. What Would Jesus Do... About Suffering?

I like this story about a letter received by an insurance company in explanation of a claim form:

I am writing in response to your request for additional information. In block number 3 of the accident reporting form, I put, "Poor Planning", as the cause of my accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficient: I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I was working alone on the roof of a ten-story building. When I completed my work, I discovered I had about 500 pounds of bricks left over. Rather than carry them down by hand, I decided to lower them to the ground in a barrel by using a pulley which, fortunately, was attached to the side of the building at the tenth floor. Securing the rope at ground level, I went to the roof, loaded the 500 pounds of bricks, then went back down to the ground and untied the rope, holding it tightly to insure a slow descent of the 500 pounds of bricks (You will note in block 11 of the accident reporting form that I weigh 135 pounds). Due to my surprise at being jerked off the ground so suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forget to let go of the rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rapid rate up the side of the building. In the vicinity of the fifth floor, I met the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and broken collarbone. I continued my rapid ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were two knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time I had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to the rope in spite of my pain. At approximately this same time, however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground, and the bottom fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the barrel now weighed approximately 30 pounds. I refer you again to my weight in block number 11 of the accident reporting form. As you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the building. In the vicinity of the fifth floor, I met that barrel coming up again! This accounts for the two fractured ankles and lacerations of my legs and lower body. The second encounter with the barrel slowed me enough to lessen my injuries when I fell into the pile of bricks, and fortunately, only 3 vertebrae were cracked. I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the bricks -- in pain and unable to stand -- watching the empty barrel ten stories above me -- I again lost my presence of mind -- I LET GO OF THE ROPE.

All people suffer!! Maybe not to the extent of this accident victim.

John 9:1-12 (NIV)

Suffering is a UNIVERSAL Problem.

It makes no difference our race, nationality, social status, educational background, we all suffer. Job, the sufferer said it best, "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1).

There are Many Different TYPES of Suffering.
Some people suffer PHYSICAL pain or handicap: Debilitating injuries, incurable diseases, and birth defects. Our society is filled with people who wake up every morning and go to bed every night in excruciating pain. Maybe that's you.

Some people suffer EMOTIONAL pain. They've been rejected by too many people. Perhaps they felt rejection from their parents, spouse, employer, friends, etc... Words have cut them so deep that they have even rejected themselves. The emotional pain is just as real as any physical pain.

Some people suffer the pain of GRIEF. They've lost someone near and dear to them and they don't seem to be able to overcome that loss.

Some people suffer the pain of ADDICTION. Many people in our culture have addictions to various substances.

Some people suffer the pain of ANXIETY. They are chronic worriers. They never have peace over anything. They live their lives in perpetual stress. Like a squirrel on a wheel, they run and run and run, always assuming their worst fears will overtake them. We suffer every day in little ways.

SOURCES of Suffering.

UNCONTROLLABLE CIRCUMSTANCES

As you are crossing an intersection in your car, a drunk driver hits your vehicle, you are left paralyzed from the neck down. Who could have foreseen such a tragedy? It's uncontrollable. We want everything in our world to make sense. Sometimes life doesn't work that way. That's just a fact of life in a fallen sin-filled world.

AT THE HANDS OF PEOPLE.

Some people have been abused: emotionally, physically and even sexually. Sometimes we suffer at the hands of people because of our testimony as Christians. Jesus came into the world to suffer at the hands of men. Joseph suffered when brothers sold him into slavery. He was falsely accused of raping a woman. In prison he was forgotten for two more years! Yet he said, "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good" (Gen.50:20).

PROBLEMS OF THE PAST

Many people relive traumatic experiences from past. Our sins catch up with us.

WRONG CHOICES WE'VE MADE.

Many of our troubles come because of our own choices. What would Jesus do about suffering? How does He want us to respond to the suffering in our lives and the the lives of others? Let's look at the blind man in our text that Jesus is still going "out of the temple." Outside the temple there were many handicapped people. Jesus "saw" one of the beggars in particular. John tells us that the man was "blind from birth." Blindness was common in 1st century Palestine. Disease, dust and the uncleanliness of the people explain the problem. One scholar says that the man who could see perfectly from both eyes was in the minority. This man had never seen

The Disciples ask a Question. The disciples see him as a theological curiosity. They ask "Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?" Somehow they knew he was born blind. They assumed that either "this man" or "his parents" were responsible for his pitiful condition. The disciples may have wondered if this man had somehow sinned before he was born. Some thought that the man's condition was the judgment of God on the sins of the parents. The OT does speak of the sins of the fathers being inflicted upon the children.

Jesus gives an Unexpected Answer (v.3). Jesus said it was "neither this man nor his parents who sinned." Their sins had not led to this man's blindness. The real reason for the man's condition is that "the works of God should be revealed in him." The Bible indicates that some suffering comes as a result of our own sin, our own bad choices. However, not all suffering results from our sin. Jesus made him see, not just physically, but spiritually too!

Jesus said He must "work the works" of the Father "while it is day." This man did not ask to be healed. Jesus chose him. Jesus "spat on the ground," "made clay with the saliva" and "anointed the eyes of the blind man." Why did Jesus do this? Jesus did this to stir up the man's faith and hope in God. Jesus told the man to "Go, was in the pool of Siloam." Again, an exercise his faith, to be obedient. The man "went and washed" and to his great joy "came back seeing!"

The people asked, "How were your eyes opened?" The blind told them that "A Man called Jesus" came to him and mixed "clay" and "anointed" his eyes and sent him to "the pool of Siloam" to "wash." He told them, "So I went and washed and I received sight." The people then asked, "Where is He?" In our culture we are so used to demanding our rights that we forget that we deserve nothing. Every breath we take is because of the grace of God. I have watched godly people suffer.Look at God's blessings instead of the pain. Suffering is Inevitable in a Sinful, Fallen World.

Suffering is the result of living in this world. We cannot avoid it. To live is to suffer. We do have a hope, however! Revelation 21:4 (NIV) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

The Apostle Paul wrote in Rom.8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Illustrataion: There is a story about two Christian martyrs about to be fed to the lions. One is blind the other is crippled. The blind man smiles and says to the crippled man, "Cheer up brother, it all gets better from here!"

If you know Jesus, this world is as bad as it will get. We will soon live in a world where there is no suffering. If you don't know Jesus, this world is as good as it gets.

SUFFERING DRAWS US CLOSER TO CHRIST.

As long as things are going well, we act as if we don't need the Lord. We draw close to the Lord when: tragedy strikes, when pain devours us. We are forced to depend on Him because there is nothing else to do. Paul understood this. He prayed Phil.3:10 that he might, "know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." When we suffer, our relationship with the Lord grows precious. We learn a dependence on Him we never had before.

One of the most remarkable insights in this passage is that Jesus went to the blind man, the blind man didn't come to Him. Jesus put His love and compassion into action. We are never more like Jesus than when we minister to those who suffer. A person suffering may not want to hear your theology.He will appreciate you just being there. Show your concern. It's easy to forget the sufferings of others.

What would Jesus do? He did go to the cross! He did suffer pain and agony! Let your suffering make you into a Mature believer!

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