Facts About Fire
Facts about Fire
Announce text: 1 peter 4:12-19
Scripture intro: This short letter uses the word “suffer” twelve times. This is more than any other New Testament book. That is why I have mentioned suffering so much in this series. This morning’s text is on suffering and the text in two weeks is also on suffering.
Scripture reading: 1 Peter 4:12–19 (ESV) 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Prayer for illumination: please join me in prayer….
Sermon introduction: When Pastor Ben Patterson arrived at Hope College in 1993 as the new chaplain chapel attendance was 50 students. Chapel attendance was not required. By the end of the year attendance was up to 700.
The second year attendance grew to well over a thousand.
The third year he spoke in chapel on “Why God is Father not Mother”. This caused such a stir on the faculty that it made the front page of the major news papers in West Michigan.
The fourth year he proclaimed in chapel that Jesus is the only way to God. This led to a frenzy of nasty letters, emails, and demonstrations on campus.
At the end of the school year one of the student Bible study leaders announced that she was a Lesbian and she demanded the support of the ministry.
Ben Patterson tried to be very gracious but told her firmly that she could no longer lead a Bible study as a practicing lesbian.
She went to a faculty member who was openly gay and the openly gay faculty member organized protest demonstrations on campus. Of course the news papers and public radio go involved. All this negative publicity at Hope College did not make the trustees happy. From the trustee’s perspective Ben Patterson was to blame.
As the school year came to the close Ben’s son was at a masquerade ball and one of the students did a nasty parody of chaplain Patterson preaching in front of 300 students.
A faculty member and a school administrator wore Ben Patterson’s masks openly mocking the school Chaplain.
Four days later Ben’s other son Joel who was a freshman got a series of obscene phone calls threatening rape.
Many other things happened that I don’t have time to go into now.
How would you have responded if you were Ben Paterson? What would you do if you received this kind of persecution? I probably would have quit. What will give us the grace to endure suffering for Christ’s sake? This question brings us to the main point of this morning’s passage.
Proposition- We can endure suffering if we understand the benefits!
The realities and benefits of suffering…
The realities of suffering
Suffering is a reality for Christians! Let’s go back to verse 12 again. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”
What surprises you about this passage? What is surprising is that we should not be surprised or think it strange when persecution comes to Christians.
We know he is talking to Christians because suffering for Christ is mentioned five times in verses 12-16.
But in our relatively peaceful region of the world in our relatively peaceful times we are surprised when suffering happens.
It is easy to forget that Jesus promised us that we would suffer-
““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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 also keep yours. ” (John 15:18–20, ESV)
See also (Mark 13:12–13, ESV)
Suffering is a reality for Christians…
Illustration: Unfortunately the cost of following Christ is not emphasized in our day even though it is clear in the NT. Many of us have heard The four spiritual laws. Law one states “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” This is very true but we need to understand that part of this wonderful plan may include suffering. In fact, Peter says that we should not be surprised if it includes suffering, specifically the suffering of persecution.
The bestselling book “Your best life now” by Joel Osteen fails to mention in its pages that your best life will include persecution and hardship. I have mentioned the errors of the prosperity gospel several times in this series because the proponents of the prosperity gospel are legion.
CT magazine reports- “That the prosperity gospel has a hold on a segment of American culture is not disputable. Time quotes its own poll numbers: 17 percent of Christians surveyed said they considered themselves part of such a movement… Of the four biggest mega churches in the country, three—Joel Osteen's Lakewood in Houston; T.D. Jakes' Potter's House in south Dallas; and Creflo Dollar's World Changers near Atlanta—are Prosperity or Prosperity Lite pulpits….”
The prosperity gospel promises wealth, health, and an easy life. This is the opposite of what Peter says in verse 12.
Not only is Suffering is an expected reality for Christians
Suffering is a painful reality for Christians! Look with me again at verses 12-14 again.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Fiery trials, sufferings, and insults are painful.
The original audience knew what it felt like to be a marginalized minority in their culture.
They were laughed at, snubbed, passed over for promotion, disowned by family, misunderstood, and even physically abused. If you want to know what life was like for these early Christians read the book of Acts.
