Good morning. So it's 1 Peter chapter 4 verses 12 to 19 page 1220.
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though
some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's
sufferings, that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If
you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the spirit of glory and
of God rests upon you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.
But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other
people's matters. Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let
him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house
of God. And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the
gospel of God? Now, if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and
the sinner appear? Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their
souls to him in doing good as to a faithful creator. Amen.
Amen.
Thanks very much, Mary. Well, let's pray.
Father, we thank you for this letter written thousands of years ago, written to a people
to encourage them as they seek to live as your people in the world. And Father, we need
to be encouraged today, for we also are seeking to live as your people in the world. Father,
you know the needs of each one of us, the particular struggles that we face. And so we pray that
by your Holy Spirit, you would speak into our lives individually and corporately so that we keep on going
as a Christian, that we do not turn from you, but keep our gaze fixed upon you.
So build us up and encourage us today. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Amen.
But Jesus had just shared a meal with his disciples and during the conversation spoke these words
to them. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. Applying what Jesus had said to his
disciples, the Apostle Paul reminded Timothy to teach the church. Everyone who wants to live a godly life
in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
Now those two references summarise the message of 1 Peter. If you are a Christian, if you're a follower
of Jesus, you must prepare to suffer. Either you have suffered, you are suffering, or you will suffer.
There's no escaping the hard reality that living for Christ in the world will mean you face hard
and tough times. In fact, suffering is a normal experience. Look at verse 12.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange
were happening to you. The Christian life is a painful trial. It's the normal experience of life.
Yes, Christians will suffer like everyone else. We get sick. We develop cancers. We're not immune
from car accidents. Christians get caught up in hurricanes and wars. But on top of that, there is another
layer of suffering that is unique to the Christian. And that suffering is, if you look at verse 14,
are things like where we are insulted because of the name of Christ. Or verse 16, where we suffer
as a Christian. So if you are a Christian, you will experience that people will push you out because you
follow Christ and they will shut you up because you believe the truth of the Bible. So don't be surprised
when your work colleagues ignore you because you obey what the Bible says about same-sex marriage
or abortion. Don't be surprised when your college or schoolmates give you a hard time because you won't
enter into a sexual relationship until you are married. Don't be surprised when your unbelieving spouse or
family member thinks you're weird or odd because you say Jesus is more important than anyone else
or anything else. And don't be surprised that should you move and live and serve in another country
where it's illegal to be a Christian that you could be kicked out or worse, imprisoned or violently killed.
Suffering as a Christian is not strange. It's the normal experience of life. Now if we don't get this,
when the suffering does come, you will be surprised. You will be taken off guard. You won't be prepared
for it and you will want to give up. You will become confused and wonder where is God in all of this
and why is he letting this happen. You will turn your back on Christ and his church. So, verse 12,
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange
were happening to you. So, rather than be surprised, we should take comfort that our suffering
is under God's sovereignty. Look at verse 12 again. Dear friends, he says, do not be surprised at the
painful trial or the fiery ordeal that has come upon you. So, the trial that's come upon you is not by
mistake. It's not some random experience that we just have to put up with.
No, all our trials are all under God's sovereignty. That means when people malign you, when friends
leave you because you identify with Jesus, it doesn't just happen. It's all under God's control
and all under his authority. Have a look down at verse 19. Do you see what it says there?
So, then, those who suffer according to God's will or those who suffer according to God's plan.
So, the trials that we face have been allowed by God and designed by God for our good.
I'm going to say that again because that's something hard for us to take on board.
The trials we face have been allowed by God, used and designed by God for our good.
Now, we may find that hard to take in, but just think about it the other way around. If God is not
sovereign over suffering. If God is not in control of these things, then what we're left with is with a
God who is impotent, a God who is not powerful, who's there scratching his head wondering what to do
with all these trials and struggles these people are facing. But if God is sovereign,
He not only permits these trials, He has a purpose for these trials in our life. He not only permits them,
but He has a purpose for them. And here's the first purpose. Suffering is the path to joy.
Suffering is the path to joy. Look at verse 12. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial
you are suffering. Verse 13, but rejoice. Now, how on earth are we meant to rejoice when you're spoken
against for standing for Christian truth? How am I meant to rejoice when I'm being treated unjustly for doing
what is good and right? Where's the joy in being hit? Well, read the rest of verse 13. But rejoice that you
participate in the sufferings of Christ. We are to rejoice not in the trials themselves. We're not
jumping up and down and going, yippee, I'm getting opposed and I'm being insulted. We are to rejoice
not in the trials themselves, but that we participate in, that we share in the sufferings of Christ.
