Video Transcript: The Suffering Leader

This is our last week of the training. And it was only supposed to be seven weeks long. And  when we put this curriculum together for the leaders and the topics, we had these seven  lessons, and then and then I went to China. And, and when I go to China, I go there to learn.  Because I think a lot of times as Americans, we want to go places and teach, and tell them  how it's supposed to be done. Like, why would we do that? They're doing it better than us. You know, why wouldn't we learn from their churches. And not to say there aren't weaknesses in  every church around the world, but there's something so special about what God did with the  underground church and China, and you just just to get perspective, because sometimes we,  we can just look at our thing and see, it is so big or so wonderful, and that we're unable to  look around and go, Gosh, actually, that's amazing. And sometimes we don't get the scope.  Even, like when we say, you know, 100 million people, like, it's hard to grasp that. You know,  cuz because in America, we like to boast about a church that has 1000 people you know, or  5000 people, and, but just put it in the sense of just relate to it in dollars. If I gave you $5,000  versus 5 million, it's a big difference. Like we, we get that it's like fine, okay, that's cool. I  grant a couple things that 5 million changes your whole life. Okay. So when we're talking  about people and 5000 people, and then, you know, that's, that's great. That's, that's cool.  But in China, the Lord did something amazing. And you hear different numbers, anything from 100 million to 200 million, but it's a lot. Okay. A lot of people that were saved through  discipleship, without anyone's name being known. In fact, that was a beautiful thing. They  were telling me, they said, you know, in America, in order to have a big impact, you got to  become famous or something. They said over here, the people who had the greatest impact,  no one could know who they were. Because if anyone knew who they were, you know, they'd  be they'd be taken out. And so it's a beautiful thing. If I want to have an impact, I can't let  anyone know my name. You know, I'm either putting out material putting out disciples, I'm  teaching people, but no one can know about me. And it was such a great way to, you know, to live life. And so here you've got these people were everyone believed that they needed to go  and make disciples, once they got saved. It's like, you know what, I don't go somewhere and  just sit and listen to someone for the rest of my life. I've got a job to do. So train me up for  this job. And then send me out and it was just sending, sending, multiplying to where you're  in the millions. And you go to a place like that. And it's, it's embarrassing sometimes when  they have me speak because I go, Look, I didn't come here to teach you. I came here to listen  and learn everything I can. And this one guy, who you know, who leads a whole network of, of churches, because it was, you know, there's there's little bit more freedom in China right now.  And so they began to test the waters and build these churches above ground and just see  how well it would go in this church. grew to a couple 1000 people and then the government  went in, and sure enough, shut it down. And, you know, hauled the pastors away, and, and in  hindsight, he, you know, he was telling me because I'm actually really grateful. Because it  brought us back to our DNA again, he goes, we started to lose it with some of the freedom.  And we started, oh, okay, I got a lot of people I'm starting to get known. And this is, you know, but we lost some of our DNA. And so it was almost like the Lord used us being torn down  again, to rebuild even stronger. And so we've gone back, and, and he explained, he goes, You  know, there were really five pillars to the house church movement. And we got away from  those and we started just relying maybe on the service on a teacher or whatever else, but  those pillars when he was naming them, I'm kind of like nodding my head going, yeah, yeah,  we're right on track. Right. You know, like I'm tracking with you, you know, because the first  one he says, you know, it's, it was based on prayer, you know, a deep deep commitment to  prayer I'm like, right on right on I want us to stay focused on that are our prayer gatherings  our daily prayers, you know, people gathering together good, good, good. You know, he goes  the commitment to the Word of God. We're committed to the Word of God. And that's what  caused this growth. It wasn't about the speaker, but everyone, you know, learning the Word of God reading the Word of God. I'm like, okay, good, good. That's what I've always believed.  That's where we're headed. We're trying to get everyone reading the word for themselves and being committed devoted to it. And then he says, you know, we're also committed to the  sharing of the gospel, where every member was sharing the gospel like right on I go, that's  that's what we're trying to do. We're, we're, we're, we're pushing for that to where it's not 

