Suffer Joyfully
1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted
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Review of the previous verses
Review of the previous verses
Introduction
Introduction
Here Peter is revisiting a theme that he touched on at the beginning of the letter and that we have seen sprinkled in through the letter and that is suffering or the trials that believers may have to endure
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.
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. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
This is clearly a new section as we ended with the doxology and Peter begins by addressing the readers again, Beloved
And as he continues we see what we have already seen in 1:6-7
Fiery trials come for the purpose of testing and refining our faith, and so we should not see suffering with these trials as something strange or unexpected.
Do not be surprised at the fiery trial
Really it is as if Peter is saying to them, this is something that you ought to expect. They ought to be prepared for it.
The verb is zxenidzo and it shares the root with the word zxenos which is the word stranger
Literally it could be translated do not think it strange. A christian should not see suffering as an unexpected stranger that is not welcomed into his or her life.
Instead, the Christian knows that these trials are for the purpose of testing or refining their faith.
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.
According to one commentator and I think he is right, we should understand this language of the fiery trial in light of the OT.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,
and a man is tested by his praise.
For you, O God, have tested us;
you have tried us as silver is tried.
And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 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. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Here we see God testing His people, trying us as silver or refining us as silver.
And I will put this third into the fire,
and refine them as one refines silver,
and test them as gold is tested.
They will call upon my name,
and I will answer them.
I will say, ‘They are my people’;
and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’ ”
Zechariah uses the word refine and test to describe the Lord’s testing and refining of His people.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 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. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.
Mal. 4
Interesting thing is that Lord in Malachi comes to His temple to purify his people and Peter says that God uses suffering as the means to purify His house (v.17)
Peter is saying, church do not be surprised and think that God has abandoned you or that something strange is happening when you suffer instead you ought to expect it, instead you ought to see suffering not as a sign of God’s absence but of God’s purifying presence.
This idea of God using the trials of life to strengthen and purify His people making them fit for His presence is pretty standard in the NT
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
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.
This is different from the thought of many in our day.
It takes a change in thinking, a different mindset. When we suffer we may be tempted to think, Lord what did I do to deserve this.
Whereas the scriptures tell us to rejoice knowing the trials, that difficulties, that heartaches are part of the means the Lord uses to sanctify His people, to shape us more into the image of Christ.
What are ways in which suffering can purify us?
What are ways in which suffering can purify us?
How have you seen suffering or difficulty purify you personally?