A Word of Encouragement and Courage
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· 19 viewsBefore Jesus left to retrun to heaven he left he prayed for the disciples that God would guide and protect them. He knew that they woud hve the task of continuing what He had started. It would be their responsiblity to continue to spread the gospel. They would have to share who He was in the earth and where He was in Heaven. They would have to share God's great message of love. What He also knew was that this would not be an easy task. They would be redicued and they would even be killed but this was the mission and they would accept the challenge as they would come to understand the fullness of why Jesus came into the world and why He had to return to His place with the Father.
Notes
Transcript
Opening
Opening
This morning I want to ask you a question. What do you know to be true? Again, what do you know to be true? You may be wondering what kind of question is that. I know a lot of things that are true. You now may be wondering what is this true that I am referring to or maybe you are just waiting to see where I am going. I want to ask you again, what do you know to be true? Now let me put this in perspective for you. What do you know to be true about God? What do you know to be true about Jesus? What do you know to be true about the Holy Spirit? What do you know to be true about the scriptures the very word of God. Again, what do you know to be true?
This question is important today and forever because where we find ourselves today points to what we know to be true. Let’s look at some truth of today.
Our world is facing a medical emergency.
Our world is facing an economic decline.
Our world is concerned about resources.
People are dying .
People are being held
People are being blessed.
People are finding they have more than enough.
Babies are being born.
You see the first four things I mentioned could be seen in a negative light and the next four in a positive light. The beauty is all of this is happening simultaneously so this reminds me that, what I know to be true is this.
God is not dead, Jesus is still making intercession at the right hand of God, the holy spirit is still a comfort and a guide and the word of God is what sustains me through it all. So again, I ask you what do you know to be true.
Someone this morning needs to be reminded that God knows exactly where you are and He knows exactly what is happening around you and He wants you to here these words this morning:
For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.
Why is this important because there is another truth for today. The enemy would have us to live a life of fear and trembling and to forget the truth of who God is and how he love us. With this in mind please listen to the text this morning:
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, when it takes place to test you, as if something strange were happening to you. But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad. If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the right time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares for you.
Be sober; be on the alert. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, because you know the same kinds of sufferings are being accomplished by your community of believers in the world. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen.
Now to put this passage in context, Peter was speaking to Christians about a time of persecution that was coming and that this persecution was going to be even more intense. Remember during the time of Jesus and and after His ascension as the disciples began to share the word of God that this new Christian community would face persecution. Now that is in context to then and I want to now apply this to where we are today.
Point 1: Do not be surprised.
1 Peter 4:12 — 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, when it* takes place to test you, as if something strange were happening to you.
Point 2: Rejoice and be glad.
1 Peter 4:13 — 13 But to the degree that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that also at the revelation of his glory you may rejoice and be glad.
Point 3: No matter what, remember you are blessed.
1 Peter 4:14 — 14 If you are reviled on account of the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Point 4: Let your Godly character speak for you!
1 Peter 5:6-9 — 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the right time, 7 casting all your cares on him, because ⌊he cares⌋ for you. 8 Be sober; be on the alert. Your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 ⌊Resist him⌋, steadfast in your faith, because you* know the same kinds of sufferings are being accomplished by your community of believers in the world.
Point 5: Let God’s power show through for all to see!
1 Peter 5:10-11 — 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you* have suffered for a short time, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the power ⌊forever and ever⌋. Amen.
Life Application: Be encouraged God is standing near!
Luke 21:29-31 — 29 And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they put out foliage,[p] now you see for yourselves and[q] know that by this time the summer is near. 31 So also you, when you see these things happening, know[r] that the kingdom of God is near.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (1 Pe 5:10–11). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (1 Pe 5:6–9). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (1 Pe 4:14). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (1 Pe 4:13–14). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Harris, W. H., III, Ritzema, E., Brannan, R., Mangum, D., Dunham, J., Reimer, J. A., & Wierenga, M. (Eds.). (2012). The Lexham English Bible (1 Pe 4:12). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.