WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.480
 The Bible is 1 Peter chapter number 1. You can remain standing and we'll read the word of God together.

00:00:04.580 --> 00:00:10.960
! It's a beautiful day today, isn't it? Beautiful sunshine. I'm thankful for that.

00:00:11.040 --> 00:00:14.679
 Thankful to be back in the Lord's house tonight. I enjoyed the services this morning.

00:00:15.140 --> 00:00:18.400
 I was going to do this this morning, but I chickened out, so I'm going to go ahead and do it tonight.

00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:22.019
 When you see Miss Bobbie on the way out, she's 19 today.

00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:28.300
 19 years young. I could have reversed the numbers there, but we're just going to go with 19.

00:00:28.300 --> 00:00:33.539
 19, and I'm so thankful for Miss Bobbie. I know she doesn't like me doing that, but I'm thankful for her faithfulness.

00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:36.640
 And when she's not in her spot right here, I'm like, where's Miss Bobbie?

00:00:37.179 --> 00:00:43.420
 Because as long as I've been here for almost nine years, she's been right there faithfully supporting the work here at Central Baptist.

00:00:43.620 --> 00:00:47.620
 So make sure you tell her happy birthday. Please don't kill me later, Miss Bobbie. I love you.

00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:52.079
 Her daughter tried to get me to do it this morning. I'm like, I didn't feel the spirit.

00:00:52.179 --> 00:00:57.679
 I was actually just scared of Miss Bobbie, so I still am, but we love her anyways, and I'm thankful for that.

00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:03.420
 But if you found your place there in 1 Peter 1, we're going to be looking at verses 6-9,

00:01:03.539 --> 00:01:08.000
 but we're just going to go ahead and read the prior verses as well, because it's kind of all going together,

00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:10.819
 but just to give us some context, and then we'll jump right in.

00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:12.599
 Our series we've entitled Living Hope.

00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:19.079
 That's really what this whole book is about, that Peter is trying to relay that we have hope in a broken world.

00:01:19.640 --> 00:01:25.539
 He's writing to a people that are struggling, and life is difficult, and the government's against them,

00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:30.840
 and Christianity has a target on their back, and Peter reminds them, listen, trials in your life are real,

00:01:31.400 --> 00:01:35.540
 but the hope that you have is even more real than that, and it's something that's going to sustain you,

00:01:35.740 --> 00:01:39.180
 not just here, but in the future to come as well.

00:01:39.300 --> 00:01:42.240
 So that's kind of the thought behind this little letter that Peter wrote.

00:01:42.660 --> 00:01:43.700
 You found your place there in verse 1.

00:01:43.700 --> 00:01:45.000
 We begin reading where the Bible says,

00:01:45.000 --> 00:02:15.000


00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:35.560
 We talked about that verse last week, that there's coming a day that we're going to see Christ face to face,

00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:40.159
 and we experience a lot of blessings here, but what a day that will be when we see Him.

00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:43.099
 We see Him as He is, and we shall be like Him.

00:02:43.799 --> 00:02:47.460
 And Peter says, because of all of this, because of the fact that Christ is alive,

00:02:47.500 --> 00:02:52.219
 and we have this inheritance that the world can't touch, that is reserved for us in heaven,

00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:56.979
 we are kept by the power of God, wherein ye greatly rejoice.

00:02:58.180 --> 00:02:59.219
 Then he introduces this,

00:02:59.219 --> 00:03:04.120
 Though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations,

00:03:04.699 --> 00:03:08.659
 that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold that perisheth,

00:03:09.060 --> 00:03:15.800
 though it be tried with fire, might be found in the praise and the honor and the glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ,

00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:22.699
 whom having not seen, ye love, and whom though ye now see Him not, yet believing,

00:03:22.699 --> 00:03:32.839
 ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:37.979
 Really tonight, we want to look at this thought, that there is real hope for real life.

00:03:38.659 --> 00:03:42.000
 That trials, he's kind of introduced some really encouraging things,

00:03:42.399 --> 00:03:44.319
 and tonight we're going to look at the idea of trials.

00:03:45.079 --> 00:03:47.879
 But Peter's saying, listen, don't let that get you down,

00:03:48.239 --> 00:03:52.759
 because even in that, even when you walk through the fire, there's hope to be found.

00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:55.959
 So let's ask the Lord to bless our time together before we get going.

00:03:56.079 --> 00:03:58.000
 Father, thank you for this time, thank you for the songs,

00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:02.400
 and the truth that we've already sung, both this morning and here this evening.

00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:06.259
 Lord, I thank you for this great group of people that have come out tonight as we open up your word,

00:04:06.259 --> 00:04:10.099
 and I pray that it would be profitable for us, that we would take something,

00:04:10.099 --> 00:04:14.439
 we would be encouraged, we would have a truth that we can apply to our life,

00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:16.920
 in our home, and at our workplace, and in our schools tomorrow.

00:04:17.540 --> 00:04:19.740
 Lord, help us to live it out, what you have,

00:04:19.779 --> 00:04:22.819
 and we're thankful for the hope that you give us in Christ,

00:04:22.939 --> 00:04:24.959
 and we ask it in his name. Amen.

00:04:25.100 --> 00:04:25.959
 Thank you for standing. May you be seated.

00:04:29.800 --> 00:04:33.759
 Basically, when I was in middle school, I lived at the vending machine.

00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:37.560
 Yeah, I mean, I had a very healthy diet.

00:04:37.560 --> 00:04:41.220
 But my favorite thing was Miss Baird's, I bet they still have them,

00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:42.259
 I've tried to stay away from them,

00:04:42.420 --> 00:04:46.180
 but Miss Baird's had like this long rectangular cinnamon roll thing.

00:04:46.280 --> 00:04:47.220
 You know what I'm talking about?

00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:49.639
 Oh, man. And it was awesome.

00:04:50.139 --> 00:04:52.959
 And like on the sides of it, it had like this little paper thing,

00:04:53.160 --> 00:04:56.420
 but you knew you got a good cinnamon roll when you open it up,

00:04:56.459 --> 00:04:58.480
 and the paper was just covered in icing.

00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:01.579
 I mean, that was like you knew you were having a good day at school.

00:05:01.579 --> 00:05:03.540
 You know, a cinnamon roll and a surge.

00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:06.720
 I mean, just what every middle schooler needs there.

00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:10.580
 And, you know, I remember a few times going up there to get my well-balanced lunch,

00:05:10.580 --> 00:05:14.320
 and I walk up there, my money's ready, I can taste the cinnamon roll already,

00:05:14.660 --> 00:05:16.680
 and I get up there, and there's a sign that says,

00:05:16.820 --> 00:05:18.460
 Out of order.

00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:20.320
 Don't you hate that?

00:05:21.020 --> 00:05:23.380
 Maybe you've had to be like, you're visiting in a hospital,

00:05:23.440 --> 00:05:24.440
 you're there for a long time, you're like,

00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:25.740
 man, I just need something to tide me over.

00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:27.120
 You go down there, it's out of order.

00:05:27.460 --> 00:05:29.920
 Every time I want to go somewhere, you try to go to McDonald's,

00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:31.660
 they're like, we're sorry, the ice cream machine's broken.

00:05:31.880 --> 00:05:32.700
 It's just what it is.

00:05:32.740 --> 00:05:34.500
 There's just certain places, that's just how it goes.

00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:36.199
 And you're kind of frustrated by it.

00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:39.079
 But isn't that how life feels sometimes?

00:05:40.339 --> 00:05:42.540
 I think as we can be honest here tonight,

00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:44.319
 and that's what Peter's going to kind of remind us,

00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:47.420
 that, you know, many times we're here on a Sunday night.

00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:49.319
 I mean, we're trying to do our best,

00:05:49.459 --> 00:05:50.839
 we're trying to live for the Lord,

00:05:50.920 --> 00:05:53.680
 we're trying to apply the truths that we find in the Word of God,

00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:55.579
 we're trying to be good Christian people,

00:05:55.779 --> 00:05:58.220
 we maybe had some difficulty throughout the week,

00:05:58.300 --> 00:05:59.519
 but, you know, we're hanging on,

00:05:59.579 --> 00:06:01.120
 and we're trying to trust God,

00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.240
 and then all of a sudden that sickness hits.

00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:06.160
 That relationship that we've been praying about,

00:06:06.259 --> 00:06:08.480
 it just seems to be deteriorating around us.

00:06:08.579 --> 00:06:11.040
 The job that we were so excited about,

00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:12.240
 it seems so promising,

00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:13.500
 now it's just a drudge,

00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:16.199
 and it seems like it's just a complete dead end,

00:06:16.259 --> 00:06:19.939
 and that burden shows up that you never saw coming.

00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:22.920
 And it's almost like life just kind of slapped a

00:06:22.920 --> 00:06:25.139
 out of order sign on your hope,

00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.860
 and on all the things you were kind of trusting in.

00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:29.460
 But Peter comes here,

00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:31.639
 and he's kind of been building up to this point,

00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:33.400
 and reminding us of some great truths,

00:06:33.460 --> 00:06:35.160
 but he said, listen, I want you to know this,

00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:37.860
 that God's hope never is out of order.

00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:41.400
 That God's hope is never out of service.

00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:43.180
 And that's why he wrote this book.

00:06:43.660 --> 00:06:46.439
 Because life has a way of reminding us

00:06:46.439 --> 00:06:48.580
 how badly we need hope.

00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:50.500
 You're going to need it this week,

00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:51.840
 and I mean, you probably said things like,

00:06:51.980 --> 00:06:54.100
 I hope this week, fill in the blank.

00:06:54.460 --> 00:06:56.220
 You know, we're just dreading certain things,

00:06:56.220 --> 00:06:58.080
 but it doesn't have to be that way.

00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:00.820
 We don't have to walk through a trial and think,

00:07:01.120 --> 00:07:03.780
 this is the worst thing that's ever happened to me.

00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:05.300
 Because Peter's going to remind us,

00:07:05.340 --> 00:07:07.520
 sometimes it's the best thing that's ever happened to you.

00:07:07.900 --> 00:07:10.320
 That God is going to use it in a great way.

00:07:10.480 --> 00:07:13.620
 And before Peter really ever talks about these trials,

00:07:13.760 --> 00:07:16.160
 and before he ever really introduced these great things

00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:17.800
 about our lively hope,

00:07:18.080 --> 00:07:19.920
 I want us to be reminded what he says

00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:20.940
 in the very first verse.

00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:22.900
 Peter, as we kind of talked about this morning,

00:07:22.899 --> 00:07:25.739
 an apostle of Jesus Christ.

00:07:26.919 --> 00:07:28.500
 Sometimes we do blow through the introductions.

00:07:28.679 --> 00:07:30.219
 We think, okay, there's a bunch of names,

00:07:30.339 --> 00:07:31.120
 and Peter's this.

00:07:32.219 --> 00:07:34.419
 But this is an important thought.

00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:36.799
 Because this is the same Peter

00:07:36.799 --> 00:07:39.139
 who was once a kind of a rough fisherman.

00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:41.419
 I mean, Peter's so impetuous.

00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:43.599
 Peter's the one we relate to

00:07:43.599 --> 00:07:44.659
 of probably all the disciples

00:07:44.659 --> 00:07:46.099
 because he opens his mouth

00:07:46.099 --> 00:07:47.859
 and just inserts his foot constantly.

00:07:48.659 --> 00:07:50.599
 This wasn't maybe the one they would have said,

00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:52.120
 you know who's going to be a great teacher

00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:52.600
 and bring hope?

00:07:52.900 --> 00:07:53.200
 Peter.

00:07:53.580 --> 00:07:54.480
 Everybody's like, Peter?

00:07:55.020 --> 00:07:57.360
 Like, I think Peter may be most likely

00:07:57.360 --> 00:07:58.640
 to not do these things.

00:07:59.740 --> 00:08:01.760
 He was impulsive in his decisions.

00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:04.560
 He was this sword-swinging follower

00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.420
 who promised to go to the death for Christ.

00:08:07.939 --> 00:08:10.600
 And yet so boldly and publicly

00:08:10.600 --> 00:08:12.320
 denied ever knowing him.

00:08:13.260 --> 00:08:14.920
 And it's this man,

00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:16.460
 this apostle,

00:08:16.960 --> 00:08:20.960
 this chosen man by God

00:08:20.960 --> 00:08:22.400
 who is writing a letter

00:08:22.400 --> 00:08:25.520
 to give hope to these hurting believers.

00:08:26.520 --> 00:08:28.060
 You know what it really just reminds us?

00:08:28.340 --> 00:08:29.500
 That's how grace works.

00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:33.860
 That God doesn't define us by our past,

00:08:34.100 --> 00:08:35.159
 by our decisions,

00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:36.159
 by our failures.

