Reality of Suffering With Christ

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Reality of Suffering With Christ</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Getting Real with God 2"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id137.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hope Beyond the Heartache"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Ministry Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Mark 13.1-23, “The Reality of Suffering with Christ,” Dec 3, 2000, Berean Bible Church</B></div> <bR> <div> The Lord’s Table reminds us of the suffering of Christ on our behalf. Mark 8.34, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”</div> <div> We must recognize that suffering with Christ is a reality. In Mark 13.1-23, Jesus reveals both near-future events and far-future events. This sermon will look at the sufferings that Christ’s predicts. The next sermon will look at the coming of Christ.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Jesus’ followers would suffer as Jesus suffered</B>, vss. 1-23</div> <div> A. Vss. 5, 9, and 23, The command to “beware” is given. Jesus wants us to be prepared, to not be caught by surprise.</div> <div> 1. Vss. 1-4, Questioning by the disciples: When would the end come?</div> <div> 2. Vss. 5-8, What are <I>not</I> signs of the end. Wars and disasters are a part of human existence.</div> <div> 3. Vss. 9-23, We should know that suffering will be a reality. In 2 Timothy 3.12, Paul said, “Those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” In Mark 10.38-39, Jesus told James and John that they would suffer with Christ, even though they were asking for greatness.</div> <div> B. How do we suffer for Christ?</div> <div> 1. Through broken friendships or family relationships</div> <div> 2. Through the loss of a job because you stand up for Christ, for integrity</div> <div> 3. Through being ridiculed and harassed at school, at work, in the neighborhood.</div> <div> 4. Some through being imprisoned or killed (see the Voice of the Martyr’s website <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="http://www.persecution.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.persecution.com"><U><U>www.persecution.com</U></U></A></FONT>).</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. In our suffering, we must continue to . . .</B></div> <div> A. Proclaim the message, vss. 10-11. One thing that has to happen before the final end is that the good news of Jesus Christ needs to be proclaimed around the world. We must continue to make this a priority, and we know that when we are persecuted for our faith, we can still speak up for Christ. In fact, the Holy Spirit will help us to know what to say.</div> <div> B. Endure, vs. 13. God will come through, one way or another. So keep enduring. God pays attention to us and our needs even in the most difficult of times.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>