Revelation 2:1-7

As I began to pray about what God wanted us to study during this month, I was a little hesitant to look again at the seven churches, especially after we looked at them last year.

But then God gave me a verse.

Philippians 3:1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.”

We are not going to look at the churches again because there is something about them that we don’t understand, or because there is such a new revelation from them.

In fact, we will look again to make sure, one year later, that we have adequately applied the old revelation.

We now have a year to look back in retrospect since we last heard the warnings of these churches. We have a year by which to evaluate how well we listened, and we listen again for “it is a safeguard” for us.

It is good to continually remember what Jesus expects of the church, and once a year is not too often to examine it.

So we will take a look at these churches again, and see what God would remind us of, and see what other things God would tell us.

This year I want to break them down into outline form for you, and then, as God allows, we will also see where the teaching we learn from them is echoed else where in Scripture.

The church at Ephesus
Ephesus was a port city, home to the temple Artemis, which was such a secure place that it became home of a world bank, and a prominent hang out for criminals on the run. It also had many priestesses who were little more than prostitutes.

So a cross section of Ephesus shows us it was a port city with a bombardment of sailors and other atrocities associated with a port city.

It was a capital of idolatry as people flocked there to worship a false god.

It was a criminal hang out.

It was a hot bed of prostitution.

And it was a center of economic importance.

Where it not for the immorality, adultery, greed, idolatry, love of sin in general, Ephesus might have been a nice town to raise a family in. But as it was, Ephesus was a rough place.

Settled in the heart of this city was the church at Ephesus.
The church at Ephesus had a deep pedigree.

Paul’s friends Aquila and Priscilla founded it.
Apollos was a pastor
Onesiphorus was a pastor
Timothy was a pastor
The Apostle John was a pastor
And Paul was a frequent visitor and speaker.

This church had been equipped with the truth of the gospel, and it set the stage for looked to be a great show down. The church armed with the truth verses the city armed with sin.

So lets look at how Jesus approached this church.
5 things we need to see.

#1 THE COMPOSER
Revelation 2:1

You may remember from chapter one what this imagery means.

DOES ANYONE REMEMBER WHY JESUS REVEALS HIMSELF IN THIS MANNER?

(see 1:20)
He was the pilot who was guiding them.
And the provider who had never left them.

Jesus reveals Himself as:
“He who is with you to guide you”

Just as we see in the church today, Jesus is the pilot and the provider of the church.

He has sole authority when it comes to determining what His church should look like.

Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Notice that Jesus builds His own church. No one builds it for Him.
He gets to determine the design, and He is in charge of adding bricks.
He is also the main source of life for the church.

He is the One who is with you. Where would the church be without the presence of Jesus?

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The Great Commission would be an impossible command were it not for the presence and authority of Jesus.

He is the pilot, and He is the provider, this is what He reminds the church at Ephesus of.

#2 THE COMMENDATION
Revelation 2:2-3, 6

Before we listen to Jesus rebuke the church at Ephesus, it is worthwhile to see His praise of them.

Every church can hope to achieve the praise of Jesus, so anytime He is handing it out, it is good to know why.

Look at what Ephesus had going for it.

1) PERSISTENT
“I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance”

In other words, I know how hard you work. I know all the good you do.
No doubt Ephesus was a city with numerous ministry opportunities, and the church at Ephesus was working hard to fulfill those opportunities.

Jesus commended them because they were not complacent in regard to their ministry work. They had gotten after it.

2) PROTECTIVE
“and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and they are not, and you found them to be false…Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

Not only where they persistent in ministry, but they were protective if the truth.
They didn’t just allow anybody to come in and teach anything.

They didn’t allow a false prophet a position by which he could spread lies.
They tested those who claimed to be apostles, and if they were false, they found them to be false.

This is vital, for Jesus is passionate about the purity of His church.
You will remember His teaching.

Matthew 18:15-17 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. “But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED. “If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.”

You can see Jesus logic. Either the brother repents, or the brother is gone, but either way the church remains pure.

It is a flaw of churches to allow people to live in and spread sin in a congregation. The church at Ephesus did not, and Jesus commended them for it.

3) PERSEVERANT
“and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary”

And this was a church that would not quit. They persevered against any odds, they endured through any hardship, and unlike the children of Israel that we talked about this morning, they didn’t grow weary.

They maintained a big view of God. They stayed the course, they were steadfast in their ministry.

We could only hope to be such a church.

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.”

The church at Ephesus seemed to have that down pat.
We can learn from them what it is that brings the praise of Jesus.

Jesus praises a church that is persistent in ministry.
Jesus praises a church that is protective of the truth.
Jesus praises a church that is perseverant through all difficulties.

But Jesus wasn’t finished with Ephesus.

#3 THE CRITIQUE
Revelation 2:4

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Could it be that they had gotten so dedicated to ministry, and so busy testing false prophets, and so distracted battling the enemy that they actually forgot Jesus?

YEP!

It was one of our theme verses last year, but you should all know it by heart.
Luke 10:38-42 “Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Ephesus had fallen into a trap.

