1 Peter 4:12-14

In the biography of Adrian Rogers, Joyce Rogers gives an account of the death of their son Philip.

On Mother’s Day, after Sunday lunch, they lay Philip in his crib for a nap. A few minutes later, while walking by the crib, they found Philip dead from SIDS.

Looking back on the story, and the lesson of the suffering she and Adrian endured, Joyce Rogers makes the statement.

“People stop using things once they are broken, it seems that God won’t use anything until He breaks it.”

In life, we often times wish we could bypass all the hardship, and only sail along through smooth waters.

However, that is not the way that God intends it.
God does not desire for us to be self-sufficient, He wants us dependant.
God does not desire for us to be self-fulfilled, He wants us seeking Him.
God does not desire for us to be self-centered, He wants us worshiping.

We go through hardships in life
For the purpose of making us more like Jesus.

Romans 8:26-29 “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”

God is desiring to do a great work in your life,
And part of that only comes through the crucible of suffering.

This is precisely what Peter is desiring to show
“The Rejected Selected” in our text this evening.

I’m going to show you three attitudes to avoid when you find yourself in the midst of suffering.

#1 DON’T BE SURPRISED
1 Peter 4:12

The point here is easily made.
These people who are receiving this letter are literally walking in the fire.
Life has been difficult for them.
They have lost jobs, lost family, been kicked out of the synagogue, run out of town, and are literally hunted by those who seek their lives.

The danger is not to be prepared for it.
If you have not studied the word, this can catch you off guard.
It did me.

I remember the first deacon’s meeting I was ever in when “the fangs came out.”

Peter is reminding his readers to be prepared so they won’t be surprised.

And there are three things in the verse that we see that will surprise you if you aren’t ready for it.

1) THAT IT IS HORRIFIC IN NATURE
“do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you”

The word Peter used there literally means “to set on fire”.

Of course Peter is speaking metaphorically to these people, that they shouldn’t be surprised that they have been set on fire.

The picture is obvious. This is no mild amount of suffering. This is severe. This suffering is much harder perhaps than you ever expected.

Peter says don’t be surprised at that.
And of course we shouldn’t be.

Matthew 10:21-23 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.”

John 16:1-4 “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. “But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.”

Luke 21:12-19 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. “But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. “By your endurance you will gain your lives.”

We get surprised when someone talks about us.
That shouldn’t surprise us at all. Jesus said they would KILL us.

If you aren’t paying attention to what Jesus said
About the severity of trials,
Then you are setting yourself up
To be surprised when they hit you.

Jesus promised severity in suffering.

Don’t be surprised that they are horrific in nature.
2) THAT IT IS HELPING YOU GROW
“which comes upon you for your testing”

Now here is a heart warming statement.

You say, “Let me get this straight Peter, I’m suffering, comparable to being set on fire, but this is really for my own good.”

YEP

DOES THAT SURPRISE YOU? IT SHOULDN’T.
All throughout the Bible,
God has used suffering as one of His most reliable tools.

When He wanted to turn a sinner to repentance, He used suffering.
Remember the children of Israel and the Exile?

When He wanted to show how strong a person’s faith was, He used suffering.
Remember Job and how he was put on display?

Likewise, when God wanted to find out how strong you were, He used suffering.

It is a tool of God to find out if you really believe.

ONLY TRUE FAITH WILL STILL BE STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PERSECUTION.

Matthew 10:22
“You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

Matthew 24:9-13 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

God knows that anyone can be a Christian in central heat and air,
He is going to find out if your real in the fire.

REMEMBER WHAT JOHN SAID?
1 John 2:18-19 “Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.”

For some reason, these fell away because they weren’t real.
God uses trials to test how genuine we are.

Peter says not to be surprised that God is doing that to help you grow.
When trials come it is important to realize that God is using them for your good.

James 1:12 “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Revelation 2:8-11 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ‘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. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.”

Consider how trials worked even in the life of Jesus.
Luke 12:50 “But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!”

Hebrews 5:7-10 “In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Do not be surprised that trials are severe, and do not be surprised that God is allowing them in order to test you.

3) THAT IT IS HAPPENING TO YOU
“as though some strange thing were happening to you.”

Now this one gets tough.

My guess is most of us firmly believe that Christians will suffer.
We just don’t often believe that we are going to suffer.

In fact, we get shocked when it actually happens to us.
It isn’t so surprising when you have hardship, but it is when I do.

This is one of my favorite illustrations of this in all the Scripture.

TURN TO: MATTHEW 11:1-6

You have to love John the Baptist.
He was fine and well until he was tossed into prison.

But he had unfulfilled expectations
He was suffering alone

Jesus gives him a very gentle rebuke.

“blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”
Literally “fall away on account of Me”

Don’t be surprised when it is you who is suffering.

Trials are a very real and promised thing, don’t be surprised when the visit you.

#2 DON’T BE SORROWFUL
1 Peter 4:13

The second temptation after the shock wears off,
Is to enter into the pity-party stage.

We are tempted to feel sorry for ourselves.
Peter says not to do that either.

But instead of entering depression, Peter says to “keep on rejoicing”

HOW MUCH SHOULD I REJOICE?

WELL, HOW BAD ARE YOU SUFFERING?

And the reason Peter tells you to “keep on rejoicing” is “so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice, with exultation.”

