Expect Suffering

Acts 9:15-16

When I was growing up, I often heard my mother say, “People think that they can get to heaven on flowery beds of ease.” Mom would say this because she wanted us to know that doing right is not always easy. She was trying to tell us that being faithful to Christ brings hardships. Mom was telling us that if we obey God’s commandments and follow the teachings of Jesus we just might be persecuted; people might not like us. If we serve God, it is probable that we will suffer. Mom was telling us that many people will not endure persecutions and suffering because they think that living the Christian life and going to heaven is an easy thing to do. In this article I want to lift up a few scriptures that inform us that we can expect to be persecuted and to suffer.

Most church goers have heard the story of Saul’s (Paul) conversion on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-19). We know that as Saul travels toward Damascus he is blinded by a great light from heaven, and he falls to the ground. His companions lead him into the city where Ananias ministers to him and Saul regains his sight. After receiving his sight Saul begins preaching the same Gospel that he previously denied and persecuted others for preaching. As I have listened to this story over the years there is one thing that I have seldom, if ever, heard mentioned. Hidden in the text and frequently missed is what the Lord says to Ananias in regards to Saul’s suffering.

Ananias protests the Lord’s instructions to go and minister to Saul so that he can regain his sight. “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake’” (Acts 9:15, 16, NASB). What does the Lord say to Ananias? First, Saul is chosen by the Lord to be an instrument of the Lord. Second, Saul is an instrument to bear the Lord’s name. Thirdly, Saul will suffer because he bears the name of the Lord.

Now, let us get back to what mom was saying as it relates to this text. For sure, most Christians will never have to appear before kings. Many of us will never witness outside of our own communities; families and friends. However, all Christians are instruments of the Lord. All of us are called to be a witness for the Lord. We are to “bear” the name of Jesus. The word “bear” comes from the Greek word bastazo. It means to endure, declare, sustain, receive, carry, and take up. This definition means that we own the name of Jesus. We declare His name. We make His name known. We live by His words. The Lord tells Ananias that Saul will suffer when he, the instrument of Christ, declares the name of Jesus wherever God calls him to go. Thus, mom was right. We will not get to heaven on flowery beds of ease. Next, we ask the question: Why must we suffer? In addition, what should be our attitude when we suffer? What do we gain from our suffering?

Why must we suffer? Before answering this question let me say that the apostle Peter makes a clear distinction between sufferings for doing right and sufferings for doing wrong. Peter says, “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name (1 Pet. 4:14-16, NASB). Why must Christians suffer?

We suffer because Jesus suffered. When we identify with Jesus by bearing His name we become an ally of His. Thus, Jesus warns His disciples that they will be persecuted just as He is persecuted. Jesus says ‘“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘a slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me”’ (Jn. 15:20, 21, NASB). When we suffer we share with Christ in His suffering. Again, Peter writes, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you are sharing the suffering of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation” (1 Pet. 4:12-13, NASB).

The second question is, what should be our attitude when suffer? Should I avoid persecution and suffering? Should I be happy when I suffer? In Acts 5 the high priest and the Sadducees are filled with jealousy. They put the apostles in a public jail. An angel opens the prison gate and commands the apostles to go to the temple and speak to the people (vv. 17-20). The apostles are brought back to the high priest and the Council. They are warned not to teach in the name of Jesus (v.28). The apostles do not seek to avoid the consequences of disobeying the high priest. Rather, they initiate a confrontation. “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men’” (v.29). After threatening the apostles the high priest released them. The writer of Acts describes the apostle’s attitude. He writes, “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (v. 41).

The third question is what do we gain from suffering? In the Sermon on the Mountain Jesus tells His disciples that they are blessed when people persecute them for the sake of righteousness. He says, ‘“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you’” (Matt. 5:12, NASB). Peter invites all believers to share together in the suffering of Christ (1 Pet. 5:9). He encourages them to resist the devil and endure to the end. “After you have suffered for a while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (v. 10).

Christians suffer at the hands of other people. They also suffer from events that take place in the world as they seek to carry out God’s call upon their life. Paul writes, “Now I rejoice in my suffering for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions” (Col. 1:24, NASB). In 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 ; 11:23-28 Paul gives a list of some of the many ways in which he has suffered for the name of Christ.

We read in Philippians that God rewards Christ for His suffering. “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11, NASB). Finally, Paul writes about his own reward for suffering. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Tim. 4:7-8, NASB). As servants of Christ we can expect to suffer for His name sake.