Suffering as a Christian � Part 1
How to Suffer Rightly
1 Peter 4
Oct 21, 2012 AM
Introduction (1Peter 4:16)
�Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.�
Suffering as a Christian
Being in trouble, we would say, simply because you are not like those around you
Simply because you live, and act, and react like Jesus did
And you get in trouble for it � suffer for it (or as we say, Hurt for it!)
Christianity was founded on the willingness of believers to put up with troubles
and hardships, and prisons, and mockeries, and persecutions, and sufferings, and even death!
Life
already is hard � this sin-cursed earth already causes suffering. But the Christian has a good reason to suffer
For
doing and living right!
If
you are not having a hard time as a Christian, then you are not very much of a Christian (Luke 6:26-29)!
Background (Philp 1:29)
It is an Honour to be Accused of Being a Christian
(Acts 11:26)
Of loving the Lord Jesus Christ more than anyone living being
Of loving the Bible and preaching and church over the latest movie or end of season match!
Of looking forward more towards heaven than the next holiday
Of loving souls who are headed for hell, more than their own lives
Our Greatest Goal in life should be
to get people to want to become �Christian�
The apostle Paul sought to get king Agrippa to be more than just saved from hell, and more than just a church-goer, and more than just a disciple
Paul preached and provoked and prodded king Agrippa until Agrippa reluctantly admitted that Paul had almost convinced him to become a� Christian (Acts 26:28)!
The Greatest Theatre for reaching the lost unbeliever, and for teaching the
immature believer is when we suffer! Not when we succeed, or are blessed and are carefree, but when we are:
In prison
In hospital beds
In debts
In troubles (2Cor 11:23-30)
Enduring hardship is a distinctly Christian way of living
(Acts 9:13-16)
Listen to Paul in Romans 5:1-5
Listen to Jesus in Luke 6:22,23
Listen to James in James 1:3,12
The challenge this morning is for us to learn How to Suffer Rightly
(1Peter 4:1)
We are prone to handle suffering, troubles, persecutions, trials, hardships, wrongly
We murmur and complain as the nation of Israel did for 40 years in the wilderness
We envy and fight and seek revenge for wrong doing as king Saul did
We want to quit and curse God like Job�s wife wanted to
There is a way, a Christian way of handling troubles, of suffering
Message � Suffering as a Christian
As Christ Has Suffered for Us
(1Peter 4:1)
Leaving us an example � suffering is not just something He did, but something He taught us to do (1Peter 2:21-23)!!!
Thank God we have the best examples � God gave us
- Great Biblical examples
- AND examples amongst ourselves
- A church with no one going through the fires, is not a real church! Only fake believers
What We Used to Be
(1Peter 4:3) We walked (lived) this way
Lascivious � seeking only pleasure and luxuries
Lusts � sex addict
Excess of wine - drunkeness
Revellings � feasting, showing off
Banquetings � stuffing ourselves with food and drink
Abominable Idolatries � worshipping dumb idols
Getting In Serious Trouble as a Christian
(1Peter 4:4-7)
The world around us thinks it is Strange that we do not seek such excess of riot
- Riotous living
- Pub life, full of excesses, fightings, brawls, jealousies, drug abuses, arguments, back-stabbings, drunken parties, date rapes, abortion pills,
So they spread vicious rumours about you � speak evil of you � talk about you, and snicker at you, and ignore you, and blame you
- On the job � if there is a problem, you will be the first to point to � that you were �reading your Bible instead of working� or praying, or witnessing�
- At home � that you are always in your room and not pulling your weight
- Your own wife or husband will attack you when problems come and blame you
- And none of them will know why they do it � it is demonic!
But it is really THEY who are in serious trouble (4:5,7)
- They will answer to God for how they live and how they treat us
- Vengeance belongs to God
- Just pray for them, and constantly live to forgive them as Christ forgave YOU!
That�s why we preach the Gospel to them!
- So that they can be judged here and now and get saved from the wrath to come
- And then start living according to God in the Spirit (instead of in the flesh)
Arm Yourselves (1Peter
4:2,7-11)
Prepare Yourselves
It only gets better � death means no more sin!
Live no longer to the lusts of men
- Harlotry
- Drugs
- Porn
- Drinking
- I don�t want to give that crowd my time, or my money! Not now, not ever!
But to the will of God! What is the will of God?
- Sober � serious about the life you now live (Gal 2:20)
- Very prayerful
- Fervent charity � overpowering bitterness and hatred
- Hospitality (4:9,10)
Meeting needs without grudging
Sharing whatever God has given you � money, homes, clothes, food (4:10)
God made you a STEWARD, not a king or queen
- Minister
Preaching
Serve well
- That God may be glorified
Conclusion to Part 1
Prepare to Suffer as a Christian
Getting into trouble, simply because you are not like those around you
Because you live, and act, and react like Jesus did
If you are not having a hard time as a Christian, then you are not very much of a Christian (Luke 6:26-29)!
It is an Honour to be Accused of Being a Christian
of being like Jesus Christ
Our Greatest Goal in life should be to get people to want to become �Christian�
The Greatest Theatre for reaching the lost unbeliever, and for teaching the
immature believer is when we suffer!
Enduring hardship is a distinctly Christian way of living
The challenge this morning is for us to learn How to Suffer Rightly
As Christ Has Suffered for Us
Keep What We Used to Be in the Past
Getting In Serious Trouble as a Christian
Arm Yourselves - Prepare Yourselves
- It only gets better � death means no more sin!
- Live no longer to the lusts of men
- But to the will of God! What is the will of God?
Sober � serious about the life you now live
Very prayerful
Fervent charity � overpowering bitterness and hatred
Hospitality
Minister/Serve
That God may be glorified
Suffering as a Christian is Not Strange
(1Peter 4:12)
It is normal, and must be prepared for
Don�t fear it, and never be ashamed of it (we will talk more about this next week)
- To the world, to your friends, and even your family, you will look like a failure
- But when you are doing right, and living as Jesus Christ told you to live � as you just simply follow in His steps
- Never be ashamed of living as your Lord lived, acting as He acted, and reacting as Jesus reacted
But suffering without Christ is
torment