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Amen, right Romans chapter 5 and I mean that's a great chapter isn't it but I want to focus actually on the beginning of that chapter and particularly on verses 3 and 4 so Romans chapter 5 and from verse 3 and not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and the title of my sermon today is tribulation training tribulation training let's go to the Lord in a quick word of prayer father I thank you for your word I thank you for this great chapter of the Bible I thank you for this church please just help me to preach now be filled with you filled with your spirit to just preach boldly and for people to want to listen to have open ears and open heart to this in Jesus name we pray all of this Amen okay so yeah what a great chapter right how many times it's tell us it's a free gift huh the free gift of salvation it's a shame that however many times it says it in this chapter people still don't seem to be able to get that today it's a free gift but but we're not going to talk about salvation today I want to talk about another great truth that we see in this Bible and starting from verse 1 listen let's have a little look at this so Romans chapter 5 of verse 1 therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ so we're justified by faith not continuous work so are we not a willingness to live right but by the Lord Jesus Christ verse 2 by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God so it's grace through faith which we rejoice at yeah I'm into that okay verse 3 and not only so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience what is tribulation so a dictionary definition here is severe affliction distresses of life vexations and in Scripture often denotes the troubles and distresses which proceed from persecution now not only should we rejoice in hope of the glory of God but according to this we should also glory in tribulations okay we should also glory in tribulations why well says here knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed so it's because of the result of the tribulation that we glory it's the result of the tribulation that we glory now glory is a verb here means to exalt with joy or to rejoice okay so we rejoice because the tribulation improves us it toughens us up and it starts the first thing it does it makes us patient so tribulation worketh patience so when you're going through tribulation and you're regularly going through tribulation you can't help but end up getting more patient for the result can you okay because if it's if if you're never going through anything how you going to be patient when you first do go through something makes us patient we get experience during the patient so being patient means basically we have to wait and sometimes you have to write it out for a while don't we and with that you're going to start getting experience of tribulation of of learning to be patient now when it says hope here hope make it's not a shame hope isn't some sort of wish it's confidence in a future event the experience results in a confidence in the eventual result okay so we get that experience which makes us which gives us a hope we're confident aren't we from that we know that that the eventual result is going to be for good in the end the more tribulation we go through the more we realize that and when we have that confidence then we start having that shame during the tribulation I think often we think of tribulation we just say are maybe physical pain or or you know losing some of the things like that but there's a lot of different types tribulation sometimes tribulation can be where you start to feel a bit of shame because people are people are maybe you know it's slander it's it's a tax of all sorts and look the more the more you go through it the eventually get that hope you see the result comes out in the end the truth comes out a lot of the time when it's when it's slander and things like that and I'm not just talking about slander but eventually you don't have that shame now since here because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us so it's a Holy Ghost which enables us to succeed through the love of God yeah okay it's not through our own strength for when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly so unlike when we were the ungodly we are now with strength and that improves with more tribulation okay obviously it's through the Holy Ghost but there is a certain amount of us involved here as well the Holy Ghost will strengthen us but we have to be willing and we have to live our God wants to to get that strength and the title of my sermon today is tribulation training and I think it can be compared to some degree to physical training as well okay it could be compared to physical training see we glory or rejoice in tribulation and we should glory or rejoice in tribulation because we know that it's improving us don't we we know that it's improving us to be able to handle and succeed in more tribulation okay to be able to handle more and succeed in more tribulation but it's the same in a way when someone's trying to get fitter stronger faster in sport or in the gym or something along those lines because it's not that when they're sweating buckets when their lungs are burning when they're when their muscles are screaming it's not that people are necessarily at that point whooping for joy are they I don't think at that point you're just loving this while you while you're about to vomit you know if you really push yourself in the gym when you yeah you can't lift that weight up for that you know you're trying to get that last rep out or whatever it is you're doing whether it's a sport you know you're really trying to win that sport at that point maybe not but afterwards afterwards when you've got through it when the recovery starts the joy comes doesn't it from knowing that you're improving from it okay that's anyone who's done any sport or seen any sport or see when you're watching I don't know when you're watching some real hard endurance sports for example if you've ever seen seen a you know a hard marathon race or maybe triathlons and things like that do you think that at that point when the pains retched across their face they're just jumping for joy you know they just rally along I just love this I know but obviously in those race they're looking to achieve but the training for that is the same but the training eventually eventually with that they know they're succeeding from that they know they're improving they know they're achieving from that and it's and that's the same from people wanting to get fit to professional sportsmen as well even when you're going to a gym you want to get fit you want to just just be a bit of a you know a bit fitter bit healthier same thing at that time it can be quite hard work but it's after as often as you know you're improving aren't you know you're increasing you know you're improving your fitness is increasing but you know what a bad trainer does anyone ever been around gyms or seen the bad trainer the bad trainer is the one that gives gives you that that boot boot camp style beasting on day one anyone seen these guys anyone been a victim of these guys so you see them sometimes in gyms and and especially like in the fight sports stuff as well you just get this trainer who's literally just like more more more and it's poor guys literally just walked in off the street doesn't know what he's doing it's like a bit of a gimmick really as well yeah we're gonna train you hard a lot of the time they can't they can't cope can they they can't they can't make it back so they get that first session in and and a lot of them they'll never come back to it and I've been around people like that for many years and and seen some of these trainers and they're just beasting them getting doing more and more and surprise surprise they disappear they hobble out of there and