Class Lesson August 3, 2014

Life can be tough.

We need a resilient faith.

How would you describe your faith? Does it come easy to you, or are you like many who struggle with trust. When difficulties knock on our door, our faith is tested, and for some of us, it's even shaken. How can we maintain a faith in God that is resilient, a faith that – no matter what happens – withstands the ups and downs of life?

The Book of 1 Peter is a short letter that shows us what resilient faith looks like. Mark Twain once said, “Faith is believing what you know ain’t so.” Our study will show that Mark Twain’s idea of faith “just ain’t so.” In fact, a resilient faith grounded in Christ is quite the opposite. By having a resilient faith we will discover 4 important truths. 

A resilient faith:

1. Provides an actual foundation for a sure hope for mankind.
2. Frees you to do what is good and right.
3. Helps you find joy in a world of pain and suffering.
4. Is yours because of the sure resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Because of Jesus, a strong faith – a resilient faith – can be ours. We can stand strong regardless of what comes at us.




Suffering has many forms: Physical abuse, Debilitating diseases, Social ostracism, and Persecution. The pain and anguish can tempt us to turn back – to surrender – and to give in. When Peter speaks of suffering – he is not talking about natural disasters or the experience of God’s punishments, but the response of an unbelieving world to people of faith. All believers face such trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. Peter knew persecution firsthand, but he also knew Christ and nothing could shake his confidence in Jesus! So, Peter wrote to give comfort and hope to other believers suffering for their faith and he urged them to continue their loyalty to Christ. 

Quick Review

First Lesson - Focused Faith: Our faith is focused on a sure hope. 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13

Peter begins by giving thanks to God for Salvation and we should too! This should be our central focus. We have been given a living hope of eternal life. He says that our trials will actually refine our faith. We should believe in spite of our circumstances – even the prophets of old wrote about it and they didn’t understand it. But now we see and know that salvation has been revealed in Christ.


Second Lesson - Active Faith: Live a life that is set apart for God. 1 Peter 1:14-19, 22-25

Peter discusses how we should respond to such a great Salvation, he commands us to do four things:

1. Live holy (set apart) lives
2. Reverently fear and trust God
3. Be honest and loving
4. Become like Christ.

The New Testament describes and defines a Christian in terms of a person’s relationship to God through Jesus Christ. It involves a spiritual birth and an ongoing spiritual transformation wherein a person is set apart by faith unto the Lord to a new lifestyle.


Third Lesson - Enduring Faith: Trust God in every circumstance. 1 Peter 2:13-23

Peter explains how we should live during these difficult times. He emphasizes three important points:

1. We should live above reproach.
2. We should imitate Christ in all our social roles – Master/Boss and Servant/Employee, Husbands and Wives, Church members and Neighbors.
3. Jesus should be our model for obedience to God in the midst of great suffering.

The call Peter had heard from Jesus by the shore of Galilee many years earlier was a call to a new way of life, though not necessarily a popular or easy one. It would be a life filled with demands and challenges, but it was also a life filled with hope and promise. 






Our 4th lesson in this series is how we can have a:

Be prepared to defend...

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Some question His existence...

Some have lost faith...

When your faith is tested...

Can you fight for what you believe?

Everybody faces difficulties, and we all experience suffering. There are no exceptions. The difference comes in how we handle suffering, especially when that suffering comes unjustly at the hands of others. When we keep Christ at the center of our lives – regardless of the circumstances – people notice the difference. The Bible gives us direction and encouragement in facing difficulties head on, with faith ready to share the hope we have.

 

1 Peter 3:13-16; 4:1-2

Christ followers in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) faced local persecution for their faith. In the face of this suffering, Peter encouraged these believers by pointing out to them the blessing they would have if indeed they experienced victimization for their righteousness. In fact, Peter encouraged them to be prepared to gently, respectfully defend the hope they had that allowed them to face the persecution with resolve and confidence.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The alarm goes off before dawn, and you drag yourself out of bed. You get dressed and work your way through a few warm-up exercises, then set off down the road and watch the sunrise while you jog. When you feel like you can't run another step, you push harder so you can make it just a little further than last time.

 

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Why do so many people willingly choose the pain of physical exercise day after day after day? The answer is that we're aiming for a long-term payoff. Specifically, we're working toward a stronger body and better health.

The same principle is true when it comes to enduring suffering as a follower of Christ. No one chooses to suffer for being a Christian; it just comes our way. But we can choose to discover a benefit - an opportunity - that arises out of difficult and painful circumstances.

In the Book of 1 Peter, we discover that a great opportunity comes our way when we stand with Jesus even in the midst of difficulty or persecution.