In other words, we're to rejoice in the fact that what happened to Christ will happen to us. What
happened to Christ is going to happen to us. Have a look back at chapter 1, verse 11. I think this will
help us understand a bit more. Chapter 1, verse 11. It's a difficult verse, but it's talking about the
authors, the writers of the authors, the authors, the authors who were writing about Jesus who was to come.
And this is what it says in verse 11 of chapter 1, the authors who were writing about Jesus who was to
come. They were trying, verse 11, to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ
Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would
follow. So everything they wrote about was all pointing towards Jesus Christ who was going to come,
who would suffer, and after his sufferings, glories would follow. So there we have it. There we have a
picture that the path of Christ, the journey of Christ, would go from suffering to glory. So as we suffer like
Christ, as we follow on this path, on this journey of following Christ, we will go on a path that will
involve suffering. But we can rejoice as we go along that path because there is a glory that will follow. So go back to
chapter 4 and verse 13. Let's read verse 13 again. Rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you
may be overjoyed. There would be an exuberance of joy when his glory is revealed. So that means when you go through a
painful trial this week as a Christian, you can be filled with joy today because you know that you will be
overjoyed when Christ comes again. You know that the suffering we face today, the trials and the struggles we
experience today are all going to be replaced with an inexpressible and glorious joy, an exuberance, an overjoy
when Christ comes again. So you see, we do not need to fear the trials and the struggles we face.
We do not need to fear the trials and the struggles we face. We do not need to fear the trials and the
suffering we face. We do not need to fear the trials and the struggles we face. We do not need to
respond with anger to other people because as I participate in the sufferings of Christ, as I walk the path of
suffering, I know that my sovereign God is keeping me and is working through all of that to bring me to
glory. So I can rejoice in my struggles today because God is with me and God is keeping me for what is to come.
So, suffering is the path to joy. The second purpose, suffering is a sign that you belong to Christ.
First, look at verse 14. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ. You see, when we trust in Christ, when we commit our life to Christ, where we turn in repentance and trust completely in him,
we are given, we are given, do you see what it says there in verse 14, the name of Christ. That means we now belong to the family of God. We're his special people. We inherit that name.
We have Christ's name. We have Christ's name. That's our identity. Now, there are many blessings with that, but it comes at a cost. If you bear the name of Christ, that means you will be treated like Christ. Just as Christ suffered opposition, you will suffer opposition.
But we're not to see that as a negative. Look at verse 14. It is a blessing. Verse 14, if you're insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed.
Now, how is suffering meant to be a blessing? Well, look at the rest of verse 14. You are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
So, when you experience insult, when somebody laughs down at you because you believe the Bible to be God's word, the spirit of glory, that is the spirit that was at work in Christ, that same spirit that rose Christ from the dead, is the same spirit that is now resting on you.
So, the spirit that brought Christ through his sufferings, from his death to the grave and through the grave to glory, that same spirit affirms and reassures and is working in your life to testify with you that, in fact, you are God's children.
You bear the name of Christ. You are my people.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
of true discipleship.
Suffering is the badge of true discipleship.
In other words, when you suffer for Christ, it's a blessing because it's evidence that you bear the name of Christ.
Of course, we must make sure that our suffering is for the name of Christ and not for our sinful behaviours.
Let's look at verse 15.
If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any kind of criminal or even as a meddler.
Or as Mary read in her translation, a busy body.
What a great, great term, busy body.
Sometimes we suffer because we deserve to suffer.
Okay, it might not be a murderer or a high profile criminal.
But we can all be busy bodies.
We can all put our nose in where it oughtn't to be.
We can all speak down at others with a sense of superiority.
And if we come across as a holier than thou, well then you deserve insults.
You deserve to be slagged.
If your behaviour doesn't match what you're preaching and claiming to be, well then you deserve to be ignored.
Sometimes we deserve to suffer.
And if we do something wrong according to the law, we deserve to be punished for it.
However, verse 16,
If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.
You see, the world may shame you.
The world may laugh at you and mock you.
Family may think you're silly for being here this morning.
But in the trial and in the hardship of those times,
we can praise God that, yes, I bear the name of Christ.
Because your suffering is a sign.
It's evidence.
That we belong to Christ.
Suffering, as Bonhoeffer said,
is the badge of true discipleship.
So, the purpose under God's sovereignty
is that suffering is the path that brings us to joy.
And suffering is a sign that you belong to Christ.
And a third purpose,
that suffering is God's means to purify the church.
Look at verse 17.
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God.
Now, we know from what we've read earlier that there is a judgment to come.
Have a look back at chapter 4, verse 5.
There is a judgment to come.
Chapter 4, verse 5.
You see, at the final judgment, when Christ comes again,
he will sort out who is for Christ
and who is against Christ.
