Life, Death & Living for God
A study through Peter August 27, 2023
Who here has suffered in some way? Would you say that you’ve suffered greatly? Have you suffered justly, in other words, did you deserve to suffer?
Have you suffered for your faith, or lack of it? If I were to ask you what your personal view of suffering is in light of Scripture, how would you answer; could we answer?
IS suffering something we appreciate in our lives or are actually thankful for… or not? DO we see it as a way to get closer to knowing God and really living life in the here and now until we live in the hereafter?
Peter talks a lot about suffering in this letter we are going through. Perhaps more in this letter than any other in the Bible is the reference to suffering used. And whether we suffer a lot or a little, we all suffer in some way.
But how we live day to day, circumstance to circumstance, trial to trial, through suffering, is a testament to how much we have died to worldly thinking and have chosen to live for God, in spite of our suffering.
Turn in your Bible with me to 1 Peter 4. I’m reading the entire chapter today from the ESV
4 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God. 3 For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.
7 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For 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? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
I’d like to cover 3 basic points for this passage today in order that we can hopefully remember the three points and also so we can get o lunchtime, where we can discuss these and other things further.
1) Since Christ suffered, ‘arm yourself’ – it’s a military term; prepare yourselves, be ready.
We are going to suffer in the flesh too – If Jesus Christ, the Messiah, had to suffer in life, should we expect any less? Not that we will all be crucified as He was, we are to take up our own cross, metaphorically speaking, every day!
And we arm ourselves with a way of thinking, not with spears, swords and a good meme to post on social media. No, we arm ourselves with the way we think. We use this mind God gave us to think outside of ourselves and think of others
Think like Christ – what was the purpose for His suffering? He died so that sin could be defeated. He was thinking of us, of you, as He went through the agony of bearing our sin on the cross.
What is our purpose then? Do we see our suffering as a curse on us because we are sinners or as a pathway to purpose? The purpose to live a life in honour of what Jesus did for us and be an example to those who have not yet come to that point of faith, so that they can see how much they are loved by God and us? DO we think that way? We should!
2) As followers of Jesus, we no longer live like the world does. We cease to sin because we are to have put our ‘selves’ to death. Oh, we still live, but we are not to live as the world does with all its wanton, sinful ways. We live, as it says, not for human passions but for the will of God.
The world chases after pleasures of all kinds; things to satisfy the temporal vessel we live in. Some ways may seem innocent, some downright awful, even to non-believers (that list is pretty descriptive!). But these things have been, still are, and perhaps even more so today, acceptable in the sight of so many. We live in a time where sexual sin of all kind is paraded through the streets, promoted in movies, sitcoms, commercials and in the media. We see addictions being promoted by governments to the point of profit at the cost of people being lost in their vices.
Death is not just the end of life, it can be a choice delivered to your door step by those who took an oath to save life, not destroy it.
As Christians, one can be chastised for NOT accepting these things and not participating IN them. People act surprised when a believer doesn’t support things that clearly go against Godly morals, as if we should accept these things because it’s 2023!
But the world is not ours to judge, God will take care of that. The world is ours to bring the Gospel to and live in so differently than it does as to be a beacon of love, hope, mercy and grace that brings people to the point of asking WHY we don’t live like they do?
Our answer – because we no longer live, Christ lives is us to do the will of the Father. It’s not my life to live. I may suffer in this life for it, but if I get to suffer on account of Jesus, and He gets the glory for it – bring it on!
God will judge the living and the dead, literally those who are living and those who have died, but also those who are alive in Him and those who are spiritually dead… Everyone will have to make an account for the life God gave them, everyone will have to answer for their actions. I choose to depend on Jesus as my advocate before the Father, how about you?
3) And finally, remember that judgement starts here; in the household of God.
God does keep an eye on those who profess to carry His Name as Christians. We are saved, not by anything we’ve done, but because of Christ. But we are judged on what we do with that salvation. We cannot carry on like the rest of the world, chasing after all its glitter and gold, but we willing to go out in the world and suffer for the sake of Christ. An easy calling, no, but the highest calling, YES! We trust not just our lives, but our very SOULS to the Creator of life. We live FOR Him, we live WITH Him, we do the things He has commanded us to do.
So I ask you, what ARE you doing with the life you’ve been given, the life you have in Christ? What difference does it make DAILY for you when we reflect on the fact that Jesus suffered at the hands of sinful men like you and me because of their sin, yours and mine?
Are we willing to do good, not as the world defines good, but as God does? Will we live outside of the ways of the world, even when it may cost us a bit of suffering, or even a lot?
Are we thankful that we get to live for Jesus, die to self, and live for God each and every day from now till eternity?
Let’s pray.
"Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