00:08:36.420 --> 00:08:38.960
 No, this is a man who sat there in John 21,

00:08:39.060 --> 00:08:40.980
 we're going to look at it a couple times here tonight,

00:08:40.980 --> 00:08:42.340
 and was dejected,

00:08:42.680 --> 00:08:43.080
 and thought,

00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:45.100
 God can never use me.

00:08:45.860 --> 00:08:47.360
 And yet Jesus shows up and says,

00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:49.039
 Peter, I got one question for you.

00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:50.340
 Do you love me?

00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:52.440
 Yes, Lord, you know I love you.

00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.000
 Now he was on a different level.

00:08:54.100 --> 00:08:55.039
 Brother Garrett did a great job

00:08:55.039 --> 00:08:56.240
 preaching that a few weeks back,

00:08:56.360 --> 00:08:57.980
 but he was getting into this point,

00:08:58.060 --> 00:08:59.000
 like, listen, Peter,

00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:00.860
 there's still hope.

00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:02.100
 I'm here.

00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:03.200
 I'm alive.

00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:05.539
 I know you made some mistakes a few days ago,

00:09:05.620 --> 00:09:07.620
 but hey, we can get past this.

00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:09.420
 Hey, I got a job for you to do,

00:09:09.419 --> 00:09:11.000
 because when I restore you,

00:09:11.259 --> 00:09:13.059
 you're going to make a big difference.

00:09:14.039 --> 00:09:14.879
 And here we are tonight,

00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:17.219
 studying the book of 1 Peter,

00:09:17.740 --> 00:09:19.599
 written by a man that God used,

00:09:19.779 --> 00:09:21.500
 and he grew in a great way.

00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:24.399
 Because Peter knew what it felt like to be a failure.

00:09:25.000 --> 00:09:28.759
 He knew what it was like to watch hope die on a cross.

00:09:29.439 --> 00:09:31.159
 And everything that he had given his life for,

00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:31.779
 it seemed like,

00:09:32.199 --> 00:09:34.159
 well, I don't know if that was worth it.

00:09:35.059 --> 00:09:36.399
 But this was also the same man,

00:09:36.439 --> 00:09:37.339
 as we mentioned last week,

00:09:37.339 --> 00:09:38.980
 that ran to the tomb with John,

00:09:38.980 --> 00:09:40.879
 and found out that hope is alive.

00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:43.659
 And then he showed up to him in the upper room there,

00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:45.300
 and over the last few weeks,

00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:46.980
 Peter has been reminding us that,

00:09:47.259 --> 00:09:48.720
 yes, life is hard.

00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:51.860
 We're strangers in a difficult world.

00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:53.460
 This world is not our home.

00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:56.060
 But we have hope in who we are.

00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:58.580
 And that's what verse number three especially tells us,

00:09:58.720 --> 00:09:59.000
 that we are,

00:09:59.180 --> 00:09:59.700
 I mean, excuse me,

00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:00.320
 verse number two,

00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:03.360
 that if we are children of God,

00:10:03.420 --> 00:10:04.840
 we have been chosen by the Father.

00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:06.820
 We are being sanctified,

00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:09.220
 that Christ is doing a work,

00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:11.680
 a transforming work in our life,

00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:14.220
 and we're covered by the blood of Christ.

00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:16.500
 Last week we looked at this,

00:10:16.560 --> 00:10:18.220
 not only do we have hope in who we are,

00:10:18.280 --> 00:10:20.420
 we have hope in what we have.

00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:22.600
 That we have this living hope.

00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:25.500
 I'm thankful the hope that God gives us

00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:26.879
 is not like the weather report.

00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:28.720
 It's not like the things in life

00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:30.540
 where we're just kind of a wishy-washy,

00:10:30.620 --> 00:10:32.000
 we're not really sure what's going to happen,

00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:33.580
 I hope this and I hope that.

00:10:34.360 --> 00:10:35.879
 No, no, it's a rock-solid evidence.

00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:37.700
 The tomb is still empty.

00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:40.960
 That is where our hope is found.

00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:42.299
 And because of that,

00:10:42.419 --> 00:10:44.720
 all of the things that Jesus has promised,

00:10:44.899 --> 00:10:45.659
 it's secure.

00:10:46.539 --> 00:10:48.759
 Because when Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead,

00:10:49.019 --> 00:10:50.519
 every promise he said,

00:10:50.740 --> 00:10:52.299
 I mean, he put a stamp that it's going to happen.

00:10:52.980 --> 00:10:54.679
 And we have an inheritance that's secure.

00:10:55.419 --> 00:10:57.279
 Not where moth and rust does corrupt

00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.559
 and thieves break through and steal,

00:10:58.659 --> 00:10:59.840
 as Jesus tells us.

00:11:00.019 --> 00:11:00.879
 No, it's in heaven.

00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:03.320
 Again, that we're not living for this world,

00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:06.519
 we're living for that time that we are with him

00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.820
 and we are kept by God's power.

00:11:10.179 --> 00:11:11.379
 And he kind of wrapped that up

00:11:11.379 --> 00:11:12.799
 in the beginning part of verse 6.

00:11:12.860 --> 00:11:14.120
 We looked a little bit last week.

00:11:14.700 --> 00:11:17.759
 He said, because of all of this, rejoice.

00:11:18.939 --> 00:11:19.939
 Hey, be thankful.

00:11:20.580 --> 00:11:23.039
 Be excited that you have all of these things here.

00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.200
 That phrase, greatly rejoices,

00:11:25.399 --> 00:11:26.940
 it means overflowing,

00:11:27.779 --> 00:11:29.879
 expressive, outward joy.

00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:30.279
 Joy.

00:11:31.379 --> 00:11:32.439
 Listen, it's okay.

00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:33.500
 I know we're Baptists,

00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:36.279
 but it's okay to be excited about the things of God.

00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:39.200
 I mean, we get excited about football

00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:40.419
 and we're yelling.

00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:42.000
 You know, when my team just goes to touch it,

00:11:42.019 --> 00:11:42.320
 I'm like...

00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:47.320
 No, I'm sure...

00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:48.480
 I mean, if you live close enough to me,

00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:50.299
 you're like, what is going on in that house?

00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:51.679
 Because sometimes I'm not in the house.

00:11:51.779 --> 00:11:52.860
 I'm running around the street.

00:11:53.179 --> 00:11:54.600
 You know, I'm like, let's go!

00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:57.159
 When's the last time you were actually

00:11:57.159 --> 00:11:58.800
 just a little bit excited about the hope

00:11:58.800 --> 00:11:59.759
 that you have in Christ?

00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:02.399
 Because guess what?

00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:04.180
 Your football team, just like mine,

00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:05.379
 and we're not going to get into that,

00:12:05.540 --> 00:12:06.540
 is going to let you down.

00:12:07.180 --> 00:12:08.740
 That hope is not going to sustain you.

00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:10.680
 It's going to fall flat on its face,

00:12:10.759 --> 00:12:12.720
 but that's not the hope that God offers.

00:12:13.180 --> 00:12:16.580
 He offers something real and lasting and eternal

00:12:16.580 --> 00:12:20.300
 that's going to carry us all the way through to the end.

00:12:20.299 --> 00:12:24.199
 But then there's kind of this change in the tone

00:12:24.199 --> 00:12:25.959
 in verse number six.

00:12:26.039 --> 00:12:26.799
 He says this,

00:12:27.339 --> 00:12:28.559
 Though now.

00:12:29.719 --> 00:12:31.000
 And I think when you read that,

00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:33.859
 it kind of introduces this tension to it.

00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:35.539
 Because really up to this point,

00:12:35.599 --> 00:12:36.279
 you're like, man, Peter,

00:12:36.479 --> 00:12:37.659
 this is what I'm talking about.

00:12:37.719 --> 00:12:39.139
 I'm excited and no doubt

00:12:39.139 --> 00:12:40.500
 as they would have received this letter

00:12:40.500 --> 00:12:43.240
 and these different areas in the churches of Galatia,

00:12:43.359 --> 00:12:45.240
 they needed that encouragement.

00:12:46.079 --> 00:12:47.819
 But they also need to be reminded

00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:51.820
 that what they're going through is not abnormal.

00:12:52.879 --> 00:12:54.740
 That life is hard.

00:12:55.280 --> 00:12:56.240
 And that's why sometimes, you know,

00:12:56.300 --> 00:12:57.860
 I love to preach these kind of

00:12:57.860 --> 00:12:59.860
 rah-rah, uplifting messages

00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:01.860
 and really kind of just be thankful.

00:13:02.140 --> 00:13:03.740
 But sometimes we just need to be reminded

00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:05.040
 that life is hard.

00:13:05.800 --> 00:13:07.140
 And that it's going to be difficult.

00:13:07.500 --> 00:13:08.780
 And maybe last week was difficult.

00:13:08.900 --> 00:13:09.920
 Maybe this upcoming week,

00:13:10.020 --> 00:13:11.160
 there's things that are coming.

00:13:11.400 --> 00:13:12.860
 But it's going to be okay.

00:13:13.340 --> 00:13:14.780
 That's kind of what Peter's saying here.

00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:17.680
 And instead of weakening our hope,

00:13:18.400 --> 00:13:19.800
 Peter shows us how trials

00:13:19.800 --> 00:13:22.660
 actually can deepen our hope.

00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:25.580
 Because if hope is real,

00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:29.100
 and I think we've tried to lay it out clearly,

00:13:29.400 --> 00:13:30.080
 it is,

00:13:30.680 --> 00:13:32.800
 then it must be strong enough

00:13:32.800 --> 00:13:34.360
 to hold us in the middle of a difficulty.

00:13:35.160 --> 00:13:36.540
 So Peter begins reminding us

00:13:36.540 --> 00:13:39.400
 of a hard truth that we all face.

00:13:40.060 --> 00:13:41.940
 It's this, that trials and temptations

00:13:41.940 --> 00:13:44.860
 are a fact of the Christian life.

00:13:44.860 --> 00:13:48.740
 You know, when we see Peter introduce this

00:13:48.740 --> 00:13:49.560
 in verse number six,

00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:50.960
 though now for a season,

00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:51.840
 if need be,

00:13:52.519 --> 00:13:53.740
 you are in heaviness

00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:55.899
 through manifold temptations.

00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:58.419
 See, Peter's not one

00:13:58.419 --> 00:14:00.600
 to sugarcoat the Christian life.

00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:02.300
 He's lived it.

00:14:02.340 --> 00:14:03.240
 He understands it.

00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:05.279
 He's lived through some difficulties.

00:14:05.620 --> 00:14:06.639
 I mean, read the book of Acts.

00:14:06.800 --> 00:14:08.159
 The church was growing like crazy,

00:14:08.300 --> 00:14:09.519
 but life wasn't easy.

00:14:10.199 --> 00:14:11.340
 You know what they were facing?

00:14:11.539 --> 00:14:12.399
 Hey, you know what we should do?

00:14:12.519 --> 00:14:13.159
 Arrest Peter.

00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:14.039
 You know what we should do?

00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:15.399
 Cut James' head off.

00:14:15.779 --> 00:14:17.679
 It wasn't like everything was going well.

00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:19.079
 God was still working,

00:14:19.340 --> 00:14:20.519
 but life was still hard.

00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:23.220
 And Peter's reminding these believers

00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:24.159
 of that same truth.

00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:27.139
 that sometimes we can get in our mind,

00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:28.740
 well, I love the Lord,

00:14:28.860 --> 00:14:30.360
 so this shouldn't be happening to me.

00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:32.100
 But I'm thankful,

00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:33.379
 and I know that you would be as well,

00:14:33.439 --> 00:14:34.980
 that you don't want a doctor

00:14:34.980 --> 00:14:36.980
 who minimizes your diagnosis.

00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:38.679
 You don't want something

00:14:38.679 --> 00:14:39.679
 to be terribly wrong,

00:14:40.199 --> 00:14:42.039
 something that needs to be addressed,

00:14:42.419 --> 00:14:43.980
 and they say, hey, you're good.

00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:45.179
 See you next year.

00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:47.480
 That would do nothing for you.

00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:49.720
 In fact, that would be very hurtful.

00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:52.360
 It could be fatal in some cases.

00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:55.980
 And God's word is the same way.

00:14:56.060 --> 00:14:57.379
 It doesn't just sugarcoat it.

00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:59.360
 It tells us life's hard,

00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:00.039
 but great news,

00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:01.240
 there's a way to get through it.

00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:04.039
 There's some patterns that we can follow.

00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:05.800
 We say it often.

00:15:05.980 --> 00:15:07.180
 Jesus told Peter this.

00:15:07.539 --> 00:15:08.659
 Here's where he's hearing it.

