Class Lesson August 17, 2014

Life can be tough.

We need a resilient faith.

This has been a great series that began with the question: 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?

Our series deals with suffering we face in life. Now, 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 in their loyalty to Christ.

Quick Review - Six Lessons

1. 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. 
2. 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: Live holy (set apart) lives, reverently fear and trust God, be honest and loving, and to 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. 
3. 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. 
4. Ready Faith: Suffering brings opportunities to point to Jesus. 1 Peter 3:13-16; 4:1-2 You have chosen to run the race as a follower of Jesus Christ, which means you have 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.
5. Joyful Faith: Choose joy in life's difficulties. 1 Peter 4:12-19 The message of Peter in these verses is difficult – no, not difficult to understand but difficult to apply. Who among us really wants to suffer? We tend to think people ought not to be harmed or suffer for doing good. We would claim that is unfair. Therefore, when it comes, is there really cause to rejoice, to feel blessed, and to glorify God? That is just what Peter advocated! As Christians we should not be surprised by suffering because the Bible says that it has a definite purpose in our lives - Suffering comes to test the Christian. We can rejoice in the midst of suffering because we are in fellowship with Christ who Himself suffered on our behalf. Christians can take joy in knowing their suffering is temporary in light of Jesus’ promises about the future. We will rejoice at Christ’s return in victory as we behold Him in His glory. By standing strong in suffering, the Christian is standing by faith to demonstrate that a time is coming when the wrongs will be made right. In this sense, joy is a supreme confidence Jesus will fulfill His promises and God will establish in heaven everything He promised.

Our 6th and final lesson in this series is a:

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Many people like clichés and easy answers because they don’t require much effort. But when you’re on the receiving end, such advice can feel trite. Most of us are grappling with questions that go much deeper: “will this ever end?” “Is a greater purpose behind what I’m experiencing?” “Where is God in all this?” 

In the Book of 1 Peter, the apostle didn’t give us any “easy bake” answers. Instead, Peter offered us a fuller perspective – he showed us a way to deal with our difficulties that goes far beyond “just grin and bear it.” 

1 Peter 5:6-11 

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. 

Conclusion 

8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. 

10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen. 

Lesson Point: God will strengthen and restore me.

Peter breaks these verses down into three points for us this week:

I.  HUMBLE YOURSELF & GOD WILL EXALT YOU – 1 PETER 5:6-7 

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you. 

What’s the danger of trying to handle life on your own? 

I tend to get worked up over situations I’m trying to handle myself. I’m a perfectionist, which means: 

• I tend to quit before I ever get started because I worry about the end result. 

• I won’t ask for help, because nobody does it like I can. 

• I know I won’t be able to do it perfectly, so I don’t do anything at all. 

Those excuses may sound like worry, but they’re really a form of pride. When we worry, we are trying to fix things ourselves. We don’t trust the sovereign Creator God to deal rightly with our situation. That sounds silly when we think about it. I profess a God who can create the universe, who died on the cross for my sins, and who rose from the dead to redeem me and the whole of His creation – yet I still hesitate to trust Him. If ever a person were worthy of my trust, it certainly is God. Yet, my pride gets in the way. 

What does it mean – and not mean – to humble yourself? 

Verse 6 calls me to humble myself and allow God to exalt me in the proper time. God is the only One who can rightly raise me up. Why? Because He is perfect in all His ways – even in His dealings with me. If God were not perfect, He would not be worthy of my worship. But He is perfect, and He will rightly deal with all things in His perfect time. 

Peter’s words in verse 7 give us great encouragement. They remind us we’re not insignificant specks in a vast universe. Remember: the Creator God cares for you right now, wherever you are in life. God invites you to throw everything on Him and trust the Perfect Caregiver to care for you.

Final Thoughts:

1. Believers are responsible for their own attitudes before God.

2. Humility can lead to exaltation, but only if the humility is not intended to attain exaltation.

3. God always can be trusted to act at the right time.

4. We express humility before the Lord when we cast our anxieties on Him.

5. God is concerned for those who come before Him in trust.

Commentary: Peter began his exhortation to the suffering Christians by asking them to humble themselves. Peter had already explained that persecution comes to faithful Christians and is sometimes a part of God’s will for them (1 Peter 3:17). He also had reminded them not to be surprised when they faced suffering, because it’s a normal part of the Christian experience (4:12). Peter explained that trials came as God’s purifying judgment in their lives, reminding them of a special future and affording them an opportunity to witness to those who did not believe in Him (4:17-19). To humble ourselves includes submission to the will of God even when that included pain and suffering.

