1
00:00:05,260 --> 00:00:13,020
Father, Lord, what a reminder that ultimately our

2
00:00:13,020 --> 00:00:15,920
lives are lived before an audience of one.

3
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,320
Or there could be 300 in here or

4
00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:21,760
none.

5
00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,640
But Lord, ultimately, You are always and ever

6
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:27,820
before us.

7
00:00:27,860 --> 00:00:29,740
Or Lord, we're ultimately before You.

8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:31,580
Lord, You see everything.

9
00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:34,480
And Father, I want to be pleasing to

10
00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:36,880
You right now, Lord.

11
00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,520
Lord, I want to honor You with what

12
00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:41,380
I'm seeking to bring out of Your Word.

13
00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:43,000
Lord, I want this to be an encouragement

14
00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:43,760
to the saints.

15
00:00:43,820 --> 00:00:46,220
I want it to be a challenge to

16
00:00:46,220 --> 00:00:47,880
them and exhortation to them.

17
00:00:48,060 --> 00:00:49,700
Lord, I want it to be a help

18
00:00:49,700 --> 00:00:53,660
and encouragement to the three seated before me

19
00:00:53,660 --> 00:00:55,120
and those on the live stream.

20
00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,060
But Lord, ultimately, I want to honor You.

21
00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,960
Lord, I want to leave this building today

22
00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,379
having been pleasing in Your sight.

23
00:01:04,140 --> 00:01:05,380
Lord, that's my desire.

24
00:01:05,900 --> 00:01:08,180
And so Lord, I pray, Father, You would

25
00:01:08,180 --> 00:01:09,920
help me to say what I need to

26
00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:11,960
say from this text.

27
00:01:12,540 --> 00:01:14,200
And so Lord, would You put a guard

28
00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:15,380
over the door of my lips?

29
00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:16,780
Lord, would You be with the door of

30
00:01:16,780 --> 00:01:17,260
my lips?

31
00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:18,980
And Father, I just pray that You'd give

32
00:01:18,980 --> 00:01:21,140
me some of Your Holy Spirit.

33
00:01:21,460 --> 00:01:22,380
Lord, give me more.

34
00:01:23,180 --> 00:01:24,940
You've already given us Your Spirit.

35
00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:26,640
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy

36
00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:27,000
Spirit.

37
00:01:27,120 --> 00:01:29,560
But Lord, I'm asking for a quickening from

38
00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:31,180
You that You would be with my mind.

39
00:01:31,780 --> 00:01:33,820
That You'd help me to proclaim Your Word.

40
00:01:34,500 --> 00:01:37,380
In Jesus' name, Amen.

41
00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:43,720
Okay, turn to 1 Peter 4.

42
00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,820
I want to speak on how we should

43
00:01:47,820 --> 00:01:50,440
suffer as a Christian or the Christian in

44
00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:50,880
suffering.

45
00:01:51,860 --> 00:01:53,860
And the text that we're going to look

46
00:01:53,860 --> 00:01:56,240
at was referred to in that psalm, How

47
00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:57,120
Firm a Foundation.

48
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:02,920
That phrase there, fiery trials, Peter uses that

49
00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:04,380
here in chapter 4.

50
00:02:06,590 --> 00:02:09,789
And as you're turning to 1 Peter, I'm

51
00:02:09,789 --> 00:02:11,670
just going to read a quick verse from

52
00:02:11,670 --> 00:02:12,670
2 Peter.

53
00:02:12,770 --> 00:02:14,550
Listen to what Peter says here.

54
00:02:15,010 --> 00:02:17,250
He says, now the second letter that I'm

55
00:02:17,250 --> 00:02:19,910
writing to you, so this is 1 Peter,

56
00:02:19,990 --> 00:02:22,010
2 Peter, and then he says this, the

57
00:02:22,010 --> 00:02:23,510
reason behind these two letters.

58
00:02:23,990 --> 00:02:26,490
In both of them, I'm stirring up your

59
00:02:26,490 --> 00:02:29,050
sincere mind by way of reminder.

60
00:02:29,830 --> 00:02:32,990
So Peter is giving reminders.

61
00:02:34,590 --> 00:02:37,290
The Lord Jesus taught on many of the

62
00:02:37,290 --> 00:02:40,810
exact and specific things that Peter now deals

63
00:02:40,810 --> 00:02:41,050
with.

64
00:02:41,390 --> 00:02:43,890
The Apostle Paul had already taught on some

65
00:02:43,890 --> 00:02:45,730
of these very specific things.

66
00:02:46,610 --> 00:02:48,590
And so Peter in a way, it's like

67
00:02:48,590 --> 00:02:51,110
the person who's got this real crowded desk

68
00:02:51,110 --> 00:02:53,350
and they've got all these sticky note reminders,

69
00:02:53,870 --> 00:02:55,530
and some of them have just been buried.

70
00:02:55,530 --> 00:02:59,050
And Peter, I believe in view of a

71
00:02:59,050 --> 00:03:02,330
certain suffering that's about to take place, he's

72
00:03:02,330 --> 00:03:04,090
taking some of those sticky notes that are

73
00:03:04,090 --> 00:03:05,930
buried and he's sticking them right on your

74
00:03:05,930 --> 00:03:06,350
monitor.

75
00:03:06,870 --> 00:03:08,750
And he's saying I want this to be

76
00:03:08,750 --> 00:03:12,690
before you right now.

77
00:03:13,330 --> 00:03:15,050
So why did he write these two letters?

78
00:03:15,290 --> 00:03:16,470
Stirring up what?

79
00:03:17,430 --> 00:03:18,070
The mind.

80
00:03:19,050 --> 00:03:21,150
So much of the Christian life and how

81
00:03:21,150 --> 00:03:23,150
we go through suffering is that we're thinking

82
00:03:23,150 --> 00:03:26,550
correctly about the situation that we're in.

83
00:03:26,650 --> 00:03:28,750
The Bible deals with how do you think?

84
00:03:28,850 --> 00:03:31,350
How do you process in your mind what

85
00:03:31,350 --> 00:03:34,150
you are going through?

86
00:03:35,750 --> 00:03:40,390
So let's read 1 Peter 4, verses 12

87
00:03:40,390 --> 00:03:44,330
to 19.

88
00:03:44,510 --> 00:03:48,170
Now, I'm thinking here, what I want to

89
00:03:48,170 --> 00:03:49,770
do as I read this is I want

90
00:03:49,770 --> 00:03:52,550
to briefly comment and define some of these

91
00:03:52,550 --> 00:03:53,070
words.

92
00:03:53,510 --> 00:03:54,770
Because we're not going to have time to

93
00:03:54,770 --> 00:03:55,630
go look at everything.

94
00:03:55,730 --> 00:03:57,670
You could preach five sermons from these verses.

95
00:03:57,810 --> 00:03:59,330
You could preach six sermons from these verses.

96
00:03:59,730 --> 00:04:01,550
And I want to just briefly comment after

97
00:04:01,550 --> 00:04:03,030
I might read a word or a phrase,

98
00:04:03,150 --> 00:04:05,090
I'm just going to give you an idea

99
00:04:05,090 --> 00:04:07,130
of what I think Peter's referring to and

100
00:04:07,130 --> 00:04:10,290
what he's trying to bring to our minds.

101
00:04:10,430 --> 00:04:11,330
So, verse 12.

102
00:04:12,630 --> 00:04:13,390
First word.

103
00:04:14,590 --> 00:04:14,970
Beloved.

104
00:04:16,529 --> 00:04:18,269
Let's stop there just for a second.

105
00:04:18,850 --> 00:04:20,550
If you remember, Tim did a sermon on

106
00:04:20,550 --> 00:04:22,150
those who are greatly beloved.

107
00:04:22,730 --> 00:04:25,130
What does it mean to be beloved?

108
00:04:25,910 --> 00:04:28,970
To be beloved means those loved by God,

109
00:04:29,090 --> 00:04:31,910
people whom God has His sights set on.

110
00:04:32,650 --> 00:04:35,470
So Peter says those people who God has

111
00:04:35,470 --> 00:04:37,010
His sights set on.

112
00:04:37,190 --> 00:04:39,190
That's the type of people he's speaking to

113
00:04:39,190 --> 00:04:39,470
here.

114
00:04:39,770 --> 00:04:42,990
God has His eyes set on these individuals.

115
00:04:43,990 --> 00:04:46,370
Beloved, those whom God has His sights set

116
00:04:46,370 --> 00:04:52,170
on, do not be surprised at the fiery

117
00:04:52,170 --> 00:04:53,730
trial.

118
00:04:53,990 --> 00:04:57,290
At the refining trial.

119
00:04:59,090 --> 00:05:00,850
When it...

120
00:05:00,850 --> 00:05:03,350
notice he says not be surprised at the

121
00:05:03,350 --> 00:05:04,590
fiery.

122
00:05:04,590 --> 00:05:06,510
He doesn't say don't be surprised at fiery

123
00:05:06,510 --> 00:05:07,070
trials.

124
00:05:07,570 --> 00:05:10,910
He says at the fiery trial when it.

125
00:05:11,390 --> 00:05:14,170
So Peter might be referring to a specific

126
00:05:14,170 --> 00:05:17,010
trial that's going to come to these believers

127
00:05:17,010 --> 00:05:18,210
in his day.

128
00:05:18,830 --> 00:05:21,890
Don't be surprised when it comes upon you

129
00:05:21,890 --> 00:05:23,650
and here a purpose of a trial is

130
00:05:23,650 --> 00:05:25,250
to test you.

131
00:05:25,950 --> 00:05:29,350
To test your genuineness of your faith.

132
00:05:29,710 --> 00:05:33,190
Don't be surprised as though something strange or

133
00:05:33,190 --> 00:05:35,210
unusual were happening to you.

134
00:05:36,090 --> 00:05:38,670
So the believer, as you're being tested, this

135
00:05:38,670 --> 00:05:39,390
isn't strange.

136
00:05:39,790 --> 00:05:42,510
It's not strange that you're having a fiery,

137
00:05:43,250 --> 00:05:47,090
purifying trial come upon you.

138
00:05:47,150 --> 00:05:48,730
But rather, what should we do?

139
00:05:48,790 --> 00:05:51,310
Rather than view it strange, he says we

140
00:05:51,310 --> 00:05:52,270
should rejoice.

141
00:05:53,010 --> 00:05:54,870
We should not be depressed.

142
00:05:55,510 --> 00:05:58,250
But we should rejoice insofar or to the

143
00:05:58,250 --> 00:06:01,310
extent as you share Christ's sufferings.

144
00:06:01,910 --> 00:06:03,610
So that is we are suffering on behalf

145
00:06:03,610 --> 00:06:06,250
of the same cause which Christ patiently endured.

146
00:06:07,230 --> 00:06:09,430
We're suffering on that exact same cause.

147
00:06:09,430 --> 00:06:11,070
We're sharing in Christ's sufferings.

148
00:06:12,290 --> 00:06:13,550
That you may.

149
00:06:13,750 --> 00:06:17,010
So rejoice that something will happen.

150
00:06:17,750 --> 00:06:22,050
That you may also rejoice and be glad

151
00:06:22,050 --> 00:06:23,210
when His glory is revealed.

152
00:06:23,870 --> 00:06:25,870
So Peter's thinking you're rejoicing right now in

153
00:06:25,870 --> 00:06:26,990
this present trial.

154
00:06:27,790 --> 00:06:30,750
And it's ultimately leading to you rejoicing at

155
00:06:30,750 --> 00:06:34,110
the coming of Christ and at glory.

156
00:06:34,530 --> 00:06:36,850
And that day when all mourning and trials

157
00:06:36,850 --> 00:06:40,550
are going to pass away, you'll be glad

158
00:06:40,550 --> 00:06:41,690
when His glory is revealed.

159
00:06:42,150 --> 00:06:45,070
So the Christian in suffering is looking to

160
00:06:45,070 --> 00:06:46,090
their final salvation.

161
00:06:46,410 --> 00:06:49,130
To see Christ face to face.

162
00:06:49,550 --> 00:06:51,130
To have direct communion with Him.

163
00:06:52,390 --> 00:06:53,130
Peter goes on.

164
00:06:53,810 --> 00:06:55,850
If you are insulted for the name of

165
00:06:55,850 --> 00:06:58,850
Christ, not insulted for being a fool, but

166
00:06:58,850 --> 00:07:00,830
for the name of Christ, you are blessed.

167
00:07:00,910 --> 00:07:01,450
You're happy.

168
00:07:02,310 --> 00:07:02,650
Why?

169
00:07:02,710 --> 00:07:03,890
Why should I be blessed?

170
00:07:04,450 --> 00:07:08,610
Because the Spirit of glory and of God

171
00:07:08,610 --> 00:07:10,170
rest upon you.

172
00:07:11,550 --> 00:07:11,970
Wait, what?

173
00:07:12,030 --> 00:07:13,610
I'm going to be happy because the Spirit

174
00:07:13,610 --> 00:07:15,670
of glory and of God rest upon you?

175
00:07:15,710 --> 00:07:18,310
Meaning, Peter means, you're suffering for being like

176
00:07:18,310 --> 00:07:18,770
Christ.

177
00:07:19,910 --> 00:07:22,410
And you're like Christ because the Holy Spirit's

178
00:07:22,410 --> 00:07:24,710
presence and power is upon your life and

179
00:07:24,710 --> 00:07:25,290
helping you.

180
00:07:25,330 --> 00:07:26,890
What believer would not want that?

181
00:07:27,350 --> 00:07:29,030
And that happens in the middle of a

182
00:07:29,030 --> 00:07:29,390
trial.

183
00:07:30,390 --> 00:07:31,450
God draws near.

184
00:07:33,190 --> 00:07:35,930
But, in contrast to those who are suffering

185
00:07:35,930 --> 00:07:38,910
for righteousness' sake, Peter says don't let any

186
00:07:38,910 --> 00:07:41,470
of you suffer as a murderer or a

187
00:07:41,470 --> 00:07:43,630
thief or an evildoer.

188
00:07:45,230 --> 00:07:48,150
That term, evildoer, covers all types of sin.

189
00:07:48,250 --> 00:07:49,250
And look at the next thing he says.

190
00:07:49,890 --> 00:07:51,750
Let none of you suffer as a what?

191
00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:54,620
A meddler?

192
00:07:56,460 --> 00:07:56,760
Wait, wait.

193
00:07:57,260 --> 00:07:57,820
Murderer?

194
00:07:59,100 --> 00:07:59,660
Meddler.