00:15:08.860 --> 00:15:11.060
 From the lips of Jesus himself.

00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:13.639
 There in the upper room

00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:15.460
 as Jesus is in the shadow of the cross,

00:15:15.659 --> 00:15:16.920
 and they're all reeling.

00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:17.920
 He said, listen, guys.

00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:19.240
 In this world,

00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:20.360
 you're going to have tribulation.

00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:22.440
 You're going to have problems.

00:15:22.680 --> 00:15:23.519
 You're going to have trials.

00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:25.620
 But before he died and rose again,

00:15:25.680 --> 00:15:26.159
 he said this,

00:15:26.440 --> 00:15:27.039
 be of good cheer.

00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:30.180
 I have overcome the world.

00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:32.060
 Because it's a settled reality,

00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:33.879
 and that's what our hope is.

00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:36.740
 So here in these few verses

00:15:36.740 --> 00:15:37.519
 we're going to look at tonight,

00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:39.639
 Peter teaches us a few things about trials.

00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:41.279
 Number one, we see this.

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:43.820
 He uses this word in verse number six.

00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:45.159
 You are in heaviness

00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:47.480
 through manifold temptation.

00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.180
 What does that mean?

00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:51.459
 That's not a word that we probably use all the time.

00:15:51.839 --> 00:15:53.639
 In this context, in this idea,

00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:55.879
 it has the thought of many colors.

00:15:57.059 --> 00:15:58.539
 And so really what Peter is saying,

00:15:58.699 --> 00:15:59.539
 in other words,

00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:01.259
 trials don't look all the same.

00:16:01.939 --> 00:16:03.479
 You're not going to face one type of trial.

00:16:03.679 --> 00:16:04.519
 I wish it was like,

00:16:04.839 --> 00:16:05.620
 do one trial,

00:16:05.719 --> 00:16:07.219
 and then you're done with all the trials in your life.

00:16:08.239 --> 00:16:09.739
 Am I the only one that wants trials like that?

00:16:10.819 --> 00:16:12.039
 You know, sometimes we get through a trial,

00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:13.719
 we're like, man, thank the Lord that one's over.

00:16:14.179 --> 00:16:16.559
 And it's like, oh wow, a new one.

00:16:16.559 --> 00:16:19.000
 And it looks different.

00:16:19.199 --> 00:16:20.879
 And sometimes it's a health issue,

00:16:20.959 --> 00:16:21.919
 it's a financial pressure,

00:16:22.059 --> 00:16:23.219
 it's a family strain,

00:16:23.319 --> 00:16:24.059
 it's persecution,

00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:25.059
 it's disappointment,

00:16:25.199 --> 00:16:25.759
 it's loss,

00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:26.399
 it's frustration.

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:27.979
 I mean, we go on and on and on.

00:16:28.179 --> 00:16:29.319
 But the idea is,

00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:31.479
 we're going to face a lot of things in our life.

00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:34.479
 And they're going to be here.

00:16:35.239 --> 00:16:36.199
 And he goes on to say that,

00:16:36.319 --> 00:16:37.899
 not only are there a lot of different kinds,

00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:40.039
 but he tells us this,

00:16:40.079 --> 00:16:40.339
 number two,

00:16:40.439 --> 00:16:41.859
 trials bring happiness.

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:46.680
 See, Peter doesn't deny the emotional weight

00:16:46.680 --> 00:16:48.560
 that this life has on us.

00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:52.519
 Christian people hurt.

00:16:53.820 --> 00:16:55.700
 Christian people weep.

00:16:56.600 --> 00:17:00.019
 Christian people feel the ache of brokenness.

00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:02.519
 We don't have to put a fake smile on

00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:04.019
 and act like that's not true in our life.

00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:05.579
 Because sometimes it is.

00:17:05.819 --> 00:17:07.779
 I just think when we're here on Wednesday nights

00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:08.740
 and we're going through the prayer list,

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:11.000
 sometimes it just hurts my heart.

00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.960
 The things that our friends and our family

00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:14.819
 and coworkers

00:17:14.819 --> 00:17:16.880
 and many people that we know

00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:18.220
 are going through.

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:19.920
 And it's just,

00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:22.640
 it reminds us that we live in a broken world.

00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:24.299
 That we live in a world

00:17:24.299 --> 00:17:26.380
 that's going to bring this heaviness to us.

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.440
 I'm wearing this little thing

00:17:27.440 --> 00:17:29.839
 because the girl that we're praying for

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:30.519
 there in Lindsay,

00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:32.440
 the senior, Molly,

00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:33.680
 she got cancer.

00:17:33.779 --> 00:17:34.519
 And when I look at this,

00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:36.180
 it just reminds me to pray for her.

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:38.980
 Because what if that was my daughter?

00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:41.140
 What if that was your family?

00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:42.299
 And some of your family is on that list

00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:43.240
 and some of you are on that list

00:17:43.240 --> 00:17:44.099
 and we're praying for you.

00:17:44.700 --> 00:17:45.819
 And it just reminds us that

00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:47.700
 we're not here to sugarcoat life

00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:48.960
 and we don't have to smile all the time

00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:49.599
 and say, well, I'm a Christian

00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.360
 so everything's perfect.

00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:51.900
 That's not always the truth.

00:17:52.940 --> 00:17:53.900
 That we are Christians

00:17:53.900 --> 00:17:55.519
 and it's not perfect,

00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:56.500
 but we have a hope.

00:17:57.720 --> 00:18:00.559
 This trial is not everlasting.

00:18:00.900 --> 00:18:02.079
 See, joy, we think,

00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:03.420
 well, if this trial would just leave

00:18:03.420 --> 00:18:04.599
 and this issue would just leave,

00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:05.879
 then I could be happy.

00:18:06.879 --> 00:18:08.459
 Listen, joy does not mean

00:18:08.459 --> 00:18:09.679
 the absence of heaviness.

00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:12.119
 That Jesus gives that joy

00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:13.939
 no matter the circumstances.

00:18:14.679 --> 00:18:15.480
 When he's talking there

00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:16.539
 in the Sermon on the Mount,

00:18:16.899 --> 00:18:18.959
 that blessedness is a joy

00:18:18.959 --> 00:18:19.339
 when he's like,

00:18:19.399 --> 00:18:20.539
 blessed are they, blessed are they.

00:18:20.639 --> 00:18:21.159
 Here's what he's saying.

00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:24.419
 There is joy in spite of your circumstances.

00:18:25.259 --> 00:18:27.399
 That it goes beyond the circumstances of life

00:18:27.399 --> 00:18:29.579
 and it is a deep and it's abiding joy

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:31.839
 because it's found in Christ.

00:18:32.439 --> 00:18:34.139
 That's what John 15 tells us as well.

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:37.559
 See, what it does is,

00:18:37.859 --> 00:18:38.719
 yes, they're manifold

00:18:38.719 --> 00:18:40.559
 and they're heavy on our life,

00:18:40.699 --> 00:18:42.299
 but hope still exists

00:18:42.299 --> 00:18:44.179
 beneath the weight of all of it.

00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:46.000
 We've already seen right here

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.139
 that we can still have joy unspeakable

00:18:48.139 --> 00:18:49.500
 and full of glory.

00:18:50.419 --> 00:18:51.799
 Because I've seen people walk through

00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:53.379
 some really heavy trials

00:18:53.379 --> 00:18:55.459
 with a smile on their face.

00:18:56.199 --> 00:18:57.480
 How's that possible?

00:18:58.179 --> 00:18:59.179
 Here's how it's possible.

00:18:59.699 --> 00:19:00.899
 Jesus is alive.

00:19:01.659 --> 00:19:03.439
 There's a hope that is real.

00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.840
 Now, here's one that we will like.

00:19:06.360 --> 00:19:06.820
 Number three,

00:19:07.519 --> 00:19:09.799
 trials are seasonal.

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:11.539
 I like that.

00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.720
 You say, well, preacher,

00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:16.519
 I have a chronic situation.

00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:19.200
 It's still seasonal.

00:19:20.840 --> 00:19:22.720
 It may be chronic for the duration

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:23.900
 on this side,

00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:25.360
 on this earth,

00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:26.980
 but it's still seasonal.

00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:28.740
 Because there is coming a day

00:19:28.740 --> 00:19:30.000
 when you read Revelation 21

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.640
 that he's going to wipe every tear

00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:32.259
 and every hurt

00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:32.880
 and every grief

00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:33.519
 and every pain

00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:34.420
 and he's going to make

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:36.420
 all things new.

00:19:36.579 --> 00:19:37.500
 That's not something

00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.400
 to make us feel better.

00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:39.420
 It's a promise

00:19:39.420 --> 00:19:41.039
 from the word of God

00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:42.160
 that we can take to the bank.

00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:43.059
 And see,

00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:44.440
 the unbelievers suffering,

00:19:44.860 --> 00:19:45.740
 here's the reality,

00:19:45.980 --> 00:19:46.880
 and this should help us

00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:48.360
 to reach out to our friends

00:19:48.360 --> 00:19:49.220
 that don't know Christ.

00:19:49.640 --> 00:19:51.220
 Their suffering is eternal.

00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:53.900
 And the unfortunate thing,

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.200
 this is the best

00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:55.920
 that it's going to be.

00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:58.519
 And I'm thankful

00:19:58.519 --> 00:19:59.680
 for the life God has given me.

00:20:00.180 --> 00:20:01.039
 I think many of us

00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:01.519
 would say that.

00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:02.140
 You know,

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.380
 through the ups and the downs

00:20:03.380 --> 00:20:03.960
 and the trials

00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:04.660
 and the difficulties,

00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:05.779
 we can still say this,

00:20:05.819 --> 00:20:06.360
 we're blessed.

00:20:07.100 --> 00:20:07.980
 That God loves us,

00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:08.880
 that he cares for us,

00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:09.799
 but I'm thankful

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:11.299
 this isn't as good

00:20:11.299 --> 00:20:11.960
 as it's going to be.

00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.759
 That there's going to be a day

00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.319
 where we are with him

00:20:15.319 --> 00:20:16.259
 and he is our God

00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:17.339
 and we are his people

00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:19.480
 and we have a communion with him.

00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.920
 And it just reminds us

00:20:21.920 --> 00:20:23.519
 that these manifold,

00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:25.400
 these heavy temptations,

00:20:25.599 --> 00:20:26.660
 they're just temporary.

00:20:27.779 --> 00:20:28.660
 I love this thought.

00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:30.900
 Every trial has an expiration date.

00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:33.440
 Now, if you're like me,

00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:33.900
 maybe you're thinking,

00:20:34.099 --> 00:20:35.299
 I'd like to know when that is.

00:20:36.220 --> 00:20:37.660
 Lord, can you send me

00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:38.360
 that date, please?

00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:39.940
 I'd like to put it on my calendar

00:20:39.940 --> 00:20:40.860
 so I could just be ready

00:20:40.860 --> 00:20:42.160
 for it to celebrate.

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:45.019
 But trials are seasonal.

00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:47.380
 And when you think about

00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:48.720
 men and women in the scriptures,

00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:50.680
 you think about Noah

00:20:50.680 --> 00:20:51.759
 and Abraham,

00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.980
 we talked about Joseph last week,

00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:59.220
 Job, David, Paul, and Peter,

00:20:59.299 --> 00:21:00.240
 and the list could go on

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:00.720
 and on and on.

00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.860
 But you know what you're going to find?

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:03.240
 They suffered.

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:05.220
 Life was hard.

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.220
 I think sometimes we think of them

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.480
 and we kind of have

00:21:08.480 --> 00:21:10.740
 this Monday morning quarterback,

00:21:10.900 --> 00:21:11.960
 we see all the good things

00:21:11.960 --> 00:21:12.440
 in their life.

00:21:13.120 --> 00:21:14.120
 Well, David was the king.

00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:15.980
 Yeah, but don't forget,

00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:16.980
 David was on the run

00:21:16.980 --> 00:21:19.259
 for his own life for years.

00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:21.660
 Like, he was anointed as king,

00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:22.740
 but it was a long time

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:23.860
 before he actually took the throne.

00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.019
 And it was a lot of difficulty.

00:21:26.120 --> 00:21:26.960
 We think of Job

00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:28.279
 and all the things he went through

00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:29.720
 and Paul.

00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:30.700
 I mean, we look at Paul,

00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:32.039
 man, this great missionary,

00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:33.039
 this great Christian.

00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:34.779
 Paul's life was hard.

00:21:35.880 --> 00:21:37.019
 I mean, you read the list

00:21:37.019 --> 00:21:37.680
 of all the things

00:21:37.680 --> 00:21:38.420
 Paul went through,

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:38.799
 you're thinking,

00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:39.900
 no thanks.