just, Hey, everyone, listen to me share the gospel, but no, everybody every week. Let's just  go for it. Well, this is what we live for. The that's happening, that's happening. Then he said,  the fourth one, he goes, and this one hit me a little like, oh, he says there was a regular  expectation of miracles because of their prayer life because of what they believe that the  Holy Spirit, they expected the supernatural going, okay. Okay. What kind of 50/50 on the one  we're not real strong on as largely my fault, my conservative background, but we got some  Pentecostals here. Now. We'll get it going. No, but you know, it's like, okay, okay, you know,  and that's something I'm growing in and understanding go, No, Lord, it's right. When I read  the scriptures, there is an expectation. I mean, what are we doing just trying to create things  the way the world does in the flesh? No, we want the supernatural but then when you hit the  fifth pillar, ah, it was so convicting because it just blindsided me cuz I'm like, yeah, yeah.  Okay, we're not that good. That one. Then he then he goes, the fifth pillar was we embraced  suffering for the glory of Christ. Oh, that was one of your five. Like, this is what we built our  church on his we embrace suffering. And when he said it, yeah, it hit me weird because I  thought I would never thought of that. But then when he said it, I'm going you're right. Okay.  Like Like when I when I got went around and asked people, okay, if you just use the Bible, can  nothing else, no experience, and you were to describe church or Christianity based upon the  Bible? What are the most obvious truths of how you would describe church? And people were  talking about the love talk about you know, that type of fellowship, talk about the spreading  the gospel, you know, talk about prayer, the word, you know, but no one talked about  suffering. But when he said it, I'm like, it is all through the New Testament. I did a sermon one  time where I just went through every book of the New Testament and just started reading  verse after verse about suffering. Just to show it's not just one book, it's not just one verse. I  mean, it's all over the place. I mean, it's one of the most clear doctrines in the New  Testament, you know, and if you just write down what what is repeated over and over and  over and over, as followers of Christ, we're gonna suffer for him. We're going to be hated.  We're going to be rejected. This morning earlier, for those who are there we preach to I Peter  4. And it was like, ah, it was so obvious. But it's true, that when, when we get this when like, I  Peter 4 says, Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourself, with the same way of  thinking, for whoever is suffered in the flesh, has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of  the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. since Christ  suffered in the flesh, arm yourself with the same way of thinking, and it's that mentality that  when we arm ourselves this is what will make us unstoppable. That's why the underground  church was unstoppable. And that's why so many of our churches are easily stoppable. Why  do people stop going to church right I didn't like this? I didn't like that. I don't like the way  they did this. It's just it's all about Oh, something got hard. something got difficult. Okay, go  down the street. They'll make it easier for you. You know, Oh, you want to leave your husband okay, go down the street. They'll let you do that. You know, it's just everything. It's like all that better. Kids Care their bands better he preaches better. You know, that we're so stoppable  because we're not armed with this mentality that Christ had. He didn't come to be served but  to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. He came to this earth and it wasn't like the  moment it got tough, Oh, Father, they're rejecting me, I came to my own, my own aren't  accepting me. No, he came with that mindset, he was armed with that mindset. He knew he  came to die. He knew I mean Old Testament predicted it said, Look, this is going to be a man  of sorrows. This is his life, this is what he's destined for. And Jesus was not deceptive about  that when he called people to follow him. He didn't tell them it was going to be easy. And, and so when I, when I look at this, I go, wow, this is we're missing this. We are missing this as the  church in America is embracing suffering, for the glory of Christ, embracing it, and going, this  is what I'm destined for. This was my He's my role model. Jesus, what kind of life did he live? I  mean, it's the basics of our faith. But it's crazy how man, even me, I feel like I try to block out  and not be stained by the world and all these other messages. And I'm going, why did I not  think of that. So for that reason, we added a week and going over this is this is too clear of a  doctrine. And until our people embrace this until we embrace this, we're not going to have  that unstoppable church, that unstoppable force, because that's what made those early  believers unstoppable, right? He thrown in jail, they get beat up, and I was so cool. Like, they 

