If you would, open your Bibles
again to 1 Peter chapter 4, passage Brother Dan read for us a moment
ago. The title of the message this
evening is Rejoicing in Trial. How is it possible for us to
rejoice in something this painful? Let's see if God's Word doesn't
give us an answer to that. Our text begins in verse 12,
where Peter writes, Beloved, think it not strange concerning
the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange
thing happened to you. Now, these words are for believers,
for God's children. Don't think it's strange when
you try. Don't think it's a strange thing
when God sends you a trial. This word strange means amazed. Don't be amazed. Don't be confused
when God sends trials your way. It ought not surprise us. Trouble
and affliction are common to all men. To all men. The reason
country music exists is because trial and trouble are common
to all men. But especially to believers,
to God's children. Trial and trouble are common
to God's children. Brother Henry says, in the meantime,
God only had one son without sin. God has no sons without
suffering. Yet scripture says that believers
can rejoice in these times of trial and suffering. Now, nowhere
does scripture say these trials don't hurt. They do hurt. Peter calls them fiery trials. These trials that God sends His
children cause distress and pain to the flesh and to the heart,
just like a flame is painful to our flesh. They do hurt. But there's comfort in those
times of trial, in those fiery trials that will not let the
believer be overwhelmed. You're not going to be overrun
by them. It's comforting to know this trial didn't happen by accident.
This isn't just a chance thing that happened. Every event, every
event, including trials, happened according to the direct will
of our holy father, our heavenly father, holy father, who will
never bring harm to his children, ever. These are the children
that God loves. Who's Peter writing to here?
The beloved. He's writing to those that God
loves and who love God. Now, God's not going to harm
those he loves. He's not going to do it. Now, he'll teach them.
He'll chasten them. But those things are good for
us, not going to hurt us. And there are many reasons why
the Lord sends these trials to those he loves. I'll give you
a few of them. First of all, the Lord sends
trials to his children because trials are good for us. David
said, it's good for me that I've been afflicted. I remember many years ago, Henry
read a letter that his daughter Becky wrote him, and she told
her dad, it's good for me that I've been afflicted. That's tough to say, isn't it?
But it's true. Why? Because David said, I learned
something. I learned your word. I learned. It's good for me that the Lord
send these trials my way because I learn things in a time of trial. I can't learn anywhere else.
Secondly, God sends these trials. They're good for us because trial
teaches patience. Look back at James chapter one.
Trials teach patience. Nothing else will. James 1 verse 4, verse 3, Knowing
this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But now
let patience have her perfect word, that ye may be mature,
perfect, and entire, wanting nothing. Now this patience, this
is not just being resigned to suffer something that God sent
our way and I'm just going to suffer it because there's nothing
I can do about it. This is learning something. This patience is to
learn something in a time of trial. Joseph learned to be a
just and compassionate leader during the time he spent in prison
for a crime he didn't commit. Moses learned how to lead a nation
growing up as Pharaoh's son in Pharaoh's house. Then Moses learned
how to lead God's nation when he spent 40 years in exile. And
a time I'm sure he considered a trial. The Apostle Paul suffered
a thorn in the flesh to make him humble so he could give himself
to the preaching of the gospel of God's grace to God's sheep
all over the world. And Paul could tell them, God's
grace is sufficient for you. Wherever you're at, whatever's
happened, Paul could tell us God's grace is sufficient. He
learned something in that time of trial. that teaches patience. Fourth or third, the Lord sends
trials to prove the faith of His people. Now, a trial will
reveal whether a profession of faith is true faith or whether
it's false faith. And a trial will make true faith stronger
and more beautiful, just like gold is made more beautiful when
it's put in a refiner's fire. It's more beautiful and more
valuable when it comes out of that fire. Now, trials are a
trial of faith. And trials will never make faith's
love stop. Trials will reveal our love for
Christ and His love for us. Trials will never sever a believer
from the love of God, ever. It will reveal that love. Trials
won't drown faith. Instead, trials give an anchor
to the soul. clings to Christ. It's anchored
on the rock Christ Jesus. Even in the fiercest flood, you
won't be swept away. It's not going to drown faith.