So some day you can really rejoice.

You see, the temptation in trials is enter a state of depression.
The key to trials is to turn temptation into joy.

Look at what Jesus said.
Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

The key to being happy in trials can be stated in one word.
PERSPECTIVE

WHAT ARE YOU FOCUSING ON?

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.”

At the Pastor’s conference, David Jeremiah was preaching on grace during suffering, and he had us mark a text in our Bibles. I want to share this with you.

TURN TO:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“Inner man – outer man”
“decaying – renewed”
“affliction – glory”
“light – weight”
“momentary – eternal”

If you will maintain a proper perspective in the midst of suffering,
You will be see that you truly can rejoice in the midst of suffering.

The idea is get your eyes off of what you see,
And focus on what you can’t see.

When you suffer, don’t be surprised, and don’t be sorrowful

#3 DON’T BE SHAMED
1 Peter 4:14

Now notice what Peter says here.
Don’t be deceived into feeling ashamed of yourself.

Usually people are first surprised, until they find that sufferings are common to man.

Then people are sorrowful, because they don’t properly focus.

But then they usually feel ashamed like they did something wrong.
This is a big one in our day.

The reason is because we live in a nation were so few are experiencing persecution. If you suffer as a Christian in America, you will be the minority, and if you aren’t careful, the devil can make you think you did something wrong.

Now make sure you notice what Peter said.
“reviled FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST”

We aren’t just talking about suffering for any reason at all, but if you suffering comes because of Jesus, then don’t be ashamed, be happy.

WHY SHOULD YOU BE PROUD?
“because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

Trials are a revealing thing.
They reveal that you are living like Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

1 Corinthians 11:17-19 “But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.”

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!”

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH TO PLEASE JESUS?
“it is enough for a disciple that he become like his teacher”

I LOVE TO LOOK BACK AT THE TESTS I’VE PASSED
And this is not wrong.
Look at Paul.

He listed his trials and victories as proof that he was a servant of Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:23-29 “Are they servants of Christ? — I speak as if insane — I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?”

Jesus had His sufferings chronicled by four different authors.

Sufferings are not marks of shame,
They are marks that reveal our Christ-likeness.

You can’t be in the image of Christ without a few stripes.

It is important for us to realize this as Christians.
Don’t be surprised when the world treats you like it did Jesus.

Just focus on the reward, and rejoice
In what those sufferings say about you.

Tonight that leads us to fundamental truth.
As a Christian you are called to suffer.

In fact, it is the calling of a Christian.
Matthew 16:24 “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.”

The very invitation of Jesus
Was to part with your comforts and ease.
The question tonight is “HAVE YOU?”
Have you ever come to Jesus?
Are you living for Him?

 

1 Peter 4:7-11

This past Sunday as we held a memorial service here at the church, Lee Kidd got up and spoke and quoted that well-known saying,
“There’s no such thing as an atheist in a foxhole”

He was talking about how the man who had recently died wanted someone to pray with him before he went.

I remember about 3 years ago at Crawford, there was a man named Harold Nelson, who wanted nothing to do with God or the church, until he contracted west nile virus. When he reached the point of knowing death was imminent, his tune dramatically changed. He sent for me and eventually gave his life to Christ.

We see this even occur time and time again.
We even saw it in the Bible.

Luke 23:41-43
“And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

There is something about having the end in sight that causes a person to zoom in on what is really important.

Of course we know this is the case for a lost person.
It is common for people who are lost to catch a view of the end and be moved to call on Jesus.

But the fact of the matter is, lost people aren’t the only people who should be motivated by the end.

In our text this morning, Peter is talking about how a Christian should have focus in the final hour.

Before Peter dives into the heart of his text, he makes this simple, yet sobering statement.

Verse 7, “The end of all things is near;”

Now let that statement sink in for a second.

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?

Do you think the end is really near.

Peter thought it was nearly 2000 years ago when he penned this passage, how much nearer must it be now?

I want everyone in here to understand this morning that what Peter says is absolutely true.

We are not just talking about your end, although it is near, and we aren’t just talking about my end, although it is near, and we aren’t just talking about the end of some things.

We are talking about “the end of all things”

Most specifically Peter is referring to the return of Christ to judge the world and to reign over it.

This is something we as believers in our day and time had better come to grips with.

YOU SAY, “Ah preacher, Peter thought it was near and that was 2000 years ago, should I really expect this to happen in my lifetime?”

I want you to see what Jesus said.
Matthew 24:4-8
“And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”

Did anyone else in here hear about the Tsunami that hit last December?
Did anyone else in here hear about the hurricane that hit New Orleans?
Did anyone else in here hear about the mudslides in the Philippines?
Did anyone else in here hear about the two terrorists that took out the twin towers?

Sounds like the beginning of the end to me.

Matthew 24:32-35
“Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

Matthew 24:36-39
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

Folks, I want you to understand what Jesus taught.
I realize it was 2000 years since Peter wrote these words, but in 2000 years look how real it has become.

“The end of all things is near”

And the reason the end is so scary is because of the finality that comes with it.

My son cries every night after he finishes watching his nightly movie. When the credits come, he cries, because he knows it is over.
He hates the finality that comes with the end.

That is precisely what is coming.

Hebrews 9:27
“And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”

Revelation 20:11-15
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

There is coming a complete and final end to this world.
An end that will consummate in judgment.

