account (John 17:1-26) of Jesus’ final hours is crowned with prayer. The prayer is perhaps one of the most beautiful views into Jesus’ interior life with the Father and is even more powerful in light of the pending suffering to come. Jesus asks His Father that glory would stream from His suffering path to the Cross, through His disciples, and through His future followers in ages to come. SERMON OUTLINE After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and…