they don't come back as they've just been absolutely abused by their trainer and God doesn't do that with us so does he I don't think God does that with us now people don't come back but it's not because he's beasted them beyond what they can cope with see he God is training us in life God is training us and he is the best trainer in the world I mean he's the best at everything isn't it he made everything yeah he's the best trainer in the world he's better than any of these you know these top personal trainers with all these different qualifications and degrees and everything else God's better than any of those and when it comes to training us for tribulation God is the best at that as well turn to 1st Corinthians chapter 10 now when you're training someone in a sport and I've obviously done this a bit for work myself you're you're you're trying to gauge what they're able to do and it's not actually that easy because it's not just I'll wait until they say I'm too tired because a lot of people are blaggers yeah so you you get in there and you're trying to train them in something and and for me you know you're training them on the pads and and you know and and you they're trying to look a lot of the time like they're more tired than they are and when you push them a little bit suddenly you realize actually they've got a lot more in them than they're pretending and it's a big mental battle there as well and mentally they're trying to tell themselves that they're more tired than they are and a lot of time they're trying to tell you they are as well and but then it's trying to get that balance right so obviously you're not trying to kill them but you're trying to push them to what they're able to cope with now have a look at first Corinthians 10 and verse 13 says there has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you're able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it see God knows exactly what we can and can't handle can't doesn't it okay he knows he knows your heart he knows everything he knows he knows your reigns doesn't he he knows absolutely everything he knows what we can and can't handle but it doesn't mean that we'll automatically succeed we're not robots are we it doesn't mean that we're just going to succeed and there is still a certain amount of our self involved with it it just means that we're able to succeed okay everything that's put in your path you are able to succeed you are able to cope you are able to take that tribulation you're able to do it without losing you know without slipping into sin without denying God without giving up on on the things of God and I was thinking about this with new believers and thinking that you know obviously we all want don't we we all want to get new believers into this church and everything and get them along and how many of them like we said well I've said this many times you get someone saved and they are adamant they're coming to church they are coming nothing's gonna change out you will see me there next Sunday and like we say the the bale of hay is blowing around you know you're looking out the door there's no one yeah okay and I sometimes think about this that I think that they do a lot of the time they'll go through a little bit of tribulation they'll be a little they've just got saved they'll be a little bit of a test a little bit of a challenge now they are able to deal with it but sadly they don't do they and and maybe with time they might do in the future maybe they won't but God's training us up but here's the thing God's training us up but if you can't even get through the preseason warm-up then you've got no business being in the team have you okay and look this is an elite team here okay a church a proper New Testament Church a church who's going out and doing things for God is an elite team okay look I reckon everyone here has probably gone through their own fair share of tribulation training at some point yeah and I don't want to raise your hands here for who has it who has it but I reckon everyone here has gone through their own fair share you're saved and you put your faith in Jesus Christ and him alone then you know for me you're going to have gone through something already okay because usually straight at the beginning you start going through some stuff now it's whether or not you persevere through it and it starts off at the beginning with really when you look back compared with some of the stuff you start to go through more and more you realize wow that was that was Charles play was it that was a preseason warm-up because God wants in his elite team God wants those that can handle it doesn't it okay and we're gonna see why in a second second Timothy 3 12 says yay and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution okay we don't preach some you know health wealth prosperity gospel here where somehow if you're if you're living right you're not going to go through anything yeah sure if you're if you're of the devil's children if you're not if you're not saved then you know I don't know what you're gonna go through what you're not gonna go through okay but if you're saved and you live godly you shall suffer persecution okay you are gonna go it's not because you're being chastised it's not because you're you're you know because you've done something wrong you will suffer persecution now turn the judges seven because when it comes when the persecution comes I want to be surrounded by brothers and sisters that could take it I hope everyone else does here you want to be surrounded by people that could take it and like I said we want you believers here but if they leave in droves at the first sign of persecution they're doing more harm than good aren't they yeah it's great to have them come along and then the first sign of persecution in this church the first the first bit of whether it's protesting or people railing or accusations against whoever it is myself other members of the church and they just all leave because they just their heads turn straight away then they've done more harm than good you can imagine when the chips are down and half your church leaves that that could be hard can't it that could be hard for someone preaching that could be half of people in the church who are remaining as well so we want them here but they've got to get through that they've got to get through the training don't know they've got to get through the basic training if during the battle if during the battles to come they're waving you know they're waving the white flag straight away I mean that's actually more of a hindrance isn't it than being in a battle in the first place they're waving the white flag like some sort of Frenchman just joking okay but if they are yeah if they are then then again what good's that gonna be to a church like this gonna be no good at all is it they're gonna harm the cause of Christ have a look at Judges 7 here and look for verse 1 then Jerry bail who is Gideon and all the people that were with him rose up early and pitched beside the well of Herod so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them by the hill of Maury in the valley and the Lord said unto Gideon the people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands let Israel vaunt themselves against me saying mine own hand has saved me sorry lest Israel vaunt themselves against me say mine own hand has saved me now therefore go to proclaim in the ears of the people saying whosoever is fearful and afraid let him return and depart early from Mount Gilead and their returned of the people twenty and two thousand and there remained ten thousand so over two-thirds of them there were thirty two thousand over two-thirds of them weren't ready for the fight okay and I think we're seeing probably a much higher percentage of that now in this country aren't we and people that are getting saved but over two-thirds of these guys weren't ready they had to go