WAS IT SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS?
WAS IT SELF ASSURANCE?
WAS IT BUSYNESS?

Who knows why they did it, but for whatever reason, Satan had them chasing their own tale until they no longer had time for Jesus.

I think we should really heed this warning more this year than last year. I love benevolence, and missions, and FIZAR, and all that our church has begun, but be careful.

Ephesus involved themselves right out of a relationship.

So it is worthy of the praise of Jesus to be persistent, protective, and perseverant, but it worthy of the rebuke of Jesus to be private.

Do not get so busy you miss the relationship.
Ok we got it, but is it really that big of a deal?

I mean, so we got a little bit away from Jesus, but we were doing His work, is it that big of a problem?

Well, let’s see what Jesus has to say.

#4 THE COMMAND
Revelation 2:5

Jesus wanted them to do something.

1) REMEMBER
“Therefore remember from where you have fallen”

Notice Jesus said they had “fallen”
In other words, they were a backslidden church.

Despite their flare for ministry, they were actually further away from what God wanted now than when they started.

COULD IT BE POSSIBLE?
That after a year of mission trips…
After a year of FIZAR…
After a year of benevolence…
That we could actually be further away from God’s will than before we did all this?

YEP!
Jesus wants them to remember what is really important. To remember what He really wants.

2) REPENT
“and repent”

In other words, just as we did this morning, tell God you are sorry.
Get real with God that you understand that ministry is wonderful, but not if it comes at the cost of the relationship.

I mean look at it like this:

Any of you guys want your wife so busy cooking, and cleaning, and washing clothes, and keeping the kids that she completely ignores you personally?

I know you wanted all those things when you got married, but chances are good you wanted something else too. All the chicken fried steak and clean underware in the world won’t substitute for your wife showing you attention.

Ladies.
Any of you want your husbands so busy earning a living, and mowing the grass, and doing your chores, and providing you with shopping money that he never spends time talking to you?

You may have wanted the other things, but all the new dresses in the world won’t substitute for your husband noticing how you look in them.

That is God’s point.
I appreciate all the hard work, but what happened to the intimacy. He wants Ephesus to repent.

3) RETURN
“and do the deeds you did at first”

In other words, get back to the honeymoon.

HOW GREAT WOULD IT BE IF WE COULD JUST LIVE ON OUR HONEYMOON?

Well that’s what God wants – All your attention, All the time.
He said, I want you to come back to me.

When Peter was preaching to the Jews who had left God, his message was simple.

Acts 3:19 “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord;”

He wanted them to get back in right relation with God.
That is what God wants.

BUT SUPPOSE WE DON’T.
SUPPOSE WE DETERMINE JUST TO KEEP DOING MINISTRY AND TELL GOD TO LIKE THAT.

That is what we do in marriage isn’t it?

“Honey you haven’t spent any time with me lately.”
“Well, I cooked your meals, and washed your clothes, and bathed your kids, what else do you want.”

Or, “Honey, we never spend time talking anymore.”
“Well, I’m busting my rear trying to keep this family in the lap of luxury, It wouldn’t hurt you to cut me a little slack.”

HOW LONG DO MARRIAGES IN THAT SHAPE CONTINUE?

That is Jesus point.
If you don’t get back to the basics.
“I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place — unless you repent.”

SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE COMMITTED TO MINISTRY, DOCTRINALLY SOUND, PERSEVERANT THROUGH HARDSHIP, AND STILL BE IN DANGER WITH GOD?

YEP!
Ephesus was.
And Jesus is using them to teach us a lesson.

#5 THE CONNOTATION
Revelation 2:7

Notice that “He who has an ear” part.
That is Him telling us this is for us, not just Ephesus.

He wants us to overcome.
OVERCOME WHAT?

The temptation to turn the relationship into religion.
The temptation to be better on the outside than you are on the inside.

OVERCOME HYPOCRISY.
If you do, God will permanently grant you with sustenance.
“I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.”

Ever feel tapped out in life.
Ever feel empty in ministry.
Maybe it’s because we have unhooked from the vine.
And you cannot find sustenance there.

A church must remain plugged into the relationship.
John 15:1-6 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”

The message is simple, don’t fall into backsliddenness / hypocrisy.

After God gave me the message on repentance this morning, it is evident He knew there would be a good response, for He gave me a message for tonight.

It goes along with the dangers of backsliddenness.

TURN TO HOSEA 6

Look at those first 3 verses.
DOES THAT SOUND LIKE WHAT ANY OF YOU SAID TO GOD THIS MORNING AT THE ALTAR?

That is a great prayer of repentance.
But I want you to see God’s response.

Look at verse 4
“What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud And like the dew which goes away early.”

He says, “Yeah, Yeah, I heard you, but you don’t ever do what you say.”
You are not committed.

Sure you got squeezed a little, and you ran forward and said, “I’m sorry.”
But you won’t continue. As soon as it gets easy you’ll leave again.

In verse 5
“Therefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth.”