I. NO HARM, NO FEAR, ONLY HAPPINESS – 1 PETER 3:13-14

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,

At the time of Jesus' death, Peter was a trembling, fleeing disciple. He was a far different man years later when he wrote the epistle we refer to as 1 Peter. He was willing to suffer persecution and harm in this life because he had come to understand there is more to living than just this present life. He was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that event changed everything. It meant that, though he may suffer greatly here on earth, he had a future hope to come - a future in which he would experience the reward of having faithfully trusted God.

I have an apologetics ministry through which I have debated many issues on the subject of the existence of God. I have sometimes been the target of inflammatory reactions and remarks. Some of these attacks I can ignore. Other attacks, however, I have to take more seriously. At one point, I had to ask my family if they were willing to risk the physical harm that could come to any of us because of my ministry. We had to face head-on what we really believed - and what we were willing to sacrifice for that belief.

The same was true of Peter. Over and over again, he had to determine what he really believed:

• When Jesus called him to step out of the boat and onto the water.

• When he was confronted about being a follower of Jesus.

• When he experienced the risen Jesus face-to-face.

• When he ministered in an area hostile to his faith.

It's time to come to terms with what you actually believe. If this life is all there is - if nothing else exists after this - then it makes sense that we would fear losing life or losing control of any part of it. But a righteous God does exist who knows all things and rightly judges all things. Therefore, your suffering will not escape His notice. He comforts and rewards those who suffer unjustly. 

 Complete the activity below:

Final Thoughts:

1. Those who have a zeal for the good things of God ultimately will be safe and secure from all harm.
2. Those who suffer for righteousness have no cause to fear.
3. Those who suffer for righteousness will be blessed by God.

Commentary: Writing to suffering Christians, Peter began his letter with a call to holy living, describing who the sufferers were in the eyes of God (1 Pet. 1:13-2:10). He explained that God is holy and therefore His followers should be also (1:16). He called them a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for His possession “ (2:9). He called for good works in their lives (2:11-17) and for them to model Christ in their relationships at work and home (2:18-3:7). Having set the stage for the kind of people Christians should be in society, Peter turned to their specific predicament – how to face suffering.



With a broader view of eternity, Peter asked a pertinent question, Who will harm you? Certainly those who desired to harm the Christians in Asia Minor were on the rise. Peter was not making light of their dangerous suffering. He spoke these words in light of the previous promise – that one day God would reward the righteous and judge the wicked (3:12). Perhaps Peter had in mind the words of Isaiah 50:9, acknowledging God’s help and questioning who could condemn.



Some people suffer because of the evil they do. A criminal may suffer in prison because he violated the law. An alcoholic may injure himself from an accident while drinking and driving. This is not the suffering Peter had in mind. He made it clear that some people suffer even though they were deeply committed to what is good. Peter had encouraged his readers to do good for others as a witness of their faith in Christ (1 Pet. 2:12) in order to win the lost to faith in Christ. However, sometimes the opposite happened and people hated them even more because of their faith in Christ. Therefore, verse 13 is not a promise that those who do good will never face persecution.



In verse 14, Peter described what would happen when godly people face unjust suffering. He stated that even if they should suffer for righteousness, they are still blessed. What does it mean to suffer for righteousness? This is suffering for doing the good mentioned in the previous verse. However, the construction of this sentence is uncommon in the Greek language. Peter was emphasizing that one would not generally expect to suffer for doing what was right. Even though one might rightly expect people would not suffer for doing good, it still happened then just as it does today.





When it does happen, Peter turned to Scripture, specifically Isaiah 8:12. He encouraged those who suffer not to be afraid in their suffering but to honor Christ as Lord in their hearts (1 Pet. 3:14-15). Certainly fear tempts those who endure suffering, especially when they have done nothing to bring it upon themselves. People fear the ones harming them, the outcome of their circumstances, and the opinions of others who view the Lord’s hands and leave the results up to Him. 

II. A CHOICE AND AN OPPORTUNITY – 1 PETER 3:15-16

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.


Peter commanded believers to be prepared to make a defense for the reason for the hope within us. The word translated "reason" is the Greek term apologia, from which we get the English word apology. This kind of apology doesn't mean saying you're sorry. Rather, it's the kind of statement lawyers give in court. It's a thoughtful, well-reasoned explanation of a specific conclusion.

As part of his command to honor the Messiah as Lord, Peter included some detailed instructions: be able to give anyone a thoughtful, well-reasoned explanation of why you have hope in Jesus Christ. Since you are making Christ Lord in your life, you should be able to understand - and explain - why you believe He is the Lord.