It gives you an anchor for your soul. Trials never kill faith. Trials only strengthen true faith
and make that faith more lively in Christ. Fourth, the Lord sends
trials to His people because we gain experience with each
trial that's helpful. Later on. We know the Lord will
provide, don't we? We know he will. Tell you when
we learn that. When he takes away all of our
resources and he still provides. That's when we'll learn it. We
learn that the Lord will never forsake his people. Now we know
that. We read that in God's word. I tell you when you know it.
When he takes away those we love and we still enjoy his presence.
That's when we learn. We know that God comforts his
people. We know he does. Tell you when
we'll learn that. When God puts us through the
fire, through this fiery trial that hurts. And then we experience
God's comfort. It's from his presence and from
his word. Trials cause believers to gain experience. So later
on, we're not soon shaken. I saw a movie a week or two ago.
And there was a scene in that movie, a soldier. He'd been through
many battles. He was bloodied. He was dirty.
But he was standing. He'd survived the battle. And
a group of reporters came to talk to him. Reporters who'd
never been on the front line. They'd never seen the kind of
action and battle this man's seen. And as he was speaking
with them, off in the distance, a bomb exploded. And all those
reporters hit the deck. Hands over their heads, you know,
just laying there on the ground. And that soldier just standing
there, looking at him like, you're crazy. And this is what he told
them. That's U.S. artillery. That's
not enemy artillery. That's U.S. artillery. It's not
aimed to hurt you. He couldn't have learned that
if he hadn't been through many battles, many battles. That's
the only way you learn it. And a believer gains experience
so that we're not diving for cover. at every little thing.
That's why God sends these trials. Fifth, trials. God sends trials
for my good to make me tender, enable me to sympathize with
others who are hurting, and help me to comfort them with what
the Lord taught me when I was right where they were. You know,
once you suffer, you're not the only one involved in this. Could
be you're suffering after the good of God's people. You're
suffering this for the good of someone else later on. The Apostle
Paul said, I've suffered everything I've suffered for this reason.
For the elixir. For the good of somebody else.
And last, it's good for us that we have these trials in our way.
God sends us these trials to wean His children away from this
world. And to wean us away from our
flesh. Trials make us quit depending upon the strength of our flesh
and what our flesh can provide and make us start being dependent
upon the strength of Christ and what He provides for His people.
See, all those things are necessary, aren't they? They're good for
us. So don't be amazed. Don't be confused about what's
happening when the Lord sends trials our way. Well, all right. I won't be confused. I won't
be surprised. But how can a believer rejoice
in this fiery trial? Well, look at verse 13. Peter
says, but rejoice. Don't be confounded and confused,
but rather rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be
glad also with exceeding joy. First of all, a believer can
rejoice in trial because God only chastens his sons and daughters.
Look at Hebrews chapter 12. God only chastens his children. Hebrews 12, verse 5. And have you forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh unto you as unto children? My son, despise not
the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of
him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and he scourgeth
every son whom he receiveth. Now if you endure chastening,
God deals with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father
chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers, whereof all sons and daughters are partakers,
then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, we have had
fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence.
I remember being corrected by my father at one time ever did
I like it, ever. They were painful, I'm telling
you. Now that I know the best thing that ever happened to me,
that was so good for me, we gave our father's reverence when they
corrected us. Well, shall we not much rather
be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they
barely for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure.
But he, for our profit, that we might be partakers of his
holiness. Now, no chastening for the present
seemeth to be joyous, but it's grievous. Nevertheless, afterward
it yieldeth a peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which
are exercised thereby. Now you rejoice in this time
of trial because you are a child of God. God's hands on you. He could have passed you by.
