sermon

Series: Why Does God Allow His People To Suffer?
#1
IS THERE A REASON TO OUR SUFFERING ?
1 Peter 5:10
(First Baptist 6/5/06)

Outline
I. THE DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS OF SUFFERING
a) Suffering Legally
b) Suffering Unjustly
c) Suffering Spiritually
II. THE DEFINITE EXPERIENCE OF SUFFERING
a) Suffering Is Experienced in the Christian Life
b) Suffering Is Expected in the Christian Life
III. THE DIVINE EFFECT OF SUFFERING
a) The Divine Purpose of Suffering
b) The Divine Provision for Suffering

1. There are two questions that have often left people confused and bewildered.

One is, why does God allow bad things happen to good people;
and the second is, why does God allow good things happen to bad people.

2. We’re often confused to why it seems that good things are always happening to godless people, but on the other hand, bad things are always happening to godly people.

3. Let me try and give you an answer to those questions.

   As for the reason why God allows good things to happen to
   bad people, the explanation is in one word, the word MERCY.

4. There’s no other way to explain it.    God is a merciful God.
5. Jesus said, “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust”   (Matt 5:45).

6. As for the question, why does God allow bad things to happen to good people, the answer is in the word MINISTRY.

In 1 Peter 5:10 Peter tells us that God has a ministry in our suffering.

He says, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

7. Someone has said that a bar of steel is worth five dollars.

       When it’s made into horseshoes, it’s worth ten dollars.

If made into needles, it’s worth three hundred and fifty dollars.

If made into penknife blades, it’s worth thirty-two thousand dollars.

   And if it’s made into springs for watches, it’s worth two hundred
   and fifty thousand dollars.

The more the steel is manipulated, the more it’s hammered, beaten, pounded and polished, the greater the value.

8. God uses suffering in our lives.
       It’s through suffering that Peter says God perfects,
       establishes, strengthens and settles us.

FOLKS...... MARK THIS DOWN .............
“Christians are like tea; their real strength
isn’t drawn out until they get into hot water.

9. Peter has a lot to say about suffering. In the book of 1 Peter, in one form or another, the word suffering is found no less than 15 times and 8 different Greek words are used to describe suffering.
10. Is there a reason to our suffering?

       One great truth that emerges from all that he says about
       suffering is that there’s a reason to our suffering.

Peter explains that God uses suffering in our life to achieve and accomplish certain things in our life.

11. When Peter wrote to the recipients of the letter, he wrote to both encourage and enlighten them.

   He wrote to encourage the believers that were suffering,
   as well as enlighten them as to the purpose of their suffering.

The great question that’s answered by Peter is,
Why Does God Let His People Suffer?

For a five nights I want us to look at 1 Peter 5:10 and the reasons why God allows His people to suffer.

12. At the very beginning I want to lay a foundation to those reasons defined in 1 Peter 5:10 by thinking about what Peter says about suffering throughout his letter.

Again, Peter has a lot to say about suffering and he speaks about:
I. THE DIFFERENT EXPRESSIONS OF
SUFFERING

1. Peter speaks of the various ways that someone can suffer.

Let me draw your attention to four ways that you can suffer.
First, Peter spoke of how one can suffer:

A) Legally

1. In 1 Peter 4:15 Peter writes, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.”

   Peter speaks of a form of suffering that comes as the result of
   punishment for crimes committed.

He was saying to believers; don’t bring suffering upon yourself for breaking the law or committing some crime.

   His words remind us that there are consequences to crimes like
   murder and theft.

Both the law of the Lord and the law of the land require punishment for crimes committed.
       As it’s often said, you do the crime, you do the time.

2. Under the Mosiac law there were often severe consequences to the committing of crimes.

   I think it gives us the principle that God expects there to be
   consequences to breaking both His law and the laws of the land.

Secondly, Peter described how one can suffer:
B) Unjustly

1. We read in 1 Peter 2:19, “For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.”

   The word “wrongfully” speaks of suffering “unjustly.”

This is a suffering without cause, suffering that’s undeserved.

2.   Sometimes we can find ourselves suffering at the hands of others without cause.
   For no legitimate reason, we can find ourselves the object of
   someone’s scorn and wrath, suffering wrongfully.

3. When people lie about us, criticize us, and attack us without merit it brings suffering that Peter describes as being “wrongfully.”

A third expression of suffering that Peter describes is suffering:
C) Spiritually

1. We read in 1 Peter 3:14, “But and if you suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye.”

Also in 1 Peter 4:16 we read, “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

   Peter is describing a suffering that comes as a result of your
   relationship to Christ and your stand for righteousness.

2. The history of Christianity is a story of those who suffered for righteousness sake.

3. Of our Lord’s twelve disciples,
   Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross.
   Barnabas was stoned to death.
   Bartholomew was flayed to death.
   James was thrown from the pinnacle of the temple wall, and when
   he was found still alive, he was beaten to death with clubs.

   Matthew was slain by the sword.
   Peter was crucified upside down.
   Thomas was killed by a lance thrust through him
   and Philip executed.

4.   Jesus said in John 15:20, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”

   Many a Christian has suffered because of their relationship to
   Christ, some paying the ultimate price.

5. There’s a fourth expression of suffering described by Peter and that’s suffering:
D) Divinely

1. We read in 1 Peter 4:19, “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”

2.    Peter speaks of suffering that’s according to the will of God.

   Peter is telling us that suffering can be a part of God’s plan and
   purpose for our life.