I had a hard time discussing with people what I believed before I understood better why I personally believe it. I was intimidated, afraid someone might ask of me an answer for which I was unprepared. My typical way of handling this problem was simply to avoid engaging with people about my belief in God. However, after I began to understand my reasons for believing in God, I became much less intimidated to speak to others.

Peter wrote this command to Christians who might physically suffer for giving a defense of the reason for their hope. The early Christians were faced with the very real possibility of suffering insult and injury for sharing what they believed. Peter encouraged them to use this time as a testimony for their hope in Jesus. What a powerful testimony that would be to stand in the face of persecution and still provide a reasoned defense for belief in Jesus as the risen Lord!

Peter added a caution to those who make such a defense: do it with gentleness and respect. By so doing, people who condemn or insult you for your beliefs will bring shame upon themselves for how they handled you and your arguments.

 

Final Thoughts:

1. Believers are to seize every opportunity to explain how they are able to live a life of hope.
2. The character of our lives is a stronger testimony to the reality of our faith than our arguments.
3. Those who falsely accuse and abuse will someday know the shame of the Lord’s judgment.

Commentary: In addition to turning from fear, Peter encouraged his readers to remain faithful to Jesus Christ. The first step in this faithfulness was to honor the Messiah as Lord in their hearts. Honor in Greek is the same word as to make holy or to set apart. Peter called on suffering Christians to treat Jesus as holy and to revere Him. Revering Christ implies an acknowledgment of the sovereignty of God – that He is bigger than the circumstances that have caused one’s suffering. Honoring Him as Lord means one trusts in Him in all circumstances, because He is in absolute control.

In addition to trusting Christ, Peter encouraged the people to remain faithful by using their suffering as an opportunity to provide a defense to those who have not embraced faith in Christ. The Greek word is the base word in apologetics, studying or giving defense of the faith. However, instead of faith, this defense is for the hope sufferers have inside of them. One distinguishing mark of a Christian in the early church was hope (1 Pet. 1:3, 21; Rom. 4:18; Eph. 2:12; Titus 2:13). Because this was so distinctive for Christians, Peter knew others would ask for a reason for their faith. Christians who remain faithful during times of suffering often become great witnesses for Jesus Christ – especially when the persons have endured unjust suffering because they are followers of Jesus Christ.

One goal in remaining faithful to Christ in suffering is to keep the conscience clear. If believers retaliate against those causing their suffering, believers’ consciences will be clouded by their own unjust actions. If believers lose heart and faithfulness to God in their suffering, they again will have a clouded conscience. The effectiveness in witnessing will be tainted. Therefore, Peter encouraged his readers to keep a clear conscience in the process of suffering.

To keep that clear conscience during suffering, believers are to respond with gentleness and respect toward those causing the harm. Gentleness (often translated meekness) is the character quality that allows one to trust God to change others’ attitudes and actions. By allowing God to change others, we do not fan the flame of ill will with those who oppose us. Jesus taught His disciples, “The gentle are blessed, for they will inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5). Gentleness is also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:23), meaning the Holy Spirit will produce it in us. How can a person who is suffering respond in gentleness to those who wrong them? Only by relying on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In addition to gentleness, the Christian must show respect. The Greek word for respect literally means fear, and is the word from which the English word phobia derives. However, it was often used of a healthy fear, such as a respect for heights that might keep a person from getting too close to the ledge at the Grand Canyon.




 

III. RIGHT THINKING WITH RIGHT PURPOSE – 1 PETER 4:1-2
4 Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, equip yourselves also with the same resolve —because the one who suffered in the flesh has finished with sin — 2 in order to live the remaining time in the flesh, no longer for human desires, but for God’s will.

 
Much of my travel involves flying. Recently, I've noticed how easily people get put out by inconveniences like long lines, crowded flights, and so on. Unfortunately, Christians can also feel put out by inconveniences in their church and community. These believers make a spectacle of themselves through grumbling.

In contrast, Peter informs us to "equip" ourselves to suffer as Christ suffered. We should be mentally and spiritually prepared for the kind of suffering that goes far beyond the minor inconveniences of life. 

What can you do to prepare yourself for suffering?

1. Become a follower of the One who suffered in the flesh for our sins.
2. Adjust your attitude to match the One who suffered in the flesh. We should expect to suffer, not act put out by every inconvenience.
3. Instead of focusing on your desires rooted in the physical pleasures of this life, focus on living in the freedom you've been given from sin.

As Christians, let's be realistic about our call to suffer. We should expect it. And when suffering happens, whether it is an inconvenience or a time of great trial, the world around us should notice something unusual in our response. God can use everything that happens in our lives - successes and failures alike - to point others to the salvation and hope found in Jesus alone.

