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TITLE: NEGATIVE BLESSINGS

TEXT: ROMANS 5:3-5

INTRODUCTION: (1) THE APOSTLE PAUL KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SUFFER.

* PROBABLY NO ONE SUFFERED AS MUCH FOR THEIR FAITH AS PAUL DID.

** PAUL WAS STONED AT LYSTRA, FIVE TIMES HE RECEIVED 39 LASHES, 3 TIMES HE WAS BEATEN WITH RODS, 3 TIMES HE WAS SHIPWRECKED.

(2) ON TOP OF THAT HE WAS IMPRISONED, TRAVELED IN DANGER, WENT WITHOUT FOOD, WENT WITHOUT PROPER AMOUNTS OF CLOTHING, WAS HOMELESS AT TIMES, WAS SLANDERED, AND HAD A THORN IN THE FLESH THAT TORMENTED HIM. (POSSIBLY AN EYE DISEASE).

* AND FINALLY HE DIED FOR HIS FAITH AT ROME, PROBABLY BY DECAPITATION, THE GUILLOTINE.

(3) SO PAUL KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SUFFER FOR HIS LORD. AND YOU MIGHT THINK FOR A MOMENT THAT PAUL WOULD HAVE BECOME BITTER FOR ALL THE THINGS HE WENT THROUGH FOR CHRIST.

* BUT NOT SO. FOR IN II CORINTHIANS 12:10 PAUL SAID (READ IT).

** THEN IN ROMANS 8:18 (ALSO READ ROMANS 8:35-39)

*** ALSO READ II CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 – BLESSED BE GOD.

**** NOW BEYOND THOSE VERSES, GET THIS. PAUL SAID IN OUR TEXT TODAY THAT HE REJOICED IN TRIBULATIONS.

(4) AND FOR A MAN TO SAY THAT AFTER ALL THAT HE WENT THROUGH MEANS SOMETHING TO ME.

* FOR MANY TIMES WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL GOES THROUGH SUFFERING, THEY THINK THAT NO ONE CAN IDENTIFY WITH THEM, THAT NO ONE CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR HEARTACHE AND HURT.

** SO IT WOULD BE EASY FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS NOT GONE THROUGH WHAT THEY’VE GONE THROUGH TO SAY, “ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THOSE WHO ARE THE CALLED OF GOD.” EASY FOR YOU TO SAY, YOU’RE NOT IN MY SHOES.

(5) BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? PAUL COULD SAY IT, FOR HE WROTE IT UNDER INSPIRATION AND WAS CONFIDENT OF IT, AND PROBABLY NO ONE COULD IDENTIFY WITH HIS SUFFERINGS OUTSIDE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

* FOR OUR LORD JESUS KNEW AND HE WAS WITH HIM EVERY STEP OF THE WAY!

** SO PAUL COULD SAY THAT HE REJOICED IN TRIBULATIONS AND THAT REALLY MEANS SOMETHING COMING FROM HIM.

*** AND PAUL COULD REJOICE IN TRIBULATIONS BECAUSE HE KNEW THE END RESULT OF TRIBULATIONS, CHARACTER QUALITIES IN HIS OWN LIFE AND GLORY FOR JESUS CHRIST.

(6) PAUL KNEW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT SUFFERING WAS GOOD FOR WHAT IT WOULD ACCOMPLISH IN HIS LIFE AND FOR THE KINGDOM.

* HE HAD COME TO REALIZE THAT NEGATIVE THINGS WERE BLESSINGS JUST AS WELL AS POSITIVE THINGS.

** AND I DON’T THINK WE LOOK AT LIFE THAT WAY. I KNOW I DON’T SOME TIMES. WE LOOK AT BLESSINGS AS POSITIVE THINGS, THINGS GOING RIGHT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE.

*** LIKE GOOD HEALTH, A GOOD JOB, PLENTY OF FOOD, PLENTY OF MONEY, A NICE HOME, A NICE FAMILY, AND NO MAJOR PROBLEMS, NO LOSS OF FAMILY MEMBERS.

(7) BUT HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THAT BAD HEALTH, A BAD JOB, A LACK OF FOOD, A LACK OF MONEY, A SMALL HOME OR AN APARTMENT, AND QUOTE NEGATIVE THINGS ARE BLESSINGS ALSO?

* I MEAN PAUL CONSIDERED HIMSELF BLESSED AND HE HAD BAD HEALTH, NO JOB AT TIMES, A LACK OF FOOD, A LACK OF MONEY, NO HOME, NO IMMEDIATE FAMILY THAT WE KNOW OF, AND A TRUCKLOAD OF QUOTE NEGATIVE THINGS.

