Undeserved Suffering

Introduction

Today we are going to dive into an issue that if we each are living out our calling of the Great commission and allowing our life to bring Glory to God we will face.

This cross that we carry has its wordly consequences but also has its heavenly rewards.

The issue I speak of today is suffering. As a Christian living in this world you will experience suffering and different trials.

At school, at work, maybe at home, or wherever else you go. If you are standing out as a shining light in this world you will experience suffering at some point. Maybe you already have and it left you broken or maybe you feel like you haven’t experienced it before. Regardless, we need to have a proper response to our suffering and it all begins with this.

Whenever there is a cross to be carried by any of Christ’s followers, He always bears the heavy end on His own shoulders.

Charles Spurgeon

As we read on today in 1 Peter 3 I want you each to notice this repeated theme over the course of the last few weeks in this sermon series of the importance in the way that a Christian conducts their self in all situations. In our suffering, in the way we communicate with others, and in all other areas of our life we should be seeking to bring God glory in the way we conduct ourselves.

Now as we continue in this series through 1 Peter, remember the context here. Christians were living as resident aliens or outsiders in a culture that didn’t want them there. As we read on today what you will notice is that Peter starts to primarily focus on the way that believers SHOULD respond to actual persecution and intimidation.

As we begin to read today, I want to ask this question that I think is crucial for each of us to know about ourselves in order to deal with our suffering in a Christ Like way.

How do you handle your suffering?

Do you begin to use worldly tactics in your response? Do you feel the need to be right? Do you have an inward faith battle with your emotions or do you disregard a Christ-like response all together?

Point #1 Purpose of Suffering

1 Peter 3:13 CSB

13 Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

Peter starts this section of the book with a question based on what he has written so far, he has talked about using your life as a vessel for Christ’s glory and letting the way you conduct yourself bring glory to God.

His question of who will harm you if you are devoted to what is good is based off of this. The reality that if you obey the law and are a faithful citizen, and good neighbor to those around you, without sacrificing your faith, under normal circumstances you shouldn’t expect pain and harm to come your way.

But as we read on notice this in verse 14

1 Peter 3:14 CSB

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear them or be intimidated,

How can we be blessed in our suffering?

If I am being honest I don’t typically look for the blessing in the suffering that I endure. It’s hard to find. We can easily sit here today and say that it’s not but in reality when you are going through the ringer, when you are being persecuted against for trying to share Christ in this dark world, it can be very difficult to find blessing in that situation.

Think with me briefly of the process that a blacksmith takes in creating a valuable sword, when he creates the sword he has to heat the metal to an incredibly high temperature in order to make it bendable enough to be shaped.

This is called “Tempering” and it requires the metal of the sword to be subjected to intense heat and then quickly cooled in water.

When the tempering process is finished the metal becomes stronger and even more resilient. It gains the ability to withstand the pressures and forces it will face as a sword, and will be a much more effective weapon in battle.

Every day when you go out into the world as a Christian, you have to notice the spiritual warfare that is taking place. When you endure suffering, you are being tempered and refined in a very similar way to a sword being prepared for war.

Your faith may be stretched and tested, and in that you will learn a deeper dependance on Christ and his power.

Are you being tempered through your trials or are you just being tormented?

By that I mean are you allowing your trials to shape you into a more faithful follower of Christ or are you simply getting the suffering, but not striving for growth from it. I think often for us it the later. I feel like the lowest place a Christian can be is in suffering without seeing God and his goodness in it and viewing their suffering as a means of spiritual growth.

Transition:

We have to view our suffering through the lens of the shaping of our faith, but it also of greater importance to realize that Christ suffered the ultimate suffering and set the example for Christians on how to handle theirs.

Continue with me in verse 15

1 Peter 3:15–22 CSB

15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 16 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison 20 who in the past were disobedient, when God patiently waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared. In it a few—that is, eight people—were saved through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not as the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

David Walls and Max Anders said:

When our lives are centered on Christ, who is in control of the universe, then we are able to respond properly to the uncertainties and inconsistencies of life.

Don’t miss this, that

When our lives are centered on Christ, who is in control of the universe, then we are able to respond properly to the uncertainties and inconsistencies of life.

The continued idea that we have talked about for weeks is this.

It is better for you, Christian to suffer for Christ with the eternal hope in your heart that he provides, then to fall into evil desires on this earth.

This is the reality, Christ died on the cross for each of us. HE suffered the death that he did not deserve in place of us. As guilty as we were of sin and still are of sin today. He set the example of how to handle suffering and persecution and how to live life with an eternal perspective.

Transition:

Don’t miss this. YOUR life is meant as a vessel for the Lord’s glory.

In everything we do, from the way that we conduct ourselves at school or at work or at home, or wherever else we do, we should strive to bring glory to God and live our lives in a way that magnifies Christ.

Conclusion

So I’ll ask you. Does the way you conduct yourself around your peers give God the glory that he deserves or not?

It’s that simple. Live your purpose and that is to bring Jesus glory. Don’t miss an opportunity today to show Christ to someone else in the way that you conduct yourself in suffering.

Pursue Jesus with your entire heart and choose today to glorify Jesus.