Ebenezer LB Church Rolette, ND

“Provided That We Suffer”

March 25th, 2018

Provided That We Suffer

I’ve had the great privilege of getting to know Pastor Ben over these last months,

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as he’s been participating in the Youth Ministry at Grace LB Church in Bottineau every Wednesday that he can!

He comes with his guitar and shares some perspectives with us every week. It’s been great!

And thanks to modern technology I’ve been following his series on Job that he’s been taking you through, and I’m going to take the discussion into the New Testament for a while.

After all, this is Palm Sunday. The day in the Church Calendar that we celebrate Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem exactly one week before He would rise from the dead following His brutal execution on a Cross.

So, having followed along with Pastor Ben as he’s led you thus far, let me take us into Holy Week and Jesus’ Triumphal Entry.

John 12:12-1912 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion;behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!”16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued

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to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”

(Pray)

All along Satan has been offering Jesus an out. There’s speculation out there in the Theological World that Satan was working his influence into and amongst the authorities at that time, and also in Judas in order to ensure Jesus’ death on the Cross.

That if Satan could get Jesus killed on a cross, he’d win. BUT… Satan didn’t win! God did. The idea is that God ended up being victorious over Satan - in that He pulled some sort of fast one on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead.

If you watch a movie like Passion of the Christ, you’ll see all this depicted that way. It’s not an unpopular opinion.

But that’s not how it all goes down in Scripture. Satan might now know the future like God does. But he most certainly knows the Bible. And as Satan observes this world, and as he watched the Roman Empire rise to power and develop their methods of capital punishment he would have seen the Romans institute this Crucifixion type of execution and remember Psalm 22:16-1816 For dogs encompass me;      a company of evildoers encircles me;they have pierced my hands and feet—17  I can count all my bones—

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they stare and gloat over me;18  they divide my garments among them,      and for my clothing they cast lots.

Satan’s a SMART guy! He would most certainly put two and two together.

Especially once God prophesied through Isaiah 53:4-5:

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken,smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. As Satan sees history unfold the way it did, and he comes to know of Jesus’ birth, hearing what people like Mary say about Him in the Magnificat in Luke 2…

and several verses later when Simeon in the Temple spoke over Jesus saying,

Luke 2:29-3229 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,       according to your word; 30  for my eyes have seen your salvation31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

For my eyes have seen your salvation… Simeon says in the temple… And Satan’s listening…

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As Pastor Ben has been pointing out, Satan is the great Leviathan! He is the monster in the midst of the storm. Satan wreaks havoc every which way he can. And on earth is not his equal.

He’s not only Cruel, inflicting harm and oppression wherever he’s allowed to… but he’s CLEVER. He’s very, very smart!

And as often as we’re tempted to blame Satan for all the awful things that happen to us, we have to be careful… maybe he is to blame. Maybe not.

We like to say that we’re blessed when we prosper. And attacked by Satan when we Suffer. Maybe we’ve got it mixed up. What if the Prosperity is a Trick?And the Suffering is a Gift?

Satan knows the human heart. He’s very well acquainted with the things that make us tick. He listens to us and watches us and has no doubt in his mind as to exactly what kind of snare he can set that will absolutely, most certainly catch us. And he succeeds 100% of the time.

This world is a tailor-made snare in the purpose of Satan to enslave us to his power and influence.

1 John says that the whole world lies in the power of the Evil one. Ephesians 2 says that we all were dead in sin

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and following the course of this world and following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. All mankind.

As tempting as it is to believe that we’re okay…That the Bible’s indictments against us don’t apply to us, then think about it this way:

If you’re the kind of hunter that uses traps to catch your game, what do you bait the trap with?

Ruin? Fear? Heartache? Danger? Anxiety? Pain?

No.

You bait the trap with Promised Pleasure. Something that your quarry wants… Something that your quarry NEEDS. A good hunter makes it a no brainer! No apparent danger! Only the promise of pleasure! And bam.

The snare is tripped, and the game is caught. Every awful experience in the enemy’s wheelhouse is only unleashed afterwards.

And so just like he watches us, Satan sees Jesus:

Jesus grows up and is obviously becoming everything God purposed for Him to be.

And Satan figures it out:This boy’s gonna die on a cross.

And Satan remembers when the Israelites sinned in the desert and God sent poisonous snakes amongst them.

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Satan remembers! He was there! Right?

And God commanded Moses to make an image of a serpent, made of Bronze. Satan might have though, “The resemblance is UNCANNY!”

