An Appointed Persecution Pt. 3
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Over the past few Wednesdays, we have been making our way through this passage of Scripture, looking at the thought of “An Appointed Persecution.”
So far, we have looked at two point concerning this thought…The first being, “An Expected Persecution” from verse 12…
The Bible tells us we ought not be surprised when we face persecution for living the Christian life...
Second, we looked at “An Exciting Partnership” from verses 13 and 14...
The Bible tells us we have and exciting and unique partnership with Christ…It says we are partakers of Christs’ sufferings.
Continuing this study through these wonderful verses, tonight, we pick up in verse 15 and we will look at the third point in this message, and that is...
III-An Exception Presented
III-An Exception Presented
With all this talk of suffering, the why behind the suffering is important...
Suffering for righteousness is noble. Suffering for doing wrong is a shame to our testimonies and to the Lord.
When we suffer for righteousness, we are following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. He suffered and died for our sins, even though He had done nothing wrong. He showed us that it is better to suffer for doing what is right than to suffer for doing what is wrong.
Suffering for doing wrong is a shame to our testimonies and to the Lord. When we choose to sin, we are not only hurting ourselves, but we are also hurting others and damaging our relationship with God. We are also giving a bad example to others, which can lead them to sin as well.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
Peter gives an all-encompassing command to the church. This is for everyone! Not one person is left out or exempt from this command. Suffering is a reality, but the facts are that there is a distinction in suffering. Peter tells the church that “none of you” should suffer as a sinner.
Suffering as a sinner should be avoided by everyone. To avoid suffering as a sinner we must live a righteous life. None of us are exempt from suffering, but we can be exempt from suffering as a sinner.
F. B Meyer wrote, “Let us brace ourselves then to suffer whatever may befall, only anxious that our sufferings are due, not to our want of Christianity but to our possession of it; not because of temper, or evil-speaking, or misbehavior, but because we are so like the Master, and so near Him. So like Him that we are mistaken for Him. So near Him that we are bespattered by mud flung at Him.”
Peter gives some examples of what the church must avoid in suffering.
There are two categories of suffering we are given here:
1-Refrain from criminal acts
1-Refrain from criminal acts
1 Peter 4:15 (KJV 1900)
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer,...
None of the Christians were to suffer as a murderer. The Roman government crucified convicted murderers. It was a capital punishment then and in many states it still is a capital punishment.
Now, we understand that this letter is written to Christians, we’ve established that fact several times over this study, so I’m studying, and wondering why would Peter have to tell these Christians not to murder someone?
Well, many of Paul’s converts, some of whom Peter is addressing here, come from some pretty wild backgrounds.
John Phillips writes, “In Galatia, for instance, and other areas of the Roman Empire, the vendetta was practiced. People inherited an obligation to assassinate someone who had killed a member of their clan. Murder was a common way of settling differences. In Peter’s own homeland, insurrection against the Romans was commonplace.”
He goes on to write, “Peter knew about the Sicarii, an outlaw band described by Josephus and mentioned in the book of Acts. Lysias thought that Paul was one of them (Acts 21:38). These people were zealots of the zealots and implacable in their hatred of Rome and of any Jews whom they suspected of compromise with Rome. They prided themselves on murdering their victims in broad daylight and in public places. They would mingle with the people on festive occasions, hiding short daggers in their robes and using them to slay their enemies. Their name was derived from these daggers, the Latin word for a dagger being sica. They assassinated people daily and took a leading p art in the Jewish rebellion against Rome. One of the Lord’s own disciples, Simon Zelotes, might have once been a member of this murderous order. After the fall of Jerusalem, they fled to Egypt and Cyrene, where they continued their acts of terrorism.”
The point is, Christians ought not murder…A Christian ought not be a thief either!
It is sin to steal!
God saves thieves, but when they are saved they don’t stay thieves. We are not to steal from our neighbors, our employers, our friends, or from strangers—we are not to steal from God! The cost of the item is not the issue; it’s the crime of the individual.
The Roman government would arrest, convict, whip and beat, and publicly degrade thieves and then imprison them. Society had no tolerance for thieves and still today to a great degree thieves suffer for their crimes. Christians are not to be caught stealing because they are not to steal. Suffering as a murderer or a thief would not advance the gospel of Jesus.
The Bible tells Christians: don’t suffer as a murderer, as a thief, and then, as an evildoer.
Another word for evildoer in our Bibles is the word malefactor…We all remember that one don’t we? The Lord Jesus was crucified between two “malefactors or evildoers.”
The Lord took our place and died for our sins and through the gospel we know that He died in the place of Barabbas. Barabbas was a murderer and criminal! He was in prison awaiting his execution. He was to die with the other two, but Jesus took his place. .
Christians are commanded to live a life of holiness and righteousness in obedience and compliance to the word of God. No Christian at any time should suffer as an evildoer.
We need to stand up for our beliefs, we need to stand up for the name of Jesus, but we are never to break the law in doing so.
Here’s an example, we need to stand up for the innocent lives being murdered everyday by abortion, but setting clinics on fire and murdering doctors is not how Christians are respond to such things.
That’s the first category, “refrain from criminal acts” - the second category is:
2-Refrain from contentious activity
2-Refrain from contentious activity
1 Peter 4:15 (KJV 1900)
15 ...or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
We are not to suffer as a busybody in other people’s matters. We are not to meddle in the affairs of others!
This word, busybody means, “a self-appointed overseer in other men’s matters.”
It is interesting how God links criminal acts with contentious activity. In His opinion, they are equally dangerous to our testimonies. He links these two principles together similarly in...
1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.
13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
God is intensely interested in our position, but He is also very concerned about our disposition.
It is possible to do right things in the wrong way.
Daniel took a strong stand against the kingdom of Babylon when he refused to eat the king’s meat and drink his wine. But the Bible informs us that he also found favor in the sight of the prince of the king’s eunuchs.
In Daniel 6 as they tried to find some fault in Daniel, it is recorded that he was of an excellent spirit. Not too many of us would have that kind of disposition as a slave who had been ripped away from his homeland and family and placed under godless rule.
God was able to use Daniel because he displayed the right spirit. Don’t settle for just being right—be right in the right way!
Conclusion
Conclusion
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
We glorify God as Christians when we live our lives in a manner that reflects his character and with a voice that declares his excellencies.
When we allow the Bible to teach us, so that it shapes our view of suffering, we will not be surprised when we are confronted with persecution, nor will we be ashamed to undergo persecution for our Lord.