<p> Help for Those Who Suffer – Philippians 1:29,30 © 2011 John F. Sykes Introduction Last week we finished the gospel of Luke, my plan was to go into Acts ff Luke But God disrupted my plans by giving me a new thot in my QT, challenging!!! I say new, I have read this passage hundreds of times, this Monday new chd plan Every year I read through the Bible in a diff version, this year the Message trans... This AM talk w U about suffering, actually helps to understand suffering Disclaimer – not talking about all types of suffering 1] not physical suffering due to illness, health, accident 2] not mental suffering due to death, relational pain 3] not suffering due to sin or som sort of trbl U hv got yrself into bec foolishness 4] BUT suffering because U are a Christian…. Background Acts 16 Paul was in Asia, heard call in the night Macedonian vision He went to Philippi: Lydia, slave girl…arrested, beaten, imprison, jailor, free, left Context of Philippians 1:29,30 1,2 Greeting 3-8 Thanksgiving to God 9-11 Prayer for abound love 12-26 P informs wht he is go thru, how feels 27,28 concern Philippians EXPOSITION – helps to understand suffering… 1st Help, understand your suffering is a gift to you V29a for to you it has been granted …not only to believe but also to suffer To you it has been granted – granted from word graciously given - instead of thm doing, granted by som1 [God], Job Not only to believe but also to suffer - not only to believe, we can see how believe granted to us, but may think it is the only thing granted to us - But also to suffer, but – contrary to, also – addition to SUFFER - Did you get that gracus gift to suffer, Ac 9:16 1Pt 2:18-21 Suffering is a gift to you - help to understand your suffering as a gift This sounds strange, it is, but that is what Philippians are told, and you. Philip Yancey said ‘pain is a gift nobody wants’ 2nd Help, understand your suffering is a privilege for you V29b on behalf of Christ…for His sake Both ‘on behalf’ of and ‘for’ are the same Of Christ – U get to suffer like Christ for others Suffering on behalf of Christ is a privilege for you Suffering is a privilege for you – help to understand your suffering as a privilege What can U do for God, U can suffer on Christ’s behalf 2Ti 1:12 1Pt 4:12,13 Ac 5:41 3rd Help, understand your suffering is not yours alone V30 having the same conflict U saw in me, now hear is in me Having the same conflict – Philippians have what P had U saw in me – Paul also suffered Your suffering is not yours alone, others also suffer – help understand not alone When ppl suffer often feel I’m the only one, why me – not just U, others 2 Ti 3:11,12 1Co 12:26 2co 1:5-7 Hb 2:9,10 1Pt 1:11 4th Help, understand your suffering is of comparatively short duration 2Co 4:16-18…for our light affliction which is but for a moment working in you Our light affliction – way of referring to suffering Is but for a moment – passing quickly in view of temporary cf to eternal Working in you something of eternal weight Suffering is of comparatively short duration – help understand suffering short dur Short duration could mean as long as the rest of your life, or years When Joseph suffered for 13 years, I am sure he struggled at times Ro 8:18</p>