The Fiery Trial
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Good morning church is is good to be able to share Gods word with you this morning, if you would please turn with me in your Bibles this morning to 1 Peter 4 beginning with verse 12.
If you remember I already covered verses 1-11 a couple of weeks ago and this morning were jumping right into verse 12.
Let’s read God’s word and we will get started.
Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 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. If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. But if anyone suffers as a “Christian,” he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name. For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God?
And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?
So those who suffer according to God’s will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful Creator.
(let’s pray)
I want us to take a brief journey back in time this morning, back all the way to A.D. 64. I want you to envision yourselves in Rome and there are beautiful buildings will columns elegant streets and there are philosophers standing on the street corner teaching their beliefs on different subjects.
People seem happy they are smiling and they seem to have such a rich history, and as you look you notice something, they are running, and screaming.
All of a sudden all of the things you admired you noticed were burning, they were set on fire.
This actually happened in A.D. 64 a huge fire raged in the city of Rome. The flames spread rapidly through the cities narrow streets and the many tightly bunched wooden structures normally crowded with residents.
Because Emporer Nero desired to refurbish Rome by whatever means, the population thought Nero was responsible for starting the fire. As the fire destroyed most of the cities districts, Nero watched with a crooked smile from his Tower of MAeceanus.
Roman troops prevented people from extinguishing the fire and even started new fires.
This disaster ravaged the Romans bc many lost nearly all their Earthly goods and found everything they onced loved scroched before their eyes.
Everyone in the nation knew it had to be Nero, and when everyone began to fix their eyes on the ruler he did what any good politician will do. He got them to blame another group called the Christians.
Nero’s play was genius because the Christians were already hated for many different reasons and so it was only natural that Nero gave the people of Rome yet another reason to destroy Christianity.
Nero then capitalized on that anti-christian sentiment and punished Christians by using them as human torches to light his garden parties, by crucifying them, and torturing them in many other wretched ways.
Peter likely wrote this letter just before Nero’s persecution really hit its fever pitch. sure there had persecution already but after the fire Nero set out to ultimately wipe Christianity off the face of the map.
This is why Peters theme throughout this book has been how to respond during unjust suffering. We live in a world that has always been hostile towards Christianity, but in recent years here in our country things are becoming more and more against the followers of Christ.
Especially since much of the teaching of God’s word goes against the culture and the sin that is rampant in our times.
So Peter teaches us that its not a matter of if a trial comes but rather WHEN the trial comes we must respond correctly.
These verses teach Christians to:
expect suffering
rejoice in suffering
evaluate suffering
hand our suffering to God and trust Him with it
Expect Suffering
Expect Suffering
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Imagine with me if you will the Christians Peter is writing to. They had just made the biggest decision of their lives and they were probably filled with joy, only to be met with the greatest challenge of their lives.
They were now faced by a world that despised them, they were surprised, troubled, and confused by their suffering. Maybe they expected life to be full of blessing, benefits and divine protection. However the life of someone who follows Jesus rarely is.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.
Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
Listen, if you walk in the true gospel and preach the true gospel the world by in large is not going to like you very much. Because to tell someone the true gospel you have to help them understand that they aren’t as awesome as they think they are.
You cannot be saved unless you realize your need for salvation and that only happens by explaining to someone what sin is and how it offends God and how human beings by our own nature are sinners ion rebellion to God.
This is why Jesus told us church to count the cost before following Him.
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.
Jesus makes it plain that in order to follow Him and be a part of the kingdom of God we had to first count the cost.
Notice his endearment:
BELOVED
this conveys tenderness, compassion, affection, and genuine love for his sheep.
Listen when you are going through bad times it is nice to have someone who you know genuinely loves youand can provide protection and care during times of trial.
Severe suffering can tempt people to doubt god’s love this is the reason Job’s wife responded to Job the way she did.
Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.”
Thus the apostle here was trying to convey and reassure his readers of his and God’s unfailing love.
But he tells them DO NOT BE SURPRISED he says dont be caught off guard when the gospel of Jesus Christ is offensive to the lost and dying world!
