Let's turn together to 1 Peter 4 as we read together the chapter, the 19 verses, the text being verses 12 through 19. I have inserted as a heading before chapter 4, living for God. In essence, that's what Peter is now talking about, encouraging God's people to live for God, even in the midst of difficulty, suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter chapter 4, as we read the chapter, hear now the word of God. Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the Spirit. The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. What follows is the words of the text. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed. For the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or a thief or any other kind of criminal or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed. But praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God. And if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Shall we bow in prayer, asking God's blessing upon the reading of His Word? Father, we do thank You again in this morning hour for Your most holy Word, Your Word of truth. And may we understand it as Your Word of truth and believe it to be such. We pray for Your blessing upon Your Word which has been read and upon Your Word which is to be preached. We pray, Holy Spirit, that You would be busy and active here in this morning hour. That You would open our hearts. That You would pour into us Your most holy Word and strengthen the faith which You have given to us as a precious gift. And Father, we pray that You would give us strength indeed to stand fast under the suffering which You may visit upon us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Dear people of God, we don't like pain and suffering, do we? At least I assume that's true for most of us. We simply don't like pain and suffering. Although it's normal to go through pain and suffering from time to time, whether it be physical pain, mental pain, or emotional pain, it's not normal to like it. What is normal is to do whatever you can to try to escape it. Boys and girls, if you go to your mom or dad and say, you know, it hurts when I bite myself in the arm, they will probably look at you and say, well, then stop biting yourself in the arm. Sometimes the sand on the beach or maybe the black asphalt parking lot can be really, really hot and it can hurt our bare feet. And then we don't just stand there, do we? We might dance around a little bit until we can get our feet in the water or onto the cool grass. And the truth is, very simply, we avoid pain and suffering and painful situations at all costs. Well, again, Peter is talking about suffering. He began this epistle talking about his audience having had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. And then he makes it clear throughout these chapters that he's not talking about suffering in general. He's not talking about the suffering that we all have to face, believers and unbelievers alike because of sin in the world. But he's talking specifically about suffering trials and persecution at the hands and by the mouths of unbelievers because of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He's talking about suffering for being and for claiming to be a Christian. We've talked a number of times about being on trial for being a Christian and whether or not there would be enough evidence to convict us. But did you know? Did you know that many have died as martyrs just for claiming the name of Christ? Just for claiming it. Let alone living the Christian life. In Acts, when we read that believers were first called Christians in Antioch, that was not a title of honor in the eyes of the world. That was not some sort of a promotion for God's people. Well, it was, we would say, but in the eyes of the world, it was no sort of a promotion. But it was a title of contempt. It was a title of dishonor. They were given the name Christian by those who hated them. And the Christ they confessed and preached. In the time of wicked Nero, in whose time it is believed Peter's original audience lived, And when Peter most likely wrote these words, Nero turned the world against Christians, blaming them for something they did not do. And it is reported that Christians in general were then labeled as political agitators and anarchists, and they were guilty of hatred against civilized society. Guilty of hatred against their neighbors just because the believers were Christians and their neighbors might not have been. And therefore, if one was charged with a crime, the most essential part of that charge was whether or not he or she was a Christian. And then from 200 years on, roughly, from Nero on, Christians were hated for these things. And it is reported that in the early church, the bold confession, I am a Christian, was often heard on the lips of martyrs as they were being put to death. Beloved, suffering for Jesus' sake. Boys and girls being picked on by your neighbor friends because you go to church or go to a Christian school. Suffering for Jesus' sake because of your faith in Him can be intimidating. It can cause us to fear. It can attack our spiritual strength. It can tempt us to back down and not let our light shine for Him and instead to cover it up. Because if people don't know that I'm a Christian, then they won't think that I'm a religious freak. They won't make fun of me. They'll just leave me alone. Because they will think that I'm just like they are. The temptation is there to water down living by faith. That certainly makes life easier here, doesn't it? But Peter says that's not good enough. In fact, in verse 19, which is the key verse of the text and draws the text together, Peter says, So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Did you catch what Peter is saying there? In essence, he is saying, keep on doing that which is causing you to suffer. You're suffering for Jesus' sake. You're suffering for being a Christian. Great! Keep on doing whatever you're doing. God's people are called to stand fast under suffering. This is a call really for perseverance in openly living your Christian profession. And of course, we could easily spend a number of sermons on this, considering this text, but we're going to do our best to consider the four points listed on your outline. First, noticing the cleansing quality of suffering. Verse 12, Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you. Sometimes new converts to Christianity have the wrong idea that when you give your life to Jesus Christ and when you confess Him as your Lord and