This address exploring how trials precede triumph, the cross comes before the crown, and how God uses seasons of suffering to prepare us for eternal glory.
Bible Verses: Darby Translation
Luke 24:25-27 “25 And *he* said to them, O senseless and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory?27 And having begun from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
1 Samuel 1:9-11 “9 And Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk; (now Eli the priest sat upon the seat by the door-post of the temple of Jehovah;)10 and she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to Jehovah, and wept much.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Jehovah of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt give unto thy handmaid a man child, then I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.”
1 Samuel 1:26-28 “26 And she said, Oh my lord, [as] thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here to pray to Jehovah.
27 For this boy I prayed; and Jehovah has granted me my petition which I asked of him.28 And also I have lent him to Jehovah: all the days that he lives, he is lent to Jehovah. And he worshipped Jehovah there.”
1 Samuel 2:1-10 “2 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart exulteth in Jehovah, my horn is lifted up in Jehovah; my mouth is opened wide over mine enemies; for I rejoice in thy salvation.2 There is none holy as Jehovah, for there is none beside thee, neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Do not multiply your words of pride, let not vain-glory come out of your mouth; For Jehovah is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bow of the mighty is broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired themselves out for bread; and the hungry are [so] no more: Even the barren beareth seven, and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.6 Jehovah killeth, and maketh alive; he bringeth down to Sheol, and bringeth up.7 Jehovah maketh poor, and maketh rich, he bringeth low, also he lifteth up:
8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust; from the dung-hill he lifteth up the needy, To set [him] among nobles; and he maketh them inherit a throne of glory; For the pillars of the earth are Jehovah’s, and he hath set the world upon them.9 He keepeth the feet of his saints, but the wicked are silenced in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 They that strive with Jehovah shall be broken to pieces; in the heavens will he thunder upon them. Jehovah will judge the ends of the earth; and he will give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.”
1 Samuel 2:18-21 “18 And Samuel ministered before Jehovah, a boy girded with a linen ephod.19 And his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to sacrifice the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, Jehovah give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to Jehovah. And they went to their own home.21 So Jehovah visited Hannah, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew before Jehovah.”
Job 42:1-6 “42 And Job answered Jehovah and said,2 I know that thou canst do everything, and that thou canst be hindered in no thought of thine.
3 Who is he that obscureth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered what I did not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and inform me.5 I had heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye seeth thee:
6 Wherefore I abhor [myself], and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:10-12 “10 And Jehovah turned the captivity of Job, when he had prayed for his friends; and Jehovah gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 And all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house, and they condoled with him, and comforted him concerning all the evil that Jehovah had brought upon him; and every one gave him a piece of money, and every one a golden ring.12 And Jehovah blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning”
Job 42:16-17 “16 And Job lived after this a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations.17 And Job died, old and full of days.”
2 Corinthians 4:6-18 “6 Because [it is] the God who spoke that out of darkness light should shine who has shone in our hearts for the shining forth of the knowledge of the glory of God in [the] face of [Jesus] Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassingness of the power may be of God, and not from us:8 every way afflicted, but not straitened; seeing no apparent issue, but our way not entirely shut up;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed;10 always bearing about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our body;11 for we who live are always delivered unto death on account of Jesus, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh;12 so that death works in us, but life in you.
13 And having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, I have believed, therefore have I spoken; *we* also believe, therefore also we speak;14 knowing that he who has raised the Lord Jesus shall raise us also with Jesus, and shall present [us] with you.15 For all things [are] for your sakes, that the grace abounding through the many may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.16 Wherefore we faint not; but if indeed our outward man is consumed, yet the inward is renewed day by day.
17 For our momentary [and] light affliction works for us in surpassing measure an eternal weight of glory;18 while we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen; for the things that are seen [are] for a time, but those that are not seen eternal.”
2 Timothy 2:12 “if we endure, we shall also reign together”