00:21:40.860 --> 00:21:41.740
 But Paul said this,

00:21:41.740 --> 00:21:43.920
 this light affliction.

00:21:44.940 --> 00:21:46.579
 You know why he said that?

00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:48.440
 Because he knew it was seasonal.

00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:50.819
 This wasn't what his life was.

00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:52.460
 God would use those things.

00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:53.980
 And in his focus,

00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:54.680
 in his filters,

00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:55.339
 we kind of talked about

00:21:55.339 --> 00:21:56.000
 on Wednesday night,

00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:57.380
 God, he looked at it and said,

00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:58.620
 listen, I don't know why

00:21:58.620 --> 00:21:59.359
 this is happening,

00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:00.779
 but I'm going to filter it

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.400
 through this lens,

00:22:01.620 --> 00:22:02.640
 that God loves me,

00:22:03.099 --> 00:22:04.460
 that God cares for me,

00:22:04.460 --> 00:22:05.519
 and he's going to work this

00:22:05.519 --> 00:22:07.200
 for my good and for his glory.

00:22:08.440 --> 00:22:09.180
 We see number four,

00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:10.019
 we see this as well,

00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:11.000
 that kind of Peter's

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.720
 going to remind us

00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:12.500
 as we kind of walk

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:13.279
 a little bit further

00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:13.900
 through his book

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:14.720
 in the coming weeks,

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:18.319
 that trials cannot steal our joy.

00:22:19.500 --> 00:22:20.160
 You think, well,

00:22:20.180 --> 00:22:20.799
 sometimes they do.

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:22.900
 Sometimes they do,

00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:24.440
 but they don't have to.

00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.420
 If we allow it to,

00:22:27.500 --> 00:22:28.480
 it will steal our joy.

00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:30.619
 But Peter's going to remind us,

00:22:30.639 --> 00:22:31.460
 and we see here,

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:33.400
 that it doesn't have to be that way.

00:22:33.900 --> 00:22:35.740
 That that's not how it works.

00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:37.019
 I mean, you read the book of Acts,

00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:37.619
 we've already mentioned

00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:38.160
 a little bit,

00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:40.220
 but Acts 5 tells us,

00:22:40.300 --> 00:22:40.500
 listen,

00:22:40.820 --> 00:22:42.320
 the apostles were arrested,

00:22:43.160 --> 00:22:43.480
 beaten,

00:22:44.100 --> 00:22:44.920
 thrown into jail,

00:22:45.080 --> 00:22:46.880
 and they rejoiced.

00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:48.460
 Instead of saying,

00:22:48.540 --> 00:22:49.640
 Lord, why would you let this happen?

00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:51.060
 They rejoiced that they were

00:22:51.060 --> 00:22:51.920
 kind of worthy

00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:53.740
 to suffer for Christ.

00:22:54.920 --> 00:22:55.300
 I think, man,

00:22:55.340 --> 00:22:56.460
 these people are weird.

00:22:57.279 --> 00:22:57.420
 I mean,

00:22:57.480 --> 00:22:58.880
 that would be the world's mindset.

00:22:59.100 --> 00:23:00.100
 That's kind of when we read it,

00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:00.240
 like,

00:23:00.360 --> 00:23:01.960
 I don't know if I would say that.

00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:03.600
 I mean,

00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:04.800
 maybe some of you have read

00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:06.059
 the Fox's Book of Martyrs,

00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:07.599
 and people that have died

00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:08.539
 for the cause of Christ.

00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:08.779
 I mean,

00:23:08.819 --> 00:23:09.579
 not just in Scripture,

00:23:09.720 --> 00:23:10.839
 but really throughout history.

00:23:11.099 --> 00:23:11.519
 And by the way,

00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.759
 that's still happening today.

00:23:13.399 --> 00:23:14.799
 That people are still being

00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:16.099
 persecuted to the death

00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:17.399
 for the cause of Christ.

00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:19.519
 But you'll read and hear

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:21.059
 about people that are singing

00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:23.079
 and praying for those

00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:25.099
 as they are being burned alive

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:25.960
 at the stake.

00:23:27.180 --> 00:23:27.700
 You think,

00:23:27.740 --> 00:23:28.799
 that doesn't make sense.

00:23:29.740 --> 00:23:29.960
 Well,

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.079
 it doesn't make sense

00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:33.619
 unless hope is real.

00:23:33.619 --> 00:23:35.500
 And it is.

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:37.379
 And that's why we can see that.

00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:39.019
 That's why Peter can stand here

00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:39.839
 and he knows

00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:40.659
 what they're going through,

00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:42.159
 that they have been scattered.

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:43.539
 You look at the book of James

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.619
 and the 12 tribes

00:23:44.619 --> 00:23:46.019
 which are scattered abroad.

00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:47.359
 It has that same idea.

00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:47.919
 Now listen,

00:23:48.099 --> 00:23:50.379
 life has thrown them a curveball,

00:23:50.579 --> 00:23:51.339
 but it doesn't mean

00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:52.659
 that hope has left them,

00:23:53.119 --> 00:23:54.459
 that it's still available

00:23:54.459 --> 00:23:55.379
 for them today.

00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:57.579
 And here's kind of

00:23:57.579 --> 00:23:58.739
 the takeaway for us

00:23:58.739 --> 00:24:00.599
 before we move on

00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:02.519
 throughout the message.

00:24:03.619 --> 00:24:04.699
 is we don't need to interpret

00:24:04.699 --> 00:24:06.019
 hardship in our life

00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:07.979
 as God abandoning us.

00:24:08.699 --> 00:24:09.979
 That's not what it is.

00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:12.319
 That's not how it works.

00:24:13.099 --> 00:24:13.299
 I mean,

00:24:13.339 --> 00:24:14.219
 sometimes we can do it

00:24:14.219 --> 00:24:15.419
 without even realizing it.

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.959
 We may think things

00:24:16.959 --> 00:24:18.239
 and we get down

00:24:18.239 --> 00:24:19.500
 and we're kind of focused

00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:20.439
 on the circumstances

00:24:20.439 --> 00:24:21.179
 and we think like,

00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:21.459
 well,

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.419
 if God loved me,

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:24.099
 then marriage wouldn't be this hard.

00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:26.000
 Newsflash.

00:24:27.199 --> 00:24:28.119
 Marriage is hard.

00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:30.699
 And I love her to death.

00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:32.719
 And I think she loves me to death

00:24:32.719 --> 00:24:34.339
 most of the time.

00:24:34.899 --> 00:24:35.799
 But you know why marriage is hard?

00:24:36.279 --> 00:24:37.439
 Because you take two sinners

00:24:37.439 --> 00:24:39.259
 and you put them in the same house.

00:24:40.179 --> 00:24:40.919
 Marriage is hard,

00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:41.639
 but here's the thing.

00:24:41.839 --> 00:24:42.699
 It's worth it.

00:24:43.579 --> 00:24:44.759
 But if we get frustrated,

00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.459
 we get struggling,

00:24:45.619 --> 00:24:46.279
 and our world says,

00:24:46.339 --> 00:24:46.439
 hey,

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:46.579
 well,

00:24:46.579 --> 00:24:47.239
 it's just not working out,

00:24:47.439 --> 00:24:48.619
 just drop them and get a new one.

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.339
 You know what you're going to find out?

00:24:50.719 --> 00:24:51.479
 It was probably the Indian

00:24:51.479 --> 00:24:52.479
 that was in the other one too.

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:54.179
 It's the same issue

00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:55.700
 and we begin to think things

00:24:55.700 --> 00:24:56.279
 that aren't true

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:57.019
 and we think,

00:24:57.140 --> 00:24:57.140


00:24:57.180 --> 00:24:59.420
 if God was blessing me,

00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:01.180
 then I wouldn't be struggling financially.

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:03.779
 But maybe that's not why God is doing that.

00:25:03.820 --> 00:25:05.580
 Maybe God is allowing certain things to happen

00:25:05.580 --> 00:25:07.140
 so we learn to lean on Him.

00:25:07.320 --> 00:25:08.820
 We learn to trust Him a little bit more

00:25:08.820 --> 00:25:09.420
 because you know,

00:25:09.480 --> 00:25:10.200
 sometimes it's a lot easier

00:25:10.200 --> 00:25:11.220
 to trust what we have.

00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:13.000
 We can look it up on the bank account.

00:25:13.080 --> 00:25:13.720
 We look it up online.

00:25:13.799 --> 00:25:13.960
 We say,

00:25:13.960 --> 00:25:14.120
 well,

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:14.759
 I'm okay

00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:16.000
 because at least I have this.

00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:17.140
 Well,

00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:18.240
 that's not where our trust is

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:18.779
 because guess what?

00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:19.799
 I can go like that.

00:25:20.340 --> 00:25:21.060
 It can be gone.

00:25:22.500 --> 00:25:22.640
 You know,

00:25:22.680 --> 00:25:23.320
 if God wasn't,

00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:24.439
 if God was with me

00:25:24.439 --> 00:25:25.119
 like He promised

00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:25.980
 that He'd never leave me

00:25:25.980 --> 00:25:26.839
 or forsake me,

00:25:26.939 --> 00:25:28.480
 I wouldn't feel this lonely.

00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:30.000
 Because sometimes we can be

00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:31.539
 in a room full of people

00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:32.119
 and feel alone

00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:33.039
 but instead,

00:25:33.240 --> 00:25:34.559
 instead of allowing those thoughts

00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.119
 to come in

00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:37.099
 because of just the difficulty of life,

00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:37.980
 we can remind ourselves,

00:25:38.240 --> 00:25:38.339
 hey,

00:25:38.379 --> 00:25:39.439
 this is part of the journey

00:25:39.439 --> 00:25:40.339
 and I'm going to trust

00:25:40.339 --> 00:25:41.659
 that God knows what He's doing

00:25:41.659 --> 00:25:44.399
 and it's only for a season.

00:25:45.679 --> 00:25:47.200
 That's what Peter is reminding us

00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:48.740
 here in this verse.

00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:50.339
 So maybe this week,

00:25:50.399 --> 00:25:51.519
 maybe you're going through it right now.

00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:53.920
 When this heaviness comes,

00:25:54.619 --> 00:25:55.639
 sometimes our natural reaction

00:25:55.639 --> 00:25:56.480
 is to kind of panic.

00:25:57.339 --> 00:25:57.720
 Lord,

00:25:57.879 --> 00:25:58.740
 remove it.

00:25:59.139 --> 00:25:59.379
 Lord,

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.160
 get rid of it.

00:26:00.440 --> 00:26:01.000
 I need to get,

00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:02.220
 I need this out of my life

00:26:02.220 --> 00:26:03.019
 when that sorrow,

00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:04.079
 when that anxiety,

00:26:04.200 --> 00:26:04.980
 whatever it comes,

00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:06.519
 kind of boils to the surface.

00:26:06.859 --> 00:26:07.059
 Listen,

00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:08.940
 don't assume the worst

00:26:08.940 --> 00:26:10.859
 because I think that's what we do.

00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:12.839
 We're naturally prone to do that

00:26:12.839 --> 00:26:14.099
 but Peter reminds us,

00:26:14.139 --> 00:26:14.299
 hey,

00:26:14.660 --> 00:26:15.660
 trials are real

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:17.259
 but they're not eternal.

00:26:18.099 --> 00:26:18.440
 We can be,

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:20.539
 we can have hope in that.

00:26:22.200 --> 00:26:23.440
 So the trials are real.

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.100
 He says it.

00:26:25.160 --> 00:26:25.440
 He said,

00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:25.660
 listen,

00:26:25.960 --> 00:26:27.480
 you know this to the people

00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.039
 that he's writing to

00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:29.259
 because you're going through it.

00:26:29.700 --> 00:26:30.980
 He wasn't convincing them.

00:26:31.019 --> 00:26:31.860
 He was reminding them

00:26:31.860 --> 00:26:33.039
 just because you're going through it

00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:34.400
 doesn't mean that God has forgotten you.

00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:36.580
 And he wanted them to understand this.

00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:38.039
 They're not random.

00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:40.340
 We talked a little bit about this

00:26:40.340 --> 00:26:41.000
 on Wednesday night

00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:42.160
 when we were looking at

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:43.400
 Romans chapter 8 verse 28.

00:26:44.360 --> 00:26:45.480
 Sometimes it feels like that,

00:26:45.559 --> 00:26:45.820
 doesn't it?

00:26:46.700 --> 00:26:46.980
 You think,

00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:48.799
 I know I've gone through things in life

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.119
 and I thought,

00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:49.279
 man,

00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:50.059
 everything was going well.

00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:51.279
 Where did this come from?

00:26:52.119 --> 00:26:52.659
 You ever been there?