leave rejoicing, as like, we can't stop these guys. If we kill them, they rejoice. If we torture  him, they rejoice. You know what, throw them in prison, they sing hymns that are going, man,  we're sharing in the sufferings of Christ, this is good. But when we don't preach this, and we  don't explain to people, this is what it means to follow Jesus in the moment, it gets difficult. All my friends don't, you know, want to hang out with me anymore. You know, my kids are, you  know, getting annoyed. They're calling me a Jesus freak, or my parents, you know, it's like,  waa, waa, waa sorry, you know, but we got learned actually rejoice in this, we are actually  embrace this. And so when he said that, and he described the church like, they love, and I  remember, like five years ago, going to an underground church gathering, where I asked them about the persecution, and each person that stood up and started sharing about what the  government did. And when they're hiding, you know, you know, and you know, in the walls,  because the government officials came or they're, they're hearing gunshots and they're  running, but I wish you could hear the way they were sharing. I mean, they're just going, oh,  there's this one time, the police, you know, and everyone's just laughing like it was a party.  Like, I'm like, This is crazy. This is so insane. These guys think it's funny to be shot at like, it  didn't bother them they just expected and their prayers are screaming out, God, take me to  the most dangerous places I want to suffer for you. I don't want to go to a safe place. I don't,  please, I want to be counted worthy to die in your name. That's the way they pray. If you've  got a group like that, how are you going to stop them? You know? That's, that's the way the  church is supposed to be. This unstoppable force because we're going man, I'll take a hit. I  want to. It's not just okay. I think I'll suffer for you. But when you get to the point where you  even desire it, man I am. I've been praying about this this week, like God. It's like, this is  where we need each other. Look, I'm no different from anyone else. I don't like pain. You  know, I've never been in a fistfight. talk my way out of it and still look tough. But it's just like,  Man, I'm not like, oh, tough guy. It's like, Man, I don't want to get hit. I kind of want to, you  know, it's just the whole idea. So I'm not like, tough guy up here. Or I don't. I'm like everyone  else. Like, it's like, man. That's, that's tough. But then when I pray and I look at these  passages, I go, No, God, I know it's gonna be worth it. I know it's gonna be worth it. And even  again, this morning, God, no, I want some of this. I want some of this. And I need more  strength, Lord, to want it even more in order. It's like Paul says in Philippians 3, where he says, Indeed I count everything is lost because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my  Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order  that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that  depends on faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible, I may attain the  resurrection from the dead. Like Paul saying, I want this. I want to know Christ. I want to know  the power of his resurrection. I mean, who doesn't want to know that? Like, don't you guys or  pray that they're pray that I've been praying that this week I got I, I know there's more power  available. I know there's more. I want it all. I want to be like Jesus. Like, there was just power  there that the miracles like there's just this fearlessness, this courage is overcoming  everything, like God, I want all of it. But but he doesn't just say that though. He goes, but I  want the fellowship, of sharing in his sufferings. While saying I want this, I want this. I want to  share I want I want that fellowship, that fellowship. I mean, can you imagine like Jesus, you  know, be, you know, when we watch the movies and everything else, and we don't know for  sure what it's like, but you imagine, like it's stretched out and being whipped. I mean, imagine if, if you were on the other side of him, and you're looking at Jesus, you know, face to face,  just taken it with him. You know, like, ah, it would there would be this tremendous pain, like,  ah, you know, this rejection, but to look in his eyes, and just to know that, man, I'm with the  Son of God, the Creator of everything. And we're going through this together right here. Like  Paul saying man, I want that I want that type of intimacy, where I just feel like I'm nailed right  there next to him. Man, I want Christ I want Jesus, I want Jesus because I've already lost  everything. I lost my reputation. I lost all the comforts that I had. And I count that all just a  bunch of crap. That was just all rubbish compared to knowing Christ. Jesus so much better. I  want to know him. I want to know the power of his resurrection, I want to know the fellowship 

of His sufferings like everything about Jesus I want. That's the New Testament. That's why he  says in Colossians 1:24 says, Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake. And in my flesh, I do my share on behalf of his body, which is the church in filling up what is lacking in Christ's  afflictions. This is what we do. We fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions, that's not at all  saying that what Jesus went through on the cross was not enough. And we've got to finish the  job. You know, the best I've explanation I've had of this verse is, is it's, it's being that picture  of Christ today. Okay, it's what's lacking is we don't have Jesus right here on the cross. So  everyone stares and sees his life and goes, Whoa, look at that. And so we now as his body, we give that picture to the world of look, I got this, you know, I'm thinking about something  future, I want to give that, that visible explanation or picture of Jesus to people here today.  