Peter asked his readers to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. Some people assign all life’s difficulties to the devil, but Peter encouraged them that difficulties can come into a Christian’s life through God’s will. The Old Testament shows the mighty hand of God in both discipline (Ex. 3:19; 6:1; Job 30:21; Ps. 32:4) and deliverance (Deut. 9:26; Ezek. 20:34). Why should Christians humble themselves and accept what comes from the hand of God? Peter gave the answer in the latter part of verse 6. Christians humble themselves so that God may exalt them at the proper time. God promised to lift up those whom others tore down because of their faith. Though trials are tough, for Christians they are also temporary. The promise of exaltation does not have a specific time assigned to it. God promised to exalt Christians, but only at the time of His choosing.

Although God may reserve His exaltation until the end, He does not wait until then to support His people as they endure difficult circumstances. Peter used an expression from the Old Testament that encouraged God’s people to cast their burdens upon Him (Ps. 55:22). The verb tense of casting reflects a one-time, decisive event. Certainly we have to continually cast our cares upon the Lord, but still we must have a pivotal moment when that happens. The word care is usually associated with apprehensions. It literally means drawn in different directions, divided, distracted. Worry, burdens, and anxiety distract us from God’s care and concern for us if we excessively focus on them. Rather than holding to our cares, we should release them to the Lord by faith.

The reason we should cast our cares upon Him is that He cares about you. This cares is different from the word we just considered. God is neither apathetic not sadistic. He doesn’t sit idly by as His people suffer. God is actively involved in removing suffering and restoring the believer to the place he or she should be as His children. Sometimes this happens instantly in the life of the sufferer, and sometimes it happens ultimately when the Christian dies and stands before God in eternity. Whether the time of God’s rescue is long or short, the Christian should have no reason to question His concern.

II. RESIST THE DEVIL & STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH – 1 PETER 5:8-9 

8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. 

“Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.” 

-1 Peter 5:8

A friend of mine, Neil, shared with me a personal story of suffering. He and his wife, Anna, lost their baby girl only nine days after she was born. A darkness came on Anna that she described as the deepest abyss she had ever known. She didn’t know how to move on. Neil began to remind her of the truths they had studied together about God and the reality of this world. One of those truths was that suffering was not unique to them. People all over the world experience the pain of death. 

Eventually, Anna recognized that death, suffering, and pain will come to everyone. She began to have great compassion for those in her church who were suffering from all sorts of evils: child abuse, chronic pain, cancer, and more. 

Anna’s compassion for the suffering of others helped her to move through her own time of grief. She realized, as Peter wrote, that our suffering is a fellowship that all believers share across the world – it’s not exclusive to us individually. Anna also found that, as she suffered, it helped to remind herself of the truths she had already learned. As Peter stated: “Be serious! Be alert!” 

You need to have a sound mind that is ready for action. In order to handle the attacks of the evil one who seeks to devour you, develop self control that focuses on the truths of God. The evil one is not going to leave you alone because you are vulnerable; in fact, that’s when he‘s most likely to attack! So, put vulnerability at bay by remaining focused and alert. 

Peter tells us what to do to resist the Devil: stand firm in the faith. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Continue to learn about God and the truths He has revealed to us, and stand on these truths of the faith. Knowing your beliefs will help you apply them when you need to stand firm against an attack. 

The Devil is your adversary – how can this knowledge affect the way you live? 

Final Thoughts:

1. Christians need to be on watch for that which would seek to destroy the effectiveness of their witness for Christ.

2. The devil is the adversary who is ever on the prowl against those who stand for Christ.

3. Christians can resist the devil armed with a firm faith.

4. Believers around the world are to stand together as one for Christ and to support one another during times of attack.

Commentary: Though Peter encouraged Christians to cast their cares upon the Lord, he did not imply their work was finished. He encouraged them to resist Satan and remain firm in the midst of their suffering. He began with two commands designed to wake them from any slumber they might have been experiencing. First, he told them to be serious. Most modern translations use the word sober when translating this word. It can be used for the mind that is not under the control of alcohol, but it involves more than that. It is a spiritual sobriety, remaining clear minded in the face of an impending danger.

