Folks we will suffer, its how you suffer that matters!
1 Peter 1:3–13 (NLT)
3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,
4and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
5And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
6So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.
7These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
9The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
10This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you.
11They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
12They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.
13So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
First lets get this straight you will Suffer!!!
• But its how you suffer and if you learn from it, that’s what counts!
• Jesus suffered and we will to
Luke 9:22 (NLT)
22“The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
• Then he says we need too:
Luke 9:23 (NLT)
23Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.
• So to follow Jesus we know we will suffer
• We will face trials
• We will be tested
• Taking Up your cross is not the holy hardware you have lying around!! It’s a sign of great suffering and stress, so
• Put on your big boy and girl pants and get in the game
So we have established you will suffer, so lets talk about the how we should and shouldn’t suffer!!!
How not to suffer for Jesus!!
• We don’t show un-forgiveness
o How many times have you retaliated on some one who did you wrong??
1 Peter 2:23 (NLT)
23He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
• We don’t call out our brothers publicly!
o We might find some quick satisfaction, but who do we really hurt JESUS!!
o Leave it off Facebook, twitter, instaghram, Google+ or what ever you use
This really makes me made
We can do real damage to our brothers
And we just solidify to the unbelieving world that Jesus is not the way!
• We don’t walk away from Jesus!!
• God didn’t, so we don’t either!
Romans 5:10 (NLT)
10For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.
• This is not an option!!
• God loved us even when we hated him
• We have to show the same kind of compassion to God and one another!
• Now here this!!
1 Peter 1:14 (NLT)
14So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.
• When we suffer trials we tend to slip in to comfortable habits
• We drink
• We cheat
• We get on the Web
None this works for long then we have the trial and the guilt of our Sin to!!
How to suffer for Jesus!!
Mirror Jesus to the lost world
1 Peter 2:12 (NLT)
12Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
• They may not like you
• They may not like Jesus
• But they at least saw a glimpse of him
Job never stopped believing in God
• Walk Like Jesus for the world to see!!
1 Peter 2:21 (NLT)
21For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.
• Jesus is our example
• We need to have more of him and less of us
• We are called to show the world something different
o It aint about your cross you wear
o It aint about the fish on your car
o Its not about the bible you carry
• It is about the love you show, the compassion you show, the grace you live in, are you Jesus with skin on???
Have a hope the unbelieving world does not!!
• Even in your suffering have an obedience the world cant understand
• Through that obedience a hope shines through and a peace over comes
1 Peter 1:2 (NLT)
2God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more grace and peace.
• The more obedient we are the more peace we have
• Like anything you do the more you understand the big picture the more at peace we are!
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