The Fellowship of sharing in Christ’s suffering

Human suffering, which every person experiences in their life:
Physical illness and ailments disease, and injury, etc
Mental illness and anguish, stress and distress
Emotional sickness; heartache and depression
Death and the suffering that goes along with losing loved ones

Suffering for the kingdom of God
Persecution and ridicule
People, even family not understanding or getting us
Physical persecution and martyrdom

Where and how are the two connected?

I Peter 4:12-15 NKJV‬‬
[12] Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

[13] but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

[14] If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are  you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

[15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.

Some suffering we bring upon ourselves, through sinful actions,even crimes; murder, thievery, gossip and slander. Then there is sickness that is self inflicted through smoking cigarettes and abusing alcohol and other substances. This is merely reaping what we’ve sown, or experiencing the penalties of our actions; this is not the same as the suffering the Bible refers to in the fellowship in sharing in Christ’s suffering,

but the human experience of suffering everyday afflictions, storms of life, turmoii, and fiery trials is connected to the experience of suffering as a Christian.

As we share in the human experience of suffering (not by choice) so Jesus invites and requires His followers to share in the fellowship of suffering with Him, the apostles prophets, etc

2 Timothy 1:8
Share in suffering for the gospel.

2 Timothy 2:3
share in suffering as a good soldier. We’re fighting a spiritual battle, as soldiers in the army of God.

2 Timothy 4:5
endure suffering as you  fulfill your ministry. You will experience affliction, hardships, persecution, suffering, etc. but how you react and respond, in the midst of great trials, as followers of Christ, will effect the outcome.

prepare for it

Continue in God’s word, daily

Continue in prayer

Continue in fellowship with the body of Christ

put on the full armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV‬‬
[10] Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. [11] Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. [12] For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  [13] Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

JOB’S SUFFERING
Job ch. 1&2
Tested by the devil

His experience was loss of everything; his livelihood, his family, even his physical heath

Allowed by God

God was in control the whole time

God knew what the outcome would be

Designed by God to test Job’s heart and faithfulness in the midst of great hardship and tremendous suffering.

So we see where Job’s human experience of great suffering and anguish was not just some deep religious experience, but his physical and mental suffering was directly connected to his faith in God

‭‭Proverbs 17:3 NKJV‬‬
[3] The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the Lord tests the hearts.

The refiner’s fire, burns in our hearts, purifying us, melting away the dross; the bad stuff that keeps us in the flesh, clinging to the dust of the earth.

‭‭Job 42:5 NKJV‬‬
[5] “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.

Many of us grew up in church and have been exposed to religion and have heard with our ears, certain things about God. Many of us have become familiar with certain teachings, doctrines, creeds, etc.

But when we see God at work in our lives and have experienced His grace and mercy on a personal level, it changes everything. The Almighty, infinite God, who is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and All-powerful, comes near to us and touches us on the inside, in the deepest crevices and dark corners of our hearts, and we become open and exposed; naked before God!

Every time we face a storm, a fiery trial, a hardship, etc, when we endure and hang on to our faith, and dig deeper into the heart of God, we grow stronger, wiser and more able to help others going through similar experiences

*Personal illustrations

7 years of intense affliction

2016 we and our baptist association came to the conclusion the sixth avenue Baptist Church would close and the church building was sold to another church, after the City of Troy attempted to seize it over code violations and tax exempt status issues

Older sister passed away in 2017 after a long and courageous battle with cancer

2018 continued harassment from the City of Troy who began seizure proceedings of church owned parsonage which we had lived in since 2006, while serving as pastor of sixth avenue Baptist Church

Mom passed in 2019 after several years of declining health

Dad passed in 2020, exactly one year and a week after mom, following a late stage diagnosis of cancer, but my sisters and I agree, he died of a broken heart after Mom’s passing

Summer of 2021 our older son Daniel went down on his motorcycle, suffered massive injuries to his abdominal and pelvic region, along with a full stroke of his brain. We were told by the team of Drs at Albany med that his chances of survival were very low. We were asked to consider organ donation and funeral arrangements. But thru the power of prayer and by the grace of God, he survived and is mostly healed

2022 began my own health battles with diabetes, foot infections and eventually amputation of my left foot and lower leg. Also towards the end of 2022 we were forced to move from Troy to Schenectady after the city of Troy seized the church owned parsonage and sold it

2023 brought us to a new beginning, back to Schenectady, to the same house where our life as family began

Through all of these storms, fiery trials and intense hardships and loss, God has prepared and equipped us for our next chapter and season of ministry

I’ve met people who have gone through similar experiences:

Several families who lost or nearly lost kids through similar experiences

Also several people I’ve encountered, who have lost a limb to illness or injury

All of these people, going through similar human experiences I was able to identify, empathize and sympathize with

Just this past week I had the opportunity to communicate with two relatives; one cousin who had her below knee amputation, and then another cousin whose husband is going to lose his right leg due to cardiovascular circulation issues.

People ask me;
HOW DO YOU DO IT?

James 1:2-4 NKJV‬‬
[2] My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience [4] But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

‭‭Romans 5:3-5 NKJV‬‬
[3] And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; [4] and perseverance, character; and character, hope. [5] Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

‭‭Psalms 91:14-16 NKJV‬‬
[14] “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. [15] He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will  be  with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. [16] With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

‭‭Philippians 3:7-11 NKJV‬‬
[7] But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. [8] Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; [10] that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, [11] if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.