And that includes certain suffering, I mean, would it would I look anything like Jesus, if I drove  out here in a Bentley, you know, with my body guards feeding me and, you know, it's like,  how is that a picture of Christ? How was that a trust in the future and the glory to come? You  know, but if I come here, maybe wiped out by the week, maybe even beat up by some people and being rejected by people and, and living a humble life and giving of myself, you know,  having little left to show you know, at the end of my life and go, Man, I gave it all up. Because I know something better is coming. It's a picture of Christ. Paul says, I want all of that. That's  my example. That's why just follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. And how  can you be Christ without suffering? Hebrews 10, verse 34. We read this last week in our  readings for you showed sympathy to the prisoners. and accepted joyfully, the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. It's like  you may mistreated, get stuff stolen. It's do with joy. It's like, it's cool. It doesn't matter. Yeah,  someone ripped me off. Cool. That's all that. And he's gonna bless me in the future for it. I  Peter 4 verses 12 and 13. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which  comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing we're happening to you. But  to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the  revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. So brothers do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you. Which comes upon you for your testing. Don't be surprised when it  gets tough, especially for us as leaders. That's what I want to make sure. And that's why I  think it is so important for us, especially as leaders is not to be surprised. At fiery trials. Fiery  ordeal, as though something strange were happening to you. I mean, I speak at a lot of  pastors conferences, I hang out with a lot of pastors. And there is a lot of whining. Okay, just  about how tough it is. I mean, we live in and I don't mean to mock, but it's, it's just, it  becomes silly at a point. Like, like, one of my church planters went out on from like friends  and they, they started a church, and then they decided to go to two services. And so the  worship leaders like, well, if we're gonna go to two services, then you're going to need to  bring me like a trailer for a green room, just in between the services. So I just can clear my  mind because like two services straight, because you know, after singing three songs, you  gotta rest. You know, it's just that mindset of, Oh, I get paid full time for these three songs,  but they expect me to add two services in a row. I, you know, but this. Like, we only have one  I know, I don't know if it wasn't it, wasn't you. But it's just the craziness of this expectation of  comfort. And it's like, man, what are you expecting to sign up for? Okay. And man, I praise  God for you guys. Because you guys, man, you're here because you're, you're doing this on  your own dime. You guys are not getting paid, you're going you know what, it's a long day. I  work a regular job. And then I Shepherd these people, but I want to do it. And it's actually a  joy to go to bed. Exhausted. And go man. It was tough getting there. But it's feels good.  Tonight, I am exhausted serving the Lord. And and the joy I get is knowing that I've got  treasure stored up in heaven. And man that I love being with a group like this. And but we  have to keep this mentality we have to arm ourselves with this mindset of this is going to be  hard. Okay, this may be some of the most difficult things you do is disciple people. I'm not  talking about attending a church service with a few people and having them in the other side  of the room. I'm saying like getting into someone's life. Having to confront them on their sin  sometimes and having them just flat out reject you. After giving them so much love after  being on your knees weeping for them. Giving financially to them, even letting them in your  home. And then have them talk trash about you afterwards. I'm just letting you know it's 

coming. Have fun with it. You know, I mean, there has to be this side where you're armed with it and go, this is going to happen and I'm cool with it. I actually want some of this. I want to  share in his sufferings. Okay. This isn't about Oh man, I'm gonna get this one group of people  God's gonna give me this perfect church, you know, and everyone's gonna love me. We're  gonna love each other. Very little sin. No one's gonna gossip about me. You know, they're  gonna follow my leadership. You know, it's just like, just don't even think that okay, you just  got to arm yourself. Like Jesus didn't come down to earth going There's gonna be a revival.  