** AND ALL I’M TRYING TO SAY IS, WE (INCLUDING ME) MUST ADJUST OUR THINKING AND OUR OUTLOOKS AND REALIZE THAT NEGATIVE THINGS JUST AS WELL AS POSITIVE THINGS CAN BE A BLESSING AND ARE UNDER GOD’S SOVEREIGN HAND.

(8) AND BECAUSE OF THAT I’VE TITLED OUR MESSAGE THIS MORNING, “NEGATIVE BLESSINGS”.

* AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT TWO MAIN POINTS, NO. 1 REJOICE IN TRIBULATIONS, VV. 3&4; AND NO. 2 REJOICE IN GOD’S LOVE, V. 5.

** AND WITH THOSE POINTS TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LOOK AT V. 3 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE THAT WE SHOULD REJOICE IN TRIBULATIONS.

I. REJOICE IN TRIBULATION, (READ V. 3)

A. NOW IN VV. 1&2 PAUL TALKED ABOUT 3 POSITIVE BLESSINGS, 3 POSITIVE BENEFITS OF KNOWING CHRIST, OF BEING JUSTIFIED.

* AND THEY ARE PEACE WITH GOD, DIVINE ACCESS TO GOD AND THE HOPE OF FUTURE GLORY, IN ESSENCE HEAVEN.

** NOW PAUL REJOICED OR EXULTED OR GLORIED IN THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN V. 2, HE REJOICED IN FUTURE GLORY.

1. BUT PAUL NOT ONLY REJOICED IN THE POSITIVE THINGS AS I SAID EARLIER, BUT ALSO REJOICED IN NEGATIVE THINGS, HE REJOICED IN TRIBULATIONS.

* FOR HE SAID, AND NOT ONLY THIS, NOT ONLY DO I REJOICE OR EXULT IN FUTURE HOPE, BUT ALSO IN TRIBULATIONS. (WE EXULT IN THE NAS, WE GLORY IN THE KJV, WE REJOICE IN THE NIV.)

** AND THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED TRIBULATIONS HERE IS AN INTERESTING WORD.

*** IT IS USED IN THE N.T. 45 TIMES IN MANY WAYS. IT IS TRANSLATED 21 TIMES AS TRIBULATIONS. IT IS TRANSLATED 17 TIMES AS AFFLICTIONS. IT IS TRANSLATED TROUBLE 3 TIMES, ONCE AS ANGUISH, ONCE AS PERSECUTION, ONCE AS BURDENED AND ONCE TO BE AFFLICTED.

2. AND THIS PARTICULAR GREEK WORD HAS THE UNDERLYING MEANING OF BEING UNDER PRESSURE AND WAS USED OF SQUEEZING OLIVES IN A PRESS IN ORDER TO EXTRACT THE OIL AND OF SQUEEZING GRAPES TO EXTRACT THE JUICE.

* SO THE WORD TRIBULATIONS USED IN ROMANS 5:3 CARRIES THE IDEA OF PRESSURE, THE PRESSURES OF LIFE THAT SQUEEZE US, AND SPECIFICALLY IN CONTEXT PRESSURES, OPPRESSIONS THAT SQUEEZE US AS CHRISTIANS, AS A RESULT OF BEING JUSTIFIED.

** AND I THINK MANY OF YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, THE PRESSURE OF OUR WORLD SYSTEM THAT IS OPPOSED TO GOD AND THE AFFLICTIONS WE HAVE AND THE DISTRESSES WE GO THROUGH AS BELIEVERS, SPIRITUAL PRESSURE AND OPPRESSION, THE SPIRITUAL SQUEEZE.

3. NOW PAUL REJOICED IN THESE PRESSURES, THESE DISTRESSES, THESE PERSECUTIONS, THESE PROBLEMS. NOW WHY?

* WELL, GOING BACK TO V. 3 HE KNEW, THE WORD KNOWING HERE, LIT. HE CAME TO KNOW BY HIS EXPERIENCE AND WHAT THE LORD ALLOWED HIM TO GO THROUGH THAT TRIBULATIONS RESULT IN GODLY CHARACTERISTICS, THAT TRIBULATIONS MADE HIM CHRISTLIKE.

** AND BELOVED GET THIS, PAUL DID NOT EXULT OR REJOICE BECAUSE OF THE TRIBULATIONS THEMSELVES, BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR BENEFICIAL EFFECT UPON HIS CHRISTIAN LIFE.