1 John 2:17a
“The world is passing away…”
I would not consider myself an environmentalist, but I believe in global warming.
I believe some day this globe is gonna get so hot, man won’t be able to stand it.

2 Peter 3:10-13
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

The point I want you to realize is that not only is there an appointed end to this world, but that we are close to it.

Do you realize that any minute, Jesus is going to return, that judgment is going to sweep upon this world, that men are going to enter a time of tribulation so severe that if it weren’t cut short, even the elect wouldn’t survive. That hell is going to open wide her jaws and scores of lost souls will be forever bound in torment.

You think cancer is bad, cancer is like a wimpy little sister compared to death and hell.

Any minute, the choice will be gone, and eternity will be set.

I used to have a T-shirt that said,
“Judgment day, you stand before the throne of God, you’ve breathed your last breath. No more time, no more excuses; still no fear?”

It is imperative that believers and unbelievers alike understand that our days are numbered, and that “the end of all things is near”.

Now the reason it is so important to understand that, is because the closeness of the end ought to motivate us in a very deliberate way. Certainly it ought to motivate the lost to cry out to Jesus today.

But it also ought to motivate those who do believe.

Because we are so close to the end of the world and judgment of man, I am going to show you five attributes that we as Christians must have.

#1 A PROPER PERCEPTION
1 Peter 4:7b
“Therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.”

Peter says, the end is near, so pay attention.
“be of sound judgment and sober spirit”

“sound judgment” translates SOPHRONEO
it means “be in ones right mind” or to correctly assess yourself.

Romans 12:3
“For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

In other words, you had better make sure what you are.
Don’t pretend to be a disciple of Jesus if you really aren’t.

2 Corinthians 13:5
“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you — unless indeed you fail the test?”

“sober spirit” translates NEPHO
relates to being spiritually alert.

In other words, Peter is telling you to get real with yourself and recognize the times.

Jesus said it like this.
Matthew 24:42-44
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

The command is simple.
Open your eyes and realize what is going on around you.
It does a Christian no benefit to be oblivious to the facts that are evident.

If you were on a sinking ship, it would do you little good to just refuse to recognize that the ship is going down.

Because of the distress of the times, it is imperative that Christians have a proper perception.

And there is a reason we need it.
“be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer”

You need to be perceptive of what is going on so you will know how to pray.

If you are unaware of the danger, you won’t be as quick to ask for help.
Christian the end is near we need a proper perception.

#2 A PROPER PERSPECTIVE
1 Peter 4:8
“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

Not only do we need to rightly perceive the danger that is real, we not to have a proper perspective of ourselves.

And what Peter says is, “determine to place yourself and your needs behind the needs of others.”

There is something about reaching end. If a ticking time bomb was dropped into this sanctuary this morning, that read 30 seconds and counting, the initial fleshly reaction would be to take care of yourself first.

Of course there would probably be at least one person you would seek to help. Most would grab their children, or their spouse. Because they love them.

That is the idea.
The end is upon us, we must make sure to sacrifice ourselves for the safety of others.

Call it evangelism, call it world missions, call it ministry.
This whole world is going down, we must show love to others.

Why?
“because love covers a multitude of sins.”

Love has a unique ability to lead people to forgiveness. It is God’s love that led us, it is our love that leads others.

If you’ve seen the movie, or know the story behind Jim Elliot and the four missionaries that were speared to death in the 50’s. One of the influencing factors in the salvation of the Waodoni was the fact that Jim and his friends didn’t shoot when they could have.

It is the end, we must work on behalf of others.
Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church gives a peak into Paul’s loving heart.

2 Corinthians 4:7-12,15
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you…For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.”

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.”

2 Corinthians 12:14-15
“Here for this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I do not seek what is yours, but you; for children are not responsible to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”

Paul gave himself for the Corinthians, we are to do the same for others.

For some reason, we as Christians often lose our desire for the lost.
It is as if we get our souls secured, and then aside from our children, we quit worrying about the rest who are perishing.

Folks, why do you think God left you here?

If all He was concerned about was getting you to heaven, you would already be there.

He was concerned about you helping get others to heaven, and it is because of your eternal security that you can literally lay it all on the line in order to help others.

It does a lost world no good when a Christian who is too in love with their own comforts, their own securities, their own possessions, their own self to be willing to show the love of God to others.

You weren’t left here to love and care for yourself. You were left here to love and care for others.

Oh how the church today needs a proper perspective of who to love.

The end is near, we need a proper perception and a proper perspective.

#3 A PROPER PROCESS
1 Peter 4:9
“Be hospitable to one another without complaint”

Of course this ties in very closely with the previous point.
Love is the motivation, hospitality is the action.

But the point to what Peter says here is to be hospitable “without complaint”

You see there is a right way and a wrong way to do things.
Peter doesn’t just want you to go through the motions of love, but to really love people.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”

When we properly see that this world is going down, and we are motivated with love to save those in it, then we do it willingly, not while bearing a grudge with complaining.

I am always amazed at how quickly we as Christians can complain about the difficulties we think we face.

Mark Cahill wrote in his book, “One Thing You Can’t Do In Heaven”
“There are believers in China who literally walk six hours to go to church, and they don’t have “McChurch” for thirty minutes! They thoroughly worship the Lord, and then they walk six hours back home. We consider it “suffering” when we have to drive to church in the rain!”

