How Can I Count My Blessings?
I Peter 4:12-19
So, how was your Thanksgiving this year?
Consider Job. He has come to represent the epitome of suffering. His children were killed in an accident. He is financially ruined. He has been stricken with an incurable illness--and is in such constant pain that he sits out back of the house on the burn pile itching himself with a broken piece of pottery. His friends falsely accuse him of some great sin that he is hiding and won’t confess. And then his wife gets sarcastic and says, "Job, dear, I think we’re going to skip Thanksgiving this year!" If ANYONE would be justified in skipping Thanksgiving, it would be Mr. and Mrs. Job. Yet in the middle of all this suffering, the voice of God comes to Job and makes a very interesting statement to him. In Job 37:14, God says to Job, "Hear this, O Job. Stop and consider the wondrous works of God." From all outward circumstances it seems as though Job has nothing at all to be thankful for, yet here is God coming to him in the midst of it all and saying, in effect, "Job, it’s time to count your blessings."
ILL: I read something interesting this week that should help us keep our attitude right about counting our blessings:
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness...you are more blessed than the six million who will not survive this week.
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation...you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death...you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep...you are richer than 75% of this world.
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace...you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
ILL: Imagine Ted Koppel interviewing Noah. "Noah, wasn’t it messy on board that ship?" Noah answers: Sure it was messy, but it was still the best ship floating!"
Having a right heart attitude is the first step toward being a truly thankful person. Do I really see every good and perfect gift as coming from God and do I express this gratitude by the attitude I try to maintain when things aren’t going so well?
The troubles:
a. Vs. 12 We’re talking fiery ordeal, not just life’s bumps and bruises
"Comes upon you" is actually a present participle = which is taking place; which is actually in progress.
b. Vs. 12 "happening" = by chance or by accident. ON THE CONTRARY, it isn’t an accident, it is on purpose!
NOTICE vs. 19 suffer according to the will of God!
c. Vs. 12 PURPOSE: it is for our refinement/purification.
Does my personal holiness need to be refined?
Does my ability to live the Christian life need to be strengthened?
God brings things into our lives to make us stronger. He sends troubles to burn away the things that aren’t important so we can focus on what is really necessary.
Psalm 46:10 "Thou has refined us (smelted us), as silver is refined."
Cf. I Peter 1:6 "If necessary"/"since it has to be" = ordered by God’s providence
I Peter 1:7 God does it so our faith can become stronger. When we trust Him through the tough times, our faith is not limp and louse, but strong and experienced.
KEY: Zechariah 13:9 "They will come through the fire...they will call on my name and I will answer them and I will say, "they are my people" and they will say, "the Lord is my God." If your trials don’t bring you to the point of learning to trust God, then you aren’t learning the lesson God has in mind when he sent that trouble to you.
These verses each have a message to us about our attitude about our troubles. Look at them and see what attitudes we need to maintain in order to draw the greatest benefit from the troubles that come into our lives.
1. Don’t be surprised vs. 12
"Strange" is the same word as back in vs. 4! They don’t understand you or your change of lifestyle. You don’t understand sufferings or why you have to go through them.
cf. I Peter 2:21 He told them this would be their vocation/calling
Cf. John 15:17-16:4 Christ told us to expect it.
Cf. John 16:33 "In this world you will have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
2. Keep on rejoicing vs. 13
Cf. James 1:2 Consider it all joy...
Cf. Philippians 3:10 I want to share in His sufferings.
3. Consider yourself blessed vs. 14
Here and now, not just later when we get to heaven.
Cf. 3:14 "even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed."
A. We are blessed because Christ is with us in the furnace of persecution
Isaiah 41:10; 43:2 I will be with you.
Daniel 3:23-25 The Three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace
Matthew 28:20 Lo I am with you always...even to the end of the age
B. We are blessed because God will use suffering and turn it into glory
Christ was talking about grieving and pain. He used the illustration of Childbirth (John 16:20-22). Christ said, "The same baby that gave the mother pain will also bring her joy.
II Corinthians 12:7-10 the same thorn that gave Paul pain also gave him God’s power and grace to face that thorn.
We are blessed when we understand the concept of postponed pleasures. We pay a price today for enjoyment in the future.
ILL: Practicing piano scales and exercises now will enable us to play fluidly later.