You know? Everybody's gonna love me. No, he just came down and he goes I'm just gonna  serve people I'm going to get rejected by my own people, and they're going to nail me to a  cross. But it's all good. I'm gonna do it for the joy set before me. All prophets were told ahead  of time, no one's gonna listen to you, you know, but you go when you do this, and God's  gonna be with you. And it's like Paul told Timothy, look, in the last days, people aren't going to put up with sound doctrine. But but you know what? Because you, you endure suffering. I love that phrase. He says, he says, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist. That's what Paul tells Timothy, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, the two go side by side, hand in  hand, if you're going to be an evangelist, you're going to have to endure suffering. Okay, last  week, we talked about getting the message to the ends of the earth, right? And we talked  about Matthew 24. Jonathan brought that up, Matthew 24, verse 14, says, And this gospel of  the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. But if you read that passage in context, look what it says right before  starting in verse nine, he says, then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and put you to  death, and you will be hated by all nations for my namesake. And then many will fall away  and betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead  many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold, but  the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be  proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will  come. Do you get that the Great Commission, and making disciples of all nations will not be  accomplished without suffering. I mean he just said it so plain. I mean, this is the thing I'm  going man, it's all through this book. This is what Jesus promised, they're gonna hate you.  They're gonna put you to death. They're gonna reject you, and many, they're going to walk  away because it's gonna get too tough. And he says because lawlessness will increase,  because there's gonna be a greater attitude on the earth of, he can't tell us how to live.  Forget His commands, I'm gonna do what I feel like, it's because that's going to increase, the  love of many will grow cold. That's just what's going to happen in our day and age. They're  not going to love Jesus so much, because everyone else is gonna be glamorizing sin. It's like,  Ooh, that looks good, that looks good, that looks good. And you start in your heart starts  getting captured by all these things. And then your love for him just going to kind of slowly  dissipating and get colder and colder and colder But he says, but those who endure to the  end, they're going to be saved. And you know what, and the gospel is going to be preached to all of them. It's going to be this army of people that go, No, I get this, I'm going to suffer, I'm  going to be rejected, I'm going to be hated, and it is going to be this group of people and they will get the message to the ends of the earth. But it's not going to be an easy life. It's going to be through suffering. Jesus, he promised this. And he says in Matthew 5, verse 11, Blessed,  blessed are you when others revile you, and persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against  you falsely on my account? Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so  they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Again, you know, Luke 6, he says the  same thing as be glad in that day, and leap for joy. For behold, your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. I'm not making this stuff up. I  mean, sometimes when I teach on this, people are like, what what? This is a new teaching.  And I'm going, how can it be a new teaching? It's like all through this book. It's a new teaching because we don't preach these passages. There's like eight passages. We keep preaching  over and over and over, you know, and it doesn't deal with what the majority most obvious  teachings are in Scripture, because it's not who wants to talk about this. Except those of us  who have the Spirit of God in us, we go I know that's in there. And you know what I do want  to? I'm scary. You know what, let's admit it. We're all scared. We all wonder, where's that point

going to be where I break? You know, we watch those movies, you know, where you get them  to that breaking point. It's like, am I strong enough where I just won't break for you. But that's where you That's the promise of the Holy Spirit. It's like somehow, like when we're reading in I Peter 4 today, it's talks about blessed that are you why, because the Spirit of God rests on  

you. And it's like, wow, when people see that you can suffer for the sake of Christ. It's like  they're seeing the Holy Spirit in you. The and that Holy Spirit, He is the one that's going to see through it. You know, we're not people go, I don't know if I could take it. I don't know if I could  take it. No, when people say, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Yeah. And so there's days when I go, man, can I do okay? I remember the scriptures. No, I'll take it. I can  take this, I can do this. I can do this, Francis, who's never been beat up, you know what I could take, I could be tortured for this. The Spirit of God will fall upon me. And it will be painful. And  there'll be some side of me that actually likes it, and actually wants it to share in the suffering of Christ. You know, and I think sometimes it's more easy to think about this in that physical  sense, at least for some of us guys. Watch Braveheart. You know, like, I can do that. But  there's another sense of suffering. That's more real for us right now. Which is men a hard  day's work dealing with your own children. And then some lady from the church is causing  division. Like, really, you know, I'm gonna love her again. You know, that's real stuff. Or, Man,  this guy, that I was just so, man, I thought he was loyal to me. And that's what he did and to  cope. Alright, I'm gonna love him. I'm forgive him. 70 times seven. All right. I mean, it's some  of the dying, that's, that's tough. When all your friends are going away for the weekend, you  know, and just, they got no responsibilities. They can skip church, it's not a big deal. And  meanwhile, you're running it. Like, ah, these are the this is the suffering and the dying, which  is silly compared to what other, but it's real. And it's real to us. And we have to just arm  ourselves with that type of thinking and go, You know what, this is my way of suffering today.  