“FACING THE TWISTS AND TURNS ON THE ROAD OF LIFE-THREE VIEWS OF SUFFERING”
1 PETER 1:6-9
INTRO: As we face the twists and turns on the road of life we will inevitably
come to this conclusion: LIFE HURTS! Each of us could share our
own accounts of pain, confusion, disappointment, and discourage-
ment. During these times where can we turn to find something to
anchor our souls in, stop the spin and gain our perspective? Some
times it seems as if life explodes and we find ourselves confused,
hurt and disoriented. Pain steals our perspective and we find that
we don’t even know which way to turn. It is during those times that
we need someone to grab our arm, slow us down, and give us some
perspective that will help us get a grasp on our lives. Peter does
exactly that in his letter. Writing to suffering, persecuted, and
dispersed believers—“sojourners”—strung out through Asia Minor,
Peter pulls them up and points them back to the bedrock of their faith
when life seems like bedlam!
Peter does not deny our hurts. Denial never works. He doesn’t
attempt to mask it with clichés. He merely steps back and grabs us
with eternal truth for troublesome times. Truth that we will come
back to over and over in the course of our lives. Truth that the Lord
has preserved in His Word for us to tuck into our hearts today. Peter
sets before us a divine perspective for our disturbing and disorienting
days. Peter gives in our text Three Views of Suffering—“The Short
View” of what is going on, “The Long View” so that we might gain
perspective and “The Now View” for this very moment that we might
get a grip and live. Let us look at these as we explore “Three Views of
Suffering.” Note with me:
(1) THE PARADOX—THE SHORT VIEW OF SUFFERING
1 PETER 1:6—“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a
season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations.”
*The word paradox means “a statement seemingly absurd or
contradictory, yet in fact true.” (Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk
Dictionary, Volume 2). V6 is a paradox, “…greatly rejoice…though now for
a season…ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” As we
consider this paradox, let us consider two things:
A. THE PERSPECTIVE IN OUR SUFFERINGS. As Peter gives us the
“Short View” of suffering, he reminds us of what has previously written
in vv. 3-5. The word “wherein” at the beginning of v6 refers us back to
what preceded it. WE have been born again to a Living Hope! WE are
destined to a glorious future! WE are protected by the Mighty Power of
God all along the way! In this we can greatly rejoice! Peter wrote these
words to comfort and encourage those who were going through
suffering that they might not lose the perspective of what awaited them
in glory! The prospect which they had of the future inheritance was to
them a source of the highest joy, even in the midst of their many
sufferings and trials…The particular meaning here is, that the hope
which they had of their future inheritance enabled them to rejoice even
in the midst of persecutions and trials. It not only sustained them, but
it made them happy (Albert Barnes’ Notes on The Bible).
Though the road we travel from the Cross to Heaven may have many
twists and turns and so often is scarred by suffering and marked by
pain, we must keep our perspective of what awaits us in glory! If each
of us allowed one another to see our past we would all see we’re all
covered with scars! In the “Short View” we must realize that even
though suffering, pain, confusion, and disorientation may be often
intense, they are not eternal. We need a Christian Perspective to
confront life so that when life “explodes” we see the “Short View” and
regain our perspective. We must keep a proper perspective, a proper
focus in our suffering or else we will lose sight of the glorious future
which awaits all who believe!
ILLUS: "Living is death; dying is life. On this side of the grave we are
exiles; on that, citizens; on this side, orphans; on that,
children; on this side, captives; on that, free men; on this,
disguised, unknown; on that, disclosed and proclaimed as the
sons of God."--Henry Ward Beecher
B. THE PRAISE IN OUR SUFFERINGS. “Wherein ye greatly rejoice…”
The words “greatly rejoice” are translated from one word in the Greek.
The Greek word means “to jump for joy, to exult, to be exceeding glad.”
A Living Hope results in a present joy. Peter stressed that a
Christian’s joy is independent of his circumstances. Though trials
may cause temporary grief, they cannot diminish that deep, abiding
joy which is rooted in one’s living hope in Christ Jesus (1). Because
we are “kept by the power of God” (v5), we must realize that in the
“Short View” our lives are always in God’s great hand. A hand that
spans eternity! Because of that we can praise God even in the midst
of intense suffering!
ILLUS: When Rutherford was imprisoned at Aberdeen, he wrote to a
friend, "The Lord is with me; I care not what man can do. No
person is better provided for than I am. My chains are even
gilded with gold. No pen, no words -- nothing can express the
beauty of Christ."
When in prison in Vincennes, Madame Guyon wrote, "The joy
of my heart gave a brightness to the objects around me. The
stones in my prison looked in my eyes like rubies." -- C. S.
UTTING.--William Moses Tidwell, "Pointed Illustrations."
