Topics – Discipleship, Pain & Suffering, Sacrifice
Hebrews 5:8-9 says that Jesus “learned obedience through what he suffered” and “was made perfect”. If this was necessary for Jesus then followers of Jesus should expect the same.
Focus Scripture – Luke 22:39-45HIDESHOW
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation." 41 He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.
45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.
Extended SummaryHIDESHOW
When Jesus was praying in Luke 22:39-45 it is clear that he desired relief from his suffering but he was also willing to endure it if it was God’s will. From this prayer we can see that sometimes God’s will is to use the pain and suffering we endure to benefit ourselves and/or others. In fact, Hebrews 5:7-9 indicates that Jesus “learned obedience through suffering” and was “made perfect” through it. As followers of Christ, we should expect the same to be true for us.
Suffering is something that most of us prefer to avoid if at all possible! To challenge this, Greg talked a bit about pleasure. He made a distinction between first order and second order pleasures. First order pleasures are those we experience immediately like good food, warm sunshine, exhilarating experiences and so forth. Second order pleasures are those that require delayed gratification, discipline, sacrifice, learning and other intermediate efforts to accomplish. Greg argued that these are the greatest pleasures. Usually we have to sacrifice first order pleasures to gain second order pleasures. Greg used his job as a preaching pastor as an example of a second order pleasure. There’s nothing he’d rather do than study and communicate in the way that he does, but it required lots of hard work to get to the point where this could be a viable option for him. Years of classes, stress, reading books he’d rather not, etc. But in the end, the joy of writing and preaching makes it worth all of the sacrifices.
Sometimes the suffering we face is a necessary part of a plan to gain a second order pleasure (training for a marathon, for example). But sometimes we fall victim to circumstances beyond our control and experience pain as a result. Either way, we are faced with a choice about how we will relate to that pain. Basically there are two options: cope with it in our own way, or give it over to God to shape us into a more godly person. When we cope with it on our own it often results in running away from pain, medicating it, suppressing it, ignoring it, etc. but if we give it over to God, God will use it for our benefit and for the benefit of those around us (Romans 8:28).
It comes down to how we “frame” our pain. If we frame it as altogether bad we’ll run from it, medicate it, etc. but if we frame it as having a positive role to play in our lives because God is at work in it we can embrace it, learn from it and grow.
Practical Applications (homework)HIDESHOW
Both our natural inclinations and the culture around us make us want to avoid pain and suffering whenever possible. But one of the most important aspects of our lives right now is that we’re being taught and nurtured to be more like Jesus so that we’re fit for his Kingdom. And a great deal of this “discipling” comes through pain and suffering! Instead of trying to avoid all pain, as Kingdom people we must learn to embrace it and surrender it to God so that we can benefit from our difficult experiences and become more Christlike. Here are two homework ideas for this week:
- “Second order” joy is the most rewarding for us, but it also requires discipline, sacrifice and patience because it’s delayed gratification. In order to attain it, we usually have to sacrifice the pleasure of “first order” immediate gratification. What second order hopes or dreams do you have for your life as a Kingdom person? What first order distractions seem to get in the way? Make a list of these things and target one first order pleasure that you can do less. Make a commitment to put the time, money and energy toward a specific area of second order growth in Christ.Spend about 4-5 minutes reflecting on the last day or two and think of experiences that show you how much God cares for you. These could be examples of exceptional needs that were met, or day-to-day needs that you usually handle without much thought – but that God plays a part in. Write these thoughts down as you’re reflecting, and then share them with each other.
- All of us have pain of some kind in our lives, but we often distract ourselves from it because it’s difficult to deal with. Revisit the exercise from the service and get in touch with a specific way that you’re suffering: this could be physical, emotional, spiritual or relational. In your imagination, go to God in prayer and bring this pain to him. Represent the pain in your mind so that you can hold it in your hands and show it to God. It’s okay to ask him to fix it, or to show you how to fix it. But also pray, “nevertheless, not my will but yours be done.” For the next week, pray this way daily. It may not be possible to change the situation right now, so be open to the ways that God wants to grow and disciple you into a more Kingdom-looking person through your suffering.
Reflection QuestionsHIDESHOW
- Read each of the supporting texts. What stood out to you most from this message and the supporting texts?
- What are some of the first order pleasures you most enjoy? Share these with one another. What are some first order pleasures that occur in your group life together?
- What are some of the second order pleasures you have successfully pursued in your life? Share these with one another. What are some second order pleasures that your group has pursued together?
- What second order pleasures is your group aiming at in the future? What are you willing to sacrifice to gain those second order pleasures?