Now turn your Bible once again
to the portion we read earlier in Ephesians chapter 3. Ephesians
chapter 3. And let me just read in your
hearing verse 7 and 8. Wherefore I was made a minister,
a preacher of the gospel. We know what Saul of Tarsus was
in religion. He was very religious and lost.
But one day he met the Lord Jesus Christ. God made him a new creature
and made him a preacher of the gospel. I was made a minister
according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by
the effectual working of his power unto me who am less. I am less than the least of all
saints. is this grace given? Ephesians
3 verse 8. That I should preach among the
Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. That I should preach.
What do we preach? Do we preach tradition, ceremony,
the works of men, the writings of men? That we should preach
to the Gentile, that we should preach to sinners. That's us. Sinners. What do sinners need
to hear? they need to hear about Christ.
We preach the unsearchable riches of the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle and the servant of
the Lord tells us in these verses that God put him in the ministry. He didn't seek this office. He
didn't seek this privilege. God put him in the ministry. According to the gift of God's
grace, according to the effectual working of his power, to declare
the good news of salvation, to declare the glad tidings of the
gospel to sinners. God's mercy to sinners. So we go preaching this message,
as it says there in verse 8, the unsearchable riches of Christ. What do sinners need? They need
salvation. What do sinners need to hear
about? The Savior, who is able to save
to the uttermost all that come to God by Him. Now let us not be ignorant of
this blessed truth. God has ordained, God has ordained
the preaching of the gospel to call out His people. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, Verse
21, I said, it pleased God. Pleased God through preaching. What some people call foolishness,
it pleased God through preaching to call out His people. We make much, now listen to me,
we don't make much of the preacher, especially this one, but we do
make much of the means that God has ordained. And the means that
God has ordained is to declare plainly, clearly, this gospel. Seeing we have such hope, we
use great plainness of speech. It pleased God to ordain preaching,
the preaching of Christ to bless His people, to call out His people.
I found this statement by an old Puritan named John Flavel
back in 1681. See, that's going back a few
years, isn't it? He said this, Jesus Christ, the
Lord Jesus Christ, instrumentally opens the understanding of sinners
through and by the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. While there is an elect soul
to be converted or a convert to be further illuminated, enlightened,
the means by which it is accomplished shall not fail. Why can't it
fail? God's ordained the preaching
of the gospel. Therefore, it cannot fail. He
said, what I've purposed, what I've spoken, I'll bring it to
pass. I will do it. I will do it. Now, in our study
verses this evening, in Ephesians chapter 3, verse 9, down through
verse 12, I believe he gives us five valid reasons Why God
called him, Saul of Tarsus, God saved him, and God put him in
the ministry, God sent him with this message of Christ and him
crucified. Five truthful reasons are given
why we are sent out to declare the gospel of God. The gospel
concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. In verse 7 and 8, that we've
already read, we know that God has ordained it. God has ordained
it. And in verse 8, we know God has
also caused us and sent us to preach the gospel, not only because
He's ordained it, but to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. God's
going to get honor in the preaching of the gospel in saving sinners
by Christ Jesus. It's going to honor His mercy,
honor His justice, honor His love, and honor His grace in
Christ Jesus. Now look at verse 9. Here's the
first First thing we see in verse 9, to make all see what is the
fellowship of this mystery. And that's talking about Christ,
Christ in you, the hope of glory. Christ, how he can be just and
justifier, just and the justifier in saving sinners, be a just
God and Savior, which from the beginning of the world had been
hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. Paul is simply
saying this, God called me, saved me, put me in a ministry, sent
me to preach the gospel, in verse 9, that we might see. Number one, that we might see. Look what it says there, to make
all see. Now this word here, To make,
or these four words, make up one word in the original. To
make all see, and it's the same word that's used back here in
chapter 1, verse 18. Turn back over there. Ephesians
1.18, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. The same word. To make all see, it means to
be enlightened. How are sinners enlightened?
through the preaching of the Word by the power of God the
Holy Spirit, to enlighten sinners. Now that's what we need. We need
to be illuminated. We need to be enlightened. You
know why? Because by nature we're in the dark. By nature we're
ignorant. By nature we have no understanding.
