8/24/25 Sermon Notes - Suffering Series1 | Tyler Kirby
Forged in the Fire: God’s Purpose in Our Pain
Psalm 115:1 NLT “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name goes all the glory…”
1John 4:4 NLT “…the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Elisabeth Elliott “If we'll trust Him... We can come through to the unshakeable assurance that He's in charge. He has a loving purpose. And He can transform something terrible into something wonderful.”
Title: The Reality of Suffering
‘forge’ – to make or shape a metal object by heating it in a fire or furnace and hammering it
Both the steel and the sufferer are in the hands of a Master who is doing a greater work
Suffering forces us to face the reality that - Life in this world is not as it should be.
Job 23:10 NIV “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”
‘tested’ - to test metal by melting it; to prove; to test the genuine as something
Jase Robertson “God does His best work when suffering is involved…isn’t that what He did in sending Jesus?”
Why suffering?
-To help others in the same struggle
... 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
-To keep us humble ... 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT “…7to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 8Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ … 10That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
-To remind us of what Jesus endured on the cross.
1. Suffering is part of this life
Romans 5:12 NLT “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”
1Peter 4:12 NIV “Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you.”
2. God is sovereign over suffering
‘sovereign’ – one who holds the power
Job 1:6-12 NLT “6One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the LORD, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. ‘7Where have you come from?’ the LORD asked Satan. Satan answered the LORD, ‘I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.’ 8Then the LORD asked Satan, ‘Have you noticed my servant, Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless - a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.’ 9Satan replied to the LORD, ‘Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. 10You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! 11But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!’ ‘12All right, you may test him,’ the LORD said to Satan. ‘Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.’ So, Satan left the LORD’s presence.”
From behind this curtain we learn…
-Suffering isn’t random…nor is it meaningless. It has a purpose. And it comes from a loving father
-God sets the parameters of the test (how far it will go)
-God is sovereign over suffering - But…God's sovereignty doesn’t mean we will understand His reasons
Nothing happens without His permission, knowledge or purpose.
3. Jesus prepares us for trouble but promises victory
John 16:33 NIV “...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
‘take heart’ is a command. It means to have courage; to trust in someone; to be confident
There wouldn’t have been a resurrection if there first wasn’t the suffering of the cross.
The resurrection proves that suffering and evil will not have the last word.
Suffering is either a setback life has thrown at us … OR … a setup by our loving Father for a greater work in His kingdom.
Romans 8:18 NIV “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
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