Advent: Joy in Light of Suffering

Introduction

Jesus came so that we could know joy. On the night of Jesus’ birth, an angel of the Lord visited a group of shepherds and said, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” So, the angel told the shepherds that the good news of Jesus’ birth was that he was the Savior through whom all people could find joy. But, the difficulty is that we find the pursuit of joy, even as people who follow Jesus, to be an ever present battle, don’t we?

Joy is elusive because suffering is pervasive. Every person in here that has lived for any period of time knows the bitter tears of suffering. Just last week, our church family buried a senior saint and a baby within two days of each other. Suffering is pervasive, and joy seems elusive. And so, this week, we jump from the beginning of the Bible toward the end, from the OT to the NT, from Genesis to Peter was written to Christians who knew too well the pervasiveness of suffering, and so, Peter writes these words to them so that they might live joyfully in the face of their suffering. And, that’s what I want us to see today. I want us to see that because of the advent of Christ, joy doesn’t have to be elusive, even in the midst of suffering.

God’s Word

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“For it is better to suffer for doing good”

“For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” This morning, we come to one of the most difficult and controversial passages in the NT. Martin Luther even said that he has no idea what Peter is talking about here. Every passage of Scripture is given to us in a context, and by looking at the context here, we have some idea of the intention of Peter when he was authoring these words. Verse 17 says “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” And, then if we look at 4:1 in the verse immediately following this passage, it basically says that we should prepare our minds to suffer as Christ suffered and to endure as Christ endured.

So, what we can see is that Peter is writing this difficult passage for the purpose of helping Christians in the midst of great suffering. The purpose of this passage is to help us to see why it is better to suffer for doing good and how it looks to emulate Christ in the way that He lived and suffered on earth. And, understand that these Christians knew suffering. Nero, the emperor of Rome, had pinned his own arsonist ambitions on them, and he unleashed a relentless and cruel persecution upon the early church. They were covered in hot wax and lit as candles in his gardens, fed to lions of sport in the coliseum, and crucified in the likeness of Christ. And so, Peter writes pastorally and lovingly to these Christians, exhorting them to “rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings.” Suffer and rejoice! Have joy in the face of great trial!

3 Principles of Joy Found in Jesus’ Advent

Jesus came so that suffering could be sweet. (V. 18)

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous” In talking about our suffering, Peter starts by talking about Jesus’ suffering. And, this cannot be lost on the believer as they suffer. It’s easy for us, in the midst of our suffering, to lose sight of who we’re following and why we’re following him, isn’t it? We are following the Suffering Servant. . We are following one who was innocent yet striped, pure yet beaten, loving yet hated. And, as Peter looks to these suffering Christians, He is reminding them that they are following the Suffering Servant. That is, suffering should be expected when you have committed your life to following the Christ whose entire mission was centered upon his own suffering.

Jesus for Me!

We are following the Suffering Servant.

“the righteous for the unrighteous” And, He reminds them: Not only did Jesus suffer, but He suffered for your sake. We get so wrapped up in our own suffering that we have this tendency to throw pity parties, don’t we? How could this happen to me? To my family? To my kids? To my church? But, Peter is calling out our tendency toward hypocrisy. Christ suffered for us long before we were ever asked to suffer for him. And, for his suffering, He traded us everything good in him for everything bad in us. It was good for bad. Life for death. Reward for condemnation. Adoption for judgement. Kindness for wrath. Joy for destruction. Hope for despair. Strength for weakness. Grace for law. Jesus for me!

“the righteous for the unrighteous” We are the reason for his suffering.

APPLICATION: Christian, as you suffer, reject the pity parties that creep into your life! Jesus traded himself for you. Jesus suffered for you. And, He suffered so that your suffering might not be the end for you. Christ’s suffering had a purpose, and it’s purpose was to bring you to God. It was to bring you into a joy that was rock solid, not fluctuating.

“that He might bring us to God” He is the reason for our joy.

God has not forsaken you; He has adopted you. Jesus is not leaving you; He’s sustaining you.

APPLICATION: Christ suffered for a purpose, and so do you.

Suffering Now Makes Victory Sweeter

APPLICATION: “being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” Remember who you’re following. Remember your cost to him. But, be sure to remember his victory! He who was put to death in the flesh was made alive in the spirit. He who was buried in the earth, was resurrected, and then ascended. So, you will suffer, but don’t believe for one second that your suffering is a sign of defeat. No, your temporary suffering is being used by God to increase your heavenly reward. Your suffering now is only suffering to make the victory of Christ all the sweeter. As you persevere, as your faith is strengthened, as God’s promises are proven, as you are conformed more into his image, the awaiting arrival into the presence of Jesus is made all the more triumphant. Brothers and sisters, Jesus came so that you could win against death and against sin and against suffering. Suffering is not God’s betrayal; suffering is a gateway for God’s blessing. “We are fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Suffering is not God’s betrayal. It is a gateway to share in God’s glory. It is a pathway to experience deeper his joy. Jesus makes suffering sweet!