God said, “Lift it up on a pole. So that whoever looks upon it will be healed, and live.” Hmmm.

This Cross, he thinks… this Cross is going to be the end of me. It means Defeat for me… If Jesus dies on a Cross, that would most certainly take away my power in afflicting these rebellious people.

It means that their afflictions will actually serve in bringing about their Salvation…This cross is going to make a ridiculous example out of me.

Hmmm. This can’t happen….

So that He could be our Perfect High Priest… after His baptism, Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan.

Satan knows by now that Jesus is the Son of God. He knows why He’s here. And he knows what Jesus wants.

AND Jesus is there in the wilderness to be tempted… SO… in the Temptations, Satan offers Jesus everything Jesus wants.

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Satan even identifies with Jesus’ deepest need!“You wanna eat? Use your power to eat!” Satan nailed it. Jesus hadn’t eaten for 40 days! He was on the verge of totally starving!

Incredible discomfort, weakness, and pain… And He COULD have used His power to just make His discomfort go away… You know, just to regain a little strength? No big deal right?

“You’re the Son of God, right? You have Power, right? How could God, the Father put you through this kind of suffering and not mean for you to use this power to at least eat?”

But Jesus’ power wasn’t given to Him for the sake of His own flesh, so He declined.

“You want to rule the nations?”

“Yes.” Jesus might have said to Satan. “I’ve come to reclaim the nations from you.”

“Well here. I’ll just step aside and you can have it then! You can have it all! Just be the kind of ruler that I am. Take my place!

Do it MY way, and it’s all YOURS….”

“You want people to know you’re the Son of God?

“Yes!” Jesus might have admitted… “My deepest desire is that those the Father gives me

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will see the Glory that I had with Him in the Beginning.”

“Well then! Here is this high tower right in the center of your Religious World! Look at all the Jews gathered beneath us who’d see it! Jump! No harm will come to you! Impossible for any human. But NOT if you’re the Son of God! Jump from the Temple’s Tower, and all will believe!”

And Satan was right. They would have.But being Super Human wasn’t the kind of fame that would do anyone any good!

The only one who would gain from such fame would be a worldly, humanistic, self-focused Jesus whose heart and mind is set on the flesh and not His purpose in God.

But it’s not just that. Here’s what Satan’s suggesting: “You can PROVE you’re the Son of God! You don’t HAVE TO suffer… not now. Not Ever.You don’t HAVE TO go to the Cross.”

Satan is Clever. Everyone in those days knows

what dying on a Cross is like.

In fact, as Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane on Maundy Thursday Evening, He asks God to let this cup pass from Him.

He knows God’s answer. But He wants to tell His Father that He desperately does not want to do this. The lashings, the beatings, the mockings…. And the Cross…

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The stress is so intense He starts to sweat blood.

Satan is well-aware of the human side of Jesus. He knows Jesus knows the horror of Crucifixion. And he offers Jesus an out.

“Fulfill all your purposes, Jesus! Get all you want, Jesus! You don’t have to suffer if you just do it my way, Jesus. Prove that you’re the Son of God my way, and I’ll give you all the world,” Satan says.

Here as Jesus enters Jerusalem, a massive crowd gathers. Jesus just raised Lazarus from the Dead! And now He’s assuming the posture of a King coming into the City!

FINALLY! They would crown Jesus King of the Jews.

Think about it from their perspective:What they want from Jesus is something everyone wants. A Genie. A Healer. A Miracle Worker.

You heard Ben talk about Storms… that God not only sends storms… brings storms, but is IN storms… How about THIS MAN who CALMS storms! “What kind of man is this,” they said “that even the wind and waves obey Him?”They will follow this man to death, if it means being free from Rome. If it means relief from oppression, and healing from their sufferings.

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Think about that for a moment… In 2000 years since Palm Sunday, how much has really changed? How many follow Jesus because He heals? How many follow Jesus because someone suggested that life will improve if they do?

And so, if we read a little further in John’s account it seems as though The Triumphal Entry, from Satan’s standpoint, was perhaps a total Decoy.

This arrangement could be mutually beneficial!Jesus can just take up His Kingdom if He gives the Jews what they want.And He could avoid the Cross!

But these tricks don’t work on Jesus.

He was coming in as a King alright!

But! As soon as Jesus entered Jerusalem, His actions and His teachings didn’t condemn Rome like the Jews wanted him to… like the Jews expected Him to. Jesus condemned THEM.

