1 Peter 4

Bottom line

Suffering is not always enjoyable, but good comes from it.

Opening Line

We’ve been talking about suffering a lot lately, and a couple times we’ve read that you should consider it joy when you suffer. Honest talk, does anyone actually enjoy going through a hard time?

Introduction

It really depends on your perspective of the matter. If you are just coming out of a tough time, you can some times look back and see that some good came out of it. You (hopefully) learned something from the experience and are strengthened and wiser from it. You may have resolved some tension in a personal relationship, and the relationship is stronger then it ever has been.

For some, you may still be too close to the suffering to be able to see the benefits of it. When you think about the tough time, you still only see and feel the hurt from it. You are just glad it is over and you are praying you don’t have to go through that again. That is a fair perspective.

Some of you might be going through some hardship right now and all you see and feel is how uncomfortable it is at the moment. You can only see what is wrong, and you can’t see how it could ever be resolved. Every time you read the verse in James that says consider it pure joy when you face trials and tribulations, you grit your teeth a little. In your head, all you can think is, “You don’t understand what I’m going through, you don’t get it!”

Honestly, you’re right. I don’t understand, but I serve a God who does. Jesus knows what it is like to have your trust betrayed and your family turn their backs on you. He suffered every kind of injustice you and I ever will. That is why it is a joy to follow Jesus with your whole life, because He gets it and will never abandon you in the midst of the struggle.

Main Point

This morning, I want to give some context for why you should face suffering with joy and anticipation. I have given you some reasons over these past weeks, but this morning I’m going to share with you the seven benefits of suffering.

Why it matters

If you can capture these in your heart, I believe it will change your mindset when the tough times come. The truth is that life is full of hardships and challenges. The question is whether or not you are going to let those challenges break you, or make you stronger.

Scripture

1 Peter 4:1–3 NLT

So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have finished with sin. You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God. You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols.

1. Suffering loosens sin’s grip on you

The reality is that everything is wrong in this world, in our culture, and in your life sepcifically is because of sin. The wages of sin is death. Even that secret sin that you hope no one knows anything about and you think is harmless, it really isn’t. All sin brings consequence, and when you begin to realize that the suffering you are experiencing is because of your own sin or someone else’s, you start to become disenfranchised with it. Sin begins to lose its appeal. When you start to connect the dots that the momentary pleasure results in long term suffering, you begin to distance yourself from the source of the suffering, which is sin. Suffering loosens sin’s grip on your life.

1 Peter 4:4–5 NLT

Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you. But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead.

2. Suffering causes others to see you differently

This is in light of the first one. As you distance yourself from sin, you will find yourself distancing yourself from people who continue to sin. You will view life differently, and your friends will see it. As you distance yourself from certain activities, the snide comments start to come. “You think your better than us?”

As Peter points out, everyone is going to stand before God on the Day of the Lord, and it is going to be a very different experience for the believer and the unbeliever. As suffering breaks sin’s grip on you, people are going to begin to notice.

1 Peter 4:6 NLT

That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.

3. Suffering places you in good company

Matthew 5:11–12 NLT

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

2 Timothy 3:12 NLT

Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

3. Suffering places you in good company

The prophets all suffered for their faith in God, and very soon everyone who was reading this letter when Peter originally wrote it would experience suffering like nothing the world had ever seen up to this point. Of the 11 apostles of Jesus, only John would die of old age, and it wasn’t from lack of trying to kill him in gruesome ways. Still today, millions of Christians face almost certain death for their faith. When you suffer for doing what is right and living out your faith in Christ, you join the company the martyred, and that is good company to be connected to!

1 Peter 4:7 NLT

The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.

4. Suffering keeps you focused on eternity

Peter says the world is coming to an end soon. Jesus said this life is but a whisper in the wind compared to eternity. Suffering reminds you that this is not all there is to life, and that a glorious eternity awaits you. When there is nothing going right in this world, praise God that your home in eternity is free from sin and its consequences!