Those who've placed their confidence in Christ will enjoy glory
and those who've rejected Christ will suffer hell.
The judgment to come, that future judgment,
will sort out who are God's people
and who are not God's people.
But, look what it's saying here in verse 17.
It is time for judgment to begin
with the family of God.
So, the judgment that is to come
starts now
and it starts
with God's family,
God's people.
This judgment is unique to Christians
and it's like a testing
from God.
That's what the judgment means in this context.
It's a testing
from God.
So, God allows
and uses the trials
and the sufferings that we go through
to test us
to see
who are the true believers
and who are the false believers.
It purifies
the church.
Now, let me illustrate this
from two other passages of Scripture
to try and grasp
and understand
what's being said here.
The first one
is Mark's Gospel,
chapter 4.
So, keep your finger in 1 Peter
and go back to Mark's Gospel,
chapter 4.
Mark, chapter 4.
Mark's Gospel,
written by Mark,
is actually
an eyewitness account of Peter.
So, Peter was the eyewitness
of Jesus
and saw and heard
all that he did
and he recounted his story
to Mark
and Mark wrote it down.
So, that's the connection
between Peter and Mark.
But here we have
in Mark, chapter 4,
a well-known parable,
the parable of the sower.
The seed being planted
is like the good news of Christ
being spread
and taught
to different people.
Now, let's pick it up
in verse 16.
So, the seed,
the good news
of Jesus
is being spread around
and he explains it like this,
verse 16.
Others,
like seeds
sown on rocky places,
hear the words
and at once
receive it with joy.
So, it's like
people hear
the good news of Jesus
and it appears
that they respond to it,
they receive it,
they listen.
They may even
start meeting
with other believers.
They might even
be baptized.
But,
verse 17,
But since they have
no root,
they last
only a short time.
When trouble
or persecution
comes because
of the word,
they quickly
fall away.
You see,
a time will come
in their lives
where they will face
some kind of opposition
and they opt
for comfort
and safety
rather than
going the path
of Christ.
So, you see,
God allows
and uses
the trials
we go through
to test
who are the true
believers
and who are
the false
believers.
The second
reference
that I want us
to go to
is in 1 Peter.
So, go back
to 1 Peter
chapter 1.
1 Peter
chapter 1
and verse 7.
So, it's a similar
theme to what
we've been looking at.
Let's pick it up
actually in verse 6.
He's been talking
about the trials
and the struggles.
He says,
verse 6,
In this you greatly
rejoice,
though now
for a little while
you've had to
suffer grief
in all kinds
of trials.
Now, why have
these trials
come?
Verse 7.
These have come
so that your
faith of
greater worth
than gold,
which perishes
even though
refined by fire,
may be proved
genuine
and may result
in praise,
glory,
and honour
when Jesus
Christ is revealed.
So, our faith
will be refined.
Our faith
would be proved
genuine
through the trials.
You see,
our response
to suffering
proves the
genuineness of our
faith.
If we keep
going,
we're of Christ.
If we turn away,
we're not of Christ.
So, the
sufferings
that we face,
the trials
we go through
as God's
people,
is God's
way of
purifying
His church.
Now, why
does God
work in
this way?
Go back
to chapter
4,
verse 17.
Chapter
4,
verse 17.
For it is
time for
judgment
to begin
with the
family of
God.
And if
it begins
with us,
what will
the outcome
be for
those who
do not
obey the
gospel of
God?
In other
words,
he's saying
this,
it is better
to suffer
now for a
while as a
Christian
and prove
that your
faith is
genuine
than to
suffer
eternally
as one
who is
opposed
to Christ.
that's
what he
begins to
unpack in
verse 18.
Let's read
verse 18.
It is
hard
for the
righteous
to be
saved.
Now,
salvation is
not hard
for God.
God can
save anyone.
It doesn't
matter what
we've done
in our
past,
what our
sin might
be.
There is
no sin
so great
that God
cannot deal
with.
salvation
is not
hard for
God.
But for
the Christian,
it will
be hard
to face
the trials
of life.
He's never
saying it's
easy.
The opposition
we endure
makes following
Jesus
hard.
That's what it
means there
when it talks
about it is
hard for the
righteous to
be saved.
It's going
to be hard
to follow
in the
path of
Christ.
So,
if it's
difficult
now,
look at
the rest
of 18,
what will
become of
the ungodly
and the
sinner?
So,
let me put
it to us
this way.
If you're
here this
morning,
and you
have not
yet repented
and committed
your life
to Christ,
and you're
not yet
willing to
suffer for
the name
of Christ,
the reason
might be,
the reason
why you have
not yet
committed to
Christ,
is that you
want to save
yourself a lot
of trouble.