195
00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:02,000
Two M-words there.

196
00:08:02,580 --> 00:08:05,000
Far extremes, you could say.

197
00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,040
Don't suffer as a meddler, a busybody in

198
00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:11,340
other people's affairs?

199
00:08:13,700 --> 00:08:15,800
Meaning, you could get involved in someone else's

200
00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,660
affairs and they start hating you for it.

201
00:08:17,980 --> 00:08:19,360
And you might want to say I'm suffering

202
00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:20,440
for righteousness' sake.

203
00:08:20,700 --> 00:08:22,800
But no, you were wrong to be meddling

204
00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,840
in that business which was not yours.

205
00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,040
You're not being persecuted for righteousness' sake.

206
00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:29,400
You're overstepping your bounds.

207
00:08:30,330 --> 00:08:31,280
Peter goes on.

208
00:08:31,679 --> 00:08:35,220
Yet, the word but is the idea there,

209
00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,140
but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let

210
00:08:39,140 --> 00:08:41,159
him not be ashamed.

211
00:08:41,980 --> 00:08:43,520
Don't be embarrassed.

212
00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:46,900
What disformities the trial might bring in your

213
00:08:46,900 --> 00:08:47,400
life.

214
00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:49,840
Or something the world might mock.

215
00:08:49,940 --> 00:08:51,520
Don't be ashamed, Peter says.

216
00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:56,560
But, in contrast to feeling ashamed, what should

217
00:08:56,560 --> 00:08:56,900
you do?

218
00:08:56,980 --> 00:08:58,260
You should glorify God.

219
00:08:58,260 --> 00:09:00,160
You should be praising the Lord.

220
00:09:00,380 --> 00:09:03,240
And then he says this phrase, in that

221
00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:08,880
name, praising the Lord, and the Holman Christian

222
00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:10,960
renders it in a way that really captures

223
00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:14,600
the idea, in that name, for bearing the

224
00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:15,560
name of Christ.

225
00:09:16,620 --> 00:09:18,100
I shouldn't be embarrassed.

226
00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,120
I should be praising God that I even

227
00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,980
have the privilege of bearing the name of

228
00:09:22,980 --> 00:09:25,000
Christian, which he just mentioned earlier.

229
00:09:25,020 --> 00:09:27,680
If anyone suffers as a Christian, some versions

230
00:09:27,680 --> 00:09:28,620
put that in quotes.

231
00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:30,360
We're called Christians.

232
00:09:30,680 --> 00:09:31,840
That's the name.

233
00:09:31,880 --> 00:09:34,060
The name of a Christ follower.

234
00:09:36,870 --> 00:09:41,230
And then he says, bearing the name of

235
00:09:41,230 --> 00:09:43,690
Christian, so we shouldn't be ashamed as we

236
00:09:43,690 --> 00:09:44,470
suffer as a believer.

237
00:09:45,470 --> 00:09:47,050
And then he mentions this phrase.

238
00:09:47,930 --> 00:09:51,910
For it is time for judgment to begin

239
00:09:51,910 --> 00:09:53,470
at the household of God.

240
00:09:53,830 --> 00:09:57,170
And if it begins with us.

241
00:09:57,750 --> 00:09:59,970
Now, let's just think for a moment that

242
00:09:59,970 --> 00:10:00,510
word judgment.

243
00:10:01,770 --> 00:10:04,630
Diego had a text in his Sunday school

244
00:10:04,630 --> 00:10:06,370
hour that had the word judgment there.

245
00:10:07,530 --> 00:10:09,030
It had it four times.

246
00:10:09,810 --> 00:10:11,830
That word judgment in 1 Corinthians 11 is

247
00:10:11,830 --> 00:10:14,250
not referring to the final judgment.

248
00:10:14,790 --> 00:10:17,190
It was referring to this trial, this suffering,

249
00:10:17,490 --> 00:10:20,150
this punishment that was going to come upon

250
00:10:20,150 --> 00:10:23,790
them for wrongly taking the Lord's Supper.

251
00:10:24,830 --> 00:10:26,170
And so I believe that when he says

252
00:10:26,170 --> 00:10:28,050
here, for it's time for judgment, he's just

253
00:10:28,050 --> 00:10:29,750
talking about the fiery trial that he was

254
00:10:29,750 --> 00:10:30,930
mentioning in v.

255
00:10:31,070 --> 00:10:31,550
12.

256
00:10:32,170 --> 00:10:33,590
Not an eternal judgment.

257
00:10:33,730 --> 00:10:36,930
It's time for this fiery trial to come

258
00:10:36,930 --> 00:10:39,010
and that's going to judge and determine your

259
00:10:39,010 --> 00:10:39,790
true character.

260
00:10:40,510 --> 00:10:41,250
That's the idea.

261
00:10:41,290 --> 00:10:42,530
It's going to judge your character.

262
00:10:42,670 --> 00:10:44,090
It's going to prove what's true of you.

263
00:10:44,550 --> 00:10:47,690
It's about time for this to begin at

264
00:10:47,690 --> 00:10:48,950
the household of God.

265
00:10:49,710 --> 00:10:53,330
And if the fiery trial, the judgment, begins

266
00:10:53,330 --> 00:10:57,510
with us, the Christians, some might then be

267
00:10:57,510 --> 00:11:00,390
wondering what will be the outcome for those

268
00:11:00,390 --> 00:11:02,190
who do not obey the Gospel of God?

269
00:11:02,630 --> 00:11:04,070
What's going to be the outcome of those

270
00:11:04,070 --> 00:11:04,650
who fall away?

271
00:11:04,710 --> 00:11:06,010
What's going to be the outcome of those

272
00:11:06,010 --> 00:11:06,650
who are lost?

273
00:11:07,970 --> 00:11:11,310
And then, Peter, he restates the same point

274
00:11:11,310 --> 00:11:16,670
by quoting Proverbs 11.31. And he changes

275
00:11:16,670 --> 00:11:19,810
some of Proverbs 11.31. He says, and

276
00:11:19,810 --> 00:11:23,950
if the righteous, that's the Christian, is scarcely

277
00:11:23,950 --> 00:11:28,850
saved, what will become of the ungodly and

278
00:11:28,850 --> 00:11:29,650
the sinner?

279
00:11:30,110 --> 00:11:32,930
And Proverbs 11 says if the righteous is

280
00:11:32,930 --> 00:11:35,410
repaid on earth.

281
00:11:35,510 --> 00:11:37,830
If the righteous is repaid on earth.

282
00:11:37,950 --> 00:11:40,910
Some versions render it if the righteous not

283
00:11:40,910 --> 00:11:42,990
is scarcely saved, but is saved with much

284
00:11:42,990 --> 00:11:43,770
difficulty.

285
00:11:44,530 --> 00:11:46,010
The idea here is not that there's few

286
00:11:46,010 --> 00:11:47,110
Christians that are going to be saved.

287
00:11:47,110 --> 00:11:50,770
The idea here is Christians are saved with

288
00:11:50,770 --> 00:11:52,310
much difficulty.

289
00:11:52,910 --> 00:11:53,510
It's hard.

290
00:11:53,730 --> 00:11:56,250
Jesus said the way is hard that leads

291
00:11:56,250 --> 00:11:57,730
to life.

292
00:11:59,290 --> 00:12:02,650
It says in Acts 27, what difficulty, that's

293
00:12:02,650 --> 00:12:04,890
the word scarcely, the boat arrived.

294
00:12:05,450 --> 00:12:07,530
It was hard to get the boat to

295
00:12:07,530 --> 00:12:09,470
the island.

296
00:12:09,590 --> 00:12:10,330
It was difficult.

297
00:12:11,690 --> 00:12:14,990
So if the righteous with much difficulty in

298
00:12:14,990 --> 00:12:18,030
this life suffers, what will become of the

299
00:12:18,030 --> 00:12:19,090
ungodly and the sinner?

300
00:12:19,190 --> 00:12:20,350
That's the question he just asked.

301
00:12:20,410 --> 00:12:21,570
What will be the outcome of those who

302
00:12:21,570 --> 00:12:22,470
do not obey the Gospel?

303
00:12:23,350 --> 00:12:24,790
And the simple point there is this.

304
00:12:25,310 --> 00:12:27,770
If God allows those who He loves and

305
00:12:27,770 --> 00:12:30,150
has His eyes set on to suffer as

306
00:12:30,150 --> 00:12:32,910
much as we do in this life, the

307
00:12:32,910 --> 00:12:34,970
lost people should look at our sufferings as

308
00:12:34,970 --> 00:12:37,650
a Christian and realize, wow, what I have

309
00:12:37,650 --> 00:12:40,570
coming as a lost person, the fires of

310
00:12:40,570 --> 00:12:41,930
hell, they're going to be so much more

311
00:12:41,930 --> 00:12:44,930
severe when what these Christians whom God loves

312
00:12:44,930 --> 00:12:46,890
are going through in the present life.

313
00:12:47,230 --> 00:12:49,330
They're going to have it coming in a

314
00:12:49,330 --> 00:12:52,070
very, very fierce way.

315
00:12:53,710 --> 00:12:56,450
And then, he's got the last verse here,

316
00:12:56,510 --> 00:12:57,270
verse 19.

317
00:12:57,690 --> 00:12:59,370
I'm doing this running commentary.

318
00:12:59,530 --> 00:13:04,170
Verse 19, Therefore, because the path to heaven

319
00:13:04,170 --> 00:13:06,210
is difficult, and the damnation of those who

320
00:13:06,210 --> 00:13:08,610
reject Christ is terrifying, and future glory is

321
00:13:08,610 --> 00:13:13,150
incredible, let those who suffer according to God's

322
00:13:13,150 --> 00:13:17,330
will, meaning it's God's will that you're suffering,

323
00:13:17,850 --> 00:13:20,170
or it means you want to suffer in

324
00:13:20,170 --> 00:13:22,210
a way that honors God and you are

325
00:13:22,210 --> 00:13:24,490
fulfilling His will in the midst of your

326
00:13:24,490 --> 00:13:24,950
suffering.

327
00:13:25,690 --> 00:13:28,830
And then he says, suffer according to God's

328
00:13:28,830 --> 00:13:29,050
will.

329
00:13:29,270 --> 00:13:30,830
Entrust their souls.

330
00:13:30,970 --> 00:13:32,870
That's what we do in the midst of

331
00:13:32,870 --> 00:13:33,390
a trial.

332
00:13:33,830 --> 00:13:38,810
We entrust our soul to a faithful Creator.

333
00:13:38,990 --> 00:13:43,170
Faithful meaning God keeps His Word or meaning,

334
00:13:43,930 --> 00:13:45,390
why does he say Creator there?

335
00:13:45,530 --> 00:13:47,270
Faithful meaning God keeps His Word.

336
00:13:47,390 --> 00:13:49,030
Creator meaning who created you?

337
00:13:49,590 --> 00:13:50,090
God did.

338
00:13:50,590 --> 00:13:52,690
I mean, you're God's creation and He's allowing

339
00:13:52,690 --> 00:13:54,730
you to be refined by going through a

340
00:13:54,730 --> 00:13:55,130
trial.

341
00:13:56,970 --> 00:13:58,510
He's going to take care of you.

342
00:13:59,530 --> 00:14:00,570
And what do we do in the midst

343
00:14:00,570 --> 00:14:01,170
of a trial?

344
00:14:02,030 --> 00:14:04,730
He says, you do good.

345
00:14:05,290 --> 00:14:08,530
While doing good, you're trusting the Lord who's

346
00:14:08,530 --> 00:14:08,970
faithful.

347
00:14:08,970 --> 00:14:11,710
You're trusting Him with the fiery trial and

348
00:14:11,710 --> 00:14:14,470
you're seeking to do good.

349
00:14:15,110 --> 00:14:18,330
So, sorry if that was a little on

350
00:14:18,330 --> 00:14:20,710
there, but I wanted to just kind of

351
00:14:20,710 --> 00:14:22,390
define some of these things in the passage

352
00:14:22,390 --> 00:14:23,590
because we're not going to get to all

353
00:14:23,590 --> 00:14:23,830
of it.

354
00:14:24,090 --> 00:14:26,370
But Peter in a way is showing us

355
00:14:26,890 --> 00:14:28,510
how a Christian should suffer.

356
00:14:28,690 --> 00:14:31,570
He's given us some do-nots and some

357
00:14:31,570 --> 00:14:32,730
things to do.

358
00:14:35,170 --> 00:14:39,330
And one other passage I want to read

359
00:14:39,330 --> 00:14:41,650
at the start of 1 Peter.

360
00:14:41,770 --> 00:14:44,770
He says this in v.

361
00:14:44,970 --> 00:14:45,450
4.

362
00:14:46,170 --> 00:14:49,150
He mentions this inheritance that's coming that's kept

363
00:14:49,150 --> 00:14:49,570
in heaven.

364
00:14:49,730 --> 00:14:50,510
And then he says in v.

365
00:14:50,590 --> 00:14:53,290
5, who by God's power were being guarded

366
00:14:53,290 --> 00:14:55,910
through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed

367
00:14:55,910 --> 00:14:56,970
in the last time.

368
00:14:57,710 --> 00:15:01,310
And then he says in this, the salvation

369
00:15:01,310 --> 00:15:02,410
that's going to be revealed.

370
00:15:02,410 --> 00:15:03,490
That's being kept in heaven.

371
00:15:03,630 --> 00:15:04,290
You rejoice.

372
00:15:04,830 --> 00:15:06,490
You rejoice in what's to come.

373
00:15:06,610 --> 00:15:08,230
You're looking to your future joy.

374
00:15:08,930 --> 00:15:11,630
Though for a little while, so in God's

375
00:15:11,630 --> 00:15:13,450
economy of time, we're just here a little

376
00:15:13,450 --> 00:15:13,690
while.

377
00:15:13,750 --> 00:15:14,950
The suffering's for a little bit.

378
00:15:15,450 --> 00:15:19,870
If necessary, so suffering is necessary, you have

379
00:15:19,870 --> 00:15:20,630
been grieved.

380
00:15:21,030 --> 00:15:22,770
So we rejoice in trials, and yet we're

381
00:15:22,770 --> 00:15:25,690
grieved in trials by various trials.

382
00:15:26,790 --> 00:15:28,190
What a way Peter puts it.

383
00:15:28,270 --> 00:15:29,190
Various trials.

384
00:15:30,310 --> 00:15:31,710
Why is this happening?

