Glory: Glory in Tribulation
Overview
Glory in Tribulation
A theology of glory must always be rooted in the theology of the cross. That truth shapes how Christians interpret suffering. The cultural assumption that "people are basically good"—a claim even Anne Frank tried to hold onto amid the horrors of Nazi-occupied Europe—does not match Scripture's witness. God does not grade on a curve; He deals in the categories of perfect and bad. Jesus sets the standard plainly: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" Matthew 5:48. And Paul declares, "There is no one who is righteous, not even one" Romans 3:10. Even our best deeds, Isaiah says, are "like a filthy cloth" Isaiah 64:6—every good work tainted by sin.
Discipline, Not Punishment
Because we know our sin, we are tempted in hard times to ask, "What did I do to deserve this?" That was the question Job's counselors pressed on him, and it is the wrong question. Scripture is emphatic: in Christ, God "forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us... nailing it to the cross" Colossians 2:13–14. The penalty has already been borne by Jesus. Therefore, tribulation in the believer's life is not divine payback but fatherly discipline—loving correction, not retribution. "The Lord disciplines those whom He loves... He disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share His holiness" Hebrews 12:3–11. The very presence of God's correction is evidence that we are His children.
What Suffering Produces
God uses trials to mature faith. Abraham "grew strong in his faith" through the long wait for Isaac and the agonizing test that followed Romans 4:19–20. Paul writes that "suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope" Romans 5:3–5. And we have God's promise that "no testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tested beyond your strength" 1 Corinthians 10:13. James can therefore call us to "consider it nothing but joy" when trials come, because testing produces a faith that is "mature and complete, lacking in nothing" James 1:2–4.
Looking Past the Proximate to the Remote
"We know that all things work together for good, for those who love God" Romans 8:28. This knowledge comes by revelation, not experience—we cling to the promise before we see the outcome. There is a difference between the proximate purpose (what is happening to us now) and the remote purpose (the good God is bringing about). Joseph's brothers meant evil; God meant it for the saving of many. Often we cannot see how God will redeem a hardship, but faith prays, "Lord, I look forward to how you will work this out." Be aware, too, that every test carries a corresponding temptation. Satan whispers that God has abandoned you, that He cannot bring good from this. The promises of God answer him.
Pastoral Application
If you are suffering today—in finances, work, health, or relationships—hear this clearly: God is not punishing you. Christ has already borne that punishment. Your heavenly Father is more interested in your growth than in your comfort, and He is using this season to draw you closer to Himself. Glory in your tribulations, not because pain is pleasant, but because you are confident that He loves you, that He is sovereign, and that He will accomplish His good purposes through whatever, in His wisdom, He has allowed.
Transcript
Good morning. 2s
Let us pray together, please. 4s
Forgive us, Lord, for doubting your love in times of trouble. 8s
Renew us by the forgiving power of the cross of your Son, 13s
Jesus Christ. 17s
Heavenly Father, help us to see in our tribulations your wise 20s
and tender care. 23s
Strengthen our faith so that we may meet and overcome the sorrow. 26s
You allow for our good. 31s
And by your spirit, grant us grace even now to glory in our 33s
tribulation so that our lives are a happy and willing testimony 38s
to the love you have shown in your Son. 42s
Amen. 47s
Well, welcome back. 48s
As we continue our study this morning, last week we talked 49s
about how God empowers us to glory in humility. 54s
We talked about how humility does not come naturally at all. 60s
We say the Philippians, the second chapter, how Jesus emptied 65s
Himself, the reason being is because we are full of ourselves. 69s
And Jesus goes to the cross through His blood. 74s
We are washed from our sin. 77s
And His perfect humility becomes our righteousness. 79s
As a forgiven people, we ask Him to empower us to live a life 84s
of humility, to give us that desire and power to live that. 91s
As we've been talking about the theology of glory has to be 97s
rooted in the theology of the cross. 100s
And we saw that once again last week. 103s
Well, today I'd like to talk with you about the topic of 106s
glory and tribulation or glory in times of trouble, 108s
a glory in tribulation. 113s
As I mentioned in my sermon this morning, and Frank spent two 116s
years in hiding from the Nazis in Nazi occupied Holland, 120s
and she died in the concentration camp. 128s
So you can imagine what it is that she saw and what it is that 131s
she witnessed. 135s
And Frank maintained that all people, despite the evidence, 136s
all people are basically good. 142s
And she realized, as she was saying that, and advocating for that, 148s
that she realized that that was really against all of the evidence 152s
that was surrounding her. 155s
Again, the horrors of a concentration camp. 157s
We hear that all the time, don't we? 160s
That people are basically good. 162s
