9. Message In 1 Peter – Number 9 - Consider The Suffering Church And Peter’s Teaching On Suffering - How Do We Suffer? (1 Peter 4:13) Series

9. Message in 1 Peter – Number 9 - CONSIDER THE SUFFERING CHURCH AND PETER’S TEACHING ON SUFFERING - HOW DO WE SUFFER? (1 Peter 4:13)

“It’s not fair! Why should it be happening to me? Why has God not stopped this? Does God notice what is happening? It doesn’t happen to others - why to me?”

“If there is a God, who says He’s a God of love, why then is He allowing suffering in the world on people? That’s why I am an atheist.”

“Suffering is proof there is no God.”

These questions, and even may we say it, doubts and mockery, often plague the saints of God in times of difficulty and distressful events. None of us likes adversity and all would prefer the calm of life, free from the distress of daily living, especially as a Christian. It is worst of all, and comes as a shock, when we expect the Christian path to be one of trouble-free bliss and find ourselves thick in the thorn bushes.

This idealist Christian life that is promised is one of the lies of the devil and his agents in the prosperity teaching who say when you are giving all to God (that is, your money to the prosperity false teachers), then all will be great for you, debt free and all the blessings you want.

I believe part of the gospel preaching should contain warnings so people are left under no illusion. There is a very pointed verse some preachers like to overlook. It is this one – {{2 Timothy 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus WILL BE PERSECUTED.”}}. That means if you want to count for the Lord you will go through suffering, suffering as a Christian.

[1]. CHRISTIAN SUFFERING AND PERSECUTION IN THE WORLD

Today there is unspeakable suffering in the Christian community for those who will not surrender their faith to satanic Islam or to communist government decrees. How many of you bother to look up the plight of our fellow believers in nations where Christians are being killed for their faith.

This is from RELEVANT a Christian organization – [[“Nigeria has become one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. Human rights groups estimate more than 52,000 Christians have been killed in the country since 2009. This year alone, more than 7,000 have already been murdered and thousands more kidnapped. Advocacy groups say more than 19,000 churches have been destroyed and millions of believers displaced from their homes.”]]

RELEVANT continues – [[“Meanwhile, millions of Christians are displaced inside Nigeria. Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey has said at least 5 million Nigerians — mostly Christians — have been forced into camps or across borders. Some estimates put the number as high as 12 million. Families that once lived on farmland now depend on aid in temporary shelters.”]]. That is suffering, real suffering, and just because it happens in other nations apart from ours we should not dismiss it.

“Open Doors” in the United States give the following 10 nations as the worst persecution against Christians:-

1. North Korea … where owning a Bible can get you killed

2. Somalia … where following Jesus makes you the enemy

3. Libya … where evangelism is a death sentence

4. Eritrea … where imprisonment for following Jesus in inevitable

5. Yemen … where Christians are on extremists’ “wanted” lists

6. Nigeria … where a Christian dies nearly every two hours, on average.

7. Pakistan … where every Christian is a second-class citizen

9. Iran … where being a Christian is a “crime against national security.”

10. Afghanistan … where there “are no Christians.”

Additional nations given as hotbeds of persecution by other Christian organisations include Saudi Arabia, India, China, Myamar, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua,

[2]. LOOKING NOW AT WHAT PETER WROTE

Peter talks of two types of suffering.

FIRSTLY, DOING WRONG. He mentions the suffering for doing wrong and this applies to Christians too. We may get into trouble for doing things not honouring, or dishonest, or breaking the law however minor (such as a traffic fine for speeding we are unable to pay). We suffer because we get into trouble. That is one form of suffering. Peter would say a Christian ought not be counted among murderers, thieves or meddlers:-

{{1 Peter 4:15 “By no means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler;”}}

A Christian out of fellowship with the Lord can even go to jail because he is rightfully convicted. That certainly would be a wake up call which hopefully leads to repentance. He further says that it is much better to suffer for doing good, than for doing wrong:-

{{1 Peter 3:17 “For IT IS BETTER, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”}}