00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:53.240
 I mean,

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:54.139
 it came out of left field.

00:26:54.839 --> 00:26:55.079
 I'm like,

00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:55.259
 God,

00:26:55.399 --> 00:26:56.980
 how about some heads up on this?

00:26:57.619 --> 00:26:58.500
 But let me just remind you,

00:26:58.579 --> 00:26:59.339
 it's not random.

00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:01.879
 That God is still in control.

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:03.159
 That he is still sovereign.

00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:04.519
 That he is still on the throne.

00:27:04.659 --> 00:27:05.859
 And Peter's going to show us here

00:27:05.859 --> 00:27:07.000
 in verse number 7

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.240
 why God allows them.

00:27:08.960 --> 00:27:10.079
 God allows these trials

00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:11.799
 because hope is found

00:27:11.799 --> 00:27:12.539
 in the reason

00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:13.519
 we're going through the trial.

00:27:14.159 --> 00:27:14.879
 Look at verse number 7.

00:27:15.819 --> 00:27:17.059
 That the trial of your faith

00:27:17.059 --> 00:27:18.200
 being much more precious

00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:20.519
 than of gold that perisheth,

00:27:20.939 --> 00:27:22.279
 though it be tried with fire,

00:27:22.819 --> 00:27:24.099
 might be found unto praise

00:27:24.099 --> 00:27:24.980
 and honor and glory

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:25.720
 at the appearing

00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:27.879
 of Jesus Christ.

00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:29.799
 I mean,

00:27:29.839 --> 00:27:30.319
 to be honest,

00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:31.720
 my flesh

00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:33.899
 would much rather Peter have said,

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:34.159
 listen,

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:34.899
 if you love God

00:27:34.899 --> 00:27:35.759
 and you have faith in him,

00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:37.399
 you won't have any trials in life.

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:39.079
 That would be my life verse.

00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:40.819
 I'd be all about that.

00:27:41.639 --> 00:27:42.659
 I think I would.

00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:43.740
 But in fact,

00:27:43.800 --> 00:27:44.720
 Peter just gives us

00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:45.620
 the exact opposite.

00:27:46.460 --> 00:27:46.720
 He says,

00:27:46.980 --> 00:27:48.040
 because you love the Lord,

00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:49.580
 because he saved you,

00:27:49.840 --> 00:27:51.920
 because he's adopted you

00:27:51.920 --> 00:27:52.800
 into his family,

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:56.080
 your faith will be tested.

00:27:56.740 --> 00:27:58.279
 And you should want that.

00:27:58.820 --> 00:28:00.120
 You should want that

00:28:00.120 --> 00:28:00.680
 in your life.

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:00.880
 You think,

00:28:01.080 --> 00:28:02.340
 why would I want that?

00:28:02.840 --> 00:28:03.440
 Because I know

00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:04.120
 growing up in school,

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:05.680
 I didn't want tests.

00:28:06.400 --> 00:28:06.720
 Now I know

00:28:06.720 --> 00:28:07.460
 we're going to raise our hands.

00:28:07.540 --> 00:28:08.380
 Brian would want a test.

00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:09.220
 Brian loves tests.

00:28:10.140 --> 00:28:10.339
 You know,

00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:12.120
 I was the one like,

00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:13.759
 do we have to take the test?

00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:14.360
 You know,

00:28:14.600 --> 00:28:16.299
 is that anybody else like that?

00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:16.720
 Okay.

00:28:17.259 --> 00:28:18.200
 I wouldn't want it,

00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:19.140
 but you know what the test was?

00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:19.620
 It was to,

00:28:19.660 --> 00:28:20.880
 it was to prove

00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:21.799
 what we have learned.

00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:23.480
 It was to remind us

00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:24.220
 of that growth.

00:28:24.380 --> 00:28:24.420
 And,

00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.000
 and the same is true

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:27.240
 in our walk with the Lord.

00:28:27.640 --> 00:28:29.000
 Faith that has never been tested

00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:30.100
 is faith that's really

00:28:30.100 --> 00:28:31.019
 never been proven.

00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:33.759
 Because the reality is

00:28:33.759 --> 00:28:34.360
 you're going to walk

00:28:34.360 --> 00:28:34.960
 through a fire.

00:28:36.140 --> 00:28:37.180
 Life is going to throw you

00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:37.819
 a curve ball.

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:39.220
 And we get,

00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:40.220
 we have a faith

00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:41.299
 that's solid.

00:28:41.919 --> 00:28:43.220
 But it needs to be tested.

00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:44.500
 It needs to be proven.

00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:46.480
 God has always used testing

00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:47.559
 to reveal

00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.960
 and strengthen our faith.

00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:50.019
 Because you know

00:28:50.019 --> 00:28:50.439
 what sometimes

00:28:50.439 --> 00:28:51.139
 the testing does?

00:28:51.679 --> 00:28:52.220
 Here's what it did

00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:52.759
 to me in school.

00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:55.119
 It proved I did not study.

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.240
 You know,

00:28:57.299 --> 00:28:57.859
 and you know,

00:28:57.859 --> 00:28:58.619
 I go home to my mom,

00:28:58.679 --> 00:28:58.960
 I'm like,

00:28:59.179 --> 00:28:59.359
 you know,

00:28:59.399 --> 00:29:00.200
 I start throwing things out

00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:00.899
 like every teenager does.

00:29:01.059 --> 00:29:01.379
 Well,

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:01.639
 the,

00:29:01.639 --> 00:29:03.779
 the average score

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:05.099
 in the class was this.

00:29:05.720 --> 00:29:06.399
 Anybody ever done that?

00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.000
 You know,

00:29:07.000 --> 00:29:07.779
 you're trying to justify

00:29:07.779 --> 00:29:08.720
 all the reasons

00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:09.480
 why your score was.

00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.559
 Here's why your score was.

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.299
 You probably didn't

00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:12.059
 put the effort in.

00:29:13.099 --> 00:29:13.859
 The teacher said,

00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:14.019
 here,

00:29:14.099 --> 00:29:15.140
 here's what you need to learn.

00:29:15.819 --> 00:29:16.519
 And sometimes God

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:17.819
 gives us the word of God.

00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:19.180
 He gives us the,

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:20.299
 he gives us the answers.

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:21.200
 But you know what?

00:29:21.579 --> 00:29:22.519
 Sometimes we have to learn

00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:23.220
 the hard way.

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:25.720
 Good thing I'm not

00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.259
 the only one.

00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:29.200
 He told Israel

00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:30.319
 in Deuteronomy chapter 8

00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:31.259
 that he tested them

00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:32.259
 to know what was

00:29:32.259 --> 00:29:32.779
 in their heart.

00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:34.619
 He wanted them to see

00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:35.380
 what was in their heart.

00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:36.600
 He wanted them to see

00:29:36.600 --> 00:29:37.540
 where they had areas to go.

00:29:37.860 --> 00:29:38.660
 James chapter 1

00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:39.320
 tells us this,

00:29:39.560 --> 00:29:39.680
 hey,

00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:40.580
 when trials,

00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:41.500
 when difficulties

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:42.220
 come in your life,

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:42.920
 rejoice.

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.280
 You think,

00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:44.720
 what?

00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:46.140
 You know why?

00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:47.180
 Because the trying

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:47.620
 of your faith

00:29:47.620 --> 00:29:48.340
 work with patience

00:29:48.340 --> 00:29:49.340
 and when we let patience

00:29:49.340 --> 00:29:50.200
 have our perfect work,

00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:51.120
 then we're complete

00:29:51.120 --> 00:29:52.700
 and entire wanting nothing.

00:29:53.300 --> 00:29:54.020
 And if we struggle

00:29:54.020 --> 00:29:55.020
 and we come into a difficulty,

00:29:55.340 --> 00:29:55.940
 James tells us,

00:29:56.160 --> 00:29:56.940
 let him ask of God

00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:58.180
 who giveth all men liberally.

00:29:58.320 --> 00:29:59.020
 If you need wisdom,

00:29:59.220 --> 00:29:59.840
 go to God.

00:30:00.300 --> 00:30:00.840
 You don't have to go

00:30:00.840 --> 00:30:01.340
 through the trial

00:30:01.340 --> 00:30:02.020
 and just kind of wonder.

00:30:02.220 --> 00:30:02.340
 No,

00:30:02.459 --> 00:30:03.139
 you can talk

00:30:03.139 --> 00:30:03.839
 to your father.

00:30:05.139 --> 00:30:05.279
 I mean,

00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:05.740
 think about it.

00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:06.419
 We kind of mentioned already,

00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:07.379
 but think about all the great

00:30:07.379 --> 00:30:08.419
 men and women in Scripture.

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:09.740
 We admire them

00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:10.740
 for so many reasons.

00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.119
 I mean,

00:30:11.159 --> 00:30:11.819
 you think about Noah.

00:30:13.079 --> 00:30:13.220
 I mean,

00:30:13.240 --> 00:30:13.599
 God told him

00:30:13.599 --> 00:30:14.139
 to build a boat.

00:30:14.539 --> 00:30:15.259
 It's going to rain.

00:30:16.379 --> 00:30:17.039
 What's rain?

00:30:18.039 --> 00:30:18.519
 He doesn't know

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:19.139
 what that is.

00:30:19.899 --> 00:30:20.480
 From what we can tell

00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:20.759
 in Scripture,

00:30:20.839 --> 00:30:21.319
 he's never going

00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:22.240
 to experience that.

00:30:23.059 --> 00:30:23.579
 And yet,

00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:26.139
 for 120 years,

00:30:26.439 --> 00:30:26.919
 it wasn't like

00:30:26.919 --> 00:30:27.379
 build a boat

00:30:27.379 --> 00:30:27.819
 and the next day

00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:28.379
 it's going to rain.

00:30:29.059 --> 00:30:29.240
 No,

00:30:29.259 --> 00:30:30.220
 for 120 years,

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:30.539
 the Bible says

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:31.099
 he was a preacher

00:30:31.099 --> 00:30:31.699
 of righteousness.

00:30:32.539 --> 00:30:33.279
 I would imagine

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:33.959
 Noah had days

00:30:33.959 --> 00:30:34.379
 where he's thinking,

00:30:34.659 --> 00:30:35.339
 I'm not sure

00:30:35.339 --> 00:30:36.719
 what is going on.

00:30:37.459 --> 00:30:37.679
 Lord,

00:30:37.719 --> 00:30:38.759
 is this really worth it?

00:30:39.199 --> 00:30:39.899
 Is this boat

00:30:39.899 --> 00:30:40.619
 really worth it?

00:30:40.699 --> 00:30:41.000
 Guess what?

00:30:41.059 --> 00:30:41.419
 It turned out

00:30:41.419 --> 00:30:42.439
 it was pretty worth it.

00:30:44.459 --> 00:30:45.500
 You think of Abraham.

00:30:46.819 --> 00:30:47.019
 I mean,

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:48.240
 a man of the father

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:48.679
 of faith,

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:49.379
 we would call him

00:30:49.379 --> 00:30:49.939
 sometimes.

00:30:50.819 --> 00:30:51.819
 Leaves his homeland,

00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:53.279
 goes to this land.

00:30:53.339 --> 00:30:53.839
 He doesn't even know

00:30:53.839 --> 00:30:54.500
 where he's going.

00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:55.859
 He gets there.

00:30:56.519 --> 00:30:56.839
 But you know

00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:57.240
 what he finds

00:30:57.240 --> 00:30:58.079
 as soon as he gets there?

00:30:58.219 --> 00:30:59.259
 The land that he was promised

00:30:59.259 --> 00:31:00.159
 is full of enemies

00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:01.220
 and then there's

00:31:01.220 --> 00:31:01.960
 a giant famine.

00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:04.080
 And so many times

00:31:04.080 --> 00:31:05.140
 he didn't do

00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:05.680
 what he was supposed to

00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:06.600
 and God brought him back

00:31:06.600 --> 00:31:07.640
 and yet we see

00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:08.700
 also times where he said,

00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:09.240
 hey listen,

00:31:09.320 --> 00:31:09.779
 I know you waited

00:31:09.779 --> 00:31:10.640
 years and years

00:31:10.640 --> 00:31:11.580
 and years for this son

00:31:11.580 --> 00:31:12.500
 but here's what I want you

00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:12.759
 to do,

00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:13.800
 sacrifice him.

00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:16.259
 That's kind of

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:16.880
 testing your faith

00:31:16.880 --> 00:31:17.380
 a little bit.

00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:19.460
 I'll just be honest,

00:31:19.620 --> 00:31:20.460
 I'm not sure I could

00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:21.400
 go up that mountain

00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:22.320
 like Abraham did.