And we desperately want to believe that. 168s
There's a whole host of preachers that will proclaim that 171s
message week after week after week. 177s
And tell how wonderful we all are. 180s
That's not the scriptural witness, is it? 186s
Not at all. 189s
Certainly, we can do good things, but the scriptural witness 190s
is the exact opposite of what Frank maintained and what these 197s
preachers that offer that week after week maintain. 203s
God deals in two categories. 209s
He deals in the category of perfect and bad. 213s
God does not deal in the category of this goodness by grading 217s
by a curve, or goodness by comparison. 224s
As we compare ourselves to perhaps the person whose story we 228s
read about or see upon the news and we say, 233s
that's a bad person and I'm a good person. 237s
God doesn't deal in that category. 240s
He deals in the categories of perfect and bad. 242s
Let's go to Matthew the fifth chapter, please. 245s
Matthew chapter five, verse 48. 249s
Matthew five, verse 48. 255s
And Jesus says this, be perfect, therefore, 263s
as your heavenly Father is perfect. 269s
There's the standard, right? 273s
There's the standard and it is perfection. 276s
Let's go to Romans, the third chapter. 278s
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and then Romans. 281s
Romans chapter three, picking up in verse 10. 285s
And halfway through verse 10, we read, 296s
there is no one who is righteous, not even one. 300s
Righteous means it means good. 307s
It means just. 309s
It means right. 311s
So there is no one who is good, who is right, who is just, 313s
not even one. 318s
There's no one who has understanding. 319s
There's no one who seeks God. 321s
All have turned aside, together they have become worthless. 326s
There's no one who shows kindness. 329s
There is not even one. 331s
Their throats are open graves. 335s
They use their tongues to deceive. 337s
The venom of vipers is under their lips. 339s
Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. 342s
Their feet are swift to shed blood, 344s
ruin and misery are in their paths. 346s
And the way of peace they have not known. 349s
There is no fear of God before their eyes. 352s
And so we see God dealing in categories of perfection and bad. 357s
And God clearly coming out and saying, 364s
there is no one who is righteous. 367s
There is no one who is good. 372s
Let's go to Isaiah chapter 64. 375s
Good way to find Isaiah. 379s
And the Old Testament is open up to Psalms. 380s
Start moving your way to the right. 384s
Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. 386s
Then you bump into Isaiah. 389s
Let's go to Isaiah 64, verse 6. 392s
Isaiah 64, verse 6. 400s
We have all become like one who is unclean. 406s
And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. 412s
Now that doesn't mean that we can't do good things. 420s
But even the good things that we do are tainted with sin. 424s
All the good that we do is tainted with sin. 431s
You ever done something kind to someone and then reflect on what you've done and say, 435s
that was a really kind thing I did. 444s
That was really kind. 447s
I bet they noticed that. 449s
You know, I am in the end a really kind person. 452s
Why it's working, that preacher who told me every morning to stand in front of the mirror 458s
and tell myself, 50 times you are kind, you are kind, you are kind, and you are kind. 462s
It's working. 468s
You see how sin creeps in to everything. 469s
So, since Scripture comes and says, 474s
this is what God thinks of us, 479s
and that we are not perfect, 482s
and that none of us are righteous, 485s
and even the good things that we do are tainted with sin. 488s
Since we turn and we hear that, 497s
we can be tempted to believe when trials come, when tribulations come, 499s
when struggles come, that God is punishing us. 505s
Have you ever used the phrase or have you ever heard the phrase, 513s
where the person says, or maybe you've said to yourself, 518s
what did I do to deserve this? 521s
What did I do to deserve this? 525s
What did Job's counselors do? 527s
Remember the best things that Job's counselors did was to be quiet. 530s
It's when they open their mouth that that's when they really start going all over the place. 535s
But what was the question that they asked Job amidst his suffering? 539s
So, what is it that you did? 542s
What did you do? 545s
Because you must have done a wapper here to be suffering all that you do. 547s
And so, when we suffer, when we face tribulation, we can be tempted to believe. 554s
God is punishing us. 559s
Let's go to Colossians, the second chapter, New Testament. 563s
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 566s
First and second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and then Colossians. 570s
Colossians chapter 2, verse 13. Colossians 2, verse 13. 578s
And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, 585s
God made you alive together with Him. 592s
When He forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands, 597s
He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 606s
Notice the past tenses that are used there. 612s
Those past tenses assure us that we no longer need to fear any punishment for sin. 615s
The law with its threats and accusations have been nailed to the cross. 626s
Jesus Christ has taken all of our sin upon Him. 631s
And God punished sin in His Son as Jesus took the sin. 635s
