Refining Faith Through Suffering and Hope in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Suffering as a Refiner's Fire

Suffering is not meant to destroy our faith but to refine it, much like gold is refined by fire. By enduring trials, our faith can result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus is revealed. This perspective transforms suffering from a destructive force into a refining one. The trials we face are not without purpose; they are designed to strengthen our faith and character. In the midst of suffering, we are called to trust in God's refining process, knowing that He is shaping us into something more glorious. [05:15]

"In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6-7, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a current trial you are facing. How can you view this challenge as a refining process rather than a destructive force?

Day 2: The Necessity of God for Understanding Evil

Without belief in God, the problem of evil becomes even more perplexing. Without a divine moral law, we have no basis to declare any act as unjust. This highlights the necessity of God for understanding and confronting evil. The existence of suffering and evil in the world often leads people to question the nature of God. However, without God, there is no higher moral standard to define what is unjust, making suffering an even greater enigma. By acknowledging God's presence, we find a framework to understand and confront the problem of evil. [06:23]

"For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them." (Romans 2:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a situation where you have witnessed or experienced injustice. How does your belief in God shape your understanding and response to this injustice?

Day 3: Assurance of God's Love Through the Cross

The cross of Christ assures us that God is not indifferent to our suffering. Jesus endured ultimate suffering, demonstrating God's profound love and commitment to us. This assurance helps us trust in God's presence in our trials. The cross is a powerful reminder that God is intimately aware of our pain and is committed to walking with us through it. By looking back at the cross, we find the strength to trust in God's love and presence, even in the midst of our deepest struggles. [18:03]

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt alone in your suffering. How can the assurance of God's love through the cross change your perspective on that experience?

Day 4: Hope in the Resurrection and Restoration

Our hope is not just in a spiritual afterlife but in the resurrection and restoration of all things. This hope promises that everything sad will come untrue, and our future glory will be greater for having endured suffering. The resurrection assures us that our present sufferings are not the end of the story. We look forward to a future where all things are made new, and every tear is wiped away. This hope gives us the strength to endure, knowing that our future glory will far outweigh our present trials. [24:45]

"And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'" (Revelation 21:5, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to hold onto the hope of resurrection and restoration? How can this hope transform your perspective on that area today?

Day 5: The Gospel as Our Living Hope

By looking into the gospel, we find the strength to endure trials. Jesus' living hope was us, and knowing that we were His hope can make Him our living hope. This transforms our perspective on suffering and gives us joy unspeakable. The gospel reveals the depth of God's love and the lengths He went to redeem us. By immersing ourselves in the gospel, we find a living hope that sustains us through life's challenges, transforming our suffering into a source of joy and strength. [29:43]

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3, ESV)

Reflection: How can you make the gospel your living hope today? What practical steps can you take to immerse yourself in the gospel and find strength in it?

Sermon Summary

In 1 Peter 1:3-12, we are reminded of the profound hope and inheritance we have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This passage speaks to the trials and sufferings we endure, emphasizing that these challenges are not meant to weaken our faith but to refine and strengthen it. The problem of evil and suffering is a significant challenge to Christian belief, often leading people to question the nature of God. If God is all-powerful and good, why does He allow suffering? This question is not just philosophical but deeply personal, especially for those who have experienced profound loss.

Abandoning belief in God does not solve the problem of suffering. Without God, there is no higher moral law to define what is unjust, and suffering becomes an even greater enigma. Instead, we are called to face suffering by looking back at the cross, where Jesus endured ultimate suffering for us, demonstrating God's profound love and commitment to us. The cross assures us that God is not indifferent to our pain.

We must also look forward to the hope of resurrection and the promise of a new heaven and earth. This hope is not merely compensation for our losses but a restoration and transformation of all things. The resurrection assures us that everything sad will come untrue, and our future glory will be infinitely greater for having endured suffering.

Finally, we are encouraged to look into the gospel, as even angels long to do. The gospel reveals the depth of God's love and the lengths He went to redeem us. Jesus' living hope was us, and knowing that we were His hope can make Him our living hope. By looking into the gospel, we find the strength to endure our trials, knowing that they will refine us and turn us into something more glorious.

Key Takeaways

1. The Refining Power of Suffering: Suffering is not meant to destroy our faith but to refine it, much like gold is refined by fire. By enduring trials, our faith can result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus is revealed. This perspective transforms suffering from a destructive force into a refining one. [05:15]
2. The Problem of Evil Without God: Without belief in God, the problem of evil becomes even more perplexing. Without a divine moral law, we have no basis to declare any act as unjust. This highlights the necessity of God for understanding and confronting evil. [06:23]
3. The Assurance of the Cross: The cross of Christ assures us that God is not indifferent to our suffering. Jesus endured ultimate suffering, demonstrating God's profound love and commitment to us. This assurance helps us trust in God's presence in our trials. [18:03]
4. The Hope of Resurrection: Our hope is not just in a spiritual afterlife but in the resurrection and restoration of all things. This hope promises that everything sad will come untrue, and our future glory will be greater for having endured suffering. [24:45]
5. The Gospel as Our Living Hope: By looking into the gospel, we find the strength to endure trials. Jesus' living hope was us, and knowing that we were His hope can make Him our living hope. This transforms our perspective on suffering and gives us joy unspeakable. [29:43]
** [29:43]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Introduction to 1 Peter
[02:05] - The Problem of Evil and Suffering
[03:37] - Memorial Service Reflection
[04:23] - Facing Suffering: What Not to Do
[05:15] - Suffering as a Refining Fire
[06:23] - The Necessity of God for Justice
[08:50] - Three Ways to Face Suffering
[09:22] - Looking Back: The Cross
[11:16] - God's Promise in Suffering
[13:31] - The Extent of Jesus' Suffering
[18:03] - Assurance of God's Love
[20:01] - Looking Forward: Living Hope
[24:45] - Resurrection and Restoration
[26:17] - Looking Into the Gospel
[29:43] - The Gospel as Our Living Hope

