Text: Romans 5:1—5

Topic: Why we can rejoice in suffering

Introduction:

What do you do when you reach your life goal?

Illustration: Dallas Cowboys found their Super Bowl victory empty.

The only worthy lifetime goal is the goal of becoming more like Christ.

• Illustration: Aslan tells Lucy, "Every year that you grow, you will find me bigger."

• The majority of human suffering can be explained through free will.
• We live in a fallen world.
• We will not fully understand in this life the reason for many tragedies.

Illustration: The Pilgrims nearly returned to England, but stayed in adversity to celebrate the first Thanksgiving.

• To rejoice means to have hope and glory.
• We rejoice because it produces character.
• We rejoice because character produces hope.

God's love and Spirit give us strength.

• Illustration: Widow who struggles over the death of her husband.
• Illustration: Davis dedicates a dying infant.
• Illustration: A girl who is abandoned by her father writes a letter to Davis.

• Through suffering we identify with Christ

Illustration: Dying believer feels close to Christ.

Our sufferings produce character

Illustration: Tom Landry got his players to do what they didn't want to do, to achieve what they wanted to achieve.

• Suffering provides an opportunity for us to minister to others

Illustration: God used Elisabeth Elliot's struggles to bless countless others.

Conclusion:

• Illustration: The glory belongs to the master, not to the violin.