God says this is why I continually carve you up with My word.
Because that is the only way you stay committed.

If I let up on you, you abandon Me, so I have to keep the pressure on.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds just like me.

As long as God is applying the pressure, I am dedicated, but let things get easy, and I backslide again.

You see, that is the danger of the church at Ephesus. They had loyalty to their ministry, but they didn’t have loyalty to God.

Many times we have loyalty to our churches, but we don’t have loyalty to God.
We have loyalty to our jobs, but we don’t have loyalty to God.
We have loyalty to sacrifice, but we don’t have loyalty to the relationship.

And look at verse 6
“For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”

God says I want you to be committed to the relationship.
That verse should sound familiar, Jesus quoted it all the time.

Matthew 9:10-13 “Then it happened that as Jesus was reclining at the table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were dining with Jesus and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. “But go and learn what this means: ‘ I DESIRE COMPASSION,AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 12:1-8 “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.” But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? “Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? “But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. “But if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Notice both times He uses that verse to confront the Pharisees.
They were masters at ministry without a relationship.

Matthew 23:23-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. “You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. “You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. “So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

You see, if we are nothing more than ministers who aren’t plugged into God, then we are nothing more than what the Pharisees were. It is no wonder the church at Ephesus was about to be destroyed.

It is temptation we must be aware of.
It is a temptation we must overcome.

We must overcome hypocrisy, and we must be loyal to the relationship with the Father.

I don’t care how persistent, protective, and perseverant we are, if we aren’t plugged into the vine, we are about to be tossed aside and burned.

Pray

 

 

Read 1 Peter 5:5-14

All throughout this book of 1 Peter,
We’ve been talking about how a Christian can suffer successfully.

God never intended the Christian life to be without hardship,
But He also never intended the Christian life to be without victory.

1 Peter 1:3-9 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”
Peter started his letter with victory, and he ends his letter with victory.

In our text this morning, we see a final summation of how to be successful believers in the midst of suffering.

We have examined the ATTITUDE
Don’t be Surprised – Don’t be Sorrowful – Don’t be Shamed

We have examined the ACTIONS
Examine Your Suffering – Embrace Your Shame – Exhibit Your Salvation
Entrust Your Soul

I am going to show you 6 ATTRIBUTES that must be yours.
If these 6 things serve as an accurate description of who you are, you are prepared to turn suffering into victory.

#1 HUMILITY
1 Peter 5:5-6

Last Sunday night we talked about the office of ELDERS.
The shepherd of the flock must be walking
In total submission to the True Shepherd.

Proper Management – “exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily”
Proper Message – “according to the will of God”
Proper Motives – “not for sordid gain, but with eagerness”
Proper Methods – “nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.”
And of course these attributes were those of Jesus.

In verse 5, Peter turns to the congregation.
Again, he is not so much speaking of age, but in contrast.

It is not known why Peter singles out young men, probably because they are headstrong.
But in doing so, Peter is speaking to the entire flock.
The analogy is simple.
The Overseer is to shepherd the flock
The sheep are to follow the shepherd

The writer of Hebrews said,
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”

And then Peter expresses his point further by saying:
“and all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE”

They word for “clothe” literally means “to tie something on oneself”

You can take that and see the picture Peter is relaying to you.
John 13:3-5 “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”

Perhaps the only greater picture is that of Jesus clothing Himself in human skin.
Philippians 2:6-7 “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”

And Then Peter Reminds Us Of A Vital Truth
“GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE”

The first attribute in the midst of suffering is Humility

Which is why Peter says what he does in verse 6.
“Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.”

Now you must notice the change in what Peter said.
First it was submit to the elders…
Then it was be humble toward one another…

But here Peter says, “humbled yourselves under the mighty hand of God”

Peter is tying all of them together.
It ‘s impossible to walk in rebellious arrogance in one area,
And yet pretend to walk in humility in another area.

To be humble under God is to walk in humility in all areas of life.
THAT IS THE PATH TO VICTORY

See what Peter said…
“humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, THAT He may exalt you at the proper time”

You’ve seen the illustrations all throughout the New Testament.
If you want God to exalt you, then IT IS UNDERSTOOD
That you are not already exalting yourself.

Luke 14:7-11 “And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Many times we fail to see God exalt us
Because we have never humbled ourselves before Him.

James 4:6 “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

You cannot experience victory, unless you walk in humility.
#2 TRUST
1 Peter 5:7

You must trust That God is who He says He is,
That He can do what He says He can do,
That He will do what He says He will do.

This life is filled with worry.
That is one of the aspects of the fallen sinful nature.
Worry isn’t from God. Worry is an evidence of weak or absent faith.

Matt. 6:27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

Matthew 6:31-33 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
But we are still prone to have these “anxieties”.
When in the midst of suffering, worry will flat out destroy you.
So the Bible says you must “cast all your anxiety on Him”

The word “casting” translates (EPIRRIPTO)
It literally means to cast garments on a colt

Luke 19:35 “They brought it to Jesus, and they threw (epirripto) their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it.”
You are going to have to allow God to carry your burdens.
You are going to have to allow God to carry your worries.

