Exiles in the Household of God

[Announce text] Please look with me in Scripture at 1 Peter 4:12-19.

[Scripture introduction] In Peter’s first letter, the Apostle addresses the elect exiles who are experiencing egregious suffering and tribulations for the sakes of Jesus Christ. And during their time of persecution, Peter softens the blows of their immediate pain by restating the promise of Spirit’s presence in their lives and the foretold judgement which will fall on those who do not obey the gospel.

[Reannounce and read text] Please turn with with me word on suffering as a Christian in 1 Peter 4:12-19. Please stand with me for the reading of the Word.

[Prayer for illumination] Holy Father, we marvel in that you count us as worthy to share in the sufferings of Christ and so too, in his glory. We pray that you sanctify us in truth, for your word is truth; and by hearing today, we believe and respond in honorable living for Christ who has suffered for us. We pray in the holy name of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

[Introduction] Last week I started a new family practice early in the morning with Lydia and Isaac. All three of us would get dressed, and head outdoors to walk to the East end of Argyle until we reached the dirt road. Along the way we found many interesting finds like a few Branded Wollybear Caterpillars crawling across road, dozens of Chicory flowers, and one noticeably large tree with a silly face decoration that grabbed your attention. Every single one of these encounters brought all of us smiles, giggles, and joy.

The children enjoyed seeing the Branded Wollybear Caterpillars so much that when I found another outside of the house I told them grab their shoes and watch it. What was first a happy event quickly turned sour. The kids came in and told Sarah and I that Isaac crushed the caterpillar.

Now you may be thinking, boys are going to be boys. But what did that caterpillar do to deserve that kind of suffering? He was minding his own business - creeping and crawling along the grass of the earth and then one big five year old thought in his head, “Well, why not pulverize this little bug? It be fun!”

Sometimes we can relate to these little caterpillars. These little bugs are living their best life just creeping and crawling minding its own business and just like us without any notice the extraordinary happens and now a big foot is upon your head causing you significant suffering and pain.

Ouch! Where did that come from? It is as suffering is a universal part of the human experience. Wherever we go there are break news of trials and affliction.

You are thinking about the recent destruction of hurricane Helene its reported death toll of 160 people. Or the new missile strikes that are firing around Israel and Lebanon. Or the new potential financial pain that could be around the corner with Longshoreman strike and how their CEO stated, “I will crush you.” Until his union settles for a fair new deal.

When I hear about all this new of suffering and pain. I run back to God and ask him, “Why, Lord?”

But what if God is using these events to do something in for you and me? What if God is using these times of suffering and pain to shape you?

Perhaps you should wonder...

[FCF] What can your life trials of suffering teach you concerning the will of God?

[Scripture bond] It is in Peter’s first letter to suffering Christians where you can clearly see how God’s will is in the times of your suffering and how He uses your trials to do something that wouldn’t never happened before. That’s why I call you to return to 1 Peter 4:12-19 with me and see how God is moving in your life even during season of fiery trials.

Peter tells us the first truth concerning our times of suffering that you and I should grasp which is...

[Main point 1] Your fiery trials are not random acts of sufferings, but divinely ordained events to bless you for your good.

[Explanation] How is this so? Remember what God’s word says about you. You are loved by the God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. It was God who redeemed you by the means of Christ’s blood to save and give you a life worth living. And the being loved and known by God, we are confident that nothing in this world happens without the approval of God (cf. Job 1).

Every trial is not a surprise from the Lord, neither it should be surprising to you. It is not a strange event happening to you. But is an action permitted or moved by the hand of God for you good.

Why would the Lord let times of not just trials…but fiery trials come?

[Illustration] Remember the biblical story found in Daniel. When his three friends were tested by fire. King Nebuchadnezzar made an golden image and commanded all the people to fall down and worship it. The consequence for disobedience would be to be cast into a burning fiery furnace.

The three friends of Daniel heard the music play and following their convictions. They chose to be throw in the flames of death rather than break the commandment of the Lord.

After their refusal this is what happened next...

Daniel 3:15–18 ESV

15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The furnace was heated seven more times more than what was normally heated. The men were thrown in alive and yet, nothing happened. There was three of them plus one unidentified man inside the furnace with them.

After the king called out to them.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Do you believe these men grew in faith? Certainly they did.

It is during these times of ordain fiery trials when God will use persecution and pain to result in further blessings. How so?

When God permits pain, he blesses by letting us rejoice because we are sharing in Christ’s life and we know his coming is drawing near day-by-day. It is through God’s ordain plan that these blesses come to pass and providing a great presence of God’s Spirit of glory to rest upon you.

[Application] So when fiery trials come, rather than falling face down. Rejoice for your life is sharing all thing in Christ and which includes his coming glory. Give thanksgiving meal at your table. Host a party of celebration for you are counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ (Acts 5:41-42).

