Keep On Rejoicing

“Rejoice in suffering.”

“Rejoice and be glad…for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.”

Do you know my natural inclination is when I read these kind of statements?

“Oh, oh, okay! Sure. Yeah. Okay, I’ll do that. Rejoice in suffering…you’ve got to be kidding me.”

The early Christians were encountering a fiery ordeal, a painful trial.

Trial denotes an experience that is either positive or negative. Positive in the sense that God is testing His people. Negative, a painful experience or an occasion for temptation.

Peter commands his readers to rejoice in the midst of trials and sufferings. We return here to Peter’s favorite topic. It’s everyone’s favorite topic. I know you’re excited to hear more about this one. It’s more about SUFFERING!

God would have done us a great disservice if He didn’t, by His Holy Spirit, inspire the authors of the Bible to tell us about suffering.

If no part of the apostle’s teaching included instruction about suffering, the moment we experienced suffering or trouble or hardship, we’d be forced to believe all of this was simply wrong.

But God DOES teach us about suffering. Jesus was a real straight shooter when it came to suffering. He said, “The OT prophets suffered for God’s sake. You should plan on suffering yourselves. In this world you will have trouble.”

Read your Bible and you’ll realize that you will suffer. Just skim the Bible and you’ll see how the people of God suffer (you can’t miss it). Read only 1 Peter, and you’ll be clued-in about suffering.

So we know we’re going to suffer. Or we should know we’re going to suffer.

If this is new information to you, hear it from me right now. Hear this today, Christian. You will suffer. Our task here this morning is to figure out how we suffer and rejoice. How do these two go hand-in-hand? How is it possible to rejoice in the midst of suffering?

If you have your Bible (and I hope you do) please turn with me to 1 Peter. If you are able and willing, please stand for the reading of God’s Holy Word:

1 Peter 4:12–19 NIV

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

May God add His blessing to the reading of His Holy Word!

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The command here to rejoice while suffering is foolish advice, except for one thing — God. The Triune God (Father, Son, Spirit) is working something in our suffering. Peter gives a bunch of reasons why we can “keep on rejoicing” when the suffering comes. They all relate to God.

If you haven’t noticed, if I haven’t made it clear, let me say it again: 1 Peter is chalk full of teaching on suffering.

If we had to narrow it down to one theme, the theme of this letter would be suffering. Peter’s writing to these early Christian converts, letting them know that they are going to suffer. That is, if they aren’t suffering already. And the news beyond that is, “If you’re suffering now, hold on for more suffering.”

Now here at the end of Chapter 4, Peter tells his audience to “keep on rejoicing as you suffer.”

This—keep on rejoicing—is a command.

It’s there in verse 13:

1 Peter 4:13 (NASB95)

13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing…

This is not some well-meaning, quasi-Christian advice. This is not the power of positive thinking.

This is abnormal and unnatural. It’s supernatural. This is a radical way to respond to suffering.

“Keep on rejoicing” even as you suffer is crazy advice. But God makes it possible. God calls us to this. This is the way we—strangers, aliens, exiles—live on earth for the glory of God.

Keep On Rejoicing

Suffering is No Surprise

Suffering is no surprise. It’s not a surprise. It’s nothing strange.

1 Peter 4:12 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

Suffering in this life isn’t strange. It shouldn’t surprise. Even these new Christians understood that this wasn’t a surprise. They weren’t to think it strange that they were suffering.

Suffering is no surprise; in fact, it’s purposeful. It’s part of God’s plan for our lives, in fact.

Look at verse 19:

1 Peter 4:19 “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

It’s not outside the will of God for His people to suffer. You need to hear this as much as I do.

There are people who have been trying to dupe Christians for years. Decades. Centuries. Large gatherings of people with plenty of money who teach (falsely) the idea that suffering is inconsistent with the life God wants us to lead. They say, with no biblical basis, that God just wants us “healthy, wealthy, and prosperous.”