00:31:23.120 --> 00:31:23.900
 But he did

00:31:23.900 --> 00:31:25.200
 and he found out,

00:31:25.220 --> 00:31:25.779
 the Bible tells us

00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:26.120
 in Hebrews,

00:31:26.340 --> 00:31:27.220
 you know why he did it?

00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:27.779
 Because he thought

00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:29.059
 even if I sacrifice him,

00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:29.940
 God will raise him

00:31:29.940 --> 00:31:30.400
 from the dead.

00:31:31.140 --> 00:31:31.839
 That's a faith.

00:31:32.339 --> 00:31:32.819
 But it was something

00:31:32.819 --> 00:31:33.920
 that strengthened Abraham.

00:31:34.120 --> 00:31:35.079
 We see Job,

00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:36.160
 we see Moses,

00:31:36.380 --> 00:31:37.440
 we see Daniel

00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:38.140
 and the lion's den,

00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:39.779
 we see the three Hebrew boys

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:41.880
 and they trusted God

00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:42.940
 and even Peter

00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:43.940
 and Paul.

00:31:44.740 --> 00:31:45.319
 And the reason

00:31:45.319 --> 00:31:46.519
 we admire their faith

00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:46.980
 so much

00:31:46.980 --> 00:31:47.660
 is when it went

00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:48.579
 into the fire,

00:31:49.339 --> 00:31:50.480
 it came out

00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:51.259
 genuine.

00:31:52.839 --> 00:31:53.120
 Listen,

00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:53.720
 sometimes that's why

00:31:53.720 --> 00:31:54.279
 God wants you

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:55.019
 to go through the fire.

00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:56.779
 That's why he allows you

00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:57.519
 to go through the fire.

00:31:58.139 --> 00:31:59.879
 Because he wants to deepen

00:31:59.879 --> 00:32:01.440
 and strengthen that faith.

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:03.180
 Because maybe there was

00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:03.819
 something you went through

00:32:03.819 --> 00:32:04.279
 in your life

00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:05.319
 and you wish you wouldn't have

00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:06.279
 but now you're walking

00:32:06.279 --> 00:32:07.160
 through something right now,

00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:08.339
 you know what you're

00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:08.980
 holding on to?

00:32:09.379 --> 00:32:10.319
 Well, God came through

00:32:10.319 --> 00:32:11.759
 here and here

00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:12.879
 and here

00:32:12.879 --> 00:32:14.339
 and I think if he did it

00:32:14.339 --> 00:32:15.160
 here and here and here,

00:32:15.639 --> 00:32:16.379
 I think he can do it

00:32:16.379 --> 00:32:16.859
 right now.

00:32:17.980 --> 00:32:19.059
 That he's never failed us.

00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:21.160
 That not one of his promises

00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:23.539
 ever come untrue.

00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:26.180
 See, God is not interested

00:32:26.180 --> 00:32:27.960
 in this untested faith.

00:32:28.119 --> 00:32:29.319
 No, he wants to test.

00:32:29.559 --> 00:32:31.099
 You should desire that.

00:32:31.819 --> 00:32:32.799
 We should desire

00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:34.299
 that God works in our life

00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:35.539
 and he tells us here

00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:36.180
 in verse number seven

00:32:36.180 --> 00:32:37.639
 the purpose of the fire,

00:32:37.879 --> 00:32:38.859
 the purpose of the trial.

00:32:39.779 --> 00:32:41.180
 He says it's the same way

00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:43.159
 it's for this one goal

00:32:43.159 --> 00:32:44.839
 to refine our faith.

00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:46.220
 That's what they do

00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:46.659
 with gold.

00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.240
 When you put gold

00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:49.079
 into a fire,

00:32:49.339 --> 00:32:51.460
 it doesn't lose its value.

00:32:52.180 --> 00:32:53.180
 You know what it does?

00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:54.820
 It gains purity.

00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:57.100
 It gets rid of

00:32:57.100 --> 00:32:58.000
 some of those things

00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:59.259
 that shouldn't be in there

00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:00.360
 because it can get

00:33:00.360 --> 00:33:01.539
 contaminated with things

00:33:01.539 --> 00:33:02.680
 and they put it in the fire

00:33:02.680 --> 00:33:04.600
 so it's pure gold.

00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:06.220
 And that's what God

00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:07.560
 wants to do in our life.

00:33:08.340 --> 00:33:09.519
 And sometimes it feels like

00:33:09.519 --> 00:33:11.480
 where is God

00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:12.360
 in this trial?

00:33:14.340 --> 00:33:15.259
 And I love what Job

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:16.500
 told us in Job 23.8.

00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:18.299
 He feels the same way

00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:19.100
 that you probably felt

00:33:19.100 --> 00:33:19.880
 at some point in your life.

00:33:20.480 --> 00:33:21.060
 He said this,

00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:21.539
 Behold,

00:33:21.740 --> 00:33:23.099
 I go forward,

00:33:23.940 --> 00:33:24.700
 he's not there,

00:33:25.379 --> 00:33:26.220
 and go backward,

00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:27.899
 but I cannot perceive him.

00:33:28.279 --> 00:33:29.299
 On the left hand

00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:30.299
 where he doth work,

00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:31.579
 but I cannot behold him.

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.779
 He hideth himself

00:33:32.779 --> 00:33:33.659
 on the right hand

00:33:33.659 --> 00:33:35.639
 and I cannot see him.

00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:36.940
 You ever felt like that

00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:37.559
 sometimes in life?

00:33:38.059 --> 00:33:39.179
 He's looking for the Lord

00:33:39.179 --> 00:33:41.159
 and he's going everywhere

00:33:41.159 --> 00:33:42.299
 that he thinks he should be

00:33:42.299 --> 00:33:43.039
 and he can't find him.

00:33:43.179 --> 00:33:44.159
 But here's what Job said,

00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:45.100
 but he,

00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:46.200
 but God,

00:33:46.440 --> 00:33:47.940
 knoweth the way that I take

00:33:47.940 --> 00:33:49.300
 and when he hath tried me,

00:33:49.540 --> 00:33:52.000
 I shall come forth as gold.

00:33:53.080 --> 00:33:54.740
 Job didn't understand everything.

00:33:55.480 --> 00:33:56.380
 And Job was struggling

00:33:56.380 --> 00:33:57.720
 and at first he was kind of strong

00:33:57.720 --> 00:33:58.360
 and then his friends

00:33:58.360 --> 00:33:59.259
 were kind of beating him down

00:33:59.259 --> 00:33:59.660
 and he's thinking,

00:34:00.060 --> 00:34:01.240
 okay, well maybe I got

00:34:01.240 --> 00:34:02.420
 some issues going on here.

00:34:02.600 --> 00:34:03.160
 But you know what God

00:34:03.160 --> 00:34:04.040
 was really doing in Job?

00:34:04.200 --> 00:34:05.440
 He was refining him.

00:34:06.220 --> 00:34:07.680
 He was purifying him.

00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:09.000
 He wanted Job

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:10.619
 to be more and better

00:34:10.619 --> 00:34:11.860
 and closer to him

00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:13.340
 than he had ever been before.

00:34:14.140 --> 00:34:14.800
 And for Job,

00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:15.340
 that's the way

00:34:15.340 --> 00:34:16.880
 that he was going to grow.

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:20.059
 And that truth

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:22.059
 isn't just for Job.

00:34:22.840 --> 00:34:24.200
 It can be true in your life.

00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:26.539
 That you might be walking

00:34:26.539 --> 00:34:27.640
 through something right now.

00:34:28.460 --> 00:34:29.579
 You're going to walk

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.180
 through something

00:34:30.180 --> 00:34:31.800
 at some point in your life.

00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:34.940
 And you're tested faith

00:34:34.940 --> 00:34:36.380
 and when God proves it,

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.820
 here's what he wants it to do.

00:34:38.039 --> 00:34:39.320
 He wants it to bring praise

00:34:39.320 --> 00:34:41.320
 and honor and glory to him.

00:34:41.860 --> 00:34:44.760
 And to help you grow in him.

00:34:45.340 --> 00:34:46.680
 Because there is coming a day

00:34:46.680 --> 00:34:47.800
 that we will be

00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:48.579
 with the Lord forever.

00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:50.380
 But you know what I want to hear

00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:51.500
 from the Lord more than anything?

00:34:52.720 --> 00:34:53.440
 Well done,

00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:57.320
 thou good and faithful servant.

00:34:58.200 --> 00:34:59.260
 How do we do that?

00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:01.059
 We trust him in the trial.

00:35:01.760 --> 00:35:02.640
 Because he reminds us

00:35:02.640 --> 00:35:03.360
 at the end of that verse

00:35:03.360 --> 00:35:05.320
 that we're going through

00:35:05.320 --> 00:35:05.860
 all of this

00:35:05.860 --> 00:35:07.140
 and it's going to be something

00:35:07.140 --> 00:35:07.960
 we can present

00:35:07.960 --> 00:35:09.860
 at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:11.599
 that we've been faithful

00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:12.400
 through it all.

00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:14.340
 Listen, faith matters to God.

00:35:14.680 --> 00:35:15.480
 Without faith,

00:35:16.740 --> 00:35:18.200
 it is impossible to please him.

00:35:19.180 --> 00:35:20.599
 But it's not just faith

00:35:20.599 --> 00:35:21.840
 as a generality.

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:22.780
 Here's what matters to God.

00:35:23.120 --> 00:35:23.720
 Your faith.

00:35:24.880 --> 00:35:26.640
 He wants to grow your faith.

00:35:27.480 --> 00:35:28.579
 Listen, you might walk through trial.

00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:29.760
 Your trial's not for everybody.

00:35:30.640 --> 00:35:31.420
 It's for you.

00:35:31.980 --> 00:35:33.120
 It's to help you grow.

00:35:33.340 --> 00:35:34.480
 It's to bring you closer.

00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:37.699
 And Peter's reminding them

00:35:37.699 --> 00:35:38.300
 of this truth

00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:39.699
 and reminds us today as well

00:35:39.699 --> 00:35:41.019
 that this changes

00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:42.860
 how we view trials.

00:35:43.659 --> 00:35:44.699
 When you realize

00:35:44.699 --> 00:35:46.179
 that maybe what you're going through

00:35:46.179 --> 00:35:47.699
 is not punishment,

00:35:48.219 --> 00:35:50.260
 it's the fact that God loves you.

00:35:51.280 --> 00:35:52.539
 And he cares so much for you

00:35:52.539 --> 00:35:54.019
 that he wants you to grow.

00:35:56.099 --> 00:35:59.019
 I know my knee-jerk reaction is,

00:35:59.219 --> 00:36:00.639
 why is this happening to me?

00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:03.920
 Anybody here else think that?

00:36:04.420 --> 00:36:05.199
 I mean, something happens in my life,

00:36:05.259 --> 00:36:05.519
 like, Lord,

00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:06.859
 why is this happening to me?

00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:09.059
 I mean, you should have talked to Renee.

00:36:11.179 --> 00:36:12.159
 I mean, sometimes we do.

00:36:12.279 --> 00:36:13.219
 We think, well,

00:36:13.279 --> 00:36:14.500
 I don't deserve this.

00:36:14.920 --> 00:36:15.879
 And we may not say it out loud,

00:36:15.940 --> 00:36:17.039
 but sometimes it's what's in our heart

00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:18.480
 and that's what's in our mind.

00:36:20.759 --> 00:36:21.799
 Maybe we just need to ask God,

00:36:21.879 --> 00:36:23.859
 what do you want to shape in my life?

00:36:24.579 --> 00:36:25.940
 Lord, how do you want to grow me here?

00:36:26.579 --> 00:36:28.319
 God, why are you stretching me here?

00:36:28.319 --> 00:36:30.039
 Is there something you want me to learn?

00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:32.699
 Because it could be the fact

00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:34.359
 that he is teaching you to trust

00:36:34.359 --> 00:36:37.400
 instead of trying to control everything.

00:36:38.819 --> 00:36:40.279
 Because I want to control things.

00:36:40.739 --> 00:36:43.159
 I want to be in control of all of these things.

00:36:43.239 --> 00:36:44.099
 And here's what God says,

00:36:44.440 --> 00:36:45.460
 why don't you just let go?

00:36:46.319 --> 00:36:47.379
 But God, what if I let go?

00:36:47.940 --> 00:36:48.719
 What's going to happen?

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:50.319
 Just trust me.

00:36:51.019 --> 00:36:52.739
 And maybe that's what the trial teaches us.

00:36:54.679 --> 00:36:56.379
 Maybe he's teaching us patience

00:36:56.379 --> 00:36:57.859
 instead of panic.

00:36:57.860 --> 00:37:00.920
 Anybody here super patient?

