Embracing Suffering: A Christian's Journey of Faith

 

Summary

In this study of 1 Peter 4:12-19, we delve into the profound reality of suffering in the Christian life. Peter, caught up in the wonder of the Gospel, reminds us that suffering is not an anomaly but an integral part of our journey with Christ. As Christians, we are called to live in a world that often views us as adversaries, much like the early believers. Peter's message is clear: do not be surprised by suffering. Instead, understand it as a refining process that tests and strengthens our faith. Suffering is not a sign of God's abandonment but a testament to our union with Christ, who also suffered.

Peter offers five principles to help us navigate suffering. First, we should not be surprised by trials, as they are part of the Christian experience. Second, we must ensure that our suffering is not self-inflicted due to our own wrongdoing but is for the sake of Christ. Third, we should not be ashamed of our trials but glorify God through them. Fourth, we must recognize that judgment begins with the household of God, and our trials are part of God's refining process. Finally, we are encouraged to entrust our souls to our faithful Creator, knowing that He is with us in our suffering and will ultimately bring us to glory.

These principles remind us that suffering, while painful, is a means through which God shapes us into the likeness of Christ. It is an opportunity to demonstrate our faith and reliance on God, who is faithful and just. As we endure, we are assured of His presence and the promise of future glory.

Key Takeaways:

1. Do Not Be Surprised by Suffering: Suffering is an expected part of the Christian life. It is not a sign of God's absence but a testament to our union with Christ. Understanding this helps us prepare and respond with faith rather than despair. [05:47]

2. Suffer for Christ, Not for Wrongdoing: Ensure that your suffering is for the sake of Christ and not due to personal faults or sins. This distinction is crucial as it aligns our suffering with the Gospel and not with our own failings. [12:22]

3. Glorify God in Trials: Do not be ashamed of your suffering. Instead, use it as an opportunity to glorify God. The world may try to shame us, but our identity in Christ gives us the strength to stand firm and unashamed. [16:07]

4. Judgment Begins with God's Household: Trials are part of God's refining process for His people. They are not meant to destroy us but to purify and prepare us for His purposes. This perspective shifts our focus from the trial itself to the growth it produces. [19:28]

5. Entrust Your Soul to God: In the midst of suffering, trust in God's faithfulness. He is our Creator and Savior, and He will sustain us through every trial. This trust is our comfort and assurance, knowing that He is working all things for our good. [22:25]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to 1 Peter 4:12-19
- [01:18] - The Reality of Suffering
- [02:06] - Do Not Be Surprised by Trials
- [03:04] - Suffering as Part of the Christian Life
- [04:18] - Principles for Responding to Suffering
- [05:47] - Understanding the Nature of Trials
- [07:13] - Sharing in Christ's Sufferings
- [09:51] - Rejoicing in Trials
- [10:44] - Avoiding Self-Inflicted Suffering
- [12:53] - The Spirit of Glory in Suffering
- [14:36] - Glorifying God in Trials
- [17:04] - Judgment Begins with God's People
- [19:28] - God's Refining Process
- [22:25] - Trusting Our Faithful Creator

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Understanding Suffering in the Christian Life

Bible Reading:
- 1 Peter 4:12-19

Observation Questions:
1. What does Peter mean when he says, "do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you"? How does this relate to the Christian experience? [02:06]
2. According to the sermon, what is the significance of sharing in Christ's sufferings? [09:01]
3. How does Peter differentiate between suffering for Christ and suffering due to personal wrongdoing? [10:44]
4. What does Peter mean by stating that "judgment begins with the household of God"? [17:04]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does understanding suffering as a refining process change a believer's perspective on trials? [19:28]
2. In what ways can suffering be seen as an opportunity to glorify God, according to Peter's teachings? [14:36]
3. How might a believer's response to suffering demonstrate their faith and reliance on God? [22:25]
4. What does it mean to entrust one's soul to a faithful Creator during times of suffering? [22:25]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent trial you faced. How did you initially respond, and how might Peter's teachings encourage a different response? [05:47]
2. Consider a situation where you might have suffered due to your own actions. How can you ensure that your future suffering aligns with the sake of Christ rather than personal faults? [12:22]
3. Think of a time when you felt ashamed of your faith. How can you use that experience to strengthen your resolve to glorify God in future trials? [16:07]
4. How can you actively remind yourself that suffering is part of God's refining process and not a sign of His abandonment? [19:28]
5. Identify a specific area in your life where you need to entrust your soul to God more fully. What steps can you take this week to practice this trust? [22:25]
6. How can you support a fellow believer who is currently experiencing suffering, helping them to see it as a refining process? [19:28]
7. Reflect on the idea that suffering is a testament to our union with Christ. How does this perspective influence your daily walk with Him? [09:01]

Devotional

Day 1: Suffering as a Testament to Our Union with Christ
Suffering is not an unexpected event in the Christian life; rather, it is a profound testament to our union with Christ. As believers, we are called to live in a world that often views us as adversaries, much like the early Christians. This perspective helps us prepare and respond with faith rather than despair. Understanding that suffering is an integral part of our journey with Christ allows us to see it as a refining process that tests and strengthens our faith. It is not a sign of God's absence but a testament to our connection with Christ, who also suffered. [05:47]

1 Peter 4:13-14 (ESV): "But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."

Reflection: In what ways can you prepare your heart and mind to respond with faith when you encounter suffering or opposition for your beliefs today?