By nature we're dead in sin. Therefore, God has sent His ministers
to preach this gospel. The ministry of the Word is a
means that God has ordained to enlighten sinners. That's what
you need. You need to be enlightened. We all need to be enlightened.
And the ministry of the Word is a means that God has ordained
to enlighten sinners and to encourage saints. Turn back to chapter
1 again. Ephesians chapter 1, look at
verse 13. It says, "...in whom you also
trusted after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation, in whom also after that you believed, you were sealed
with the Holy Spirit. Now don't turn, let me just read
this to you, but in Romans 10, Romans 10 declares, whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Call upon the name of the Lord,
whoever it is, shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved. I'm going to call. But listen
to what it says here. How then shall we call on him
in whom we've not believed? And how shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? You've got to hear the gospel.
You can't believe and trust that unrevealed Christ. How shall
they believe in him of whom they've not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent? I tell you, it's mighty important.
God has ordained the preaching of the gospel to the salvation
of His people, to the calling out of His people. Now, it's
through the preaching of the gospel and by the revelation
and power of God the Holy Spirit. Can't leave that part off. We
can preach and preach and preach, but unless God blesses it by
His Spirit and His power, there'll be no quickening. There'll be
no enlightenment. God, the Holy Spirit, uses the
Word, the Word of God. Now listen to this scripture.
The Word of God, the Word of God is not like the Word of men.
You have in your lap the dynamite of God. Be careful. The Word
of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. Not the Word of Tom. The Word
of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. The Word of God is quick and
powerful. So we preach that Word, that Word of God, and preaching
is simply repeating what God's already said. And God the Holy
Spirit takes that Word and in power drives that home to your
heart, and God uses that as a means to call out His people. It is
through the preaching of the Gospel and the power and revelation
of God the Holy Spirit that sinners are called. Sinners are called. Now let's take our Bible and
see if we can make good on that. I want you to find II Thessalonians
2, II Thessalonians chapter 2. And we can see clearly that God
uses the preaching of the gospel to call out his people. II Thessalonians
2 verse 13, But we are bound to give thanks always to God
for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from
the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
There's that work of God the Holy Spirit. Belief, and it leads
us to belief of the truth. Where unto he called you by our
gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So God uses that message to call
out his people. Now find the book of James chapter
1. James chapter 1. Look what it says in verse 17.
Every good gift And every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights, with whom is no bearableness,
neither shadow of turning." Now look at verse 18. James 1, 18,
"...of his own will begat he us," salvation's by whose will? God's will. "...and he begat
us," that is, we're born of God, "...with the word of truth, that
we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." So God uses
the preaching of the gospel to call his people out, to quicken
them and to give them life. Now find 1 Peter, James, and
then you have 1 Peter. Peter, 1 Peter is right after
the book of James. People sinners are born again
by the word of truth. Look at what it says, 1 Peter
1.23, being born again, not of a corruptible seed, but of an
incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth
forever. Look at verse 25. But the word
of the Lord endures forever. And this is the word which by
the gospel is preached unto you. So sinners are Through the preaching
of the gospel, by the revelation and power of God the Holy Spirit,
sinners are called, sinners are quickened, sinners are born again,
sinners are regenerated, and through the preaching of the
gospel that faith is communicated, faith is given. Romans 10 and
17, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Now back to the text. to make
all see what is a fellowship of this mystery which hath been
