In verse 19, and the title of the message
is, Comfort for Suffering Saints. Comfort for Suffering Saints. The Scripture says, For this
is thank-worthy, If a man for conscience toward God endure
grief, suffering wrongly. For what glory is it if when
we are buffeted for your faults, you should take it patiently?
But if, when you do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently,
this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were you called. Because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile
found in His mouth. Who when He was reviled, reviled
not again. When He suffered, He threatened
not, but committed Himself unto Him that judgeth righteously. who his own self bare our sins
in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin should
live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we are healed. For you
were as sheep going astray, but now returned unto the shepherd
and bishop of your souls. Now the context that the Apostle
writes in these verses is teaching believers concerning our attitude
toward suffering in this world. He tells us plainly that believers
in Christ are called to suffer. We are called to suffer. Look
at that in verse 21. The context is suffering, and
he says, ìFor even hereunto were you,î what? He tells us in another place,
believers, we are not to think it strange when fiery trials
afflict you. Yet we do, don't we? When we
suffer in this body, in the mind, in the process of providence,
we think it strange. But yet here we are told, you
are called to this, to suffer. to suffer. Our Lord Jesus told
us in plain words, in this world you shall suffer tribulation but be of good cheer. Why? I have overcome the world. I
have overcome the world. Even though the Apostle tells
us that we are living stones built up a spiritual house, we
are a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable
unto God by Christ. In verse 9 he tells us we are
a royal priesthood, a peculiar people, that we should show forth
the praise unto Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous
life, though we have obtained the mercy of God. Obtained the
mercy of God these things we love to hear isn't that right
these things are glorious to our ears But what about this
matter of suffering? Suffering Therefore if we are these things
should we not behave ourselves as children of life and If we
are children of light, if we are the peculiar people of God,
then we should behave ourselves, even in suffering, as children
of light. We should be honest and submissive
to the will of God. And this is the will of God for
His people that we should suffer tribulation in this world for
this cause, for the cause and glory of Christ. My friends,
we don't suffer tribulation. God doesn't put us through tribulation
for no reason. Just because we don't know the
reason doesn't mean there isn't a reason. There's always a reason
why God puts us through these things. But it is futile for
us to ask why because we could not comprehend the whole as to
why. The only thing we should comprehend
is this, we are called to suffer. We're called to suffering. This was not only the promise of Christ given to us, but was
this not also the experience of Christ? Did He suffer in this
world? He did. He suffered. Look at verse 22. It says, For
even unto where you called, because Christ also suffered. He suffered. And His suffering
was what? An example, leaving us an example
that we should follow in His steps. And what are His steps? He did no sin, neither was God
found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He reviled
not again. When He suffered, He threatened
not. But what did He do? You listen. He committed all,
committed Himself to God that judgeth righteously. to God that
judges righteous. Therefore His suffering was worthy
of glory and acceptable to God. Even so, we who are His servants
should bear patiently under the afflictions sent our way by God Himself. We should bear the afflictions
of those who hate us because of our gospel, because of the
Christ we love. And if we bear this patiently,
what does Peter say? This is acceptable unto God. Verse 20 again. When you do well
and suffer for it and take it patiently, this is acceptable
unto God. And so then the greatest example
that the apostle could give of suffering patiently is Christ.
You want an example as to how to suffer? You want to know how
to endure suffering? Then you should follow the example
of Him who suffered more than you ever will. Christ. You should follow His example. Are we not His sheep? If we are
his sheep, what does Christ say about his sheep? My sheep follow
me. They follow me. Where's his path? His path is through suffering.
And so we as believers ought to follow Him. And this is His
example that He has given. The Lord Jesus Christ did no
sin, knew no sin, magnified the law of God, was worthy of what?
What was He worthy of? Praise, honor, and glory. Imagine, see Him as He is, the
sinless Son of God, walking among men. You would expect that he
should receive glory for such a good character, a good honorable
nature. But what did he receive? He was
despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. And what was his response to
his suffering? He took it patiently. Always looking to God for His
strength. For His strength. As a lamb before
her shears is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. Even so, you who
now suffer, how should you take it? Patiently. Patiently. We should suffer as He suffered.
Even we are called to follow His example. I like this verse
in Philippians 1 and verse 29. It says, "...it is not only given
unto you on behalf of Christ to believe on Him," but what?