This is implies that we as believers should never be astonished by the things this old world does to try to destroy the message of Christ.
I even catch myself from time to time saying I never thought Id ever see that… but Peter here says well Kyle you should have seen that coming a mile away.
We shouldn’t be surprised when bad things happen to good people… but its not because God does not love believers and it certainly does not mean that He is not protecting them and their loved ones when something bad happens.
Later in the verse Peter uses the same words some strange thing, or surprising thing. which gives double emphasis to Peters point.
As Christians are obedient to Gods Word and effective in proclaiming the gospel, animosity from the world and unbelievers is unavoidable.
For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
Some people like the way we smell other think we stink
They smell Jesus and church member from miles away and they hate what they sense.
He says that trials will come as a result of this, but not just any trials, he talks about something specific here, he talks about the “FIREY TRIAL” this speaks of an extraordinary trial a severly painful type of persecution. It is also used of a furnace melting down metal to purge out impurity.
It means that yes we will have trials and trouble ut there will for some Christians come a point in time where they will have to face something like they never dreamed of facing.
Extremely painful persecution.
Even to the point of imprisonment and torture.
It may be that Peter is remembering here an old prophecy from Malachi but we dont know but I am gonna read it to you.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
The text speaks of a purifying fire in contrast to the consuming fire that unbelievers will face on the day of judgement.
Malachi 4:1 speaks of this different fire of judgment coming on those who do not believe.
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.
‘Peter is saying that the persecution is the Lords refining HIs temple-His people.
Such mistreatment which comes upon believers is also for their testing, which proves the genuineness of their faith.
Suffering for righteousness not only refines us but even more than that it truly reveals whether a person is truly a believer.
Jesus mentiones this as well in one of His parables the parable of the soils when He said...
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
But Peter keeps going he says when the firey trial comes dont stop coming to church, dont turn your back on God....
Keep on Rejoicing in Trials
Keep on Rejoicing in Trials
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Peter says dont get down dont be sad because when trials come Jesus is doing something in you!
He says and Jesus says your blessed when you face this type of persecution!
“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
He says there are times of extreme pain but we need to rejoice because we are blessed because we are sharing in the sufferings of Christ!
Petere says we share in the sufferings of Christ!
He says you are following me and they are treating you the same way they treated me! Do not be sad but rejoice!!
There is coming a day of reward for your trouble.
GOD GIVES YOU DOUBLE FOR YOUR TROUBLE AMEN
Christ who suffered at the hand of wicked men even though He was without sin promised believers it would be their privilege to suffer in the same way when HE said:
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Man when intense trouble hits we have to keep our eyes focused on Jesus Christ and remember that He also went through things He did not deserve and we must keep on rejoicing, bc in the same way that God brought victory through the suffering of Christ.
(Paul and Silas in prison) (Acts 16)
God will also bring victory to those who endure trials and yet glorify His name.
The ultimate victory will come
WHEN HIS GLORY IS REVEALED!
This will come on the day that the son of Man is revealed!!
When Jesus ascended into Heaven He sat down on His throne once again at the right hand of His father and now is seated in glory, power, might , and dominion!
But everyone here on Earth has not seen it yet for it has not been revealed but oh church there is coming a day when we will see Him as HE IS THANK YOU LORD!!
When we see Him we will be like Him and we will rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory!
This word for rejoice that Peter uses here speaks of an outburst of joy and exaltion.
Notice he says you are blessed for the reproah of the name of Christ.
HIs name is what causes the anger and hatred in our world today and you might have never experienced this but I can assure you there are people and there always has been who upon hearing the name of Jesus Christ they begin to seeth with anger and hatred towards you.
I lost 3/4 of my friends the night I got saved.
Why?
Because how dare I say THERE IS SALVATION FOUND IN NO OTHER NAME THAN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST!
The word reproach in my translation or reviled in other translations means “to heap insults upon” or to denounce”
I am telling you this is why you have people in politics I believe it was Joe Biden himself who said that Christianity was a threat to liberalism simply by existing.
When people and its not just him but others when they speaks this way about Chrisitianty it is because they hate Christ and eveey person associated with Christ.