What then is the purpose for why God allows tribulation, suffering, and hardship in our life? 647s
So first point then is tribulation and hardship and suffering in your life? 657s
Is that God punishing you for sin? What's the answer to that? 664s
No. Absolutely not. Why? Because that has been carried by Christ on the cross. 669s
Jesus took all the punishment for the sin of the world upon Him. 678s
So why then does God allow tribulation, suffering, and hardship in our life? 682s
If it's not punishment, why does He allow it? 688s
There's a difference, isn't there? Between punishment and discipline. 693s
It's a difference between punishment and discipline. 698s
Punishment involves payback. 703s
Discipline involves loving guidance. 707s
I would encourage parents not to use the phrase to your child, 714s
you do that, you're going to be punished. 720s
Punishment is payback. 726s
Discipline is correction from someone who loves us. 730s
Let's explore this a little bit further. 738s
Let's go to Hebrews, the 12th chapter. 739s
We're in collotions now, so keep going toward revelation. 742s
You're going to cross over the tea books, you're going to hit Titus, 746s
and then you come to Hebrews. 750s
Hebrews chapter 12, verse 3. 753s
Hebrews 12, verse 3. 760s
Consider Him who endured such hostility against Himself from sinners, 768s
so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. 774s
In your struggle against sin, you've not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood, 778s
and you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as children. 783s
My child do not regard likely the discipline of the Lord, 787s
or lose heart when you are punished by Him. 792s
I don't like that translation. 798s
I like what the ESV does. 800s
I think it's a better translation, which is approved. 802s
NIV says rebukes there. 805s
Punishment, it's got the wrong connotations associated with it. 809s
Much prefer ESV and rebukes. 814s
For the Lord disciplines those whom He loves and chastises every child whom He accepts. 818s
We go on into seven. 828s
Endure trials for the sake of discipline. 830s
God is treating you as children. 834s
For what child is there whom a parent does not discipline. 835s
If you do not have that discipline in which all children share, 842s
then you're illegitimate and not His children. 847s
Moreover, we have human parents to discipline us and we respected them. 849s
Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the father of spirits and live? 855s
For they discipline us for a short time as seemed best to them. 862s
But He disciplines us for our good in order that we may share His holiness. 866s
Now discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time. 874s
But later it eels the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 878s
Now just an aside, can the discipline of children become sinful? 886s
Absolutely. 891s
Can the discipline of children become punishment? 891s
Absolutely. 898s
Should it? 900s
No. 901s
Discipline, that's a whole other class in series. 903s
But the discipline of children, remember discipline is loving correction of them. 907s
Loving correction of them. 913s
So why then does God allow tribulations and suffering and difficulty in our life because it is a discipline? 917s
It is a loving correction of us. 926s
And in fact, as we experience the difficulties in life, 931s
that is an assurance that we are God's children. 936s
Just as a parent, correctly disciplining, does it out of a loving correction? 940s
So also God corrects and disciplines. 946s
Let's go a little bit deeper. 952s
Let's go to Romans 4, Romans 4, verse 19. 953s
Matthew Mark, Luke John, Acts, and then Romans. 958s
Romans 4, verse 19. 962s
Here is the story of course of Abraham. 971s
God had said that he and Sarah was going to have a son out of this now. 975s
He's going to come at a great people. 980s
The son is not appearing. 982s
According to Abraham and Sarah's timetable, Isaac is born. 985s
God then leads Abraham to sacrifice. 991s
Isaac, it is all a part of God's maturing of Abraham. 995s
Of course, he stays the hand of Abraham. 1001s
We read in verse 19 of chapter 4, 1005s
he did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, 1008s
which was already as good as dead, 1011s
for he was about 100 years old, 1014s
or when he considered the Baroness of Sarah's womb. 1016s
No distress made him waver concerning the promise of God, 1020s
but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God. 1023s
Here is one going through the suffering in terms of the timing of the birth of Isaac 1030s
and God using that time to strengthen Abraham. 1036s
Let's go to 1 Corinthians, the 10th chapter. 1042s
Keep turning towards a revelation. 1045s
1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 13. 1047s
Paul writes, 1060s
"...No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. 1062s
God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, 1067s
but with the testing, he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. 1072s
God will never allow any trouble in our lives greater than what he has given us faith to endure. 1080s
I've heard from folks sometimes where they'll quote this verse and say, 1089s
I think God is becoming perilously close here in terms of giving me something more than I can endure, 1095s
but then it's that promise that one clings to. 1103s
Let's go to Romans, the 5th chapter. 1108s
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. 1111s
Romans chapter 5, verse 3. 1115s