We complain about everything in ministry don’t we?
Songs are too loud
Sermons are too long
Sinners are too disagreeable
Soul Winning is too intimidating
Singing is too tiring
Suffering is unheard of

We would do more, but it’s just too hard.
We would evangelize, but it’s too hard.

And if we do, we complain about it.
It’s time we start doing things correctly, like Jesus did it.

We need a proper process.
#4 A PROPER PARTICIPATION
1 Peter 4:10
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”

 

1 Peter 4:1-6

This morning we studied an amazing text that reminded us that suffering is not defeat, but rather an opportunity for victory.
They killed Jesus, but He wouldn’t die
They threw Him in hell, but He wouldn’t stay
They told Him not to rule, but He squashed them under His feet

Suffering can lead to victory.
BUT I WANT YOU TO HEAR ME

It is not guaranteed that suffering will lead you to victory.
Suffering can lead you to defeat.
This is why the Bible says, “To him who overcomes”

Suffering leads to an opportunity for victory, but it is not automatic.

We must make sure we know how to approach suffering.
And the way to approach suffering
Is the same way Jesus approached it.

BY FOLLOWING JESUS EXAMPLE
WE CAN BE VICTORIOUS IN SUFFERING.

This is why Peter starts this text by saying,
”Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose”

Peter wants us to “arm” ourselves with the purpose and sufferings of Christ.

The word “arm” is HOPLIZO.
It speaks of weaponry; it is a war term that literally means
“to take up your arms, or to put on your armor.”

Before we examine what the armor is, it is beneficial for us
To talk for a second about what a persecutor
Is trying to achieve by causing you to suffer.

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

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

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.”
Three reasons we suffer.
The Presence of Righteousness
The Person of Jesus
The Preaching of the Gospel

When people persecute you, it is to cause one of three things.
They either want you to stop living righteous…
Or they want you to deny Jesus…
Or they want you to abandon the gospel…

Our battle then becomes
How to keep those three things from being compromised.

IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT YOU REALIZE THE TRUE DANGER:
SPIRITUAL DANGER

That is what Peter is going to show us here in our text this evening.
There are four aspects of armor we must maintain.
#1 A GODLY PASSION
1 Peter 4:1-2

The first thing Peter says we must maintain is a godly passion.
A passion so strong that we are willing to lay down our lives for God.

Then the issue of sin is not really an issue.
“because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

Many people think Peter is referencing death here.
That once we die or “suffer in the flesh” then sin is finished.

While that is true, we know this is not the case because of verse 2. The effects of this suffering cause you to “live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

When the enemy comes to persecute you or to make you suffer,
One of the most vital defenses you can have
Is a passion for God that is stronger than your passion for comfort.

If you want obedience worse than you want comfort,
Then the enemy cannot cause you to waver.

You remember the life of Paul.
Here was a guy who suffered in the flesh.

Acts 21:7-14 “When we had finished the voyage from Tyre, we arrived at Ptolemais, and after greeting the brethren, we stayed with them for a day. On the next day we left and came to Caesarea, and entering the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'” When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, ” The will of the Lord be done!”

But let’s see why he was so willing to suffer.
Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 3:10-11 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

CAN YOU SEE WHY SUFFERING COULDN’T GET PAUL TO DENY JESUS, STOP PREACHING, OR FORSAKE RIGHTEOUSNESS?
He loved God too much.

Think of the apostles.
Acts 4:17-20 “But so that it will not spread any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.” And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

These people loved God too much to fall to such persecution.

But ultimately the example is Jesus.
There are reasons Jesus never fell away.
He had tunnel vision, and that was to be obedient to the Father.

John 8:28-29 “So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. “And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

Matthew 14:13-21 “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself; and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” They said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” And He said, “Bring them here to Me.” Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.”

Personal Hardship couldn’t delay Him
Private Influence couldn’t distract Him
Problematic Circumstances couldn’t discourage Him
Pleasing His Father couldn’t disappoint Him.

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.”

Jesus turned suffering into victory because He was wearing His armor.
He had a godly passion that would not allow Him to falter in the face of suffering.

WE MUST HAVE A PASSION FOR GOD’S WILL IN OUR LIVES
#2 GENUINE PURITY
1 Peter 4:3

I love what Peter says here.
It really squashes a false evangelism philosophy that has been circling for years.

I don’t know how many times I’ve heard the philosophy that before you can evangelize a person you must first build a relationship with him.

I read to you out of “Purpose Driven Church”
“We must learn to think like unbelievers in order to win them” (pg. 189)

For some reason people think it is important to be in the world enough
So that we don’t lose contact with the world.

All that is, is an excuse for Christians to
Continue in a self-serving, sinful lifestyle without feeling guilty.

I would agree that in evangelism we do need to be able to identify with those we are trying to reach. But did you catch what Peter said?

“For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles”

You do not have to entertain the things of the world.
And if you want to sum up the things Peter mentions,
It can be summed up in two categories: DRINKING & SEX

Understand this is some of what the unbelieving world
Would like to drag you in to.

Your armor is that you have genuine purity.

Genuine purity is armor against such temptations.
Remember what Peter already taught us?
1 Peter 2:12 “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

1 Peter 2:15 “For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

1 Peter 3:16 “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”

Jesus taught this as well.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

If you are willing to compromise your purity,
You are not ready to have victory in the midst of suffering.

