This morning, I would like to share about one of the inevitabilities of life that we cannot escape. It's something we don't like to hear about, but definitely something we all have to go through. You know what that is? It's death. Let me not get there. I would like to talk about suffering.

Okay, if you consider death as suffering, okay, I'll take that. Suffering is one of the most inevitable aspects of life that we all have to experience. Is there anyone here who has never been through any suffering in your life? No, all of us have, at some point in time. We go through various kinds of sufferings. In fact, one of the mysteries in life is suffering. For people who do not believe in God, suffering is not much of a problem; they just believe the world has happened by chance and suffering is simply a part of life. However, suffering is indeed a problem, especially for those who believe in God. Because if God is truly loving, if God controls everything that happens in this universe, and if God is gracious and merciful, how can I trust Him? Can I trust Him if He allows so much suffering in this world? This is a question that sometimes baffles every believer. As I told you, it's a mystery; it's very difficult to comprehend and understand. But somewhere, we can understand to an extent.

Imagine parents taking their toddlers to the doctor for vaccinations. We all see in hospitals how children, who were so happy and playing moments ago, suddenly become fearful and distressed when they see the doctor. They might feel abandoned by their parents. But even though they resist and cry during the injection, afterwards, they jump back to their mother, finding solace and relief in her embrace. Suffering is somewhat like that. We may not fully understand why certain suffering happens in our lives, but just like the child finds security in the mother despite the pain of vaccination, we can trust that God, who loves us more than anyone else, has a purpose in allowing suffering in our lives.

So, even though suffering remains a mystery in many ways, we can trust God. Even though we don't understand everything about what we go through in our lives, we know the God whom we love and serve is faithful. More faithful than a father or a mother, He will never let anything happen to destroy us. Whatever He allows to happen in our lives is under His control, and He will bring us through. Amen.

This morning, I would like to share that suffering is inevitable; all of us will go through suffering. But how we respond to that suffering will determine whether we will be victorious over our challenges, hardships, difficulties, failures, or issues. It happens to everybody, but not everybody might be victorious. Your response to the sufferings in life, your response to the crises, challenges, and difficulties that happen in your life is what determines whether you will be victorious over them or not.

So, this morning, my encouragement is that we can learn from someone who experienced suffering of the highest order: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ himself. He was perfect, holy, and righteous, yet He went through the agonizing death on the cross. Let's learn from Him how He faced it and overcame it. I would like to share from an incident recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 18, moments before He was about to be arrested and crucified.

In John chapter 18, Jesus had just had His last supper with the disciples. I can imagine how emotional Jesus was, knowing what was about to come. And you can imagine what was going through the minds of His disciples. After the last supper, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray for some time. However, the disciples, His faithful friends, were asleep. Just as those who came to arrest Jesus and crucify Him arrived, let's look at what happened from that incident.

I may not be able to read the entire chapter, but I would like to draw a few lessons on how we face sufferings and challenges in life. Are you all there? Yes. Let's read a few verses from John 18:1-5:

"When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to Him, came forward and said to them, 'Whom do you seek?' They answered Him, 'Jesus of Nazareth.' Jesus said to them, 'I am He.' Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them."

The first lesson that I would like all of us to draw from the life of Jesus, which enabled Him to overcome His suffering, challenges, and crisis, is that He already knew about it. It was not a surprise to Him. Just as I shared this morning, suffering is an inevitable part of life. We must not be surprised by hardships, difficulties, and challenges. It's part of life. You know what Peter says in 1 Peter 4:12: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed."

Can you turn to your neighbor and say, "Don't be surprised by the challenges"?

"So, the difference between Jesus and the disciples is evident. We'll see they both had different reactions. Jesus knew what was to happen, and he was ready to face it. The disciples never expected it; they were shocked, surprised by what happened.

Peter is saying to us as believers, as children of God, 'Don't be surprised by the many trials, troubles, and challenges that you go through. Why are you surprised? Why do you find it strange? It is a part of life; it happens.' In 2 Timothy 3:12, Paul says, 'Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.' Jesus also says in John 16:33, 'In this world you will have many tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome them.'