And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 1128s
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 1138s
And hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to you." 1144s
Notice what God brings about in terms of suffering. 1157s
He brings about endurance. 1161s
That's the gift of staying on the path of faith. 1163s
It brings about character. 1168s
That's the combination of Christian qualities that identify us as belonging to God. 1169s
He brings that out of us even amidst the times of suffering. 1175s
He brings about hope, confidence in God's eventual and final deliverance from all our troubles. 1180s
How God uses suffering to mature us and to grow us. 1188s
So, if you are suffering, is God punishing you for sin? 1196s
Absolutely not. 1201s
Why? 1203s
Because sin has been punished in the Lord Jesus Christ. 1204s
The wrath of God came upon Jesus. 1207s
The penalty for sin was laid upon Christ instead of us. 1210s
When the tribulations come, why are they allowed in our lives? 1216s
Because we are His children. 1222s
And our heavenly parent, God Almighty, is using that to guide us and to lovingly correct us. 1225s
Remember God, I've used this so many times over the years, permit me to use it again. 1238s
God is more interested in your growth than in your comfort. 1243s
It's more interested in your growth than your comfort. 1248s
Let's go to Romans 8, verse 28. 1253s
Romans 8, verse 28. 1258s
Paul writes, for we know that all things work together for good, for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. 1268s
For those whom He forenew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that, He might be the first born within a large family. 1278s
Now those whom He predestined, He also called, those whom He called, He also justified, and those whom He justified, He also glorified. 1290s
We want to focus on the first part of that, verse 28. 1298s
We know that all things work together for good. 1301s
We know there that word there is the word for knowledge. 1306s
This is not experiential knowledge. There are some things that we just learn by experience. 1313s
This is knowledge that comes by revelation. 1320s
And so what has God revealed to us in His Word, but He has revealed to us in His Word this very truth, that indeed all things work together for good. 1324s
Now, having had that revealed to us, we will experience that in our lives. 1336s
Sometimes it takes a little bit of seeing things in the rearview mirror to see how good God brought out of something. 1342s
But it is revelation that we cling to, that indeed God will bring about this promise. 1352s
All things, the Greek word there is a comprehensive term. 1360s
In other words to say it is, there are no limits to that. 1367s
So there are not some things that God will bring good out of. 1371s
No, God brings good out of all things for those who love Him. 1376s
All things work together. The word there is synergy, or synergy in Greek, we get synergy from it. 1382s
It is that sense of working together. 1392s
And all things work together for good. The Greek word is a doffon. 1394s
That is morally good. There is another word in Greek that is the word for something that appears to be good. 1399s
But what is used here is that it is morally good, just a little aside here. 1408s
That is why it is so fantastic that the New Testament is written in Greek. 1413s
Because Greek is so exact, it is the perfect language to have the New Testament. 1418s
And it is original written in. 1424s
Because you can look at the preciseness and the varied words that are used. 1427s
And what can be translated good here? 1434s
Well, just this example alone. You have two words there. 1438s
So you say, well, what is the word here being translated for good? 1442s
And you say, ah, it is not the word that appears to be. 1446s
No, it is morally good here. 1450s
So all things work together for good to those who love Him. 1453s
Let us explore this distinction a little bit more. 1460s
Because there is a difference between what is called proximate and remote purposes. 1463s
The difference between proximate and remote purposes. 1470s
I think of the story of Joseph. 1473s
Members, his brothers throw him into a pit here. 1476s
He then becomes later elevated to the right hand of Pharaoh. 1483s
His brothers eventually come before him. 1490s
It is the time of famine. 1492s
And they are seeking food. 1494s
And who is it that they come before? 1496s
They don't realize it at first. 1499s
But it is the one that they thought they had gotten rid of here. 1500s
And it is Joseph. 1504s
And Joseph says, even though you intended to harm to me, God intended it for good, 1506s
in order to preserve a numerous people as he is doing today. 1514s
So have no fear. 1519s
I myself will provide for you and your little ones. 1521s
Now there in that verse is the difference between the proximate purpose and the remote purpose. 1526s
The proximate purpose was you intended to do me harm. 1534s
The remote purpose of what happened is that God would use that event and feed his people 1543s
and sustain his people out of which the Messiah is going to come. 1550s
Amidst challenges and difficulties and tribulations in our life. 1556s
Amidst the proximate of what we are going through. 1562s
God lifts our eyes to see the remote. 1566s
And we may not see how the remote is clear. 1570s
It can be very foggy. 1575s