hid, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in
God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." It is through
the preaching of the gospel, not just preaching now, the preaching
of the true gospel of God's grace in Christ Jesus, preaching the
unsearchable riches of Christ. Paul said, we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves, your servant for his
sake. It's through the preaching of
Christ, the unsearchable riches of Christ, that the mysteries
of the gospel are made known to God's elect, that we have
fellowship in and participate with and enjoy and communion,
we have communion with the blessed gospel of the glory of God. You see how important preaching
of the gospel is? Now, I'll turn to a couple of
scriptures, just a couple of books over. You have Philippians
and you have Colossians. Find Colossians chapter 1. Colossians
chapter 1, verse 4. Since we heard of your faith
in Christ Jesus, Colossians 1, 4, and of the love which you
have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you
in heaven, where have you heard before in the word the truth
of the gospel, which is coming to you as it is in all the world,
And bringeth forth fruit, as it does also in you, since to-day
you heard it, and knew the grace of God in truth. Now Colossians
chapter 1, this time notice verse 25. Wherefore I was made a minister
according to the dispensation of God, the stewardship of God,
which is given to me to fully preach the word of God. That's
what it says there. Even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints, is to whom God would make known what is the riches
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is
Christ in you." The hope of glory. The hope of glory. So, God has
ordained. We can clearly see from reading
these scriptures here in Ephesians chapter 3. that Paul was made
a minister by the effectual working of his power, God sent him out
to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ, to enlighten sinners. You see that? To reveal that
mystery of the gospel, all things in Jesus Christ, all blessings
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Here's the second reason we see.
Look at verse 10. To the intent, Ephesians 3 verse
10. to the intent that now unto the
principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known
manifested by the church, that's his elect, the body of Christ,
those called out, the manifold wisdom of God. Now true faith,
listen to me, true faith is not born of ignorance. True faith
is born of the word of truth, the word of truth. Now here's
the second reason that Paul gives here why God called him and put
him in the ministry and sent him out. That we might be enlightened. Secondly, that we might understand
something of the manifold wisdom of God. To this intent, in order
that, or to this design and purpose, that all the elect of God, His
church, His body, those called by His grace might know, might
understand the manifold, complex, many-sided wisdom of God in saving
sinners. That manifold wisdom of God,
the many-sided wisdom of God. We read in 1 John 5 20, we know
the Son of God has come. And He's given us an understanding.
Now, we need an understanding given. And He gives that understanding
through the ministry of the gospel, through the preaching of the
Word. We know the Son of God has come and He's given us an
understanding that we may know Him that is true, and we're in
Him that is true, even in this Son, Jesus Christ. Now, find
Colossians again, this time, look at chapter 2. Colossians
chapter 2. He said, For I would that you
knew, verse 1, what great conflict I have for you, and for them
at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the
flesh, that their hearts might be comforted, being knit together
in love, unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father,
and of Christ, in whom are hid All the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge are hid in Christ Jesus. Therefore, we preach Christ.
We preach Christ and He is crucified. We see in the preaching of the
Gospel, in the declaration of the Word of God, we see His wisdom
in electing grace. We read that in Ephesians chapter
1, how He had chosen us in Him before the foundation of the
world according to His own will and pleasure. We see His wisdom
in electing grace. Now listen, had God not chosen
us in that covenant of grace, we never would have believed
the gospel. We never would have loved Him.
