Triumph in Suffering
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Triumphing in Suffering
Triumphing in Suffering
6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials
The Church of Christ is no stranger to suffering.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
The clash of truth and error, the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness, the children of God and the children of the devil inevitably result in severe conflict.
Opposition, rejection, scorn, contempt, ostracism, persecution, and even martyrdom have often been the lot of the followers of Jesus.
Revelation 12:
17 So the dragon was furious with the woman and left to wage war against the rest of her offspring —those who keep God’s commands and have the testimony about Jesus.
Our Lord pointed out this truth.
24 A disciple is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master.
25 It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would be “despised and forsaken of men.”
Jesus plainly told His disciples that He was going to “suffer” and “be killed.”
Luke 9:
22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and be raised the third day.”
The infant church suffered greatly.
Peter and John were beaten and thrown into jail for preaching the Gospel.
Stephen was murdered for preaching the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem.
Saul of Tarsus, who would later become the Apostle Paul, “breathed threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” And following his conversion while on route to Damascus, the Lord set the course for Paul’s ministry:
Acts 9
16 I will show him how much he must suffer for My name!”
And suffer he did.
The church, always in conflict with this world, has been in periods of great persecution and suffering from day one. From the Jewish and Gentile mobs, to the Roman government official policy of persecution, to the martyrdom of those under the Inquisition of the Roman Catholic Church — the martyrdom of Jan Hus, Hugh Latimer, Thomas Cranmer, William Tyndale — and today, the brutal repression of Christians by Communists and Islamic regimes across the world.
The Apostle Peter penned this letter probably just before Nero’s persecution broke out against Christians. So, he saw the clouds gathering for immense suffering in the church. In fact, we can see from verse 1 there was already a scattering of Christians to the provinces of Asia Minor, which is modern day Turkey.
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen
So, this is not an evangelistic letter — this is a letter to Christians on Triumphing in Suffering.
And it’s interesting how he goes about it. And so, this morning I want to give you the big picture, the panoramic view of 1 Peter.
I want to first draw your attention to the driving force of his letter — the Cross.
I. The Force
I. The Force
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold,
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
This is the heart of Peter’s letter — the Cross of Christ. Look again at
:24
24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; you have been healed by His wounds.
Here again, Peter makes reference to the cross of Christ, signifying the crucial aspect of Christ’s sacrifice.
Look at 3:18.
1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm.
So, here again is the heart of his letter, the driving force behind his message — the atoning blood of Christ. Jesus Christ was the sacrifice of God, the substitutionary death of the just for the unjust. At the cross, Jesus Christ died once. And Peter seeks to remind believers of the clear necessity and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ. The heart of his letter is the imputation, the substitution, the propitiation, and the satisfaction of Christ’s sacrifice to the Father.
This is his driving force of his letter — the cross of Christ — but — and I want you to keep this in mind, but it is not the core of the letter.
The core of the letter, the purpose is Handling Suffering or better stated — Triumphing in Suffering.
II. The Purpose
II. The Purpose
In verse 1 and 2, Peter identified that he was writing to “resident aliens,” in this world who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, who were “set apart by the Spirit for obedience and for sprinkling with the blood of Jesus Christ.”
So, he is writing to believers. Again, this is not an evangelistic plea. He writes to believers — Those who were “given a new birth into a living hope” born again “through the resurrection.” And so, as we saw, he makes this repeated point about the cross. He writes to those who have obtained an “inheritance” in verse 4, “an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven.” He writes to those who are “protected by God’s power” in verse 5 “through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
So, he’s writing to believers and the force of his letter is the cross, but the purpose concerns their present and future suffering.
6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials
7 so that the genuineness of your faith —more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire —may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:6-7
Peter’s talking to them about Triumphing in Suffering. He’s talking about going through these various trials that prove the validity of their faith because it is tested the way gold is tested in fire to remove the impurities and reveal the purity of the gold — So the suffering and trials will reveal the
6 You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials
“praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
In other words, the full outcome of your suffering is the salvation of your souls. This is Triumphing in Suffering. Peter reiterates his point in
19 For it brings favor if, mindful of God’s will, someone endures grief from suffering unjustly.
:19
If you suffer harsh treatment because you’re living righteously unto God, then you find favor with God — this is Triumphing in Suffering. If you are punished because of your sin, this is not the case. And then to drive his point even more — Peter adds in verse 21 — “You were called to this!”
21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps.
Called to what? Called to suffer — to suffer triumphantly!
And look at the intensity of what Peter is talking about. This is not some easy stuff.
1 Peter 3:9
9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing.
The implication here is when you receive evil you are not to return evil for evil, or insult for insult — but, giving a blessing instead. And notice again — “Since you were called for this.”
And Why?!?
Because that’s what God is ultimately going to give you in glory for all your suffering!
And now look down to verse 13.
13 And who will harm you if you are deeply committed to what is good?
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed,
15 but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
16 However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear, so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame.
1 Peter 3:13-
Again — he’s saying just hang in there and take the suffering because you’ve been called to this.
And now look at chapter 4.
1 Peter 4;12-13
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.
13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.
Fiery ordeal — this is just another way to describe suffering. This is not some kind of alien experience. In other words, this is the usual thing for Christians. What is unusual is when Christians are not under persecution.
He continues in verse 13.
13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of the Messiah, so that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.
So, instead of being shocked and surprised at the suffering — and you know you do this when your response is complaining or anger.
Instead! Your response should be joy!
Why?
Because you understand that you are able to share in the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ — AND NOTICE THIS — “So that you may also rejoice with great joy at the revelation of His glory.” The understanding of the suffering and the joy in this suffering is directly related to greater joy when the Lord returns.
But there’s more.
