INTRODUCTION
• PC VIDEO
• SLIDE #1
When you are going through difficult times do you feel loved by God?
• How do you think you would feel if you were seeing your family being persecuted because of their faith or if you suffer persecution because of your faith in Jesus?
• I know we all have heard the phrase when it rains it pours. We know what that means.
• As you live your life for Jesus have you ever wondered why it is raining on you?
• Most people do not feel loved by God when they are going through deep trials in life, when they are in the middle of a downpour, they do not feel like God is close to them when they are in the midst of the storm.
• When I start to talk about the issue of suffering, I realize there are people here and in our lives who have suffered a great deal. This is a serious issue that demands answers.
• It is so easy to give people short shallow answers and help when THEY are the ones going through the suffering or are getting g rained on. It is easy to tell someone they just need to get over the loss of a loved one or the loss of their health, the loss of a job.
• One thing we need to understand when we are in the middle of suffering, tough times, or persecution, is that God is next to us getting rained on, hurting with us.
• Today we are going to try to answer some questions concerning the issue of suffering or as I will refer to it, getting rained on.
• Let us begin with verse 12
• SLIDE #2
• 1 Peter 4:12(ESV) 12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
• Slide #3
SERMON
I. Being rained on should not come as a surprise. (12)
• It is easy to assume that when you become a Christian, God will keep you sheltered from the storms of life. But we need to understand that we are not immune from suffering, pain and persecution.
• We need to realize that…
• SLIDE #4
A. We will get rained on.
• Peter starts verse 12 with the word “beloved”. These people are in the middle of some difficult times, Peter starts off by reminded us that God loves them and that he loves them. Just because we are facing difficult times does not mean that God has left us.
• We are told not to be surprised by the fiery trial. Literally he is telling them to STOP BEING SURPRISED by the trials they are facing. The word “surprise” means bewildering astonishment (Life app Bible). We should expect to face trials and persecution and tough times in life.
• Jesus faced many trials during His ministry.
• SLIDE #5
• John 15:20(ESV) 20Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
• SLIDE #6
B. Being rained on will test us.
• The reference to “fiery trial” seems to be a reference to the refiner’s fire which precious metals were placed so that the impurities would be separated from the gold or silver.
• If everything was perfect, if the Christian was promised no problems in life, who would not want a part of that? Would people love God for who He is or for making life perfect and problem free?
• Our trials are the refiner’s fire that purifies and strengthens our faith.
• The runner who goes through the pains and trials of training is the one who will get to be a stronger runner. Without the pains of training, the runner has no endurance.
• When we face the tough times and come through them, we will be stronger and we will be blessed by God.
• The word translated “testing” in verse 12 can also be translated “tempting”
• When we are facing difficult times, we will be tempted to leave God. We will be tempted to forsake our faith.
• I bet a lot of those being persecuted for their faith in Peter’s day though about it.
• The next observation concerning getting rain on is…
• SLIDE #7
II. We will get rained on for a variety of reasons. (13-17)
• AT many funerals, people will want to know WHY the person died, or what purpose was this death going to accomplish. I believe that knowing the WHY will not ease the pain; it will only lead to more pain and questions.
• We always want to know WHY we are getting rained on.
• Look at verses 13-14
• SLIDE #8
• 1 Peter 4:13-14(ESV) 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory£ and of God rests upon you.
• SLIDE #9
A. We can get rained on because of our faith. (13-14, 17)
• We then this happens, we are told that we are blessed by God and His Spirit rests on us.
• Job is a good example of a man who got rained on because of his faith in God.
• Many people read the account of Job and think that God is just messing with Him.
• God was rather proving a point to Satan; the point was that there are those who will love God no matter WHAT!
• God will bless that type of faith.
• We also see that at times we will share in Christ’s suffering. This goes back to what we saw in John 15:20.
• Look at verse 15 with me and we will see another reason we may get rained on.
• SLIDE #10
• 1 Peter 4:15(ESV) 15But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
• From this verse we see that…
• SLIDE #11
B. Sometimes we make it rain on ourselves. (15)
• Verse 15 is a reminder that Christians do not want to be the cause of their own suffering.
