[esvbible format="block"]1 Peter 4:12-19[/esvbible]
On October 9, 1747, a 29-year-old man named David Brainerd lay dying in the home of Jonathan Edwards, the great American preacher. Brainerd had been engaged to Edwards’ daughter but he died of tuberculosis before they could marry. Though only 29 when he died Brainerd had already done more for the kingdom of God than many people do with a full life. He had committed himself to the evangelism of indians in the American frontier. The diary of his work was later published and has served to motivate generations of people to pursue missionary service.
During one period of trial Brainerd wrote the following words into his diary:
Such fatigues and hardship as these serve to wean me more from the earth; and, I trust, will make heaven the sweeter. Formerly, when I was thus exposed to cold, rain, etc., I was ready to please myself with the thoughts of enjoying a comfortable house, a warm fire, and other outward comforts; but now these have less place in my heart (through the grace of God) and my eye is more to God for comfort. In this world I expect tribulation; and it does not now… appear strange to me; I don’t in such seasons of difficulty flatter myself that it will be better hereafter; but rather think how much worse it might be; how much greater trials others of God’s children have endured; and how much greater are yet perhaps reserved for me. Blessed be God that he [is] the comfort to me, under my sharpest trials; and scarce ever lets these thoughts be attended with terror or melancholy; but they are attended frequently with great joy.1
What could move a man to respond to suffering with such faith? Is it possible that we might display a faith like his?
Let’s read our text together this morning, 1 Peter 4:12-19.
Before we move into the sermon let me explain why I want to address the topic of suffering this morning. I have two main reasons. Behind these reasons there is the assumption that all people will suffer in this life, and that in this life believers can expect to suffer more than unbelievers.
My first reason, then, is to prepare you to glorify God in the midst of your suffering. In verse 16 of our text Peter tells us that in our suffering we ought to glorify God. Suffering is not something we are given to endure, to survive. Like all things God gives us, suffering is something through which we can glorify God.
Second, I want to help you face suffering without being surprised by it. Suffering should be an expected part of life. Only in America and Europe today do we find people that think they should be able to live life free from suffering. This kind of thinking is alien to the world. And it should be alien to believers. All people suffer the daily trials of a fallen world. All people suffer under the opposition of Satan. And believers suffer under the persecution of a world that is at war against God. When you face suffering I want you to be ready for it, and I want you to handle it well.
So why does suffering happen? Why do people endure so many trials in this life? Examples of suffering are legion. You know all the various ways people struggle and suffer and experience pain in this life. Why does God allow this to take place? Is he passive, helpless, unable to do anything about it? Or does he use suffering for good? Can we perhaps even speak of suffering as coming from the hand of God?
On that last point, we are not usually used to thinking of suffering or God in this way, but the Bible is overwhelmingly packed with evidence showing that God not only uses suffering, he ordains or initiates our suffering. I could bring up countless passages to demonstrate this. The whole point of the book of Job speaks to this. But let me mention just two places in Scripture that show suffering is from the hand of God.
First is in our text, 1 Peter 4:17. Peter attributes the suffering of people to the judgment of God. One reason we experience suffering is because we, the world, are under judgment. Judgment only comes from God. No one else can bring judgment. Suffering that comes from judgment, then, is suffering that comes from God.
We will look more later at the nature of this judgment. Briefly, God uses it to purify the church and as a prelude to the final judgment of the unbeliever.
A second passage that shows suffering is by God’s will is Ecclesiastes 7:13-14. There we read Consider the work of God: who can make straight what he has made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. Both joy and adversity come from the hand of God. In part this is due to his sovereignty – nothing in this universe can happen unless God allows it. Satan has to ask God for permission before he is allowed to torment Job. But suffering is not simply a matter of God allowing a trial. Suffering is also the will of God. From him comes the day of joy, and from him comes the day of adversity.
