Tribulation
(Ephesians 3:12-13)
“Is Paul calling himself a servant of the Lord, yet he’s in prison? What’s happening with him? Is he just going to fail like that? How can he speak of glory and heaven while he’s imprisoned? Does he genuinely know what he’s talking about?”
1. Tribulation of Paul
For those who believed that worldly success resulted from great faith, Paul’s message might have seemed distant. With them in mind, Paul felt compelled to identify himself as the one who comprehend the mystery of God hidden since the beginning and was imprisoned so that he preached the mystery to the Gentiles. He emphasized that he had not failed but was succeeding in a universal mission.
2. Tribulation of the Lord’s Servant
Paul’s hardships played a crucial role in spreading the blessing of salvation throughout the world, reaching us today. While this blessing comes through Christ, there is always a necessary process when individuals receive it, which involves the tribulation endured by Lord’s servants who mediate this blessing. This principle remains the same today. If a particular church is being successfully established according to God’s will, it is based on the premise that the servants, called and entrusted by God for that church, are enduring their assigned suffering well.
3. Tribulation of the Saints
God has not only assigned suffering to His servants but also to saints. The tribulations we endure serve as a foundation for the happiness of many others. Therefore, when we face adversity, let us not despair but instead rejoice in the glory we will enjoy with the Lord. Tribulation provides us with the empathy to understand the Lord’s heart and enables us to let go of worldly desire we once held onto, thus purifying our spirits. Let us long to the tribulation for the Church’s glory. Having personally experienced the value of the Lord’s tribulations, let us now bear the remaining tribulations He has assigned for us.
December 17, 2023
Overseer Sung-Hyun Kim
