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For those of you who dont know me, my name is Anthony.

But you can call me


anytime. The topic I am going to talk about is suffering, charming I know but I
feel like this is a topic which is seldom talked about it, so I am going to give it go.
C.S. Lewis in his book Mere Christianity said, If I find in myself desires, which
nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made
for another world.

From Sheen Loneliness


So in this world we suffer, sure there is this kind of metaphysical suffering.
Perfection is not here; this is not our home; we are but pilgrims on our journey
home. There is something in my heart that cannot be satisfied and nothing can
satisfy you either. And we know it very well. So what is the cause of these
feelings, and what are we looking for. We could say were looking for God. And I
know what you will answer, what does God know of know of it? Thats a good
question. What does he know about suffering? Does he know anything about a
baby who has no better home than just straw? Does God anything about the
suffering of a mother who has to gather up their child to escape a dictator and
travel half way across Africa? Does God for instance know that kind of suffering,
where for example one is expelled from a city, disowned by his own people does
he know anything about being disserted and betrayed by friends does he even
know anything, of the loneliness, feeling doubts, doubts even about religion,
which one cries out, why has thou abandoned me, does God know about these
things?

Sheen Loneliness Part 2


Now suppose, a figure came into all of this mess and so immersed himself in it,
that he would not immunize himself from it, and would not cut himself off from it.
So if there was a figure that came into this world of ours, refused to isolate
himself from loneliness, felt it so much that blood poured from his body, felt
suffering so much that it felt that all the robberies of the world were thrust into
his hands as he himself was guilty, felt all lonesome and carnality that his flesh
was hanging from him like purple rags. Suppose someone came into this world,
someone who was like us in all respects but sin, and went into all this suffering
and took it all and was not overcome by it, but conquered it all. Then what? Then
I may suffer every now and then, but I will not be overcome of it. If there was
such a person, and if this person was God whom came into the world, we would
have, a type of a God who sit in heaven giving celestial commands, but we have
a God whom walked the same ground as us and stumbled to a throne.

Value in suffering
So where does this leave us? Given that the worst act in history is the crucifixion
of Christ. And we are all responsible. You might say well no I didnt, Anthony I
wasnt even born then, Well collectively through all our sin, yes we are
responsible through one way or another. It was not just the Jews who handed him
over or the Romans who actually nailed him to the cross. It was all of us.
Collectively we are responsible, but collectively we receive this mighty gift.
Because out of the worse thing possible. What happens? Salvation. The greatest
thing possible where God renews relationship with us and eternal life is possible
again. God doesnt let pain and suffering have the last laugh. Martin Luther
King, is attributed with saying I have attempted to see my personal ordeals as
an opportunity to transform myself and heal the people involved in the tragic
situation which now obtains. I have lived these last few years with the conviction
that unearned suffering is redemptive, and this is because of Christ, suffering
has value. And Its redemptive, because from the redemptive suffering of Christ
we all were saved, you and me. But also through Christs sacrifice on the cross
since we have all been baptised into Christ and are one body through him, now
the suffering in your life has value. John Paul II In bringing about the
redemption through suffering Christ has also raised human suffering to the level
of the redemption. Thus each man, in his suffering can also become a sharer in
the redemptive suffering of Christ. You might have walked here thinking all the
suffering in your life sucks and that it has no value, its a total drag. And yes it
might be a suck and it might be a total drag. But the silver lining is again that
now it has value in Christ. The suffering that we endure can be redemptive like it
Christ on the cross.
Okay, pause for a second, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, because Bhanuka didnt
seem too impressed when I didnt give him any Bible verses talking to him about
my Preach it, Always rejoice, pray without ceasing. In all things give thanks; for
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you all.
All the discomfort we endure, becomes like a prayer modelled after the one who
was sacrificed on the cross. We have a lot to offer up; suffering is inevitable but it
isnt going to have the last laugh, because it has redemptive value. Because it is
united to Christ. No ones life is perfect, often we can compare our crosses to
others, I think were all guilty of that; at least I am. We all are going through
something. I dont know what your cross looks like; I dont know your story. Some
might come through broken homes, going through issues inside your heart, a lot
of young people hate themselves, difficulty at uni, or feel very alone, some
people feel spiritually lost or are sick. And Im not trying to minimize that. But if
we hang in Christ, and carry our cross with him. Okay to summarize, Matthew
16:24, If any one desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up
his cross and follow me.

The portrait of Dorian Gray


To further illustrate my point, I would talk about story of Dorian Gray. This
handsome youth, has his portrait painted and in the painting he stands in awe of
his promise, handsomeness, verity and gladness. A portrait usually has
timelessness to it, but in the story of this Oscar Wilde, it is the portrait that ages
and it is Dorian Gray who remains life. So as he lives his life of pleasure starting
at feast, he never changes. But week by week, month by month, year by year
the painting ages, and become senile, all the renouncements of consciousness,
all the inspirations of the spirit that was spurned, all the evil he did, and all the
successes seemed to be drawn each day. As if some invisible painter was
painting the real Dorian Gray. But in the end had nothing, he saw what he was
and couldnt stand it any longer, he took a knife and plunged it into the portrait.
The servants come in and see the portrait of a handsome man and below it the
body of Dorian Gray with a knife in his chest. He had started with the light
instead of the rain drop. He saw things only through his own perspective in life,
but could not see the hand of God. Dorian had lived a way which denied any trail
or suffering in his life; no
In response to the dramatist works of Oscar we would say they have a point but
it is exaggerated. That is both in life, sadness and happiness that is what makes
it wonderful and great, just as in weaving there is a warp and weft. There is a line
of sadness and also a line of gladness. You see our lives are like tapestries and
the makers of tapestries never work from the front, they have just the image
which they are trying to make, but they work from the back. And they weave
thread after thread from behind, and finally when it is finished they look at what
they have done, they started from behind where they could not quite see the
ending. But they finish by understanding the fullness of life. Corrie ten Boom
put it well, describing the manner at which these tapestries are made. my life is
but a weaving, made between my God and me. I cannot choose the colours, he
weaves steadily. Oft times he weaveth sorrow, but I in foolish pride forget he
sees the upper and I the underside. So the true philosophy of life becomes.
Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Unless there is the cross there will never be the
empty tome. Wherever I look in life I see the same lesson. From Ecclesiastes 3,
All things have their season, and in their time all things pass under heaven. A
time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. A time
to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. A time of
love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace. I have seen the
trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath
made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their
consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from
the beginning to the end.

Edison
Id like to end with a story I heard last Saturday at a monthly event I go to which
is the summation of all Ive said. It was about some drug reform communities in
Italy called New Horizons, where the two speakers spent some time to live and
learn about these communities to establish a like one in New Zealand. In one of
these communities which had a capacity of 50 people at a time and was full, the
caretakers heard of a deformed child whom was born and abandoned at birth in
a hospital in Bosnia. The caretakers, despite having no space took this child
without hesitation and brought him back to the community. This child was blind,
mute, entirely immobile, had a horribly twisted spine and bones which had split
open his flesh. The doctors said this child would not see the age of one, but from
the goodness of others received surgery that would just make his life bearable.
The recovering addicts would be arranged in a roster to look after Edison 24/7.
These recovering addicts told these two speakers, They learn to love through
Edison, through Edisons life they learnt to love without receiving, and for those
who did not do this an obligation . I visiting woman came and saw Edison once,
lying passively in bed as he always was, and asked Where is the love of God?,
to which one of the recovering addicts replied you are looking at it.

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