*** ILLUST. PAUL GETTING STONED, “BOY I FEEL GREAT. OH WASN’T THAT WONDERFUL.” HE HURT, HE DIDN’T FEEL GOOD, BONES BROKEN, LACERATIONS, PERMANENT DAMAGE AND THE BRUISES.

4. AND FOLKS WE MUST LEARN TO LOOK BEYOND OUR TRIALS AND PRESSURES AND TRIBULATIONS AND SEE HOW THEY WILL DEVELOP US. WE MUST LEARN TO SEE THAT THEY ARE ASSETS THAT DEVELOP CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

* NOW YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, RAY, I REALLY DON’T THINK I NEED A WHOLE LOT OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, MY PARENTS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF DEVELOPING CHARACTER IN ME, AND I SAY PRAISE GOD.

** BUT LET’S TAKE A CHARACTER TEST, LET’S LOOK AT THE CHARACTER CHAIN, THE WONDERFUL CHAIN OF FRUITS THAT PAUL TALKS ABOUT HERE.

5. AND THE FIRST ONE IS PERSEVERANCE. TRIBULATIONS, PRESSURES BRING ABOUT PERSEVERANCE. SO I ASK A QUESTION, ARE YOU A PATIENT PERSON? HAVE YOU LEARNED TO WAIT ON THE LORD OR ON ANYTHING?

* NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THE WORD PERSEVERANCE HAS TO DO WITH PATIENCE, ENDURING, PATIENT CONTINUANCE, PATIENT WAITING.

** IT IS THE ABILITY TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THE FACE OF STRONG OPPOSITION AND GREAT OBSTACLES.

*** THAYER SAYS PERSEVERANCE HERE IS THE CHARACTERISTIC OF A MAN WHO IS UNSWERVED FROM HIS DELIBERATE PURPOSE AND HIS LOYALTY TO FAITH AND DEITY BY EVEN THE GREAT TRIALS AND SUFFERINGS.

- IT IS TO REMAIN UNDER TRIALS IN A GOD-HONORING WAY AS TO LEARN THE LESSON THEY ARE SENT TO TEACH, RATHER THAN TO ATTEMPT TO GET OUT FROM UNDER THEM IN AN EFFORT TO BE RELIEVED OF THAT PRESSURE. ILLUST. I WANTED OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

6. AND MOST OF YOU WILL AGREE, THAT A LOT OF TIMES WE DON’T PRACTICE PATIENCE WITH OUR NORMAL DAILY FUNCTIONS, LET ALONE PATIENT ENDURANCE OF TRIALS. (DAILY DRIVING, OUR CHILDREN, GETTING SOMETHING WE WANT, EATING OUT, ETC.) AMERICANS ARE NOT PATIENT.

* AND MY POINT IS WE NEED TRIBULATIONS TO BUILD PERSEVERANCE IN OUR LIVES. AND IF YOU ARE PRAYING FOR PATIENCE THIS MORNING, REALIZE THAT GOD WILL DEVELOP IT THROUGH TRIBULATIONS, THAT TRIBULATIONS WILL COME.

** BUT LEARN TO REJOICE IN THE RESULTS, JAMES 1:2-4. (READ THEM).

*** SO TRIBULATION BRINGS ABOUT PERSEVERANCE OR PATIENCE. BUT NOTICE THIS WONDERFUL CHAIN CONTINUES IN V. 4. (LOOK AT IT PLEASE.)

B. READ V. 4. NOW THE CHAIN REACTION CONTINUES IN V. 4. THE PROGRESSION CONTINUES FOR PERSEVERANCE BRINGS ABOUT PROVEN CHARACTER OR EXPERIENCE.

* AND THE GREEK TERM TRANSLATED PROVEN CHARACTER SIMPLY MEANS “PROOF”, WHICH IN THE PRESENT CONTEXT OBVIOUSLY REFERS TO CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.

** IN FACT, THE TERM WAS USED OF TESTING PRECIOUS METALS SUCH AS SILVER AND GOLD TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR PURITY.

1. AND WHEN WE AS BELIEVERS EXPERIENCE TRIBULATIONS THAT DEMAND PERSEVERANCE, THAT PERSEVERANCE IN TURN, PRODUCES IN US PROVEN SPIRITUAL CHARACTER.

* AND JUST AS A METALSMITH USES INTENSE HEAT TO MELT SILVER AND GOLD IN ORDER TO CLEANSE THEM OF PHYSICAL IMPURITIES, SO GOD USES TRIBULATIONS TO CLEANSE HIS CHILDREN OF SPIRITUAL IMPURITIES, TO BUILD PROVEN CHARACTER AND BLESSING.