00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:05.760
 I think patience is one of those things

00:37:05.760 --> 00:37:06.720
 we could all grow in.

00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:10.960
 But it's a lot easier to panic, isn't it?

00:37:11.820 --> 00:37:13.720
 It's a lot easier to try to figure it out ourselves

00:37:13.720 --> 00:37:16.420
 instead of just standing still

00:37:16.420 --> 00:37:19.220
 and letting the Lord work in our life

00:37:19.220 --> 00:37:21.240
 and taking that step.

00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:23.399
 Because I know in my life,

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:25.439
 God sent trials to me before

00:37:25.439 --> 00:37:27.059
 and he sent things in my life

00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:28.919
 and I've tried to run past them.

00:37:29.099 --> 00:37:30.419
 I'm trying to run away from them.

00:37:31.759 --> 00:37:32.839
 You have too, probably.

00:37:34.039 --> 00:37:35.099
 And you know what I have to realize?

00:37:35.379 --> 00:37:36.559
 They keep chasing me down

00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:38.119
 because God's trying to teach me patience.

00:37:38.579 --> 00:37:39.879
 It's not for me to outrun.

00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:44.940
 Maybe he's trying to teach us

00:37:44.940 --> 00:37:46.660
 how to really get a hold of him.

00:37:47.099 --> 00:37:48.440
 How to really pray

00:37:48.440 --> 00:37:51.900
 instead of just being self-reliant.

00:37:53.740 --> 00:37:55.640
 Because when our prayer life is lacking,

00:37:56.360 --> 00:37:57.599
 here's what we're really saying.

00:37:58.200 --> 00:37:59.260
 God, I can handle this.

00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:01.640
 I'm good right now.

00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:03.579
 I don't need you.

00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:05.660
 You say, well, I would never say that.

00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:07.559
 But prayer just reminds us

00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:08.500
 who we're dependent on.

00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:10.659
 Because he already knows

00:38:10.659 --> 00:38:12.159
 what we need.

00:38:12.880 --> 00:38:14.059
 He already knows what we're thinking.

00:38:14.179 --> 00:38:15.380
 He knows everything about us.

00:38:15.960 --> 00:38:17.320
 But you know what prayer reminds us?

00:38:17.860 --> 00:38:18.940
 That he knows that.

00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:20.900
 And that he loves us.

00:38:21.360 --> 00:38:23.460
 And that he wants us to come to him.

00:38:23.719 --> 00:38:25.800
 And it's that posture of dependence.

00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:27.699
 And maybe that trial

00:38:27.699 --> 00:38:29.400
 is something that pushes us

00:38:29.400 --> 00:38:31.300
 to our knees.

00:38:32.039 --> 00:38:33.960
 And that's exactly where he wants us.

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.719
 And we really begin to see

00:38:35.719 --> 00:38:37.000
 how much he loves us

00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:38.940
 and how dependent on ourselves we've been

00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:39.940
 while maybe saying,

00:38:40.199 --> 00:38:41.360
 yeah, I trust God in everything.

00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:43.840
 And really, we're just leaning on ourself

00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:45.360
 and our ingenuity and our intellect.

00:38:45.659 --> 00:38:47.539
 That's not what God has called us to do.

00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:51.159
 Listen, he's trying to refine you.

00:38:51.159 --> 00:38:54.159
 That's the purpose of a trial.

00:38:54.980 --> 00:38:55.960
 Just like gold,

00:38:56.039 --> 00:38:57.259
 he wants us to come forth

00:38:57.259 --> 00:38:59.460
 better than we went into the fire.

00:38:59.719 --> 00:39:01.859
 And sometimes I think we can waste a trial.

00:39:02.099 --> 00:39:03.879
 We try to rush the process.

00:39:04.179 --> 00:39:05.259
 But we need to trust

00:39:05.259 --> 00:39:06.739
 that God is just maybe doing

00:39:06.739 --> 00:39:09.359
 a refining work in your life,

00:39:09.440 --> 00:39:10.559
 not a punishing work.

00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:13.159
 Sometimes we look at people's trials

00:39:13.159 --> 00:39:13.519
 and say,

00:39:13.839 --> 00:39:14.899
 wonder what they did.

00:39:15.500 --> 00:39:16.739
 That's the book of Job, by the way,

00:39:16.759 --> 00:39:17.199
 in a nutshell.

00:39:17.199 --> 00:39:17.359
 No.

00:39:18.960 --> 00:39:20.659
 Job had all these things going on

00:39:20.659 --> 00:39:21.199
 and his friend said,

00:39:21.359 --> 00:39:22.339
 wonder what he did.

00:39:23.419 --> 00:39:24.699
 And for like, I don't know,

00:39:24.799 --> 00:39:25.559
 30 chapters,

00:39:25.659 --> 00:39:26.279
 they tell him everything

00:39:26.279 --> 00:39:27.059
 they think he did.

00:39:27.799 --> 00:39:29.299
 But it really wasn't about that.

00:39:29.960 --> 00:39:31.539
 Yes, there was areas in Job's life

00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:32.379
 that needed to be refined,

00:39:32.599 --> 00:39:33.439
 but it was just this.

00:39:33.859 --> 00:39:35.659
 God wanted Job to be closer to him.

00:39:37.059 --> 00:39:40.199
 See, faith that's refined by fire

00:39:40.199 --> 00:39:42.299
 leads to something much deeper.

00:39:42.300 --> 00:39:46.480
 It reminds us how much we love God.

00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:49.300
 When you walk through the difficulty,

00:39:49.580 --> 00:39:50.920
 when you walk through the trial,

00:39:51.100 --> 00:39:52.360
 and you see God work,

00:39:52.560 --> 00:39:53.539
 and you see him move,

00:39:53.680 --> 00:39:54.840
 and you see him sustain,

00:39:55.180 --> 00:39:57.039
 and you trust him more and more,

00:39:57.260 --> 00:39:59.780
 we begin to love him even more.

00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:02.019
 So verse number eight tells us,

00:40:02.060 --> 00:40:05.200
 that we can love the unseen Christ,

00:40:06.200 --> 00:40:09.180
 whom having not seen, ye love,

00:40:09.179 --> 00:40:12.559
 and whom though you now see him not,

00:40:12.659 --> 00:40:13.299
 yet believing,

00:40:13.739 --> 00:40:15.519
 ye rejoice with unspeakable,

00:40:16.379 --> 00:40:17.639
 with joy unspeakable,

00:40:17.759 --> 00:40:20.039
 and full of glory.

00:40:21.480 --> 00:40:23.119
 When Peter preached there

00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:24.279
 in the book of Acts,

00:40:24.319 --> 00:40:25.019
 in the early church,

00:40:25.099 --> 00:40:27.480
 when Peter's writing these letters here,

00:40:28.559 --> 00:40:31.419
 he wasn't speaking from a secondhand source.

00:40:32.299 --> 00:40:34.819
 He didn't Google all these things about Jesus.

00:40:35.839 --> 00:40:37.159
 No, Peter had seen Jesus.

00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:39.739
 He walked with Jesus.

00:40:40.599 --> 00:40:42.379
 Literally, physically was there.

00:40:42.779 --> 00:40:43.859
 Shared meals with him.

00:40:44.159 --> 00:40:45.539
 Traveled the road with him.

00:40:45.859 --> 00:40:47.299
 But here's what Peter also saw.

00:40:47.639 --> 00:40:49.059
 He failed Jesus miserably.

00:40:50.920 --> 00:40:53.299
 But Peter also was on the receiving end

00:40:53.299 --> 00:40:54.679
 of the restoration of Jesus.

00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:57.179
 There in John chapter number 21.

00:40:58.859 --> 00:41:00.399
 I mean, this man writing here

00:41:00.399 --> 00:41:03.960
 was a man that knew the look of disapproval.

00:41:05.179 --> 00:41:05.940
 You know, it's the same look.

00:41:05.940 --> 00:41:08.119
 I feel like the look that Jesus gave Peter

00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:09.599
 at that, maybe at that meal,

00:41:09.820 --> 00:41:11.059
 was the same look your mama gave you

00:41:11.059 --> 00:41:11.900
 at some point in your life.

00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:13.619
 You ever been on the receiving end of that?

00:41:14.380 --> 00:41:15.300
 Sometimes, I mean, I was just like,

00:41:15.340 --> 00:41:16.460
 I don't want to ever see that look again.

00:41:17.420 --> 00:41:17.940
 I mean, Peter,

00:41:18.139 --> 00:41:19.679
 the Bible tells us when Peter denied Jesus

00:41:19.679 --> 00:41:21.400
 that he went out and wept bitterly.

00:41:21.480 --> 00:41:22.280
 They locked eyes.

00:41:23.240 --> 00:41:24.159
 And it broke Peter.

00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:25.679
 And he just thought,

00:41:25.760 --> 00:41:27.400
 well, I can never do anything for the Lord.

00:41:27.559 --> 00:41:29.119
 But this is also the same man.

00:41:29.240 --> 00:41:30.920
 And that's why he's able to write a book like this,

00:41:30.920 --> 00:41:33.440
 who experienced the joy of forgiveness.

00:41:34.880 --> 00:41:39.320
 But Peter says something remarkable in verse number 8.

00:41:39.500 --> 00:41:40.680
 He reminds us, hey, listen,

00:41:40.800 --> 00:41:43.360
 you can love Jesus the same way I love Jesus,

00:41:43.559 --> 00:41:45.119
 even though you've never seen him.

00:41:46.099 --> 00:41:47.599
 Yeah, it would have been nice.

00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:49.380
 And I can't wait to see Jesus.

00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:50.139
 I'll just be honest.

00:41:50.200 --> 00:41:51.400
 I can't wait for that day.

00:41:51.400 --> 00:41:53.980
 But I still love him.

00:41:54.760 --> 00:41:56.539
 I love him with all of my heart.

00:41:57.160 --> 00:41:58.380
 And I want to remind us today

00:41:58.380 --> 00:42:00.700
 that faith does not require sight,

00:42:00.840 --> 00:42:03.760
 that love does not require physical presence.

00:42:04.720 --> 00:42:07.000
 No, in fact, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5-7

00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:10.240
 that we are to walk by faith and not by sight.

00:42:11.539 --> 00:42:13.680
 Hebrews chapter 11 reminds us that faith

00:42:13.680 --> 00:42:15.559
 is the evidence of things not seen

00:42:15.559 --> 00:42:17.900
 and the hope of things that are hoped for.

00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:19.480
 And if you're like me, you love Christ.

00:42:19.480 --> 00:42:20.539
 You know why you love Christ?

00:42:21.400 --> 00:42:23.780
 Because you've seen his grace in your life.

00:42:25.320 --> 00:42:27.000
 That you've known his mercy.

00:42:27.780 --> 00:42:31.160
 That you've experienced his forgiveness more than once.

00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:35.680
 That you've felt his patience with you.

00:42:36.740 --> 00:42:38.539
 I feel it all the time in my life.

00:42:39.639 --> 00:42:42.579
 Jesus told Thomas there in the upper room,

00:42:44.039 --> 00:42:46.940
 blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe.

00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:51.400
 But as we think about our life,

00:42:52.139 --> 00:42:56.200
 he's saying, listen, you're here and life is hard, guys.

00:42:56.320 --> 00:42:58.619
 But I just want to remind you that you still have joy unspeakable.

00:42:58.860 --> 00:43:02.400
 Think about all the things that God has done in your life.

00:43:03.240 --> 00:43:05.639
 Think about how God has moved in your life.

00:43:05.639 --> 00:43:09.159
 As Peter was there and he denied Christ

00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:11.500
 and he's sitting there at the fireside in John 21,

00:43:11.699 --> 00:43:14.039
 that moment he just had to feel like an absolute failure.

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:17.139
 The beginning of that chapter, he basically quit.

00:43:17.379 --> 00:43:19.219
 He put his two weeks notice in him being a disciple.

00:43:20.259 --> 00:43:21.659
 He said this, I go fishing.

00:43:22.480 --> 00:43:24.420
 And it wasn't like a little trip because he liked fishing.

00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:27.000
 He was saying, I tried and I failed.

00:43:28.259 --> 00:43:29.779
 There was some hope for me.

00:43:29.980 --> 00:43:31.039
 You know, I had a lot of things going,

00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:32.679
 but it's not really working out.

00:43:34.500 --> 00:43:36.219
 But here we are studying this little letter

00:43:36.219 --> 00:43:38.820
 that Peter's writing all about hope,

00:43:39.440 --> 00:43:41.739
 all about the things that God offers.

00:43:41.860 --> 00:43:43.840
 Because in that moment, Peter,

00:43:43.980 --> 00:43:45.259
 when he thought everything was gone

00:43:45.259 --> 00:43:46.420
 and God could never use him

00:43:46.420 --> 00:43:48.800
 and hope had died, Jesus showed up.

