Serago's Answer As To Why Good People Suffer

Luke 9:22 - "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day."  

• Good People Suffer 

Why do good people suffer? This has puzzled people of all ages. The above scripture states, "The Son of Man must suffer."
 
Why would Jesus have to suffer?
 
It is a fact that He never sinned one time. So then why does this righteous man, this good man, this man who never sinned have to suffer?
 
Heb 5:8 - Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.  
 
The Hebrew writer says Jesus was learning obedience from the things which He suffered.
 
When you and I suffer it may have nothing to do with whether our actions have been good or bad and may have everything to do with God wants to teach us something. 

• Ways That Jesus Suffered 

I would like to give you a list of some ways we know Jesus suffered. Maybe you can relate to some of these ways.
 
He was lied about, falsely accused of things He didn't do, He was betrayed by a person close to Him, He was denied by a friend, He was forsaken by friends in His hour of need, He was misunderstood by those who should have known Him best, He was rejected, beaten and finally crucified.
 
If Jesus learned obedience from the things which He suffered (and I believe He did) then He was in a constant state of learning. 

• Ways That We Have Suffered 

The ways we have suffered are probably similar to the ways Jesus has suffered.
 
Has anyone ever lied about you?  Has anyone ever betrayed you? Have your actions or beliefs ever been misunderstood? Have you ever been rejected because of your beliefs?
 
The answer is most likely "Yes" to at least one of those questions. 

• This Is A Great Paradox 

Why do good people suffer? Why?
 
The answer is because this is the highway Christians have to travel in order to get to Heaven.
Luke 9:23-24 -  And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.  "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.  NASU
 
Jesus tells His followers you have to deny yourself pick up your cross and follow Him. If you picked up your cross in the 1st Century you were going to die. You were going to suffer.
 
You need to memorize this: God is NOT mad at the Christian who is suffering.
 
There have been to many times when good people were suffering and they were thinking that God was mad at them.
 
If you are suffering today then tell yourself I am in the learning stages according to the writer of Hebrews. 

• Life Lessons For Us Today 

1. Suffering is Supposed to Strengthen A Christian's Faith.
 
2. Suffering is a Part of a Christian's Life.
 
3. God is NOT mad at the Christian Who Suffers.
 
Think On These:
 
If God is kept outside of your life, something must be wrong inside your life.
 
God gives us our faces, but we must provide the expressions.

Stay Pumped, 

Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word

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