** FOR JAMES 1:12 SAYS: “BLESSED IS A MAN WHO PERSEVERES UNDER TRIALS FOR ONCE HE HAS BEEN APPROVED, HE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (THE SAME ROOT GREEK WORD AS PERSEVERANCE IN ROMANS 5:3).

*** SO TRIBULATIONS BRING ABOUT PERSEVERANCE, AND PERSEVERANCE BRINGS ABOUT PROVEN CHARACTER, WHICH LEADS US TO GO FULL CIRCLE FROM V. 2, FOR PROVEN CHARACTER BRINGS ABOUT HOPE. THE CHAIN CONTINUES.

2. BELOVED, PAUL STARTS WITH HOPE IN V. 2 AND ENDS WITH HOPE IN V. 4. THE PROGRESSION THAT PAUL TAKES US TO LEADS US TO HOPE.

* FOR YOU SEE COMING FULL CIRCLE AS IT WERE, PAUL SAYS THAT GODLY HOPE PRODUCES GODLY HOPE.

** OUR “HOPE” OF THE GLORY OF GOD (V. 2) IS INCREASED AND STRENGTHENED BY OUR HEAVENLY FATHER THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TRIBULATION, PERSEVERANCE AND PROVEN CHARACTER, THE END PRODUCT OF WHICH IS HOPE, AND AS WE’LL SEE IN V. 5 HOPE THAT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.

3. AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS, THE CHRISTIAN WHO RESPONDS TO SUFFERINGS WITH THE PROPER ATTITUDE WILL FIND AT THE END OF THE LINE THAT HIS HOPE HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED.

* FOR YOU SEE, SUFFERINGS RATHER THAN THREATENING OR WEAKENING OUR HOPE, WILL INSTEAD, INCREASE OUR CERTAINTY IN THAT HOPE.

** HOPE, LIKE A MUSCLE WILL NOT BE STRONG IF IT GOES UNUSED. BUT A PERSON THAT IS EXERCISED THROUGH TRIBULATIONS WILL GROW IN HOPE AND BE STRONG IN HOPE AND WILL LOOK FORWARD TO THE SURE HOPE OF HEAVEN THAT MUCH MORE.

4. AND HEAVENLY HOPE, SURE HOPE, HELPS US TO GO THROUGH TRIBULATIONS AND HELPS US NOT TO BE TOO ROOTED IN THIS WORLD.

* AND BELOVED THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON’T WANT TO LEAVE THIS WORLD, THEY DON’T WANT TO LET GO BECAUSE THEY ARE ROOTED HERE AND TO THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD.

** BUT A SAINT WHO SUFFERS HAS HIS ROOTS ABOVE, AND LOOKS FORWARD WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION TO THE TIME HE WILL EXPERIENCE THE SURE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD, PHILIPPIANS 1:21, II CORINTHIANS 5:8,

PHILIPPIANS 3:20&21 (READ THEM)

*** AND IN VV. 3&4 WE SEE WHY WE CAN LEARN TO REJOICE IN TRIBULATIONS, FOR THE RESULTS, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR 2’D AND LAST POINT TODAY, WE NEED TO REJOICE IN GOD’S LOVE.

**** WE GO FROM FAITH IN V. 1, TO HOPE IN VV. 2-4, TO LOVE IN V. 5 – 3 OF THE CHRISTIAN GRACES, 3 GREAT SPIRITUAL VIRTUES. LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE.

II. REJOICE IN GOD’S LOVE, (READ V. 5)

A. NOW WE CAN REJOICE IN HOPE, KNOWING IT WILL NOT DISAPPOINT US, BECAUSE OF THE AMAZING GRACE OF GOD’S LOVE.

* IN OTHER WORDS, A BELIEVER’S HOPE, SINCE IT IS CENTERED IN GOD’S LOVE AND HIS PROMISES, DOES NOT DISAPPOINT HIM.

** AND THE WORD DISAPPOINT MEANS PUT TO SHAME BECAUSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT IN UNFULFILLED PROMISES, IT HAS THE IDEA OF SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN DECEIVED SO IS DISAPPOINTED.

1. AND NO ONE IS EVER DISAPPOINTED IN GOD FOR NOT FULFILLING PROMISES FOR HE ALWAYS FULFILLS HIS PROMISES AND NO ONE IS EVER DISAPPOINTED BY BEING DECEIVED BY HIM FOR HE NEVER DECEIVES.

* IN FACT THE PSALMIST SAID IN PSALM 22:5: “TO THEE THEY CRIED OUT AND WERE DELIVERED; IN THEE THEY TRUSTED AND WE NOT DISAPPOINTED.”