That's what He does to those who are not His children. When
the Lord sends a trial to you, rejoice. He only chastens His
Son. This trial means you are a child
of God. And all God's children are partakers
of Christ's suffering. We're going to suffer just like
he did, not to the same extent, but we'll suffer just like he
did because the world hates you too. So you rejoice that you're
counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ because you're
one of his children. Second, rejoice in time of trial
because the end is better for God's children who suffer on
this earth. You rejoice. that when the glory
of Christ is fully revealed, and that day when He returns,
you'll have nothing to fear. Others will be calling on the
rocks and mountains to fall on and hide them. You won't do that.
You have nothing to fear. You have nothing to fear because
you know this. Christ has already been judged
for your sins. He's already suffered for your sins as your substitute.
You've got nothing to fear. You've got nothing to fear because
during this life, You've been identified with Christ. You've
suffered with him. So now you'll be glorified with
him. Look at 2 Timothy 2. This is
what Paul wrote to Timothy. 2 Timothy 2, verse 11. It is a faithful saying, for
if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer,
we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, he also will
deny us. The author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God." That word despising means to think little or nothing
of. Our Lord thought little, thought
nothing of that suffering. Why? How could he do that? That
was horrible suffering for the joy that was set before him. He'd go through that suffering,
then he'd be sitting down at the right hand of the throne
of God. You who believe will one day
too. You rejoice because the end is better for God's people
who suffer on this earth. Third, a believer can rejoice
in a time of trial because trials reveal a union with Christ. Look at verse 14 in our text. If you be reproached for the
name of Christ, Happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and of
God resteth upon you. On their part he is evil spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified." Now, when God sends trials our
way, we should rejoice that we are blessed, this is the blessing,
to suffer for Christ's sake. Because the world hates Christ,
they hate you too. They see Christ in you because
you have union with Him. The reason the world hates God's
people is because of a union with Christ. They hate Him, and
they hate you because they see Him in you. You have union with
Christ, so the world's going to hate you. Look back at John
chapter 15. This is what our Lord told His
disciples. The reason the world hates God's
people is because they are joined to Christ. If you don't have union with
Him, they'll love you. There's nothing wrong with that.
They'll only hate you if you have union with Christ. John
15, verse 18, If the world hates you, you know it hated me before
it hated you. If you were of the world, the
world would love his own. But because you are not of the
world, for I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the
world hates you. Remember the word that I said
unto you, The servant is not greater than this Lord. If they
have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they have
kept my saying, they will keep yours also. The world hates you
because you have union with Christ and the Spirit of God rests upon
you, abides upon you. He's not leaving. He abides in
the hearts of his people. The Spirit of God has not left
you alone. Now, that's reason to rejoice
and be happy. Now, they're blaspheming the
name of Christ. They're blaspheming the kingship
of Christ. You know, they're asking you, well, you know, What
happened to you? Where's your God now? I mean,
it seems like He's not helping you now. Is He forsaken you?
They're blaspheming His name. They're blaspheming His kingship.
But you're glorifying Him. You're glorifying Him because
you still believe Him. You still trust Him. You still
worship Him. You ask, should I be happy about suffering like
that? Suffering ridicule and everything else that the world
throws at me? Is that a blessing? It seems
to me like that's a curse. That's a blessing? Look at Matthew
chapter 5. Let's see what God's Word says
about that. Is that a blessing that the world
hates you and persecutes you for the name of Christ because
you believe Christ, because you follow him? Matthew 5 verse 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted
for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed
are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall
say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name's sake. When that happens, rejoice, and
be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for
so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." That's reason to rejoice, union
with Christ. Now, Peter says here, on their
part he's evil spoken of, but on your part he's glorified.
Now, I'm sure you're like me. Anytime I found myself in a time
of trouble, time of trouble. My concern was this. That I not do something, that
I not act like myself, that I not do something and say something
that will bring reproach upon God. How do we do that? We glorify God in times of trial. by resting in Him. This is a
fiery trial. It hurts. I don't know what the
Lord's purpose in it, but I tell you this, I'm going to rest in
Him. That's glorifying God in this time of trial. We glorify
God in time of trial by continuing in Him. Continuing to follow
Him. We glorify God in the time of
trial by depending upon Him. I can't get myself out of this.