We love Him because He first loved us. And we see His wisdom,
don't we? And God unconditionally choosing
a people. Had He not, we never would have
believed the truth. Secondly, we see His wisdom in
redeeming grace, in whom we have redemption, justified freely
by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now
listen, had the Lord Jesus Christ, the God-man mediator, had He
not died in our room and in our stead, effectually putting away
our sin, we never would have been justified from all our sin
by His grace. Had the Lord Jesus Christ not
died in our room and in our stead, Had He not shed His blood, putting
away His sin, we never would have had cleansing or a justifying
righteousness before God. Is that so? You know it is. Don't
you see His wisdom in redeeming grace? Don't you see His wisdom
in electing grace? It says there that in heavenly
places might be known by the church to manifold wisdom of
God. He has given us an understanding through the proclamation of the
gospel. We see His wisdom in calling grace. It's God who saved
us. It's God who called us with a
holy calling. Not according to our works, but
according to God's own purpose and grace given us in Christ
before the foundation of the world. Had the Lord not called
us irresistibly by His mighty power with the word of truth,
we never would have been brought from death to life. We never
would have been quickened. You have He quickened who were
dead. We see His wisdom in calling grace. We see His wisdom in redeeming
grace. We see His wisdom in electing
grace. And we see His wisdom in justifying
grace. We see His wisdom in God being
a just God and Savior. How God can be just and yet justify
the ungodly. How the Lord Jesus Christ died
for the ungodly. How the Lord Jesus Christ justifies
the ungodly. Now, did you notice something
that seems kind of out of place in verse 10? It does to me, but
I know it's not. To the intent, or to this purpose,
God purposed the preaching of the gospel that the church might
understand something of the manifold wisdom of God. But here's this
statement here, the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church. the manifold wisdom of God. Now,
when the gospel is preached, it says in 1 Peter 1.12, when
the gospel is preached, do you know that angels desire to look
into these things? Now, I've often said this, and
I think I'm stretching the point. When God's people meet together,
to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and preach His gospel, the angels
of glory are interested in what's going on right now, right where
we're at this evening. And they're interested in the
redeeming mercy of God to sinners, how it's displayed and manifested
through sinners, saved by God's grace. We read about the rejoicing
of the angels in heaven over one sinner that repents." They
are interested in God saving mercy to His chosen, His elect,
His bride, by the church, by the means of and through the
church. Now listen to me. In 1 Corinthians 4.9, don't turn,
let me just read this. Paul said this, "...for I think
that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed
to death, for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels,
and to men." Now that word spectacle in the original, you know what
it means? A theater. A theater. A theater is where
you go to see something displayed, something manifested. Here's
what he's saying. The church of the Lord Jesus
Christ and God's saving mercy to sinners in the church of the
Lord Jesus Christ is a display of God's mercy, is a display
of God's love, is a display of God's grace. And the angels behold
this glorious sight and are amazed that God would save sinners.
You see what he's saying there? Now look at verse 11. Now here's a third reason that
he mentions that God sends him to preach the gospel. Through
the preaching of God's Word, through the preaching of God's
Word, God's gospel, we understand something of the eternal aspect
of God's purpose in saving sinners. You see verse 11? According to
the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus the
Lord. We see something of God's eternal
purpose in Christ Jesus as the gospel is preached, as the gospel
is declared. You know, the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ is an old gospel. Our Lord said Moses wrote a hymn,
but it's older than Moses. Our Lord said Abraham rejoiced
to see my day. He sought and was glad, but it's
older than Moses. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is the ancient gospel. The gospel of God is the ancient
gospel. The gospel of God concerning
the Lord Jesus Christ is older than the fall. It's older than
creation. The gospel of God is an eternal
gospel. It's as old as God Himself. We
read about the Lord Jesus Christ as the Lamb slain before the
foundation of the world. In the preaching of the Gospel,
we see something of God's eternal purpose to show mercy to sinners
in Christ Jesus. Every sinner that God saves,
He saves on Purpose and we know his purpose is an eternal purpose
because God is from everlasting to everlasting He's God. He doesn't change. He said I'm
the Lord I change not Isaiah 46 our Lord declares. He said
I've spoken it. I Will also bring it to pass.
I've purposed it. I will also Do it God's purpose
turn over Romans 8 whenever I think about the purpose of God I This
scripture comes to mind, Romans 8, 28. Most of you could quote it. Romans
8, 28. And we know, we know, you got
it? You with me? We know that all
things work together for good to them that love God, to them
who are called according to His purpose. Now we know that God's
purpose in saving sinners is an eternal purpose, eternal purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that
He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
He did predestinate, them He called, and whom He called, He
also justified, and whom He justified, them He also glorified." Now,
what are we going to say to these things? Well, that's not fair.