Jesus didn’t come to be King of their Gluttony. To just give out bread and heal the dead… He didn’t come to be High Priest over their Self-Focused, religious pursuits. He condemned the Self-Righteous who wouldn’t Repent… In fact, in His first act as King of the Jews, Jesus came into Jerusalem, got off the colt, walked on their cloaks and palm branches straight into the Temple and drove all the Jews out!

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And He talked about destroying their precious Temple. And thus, this new King Jesus condemned their system of Religion altogether.

And over the course of just a few days, the outcry against Jesus was so great that the Romans put Him to death on a Cross because of how disappointed the JEW’S were with this King of theirs: Jesus.

Here’s my point:In order to defeat Jesus, Satan had to appeal to His Humanity. He tempted Jesus with RELIEF from Suffering! An alternative to the Cross! (which Jesus desired! Jesus asked God for an alternative)

Maybe Jesus would prefer wealth and power, and Fame, like everyone else before! With promised pleasure and the Throne…

No…

In the End: Jesus wasn’t afflicted by the devil. The Devil was trying to get Him to Detour. But Jesus wasn’t interested in serving Himselflike everyone else who ever lived is!

JESUS came to serve and to give His Life as a Ransom for us!

The same Sovereign God who laid the foundation of the earth… Who prescribed limits for the sea and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther, and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

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This God was bringing this upon Himself… He was offering Himself up for us.

They offered Him up so that they could keep their Sinfulness. That’s what THEY wanted him dead for. So that His righteous indictment of them would just go away and they could pretend to be good Jews again and still keep all their Sin and keep on giving into the Promise of Pleasure.

But in spite of their reasons… In Spite of any of our reasons, Jesus would offer Himself up to God as atonement for our Sin, and He would prove God’s Purpose in Redemption!

AND He would prove it in Himself! And He would Prove it on the cross after all.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus had the world! Like the Pharisees said in our text today, The whole world has gone after Him.

Jesus could have established an Earthly Kingdom like no other! But He obeyed the Will of God and suffered.

Because Suffering, in the purpose of God, is about something supernatural and REAL that God gives us in Himself! And it’s so utterly different from anything in this world we naturally want.

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Therefore, for our sake, Jesus knew that the path of Victory over Sin… To break the great Leviathan and bind his powerMUST be about Loving and Desiring the Purposes of God More! Even when you’re offered the entire world! Even when it means you’ll suffer and die. Victory over that murderous monster comes through Suffering.

Satan should have known! This is nothing new!

If you took the opportunity throughout Lent to read through Job for yourself, you’d have read the words of a young man named Elihu, who eventually spoke up against Job!

The Bible says that Elihu’s anger burned against Job because Job was justifying himself rather than God, believing that God had made an enemy of him for no reason.

But Elihu brings Job’s suffering, AND our suffering into perspective:

Job 32:29-3029 “Behold, God does all these things,        twice, three times, with a man,30  to bring back his soul from the pit,        that he may be lighted with the light of life.

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Job 36:15-1615 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction    and opens their ear by adversity.16 He also allured you out of distress    into a broad place where there was no cramping,    and what was set on your table was full of fatness.

Maybe Satan did know… After all, he’s God’s devil.

Who can put Leviathan on a hook?Who can put him on a leash for the kids? Whose purpose does this monster accomplish, but God’s?

And thus, our great enemy is thrown down. Not just in the grand scheme of God’s design… defeating some arbitrary enemy.

JESUS didn’t suffer and die instead of us! But suffered with us so that we might be united to Him in His Victory!! In His Suffering and in HIS Death to Sin!So that we might become like Christ and be Raised Up and seated in Heavenly places with Him!

Therefore, the Deviland all his works is thrown down in YOU. And when you’re united to Christ in His death, all of Satan’s power is subdued.

He’s been hooked through the nose. He’s leashed up to a pole. If your Father is God, this Leviathan is little. And in God’s purpose, even Useful.

NOW that you’re reclaimed…

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NOW that you’re redeemed… NOW that you’ve been called from Darkness into Light, Now that the Promise of worldly Pleasure is unmasked as the hideous monster that it really is and your Hopes and Desires have turned to the light and beauty of The Lord, all that “Suffering” in-this-world can do in you nowis meant by Christ to bring you to God.

Philippians 3:7-117 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

And that’s God Gracious Gift to Job! And it came through Suffering. God made these hard and heartbreaking things happen to Jobto reveal an Awesome, Sovereign God, and to bring Job to Him. And that’s God’s Awesome and Loving purpose in suffering along with us.

Romans 8:12-1912 So then, brothers, we are debtors,

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not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

(Pray)

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