I Peter 4:12-19
Suffering
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1Pet. 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
1Pet. 4:13 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.
1Pet. 4:14 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.
1Pet. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
1Pet. 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
1Pet. 4:17 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?
1Pet. 4:18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
1Pet. 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
Into
Suffering for His Name (vs. 12-14)
1Pet. 4:12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;
1Pet. 4:13 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.
1Pet. 4:14 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.
√ Trials are normal
Peter reminds us that trials are a normal part of the Christian experience.
Why?
1) We live in a fallen world
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
2) We are enemies of the world system
John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
3) Satan targets Christians
1Pet. 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Peter knew something about the devil's attacks!
Luke 22:31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
√ Handling trials
Note how it is that Peter tells Christians they should handle the trials that come into their lives…
…with joy!
"but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings"
How's that?
Peter tells Christians to rejoice in the midst of trials because if we share in the sufferings of Christ…
…we will also share in the glory of Christ!
1) You'll be blessed in eternity
Those who invest their lives, their…
Time
Talent
Treasure
…in the Kingdom of God now - are guaranteed a return on that investment when Jesus returns to establish His eternal Kingdom!
Ap. The Kingdom of God, Inc.
Ex. Wal-Mart
The people who worked for Sam Walton in the early days - truck drivers became multi-millionaires.
2) You'll be blessed now
Note that Peter says in vs. 14
"If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."
That is, the reason these people were being persecuted was because God's Spirit was evident in their life!
One could "see" Jesus in their life!
Marked by God's Grace
His glory resting upon them
Ex. The Tabernacle in the wilderness
Looked like so many other tents - yet all who looked upon it could tell that it was different because the glory of God rested upon it!
The cloud of His glory to mark it by day, the fire of His glory by night.
The greatest blessing the Christian experiences now in this life is the presence of God within them!
Suffering for our sin (vs. 15)
1Pet. 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
√ But…
…don't suffer for your own sin!
Peter reminds his readers that there is no blessing to be found when we suffer for our own sin.
That is, if you end up in jail because you broke the law…
…don't think of yourself as spiritual, or that God will bless you!
Ex. Peter mentions murder, robbery, and those who do evil & busybodies.
Ap. The TV ministers who have fallen
They want to blame the devil, or the media, or the liberals, for their trouble.
The truth is that the reason they got in trouble was because of their own sin!
They weren't suffering because they were "ministers of Jesus Christ", they suffered as a consequence of their sin.
Ex. Only Jim Baker is doing effective ministry today
Why? Because he owned up to his sin, confessed it, paid the consequences, and truly repented.
God is using him today.
Ap. A word about "busybodies"
Interesting that Peter includes this sin with some pretty heavy weight sins - murder & robbery!
People tend to gloss over the sin of meddling - excusing it as "just concerned" etc.
The truth is that busy bodies have done more damage to the Church than murderers or theives have ever done.
If that's a weakness in your life - deal with it.
Suffering for His purpose (vs. 16-19)
1Pet. 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
1Pet. 4:17 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?
1Pet. 4:18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
1Pet. 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
√ Suffering as a Christian
Not suffering for…
His Name
Our sin
…rather, for our own good or the good of the Kingdom.
God allows us to go through trials that we might be refined by them.
1Pet. 1:6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
1Pet. 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
When we come to faith in Christ we bring all sorts of the world's impurities with us. God allows trials to come into our lives that those things would be removed from our lives so that He can present us as a spotless Bride.
√ How is the Christian to respond
1) Commit it to God
Recognize that He knows what is best for our lives.
√ Note the warning to sinners
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