Sinful Suffering, Sacred Suffering

In Lystra and Derbe

Ac 14:8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth a and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, “Stand up on your feet!” At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.
Ac 14:11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in human form!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting:

15 “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.”

18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them. 19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

Can you believe this? People were trying to honor Paul and Barnabus, taking it too far by worshiping them and while Paul was trying to stop them from improper worship, the Jewish leaders enter, getting control of the crowd (because even the truth of which Paul spoke could not get their attention). How is it that the Jews completely misunderstood what was happening and turn the crowd from praise (and improper worship) into enough anger (improper anger by the way) to stone him?

It has been brought to my attention, many times how we, as believers, do great harm against things done 'correctly' in and before the eyes of our Lord! A pastor and friend of mine contributed on our church blog about 'bumper sticker' Christians who do more to turn people away from Christ than win them over to Him with His love.

See-- http://www.newheightscommunity.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=291:lord-save-us-from-your-followers&catid=31:pastors-blog&Itemid=198

What is of importance in this passage is that God took care of Paul and preserved his life, probably because he was doing what was honorable before the Lord. What is also important is that God did not spare Paul of the stoning! Of what blessing might there be in letting Paul endure unjust stoning? This boggles the mind!!! Yet, I have come to believe that Paul, like none of us, truly came to terms with the unjust suffering of His savior in that moment, as did those disciples who surrounded him and prayed for his return to life on earth! (which God obviously raised him up again, remember people were stoned until confidently perceived as dead!).

My life is surrounded by, and would be overwhelmed with the suffering of His people as they press through life. In my previous blog I spoke of Dan and his sufferings. I have friends who are suffering abuse, betrayal, unemployment, hunger. I have friends of dear friends who are suffering from cancer, failed marriages, even prison (for things they deserve). What I have come to see clearly, is that suffering is an active part of our redemption. For those who cross the boundaries in crime, prison is supposed to be suffering to actively change their hearts (how have we gone wrong in this area?). Even for those of us who suffer doing honorable things before our Lord, these sufferings are for our good as well.

The real questions are these... Are we suffering as a part of God's discipline for unholy, disrespect to Him as servants, His longing to sanctify us through correction? Or will God take our righteous suffering, wrongly accused and misperceived by others and use it for His glory?

Much of our suffering is brought upon us as part of God's discipline and correction in our lives; sinful suffering. Some of our suffering is brought on by the misconceptions of others, our motives fully accepted by God; sacred suffering. Sinful suffering, sacred suffering; Both are part of the equation of redemption. If we choose to be connected with Jesus Christ, we will experience both, yet our savior never even participated in a morsel of sin, which is why His suffering, sacred, undeserved, pure before our Father and His, is the only suffering that can fully redeem us in this life to the next. Ours is to press ahead in such a way that our suffering is not driven by sin, but driven by His glory revealed through us. Paul considered it an honor to be stoned for Christ and His righteous glory. Now that, is the power of sacred suffering.