Pain And Persecution

Pain and Persecution

1 Peter 4:12-19

Good morning everyone, if you would turn to 1 Peter 4:12-19 we will continue in our study of the Christian life and what Peter and Paul have to say about it in their letters to the churches.

Let’s Pray-

1 Peter 4:13-19 Read clearly

There are things that must keep in mind as we read these passages.

You have to remember what is being said to the church.

What the church was going through when Peter wrote them the letter.

What the end result was to be after they read the letter.

Who….what…where- knowledge from the word of God and the application of the word of God into our lives.

Peter is talking about church people experiencing persecution.

He is talking to the new found churches as they were experiencing great persecution and he is telling them what they need to do to get through the persecution and maintain their relationship with the Lord.

They say the book of 1 Peter was written in 64AD.

If you know a little about church history, it was 64AD that the city of Rome was set on fire by their emperor Nero. He wanted to redo the city in his image and bypass the senate for how he was to do it so he set the city on fire. If the guards saw people putting it out, they forced them to stop and the guards set it back on fire. He got heat for his actions, so what did he do? He blamed that new sect of religious people the Christians and set out to destroy them while blaming them for something they did not do. He actually strung them on light poles and set them on fire alive to illuminate the city. He was a horrible and wicked emperor.

The King James Version of 1 peter 4:12 says “fiery trial” and most believe that the Christians would know exactly what Peter is talking about as they were being persecuted.

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”

It is a two edged sword- pagans thought it strange that believers do not participate in their sinful lifestyle. Believers Peter said should not think it strange that they would be persecuted for not wanting that lifestyle.

Why is it that we find it hard to embrace injustice until it happens to us or to someone we know?

Why aren’t we surprised by others until they do something to us?

We don’t do anything about bullies until we are bullied.

We don’t help people in need but expect when we are going through something for people to helps us.

Peter is giving warning signs to the church that was being persecuted for their faith.

Danger Will Robinson!

Low bridge sign yet we see trucks with peeled back tops stuck under a bridge…why? Because they didn’t take the warning.

Road closed- for everyone but…

Be careful…slow down….I can handle it!

Bump ahead… we don’t listen and were mad for the damage.

Peter says don’t be surprised church, take heed of the warning signs I am showing you and don’t be surprised when it happens.

Life is full of bumps- do I really need to tell and explain that to you?

Illustration-

We all know that one day we will die…wither by old age, sickness, accident, violence. We will if Jesus tarries die even though we know Jesus as Lord of our lives. But when it happens, just like it has happened to billions of people since Adam- it is never the right time. It is not fair. He/she was only__. So and so lived to be _.

Sometimes we have our face and heart toward God in prayer and we are taught to believe wholly with our heart and yet they die. This week a dear colleague 77 years old went home and a friend with cancer who was only in his early 60’s.

There are a lot of mysteries we don’t know or understand now.

Apostle Paul says 1 Corinthians 13:12 that we look at life right now through a glass darkly- meaning we do not see all…it’s distorted -NIV says we see only a reflection of what God is seeing and one day face to face we will be shown all things.

Only the Lord sees the big and full picture of what is happening at any given time in our life. This is why it is so important to be sure we are trying to see it through God’s eyes and His word and those times when things don’t make sense that we are able to trust Him because we know that He has our best interest.

Questions-

Why do some have to suffer?