The second word, be alert, was the word for a watchman who waited on the wall to detect the advancement of an enemy against the city. This word in the New Testament exhorted preparedness for the Jesus’ return (Matt. 24:42; 25:13; Mark 13:35, 37; Rev. 3:3; 16:15) and to diligence in steering clear of moral or doctrinal lapses (Matt. 26:41; Mark 14:38; Acts 20:31; 1 Thess. 5:6). Even if suffering Christians have cast their cares upon the Lord, they still need to remain alert and vigilant to make sure they do not fall prey to a surprise attack from the enemy.

Christians need to remain alert because they have an adversary. This is the only time the word was used in reference to Satan, and its usual meaning was an opponent in a lawsuit. This enemy was not a force or an idea but a person. Peter identified him as the devil. Peter created a word picture to demonstrate the enemy’s commitment to destroying people. He described him as a roaring lion prowling around seeking its prey. Like a lion who crouches in the weeds and pounces on its prey, the devil is looking for those whom he can devour. 

Peter suggested two definite actions against the enemy. First, he pleaded for Christians to resist him. This represents active opposition. The closest usage to this passage is James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” For Christians, Satan can roar and prowl all he wants, but believers are told to resist his lies and accusations. Peter also called upon Christians to remain firm in the faith. The best chance of resisting the devil is for Christians to remain steadfast in the faith, firmly and confidently maintaining trust in God, in His sovereignty, in His power, and in His love. Christians take their stand against the devil by holding fast to God and not compromising their faith.

Peter reminded them that as they stood firm in the faith, they would share in the same suffering as other Christians throughout the world. One thing New Testament Christians had in common was suffering for the cause of Christ. The same sufferings probably do not refer to the same means of suffering but to a common plight all Christians faced by suffering in various ways. Scattered throughout the world, Christians continue to face opposition from those who do not embrace the truths of the gospel. 

III. CLAIM THE VICTORY & GIVE GOD THE PRAISE – 1 PETER 5:10-11 

10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen. 

Throughout the Book of 1 Peter, we’ve been exploring the foundation for real and sure hope that God provides through Jesus – hope for this life and the life to come. Jesus is the example of what awaits us in the resurrection. We will be restored as He was restored. The whole of creation will be made well and whole again because Jesus makes all things new. Something better is coming!

Peter reminds us that though we may be suffering – and may even suffer to the point of death – we have genuine hope in the reality of an eternal Creator. God is worthy of our trust because of who He is and what He has done. God is the possessor and giver of all grace. He has demonstrated His immeasurable grace by taking on the consequence of evil, death, and defeating it through the resurrection of Christ. This victory and hope is for each of us. 

1. God is our foundation for sure hope. 
2. God is the only One worthy of our trust and reverence.
3. God is the reason we can endure suffering and trials with resilient faith. 
4. God is victorious. 

I’m so thankful for a God who, in His righteousness, provides salvation for humanity. But He added a personal touch as well. Look at the powerful words Peter used to convey God’s love for us: “who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus.” God will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you! 

God has given me real hope. It’s not a delusion. It’s not something I say to make myself feel better. It’s a real hope based in the resurrection. It’s a hope that I can access and use right now as I endure trials in this life. I can put my trust in Jesus because He is worthy of my trust. My faith is not in vain. There is something better to come. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 

Do the activity below.

How do we manage the tension of longing for restoration while we suffer in the present? 

Final Thoughts:

1. God acts in grace through the person Jesus Christ on behalf of His children.

2. Even during suffering, God is at work to help His children.

3. God has unparalleled power that will never end.

4. God’s grace and power assure believers of victory.

Commentary: Peter brought his letter to a conclusion thematically in verse 10-11 by expressing a doxology, or a hymn of praise. The hymn began with reassurance the God of all grace would rescue His people from their suffering. Peter held tightly to the idea of God’s grace (1 Pet. 1:2, 13; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 12). He knew they deserve to suffer much more than they had, but by God’s grace and Jesus’ death on the cross they received forgiveness for the sins that separated them from God. Peter also spoke of God’s calling to eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter what Christians endure in this lifetime, we have the hope of eternity with Christ. Because heaven is certain and the end is sure, all suffering is temporal.

Peter delivered four powerful promises of what God would do for those who suffer.