Savior, then all of your troubles, all of your earthly troubles and trials and difficulties will be over. Gone. Just that fast. Unfortunately, many believe this because of the bill of goods they have been sold by false preachers preaching a false health and wealth gospel. Now indeed, those purchased with the imperishable blood of Jesus are free from the troubles of an unredeemed life. In other words, theirs is the comfort of the living hope and the eternal inheritance that Peter has preached about. But God's people are not free in this life from difficulties, sorrows, and pain. If you don't believe me, read the bulletin again. Look at the long list. Consider our church, our daughter in Santee. they've got a long list. We consider what one family alone has gone through in this week, one thing after another, just accumulating, accumulating. And especially we are not free from persecution for the sake of Jesus. Yet even the most faithful of us at times might be tempted to think it is strange and to be surprised that God would allow them to suffer especially for Jesus' sake. We are His children. and as parents we don't like to see our children suffer even the most faithful among us might be tempted to think that they have done nothing wrong and that therefore they are not worthy to suffer you see when one is walking in righteousness and peace by faith then there just doesn't seem to be any logical reason for suffering does there it just doesn't make sense yet peter says do not be surprised why because the one you follow the one whose name you bear said this would happen jesus said in john 15 if the world hates you keep in mind that it hated me first if you belong to the world it would love you as its own as it is i have chosen you out of the world that is why the world hates you paul said to timothy everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Beloved mockery, shame, and dishonor from the world because you are a Christian should not be a surprise to you and me. That does not mean that God has turned against you as some think. That's what Job's friends told him, basically. Well, God has turned against you. You've done something bad. God has turned his face against you. Actually, it means the opposite. To suffer for Christ means the opposite. It means you are identified with God. It means you are His child. And it means that He is using that suffering for your good. Peter calls it a painful trial. Some translate it as a fiery trial. But the idea there is in line with the Bible's teaching about refining fire. The smelting process whereby gold is refined by fire to remove the impurity so that the gold is is purified and free from contaminants and from defects. That's the cleansing quality of suffering for Jesus' sake. In chapter 1, verses 6 and 7, Peter says that trials serve to prove the believer's faith is genuine. That it's the real thing. In James 1, verses 2 through 4, James teaches that trials test our faith with the goal of leading us to persevere in the faith. And praise God that He uses our suffering for Himself to mold us, to shape us after His will, to purge us and cleanse us from trusting in ourselves and instead moving us to trust more and more wholeheartedly in Jesus. And the same is true of physical suffering, isn't it? Many of us can testify to that, that God has used that suffering, Not the suffering for Jesus' sake, but the other kind of suffering now that we all endure. He has used it in our lives to draw us closer to Himself. But it's especially true of this suffering for Jesus' sake. Beloved, if you suffer for your faith in Jesus Christ, you are in good company. Just pick up the Bible again and read Hebrews chapter 11. You're in good company. The saints of the Old Testament suffered. Many in the early New Testament church suffered. At the time of the Reformation, many suffered. And even today, in some parts of the world, believers are still suffering, along with the saints who have gone before, suffering even to the point of death. It is still happening today. And this is proof that believers do not suffer as evildoers, but as people of God in the world. And then strangely, strangely, we are not to do whatever it takes to avoid suffering and persecution to do whatever it takes to run away from it, to get rid of it. But on the other hand, that does not mean, it does not mean that we necessarily go out looking for persecution with the goal of being put to death for the faith. As we have said before, for those who openly live the Christian faith without compromise, persecution will find them. Sooner or later, it will find them. But when the world, you see, would expect us to get our bare feet of faith off of the burning sand of persecution. When the world would expect us to run and hide, Peter says, keep doing what you're doing. And oh, by the way, while you're at it, rejoice. Rejoice. Verses 13 and 14, But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. The glorious motive for suffering includes the fact that through it, again, we are identified with the Lord Jesus Christ. The believer's suffering for the name of Jesus proves that he or she is united to Christ, that the believer has been purchased by and belongs to Jesus Christ and therefore does not worry about those who can kill the body. but instead rejoices in the only One who can preserve us body and soul for eternity. God's people can stand fast under suffering, strengthened by the Spirit of glory, the Holy Spirit of God that rests on them, in that Spirit, knowing there is a glorious future for them. Peter talks in verse 14 about being insulted because of the name of Christ. and he says it's a blessing. It's a blessing. That word insulted is also translated as reproach. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, the idea there is giving one a bad name. And that bad name gets spread around and it becomes identified with your reputation. Now we all know, especially young people, you know, don't you, that to have a bad name or a bad reputation is in a sense, it's worse than physical pain. Many of us, I think, would rather sit in the hospital for a week than have a bad reputation. It's worse than losing your earthly property. And that's because a bad name, a bad reputation can cause you to lose friends, to increase your enemies. It can cost you your business. It can ruin your life. And it can last a lifetime and even beyond. What do you think of when you hear the names Cain, Ahab, Nero, Hitler, Bin Laden, Hussein? You get the point, I trust. And I know, of course, that in those cases, the bad name is justified. But Peter is saying that if you have a bad name in the world, because your name is, for example, Phil Voss the Christian. Put your name in there. The Christian. If that's why you have a bad name in the world, what a reason to rejoice. And when Jesus Christ is revealed in all of His glory, His people, those who bear His name in faith, will be glorified. And then all the wicked, all the wicked from the beginning to the end of the world, will see clearly that when they persecuted true Christians, they persecuted the true Christ. Now, of course, that wait can be difficult, right? Waiting for our Lord's glory to be revealed, that can be difficult. We live in a day of instant gratification, instant coffee, instant credit, instant pudding. You know, you have a need for some cash. You want some cash, go to the ATM. Instant cash, provided you've got money in the bank. If you want information on any given subject, go to the World Wide Web. The Internet provides you with what you need at the click of a keyboard key. You want to talk to your friend or your relative around the world, pick up the phone and dial it. Fast food. Close off the rack. A flick of the switch and the air conditioner turns on. Instant gratification. But as believers, you see, we are called to postpone gratification. in the sense of having the gratification of escaping the suffering and instead to endure with joy, looking forward to the glory to be revealed. Now, beloved, we must all consider whether or not the people, the unbelievers we have contact with, know we are Christians. If they do know and don't care, if they're not bothered by it, not even in the least, something is not right. Because if we walk as children of light, those in the darkness will be blinded. They will cover their eyes as it were. They cannot stand the light and it will trouble them and they will do whatever they can to shut that light off, to make you and I compromise so that light isn't so bright. If we hide our light under a basket, dimming it, then the truth is that we will indeed be more tolerable to the world. But we will not be pleasing to God. Jesus said in Matthew 5, Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven. We can and we must live boldly for Jesus in our businesses. with our friends, when in public. May we never, ever want to look as if the world is our family. Even if the world laughs at us and hates us and hurts us and destroys us, it can never take away from us our Savior and His salvation. Beloved, there is no greater joy, there is to be no greater joy than for the world to see Christ living in me. Are you truly grateful for your salvation? If you are, then you will not be embarrassed or be ashamed to be known as a Christian, one who belongs to Christ, but instead you will be humbly proud. You see, when you are thankful for something, you don't try to hide it, but to show it. But then true suffering for Jesus' sake will have a godly character. Verses 15 and 16, If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or a thief or any other kind of criminal or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. That name of reproach. You see, there is a difference between suffering that one deserves and undeserved suffering. Again, we're not talking about the kinds of difficulties that we bear, that we didn't do anything that we should suffer them. Like getting hit by a drunk driver. Or losing one's earthly goods because of a natural disaster. or many other kinds of things that we all have endured. But we're talking about the undeserved suffering for Jesus' sake at the hands of the wicked. Now, Peter had talked about this before in chapter 2, verse 20, in that section, but how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. In the text, Peter lists crimes against fellow man for which we might be found guilty in a court of law. Murder, theft, any other sort of criminal activity. And he mentions one thing that would not necessarily get us convicted in a court of law, but I think is interesting. He issues the warning against being a meddler. A meddler. This has the idea of being a busybody. Interfering in someone else's business that we have no business being in. And he's not talking about truly coming to the aid of another and participating in their life in order to help them. Very simply, some are busybodies, nosy with other people's lives. And then the point comes when they suffer because of it, because the one in whose life they were meddling gets sick of it, gets tired of it, wants nothing to do with them, and neither do others who witness this go on. And of course, they say that they were only trying to help. But in truth, their involvement is more for their own curiosity than for the benefit of the one whose life they are meddling in. Beloved, if you suffer because you deserve it, that does not bear testimony to Jesus Christ. That does not bring Him glory. And you should be ashamed of that. And you should repent of that. But if you suffer as a Christian, There is no reason to be ashamed even though the world is trying to shame you. I think especially of Ontario Christian School right now. Many of you maybe have seen the news report on them expelling a high school girl because her parents are lesbians. Suffering. And now the world, the news media, is trying to shame them. The same thing happened, as you know, with the church I served in Kalamazoo. We were picketed. by a gay rights group because of some action we had taken. The news media, the world, tries to shame us for sticking to what we believe and know the truth of the Bible is. But instead, Peter is saying, if this happens, we are to praise God. Why? Because the world recognizes you as a Christian. Because the world recognizes Christ living in you. Cadets, your theme song is, has been for many years, Living for Jesus. And the third stanza says, Living for Jesus wherever I am, doing each duty in His holy name, willing to suffer affliction and loss, taking each trial as a part of my cross. In the chorus, O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee. For Thou in Thy atonement didst give Thyself for me. I own no other Master. My heart shall be Thy throne. My life I give henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone. If you and I strive to do that, we won't be very popular with the world. But oh, what praise that will bring to God. Brothers and sisters, may we never be ashamed of the name of Christ, but may He grant us strength and grace to behave in a manner that glorifies God in every circumstance, even while being persecuted. When we suffer for Christ, may He keep us by His Spirit that we might not stop worshiping Him. Or that we would cease to follow His commands. Never that that would happen. Instead, through Christ who gives us strength, may we glorify the Lord in thought, in word, and deed, even though to do that might make things more difficult for us. Knowing though that He promises a secure outcome for those who stand fast under suffering. Verses 17-19. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God. And if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? So then those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Beloved, for those who are in Christ Jesus, as Paul says in Romans 8, verse 1, Therefore, there is now no condemnation. That's our comfort. No more being condemned to eternal death and hell. But God's people still face judgment. Now, there's no contradiction here. In the final judgment, however, the righteous will stand because Jesus Christ has been judged for our sin. He has been condemned in our place. He has paid the penalty. But we do face judgment in this life. In the Old Testament, Israel many times faced the divine judgment of God. We can rehearse time and time again. He starts with his own backyard, as it were. In Ezekiel 9, we read about God removing the defilement from Israel, starting at the temple of God. God judges beginning with the church in order to purify her, to remove those who do not truly believe. And one of the means He uses is suffering for righteousness' sake. And those who prove to be Christians in name only, but not in heart and faith, because they cannot stand the heat, they are removed. And those who truly believe are strengthened in their faith through the judgment of the world. God uses the wicked world to prepare His church for glory. And at the very same time, the world's persecution of Christ's church prepares the wicked for judgment. The judgment of God is certain. We're going to talk about that tonight, the Lord willing. It's a sure thing. How do we know? Because it has already begun with God's family, ultimately in our Lord Jesus Christ. And for each of us in our life, as we sin, we are faced with that judgment, the reality of our sin. As David was, restore to me the joy of my salvation. The judgment of God's family, though, is a sign of what's to come upon the wicked. There is an important warning for the wicked and especially for those who hear the Gospel but do not believe it, who disobey, who do not walk according to the Gospel, who do not confess the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter quotes here the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Proverbs 11.31 and asks if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, He is not saying that their salvation is not certain. Or that it's hard for God to save them. Or that it's hard because it depends on us just how bad we want it. Nothing like that. But the point is the path to glory is hard in terms of the Christian pilgrim's path of suffering in this life. Our salvation is secure, but as we travel this life, it will be under great stress. John Calvin is helpful when he says, he, that is Peter, refers to the difficulties of the present life. For our course in the world is like a dangerous sailing between many rocks and exposed to many storms and tempests, and thus no one arrives at the port except he who has escaped from a thousand deaths. It is in the meantime certain that we are guided by God's hand and that we are in no danger of shipwreck as long as we have him as our pilot. And Peter's point is that if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, then the ungodly and sinner, those with unregenerate hearts and minds and wills who walk in wickedness for them, their judgment is sure. And it is sure for them that they have no hope. For God's people, there is purification and glory. But for the wicked, there is condemnation and the shame of eternal hell. And Peter ends again with that key verse, 19, So then those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. God, our faithful Creator, protects and preserves His people so securely so that nothing, no created thing, can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus. Beloved, it is God's will that we will suffer for Jesus' sake. And it is also God's will that we be obedient even in suffering. Again, the temptation is there in suffering to give in to bitterness and anger, to repay evil with evil or insult with insult and try to justify that kind of action because of the suffering. But Peter says, continue to do good. In a sense, he calls God's people to grin and bear it because we know that we are secure for eternity in Him. As someone has said, if their suffering lies within God's permission, certainly they may count on His protection. Those who are ashamed of Jesus Christ will be ashamed on the day He visits in judgment. But those who suffer because they always carry around in their body, as Paul says, the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in their body, theirs is the comfort, as Paul also says, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Now, beloved, how can we be ashamed of Jesus, that dear friend, who for the joy, as the writer of Hebrews says, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God for you and for me. Beloved, consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. And, beloved, until our last breath, may the song on our lips ever be ashamed of Jesus. That, dear friend, on whom my hopes of heaven depend? No. When I blush, when I blush, be this my shame, not Him, but that I no more revere His name. Until our last breath, beloved, may our confession be by God's grace, I am a Christian. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, when we consider Your call to suffer persecution for the faith, we must confess that in many ways that is a hard thing to consider. It's a hard thing for us to say, yes, I will. We pray, Father, for Your strength. Apart from Your strength, we cannot do a thing. We are weak, but indeed You are strong, even strong enough to give us the strength to stand fast under suffering for Jesus' sake. May it be more and more every day our delight to do this. Father, that we might rejoice when others see Christ living in us. Thank You, Father, for Your precious Word. Thank You for our precious Christ. And thank You for Your Holy Spirit to apply Your Word to our hearts and lives. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.