Sermon Tone Analysis

Review of the previous verses

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

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.

According to one commentator and I think he is right, we should understand this language of the fiery trial in light of the OT.

Here we see God testing His people, trying us as silver or refining us as silver.

Zechariah uses the word refine and test to describe the Lord’s testing and refining of His people.

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

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?