** SO NO ONE IS DISAPPOINTED BY OUR LORD NOT FULFILLING HIS PROMISES. BUT ALSO THE REASON THIS HOPE (AGAIN RESULTING FROM AFFLICTION) DOES NOT DISAPPOINT IS THAT GOD HAS POURED OUT HIS LOVE INTO OUR HEARTS.

2. GOD’S LOVE, SO ABUNDANT IN BELIEVERS HEARTS ENCOURAGES THEM ON IN THEIR HOPE.

* AND THIS LOVE, GOD’S LOVE, WHICH PAUL MENTIONS HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ROMANS, THIS LOVE, GOD’S LOVE FOR US, IS POURED OUT BY LIT. THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS GIVEN TO EVERY BELIEVER.

** AND BELOVED THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE DIVINE PERSON OF THE TRINITY WHO EXPRESSES TO A BELIEVER THE LOVE OF GOD, THAT IS, GOD’S LOVE FOR HIM.

*** AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US IN OUR HEARTS DOES? WELL, THAT REALITY GIVES US THE ASSURANCE, THE GUARANTEE THAT OUR HOPE IN GOD AND HIS PROMISE OF GLORY IS NOT MISPLACED AND WILL NOT FAIL.

3. AND FOLKS THIS MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RELATED TO HIS PRESENCE IN BELIEVERS AS THE SEAL OF GOD AND AS THE EARNEST OR DOWN PAYMENT OF OUR INHERITANCE IN GLORY, EPHESIANS 4:30, EPHESIANS 1:13&14. (READ THEM).

* ALSO II CORINTHIANS 1:21&22: “NOW HE WHO ESTABLISHES US WITH YOU IN CHRIST AND ANOINTED US IS GOD, WHO ALSO SEALED US AND GAVE US THE SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS AS A PLEDGE.”

** SO GOD THE FATHER GAVE US THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A PLEDGE OR A DOWN PAYMENT THAT WE WILL BE IN GLORY WITH HIM FOREVER ONE DAY.

4. HE ASSURES US THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD, ROMANS 8:16, AND HE ASSURES US THAT GOD LOVES US, SO OUR HOPE IS NOT DISAPPOINTED, OUR FUTURE HOPE IS ASSURED THROUGH THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN EVERY TRUE BELIEVER.

* GOD’S LOVE HAS BEEN POURED OUT IN OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE SPIRIT.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY, (1) I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE, THAT WE WHO KNOW CHRIST GENUINELY ARE TRULY BLESSED.

* BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY GRACE THROUGH THE CHANNEL OF FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD.

** WE HAVE DIVINE ACCESS TO GOD, WE HAVE THE SURE HOPE OF FUTURE GLORY.

(2) BUT ALSO WE CAN REJOICE IN THE NEGATIVE BLESSINGS OF TRIBULATIONS AND TRIALS, KNOWING THAT THOSE TRIBULATIONS BRING ABOUT PERSEVERANCE, AND PERSEVERANCE, PROVEN CHARACTER AND PROVEN CHARACTER, HOPE.

* AND THE FUTURE WE HAVE IS NOT SOMETHING WE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED WITH, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN ASSURED OF GOD’S LOVE FOR US WHICH IS POURED OUT IN OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN TO EVERY BELIEVER, NOT JUST A SELECT FEW.

(3) AND BELOVED MY POINT IS, JUSTIFICATION IS NO ESCAPE FROM THE TRIALS OF LIFE. JESUS SAID IN JOHN 16:33, IN THIS WORLD, WE WILL HAVE TRIBULATION.

* PAUL BEING QUOTED IN ACTS 14:22 SAID: “THROUGH MANY TRIBULATIONS WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”

** AND THEN IN I THESSALONIANS 3:3 PAUL SAID: THAT NO MAN SHOULD BE DISTURBED BY THESE AFFLICTIONS, “FOR YOU YOURSELVES KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN DESTINED FOR THIS.” (GOD’S CHILDREN ARE DESTINED FOR AFFLICTIONS IN THIS LIFE.)

(4) BUT WE MUST LEARN THAT AFFLICTIONS CAN WORK FOR US NOT AGAINST US! AND NO AMOUNT OF SUFFERING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.

* SO TRIBULATIONS SHOULD BRING US CLOSER TO THE LORD AND MAKE US MORE LIKE THE LORD. THEY SHOULD MAKE US BETTER NOT BITTER.

** AND FINALLY REMEMBER, SUFFERING BUILDS CHRISTIAN CHARACTER. LET’S REMEMBER THERE ARE NEGATIVE BLESSINGS.