Well, that's what the rebel says. What shall we say to these things
if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not
His own Son, but deliver him up for us all? How shall he not
with him also freely give us all things? Who can lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? God who justifies, who is he
to condemn? It is Christ that died, yea,
rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also makes intercession for us. The whole of salvation
in which is displayed the great and eternal purpose of God, the
wisdom of God, is all according to the eternal counsel of God,
the foreordination of God." God never learns anything. He knows
all things because He's decreed all things. Look what it says
back in Ephesians 1, verse 11, "...in whom also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him."
God's purpose is an eternal purpose. of Him who worketh all things
after the counsel of His own will, that we should be to the
praise of His glory who first trusted in Christ." The whole
of salvation known unto God are all His works from the beginning.
According to God's eternal purpose, we see that in the incarnation
of Christ, God manifest in the flesh, In the fullness of time,
God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law.
We see God's eternal purpose in the coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ, don't we? We see God's eternal purpose
in His suffering and death, Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. We see God's eternal purpose
in choosing those for whom He would die. We read it a moment
ago in II Thessalonians 2.13. We are bound to give thanks always
to God for you, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the
beginning chosen you to salvation. We see God's eternal purpose
in His calling and applying grace to His sinners through the preaching
of the gospel. Now, we often quote this verse
in Acts 13-48. Remember, as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed. What did they believe? Well,
you go back and read those preceding verses. Paul had been there preaching
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. And those Jews would
not have Christ. They would not have God's Lamb. They would not have God's Christ.
They said, away with Him. Paul said, well, we'll go preach
to some sinners. And when they heard the gospel, And God used
that gospel to enlighten them, to give them understanding, to
teach them. He said, as many as were ordained
to eternal life believed that gospel. It's no different today. God hasn't changed. The method
of grace hasn't changed. It's all the same. So we go preaching
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. All blessings of salvation
were put in the hands of Christ from all eternity. Nothing new
can arise in time that has not been from the beginning. The
Father loveth the Son, and has put all things into His hand."
All things. You see what he's saying there?
Now here's the fourth thing he mentions in verse 12. Through
the preaching of the gospel, We see something of God's eternal
purpose. Through the preaching of the
gospel, we see something of the manifold wisdom of God. Through
the preaching of the gospel, God enlightens us and gives us
an understanding. And look at verse 12. You know
what else he does through the preaching of the gospel? In whom
we have boldness, access, confidence by the faith of him. You see,
it's through the preaching of the gospel that believers have
what we call assurance, confidence. It's through the preaching of
the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, Paul uses this phrase
quite often in his writings. In verse 12, you see those first
two words, in whom, in whom we have, in whom we have redemption. in whom we have all spiritual
blessings, in whom, in whom our wise God has put all things in
Christ, in His glorious person. All believers have all spiritual
blessing freely given to us in Christ Jesus, in whom we have
redemption, in whom we have all blessings, and then in whom in
the Lord Jesus Christ we have assurance Assurance of salvation. Boldness. He uses the word here,
boldness. You see that? In whom we have
boldness. Now the same word is found in
II Corinthians 3, where Paul said, seeing we have such a hope,
we use great boldness, plainness of speech. Now listen to me.
Here's assurance of faith. Believers can come to the Lord
Jesus Christ freely, and pour out their heart before Him, He
is a refuge for us. We can come before Him not in
arrogance, not with high-mindedness, not with presumption and religious
pride, but believers do come to the Lord, we do come to the
throne of grace boldly to seek His mercy and to find grace to
help in time of need, and we can come with boldness. Pour
out our heart before Him. God is our refuge and strength. our present help in time of need."
We have boldness. That's assurance. That's assurance. And then he mentions, secondly,
we have access. Access. This is free admission.
