Suffering Doesn't = Punishment

Vincent Ford

Repentance • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Introduction

Have you ever had to pause because of the pain you are experiencing? Has deterioration been a default leader in your life? Have you been in the classroom of grief being taught by torture, meanwhile sitting next to misfortune, misery and anguish? Suffering is never a peaceful time in our life. Often times suffering brings about the most questions. One of the frustrations of suffering is the fact that people can ask more questions that they can give encouragement. I am reminded of Job, whom God depicts as a righteous man, nonetheless he goes through a turbulent storm to be questioned and ridiculed by his friends and his wife. I want to affirm with you today that suffering does not equal punishment for something you have done wrong, but seeing that we all have fallen short in some way God does require repentance. When we get caught up in trying to normalize, justify or scrutinize the suffering of others we lose sight of what God has asked us to do.

Here we are in , in which Jesus finds it opportune to repeat himself as it pertains to repentance. Essentially explaining that destruction is waiting on everyone who refuses to take note of the warning at hand. One thing we have to realize is people need encouragement and accountability more than they need you badgering them about their decisions and questions of skepticism because you cannot believe that happened to them. Sometimes things just happen, there may not be an explanation it just happens, but because life is not promised, it’s unsuspecting and challenging we need to prepare ourselves for every outcome possible.

This is what Jesus is teaching, suffering does not equate to a consequence of sin, nonetheless everyone is in need of repentance. We have all fallen short, we have all made mistakes, but one thing we know for certain is that Jesus can restore even the worst of us.

Setting of the Situation

In the previous chapter Jesus presents quite the challenging ideology. Family is one tough piece of work and religion can make for quite the thanksgiving table conversation. As this chapter closes Jesus expresses our ability to be wise in academia and other arenas but refuse to understand the urgency of our soul salvation. This chapter is ended with Jesus expressing the fact that if we are wise we will do what is right by God while there is still time.

Jesus states that we will not get out of there until you have paid the very last cent. The issue is, it is something we could never repay, so if we can get our life right now. We need to do it now.

Considering everything Jesus has just said, instead of trying to make things right with God they begin to justify themselves by scrutinizing the acts of others.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 13

Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.

In response to this report of Pilate mixing blood with their sacrifices Jesus poses a question, do they assume that their sins were greater because they suffered in this manner? Historically it has been said that the Galileans were quite the up-risers as it pertained to political rights.

There is a reference to the idea that Pilate murdered the Galileans in the middle of their sacrifices. It is suggested within the writings of Josephus "But Pilate undertook to bring a current of water to Jerusalem, and did it with the sacred money, and derived the origin of the stream from the distance of two hundred furlongs. However the Jews were not pleased with what had been done about this water; and many ten thousands of the people got together, and made a clamor against him, and insisted that he should leave off that design. Some of them also used reproaches, and abused the man, as crowds of such people usually do. (61) So he habited a great number of his soldiers in their habit, who carried daggers under their garments, and sent them to a place where they might surround them. So he bade the Jews himself go away; but they boldly casting reproaches upon him, he gave the soldiers that signal which had been beforehand agreed on; (62) who laid upon them much greater blows than Pilate had commanded them, and equally punished those that were tumultuous, and those that were not, nor did they spare them in the least; and since the people were unarmed, and were caught by men prepared for what they were about, there were a great number of them slain by this means, and others of them ran away wounded; and thus an end was put to this sedition.”.

So Jesus poses a question, do they assume that their sins were greater because they suffered in this manner.

Do we do this? Is our first response to the fate or suffering of those around us constitute us to believe they did something terrible to deserve such an issue?

is quite the similar thought process. “And His disciples asked Him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind? Often times it’s difficult to see God in the hindrance or the difficulty. We are quit to equate struggle with consequence of something we have done, nonetheless sometimes struggle brings us closer to the magnitude of God’s power, his grace and his mercy. So much so, Jesus responds in It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

So Jesus responds to the reporters with a firm no, but he encourages repentance, otherwise they will perish.

Repent meaning to change, or to have a change of self (heart and mind) that abandons former dispositions and results in a new self. new behavior, and regret over former dispositions.