00:43:49.840 --> 00:43:52.380
 And he just reminded him, Peter, I love you.

00:43:53.059 --> 00:43:54.079
 Hey, do you love me?

00:43:54.619 --> 00:43:56.320
 Listen, I went to the cross for you, Peter.

00:43:56.880 --> 00:43:58.519
 I died for your sins, Peter.

00:43:58.659 --> 00:44:00.039
 It was never about your boisterous.

00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:02.279
 It was never about your claims.

00:44:02.460 --> 00:44:04.840
 It was all about your trust in me.

00:44:05.880 --> 00:44:07.759
 See, Peter, Peter failed so greatly

00:44:07.759 --> 00:44:10.639
 because he believed with his flesh

00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:13.619
 and with his self that, hey, I can do this.

00:44:14.440 --> 00:44:16.699
 But sometimes our flesh has a head-on collision

00:44:16.699 --> 00:44:19.659
 with difficulties.

00:44:20.639 --> 00:44:21.759
 And when that hard time comes,

00:44:21.820 --> 00:44:22.659
 that trial comes, we think,

00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:24.460
 well, I gave it a good run.

00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:26.639
 That's kind of how Peter was.

00:44:26.639 --> 00:44:29.879
 But Jesus brought him to this realization

00:44:29.879 --> 00:44:34.719
 that love, that that hope that Christ gives,

00:44:35.239 --> 00:44:36.299
 not the failures,

00:44:37.079 --> 00:44:39.019
 was what his motivation should be.

00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:41.099
 See, Peter was motivated to quit

00:44:41.099 --> 00:44:42.779
 because he thought, well, that's just what I am.

00:44:43.579 --> 00:44:45.559
 Jesus said, no, I came to change your life.

00:44:46.359 --> 00:44:47.159
 And that's what he did.

00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:50.299
 Some of my favorite verses in all the scripture

00:44:50.299 --> 00:44:52.639
 are Psalm 116, 1 and 2.

00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:54.279
 The psalmist says this,

00:44:54.339 --> 00:44:57.739
 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice

00:44:57.739 --> 00:44:59.980
 and my supplications,

00:45:00.179 --> 00:45:02.239
 because he has inclined his ear unto me.

00:45:02.619 --> 00:45:06.460
 Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

00:45:07.819 --> 00:45:09.159
 It's not because we're perfect.

00:45:09.719 --> 00:45:10.779
 You know why we can do that?

00:45:10.920 --> 00:45:12.259
 Because our hope is alive.

00:45:12.260 --> 00:45:15.240
 Because Christ is real in our life.

00:45:16.280 --> 00:45:17.220
 And so the question is simple

00:45:17.220 --> 00:45:18.400
 as we kind of wrap this up.

00:45:19.760 --> 00:45:20.660
 Do you love him?

00:45:22.240 --> 00:45:23.380
 Do you love Jesus?

00:45:25.020 --> 00:45:27.240
 See, Peter was there at one moment in his life.

00:45:27.720 --> 00:45:29.260
 And it was a turning point for him.

00:45:30.020 --> 00:45:31.320
 Because when you read John 21,

00:45:31.440 --> 00:45:31.900
 he said, listen,

00:45:32.280 --> 00:45:34.860
 when things all get back to where they should be,

00:45:35.100 --> 00:45:36.260
 I'm going to use you.

00:45:37.060 --> 00:45:39.780
 You're going to be a great help to others.

00:45:40.880 --> 00:45:43.640
 And love isn't just words.

00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:46.060
 I think you had to experience this this past week.

00:45:46.140 --> 00:45:47.520
 If you have a significant other,

00:45:47.920 --> 00:45:49.220
 you know, we had this pack

00:45:49.220 --> 00:45:50.960
 that we're not buying Valentine's Day gifts.

00:45:51.820 --> 00:45:53.580
 And then she bought a Valentine's Day gift.

00:45:54.420 --> 00:45:55.420
 And then said this,

00:45:55.640 --> 00:45:56.840
 oh, you don't have to get me anything.

00:45:57.520 --> 00:45:58.900
 Listen, this ain't my first rodeo.

00:46:00.380 --> 00:46:01.800
 I'm alive in here today.

00:46:01.860 --> 00:46:02.320
 You know why?

00:46:02.420 --> 00:46:03.500
 Because I went and got something.

00:46:03.500 --> 00:46:06.719
 And I don't have a problem getting something for her.

00:46:06.860 --> 00:46:08.699
 Because love is not just something I tell her.

00:46:09.719 --> 00:46:10.659
 Love is something we show.

00:46:10.800 --> 00:46:11.559
 Love is an action.

00:46:13.139 --> 00:46:15.039
 And that's what Peter's reminding them here,

00:46:15.099 --> 00:46:15.900
 that God is working

00:46:15.900 --> 00:46:17.519
 and difficulties are in your life

00:46:17.519 --> 00:46:19.099
 and they're for your good

00:46:19.099 --> 00:46:20.340
 and they're for his glory

00:46:20.340 --> 00:46:22.940
 and you're going to love him even more and more.

00:46:23.139 --> 00:46:24.519
 And you're experiencing that right now.

00:46:24.539 --> 00:46:26.280
 He's saying, stop and think about it.

00:46:27.400 --> 00:46:29.599
 Because love just shows up in different ways.

00:46:29.860 --> 00:46:30.380
 You know what it does?

00:46:30.380 --> 00:46:32.500
 It shows up in obedience when it's hard.

00:46:34.400 --> 00:46:36.119
 Because life is hard right here for them.

00:46:36.960 --> 00:46:38.079
 But he's saying, listen, it's still,

00:46:38.340 --> 00:46:39.880
 we still got to trust the Lord.

00:46:41.079 --> 00:46:42.480
 Listen, you're rejoicing greatly.

00:46:42.719 --> 00:46:44.579
 Think about that joy unspeakable you have.

00:46:44.760 --> 00:46:46.179
 You're on the run literally.

00:46:47.119 --> 00:46:49.300
 But you can still obey the Lord.

00:46:50.460 --> 00:46:52.500
 That we can be faithful maybe when nobody's looking

00:46:52.500 --> 00:46:54.019
 or nobody thinks it's important.

00:46:54.099 --> 00:46:55.539
 They lived in a world where it wasn't a big deal.

00:46:55.880 --> 00:46:58.219
 Faithfulness was something you want to maybe keep under wraps

00:46:58.219 --> 00:46:59.360
 because you can maybe keep your head.

00:47:00.079 --> 00:47:00.739
 And that's where they were.

00:47:00.739 --> 00:47:06.079
 Love shows up when it's trusting,

00:47:06.259 --> 00:47:07.099
 when life hurts.

00:47:08.599 --> 00:47:11.619
 Maybe this week we let love motivate our obedience.

00:47:12.659 --> 00:47:14.879
 Because we think of all these things that we have in Christ.

00:47:15.399 --> 00:47:17.559
 This hope that we have for the life that we live.

00:47:17.759 --> 00:47:20.239
 That we let hope strengthen the endurance.

00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:22.959
 When we think about, hey, all of this is mine.

00:47:23.000 --> 00:47:23.500
 You know what it can do?

00:47:23.579 --> 00:47:24.699
 It can help you endure.

00:47:25.399 --> 00:47:26.639
 It can help you persevere.

00:47:26.639 --> 00:47:28.739
 It can help you thrive in your life.

00:47:32.139 --> 00:47:34.400
 The idea of these few verses right here is this.

00:47:34.539 --> 00:47:35.779
 That trials are real.

00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:38.799
 They're going to be heavy in your life.

00:47:40.099 --> 00:47:42.799
 They're going to make you have some difficult times.

00:47:42.980 --> 00:47:44.339
 And there's going to be a lot of them probably.

00:47:45.219 --> 00:47:46.159
 But they're temporary.

00:47:47.279 --> 00:47:48.639
 We need to hang on to that truth.

00:47:49.179 --> 00:47:50.659
 We need to be reminded of that.

00:47:50.659 --> 00:47:55.199
 What you might be facing in life, it can't steal your identity.

00:47:55.779 --> 00:47:57.599
 Because your identity is not in what you do.

00:47:57.699 --> 00:47:58.779
 It's in who you know.

00:47:59.420 --> 00:48:01.719
 Our identity is in Christ.

00:48:02.460 --> 00:48:04.279
 That's what we are as his children.

00:48:04.920 --> 00:48:06.279
 It can't steal your inheritance.

00:48:07.039 --> 00:48:08.159
 It can't steal your hope.

00:48:08.379 --> 00:48:09.440
 They tried that already.

00:48:10.099 --> 00:48:11.719
 And he walked out of the grave the third day.

00:48:12.500 --> 00:48:13.940
 It cannot take those.

00:48:13.940 --> 00:48:16.900
 We have hope in who we are and what we have.

00:48:17.240 --> 00:48:21.320
 And Peter says, listen, you can even have hope in the trials of your faith.

00:48:22.700 --> 00:48:26.000
 And this sermon goes so well with what we looked at Wednesday night.

00:48:27.500 --> 00:48:29.179
 Where Paul told the Romans,

00:48:30.059 --> 00:48:31.780
 And we know that all things work together for good.

00:48:32.500 --> 00:48:33.340
 To them that love God.

00:48:33.400 --> 00:48:35.200
 To those who are called according to his purpose.

00:48:35.900 --> 00:48:42.079
 From whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed into the image of his son.

00:48:42.079 --> 00:48:45.559
 I mean, we boil it all down to this.

00:48:45.679 --> 00:48:46.739
 Here's what trials do.

00:48:47.299 --> 00:48:48.659
 They make us more like Jesus.

00:48:49.920 --> 00:48:51.819
 Because you look at Jesus' life, you know what it was?

00:48:52.059 --> 00:48:53.440
 He was a man of sorrows.

00:48:54.460 --> 00:48:55.819
 He walked through the trials.

00:48:56.699 --> 00:48:57.599
 You know what trials do?

00:48:58.380 --> 00:48:59.340
 They refine us.

00:49:00.519 --> 00:49:01.840
 They do not define us.

00:49:02.719 --> 00:49:03.539
 They help us grow.

00:49:05.119 --> 00:49:08.099
 See, the world tries to define us by all the things that we have in our life.

00:49:08.759 --> 00:49:11.139
 They try to define us by our problems, by our diagnosis.

00:49:11.139 --> 00:49:13.259
 Maybe it's a failed relationship.

00:49:13.460 --> 00:49:14.299
 It's a failure in life.

00:49:14.379 --> 00:49:15.279
 It's a struggle we go through.

00:49:15.500 --> 00:49:17.119
 But you know what Peter's reminding us?

00:49:17.299 --> 00:49:18.099
 What defines us?

00:49:18.519 --> 00:49:19.000
 Redemption.

00:49:20.359 --> 00:49:20.799
 Grace.

00:49:21.799 --> 00:49:25.059
 Forgiveness through our Lord Jesus Christ.

00:49:25.920 --> 00:49:30.339
 That he offers a hope that is real for a life that is real.

00:49:31.619 --> 00:49:35.420
 I know we sang this song earlier, but just listen to the words.

00:49:35.420 --> 00:49:42.639
 My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Christ and righteousness.

00:49:43.579 --> 00:49:48.920
 I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

00:49:49.780 --> 00:49:55.400
 When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace.

00:49:56.059 --> 00:50:00.280
 In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

00:50:00.280 --> 00:50:02.019
 The third verse is this.

00:50:02.019 --> 00:50:05.940
 His oath, his covenant, his blood, supporting me in the whelming flood.

00:50:06.460 --> 00:50:11.940
 When all around my soul gives way, he then is all my hope and stay.

00:50:12.840 --> 00:50:17.719
 When he shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found.

00:50:18.780 --> 00:50:23.940
 In him my righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

00:50:23.940 --> 00:50:26.800
 On Christ the solid rock I stand.

00:50:27.460 --> 00:50:30.280
 All other ground is sinking sand.

00:50:31.360 --> 00:50:33.820
 Peter's writing to a group of believers.

00:50:34.200 --> 00:50:35.659
 The world around them is sinking.

00:50:36.519 --> 00:50:38.200
 And Peter says this.

00:50:38.760 --> 00:50:40.740
 You have a rock to stand on.

00:50:41.400 --> 00:50:43.340
 And his name is Jesus Christ.

00:50:43.980 --> 00:50:45.880
 Real hope for real life.

00:50:45.940 --> 00:50:48.099
 Would you stand with your heads bowed, with your eyes closed?

00:50:48.099 --> 00:50:48.220
 Amen.

00:50:53.940 --> 00:50:55.940
 Amen.