Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 Peter (Unsurprised, 1 Peter (Unsurprised, 1 Peter 4:12-19)4:12-19)

ReviewReview

Anxiety and Escapism vs. Anxiety and Escapism vs. PrayerPrayer

Above all, keep loving one Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of love covers a multitude of sinssins

Dear friends, do not be Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test that has come on you to test you, as though something you, as though something strange were happening to strange were happening to you. you.

But rejoice inasmuch as you But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. is revealed.

If you are insulted because of If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on glory and of God rests on you.you.

If you suffer, it should not be If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. or even as a meddler.

However, if you suffer as a However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.that you bear that name.

For it is time for judgment to For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the those who do not obey the gospel of God? gospel of God?

And, “If it is hard for the And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”and the sinner?”

So then, those who suffer So then, those who suffer according to God’s will according to God’s will should commit themselves should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.continue to do good.

Dear friends, do not be Dear friends, do not be surprised at the surprised at the fiery ordeal fiery ordeal that has come upon youthat has come upon you

Dear friends, do not be Dear friends, do not be surprised at the surprised at the fiery ordeal fiery ordeal that has come upon youthat has come upon you

SurprisedSurprised- xenizo- think it - xenizo- think it strange/ foreign, strange/ foreign, something something that doesn't belongthat doesn't belong

SurprisedSurprised- xenizo- think it - xenizo- think it strange/ foreign, something strange/ foreign, something that doesn't belongthat doesn't belong

−DisillusionedDisillusioned

•Expend energy and focus Expend energy and focus trying to "get back to trying to "get back to normal"normal"

•Miss the growth that can Miss the growth that can come from the come from the testtest

SurprisedSurprised- xenizo- think it - xenizo- think it strange/ foreign, something strange/ foreign, something that doesn't belongthat doesn't belong

−UnUnpreparedprepared

•RReacteact rather than act rather than act

•Our sOur strengthtrength rather than rather than Christ's powerChrist's power

•No pNo planlan to be faithful to be faithful

ResolveResolve:: No matter what No matter what happens, I will trust Christ, happens, I will trust Christ, hold strong to the faith and hold strong to the faith and live in such a way as to bring live in such a way as to bring him gloryhim glory

Dear friends, do not be Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you that has come on you to test to test youyou, as though something , as though something strange were happening to strange were happening to you. you.

TestTest- Peirazo- Peirazo

……has come on you has come on you to test you…to test you…

TestTest- Peirazo- Peirazo

−Enemy tempts to bring fEnemy tempts to bring failure ailure

−God tests to bring about God tests to bring about ggrowthrowth and m and maturityaturity

TestTest- Peirazo- Peirazo

−Enemy tempts to bring failure Enemy tempts to bring failure

−God tests to bring about God tests to bring about growth and maturitygrowth and maturity

−The test is the same. The The test is the same. The issue is the expected outcome- issue is the expected outcome- and how I hand how I handleandle i itt

Don't be surprised…But rejoice Don't be surprised…But rejoice inasmuch as you inasmuch as you participateparticipate in the in the sufferings of Christ, sufferings of Christ, so that you may so that you may be overjoyedbe overjoyed when his glory is when his glory is revealed. revealed.

If you are insulted because of the If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God the Spirit of glory and of God rests on rests on youyou..

Identifying with Christ in our suffering Identifying with Christ in our suffering brings the joy of his presence as we brings the joy of his presence as we press in and trust himpress in and trust him

Then they secretly persuaded Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” So Moses and against God.” So they stirred up the people they stirred up the people and the elders and the and the elders and the teachers of the law. They teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. him before the Sanhedrin. 

They produced false They produced false witnesses, who testified…All witnesses, who testified…All who were sitting in the who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and Stephen, and they saw that they saw that his face was like the face of his face was like the face of an angel an angel - Acts 6- Acts 6

I will never know Jesus as well I will never know Jesus as well or as closely as when or as closely as when everything is stripped away everything is stripped away and he's all I have left to and he's all I have left to hold on tohold on to

If you suffer, it should not be If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. or even as a meddler.

No self-deceptionNo self-deception

However, if you suffer However, if you suffer as a as a ChristianChristian, do not be , do not be ashamed, but praise God ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.that you bear that name.

What's implied here?What's implied here?

However, if you suffer as a However, if you suffer as a Christian, Christian, do not be ashamed, do not be ashamed, but praise but praise God that you bear God that you bear that name.that name.

Shame vs. Praise= my reaction Shame vs. Praise= my reaction tells me whose approval I'm tells me whose approval I'm seekingseeking

Suffering for the faith is always Suffering for the faith is always an opportunity to glorify Godan opportunity to glorify God

For it is time for For it is time for judgment to judgment to begin begin with God’s household; with God’s household; and if it begins with us, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the those who do not obey the gospel of God?gospel of God?

Why would God judge his Why would God judge his people?people?

For it is time for judgment to For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household…begin with God’s household…

Hallowed be your Name…Hallowed be your Name…

We bear the Name of Christ. We bear the Name of Christ. God is zealous for his Name. God is zealous for his Name. His ultimate goal is to purify His ultimate goal is to purify his bride= peirazo/testhis bride= peirazo/test

And, “If it is hard for the And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”and the sinner?”

Who'll deal with the people Who'll deal with the people who would hurt us? who would hurt us?

And, “If it is hard for the And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”and the sinner?”

How does that give us peace?How does that give us peace?

And, “If it is hard for the And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”and the sinner?”

How does that give us How does that give us mission?mission?

So then, those who suffer So then, those who suffer according to God’s willaccording to God’s will should commit themselves should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and to their faithful Creator and continue to do goodcontinue to do good

IfIf I suffer for living my faith, I I suffer for living my faith, I have to know that God has have to know that God has allowed itallowed it

……commit themselves to their commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue faithful Creator and continue to do goodto do good

• God has allowed itGod has allowed it

My response: Entrust myself to My response: Entrust myself to God and continue to do the God and continue to do the very thing that got me in very thing that got me in trouble- trouble- continue to do goodcontinue to do good

……do not be surprised at the do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on fiery ordeal that has come on you to you to testtest you… you…

God's tests are never pass/fail. God's tests are never pass/fail. They are always about learning They are always about learning to trust and to glorify himto trust and to glorify him

commitcommit themselves to their themselves to their faithful Creator and faithful Creator and continuecontinue to do goodto do good

TakeawaysTakeaways

• Resolve: Will I trust Christ, Resolve: Will I trust Christ, remain faithful and glorify remain faithful and glorify God, no matter what God, no matter what happens?happens?

• Do I expect trials? Or Do I expect trials? Or expend all my energy trying expend all my energy trying to get "back to normal"?to get "back to normal"?

TakeawaysTakeaways

• Have I given up on religion Have I given up on religion and placed my faith in and placed my faith in Jesus?Jesus?