• This also shows we can bring the rain down on ourselves. We are much better off to get rained on because of our faith instead of causing the rain ourselves.
• The word "evildoer" is descriptive of one who practices evil, one who practices injustice toward his fellowman.
• A meddler is one who is in the affairs of others.
• The word “meddler” is only found in this verse. The word literally means "an overseer of what belongs to others."
• Verses 17-18 tells us…
• SLIDE #12
• 1 Peter 4:17-18(ESV) 17For 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? 18And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
• SLIDE #13
C. Sometimes God cleans His house with rain. (17-18)
• In verse 17 we are told that judgment will begin with the household of God.
• The judgment spoken of is the trials the people were facing.
• This as we will see in a moment is lesser to greater argument. For a season (this life) God’s people will suffer some set-backs, but the problem awaiting the lost is going to be even greater.
• Since God is going to judge those outside of His house, those in His house will face judgment also.
• And we need to realize if God is going to do that to His house, then those outside of His house will not escape, those who reject the gospel will be in real serious trouble.
• Look at verse 19
• Slide #14
• 1 Peter 4:19(ESV) 19Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
• SLIDE #15
D. Sometimes God is cleaning us with the rain. (19)
• The testing and the trials we face are for our own good.
• When we are in the middle of them, we sometimes cannot see it.
• The blessings that God has in store for us in the end are worth anything we go though now. God promises He will work all things for God for those who love Him.
• This goes back to the runner, they need to discipline and training in order to be a good runner.
• SLIDE #16
• Romans 8:28(ESV) 28And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,£ for those who are called according to his purpose.
• This is a reason that verse 16 tells us to rejoice because God is cleaning His house and sometimes when we see it rain we need to see that it is a good thing.
• One of the problems we face as we deal with various issues in life is a fundamental attitude issue. WE have a tendency to see life being all about us. Why did this happen to me? Why am I going through this? The thing we need to understand about life is it is really all about God.
• When we see this, we can more easily deal with things in life. We can start asking the question, “How can I bring glory to God through this difficult situation.”
• When we face difficulties, we are going to get upset at God initially at times. WE will be a bit confused, hurt, angry, and shaken. The sooner we can look at the situation as an opportunity to bring glory to the one who saved us, the sooner we will pull through it also.
• Let’s conclude with a couple of thoughts from verse 19.
• SLIDE #17
III. We can endure the rain if we stick with God’s plan. (19)
• We can get through the rain if we remember a couple of things.
• SLIDE #18
A. Trust in God for shelter.
• Look at verse 19.
• It says that those who exercise their faith in the midst of troubles will entrust their souls to a faithful creator!
• Entrust is a banking term used of depositing money with the understanding it will be safely kept.
• In Luke 23:46 Jesus committed His Spirit into God’s hands.
• When we are going through trials, it is imperative that we depend on God. God did not create us with the intention of making us miserable. He loves us.
• Do you want to make the mistake of dumping God when things get tough?
• I know things can get really bad at times, but think if the alternative if you become one who disobeys God or becomes godless because of your ordeal.
• Leaving God will not fix whatever happened.
• We need to realize that we need to stay strong and try to help one another get through tough times.
• I wish God would heal EVERYONE who is sick, but many times there is no healing. If this life were all we had, then we would have more to be upset at, but when we die in Christ, we have a great inheritance awaiting us!
• SLIDE #19
B. Do what is good even while it is raining.
• while doing good
• The Christian is ALWAYS called to do what God has said is right, not matter what, to do anything else show a lack of trust and faith in Him.
• We have to actively seek to do the will of God!
CONCLUSION
• It is easy to think that God has abandoned us in our darkest hour. We need to understand that yes, God does love you and yes God is still there for you.
• I do not ever want to come off as trivializing the pains of life. When we face them, we need not do it alone, we have God with us and we have His family the church with us.
• Are you going through the valley of the shadow of death alone? You do not have to. If you are without Jesus, today you can change that.
• If your faith has taken a beating over terrible circumstances that life has dealt to you, let today begin your healing.
• Let Jesus Christ make you complete and whole again!
