Perseverance Through Suffering Exemplified in the Prophets (vs. 10-11a)
- They obeyed God's call to proclaim His Word
- They waited for God's purposes to come to pass
- They persevered through suffering with a Godward focus
- Lesson Learned: Our suffering has a God-ordained purpose
Perseverance Through Suffering Illustrated in Job (vs. 11b)
- Job sought to worship and obey God
- Job endured the loss of everything he held dear
- Job's man-centered perspective was changed to a Godward focus
- Lesson Learned: Our suffering invokes a merciful God to act in love
Perseverance Through Suffering Demonstrated through Jesus Christ
- Isaiah 53:3-6: Jesus suffered for us, carried our griefs and sorrows, and was put to death for our redemption.
- 1 Peter 2:21-25: Christ's suffering left an example for us to follow. He died for our sins so that we could die to sin and live to righteousness.
- Hebrews 12:1-3: We are called to look to Jesus who begins and completes our faith. When we consider Christ's perseverance through suffering, we will not lose heart.
- Lesson Learned: Our suffering must be seen through the lens of Christ's suffering