Servlceabllity
Servants of the Lord must be prepared to suffer, but in doing so, they are educated and disciplined to become worthy of God's estimate.
Miles J. Stanford preaches about the inevitability of trials in the Christian journey, emphasizing that suffering and testing are not strange occurrences but integral parts of spiritual growth. He highlights the dual nature of service to the Lord, where alongside moments of divine glory and revelation, there are also seasons of suffering, burden, and humiliation. Through the example of Job, he illustrates how God's purpose in trials is to both vindicate His servants and refine them to be worthy of His calling, often leading to unexpected and profound deliverance beyond human comprehension.
Text
"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though some strange thing happened unto you" (1 Peter 4:12).
The joy of sowing is exceeded only by the joy of harvesting; and yet both sowing and reaping are a matter of death.
"If we follow and note the history and ways of any true servant of the Lord, we shall see, that on the one side they, like Moses on the Mount, or Paul in Arabia, are entranced with the brightness and most marvelous display of divine glory; yet on man's side, those who know most of the divine ways, suffer most because of the indifference of those who have professed to be the Lord's people.
"It is nowhere admitted in Scripture that a servant can be merely the herald of the light of God's grace; that is, that he should only have the joyful side of service. For every real servant, be he evangelist, teacher, or anything else, there must be the side of suffering, burden, and humiliation."
"We must bear in mind that, while it is the Father's purpose, in His dealings with Job, to vindicate His own estimate of His servant; it is, at the same time, shown us how He educates or disciplines that servant so as to render him worthy of that estimate."
"In every trial, however gloomy, there are gleams of light and relief; but full deliverance is often delayed by our anxiety to obtain it. God Himself, and not the deliverance, is to be the satisfaction of His servant; consequently the deliverance is often postponed until we are without prospect or expectation of it; and then it may be accorded in a manner so transcendently beyond our conception, that we must see and understand the love and interest which surrounded us during the whole period of our trial."
"But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (1 Peter 4:3)
Sermon Outline
- The Reality of Suffering in Service
- The History of Servants of the Lord
- The Purpose of Suffering
- The Importance of Trusting in God
- God, not deliverance, is the satisfaction of His servants
- Deliverance may be delayed, but it is often more glorious than expected
Key Quotes
“The joy of sowing is exceeded only by the joy of harvesting; and yet both sowing and reaping are a matter of death.” — Miles J. Stanford
“It is nowhere admitted in Scripture that a servant can be merely the herald of the light of God's grace; that is, that he should only have the joyful side of service.” — Miles J. Stanford
“But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- Servants of the Lord should rejoice in their sufferings, knowing that they are partakers of Christ's sufferings.
- God, not deliverance, is the satisfaction of His servants, and they should trust in Him during times of suffering.
- Suffering is used to educate and discipline servants, rendering them worthy of God's estimate.