back they were fearful and afraid and no we're gonna have some battles here aren't we hundred percent we're only what six months seven months in and and you know as a church are we eight months now well we October eight coming up to eight months masses going a bit there okay eight months in as an official church and obviously we started in January with Saturdays at first okay so so nine months actually nine months since we started in January and look you know we haven't been through anything yet and if when we start to go through some battles we want the elite don't we we want everyone here to be part of the elite we don't want them to be the ones that are fearful and afraid we want those who are going to fight and battle and stay strong and stay stay tough through it all verse four the Lord said unto Gideon the people are yet too many bring them down onto the water and I will try them for thee there and it shall be that of whom I say unto thee this shall go with thee the same shall go with thee and of whom serve I say unto thee this shall not go with thee the same shall not go so he brought down the people onto the water and the Lord said unto Gideon everyone that lappeth of the water with his tongue as a dog lappeth him shalt thou set by himself likewise everyone that boweth down upon his knees to drink and a number of them that lapped putting their hand to their mouth were 300 men but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water and the Lord said unto Gideon by the 300 men that lapped will I save you and deliver the Midianites into thine hand and let all the other people go every man unto his place so the people took victuals in their hand and their trumpets and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent and retained those 300 men and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley and if you haven't read that story I'll tell you please do so but if you have you you probably remember what happens after that and it ends up being a great victory doesn't it for those 300 and when we talk about the 300 here this is the original this is a true 300 not a load of men wearing skirts in some weird movie with a lot of other weird perversion in it and everything else like that silly movie 300 but this is the original this is a real 300 it was sexy thanks to the Lord wasn't it not a load of guys in skirts so what but here's a question here what sort of man drinks on his knees a goodness I'll tell you what sort of man a white flag waver that's who drinks on his knees yeah get getting down on their knees to drink water I don't know but God would rather select the few tongue lappers didn't they that's what he wanted the tongue lappers to win the battle their nose then bring those who are too quick to bow down that's what I'm seeing too quick to get down to their knees aren't they so how'd you become a tongue lapper how'd you become one of the 300 elite tongue lappers well that takes training doesn't it I tell you that's some training to have water in your hand and lap it up like a dog I think you gotta have a bit of practice with that and I'm joking a little bit but to make it in this Christian life it takes training doesn't it okay it takes training we to succeed takes training I want to be able to say like Paul did in second Timothy 4 7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith because individually and as a group the struggles are yet to come aren't they okay every single person here the struggles are yet to come I'm sorry to break it to you if you thought that you know being a Christian man it was all a bed of roses read the Bible a couple of times sir and you realize that's not the case okay it's not a bed of roses but you know what it's you can still be blessed through it and and you know there's an eternity is going to be a bed of roses and the more you go through in this life the better eternity is going to be for you turn to Matthew 24 see the real struggles are yet to come because there's a time coming soon won't isn't there which will make our current trials and tribulations seem more like a light warm-up than a training session okay because there's a time coming and Matthew 24 and from verse 21 says talking about talking about the end times talking about this time coming that we're probably not that far from for then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be and except those days should be shortened there should no flesh be saved but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened look there have been some horrific times in history haven't there I know some of you guys have been listening to some history audio stuff recently and I'm sure you've gone through some pretty bad times in in the world and you know if you look at the timeline of history there have been some crazy stuff I mean even just more recently imagine the first the Second World War living through that imagine being a you know in the trenches in the First World War just absolutely horrendous but that has got nothing on the tribulation it's the Great Tribulation coming it says such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time nor ever shall be I mean it it's we've got a hard time coming that's why it always maybe doesn't make me chuckle but it's amazing when you see these people going we're in it oh it's a mark of the beast because someone's like trying to push you to take some of the stupid vaccine look that's not the tribulation that's not it's not the Great Tribulation because it's going to be a time such as was not since the beginning of the world okay and it's going to be it's going to be horrendous isn't it and there should no flesh be saved okay except they were shortened those days are shortened it's going to be it's going to be horrendous when it comes isn't it okay but look this is going to trump all those times in the past but there's still a way out in it isn't there it's still a way out in the tribulation it will come like lightning from the east to the west won't it when the Lord comes in his glory but you know there will be a way out but not everyone's going to make it but there is a there is a hard time coming and you know you might sit here and think well well you are saying it's going to be that bad it probably isn't going to come in our lifetime and probably won't let's be honest how many people throughout history have said it's definitely coming I can imagine if you're in one of the world wars you probably would have been sitting there guy it's about to happen okay it's coming and it still has it now yeah okay we could see a lot of things that look like precursors to it and I agree that there is a lot of changes aren't they going on but but whether or not the Great Tribulation comes Great Tribulation will come in our lives won't it we are going to go through some hard times we are going to have worse and worse tribulation turn Acts 14 will I read John 16 33 you turn to Acts 14 John 16 33 says these things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace in the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world okay we should still be of good cheer but we shall have tribulation okay we shall have it now look at Acts 14 verse 21 and when they preached the gospel to that city and had taught many they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch confirming the souls of disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God what did it say much tribulation didn't it not just tribulation not just so you're going to go through a few hard times through much tribulation okay look we've all got to get our heads around that look we're going to go through much tribulation so it's how we respond to it how we deal with it is whether or not we can have joy through it okay now much tribulation that at the end of it all though whether it's a great tribulation or the much tribulation of life you know that that we just read about Paul said in 2nd Timothy 