One of the aims of persecutors is to get you to compromise purity.
You must have that decision solidified in your mind.

Jesus did.
1 Peter 2:22 “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

Matthew 4:1-11 “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'” Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘HE WILL COMMAND HIS ANGELS CONCERNING YOU’; and ‘ON their HANDS THEY WILL BEAR YOU UP, SO THAT YOU WILL NOT STRIKE YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.'” Jesus said to him, ” On the other hand, it is written, ‘YOU SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD YOUR GOD TO THE TEST.'” Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.”

WE MUST BE UNWILLING TO COMPROMISE AS WELL
There is no reason why a Christian should sin.

Your armor will help you stand strong and turn suffering into victory

Godly passion, Genuine purity
#3 GALLANT PERSEVERANCE
1 Peter 4:4-5

Now, if you don’t live like the world, you can expect something. This is what Peter says.
“In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you”

The word surprised translates XINEZO
It depicts utter amazement and shock.

A lost world cannot fathom why you wouldn’t be willing to join them in sin.

This is one of the reasons many of us
Never suffer at the hands of sinners.
We have never shocked sinners
By our unwillingness to join with them.

However Peter’s implication here is that you
Persevere bravely in the face of this suffering.

Ephesians 6:10-13 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For 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. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

If all you have is perseverance, then use it.
It is armor in the midst of suffering.

If you have solidified that you will not cave in, then you are protected.

Jesus had this tool.
Luke 22:42-44 “saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.”

Mark 15:31-32 “In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.”

Or how about persevering against discouragement?
Matthew 17:14-18 “When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. “I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.”

Christian
WE MUST ALSO BE TOTALLY COMMITTED

And do not worry about them, they will get what is coming to them.
Verse 5, “but they will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”

This was precisely how Jesus did it.
1 Peter 2:23 “and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”

It takes a Godly passion, Genuine Purity, Galant perseverance
#4 GOSPEL PREACHING
1 Peter 4:6

The piece of armor Peter is referring to is our commitment
To preach the gospel even to those who are dead in spirit.

It may seem like the gospel is an ineffective tool when it falls upon dead ears, but this is not the case.

Wednesday night I shared about my airplane ride home.

Throughout the course of the trip, he called me “an extremist”, and a “poster child for the type of people that infuriate him.”

This man was dead in spirit.
But do you know what I noticed?

Even though he was dead, he still squirmed in his seat
Every time I quoted Scripture.

There is power in the gospel.
You remember what Paul said.
Ephesians 6:17 “And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

This was an aspect of Jesus.
Many times we get so blinded in His miracles that we forget
His main priority was to preach the gospel.

Matthew 4:17 “From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Luke 8:1 “Soon afterwards, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him,”

Mark 1:35-39 “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. Simon and his companions searched for Him; they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.”

Mark 2:1-5 “When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Did we not mention that one of the reasons we suffer is because of the gospel. For this reason we must be all the more committed to it.

They want you to deny Jesus, so maintain a passion for God.
They want you to stop righteousness, so maintain a genuine purity.
They want you to abandon the gospel, so preach it constantly
And do all this with gallant perseverance

This is how you find victory in the midst of suffering.
This is how you keep from being in spiritual danger
This is how Jesus did it, and it will work for you.

1 Peter 5:6-11 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 3:18-22

The book of 1 Peter is a somewhat troubling book.
Much like the 10th chapter of Matthew.

Peter is writing to those who are suffering for their faith.
Not only has he shown them that their suffering is intended
Not only has he shown them that their suffering isn’t over
Peter has told them to persevere through it.

1 Peter 3:13-17 “Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”

DID PETER ACTUALLY SAY WHAT I THINK HE JUST SAID?
Did he actually say, “it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong”?

Suppose you’re suffering and Peter looks down at your situation and says, “at least you aren’t suffering for doing something wrong.”

That doesn’t seem to help.
Yet God’s word says it is better.
It is a biblical fact, that as a Christian, you either are, or will Suffer for the gospel at the hand of sinners.
But take hope! This is not the end,
The Christian life does not end in defeat, it ends in victory!

Adrian Rogers football analogy
If there is no enemy, there is no victory.
Consider the 144,000
Revelation 14:1-5 “Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.”
You cannot have victory if there is no enemy, you can only have practice.
“it is better…that you suffer for doing what is right than for doing what is wrong”

And there is no greater example of this than Jesus.
Which is why Peter starts off this text with the word “for”.
He is using the suffering of Jesus as the ultimate example.

Many times in our lives, we see suffering as defeat,
Yet the darkest day of suffering in all of Christianity
Proved to be the day that demons everywhere would love to forget.

Certainly Satan schemed,
His demons became excited,
They would kill the King.
It didn’t take long to seduce a few willing Pharisees,
And just like that the greatest assassination of all time was underway.

But little did they know, the day they had long anticipated
Would become the day the demons trembled.

James said it like this.
James 2:19 “You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.”

So this morning, we look at the suffering of Jesus,
How His suffering was actually turned to great victory over His foes.

And may we learn that our suffering will not end in defeat,
But is also leading to glorious victory!