C. We are blessed because God’s spirit and the spirit of glory rests on us now. We don’t have to wait for heaven for a reward.
4. Make sure about the reason for your sufferings! Vs. 15
slanderers accused Christians of all kinds of atrocities: cannibalism (eating the flesh of Christ), drinking blood (this is my blood, drink ye all of it), child sacrifice, immorality, etc.
Notice the descending order of probability: Murderers, thieves, evil-doers, meddlers.
Cf. 2:20 It’s one thing to be do what is right and be persecuted, but an entirely different thing to do something wrong and be punished for it.
I Peter 3:16 Make sure your life is above reproach so that they slander you for doing good--which will only make them look foolish.
ILL: for example. Pastors face criticism--that’s not at all unusual. But I remember one time in the past when I was accused of being too biblical. The accusation was that every time I wanted to back up an argument, I’d use the scriptures. As much as that criticism hurt, I was also complimented by it. Such an accusation came for doing good--and it only makes the other person look foolish.
5. Consider it an honor vs. 16
This is an interesting comment for someone who had been ashamed to be associated with Christ in Mark 14:68. But The resurrection changed Peter dramatically. I’m sure he remembers his denial and cursing when he was giving this instruction. But God can change us. It changed him--
Cf. Acts 5:41 The apostles considered it a privilege to suffer for the name of Christ.
The title Christian was never something a Christian would call himself, but a name others would use--a description or nickname of reproach or ridicule. Peter is saying, "If someone ridicules you by calling you a Christ-person, don’t be offended, rather condier it an honor to bear the name of Christ.
6. Be thankful you aren’t going to go through what they will face Vs. 17,18
These verses contrast those who suffer according to the will of God (vs. 19) with those who are being punished/judged acccording to the judgement for their sins. Peter says, Be thankful you aren’t receiving suffering that is as bad as what those people are going to get.
Romans 6:23 the wages of sin is death
Revelation 20:11-15 punishment reserved for those whose names are not in book of life.
7. Consider it valuable vs. 19
A. The word "commit" is a banking term that refers to making a deposit. I’m seeing the VALUE of sufferings and I’m trusting God to use those sufferings as an advantage for me. I’m confident that God will give me dividends--there will be growth and benefits and spiritual progress made in my life because I’m willing to suffer these things.
B. Confidence right now for entrusting your life to God’s wisdom and care.
NOTICE: Suffer ACCORDING TO God’S WILL. Why would it be that a Christian would suffer? Back to vs. 12
ILL: In the Dachau concentration camp in Germany is an old man who just likes to talk to the tourists. His name is Christian Reiger, a former prisoner. He had been thrown into prison because he was a member of the German Confessing Church which opposed Hitler and the Nazi regime. During that terrible time in history, he often saw family members and people from his congregation die. He saw the pain they suffered and he kept asking "Why? Why?"
At the beginning of his incarceration in the concentration camp, he was able to receive some letters, although they had always been read and censured by the staff at the camp. One of the letters he received was from his wife. At the end of it was a P.S. and it simply said, "read Acts 4:26,27." The same day, soon after receiving the letter, he was called in to be interrogated. He was frightened because he had seen what happened to others. Some did not return. Others were beaten severely. As he waited before going in to be interrogated by the Gestapo, one of the other prisoners walked by and handed him a little matchbox. He put it in his pocket. Reiger went in to be interrogated, but by the grace of God, he wasn’t harmed. They wanted him to inform on members of his church who were opposing the Nazi regime. Earlier, Reiger had been turned over to the Nazis by the church organist.
After interrogation, Reiger went back to the barracks. He remembered the box. He took it out to get a match, but the matchbox had no matches...only a little piece of paper--which said, "Acts 4:26-29." The same message--twice in one day! He said that the Spirit of God came in and began to transform his life. No longer was he asking the WHYs of life, because he realized the Person who was the WHO of life--and that person had control of his life.
Acts 4:26-29 "The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. For truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that your bond-servants may speak your word with all confidence."
As someone once said, God does not always calm the storm, but sometimes calms his child in the middle of the storm. God wants us to be strong and speak with confidence about our God...even when the storms of life howl all around us.
How was your Thanksgiving? Were you able to maintain a joy-filled attitude throughout the difficulties you faced this week? Some of you are going through deep waters. God has prepared this message for you knowing what you were going to need to hear today. Cast all your cares on Him. God cares for you.