1. He would personally restore them. The Greek means to make complete or to put in order. Medically, it was used for the setting of a broken bone. As a doctor would set a broken bone for healing, Peter promised God would set the world in order. Sometimes this happens in the sufferers’ lifetime, but sometimes it awaits the return of Christ.

2. God would establish them. The Greek word means to make strong in the sense of resolute, unfaltering. Jesus used this word in Luke 22:31-32 when warning Peter of his approaching denial of Jesus. He told Peter that after he was restored from that act he was to “strengthen your brothers”. Peter had firsthand experience with God’s strengthening power in his life.

3. God would strengthen them. Though this word is similar to the previous word, it is not as common. In fact, it is only used in the New Testament on this occasion. This word also indicates a strengthening in the firmness of one’s resolve. As Christians suffered, they need to remain resolute in attitude and faith. 

4. The final promise is that God would support those who suffered for righteousness. This word describes the setting of a firm foundation that could support Christians in their trials. It referred to the fixing of a building upon its foundation. Since God was building His household with the living stones of the church (1 Pet. 2:5), His followers needed a solid foundation. Peter had already indicated that the foundation was Jesus Christ, the cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:5-6).

The doxology ended with an expression of praise. Peter admitted that dominion belonged to the Lord alone. The early church lived in an era of tremendous authority for the Roman Empire. However, as great as the Roman Empire was at the time, their dominion paled in comparison to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is everlasting (Dan. 4:3). His kingdom is not of the present world (John 18:36). It is a kingdom where both righteousness and peace reign (Rom. 14:17). In the face of suffering in the present life, Peter acknowledged that God still exercised dominion. And, unlike the Roman Empire, the reign of God is forever.

Conclusion: Thus we conclude these lessons from 1 Peter about a resilient faith. A resilient faith is one grounded in the person and work of Christ. Faith in anything or anyone else will prove to be unreliable both in struggles of the present and for eternity. Jesus is the best model of how believers are to stand resolutely with God even when difficulties come, opposition surfaces, and persecution bears down on us.

The American culture shows more and more signs of hostility toward Christians. How are we to respond? We are not to withdraw in fear, but to stand firm, giving a clear explanation of the hope that urges us forward. Rather than cower in the face of opposition, Christians are challenged to be a holy people, committed to a holy God. From that we must never shy away.

In the closing lesson we were once reminded that no matter what we face for Christ’s sake, God will strengthen us for the times. Yet we have a responsibility to come before Him with humility and entrust our concerns to Him. We are to resist our adversary, the devil, by remaining firm in the faith. God will sustain us through suffering, work in our lives to restore any brokenness that the suffering causes, and thereby prepare us for victory now and then.

What current situation tries your faith or creates anxiety for you that you need to cast on God?

In what area of your life does the devil challenge you the most often? What steps do you need to take to resist him?

Live it Out 

How will you approach God for strength and restoration? 

1. Don’t worry. Be conscious of moments when you experience worry this week. Use these moments as opportunities to express your trust in God. 

2. Be prepared. Make a plan for dealing with attacks when they come your way. Identify an area of your life in which you feel vulnerable, and then focus on a truth from Scripture that will help you stand strong. 

3. Plan a retreat. Take some time in the near future to get away from your daily routine and spend a significant portion of time with God – and only with God. 

When you need help, don’t worry about how to “let go and let God” or any other catchy phrase. Simply remember that God is the only sure place to ground your hope, and seek Him for your next step.

Prayer of Commitment 

Lord, I can say it no better than Peter did, so I too declare, “To You be the glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen

This has been a great series on a Resilient Faith! I hope you have enjoyed this in-depth study into God's Word.

In His Love,

David & Susan

Class Lesson August 10, 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?

 

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

1st 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.


2nd 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.


3rd 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.

4th Lesson - Ready Faith: Suffering brings opportunities to point to Jesus. 1 Peter 3:13-16; 4:1-2

 

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.







Our 5th lesson in this series is how we can have a:

We respond to difficulties and suffering in a variety of ways. Some of us respond with anger, dogged determination to fight it, or passive resignation. Others respond with introspection or by asking, “Why me?” But who responds with joy? Yet joy is the very attitude the Bible calls us to embrace. Even in the face of unjust suffering, we can rejoice in Christ.

1 Peter 4:12-19

Many early believers faced local persecution. Rather than allowing such treatment to take them by surprise or to seem unusual to them, Peter emphasized for these Christians that suffering for their faith in Christ presented them an opportunity for rejoicing. It also presented them with reason and opportunity to glorify God that they could bear the name “Christian.”