Some would see in this a terrible view of God. What kind of God do you serve if he desires the suffering of people? But in this I see a great reason for comfort and reassurance. God is good. God is loving. God is love. I know God is faithful and trustworthy. Since even suffering is in his control, when it comes I know it comes from a loving Father. And I have the assurance of Romans 8:28 that even this trial, this test, this suffering will be used by God for my good. Could we really say that if suffering were not from the hand of God?
John Bunyan, the early Baptist pastor who suffered for his preaching and is best known for his book Pilgrim’s Progress once said: “We shall or shall not suffer, even as it pleaseth him.… God has appointed who shall suffer. Suffering comes not by chance or by the will of man, but by the will and appointment of God.”
The question then becomes why does God use suffering? Why do the righteous suffer and why do the unrighteous suffer?
On why the righteous suffer I have five reasons: (1) So that we will grow in the faith; (2) In order to purify his church; (3) So that by our witness of faithful suffering people will be drawn to Christ; (4) In order to accomplish the will of God; (5) So that God will be glorified.
The first reason God uses suffering is explained by Paul. Paul wrote quite a bit about suffering. One reason he could talk about it so much is because he experienced it so often. He knew the pain of persecution and the trials of daily life. He never despaired under suffering but always saw in suffering the opportunity to draw closer to God. In 2 Corinthians 1:9 he wrote, Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. Through suffering we learn that we do not have the final say over our lives. Through suffering God increases our trust and reliance on him. When we suffer well we give up a little more of our grasping for power and we turn in trust and faith to God.
The second reason for suffering is to purify the church. We already glanced at 1 Peter 4:17, let’s read again verses 17-18: For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” When persecution sets in we begin to see who it is that truly has faith. Many people claim the name of Christ when it is easy. How many will remain faithful when such faith might cost them their lives? How many people will be faithful to God when they are faced with intense trials in their personal lives? God uses suffering to demonstrate the true faith of his people.
Third, I believe one reason God uses suffering to demonstrate true faith is so that the lost will be drawn to him. In Matthew 5:16 Jesus instructed his followers to let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. In a similar way people see you when you suffer well and they will marvel. They will want to know what is the reason for this hope that is in you3. They will see how God sustains you in suffering, and they will want to know more about the God who sustains.
Fourth, God also uses suffering to accomplish his will. Sometimes the things God wants to bring about require suffering. Consider the story of Joseph in the Old Testament. His brothers beat him, throw him into a well planning to leave him to die, decide to sell him into slavery instead, in slavery he is lied about and eventually thrown into prison where he stays for some time. In all of this Joseph is faithful to God. He suffers unjustly at the hand of his brothers but even when he has the chance to get revenge he doesn’t do it. What does he say instead? Two passages I want to point out from Genesis. The first is in Genesis 45. Here Joseph first reveals himself to his brothers. He reassures them not to be distressed. They have every reason to be distressed – they know the wrong they did, and here he has the power to execute them! What Joseph says is amazing. In verse 5 he says, “God sent me before you to preserve life.” Joseph believes that everything that took place happened according to God’s will. His brothers were guilty of sin. But their sin was part of God’s plan to preserve his people in the midst of famine. After their father Jacob died the brothers were nervous again so Joseph has to reassure them once more. He says in Genesis 50:20, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” The evil they intended was intended by God for good. God planned Joseph’s suffering as the way to preserve his people in a time of great famine.
The fifth reason why the righteous suffer is for the glory of God. Our passage this morning is not the only place where Peter talks about suffering. Hear what he says in 1 Peter 1:6-7: In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Your suffering will result in the glory of God.
So why do the unrighteous suffer? Let me briefly mention three reasons. First, so that people will realize their need for God. Through suffering believers grow in the Lord. In a similar way through suffering God can bring unbelievers to himself. Second, God will also use the suffering of the unrighteous in order to accomplish his will. Back in Genesis, just as God used Joseph’s suffering to preserve his people during famine, God used the famine itself to lead his people into Egypt. A great many people suffered during the famine but by the famine the will of God was accomplished. Third, God will use the suffering of the unrighteous for his glory. One comfort believers have from this is that there is no such thing as senseless suffering. We do not want to see others suffer. We pray for God to end the suffering of humanity. You should mourn when you hear of people slaughtered in Zimbabwe. We should do what we can to end that pain. But suffering is a reality in the world. Our comfort is that suffering is never meaningless, whether it falls on the Christian or the unbeliever.