To suffer. You get that suffering is a gift?
It is a gift. Why? Because your suffering has
purpose. It has meaning. You are suffering
For His sake. For His sake. Suffering. But what is the response
of our flesh to suffering? What is your immediate reaction
to suffering? The response of the flesh to
resist the wrongful condemnation of others, to resist suffering. The flesh desires to fight and
avenge itself. Our nature is to avenge our hurt
pride when we are wrongfully entreated. But what does the scripture say
to the sons of God? It says, Dearly beloved, Paul
says in Romans 12, 19, Avenge not yourselves, but rather give
place unto wrath. For it is written, Vengeance
is mine, I will repay. The apostle tells us in this
text that this was the example that Christ left us, that He
committed all judgment unto the Father. He committed all judgment
unto the Father. Even so should we, in suffering,
trust God's judgment. We should trust God's judgment.
Isn't this what we're doing when we question our suffering? We're
questioning God's judgment? for questioning God's judgment.
Why? Why am I suffering? Did Christ question God's judgment?
Neither should we. This is God's way. He left all
judgment to the Father and avenged not Himself, even so, believer, Our Savior is our example concerning
suffering. Now this morning, it's my heart's
desire to encourage you, to encourage you and exhort every suffering
saint to bear patiently under the trials and tribulations in
this world. Friends, the Lord is not ignorant
concerning your trials, is He? He's not ignorant concerning
your suffering, your grief, and your sorrows. but has given us
in his holy word the example of Christ that we may be able
to endure them. Now this morning I want to give
you three things that every believer should remember in the midst
of our suffering so as to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ. Three
things that we should remember when we suffer. First of all,
I want us to remember this, God does all things well. That should
help you. This should help you. God does
all things well. The second thing to remember
is to remember your calling. Your calling of God to life and
faith. Consider your calling. And third, remember to exercise
the grace of God in obedience. In obedience. So first thing
is, let's remember this, that God does all things well. Now
in the very teeth of your trouble, in the very teeth of your affliction
that God has called us to, let us never forget God is good. I didn't say just God does good.
You remember this, God is good. Whatever good is, God is it. God's good. I got some small
concept of goodness. But it's much larger than what
I can think goodness is. But whatever that is, God is.
It's good. Whatever He is, is good. The
Scripture says that in Him is light and is no darkness at all. You remember what Abraham said
when he was going to praying for Lot. He was going to Sodom
and he's praying for Lot. And he said this, Shall not the
Lord of all the earth do right? Listen, you can bet, you can
lay everything on this and it's so. You can bet the house on
this. The judge of all the earth will
do right. He will. He will do right because He is
righteous. He will do right because He is
righteous. He will do good because He is
good. And all He does is perfect because
He Himself is perfect. Therefore, in God there is no
variableness nor shadow of turning. Why do you change your mind? Obviously you change your mind
because you made some mistake You change because you are imperfect
Behold God is perfect Therefore, everything God does in time and
eternity is a reflection of His perfection and goodness. You
remember those wheels within the wheel, which is the providence
of God? It said they went straight ahead. They turned not to the right
nor to the left. Why? Because that is perfect
divine providence. I want you to know this thing
is working perfectly. Everything in time is moving
exactly according to the good pleasure of God's will. Therefore, suffering saint, remember
that all that God has purposed to do, all that God has promised
to do, all that God has decreed to do, we know that is exactly
what will be done, is being done, and shall be done. Why? He's
good. Everything He does is good. It's
perfect. And everything He does is perfect.
You should remember that. You should hold fast to that
truth. That's a true foundation to stand
on. Everything God is and does is
good and perfect. Even your suffering. Who has ordained your suffering? Listen to Scripture in Amos 3,
"...shall the trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not
be afraid? Shall there be evil in the city?"
And the Lord had not done it. Isaiah 45, verse 6 and 7, that
you may know from the rising of the sun from the west, there
is none beside me. I am the Lord and there is none
else. I form the light and create darkness. I make peace and create
evil. I, the Lord, do all these things. Therefore, the hymn writer said,
every joy or trial falleth from above, traced upon our dial by
the sun of love. Therefore, in the eyes of His
saints, even our suffering should be marvelous. Perfect. It's perfect. It's good. Behold
the goodness of God towards us, for this is the remedy of all
our unbelief and doubt, is to set our eyes upon the immovable
object of God's eternal goodness. I know this, when we suffer,
we're confused. I'm confused. I find myself more
confused. The more I grow in grace, the
more confused I am. In the midst of our tears and
sorrows, we begin to question God's goodness and say, if I'm
truly God's, then why must I suffer such? It's here where true faith is
tested, isn't it? Isn't that one of the main reasons
for suffering? So that God should try your faith? Not for His sake, but for yours.