4 you know turn there if you like I just read verse 7 2nd Timothy 4 7 which said I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I've kept the faith and verse 8 he said henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also that love his appearing that's what the training is for isn't it to be able to say that we finished a course to be able to say that we finished a course we haven't quit and then to receive the trophies and rewards at the end of it yeah that's what we that's what we're looking to achieve we're looking to achieve in the long run and that's why we have to go through progressively worse stuff to get there don't we so unlike that bad trainer God will get you tribulation fit bit by bit okay unlike that bad trainer that just beats you with what you can't deal with at the beginning and again we have that choice whether or not we can get get through it but but God is not going to give us something we can't get through we can get through we can stay in the faith and stay in church and stay in our Bible of course of course you can't lose your salvation we're not talking about that okay there's no chance to lose your salvation you know very very I said to me he that believes on me have everlasting life you have everlasting life the second you put your faith Jesus Christ but but you can stop living for God can't you you can't stop you could be like that man you know to him that worketh not but believed on him that just fought the ungodly his faith accounted for righteousness you can be that person that worketh not but we don't want to be that do we okay because we want to live for God and also we want to have an eternity full of rewards don't we okay we want to have that that a-class experience in in heaven and heavens gonna be great anyway but I want the a-class in heaven I want a red carpet rolled out when I got there so look God's gonna get your tribulation fit but those training sessions are gonna get harder and harder okay and they should do shouldn't they a good trainer you go to a personal trainer it should get harder and harder and you should get fitter and fitter and that's when you've got to dig deep to succeed turn to Jeremiah chapter 12 because if you can't take the tough training how are you gonna take it when it's a real deal it's all about the training to be able to take the real deal have a look at Jeremiah chapter 12 Jeremiah chapter 12 and verse 5 Jeremiah 12 5 reads if thou has run with the footmen and they have wearied thee then how can thou contend with horses and if in the land of peace wherein thou trustest they wearied thee then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan if we're tired and weary from the training sessions how are we going to fare when it's full-on persecution how are we going to add you know some people might see it you're thinking yeah I reckon I could take a lot well you better get through those training sessions first then and we are still in the land of peace here aren't we we're definitely in the land of peace here look you know we can look at oh it's just you know they're talking about a vaccination passport well there isn't one yet I'm still going down the shops I'm still I'm still turning up here and preaching the Word of God and we are still currently in the land of peace okay and and look things will get worse we know great tribulations coming at some point and in our lives we're gonna have great tribulation but there is still a lot of freedom we still have a lot of freedom and you can look at cultures around and and you know civilizations throughout history and ones around the world right now and we have a lot of freedom here okay we have a lot of freedom yeah we've got a few retarded stalkers okay we've got a few few weirdos online and we've got you know we've had a few issues you know the odd little you know email and and a couple of things like that but you know we had a knock on the door but it's nothing like what we could be having is it okay and we're in the land of peace here how are we going to attack how are we going to cope when it's attacks from all angles if we can't take it right now if we can't deal with some tribulations of persecution some slander and everything else now you might say oh but you don't understand brother in I'm really going through it okay look I know I'm sure some people are probably going through some stuff right now that I don't know about I'm sure people have got stuff going on in there you know when they're away from church and and I'm sure people are or will do or have been through some hard times and look the training does get tough doesn't it the training gets tough those preseason matches can get pretty rough and competitive you know and look we can go through a tough time but the word of God tells me that it's only going to get tougher it's only going to get tougher now obviously there are seasons I'm not saying you're going to literally just go for one harder thing to the next the harder the harder the harder but and there will be times and there'll be times where things are a bit more peaceful a bit more relaxed for you but ultimately the tribulation will get tougher tougher especially if you're doing things right now don't sit there thinking well maybe I just need to not do things right now I get tough tribulation but no because you're going to be able to deal with it more and more because you're being trained every time through that real-life training but as it gets tougher if you persevere you are going to get fitter and stronger okay you're going to get tribulation fit now first Peter 5 10 says you have to turn there but it says but the God of all grace who have called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that you have suffered a while make you perfect establish strengthen settle you okay that's how we get stronger through the persecution through the suffering and but this is the same as a church okay this is exactly the same as a church it's the same in our personal lives as it is with the church as time goes on the attacks on this church are going to get worse and worse okay and look you might be sitting here thinking well I haven't seen this at other churches I've been out I don't get this in this church yeah but what was that church really doing I'm not trying to puff myself up and and I'm not trying to puff our church up because I know we could be doing more let's never think that we were at the pinnacle here but you know what we're going out and preaching the gospel we four times a week we've got times going out of this church going out knocking people's thoughts preaching the gospel we're trying to preach the Word of God we're trying to do things right and you know what that's why the Bible's clear we will suffer persecution and tribulation with that okay and if a church isn't suffering any of that at all then it's because they're not doing the will of God are they okay because that that has to that will happen the Bible's clear that it happens and we've seen that with good churches throughout history they've suffered persecution and tribulation we don't have to be afraid of that do we now look every church probably we we know and we respect will say the same thing that the infiltrators the attacks get better as time goes by okay they get they get a bit harder the spot they get a bit more advanced the persecution ramps up as time goes by is that scriptural do you think do you think that scriptural I would say a hundred percent that is scriptural turn to Acts 4 so up until this point in Acts 4 we've seen the church start the day of Pentecost you know Peter's healed that lame man and then he's preaching to the people okay now have a look at Acts 4 and verse 1 Acts 4 verse 1 and as they spake unto the people the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them being grieved that they took the people and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead and they