Think about this...

 

Answer: Your Choice

Surprises are often nice, and they can sometimes be fun. But then there are those “other” surprises: the routine checkup that turned into, “We need to run some more tests.” The pay raise that turned into a pink slip. The church ministry that turned into a church fight. Sometimes life’s surprises are irritating, aggravating, and worse.

Where’s the joy in that?

Difficulties, suffering, and persecution may seem like major obstacles to our ability to experience joy, but that doesn’t have to be the case. The truth is that suffering and difficulties are going to happen. And although we can never fully prepare for their impact on our lives, we can be certain of God’s ability to impart joy to us in the midst of those tough times.

One day there was a lady who was having some health problems and she was hurting all over so she went to the doctor. And when she got there the doctor asked, “Well what seems to be the problem. Where are you hurting?” The lady said, “I’m hurting everywhere doctor. See?” She proceeded to touch her arm and cried out, “Ouch!”  Then she touched her leg and said, “Ouch!”  Then she touched her nose and screamed, “Ouch!”  “See doctor?” she cried, “I’m hurting all over!” and the doctor replied, “Lady you’ve got a broken finger!”

Anybody know somebody like that? How many of you would say that lady was causing herself a lot of unnecessary pain there? You know what? Many Christians today are doing the exact same thing! How? Not with a broken finger, but with a broken faith.


The devil is trying to get us even today to seek a temporary happiness instead of a biblical joy. Life is full of things that try to push us down. Setbacks: health, work, even relationships can surprise us like a hurricane and destroy everything in its path. And we many times will get so discouraged that we break and just give up.

We could learn a lesson or two from the Palm Tree. 

During a hurricane you will notice that there are many trees that break or are simply blown over from the storm – huge oak trees, pine trees, elm trees, and magnolia trees. But not the palm tree, why – because God designed the palm tree not to get knocked down. Unlike other trees, the palm tree is designed to bend so it doesn’t break and it comes back up. During the storm the palm tree isn’t worried, he sees other trees cracking and falling all around him but he knows that God put a “Bounce Back” in his DNA. Studies show that when the palm tree is being bent over and stretched – its roots are actually strengthening and being given opportunities for new growth. When the storm is over the palm tree comes back up stronger than it was before.
 
Psalm 92:12 “The righteous will flourish like the palm tree.”  We need that “Bounce Back” mentality toward the storms in our life. That “Bounce Back” is a Joyful Faith! We need to remember that what was meant for our harm, God can use for our good. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy is coming in the morning. God is a God of restoration and He’s promised to pay you back double for every unfair situation – that’s double for your trouble!
 
The seed of an Almighty God is in you – the same power that raised Christ from the dead lives inside of you. In your blood right now is the DNA of a WINNER. The DNA of an OVER COMER!  There is no challenge too difficult for you, no obstacle to high to overcome, no sickness, no disappointment, no person, no hurricane, no stock market that can keep you from your God-given destiny!  

This week’s session will help you discover how to experience joy even in life’s difficulties. Because you do have a choice. 

We are the ones who consciously determine which way we will go. 
The poet writes:

“One ship sails east

One ship sails west

Regardless of how the winds blow.

It is the set of the sail

And not the gale

That determines the way we go.”

 
 
Our lesson this week wants us to choose joy even in life's difficulties.

 

I. REJOICE! – 1 PETER 4:12-13
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 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.
  

Don't be surprised. Rejoice! Peter's words are the very encouragement we need to hear. He wasn't chastising his readers for not trusting God during times of great trial. He reminded them of the truth of God's revelation at the end of times, and he highlighted how that truth should inform their present situations. He wanted them (and us) to gain a more robust perspective on life - to see that something much bigger is going on than what we're currently experiencing.

Peter acknowledged our encounters with suffering, referring to them as a "fiery ordeal." He wasn't glossing over the trouble we experience in this life. Yes, our own fiery ordeals may seem all-consuming. They may ignite with such force that we're tempted to question God's goodness - or even question His very existence. But Peter reminded us that in a world full of evil, we should expect suffering to come upon us, just as it came upon Jesus.


Peter also gave us a couple of ways to respond to suffering: 

1. Recognize that you are being tested. We are tested in this life to refine our faith or even to see if we truly possess a faith at all. The testing of our faith reveals who we really are, and how we respond to the trial reveals what we really believe.

