“The Fiery Ordeal” 1 Peter 4:12-19

“Living Hope”

A Sermon Series Through 1 Peter

“The Fiery Ordeal”

1 Peter 4:12-19

 Introduction

There was a time in Jesus’ ministry when “great crowds accompanied him,” he turns to the crowd told them this parable in Luke 14:28-32 “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.” Jesus encourages those crowds around to consider the cost of being His disciple.

As we begin toward the end of our study of 1 Peter, Peter has made it clear that suffering will be apart of your walking with Jesus – he has spent a lot of time on how we should respond that unjust suffering. There are other places in the Bible that warns of this, Jesus said, “if the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18). But why must the Christian suffer?

Don’t Be Surprised At The Ordeal (vv. 12)

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

Peter begins this new portion of the letter with the word, Beloved. It may be tempting during times of severe suffering to think that God has rejected you, or doesn’t love you, or that he has forgotten you, – but you will always be God’s precious child, His beloved. And among other believers, you are loved. Why then, since God is all powerful, do you have to endure this suffering? Why is there pain and suffering under the watchful eye of God?

(v. 12) “do not be surprised,” – the gospel will always be offensive; to inform a person that they are a sinner, that their sin is not accepted by a holy God, and that if they do not accept the only means of grace from God, His Son Jesus, they will forever be separated from Him in hell. Should we be shocked that people would reject the gospel?

If you are regularly sharing the gospel, it is no surprise that there will be people out there who won’t like you. If you are seeking to follow Jesus’ teachings of righteousness, holiness, justice, and seeking to do good – then those who do not do these things won’t like you.

Christians Suffer Because the Gospel is Offensive to the World.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 describes this “For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.” Hardship goes along with being a Christian because Jesus splits the world into two camps – the sheep and goats.

We are not to be surprised, “at the fiery trial,” – It is the picture of a fiery furnace, melting down impurities in metal.[1] The temperature in your life warms up, because of your doing good.

 “. . . when it comes upon you to test you . . .” It is a test – the purpose of suffering is to purify your faith. “Suffering for righteousness’ sake not only refines, but, even before that, reveals whether people are truly believers.”[2] In Jesus’ parable of the sower, the Word of God described as seed, was sewn and it fell on different types of soil (which Jesus explains is a person’s heart).

Matthew 13:20-21 “As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.” Suffering reveals if we are truly believers in Jesus or not. The rocky soil person revealed that their response to the gospel to be nothing but a superficial, false profession. There are people among the flock who are not true believers, tribulation (because of the name of Jesus) makes them apparent.

Christians Suffer Because It Reveals The Genuineness of Their Faith.

“as though something strange were happening to you.” It is not strange, it is inevitable. If you preach the gospel, if you share the offensiveness of the gospel, if you seek to follow the teachings of Christ, then it is not surprising, but inevitable that you will suffer because of the fallen world we live in.

 Rejoice In the Sufferings of Christ (v. 13)

13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

 “(v. 13a) But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings ,. . .” Is a time to Rejoice – because it means that we are being used by God, . . . Luke 6:22-23 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” Jesus suffered for what is right, and now the believer also suffers for doing what is right. They struck Jesus, now the believer is struck because of their faith in Jesus, in that we share in Christ’s sufferings.

“(v. 13b) . . . that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” Greater joy When Christ Returns

 Christians Suffer Because God Uses It As A Means To Bless Them.

Suffering in the Name of Christ (vv. 14-18)

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

(v. 14a) “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed,” “We believe in his name or revelation, are baptized in His name, confess his name, . . . Christians are reproached “in connection with” this holy, blessed name or revelation of Christ, i.e. the gospel of Christ which they believe and follow in their lives. Our enemies hate this name (revelation) and us because we cling to it.”[3]

(v. 14b) “because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” Is Evidence of the Spirit’s Presence – There is a promise of future blessings because of their suffering for Christ’s name, but there is also a present reward in that the Spirit of God “rests upon you.” The Holy Spirit is already present in the life of a believer (since the moment of their faith being placed in Christ), so this is a relief given to them during their time of suffering. To rest means, “to give relief, refreshment, intermission from toil.” God gives them an extra measure of grace.

Christians Suffer Because God Desires To Be With His People (to rest upon them).

 Nebuchadnezzar’s Golden Image, Daniel 3; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Daniel 3:23-25 “And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” The fourth was God standing with those who are suffering because of His name, and seeking to follow His ways.

(v. 15) “But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.” But just because you suffer doesn’t mean that the Holy Spirit will give you grace, nor does it mean that you will be rewarded simply because you are suffering. Your suffering must not be for unlawful behavior. If you have to suffer, make sure it for something good, not evil.

