February 6, 2022
John Harris

The Joy of Suffering

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. —Colossians 1:24-26

1. We can rejoice in our suffering when we see and understand our suffering as God’s intentional
   Reveal Answer
   to
   Reveal Answer
   the suffering of
   Reveal Answer
   to the world.
   

2. Suffering
   Reveal Answer
   to the Christian’s
   Reveal Answer
   .
   

3. We live our best lives now when we put the
   Reveal Answer
   of God and the
   Reveal Answer
   of others first, even if it means that it brings
   Reveal Answer
   and
   Reveal Answer
   to our own lives.
   

1. Which winter Olympic event would you most like to try?
   

2. Read Colossians 1:24-26. What were some of Paul’s sufferings? (2 Corinthians 11:25-28)
   

3. What are some ways that you have suffered in your life? My life was hard when …
   

4. How do you tend to respond to suffering and affliction?
   

5. What does it mean to rejoice in your sufferings? Do you find this difficult?
   

6. What are some biblical reasons why we can/should rejoice in our sufferings? (James 1:2-3; Acts 5:41)
   

7. Pastor John said in the sermon that “God intends for the afflictions of Christ to be presented to the world through the afflictions of his people. How does this give you hope in the midst of your sufferings? (Romans 5:3-5)
   

Close in prayer.