Right? I, I just, we have to learn to understand blessing differently than the world sees it.  Because again, Jesus says it. That's what Jesus did. As someone, someone that word blessed  means happy. And I heard one preacher say, it's like Jesus went to the store of happiness, and changed all the price tags. Okay like, this is what it costs for blessing, you know, and because  when we think you're blessed, you know, it's because you're rich, as because you're healthy,  and you've got a great family. That's blessing. And yet, Jesus says, Blessed are you when  others revile you? Like when's the last time someone was reviled or persecuted, and utter all  kinds of evil against you falsely? When's the last time someone said, Oh, man, they're saying  all this. These lies about me that aren't even true, man, now they're going after me. When's  the last time you go? Look at that person go. You're lucky. Lucky you. Because your reward in  heaven so great. You should be leaping for joy right now. Have you ever even thought to  counsel someone that way? You know what, that's what Jesus says. That's the blessed person  who with the Holy Spirit is so full of spirit man, he can just endure suffering and rejoice and  then go blesses that person. He gets it. His reward. You just wait, Jesus, I'm promising you.  There's a blessed guy. I will promise you, that guy is going to be taken care of forever. Not this little temporary while you have always temporary comfort and riches, and you could die  tonight, type of blessing. What kind of blessing is that? Is it notice the blessing that's eternal  blessed are you when others revile you, persecute you, and utter all kinds of evil against you  falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad. Have you ever done that? Have you ever rejoiced  and just, you were just glad because things were tough? like, Ah, this is good. This is good.  These guys are rejecting me, man, now I can share the fellowship of Christ and His suffering.  Man, now I can kind of understand what Jesus went through with Judas. You know, here's the  guy that he just loved who was right there was one of his boys, one of the people, you know,  and he just walks away betrays him, and he's the one that's going to get him nailed to a  cross. You know, obviously, Christ understood the sovereignty of his father and understood  this was the pain, you know, the plan all along, but that rejection, that betrayal, that one day  Hosanna, blessed be the name, you know, to crucify him the same voices, and to go, okay. I  got to feel some of that. This is good. I'm gonna rejoice in this. I'm a blessed man, I got to feel some of what Jesus went through. See how this is such a foreign way of thinking. But do you  also get how when I have this, no one will be able to stop me. I just get stopped because I  expect comfort. I expect praise. I expect encouragement. I expect riches, I expect health. I 

expect life to be easy, because I am a child of the King. And those are lies not on this earth.  Right? I mean, I'm just reading from scripture here of what Jesus says it's gonna be like for  those of us who follow Him, and this whole leaping for joy thing, again, this is not just a  figurative obscure, like, okay, in my head, I'm leaping for joy, kinda, No, the disciples took this literally, and it literally happened. I mean, that's what you read in, in Acts 5, verses 40 to 41  says when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charge them not to speak in  the name of Jesus and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council rejoicing that  they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. You know, man, you're just beat  up. You're just tortured. And you you leave rejoicing that you're counted worthy. Man, let's just try to meditate on that for a second rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer  dishonor for the name how you gonna stop guys like that. Cause that was the problem with  the government and the early church. They're going to how do we stop these guys? We kill  them and they're happier. We torture them and they walk away rejoicing. We can't stop them.  Oh, we're just gonna kill them all. Just to not listen to him anymore. They're rejoicing and they get stronger through persecution, and you see that happening in other places, and I'm just  saying, Lord, it could happen here. I'm praying for this. So many other verses we can go  through. Main thing I want to get across though, is suffering is part of the plan. Right? Okay,  so I just wanna make sure upfront, we get this. Okay, you as pastors leaders, expect to suffer.  