2. Rejoice in following the path of the Lord. Follow along with this progression: 1) God suffered and sacrificed Himself for all of humanity. 2) You suffer because of your trust in Him. Therefore, 3) You have good reason to believe that your suffering is not in vain.


After Jesus' suffering and sacrifice, God raised Him from the dead. Paul called Him "the firstfruits" (1 Cor. 15:20), which was a reference to the first crops to appear during harvest season. This early crop was a sign - a guarantee - that more crops would follow.

Jesus' resurrection points to the resurrection of all those who follow and worship God. We may suffer with Jesus, but we will also experience glory with Jesus. In this, we can find a way to rejoice in any trial. 

"Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is."

- C. S. Lewis

Final Thoughts:

1. As Christians we shouldn’t be surprised by suffering because it has a definite purpose in our lives - Suffering comes to test the Christian. Moses reminded the Israelites God had led them 40 years in the wilderness to humble and test them to determine whether or not they would keep His commands (Deut. 8:2).

2. We can rejoice in the midst of suffering because we are in fellowship with Christ who Himself suffered on our behalf. Christians can take joy in knowing their suffering is temporary in light of Jesus’ promises about the future.

3. We will rejoice at Christ’s return in victory as we behold Him in His glory. By standing strong in suffering, the Christian is standing by faith to demonstrate that a time is coming when the wrongs will be made right. In this sense, joy is a supreme confidence Jesus will fulfill His promises and God will establish in heaven everything He promised.


Commentary: The previous lesson ended with the revelation that suffering can help Christians draw closer to the Lord by reminding them that Christ’s death dealt with the power of sin. This led to a discussion of how the knowledge of Christ’s return should help the sufferer maintain discipline in life (1 Pet. 4:3-11). Knowing the final outcome of history allows us to have joy even in the context of suffering.

Peter referred to the suffering Christians as dear friends. Few things bind people together as tightly as common pain. He encouraged readers not to be surprised by their suffering. Peter cautioned his readers not to embrace the mindset that suffering could never come to anyone who followed Christ. The reason Christians should not be surprised by suffering is that it has a definite purpose in their lives. Suffering comes to test the Christian. This idea resides in the Old Testament also. For example, Moses reminded the Israelites God had led them 40 years in the wilderness to humble and test them to determine whether or not they would keep His commands (Deut. 8:2).

With fiery ordeal, Peter referenced the suffering his readers were enduring. The single Greek word literally means burning. This most likely was a reference to the connection between suffering and the purifying presence of God. The purpose of the fire was not to hurt and harm but to purify the one who was suffering. Certainly the Bible speaks of the fire of judgment upon those who do not believe, but that is not the purpose of the fiery ordeal Peter’s readers endured.

Because Christians should not be surprised by trials, they should not see them as something unusual. All Christians go through trials at some period in their lives. Rather than being astonished and overwhelmed by them, Peter suggested that Christians should rejoice. Peter believed it was a privilege to share in the suffering of the Messiah. By rejoicing in their suffering, Christians anticipated the rejoicing that would accompany the revelation of His glory. It was not ordinary joy but great joy. The Greek word for revelation is the root word for apocalypse in English. This is the same word that occurs in 1 Peter 1:7, 13 in reference to the return of Jesus Christ. Suffering creates a longing for Jesus to consummate everything He promised concerning the end of time, heaven, and eternal life. Christians can take joy in knowing their suffering is temporary in light of Jesus’ promises about the future.

Certainly Peter did not mean believers will enjoy suffering. However, undeserved suffering for Christ in the present is an indicator of future deliverance by Jesus at the end of time. By standing strong in suffering, the Christian is standing by faith to demonstrate that a time is coming when the wrongs will be made right. In this sense, joy is a supreme confidence Jesus will fulfill His promises and God will establish in heaven everything He promised.

 
II. BLESSED! – 1 PETER 4:14
14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

 

Over the years of doing apologetics ministry, I've been called a lot of names: hatemonger, bigot, stupid, delusional, dishonest, a "nutter," and much more. (Those are the tame ones!) Most of these come from my interactions on the internet. However, these are the kinds of insults we can expect as Christians in accordance with Peter's words in verse 14.

Though Peter stated that I'm blessed when I endure slander in the name of Jesus, my typical first response is not, "Wow! I am so blessed." I usually react by reviewing the situation with questions like these: What did I do? Did I attack or offend the person? Was my original statement or online post motivated by a sin that may have prompted this adverse response?

