Why We Suffer
Luke 16:19-22
The account that we are reading is often preached from in fundamental
circles, but more times than not, it is preached on due to the rich
man’s condition. He was rich. He was unsympathetic. He was lost. And
he went to hell.
Tonight, I want to preach about Lazarus and look at the question,
"Why do we suffer?" Let’s notice some truths.
I. Understand, everyone suffers.
A. Bad things happen to all people.
1. Life tells us that.
2. We see good people having car accidents, getting sick,
losing their jobs, getting feeble, and dying.
3. But the Bible tells us that bad things happen to all
people.
Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun
to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth
rain on the just and on the unjust.
B. What shocks some is that Christians suffer.
1. God gives us faith and prayer, but we will still have
problems.
2. I am not being negative. This is what the Bible teaches.
a. Paul was jailed, beaten, betrayed, shipwrecked, lied
about, and beheaded.
b. Jeremiah was imprisoned, repeatedly, for preaching
what God told him to preach and tradition says he
was cut in half, long ways.
c. Daniel’s parents were killed; he was taken prisoner,
made into a eunuch, and thrown into the lion’s den.
3. This is a short list of those whose faith and prayer life
are our examples, yet they had problems.
C. That doesn’t mean prayer and faith are worthless.
1. Through these mediums, God will either change our
circumstances so that we don’t have to bear heartache, or
He will change us so that we can bear the heartache.
2. But suffering does come to the saved.
II. Lazarus was obviously a saved man going through bad times.
A. His end tells us that Lazarus believed in God, God’s Word and
salvation.
Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar
died, and was carried by the angels into
Abraham’s bosom:
B. But in life, this man of God suffered.
1. He suffered sickness.
a. The Bible does not tell us what disease the man had,
but it does tell us of the most notable symptom.
b. \\#20\\ "full of sores" - That means full of ulcers—
inflamed and open over his entire body, discharging
pus.
c. He had to be "laid at.. the rich man’s… gate" so he
was crippled and unable to walk.
2. He suffered financially.
a. He was beggar.
(1) We do not know how long he had been a beggar.
(2) At this point and in the physical shape he was
in, it would have been impossible for him to
work; but that doesn’t mean he was always a
beggar.
b. I hate to be unkind but I would have to say that he
was not successful as a beggar.
(1) He was homeless, hungry, and sick.
(2) The fact that dogs came and licked his sores
means he did not bring in enough money to even
wrap them with bandages.
3. He suffered homelessness.
a. He has been laid at the rich man’s gate.
b. People did not transport lame people back and forth to
comfortable homes.
c. This man lived where he lay, and lived, and died.
4. He was alone.
a. We do not know why, but apparently he had no family or
friends.
b. And if he did, he was even worse off for look how they
abandoned him to suffer and to die.
5. He suffered shame.
a. Everything that the Bible tells us of him was
something to be ashamed of.
(1) Homeless, hunger, sick, and the dogs licked his
sores!
(2) Nobody would take pride in these things.
b. But there were countless other humiliations he must
have suffered.
(1) What was he wearing?
(2) He could not walk so how and where did he relieve
himself?
C. Mankind threw this human being away!
1. They laid him outside the rich man’s gate like so much
trash waiting to be discarded.
2. And this is exactly where he lay until he died.
3. People walked by him—and most looked beyond him.
4. This was a human being. What a pitiful way to live and
die.
D. But he was a believer, a child of God!
1. One ought to seriously consider that if this could happen
to this man, it could happen to us.
2. We are not exempt, too spiritual, too affluent, or too
good.
3. The streets, gutters, and back roads of America are filled
with people who are in similar plights.
III. So why would God allow this man to suffer so? Let me give you
four reasons.
A. God allows suffering to prepare sinners for salvation.
1. In this story, the wicked man was healthy while the
righteous man was afflicted, but that is not always the
case.
2. Bad things do happen to unrighteous people.
a. In fact, bad things happen more often to unrighteous
people because of the choices they make.
(1) Living a promiscuous life leads to disease,
failed relationships, and endless family
problems.
(2) Drinking and drugs lead to behavior and
relationship problems.
(3) Stealing can land you prison.
(4) Adultery can get you shot.
(5) Murder can get you executed.
b. Add the sin-induced problems to the list of our every
day problems and life can become unbearable.
3. Denny Mitchell, our missionaries to the homeless in the
US, posted a prayer request on Thursday:
But please pray for this one young lady. (Remain
nameless). She is 22 yrs. old. Her dad is in
prison. Did terrible things to her. Her mom is
an addict she does not know where her mom is.
She is 22 and on the streets. She is struggling
to stay clean and off drugs. She needs a few
things to fall in place to get some help for her.
She prayed with such a broken heart today. My
heart is burden for her.
a. The stork did this woman no favors where he dropped
her at.
b. I find it amazing how sinful, how wicked, and how
useless some people are!
c. But through her problems, this young lady is being
introduced to Christ.
d. If she will trust Him, she could be the first of a new
generation of godly, useful, happy, and blessed
people.
4. Why do these kinds of problems exist? Sometimes because
God is trying to get their attention.
B. God allows suffering to perfect saints for service.
1. I quoted from Paul’s experience.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace
is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made
perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me.
2. Paul came to learn this lesson because he had a thorn (a
problem of some kind) in his flesh.
a. No one knows what that thorn was.
b. What we do know is that like a thorn, this problem
caused Paul some discomfort and aggravation.
c. It is also possible that it was much more serious than
Paul was letting on.
d. However, God told Paul that this situation was for his
good and God’s glory.
3. That is a strange concept to some people - the concept
that suffering can be for our good.
a. However, we can learn through the tough days.
(1) What do we learn in the days when we are strong
and problem free?
(2) Usually only how to come proud and to get into
trouble.
(3) However, we things are tough and lean, we learn
lessons of true character.
b. We can get stronger in tough times.
(1) Strength comes by exercising muscles.
(2) Just like after we exert ourselves physically we
learn that we have muscles we didn’t know we
had, so as we suffer we learn that we have
spiritual muscles that we didn’t know we had.
(3) I am part of the baby-boomer generation.
Overall, my generation has been a blessed
group, seeing our country rise to the highest
standard of living, become the mightiest world
power, and advance in technology like no other.
(4) However, overall, many of my generation have
lacked in character. It is for certain that we
did not pass to our children Christ and the
moral ethics that were handed to us.
(5) Why is that? In part, it is because we did not
have enough adversity to give us the strength
of character.
(a) We had no world wars.
(b) We had no stock market crashes.
(c) We had no famines.
(6) We became the generation of "too much."
(a) Many had too much time.
(b) Many had too much money.
(c) Many had too many things.
(d) Many had too much pride.
(e) Many had too much idealism which was not
grounded in the reality of the world.
(7) As much as that is true of the baby-boomer
generation, it is even more true of each
succeeding generation.
(8) Tough times make strong people.
c. We can get closer to God in tough times.
(1) Nothing makes a non-praying man pray like a
problem he can’t fix.
(2) You have heard there are no atheists in fox
holes? That’s because you realize your need
for God when you have reached your end.
C. God allows suffering to direct life’s courses.
1. Perhaps you have heard the expression, "When one door
closes, another door opens."
2. I believe that can be true.
3. God never does anything without a purpose.
a. What was God’s purpose in leaving Lazarus to suffer
so?
b. It was not a purpose most of us would volunteer
for.
c. Lazarus was to be the rich man’s opportunity and
witness.
d. By having Lazarus outside the rich man’s gate, God
allowed the rich man to see…
(1) …the blessings he had,
(2) …the difference he could make,
(3) …and the God he was rejecting.
4. Some years ago, Focus on the Family featured the story of a
Christian singer’s contact with his handicapped neighbor
through the book and video entitled, A MAN CALLED NORMAN.
Norman was a special man who lived alone but had no
abilities and no one to care for him. At first, the
singer, Mike Adkins, was a little afraid of Norman; but
through a series of events Mike Adkins became Norman’s
primary health care giver and best friend. Mike Adkins
lead Norman to a saving knowledge of Jesus but Mike’s own
testimony is that Norman lead him to a deeper
understanding of God’s grace and power.
5. There is a reason why God creates special people and
special circumstances.
a. He creates them for us.
b. They teach us about ourselves and our God.
D. God allows suffering to rebuke the wayward.
1. Nothing should make us stop and think like a problem.
2. I am not certain we do much stopping and thinking anymore.
a. Bad things happen to us and we simply justify
ourselves.
b. If that doesn’t fix things, we blame others, file
lawsuits; protest.
c. If that doesn’t work, we get depressed and take pills.
d. And if none of that works, we consider it must be fate
and move on the best we can.
3. But we don’t ask ourselves the important question, Is God
trying to tell me something?"
a. The answer could be yes.
b. God uses problems like road blocks.
c. They are His deterrents to get us on the right path.
I close by saying that suffering comes to all. Stopping it is not an option.
Getting the most out of it is. If you are going to experience problems all of
your life, why not let them make you better?
Perhaps tonight, your problems could bring you to Christ.
Or perhaps, they could bring you back to Christ.
Or perhaps, they could open a new door of opportunity to you.
Or perhaps, they could keep you from making a big mistake.
What will you let God do with you?
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