Fiery Trials 1 Peter v12

 Don’t be surprised v12

 Sharing of Christ’s suffering v13
 Being insulted for his name v14
 Suffering as a Christian v16
 Refining judgement like gold in fire v17
 Suffering in accord with God’s Will v19

Suffering as a Christian is not strange.

What is surprising is a 300 year reprieve from suffering!

How should we respond to this?

 We should not subjectively be surprised about fiery trials

o Don’t think, feel it is abnormal
o If you are taught that trials are not unexpected, we will expect it
 From the word, we will be ready for the trials
o Don’t lose your equilibrium and don’t panic about trials
o Doctrinal truth: we will suffer
 Entrust your souls to a faithful creator v19
o Same word as ‘commit’ when Jesus commits his spirit into God’s hands
o Why ‘creator’?
 When we are suffering, in that moment, it feels like God has lost control
 In Asia minor, churches went out of existence due to suffering and
persecution
 God made the world, holds the world and cares for his people – he has not
lost control
 Let him not be ashamed for suffering V16
o Humans hate shame
o Christianity was built upon a shamed Christ who was despised, hated, mocked,
stripped naked, nailed to the cross, taunted, forerunner of his people
o 2 v21 Christ suffered and we follow in his steps – he was shamed and we will be
shamed as well
o Woe to us if all men speak well of you – Luke 6:26
o Subjectively what did Jesus do when he was shamed?
 Hebrews 12:2
 For the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the
shame
 Jesus said shame “I despise you”, I will not let you have the slightest
place in my heart, I will not let you have any satisfaction
 We need to feel what Christ did
o Objectively shamed – subjectively unashamed
 Joy v13
o Occurring simultaneously with being unashamed
o Acts: apostles rejoicing at the privilege to suffer for Christ
o James: count it all joy when you meet various trials because you know the testing fof
your faith produces steadfastness
 o Burden: that we will inexplicably be born again and rejoice at our sufferings
o We should not need to defend ourselves because we ae joyful in suffering and in all
kinds of trials
o Do we need to get the last word in an argument?
 V19 Doing good even when suffering
o Therefore, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to the
good Creator while doing good
o We should return good for evil and be overflowing with good deeds
 Glorifying God v16
o Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorify God in that
name
o When we:
 Are Not be surprised
 Entrust ourselves to the Creator
 Not ashamed
 Rejoice
 Overflows in Good deeds
  God looks good in that moment
o People see that the things that Christians treasure aren’t the things that the world
treasures → Christians treasure God
o We don’t glorify God by saying or singing but we glorify him by being so satisfied in
God that no matter what sufferings we go through and we lose everything, that we
still rejoice in God

Conclusion

 Whatever form our suffering comes in.

o We should not be surprised
o We should entrust ourselves to God
o We should not be ashamed
o We should rejoice
o We should do good
o We should glorify
 May people see this and glorify and repent towards God