The God of All Grace

The God of All Grace 1 Peter 5:10-11 Introduction Oh, there is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound; in musing on the Father, there is a quiet for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Ghost, there is a balm for every sore. Would you lose your sorrows? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in God’s deepest sea; be lost in his immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of grief and sorrow; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the subject of God. (Charles H. Spurgeon, 1855, at 20 years old) Introduction • The passage addresses two certainties: 1. The inevitability of suffering 2. God’s personal care for Christians in the suffering • Today, we will look at 4 divine realities of Christian suffering: 1. God’s grace defines every aspect of your life. 2. God has already established your eternal destiny. 3. God personally commits Himself to your care. 4. God promises entire restoration from the negative effects of suffering. God’s Grace Defines your Life • “But the God of all grace” leads the thought in the original language (see NIV, CSB). • God’s purpose and sovereignty in the suffering, not to mention His presence through the trial (2 Corinthians 12:7ff), make all suffering a product of grace and a producer of grace. • God simultaneously works gracious purposes in suffering for you and for those around you forevermore (Romans 8:28-30). God’s Grace Defines your Life Mine are tears in times of sorrow Darkness not yet understood, Through the valley I must travel Where I see no earthly good. But mine is peace that flows from heaven And the strength in times of need. I know my pain will not be wasted Christ completes his work in me. Christ is Mine Forevermore, Thompson & Robinson God has Established your Eternal Destiny • Peter uses “who has called you” as a double subject – for emphasis. God is not just the one who is the source of all grace, but He is also the God who has established your eternal destiny. • Similar to Shakespeare’s rousing speech in Henry V: “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!” • God has called us “into” the realm of Christ’s eternal glory. As Peter mentions in 2:9, you’ve been transported by divine decree from darkness into the realm far above sin and suffering. God Personally Commits Himself to your Care • “Will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish.” The “himself” adds a personal touch of divine oversight. God isn’t going to subcontract your help or delegate it out – He’s going to personally oversee your comfort. • The four verbs that follow are futures – they’re promises! And each is its own verb. They’re four distinct promises that, taken together, give every confidence that God is going to finish what He started. God Promises to Restore you Entirely • Restore: to mend and repair that which was damaged by use • Confirm: to promote health, strength, and dynamism; opposite of weak or sickly • Strengthen: to make to stand, fix firmly; to build up in such a way that collapse is impossible. • Establish: to put your foundation deep in the earth so you will not sink or be moved (Ephesians 3:17) • God not only promises the four actions above, but has the power to see them through forever (v. 11). Reflections 1. Often, our problem with God arises not from personal suffering, but from observing the suffering of others. 2. There are two treatments for strong faith during a trial: your eyes and your people.