This is called faith. Consider again the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 6:30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!”

Consider what David said.
The 55th Psalm could be titled “The Psalm of the Betrayed”
Psalms 55:12-14 “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend; We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng.”

Have you ever had a friend stab you in the back?
Have you ever seen close friends turn on you?
That is a cause for anxiety, yet at the end of this Psalm, David said.

Psalms 55:22 “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Which is exactly why you must trust God.
“because He cares for you”

UNDERSTAND THIS
God wants you to have victory, but you must trust Him.

Humility, Trust
#3 DISCERNMENT
1 Peter 5:8
“Be of sober spirit” means to have proper self-appraisal.
“be on the alert” means to be vigilant, to watch out, and be perceptive.

You must rightly assess yourself,
And you must rightly assess your surroundings.

WHY IS THAT SO IMPORTANT?
“Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”
It is amazing to me how quickly Christians drop their guard today.
Africa, – “Be Careful” There are wild animals in Africa.
Lebanon, – “Be Careful” there are Muslims in Lebanon.
Israel – “Be Careful” that country is unstable.
China, – “Be Careful”, it’s illegal to witness in China.

We seem to be so aware of the enemy in those places,
But he prowls in America too.

You are in just as much danger from the enemy in America
Because the greatest danger is not imprisonment.
The greatest danger is DECEPTION.

It would be foolish to drop your guard.
The enemy desires to destroy you.

That word for “devour” literally means “to drink down”.

He doesn’t just want to intimidate you.
He wants to completely and totally destroy you.

You must be alert!
Matthew 10:16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

Illus. WHAT IF YOU WERE IN THE ARMY?

We are at war, don’t forget there is an enemy.
You don’t claim victory by losing sight of the enemy.

Consider Peter as an example here. Failed to discern self
Luke 22:31-34 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.”

Peter failed to discern his surroundings.
Matthew 26:36-41 “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Notice Jesus said, “Keep watch WITH Me”, not Keep watch for me.
They were all in danger, but the disciples weren’t alert.
They did not claim the victory. They all fled, and Peter denied 3 times.

You cannot claim victory if you lose your discernment.
Rightly discern yourself, and rightly discern your surroundings.

#4 ENDURANCE
1 Peter 5:9

The first step is to recognize the enemy. The second step is to resist him.
James 4:7 “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

SO HOW DO YOU RESIST THE DEVIL?
“firm in your faith”

1 John 5:4 “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.”
Why did people succumb to worry? – little faith
Why could the disciples not drive out the demon? – little faith
Why did Peter sink in the waves? – little faith

ENDURANCE IS A BY-PRODUCT OF FAITH
SO WHERE DO YOU LOOK TO STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH?

Romans 10:17 “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”
Faith comes as a gift from God, and through studying His word.

If you need encouragement , then look at what Peter says next.
“knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world”

The NIV says,
“because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

The NIV seems to say that you should look to people suffering like you are.
But that is not the word there.

The word is EPITELEO
TELEO = “to finish, to bring to an end”
EPI = “intensity”

It means to accomplish perfectly.
You find encouragement by looking at those who accomplished God’s perfect will in the midst of their suffering.
REMEMBER THE FAITH HALL OF FAME?
Hebrews 11:37-38 “They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.”
Then the writer says this.
Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE FAITHFUL
This is what Peter is saying here.

You need endurance if you are to win. Nobody ever won without it.
Don’t let your best days be in the past. Don’t put yourself out to pasture.

Philippians 3:12-16 “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.”

Remember the church at Philadelphia?
Revelation 3:11 “I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”

Humility, trust, discernment, endurance
#5 HOPE
1 Peter 5:10-11
You must believe that some day it will be worth it all.

These trials are temporary.
“After you have suffered for a little while”
Know that it will be worth it.

“the God of all grace…will Himself, perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you”.

All four of those words are synonyms.
Perfect = to render complete, finished, steady
Confirm = to fix in place, to make fast
Strengthen = to make strong
Establish = to lay a foundation
Trust that no matter how bad it gets, it is only temporary,
And it will be worth it all.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

Colossians 3:1-4 “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

Look past the pain to the glory that awaits at the victory circle.

Humility, Trust, Discernment, Endurance, Hope
#6 GRACE
1 Peter 5:12-14

In verse 12 he says, “I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it!”

Not only has Peter been teaching about the grace,
He is a fellow partaker of this grace and so he can testify as to how vital it is.

And here is the point.
All the other attributes stand or fall based upon this one.
Humility, trust, discernment, endurance, hope

But if you do not have the grace of God, you will not succeed.
It is the strength which only He can provide.

We are dependant upon Him to have victory.
2 Corinthians 12:9 “And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

Christians all over the world want God to display His power.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE GOD DISPLAYS HIS POWER?
In your weakness.

If you are unwilling to let God use your weaknesses,
Your life will never manifest God’s power.

