Highlights From Virgil Trout's Sermons, Oct. 2007


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GOD, WHY DO WE SUFFER?

LOOK TO JESUS FOR THE ANSWER TO WHY IS THERE SUFFERING?
THE DESERT WHERE HE WAS TEMPTED WAS A BARREN AREA.
HE ENDURED LONELINESS, HUNGER, HEAT AND COLD.
HE HAS BEEN THERE, HE CAN HELP. Matt. 4:1-2

THE ATHEIST AND THE SKEPTIC SAY THAT:
IF GOD IS TRULY GOOD AND IF GOD IS TRULY ALL POWERFUL
WHY IS THERE EVIL AND SUFFERING IN THE WORLD?

THEY CONCLUDE THAT GOD MUST NOT BE GOOD
OR NOT BE ALL POWERFUL OR BOTH.

HOW TO GET US TO CHOOSE TO BE GOOD?
IF GOD FORCES US TO BE GOOD WE WILL BE DESTROYED.
GOD HAS THE POWER TO TAKE AWAY OUR CAPACITY TO CHOOSE.
THIS IS A DILEMMA. HOW CAN HE PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM AND
MOTIVATE US TO MAKE RIGHT CHOICES AND BE CLEAN?
GOD HAS GIVEN US ALL THE CAPACITY TO CHOOSE:
WE CAN CHOOSE TO BE WISE, KIND AND GOOD,
GENTLE & KIND, UNSELFISH & MERCIFUL,
OR
WE CAN CHOOSE TO BE:
INHUMANE, CRUEL AND SELFISH,
VENGEFUL, JEALOUS, HATEFUL AND ARROGANT.

WHEN SUFFERING HAPPENS THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE
ONE TYPE COMES AND STAYS, HE IS A FRIEND. Proverbs 17:17
THE OTHER TYPE TALKS AND THEN LEAVES. Jas. 2:15-17
JESUS STAYS WITH US IN ALL OUR SUFFERING.
HE'S OUR FRIEND, HE WON'T LEAVE US.
Heb. 13:5

IN THE 21ST CENTURY
HOW DO I FIND THE STRENGTH TO LIVE MY LIFE?
JESUS GIVES US A CHOICE:
DESTRUCTION,
GIVE UP,
PHYSICAL SUICIDE,
EMOTIONAL SUICIDE.
OR
IGNORE THE PAIN AND
TRAIN AS AN ATHLETE DOES
DO IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO WIN
FULFILL THE PURPOSE GOD HAS GIVEN YOU
JESUS WENT TO THE CROSS AND PAID FOR OUR SINS

WE SHOULD HAVE THE MIND OF JESUS
SERVE OTHERS, THAT'S WHAT HE DID. Phil. 2:3-8

IF WE CHOOSE TO CONFESS CHRIST IN ALL THREE REALMS
HEAVEN - EARTH - EVERYWHERE
HERE'S WHAT WILL HAPPEN:
CHOICE 1,
QUIT, GIVE UP, LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.
CHOICE 2,
TAKE THE HIGH ROAD, FOLLOWING CHRIST LEADS TO VICTORY.

CHRIST WON THE VICTORY. Phil. 2:9-11
CHRIST CAN HELP YOU, IF YOU WILL TRY.
IF WE TRY TO WALK IN THE LIGHT HE WILL HELP.
IF WE TRY TO FOLLOW JESUS AND CONFESS OUR SINS.
JESUS WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL OF OUR FAILURES. 1 John 1:7-2:2


NEVER MIND WHY SUFFERING
INSTEAD LOOK AT SUFFERING AS AN OPPORTUNITY

SATAN MEANT TO USE SUFFERING AS HIS GREATEST WEAPON AGAINST US.
INSTEAD, GOD USES SUFFERING TO STRENGTHEN AND TO REFINE US.
PAUL WAS SO CRUSHED BY THE PROBLEMS & PRESSURE ON HIM,
HE DESPAIRED OF LIFE, BUT HIS HOPE WAS IN CHRIST
AND CHRIST DELIVERED HIM. 2 Cor. 1:8-10

SUFFERING MAKES US STRONG. James 1:2-5
SUFFERING FOR CHRIST IS AN HONOR! Acts 5:40-41
SUFFERING EMPOWERS US TO HELP OTHERS. 2 Cor. 1:3-5
WHEN YOU'RE SUFFERING, A VISIT FROM A FRIEND CAN HELP.
WHEN PAUL WAS SUFFERING TITUS CAME AND CHEERED THEM UP. 2 Cor. 7:6

JESUS SAYS USE YOUR SUFFERING TO HELP OTHERS.
HE WANTS US TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS
& TO BE ALERT SO HE CAN USE US TO HELP.
THERE IS SOMEONE THAT YOU CAN HELP.
CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS
MIDDLE AGED AND OLD
THE GOLDEN RULE
Matt. 7:12

USE YOUR EXPERIENCE TO HELP OTHERS.
BECAUSE OF YOUR INFIRMITY YOU CAN DO MORE.
"IN LOVES SERVICE ONLY WOUNDED SOLDIERS CAN HELP."
MAKE IT YOUR GOAL TO ALLOW GOD TO USE YOU TO HELP OTHERS.
JESUS CARRIED MY BURDENS, I CAN BE A BLESSING, IF I WANT TO BE.