I can't produce some way I'm depending upon Him. We glorify
God in the time of trial by saying this. All my comfort comes from
Him. I'm suffering this trial. There's
no point in sugarcoating it. I'm suffering in this trial.
But I tell you this. I'm also receiving an abundance
of grace that's equal to the trial. And I'm thankful. That's
glorifying God in the time of trouble. Now, verse 15. But 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. Now, let none of you
suffer as a murderer. If we're going to suffer trials,
let's be sure it's a trial of our faith, not something we brought
on ourselves. Don't suffer as a murderer. And
this is even more than, of course, you know, not going to take somebody's
life. But it's also destroying the character of someone, destroying
someone's reputation by gossip or slander. That's a murderer
of a person's reputation. And don't suffer as a thief.
You know, that's not just somebody who takes something that doesn't
belong to them, but somebody who robs men of the respect that
they're due, robs them of the love that they're due. Or worse
yet, robs men of the opportunity to hear the gospel that the church
is sent to preach. What's our function as a body?
What's our function? This is our function to preach
the gospel of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our
function. Well, now, if we go out on the
job and we just act a fool and somebody says, but that fellow
went to church. I want to go hear what he hears.
We've robbed them of the opportunity to hear the gospel of salvation
in Christ. Don't suffer like that. Don't
do that. That's robbing men of their opportunity
to hear the gospel. Don't suffer, Peter says next,
as an evildoer. This is not just somebody who
breaks the law. But this even includes somebody who does everything
the law allows, right up to the edge, everything the law allows,
even though it hurts somebody else. I despise someone who does
evil. hiding behind the law, saying,
well, it's legal. I mean, law says I can do it.
Well, I reckon it does. But does it hurt somebody? Then
you ought not do it. I mean, just, hey, don't suffer
as an evildoer. Just because something's legal
doesn't mean you should do it. Don't suffer as an evildoer.
And don't suffer as a busybody. You all know what a busybody
is. It's getting involved in what other people are doing and
telling them how to do it and when to do it. Now, if you do
these things, you suffer as a busybody, as an evildoer, as a thief, as
a murderer. Buddy, you can just expect to
suffer. Now, people are just going to
say things about you. They're going to do things to
you. They're going to find a way to get back at you. And when they
do, don't call this a trial of your faith now. That's not a
trial of your faith. This is just a just desert for
what you did. Don't suffer like that. And if
you do, don't call it a trial. But, verse 16. Yet if any man
suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify
God on this behalf." Now, if we're given the privilege and
the honor to suffer for believing Christ, if we're given the honor
to suffer because we love God's sovereign grace, if we're given
the honor to suffer because we preach the gospel of substitution,
now don't be ashamed of that. Now, you can be ashamed if you
suffer as a murderer, as a thief or an evildoer, as a busybody.
But if you suffer for following Christ, don't be ashamed of that. Be thankful. Be thankful. Be
thankful and give God the glory because he's counted you worthy
to suffer for his namesake and for his glory. Because, verse
17, for the time has come, the judgment must begin at the house
of God. And if it first began at us, what shall the end be
of them that obey not the gospel of God?" Now, Peter talks about
judgment here. He's not talking about judgment
for sin. Not to his people. Christ had already suffered the
judgment for the sin of his people. He suffered it. There's no more
fear of that. What he's talking about here
is trials. Trials that are sent to try the faith of God's people.
Now, think about it. God's pleased to send trials
to his people, isn't he? I mean hard trials, fiery trials. He sends those to the people
that he loves to prove their faith, to strengthen their faith.
You think about over the years how God's been pleased to give
severe trials to those loved servants. Job. There's a righteous man. This
is one of God's children. He suffered trial like nobody
we know of. Abraham, that's God's friend,
Abraham. Look at the trials that man suffered.