So, it is said that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. The problem is, many times we get shocked when challenges happen. How do we react? Suppose you went to a doctor for some regular tests, and the doctor says something serious is wrong with your health. How do you respond? Or after a nice Sunday holiday, enjoying life, and then on Monday, you find out something awful has happened — worse still, you've been removed from your job. How do you respond? Or imagine everything is going smoothly, and suddenly a storm hits the family, and your marriage is on the brink of breaking. How do you respond? In business, suddenly everything is fine, but then the business crashes, customers walk away, and you face financial crisis. How do you respond?

Many times, as believers, as children of God, we are shocked, stunned, isn't it? But the Bible says, 'Don't be surprised. Why are you surprised? These things tend to happen.' We should expect challenges, problems, and hardships of various kinds because we live in this fallen world. Like Jesus, we must be ready to face them.

This is the fundamental difference I see between the believers of the first century and the believers of the 21st century. I've said this many times — what's the difference? For believers in the first century, any blessing that came their way would be a surprise. They didn't follow Jesus for blessings, healing, prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs, jobs, marriages, children, cars, houses, or plots. No. When they followed Jesus, they knew they were entering a narrow path. They knew they would face rejection, their lives would be at risk — that's what they expected. And if they experienced some blessing, they would say, 'Oh, we didn't know blessings would come our way when we followed Jesus.'

Now, contrast that with believers in the 21st century. All we expect when we follow Jesus is blessing, healing, prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs. And when challenges or difficulties occur, we are shocked, surprised. I'm not saying we should not believe in blessings, healings, miracles, prosperity — God does that, God is faithful. But why should we be surprised by the hardships and difficulties of life when the Bible continuously warns us it is going to happen, even to believers in this world?

The first thing we can learn from Jesus' life is that he knew what was to happen. So, living in this sinful, fallen world, we should expect challenges, problems, and hardships of various kinds to happen to us. Like Jesus, we must be ready to face them.

This is the fundamental difference I see between the believers of the first century and the believers of the 21st century. I've said this many times — what's the difference? For believers in the first century, any blessing that came their way would be a surprise. They didn't follow Jesus for blessings, healing, prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs, jobs, marriages, children, cars, houses, or plots. No. When they followed Jesus, they knew they were entering a narrow path. They knew they would face rejection, their lives would be at risk — that's what they expected. And if they experienced some blessing, they would say, 'Oh, we didn't know blessings would come our way when we followed Jesus.'

Now, contrast that with believers in the 21st century. All we expect when we follow Jesus is blessing, healing, prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs. And when challenges or difficulties occur, we are shocked, surprised. I'm not saying we should not believe in blessings, healings, miracles, prosperity — God does that, God is faithful. But why should we be surprised by the hardships and difficulties of life when the Bible continuously warns us it is going to happen, even to believers in this world?

The first thing we can learn from Jesus' life is that he knew what was to happen. So, living in this sinful, fallen world, we should expect challenges, problems, and hardships of various kinds to happen to us.

"And like Jesus, we must be ready to face them. This is the fundamental difference I see between the believers of the first century and the believers of the 21st century. I've said this many times. You know, what's the difference? For believers in the first century, any blessing that would come their way would be a surprise. Because when they followed Jesus, they did not follow him for blessings, healing, prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs, jobs, marriages, children, cars, 3BHK, flight, or some plot. No, when they followed Jesus, they knew they were entering a narrow path. They knew they would face rejection. They knew their lives were at risk, and that's what they expected. And meanwhile, if they experienced some blessing, they would say, 'Oh, we didn't know that blessings would come our way when we follow Jesus.'

Now, just oppose that situation with the believers of the 21st century. Because all that we expect when we follow Jesus is blessing, healing, prosperity, miracles, breakthroughs. And when some challenge or some difficulty or problem occurs, we are shocked, we are surprised. I'm not saying we should not believe in blessings, healings, miracles, prosperity—God does that, God is faithful. But why should we be surprised by the hardships and the difficulties of life when the Bible continuously forewarns that it is going to happen, even to believers in this world?

So, the first thing I want us to learn from the life of Jesus, as he stood in the Garden of Gethsemane, as all those people—the priests and the Pharisees and the Roman soldiers—came with swords and weapons to catch him and put him to the Cross, he stood alone, boldly, confidently facing them. 'Whom are you seeking?' he said. They answered, 'Jesus.' And he boldly said, 'I am he.' And they all fell to the ground, looking at his confidence and boldness.