Final Thoughts:

1. Our attitude toward suffering should model that of Christ who suffered for us.
2. A willingness to suffer for the gospel is an indication that we have been released from sin.
3. As believers, our lives on earth are to be shaped by a desire to do God’s will, not to satisfy our personal cravings.

Commentary: Jesus served as the perfect example for Peter of a person who suffered for righteousness. Peter reminded his readers that Christ suffered in the flesh. Jesus experienced physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish as He went to the cross and died – yet He had done nothing to deserve the suffering. This made Him the perfect example of someone who suffered for righteousness. Viewing the example of Jesus, Peter encouraged sufferers to equip themselves with the same resolve Jesus had. As Jesus suffered, He did not lose heart. Neither did He lash out at those who persecuted Him. He showed a great picture of how to deal with suffering.

The phrase, because the one who suffered in the flesh has finished with sin, is one of the most difficult to interpret in Peter’s letter. Is this a reference to Jesus who suffered or to Christians who suffer? If Jesus is the subject of the clause, then what does it mean that He has finished with sin? Certainly it does not imply that He was a sinner and contradict 2 Corinthians 5:21. Instead, those who hold to Jesus as the subject of the clause interpret it similarly to Romans 6:8-10, meaning that Jesus’ death and resurrection broke sin’s power and ultimately defeated it in our lives. Other interpreters identify the one who suffered in the flesh as a reference in general to Christians who suffer. With Christians as the subject of the clause, the meaning would be that the suffering of the Christian is evidence that the believer has broken with a life of sin. They are called to suffer precisely because they stand for righteousness, and this in itself demonstrates that they have died with Christ and been set free from the power of sin in their lives (Rom. 6:7). This is not to imply that suffering causes a person never to commit sin again. However, suffering can be a purifying presence in the life of the Christian.

Since Peter used the example of Jesus’ suffering, it is also possible that the clause refers both to Jesus’ suffering, which dealt with sin, and believers’ suffering that reminds them of their death to sin. Because of Jesus’ suffering, Christians have the opportunity of resisting the power of sin (Rom. 6:11-12). This is why believers must equip themselves with the same resolve that Jesus had as He endured the cross and death. Suffering reminds believers that this is necessary.

Peter described a benefit of suffering in 4:2. Suffering allowed Christians to live the remainder of their lives (the remaining time in the flesh) with a new priority. Before they came to know Christ, people lived for human desires. Instead of living for human desires, Peter explained that Christians could now live for God’s will. Jesus is the perfect doer of God’s will (John 8:29), and those who follow Him were taught to pray that God’s will would be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). As suffering drives our attention back to the example of Christ, He demonstrates a life that is pleasing to God. If that is the end result of suffering, then it is not all bad.




Conclusion: As believers we have an opportunity to distinguish ourselves by doing good, even in the face of hostility by those who would do us harm, question our motives, and impugn our character. The ability to continue doing good and to be faithful to the gospel, even through suffering, does not come naturally. It comes by doing 4 things:

 



Notice that Christ is at the center of it all. Without Him we are not able. With Him we find strength to endure. He becomes our message and He is the reason we have hope.

 


Here are some additional questions to consider:


Are you facing a situation in which you are being opposed and are suffering, even though you are convinced that what you are doing is good? How are you resisting the temptation to flee in fear? How have you known God’s blessing or favor during this time and been encouraged to continue?

Apart from having declared Christ to be Lord in your life, what intentional steps do you take regularly to prepare yourself to be able to present a clear explanation for the hope in your life?

In addition, what steps do you take to arm yourself with the mind of Christ and to affirm that you are living according to God’s will? Is this a one-time matter or an ongoing process for you?


Live it Out

What steps can you take to live well even in suffering?

1. Own your testimony. Make an apology for your relationship with Jesus Christ. Be ready to share what you believe and why you believe it.

2. Study up. Read a book on Christian apologetics in order to become more familiar with the arguments in support of Christian doctrine and the Christian faith.

3. Make a public statement. Don’t believe the falsehood that faith is a private matter. Take a step this week to publicly declare your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

You’ve chosen to run the race as a follower of Jesus Christ, which means you’ve also chosen to experience difficult circumstances. Stay strong. Keep running. And remember to use those difficult circumstances as a way to point to Christ until your race is over.

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, help me to seize opportunities to do good, to bring honor to You, and to testify of You, even when it may cause me to suffer; because in my heart I have settled this one truth: You are Lord. Amen

 

Hope to see you this Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan