Suffering for Christ – Sermon by Steven Loots

1 Pet 4: 12-19       Suffering for Being a Christian

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,

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

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

Intro

Suffering is part of the human condition.

• We suffer from pain when we fall.
• We suffer as we age and our bodies decay.
• We suffer emotionally when we lose a loved one.
• We suffer when we are rejected by our friends.
• We suffer when we lose a job and face uncertain times.

The Bible has a lot to say about this suffering, however, this text is not talking about suffering in a general sense. Peter is writing to believers who are suffering directly because of their faith.

• They are suffering because they believe in Jesus Christ
• They are suffering because people hate Jesus
• They are suffering because people hate those who follow Jesus Christ
• This suffering was real and it was severe.

Some were probably wondering what was going on. Why me? Why us? We love people, we serve people, we avoid sin, we don’t cheat in business, we pay our tax, we obey the law – why us? Why are we abused, rejected, beaten and imprisoned?

For most people living in the Christianized West persecution is unfamiliar. So much so that we think we are being rewarded for our supposed faithfulness. Often we see persecution as punishment. They must be doing something wrong! Surely…

• God wants to bless us.
• God protects us.
• God gives us comfortable lives, wealth, safety and longevity.
• Isn’t this in the Bible? Surely if we just have enough faith then…

Well, NO!

Expect Suffering

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. 

Peter write to people already suffering and says:

• Don’t be surprised by this fiery ordeal that has come on you.
  • Suffering for Christ is natural.
  • It is part and parcel of the faith.
• Why? Because it is a test.

Blessing of Suffering

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. 

How should we respond when we suffer for our faith?

• Rejoice! What? How can I rejoice when I suffer pain, rejection and loss?
• Understand what it brings in the future!
  • ILLUSTRATION: Having a tooth removed is never fun, but a while later as the wound heals you recognize the necessity of going through the pain.
• Peter says that when we suffer for our faith we participate in the suffering of Christ.
  • This in itself is a huge topic, but for now realize that in our suffering we get a taste of what Jesus did to redeem us. What His suffering was like.
• Added to this it ensures a glorious future. Those who suffer for Christ are called the Victorious or Overcomers in Revelation.
  • When we pass this test it qualifies us for glory in the presence of Christ and the Father and all of heaven one day.
  • , so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (13)

What sort of suffering are we talking about?

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. 

• Insults.
• The suffering normally given to criminals – beatings, torture, imprisonment and death.
• Criminals should be ashamed when they suffer for their crimes, but ¹⁶ However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 
• Be faithful unto death.

 

Judgement on the Household of God

Why should we think that things will change and we will suffer as the persecuted church is suffering?

Listen to verses 17-28:

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,

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

Suffering is a test of the individual to see if you will Overcome, but suffering is also a test for the church.

• Suffering sifts us.
• A great sifting has started in the Western, secularized church.
  • COVID-19 will redefine most churches.
  • Already there are signs of hard times ahead for the global church.
  • Hunger, no services, other restrictions are already starting to shape tomorrow’s church.

Suffering for the Name of Christ is becoming more and more common. Will the people currently in membership, those who just two months ago filled your pews, will they stick around if the going gets tough?

• Suffering separates the righteous from the religious.
• Hangers on, adherents, itchy ear ‘believers’ are not going to stick around when suffering becomes the norm rather than the exception.
• This Judgement on the family of God is Him separating out the overcomers from those who just seek the benefits of the Kingdom. This judgement will lead to ultimate Judgement, when the wheat is separated from the chaff, when the angels separate the godly from the ungodly, the saved from the unsaved.

Can this really happen?

Illustration: Who is being persecuted the most in India right now? The Muslims. Why? Because people are blaming them for COVID.

• This could change in a moment.
• A viral WhatsApp message, a fake news story on TV and their wrath can turn to Christians.
• 64 AD Rome:
  • Nero set Rome alight.
    • It burnt for several days.
    • People started to rebel.
  • Nero blamed the fire on the Christians – the early church in Rome.
  • What followed was terrible.
• Could this happen today?
  • It happens all the time.
  • A recent article in New York Times by Katherine Stewart blamed Evangelicals for COVID.
  • Jews were blamed for the illnesses of Europe in the 30’s and this led to the holocaust.
  • In Africa today missionaries are blamed for Colonialism.
  • Already murmurings, insults and outright aggression is rising.
  • Often it spills over into violence.
  • Many countries are seeing outright persecution.
• Why?
  • People hate Christ and all He stands for.
  • People hate the Salt and the Light we bring into the world –they hate exposure of their darkness.

Why does God allow it?

• Test
• Judgement/separation, cleansing of His church

Life Goes On

Our response?

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

• Life goes on.
• We will bear the insults and whatever the world throws at us.
• We will suffer and rejoice.
• We await our Savior.
• We continue to do good.