385
00:15:32,190 --> 00:15:34,910
So that the tested genuineness of your faith,

386
00:15:35,330 --> 00:15:37,870
more precious than gold that perishes, though it

387
00:15:37,870 --> 00:15:42,890
is tested by fire, may be found to

388
00:15:42,890 --> 00:15:46,150
result in the praise and glory and honor

389
00:15:46,150 --> 00:15:47,910
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

390
00:15:48,070 --> 00:15:49,830
The idea is at final salvation.

391
00:15:50,930 --> 00:15:53,910
So Peter starts the letter saying some of

392
00:15:53,910 --> 00:15:55,830
these very similar ideas.

393
00:15:55,830 --> 00:15:59,110
He's thinking about final salvation.

394
00:15:59,410 --> 00:16:02,030
He's thinking about Christ coming back.

395
00:16:02,190 --> 00:16:04,770
He's thinking about us needing to be refined

396
00:16:05,070 --> 00:16:08,710
in order that we might keep enduring in

397
00:16:08,710 --> 00:16:12,310
this race that we're in.

398
00:16:14,190 --> 00:16:17,310
So, you can think about it like this.

399
00:16:17,850 --> 00:16:19,370
Peter in a way is like a teacher

400
00:16:19,370 --> 00:16:22,190
in this passage, and he's telling the class

401
00:16:22,190 --> 00:16:22,550
this.

402
00:16:23,030 --> 00:16:25,430
He's saying, class, an intense and difficult trial

403
00:16:25,430 --> 00:16:25,910
is coming.

404
00:16:26,710 --> 00:16:28,730
Here's how you need to answer and respond

405
00:16:28,730 --> 00:16:29,450
to the test.

406
00:16:29,990 --> 00:16:30,930
Don't be surprised.

407
00:16:31,290 --> 00:16:32,790
It's not going to be strange that you're

408
00:16:32,790 --> 00:16:33,790
going to face this test.

409
00:16:34,130 --> 00:16:36,210
Don't be depressed, but rejoice.

410
00:16:36,990 --> 00:16:38,050
Rejoice in what?

411
00:16:39,050 --> 00:16:41,750
He says, rejoice that you're sharing in Christ's

412
00:16:41,750 --> 00:16:42,530
sufferings here.

413
00:16:42,890 --> 00:16:44,330
This is only going to lead you to

414
00:16:44,330 --> 00:16:46,430
share in fellowship with Him at final salvation.

415
00:16:46,870 --> 00:16:48,490
Then the teacher, he changes gears.

416
00:16:49,070 --> 00:16:52,330
And he says, don't suffer because of cheating.

417
00:16:52,910 --> 00:16:53,990
He warns them.

418
00:16:54,030 --> 00:16:55,510
There's a way you can suffer that's wrong.

419
00:16:56,190 --> 00:16:58,410
And don't be ashamed of those who mock

420
00:16:58,410 --> 00:17:00,150
you in the midst of your suffering.

421
00:17:00,250 --> 00:17:01,050
That would be wrong.

422
00:17:01,150 --> 00:17:02,350
Don't respond like that.

423
00:17:02,750 --> 00:17:04,349
And then he turns and he says something

424
00:17:04,349 --> 00:17:04,750
else.

425
00:17:05,069 --> 00:17:07,869
He says it's time for the test to

426
00:17:07,869 --> 00:17:08,250
begin.

427
00:17:08,829 --> 00:17:11,710
And professing Christians, it will begin with you.

428
00:17:12,310 --> 00:17:15,450
And then, he says right there in v.

429
00:17:16,990 --> 00:17:19,410
17, he says what the outcome is going

430
00:17:19,410 --> 00:17:19,710
to be.

431
00:17:20,390 --> 00:17:21,670
What will the outcome be?

432
00:17:21,670 --> 00:17:23,650
He doesn't directly answer the question, but it's

433
00:17:23,650 --> 00:17:23,930
implied.

434
00:17:24,930 --> 00:17:26,190
What's the outcome going to be?

435
00:17:26,310 --> 00:17:28,130
It's going to be difficult for the Christian.

436
00:17:29,330 --> 00:17:30,210
Scarcely saved.

437
00:17:30,310 --> 00:17:33,790
With much difficulty, that ship to heaven is

438
00:17:33,790 --> 00:17:34,890
going to reach its shore.

439
00:17:34,990 --> 00:17:37,230
It's not going to be a breeze.

440
00:17:37,750 --> 00:17:39,350
There's going to be all sorts of things

441
00:17:39,350 --> 00:17:40,870
trying to get us to shipwreck.

442
00:17:42,090 --> 00:17:43,530
And then he says what the outcome is

443
00:17:43,530 --> 00:17:44,210
of the lost.

444
00:17:44,250 --> 00:17:45,050
It's implied.

445
00:17:45,630 --> 00:17:49,370
They're going to have far worse suffering in

446
00:17:49,370 --> 00:17:49,670
hell.

447
00:17:49,670 --> 00:17:52,790
If God lets us, whom are beloved, have

448
00:17:52,790 --> 00:17:54,990
a fiery trial, what's going to happen to

449
00:17:54,990 --> 00:17:55,510
the lost?

450
00:17:56,030 --> 00:17:58,010
And then the teacher, he reminds the class,

451
00:17:58,050 --> 00:18:00,190
he says because of this difficulty, don't be

452
00:18:00,190 --> 00:18:00,710
overwhelmed.

453
00:18:01,330 --> 00:18:03,830
You have a faithful Creator who made you

454
00:18:03,830 --> 00:18:07,410
and trust your soul to Him and go

455
00:18:07,410 --> 00:18:09,270
and do good.

456
00:18:11,050 --> 00:18:13,730
So, I guess that's kind of my introduction.

457
00:18:16,750 --> 00:18:19,170
Now, I want to ask this question.

458
00:18:19,170 --> 00:18:22,810
He says, do not be surprised at the

459
00:18:22,810 --> 00:18:25,770
fiery trial when it...

460
00:18:25,770 --> 00:18:28,190
Now, we can't necessarily know for certain what

461
00:18:28,190 --> 00:18:30,630
Peter's referring to, but what might Peter be

462
00:18:30,630 --> 00:18:31,390
referring to?

463
00:18:31,750 --> 00:18:34,510
And he's saying this as a reminder, meaning

464
00:18:34,510 --> 00:18:38,050
someone else in the past already reminded them

465
00:18:38,050 --> 00:18:41,870
of something that was going to happen.

466
00:18:42,950 --> 00:18:45,030
Let's turn briefly to Luke 21.

467
00:18:45,610 --> 00:18:46,530
Luke 21.

468
00:18:48,210 --> 00:18:50,650
There's some verbiage there very similar.

469
00:18:50,990 --> 00:18:54,050
It's Christ had warned already.

470
00:18:54,110 --> 00:18:57,250
Christ had already warned that there before the

471
00:18:57,250 --> 00:19:01,710
destruction of Jerusalem, that Christians there are going

472
00:19:01,710 --> 00:19:03,490
to suffer great persecution.

473
00:19:04,030 --> 00:19:07,050
I mean, it's going to be a fiery

474
00:19:07,050 --> 00:19:09,110
trial that's going to come upon them.

475
00:19:09,230 --> 00:19:12,010
And so, some commentators would say Peter's referring

476
00:19:12,010 --> 00:19:14,390
to that specific trial that's about to come

477
00:19:14,390 --> 00:19:15,070
for the believers.

478
00:19:15,370 --> 00:19:17,150
Whether that's right or not, I think it's

479
00:19:17,150 --> 00:19:19,210
helpful for us to look at some of

480
00:19:19,210 --> 00:19:21,050
these things that those Christians went through.

481
00:19:21,450 --> 00:19:23,530
Because they'll help us even think more and

482
00:19:23,530 --> 00:19:24,790
more what a fiery trial is.

483
00:19:24,870 --> 00:19:30,130
So Luke 21, verse 11, he just talked

484
00:19:30,130 --> 00:19:34,550
about great earthquakes, famines, pestilence, terrors and great

485
00:19:34,550 --> 00:19:35,490
signs from heaven.

486
00:19:37,500 --> 00:19:40,680
Verse 12, but before all of this, they

487
00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,400
will lay their hands on you, they will

488
00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,220
persecute you, and they will deliver you up

489
00:19:46,220 --> 00:19:48,200
to the synagogues and prisons, and you will

490
00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:52,220
be brought before kings and governors for My

491
00:19:52,220 --> 00:19:53,060
namesake.

492
00:19:53,100 --> 00:19:54,940
Remember, we're bearing the name of a Christian.

493
00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:58,900
Verse 13, this will be your opportunity to

494
00:19:58,900 --> 00:19:59,420
bear witness.

495
00:19:59,500 --> 00:20:00,860
You want to talk about doing good while

496
00:20:00,860 --> 00:20:01,460
you're suffering?

497
00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:02,680
Bear witness.

498
00:20:04,100 --> 00:20:06,740
Settle it then in your minds.

499
00:20:07,940 --> 00:20:10,300
So again, Jesus Himself is thinking about how

500
00:20:10,300 --> 00:20:11,020
do you think?

501
00:20:11,570 --> 00:20:13,920
Not to meditate before how to answer, for

502
00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:15,740
I will give you a mouth and wisdom

503
00:20:15,740 --> 00:20:17,680
which none of your adversaries will be able

504
00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:19,300
to withstand or contradict.

505
00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:20,880
You want to talk about the Holy Spirit?

506
00:20:21,220 --> 00:20:23,460
The Spirit of God coming upon a person

507
00:20:23,460 --> 00:20:25,300
in the midst of a trial and being

508
00:20:25,300 --> 00:20:25,880
near to them?

509
00:20:26,100 --> 00:20:29,180
Those people were experiencing that reality right there

510
00:20:29,180 --> 00:20:30,040
in v.

511
00:20:30,420 --> 00:20:30,920
15.

512
00:20:32,060 --> 00:20:35,640
Verse 16, you will be delivered up even

513
00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:36,780
by parents.

514
00:20:37,500 --> 00:20:39,740
So some of people's parents are going to

515
00:20:39,740 --> 00:20:42,280
take them and turn them into the government

516
00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:44,460
and have them killed.

517
00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:47,660
And brothers and relatives and friends, and some

518
00:20:47,660 --> 00:20:49,820
of them they will put to death.

519
00:20:50,700 --> 00:20:52,880
Verse 17, you will be hated by all

520
00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:55,780
for My namesake, but not a hair of

521
00:20:55,780 --> 00:20:57,040
your head will perish.

522
00:20:59,460 --> 00:21:01,220
He obviously doesn't mean that literally.

523
00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:05,340
Verse 19, by your endurance, you will gain

524
00:21:05,340 --> 00:21:06,560
your lives.

525
00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:07,500
And then he goes on in v.

526
00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:10,460
34, but watch yourselves lest your hearts be

527
00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:13,460
weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares

528
00:21:13,460 --> 00:21:16,660
of this life, and that day come upon

529
00:21:16,660 --> 00:21:18,860
you suddenly like a trap.

530
00:21:18,940 --> 00:21:20,460
Meaning you get surprised by it.

531
00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:22,340
For it will come upon all who dwell

532
00:21:22,340 --> 00:21:23,760
on the face of the earth, but stay

533
00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,300
awake at all times praying that you may

534
00:21:26,300 --> 00:21:29,420
have strength to escape all these things that

535
00:21:29,420 --> 00:21:32,520
are going to take place and to stand

536
00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:36,640
before the Son of Man.

537
00:21:39,580 --> 00:21:42,640
So some would say that this is what

538
00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:46,320
Peter, what fiery trial Peter is referring to

539
00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,420
was going to happen when he wrote this

540
00:21:48,420 --> 00:21:50,360
letter in the near future.

541
00:21:50,740 --> 00:21:52,320
Whether they're right or not, that's a pretty

542
00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:52,940
fiery trial.

543
00:21:54,620 --> 00:21:56,700
That would refine you greatly.

544
00:21:56,860 --> 00:21:59,300
That would test you greatly to have your

545
00:21:59,300 --> 00:22:01,260
own parents deliver you up to have you

546
00:22:01,260 --> 00:22:01,700
killed.

547
00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:03,900
And he says there, you'll be hated by

548
00:22:03,900 --> 00:22:05,580
all for My name's sake, and he says

549
00:22:05,580 --> 00:22:05,840
in v.

550
00:22:05,940 --> 00:22:08,980
19, by your endurance, you will gain your

551
00:22:08,980 --> 00:22:09,480
lives.

552
00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:11,780
That's the same idea Peter says.

553
00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,360
The righteous is scarcely going to be saved.

554
00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,220
It's with difficulty that they're going to endure

555
00:22:17,220 --> 00:22:21,180
and get that ship to Canaan's coast.

556
00:22:21,500 --> 00:22:23,560
It's not going to be easy the way

557
00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:27,420
it's hard that leads to life, Jesus says.

558
00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,180
And Jesus didn't want us to have it

559
00:22:30,180 --> 00:22:31,920
come upon us suddenly like a trap.

560
00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:34,820
And Peter doesn't want us to have trials

561
00:22:34,820 --> 00:22:39,220
come upon us suddenly like a trap.

562
00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:43,120
Think about that command there.

563
00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:44,340
Do not be surprised.

564
00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:46,880
That's what not to do when it comes

565
00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:47,460
to trials.

566
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,440
Don't be surprised that God allows His Beloved

567
00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:53,620
to suffer.

568
00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:55,700
Suffering is not strange.

569
00:22:55,860 --> 00:22:57,740
It's not an unusual thing for believers.

570
00:22:58,020 --> 00:23:00,560
There's false prophets right now who are saying

571
00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:02,900
things like, well, Christians are God's people.

572
00:23:02,980 --> 00:23:04,120
There's no way any of them are going

573
00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:04,860
to get the coronavirus.

574
00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:07,320
You don't have any verse that teaches that.

575
00:23:07,620 --> 00:23:09,960
The prosperity Gospel says we're going to not

576
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:11,540
have to suffer like the lost world.

577
00:23:11,620 --> 00:23:12,800
The Bible doesn't say that.

578
00:23:13,060 --> 00:23:15,580
The Bible actually points to the lost world

579
00:23:15,580 --> 00:23:17,340
having their ultimate suffering in hell.

580
00:23:17,620 --> 00:23:21,340
When we're free of that, our suffering is

581
00:23:21,340 --> 00:23:22,020
in this life.

582
00:23:22,120 --> 00:23:23,080
We're not going to have it in the

583
00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:23,760
life to come.

584
00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:27,720
So don't be...

585
00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:28,560
Think about this.

586
00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:29,920
God allows us to suffer.