3. I’m of the persuasion that nothing can happen to us that isn’t filtered through God’s will for our life, even suffering.

   You can suffer legally, unjustly, and spiritually.
   It’s also possible that suffering is allowed and appointed by God.

4. Suffering can be sent and sanctioned by God.
   Suffering can be God’s will for our life.

There are different expressions or different kinds of suffering.

Another lesson that we learn about suffering from Peter is:
II. THE DEFINITE EXPERIENCE OF SUFFERING

1. We read in 1 Peter 4:12, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”
2. Peter uses the words “fiery trial” to speak of suffering.

   The word “fiery” is descriptive of a smelting furnace gold is heated
   and refined.

3. Peter describes our trials as someone going through the fire.

Describing these trials Peter explains that suffering is:
A) Experienced in the Christian Life

1. Peter says “think it not strange” when “fiery trials” come into our life.

   The word “think it not strange” literally mean “stop thinking it a
   thing alien to you.”

       In other words, don’t be surprised or shocked if fiery trials
       come.      Just because you are in church or living for God
                doesn’t mean that you won’t suffer.

2. Just because you’re a Christian doesn’t mean that you’re immune from suffering.

3. Some of the best Christians have suffered.

4.   I think of Job.
       Now, you talk about a good Christian.

Job was one of the best. The Bible says of him that he “was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil” (Job 1:1).

   However, Job has become the standard bearer of suffering.

As godly as a man as he was, he experienced suffering.

5. Don’t think it strange if you have to suffer.

6. Peter tells us that suffering is experienced by the Christian.

He takes the subject of suffering further and tells us that suffering is:
B) Expected in the Christian Life

1. Notice again in 1 Peter 4:12 that he speaks of the fiery trial “which is to try you.”

   Notice carefully that he doesn’t say “which may try you” but
   “which is to try you.”

2. We shouldn’t think it strange when suffering comes, but we should expect suffering to come.

3. The Bible says in James 1:2, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”

   James is talking about trials. He doesn’t say if you fall into trials,
   but when.

It isn’t a matter of if suffering will come, but when will it come.

4. Benjamin Franklin once said that the only thing certain is death and taxes.

   You can add suffering to those certainties. Suffering can come in
   various ways and at various times, but it will come.

5. Suffering is experienced in the Christian life and is to be expected.

6. Now, this raises the question that I want to answer over the next four nights.

   Why does God allow His people to suffer?
Is there a reason for our suffering?
       Peter answers that question for us by describing:

III. THE DIVINE EFFECT
OF SUFFERING

1. In 1 Peter 5:10, Peter sums up all he says about suffering by saying, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that he have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

   He tells us that there’s a divine effect or result to our suffering.

His words speak of:
A) The Divine Purpose of Suffering

1. Peter tells us that after we’ve suffered, God brings certain things to pass in our life. Suffering isn’t without rhyme and reason in our life.

       There’s a cause and effect.

2. In 1 Peter 1:6 we read, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.”

3. Notice carefully the words “if need be.”

            Peter is telling us that certain needs in our life are
            met through suffering.

4. You remember that Peter spoke of suffering as a “fiery trial”

I remind you that the word “fiery” speaks of a smelting furnace in which gold is purified.

Someone has written:
He sat by the fire of seven-fold heat,
As he watched by the precious ore.
And closer He bent with searching gaze
As He heated it more and more.

He knew He had ore that could stand the test
And He wanted the finest gold,
To mold as a crown for the King to wear,
Set with gems of price untold.

So He laid our gold in the burning fire,
Though we fain would said Him, “Nay.”
As He watched the dross that we hadn’t seen,
As it melted and passed away.

And the gold grew brighter, and yet more bright
And our eyes were so dim with tears,
As we saw the fire, not the Master’s hand,
And questioned with anxious fears.

Yet our gold shone out with a richer glow,
As it mirrored a Form above
That bent o’re the fire, though unseen by us
With a look of infinite love.

Can we think that it pleases His loving heart
To cause a moment of pain?
Ah, no, but He saw the present cross
The bliss of eternal gain.

So He waited there with watchful eye,
With love that is strong and sure,
And His gold did not suffer a bit more heat
That did not make it pure!

5.   In the Christian life, it isn’t just the overcoming of difficult obstacles, but the going through difficult times that makes us what we are and what God wants us to be.

6.   Now when it comes to suffering you may feel like Bob Hope who said when he accepted a major award, “I don’t deserve this, but then I have arthritis and I don’t deserve that either.”

    You may feel like you don’t deserve to suffer, but when you
    realize that God has a purpose in it, it should change your
    attitude about it.

7. The simple truth about suffering is that it isn’t about what we deserve, but what our Lord deserves.

Peter said in 1 Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

8. The end result of suffering is the glory and praise it’ll bring to Christ.

Remember this great truth—THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON FOR SUFFERING.     There is a divine purpose in suffering.

Lastly, notice that Peter tells us that there’s:
B) The Divine Provision for Suffering

1. Peter speaks of “the God of all grace” (1 Pet 5:10).

    God will never allow us to suffer without giving us the grace to
    suffer.

He’s the God of all grace.

    There’s grace for all things.

    He’s the God who gives grace for however we suffer.

2. FOLKS,
“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. Your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”

Here is the lesson I want you to learn.
THERE’S A REASON FOR OUR SUFFERING.

Here is a truth that I want you never to forget.
GOD WILL GIVE YOU GRACE IN YOUR SUFFERING.

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