Am I really His or am I not? Is that not the question of our
hearts in suffering? And so what does suffering do?
It tries the faith. It proves our faith. See, God is not cruel in your
suffering. He is doing it for your good. So then in the middle of our
suffering, we must trust that God does right. We must trust
the goodness of God, not looking to the circumstance or trial
itself, but rather to the goodness of God. Secondly, in the midst of your
trial, behold the sovereign power and will of your God. You remember this in Isaiah 46
and verse 9. He said, Remember the former
things of old, for I am God and there's none else. I am God,
there's none like me. declaring the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, the things that were not yet done, saying,
listen, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. In Ephesians 1 and verse 11 it
says, in whom we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated
according to the purpose of him, listen, who worketh all things
after the counsel of his own will. Believer, through your
tears, you should consider that our salvation in Christ is according
to the purpose of God, who worketh all things after the counsel
of His own will, whose sovereign will and counsel shall stand,
and none can disannul it. Every sinner who has heard and
believed the sovereign grace of God, we are confident that
God's will shall be accomplished." Are you confident of that? Are
you sure that God's will will be done? Every believer should have this
confidence that God's will, though it purposed and decreed an eternity,
shall be accomplished. And what is then the will of
God that none can disannul? You listen. Your good. Believer, God's will is for your
good. He who does only good, whose
will cannot be disannulled, remember that His will is for your good,
always for your good. Read this with me, because I
want you to be comforted. Read it, Jeremiah chapter 29.
This is a short verse. We'll go back to our text in
just a minute. Jeremiah Chapter 29. Verse 11. For I know the thoughts that
I think toward you, sayeth the Lord. Don't we question in our suffering
the thoughts of God? What are you thinking? What are
you thinking? How could you do this to me?
God says, listen, I know what I'm thinking. I know my thoughts
to you. What are they thoughts of? Thoughts
of peace, not of evil. to give you, listen, an expected
end. A sure end. A confident end. I know my thoughts towards you.
Thoughts of what? Peace. Peace. And you know this one in Romans
8, 28. Romans 8, 28. For we know We're confident of this, that
all things work together for good to them that love God. Do you love God? If you believe
on Christ, you love God. To them that are called according
to His purpose. All things, listen, work together. Not each individual thing, but
all things. Joy, trials, difficulties, blessings,
all of these things in your life are working together as cogs
in a wheel for one single purpose. You're good. You're good. So then, believer, if our God
is absolutely sovereign, and He is, if everything God purposed
and decreed and wills to do shall be accomplished, and if God has
willed to do us good and not evil, if God has purposed that
all things work together for our good, who then can hinder
Him from doing His will? Do you think your suffering is
a hindrance to God doing you good, or is it God doing you
good? Now according to that book, it's
God doing you good. So then our sicknesses, our trials,
our difficulties, our troubles, our afflictions, our persecutions,
what are they? They're good. I remember preaching the message,
it's all good. It's all good. It's all working together for
good. But how does this good come to
us? Does that mean that we should
live in joy and health and prosperity? No. Remember, we are not called
to joy, health, and prosperity in this world. We are called
to what? Suffer. Friends, I'm no used car salesman.
I'm not trying to sell you a bill of goods. That's what the world's
religion does. I'm here to tell you, if you
believe in Christ, you're going to suffer in this world. But our joy is not found in this
world. Remember, we are called to suffer
in this life, but our good is not in the temporal things of
earth, but rather the eternal things of heaven. That's where
our good is. Our good is in Christ, who sits
on the throne of glory. That's where our good is found. Therefore, our good is found
in Jesus Christ. God declares this to Jacob, the
one whom He chose before the foundation of the world. He says
this to Jacob. He said, I will surely do thee
good. and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot
be numbered for multitude." God said He would surely, absolutely,
without doubt, do Jacob good. How? His seed. That's where all the goodness
of God's people... You want to know good? It's all
found in the seed. Christ. Why should God do us any good
at all? Well, there's no reason in you
or me. The only hope for God's goodness
to be upon each one of us is in the seed. Christ. Christ is
the seed. He's the promised seed. It was
from Christ then that all the blessings of goodness flow toward
God's saints. This is the decree of God who
cannot change. He says, I will perform all your
good. How? By the seed. By Jesus Christ. So then, are you in trouble?