Jesus came to make judgement glorious. (V. 18-20)

“in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison” Now, this brings us to the most difficult part of this passage to understand in our text. It says that Jesus went and proclaimed/preached to spirits in prison for they were wicked in the day of Noah. So, what in the world is this talking about? Some have interpreted this to mean that Jesus descended into hell in the days between Good Friday and Easter. Some have believed that this is speaking of Jesus preaching through Noah during his day. But, I want to humbly present to you a view that is different than those. First, let me make a few observations.

Ascension, not Descension

“being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” The word translated as ‘flesh’ here is used 6 times in 1 Peter. At least 4 of those times refer to life on earth, not the physical body. Likewise, ‘make alive’ is used ten times in the NT, each used with God as the one doing it, and often as a synonym for resurrection or being raised. In addition, ‘spirit’ is often used to describe the control of the spirit or the realm of the spirit, that is, the realm of Christ’s rule. It’s bringing into view that Jesus came into the earthly realm and was murdered, but He was raised showing that He is a ruler not confined to earth. Thus, verse 22 (‘which corresponds to this') says, “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” So, this is not so much talking about a mere body that was buried and then raised, but two realms, an earthly realm in which it appeared Christ was defeated, and then a heavenly realm which it is proven Christ rules. So, Peter is telling his readers, just as Christ suffered and died in the earthly realm but was raised in victory and glory in the far greater heavenly realm, so will you be. I see this as being about ascension, descension. It’s not that Christ descended into hell, but that He ascended to his proper throne.

Judgement

Judgement or Salvation?

“were brought safely through the water” Next, I want you to notice how verse 20 is phrased. It says that Noah’s family, which is the overwhelming minority of only eight people, were saved through the water. Now, what is water? What is the instrument of judgement, isn’t it? So, an entire generation was absolutely obliterated by the water, but a remnant, a few, a single family with God’s favor were delivered by the water. So, the instrument of judgement for most was the means of salvation of a few. Both experienced the same flood. Most were destroyed because of the flood. They faced their doom through the flood. But then, there was the remnant. Then, there was Noah’s family. The flood didn’t condemn them; it saved them. Through the flood, they knew mercy, not anger.

Christ Preaches from His Judgement Seat

So let’s put this together: Noah preached to his generation, yet no one else got on the ark.  When the judgement came, everyone wanted on the ark, but the time of judgement had already passed.  Noah passed through the judgement, and the rest of his generation was crushed by it.  For Noah, the ark was the most glorious reality, but for the rest of his generation it proved the tragedy of their unbelief.  So is Christ's judgement seat.  For some, it is the source of praise.  For most, it is the source of agony's cry.  For the redeemed, it is the source of life.  For the condemned it is the reminder of death.  For the church, it compels the question: why would He love me?  For the judged: How could I not love him?  You see, from the his throne, from his judgement seat Jesus is preaching to the dead and to living.  To the dead, He preaches judgement, and to the living, He preaches joy.  And, it is the same sermon heard from vastly different perspectives.  It is the source of greatest satisfaction and at the same time deepest regret.  The ark is beautiful if you're on board, and devastating if you glimpse it as you're drowning.  The very instrument of judgement for most is the means of salvation for some.  Christ is seated on his throne with all peoples and all creatures subjected to him, and that is either life's most glorious news or eternities most haunting.

Jesus Came to Make Judgement Glorious

APPLICATION: At some point, you will kneel before Christ’s judgement seat. And, it will either be the day that you hear, “Depart from me, for I never knew you,” or “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” It will either be the day that you are crushed or the day that you are glorified. Brothers and sisters, Jesus came to make judgement glorious! Jesus came so that your suffering now might turn to glory then. Jesus came so that at the judgement you might trade your scars for crowns and your tears for treasure. But, if you reject him as most will, if people who live as though God is real and God is everything appear strange to you, if you wonder why those crazy people are building the ark or are giving of their money and time or are choosing a more difficult life, then you have not yet known or loved Jesus’ glory, and for you, judgement will be devastating. Listen to me: I have Good News! Jesus has come to make your judgement glorious! Come aboard! Come aboard!

Jesus came so you could walk in victory. (V. 20-22)

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you” And so, Peter drives this home with a word of encouragement to these suffering Christians. “You may feel like you are on an island. You may feel like an entire generation is against you. You may know the pain of hatred and resentment. You may live as an outcast. Your flesh may be wasting away. You may be suffering near intolerable pain, but remember your baptism! Remember your baptism! Remember what your baptism means! You were buried into the water like Jesus into the ground. You look around at your life, and it feels like you’re losing. You wipe tears from your face, and it feels like you’re losing. Your only eight people in the midst of an entire generation, and it looks like you’re losing. But, remember, Jesus didn’t stay buried! You didn’t stay beneath the water! You were raised from the water as Christ was raised from the grave. You were buried in the likeness of his death, but you were raised to walk in a new life with new power and with prevalent grace. So, walk in victory! Walk in victory as you suffer! Walk in victory as you weep! Walk in victory as you bury your beloved! Walk in victory for Christ is ruling over all of this! And, as Christ suffered, you will suffer. But, as Christ won, you are winning!

APPLICATION: Brothers and sisters, Jesus came so that you could walk in victory! Not just tears, but crowns. Not just hardship, but glory. Jesus came so that you could have joy in light of your suffering.