587
00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:31,940
God who has infinite wisdom, who has the

588
00:23:31,940 --> 00:23:34,020
ability to stop you from going through the

589
00:23:34,020 --> 00:23:36,980
trial you're in, chooses not to stop you

590
00:23:37,740 --> 00:23:40,100
because He has a greater purpose involved in

591
00:23:40,100 --> 00:23:42,760
your sanctification in the midst of the trial

592
00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:44,900
that's testing the genuineness of your faith.

593
00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:46,200
He could stop it.

594
00:23:46,580 --> 00:23:48,440
His eyes of love are set on you

595
00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:49,700
and He does not stop it.

596
00:23:50,940 --> 00:23:52,560
You can see why some Christians might be

597
00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:52,860
surprised.

598
00:23:53,100 --> 00:23:54,540
They read a verse on the love of

599
00:23:54,540 --> 00:23:56,320
God, and then they read a verse about

600
00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,280
we're going to suffer and through much tribulation

601
00:23:58,280 --> 00:23:59,620
we're going to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

602
00:24:00,020 --> 00:24:02,440
And someone might say, well, God's contradicting Himself.

603
00:24:03,140 --> 00:24:03,800
He's not.

604
00:24:04,700 --> 00:24:05,780
We need the suffering.

605
00:24:05,940 --> 00:24:08,740
It's required that we go and suffer.

606
00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:10,500
It's been granted not only that we believe,

607
00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:11,640
but we also suffer.

608
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:13,140
So God could prevent it.

609
00:24:13,180 --> 00:24:13,800
He does not.

610
00:24:14,580 --> 00:24:16,180
We should expect trials are going to become.

611
00:24:16,380 --> 00:24:16,860
Think of this.

612
00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:18,740
Surprise is a tactic of the enemy.

613
00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:21,120
You just look at world history.

614
00:24:21,240 --> 00:24:22,740
What happened at Pearl Harbor?

615
00:24:23,100 --> 00:24:24,860
It was a surprise attack.

616
00:24:25,260 --> 00:24:26,940
And America was caught off guard.

617
00:24:27,060 --> 00:24:29,940
They were not expecting all of those planes.

618
00:24:30,500 --> 00:24:31,860
And Peter is saying you don't want to

619
00:24:31,860 --> 00:24:33,100
be surprised at trials.

620
00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:34,660
You just want to expect trials.

621
00:24:34,780 --> 00:24:36,440
You want to expect that there's going to

622
00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,020
be bombers that are going to fly over

623
00:24:38,020 --> 00:24:40,460
and drop bombs, and your life isn't just

624
00:24:40,460 --> 00:24:43,760
going to be one of peace and a

625
00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:44,920
field of nice roses.

626
00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:45,940
There's going to be trials.

627
00:24:46,060 --> 00:24:46,920
There's going to be suffering.

628
00:24:47,460 --> 00:24:50,280
And they're not strange, he says.

629
00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,700
The word strange, the idea is they're not

630
00:24:52,700 --> 00:24:53,760
hard to understand.

631
00:24:54,360 --> 00:24:55,440
That's what that word means.

632
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:56,640
It's not hard to understand.

633
00:24:57,020 --> 00:24:58,600
But sometimes for us, it is hard to

634
00:24:58,600 --> 00:24:58,940
understand.

635
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:02,580
We're tempted to say, why?

636
00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:03,980
Why, Lord?

637
00:25:04,820 --> 00:25:06,400
Well, Peter's already given us a reason.

638
00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:08,180
This is going to refine you.

639
00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,060
This is going to test the genuineness of

640
00:25:11,060 --> 00:25:11,700
your faith.

641
00:25:14,380 --> 00:25:15,400
They're not strange.

642
00:25:15,940 --> 00:25:16,920
They're not strange.

643
00:25:17,300 --> 00:25:18,800
So should we live in fear of a

644
00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:19,080
surprise?

645
00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:19,740
No.

646
00:25:20,420 --> 00:25:21,740
We shouldn't live in a fear of a

647
00:25:21,740 --> 00:25:24,180
surprise because Peter's letting us know it's no

648
00:25:24,180 --> 00:25:24,940
longer a surprise.

649
00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:26,840
You shouldn't be surprised.

650
00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:28,460
So you don't live in fear of a

651
00:25:28,460 --> 00:25:30,420
surprise because whatever comes is no longer a

652
00:25:30,420 --> 00:25:30,720
surprise.

653
00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,280
It's not an expected guest.

654
00:25:33,380 --> 00:25:37,260
At some point, the guest of suffering, whether

655
00:25:37,260 --> 00:25:39,880
in a minor degree or a major degree,

656
00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:41,700
it's going to come and it's going to

657
00:25:41,700 --> 00:25:43,360
knock on all of our doors.

658
00:25:43,940 --> 00:25:45,140
And we're going to have to open that

659
00:25:45,140 --> 00:25:48,280
door and not be aghast, not be surprised,

660
00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:50,100
not look at this and say, well, that's

661
00:25:50,100 --> 00:25:51,000
really strange.

662
00:25:51,340 --> 00:25:53,780
Who invited this guest over to my house?

663
00:25:53,780 --> 00:25:56,300
Or to open that door and realize this

664
00:25:56,300 --> 00:26:00,140
is from my Heavenly Father who loves me.

665
00:26:00,660 --> 00:26:02,720
And I'm going to rejoice in this trial

666
00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,260
knowing ultimately there's a day I'm going to

667
00:26:05,260 --> 00:26:08,920
rejoice with final salvation and there will be

668
00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,300
no more tears, no more suffering.

669
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:14,480
So don't let the anticipation of a fiery

670
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:15,480
trial paralyze you.

671
00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:16,600
That's not Peter's point.

672
00:26:19,430 --> 00:26:23,170
So, if we want to be purified, we

673
00:26:23,170 --> 00:26:23,930
should want trials.

674
00:26:23,930 --> 00:26:25,670
Now, the second thing, he says, don't be

675
00:26:25,670 --> 00:26:26,330
surprised.

676
00:26:26,870 --> 00:26:28,470
And then in a way, he says, don't

677
00:26:28,470 --> 00:26:29,030
be depressed.

678
00:26:29,990 --> 00:26:30,770
Where do I get that?

679
00:26:30,810 --> 00:26:32,310
Verse 13, but rejoice.

680
00:26:33,350 --> 00:26:35,990
We're saying it in the other way, don't

681
00:26:35,990 --> 00:26:36,670
be depressed.

682
00:26:37,770 --> 00:26:42,290
Don't be cast down and depressed when you

683
00:26:42,290 --> 00:26:42,630
suffer.

684
00:26:43,710 --> 00:26:44,190
Rejoice.

685
00:26:45,530 --> 00:26:46,410
Rejoice at what?

686
00:26:46,450 --> 00:26:48,330
At being worthy to suffer on behalf of

687
00:26:48,330 --> 00:26:49,830
the same cause Christ suffered.

688
00:26:49,830 --> 00:26:54,950
Rejoice to the extent that you share Christ's

689
00:26:54,950 --> 00:26:55,550
sufferings.

690
00:26:55,630 --> 00:26:58,210
That in the future, you may also rejoice

691
00:26:58,210 --> 00:27:01,750
and be glad when His glory is revealed.

692
00:27:01,930 --> 00:27:03,690
So one of the evidences you're a Christian

693
00:27:03,690 --> 00:27:04,970
is you rejoice.

694
00:27:05,230 --> 00:27:06,850
Those who say they're Christians and they cannot

695
00:27:06,850 --> 00:27:10,290
find at all any ability to thank God

696
00:27:10,290 --> 00:27:11,030
for the trial.

697
00:27:12,690 --> 00:27:15,910
They have no thankfulness, no joy of trusting

698
00:27:15,910 --> 00:27:16,370
the Lord.

699
00:27:16,450 --> 00:27:18,090
That just shows a heart of unbelief.

700
00:27:20,290 --> 00:27:24,140
So Peter here, he says rejoice that you

701
00:27:24,140 --> 00:27:26,520
get to share in any aspect of Christ's

702
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:27,980
sufferings, which were far greater.

703
00:27:28,820 --> 00:27:30,360
You know, our heads suffered the worst.

704
00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:32,860
Us as other members of His body, we

705
00:27:32,860 --> 00:27:36,760
suffer far less significant trials than that wrath

706
00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:38,660
of almighty God that Christ bore on that

707
00:27:38,660 --> 00:27:39,120
cross.

708
00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,700
Paul says in Philippians 4, rejoice in the

709
00:27:42,700 --> 00:27:43,560
Lord always.

710
00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:46,200
Again, I say rejoice.

711
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,680
So we're to rejoice when we face a

712
00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:48,960
trial.

713
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:52,780
We're to have joy at the fact that

714
00:27:52,780 --> 00:27:54,880
this is actually purifying me and making me

715
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:55,840
more like Christ.

716
00:27:56,140 --> 00:27:57,820
At the fact that this is actually a

717
00:27:57,820 --> 00:28:01,080
foretaste of the future joy that's going to

718
00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:01,460
come.

719
00:28:02,020 --> 00:28:04,480
Rejoice at the fact that He even says

720
00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,660
a little later, because the Spirit of glory

721
00:28:07,660 --> 00:28:09,040
and of God rests upon you.

722
00:28:09,220 --> 00:28:11,620
Imagine the joy of those believers who had

723
00:28:11,620 --> 00:28:14,600
to stand before the rulers in Luke 21

724
00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:16,820
and they did not prepare beforehand what to

725
00:28:16,820 --> 00:28:17,140
say.

726
00:28:17,140 --> 00:28:19,960
And in that moment, God came upon them

727
00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:20,920
and gave them what to say.

728
00:28:21,660 --> 00:28:23,260
I mean, who wouldn't want to be experiencing

729
00:28:23,260 --> 00:28:23,860
that?

730
00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:26,420
The nearness and help of God in that

731
00:28:26,420 --> 00:28:26,800
trial.

732
00:28:26,980 --> 00:28:28,100
I would want that.

733
00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,740
Even if you're suffering, you leave that and

734
00:28:30,740 --> 00:28:32,480
it's like the Lord helped us.

735
00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:34,940
And you say, like they did in Acts

736
00:28:34,940 --> 00:28:37,020
4.31 I believe it is, they left

737
00:28:37,020 --> 00:28:39,520
after they were beaten, they left the council

738
00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,280
rejoicing that they were found worthy to suffer

739
00:28:43,280 --> 00:28:44,400
for the name of Christ.

740
00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,180
They viewed their trial of suffering as something

741
00:28:47,180 --> 00:28:49,280
that God found them worthy to endure the

742
00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,580
trial and to not shame Him in the

743
00:28:51,580 --> 00:28:52,460
midst of that trial.

744
00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:54,340
And they praised Him for that.

745
00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:56,820
That should be how we view it.

746
00:29:00,670 --> 00:29:03,250
So, we shouldn't be depressed.

747
00:29:04,250 --> 00:29:05,570
And then He says right there in verse

748
00:29:05,570 --> 00:29:09,750
13, but rejoice insofar as you share Christ's

749
00:29:09,750 --> 00:29:11,790
sufferings that you may also rejoice and be

750
00:29:11,790 --> 00:29:14,370
glad when His glory is revealed.

751
00:29:14,450 --> 00:29:16,930
If you read 1 Peter, if you read

752
00:29:16,930 --> 00:29:19,270
2 Peter, you find this idea, it keeps

753
00:29:19,270 --> 00:29:22,310
coming up about His glory being revealed, about

754
00:29:22,310 --> 00:29:25,970
subsequent glories, about the day of eternity.

755
00:29:26,430 --> 00:29:30,170
Peter is so often bringing the future into

756
00:29:30,170 --> 00:29:31,590
the mind of the Christian.

757
00:29:31,890 --> 00:29:34,090
He's wanting the Christian to be thinking about

758
00:29:34,090 --> 00:29:34,910
the future.

759
00:29:35,010 --> 00:29:36,550
And we obviously see that in Paul's life.

760
00:29:36,670 --> 00:29:38,050
Paul was the type of man who said

761
00:29:38,050 --> 00:29:39,610
to depart and be with Christ is far

762
00:29:39,610 --> 00:29:39,930
better.

763
00:29:40,390 --> 00:29:41,890
I mean, Paul was so much thinking about

764
00:29:41,890 --> 00:29:44,410
the future, it's kind of like waiting for

765
00:29:44,410 --> 00:29:46,090
his flight to leave and he's just wondering

766
00:29:46,090 --> 00:29:47,770
when's my ticket going to be scheduled so

767
00:29:47,770 --> 00:29:50,070
I can go and depart and be with

768
00:29:50,070 --> 00:29:50,530
Christ.

769
00:29:52,870 --> 00:29:55,450
It's like he's looking, I'm quarantined on earth

770
00:29:55,450 --> 00:29:56,510
here.

771
00:29:57,070 --> 00:29:58,790
I want to get out of this fallen

772
00:29:58,790 --> 00:30:00,310
world and I want to get to those

773
00:30:00,310 --> 00:30:01,050
perfections.

774
00:30:02,930 --> 00:30:08,690
He says this in chapter 1.

775
00:30:10,090 --> 00:30:11,690
I think I already read that verse, but

776
00:30:11,690 --> 00:30:13,230
the way he says it, he says you're

777
00:30:13,230 --> 00:30:16,230
to set your hope fully.

778
00:30:20,700 --> 00:30:21,120
What is it?

779
00:30:26,450 --> 00:30:27,290
1.13?

780
00:30:27,450 --> 00:30:29,070
Therefore, prepare your minds for action.

781
00:30:29,170 --> 00:30:29,930
Be sober-minded.

782
00:30:30,470 --> 00:30:32,370
Set your hope fully on the grace that

783
00:30:32,370 --> 00:30:34,670
will be brought to you at the revelation

784
00:30:34,670 --> 00:30:35,670
of Jesus Christ.

785
00:30:35,810 --> 00:30:38,030
I mean, there's different takes on that verse,

786
00:30:38,130 --> 00:30:39,790
but I would say he keeps bringing up

787
00:30:39,790 --> 00:30:40,570
this revelation.

788
00:30:41,270 --> 00:30:43,450
He's just meaning the revealing of Christ.

789
00:30:43,570 --> 00:30:45,910
There's a day when Christ is going to

790
00:30:45,910 --> 00:30:48,270
be revealed from heaven and it's all going

791
00:30:48,270 --> 00:30:50,170
to be over and Christians are to think

792
00:30:50,170 --> 00:30:50,950
about that day.