So, may I encourage you this morning to be bold, be courageous. Don't be surprised, don't be stunned, don't feel strange at what is happening. Be ready for it, be prepared for it. Know that God's presence is with you, know that God's hand is upon you, know that God has not brought you to this situation to lead you to failure and defeat, but God has brought you to this situation to give you victory over whatever you might be going through. Amen, hallelujah.

The second thing I would like to share, you know, the difference between how Jesus responded and how the disciples responded to the suffering. The first thing I said, Jesus expected it, he knew what was to happen. The disciples did not expect it. Even though Jesus had told them many times, a few moments before, that he was going to be crucified, they could not comprehend it, they could not grasp it. They thought, after three and a half years of an amazing journey, seeing blessings, prosperity, healings, miracles, deliverances, fame, everything, they thought the journey would culminate in the kingdom of God coming and they would all have great positions with Jesus. A couple of brothers wanted to be on the right and the left, some wanted the finance ministry, others the home ministry, others the defense ministry. I don't know what they were expecting. They thought the three and a half year journey with Jesus was going to culminate in the kingdom of God coming and all their aspirations being met. But they were shocked by what happened. They didn't expect the cross. They didn't expect to find themselves in such a moment as this, to find that their Master, their Lord, was always in complete command and control, being caught by someone else to be crucified. In their wildest dreams, they would not have thought it, and that's why they succumbed to the crisis.

If, like Jesus, you all know that in life we are going to face various kinds of trials and temptations, then we will not be surprised by them, but we will be able to face them. The second thing that I find here, how Jesus faced his crisis, he was bold, he was courageous, while the disciples reacted impulsively. Let us read John 18:6-11: 'When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if you seek me, let these men go." This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one." Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"'

Now, as I'm reading this, I want you to understand the way Jesus is responding to the situation and how the disciples are responding to the situation, and you tell me whose shoes you are in, okay?"

So here Jesus is boldly declaring, "I am the one." He’s bold and courageous, fully aware of what is to come and what He is facing. The disciples, however, are reacting impulsively. There couldn’t be anything more foolish than what Peter did. Do you think Peter could have conquered all those people with just a small sword? He reacted impulsively to the situation, and he’s representing all the disciples there. He took the sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Thankfully, Jesus healed the ear—He didn’t just cut it off and copy-paste it back on, He healed it. If that hadn’t happened, the consequences might have been severe. Peter could have been crucified much earlier than Jesus or at least imprisoned.

I want you all to understand what is happening here. Sometimes, when we are suddenly thrown into a disaster, tragedy, or challenging situation, if we react impulsively, we will only make things worse. If we are not prepared, not expecting it, not composed, and if we do not trust God completely, we might try to control the situation on our own. This can lead us to say things we shouldn’t say or do things we shouldn’t do, which only exacerbates the problem.

So, why did Peter cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant? He was trying to escape the situation. Impulsive actions come from a basic instinct to avoid problems. The first reaction to any problem we face is often to escape it. But let me remind you this morning: our Christian faith is not a faith of escaping or avoiding but a faith of overcoming. Our faith is meant to be triumphant and conquering.

Amen? Hallelujah! What I am encouraging you to understand this morning is that many times we act impulsively to escape our problems. I urge you to be bold and courageous enough to face your situation head-on. Don’t run away from it. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego did not try to escape the fiery furnace; they went through the trial and emerged victorious. Daniel did not attempt to escape the lion’s den; he faced it and was delivered.

In our lives, we must resist the temptation to escape our difficulties. Instead, trust in God, face the challenges, and overcome them. You might enter your situation with fear and trembling, confusion, anxiety, or worry, but as you put your trust in God, you will come out of the fire, the lion’s den, or the Red Sea on the other side, victorious. You will emerge with shouts of testimony, praise, and spiritual growth that you wouldn’t have otherwise experienced.

So, what can we learn from this incident? Do not try to escape your problems. Face them, go through them, and you will see the hand of God upon you. Many times our basic instinct is to run away from problems, to solve things immediately, or to take control ourselves. But instead, we should put everything into the hands of God.

You will come out victorious over every challenge, hardship, and difficulty because God is faithful. Amen? Hallelujah!