Day 2: Aligning Our Suffering with the Gospel
It is crucial to ensure that our suffering is for the sake of Christ and not due to personal faults or sins. This distinction aligns our suffering with the Gospel and not with our own failings. When we suffer for Christ, it becomes a powerful witness to the world of our commitment to Him. It is important to examine our lives and motives, ensuring that our trials are not self-inflicted but are a result of our faithfulness to Christ. This understanding helps us to endure suffering with a clear conscience and a steadfast heart. [12:22]

1 Peter 2:19-20 (ESV): "For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent challenge you faced. Was it due to your faithfulness to Christ or personal mistakes? How can you align your future actions more closely with the Gospel?


Day 3: Glorifying God Through Trials
Do not be ashamed of your suffering. Instead, use it as an opportunity to glorify God. The world may try to shame us, but our identity in Christ gives us the strength to stand firm and unashamed. When we glorify God in our trials, we demonstrate the power of His presence in our lives. This act of faith not only strengthens our relationship with God but also serves as a testimony to others of His goodness and faithfulness. Embracing our identity in Christ allows us to face trials with courage and hope. [16:07]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: How can you actively glorify God in a current trial you are facing? What practical steps can you take today to demonstrate your faith and reliance on Him?


Day 4: Embracing God's Refining Process
Trials are part of God's refining process for His people. They are not meant to destroy us but to purify and prepare us for His purposes. This perspective shifts our focus from the trial itself to the growth it produces. Recognizing that judgment begins with the household of God helps us to see our trials as opportunities for spiritual growth and maturity. As we endure these refining processes, we become more like Christ, equipped for the good works He has prepared for us. [19:28]

Malachi 3:2-3 (ESV): "But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is refining you? How can you embrace this process and allow it to draw you closer to Him?


Day 5: Trusting in God's Faithfulness
In the midst of suffering, trust in God's faithfulness. He is our Creator and Savior, and He will sustain us through every trial. This trust is our comfort and assurance, knowing that He is working all things for our good. Entrusting our souls to our faithful Creator allows us to face suffering with peace and confidence, knowing that He is with us and will ultimately bring us to glory. This act of trust is a powerful declaration of our faith and reliance on God's promises. [22:25]

Psalm 31:5-7 (ESV): "Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord. I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul."

Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you need to trust God more fully? How can you actively place your trust in Him today, despite any challenges you may be facing?

Quotes


Peter's burden is to tell us that we should not be surprised by this you'll notice that in verse 12 beloved he says do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you and again I think you notice a tone here uh the Instinct that some of seem to have by Nature perhaps because we are by nature pessimists is when things get rough we begin to complain because we've enjoyed the luxury of living in a christianized society when it begins to disintegrate we lament the situation and we begin to feel that it isn't possible for us to be the kind of consecrated mature Christians we would be if there were no more suffering and Peter wants to take that Spirit back to the gospel and dissolve it and to teach us that suffering is actually an integral part of living the Christian life. [00:20:20]

If we understand the nature of the Gospel if we understand the nature of the Christian Life we'll not at all be surprised by suffering and if we are unsurprised by suffering we will be all the more prepared to deal with it remember years ago when I was a a youngster I came across a book by a man I think his name was Sir Arnold LUN an Englishman who had written a a book just surveying what was happening in I think especially in the 1960s and it was entitled The Cult of softness and if that was true in the 1960s in the new generation My Generation that had grown up in the postwar era where there was no softness it's certainly all the more true today. [00:54:20]

We watch people in other parts of of the world going through suffering and we realize we have been immunized against suffering and so we expect always to be healthy always to be well always to be taken care of and if anything goes wrong we always ask the question who is to blame and so we are surprised by suffering and if that's the case Peter is teaching us we're surprised by suffering we have not been nearly surprised Enough by the gospel because the pattern of the Gospel is that suffering is part and parcel of the Christian Life you must have visited uh older churches somewhere I'm sure where the ground plan is the shape of a cross and I've often thought you know those old Architects got something something right and that is that when the people of God are assembled to Jesus Christ they're always being molded and shaped into the shape of the Cross. [01:06:52]

If you're United to Christ in his dying and Rising it's inevitable that that will work out in our Christian lives and it will be so as Peter says here in order to test our Faith don't be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you because the Workman is testing his work to prove it to prove that the work of the Lord is reliable this is why we experience suffering and the great thing about it is as he shows his faithfulness to us paradoxically this actually builds up our sense that he is enabl us to stand you think about it this way um what will convince you that believing in Christ will enable you to stand in suffering answer suffering not suffering can never persuade you you'll be able to stand in the face of suffering the only thing that can persuade you of that is that Christ enables you to stand when you experience it. [01:16:36]