The problem is, their teaching is inconsistent with what the Bible says and with what God’s people throughout history have dealt with.

Ask Abraham and Joseph and Moses and David and Job, ask the apostles (Peter, James, Thaddeus, Matthew, Paul, any of them) about suffering. They would say, the Bible makes clear, suffering is part and parcel of this life. Suffering is part of the Godward life.

God is sovereign over all things. This includes whatever suffering we face.

Verse 12 says this fiery ordeal has come to test you.

Verse 17 says judgment begins with the household of God.

Verse 18 teaches that believers pass through the testing fire of God’s judgment, not because God hates us, but because He loves us. And God’s will is that we would be pure.

What we think about God, or what we like to think about God, sometimes doesn’t match what is actually true about God. It’s nice to think that God is only ever kind and gentle and loving. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to think that God would never correct me or challenge me. That God’s my pal, my buddy. That’s a nice thought.

The truth is, God often prunes us, cutting away the parts that are harmful and dead. God is refining us, sometimes in fire. He sends the waves that bring us nigh, unto the shore, the Rock of Christ.

Jess Ray sings of God:

“You are the fire And you blaze with fury You spread out of control And you never stop burning

We say we wanna feel you We say that you're consuming I'm the fool for thinking That you would only warm me

You're gonna burn me up And melt me away No returning to how it used to be Oh I'll never be the same I'll never be the same”

Suffering should not be a surprise. It’s not something strange. It’s planned. It’s a testing. Purifying. It proves and strengthens real faith.

In this, we are called to continue our rejoicing. Keep on rejoicing.

Keep Rejoicing

Suffering is Sharing with Christ

Our suffering as Christians is evidence of our union with Christ. It means fellowship with Christ.

1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ...”

Your sufferings are not merely your own. They are Christ’s. It’s an honor and a privilege to suffer with Christ. To be treated by the world the way it treated Him is an immense privilege.

Early in the book of Acts, at the very outset of the early church, the apostles were taken into custody for preaching Jesus. They were taken before the council. They were beaten up a bit. And then they were released.

Luke writes: Acts 5:41 “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.”

To suffer is to share with Christ. We’re not alone in our suffering. We’re not alone. We’re not alone in persecution. We’re not alone. We’re not alone when we’re mocked and slandered. We’re not alone.

We are not alone.

When the three Hebrew men—Rack, Shack, and Benny— were thrown into the fiery furnace, they discovered they were not alone. There was a forth person in the flames with them; they were not alone.

Paul was not alone; the LORD was with him in all his troubles.

Like all the rest, Jesus promises to be with us, to the very end of the age.

Suffering is sharing with Christ. Suffering is a participation in His suffering. That’s cause for rejoicing.

Keep Rejoicing

Suffering Now Means Future Glory

1 Peter 4:14 “f you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

The world believes that the absence of suffering means glory; the Christian outlook is different. God uses suffering. God takes suffering and turns it into something glorious. Something beautiful.

Life amounts to delayed satisfaction. Postponed pleasure.

Conditioning for a sport is terrible. That entire process stinks. Running shuttle drills, sprinting full court until the coach tells you to stop or someone throws up/passes out (whichever happens first).

Endurance training is long and arduous (not that I have any personal experience with any of that, but I’ve heard it’s awful). But all of that is working something in the athlete. Athletes may not enjoy the exercise and the practice and the conditioning, but the payoff is worth it come game time. The end of the race reveals the effort.

The musician probably gets tired of practicing scales and working on technique, strengthening embouchure, sight-reading, etc. The daily grind is a great deal of drudgery. But being able to play music, to master the instrument…that’s the end for which they work.

The struggle now, the suffering for now in the Christian life is leading to something so much better.

The followers of Christ know this. This is why we’re willing to suffer. This is why our brothers and sisters around the world are willing to endure torture for their faith.

The reason our brothers and sisters on the other side of the planet happily embrace persecution is this. This is why some face death all day long. Our very sufferings will be transformed into glory.

