November 4, 2018
Evening Service

It felt like Peter was calling us out this morning to focus on the task at hand.  He called us to bring our lives into perspective by recalling some of the basic foundational teachings we need to be standing upon.  He reminded us that time is not infinite and it is quickly winding down so we need to be “serious and watchful in our prayers.”  The end should not sneak up on us; we should see it coming and be prepared.  He reminded us that our top priority was to love one another fervently as “love covers a multitude of sin.” He also encouraged us to use our God given gifts to exhort our brothers and to glorify our God.  They are God given and need to be used for His glory.  As we all use our gifts collectively within the church it makes us all better.  We can only reach our full potential as church when we all do our part with excellence.  We are better together!  Peter now closes this chapter as he began it discussing the reality of suffering for Christ being part of our walk with Jesus.

1 Peter 4:12-13  Beloved, do not be astonished at the fiery trial which is to try you, as though a strange thing happened to you,  (13)  but rejoice according as you are partakers of Christ's suffering, so that when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

·        Peter again is shooting straight with us when it comes to suffering for Christ.  He said “don’t be surprised when these trials come as if something crazy is happening to you, it should be expected.”  He calls us to rejoice that we are found worthy to share in Christ’s suffering.  Jesus said this during His Sermon of the Mount.

 

Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.  (11)  Blessed are you when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake.  (12)  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in Heaven is great. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

·        That persecution and suffering are a sign for us that we are right on track.  When we are following Christ and being obedient to His Word we will be persecuted.  Our enemy will try his best to deter our focus off our spiritual goals and get us to feel sorry for ourselves hoping that it hinders our effectiveness for Christ.  Sometime we fall for it and he wins.  Jesus, however, calls us not to wallow in a pity party but to rejoice instead.  Is that easy, no way but it is possible.  Look how these words from Jesus hit the target with Peter after he and the other apostles were jailed for preaching in Jesus’ name and were persecuted before the Jewish Council.  (Read Acts 5:27-39).

 

Acts 5:40-42  And calling the apostles, beating them, they commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  (41)  Then indeed they departed from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be shamed for His name.  (42)  And every day in the temple, and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching the gospel: Jesus Christ.

·        Peter and the other apostles felt the literal pain of persecution and rejoiced in the face of the suffering!  This reaction to suffering from Peter puts power in his words as he further encourages us to take the joyful perspective.  “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.”

 

1 Peter 4:14-16  If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you. Truly according to them, He is blasphemed, but according to you He is glorified.  (15)  But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or a meddler in the affairs of others.  (16)  But if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God because of this.

·        Peter who experienced it informs us that we are considered blessed to be reviled for the name of Christ.  We bring glory to our Savior through the suffering.  Peter warns us to be sure that Christ is the source of our suffering and not our own evil actions.  That suffering is deserved being brought on by ourselves and is not directed towards Christ.

·        If we are truly suffering for Christ, then there is no shame in that.  It is part of our journey.  We are to keep on making the right choices and being a faithful follower while not seeking out suffering, but not shying away from it either.

 

1 Peter 4:17-18 For the time has come for the judgment to begin from the house of God. And if it first begins from us, what will be the end of those disobeying the gospel of God?  (18)  And if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 

·        This judgement is not the ultimate final judgement, but one that refers to God’s refining discipline that the Hebrew writer referred to in this passage:

 

Hebrews 12:5-7  And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked by Him;  (6)  for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and He scourges every son whom He receives."  (7)  If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?

·        Just because we are children of God does not mean we can do whatever we want.  When a child of God sins there still will be consequences that must be dealt with.  It keeps us focused on the fact that we are not perfect and we still do need a Savior.  It encourages us to place guardrails up in our life to avoid being put in a situation that sin could occur.  If believers are refined by this chastisement and persuaded to avoid sin, where does that leave the unbelievers?  They have no punishment put in place to deter them from sin, so why not?  We are so blessed to be true legitimate sons of our Heavenly Father and that He loves us enough to discipline us.  Peter closes this chapter and sums up his thoughts on suffering with this thought.

 

 1 Peter 4:19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls in well-doing, as to a faithful Creator.

·        God is the Creator and Designer of this vast and complex universe.  He has faithfully placed everything in order kept it there and will keep it until the end of time.  He is faithful and we can count on Him to fulfill all of His promises to us.  If He is able to do that monumental task, surely we can trust Him to carry us through any trials that lie ahead of us.

 

Heavenly Father please open our eyes to the joys of suffering for You!