Growing in
Grace and Hope
“What to Do
When Your Faith Is On Trial” - 1 Peter 4:12-19
Video – “What Would You Suffer For?”
One question
Christians have asked often is “Why is this happening to me?” That's a big part
of the book of 1 Peter we have been studying. Why do bad things happen to good
people? Why would a good God allow such evil things to happen? These are hard
questions - philosophical questions. They are questions that cause some people
to reject God and the Christian faith.
R.C. Sproul
once wrote about an encounter with someone who asked him why bad things happen
to good people. He told the man “I haven't met any good people yet, so I don't
know.” What he meant was that people may be good relatively speaking by human
standards, but by the standard of the holiness of God, we are all fallen and
sinful and we live in a fallen world, so the question isn't really framed
right.
That perspective is a big part of the reason there is suffering in
this world. Peter tells us that there are actually three kinds of suffering
in this world. You are usually experiencing at least one of the three at
any point in your life.
1. Common
Suffering. This happens just because
you are a human being, things go wrong. We live in a fallen world. Our bodies
wear out, sometimes we even feel the effects of someone else's sin. This present state of this world is not as
God first created it.
2. Carnal
suffering. This is suffering I cause
myself by the wrong choices I make. If I
get drunk and then have a hangover, that’s carnal suffering. If I smoke all my life and get lung cancer,
that’s carnal suffering. We bring a lot of suffering on ourselves. The Bible teaches us
that we reap what we sow.
3. Christian
suffering. This is when you suffer
for doing what is right – in the name of Jesus.
It’s when you suffer for your faith in Jesus. Jesus is the best example of this. This is our focus today. Peter tells us that suffering like this can
actually be for our good. We are under
construction – under character development, when we go through this kind of
suffering.
1 Pet 4:12-19 – “Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going
through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for
these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will
have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the
world. 14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then
the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing,
making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer
for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his
name! 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s
household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who
have never obeyed God’s Good News? 18 And also, ‘If the righteous are barely saved, what will
happen to godless sinners?’ 19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on
doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he
will never fail you.”
Here it
tells us there are five things we need to do when we suffer as a Christian,
when you suffer for your faith - whether it's at the hands of your employer,
your peers, your mate, your neighbors or relatives.
1. Realize that suffering is bound to happen. Vs. 12 - “Dear
friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if
something strange were happening to you.”
Peter says
don't be surprised at painful trials as though something strange were happening
to you.
Don't be
surprised when people put you down or ridicule you or challenge your faith.
Don't let that catch you off guard. Expect it.
Jesus was
very realistic about this very point. He told us to consider the costs, the
consequences
of following
Him. He said, in John 16:33 – “In this
world you will have trouble.” In
John 15:20 Jesus said, “No servant is
greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also.”
Did they persecute Jesus? They sure did. It's a myth that too many Christian
perpetuate that says if I do everything right in life then things will go
smoothly. Wrong. Jesus was perfect, but they crucified Him.
We often
forget the spiritual battle we are a part of. Once you decide you are on God's
side, you become the enemy and target of Satan. The Bible says in Ephesians
6:12 - “Our struggle is not against flesh
and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces
of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly
places.”
Satan would
like to hurt God, but He can't, so he does the next best thing. He attacks His
children. You know, if you really wanted to hurt me and upset me, try to harm
my kids. That's exactly what Satan does. Peter tells us to expect suffering as
a Christian.
2. Rejoice when it does happen. Vs. 13-14 – “Instead,
be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering,
so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed
to all the world. So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for
then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.”
There is a
great story different people have mentioned in their books about a parakeet
named Chippie who had a very bad day. It began when its owner decided to clean
out the bird cage with a vacuum cleaner. She was almost done sucking up the
droppings and seed form the bottom when the phone rang. She answered the phone
and then heard an awful sound and Chippie was gone. She panicked and tore open
the dirt bag on the vacuum. There was Chippie, alive but quite stunned and
covered in dust and gasping for air. So she ran to the bathroom with him and
turned on the faucet and rinsed him off with cold water. Then she realized he
was cold and wet, so, you guessed it, she grabbed the blow dryer. Chippie never
knew what hit him. A few days later a neighbor asked how Chippie was doing. The
owner replied, "Well, Chippie is ok, but he doesn't sing much anymore. He
just sits and stares."
Have you
ever felt that way? A series of events in your life, suffering, leaves you in a
daze, wondering what hit you, and it takes the song out of your life? Remarkably,
Peter says not only realize that suffering is going to happen in this life, but
when it does, rejoice! That sounds odd, masochistic, like a martyr complex.
But the key
word here is “rejoice.” There's a big difference between enjoy and rejoice.
Enjoyment means getting pleasure from something. Rejoicing means choosing to
have a positive outlook in spite of it. God doesn't say enjoy persecution, but choose to have a positive outlook when it
comes. Why?
A. Suffering
draws me closer to God. Peter says you are “sharing in the suffering of
Christ.” You become a partner with Christ in His suffering. In verse 14 he
says, “So be happy when you are insulted
for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.” Peter uses the word “koinonia” here. That's
the Greek word for fellowship. We are having fellowship with God when we suffer
for believing in Jesus, for standing up for what is right. That is one time
when we have closeness, intimacy with God.
War veterans will tell you that there are men they are bound
together with for life, even if they live a thousand miles away. They are the
men they shared the experience of combat with, who they suffered with.
It's the
same way with community disasters. I can't remember the number of times I heard
or read someone say that the town of
B. It means
God's Spirit can be seen in my life.