laid hands on them and put them in hold until the next day for it was now eventide so the first bit of persecution now for in the book of Acts starts with Peter and John getting arrested okay so they get arrested right at the beginning here okay jump forward now to verse 16 hmm saying what shall we do to these men for that indeed a notable miracle have been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it but that it spread no further among the people let us straightly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name and they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in a name of Jesus but Peter and John answered said unto them whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you more than unto God judge ye for we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard so when they had further threatened them they let them go finding nothing how they might punish them because of the people for all men glorified God for that which was done for the man was about 40 years old on whom this miracle of healing was showed okay so we've just gone from arrest it's now moved on to threats and when you think oh it's only a bit of threatening just bear in mind what Jesus Christ has just gone through just just before this okay so when you're getting threatened by these same people the people that really he suffered at their hands really didn't he and then was pushed on to the Romans to to crucify they're going to be pretty afraid at this point aren't they so they've gone from from arrest they've now they're now getting threatened okay now over to Acts chapter 5 and have a look at verse 16 Acts 5 16 there came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem bringing sick folks and then which were vexed with unclean spirits and they healed everyone then the high priest rose up and all that were with him which is a sect of the Sadducees and were filled with indignation and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison they've been arrested threatened now they've been imprisoned okay so we've gone from arrests threatening to imprisonment okay now God's angel breaks him out of prison but they're then arrested again okay Peter preaches at them and then look at Acts 5 33 when they heard that they were cut to the heart and took counsel to slay them so now they're plotting to kill them and then we see Gamaliel persuades them not to now look at verse 40 and to him they agreed this is Gamaliel when they had called the Apostles and beaten them they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go so we've ramped up to what physical beatings now okay so we've gone you know we've gone arrests haven't we we've gone threats now now so we've got arrests we've got threats we now have basically a plot to kill them trying to work out how to kill them and now it's physical beatings okay now over to the next chapter and then we get a different kind of tribulation and I would I would say to you that for me this is as bad if not worse verse 1 and in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied there rose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration so now there's discontent in the church they've just been through the arrests the threats getting jailed marked for death and beatings and now there's division in the church and look division in the church can you imagine that you've just been through all of that and now you get you're back at the church and now people are starting to complain and have problems that's hard going isn't it that's all going for these guys in this church that's hard going for the whole church division in the church something you don't want to see that's that's for me that's more harmful than the physical beatings having to deal with that division and the possible breakup of their New Testament Church so right then after that okay they solve that then after that Stevens out there doing great wonders and miracles isn't he okay look at verse 11 then they suborned men which said we have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God and they stirred up the people and they said like the people in the elders and the scribes and came upon him and caught him and brought him to the council and set up false witnesses which said this man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law if we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us so now we've got railing accusations public outcry slander okay and again that's hard stuff to deal with isn't it and and for the whole church as well this is like one of the top guys here the church that preaches doing great things and now it's just public outcry public slander what's the result turn over to act 7 act 7 and verse 57 then they cried out with a loud voice and stopped there is a ran upon him with one accord and cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet whose name was Saul and they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus received my spirit and he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice Lord lay not this into their charge and when he had said this he fell asleep and it's progressed to murder okay now they've murdered Stephen because that's what it is it's murder and it went like I said it went from arrest to threats to jail time to death threats to beatings church division public railing and slander and eventually murder and it doesn't stop there the scale now increases from from one hero of the faith in Stephen to the multitude look at acts 8 verse 17 and acts 8 17 then the high priest rose up and all they that were with him which is a sect of the Sadducees and were filled with indignation and laid their hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison so they've been arrested threatened sorry so I've just gone gone gone over to I think it's printed a second page there sorry I thought I had a lot of pages here I think my my sermon notes that double printed something okay so okay we've had murder okay went from it for the arrests like we said okay look at acts 8 okay so lacks 8 verse 1 as Saul was consenting unto his death and at that time there was a great persecution against Church which was at Jerusalem and they were all scattered board throughout the region of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles and devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him as for Saul he made havoc of the church entering into every house and hailing men and women committed them to prison therefore they that were scattered abroad when everywhere preached a word so not just persecution but great persecution against the church now okay so they've gone from that they've gone from the murder now it's great persecution against the church multiple imprisonment scattered abroad and it was about to get even worse in Acts 9 this is the last place we're going to hear Acts 9 and verse 1 where it says and Saul yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord went unto the high priest and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues that if he found any of this way whether they were men or women he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem so the great persecution was about to go abroad at this point okay then God intervenes so so if the murder and Great Tribulation this is what I'm saying to you here if the murder and the Great Tribulation of the church had started straight after Pentecost do you think they would have coped I reckon they wouldn't okay I'm sure they wouldn't I'm sure that there was a progression and that God only allowed what they were able to deal with each time yeah if that if that had started straight away if one of them had just been murdered straight away don't don't forget at the end of John they're in a locked room aren't they after Jesus died so now they're out boldly preaching but it's progressive isn't it and progressively it's there they're progressing more and more and doing more and more