"Peter, Feed My Sheep” (10 Of 21)

Every Pastor has to always remember the sheep belong to the Lord. The Lord said to Peter, “Feed MY sheep.”

The Pastor has been entrusted to feed God’s sheep. One day he will have to give account to God for what he fed them.

In chapters 4 & 5, Peter FED them some spiritual food they may not have wanted as part of their diet - SPIRITUAL SUFFERINGS.

What a lot of folks cannot comprehend, it seems, is that many times SUFFERINGS are a blessing in disguise. This is especially true in the generation in which we now live.

For example, we have a society that was raised up during PROSPERITY and PEACE.

Almost anything they have ever wanted has been theirs for the asking. We have spoiled them rotten!

Illus: We parents tend to forget that spoiled children grow up to be big stinkers...

God in His wisdom does not make that same mistake.

God knows that the worst thing in this world that He can do to destroy all hopes of happiness for His children, is to give them everything they want and spare them any sufferings in this life.

That is why Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

The words “All Things” include the good and bad that comes into our lives.

The Christian life has much good, but God, in His wisdom, makes sure some suffering is mixed in, for without suffering we would not be able to fully appreciate the good.

We can appreciate the GOOD TIMES when we have the HARD TIMES to compare them to.

For instance, it is easy to take good health for granted.

Illus: When you have a bad cold for 2-3 days, and you feel so bad you can hardly hold your head up to talk, remember how great you feel once that cold has cleared up? You feel super good because you have had a super bad feeling to compare it to.

Yes, God allows suffering because it serves a definite purpose in our life.

I. SUFFERINGS IDENTIFY US WITH CHRIST

In 1 Peter 4: 1, we read, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;”

Notice, after Peter says, “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh…” Then he tells us something very unusual, he says, “…Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind.”

That is, if you think you can go through this life without having sufferings, you have not ARMED your mind to think right.

Illus: When the policeman goes to work in the morning, he puts on his uniform and straps that pistol to his side. He has to be armed with it so that if something does come up, GOOD or BAD, he is armed! As Christians, so do we!

We sometimes hear professing Christians say they do not understand why they have to suffer.

They would have you believe that the Bible says this. They cannot find it in the Holy Scriptures, of course, but they are sure it is in there somewhere. "Accept the Lord Jesus Christ and you will never suffer any more."

Illus: This is why these television preachers can pack out a Coliseum. They know this is what people want to hear, and they tell them what they want to hear.

THE WORD OF GOD DOES NOT TEACH THAT!

Our Lord Jesus suffered in the flesh, and John 15:20 states, "Remember…if they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…”

Christ has never asked anyone to suffer anything He has not suffered Himself. He was a suffering Savior, and if we are going to be identified with Him, we also have to be identified with His suffering.

He gave us the supreme example. Consider with me these two things about Jesus' suffering.

A. THE FACT

"Christ hath suffered.”

WHY DID CHRIST SUFFER?

It was not for any of the many reasons that we sometimes suffer. Often we suffer because we brought certain sufferings upon ourselves.

Illus: For example, we are told that today most heart attacks are brought on by the way we eat, and by not taking proper time for rest and exercise of our bodies.

In fact, our bodies suffer much because of what we do to them, and also as a result of sinful living.

But, everything Christ suffered was a result of His righteousness.

Consider this; it would be one thing for Christ to ask us to suffer for the kingdom of God when He Himself was not willing to suffer.

• That would be like a pastor asking the people of his congregation to live dedicated Christian lives, when he was not willing to do the same.