Why We Should Suffer Joyfully - UBM [David Eells]

{1Pe.2:21} For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: {Mat.16:24} Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

{Mar.8:31} And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. {9:12} And he said unto them, Elijah indeed cometh first, and restoreth all things: and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be set at nought? {Luk.9:22} saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up. ... {17:25} But first must he suffer many things and be rejected of this generation ... {24:26} Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? ... {46} and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day; {Act.3:18} But the things which God foreshowed by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

{Act.5:38} And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will be overthrown: {39} but if it is of God, ye will not be able to overthrow them; lest haply ye be found even to be fighting against God. {40} And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles unto them, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. {41} They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.

{Act.9:13} But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: {14} and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. {15} But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: {16} for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake.

{Act.17:2} and Paul, as his custom was, went in unto them, and for three sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, {3} opening and alleging that it behooved the Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom, said he, I proclaim unto you, is the Christ. {4} And some of them were persuaded, and consorted with Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few. {5} But the Jews, being moved with jealousy, took unto them certain vile fellows of the rabble, and gathering a crowd, set the city on an uproar; and assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them forth to the people. {6} And when they found them not, they dragged Jason and certain brethren before the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

{Act.26:21} For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me. {22} Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should come; {23} how that the Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.

{Rom.8:17} and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him. {18} For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. {19} For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God. {20} For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but by reason of him who subjected it, in hope {21} that the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. {22} For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. {23} And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. {24} For in hope were we saved: but hope that is seen is not hope: for who hopeth for that which he seeth? {25} But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. {26} And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered;

{1Co.3:15} If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire. ... {4:12} and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; {13} being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now.

{1Co.10:13} There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it. ... {12:26} And whether one member suffereth, all the members suffer with it; or one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

{2Co.1:4} who comforteth us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort them that are in any affliction, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. {5} For as the sufferings of Christ abound unto us, even so our comfort also aboundeth through Christ. {6} But whether we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or whether we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which worketh in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: {7} and our hope for you is stedfast; knowing that, as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so also are ye of the comfort. {8} For we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning our affliction which befell us in Asia, that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, insomuch that we despaired even of life: {9} yea, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead: {10} who delivered us out of so great a death, and will deliver: on whom we have set our hope that he will also still deliver us; {11} ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf.

{2Co.4:11} For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh. {12} So then death worketh in us, but life in you. {13} But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, I believed, and therefore did I speak; we also believe, and therefore also we speak; {14} knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also with Jesus, and shall present us with you. {15} For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound unto the glory of God. {16} Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying, yet our inward man is renewed day by day. {17} For our light affliction, which is for the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory; {18} while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

{2Co.6:4} but in everything commending ourselves, as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, {5} in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; {6} in pureness, in knowledge, in long suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned, {7} in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, {8} by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true;

{2Co.7:8} For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it: though I did regret it (for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season), {9} I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. {10} For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

{Gal.3:2} This only would I learn from you. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? {3} Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh? {4} Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain. {5} He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? {6} Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.

{Php.1:29} because to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf: ... {2:27} for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow. {28} I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. {29} Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor: {30} because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me. ... {3:10} that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death;

{Col.1:21} And you, being in time past alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil works, {22} yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him: {23} if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and stedfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made a minister. {24} Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church; {25} whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God,

{1Th.3:2} and sent Timothy, our brother and God's minister in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith; {3} that no man be moved by these afflictions; for yourselves know that hereunto we are appointed. {4} For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know. {5} For this cause I also, when I could no longer forbear, sent that I might know your faith, lest by any means the tempter had tempted you, and our labor should be in vain.

{2Th.1:4} so that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which ye endure; {5} which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God; to the end that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

{2Ti.1:8} Be not ashamed therefore of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God; ... {12} For which cause I suffer also these things: yet I am not ashamed; for I know him whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to guard that which I have committed unto him against that day. {2:3} Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. {8} Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, of the seed of David, according to my gospel: {9} wherein I suffer hardship unto bonds, as a malefactor; but the word of God is not bound. ... {12} if we endure, we shall also reign with him: if we shall deny him, he also will deny us: ... {3:1} But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. {2} For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, {3} without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, {4} traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; {6} For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, {7} ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. {8} And even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also withstand the truth. Men corrupted in mind, reprobate concerning the faith. ... {12} Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

{2Ti.4:3} For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts; {4} and will turn away their ears from the truth, and turn aside unto fables. {5} But be thou sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil thy ministry. {6} For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure is come. {7} I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: {8} henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day; and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved his appearing.

{Heb.2:9} But we behold him who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for every man. {10} For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. {11} For both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ... {Jas.1:2} Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations; {3} Knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience. {4} And let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.

{Jas.5:1} Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you. {2} Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. {3} Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days. {4} Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. {5} Ye have lived delicately on the earth, and taken your pleasure; ye have nourished your hearts in a day of slaughter. {6} Ye have condemned, ye have killed the righteous one; he doth not resist you. {7} Be patient therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient over it, until it receive the early and latter rain. {8} Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord is at hand. {9} Murmur not, brethren, one against another, that ye be not judged: behold, the judge standeth before the doors. {10} Take, brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in the name of the Lord. {11} Behold, we call them blessed that endured: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful. {12} But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment. {13} Is any among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise.

{1Pe.2:19} For this is acceptable, if for conscience toward God a man endureth griefs, suffering wrongfully. {20} For what glory is it, if, when ye sin, and are buffeted for it, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye shall take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. {21} For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps: {22} who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: {23} who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

{1Pe.3:14} But even if ye should suffer for righteousness' sake, blessed are ye: and fear not their fear, neither be troubled; {15} but sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord: being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear: {16} having a good conscience; that, wherein ye are spoken against, they may be put to shame who revile your good manner of life in Christ. {17} For it is better, if the will of God should so will, that ye suffer for well-doing than for evil-doing. {18} Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; ... {4:1} Forasmuch then as Christ suffered in the flesh, arm ye yourselves also with the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; {2} that ye no longer should live the rest of your time in flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. {3} For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries: {4} wherein they think strange that ye run not with them into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: {5} who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.

{6} For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. {7} But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore of sound mind, and be sober unto prayer: {8} above all things being fervent in your love among yourselves; for love covereth a multitude of sins: {9} using hospitality one to another without murmuring: {10} according as each hath received a gift, ministering it among yourselves, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God; {11} if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God; is any man ministereth, ministering as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

{12} Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: {13} but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory also ye may rejoice with exceeding joy. {14} If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. {15} For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: {16} but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. {17} For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if it begin first at us, what shall be the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? {18} And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear? {19} Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing unto a faithful Creator.

{1Pe.5:8} Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, {9} whom withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. {10} And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect, establish, strengthen you.

{2Pe.2:12} But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed, {13} suffering wrong as the hire of wrong-doing; men that count it pleasure to revel in the day-time, spots and blemishes, revelling in their deceivings while they feast with you; {Jud.7} Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, having in like manner with these given themselves over to fornication and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

{Rev.2:10} Fear not the things which thou art about to suffer: behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life. Like Joseph, Jesus and Paul, those who go to prison experience resurrection to rule and teach God's servants.

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