On the flip side, when things are going good and life is comfortable, that is most people take their eyes off eternity. Why would I have to hope for heaven when everything here and now is going pretty good? Suffering refocuses us and keeps our attention where it should be: our true home in the pure presence of God Almighty. Suffering helps you live in light of that reality.

1 Peter 4:8–11 NLT

Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

5. Suffering frees us to participate in ministry

What is something that most helps the most in tough times? When you are surrounded by people who love you. Suffering opens you up to receive ministry as the church and your loved ones respond to your hardship with hospitality and care. Suffering is when you need the most support and when you often get it the most. This is why you are always encouraged to not suffer in silence. When you open up about the tough times you are facing, it gives the church family the opportunity it needs to respond and minister to you.

But suffering also creates opportunity for the church to minister. This is something smaller communities are good at. Most everyone knows what is going on with each other, and people are generally willing to help out when they can. The church should feel the burden to help most of all because we have the opportunity to love people the way Christ loves them. Suffering creates opportunity to participate in ministry.

1 Peter 4:13–14 NLT

Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

6. Suffering allows you to experience glory

The best analogy to help you understand what this means is childbirth. During the delivery of the baby, the mother experiences huge amounts of pain and agony. As it is well documented, it is the worst pain a human being can experience! But ladies, what happens when the baby arrives and you are holding that child in your arms? You forget the pain because the baby has arrived! You are experiencing the glory that is only possible because of the suffering you endured.

Romans 8:28 NLT

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

God causes everything, including your suffering, to work together for the good. I would say that in the West, people often avoid suffering and prefer to experience comfort and good things. One of the things that Peter has said is that your faith is like gold that can only be refined through the fire. Is it possible that the suffering you are working so hard to avoid is the very suffering that is going to bring you the greatest joy? If you have a family member who is not following the Lord, and you have been praying for them for years. When they finally make the decision to love Jesus, will not all those prayers and tears reap a great joy? Suffering allows you to experience glory.

1 Peter 4:19 NLT

So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.

7. Suffering reminds us to faithfully commit our lives to our Creator

Why is it that Peter includes the line, “who created you?” Of all the descriptions and titles that have attributed to God, why does he draw the connection to Creator? Because it is the reminder that just as God created you, He also created the person that is causing your suffering. It is the reminder that nothing happens unless God allows it. This verse is a reminder that of all the people in your life that you can trust, God is at the top because He has never failed to keep His word, and is completely worthy of your trust. If He says He can work your current situation to your good, then you need to seek Him and allow Him to reveal how.

He will never fail you. God is the source of your hope and your strength. You can trust Him through the trial you are experiencing.

Transition to Application

Now it is fine to say that there’s these seven benefits to suffering and they are great right now while they are fresh in your mind. Do you know when you will have the hardest time remembering them? It is going to be when you need them the most. So how do you apply this to your life?

Main To Do

There is an underlying theme running through these benefits that becomes the most important application point. The truth that needs to stand out to you today is that you are not alone. You have a spiritual enemy that wants to isolate you from everyone and everything that could help you conquer him and the trials he sends your way. It is the most prevalent lie that goes through your mind when things get tough. You think you are alone.

The truth is that you are not. Jesus suffered everything you will suffer, and so He understands and walks with you through the suffering. The prophets from before you suffered just as you do, and God has given you a church family to support and minister to you in the suffering. You are not alone.

This is why OneChurch is pushing for small groups. When you are plugged into a small group, you gain a support group that you can reach out to and lean on when life gets tough. I can not possibly meet every one of you in your struggle by yourself. There is almost 100 people that call OneChurch their church and I don’t have enough time to meet every one. But if you have a small group, I don’t have to because your group will do it, and they will do a way better job of it then I possibly could.

So find a small group. We’ve got three leaders signed up already, and I’m hoping for five. If you get plugged into one of those groups, you will be cared for and discipled in a way that simply isn’t possible without a small group. You need it, and I hope this week you will make an effort to find one.

Let’s pray

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you from the chapter or the message?

2. Which of the seven benefits stood out to you? Why?

3. Have you signed up for a small group? What is holding you back? What would you hope to get out of a small group?