getting bolder and bolder but the persecution was only what they could cope with and God was training them up through that to eventually be able to deal with the stoning of Stephen the Great Tribulation they just went abroad and carried on preaching the gospel and they carried on and and look it all worked for good in the end because they they then stopped just focusing on Jerusalem went out across the world in the end didn't they preach the gospel obviously and then we see what happens with Saul as well turning into Paul but as the first New Testament Church they were trained up for Great Tribulation okay for the Great Tribulation that they experienced and okay they'd already been through some scary stuff with Stephen but as a church as a church they had to go through progressively getting worse and worse and worse okay and look the truth is that's gonna happen here okay it's gonna get worse we're gonna get more persecution we're gonna get more tribulation we're gonna get more attacks more slander we're gonna get murmurings we're gonna get problems we're gonna get infiltrators we're gonna get people that that are gonna come that are going to attack us from the outside we're gonna get people from the inside it's all gonna happen okay it's happened at every good church we know and it continues to happen but it's biblical it's scriptural and if we're strong and we stay in the Word of God and we stay doing things his way we're only gonna get stronger with that and we're gonna be able to deal with that because you could look at it go how on earth do you deal with with someone saying all these things like for example I don't know pastor Stephen Anderson the the attacks like that you know you just you just go online and look for try look for someone just put his name in and it just like you know page after like page of people who have just set up their own railing accusations and attacks on a man of God you know and it's just non-stop non-stop on him and you think how does he even deal with that but I would say maybe when he was 21 22 whatever age it was he probably would have found that a lot harder but with time it's just progressively got worse and worse and he's able to deal with that he's able to cope with that much better than anyone else I think would be able to and it's same with other churches we see the newer churches it's ramping up and ramping up isn't it with them but but you get to the point I could you know you can see from this from the book of Acts where they're able to deal with worse and worse and worse and worse aren't they because we're being trained the whole time to deal with worse because it will only get worse and ultimately you never know things could suddenly plummet and we could be dealing with a great tribulation we could be okay you know we probably won't you know we're 2,000 years of probably people saying that but we could be couldn't we we could be and we want to be ready for that and while you're going to be ready for that as a church as individuals as we go through more stuff and we keep improving getting stronger with that so when you're going through that and when we go through that as a church we don't want to be looking up you know God why I just you know do you not love me anymore or you know are we doing something wrong as a church because we've got all these people do it no it means we're doing something right it means that we're living you know we're living godly that we're doing things right aren't we that we're trying to do things as a church should do it okay so you always thinking well that's great yeah it's all well and good knowing that but how do we cope when that when that training starts to feel like a bee sting so how what do we do you know when that trait when you feel like you just can't go any further when when that tribulation is just really taking it out of you you're thinking I don't even know if I can deal with this anymore because people will get to that point won't they okay you can deal with it remember you can God won't put something that you can't you can deal with it but there are times aren't there what can we do to help when you're wondering if the trainer has maybe misjudged your fitness a little bit you're thinking maybe he's just got me slightly wrong here and I don't know if I could actually take this or when you start to consider take you up an easier sport like you know bodybuilder posing or something else instead of some real sport you know or you consider just just going off to some you know new IFB church sorry old IFB church where you just get a you know sit there and just kind of languish and you know listen to a sermon once a week maybe a little 30-minute oh and that's it don't really have to go out now and again maybe do a bit soul-winning once a year you know well what'd you do well Deuteronomy chapter 4 if you turn there talking to the nation of Israel so that could apply to us now spiritual isn't it Israel amen okay Deuteronomy 4 verse 29 Deuteronomy 4 29 but if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God thou shalt find him if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul when thou art in tribulation all these things have come upon thee even in the latter days if thou turn to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice for the Lord thy God is a merciful God he will not forsake thee neither destroy thee nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he swear unto them when the training gets hard don't disobey the trainer okay so same if you know we're comparing this to some sort of physical training you've got some sort of bootcamp trainer don't start not doing what he says when it's getting hard because he'll just give you extras okay don't disobey the trainer keep doing things God's way and you'll get through it yeah you do it God's way you're gonna get through it aren't you ain't gonna get through it your own way the temptation is to quit isn't it and and people get this the temptation is to quit on him to walk out to quit on church to quit on on their Bible reading to quit on soul-winning because they've had a you know someone particularly rude or aggressive with them or they're just getting sick of it that's the temptation isn't it temptations to just give up to just I'll just go back to my old life go back to that so things are much easier then but it won't be and you won't you won't be better off like that and you know what you're gonna regret that in eternity if you do do that so the temptation is to do that but we don't have to turn to Romans 8 said said there in Deuteronomy 4 if thou turn to the Lord thy God and shalt be obedient unto his voice he will not forsake thee he's not gonna forsake us turn to Romans 8 and verse 35 it says who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword and is it me or is there a bit of a leveling up each time there as well yeah you've gone from tribulation to distress okay that's starting to get a bit worse now persecution that's when when you're actually being persecuted famine that's pretty bad when you when you can't afford food or you can't get food they're nakedness even worse you ain't even got the clothes either peril is when you're in proper danger now and sword is obviously we're talking about death now okay we've got a leveling up each time haven't we verse 36 as it is written for thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us for I'm persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord now you could obviously apply eternal security to that passage couldn't you but when you're in tribulation remember that God loves you God loves you nothing's gonna stop that it can be hard when you feel like you're doing the 500th burpee when you feel like you're just he's just drilling your heart you know you're just doing there you're going overboard I don't even know if I could take it anymore but he loves you he's making you strong okay he's making