If we are united to Jesus Christ we're United to Christ in his death and Resurrection in his sufferings and in his glory and as remember Calvin says if that's true of what happened to the head it's inevitably going to be true of what happens to the members but when we suffer and realize this actually is an indication that we really belong to the Lord Jesus Christ that gives us such a different view of suffering it it doesn't take the pain away but it helps us to understand the pain it helps us to believe that God may be doing something through the pain and it helps us also to believe that this is the Prelude to Glory God is polishing our Graces by the friction that's created on our lives by suffering. [01:29:59]

Don't be the cause of your suffering but suffer as a Christian you notice how he puts it now you not only rejoice in so far as you share Christ suffering but in verse 14 if you are insulted for the name of Christ you are bless best but verse 15 let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or a medler in other words he's saying don't don't make the mistake of thinking that because you suffer that's a guarantee of your sanctification now you may be suffering for your own fault you be suffering because actually you've been a jolly all award individual or because you've been dishonest so don't hide behind the fact that you are called a Christian to say well all this suffering is coming upon me because I'm a Christian when actually the reason it's coming upon you is because you're behaving as a non-Christian. [01:44:40]

When we suffer as a Christian says Peter then the spirit of Grace and Glory rests upon us verse 14 if you're insulted for the name of Christ you are blessed because this is an amazing statement isn't it because the spirit of glory and of God is resting upon you so that as God polishes your Graces as you don't endanger his name by your own Folly then a glory is worked into your life that wouldn't otherwise be worked into your life and if you've met Believers from different parts of the world as most of us have I think you'll have caught a sense of that you will meet people I remember meeting a couple of pastors from um the the old communist block on one occasion and uh you could tell them mile away because of the poor quality of the tailoring of their suits somebody took them to a supermarket and they asked do does this belong to the government here is said no we can all shop here they burst into tears but when you spoke to them you felt I'm not really worthy to be in this man's presence there is a spirit of Glory resting upon him. [01:52:39]

Don't be ashamed in your trials but glorify God in the midst of them don't suffer as a murderer verse 15 or as a thief or an evildoer as a medler my some of us are great meddlers yet if anyone suffers as a Christian let him not be ashamed now we understand I think don't we that that is actually one of the world's AIMS in the pressures it places upon us and it it's now for the first time in in hundreds of years openly stated you should be ashamed of yourself you Christians the way you live the things you say the positions you adopt you should be ashamed of yourself because that doesn't fit our new plan for society and Peter is saying don't let them beat you down don't hang your head in shame and say oh dear I'm terribly sorry if I've upset you he says no as you live the gracious life about which he has been speaking stand up straight and understand that what you are doing is pointing to him remember how he'd said earlier that our function in the world is to put on display the excellencies of our God and as we are unashamed of Jesus Christ as we are faithful to Jesus Christ as we live according to the the law of Jesus Christ we have no need ultimately to be ashamed so let us be unashamed. [02:24:40]

It is time for judgment to begin at the household of God and if it begins with us what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God now what's the point he's making here I think part of the point is this that when as Christians we experience these various kinds of Trials and some of them expressions of persecution for some of us the the real danger is we become obsessed by our trials and um in In Living churches you there are almost always people who are like that uh they they they become obsessed by the difficulty ities of being a Christian and the glory goes out of their lives and I think this is why Peter phrases it this way he's he's coming to those of us who might have that tendency in order to lift us out of the pit that we're digging for ourselves that that we are so obsessed with the struggles of living in the world we have lost sight of the destiny to which we have been called and the final day and that's why he puts it like this if you suffer as a Christian don't be ashamed glorify God because it is time for God's assessment to begin at the household of God and then it will spread and as it spreads what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God. [02:48:52]

What is happening now is that I experience suffering in order that my life might might be refined in order in a way that I might be simplified that the the bits that stick out as angles in my life might be broken off by the sculpture of God's Providence in my life and I might be drawn much more closely to Jesus Christ because as that happens God makes his gracious assessment of my life and looks forward to the way in which he is going to assess and in a sense reward what he has made my life to be know there are many passages in the New Testament aren that that actually speak about a kind of reward we're all going to appear before the Judgment seat of Christ as Paul in 2 Corinthians 510 to receive what is jeers for the things done while we're in the body and we can mistakenly think of that as a kind of you know working for rewards but the way in which Paul thinks about it is not at all like that Paul teaches that we are justified by Grace as Peter also teaches and our lives are also going to be assessed by Grace. [03:14:40]

Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good and he's saying don't be defeated Ed by your trials but see them as opportunities to be faithful to the one who is your faithful Creator because you can trust him I'm sure that reminds some of us of the first question and answer of the Heidelberg Catechism what is your only comfort in life and in death that I am not my own but that I belong body and soul in life and death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ because ultimately ultimately what holds us up in times of pressure and Times of persecution is that we're being drawn close to Christ and we know that he suffered and Rose and was glorified because he was wonderfully faithful to us and now he's beckoning us beckoning us into the future to receive the crown of righteousness and the Crown of Glory because he is our faithful Savior and when you know you have a faithful Savior you know that he will keep you standing no matter what pressure the world brings against you. [03:37:40]

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Transcript
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