Free admission. Entrance into the presence of
God the Father upon the merit of the Lord Jesus Christ. We
have access. We saw this once before over
in chapter 2, look at verse 18. For through him, he says in verse
17 of Ephesians 2, and came and preach peace to you who were
far off and to them which are not. For through him we both
have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore you
know no more strangers, foreigners, but your fellow citizens with
the saints and of the household of God." You see, we have boldness,
we have access, we have assurance and confidence in the Lord Jesus
Christ. And the last word he mentions
there is confidence, confidence, confidence. Now, it's not confidence
in ourselves, but it's confidence, look what it says, access with
confidence by the faith of Him, by the faith of Him, not in ourselves. Paul describes true believers,
find Galatians chapter 2. Let me show you this. You remember
our study from the book of Galatians? We have boldness and access with
confidence by the faithfulness of Christ. Paul describes believers
there in Philippians 3 as those who are the true Israel of God,
who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh. But it's true, we have boldness,
access with confidence by the faithfulness of Christ. Galatians
2, look at verse 16. Knowing that a man is not justified
by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Even we have believed in Christ. that we might be justified by
the faith of Christ, not by the works of the law. For by the
works of the law shall no flesh be justified. We have boldness
access with confidence through his faithfulness, not ours. I
feel sorry for the person who's trying to find confidence in
his faithfulness, because that's a place of misery. If you're
honest, that's a place of misery. We have boldness, liberty, and
access with confidence in the faithful obedience of the Lord
Jesus Christ. That's our righteousness before
God. You see, through the preaching
of the gospel, we have assurance. We have confidence. It's not
presumption. It's confidence in Christ. And
then lastly, the fifth thing we see, wherefore, verse 13. He says, wherefore, I desire
that you faint not or don't quit. Don't quit because I'm in trouble.
Now remember, keep in mind when Paul is writing these words,
he's in prison. And he's writing back to these
people with concern that some might be discouraged because
of his imprisonment for the gospel. For preaching the gospel to them,
Paul got in trouble. He said, wherefore I desire that
you don't stumble. Faint not at my Tribulation for
you which is your glory Now what's he saying here through the preaching
of the ministry of the word and through the preaching of the
gospel believers learn? That trials come our way for
our eternal good Through the preaching of the gospel even
though Paul was separated from them his heart was still concerned
about their spiritual welfare our Lord when he on the eve of
the cross told his disciples there in John 16, he said, in
this life you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have
overcome the world. Paul would not have these believers
to stumble in their faith or be discouraged because of the
trouble that was sent his way because of the gospel. But rather,
he says here, it's fallen out to your good! It's fallen out
to your glory! Think about this. God took the
Apostle Paul all the way from Jerusalem through that sea voyage
and through a shipwreck ended up on a on an island and then
all the way to Rome and imprisoned for two years and God sent this
precious word back to them and to us. It's for their good and
you know what for our good too. How gracious is our God that
he would send us a word this way and God sent this trial,
all these trials that the Apostle Paul went through for our good,
for the good of God's people. Now listen to these scriptures
and I'll let you go. Acts 14 verse 22, talking about trials.
This is Paul when he had just been stoned at Lystra, drug out
of the city by his heels, left for dead, and you know what he
did? He went right back in that same place and preached the same
message. And here's what he said. when
they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught
many, they returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in
the faith, and that we, through much trouble, will enter in to
the kingdom of God." Now, you take a stand for the gospel.
You take a stand for the gospel of God's grace, and I tell you
what, You'll suffer trouble. Listen to this scripture, 1 Thessalonians
3, 3. Paul said this, No man should be moved by these afflictions,
for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily,
when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer
tribulation, even as it came to pass. He says, you know it.
You know it. And then in closing, 1 Peter
4, verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you as though some
strange thing happened to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you are
partakers of Christ's suffering, that when His glory shall be
revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy." God sends
trials, heartache, and trouble our way for our eternal good
and God's ultimate glory. Wherefore, I desire that you
faint not at my trouble for you, which is your glory, or for your
eternal good.