REJOICE NOW — TO REJOICE EXCEEDINGLY THEN – 1 Peter 4:12-13

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on September 8, 2013 under 2013 |

Preached Sunday, September 8, 2013 from 1 Peter 4:12-13

Theme: If we learn to rejoice in suffering for Jesus’ sake now, we will rejoice exceedingly when He comes in glory.

(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)

Have you ever listened to the radio personality and popular Christian financial counselor Dave Ramsey? For some folks, his radio program is a part of their regular day’s activity. And when it comes to saving money and investing wisely, he offers a rather interesting piece of advice. He encourages his listeners, “Live like no one else now, and you can live like no one else later.”

That’s a rather awkward-sounding thing to say; and the first time I ever heard it, I wasn’t exactly sure what it means. But it has grown to make a great deal of sense to me. It’s about the benefits of learning to delay gratification. When it comes to most of the people around us, a little extra money means running right out and buying what they want. Sometimes, when they don’t have that additional money, they run out anyway and get what they want on credit. And then later on, when the money has run out and the debts overwhelm them, they’re left with nothing. But the idea behind that piece of ‘Dave Ramsey’ advice is that if you don’t run out and do what everyone else is doing in the immediate, you’ll have more and live better later on in the future. Don’t do what everyone else is doing. Don’t try to ‘keep up with the Joneses’. “Live like no one else now, and you can live like no one else later.”

Now; I’m not telling you this because I’m planning to talk to you today about money. Rather, I’m sharing that interesting quote from Dave Ramsey because I was reminded of it after reading this morning’s passage from 1 Peter.

The apostle Peter was writing to Christians who were suffering for their faith in Jesus. Many of those early Christians had to suffer terribly. Some of the Christians who saw their brothers and sisters suffering for their Christian faith where fearful of what they too may have to suffer. And the apostle Peter wrote this letter to encourage them to stay true and not give up in the midst of their suffering for Jesus’ sake.

As you know, that has been a major theme of this letter. And most recently, we have studied how Peter was encouraging these early Christians with respect to what they must do in their suffering. He wrote to them about how, in a time of persecution, they were to keep faithful to the Lord with respect to their outward duties in the Body of Christ. But now—beginning with 1 Peter 4:12 and going all the way to the end of the chapter—he writes of how they are to keep faithful with respect to their attitudes.

When it comes to standing faithfully for the Lord Jesus, our attitude is key. We have to discipline ourselves to have the right mindset; and to make sure that we view our times of suffering in the proper way. Peter begins this new section by calling his readers by the warm, affectionate name, “Beloved” or “Dear Friends”. It’s a way that he not only indicates a slight change in emphasis, but also that he—as it were—a leans forward and speaks passionately to their hearts. And so, in verses 12-13, the apostle Peter writes;

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy (1 Peter 4:12-13).

And when I began to study our passage for this morning’s message, I thought immediately of that interesting quote from Dave Ramsey. When it comes to a wise use of money, Mr. Ramsey says that if you are careful to live like no one else does now, you will be able to live like no one else does later on! And similarly (but much more significantly), Peter says that if you learn to cultivate the right attitude about our times of suffering for the Lord Jesus in the present—if you set your heart to rejoice now when you are called upon to share in the Lord’s sufferings—you will rejoice exceedingly on the day of Jesus’ return in glory!

In other words, if you learn to rejoice now , you’ll exceedingly rejoice then!

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Now; I know that the idea of suffering for Jesus doesn’t exactly provoke the immediate response of rejoicing in most of us! But if you think about the things we have learned so far from Peter’s letter, you’ll find that the idea he expresses in these two verses isn’t anything new. Rejoicing now in the light of our glorious future is one of the basic themes of his letter.

At the beginning of this letter, for example, he wrote;

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

And he then calls his readers to rejoice. But notice how he combines the idea of rejoicing now with the prospect of even greater rejoicing later. He writes;

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls (vv. 6-9).

He’s encouraging us to have the right attitude about the fact that we may be called upon to suffer for our Christian faith. He’s telling us to rejoice—even in the midst of that suffering. God is using those times of suffering for Christ to form us and shape us and strengthen our faith in Him. And if we rejoice in our suffering for Him as we should, we will—one day, at the return of the Lord—rejoice even more at being found to praise and honor and glory on the day of His revelation!

