INTRODUCTION
• Slide #1
• Have you heard the idiom, “Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining?” I wonder why the cloud does not have a gold lining!
• We may have a bit of a hard time relating to this idiom here in Sierra Vista since when we see clouds we kind of like it because we so rarely get rain and we do not get to see storms too often.
• For those of us from the Midwest, we can relate to this because it seems like it is cloudy all the time and that storms are frequent.
• There are many times in life where we have to face the storms of life and those storms can range from small quick rains, to hurricanes and tornados.
• When we face the storms of life, we need to be able to find the silver lining, we need to have something to hold on to, something to hope for so that we do not end up allowing ourselves to blow away in the storm.
• Many of the readers of Peter’s letter were in the midst of some terrible storms in their lives. These were the type of storms that had the potential to shake their faith at its core.
• In the passage we will explore together this morning, we are going to examine the various veins of the silver lining we can find during the storms or trials of life.
• We are all facing some storms of life in one form or another. The question we have to answer as a follow of Jesus is are we going to rely on Jesus or will we let the storm make sport of us and destroy our lives and our faith?
• This letter came at a good time for those to whom Peter addressed the letter. I hope that this message is coming to you at a good time also.
• Let’s turn to 1 Peter 1:6-9 together.
• SLIDE #2
• 1 Peter 1:6-9(ESV) 6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
One vein of the silver lining is:
I. The momentary storms of life can invoke true joy.
• This can sound a bit crazy when you look at it on the surface.
• HOW in the WORLD can I experience JOY during the various storms in my life?
• I wonder how the recipients of this letter reacted when they got to this part of the letter. You know that many of them were being persecuted at the writing of this.
• Look at verse 6 again.
• SLIDE #4
• 1 Peter 1:6(ESV) 6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
• How can we find joy in trials? Who wants to go through trials in life? I am not sure too many of us WANT to experience trials, BUT sometimes it is just part of living in a sinful world.
• WE are told that we can be grieved by various trials. Grief is not the affliction of pain but rather an inner feeling of distress caused by trials.
• The various trials can serve as temptation to leave our faith because the trials are not just the ordinary trials of life. These are difficult issues like false accusations, abuse and persecutions.
• So how can we find the silver lining of joy?
• Notice verse six starts, “IN THIS”.
• WE can find joy because the “IN THIS” refers to verse 3-5 which talk about our inheritance found in Jesus that is waiting for us!
• WE know that God is the central part of our life. Knowing this helps us to understand that God will not let us utterly fail.
• WE KNOW whom be believe in, and we KNOW who we serve. WE KNOW what is awaiting us.
• Since we KNOW what God has in store for us we can rejoice because we know the trials are MOMENTARY, or for just a little while. I know when we are in the midst of the storm it seems as though it will never end.
• If we understand that no matter what the issue is we are dealing with that in the big picture it is momentary we can rejoice.
• We know there are better days ahead!
• Our source of JOY is Jesus!
• The word used for REJOICE is a strong word.
• It implies that we know that our joy is independent of earthly circumstances.
• The word literally means to LEAP FOR JOY.
• SLIDE #5
• Acts 16:25(ESV) 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,
• This seems like a nondescript passage. Pau land Silas are praying and singing. So what?
• Well, they had both been attacked and then given to the authorities who then administered a severe beating to each of them for doing what amounted to God’s work.
• In Matthew 5:12 Jesus told us to rejoice and be glad when we are persecuted for serving Him.
• That takes a deep faith and trials afford us the opportunity to exercise our faith in Him!
• SLIDE #6
Another vein of the silver lining is:
II. The storms of life are the crucible of our faith.
• What is a crucible? Before we answer that let us re-examine verse seven.
• SLIDE #7
• 1 Peter 1:7(ESV) 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
• We can find joy in trials because trials are the testing ground for our faith.
• In verse 7 we are told the tested genuineness of our faith is more valuable that gold that perishes and is tested by fire.
• A Crucible is a heat resistant container in which ores or metals are melted so that impurities can be removed from the metal.
• The crucible holds the metal so it can be made pure.
• Trials are the crucible in which our faith is help, tested, and purified.
• The trials we pass through constitute the crucible in which our faith is tested and reveal our true character.
• A tested faith is more valuable than gold that perishes. It is far more valuable!
• When our faith withstands the trials of life when Christ returns we will receive praise, glory and honor.
• We will hear from our Lord, WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT! We will receive honor which are the distinctions like the crown of life and the white robe of righteousness which will be granted in honor of our faithfulness!
• The glory we will receive will be heaven itself!
• When our faith is genuine something else awesome happens!
• The readers were being rewarded by the world with persecution and rejection, God has something MUCH greater awaiting the faithful!
• SLIDE #8
Another vein of the silver lining is:
III. A genuine faith allows us the joy of walking by faith and not by sight.
• Look again at verse 8
• SLIDE #9
• 1 Peter 1:8(ESV) 8Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
• Peter is contrasting his readers to himself. Peter ministered ALONGSIDE of Jesus!
• He is telling them that they are at NO disadvantage since they are serving Him without actually seeing and knowing Him.
• Peter is most likely reflecting on our Lord’s words to Thomas after Jesus appeared to him after the resurrection.
• SLIDE #10
• John 20:29(ESV) 29Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
• He says that even though we have not seen Jesus, we love Him. This love is an intelligent, purposeful love. A love that is an act of the will, it is more than a feeling of the heart!
• Peter implies that though you do not see Jesus NOW, YOU WILL! Revelation 1:7!
• The word for believe is not just mental ascent, it implies a faith that leads to OBEDIENCE.
• Our faith is based on evidence and testimony; it does not require intellectual suicide to have faith in Jesus!
• Walking by faith is excited and rewarding!
• SLIDE #11
Another vein of the silver lining is:
IV. The outcome of our faith makes the storms of life worth enduring.
• At the end of verse 8 we are told that since we have obediently served Jesus. We can rejoice amid distress and persecution because we know what is awaiting us!
• The relationship we have with Jesus will sustain us. Our JOY cannot be expressed by mere words, it is ever-present and everlasting!
• Verse 9 reinforces the foundation of our JOY amid trials!
• SLIDE #12
• 1 Peter 1:9(ESV) 9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
• Faith is not just saying you believe, it is a life of faithfulness to Jesus.
• The word OUTCOME denotes the GOAL. The goal of our faith is the salvation of souls! Our faith is designed and adapted to secure the salvation gift we receive from God!
• Focusing on the outcome of a life of faithfulness is a great encouragement to be faithful no matter what the cost, even if it costs us our earthy existence!
CONCLUSION
• The recipients of this letter were facing a lot of storm clouds and storms in their lives. They needed to know that the Lord is with them and the future is bright and should transcend the present storms.
• Even though NONE of us want to endure the storms of life, there is a LARGE silver lining within the storm clouds that has many veins of blessing!
• Would you like to be able to experience the silver lining in your storm clouds?