793
00:30:51,290 --> 00:30:52,810
They are to look forward to that day.

794
00:30:53,090 --> 00:30:55,970
The writer of Hebrews 9, he describes Christians

795
00:30:55,970 --> 00:30:58,770
are those who are eagerly awaiting the return

796
00:30:58,770 --> 00:30:59,670
of the Lord.

797
00:31:00,810 --> 00:31:03,270
Christ will come back to save those who

798
00:31:03,270 --> 00:31:04,870
are eagerly awaiting Him.

799
00:31:05,350 --> 00:31:07,730
One description of a Christian is someone who's

800
00:31:07,730 --> 00:31:09,390
eagerly awaiting the Lord.

801
00:31:09,910 --> 00:31:11,670
That's what Hebrews 9.28 says.

802
00:31:12,170 --> 00:31:16,030
The Christian is someone eagerly awaiting the Lord.

803
00:31:16,630 --> 00:31:19,710
Peter describes Christians as sojourners and exiles.

804
00:31:19,910 --> 00:31:20,770
See, we're not at home.

805
00:31:21,590 --> 00:31:23,790
We're awaiting our flight and we're stuck somewhere.

806
00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,280
This future hope that shows that the Christian's

807
00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:29,920
desire is they just want Christ.

808
00:31:30,220 --> 00:31:31,380
We want to know Christ more.

809
00:31:31,420 --> 00:31:32,420
We want to be with Christ.

810
00:31:33,100 --> 00:31:34,700
That's the desire of the Christian.

811
00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,340
Paul says to Titus something similar.

812
00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:39,300
We're waiting for our blessed hope.

813
00:31:39,580 --> 00:31:41,740
The appearing of the glory of our great

814
00:31:41,740 --> 00:31:42,500
God and Savior.

815
00:31:43,060 --> 00:31:45,640
The Bible constantly says Christians are in the

816
00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:46,360
period of waiting.

817
00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:46,500
We're waiting.

818
00:31:46,980 --> 00:31:49,960
We're waiting for Christ to come.

819
00:31:50,180 --> 00:31:51,920
And this was written a long time ago.

820
00:31:52,860 --> 00:31:54,820
And we're still in this period of waiting.

821
00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:58,680
And we get to taste some of that

822
00:31:58,680 --> 00:32:01,120
joy as we suffer and rejoice in the

823
00:32:01,120 --> 00:32:04,060
midst of our sufferings that we might rejoice

824
00:32:04,060 --> 00:32:05,480
when His glory is revealed.

825
00:32:05,740 --> 00:32:07,680
When that day comes, we're going to have

826
00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:11,320
the greatest amount of joy and we're going

827
00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:12,540
to have no more suffering.

828
00:32:15,150 --> 00:32:17,710
Paul says we'll always be with the Lord.

829
00:32:17,710 --> 00:32:18,950
That's what the Christian wants.

830
00:32:18,990 --> 00:32:21,670
He says in 2 Corinthians 4, this light,

831
00:32:21,790 --> 00:32:28,150
momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal

832
00:32:28,150 --> 00:32:30,630
weight of glory beyond all comparison.

833
00:32:32,030 --> 00:32:33,990
So the present fellowship you have with Christ

834
00:32:33,990 --> 00:32:36,910
in His sufferings now is only leading you

835
00:32:36,910 --> 00:32:39,590
to future fellowship in Paradise in which there

836
00:32:39,590 --> 00:32:41,890
will be no more mourning.

837
00:32:42,590 --> 00:32:44,410
Peter says in 2 Peter that we are

838
00:32:44,410 --> 00:32:46,170
waiting according to His promises.

839
00:32:46,170 --> 00:32:47,890
We're waiting for a new heavens and a

840
00:32:47,890 --> 00:32:51,630
new earth in which righteousness dwells.

841
00:32:52,610 --> 00:32:54,890
Revelation 7, for the Lamb in the midst

842
00:32:54,890 --> 00:32:57,290
of the throne will be their Shepherd, and

843
00:32:57,290 --> 00:32:59,450
He will guide them to the springs of

844
00:32:59,450 --> 00:33:02,710
living water, and God will wipe away every

845
00:33:02,710 --> 00:33:04,370
tear from their eyes.

846
00:33:04,410 --> 00:33:08,390
So Peter wants this future appearing of Christ

847
00:33:08,390 --> 00:33:10,870
to be in our minds as we go

848
00:33:10,870 --> 00:33:11,470
into suffering.

849
00:33:11,630 --> 00:33:14,210
He wants you thinking about it as you

850
00:33:14,210 --> 00:33:15,050
go into the suffering.

851
00:33:15,050 --> 00:33:17,170
Because then you conclude with Paul this is

852
00:33:17,170 --> 00:33:19,370
just a slight, momentary affliction.

853
00:33:19,730 --> 00:33:22,830
Or as Peter started his letter, if necessary,

854
00:33:23,310 --> 00:33:26,070
to suffer for a little while.

855
00:33:27,140 --> 00:33:28,770
Oh, I'm in the suffering for so long.

856
00:33:29,770 --> 00:33:32,350
According to the Lord, it's a little while.

857
00:33:33,230 --> 00:33:34,890
This is such a heavy suffering.

858
00:33:36,670 --> 00:33:37,750
Light suffering.

859
00:33:39,090 --> 00:33:41,350
And this is people who had their parents

860
00:33:42,030 --> 00:33:44,110
or had their parents take them, turn them

861
00:33:44,110 --> 00:33:45,630
over to the government to be killed.

862
00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:49,620
We're not experiencing that.

863
00:33:52,860 --> 00:33:54,980
Obviously, again, the point of me even bringing

864
00:33:54,980 --> 00:33:56,900
this message right now is not for people

865
00:33:56,900 --> 00:33:59,160
to think, wow, we're really facing a fiery

866
00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:00,220
trial with the coronavirus.

867
00:34:01,020 --> 00:34:02,660
That's not the idea.

868
00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:06,200
We shouldn't be surprised at calamities and trials

869
00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:07,480
like we're facing.

870
00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:10,400
But this is no sense some degree of

871
00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:11,340
a fiery trial.

872
00:34:11,340 --> 00:34:13,280
We're not having Christians being killed.

873
00:34:13,380 --> 00:34:15,940
We're not having massive suffering for the sake

874
00:34:15,940 --> 00:34:18,460
of righteousness right now as a church.

875
00:34:18,580 --> 00:34:19,620
That's not what we're facing.

876
00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,400
And so, if we can't even run with

877
00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,820
the footmen of what we're facing right now,

878
00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:25,760
how are we going to run with the

879
00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:26,139
horses?

880
00:34:26,620 --> 00:34:29,540
The greater trial, the faster trial when it

881
00:34:29,540 --> 00:34:30,020
comes.

882
00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:32,300
Whatever that might be, whatever that might look

883
00:34:32,300 --> 00:34:32,620
like.

884
00:34:36,270 --> 00:34:40,650
So, Peter, he says, do not be surprised.

885
00:34:40,870 --> 00:34:41,810
It's not strange.

886
00:34:42,110 --> 00:34:43,190
You shouldn't be depressed.

887
00:34:43,330 --> 00:34:46,190
You should rejoice now and ultimately look to

888
00:34:46,190 --> 00:34:49,870
the future when you will rejoice then.

889
00:34:50,830 --> 00:34:52,590
And I already hit on this, but in

890
00:34:52,590 --> 00:34:54,550
verse 14, it's an incredible thought.

891
00:34:54,850 --> 00:34:57,130
If you're insulted for the name of Christ,

892
00:34:58,150 --> 00:35:01,010
so for being a Christian, you are blessed,

893
00:35:01,110 --> 00:35:01,670
you're happy.

894
00:35:02,030 --> 00:35:03,110
And then he gives the reason.

895
00:35:03,410 --> 00:35:04,450
Why am I happy?

896
00:35:05,310 --> 00:35:08,710
Because the Spirit of glory and of God

897
00:35:08,710 --> 00:35:09,650
rest upon you.

898
00:35:11,600 --> 00:35:15,480
If I am insulted for the name of

899
00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:19,460
Christ, that indicates Christ has actually been helping

900
00:35:19,460 --> 00:35:22,060
me to even respond in a righteous way

901
00:35:22,060 --> 00:35:23,700
to be in the place to even be

902
00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:25,260
insulted to begin with.

903
00:35:25,580 --> 00:35:27,360
And that's something to thank the Lord.

904
00:35:27,620 --> 00:35:30,600
That Lord, You helped me to respond correctly

905
00:35:30,960 --> 00:35:34,140
that I would even be insulted and found

906
00:35:34,140 --> 00:35:36,080
worthy to suffer for Your name.

907
00:35:36,520 --> 00:35:39,820
And then he says here, the Spirit of

908
00:35:39,820 --> 00:35:42,500
power or of glory and of God rest

909
00:35:42,500 --> 00:35:43,040
upon you.

910
00:35:43,300 --> 00:35:44,800
I think that's the idea you see in

911
00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:45,340
Luke 21.

912
00:35:45,460 --> 00:35:47,460
There's a sense that the Holy Spirit is

913
00:35:47,460 --> 00:35:48,460
upon that person.

914
00:35:48,620 --> 00:35:51,160
There is a greater assurance in the midst

915
00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:53,880
of the fire and the trial because God

916
00:35:53,880 --> 00:35:54,780
is near them.

917
00:35:54,940 --> 00:35:55,880
God is upon them.

918
00:35:56,020 --> 00:35:58,200
God is helping them in the midst of

919
00:35:58,200 --> 00:35:58,780
that trial.

920
00:35:58,920 --> 00:36:00,160
And that's one of the reasons so many

921
00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:01,900
Christians when they come out of the season

922
00:36:01,900 --> 00:36:03,220
of trials, they kind of want to go

923
00:36:03,220 --> 00:36:05,840
back because they want that nearness from the

924
00:36:05,840 --> 00:36:07,580
Spirit of power and of glory that was

925
00:36:07,580 --> 00:36:08,580
resting upon them.

926
00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:11,520
And so there's this sense that you're rejoicing

927
00:36:11,520 --> 00:36:13,480
in the midst of a trial because you

928
00:36:13,480 --> 00:36:17,180
have God's help and you're actually having His

929
00:36:17,180 --> 00:36:20,860
power to respond in a Christian way as

930
00:36:20,860 --> 00:36:21,420
you suffer.

931
00:36:22,220 --> 00:36:24,460
And so, Peter says you should rejoice in

932
00:36:24,460 --> 00:36:24,800
that.

933
00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:28,000
That's something to thank God for that He

934
00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:30,780
is helping you in that in such a

935
00:36:30,780 --> 00:36:31,580
marvelous way.

936
00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:37,260
So what believer would not feel it a

937
00:36:37,260 --> 00:36:39,700
great blessing to have such power and assurance

938
00:36:39,700 --> 00:36:40,420
upon them?

939
00:36:40,980 --> 00:36:42,620
We should desire that.

940
00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:45,400
And then I already mentioned this a little

941
00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:47,660
bit, verse 16, he says if anyone suffers

942
00:36:47,660 --> 00:36:49,440
as a Christian, let him not be ashamed.

943
00:36:49,560 --> 00:36:51,060
So Peter says don't be ashamed.

944
00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:54,040
Don't be ashamed.

945
00:36:55,460 --> 00:36:57,020
I was trying to think, why would someone

946
00:36:57,020 --> 00:36:57,720
be ashamed?

947
00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:02,020
Here's one example that came up last night.

948
00:37:03,180 --> 00:37:06,520
You've got a Christian person who is standing

949
00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:08,360
firm in their faith.

950
00:37:09,640 --> 00:37:13,200
And because of that, a lost spouse decides

951
00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:14,680
to divorce them.

952
00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,160
And they don't compromise on their stand for

953
00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:18,580
Christ.

954
00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:21,640
They could feel a little ashamed about what's

955
00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:24,800
going on in their life and they could

956
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:26,040
be a divorced person.

957
00:37:26,160 --> 00:37:28,200
They could feel shame and embarrassed.

958
00:37:29,060 --> 00:37:31,800
And Peter is saying don't be ashamed.

959
00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,960
You should rather be thankful that you've honored

960
00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:37,900
the Lord even though you're suffering because of

961
00:37:37,900 --> 00:37:40,140
it, you should be able to rejoice and

962
00:37:40,140 --> 00:37:41,040
thank the Lord.

963
00:37:41,100 --> 00:37:45,120
There's nothing embarrassing about something happening because you

964
00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:46,780
stood for Christ.

965
00:37:47,300 --> 00:37:50,720
You should rather praise the Lord that you've

966
00:37:50,720 --> 00:37:51,680
not compromised.

967
00:37:52,620 --> 00:37:54,340
And then he says you shouldn't be ashamed.

968
00:37:54,460 --> 00:37:55,100
You should do what?

969
00:37:55,180 --> 00:37:59,660
You should let Him glorify God in that

970
00:37:59,660 --> 00:38:01,440
name or for the fact that you're bearing

971
00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:02,880
the name of Christian.

972
00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:05,920
You should be praising the Lord that you

973
00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:08,960
even have the privilege to bear the name

974
00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:10,260
of Christian.

975
00:38:10,340 --> 00:38:12,000
You're wearing a badge of honor as a

976
00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:14,660
believer that the world can mock you all

977
00:38:14,660 --> 00:38:15,160
day long.

978
00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:16,980
It will not take away the honor that

979
00:38:16,980 --> 00:38:18,800
you will have before the Lord when the

980
00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:20,900
glory of Jesus Christ is revealed.

981
00:38:21,460 --> 00:38:23,820
The world cannot take away the honor that

982
00:38:23,820 --> 00:38:24,620
matters most.

983
00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:26,000
They can't steal it.

984
00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:27,060
They can't take it away.

985
00:38:27,940 --> 00:38:30,020
Like they said in Acts, we're worthy to

986
00:38:30,020 --> 00:38:30,340
suffer.

987
00:38:31,100 --> 00:38:32,140
We're worthy.

988
00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:38,360
John Brown says this, it is not becoming

989
00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:41,480
that Christ should lead through rugged, thorny ways

990
00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:44,200
and we pass about to get away through

991
00:38:44,200 --> 00:38:45,100
flowery meadows.

992
00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:49,060
It is a sweet, joyful thing to be

993
00:38:49,060 --> 00:38:51,160
a sharer with Christ in anything.

994
00:38:51,920 --> 00:38:54,080
I mean, just sharing anything with Jesus Christ.

995
00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,340
To share and bear His name is incredible.