We might say, I don't see how this is going to work at all to how God is going to bring good out of this. 1576s
That is when we cling to the revelation that God says, this is how I deal with you, my child, 1583s
and amidst your proximate focus on the reality of the remote that will come. 1589s
The remote that is rooted in the very promise of God, all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, 1596s
who are called according to His purpose. 1604s
What's our temptation amidst tribulation and struggle that we go through? 1607s
The temptation amidst the struggle that we go through is to keep our eyes so bored in on the proximate, 1611s
that which we know in the moment instead of the remote. 1620s
A healthy or helpful phrase, I think, as you go through a time of tribulation and struggle, 1627s
is to say in your prayer, Lord, I look forward to how you're going to work this out. 1634s
I look forward to how you're going to work it out. 1639s
I will praise you for that which you will do and what you will bring good out of this, 1643s
because I know your promise. 1649s
Then you're rooted, right? 1651s
The remote is rooted, right into the promise, all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, 1653s
who are called according to His purpose. 1657s
You see, then we see the difficulties in light of His promise and in light of His remote. 1660s
Let's go to James, chapter 1, James chapter 1. 1669s
Keep turning toward revelation. 1674s
Cross over the tees. 1678s
You'll hit Hebrews and then you bump into James. 1680s
James chapter 1. 1685s
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy. 1693s
Just pause on that one for a little bit, right? 1703s
Consider it nothing but joy. 1707s
What happens when we praise? 1709s
What happens when we rejoice? 1711s
But there is a release that occurs. 1713s
Is there not? 1716s
That emits the struggles and the difficulties when we praise God, when we say, 1718s
if all things work together for good to those who love the Lord, then emits this. 1722s
I will praise you and I will be a person of by your grace, joy. 1728s
Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy. 1735s
That doesn't mean that you have to say, 1741s
I am so delighted and filled with joy that the doctor has just given me this dire diagnosis. 1746s
It doesn't mean that, but it does mean. 1757s
Amidst the acknowledgement and grief of a dire diagnosis, one can say, 1761s
but at the same time, I have joy, God, because I know that if you decide to heal me this side of heaven, 1769s
you will. 1779s
I know I will be healed one way or the other, this side of heaven or on the other side of heaven. 1780s
I am filled amidst my grief and hurt over what I have just received in terms of the word, 1786s
I am filled with joy for how you will use this to your glory and to my ultimate good. 1794s
So this is not a call for denial in terms of the natural emotions that come up 1802s
when we receive bad news, but it is an acknowledgement amidst pain that we can be filled with joy. 1808s
Verse 3, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance 1817s
and let endurance have its full effect so that you may be here it comes, 1823s
mature and complete lacking in nothing. 1830s
Why does God allow tribulation in our life to punish us? 1839s
No, to grow us? Yes. 1846s
Because the tribulations are the tool whereby as one author puts it, 1851s
whereby God graduates us from the kindergarten of our faith life into a graduation in terms of a deeper, 1857s
more mature faith. And it is so often the difficulties and the challenges that God uses to draw us closer to Him. 1870s
Now just as God is at work amidst the tribulations and the struggles that we go through, 1882s
guess who else shows up? Satan, right? 1887s
And Satan wants to tell you the exact opposite of the promises of God. 1893s
So Satan wants to say, well if God really loved you, he would never would have. 1900s
Allow this in your life. What kind of God is that? God can't bring good out of this. 1905s
You see the impossibility of this? You're done for. You're done for. 1911s
You're going to lose. Physically you're going to lose. Fill in the blank here. 1919s
God is at work in His promises and Satan also works too. 1924s
We're reflect on your own life right now. Perhaps it's a struggle financially or work related or health issue or relationship difficulty. 1929s
Some kind of trial. We can thank the Lord that God is at work for His good purposes and to grow us, 1937s
but also we must acknowledge that Satan also is at work. 1946s
When there is a test and a trial, watch out because there will be a corresponding temptation. 1953s
And the temptation is born of the evil one. 1964s
And the temptation will so often take the form of, God has abandoned you, you're lost. 1968s
God isn't real. All of that. 1976s
Amidst the test, there will always be a corresponding temptation. 1979s
We can glory in the troubles that come our way. 1986s
We grow in faith as God by His grace empowers us to whether them. 1989s
The truth theology of glory is rooted in the theology of the cross. 1996s
We see God's love for us in Christ. Therefore we glory in our troubles. 2001s
Confident that He loves us. Confident that He is sovereign. Confident that He is in Christ. 2008s
Confident that He can control and confident of what it is that He can accomplish through whatever in His sovereignty He has allowed. 2014s
Well, we're going to continue next week. We glory in witness. We glory in witness. 2027s