Suffering for Christ
Question of the day: What is a summertime activity that you are looking forward to doing this summer?
Good morning Class.
READ: 1 Peter 4:12-19
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,
19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
This has been a very thought filled week for me. Lots of meaningful conversations, my personal counseling session, podcast recording, and so much more. Frankly I'm exhausted from it all. A good exhaustion and I'm not STOPPING, but I am tired!
This passage was so helpful for me.
Remember Peter is speaking with a group of people who are being persecuted for their faith. They have lost community. They don't feel like they belong with their people, they don't feel like they belong with the Christian community because they are gentiles, they are scattered, so isolated and alone, it is a rough time.
He starts this section off with... "don't be surprised..."
What is he saying?
This is part of the experience of following Christ?
It is important here for us to remember not only who Peter is writing to, but who Peter is and what he is going through.
Do we really believe and accept that this is part of the experience of being a Christian? Or have we in our Western world comfort, in our prosperity gospel world come to believe, even if in a very small way that this walk, is the prosperous way to walk?
Peter does distinguish between two types of suffering.
What are they?
1.
2.
Have you ever experienced suffering because of your sin?
That is not the suffering we should be proud of!
That isn't a suffering we should be happy about, or consider joy.
What about when we are hurt by evil around us. Maybe you have been robbed, or raped, or even lied to, or rejected, or cheated on. Is this suffering for Christ? Should we be happy about that? NO! That is also suffering because of EVIL! We should fight against evil. We should not consider it joy when it violates us!
Suffering for Christ, what does that look like for us today?
How is this suffering for Christ different?
(I supposed I should say, that we can be harmed in all of the above ways because we are a Christian, my point is it is not necessarily always because of our relationship with Christ.)
Wearing the name of Jesus proudly means what?
In closing today we are going to look at the last verse. This is so helpful for me!
With everything that is going on in our nation, with the battles and name calling surrounding Covid-19, with the spotlight shining brightly on the systemic chronic disease of Racism that plagues our nation, I found myself even just last night struggling with questions that have the potential to increase the desire to just retreat. To hibernate, to crawl in bed and come out when it blows over. (I don't seriously think it will...)
This verse. Wow.
I am not even saying I am suffering according to God's will, but the answer no matter why you are suffering is how Peter ends this passage.
COMMIT TO MY FAITHFUL CREATOR AND CONTINUE TO DO GOOD.
Commit to God and do good!
There are so many opinions going around about all that is happening in our world! SOOOOO many!
As a person who wants to please, I find myself getting almost to a state of panic trying to figure it all out.
We all need to stop! STOP!
Stop, go to our knees, confess our sins, confess that He is Lord of our lives, we need to COMMIT to Him our faithful creator and the DO GOOD!
We don't stop at praying!
PRAYER isn't a default, way of getting out of the hard stuff! It isn't a way to absolve ourselves of the responsibility of DOING! NO it is what should be PROPELLING us to MOVE, to do, to get out there and LOVE, to take hits, to even get it wrong, but always be willing to DO!
It is my prayer today for our class and our church, that we will keep daily committing to our creator and then do good!
It is not going to get better soon!
It is not going to be easy!
It may even be hard and create suffering!
Are you willing to be part of this family that suffers for our creator?
This passage was so helpful for me.
Remember Peter is speaking with a group of people who are being persecuted for their faith. They have lost community. They don't feel like they belong with their people, they don't feel like they belong with the Christian community because they are gentiles, they are scattered, so isolated and alone, it is a rough time.
He starts this section off with... "don't be surprised..."
What is he saying?
This is part of the experience of following Christ?
It is important here for us to remember not only who Peter is writing to, but who Peter is and what he is going through.
Do we really believe and accept that this is part of the experience of being a Christian? Or have we in our Western world comfort, in our prosperity gospel world come to believe, even if in a very small way that this walk, is the prosperous way to walk?
Peter does distinguish between two types of suffering.
What are they?
1.
2.
Have you ever experienced suffering because of your sin?
That is not the suffering we should be proud of!
That isn't a suffering we should be happy about, or consider joy.
What about when we are hurt by evil around us. Maybe you have been robbed, or raped, or even lied to, or rejected, or cheated on. Is this suffering for Christ? Should we be happy about that? NO! That is also suffering because of EVIL! We should fight against evil. We should not consider it joy when it violates us!
Suffering for Christ, what does that look like for us today?
How is this suffering for Christ different?
(I supposed I should say, that we can be harmed in all of the above ways because we are a Christian, my point is it is not necessarily always because of our relationship with Christ.)
Wearing the name of Jesus proudly means what?
In closing today we are going to look at the last verse. This is so helpful for me!
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.This should be our commitment!
With everything that is going on in our nation, with the battles and name calling surrounding Covid-19, with the spotlight shining brightly on the systemic chronic disease of Racism that plagues our nation, I found myself even just last night struggling with questions that have the potential to increase the desire to just retreat. To hibernate, to crawl in bed and come out when it blows over. (I don't seriously think it will...)
This verse. Wow.
I am not even saying I am suffering according to God's will, but the answer no matter why you are suffering is how Peter ends this passage.
COMMIT TO MY FAITHFUL CREATOR AND CONTINUE TO DO GOOD.
Commit to God and do good!
There are so many opinions going around about all that is happening in our world! SOOOOO many!
As a person who wants to please, I find myself getting almost to a state of panic trying to figure it all out.
We all need to stop! STOP!
Stop, go to our knees, confess our sins, confess that He is Lord of our lives, we need to COMMIT to Him our faithful creator and the DO GOOD!
We don't stop at praying!
PRAYER isn't a default, way of getting out of the hard stuff! It isn't a way to absolve ourselves of the responsibility of DOING! NO it is what should be PROPELLING us to MOVE, to do, to get out there and LOVE, to take hits, to even get it wrong, but always be willing to DO!
It is my prayer today for our class and our church, that we will keep daily committing to our creator and then do good!
It is not going to get better soon!
It is not going to be easy!
It may even be hard and create suffering!
Are you willing to be part of this family that suffers for our creator?
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