This is God's friend now. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
Can they tell you something about a fiery trial? Yes, they can. Now, if the Lord's pleased to
send those trials, that heartache, that pain, to the people that
he loves and the people who love him. We can't imagine the punishment
that awaits those who he hates. We can't imagine the punishment
that awaits those who hate him and hate the gospel of salvation
in his son. Go back up to that thief. For
that reason, God help us never rob a person of the opportunity
to hear the gospel. This is their salvation. The
only way they'll be saved is by believing on the name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. We can't imagine what punishment
waits for them if God leaves them in their state by nature,
hating Him and Him hating them. We can't imagine. And that's
my fourth point. Child of God, rejoice in your
trials here on earth. You've suffered the worst in
this life. Your best will be enjoyed throughout
eternity. Now, rejoice. The worst of your suffering is
temporary. Not saying rejoice because it's not real suffering.
It's real suffering. But it's temporary. Your best
will be eternal. The wicked, they enjoy their
best in this life. You know, you look at them. David said, I was envious of
the wicked. I looked at them, said everything
the heart could desire. I mean, I wish I was like them. And then David said, wait a minute,
wait a minute. I was a fool. Look at them. Seems like they got the best
of everything, doesn't it? Don't envy them. What you see right
now is the best they'll ever have. It's just going to get
worse from here on out now. What you have is nothing compared
to what awaits you. Your best is yet to come. Their
best is temporary. Their worst is eternal. So don't
envy the wicked. but rather rejoice in your trial. Rejoice that God has not left
you to be like them because the trial of your faith is just temporary. Now verse 18, And if the righteous
scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?
Now you know that the righteous Peter is talking about here are
those who have been made righteous through the imputed righteousness
of Christ. He says these righteous are scarcely
saved. Now, he doesn't mean that they're
barely saved. Salvation in Christ is an abundant
salvation. He's rich in mercy. But this
word scarcely means with difficulty. Difficulty. Sinners are saved
with difficulty. Now, they're saved abundantly,
but now they're saved with difficulty. What the Lord Jesus Christ, our
substitute, had to suffer was unspeakably difficult. We really
can't imagine the difficulty that what he suffered to redeem
his people from their sins. Christ suffered an infinite wrath
against sin because God would not spare even his own son when
sin was found on him. Now, those who are made righteous
in Christ, they're saved with difficulty. They're saved only
through the suffering of Christ as their substitute. They're
saved only through the suffering of many trials that God sends
their way to try and strengthen their faith. They're saved through
the difficult trials. What do you reckon the wicked
are going to suffer who have no substitute? You think about
what believers suffer. It's a trial of their faith.
They're not going to suffer eternally. They've got a substitute. What
are the wicked going to suffer? who have no substitute, who have
no sacrifice for their sin. They don't have an object of
faith, so their faith can't be tried. The difficulty a believer
suffers is nothing compared to what those outside of Christ
will suffer. So be thankful and rejoice in
those trials that the Lord sends to bring us closer to the Savior,
to believing more fully. In verse 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. Now
were to suffer likewise, like our Savior did as He died. When
He died, what did He do? He committed His soul to His
Father. He committed it. You and I ought to do the same
thing in time of trial. I can't steer my way out of this.
I'm committing my soul. to my father. He's able. He's able to keep you from falling
and present you faultless. He's able to strengthen and comfort. So commit your soul to him. Just
commit everything to him. Commit your soul to God because
of his character. Peter says he's faithful. He
will do what he promised to do. He's faithful. This book is full. promises to believers who are
suffering at time of trial. He's faithful to every one of
them. Not a word will fall to the ground.
Believe Him. Rest in Him. Rest in His promises.
Rest in His character. And rest in His faithfulness.
He's faithful. And rest in His power. Our God
is the Creator. The world was created by His
power. It's kept together by His power. It's ruled by His power. Well, then I believe He's got
the power to deliver you and me. We're just specks in this
thing. I mean, He controls the whole thing. He rules it all.
I'm just a speck. He can overrule that too, can't
He? Just a speck. He's got the power to deliver
you. So commit your soul to Him. Especially
in these times of trial. And He's got the power to deliver. Alright. Rejoice in Him in time
of trial. Doesn't make it hurt less, does
it? But it gives us reason to rejoice in Him. Alright. The Lord bless you.