If we see our suffering in this light, we then learn that God will use it for our good. Just like Scriptures teaches in the book of Romans, Paul writes.

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Secondly, the trial teach you another lesson. God permits and moves these suffering for our good, but also to change you for the better.

[Main Point 2] Your fiery trials can be circumstances of the Lord’s discipline, and as members of the household of God, the Lord is refining your soul for your good.

[Explanation] See in verse sixteen where the Lord’s holy heats resides upon. It is placed upon the household of God. It is his righteous judgement that comes to the world, but before its cast upon the unbelieving world. It comes to the household of God to purify and cleanse it from sin. For if we belong to the Lord, he will not tolerate his house being defiled vices and sins of this world, rather he will cast into the fiery furnace until all its impurities are melted away.

Think about Jesus, when the traders were selling and trading in his Father’s house. Remember Jesus’s anger? He was so heated that he flipped tables and scattered the merchants’ coins. Nothing was left undone. He cleaned out the house, because of what was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (Psalm 69:9).

When read this verse of the Lord’s judgement begins at the household of God. I do not see it as condemnation upon us. Remember we are blessed and are his beloved elect exiles who are awaiting for the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Rather I see it as Lord is using fiery trials caused by his loving hand to purge you and I of evil habits that have crept in slowly over time.

[Illustration] Perhaps we should see Lord as the divine blacksmith who is forging his people to become the instruments who fulfill his will. Before he can do this, he must refine us into the beauty image of Jesus.

How does he do this?

Heating: Blacksmiths used a forge to heat metal, often using charcoal as fuel. The metal was heated until it was red-hot and pliable enough to be worked.

Hammering: Once the metal was hot, it was placed on an anvil, and the blacksmith would hammer it into the desired shape. This required precision, as the blacksmith had to control the force and direction of each blow to achieve the correct form.

Drawing Out and Upsetting: Blacksmiths would "draw out" metal by hammering it to lengthen and thin it, or "upset" it to thicken and shorten parts of the workpiece. These techniques allowed for the creation of different shapes and sizes.

Quenching: After shaping the metal, it would often be quenched, or cooled rapidly, by plunging it into water or oil. This process helped to harden the metal, especially steel, by altering its crystalline structure.

Tempering: After quenching, the metal might become too brittle, so blacksmiths would reheat it to a lower temperature in a process called tempering. This helped to reduce brittleness while maintaining hardness, making the metal more durable and less likely to break.

God uses the fiery trials of unfortunate events heat, hammer, quench, and temper you and I into people who represent him. That why not all moments are suffering are bad or wrong, but are experience God is using to reform us.

[Application] Your spiritual refinement is God’s tool to lead you to repentance. So when times of fiery trials comes, perhaps you should be repenting from sin for it could be God’s way of changing our hearts for our good.

Lastly, the Lord will suffer time of suffering in this way.

[Main Point 3] Your fiery trials are opportunities to entrust yourself fully to God, as Jesus did on the cross while doing good.

[Explanation] Christ’s suffering and glorification is the means in which we entrust our souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. We see this demonstrated with Christ suffering for the world’s sins and entrusting himself to the Father who raised him from the dead. “Father into your hands, I commit my Spirit!” (Luke 23:46). His suffering brought about our redemption and restoration, therefore, trust God in all things.

Likewise, if we know that all fiery trials are meant for our good by God’s will, then we must entrust ourselves full to him while doing good to everyone.

Even in times of suffering, we do not question the goodness of God. He has given us eternal life and disciplines you and I from a spirit of love.

[Illustration] Imagine a "trust fall," where someone falls backward into the arms of their teammates, trusting them to catch them. In life, suffering can feel like a trust fall—we can't always see what's ahead, but we can trust our "faithful Creator." Just as in a trust fall, we rely on God to catch us and carry us through. Even in hard times, we're called to keep doing good because our confidence is in God's faithfulness, not our circumstances.

[Application] Will you fall back and trust God with every opportunity and believe he is using these events of fiery trials to bring about rejoicing and refinement?

He indeed is a faithful God. There is pain, trial, or tribulation but your God is besides you through it all.

I would am now led to speaking this truth to you know.

[Proposition] When you feel the heat of suffering, rejoice because God is at work and he is blessing and refining your soul.

[Conclusion] If you have felt the heat of the Lord, know your God is there. He is blessing you when the world is cursing. He is cleaning up your soul and melting away the impurities of your heart. He is giving you new opportunities to trust him even if your enemies throw you in the furnace.

Your are his beloved elect exile. You have an eternal home. Now never be surprised by fiery trials of this world and when they come continue to entrust yourself now to care of Jesus Christ. He is our God and Savior. Let us rejoice and be glad for all he has done. Amen.