Suffering for the Glory of GodJohn 9:1–7

THE QUESTION OF SUFFERING

Sin is connected to suffering

Sin can lead to suffering

Sin is not the cause of all suffering.

AND HE ANSWERED THEM, “DO YOU THINK THAT THESE GALILEANS WERE WORSE SINNERS THAN ALL THE OTHER GALILEANS, BECAUSE THEY SUFFERED

IN THIS WAY? NO, I TELL YOU; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT, YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH. OR THOSE EIGHTEEN ON WHOM THE TOWER IN SILOAM FELL

AND KILLED THEM: DO YOU THINK THAT THEY WERE WORSE OFFENDERS THAN ALL THE OTHERS WHO

LIVED IN JERUSALEM? NO, I TELL YOU; BUT UNLESS YOU REPENT, YOU WILL ALL LIKEWISE PERISH.”

LUKE 13:2–5

THE PURPOSE OF SUFFERING

“Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or dear, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” - Exodus 4:11

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. - Romans 8:28

THE ANSWER TO SUFFERING

JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO OUR SUFFERING

HE WILL WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES, AND DEATH SHALL BE NO MORE, NEITHER SHALL THERE BE

MOURNING, NOR CRYING, NOR PAIN ANYMORE, FOR FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.

REVELATION 21:4

AND NOT ONLY CREATION, BUT WE OURSELVES, WHO HAVE

THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, GROAN INWARDLY AS

WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR ADOPTION AS SONS, THE

REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES.

ROMANS 8:23

“I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE MINUTE, FOR SEVERAL YEARS, WHERE I DESIRED TO LIVE ONE MINUTE

LONGER, FOR THE SAKE OF ANY OTHER GOOD, EXCEPT LIVING TO GOD AND DOING WHAT MIGHT BE

FOR HIS GLORY.”

JERUSHA EDWARDS