WE NEED GRACE FOR THIS
It is the very strength of God to allow you to endure,
To allow you to obey, to allow you to claim the victory.
1 Corinthians 15:10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.”

DO YOU WANT A LIFE OF VICTORY?
Then humble yourself under God’s might hand
Trust God with your soul
Discern what is true, and flee from what is evil
Reveal your faith through your endurance
Look past the difficulties through eyes of hope
And base your life upon the grace of God.

God’s grace is available to you today.

John 1:14-17 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘ He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”

The ultimate victory is found
In surrendering your whole life to Jesus Christ.
Confessing your sin to Him, and trusting Him with your life.

 

1 Peter 5:1-4

We have talked about the recipients of this letter being “The Rejected Selected.”
These are people who are scattered, they are on the run, and life is tough.

Peter has penned this letter, he has been very general about some things and very specific about others.

He has been specific about our calling in regard to our citizenship
The calling in regard to the work place
The calling to wives
The calling to husbands

Certainly a very important group that Peter deals with tonight is that of the elders.

In verse 1 Peter says, “Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed”

Peter is speaking to the elders.

He seeks to remind them of his example
“as your fellow elder”

Peter had lived a life as an elder, as a protector of the sheep, and he wanted them to remember his example.

It was Jesus who gave Peter this calling.

John 21:15-17 “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, ” Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

He seeks to remind them of his experience
“and witness of the sufferings of Christ”

You can tell Peter wanted to remind these shepherds of their calling to also suffer alongside their sheep.

Peter had done this and would do this.
John 21:18-19 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

He seeks to remind them of his expectation
“and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed”

Peter seeks to remind them that it will be worth it all.

Peter is speaking to these men to call them to be obedient, as their role is vitally important.

But honestly, we must first answer the question.
WHAT ARE ELDERS?

If you take 1 Peter at face value, one could say that they are the older men of the church. It would seem that verse 5 adds to this theory since Peter then turns to speak of younger men.

However, the Bible is never as concerned about physical age as it is spiritual maturity.

For example, you have Timothy who was relatively young in age.
1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”

You also have older aged men in the letter to Hebrews who were in no way ready to lead.
Hebrews 5:12 “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.”

We are not talking about physical age, but rather an actual office in the church.

There are three Greek words that are used interchangeably in the New Testament.

POIMEN
Ephesians 4:11 “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors (poimen) and teachers,”

EPISKOPOS (Episcopal)
Philippians 1:1 “Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers (episkopos) and deacons:”

PRESBUTERION
2 John 1 “The elder (presbuterion) to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,”

It seems that throughout the New Testament, these three titles are all bestowed upon the same office.

The point is, whether we are talking about overseers, pastors, or elders, we are talking about the same office in the church.

But for a moment, we are going to have to get a little “UN-Baptist” and look at what the Bible has to say about elders.

Elders began in the Old Testament.
Numbers 11:16-17 “The LORD therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. “Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone.”

It was carried over into the New Testament.
1 Timothy 3:1-7 “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”

Titus 1:5-9 “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

1) THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF THIS IS A PLURAL OFFICE
Everywhere you look at this, it is mentioned as an office for more than one man.

Paul spoke to the elders at Ephesus.
Peter, James, John where considered elders of the Jerusalem church

WHY?
1) Protection for a tyrant
2) Protection from arrogance
3) To keep the church moving forward continuously

It is worthwhile to note that this does not negate spiritual gifts.
Some elders may have the gift of prophecy, some the gift of leadership, some the gift of administration, but they were all elders.

2) ELDERS RULE THE CHURCH

You won’t find business meetings in the New Testament.
You won’t find majority votes. You find elders ruling.

1 Timothy 5:17 “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”

In regard to Gentile salvation, they didn’t ask the whole Jerusalem church.

Acts 15:6 “The apostles and the elders came together to look into this matter.”

It was the Jerusalem elders that Paul answered to.
Acts 21:17-19 “After we arrived in Jerusalem, the brethren received us gladly. And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry.”

It was the Elders that controlled the money.
Acts 11:29-30 “And in the proportion that any of the disciples had means, each of them determined to send a contribution for the relief of the brethren living in Judea. And this they did, sending it in charge of Barnabas and Saul to the elders.”

And for this reason Paul made a point to appoint elders in churches.
Acts 14:21-24 “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia.”

They were for the purpose of protecting the flock.

When Paul called the Ephesian elders to himself, he had this word for them.
Acts 20:28-31 “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.”

James said when you are sick, call for the elders.
James 5:14 “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord;”

There is the need for someone to rightly use the word.
Titus 1:9 “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

This is why I get so passionate about people only wanting chaplains to serve as pastors. There is a need for men to rightly divide the word of God and also to refute those who are wrong.

The point is, this is an office that is needed in the church.

It is the office of godly men who are set apart by God to lead and rule over His church.

I know that may not be Baptist, but it is what occurred in the Bible.

And it is these elders that Peter is addressing in this passage.
There are two aspects with which he deals with elders.