Our culture is growing increasingly hostile to Christianity. Here are some of the reasons why-
Christians think that all non Christians are going to hell (how arrogant)
Christians think that Jesus is the only way to God (how narrow minded)
Christianity oppresses people (how rude)
Christianity is the reason for violence and injustice (how sad)
Christianity is intolerant of homosexuals (how homophobic)
Christians don’t believe in Science (how ignorant)
Christians think the Bible is without error (how naive)
Christians try to force their views on other people (how rude and violent)
Christians believe in absolute transcendent truth (how naive)
Here are a few recent bestsellers-
God is not Great: How religion poisons everything by Christopher Hitchens
The God delusion by Richard Dawkins
The end of faith: Religion, Terror, and the future of Reason by Sam Harris
Maybe it is your own family that misunderstands you.
Listen to what Matt Helling a member of GCF has to say about this-
Illustration- “I was convicted of my sin and realized my need for Jesus to be my Savior at the age of 18. As a result, my already tumultuous relationship with my parents grew rockier. Hurtful and demeaning comments came from family immediately after I came to faith in Jesus Christ. I had formed a close friendship with Matt, the person that God used to bring me to faith in Jesus Christ. My father told me that the reason Matt started talking with me was because he probably saw me as an easy target and somebody who he would be able to convince pretty easily (in other words I was gullible and naive). Later on I was talking with my mother about marriage specifically my views of what a Christian marriage should look like. After explaining my views, my mother looked directly at me and told me ‘you will never get married with a perspective like that.’”
It is hard to be rejected especially by your own family which sometimes happens when we follow Christ.
Application:
Don’t take suffering for Christ personally. We are in a spiritual war and the Devil hates Jesus Christ…
Furthermore, don’t suffer for the wrong reasons… 1 Peter 4:15 (ESV) 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
What in the world is going to help us or strengthen us to suffer for following Christ? That brings us to our next point.
We have looked at the realities of suffering for Christ…
The benefits of suffering for Christ
Understanding these benefits will gave us the strength we need to persevere when times get tough.
(five benefits)
Benefit one- Suffering refines us! Look with me at verse 12 again. “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” We are told in this verse that persecution is a fiery trial or a test.
This same language is used earlier in 1 Peter 1:6–7 (ESV) “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Trials have a way of testing/ refining our faith in order to make us stronger. The phrase fiery trial picks up on this reality. Fire burns away impurities in gold. In a similar sense the fiery trial burns away the impurities of our faith.
Here are some questions we often ask when we suffer that reveal impurities in our faith-
God are you good?
God have I displeased you?
God where are you?
God are you angry with me?
If your faith is real persecution and other trials will be the fire the burns away unbelief, self sufficiency, and pride.
These verses are where we get the great hymn “How Firm a Foundation”
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
Not only does suffering refine us…
Benefit two- Suffering leads to future glory! Look with me at verse 13. “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.”
These first two words are utterly amazing. Peter says “But rejoice…” yes we are called to rejoice when suffering comes because it leads to future glory.
Both of the verbs that Peter uses have the sense of continuation. In other words, Peter says the more you share in Christ’s suffering the more you have reason to rejoice. Why? Because just like Christ was glorified after he suffered brutally on the cross you too will be glorified after you suffer for him.
This is pattern of the Christian life because it was the pattern for Christ. This theme pervades the scriptures. Suffering leads to glory. No pain, no gain. No Cross, no crown.
In the wilderness the Devil tried to convince Jesus that he could have glory without the pain of the cross. The devil tries to convince us of the same thing. We must forsake his lies.
The more we suffer the more we will receive glory. Not only are we united with Christ in his death we are also united with Christ in his resurrection.
The phrase “rejoice and be glad” literally means rejoice with great spiritual rejoicing.
““Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. ” (Matthew 5:11–12, ESV)
This principle alone will sustain us when suffering comes. The brevity of life, the eternality of the life to come, and our future rewards put all our sufferings in their proper perspective.
Suffering refines us
Suffering leads to future glory
Benefit three- Suffering leads to fellowship with the Spirit! Look with me at verse 14- “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
There is allot we could say about this glorious verse. Here is the main idea. When we suffer for Christ we are blessed because it leads to more fellowship with the Spirit. Peter says that our suffering leads to the spirit of Glory and of God (the Holy Spirit) resting upon us. Theologically we know that the Holy Spirit dwells inside of all believers and for that we can be thankful.