Now we are ready to look at Christians and suffering. There are four things I want to look at related to Christian suffering. First, should we expect to suffer? Second, what might cause our suffering? Third, what enables us to endure suffering? And fourth, how should we respond to suffering?
Should we expect to suffer as Christians? The Bible says we should. 1 Peter 4:12 says not to be surprised when the trial comes; Jesus in John 15:20 tells us that if he is persecuted, we will be persecuted; and Paul in 2 Timothy 3:12 writes that all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Suffering and persecution should be an expected part of the Christian life. As we mentioned earlier, America and Europe in the modern world are an exception, not the norm. Our comfortable lives are very unusual and I do not think they will last. Brothers and sisters, do not be surprised when the fiery trial comes.
But be careful not to confuse the consequences of your sin with the suffering Peter wants us to rejoice in. There should be no rejoicing when you suffer because of your sin. 1 Peter 4:15 says, But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. If you suffer for your wrongdoing, what good is that to you?
What are some of the things that cause us to suffer? We suffer because we live in a fallen world. Sickness, natural disaster, death – these are all the effects of sin on the world. A great deal of our suffering comes because of what happened in the Garden of Even.
We also suffer because we are surrounded by sinners. People lie to us. They steal from us. Some people murder others. One spouse cheats on another. Employees steal from their employers. Employers use and abuse their employees. We suffer because of the sins of others.
As Christians we suffer for our faith. This is really what Peter has in view, suffering for being a Christian. This could be persecution, people oppressing, hurting, or killing other people because they are Christians. So much blood has been shed because of Christ. Many, many people have given their lives for their savior. Are you willing to be one of them?
Are you also willing to suffer in your daily life for his sake? Will you do what he calls you to do even if you suffer for it? Will you do the right thing even when it is painful? Will you take a stand for the truth even when it hurts? Will you oppose homosexuality even in a culture that praises this sin? Will you call for racial reconciliation even if others oppose you for it? Will you be honest in your taxes even if it means paying more this year? The list goes on. Sometimes we suffer because people oppose us for doing the right thing.
So what enables us to endure suffering? How can we stand up in trial? Three things: knowledge of the victory of Christ, knowledge of how God uses our suffering, and knowledge of the faithfulness of God.
We know Christ has the final victory in the war against sin and Satan. Jesus gives us our greatest hope in the face of suffering in John 16:33 when he says, “ I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
We also know God is using our suffering for good. We already looked at Joseph in Genesis. You would be right to be amazed at how well Joseph endured his suffering. What a difference it must have made to know that God was using Joseph to redeem the people. When you are in the midst of suffering you can find assurance in the knowledge that God is using your suffering in his plan for the world. As we mentioned before, there is no meaningless suffering.
We can endure suffering because we know that God is faithful. Hear what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18: So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
One final question. How should we respond to suffering? 1 Peter 4:13 says we should rejoice. When you suffer as a Christian you are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. You are participating in his suffering. Rejoice to have been found worthy of this! In Acts 5:41 we find the disciples just having been arrested, beaten, threatened, and released. The disciples do not mourn for their sufferings. They do not cower from fear. They rejoice! Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. Could this be your response to suffering? Rejoicing that you were found worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ?
Your response should also be continued faithfulness. In verse 19 we read Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. Suffering is not an excuse to put obedience on hold. We are not given time to lick our wounds. Suffering should motivate you even more to faithful service for Christ. You suffer with a bright hope for the future. What will you do to help all of those whose suffering in this life will only be replaced by even greater suffering in the life to come? Are you willing to endure even more suffering to get the gospel to them? Are you willing to suffer for the sake of Christ?
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