Let’s also look at John 18:15-18. In this passage, we see how Peter and the other disciple are responding. By this time, most of the disciples had fled, and only Peter and another disciple were still following Jesus. Verse 15 says, “Simon Peter followed Jesus,” though other translations state that “Simon Peter followed Jesus from a distance.”

When trouble hits, we often begin to follow Jesus from a distance. Just a few hours before, the disciples were having an intimate meal with Jesus, sharing the Passover Lamb and the wine. They were in close fellowship with Him when things were good. But when trouble strikes, they follow Jesus from afar. This is a common response among believers: when challenges come, they do not abandon Jesus entirely, but they distance themselves from Him. They might stop praying, reading the Word, coming to church, or fellowshipping with others.

Ultimately, this distance can lead to a denial of Jesus, just as we see Peter doing later in the verses. At the entrance of the high priest’s house, a servant girl asks Peter if he was also one of Jesus' disciples.

So remember, when facing trials, don’t distance yourself from Jesus. Instead, stay close to Him, trust in His promises, and you will see His faithfulness through every situation.

Peter's response was, "No, I am not! I don't know him." In contrast, Jesus faced the situation boldly and confidently, declaring who he was by saying, "I am Jesus," in the midst of his trial and crisis. He did not say, "I'm not Jesus, maybe you have mistaken me for someone else," to Peter or anyone else. While Jesus was boldly confessing who he was, Peter and the other disciples were denying him.

This brings me to a challenge for each of you today: In your own situations, are you confessing who Jesus is in your life, or are you denying him? When you doubt Jesus, that's when you begin to deny him. You may not say it outright in the midst of your problems or crises. You might say things like, "I don't know if God will truly help me," "Why is this happening to me?" or "Does God really love me?" When you do this, you're denying Jesus as your savior. When you doubt that healing will come to your body, you're denying Jesus as your healer. When you doubt that Jesus can deliver you from your problems, you're denying him as your deliverer.

So, in whatever problems, crises, or situations you are facing, are you denying Jesus or affirming who he is in your life? This is something important for us all to consider this morning.

Peter was warming himself near the fire because he was cold physically, but this also reflected his spiritual state—he was spiritually cold. Similarly, we often react impulsively and distantly follow Jesus in our own lives when faced with suffering and challenges. Like the disciples, we may act impulsively and deny what Jesus can do for us in the midst of sickness or other challenges.

Instead, we should confess who Jesus is to us in the middle of our situations: declare that he is our deliverer, healer, and comforter. When we affirm who Jesus is in our lives during difficult times, we affirm who God is to us.

Jesus overcame the crisis he faced because he was prepared in advance. He spent quality time in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane before his arrest and trial. Prayer prepares us to face challenges and problems in our lives. Jesus even warned his disciples to watch and pray so they would not enter into temptation, but they slept instead. Believers who sleep spiritually cannot overcome their problems; it is those who pray who are prepared to face any crisis or situation.

Now, let me ask you a very important question: Does prayer prevent us from facing problems in life? Did Jesus' prayer in the wilderness prevent him from facing Satan? No, prayer prepares us to face these challenges. Daniel prayed three times a day, yet he still faced the lion's den. Job prayed daily, yet he faced tremendous hardships. Prayer does not shield us from problems, but it prepares us to overcome them.

In summary, problems, suffering, hardships, and crises are all part of life. The key is how we respond to them. Are we like Jesus, who faced them boldly and confidently, or are we like the disciples, who were shocked and denied Jesus? Jesus knew what would happen and faced it boldly, affirming who he was. In contrast, the disciples denied Jesus and were unprepared. Jesus' preparation through prayer enabled him to face the cross and ultimately triumph over it, rising again victoriously.

Therefore, let us learn from Jesus how to face the challenges and crises in our lives. Whether it's sickness, job issues, financial problems, relationship struggles, or any other difficulty, let's face them with confidence and declare who Jesus is in our lives. By doing so, we will come out victorious on the other side. Even if Jesus seems like too high a standard for us to meet, let us strive to be like his disciples, who were restored in faith and became powerful witnesses for him.

In conclusion, let's learn from those around us who have faced and overcome challenges. Let's not shy away from difficulties but stand firm in our faith, trusting that God will enable us to overcome any situation, just as Jesus did.