Why can I be
happy when I am experiencing trouble from other people for my faith? Because it
means, “Congratulations, somebody notices you are different.” If you are never
challenged for your faith it might mean you faith is a bit flabby - not too
sharp - not too noticeable to the world.
Paul told
Timothy that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted. If I am never challenged for my faith, what does that mean? When
people do put you down and harass you for your faith, it means they are
noticing character in you, conviction that makes them uncomfortable. There are
no secret agents in God's family. Nicodemus was the first to try, but he surely
was not the last. Jesus said “Anyone who
is ashamed of Me in this wicked and adulterous generation, of Him I will be
ashamed before My Father.” Jesus was not ashamed to die for you, so don't
be ashamed to live for Him.
C. God can
trust me.
When you are
harassed for your faith, challenged for what you believe, it means God can
trust you. Peter and the other disciples were beat up, sometimes killed, often
jailed, and suffered other abuses for living our their faith in Jesus. Acts 5:41
says that after some of the apostles were whipped for speaking about their
faith, “they went on their way rejoicing
that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” In other words, they were glad that God could trust
them. It still happens all around the world today. It is happening in
3. Refuse to be ashamed. Vs. 16 – “But it is no shame to suffer for being a
Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!”
He says when
you are put down for your faith, refuse to be ashamed. Don't be intimidated by
cynics or critics. People are watching you almost daily. We talked about this a
couple weeks ago. Remember the guy from the Vineyard church in
How many
people outside of the church know you are a Christian? If they do, they no
doubt throw stuff at you sometimes just to see how you react - to test your
integrity and sincerity about what you believe. They may do it because they are
interested in your faith or because your faith intimidates them.
How you
react when you are tested or attacked is a powerful witness. When you pass a
test like that, it makes you feel very close to God - you are fellowshipping in
His sufferings.
Now, we need
to step back for a moment to remember that this is all about suffering for your
faith, for doing what is right under pressure.
1 Peter 4:16 talks about suffering for being a Christian. He’s not talking about suffering for being
obnoxious. Some Christians can be
awfully goofy about their faith. Some
Christians can be very insensitive to the needs of others or act holier than
thou. That’s not what Peter is talking
about here.
Often times,
Christians are not ridiculed in this culture because they don't stand for what
they believe. A man might be faithful to his wife, but when the guys are
playing poker and joking about their exploits he might not speak up and say
he's glad he's a one woman man for fear of being embarrassed. That's how sick
our culture has become. Even Christians are sometimes embarrassed for doing the
right thing. A Christian teenager might be inwardly proud to be a virgin, but
might not admit it in the locker room for fear of embarrassment. You see how
our values can get twisted? We fear being rejected by the wrong person. Rejection
by the world should just be affirmation of the fact that we are only aliens,
strangers in this world. But we should never fear rejection by the world. We
need to be more aware and concerned about God's approval than that of the
world. To do that, we have to get our focus off this world and onto our hope
that Peter has been telling us about.
4. Remember the reward you will receive.
2
Corinthians 4:17 says, “For our present
troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory
that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!”
If someone
does not like you or what you stand for as a follower of Jesus, that's small
potatoes. It isn't going to last. But the reward for standing up for your faith
lasts for eternity. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace. We all get to heaven the same way. But in heaven, the Bible teaches there are
different rewards for how faithful we were in our faith. (see Rev. 22:12; Lk.
1:12; 1 Cor, 3:14). All are saved by grace. No one earns salvation (Eph.
2:8.9). But once you are saved by God's grace, God rewards some more than
others for how they lived out their faith. And the richest blessings will go to
those who endured suffering and kept their faith.
Nobody is likely
to kill you for your faith in
Romans 8:17
says that if we share in Christ's sufferings, we will also share in His glory.
When we get to heaven by the mercy of God, He won't be looking at how popular
you were in this world, or how fat your bank account was, or your knowledge of
popular movies or music or anything else of this world. What He will be looking
at are the scars you have. Did your faith cost you anything? Was it your faith
that mattered most to you while on this earth?
5. Remain faithful to God. Vs. 19 – “So if you are suffering in a manner that
pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who
created you, for he will never fail you.”
How do you
do that? Notice that suffering is sometimes according to the will of God. Why?
Because God is more concerned with your character than your comfort. TV
evangelists like Joel Osteen who teach that Christians can have their best life
now or that God wants them successful and healthy or who teach that suffering
is a mark of weakness of faith or who say that we are to have all the earthly
desires of our heart are wrong and sinful and deceived. Sometimes suffering is
according to the will of God, for our growth in character, for a testimony to
the world. If Christians avoided suffering and got everything they wanted, they
would be just like children who are treated that way ... spoiled. Sometimes God allows the heat to be turned up
in your life to shape you, and He's looking to reward you for it.
And that
verse also says that the God who allows us to suffer for His name is a faithful
God. All the promises He has made to those who are believers and suffer for
their faith He will keep.
Conclusion: We took the
Lord's Supper just a little bit ago. The Bible says that one thing we are
supposed to do at that time is to examine ourselves to see if our lives are
lined up according to the will of God. Ask yourselves these two questions:
1. Do people
notice Christ in my life? Do people know
where I stand? Have you shared your
faith with those in your circle of influence?
2. Have I
ever been ashamed of taking that stand - or been ashamed of the ridicule that
others offer when they see what I believe and how it affects my life?
And if you
have never accepted Christ, ask yourself why not? Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News
about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the
Jew first and also the Gentile.”