So then; in these two verses, we’re encouraged to rejoice during those times when we are called upon to suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus. And we’re to rejoice now for an even greater purpose. If you’ll look again at our passage this morning, you’ll see the very important word found in the middle of verse 13—”that”. The word “that” indicates purpose. We are to discipline ourselves to rejoice now, in those times of suffering, so that we will rejoice exceedingly at the Lord’s return.

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So; how are we to do this? As I suggested to you earlier, attitude is key. In this morning’s passage, Peter teaches us how to change our attitude in our times of suffering for Jesus so that we rejoice now in such a way as to exceedingly rejoice then.

Look at verse twelve. The first thing we’re told is . . .

1. DON’T BE SURPRISED WHEN YOU SUFFER FOR JESUS IN THIS WORLD (v. 12).

Peter writes, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you . . .”

Notice that we’re not to ‘think it strange’ when we suffer for the sake of the Lord Jesus. I suspect that one of the greatest reasons we fail to have joy in times of suffering for Christ is because we think such suffering is strange. We think that, if we are sincere, faithful followers of the Lord Jesus, we shouldn’t have to suffer for it. But we have to get over the idea that such suffering is a strange thing. In fact, it would be rather strange if we didn’t suffer persecution for following Jesus in this dark and fallen world.

In John 15, the Lord Jesus told us that this would be the case. Just before He was arrested and taken to the cross, He told His disciples;

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’” (John 15:18-25).

Sometimes, the amount of hatred and resentment our Christian witness provokes from unbelieving people comes as a surprise to us. I have felt that hatred and resentment. I suspect that some of you have too. But it really shouldn’t surprise us at all when it happens. Jesus made it abundantly clear that it would happen. It’s because He was hated when He walked on this earth . . . and we are identified as belonging to Him. As the apostle Paul put it, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

So; one way that Peter encourages us to adjust our attitude is to learn not to be surprised when we suffer in this world for being associated with Jesus Christ. Such suffering isn’t something strange or unusual at all. When it comes to following Jesus, it’s what is to be expected.

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But another thing we should adjust is how we think of those times of suffering themselves. From the standpoint of our experience, those times feel unjust. But from the standpoint of God Himself, they are experiences that are allowed by our sovereign God to test us, and try us, and refine us, and strengthen our faith in Him.

Peter calls those experiences “fiery trials”. He said, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you . . .” The name “fiery trials” certainly reminds us of how they feel. They burn! They hurt! They’re hard to go through. But the single Greek word that is translated by the phrase “fiery trials” was also a word that was used to describe the fire that was used to refine precious metals. Gold was placed into the crucible, and the fire was heated up to melt it and burn away the dross and impurities from it. Do you remember what Peter said in Chapter 1?—that “you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ . . .” (1 Peter 1:6-7)? That’s what those “fiery trials” really are.

Dear beloved brothers and sisters in Christ; that’s the way that God has designed for your and my faith in Jesus Christ to grow. It’s the hard way—through our faith being tested and proven by trials because of our identification with our Lord. If we try to avoid the trials we may suffer for Christ, we will only end up stunting our growth in Christ.

Don’t fight God’s wise design for our growth. Don’t think it strange when you are called upon to suffer for Jesus in this fallen and unbelieving world. Instead, learn to expect such suffering. Far from being a ‘strange’ thing, it’s strategic to the strengthening of our faith. Learn to see ‘suffering for Christ’ as God’s way of burning away the impurities and imperfections in our faith—making that faith pure, and strong, and worthy of praise and honor and glory at Jesus’ coming. Then, you’ll be having the right attitude about those ‘fiery trials’.

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So; first, we’re to learn not to be surprised when we suffer for Jesus Christ in this world. But what do we do instead? Peter goes to tell us to . . .

2. INSTEAD, REJOICE TO THE DEGREE THAT YOU SHARE IN HIS SUFFERINGS (v. 13a).

In verse 13, he writes, “but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings . . .” And I think it’s important to notice that Peter used that strong word “but”. It’s a word that highlights contrast. In verse 12, we’re not to count our suffering for Christ as something “strange”. “But”, in verse 13, we’re to “rejoice”. Instead of being shocked and dismayed as if we encountered something we never expected, we’re to rejoice!