THE REWARD IS WORTH THE EFFORT. Matt. 25:34-40


CONCLUSION TO "WHY SUFFERING?"

I CAN BE A WINNER IN ETERNITY
IF I ALLOW JESUS TO GUIDE AND DIRECT MY LIFE.
COMPARED WITH THE REWARD, THE OUR SUFFERING ISN'T BAD. Rom. 8:18
THERE'S A PLACE IN HEAVEN NOW BEING PREPARED FOR US. John 14:1-2
AN ETERNAL HOUSE, NOT BUILT BY HUMAN HANDS. 2 Cor. 5:1-2
THOUGH BURDENED, WE LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.

LIFE IS NOT A CUP TO BE DRAINED, IT IS A MEASURE TO BE FULFILLED.




WHY SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS EVER EXISTED?

SOME SAY THAT "JESUS IS A MYTH AND HIS RESURRECTION IS TOO."

VIRGIL GAVE THE FOLLOWING ANSWER:

THERE WERE 17 NON-CHRISTIAN SOURCES WRITTEN
DURING JESUS LIFE TIME THAT SPEAK OF HIM AND SAY THAT HE LIVED,
THERE WERE FIVE CHRISTIAN AUTHORS WHO TELL OF JESUS,
THERE ARE 19 SOURCES FROM EARLY CHRISTIAN
WRITINGS WHICH TELL OF JESUS,

THERE ARE 3 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES; AND
IN THE BIBLE THERE ARE 128 STATEMENTS WHICH SPEAK OF
THE REALITY OF JESUS' RESURRECTION.

OTHER REASONS FOR FAITH:
PETER'S SERMON IN ACTS CHAPTER 2
WAS SPOKEN IN A LOCALE WHERE IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN VERY EASY TO DISPROVE, IF IT HAD NOT BEEN TRUE.
THE PEOPLE HE WAS SPEAKING TO WOULD HAVE KNOWN
IF IT WERE FALSE. INSTEAD THEY ASKED "MEN
AND BRETHEREN, WHAT SHALL WE DO?"

TO SAY THIS TO THE JEWS TOOK A LOT OF COURAGE
PETER HAD DENIED CHRIST 3 TIMES, WHAT GAVE HIM COURAGE?
BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION THE APOSTLES WERE TIMID & FEARFUL MEN.
THEN CAME THE CROSS, AFTERWARDS THEY WERE STILL TIMID & FEARFUL,
HIDING BEHIND LOCKED AND CLOSED DOORS FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS.
BUT THEN THE APOSTLES LEARNED OF THE RESURRECTION !
AT FIRST THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THE WOMAN SAID.
THEN THEY SAW JESUS AND THEY BECAME BRAVE.

ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST
GOD GAVE THEM THE HOLY SPIRIT
WHICH GAVE THEM WISDOM AND POWER.
THE APOSTLES GAVE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES
TO WITNESS TO THE WORLD ABOUT JESUS.
TRADITION SAYS THAT ALL BUT ONE OF
THE APOSTLES DIED AS A MARTYR.
WOULD THEY HAVE GIVEN THEIR
LIVES FOR A LIE?

LATER, PAUL WROTE THAT IF THERE
WERE NO RESURRECTION, THEY WOULD BE
THE MOST MISERABLE OF ALL MEN. 1 Cor. 15:12-19


WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?
BECAUSE OF JESUS I CAN HAVE HOPE AND JOY,
IF I CHOOSE TO FOLLOW JESUS AND TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY.
I NEED TO BE AWAKE AND ALERT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE.
I CAN BE GOD'S INSTRUMENT TO ALLEVIATE SUFFERING,
HELP OTHERS AND WIN THE VICTORY


Scripture References

Matt. 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. Back to Lesson

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Back to Lesson

James 2:15-17 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. Back to Lesson

Heb. 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Back to Lesson

Phil. 2:3-8 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Back to Lesson

Phil. 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Back to Lesson

1 John 1:7-2:2 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Back to Lesson

2 Cor. 1:8-10 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, Back to Lesson

James 1:2-5 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Back to Lesson

Acts 5:40-41 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Back to Lesson

2 Cor. 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. Back to Lesson

2 Cor. 7:6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, Back to Lesson

Matt. 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Back to Lesson

Matt. 25:34-40 "Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Back to Lesson

Rom. 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Back to Lesson

John 14:1-2 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. Back to Lesson

2 Cor. 5:1-2 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, Back to Lesson

1 Cor. 15:17-19 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. Back to Lesson

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.