Peter also throws in “meddler” (troublemaker) which is considerably different than murderer – don’t cause yourself to suffer for any sin (big or small). 1 Thessalonians 4:10-11 says, “But we urge you, brothers, . . . to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.”

(v. 16a) “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.” Should Not Bring Shame

(v. 16b) “but let him glorify God in that name.” Should Result in Glorifying God

(v. 17) “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; Is Evidence that God’s judgement has begun (v. 17)

For believer’s first (v. 17b) “and if it begins with us,”

For unbeliever’s (v. 17c) “what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” “The answer is plain: judgement concludes with Christ’s final condemnation of the ungodly at the Great White Throne judgement of the lost will be infinitely more devastating.”[4] It is infinitely better to endure suffering as believers for a period if time (that God uses in us to make us more like Christ), than to bear eternal torment as unbelievers.

(v. 18) is a quote from Psalm 11:31 that Peter uses to make his point, “18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” The scarcely is pointing to God’s discipline of the believer, their enduring the suffering for His name sake, fires of divine purging, etc. All that God has done in the believer’s life to make Him a better person, more like Christ. Think of all that God has done to get you to this point – none of that has been done in the life of a non-believer.

 Christians Suffer Because It Is A Sign That God’s Judgement Has Begun.

 Summary Statement About a Christian’s Suffering (v. 19)

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”

Entrust is a banking term, referring to deposit for safe keeping – the believer is to deposit their soul to God, trusting that all happens is part of God’s plan. Peter calls God Creator – there is a master plan to all of it. That designer, that has included your suffering in the plan, is faithful. Trust the faithful God, there is a purpose in all of it, and keep on doing good. “According to God’s will does not mean that God wants us to suffer; it means that Christians suffer because they do God’s will (see 4:2).[5]

Christians Suffer Because It Is God’s Plan (trust Him)

 There is a phrase that has caused many people to turn from theism (the belief in God) to atheism – It goes something like this, “If God is omnipotent (able to do anything), then why is there pain and suffering in the world? Either He is wicked (allowing it, even causing it, but certainly not stopping it), or He is incapable of stopping it (therefore, not all powerful). The presence of suffering and pain points to God’s poor character, and His ineptitude.” He cannot be both all-loving and good, and at the same time be omnipotent.

You could look over the history of the world and see great pain and suffering (the holocaust of WWII under Hitler’s Jewish prison camps, Stalin’s systematically killing of millions of Russians during the Great Purge, there is no end to man’s ability to hurt other human beings – there is no bounds to race, geographic area, or period in time. To answer this we need two pieces of information – The character of God and the seriousness of sin.

This is why the Bible is so important, it is God’s revelation to us of His character, and His goodness and it tells us about our character. The Bible tells us that mankind is fallen, it is we who are wicked and depraved (not Him.) We have the ability to come up new ways of doing evil every day – the question is not why is there suffering – but why is there not more suffering than there is?

Jesus asked a question that deals with this in Luke 13:1-4 “There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

The theology of the Jewish people was that if something bad happened then that person was especially sinful. The truth is that all people are guilty and deserving of death, and everyone living is on borrowed time. God withholds judgement for a time because He is patient and merciful. His patience towards those who reject Him will eventually come to an end. God’s patience provides an opportunity for salvation by giving people time to repent. Also, Christians, are not sitting around waiting for Jesus to return, staring up into the sky – we are at work “doing good,” sharing the gospel, doing the will of God.

In light of all the blasphemous hostility toward God (His name is used as a curse word countless times a day), why are we still here? Why has mankind not been wiped off the map? It is only by God’s grace, His long-suffering. His heart is that more would be saved. A good God would not want evil to go unpunished – but instead pouring all that anger (that he has toward sin) at us (who deserves it), He poured all that hate and anger out on His own Son, Jesus (so that we may be forgiven). As Jesus said, “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

We suffer because He suffered and has invited us to join Him in that suffering – so that others may come to know God.

Christians Suffer Because God Is At Work Saving the World

 Conclusion

At the Nicene Council, an important church meeting in the 4th century A.D., of the 318 delegates attending, fewer than 12 had not lost an eye or lost a hand or did not limp on a leg lamed by torture for their Christian faith.

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[1] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 1 Peter (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishers, 2004) 249.

[2] McArthur, 250.

[3] R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of I and II Epistles of Peter, and three Epistles of John, and the Epistle of Jude (Minneapolis, Minnesota; Augsburg Publishing House, 1966) 205.

[4] MacArthur, 256. See also Dan. 12:2; Matt. 13:41-42, 49-50; 22:11-14; 25:41; Mark 9:44-49; Luke 13:23-28; 16:23-24; Rev. 14:10-11).

[5] Dennis Edwards, The Story of God Bible Commentary, 1 Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 2017) 194.