This has been this way and will always be this way.
God and HIs word reaffirm this.
But just because people hate Christians does not mean that Christians are not blessed.
WHy?
He says in (14)
BECAUSE THE SPIRIT AND GLORY OF GOD REST UPON YOU
“RESTS”- means to give relief, refreshment, and intermission from toil”
It also describes one of the ministries of the Holy SPirit which is refrehsment for your souls
Paul learned this as he stated
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So God will equip you to handle persecution and refresh you in the midst of trying time bringing relief to you heart and soul if you know Him as Lord.
Not only should we keep on rejoicing in suffering but we should also
Evaluate our Suffering
Evaluate our Suffering
But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Not all suffering brings Holy Spirit relief. Trouble that comes from lawlessness God will not bless this is not suffering for righteousness, but this suffering comes about from wickedness.
If any Christian is a murderer of a thief THEY HAVE NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PUNISHMENT FOR THEY GET WHAT THEY DESERVE.
They should not expect the Spirits power in those times. The same applies if anyone should suffer as an evil doer HE even says the same and he uses the phrase “troublesome Meddler” or “busy body in other peoples matters”
This means if you are an agitator stirring up trouble, if your someone who meddles in someone elses business then you should not expect the spirits power in your life either
and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you,
For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.
Christians are never to be trouble makers or agitators in society or in their places of work.
Listen if you seek to stir the pot, or stir up trouble you better be careful God and His word has something to say about that and it aint good.
It is alright for us to confront in love sin in someones life as far as trying to care for our brothers and sisters but regarding other private matters we are forbidden by god to do so.
Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
This is the suffering which qualifies for Holy Spirit blessing. You should not feel ashamed… “dishonered” but rather you should glorify God in this name (JEsus) praise JEsus when things get hard
This means to praise His name for the privilege and honor for suffering for Christs name sake bc of all He has done, because of all He is doing, and will forever do for His children!
This also purifies the church.
Remember the refining fire...
The Lord will purge out the sin in our lives by reminding us through difficult times that we must be soley His.
There comes a season FOR JUDGMENT TO BEGIN WITH THE HOUSE OF GOD
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
Church it is time for us to repent and get our lives situated before the Lord now this does not mean God is going to judge us eternally
YOU CANNOT LOSE SALVATION BC YOU DID NOT EARN SALVATION
YOU DO NOT HOLD AUTHORITY OVER YOUR OWN SALVATION PRAISE BE TO JESUS THEREFORE ONCE IT IS DONE IT IS DONE INDEED AMEN!!
But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.
Though God chastens us now His future judgement of those who are lost is infinitely more devastating
he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”
This is heartbreaking to think about but remember this verse when you think about not witnessing to someone.
I would rather suffer a little bit on Earth for rightesouness than to suffer for eternity in the presence of the Lamb always seeing paradise but never being able to experience it.
Always remembering there was so many chances to repent and turn to Jesus but I never did.
Hell is not filled with people God rejected but Hell is filled with people who rejected Christ.
but for those of us here on this Earth God has a plan for our trials
It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Even those who are truly saved and yet they are disobedient will not lose their salvation.
And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
We already spoke of what would happen to the ungodly and the sinner.
But it even says here that there will be some believers who are scarelcy saved, now I dont know what that means but you know what the good news is?
There is even a place for the person who was never obedient but trusted in Christ form their whole heart.
I’d rather be scarcely saved than not saved at all amen?
Thief on the cross.
TRUST GOD IN OUR SUFFERING
TRUST GOD IN OUR SUFFERING
Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
When we go through pain and heartache we have to trust that God has a plan and His plan is better than our plan even when we dont understand.
We must trust the faithful CREATOR
Listen
If God know how to perfectly align the sun and moon so that they hang in orbit, if he knows how to make the salty sea and the clean ocean never intertwine
if he knows how to care for the lillies of the field, and feeds the birds of the air.
SHouldn’t we trust that He is able to line up our lives with HIs good purposes?
Therefore let us give all that we are to all that He is and do what is good as worship to Him.
(Let us pray)