996
00:38:57,080 --> 00:38:58,940
The privilege to be worthy to share His

997
00:38:58,940 --> 00:39:00,640
sufferings, that's amazing.

998
00:39:01,740 --> 00:39:03,560
He says it's a sweet and joyful thing

999
00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:05,120
to be a sharer with Christ in anything,

1000
00:39:05,520 --> 00:39:09,660
all enjoyments wherein He is not are bitter

1001
00:39:09,660 --> 00:39:10,500
to the soul.

1002
00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,780
Meaning anything I enjoy that He's not part

1003
00:39:13,780 --> 00:39:15,040
of it, it's bitter to the soul who

1004
00:39:15,040 --> 00:39:15,520
loves Him.

1005
00:39:15,780 --> 00:39:18,000
And all sufferings with Christ are sweet.

1006
00:39:18,460 --> 00:39:22,780
The worst things of Christ's suffering for Him

1007
00:39:22,780 --> 00:39:26,300
are more truly delightful than the best things

1008
00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:27,220
of the world.

1009
00:39:27,220 --> 00:39:30,580
So you could say the worst aspect of

1010
00:39:30,580 --> 00:39:32,420
being a Christian is I've got to suffer.

1011
00:39:33,440 --> 00:39:34,560
One, you don't want to say it's the

1012
00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:35,180
worst aspect.

1013
00:39:35,380 --> 00:39:36,120
It might be the hardest.

1014
00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:38,980
But that's better than anything that the world

1015
00:39:38,980 --> 00:39:40,520
has to offer to be able to share

1016
00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:41,900
even in that small detail.

1017
00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:47,220
Christ's afflictions are sweeter than the world's pleasures.

1018
00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:50,140
Christ's reproaches are more glorious than the world's

1019
00:39:50,140 --> 00:39:50,400
honors.

1020
00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:53,960
And His riches are better than the world's

1021
00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:54,360
treasures.

1022
00:39:54,360 --> 00:39:58,220
Love delights in likeness and communion, not only

1023
00:39:58,220 --> 00:40:00,640
in things otherwise pleasant, but in the hardest

1024
00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:03,340
and the harshest things which have not in

1025
00:40:03,340 --> 00:40:06,720
them anything desirable, but only that likeness of

1026
00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:07,320
Christ.

1027
00:40:07,660 --> 00:40:10,440
So the thought is very sweet to a

1028
00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:13,040
heart possessed with this love.

1029
00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:16,600
So the thought of suffering is sweet to

1030
00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:18,520
the heart that possesses a love to be

1031
00:40:18,520 --> 00:40:21,440
more like Christ, to know Him more.

1032
00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:27,860
So Peter, he says don't suffer for sin.

1033
00:40:29,020 --> 00:40:31,180
Verse 15, let none of you suffer as

1034
00:40:31,180 --> 00:40:31,600
a murderer.

1035
00:40:33,020 --> 00:40:34,940
Did Peter actually think Christians were going to

1036
00:40:34,940 --> 00:40:35,960
go around killing people?

1037
00:40:38,860 --> 00:40:39,600
I mean, a murderer?

1038
00:40:40,740 --> 00:40:41,660
A thief?

1039
00:40:41,900 --> 00:40:42,700
Or an evildoer?

1040
00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:44,480
I mean, an evildoer is a very broad

1041
00:40:44,480 --> 00:40:44,880
term.

1042
00:40:46,100 --> 00:40:48,440
I think Peter's idea is just don't suffer

1043
00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:50,020
for any type of sin.

1044
00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:51,980
Whatever it might be.

1045
00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:54,760
But it's interesting how Peter adds on to

1046
00:40:54,760 --> 00:40:56,120
not suffer as a meddler.

1047
00:40:58,700 --> 00:41:00,820
You know, here you've got all these trials

1048
00:41:00,820 --> 00:41:02,980
going on and stuff is happening.

1049
00:41:04,220 --> 00:41:05,000
And you meddle.

1050
00:41:05,060 --> 00:41:06,020
You're a busybody.

1051
00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:09,040
You're getting involved in something.

1052
00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:10,500
Kind of like the proverb that talks about

1053
00:41:10,500 --> 00:41:12,460
two people arguing and you get involved and

1054
00:41:12,460 --> 00:41:14,160
it's like trying to grab a dog by

1055
00:41:14,160 --> 00:41:15,840
the ear and it turns and it bites

1056
00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:16,120
you.

1057
00:41:16,360 --> 00:41:17,780
And you might run away and say, well,

1058
00:41:17,820 --> 00:41:19,940
man, I'm being persecuted for righteousness' sake.

1059
00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:23,080
Peter says, no, you're being persecuted for being

1060
00:41:23,080 --> 00:41:25,780
a busybody and that's not for the sake

1061
00:41:25,780 --> 00:41:26,920
of Christ.

1062
00:41:27,600 --> 00:41:29,220
I mean, in some way, Peter is saying,

1063
00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:32,680
Christians, as you're suffering, you're walking here with

1064
00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:34,680
the Lord, you're not so much worried about

1065
00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:36,200
what all is going on with all these

1066
00:41:36,200 --> 00:41:38,460
other people and meddling and being a busybody

1067
00:41:38,460 --> 00:41:41,060
and getting involved in their matters in such

1068
00:41:41,060 --> 00:41:43,400
a way...

1069
00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,460
Think of this, some people suffer in their

1070
00:41:45,460 --> 00:41:46,560
relationships, right?

1071
00:41:46,820 --> 00:41:49,840
They suffer because of hurt that happened in

1072
00:41:49,840 --> 00:41:51,720
a relationship and they might feel like, well,

1073
00:41:51,740 --> 00:41:53,760
I was trying to give the person truth.

1074
00:41:53,860 --> 00:41:55,540
Well, they might have been actually meddling in

1075
00:41:55,540 --> 00:41:58,040
something they shouldn't have been and you're suffering

1076
00:41:58,040 --> 00:41:59,680
because you were actually being a meddler.

1077
00:42:01,320 --> 00:42:02,620
So I don't know, I didn't have a

1078
00:42:02,620 --> 00:42:06,190
whole lot of other thoughts on that, suffering

1079
00:42:06,190 --> 00:42:07,070
for being a meddler.

1080
00:42:08,110 --> 00:42:09,170
But take that to heart.

1081
00:42:10,070 --> 00:42:11,550
We are in an age where it is

1082
00:42:11,550 --> 00:42:14,510
very easy to be a busybody and go

1083
00:42:14,510 --> 00:42:16,090
house to house on the Internet and be

1084
00:42:16,090 --> 00:42:19,610
absolutely distracted and get involved in things that

1085
00:42:19,610 --> 00:42:21,450
we've got no business being involved in.

1086
00:42:21,450 --> 00:42:22,810
And I guess that brings an example up.

1087
00:42:23,170 --> 00:42:26,330
When my wife was single, there was some

1088
00:42:26,330 --> 00:42:28,250
argument going on on Facebook and she got

1089
00:42:28,250 --> 00:42:30,010
involved in it and she kind of got

1090
00:42:30,010 --> 00:42:30,670
kicked back.

1091
00:42:31,170 --> 00:42:32,590
And she was trying to give them some

1092
00:42:32,590 --> 00:42:32,890
truth.

1093
00:42:33,490 --> 00:42:35,330
The fact was she was meddling in something

1094
00:42:35,330 --> 00:42:37,310
and it wasn't really for righteousness' sake, she

1095
00:42:37,310 --> 00:42:38,310
should have stayed out of it.

1096
00:42:38,870 --> 00:42:40,250
And she didn't.

1097
00:42:40,270 --> 00:42:41,690
Because she didn't have to put a stamp

1098
00:42:41,690 --> 00:42:43,450
on the envelope and send it for three

1099
00:42:43,450 --> 00:42:43,730
days.

1100
00:42:43,830 --> 00:42:45,330
It takes three seconds to type it and

1101
00:42:45,330 --> 00:42:45,690
hit enter.

1102
00:42:48,390 --> 00:42:50,030
And my wife doesn't do that anymore.

1103
00:42:50,030 --> 00:42:50,770
More than I know of.

1104
00:42:52,230 --> 00:42:52,770
Say again?

1105
00:42:53,790 --> 00:42:55,470
Yeah, self-induced suffering.

1106
00:42:56,010 --> 00:42:57,790
That's not something to glory in.

1107
00:42:59,870 --> 00:43:02,030
You can think about on the job.

1108
00:43:04,690 --> 00:43:07,070
My boss has eight hours for me to

1109
00:43:07,070 --> 00:43:09,730
work, and if I'm meddling with certain things

1110
00:43:09,730 --> 00:43:11,690
that I think are honoring to God, but

1111
00:43:11,690 --> 00:43:13,690
I'm not honoring my boss's eight hours of

1112
00:43:13,690 --> 00:43:16,890
work, I'm being involved in the business at

1113
00:43:16,890 --> 00:43:19,410
work in a way that I'm actually meddling

1114
00:43:19,410 --> 00:43:21,410
with the boss's time that he's paying me

1115
00:43:21,410 --> 00:43:21,710
for.

1116
00:43:22,250 --> 00:43:23,790
And if I get fired for that, it's

1117
00:43:23,790 --> 00:43:25,510
not because I was righteous, it's because I

1118
00:43:25,510 --> 00:43:26,210
was being a meddler.

1119
00:43:26,970 --> 00:43:28,610
I was being a busybody at work not

1120
00:43:28,610 --> 00:43:30,090
focusing on the task at hand.

1121
00:43:31,090 --> 00:43:36,290
So, Peter, he's giving all of these things.

1122
00:43:36,570 --> 00:43:37,550
Don't be surprised.

1123
00:43:38,010 --> 00:43:38,790
Don't be depressed.

1124
00:43:39,410 --> 00:43:40,710
Think of future glory.

1125
00:43:41,430 --> 00:43:44,050
Think of the Spirit of glory resting upon

1126
00:43:44,050 --> 00:43:45,510
you as you're suffering and rejoice.

1127
00:43:46,130 --> 00:43:47,630
Don't cheat on the test.

1128
00:43:47,630 --> 00:43:49,450
Don't suffer as a meddler.

1129
00:43:50,430 --> 00:43:52,690
Yet, if anyone suffers as a Christian, don't

1130
00:43:52,690 --> 00:43:56,030
be ashamed, but praise God that you bear

1131
00:43:56,030 --> 00:43:58,070
the name of Christian and that you get

1132
00:43:58,070 --> 00:44:00,190
to take part in being a Christian.

1133
00:44:00,330 --> 00:44:01,070
And then he says in v.

1134
00:44:01,110 --> 00:44:02,590
17, he gives the word for.

1135
00:44:03,630 --> 00:44:07,110
For, do all these things, think this way,

1136
00:44:07,530 --> 00:44:08,350
for it's time.

1137
00:44:09,850 --> 00:44:11,430
And some would say he's saying it's time

1138
00:44:11,430 --> 00:44:12,450
for that fiery trial.

1139
00:44:12,810 --> 00:44:13,870
That trial, it's coming.

1140
00:44:14,950 --> 00:44:15,690
It's time.

1141
00:44:15,770 --> 00:44:17,310
You need to have your mind prepared for

1142
00:44:17,310 --> 00:44:17,630
action.

1143
00:44:17,730 --> 00:44:20,010
That fiery trial, it is coming.

1144
00:44:20,130 --> 00:44:22,550
It's time for judgment.

1145
00:44:22,950 --> 00:44:24,670
And as you saw in Diego's lesson in

1146
00:44:24,670 --> 00:44:26,230
1 Corinthians 11, you can have the word

1147
00:44:26,230 --> 00:44:27,990
judgment, but the word judgment does not just

1148
00:44:27,990 --> 00:44:29,210
refer to final judgment.

1149
00:44:30,510 --> 00:44:33,170
If he's talking about a final judgment here,

1150
00:44:34,290 --> 00:44:35,950
for one, it doesn't make a lot of

1151
00:44:35,950 --> 00:44:39,370
sense in the context for it's time for

1152
00:44:39,370 --> 00:44:39,570
judgment.

1153
00:44:39,650 --> 00:44:41,510
I mean, right now, judgment was going to

1154
00:44:41,510 --> 00:44:41,830
happen.

1155
00:44:41,830 --> 00:44:44,330
And then when he alludes to the proverb,

1156
00:44:44,530 --> 00:44:46,750
all the proverb says is it quotes Proverbs

1157
00:44:46,750 --> 00:44:50,930
11, if the righteous suffers, if the righteous

1158
00:44:50,930 --> 00:44:52,330
is repaid on earth.

1159
00:44:54,650 --> 00:44:57,630
Peter, instead of saying repaid on earth, says

1160
00:44:57,630 --> 00:44:59,330
scarcely saved.

1161
00:45:00,970 --> 00:45:03,030
Well, how are we repaid on earth?

1162
00:45:03,110 --> 00:45:04,270
We suffer on earth.

1163
00:45:04,650 --> 00:45:05,590
That's what we get.

1164
00:45:05,710 --> 00:45:07,090
We take part in suffering.

1165
00:45:07,330 --> 00:45:08,550
You're not being repaid with money.

1166
00:45:08,830 --> 00:45:10,650
We're being repaid with suffering for bearing the

1167
00:45:10,650 --> 00:45:11,410
name of a Christian.

1168
00:45:12,390 --> 00:45:14,510
And so Peter, he rewards it when he

1169
00:45:14,510 --> 00:45:14,990
puts it here.

1170
00:45:15,050 --> 00:45:16,250
He's kind of alluding to it.

1171
00:45:16,370 --> 00:45:17,670
And he says scarcely saved.

1172
00:45:17,790 --> 00:45:19,130
Scarcely meaning with difficulty.

1173
00:45:19,570 --> 00:45:22,710
With difficulty, this trial that's going to come

1174
00:45:22,710 --> 00:45:24,170
upon them, it's going to be a difficult

1175
00:45:24,170 --> 00:45:25,090
one to get through.

1176
00:45:25,330 --> 00:45:26,650
That's why I don't want you surprised.

1177
00:45:26,870 --> 00:45:27,790
I don't want you depressed.

1178
00:45:28,190 --> 00:45:29,310
I want you rejoicing.

1179
00:45:29,670 --> 00:45:31,390
I want you looking to the future glory

1180
00:45:31,390 --> 00:45:32,370
in the midst of the trial.

1181
00:45:32,710 --> 00:45:35,350
I don't want you sinning in how you

1182
00:45:35,350 --> 00:45:35,810
respond.

