Sermon Tone Analysis

*Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 4:12-14*

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*Title:  1 Peter 4:12-16 - Suffer as Christians part 1*

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*Introduction:*  We often admire the servants of God like Stephen, Peter, Paul, and those martyred today like Martin Burnham and John Elliot.

We desire to have faith like theirs that moved mountains.

We don’t know if the roles would have reversed if we would do the same thing as they did.

In Jan. 1848, James Marshall found gold in Coloma California and started what proved to be the greatest rush westward in the history of our country.

Today, wanting to know what molded and shaped the martyrs, we can say, “there is gold in this here passage.”

And believe it or not suffering plays a vital role in our molding and shaping if we suffer for the right reasons.

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*Central Idea:  Sufferings will happen so how and why do you suffer?*

Main Transition:  This morning we are through with the preparations and ready to enter the battle field.

We have put on the armor of suffering, we have recognized our comrades in suffering and today we will learn to suffer as Christians.

Peter’s instruction begins with the call to expect sufferings, but as we suffer we are able to rejoice in those sufferings, if we are careful to make sure that we are considering the reasons that we suffer.

*I.

Expect sufferings (12)*

 

            A.

A startling challenge

 

1.

Peter turns to his readers and he lowers his voice and speaks to their souls

 

                                    a.

He refers to them as beloved

 

b.

The term means – Dearly loved ones Wuest says that he was reminding his readers that they were loved with all the love in the heart of God.

 

2.

Peter upon reminding them and us of the Love of God he embarks on a subject that was at central to every believer Peter was writing to.

a.

Peter instructs them to not be surprised

 

b.

What he is so passionately teaching is that as a believer we should stop thinking of sufferings as alien to us.

Application:  Our mindset is that when we suffer we must have done something wrong.

When the world mocks the testimony of our Salvation we cower in the corner.

But what Peter is preparing us for is the truth that we will suffer and in fact we must consider suffering as a badge of honor when we suffer for righteousness sake.

B.

The fire-pit of sufferings

 

1.

Peter lowers his voice to reach the soul of the beloved and now he reminds them of their past.

a.

He reminds them of the fiery ordeal – no doubt their minds reflected back on the days in which Rome was burning but Peter also adds a special element to the mix.

b.

Peter uses a word to refer to the refiners fire, he takes his readers back to Chapter 1:7 and reminds that this fire, or these trials are used to refine us and to purify our faith.

2.

The indication from this passage is that the sufferings are not from God, but God is in infinite mercy and grace use even the trials the world throws at us for His Glory and our Good.

Application:  No doubt Job was tested and tried in the fire-pit of sufferings and He praised and worshiped God allowing those sufferings to purify His faith, even as it brought him to the point of despair, as it is there that the wounded soul looks up to heaven.

C.

Suffering on purpose

 

1.

This suffering comes not as a stranger, but as one with whom we are familiar with.

2.

We understand that sufferings have a purpose and that God is at work even while we wrestle against the sufferings of the flesh.

Transition:  Peter’s tone has changed, it has dropped and we realize that he is talking right to the heart of the concerns of the people of God.

They are suffering, it is real to their hearts and to their minds.

Yet, God is working and God is perfect.

This understanding provided the jump off point to introduce the hardest part of sufferings that we are able to…

 

*II.

Rejoice in Sufferings (13-14)*

 

            A.

Suffering for the right reasons

 

1.

Peter begins to construct our understanding to the reason we should suffer and the reasons we should not suffer.

2.

Peter says, “to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ.”

In other words, in so much as you suffer for the things that Christ suffered there you may find rejoicing.

3.  Peter is specific in helping us understand that just because we suffer does mean that we are to rejoice.

But when you suffer because standing firm on the Word of God suffering produce joy.

B.

Sufferings produce great joy

 

1.

Peter now encourages that when you suffer for doing rightly you are to rejoice and indeed as the end of the age appears and the time of the rapture comes we will be exceedingly joyous as we see the glory of God.

 

2.

Rejoice with exultation means that we are to be exuberantly happy at what the sufferings we faced have molded us into at the time that Christ returns for His bride.

C.

Sufferings provide strength

 

1.

Peter having discussed the benefits of suffering for righteousness sake now reveals another value to suffering – we understand already that suffering produce purity but there is more

 

2.

If you are reviled for the name of Christ you are  blessed –

 

a.

This term means prosperous

 

b.

Jesus said store up treasures in heaven where moth and rust cannot destroy,

 

c.

If you are prosperous by the world’s standard you are not storing treasures in heaven by that standing, but if you are prosperous in sufferings you are blessed by the Lord

 

3.

This blessing has heavenly affects but also earthly  -

 

a.      this blessing produces rest – The term for rest is a agricultural term, which carries the picture of letting your land rest from the stresses of producing a crop

 

b.

For the believer this means that the Holy Spirit is providing that rest needed, He is taking our the battle with sin in our lives, the Spirit of glory is allowing us to be refined and live more and more godly lives.

Transition:  The message that the Lord is teaching to you and I correlates with our central question, sufferings will happen so how and why are you suffering?

The believer who stands firm and suffers for righteousness sake will find prosperity stored up in heaven, rest, and bring glory to God.

But just so that we understand why we should suffer Peter defines it for us as we…

 

*III.

Consider your reasons for suffering (15-16)*

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*            *A.

Avoid deserved sufferings

 

1.

Peter reminds his readers of their past, before Christ, but some were still practicing sin and were suffering for it.

2.

So Peter gives a list that by no means is to intended to be an exhaustive list, but it sets our minds on the right track

 

a.

We are to not suffer as a murder, or a thief, or evil doer, or troublesome meddler.

I think that we would understand these all.

b.

A troublesome meddler, or some translations say a busybody, is a self appointed overseer of other men’s matters.

This goes beyond gossip

 

Illustration:  I found this great illustration that I just can’t pass up.

Martha, the church gossip and self-appointed monitor of the church’s morals, kept sticking her nose into other people’s business.

Several member’s did not approve of her extra curricular activities, but feared her tongue enough to maintain their silence.

She made a mistake, however, when she accused Henry, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town’s only bar one afternoon.

She emphatically told Henry and several others that everyone seeing it there would know what he was doing.

Henry a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away.

He didn’t explain, defend or deny.

He said nothing.

Later that evening, Henry quietly drove over and parked his old pickup in front of Martha’s house, walked home and left it there all night.

You Gotta Love Henry!!

 

            B.

Suffering like a Christian