These kinds of questions swirl around in my head for a while because I forget that, as one who publicly professes Jesus Christ, I am going to receive insults and ridicule due to the world's hatred toward God. One mention of Jesus in public can be enough to get people uptight or bent-out-of-shape. This is exactly what the apostles experienced when they preached Jesus in public. Paul was even stoned by the people of one city and left for dead Acts 14:19).

I offer a caution: some Christians bring slander and insult upon themselves because of their ungodly behavior. In such cases, it's inappropriate to claim that one is "suffering for Jesus." As we saw in 1 Peter 3:16, we are to witness to the truth of Jesus "with gentleness and respect" so that we will not bring shame to the name of our Lord.

Peter reasoned that "you are blessed" when slandered for "the name of Christ," because the Spirit of God is on you. Because the Spirit indwells believers, the Lord Himself will comfort you. The Holy Spirit rests on you, refreshing and strengthening you to carry on.







Final Thoughts:

1. Believers can expect to be insulted by those who deny Christ.

2. Those who stand strong in the face of reproach are happy and blessed in the Lord.

3. The Lord blesses those who stand for Him with the power of His glory and the refreshing presence of His Spirit.

Commentary: Though suffering for Christians would soon reach the point of physical torture and death, as it did for the apostle Peter, this verse indicates persecution was still in its initial stages in the empire. Peter spoke of Christians being ridiculed. Whatever else their suffering included; the Christians to whom Peter wrote were abused or slandered with words. Jesus had taught His followers, “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you … For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12).

Early Christians had a deluge of lies told about them. Some called them cannibals, believing they ate the flesh of Jesus in the Lord’s Supper. Others called them immoral because they participated in love feasts. Some called them atheists because they had no visible god to worship as many other religions did. The lies accumulated and the ridicule grew stronger. As criticism mounted for Christians, Peter reminded them of the reason for their suffering. Namely, the early Christians were ridiculed for the name of Christ. Peter did not promise blessing to those who caused their own suffering. Rather, he promised that those who suffered for their faith in Christ were blessed. In a world that perceives material blessings as the only real type of blessings, people may have difficulty understanding Peter’s logic. He was not saying Christians should enjoy suffering, but rather that they should live in a state of blessed peace in the middle of the trials. Blessed is the same word as the one Jesus used in the Beatitudes in Matthew 5, and it means a state of happiness or to be congratulated.

The blessing comes not in the suffering itself but in what accompanies the suffering. Because signals that Peter was about to reveal the reason for the blessing. Believers are blessed in their suffering because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on them. God does not abandon sufferers. As Christians suffering for the cause of Christ, we can rely on God’s presence to abide with us as we suffer. A person’s choice to suffer rather than deny faith in Jesus reflects the presence of the Holy Spirit already at work. But not only is He present when the suffering begins, He is powerfully present throughout the suffering as the indwelling Spirit of God.

In spite of suffering intended to discourage and harm Christians, Peter promised they would be blessed in the midst of their suffering because they suffered for the name of Christ. This blessing would include the fact that the Spirit of God rests on the sufferer. Peter could not have chosen a better word to describe the experience of the Spirit. While their lives may have been in chaos and turmoil, the Spirit patiently rested on their lives so the believer could experience now a foretaste of the glory to come through the ministry and promise of the Spirit.




III. GLORY! – 1 PETER 4:15-19
15 None of you, however, should suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. 16 But if anyone suffers as a “Christian,” he should not be ashamed but should glorify God in having that name. 17 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? 18 And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? 19 So those who suffer according to God’s will should, while doing what is good, entrust themselves to a faithful Creator. 

 



Peter mentioned several obvious activities we should avoid as Christians - murder, theft, evildoing. But he also mentioned a more subtle sin: meddling or being a busybody. Christians should avoid meddling in everybody's business. When we engage in this kind of behavior, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for any suffering we experience afterward.

There are other times, however, when we need to step up on important issues - such as defending what we believe. This isn't meddling when it's done with gentleness and respect. Instead, defending our beliefs is necessary in light of all the misinformation being spread about Christianity in today's culture.

In verse 19, Peter reminded us to continue to do what is good, even while suffering. Why? Because God is our faithful Creator.