By not
committing to
Christ,
you will
escape
suffering.
You will
keep your
friends.
You may get
that promotion
at work.
You may have
a more
comfortable
life.
You will
avoid being
pushed out
and shut
out.
But,
look at
the end
of verse
18,
what will
become of
the ungodly
and the
sinner?
You see,
you may
escape
suffering
now by
not turning
to Christ,
but you
will not
escape the
eternal
suffering that
awaits those
who refuse
Christ
today.
it is
better to
suffer now
for a
while as
a Christian
and prove
that your
faith is
genuine
than to
suffer
eternally
in hell
as one
who is
opposed to
Christ.
So,
you see,
God uses
the trials
and the
struggles
to purify
his church,
to show
up those
who belong
to him,
to those
who are
his true
children.
So,
God's purpose
through our
suffering
is to
bring us
to joy,
to assure
us we belong
to Christ,
to purify
us so that
we will
meet with
God
forever.
how should
we respond
to this?
Well,
suffering
Christians
should commit
themselves to
God.
Look at
verse 19.
So then,
in light of
all of
these things,
the response
is this.
Those who
suffer
according to
God's will
should commit
themselves to
their faithful
creator
and continue
to do
good.
I'm sure
like you,
as I think,
if I were
God,
I would do
things differently.
If I were
God,
I would not
allow Christians
or anybody
else for that
matter,
to suffer.
I would
make things
easier
in life
if I
were God.
But in
case you
didn't
know,
I'm
not
God.
And
neither
are you.
I didn't
create
this world.
I didn't
speak this
universe
into existence.
God
didn't
consult
me or
ask me
for advice
about how
life should
work.
I'm a
fragile human
being who
lives but
just a
moment,
dependent on
God for
life and
breath.
so,
verse 19,
I will
entrust my
life to
my faithful
creator,
God.
The God
who created
me,
the God
who saved
me,
the God
who sustains
me and
will keep
me for
glory.
I will
commit my
life to
my faithful
creator.
I will
place my
life into
his sovereign
hands,
yes,
I've got
questions,
yes,
there is
so much
I don't
understand,
but I
will place
my life
into my
faithful
creator
because he
is working
good for
me through
the suffering.
He brings
a joy to
my life.
He brings
an assurance
that I
belong to
him.
He purifies
me so that
I am ready
to meet
God.
so I
no longer
have to
fight
against
the
suffering.
I can
now,
as a
follower of
Christ,
embrace
the
suffering
that may
come
into my
life.
I can,
look at the
end of
verse 19,
continue
to do
good.
When I'm
insulted,
I can
bless in
return.
When you
suffer
injustice,
you can
love in
response.
When you're
shut out,
you can
bring good
into their
life.
Why?
Because God
is sovereign
over my
suffering and
over your
suffering.
He is my
faithful creator.
He is your
faithful creator
who will
keep you
for glory.
So,
dear friends,
my beloved,
do not be
surprised at
the painful
trial you
are suffering,
as though
something strange
were happening
to you.
But rejoice.
Rejoice that
you participate
in Christ's
sufferings.
Praise God
that you
bear his
name today
and commit
your life
to your
faithful creator
and keep
doing
good.
Let's
pray.
Amen.
Our Father,
we have so
many questions.
So many
questions about
suffering and
hardship and
trials, the
general day-to-day
sufferings we
face, but also
the suffering we
face as a
Christian.
God's
salvation.
And yet we
turn to you,
our faithful
creator,
and we
commit our
lives to you,
trusting that you
have our life in
our hands from
beginning to end
and for the
duration of our
life on this
earth.
trusting that you
are bringing us
on a journey
where we can be
filled with joy
and one day
we'll be
overjoyed
when Christ
comes again.
We walk the
journey knowing
that we are
your children,
that we bear the
name of Christ.
we are your
special people.
And we walk
the path knowing
that through the
difficult and hard
times, you are
purifying us,
chipping off the
bits and the
pieces that need
to be taken off,
making us more
like Christ
every day.
Father, thank you
for the way in
which you work.
thank you that you
are bringing us
to your eternal
home and we
entrust our lives
to you afresh.
Amen.
We're going to
sing.
It's a good old
hymn.
I like old hymns
because they speak
good truth.
Not that the new
ones don't, but
here we go.
When peace like a
river,
attendeth my
way when
sorrows like
sea billows
roll, whatever
my lot,
thou hast
taught me to
say it is
well, it is
well with my
soul.
Whatever the
struggle we
may be in,
because he is
sovereign over
everything, we
can say it is
well.
May this be a
cry of our
trust in our
faithful creator
God.
let's stand
together as
we sing.
Let's stand
together as we
sing.