As the devil and his demons fulfilled their plan to kill the Christ,
We see four effects that they did not expect.
#1 HE SPOILED THEIR CAUSE
1 Peter 3:18a

You and I both know what the enemy must have had in mind.
It was the same thing the Pharisees had in mind.

Matthew 21:38 “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.”

Instead of allowing the Son to rule over them, they desired to rule in His place.

Psalms 2:1-3 “Why are the nations in an uproar And the peoples devising a vain thing? The kings of the earth take their stand And the rulers take counsel together Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us tear their fetters apart And cast away their cords from us!”
They didn’t want Him to rule.
And Satan didn’t want Him to deliver God’s people.

For centuries, Satan had been oppressing the people of God.
He used Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media / Persia, Greece, and now Rome.
He didn’t want God’s people to be freed.

Their idea was simple. Let’s foil His plan, lets kill Him.

Their first clue that this was a bad idea
Should have been their ineptness at carrying out the task.
There is no greater proof in the Bible that God is sovereign Than the death of Jesus.
They could not kill Him until He was ready.
Herod tried and failed
His hometown tried and failed
The Pharisees tried on numerous occasions and failed.

We just kept seeing this phrase in Scripture
John 7:30 “So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.”

TURN TO THE GOSPEL OF MARK
READ MARK 11:18
READ MARK 12:12
There is two accounts of when they wanted to kill Jesus and couldn’t.

We see the same during Jesus arrest.
READ MARK 14:48-49

John 18:2-11 “Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Therefore He again asked them, ” Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

The arrest is also proof that they couldn’t kill Him when He wasn’t ready.

HOW ABOUT HIS TRIAL?
READ MARK 14:53-65

They couldn’t even condemn Him.
If He had stayed silent, they had no grounds on which to kill Him.
They couldn’t do anything until He was ready.

You say that proves nothing.
Assassination attempts get foiled all the time

But consider this.
READ MARK 14:1-2

They wanted Him dead, but there was one time they had determined that they did not want to kill Him. This time they had determined was off limits.

READ MARK 15:22-39

That is exactly when they killed Him.
And not only this, but He died precisely at 3:00pm,
The time when the first lamb of the Passover would be slain.
(“His hour”)

You tell me who was in control of His death. It wasn’t the enemy.
This should have been the demons first clue that something was wrong.

But they went ahead and killed Him,
The only problem was He spoiled their cause.

He couldn’t just die and that be the end of it.
He died and made a way for all man to get to God.
“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God.”

Can’t you see Satan scratching his head as he witnesses thousands upon thousands finally being redeemed to God only because Jesus had now paid their sin debt.
“that was stupid”.

The demons had a great plan, the only problem was Jesus spoiled their cause.
#2 HE SPOKE THEIR CONDEMNATION
1 Peter 3:18b-20a

Now once again, lets bear in mind that they wanted to kill Him.
It will go down in history as the worst job ever of killing someone.

For “having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit”
All they accomplished was to kill His body.
His spirit was alive and well.
And this live spirit dropped down where they were.

“in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark,”

Now lets talk quickly about these spirits that Peter mentions.
Genesis 6:1-8 “Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

Nephilim. Comes from a word that means “to fall”, it gives the idea of an evil person that falls upon another for the cause of evil.

They were skilled, dangerous, destroyers.
You see them mentioned one other place in the Bible.

Numbers 13:31-33 “But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size. “There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

“the sons of God”.
These are not humans or they would be called “the sons of man”

Job 1:6 “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.”

They were inhabiting human bodies, and procreating with the women. The purpose was to create and unredeemable half demonic / half human race.

The offspring of these relations where producing people who were evil in comparison to the Nephilim.

Genesis 6:4 “The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.”

Now because of this heinous crime, God decreed that in 120 years,
After Noah built the ark, He would destroy the whole shebang.
He sent the great flood, and preserved only Noah.

And these evil demons, Peter tells us where thrown into prison,
Unable to roam the earth.

Now picture the scene. If they could overthrow God, if they could kill His Son, if they could ensnare Jesus with them, what choice would God have but to free them.
It was a perfect plan. WRONG!
For when Jesus died, His spirit dropped into their prison.

Picture it:
• The demons encircle Him with an arrogant grin…
• He takes off the crown of thorns and flings into the head of one…
• He breaks the cross over one knee and hurls it to the ground…
• He says, “I Am God” and every demon hits the floor!

You see the word for “proclamation” is not EUNGALIZO (“to evangelize”)
It is KERUSSO (“to herald”)
It is to announce a King.

He stepped into hell and put the demons on their face,
And this must have been very startling
Because after all, they invited Him.

It reminds us of a vitally important truth.
Satan is not god in hell, the demons aren’t his jailors.
Jesus is God in hell, and the holy angels are the jailors.

Revelation 14:9-11 “Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. “And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

That is why Psalm 2 says God laughs at those who reject Jesus.
He sees ahead and knows that they can reject Him as savior,
But they can never reject Him as Lord.

Philippians 2:8-11 “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

They thought they would make Him suffer and kill Him,
In return He spoiled their plan and spoke their condemnation.
#3 HE SAVED THEIR CAPTIVES
1 Peter 3:20b-21

Drawing from the illustration of Noah and the ark,
Peter reminds of another way they failed.
It was the desire of Satan to condemn every man
So that they would be forced to worship him.

