This isn't just like a cute three-point sermon like these are biblical truths that we need to get into our hearts and minds

Suffering number one is to be expected. Just like the cross was expected just like Jesus was fulfilling scripture. They should have known this was coming. He told him

You're suffering suffering it's been

predicted like in numerous ways first off you're told to take up your cross and

follow Jesus a cross is a suffering type thing of the highest degree it was like there was no example Jesus could have picked in the first century

that was a greater illustration of suffering than the cross.

There just wasn't one. It was called the extreme penalty, like the ultimate penalty by the people back in the time.

You're also told that persecution is something you're going to endure.

2 Timothy 3.12, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

So you'll suffer persecution.

And I think that in the season that's coming our way in our world, that that persecution is going to increase and this isn't to make

us paranoid or make us think that everything's persecution when it's not.

But yeah it's probably increasing and we need to set our face like Flint.

Be ready to face it. It's coming.

But then there's another aspect of our suffering and that is groanings.

And for this I want to give you a scripture because I think some of the

prosperity preaching that we've heard has really damaged our ability to understand this

and then it messes us up creates false expectations but in Romans 8 I won't read through the whole thing

but in Romans 8 Paul talks about how creation is groaning it's going through groanings and so

the it's it's in slavery to corruption creation itself and what he seems to be talking

about in Romans eight is things like tornadoes and hurricanes and

and animal suffering and animal pain and forest fires and those kinds of things, earthquakes,

...