1183
00:45:35,910 --> 00:45:38,230
And don't be ashamed as the world mocks

1184
00:45:38,230 --> 00:45:39,950
you as you go through this.

1185
00:45:39,950 --> 00:45:42,410
But praise the Lord that you bear the

1186
00:45:42,410 --> 00:45:44,130
name of Christian.

1187
00:45:46,290 --> 00:45:48,970
For it's time for this fiery trial to

1188
00:45:48,970 --> 00:45:50,430
begin at the household of God.

1189
00:45:50,510 --> 00:45:51,590
And it begins with us.

1190
00:45:51,610 --> 00:45:52,930
Why does he say it begins with us?

1191
00:45:53,050 --> 00:45:55,030
He's alluding to Ezekiel 9.

1192
00:45:55,530 --> 00:45:57,450
It talks there about suffering and it says

1193
00:45:57,450 --> 00:45:58,950
it's going to begin in the sanctuary.

1194
00:45:59,130 --> 00:46:01,310
It's going to begin with the elders in

1195
00:46:01,310 --> 00:46:02,590
the Old Testament sanctuary.

1196
00:46:03,230 --> 00:46:04,170
I think that's just the idea.

1197
00:46:04,230 --> 00:46:05,290
It's just alluding to that.

1198
00:46:05,510 --> 00:46:07,550
And it's the idea that who suffers mainly

1199
00:46:07,550 --> 00:46:08,310
in this life?

1200
00:46:08,770 --> 00:46:09,530
It's the Christians.

1201
00:46:10,050 --> 00:46:11,390
I mean, there are lost people.

1202
00:46:11,450 --> 00:46:12,970
They don't really face much suffering.

1203
00:46:13,130 --> 00:46:15,970
But the Christian, we've been promised through much

1204
00:46:15,970 --> 00:46:17,610
tribulation, we're going to enter the heaven.

1205
00:46:18,290 --> 00:46:20,790
So, our suffering is now.

1206
00:46:21,170 --> 00:46:23,210
The wicked suffering is in hell for all

1207
00:46:23,210 --> 00:46:23,630
of eternity.

1208
00:46:24,130 --> 00:46:25,530
Will the wicked suffer in this life?

1209
00:46:25,590 --> 00:46:25,870
Yes.

1210
00:46:26,650 --> 00:46:28,430
But they've got a day coming where their

1211
00:46:28,430 --> 00:46:31,550
suffering is going to be nothing like we

1212
00:46:31,550 --> 00:46:33,310
face in this life.

1213
00:46:33,990 --> 00:46:36,510
It's going to be absolutely different.

1214
00:46:41,920 --> 00:46:47,520
So, this judgment, this trial by fire, it's

1215
00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:49,400
going to test the genuineness of our faith.

1216
00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:51,380
It's going to settle the question of where

1217
00:46:51,380 --> 00:46:51,920
we're at.

1218
00:46:52,220 --> 00:46:53,960
And it's going to test the value of

1219
00:46:53,960 --> 00:46:55,080
our profession.

1220
00:46:58,520 --> 00:46:59,740
And it's going to be difficult.

1221
00:47:00,140 --> 00:47:01,260
It's going to be hard.

1222
00:47:01,780 --> 00:47:02,760
The gate is narrow.

1223
00:47:03,740 --> 00:47:06,320
Trials are to prove who's saved.

1224
00:47:06,640 --> 00:47:08,540
And those who are proven to be saved,

1225
00:47:08,820 --> 00:47:10,220
trials are to improve.

1226
00:47:10,760 --> 00:47:12,700
So they prove and they improve.

1227
00:47:12,700 --> 00:47:14,040
That's what happens.

1228
00:47:15,220 --> 00:47:17,900
Luke 13, it says, some in a time

1229
00:47:17,900 --> 00:47:19,800
of testing, they fall away.

1230
00:47:20,140 --> 00:47:21,540
There are people who receive the Word with

1231
00:47:21,540 --> 00:47:24,540
joy, but a fiery trial comes, they fall

1232
00:47:24,540 --> 00:47:24,900
away.

1233
00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:27,980
They no longer obey the Gospel.

1234
00:47:28,780 --> 00:47:31,280
Now, who's writing this letter here?

1235
00:47:32,240 --> 00:47:32,760
Peter.

1236
00:47:33,620 --> 00:47:35,800
A man who in a time of trial

1237
00:47:36,840 --> 00:47:40,720
was ashamed to bear the name of Christian.

1238
00:47:41,220 --> 00:47:47,300
Peter at that point was not saying, if

1239
00:47:47,300 --> 00:47:48,920
anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not

1240
00:47:48,920 --> 00:47:50,520
be ashamed, but let him glorify God that

1241
00:47:50,520 --> 00:47:51,600
he bears the name of Christian.

1242
00:47:51,920 --> 00:47:54,140
Peter was kind of saying, I don't know

1243
00:47:54,140 --> 00:47:54,920
who that man is.

1244
00:47:54,960 --> 00:47:56,220
I don't bear the name of Christian.

1245
00:47:56,940 --> 00:48:00,000
So whatever Peter's talking about here, I don't

1246
00:48:00,000 --> 00:48:02,520
think Peter's forgot his past experience in his

1247
00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:04,600
lacking compassion to Christians in the midst of

1248
00:48:04,600 --> 00:48:05,040
suffering.

1249
00:48:05,520 --> 00:48:06,860
But what did Peter do?

1250
00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:09,400
He failed and he went and wept bitterly.

1251
00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:11,920
And he arose and he strengthened his brothers.

1252
00:48:12,100 --> 00:48:14,200
He didn't drop out of the class.

1253
00:48:14,260 --> 00:48:16,580
He kept on going no matter how hard

1254
00:48:16,580 --> 00:48:17,920
the course was.

1255
00:48:18,260 --> 00:48:19,980
And that's what the Christian's got to do.

1256
00:48:20,340 --> 00:48:23,720
Those who endure to the end will ultimately

1257
00:48:23,720 --> 00:48:24,680
be saved.

1258
00:48:25,180 --> 00:48:27,000
And that's the idea that Peter's talking about.

1259
00:48:27,060 --> 00:48:28,640
Through trials, you've got to endure.

1260
00:48:29,380 --> 00:48:31,700
Judgments are coming upon you and they're testing

1261
00:48:31,700 --> 00:48:32,820
you and trying you.

1262
00:48:33,080 --> 00:48:35,200
And it's going to prove the tested genuineness

1263
00:48:35,200 --> 00:48:35,960
of your faith.

1264
00:48:38,390 --> 00:48:41,870
And then we get near the end here.

1265
00:48:42,590 --> 00:48:44,250
People obviously in all of this would say,

1266
00:48:44,430 --> 00:48:45,190
what about the lost?

1267
00:48:45,250 --> 00:48:46,350
What's going to happen to them?

1268
00:48:46,930 --> 00:48:48,490
And so he says that two times.

1269
00:48:49,070 --> 00:48:50,310
What will be the outcome of those who

1270
00:48:50,310 --> 00:48:51,010
do not obey?

1271
00:48:51,590 --> 00:48:53,470
And then what will become of the ungodly

1272
00:48:53,470 --> 00:48:53,950
and the sinner?

1273
00:48:54,390 --> 00:48:56,050
Because he's basically saying the same idea in

1274
00:48:56,050 --> 00:48:56,490
two verses.

1275
00:48:56,650 --> 00:48:58,490
He's just saying it and then he alludes

1276
00:48:58,490 --> 00:49:00,290
to a proverb which states what he's trying

1277
00:49:00,290 --> 00:49:01,010
to get across.

1278
00:49:02,010 --> 00:49:06,150
That proverb, Proverbs 11.31 in the ESV,

1279
00:49:06,150 --> 00:49:07,770
it says, how much more?

1280
00:49:08,410 --> 00:49:10,170
It talks about the righteous being repaid on

1281
00:49:10,170 --> 00:49:12,230
earth and it says for the wicked, how

1282
00:49:12,230 --> 00:49:13,770
much more?

1283
00:49:13,810 --> 00:49:15,050
What's going to happen to the lost?

1284
00:49:15,690 --> 00:49:19,490
Our suffering is so minor compared to how

1285
00:49:19,490 --> 00:49:22,210
much more their suffering is going to be

1286
00:49:22,210 --> 00:49:24,550
in eternity in hell.

1287
00:49:24,730 --> 00:49:26,590
I mean, Jesus, He taught that there's weeping,

1288
00:49:26,730 --> 00:49:29,750
there's gnashing of teeth, the worm never dies,

1289
00:49:30,590 --> 00:49:32,430
there's no sleep day or night.

1290
00:49:33,290 --> 00:49:35,130
Hell is terrifying.

1291
00:49:36,430 --> 00:49:38,210
So, believers, you suffer.

1292
00:49:39,580 --> 00:49:40,770
Don't worry about the wicked.

1293
00:49:41,800 --> 00:49:42,950
They've got a day coming.

1294
00:49:43,670 --> 00:49:46,270
What you want to worry about is trusting

1295
00:49:46,270 --> 00:49:48,870
the Lord and rejoicing in the midst of

1296
00:49:48,870 --> 00:49:54,070
your trial because Peter says, rejoice to the

1297
00:49:54,070 --> 00:49:55,770
extent you share in Christ's sufferings in verse

1298
00:49:55,770 --> 00:50:00,070
13, that you may also rejoice and be

1299
00:50:00,070 --> 00:50:02,470
glad when His glory is revealed.

1300
00:50:02,730 --> 00:50:04,130
You want to be rejoicing now.

1301
00:50:04,930 --> 00:50:06,110
You want to be one of those who's

1302
00:50:06,110 --> 00:50:08,550
a rejoicer because that's the true Christian.

1303
00:50:09,090 --> 00:50:11,210
And the true Christian has a greater day

1304
00:50:11,210 --> 00:50:15,450
of joy coming and that's where we're looking

1305
00:50:15,450 --> 00:50:16,330
to.

1306
00:50:16,690 --> 00:50:18,670
As Peter says later on, to the day

1307
00:50:18,670 --> 00:50:19,830
of eternity.

1308
00:50:20,450 --> 00:50:22,270
The Christian is looking to that day.

1309
00:50:23,870 --> 00:50:29,220
So, verse 19, Therefore, let those who suffer

1310
00:50:29,220 --> 00:50:31,340
according to God's will.

1311
00:50:31,340 --> 00:50:32,020
Know that we suffer.

1312
00:50:32,540 --> 00:50:35,360
And we want to thank Him for that.

1313
00:50:36,360 --> 00:50:39,280
Let those who suffer according to God's will.

1314
00:50:39,420 --> 00:50:40,280
And what do you do in the midst

1315
00:50:40,280 --> 00:50:40,720
of suffering?

1316
00:50:41,080 --> 00:50:45,220
You entrust your souls to a faithful Creator

1317
00:50:45,650 --> 00:50:46,400
while doing good.

1318
00:50:46,460 --> 00:50:47,720
God is faithful.

1319
00:50:48,840 --> 00:50:50,700
He's not left you in the midst of

1320
00:50:50,700 --> 00:50:51,260
the suffering.

1321
00:50:51,660 --> 00:50:53,040
And God is your Creator.

1322
00:50:53,200 --> 00:50:55,080
You're His property more than your own.

1323
00:50:55,440 --> 00:50:56,580
He can take care of you.

1324
00:50:58,560 --> 00:51:00,580
Creating you is more difficult than taking care

1325
00:51:00,580 --> 00:51:01,060
of you, right?

1326
00:51:01,120 --> 00:51:02,020
I mean, what's more difficult?

1327
00:51:02,360 --> 00:51:03,960
Taking care of you or creating you?

1328
00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:06,400
And Peter says He's created you.

1329
00:51:06,920 --> 00:51:08,280
So He can take care of you.

1330
00:51:08,320 --> 00:51:09,460
I mean, He did the harder part.

1331
00:51:09,960 --> 00:51:11,280
He can take care of you.

1332
00:51:11,460 --> 00:51:13,380
And He deems to take care of us

1333
00:51:13,380 --> 00:51:17,720
by actually putting us through refining trials that

1334
00:51:17,720 --> 00:51:20,420
we shouldn't be surprised at, that are ultimately

1335
00:51:20,420 --> 00:51:23,640
leading us to the ultimate sharing in His

1336
00:51:23,640 --> 00:51:26,080
glory in that final day.

1337
00:51:26,160 --> 00:51:28,060
And in the midst of our trials, we're

1338
00:51:28,060 --> 00:51:28,980
to do good.

1339
00:51:28,980 --> 00:51:31,100
As we trust the Lord, we're to do

1340
00:51:31,100 --> 00:51:31,960
good to our enemies.

1341
00:51:32,820 --> 00:51:34,840
We're to do good to those who hate

1342
00:51:34,840 --> 00:51:35,060
us.

1343
00:51:35,140 --> 00:51:37,100
What did those people in Luke 21 do

1344
00:51:37,100 --> 00:51:39,560
when their family turned them over to the

1345
00:51:39,560 --> 00:51:40,860
government and had them killed?

1346
00:51:41,820 --> 00:51:43,340
What did the church do?

1347
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:45,320
I don't know.

1348
00:51:45,360 --> 00:51:45,980
They did good.

1349
00:51:46,320 --> 00:51:48,880
Somehow they sought to do good to the

1350
00:51:48,880 --> 00:51:51,020
family members who had their brothers and sisters

1351
00:51:51,020 --> 00:51:52,280
in Christ killed.

1352
00:51:52,940 --> 00:51:54,340
What did that look like?

1353
00:51:55,120 --> 00:51:56,240
I have no idea.

1354
00:51:59,140 --> 00:52:01,080
But they did something good.

1355
00:52:02,240 --> 00:52:04,100
Now, let me close and I want to

1356
00:52:04,100 --> 00:52:05,120
mention a quick thought.

1357
00:52:06,160 --> 00:52:09,720
So our sister Rachel, some of you saw

1358
00:52:09,720 --> 00:52:11,000
that update she sent.

1359
00:52:12,720 --> 00:52:17,420
And she mentioned on WhatsApp, she says this,

1360
00:52:17,480 --> 00:52:18,880
I'm reading 1 Peter.

1361
00:52:20,060 --> 00:52:23,440
When I got to 4.12-19, this

1362
00:52:23,440 --> 00:52:26,160
passage, she says this, this is Rachel Sauceda,

1363
00:52:26,480 --> 00:52:29,740
I can't help thinking I'm not suffering because

1364
00:52:29,740 --> 00:52:30,540
I'm a Christian.