But by traveling through death, Jesus became the typological ark that carries His followers safely through the judgment.

That is why Peter says.
“corresponding to that, baptism now saves you”

He isn’t talking about water baptism, which is why he says, “not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience”

Peter is talking about all those who would be baptized into Christ.
All those who would partake of His death.
All those who would enter His ark.

Romans 6:3-5 “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Satan just knew if he killed the Savior then salvation would be void.
But it was the death of the Savior that brought salvation.

Hebrews 2:14-15 “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”

Romans 8:1-3 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,”

It was the death and resurrection of Jesus that brought salvation.
He took our sin upon that cross just as Peter said in verse 18, “the just for the unjust”

He went where we should have gone down into prison.
He stole the keys and burst out the other side
Making salvation possible to all who would
Die to themselves and totally yield their lives to Him.

He spoiled their cause, He spoke their condemnation, He saved their captives.
#4 HE SUBJECTED THEIR CONVERTS
1 Peter 3:22

Notice what Peter says.
Jesus ascended to heaven, “after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.”

He dropped into hell and put hell on its knees
He burst out of death and put an end to its power
And now all are under His subjection.

1 Corinthians 15:25-28 “For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.”

It doesn’t matter if we are talking about the demons (angels)
The kings they control (authorities)
Or the power they exercise (power)
Jesus reigns over all.

CAN YOU SEE THE VICTORY IN SUFFERING?
Satan brought about the ultimate suffering in Jesus, it produced the ultimate victory.

The day they thought would be a day worth celebrating
Actually became the day when demons trembled.

That is what Peter wants you to know suffering Christian.
“it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right, rather than for doing what is wrong.”

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.”

There is no greater victory than that which is found in Jesus Christ.
He proved His power by winning the victory through weakness.

“We in our foolishness thought we were wise, He played the fool and He opened our eyes, We in our weakness believed we were strong, He became helpless to show we were wrong. So we follow God’s own fool, For only the foolish can tell, Believe the unbelievable, Come be a fool as well.”

That’s your invitation this morning as well.
Come be a fool.

You can try your best to gain victory through your own efforts,
But victory only comes through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you ever come to Jesus?
There is victory in no one else.

Acts 4:10-12 “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead — by this name this man stands here before you in good health. “He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

I’m about to pray, you come and give your life to Jesus.

1 Peter 3:13-17

As we have been studying the first epistle of Peter,
There is no doubt that he has been writing to a suffering people.

We started in verse 1 noting that these people were the “Rejected Selected”

1 Peter 1:1 “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen”

These people weren’t suffering because God had rejected them.
They were rejected by the world because God had selected them.

And as Peter has been pointing out throughout his letter,
One of the reasons God selects us is so we might suffer for Him.

1 Peter 2:21-23 “For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;”

Peter will say later in the letter.
1 Peter 4:1-2 “Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

Christians are called for many different purposes,
And one of them is to suffer for Jesus.

This is certainly implied in the invitation of Jesus.
Matthew 16:24 “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.”

Certainly anyone in here who has ever determined
To live for Jesus has learned this fact.

For even Paul said,
2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

I have no doubt I am not the only one in here who has at least a limited understanding of what it means to suffer for Jesus.

That being said,
It is important that we not only discuss the calling of suffering, but the Biblical way to suffer.
For there is most certainly a right way and a wrong way to suffer for Jesus.

That is what we discuss tonight.
#1 THE DIVINE PROMISE TO SUFFERERS
1 Peter 3:13-14a

Peter starts off with a very important question,
That is well worth our consideration.

“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?”

This is a point about suffering that must be made.

We know the Bible promises unjust suffering for Christians
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!”

However, it is also worth noting that just because we may suffer,
It is not necessarily because we look like Jesus.

There are definitely times when our suffering
Is brought on by our own selfish ignorance.

Which will be Peter’s point later in the letter.
1 Peter 4:15 “Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;”

“If you stick your nose in that,
Somebody is liable to put a fist on the end of it.”

Sometimes we bring suffering on ourselves.
So to that Peter asks,
“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?”

The word “good” is translated AGATHOS
“Describes that which is good in its character or constitution. That which is beneficial in its effect”

It is the word we saw this morning.
Matthew 19:17 “And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

And Peter says, if you are zealous for these things,
Then why would anyone want to harm you?

If we make sure we live our lives seeking God’s goodness,
Then we’ll help ourselves avoid much of the trouble we get ourselves into.
It is when we stray from that,
That we most certainly bring trouble upon ourselves.

However, if we would seek what is good,
Maybe we can avoid some of the suffering we bring on ourselves.

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

Romans 16:19 “For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.”

If we will, then we should eliminate much of our suffering.

HOWEVER
We all know that even the best of people are promised to suffer.
Look at Jesus if you need an example.

(14a) “But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed,”

This is the promise that God gives to those who suffer.
God still promises to bless you, even in the midst of it.

1 Peter 5:10 “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.”

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.”

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.”

If you suffer for doing what is right, then the only thing your persecutor can do to you is increase your heavenly reward.

THEY ARE POWERLESS!
Matthew 5:10-12 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
You are blessed when you suffer because of what that says about you.

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.”

1 Corinthians 11:17-19 “But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.”

WHAT GREATER BLESSING COULD WE ASK FOR?