So once he petitions them to repent once, he has to provide another illustration. See this is what a good teacher does when we do not get it the first time. They have to re illustrate the lesson. * Then Jesus asked another question, do you believe the men who died at the expense of a tower falling on them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem. I instantly thought about the people in the Twin Towers. No one cared in that instance if people were white, black, muslim, atheist, catholic, baptist, methodist, agnostic, woke, LGBTQ, young or old. Everyone was in utter disbelief of such catastrophe. This is the same ideology we should have with sharing the gospel to the lost, their life is in a state of catastrophe and we need to save them from the burning building of sin before it is too late.

In a nutshell we have two disasters:

1. Galileans whom are said to have been murdered in the middle of their sacrifices. Historically it has been said that they stirred up political trouble. So as the story has it Pilate had soldiers disguise and kill these Galileans.

2. The second story is quite vague and obscure. Nonetheless its tragic that a tower falls and kills 18 people. This would be something that would make the national or even world news of that many casualties at one time.

The issue in this text isn't the tragedy, we all feel bad when tragedy strikes, but it exposes a historical problem. If we say one must reap what they sow in one breath and then in another assume that tragedy is a direct indication of sin we are utterly confused. Although there are consequences, God is still a just God. Like any good parent some chastisement is necessary but sometimes the consequences are worse than any punitive punishment.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;

Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.

9 He leads the humble in justice,

And He teaches the humble His way.

10 All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth

To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD,

Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

12 Who is the man who fears the LORD?

He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

13 His soul will abide in prosperity,

And his descendants will inherit the land.

14 The asecret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,

And He will make them know His covenant.

What we must understand is that chastisement from God and suffering allowed by God are two different things. Jesus suffered for us on the cross, but it was not chastisement. Paul suffered with the thorn in the flesh but it was not chastisement. Suffering for the cause of Christ is not a punishment it is a glorification of God. Sometimes we have to suffer for what we believe in.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

14 If you are reviled afor the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a btroublesome meddler;

16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.

Here’s what we have to understand is whether it be chastisement or suffering I need to be encouraged and comforted. Whether it be chastisement or suffering I need to be encouraged that if it’s something I have done I need to repent!

“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?

- “Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright destroyed?

Or where were the upright destroyed?

Job's friends instead of being encouraging assume that he has done something worth the suffering that he is doing. Even if it is something I deserve, I still need comfort, I still need restoration. It is one of the greatest paradoxical situations in scripture. It means we cannot say that individual suffering and sin are inevitably connected but we can say that national sin and suffering are so connected. Suffering can happen even though it's no fault of your own. It is always dangerous to attribute suffering to human sin; but always safe to say that the nation which rebels against God is on the way to disaster.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update. (1995). (). La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.Job's friends instead of being encouraging assume that he has done something worth the suffering that he is doing. Even if it is something I deserve, I still need comfort, I still need restoration. It is one of the greatest paradoxical situations in scripture. It means we cannot say that individual suffering and sin are inevitably connected but we can say that national sin and suffering are so connected. Suffering can happen even though it's no fault of your own. It is always dangerous to attribute suffering to human sin; but always safe to say that the nation which rebels against God is on the way to disaster.

No matter if it is chastisement or suffering even if it’s for no fault of mine, repentance is still necessary.

If we fail to repent while we have time we will perish - you will be destroyed, or be lost, destruction

Jesus suffered and did not deserve it. He was betrayed and never betrayed anyone. He actually washed the feet of his betrayed. He was denied by Peter yet he provided Peter with access. He was killed by the same people who would ask what they must do to be saved.

The outcome of the cross () 54 Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Sometimes our suffering shows folks who God is, sometimes your suffering might save someone’s soul. Your resilience might be the recipe that shows someone else how great God is!

says to these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Even after he suffered, God is showing the other side of suffering. That even though we might be suffering when God brings you out no can deny the power of God. I’m still faithful in the midst of unemployment, I’m still faithful in the midst of oppression, I’m still faithful in the midst of family problems, I’m still faithful in the midst of heartache and pain, I am still faithful in the midst of sickness. My suffering is not a reflection of my sin, but a magnification of the power of God because I’m faithful.

Josephus, F., & Whiston, W. (1987). The works of Josephus: complete and unabridged (p. 480). Peabody: Hendrickson.

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