ILLUS: How many of us have truly dwelt on these verses:
"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them
shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very
hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye
are of more value than many sparrows." (Mat 10:29-31)
When troubles and sickness come our way, we usually turn to
worry and fretting about our situation. Civilla Martin (1869-
1948)…had a friend who had learned to rely on this verse and
when in 1904, sickness made her bedridden she continued to
trust in God. Seeing the testimony of her friend cause Civilla
Martin to pen the words to our hymn, "His Eye is On The
Sparrow."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why should I feel discouraged, Why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely and long for Heav'n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me,
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
"Let not your heart be troubled," His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Tho' by the path He leadeth but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He cares for me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He cares for me.
I sing because I'm happy,
I sing because I'm free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
(http://schfrs.crosswinds.net/hymns.htm)
Whatever is happening today is only for “a little while.” We can rejoice,
even in the midst of intense suffering, for we know that WE have been
born again to Living Hope! WE are destined for a glorious future! WE
are protected by the power of a Loving God all the way! That’s the
“Short View,” but also note with me:
(2) THE PURPOSE—THE LONG VIEW OF SUFFERING
1 PETER 1:7—“That the trial of your faith, being much more
precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with
fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the
appearing of Jesus Christ.”
*The “Long View” must also be part of our Christian perspective. God has
a purpose for suffering in our lives. Peter, in v7, tells us that God allows
suffering to come to our lives for two main purposes:
A. REFINEMENT (V7a). Suffering always displays the nature or quality of
a person. Here Peter calls this refinement process—“The trial of your
faith.” The putting of your religion to the test, and showing what is its
real nature (Albert Barnes’ Notes on The Bible). In the “Long View”
suffering declares “the proof of your faith” with a great future outcome!
The words “trial of faith” speak to us of what is “approved and genuine.”
The “genuineness” of your faith is Peter’s concern here. When he
speaks of trials, he is not talking about natural disasters or God’s
punishments, but the response of an unbelieving world to people of
faith. All believers face such trials when they let their light shine into
the darkness. We must accept trials as a part of the refining process
that burns away impurities, preparing us to meet Christ. Trials teach
us patience (Romans 5:3,4; James 1:2,3) and help us grow to be the
kind of people God wants us to be (2). This letter is written to believers
so they can live what they believe! Peter speaks of these trials of faith
“being much more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire.” As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be
skimmed off. Steel is tempered or strengthened by heating it in fire.
Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions strengthen our faith
and make us useful to God (3).
ILLUS: During the Great Depression, a good man lost his job,
exhausted his savings and forfeited his home. His grief was
multiplied by the sudden death of his precious wife. The only
thing he had left was his faith-and it was weakening. One day
he was combing the neighborhood looking for work. He
stopped to watch some men who were doing the stonework on
a church building. One of these men was skillfully chiseling a
triangular piece of rock. Not seeing a spot where it would fit, he
asked, "Where are you going to put that?" The man pointed
toward the top of the building and said, "See that little opening
up near the spire? That is where it goes. I am shaping it down
here so it will fit in up there." Tears filled his eyes as he
walked away, for it seemed that God had through the workman
to explain his ordeal through which he was passing, "I'm
shaping you down here so you'll fit up there."
Some of you are going through terrible troublesome times. You
may be experiencing some heartbreaking sorrow. Or perhaps
you are enduring some painful physical illness. Or it may be
something else-maybe even too excruciating to talk to anyone
about. The blows of the hammer and chisel hurt. But hold on
to your faith. These difficulties will not get you down. They are
only temporary. Glory is coming. It is the harsh blows to the
outward man that often bring the greatest strength to the
inner man. Keep praying. Keep believing. The Master has to do
some shaping of us down here so we will fit in up there.
B. REFLECTION (V7b). Peter writes, “That the trial of your faith…might be
found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
Have you ever wondered what “genuineness” of faith looks like? It looks
like how we live when we hurt…like patience in the paralysis of pain;
diligence in honoring God even when disoriented; calmness even in the
midst of chaos and confusion. We are “kept by the power of God
through faith” and when we display our faith we display God’s greatness,
faithfulness, power and sufficiency through our lives! And we know that
God will not fail us even when life explodes and we are face to face with
suffering. When gold is purified, it doesn’t destroy it. It refines it and
brings out even more of its worth, beauty and durability! And Even
though gold perishes, our faith endures forever and promises even a
greater reward ahead! There is coming a day when all that we have ever
faced for the cause of Christ will be rewarded. It will be worth it all!
In that day truth will be eternally displayed, wrongs will be judged,
and “praise and glory and honour” will be bestowed on those who have
demonstrated the “genuineness” of their faith.
Knowing this lies ahead, how much “glory and honour” are we displaying
in our lives? Are we being reflections Jesus or are we just complaining?
When we are weak in our faith, we begin to compare ourselves with
others, evaluate life by the world’s standards, and place our faith in the
wrong things. But as we understand the “Short View” and the “Long
View” of suffering, we realize that God is refining our faith so that it is
even more valuable, more durable and more beautiful than it has ever