When we focus on the promise, it gives the strength to endure.
It is how we turn persecution into praise!
#2 THE DIVINE PRINCIPLES FOR SUFFERERS
1 Peter 3:14b-16

We mentioned earlier that there are wrong reasons to suffer.

But also, even when we suffer for the right reasons,
There are also wrong ways to suffer.

If you are suffering, there are 4 principles he wants you to take to heart.
1) DO NOT FEAR
“AND DO NOT FEAR THEIR INTIMIDATION, AND DO NOT BE TROUBLED”

Here Peter is quoting Isaiah 8:12-13

It came when Assyria was dominating the world, and was threatening to destroy Israel and Judah. Judah had determined to make an alliance with Assyria.

To that God is responding.
Isaiah 8:11-14 “For thus the LORD spoke to me with mighty power and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people, saying, “You are not to say, ‘It is a conspiracy!’ In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. “It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread. “Then He shall become a sanctuary; But to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

A wrong way to suffer is to allow yourself to filled with fear.
Fear is evidence that you have taken your eyes off of God.

Matthew 14:28-31 “Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Peter had fallen into the trap that we so often do.
He got caught looking at the circumstances.
How often we do that.
We take our eyes off of Sovereign God and allow the circumstances to frighten us out of what God is calling us to do.

There are a few truths we need to understand here as well.
FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH

Matthew 14:1-12 “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus, and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” For when Herod had John arrested, he bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded John as a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the body and buried it; and they went and reported to Jesus.”

Herod’s life was one that was dictated by fear.
Think of Pilot. His choice was dictated by fear, not faith.
You cannot walk in fear and faith at the same time.
Fear is the opposite of faith.

FEAR IS SIN

Of course if fear is the opposite of faith, this makes sense.
Romans 14:23b “…and whatever is not from faith is sin.”

HELL IS FULL OF COWARDS

I know the mindset is that Christians are sissies. NOT REAL ONES.
It takes courage to live like a Christian.

When a person stays silent when they should speak…
When a person runs when they should stand…
When a person consents when they should rebuke…
This is called cowardice.

Revelation 21:8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
And there is a reason why those who follow fear are condemned to hell.
They are following the wrong spirit.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.”
If we are following a spirit of fear, we are not following God.

DO NOT FEAR
2) DO NOT FLUCTUATE
(14) “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts”

The word “sanctify” means to “set apart” or to make it a done deal.

While suffering, it is imperative that Christians
Solidify who is in charge of their lives.

Elijah said it like this.
1 Kings 18:21 “Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.”

If we are not 100% committed to the Lordship of Christ,
Then we are not suffering correctly.

Anyone can obey Jesus when it is easy.
It is during those difficult moments that His Lordship has to be solidified.

DO NOT FEAR
DO NOT FLUCTUATE
3) DO NOT FOLD
(15b) “always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.”

The word “defense” is translated APOLOGIA
It is where we get the word “apologetics” (i.e. the defense of the faith)

I used the word fold, because I think you will all understand the point.
Sometimes you can be holding the upper hand, and not be convinced that you are holding the upper hand. You get bluffed by an opponent, and instead of showing your cards, you fold.

In the Christian life we are always holding the upper hand.
Yet many times we still are unwilling to show our cards. Many times we still fold.

This is foolish.
Psalms 119:97-100 “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts.”
Jude 3-4 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

What are we afraid of?
We have all of eternity to dwell in safety.

We are called to make a defense.
Do it with “gentleness and reverence” but make a defense.

2 Timothy 2:22-26 “Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”

A Christian that folds in the face of persecution is not suffering properly.
Luke 14:34-35 “Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? “It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

4) DO NOT FALL
(16) “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.”

Another important thing here is not to fall into sin.
A persecutors goal is to stop the conviction that is hitting them
Because of your righteousness.
Don’t stop your righteousness for them.
Guard yourself against temptation and stay pure.

DO NOT fear, fluctuate, fold, fall
#3 THE DIVINE PREFERENCE OF SUFFERERS
1 Peter 3:17
This last verse gives us insight
Into God’s perspective of the whole ordeal.

1) CLARIFICATION
“It is better”

You could either obey God and suffer in the world,
or you could disobey God and suffer from Him.
WHICH DO YOU THINK GOD PREFERS?

Matthew 10:28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

It is far better to suffer for righteousness sake.
2) CONDITION
“if God should will it so”

WHEN DO WE SUFFER OUTSIDE OF THE WILL OF GOD?
When we sin
When we bring it on ourselves.

One of the ways we can mess up the quickest in our Christian walk
Is when we begin seeking the effects of God instead of God Himself.

For example:
The presence of God brings blessing.
But some get confused and just begin seeking the blessing instead of God.
Worshiping God brings joy.
But some get confused and just begin seeking the experience instead of God.
By the same token, following God brings persecution.
But some seek the suffering, in hopes of getting closer to God.

You do not have to seek suffering.
Even Jesus wasn’t excited about suffering.
You do have to seek God’s will, which will bring suffering.
Make sure that your suffering is justified.

3) CIRCUMSTANCE
“that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong”

God prefers for us to endure when suffering under the will of God.
Don’t suffer for other reasons.

The life lived for Jesus is marked for persecution.
But if we follow His principles, that life of persecution
Can be transformed into an eternity of victory.

Romans 8:35-39 “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”