• God does not leave us stranded here to endure oppression, suffering, and evil on our own.
• God will judge evil for what it is.
• God will set things right and back to the goodness He intended at the beginning of creation. 

God has shown us His faithfulness through Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection. And He will continue to show us His faithfulness through the resurrection and redemption we will fully realize and experience in the end.

 










 
 Final Thoughts:
1. Our suffering for the name of Christ is not an occasion for shame but an opportunity to bring glory to God.

2. Suffering for Christ’s sake proves and purifies the quality of our faith.

3. The ungodly and the sinner stand hopeless before God.

4. By entrusting their lives to God’s keeping, those who suffer for Christ can stand with confidence, knowing He does all things well.

Commentary: Throughout the letter, Peter distinguished between those who suffered for their own careless actions and those who suffered for the cause of Jesus Christ. He qualified his words about the blessings of suffering by again reminding readers that they only had the promise of rest if they suffered for the right reason. The promise of joy and the Spirit’s presence was for those suffering for Jesus.

Peter listed four examples of people who suffer for their own actions.

1. Murderer – those who willfully take another person’s life cannot sit in jail and bemoan the fact that they are suffering.

2. Thief - Peter also refused to sympathize with a person who was suffering because he was a thief. Those suffering because of their thievery received the due consequences of their actions.

3. Evildoer - Peter’s third example of those who suffer for their own actions. Anyone who does wrong and brings suffering upon himself does not have the same promise of blessing as those suffering for their Christian faith.

4. Meddler – this word does not occur anywhere else in the New Testament or, for that matter, in any literature prior to 1 Peter. An examination of the Greek word leads one to conclude that this word has to do with someone who watches over someone else’s business – a busybody.

Peter was descending from sins that people considered more serious to the less serious.

Yet, suffering for any of them did not qualify a person for the same comfort those who suffered for the name of Christ.

Peter returned to the reason for their suffering in verse 16. Those who suffered for being a Christian had a legitimate reason to suffer. Early Christians did not usually call themselves Christians – the name was given to them in Antioch as a term of derision (Acts 11:26). By using this term, Peter echoed the ridicule of those who verbally attacked his readers. However, instead of wearing this as a badge of shame, he encouraged the sufferers not to be ashamed. Instead, Peter encouraged his readers to wear the name of Christ proudly and in doing so to glorify God. The peace and rest that accompanied those who were suffering certainly would speak to those who were without faith in Christ.

Quoting Proverbs 11:31, Peter reminded his readers that a righteous person is saved with difficulty. Certainly he may have had in mind the price it took for Christ to make sinners righteous. However, he also may have had and difficulties to point them to Christ. But the main purpose of the statement was to highlight the utter futility of those who do not know Christ. He asked for a second time in the passage - What will become of the ungodly and the sinner? Great disaster awaits them as they will be eternally separated from God and in eternal torment in hell. So both the sinner and the saint face suffering. Why not suffer for righteousness rather than for evil? The former leads to a better future, while the latter leads to damnation.

Conclusion: The message of Peter in these verses is difficult – no, not difficult to understand but difficult to apply. Who among us really wants to suffer? We tend to think people ought not to be harmed or suffer for doing good. We would claim that is unfair. Therefore, when it comes, is there really cause to rejoice, to feel blessed, and to glorify God? That is just what Peter advocated!

 
Describe an experience in which you suffered for the cause of Christ. What was your attitude during that time? Did you come to the point of rejoicing, feeling blessed, and giving glory to God? If so, how did you get there?
 


Live it Out
What steps can you take to discover joy in all seasons of life?
 
1. Seek Joy. Do something this week that you know will help you experience joy. Don’t feel guilty about it, either. Accept your joy as a gift from God.

2. Have honest communications. Ask your friends and family members if there are areas in which you’ve cause your own suffering. Listen to what they say, then respond appropriately.

3. Trust God. Read Psalm 71:1-8 several times during a quiet moment this week. Rewrite those verses to express your own requests to God in connection with your current suffering.

Choose to stick with God even when you feel like your heart is breaking or the world is crashing down. That choice will help you grow nearer to Him and begin to understand how He ministers to His children in this world – and that’s always a pleasant surprise.

Kay Warren's definition of Joy: "Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things."

Prayer of Commitment

Lord, even in difficult times, because of Christ, I can rejoice and I can know I am blessed. Therefore, I can shout “glory!” Amen

See you on Sunday,

Susan & David