19 So those who suffer according to God’s will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful Creator.
We can rightly understand our own suffering and respond rightly if we’ve first entrusted ourselves to our faithful Creator.
Entrust is a banker’s term referring to a deposit for security. We generally don’t want to let go, do we? But look who you are entrusting your soul to — the faithful Creator. Because He is the Designer of all that is and the One who sustains everything (and not only His material creation) — only He is completely able and trustworthy in doing what is exactly right. And so you can entrust yourself to His power and purpose. And He is faithful because He Himself has promised. And if we truly entrust ourselves to our faithful Creator then this would totally eliminate any anxiety.
But life happens, doesn’t it?
Look now to
7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.
9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
You’re going to suffer to some extent. You may suffer at the hands of persecutors, at the hands of slanderers, at the hand of evil people, at the hand of those who revile you, and possibly at the hand of Satan, who is prowling like a lion — what are you to do?
Cast all your anxiety on Him who cares for you. That is, in order to triumph in suffering you have to commit yourself, entrust what God is doing.
This is what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego did.
Daniel 3:16-1
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.
17 If the God we serve exists, then He can rescue us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He can rescue us from the power of you, the king.
18 But even if He does not rescue us, we want you as king to know that we will not serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.”
That is triumphing in suffering! God is able. God is wise. God caring. God is merciful. God is compassionate. God knows. God will do whatever He needs to do to accomplish what He needs to accomplish in us.
The driving force of the letter is the cross of Christ. His purpose is to Triumph in Suffering.
But how does all this come together?
III. The Message
III. The Message
Paul does an amazing thing here, something different than every other NT writer — and watch this. We said the driving force of the letter is the cross, the death of Christ and the purpose was that these believers might triumph in suffering. So, Peter doesn’t use the cross as his main point.
Can you believe this? How is the cross not the main point?
What he does is just amazing and remarkable. Peter uses the cross of Christ as an illustration! Everywhere else in the NT epistles, the cross is the main point, but not here. Peter uses the cross, the death of Christ as an illustration.
He does this to drive home his message.
He wants these suffering Christians to triumph in their sufferings. And in order to do that you must be able to commit your suffering to the purposes of God, right?
You have to do this. You have to know that your suffering finds favor with God, to know that God is pleased with your suffering. You have to know that the suffering drives you to God.
25 For you were like sheep going astray, but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
And to keep entrusting Him. That your suffering brings blessing.
23 when He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He was suffering, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed,
1 Peter 3:
That the suffering causes you to submit to His Lordship.
15 but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.
And gives you opportunity to put your faith on display like nothing else can.
And gives you joy at the reward for your suffering and gives you greater trust in your faithful Creator, purifying you so that you might be more righteous.
Here’s the point. Suffering is the path to glory. Suffering is the path to victory. Suffering is the path to purity, and blessing and eternal blessing.
And what Peter really wants to point out is the greatest Illustration of suffering is the cross!
The cross was THE greatest act of suffering in the history of mankind. But it’s not because of the scourging, or the nails driven into the hands and feet. It’s not suffocating under the weight of your own body that makes the suffering the greatest.
It’s the pain of sin bore by the One who is perfectly sinless.
It’s the pain of death suffered by the giver of life.
It’s the pain of hatred by the One who is love.
It’s the pain of suffering the full wrath of His Father because of your sin and my sin.
This is what made the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross to be the greatest in the history of mankind.
The Lamb of God, chapter 1, verse 19, shed His precious blood. The One who foreknown before the foundations of the world, but appeared in time for your sake. It was the greatest travesty of justice in human history, but perfect justice from God. The cross was the display of the full wrath of God and mercy of God in this one event. It was the greatest suffering to the greatest end.
1 Peter 1:19-21
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.
20 He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you
21 who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
All of this was through the work of Christ in that greatest moment of suffering.
But there’s one more thing we need to notice to full understand 1 Peter.
Turn to chapter 2:21.
21 For you were called to this, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in His steps.
There it is! That’s Peter’s key phrase — Leaving you an Example.
Now before you think this is liberal theology that Christ merely died as an example. That’s not the point. Peter is illustrating the death of Christ as an example of Triumphing in Suffering. Jesus triumphed in Suffering!
This is Peter’s point in the controversial verse in Chapter 3, verse 19.
1 Peter 3:19
19 In that state He also went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison
Christ’s visited the spirits in prison, that is He purposefully went to an actual place to make a triumphant announcement to captive beings. Satan and his demon may have celebrated their seeming victory in the wake of Christ’s death and burial — but He profoundly and permanently proclaimed His victory over sin and death — and Satan.
This is Triumph in Suffering.
But back up to chapter 2 again.
He commited no sin — ever. He never said anything that was sinful. He didn’t get angry with God. He didn’t get angry with His persecutors. He didn’t revile. He didn’t utter any threats.
What did Christ do “while suffering?”
He “kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.”
The greatest Sufferer gave us an example of how to Triumph in Suffering. He’s the perfect example to trust God’s purposes in our pain.
1 Peter 3:17-18
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring you to God, after being put to death in the fleshly realm but made alive in the spiritual realm.
What came of Christ’s suffering?
We were brought to God.
So, let me ask you this question:
If God can accomplish the absolute best through the absolute worst in the life of His Son, Then should you ever question what He will accomplish in your suffering?
Peter concludes in 5:10.
10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.
That’s amazing! Restored, established, strengthened, and supported — AFTER you have suffered a little. That’s worth it, isn’t it?
Yes, that’s more than worth it.
Let’s Pray.
Father in heaven,
We pray thanking you for giving your servant Peter this amazing message. Christ our example of Triumphant Suffering. Give us the grace to entrust ourselves to Your tender wisdom, power, and care. And we pray with Peter — “To You be dominion forever and ever. Amen!”