Teaching Tuesday: 1 Peter

Series: Through the Storm
Sermon: 1 Peter (8.18.24)

How will you respond when you go through the “boiling water” of this life?

Will you become a hard-boiled egg or a soft potato? (Watch the sermon for an explanation.)

My sermon on Sunday did not cover all the causes of suffering. Please see the list provided and study the passages for more details.

David Faust, in “Faith under Fire,” lists five causes of suffering.
            1. Some suffering is the direct result of my own sinful choices (Galatians 6:7,8).
            2. Some suffering is the result of sins committed by others (Matthew 2:16; Genesis 4:8).
            3. Some suffering results from natural laws that sometimes bring harm in a world tainted with sin (Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 8:18-21).
            4. Some suffering may be attributed directly to the work of Satan (Job 2:7; 2 Corinthians 12:7).
            5. Some suffering may be understood as God’s corrective discipline (Hebrews 12:4-11).

As Jesus said, we will have trouble in this world because it is fallen.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have PEACE. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Peter reminds us that we should expect suffering.

1 Peter 4:12  Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

Do you expect to suffer? When we expect everything to go easy with no pain, we are more discouraged than when we expect trouble.

Some people face more suffering than others, but we all face pain, suffering, and evil to some extent.

Expect it!
Expect it because God has given us free will.
Expect it because we live in a fallen world.
Expect it because the earth is fallen (Romans 8:18-21).
Expect it because we make foolish choices.
Expect it because Satan is our adversary (1 Peter 5:8,9).
Expect it because God wants us to become Holy (Hebrews 12:4-11).

As you go Through the expected storms of life, you can remember that God loves you, that Jesus’ death on the cross proves God’s love, and that Jesus, the last Adam, removes the effect of the first Adam.

Romans 5:19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

When we suffer, don’t become a hard-boiled egg and turn our back on God. Let’s stay committed to Him even when we are struggling.

1 Peter 4:19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

We often times feel like we need to answer all the questions of suffering in this world. It is interesting to hear Jesus’ response when He was asked about suffering.

Luke 13:1-5 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

Repent or perish.

This seems harsh if we would say that to someone who asked about suffering or evil that just happened.

We don’t have to have all the answers to why suffering happens. We need to focus on what is most important. The most essential thing in life is to be in a right relationship with Jesus.

Matthew 6:33-34 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

As I have said in the past, God doesn’t care about your happiness; He cares about your HOLINESS. God wants you to be holy, not happy. In holiness, you will have joy, which is different than happiness.

In Jesus’ conclusion to his discussion about suffering, He gives us a parable.

Luke 13:6-9 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’“ ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

God cares for us and provides the resources to grow and produce fruit. Grow in Jesus by not being a hard-boiled egg in the face of suffering. Build your life of the ROCK of Jesus.

Matthew 7:24-27 Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

Study for this coming Sunday: 2 Peter
 
- Pastor Jim