I think it’s also important, though, to notice that we aren’t to rejoice in just any ol’ suffering. Peter says that we are to rejoice “to the extent” or “according to the proportion” that you share in the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. I think that Peter’s meaning is made clear in the verses that follow. In verses 14-16, he writes;

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter (1 Peter 4:14-16).

We should always be careful that we don’t suffer because we were foolish in our actions, or were insensitive to other people, or were unjust in the ways we treated them. There’s no reason for us to rejoice if we suffer because of doing those kinds of things—except that it’s because we will have learned not to do such things again! But if we suffer shame and reproach from unbelieving people for being identified with the Lord Jesus—if we suffer in this world because we bear His name as ‘Christians’, and because we seek to follow His commandments faithfully—then we have the greatest possible reason to rejoice and to give glory to God! We are truly ‘blessed’! The Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us! He is glorified in us!

Jesus Himself put it this way in the Sermon on The Mount;

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

There is great honor in suffering for our Savior. We should receive it as a privilege to do so. One of the most remarkable examples of this is found in Acts 5:41. When the apostles were arrested for preaching to the people that Jesus was alive, they were beaten by the Jewish officials and commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus any longer, we’re told,

So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:41-42).

“. . . Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name”—that’s how it should be with us. So; a second way that we should adjust our attitude is by rejoicing to the extent that we share in our beloved Lord’s sufferings in this world.

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And finally, we should adjust our attitude by keeping our eyes on the future. Do you remember how I pointed out to you that important word “that” in the middle of verse 13? That word points us to the purpose for Peter’s command to ‘rejoice’ during those temporal times of suffering for Jesus’ sake . . .

3. DO THIS SO THAT YOU WILL REJOICE EXCEEDINGLY AT HIS SECOND COMING (v. 13b).

Peter writes; “but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (v. 13).

I think Peter is saying something remarkable here. He is talking about two kinds of ‘rejoicing’. The first kind that he speaks of is the kind of rejoicing that we are to discipline ourselves to engage in now—whenever we are called upon to suffer for the sake of our Lord Jesus. Whenever other people ridicule us, or shun us, or even openly attack us and persecute us for our faith in Jesus, we should think rightly about that suffering and ‘rejoice to the extent that we partake of Christ’s sufferings’. And the second kind is the kind of rejoicing is the kind that we will experience when the Lord Jesus returns to this earth in power and glory. Peter describes it as a ‘super’ kind of rejoicing—a rejoicing that exceeds our present powers of expression—a state of being “glad with exceeding joy”. And he specifically says that we are to discipline ourselves to engage in the first kind of rejoicing now, so that we may experience the second kind of rejoicing then!

I think here of the words of the Lord Jesus Himself. He said;

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants” (Luke 12:35-38).

Who are the ones whose waist will be girded and whose lamps will be burning—waiting for our Lord’s return? It’ll be those who have learned to rejoice whenever they are called upon to share in His sufferings in this world for His name’s sake. They learned to rejoice in suffering for Jesus now, so that they will rejoice exceedingly on the day of His return.

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Now; the reason I have felt lead to preach from 1 Peter is because I believe we are living in remarkable times. I believe that, as Christians, we are going to be called upon to suffer more and more for our Lord. But I don’t believe we should ever be in despair about the times God has placed us in. For one thing, it could be some of the most exciting times in history for the spread of the gospel! And for another, it is a time in which it is our privilege and honor to suffer shame for the sake of Jesus’ name.

I propose that, whenever we’re called upon to suffer for Jesus in some way, we stop and think about things properly. I propose that we adjust our attitudes and pray rightly. I propose we make it our habit to pray something like this:

Dear Father in heaven; thank You that Your Son experienced times of suffering like this when He walked upon this earth. And thank You that He Himself has told us that such times would also come upon us because of Him. I will not think of this something “strange” or “unusual”. I will welcome it proof that I truly belong to Him.

Thank You, Father, for the great honor and privilege You have given me of allowing me to suffering shame for Jesus’ sake. I affirm that—as Jesus Himself has said—great is my reward in heaven! I ask that You use this experience to refine my faith; and to make it stronger and more to Your pleasure.

And I pray all this so that on the day of Jesus’ return—on the day when His glory is revealed—I will rejoice with exceedingly great joy along with Him! Help me to rejoice now, so that I will rejoice exceedingly then!

In Jesus’ wonderful name—Amen!