1365
00:52:30,860 --> 00:52:32,540
Meaning, she's got cancer.

1366
00:52:32,680 --> 00:52:36,700
Her point is, I've got cancer, and it's

1367
00:52:36,700 --> 00:52:39,220
not like this is persecution for righteousness' sake.

1368
00:52:39,300 --> 00:52:41,380
And the big thing Peter is focusing on

1369
00:52:41,380 --> 00:52:44,660
here is persecution for righteousness' sake, persecution for

1370
00:52:44,660 --> 00:52:45,460
being a Christian.

1371
00:52:46,360 --> 00:52:49,820
That's the specific aspect of suffering he's honing

1372
00:52:49,820 --> 00:52:50,240
in on.

1373
00:52:50,460 --> 00:52:52,920
It's not that these truths aren't real though

1374
00:52:52,920 --> 00:52:54,320
in the midst of cancer.

1375
00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:58,080
But she says this, I'm suffering because I

1376
00:52:58,080 --> 00:53:01,180
live in a fallen world with cancer, but

1377
00:53:01,180 --> 00:53:04,760
the Lord, I know You're sovereign, faithful, it

1378
00:53:04,760 --> 00:53:07,140
says faithful here, help me to keep trusting

1379
00:53:07,140 --> 00:53:08,980
You no matter what else You bring my

1380
00:53:08,980 --> 00:53:09,320
way.

1381
00:53:10,880 --> 00:53:13,560
And I was thinking, is our sister making

1382
00:53:13,560 --> 00:53:15,560
a correct...

1383
00:53:15,560 --> 00:53:17,780
is she drawing the right idea out of

1384
00:53:17,780 --> 00:53:21,040
here that Peter is focused on suffering that's

1385
00:53:21,040 --> 00:53:24,120
coming for specifically righteous deeds?

1386
00:53:24,180 --> 00:53:26,160
And I think overall, she's right about that.

1387
00:53:26,480 --> 00:53:27,720
But it made me think of this.

1388
00:53:28,260 --> 00:53:29,160
Let me ask this question.

1389
00:53:29,520 --> 00:53:33,700
Is there any righteous person who had physical

1390
00:53:33,700 --> 00:53:38,120
suffering and it was him being persecuted for

1391
00:53:38,120 --> 00:53:39,160
his righteous conduct?

1392
00:53:41,250 --> 00:53:41,750
Say again?

1393
00:53:42,590 --> 00:53:43,510
Yeah, Job.

1394
00:53:45,280 --> 00:53:48,480
To Job's eyes, he just had a physical

1395
00:53:48,480 --> 00:53:49,140
ailment.

1396
00:53:50,200 --> 00:53:50,800
Boils.

1397
00:53:50,800 --> 00:53:52,940
But when you read in the book of

1398
00:53:52,940 --> 00:53:55,940
Job, why did Job have that?

1399
00:53:56,340 --> 00:53:59,020
He was specifically suffering at the hands of

1400
00:53:59,020 --> 00:54:00,000
Satan.

1401
00:54:00,620 --> 00:54:01,900
God had allowed that.

1402
00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:07,680
And it says in Job 2, the devil

1403
00:54:07,680 --> 00:54:09,340
says, stretch out your hand and touch his

1404
00:54:09,340 --> 00:54:10,220
bone and his flesh.

1405
00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:11,880
He'll curse you to your face.

1406
00:54:12,460 --> 00:54:14,700
The Lord said to Satan, behold, he's in

1407
00:54:14,700 --> 00:54:15,280
your hand.

1408
00:54:15,660 --> 00:54:16,820
Only spare his life.

1409
00:54:17,360 --> 00:54:19,300
So Satan went out from the presence of

1410
00:54:19,300 --> 00:54:22,820
the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores

1411
00:54:22,820 --> 00:54:25,060
from the sole of his foot to the

1412
00:54:25,060 --> 00:54:26,040
crown of his head.

1413
00:54:26,460 --> 00:54:28,260
So my point to Rachel is what if

1414
00:54:28,260 --> 00:54:31,600
because you're a righteous woman, Satan has struck

1415
00:54:31,600 --> 00:54:34,760
you with this specific suffering?

1416
00:54:34,880 --> 00:54:38,080
Meaning there is a way that you actually

1417
00:54:38,080 --> 00:54:40,500
have a physical suffering and it is directly

1418
00:54:40,500 --> 00:54:44,360
connected to the fact of your righteousness, even

1419
00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:47,080
though there's no person that you see that's

1420
00:54:47,080 --> 00:54:49,920
involved with you getting that sickness, there might

1421
00:54:49,920 --> 00:54:52,220
be something going on in the satanic realm

1422
00:54:52,220 --> 00:54:53,200
that God has allowed.

1423
00:54:56,170 --> 00:54:58,170
And Job took a piece of broken pottery

1424
00:54:58,170 --> 00:55:00,190
with which to scrape himself while he sat

1425
00:55:00,190 --> 00:55:00,770
in the ashes.

1426
00:55:01,450 --> 00:55:04,250
Then his wife said to him, do you

1427
00:55:04,250 --> 00:55:05,870
still hold fast your integrity?

1428
00:55:06,150 --> 00:55:07,610
Curse God and die.

1429
00:55:08,330 --> 00:55:10,330
Job said to her, you speak as one

1430
00:55:10,330 --> 00:55:13,210
of the foolish women would speak.

1431
00:55:13,810 --> 00:55:15,850
Shall we receive good from God and shall

1432
00:55:15,850 --> 00:55:16,950
we not receive evil?

1433
00:55:16,950 --> 00:55:20,850
In all this, Job did not sin in

1434
00:55:20,850 --> 00:55:22,310
his lips.

1435
00:55:24,510 --> 00:55:25,650
You think about Job.

1436
00:55:26,390 --> 00:55:27,670
He had a fiery trial.

1437
00:55:29,510 --> 00:55:32,290
And it was for righteousness' sake.

1438
00:55:33,190 --> 00:55:34,750
It's because he was a blameless man.

1439
00:55:34,910 --> 00:55:38,590
And the devil wanted to show, Lord, look,

1440
00:55:38,610 --> 00:55:39,650
Job's going to deny you.

1441
00:55:39,910 --> 00:55:41,230
If you let him suffer, if you let

1442
00:55:41,230 --> 00:55:43,090
his body be touched, he's going to deny

1443
00:55:43,090 --> 00:55:43,410
you.

1444
00:55:44,030 --> 00:55:45,490
And you know what we find Job doing?

1445
00:55:45,590 --> 00:55:46,990
He blessed the Lord.

1446
00:55:47,590 --> 00:55:48,990
And he wasn't surprised.

1447
00:55:49,970 --> 00:55:51,110
He wasn't shocked.

1448
00:55:51,230 --> 00:55:52,910
And he had bam, bam, bam, bam.

1449
00:55:52,970 --> 00:55:54,410
All these things hit him at once.

1450
00:55:55,570 --> 00:55:57,050
And Job didn't actually look at it and

1451
00:55:57,050 --> 00:55:59,030
say this is really strange and unusual.

1452
00:55:59,210 --> 00:56:00,310
Why is this happening to me?

1453
00:56:00,650 --> 00:56:03,130
Job looked at this and he was able

1454
00:56:03,130 --> 00:56:05,370
to bless the Lord who gives and takes

1455
00:56:05,370 --> 00:56:05,710
away.

1456
00:56:06,490 --> 00:56:08,290
So no matter what gets taken away in

1457
00:56:08,290 --> 00:56:10,970
this life, we've got to remember, there's a

1458
00:56:10,970 --> 00:56:13,130
day coming where you know what's going to

1459
00:56:13,130 --> 00:56:13,850
get taken away?

1460
00:56:14,190 --> 00:56:14,630
Suffering.

1461
00:56:15,510 --> 00:56:16,930
There's going to be no more tears.

1462
00:56:17,250 --> 00:56:18,290
There's going to be glory.

1463
00:56:18,430 --> 00:56:19,290
There's going to be rest.

1464
00:56:19,390 --> 00:56:21,070
We're going to rest from our labors.

1465
00:56:21,270 --> 00:56:23,410
Our labors of doing good in the midst

1466
00:56:23,410 --> 00:56:23,990
of suffering.

1467
00:56:24,810 --> 00:56:26,670
And so, we don't want to be depressed

1468
00:56:26,670 --> 00:56:27,170
in trials.

1469
00:56:27,270 --> 00:56:27,990
We want to rejoice.

1470
00:56:28,130 --> 00:56:29,890
We don't want to be surprised in trials.

1471
00:56:30,030 --> 00:56:30,970
We don't want to look at them as

1472
00:56:30,970 --> 00:56:32,790
strange and unusual because they're not.

1473
00:56:33,810 --> 00:56:35,550
And we want to be thankful we can

1474
00:56:35,550 --> 00:56:37,430
bear the name of Christian in the midst

1475
00:56:37,430 --> 00:56:39,210
of the trial and honor the Lord Jesus

1476
00:56:39,210 --> 00:56:39,710
Christ.

1477
00:56:40,050 --> 00:56:41,970
We want to be expecting the power of

1478
00:56:41,970 --> 00:56:43,550
the Spirit of God to be upon us

1479
00:56:43,550 --> 00:56:45,190
in the midst of the trial and the

1480
00:56:45,190 --> 00:56:47,890
Lord helping us in supernatural ways that when

1481
00:56:47,890 --> 00:56:49,610
that season dies down, we'll want to be

1482
00:56:49,610 --> 00:56:51,470
back in the middle of that season and

1483
00:56:51,470 --> 00:56:53,490
not in a season where everything is kind

1484
00:56:53,490 --> 00:56:53,990
of normal.

1485
00:56:56,430 --> 00:56:59,370
And for those New Testament Christians, whatever trial

1486
00:56:59,370 --> 00:57:02,550
was coming their way, Peter says it was

1487
00:57:02,550 --> 00:57:03,130
going to begin.

1488
00:57:03,670 --> 00:57:05,470
Some type of suffering began.

1489
00:57:05,650 --> 00:57:07,810
And if it is indeed alluding and referring

1490
00:57:07,810 --> 00:57:10,330
to what happened in Luke 21 and in

1491
00:57:10,330 --> 00:57:13,030
Matthew 24 right before the destruction of Jerusalem,

1492
00:57:13,310 --> 00:57:16,110
they suffered severely during that time.

1493
00:57:16,370 --> 00:57:18,390
And that's not anything like what we're facing

1494
00:57:18,390 --> 00:57:19,130
in our day.

1495
00:57:20,030 --> 00:57:21,250
It's just not.

1496
00:57:22,430 --> 00:57:24,930
And ultimately, the coronavirus is not hitting us.

1497
00:57:26,110 --> 00:57:28,070
You could more view the coronavirus as judgment

1498
00:57:28,070 --> 00:57:30,690
upon a wicked world and God's trying to

1499
00:57:30,690 --> 00:57:31,410
awaken them.

1500
00:57:32,410 --> 00:57:34,490
But yeah, we shouldn't be surprised if Christians

1501
00:57:34,490 --> 00:57:36,430
get sick in the midst of all of

1502
00:57:36,430 --> 00:57:37,690
this because we don't have a promise that

1503
00:57:37,690 --> 00:57:38,650
we're not going to get sick.

1504
00:57:39,490 --> 00:57:41,650
But we should rejoice in the Lord.

1505
00:57:41,750 --> 00:57:43,970
So whether it's being persecuted for righteousness sake,

1506
00:57:44,010 --> 00:57:46,470
which dealt with the immediate context, or any

1507
00:57:46,470 --> 00:57:48,050
trial you're going through, you want to think

1508
00:57:48,050 --> 00:57:49,690
about these things and these truths.

1509
00:57:50,730 --> 00:57:52,130
Okay, let's pray.

1510
00:57:56,060 --> 00:58:00,220
Father, Lord, thank You that You supernaturally give

1511
00:58:00,220 --> 00:58:06,880
us joy to rejoice in the midst of

1512
00:58:08,260 --> 00:58:11,880
suffering and fiery trials.

1513
00:58:11,880 --> 00:58:13,760
Lord, we thank You that You are in

1514
00:58:13,760 --> 00:58:15,980
the business of testing the genuineness of our

1515
00:58:15,980 --> 00:58:16,440
faith.

1516
00:58:17,180 --> 00:58:19,440
We thank You, Lord, that Lord, not only

1517
00:58:19,440 --> 00:58:21,240
should we not be surprised at trials, but

1518
00:58:21,240 --> 00:58:24,520
Lord, we're not surprised that professing Christians often

1519
00:58:24,520 --> 00:58:27,200
fall away in seasons of trials.

1520
00:58:28,020 --> 00:58:29,800
And they go out from us because they

1521
00:58:29,800 --> 00:58:30,740
were never of us.

1522
00:58:31,620 --> 00:58:33,820
Lord, I pray in the season we're in

1523
00:58:33,820 --> 00:58:35,460
right now that You would keep the brethren

1524
00:58:35,460 --> 00:58:37,540
rejoicing in You.

1525
00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:40,060
Lord, keep us all looking to that day,

1526
00:58:40,060 --> 00:58:43,560
awaiting for the revealing, awaiting for the coming

1527
00:58:43,560 --> 00:58:44,320
of Christ.

1528
00:58:44,700 --> 00:58:46,380
Lord, we do want to see You face

1529
00:58:46,380 --> 00:58:46,900
to face.

1530
00:58:47,360 --> 00:58:49,420
Lord, we want the veil completely removed.

1531
00:58:49,740 --> 00:58:52,260
We want direct, intimate communion with You.

1532
00:58:52,700 --> 00:58:54,940
And we're thankful for all the communion and

1533
00:58:54,940 --> 00:58:56,980
what we experience in this life right now.

1534
00:58:57,080 --> 00:58:58,180
Lord, You're so good to us.

1535
00:58:58,860 --> 00:59:00,000
So Lord, be with the saints.

1536
00:59:00,280 --> 00:59:01,000
Strengthen them.

1537
00:59:01,140 --> 00:59:03,680
Lord, help them help those who are suffering

1538
00:59:03,680 --> 00:59:07,320
right now that they would live these things

1539
00:59:07,320 --> 00:59:07,620
out.

1540
00:59:08,240 --> 00:59:09,700
Lord, we thank You.

1541
00:59:10,420 --> 00:59:12,600
You are such a faithful God.

1542
00:59:12,700 --> 00:59:14,160
We entrust our souls to You.

1543
00:59:14,680 --> 00:59:15,480
Help us to do.