#1 THE RESPONSIBILITY OF AN ELDER
1 Peter 5:2-3

Peter is clear about their responsibility,
He says, “Shepherd the flock of God among you”

The term shepherd is a logical term for Peter to use. All throughout the Bible, God’s people are compared to sheep.

Sheep are dependant animals.
They need someone to take them to green pastures
They need someone to lead them to still waters
They need someone to protect them
They need someone to feed them

God raised up these men as those who would do just that.

In times of persecution, the need for a godly shepherd is even more apparent, and this is why Peter is writing.

He exhorts elders in regard to 4 areas.
1) MANAGEMENT
“exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily”

It is the idea of willingly leading, guiding, protecting, and correcting the sheep.

Paul said, that an elder ought to have a desire to protect and guide God’s people.

1 Timothy 3:1 “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.”

But more than just a willingness to take office,
We are talking about a willingness to shepherd the sheep.

An elder, or overseer who will not shepherd his flock
Is not fulfilling God’s purpose for his life,
Nor is he benefiting the flock.

Ezekiel 34:1-6 “Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. “They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. “My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.”

Of course this is a physical analogy with a spiritual meaning.
An elder who doesn’t spiritually guide his flock is not helping his flock.

A preacher must feed his flock
A preacher must apply the word of God to bring spiritual healing
A preacher must apply the word of God to call in the lost
Otherwise they are like sheep without a shepherd

A shepherd must manage his sheep.
He is not called to allow the sheep to manage him.

2) MESSAGE
“according to the will of God”

A shepherd does not have the right to institute his own ideals, or desires.

John Owen said, “A minister may fill his pews, his communion role, the mouths of the public, but what that minister is on his knees in secret before God almighty, that he is and no more.”

Much is made today of using psychology in our leadership
Much is made of clever business tactics
But an elder has but one person he must follow, and that is God.

Jeremiah 10:21 “For the shepherds have become stupid And have not sought the LORD; Therefore they have not prospered, And all their flock is scattered.”

If a shepherd does not know the will of God,
Then it is impossible for him to lead the people to follow it.

You can read all the church growth books you want
You can read all the pop-psychology books you want
You can know how to influence people
You can know how to persuade people
You can know how to keep your congregation on your team

But if you don’t know the will of God, you are sunk, and useless to your flock.
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.”

Peter exhorts elders in regard to management, message
3) MOTIVES
“and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness”

Just as there is in all things, there is a right reason and wrong reason to do things.

The right reason to shepherd God’s flock is an eagerness to protect and to feed the flock of God.
An eagerness to lead them after the will of God.
An eagerness to find the lost, build up the broken, correct the foolish,
And get all of the sheep exactly where they need to be.

A wrong motive for shepherding sheep is to get sordid gain.
This can be financial, this can be in the form of power and prestige.

An elder is forbidden from taking on this task for carnal purposes.

REMEMBER WHAT GOD TOLD EZEKIEL?
Ezekiel 34:2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?”

An elder must have a proper motivation

4) METHODS
“nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock”

Another vitally important aspect is that elders are not those who simply sit back and give orders, but those who lead by example.

This, above all else is why God has called me on mission trips.
I know I’m not going to be a career missionary. I know my calling.

I go because some of my sheep are going.

You’ve probably heard the statement.
“You can lead them past where you are.”

How true that is.
An elder has no right to dominate his flock, but rather through oversight, godly wisdom, pure motives and humble methods, he leads the flock of God.

That is the responsibility of an elder

#2 THE REWARD OF AN ELDER
1 Peter 5:4

Peter promises that the elder who does it right, will some day receive a great reward.

He will receive a crown that will not fade.

Many of us know what it is to have a medal that tarnishes, or a trophy that rusts, but there is no such problem with the elder’s crown.

Those men who lead according to God’s instruction will receive an amazing reward.

There is a need for godly shepherds.

A shepherd is an amazing person.
They willingly devote their lives to living with sheep.

They leave their places of comfort, in order
To protect a defenseless animal,
To guide ignorant an ignorant animal,
To help an ungrateful animal,
To feed a feeble animal.

That is what a person who raises sheep does.

It is not my desire to get you to look at me, God forces me to apply this text.
While in one sense, a shepherd of God’s flock must leave his own life, spend time protecting the flock, feeding the flock, and guiding the flock.

The one that truly amazes me is the Chief Shepherd.

John 10:11-15 “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. “He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. “He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. “I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.”

A shepherd will leave civilization in order to put on sheep skins and dwell with the sheep.

This is what Jesus did for you.
Philippians 2:5-7 “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
A good shepherd will feed his sheep.
This is what Jesus did for you.

John 6:51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

A good shepherd protects the sheep.
John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

A good shepherd literally lays down his life for the sheep.
This Jesus did.
Philippians 2:8 “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

Jesus has done the unthinkable for you.
He was willing to lay it all aside in order to take care of you.

He has proper management,
He exercises oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarity.

He has a proper message,
He leads you according to the will of God.

He has proper motives,
He doesn’t do it for sordid gain, but with eagerness.

He has proper methods,
He came as an example for you to follow.

Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, and the intention is that the sheep would follow Him.

Are you?

John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;”

1 Peter 4:15-19

F.R. Maltby once made the observation:
“Jesus promised His disciples 3 things: They would be absurdly happy, completely fearless, and in constant trouble.”

Many times we focus on the first two promises,
Life abundant and Life without fear, and in this we find happiness.

The baffling thought is how are we to be happy and fearless while we are in the midst of persecution?

Yet this is exactly what Jesus promised.

The Christian life then becomes the art of having joy and faith in the midst of suffering.

James said.
James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
James said you would have trials,
But to consider them joy and to keep enduring.

And it is definitely God’s plan for believers.

Here we look at the 2nd part of a text we began last Sunday night.
We began talking about “When Suffering Comes Your Way”.

Peter told us three attitudes that a believer should not have
When they find themselves in hot water.

1) They shouldn’t be SURPRISED.
1 Peter 4:12 “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you;”

2) The shouldn’t be SORROWFUL
1 Peter 4:13 “but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.”

3) The shouldn’t be SHAMED
1 Peter 4:14 “If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Peter has been trying to get us to realize
That God has a purpose in our lives in allowing us to suffer.
The aim of the sufferer must be
To make sure that we allow God to fulfill His purpose in us,
And that He is glorified through our lives.
When we studied the churches of Revelation.
Two of the churches dealt with suffering.

One was Smyrna, who was promised 10 days of suffering.
Revelation 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

The other Philadelphia. God told them something different in regard to suffering.
Revelation 3:10 “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”

One church was about to be tested,
One had already passed the test and had fulfilled God’s purpose.
This is our aim as well.

We long to allow God to work His purpose in our lives,
That we may indeed pass the test,
And receive the reward that God has for us.

James 1:4 “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Peter is teaching this very thing here in chapter 4
It is the second part of this text that we look at this morning.

Last Sunday night we saw 3 attitudes that you should not have,
This morning I am going to show you 4 things you must do in the midst of suffering.

And if you will do these four things,
You will succeed in fulfilling the purpose that God has for your life
In the midst of these trials.

#1 EXAMINE YOUR SUFFERING
1 Peter 4:15

This is a very important point that Peter makes.
“Make sure”

You say, “I know I’m suffering for Jesus.”
Peter says, “Make sure that’s why you are suffering.”

There is a right reason and a wrong reason to suffer.

You may remember two weeks ago we mentioned
Why the world persecutes Christians.

They persecute Christians because of RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

They persecute Christians because of the NAME OF JESUS.
John 15:21 “But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.”

They persecute Christians because of the GOSPEL.
2 Timothy 2:8-9 “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.”

AND THIS PERSECUTION COMES AT THE HANDS OF LOST MEN.
John 16:1-3 “These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. “They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. “These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me.”

Peter says here, make sure that is why you are suffering.

Make sure you aren’t suffering “as a murderer, or a thief, or evil doer, or a troublesome meddler”

Now we understand that murderers go to prison.
We understand that thieves go to jail.
We understand that evil doers at least get probation.
But “troublesome meddler”?

You have heard the statement.
“If you keep sticking your nose into everything, somebody is liable to put a fist on the end of it.”

We must make sure we aren’t suffering for the wrong reasons
If you are,
Do not expect to fulfill God’s purpose in your life,
Do not expect to receive God’s peace in the midst of it.
Do not expect God to give you the grace to endure it.
Do not expect God to be glorified.

So if you are suffering, Make sure it is for the right reasons.

Examine your suffering.

#2 EMBRACE YOUR SHAME
1 Peter 4:16

Now, if you’ve examined your suffering, and you know it is from godless men who simply hate righteousness, Jesus, the gospel, or all three.
Then proceed to the next step.
Embrace your shame.

Peter says, “but if anyone suffers as a Christian”

Now this is a unique statement,
Because believers in the Bible didn’t call each other Christians.
They called each other brothers or saints, or bond-servants.

The term “Christian” was a derogatory term
Given to them by those who hated them.

In Peter’s day, “Christian” was not a word
You would have put on a T-shirt about yourself.

Perhaps it was like be called a “Jesus Freak” or a “Bible Thumper”
I was recently called “An Extremist”

The idea was that this was a term meant to put you down.
And Peter say, if that happens to a person
“he is not to be ashamed”

In other words, don’t be embarrassed about the gospel.
Don’t be embarrassed about Jesus.
Take that as your banner and “glorify God in this name”

Hold your head high!
They called you a Christian!

Oh that today, it would not be us
Who are calling ourselves Christians,
But that once again it would be a lost world
That labeled us with that name.

It is a good thing to look so much like the man that the world hated
That they would hate you too.

Matthew 10:24-25 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!”

Look at the testimony of the apostles.
Acts 5:41 “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

Galatians 6:17 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.”

Make sure you are suffering for the right reasons,
Then, glory in the fact that you looked enough like Jesus
That the world treated you like they treated Him.

“VOTED: Best Church in Erath County”
My response was, “Yes, the world thinks we’re the best church.”