First, there is suffering. Then there is glory. 1 Peter 4:13 “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Keep Rejoicing

You Carry His Name

We suffer because of Jesus’ name. Because of our association with Him. Because we belong to Him. And what a privilege!

1 Peter 4:16 “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.”

There is no shame for suffering. There is no shame whatsoever for suffering as a Christian.

It shouldn’t be a surprise. And it ought not shame us.

We get to carry His name! What an honor it is!

The word Christian is found only three times in the Bible. Here in 1 Peter 4:16 and twice in Acts (Acts 11:26 and Acts 26:28).

The followers of Jesus were first called “Christians” in the city of Antioch. Many people used the word to denigrate believers. It was a slur. An insult.

It’s not an insult to carry His name. It’s a blessing. We are His! We belong to Christ. We carry around His name; our identity is in Him.

In the middle of the 2nd Century, a man named Polycarp (an elder in the church at Smyrna) was arrested for his faith in Jesus. If Polycarp didn’t renounce his faith, they were going to put him to death.

Polycarp said, “Eighty and six years I have served Him and He never did me any injury. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”

A Roman officer said to Polycarp, “Simply say, ‘Away with the atheists!’ and be set free.” By “atheists” the Roman officer meant the Christians who refused to say Caesar was lord.

But the aged saint Polycarp pointed to the crowd of Roman pagans surrounding him and said of them, “Away with the atheists!”

Sure enough, Polycarp was burned at the stake for the sake of Jesus’ Name.

We carry Jesus’ name around with us. If you belong to Him by faith, you carry His name. He’s given you His name, Christian. Rejoice and be glad to suffer reproach for His sake.

Keep Rejoicing

Our God is Faithful

Your Creator is faithful to care for your soul. This is verse 19 in a nutshell.

1 Peter 4:19 “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

He created you. He created you for His glory. He is faithful to do everything He has promised.

“Faithful Creator” signifies that God is sovereign and true. He is sovereign—nothing, no suffering occurs apart from His will.

He is faithful—He will see to it that suffering does its work in us.

Keep on rejoicing and commit yourself to Him. Entrust your life entirely to Him.

Committing yourself, entrusting yourself to Him shows itself in doing what is good.

Keep rejoicing. Keep committing yourself. Keep on doing good.

Those who suffer according to God’s will, those who are insulted in Christ’s name, those who suffer as Christians should entrust themselves to God.

Jesus modeled this for us. Jesus modeled this for His people.

1 Peter 2:23

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

We find the same word—entrust—at the moment of Jesus’ death on the cross. Listen to the words of Jesus:

Luke 23:46

46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

As Jesus entrusted Himself to His Father, as Jesus committed His spirit to God, so we—those who bear Jesus’ name—ought to entrust ourselves to the Faithful Creator.

We commit ourselves to Him. He is over all things, including what we suffer.

He is our strength to get through whatever we suffer.

He is present with us, never abandoning us in our time of need.

Our faithful Creator will vindicate the righteous (those who belong to Jesus). And He will condemn the wicked.

We must not dishonor God by thinking every time we suffer, He has somehow lost control or dropped the reins. Although His ways may often seem strange, ours is to trust that He is the faithful Creator.

To rejoice when we suffer is counterintuitive. It goes against every logical impulse. Our desire is for comfort and ease.

To rejoice when we suffer is what we’re being called to. We keep rejoicing, even when life is hard. We keep rejoicing, even when people mock and ridicule. We will keep on rejoicing when it’s a crime to be a Christian. We will keep on rejoicing when they beat us and throw us in prison.

We will keep on rejoicing, even in chains.

1 Peter 1:6–7 NIV

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Keep on rejoicing, no matter what. Suffering is temporary. Life with Jesus extends from this life into eternity. Joy is everlasting. Suffering will be no more.

Keep on rejoicing, Christian. You are His.