Are you suffering afflictions? Does all around seem dark and
evil? Remember. Remember that God is
good. That all He does is good. Remember
that God is sovereign and His will shall be accomplished. Remember that all God purposed
to do is to do you good and not evil. And we know that all things
will work together for our good. We know that none of the good
that God has purposed us is based on our merit or obedience or
our goodness, but only our union with Christ. Now there's the
source. This is the reason that you shall
receive all the goodness of God. It is based on the merits of
Christ alone. That's why God's going to do
you good. I know that you and I could come
up with a million reasons why He should not do us good. Can you not think of anything,
any reason in yourself? I think of millions of them.
Because all I deserve is God's evil, God's wrath. But I know
this, I'm going to receive all of God's good because of the
seed, because of Jesus Christ. God said this, this is my beloved
Son in whom I am well pleased. Therefore, now you who are suffering,
behold the promises of God for your good. Go to Jeremiah chapter
32. Read this promise of good for you. Jeremiah 32. Listen to God's
promises here in this covenant that He makes. He says this, ìBehold, I will
gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them, in
mine anger and in my fury, and with great wrath will I bring
them again to this place, and will cause them to dwell safely.
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. And
I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me
forever for the good of them and for their children after
them. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will
not turn away from them to do what? To do them good. But I
will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from
me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good. And I will plant them in this
land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
For thus saith the Lord, Like as I have brought all this great
evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good
that I have promised them. Believers see that the good of
our salvation was purposed. This is a purposed good, isn't
it? How many times you read this? I will. Doesn't that speak of
purpose? When you will to do something,
you know this, it's purposed. Purposed. I will do them good. It was purposed of God. We by
nature were scattered and driven from our God because of our sin.
We died spiritually in Adam. We were separated from God. But
here's His promise, I will gather them. Now, is that not what He's
done for you? Did He not gather you like He
promised? If you believe on Jesus Christ,
it is because He gathered you. I have loved thee with an everlasting
love. Therefore, with loving kindness,
I have drawn thee. Gathered them. I will gather
them. That's God's promise. I will bring them I will cause
them to dwell safely. I will be their God I will give
them one heart and one way what is that way the way the truth
and the lie? No man comes to the father, but
by me said the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the way you know the way
Do you know the way? This is how he will perform this
good. He says I will make an everlasting covenant with them
and not turn away from them To do them good. You got that God
never turns away from you He never turns away from you
I know the clouds hide His face. I know the sorrow and tears blind
our eyes from His presence. But He said, I will never turn
away from you to do you good. That's a promise that God has
given. It's a covenant of grace. Behold
the good purpose of God is that He chose you in electing love
and secured you in union with Christ from eternity. Believer,
behold, our God has not only purposed good, He's accomplished
it. He's accomplished our good. What is our good? It is the salvation
of our souls. That's the good, isn't it? What
if you'd received all the good in this world and lost your soul? Isn't that what Christ said? What shall the profit of man
if he gained the whole world and lose his own soul? So what's
better? The world or the soul? Take the world and give me Christ. That's the best that God could
give. And by Christ alone is this good
accomplished. The Son of God purposed our good
by submitting Himself to be our surety. And at the appointed
time he came down from heaven and condescended to men of low
estate, being born the lowest of men. And as a man he suffered
in his flesh more than any other. Paul says, For you know the grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your
sakes he became poor, that through his poverty you might be made
rich. Behold our Lord and Savior who
is rich in righteousness and deity and glory. And what were
you? We were poor, enslaved to sin,
owing a debt we could never pay. only deserving of death and hell.