you stronger sometimes he's waiting we saw we looked at John we're looking at John chapter 11 last week and Jesus abode two more days after Lazarus was reported seriously ill and it and they had to go through four days of morning before Jesus Christ turned up but you know what I bet they got stronger through that imagine their faith after that when Jesus turns up and raised him from the dead in the same way look you know when we're in tribulation we are gonna get strong from that and at the time you feel like why why and there isn't a time limit I'm not gonna tell you it's only gonna be a day or it's only gonna be three days only gonna be a week it might be a month might be a year it might be years that you have to go through something but eventually you will get stronger from here and it is going to increase patience isn't it you know and it is going to increase your experience in your hope which makes you not ashamed and look we are gonna get stronger from it in Romans 12 12 you don't have to turn there we're told to be rejoicing in hope patient in tribulation can continuing instant in prayer so rejoice in that assurance of eternal life yeah we should let's do that when you go through tribulation don't forget that you've got you've got eternal life that that nothing can change that that you're destined for heaven because sometimes it can be hard you can be in a bit of a you have been a pit can't you of despair sometimes just life can be so hard at times for people everyone goes through this but you can end up with eternity in heaven I mean unbelievable nothing could compare nothing could compare but we can rejoice in that but it says here rejoicing in hope patient tribulation continuing instant in prayer look rejoicing in in eternal life but we you know hard training is much easier when you enjoy it okay when you try to enjoy something where it's hard on your body you know it's much easier and if we could try and get that enjoyment that enjoyment from life that enjoyment of eternal security then you can maybe try and get through that tribulation with a smile on your face sometimes as well now that might sound a bit crazy but have a turn of first Peter chapter 4 first Peter chapter 4 and from verse 12 beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened unto you but rejoice in as much as you're partakers of Christ's sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding joy if you be reproached for the name of Christ happy are you for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you on their part his evil spoken upon your party is glorified but let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evildoer or as a busybody in other men's matters yet if any man suffers a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God on this behalf now that starts off they're telling us you know we shouldn't think it's strange when we're going through a fiery trial because how many people are going through a fiery trial just thinking why God why me what have I done you know what why do I deserve this but but it's not it's not always chastisement is it okay think it not strange a lot of the time is a trial which will strengthen you for something that's probably going to be harder along the further down the line but he said in verse 13 but rejoice in as much as you're partakers of Christ sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed you may be glad also with exceeding joy so we should be right rejoicing that we're partaking in Christ sufferings okay and and that can be hard but it's something that we're told to do so we could try and do it but he then goes on to say if you be reproach for the name of Christ happier you okay so it's when it's for the name of Christ when we're being reproach for being believers when we're being reproach for standing on the Word of God when we're being reproach for going out soul winning when we're being reproach for being part of a church this that's trying to do things as a church should do things for a church which stands on the truth for a church which isn't ashamed of the sort of churches that were friends with when we're being reproach for that we should be happy okay happy are ye for spirit of glory and a God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil-spoken, but on your part he is glorified. Yeah, the liberal fun centre church isn't being reproached, is it? Yeah, they might be getting mocked a little bit, someone might have the odd joke, but ultimately they're just like, yes, ah, you know, it's a good thing really, is it? Everyone's got to have something, you hear these stupid cliches and, oh well, probably you get taught good morals down there and everything else, yeah, but when you're actually trying to do things for God it's a different thing, isn't it? Different to these churches where they're just down there having a laugh and, you know, it's all so liberal and soft soft, but let none of you suffer as a murderer, as a thief, as an evil or as a busybody in other men's matters, okay? So let's just, the caveat here for everything that I'm preaching here today is not when you're suffering for your own wickedness, okay? If it's for your own wickedness, none of this counts, okay? This is out the window. Oh, I'm just suffering for Christ and it's like you've been out, you know, getting drunk in the pub and, ah, you know, I've really got suffering for Christ because you have caused problems yourself, you've gone out and done clearly sinful things. Yet if any man suffers a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God on his behalf. Now, Romans 12 12, where I was, you could turn there if you like, where it said, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. Remember, tribulation worketh patience and patience maketh, makes tribulation easier, doesn't it? So when we're patient, we get through the tribulation easier but the tribulation makes us patient. There's something you kind of got to go through to then get that benefit from it. But when we're in that, don't forget to pray, don't forget to pray and it might sound obvious, yeah, of course I'm praying but do you really? Because a lot of people, when things get hard, they just start to pull away from God, don't they? And they find it hard to pray, or at least they'll just kind of mutter out a prayer because they know they should, but praying is from the heart, isn't it? You know, when you pray, you know, you should be praying from the heart and when we're in hard times, it says here continuing instant in prayer, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer. That's a constant praying, isn't it? And that's straight away. Soon as we have hard times, soon as we have that pressure, soon as we have those decisions, soon as we have that persecution, straight into prayer. But we also need to help and comfort each other, okay? That's something we need to do as a church. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 1. So ways of dealing with tribulation and persecution, which is 100% bound to happen in our lives if we're saved and we're living for God. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 3. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. So God comforts us, but really he does that through each other. He does that through other Christians and you see, just for sake of time I haven't gone to these passages, but there's times when he says about sending Titus to comfort them and Timothy came and comforted them and he was comforted by them coming and he was comforted by them. That's how we're comforted through each other. He said here, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. So look, we don't want, obviously we don't want to come to church and just be moaning and complaining to each other the whole time and trying to get comfort from each other. Oh my life, my life, and everyone's just patting each other going, you poor thing, you know, and everything Okay but, and look, it is good though sometimes, sometimes you do need to share things, don't you? Okay and look, and especially I would say, you know, and not to single them out, excuse the pun, but for for the single people it can be harder, can't it, as well sometimes, if they don't have family or close friends around that are believers as well, that are not only believers but wanting to live for God and believe them, you know, and actually want to want to listen and believe the Bible and live by the Bible and, you know, it's fine to have someone that you think is possibly saved but it's a different game, isn't it, when you're around people that really understand, yeah, and, you know, that can be hard, can't it, so for those as well, and for everyone anyway, it can be good to sometimes share some of your problems and, yeah, don't be that person that's got the little violin out the whole time, but do, there's nothing wrong with sharing that, for trying to comfort each other, because sometimes it can be surprising when another Christian says, yeah, I've been through something similar to that and that was hard, but you know what, it did get better in time and as much as you hear this preaching it's nice to hear that from individuals as well, isn't it, okay, so it could be good to share things, because there can be an issue, there can be a problem where people, Christians, kind of like to pretend that their whole life is just a bed of roses in case someone thinks they're being chastised, yeah, so it's like, oh, yeah, yeah, great, yeah, life is brilliant, amazing, really good, you know, you're thinking really well, but six months later you even say, no, no, I'm joking, all right, but truthfully, yeah, there is that, isn't there, there are people that try and act as if they never go through anything, never, and look, I'm not saying, if you're not the type that wants to share it, you don't need to share it, okay, you don't have to, but look, there are people that will need comforting and sometimes it's hard if someone's always just like, yeah, brilliant, yeah, great, and yeah, look, we should have joy in Christ, sure, but life does have challenges, doesn't it, okay, and there's nothing wrong with sharing that with each other sometimes, okay, but ultimately, beyond each other, we're comforted by the word of God, aren't we, we're comforted by the word of God, showing us the sufferings of great men like Paul, yeah, it's seeing the stuff that Paul goes through, kind of puts everything you go through into kind of, it pales in comparison, doesn't it, because when you, but also, when you experience even slightly similar, isn't it a comfort seeing everything that they have delivered from as well, so when you go through something and then you're reading your Bible and just seeing them being delivered and getting through it and having that joy in the tribulation coming out, that can be a comfort as well, can't it, and that's, we should seek comfort from the word of God like that as well, because it's like having a, back to the training analogy, it's like having a great training partner to inspire you, to keep you going, to aspire to be like, having that person on the team who's just like that, you know, just that example to everyone, first to training, you know, last one to leave, just trains hard, he's always giving 100% that person in the gym, he's just there training hard, that person, whatever it is, whatever, you know, sport or fitness analogy you might want to use, it, when you see those, there are people that are inspirations like that, aren't there, there are people that you just think, wow, that person just keeps going and keep going and keep training, they're always there, they never blow out, they're always there, and, you know, and we can see that from the word of God, there are people like that in the word of God, because obviously Jesus Christ is the ultimate example, but sometimes we can feel like his perfection is unattainable at times, sometimes you can look, you know, some, you hear Chris say, well that's Jesus, you know, it's like, yeah, that is Jesus, we should aspire to be like Jesus, but there are other men of God in the Bible as well that handle things in a way that we, we should be able to look at and go, yeah, I could do that, I do have the Holy Spirit in me, I am able, God has only tempted me with that which I am able to bear, you know, and he's only allowed, you know, allowed that to, to come, and when I say God is, you know, God doesn't tempt us with evil himself, and obviously we're drawn away of our own lust, but God will only allow you to, to allow that, that temptation to be what you're able to bear, okay, and, and saying when you're in persecution, eventually the temptation is to sin in a way, is to, you know, to stop, to stop going to church, to, well, you know, things are just so hard, I'm so stressed out, I'm not going, I've had such a bad week, I've had a bad night, I've had a bad whatever it is, but that's not the answer, is it, to forsake the coming together, it's not the answer to not go soul winning, because you're just, you know, you're in a really bad mood, or things have been really tough, I'm just having it bad right now, it's not, that's not the answer, is it, it's not the answer to stop reading your Bible, to stop praying, and that's ultimately the temptation then is that sin, isn't it, to pull away from God, to start, stop doing the things of God, but we can see great, great people in the Bible, I mean there are other examples obviously, but, but in the Bible, a run of the men, you know, sorry, run of the mill men and women who just, who, who seem to get through it, who seem to keep going, who seem to strive to go forward and, you know, and, and end up doing, you know, getting through that tribulation training, doing great things for God, don't they, and we're, every single person here is able to do that, they're just normal people, the Bible's full of normal people, isn't it, normal people who, you know, with, with the help of God, with the help of the Holy Spirit, can get through some pretty horrific stuff, can't they, and we can all do the same, every single person here, and, and, you know, before I finish, just to say that I don't want you to come away from me and just think, man, life's going to be tough, isn't it, you know, this church isn't going to be too fun, you know, and, and I don't want you doing that, what I want you to do is come away from me realising that no, actually, everything you go through just make you stronger, and make you able to deal with it, and able to deal with it, and actually, hopefully, be able to deal with it quite, quite, I don't want to say easily, but be able to do it even with joy, with joy, and know that, look, you can, you know, you can get through these challenges of life, and it's not long, and you're going to be in eternity. Okay, on that, let's pray. Father, I thank you for your word, I thank you for the great examples in the Bible, men like the Apostle Paul, and King David, and many others that seem to go through so much, but, but got through it with, you know, in, with the help of you, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and, you know, we pray, I pray right now, that we all here would, we'd all just, just call on you, and, and stay in the Word, and try and stay strong, and for you to just keep strengthening us, and for us not to shirk, or pull away, or not, not, not want to be in these tough times, but to realise it will make us stronger, that we're, we're just going to keep progressing through life, and keep getting stronger, and keep being more like the people that you want us to be, and pray that you help us have a great day now, help us go out and get some people saved this afternoon, and encourage them to want to come along, and be part of this elite team we have in this church as well. In Jesus' name we pray all of that. Amen.