I don’t want the world thinking we are the best church
Like we are some club out to be attractive.
I want God thinking we’re the best church.
I want the world to treat us just like they did the early church.

Acts 5:12-14 “At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dared to associate with them; however, the people held them in high esteem. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number”

I either want the world to be convicted and led to salvation,
Or I want them convicted so that they don’t want to come close.
But I don’t want them just to like us.

It is time for the church to embrace the shame of Jesus.
It is time to embrace the cross and to embrace the scorn,
To bear on our bodies the brand-marks of Jesus.

Examine your suffering, embrace your shame
#3 EXHIBIT YOUR SALVATION
1 Peter 4:17-18

Here Peter gives some insight as to why this persecution has come.
“For it is time for judgment to be begin with the household of God.”

It is time for the church to be tested.

The only way to separate the silver from the dross
Is by adding a little heat.

The persecution of the church is a fact
That God has already begun the process of judgment.
This is but another proof “that the end of all things is near.”
In the Old Testament, as long as God’s people were faithful, He shielded their land, blessed their crops, and made them untouchable.

But today, it seems that the more faithful you are, the more suffering is promised.

That is because God has already begun His process of judgment,
And it starts with the household of God.

This is where God always starts.
Ezekiel 9:4-6 “The LORD said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, even through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations which are being committed in its midst.” But to the others He said in my hearing, “Go through the city after him and strike; do not let your eye have pity and do not spare. “Utterly slay old men, young men, maidens, little children, and women, but do not touch any man on whom is the mark; and you shall start from My sanctuary.” So they started with the elders who were before the temple.”

God starts with those who claim to be His.
A simple fact that we must learn is that not everyone
Who claims to be a Christian is a Christian.

Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…”

Jude 12-13 “These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.”

Remember the church at Pergamum?
Revelation 2:14-15 “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. ‘So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.”

God sends forth persecution, because it will purify His church.
Remember the parable of the soils?
Matthew 13:20-21 “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.”

God starts His righteous judgments with the church.
And He calls it suffering.
That is why you must embrace your shame
And be determined to exhibit your salvation in the midst of it.
This is your test.

And Peter goes on to talk about those who fail the test.
“and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

In Peter’s second letter he answers that question.
2 Peter 2:20-22 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ” A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

Don’t be one of the ones who reveals that your salvation wasn’t real. That would be bad.

Luke 12:47 “And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes,”

Then Peter makes another important statement.
“And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner?”

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that salvation is easy. It isn’t!

Do you think it was easy for Jesus to strip Himself glory and come to the earth?
Do you think it was easy for the God of the universe to fit into the womb?
Do you think it was easy for God to allow sinners to kill Him on a cross?
Do you think it easy for Jesus to take our sin & be separated from the Father?
By the same token, it is not easy to deny self?
It is not easy to take up the cross?
It is not easy to follow Jesus?

Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
You need to know this.
Because when living for Jesus gets hard,
Don’t think something strange is occurring.

Luke 14:25-27 “Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
The point is be ready to show you are real, even if it is difficult, for it will be far worse for the disobedient, godless, and sinful who fail the test.

Examine your suffering, Embrace your shame, Exhibit your salvation
#4 ENTRUST YOUR SOUL
1 Peter 4:19

There is only one way you will be able to suffer,
And that is if you will truly trust God with your soul.

If you aren’t convinced that God can save your soul,
Then you will never be ready to surrender your life.

It is vitally important that you understand the doctrine of eternal security.

Denominations that believe you can lose your salvation
Are believing a lie of Satan
That is meant to rob a Christian of his effectiveness.

Eternal security is vital to a Christian.
Adrian Rogers told the story of when they built the Golden Gate bridge.

It is important to know that security is real,
And to entrust your soul to the One who can save you.

Security does not depend upon the determination of the sheep,
But on the strength of the Shepherd.

John 10:27-30 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. “I and the Father are one.”

We are eternally secure because
Jesus died on the cross purchasing our souls,
Rose from the dead putting an end to it’s power,
Ascended to the Father to intercede on our behalf.

Romans 5:9-10 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Hebrews 7:25 “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”

The point is a follower of Jesus has a secure soul.

And here is the point this morning I want you to hear.
You can spend your life avoiding suffering.
You can spend your life looking for the easy way out.
You can spend your life enjoying every comfort.
OR
You can allow God to spend your life & live forever with Him

You cannot fulfill the purpose God has for you
If you do not entrust Him with your soul.

The Bible says the way to do that is to give your life to Jesus.
To accept by faith that His death and resurrection paid your sin debt.
To accept by faith that He can save you forever.
To prove your faith by yielding your life to Him.

In short, Jesus said it like this.
Matthew 16:24-27 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.”

IF YOU HAVE NEVER TRUSTED JESUS WITH YOUR SOUL,
I WANT YOU TO:

IF YOU AREN’T EMBRACING GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE,
I WANT YOU TO:

Life is too short, & eternity is too long, to fail to live for Jesus

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”