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to 1 Peter 1:3-12, what is the nature of the inheritance that believers have through the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
How does the sermon describe the role of suffering in the life of a believer? ([05:15])
What does the sermon suggest about the problem of evil and suffering without belief in God? ([06:23])
How does the cross of Christ provide assurance in the midst of suffering, according to the sermon? ([18:03])

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean for suffering to refine faith rather than destroy it, as mentioned in 1 Peter 1:6-7? How might this perspective change one's approach to trials? ([05:15])
How does the sermon argue that abandoning belief in God complicates the problem of evil and suffering? What implications does this have for understanding justice? ([06:23])
In what ways does the hope of resurrection transform the believer's view of suffering and future glory? ([24:45])
How does the gospel serve as a source of living hope, and why is it significant that even angels long to look into it? ([29:43])

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent trial you have faced. How did it impact your faith? Did it refine or weaken it, and why? ([05:15])
Consider the argument that without God, there is no basis for declaring any act as unjust. How does this perspective influence your understanding of justice and morality? ([06:23])
How can the assurance of the cross help you trust in God's presence during your own trials? Share a personal experience where this assurance was significant. ([18:03])
The sermon suggests that everything sad will come untrue through the hope of resurrection. How does this promise affect your outlook on current challenges or losses? ([24:45])
What practical steps can you take to make the gospel your living hope, especially in times of suffering? How can you remind yourself of the depth of God's love and commitment to you? ([29:43])
Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle to see God's presence. How can the promise of God walking with you through fiery trials (Isaiah 43:1-2) encourage you in this area? ([11:16])
How can you cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of the gospel, similar to the angels who long to look into it? What resources or practices might help you in this pursuit? ([29:43])

Sermon Clips

In this you greatly rejoice though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials these have come so that your faith of Greater worth and gold which perishes even though refined by fire may be proved genuine and may result in praise glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. [00:00:33]

Peter is saying that in the face of evil and suffering abandoning your belief in God doesn't help anything it doesn't help you understand suffering it doesn't help you handle suffering abandoning your belief in God doesn't help at all why not Martin Luther King jr. in his letter to Birmingham letter from Birmingham jail very famous little document says the only way he can know whether a human law is unjust is if there's a divine law a higher law from God. [00:05:36]

If there is no God let's abandon belief in God huh if there's no God there's no higher divine law then how can we say that any historical event is unjust I mean what is more natural if there's if there's nothing but nature if nature is all there is there's nothing more natural than violence it's how you and I got here natural selection right the strong eating the weak. [00:06:30]

The cross can tell you what the answer to that question isn't what it can't be it can't be that he doesn't love us it can't be that he doesn't care we don't know what the reason is they allows evil and suffering but the one thing it can't be is he doesn't care or he's remote or he's indifferent because he came and he plunged himself not just into the fiery furnace of our sufferings but to infinite degrees beyond anything that we will ever suffer because he loves us that much. [00:18:05]

You have been born again into a Living Hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ's from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish spoil or fade kept in heaven until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time there's a mouthful but look what he's saying first of all you can't go through the furnace without a living hope. [00:20:08]

Resurrection isn't compensation for the life we lost resurrection is the restoration of that life the new heavens and the earth means this world your body your loved ones your homes restored to you purified beautify this world this body it comes out it comes back it all comes back pure unfading imperishable unspoiled and paul goes so far as to say suffering and death will be swallowed up by victory. [00:22:16]

If what if Jesus Christ resurrection happened and it did and that means our resurrection is going to happen and it will then it means everything sad everything horrible is going to be brought up into our future glory and resurrection make it infinitely better than it would have been if we'd never had any of those experiences and that's the final and ultimate defeat of suffering and death. [00:24:36]

The gospel is the thing that they're looking into all the time why let me show you how this is what we have to do as well just for a second think about let's let's think about all this in terms of the gospel how did Jesus get through his furnace how did he get there Jesus came through an incredible furnace of affliction how did he get through his furnace Hebrews 12 says for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross. [00:26:35]

What was his Living Hope well that's a good question what could it be you say well maybe what he was hoping for was bliss in heaven with his father but don't forget this living hope is something that got him out of that what was the drew him away from heaven and put him through the fiery furnace what was his hope what what could he possibly have been looking for that he didn't already have up there. [00:27:57]

The thought that you were his living hope and that's what drove him through the furnace will make him your living hope and it'll but you know he'll be able to walk through the furnace with him and if you do you see that wonderful verse 8 if you learn to look into the gospel the way the angels do and always see in new ways what he has done for you the way we just tried to give you an example of at some times you will actually you you don't see him but you will love him and he'll rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. [00:29:44]

When we look behind us when we look ahead of us when we look into the gospel of what your son has done we have everything we need so that the evil and suffering instead of consuming us will turn us to gold we pray Lord that you would help us right now as we go to the table and receive the Lord's Supper to look with the Angels and all the hosts of heaven deeply into your gospel and come out with the strength and the joy that only that can give us. [00:30:37]

Thank you father for giving us a complete portfolio of what we need in order to face the horrible mystery of evil and suffering it's a horrible mystery we don't know why it's not over we don't understand the reason for individual tragedies and catastrophes we don't but when we look behind us when we look ahead of us when we look into the gospel of what your son has done we have everything we need so that the evil and suffering instead of consuming us will turn us to gold. [00:30:05]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?