Sermons on Suffering
Philippians 3:9-14
SERIES: Philippians: Cheerful Sounds from a Jail Cell Winning the Race SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: The Olympic Games begin in Seoul, Korea in a few weeks. Once again, as is true every four years, one hundred million Americans in desperate need of exercise will spend countless hours in front of a television watching a few hundred athletes in desperate need of rest, who are nevertheless pressing on with every last ounce of effort they can coax out of their tired bodies. …
Job 1:6-2:10
SERIES: The Book of Job God in the Dock SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: The Court of Heaven has just been called to order. The Judge sits on His throne and listens as His various messengers and assistants report on their recent activities. Suddenly an intruder makes an entrance. A hush falls upon the entire proceedings. The others recognize this intruder because there was a time when he was a welcome Advocate at the Court. But he has long since abandoned the Judge and has established his…
Job 15-21
SERIES: The Book of Job Round Two of the Garbage Dump Debate: What About the Prosperity of the Wicked? SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Note to David: Check to see how the two parallel lists halfway through this sermon come out with the formatting. Introduction: Two of the major philosophical questions believers of all ages have had to wrestle with are, “Why do the righteous suffer?” and “Why do the wicked prosper?” As we look around we see apparent evidence of both. Most of us could name…
Job 32, 33
SERIES: The Book of Job Pain is God’s Megaphone SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: The Great Debate between the Patriarch Job and his three counselors is over. They have argued fiercely over the cause of the terrible suffering of this man of God. We, the readers, know that Job was suffering through no fault of his own; on the contrary, his suffering was due specifically to the fact that he was so righteous. But Job’s three friends didn’t know that, nor did Job. In…
1 Samuel 1-3
SERIES: Leadership in Hard Times The Difference a Godly Home Makes SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: It’s good to be back with you this morning after fulfilling a life-long dream of visiting Egypt. Several previous attempts to go there had been scuttled by Mideast politics, but this one went off without a hitch. We (Saba Khalil, Brad Baraks, Mark Friz, and I) enjoyed wonderful hospitality and filled our eyes and minds with the magnificence of a civilization that was already ancient when…
2 Timothy 1:8-18
SERIES: Entrusted with the Gospel The Fellowship of the Unashamed SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Introduction: Last Lord’s Day Pastor Josh shared with us very poignantly about how he could relate to Timothy, the young protégée of the Apostle Paul to whom he addresses this powerful personal letter we know as 2 Timothy. Josh saw in Timothy’s background some of the same family of origins issues which he himself experienced, namely the absence of a godly father in the home. While Paul praises Timothy’s mother…
Romans 8:18-25
The Agony and the Ecstasy[i] Introduction: One of the most distinguishing features of biblical Christianity is its philosophy of suffering. Some religions deny the reality of pain and suffering altogether, calling it an illusion. Others attribute suffering to the fact that God is finite and thus unable to eliminate it. There is a view held by some evangelicals that suffering is never God’s will and is simply the result of weak faith. Jesus and His Apostles, however, took a very balanced approach toward suffering. They acknowledged…
1 Peter 3:13-22
Defending the Faith, Not Ourselves In chapter 1, we were introduced to the reality that becoming a Christian introduces a tremendous new tension in life. Our faith in Jesus causes our citizenship papers to be transferred from one kingdom to another. Paul tells us in Colossians that God “has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.” (Col. 1:13, NLT) The tension results because though our papers…
1 Peter 4:1-6
ARM YOURSELF! Concealed carry has been a very controversial issue in our country over the past two decades. I personally don’t like guns, but in view of the domestic terrorism that has occurred in our country recently, I am frankly rather pleased that we have a dozen or so members of our church packing heat on any given Sunday. I recall back in Missouri in 1998 there was a ballot issue called Proposition B, a measure that would have made it legal…
1 Peter 4:7-19
First Priorities in the Last Days If you knew a great disaster was coming how would you prepare for it? Our passage today talks about a coming disaster and tells us how to prepare: (1 Peter 4:7‑11) “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self‑controlled so that you can pray. {8} Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. {9} Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. {10} Each one should…
1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13
How the Church Suffers for the Gospel The Apostle Paul and his two missionary companions, Silas and Timothy, came to Thessalonica and planted a church during Paul’s second missionary journey, but within weeks their success in winning converts stirred up tremendous opposition. In fact, a riot was generated, and they had to flee the city during the night. Paul’s detractors apparently used that fact against him, claiming he had used and abused his new converts and then abandoned them to handle persecution…
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12
The Justice and Judgment of God Introduction: My kids ask me whether I’m nearsighted or farsighted on a regular basis, not because they have a bad memory, but because the concept is hard for them to understand. I always respond the same way to their question, which turns into a small litany. I say, “I’m nearsighted,” and they say, “What does that mean again?” I say, “It means I can see near, but not far.” Then they say, “Can I put…
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