We were so poor we could never pay the debt for our sins, yet
behold the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was rich, became
poor, in that He bore your sins in His own body on the tree. Now what Peter says back in our
text, He says this, he says, "...who his own self bear our
sins," where? "...in his own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sin, should live unto righteousness, by whose
stripes we are healed." Therefore, in the midst of your great affliction,
in the throes of your grief, now consider the suffering of
Christ, that he was made sin by the decree of God and willingly
endured the despising and despising the shame of our guilt. He was
charged with our debt. The untold agony of God's wrath
poured over him without mercy. Why? That you should be healed. Now listen, you who believe,
are you healed? You bet you are. By His stripes
we are healed. Healed. In other words, that thing that
God purposed, the good God of heaven whose will cannot be moved,
has purposed your good, has also accomplished your good by the
dying of His dear Beloved Son, by the suffering of Christ. He
was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquity.
The chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes
we are healed at the cross. Jesus, for the good of His sheep.
For every elect sinner has accomplished redemption, atonement, reconciliation,
and peace with God. Two thousand years ago this was
done. Your good was accomplished long
before you experienced your good. Your good was already stored
up for you, like Joseph. Joseph had stored up all that
grain for the salvation of his family, for Jacob and his seed. Even so, Christ, before you knew
you were starving, had stored up all the goodness of grace
and forgiveness and mercy and kindness and joy and peace. And now, by the grace of God,
He not only has purposed it, accomplished it, what does He
do? He pours it out to you. Pours it out to you. by the Holy
Spirit. And this is the second thing
that you should remember, not only the goodness of God in purpose,
in accomplishment, but also in application. Look back at your text for a
second, read this last section with me, last verse with me.
1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 25,
For you were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the
shepherd and bishop of your souls. Have you ever wondered why it
is that you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ while others Do
not. How is it that you who believe
still believe today? While others who profess to believe
have gone away. This is because God has by His
Holy Spirit called you to life. God the Holy Spirit created in
us a new nature by which we can't do anything else but believe. I remember the testimony of one
young lady that was in our midst one time. She said it like this. She said, Before I knew, I believed,
I believed. She was believing before she
knew she believed. This is the power of the Holy
Spirit. Can you consider the great goodness
of this? The great grace that God has
bestowed upon you? Even in the midst of your suffering,
is this not better than anything the world could provide for you?
That you believe on the Son of God. That you are secured in
His hand and none can pluck you out. No suffering, no grief,
no sorrow is for your evil, but only for your good, perpetually,
continually, forever, because God has applied it to your heart.
God's given you a new nature, by which you have, who were astray,
have now returned to the shepherd and bishop of your soul. I'm just going to give you this
because I'm out of time. Remember this in the midst of
your suffering as you remember the goodness of God as you remember
the sovereignty of God as you remember his great covenant and
his Application his purpose is accomplished an application of
this great goodness. I want you to remember this in
the midst of your suffering We should be obedient Paul said that he said brethren
I beseech you because of the mercies of God that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service. Seeing all the good that God
has purposed and given to you, is it not reasonable we should
live in obedience to Him? Paul, Peter goes on and talks
about wives and husbands. How that the wife should be submissive
to her husband. How the husband should love his
wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. Is that
not reasonable? Is that just, for the believer,
is that not reasonable? Seeing that marriage is a picture
of the church and Christ. Is that just, that's just reasonable.
Just reasonable for you to do that. And he said this, that
your prayers may not be hindered. You know what a suffering saint
needs most of all? Prayer. Prayer. Prayer is a precious gift to
the suffering saint. Are you suffering? I tell you, we should do everything
we can so that our prayers are not hindered. What hinders your prayers? Is
there anything hindering your prayers? This world? Our family? Our jobs? Friends, prayer is a great benefit. for the suffering saints. It's
one of the goodnesses God has given. And prayer, friends, is
powerful. I don't understand a lot about
prayer. I know God's determined everything already. Yet He says
this, I will be inquired of it. Did not Elijah? Was he not a
man of like passions as we are? Yet when he prayed, the heavens
were shut up. Even so should be. We should
be people of prayer. Why? Because it's for our good.
is for our good, that we be obedient unto our God to fulfill His will. So then, remember we are called
to suffer. We remember that our God is good. Remember His sovereign will is
for our good, and He's purposed it, accomplished it, and applied
it. Therefore, let us obey our God as just reasonable. Even,
listen, even in the midst of your suffering. Why? Because
Christ did it. Should we not follow Him? May God give us grace in ourselves
to see these things and remember them.