Okay? And not just expect it, but I think there's a part of you that should want it. That you  embrace it, and go, Lord, could I be counted worthy to suffer for you? And to share and just  have that fellowship of suffering? Can I feel some of that betrayal? Just so that I know that I'm for real, and the Spirit of God really rests upon me to know, man, the real thing I suffered, and I believe, and I like it, and there's this peace that comes with it. So expect it, want it and then  rejoice in the midst of it? That's the challenge. Okay, this is what we want to teach our people  to be rejoicers, not complainers. You know, we do things we show hospitality without  complaining without grumbling. Because again, grumbling draws attention to you. And one  looks at you when you complain, like, oh, this was so so tough on me this this this that. I  mean, what if Peter and John you know, came back from being beaten going, Man, oh, man, I  can barely walk. It's just crazy guys. They did this to me. This to me. What would they do?  They would just make a website about Peter and John. But what do they do? They come back.  Ah, man, we got to share this suffering man, what we're just like Jesus is good. It's like, whoa,  you guys are freaks you guys are, you know, like there's something happening and that's a  spirit of God, this is what Jesus said would happen you know, it's just this is so good, so good,  Don't you understand I get to be just like Jesus now the name Christian finally applies this  Christian love you don't experience Christ like love when everyone loves you back you  experience Christian love when your nailed, you're crucified by people and you you love them in return like wow, I'm finally acting like Christ, this is my opportunity, this is my chance to  love people when they're rejecting me. So it's just another level. And man, I just want us to  arm ourselves with this mindset. I, I need you to remind me of this. Like when it gets difficult,  because I just don't think we remind people of Heaven enough. We don't remind people have  what's coming in the brevity of life. We don't want remind people to rejoice and suffering is a  whole different way of counseling, isn't it? I mean, sit down with some of your people that are  facing rejection and everything else, and teaching them to rejoice and actually having a smile on your face and going, man. That is awesome. That is so so cool that you went through that  I'm envious. Like the reward that's coming your way. It's just a whole different group group of  people. And so, man. Yeah, we want to be spirit filled leaders, you know, gospel centered  leaders, praying leaders, humble leaders, Christian leader, you know, but let's not forget, we  want to be suffering leaders. Because that's what Jesus was suffering servant. Do you see  that as your goal? And is that why you're going into this? Last thing I'm going to say is, I  remember when I was in seminary, it was like, my first year of seminary, there was this old  teacher, I didn't really like him. I don't know, I just didn't understand him or whatever. But  then, but then he gave this chapel message. Okay, and he's like, 70 something years old, and  finally I saw his heart. And he just looked at us as these young, you know, soon to be pastors.  And he just started crying. He goes so many of you guys are going to quit. Because I know  what I've seen it time and time again, you're going to quit, because the church isn't giving 

you the right life insurance policy, or your health benefits aren't good enough. Or the salary  isn't there, or this or this or this. I've seen people dropping off. And I know some of you guys  are going to do that. He's crying. And it was when me and my friends. When we went into  ministry, you know, it was like 50 years ago, we knew the price we're going to pay nothing  was gonna stop it. You know, and just to see this older man, just just just it goes. But I see the way you look at ministry nowadays. And you're not going to make a lot of you aren't going to  make you know, he was but when we signed up, we knew it was for life. Just the look on his  eyes, as he's weeping for us, was just like, wow. He was right. He just saw this generation of  Christians and pastors that had gotten so soft, and whined every time it got difficult. And he's  like, that's not the way it used to be. There was just something so beautiful that chapel  message is like one of the few I remember, or maybe two messages from seminary, as like,  Wow. I don't want to be that guy. Okay, and I'm just letting you know, it's gonna get tough.  And it would be much, much easier for you to go somewhere and just be served. But you've  signed up to say, You know what? I want to suffer. And that's why I'm doing this. I want to  share in his sufferings. I'll feel the betrayal. And remind me to rejoice during those times and  not make it all about me. And remind me of the reward that I'm going to get, you know, let's  do this for each other. And let's be those who endure to the end. You know, who go okay, even as lawlessness increases, let's not let our love grow cold. Let's be those who are pursuing this  mission till the end. And in those the types of disciples that we want and those are that this is  what we want to raise up in our churches are people that you know that will stand with you  and that's our job