Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 PeterTrialTrial

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• Shadow of Nero's Shadow of Nero's PersecutionPersecution

• Point: "Live out the faith Point: "Live out the faith in the midst of suffering"in the midst of suffering"

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• Elect ExilesElect Exiles

−Considering myself already Considering myself already homehome

−Considering heaven home and Considering heaven home and neglecting/disdaining the neglecting/disdaining the things and people of this things and people of this worldworld

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• Born AgainBorn Again

• InheritanceInheritance

• SalvationSalvation

SalvationSalvation

Deliverance from the Deliverance from the condemnation of God condemnation of God

Deliverance from the disease Deliverance from the disease and power of sinand power of sin

Deliverance from dangerDeliverance from danger

Deliverance from diseaseDeliverance from disease

Belief/ExperienceBelief/Experience

What I believe determines What I believe determines how I live and in what how I live and in what way I experience lifeway I experience life

Belief/ExperienceBelief/Experience

Why should I be mad at Why should I be mad at God for not delivering God for not delivering something he never something he never promised?promised?

TrialTrial

1 Peter 11 Peter 1

(ESV)(ESV)

In thisIn this you rejoice, though you rejoice, though now for a little while, if now for a little while, if necessary, you have been necessary, you have been grieved by various trials…grieved by various trials…

……so that the tested so that the tested genuineness of your faithgenuineness of your faith—more precious than gold —more precious than gold that perishes though it is that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be tested by fire—may be found to result in praise found to result in praise and glory and honor at and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus the revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ.

Though you have not seen Though you have not seen him, you love him. him, you love him. Though you do not now Though you do not now see him, you believe in see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and that is inexpressible and filled with glory, filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation your faith, the salvation of your souls.of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to about the grace that was to be yours searched and be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he indicating when he predicted the sufferings of predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent Christ and the subsequent glories. glories.

It was revealed to them It was revealed to them that they were serving not that they were serving not themselves but you, in the themselves but you, in the things that have now been things that have now been announced to you through announced to you through those who preached the those who preached the good news to you by the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which heaven, things into which angels long to look- vs. 6-angels long to look- vs. 6-1212

In this you rejoice…In this you rejoice…

Rejoice= Rejoice= agalliao- to be agalliao- to be exceedingly glad, to jump exceedingly glad, to jump for joy. Why?for joy. Why?

Rejoice= Rejoice= agalliao- to be agalliao- to be exceedingly glad, to jump exceedingly glad, to jump for joy. Why?for joy. Why?

−Born AgainBorn Again

−Inheritance- Inheritance- imperishable, imperishable, undefiled, unfadingundefiled, unfading

−Salvation- end to danger Salvation- end to danger and disease (all trials and and disease (all trials and hardships)hardships)

In thisIn this you rejoice… you rejoice…

I have been saved, am being I have been saved, am being saved, will be savedsaved, will be saved

I have an inheritance that is I have an inheritance that is "sinner-proof""sinner-proof"

God's presence lives in meGod's presence lives in me

In thisIn this you rejoice… you rejoice…

What do I rejoice in?What do I rejoice in?

In this you rejoice…In this you rejoice…

What do I rejoice in?What do I rejoice in?

−Tells me what has pTells me what has powerower over over meme

−Tells me how sTells me how stabletable my joy is my joy is

−Hints at what I wHints at what I worshiporship

In this you rejoice…In this you rejoice…

DC Universe vs. Mortal DC Universe vs. Mortal KombatKombat

In this you rejoice…In this you rejoice…

God will God will nevernever give me give me something to take me something to take me away from him, his people away from him, his people or his Lordship in my lifeor his Lordship in my life

−Didn't come from himDidn't come from him

OROR−I'm misusing itI'm misusing it

5 Days till Christmas5 Days till Christmas

In this you rejoice, though In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, now for a little while, if if necessarynecessary, you have been , you have been grieved by various trials…grieved by various trials…

Trials= Trials= peirasmos- peirasmos- Temptation, test, trial, Temptation, test, trial, prove prove

Same word as used of the Same word as used of the devil (“tempter”)devil (“tempter”)

• Enemy tempts to bring Enemy tempts to bring ffailure ailure

• Enemy tempts to bring fEnemy tempts to bring failure ailure

• God tests to bring about God tests to bring about growth and mgrowth and maturityaturity

• The determining factor is the The determining factor is the purpose and result. purpose and result. II play a play a huge part in determining the huge part in determining the resultresult

How?How?

Peter's audience:Peter's audience:

• DiasporaDiaspora

• FaithfulFaithful

• Exceedingly joyful Exceedingly joyful anywayanyway- - eyes on inheritance and eyes on inheritance and the salvation to come: the salvation to come: exilesexiles

……if necessary, you have if necessary, you have been grieved by various been grieved by various trials…trials…

−Trials grieve (cause Trials grieve (cause heaviness/ sorrow)heaviness/ sorrow)

……if necessary, you have if necessary, you have been grieved by various been grieved by various trials…trials…

−Trials grieve (cause Trials grieve (cause heaviness/ sorrow)heaviness/ sorrow)

−But if I know Jesus, the trial But if I know Jesus, the trial has a purpose. Nhas a purpose. Nothingothing is is wasted with Godwasted with God

……if necessary, you have been if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials…grieved by various trials…

−Trials grieve (cause heaviness/ Trials grieve (cause heaviness/ sorrow)sorrow)

−But if I know Jesus, the trial has But if I know Jesus, the trial has a purpose. Na purpose. Nothingothing is wasted is wasted with Godwith God

−It's proof that God is at work in It's proof that God is at work in my lifemy life

……so that the so that the tested tested genuinenessgenuineness of your of your faith—faith—more precious than gold more precious than gold that that perishes though it is tested perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. of Jesus Christ.

What's worth more than gold? What's worth more than gold? Why?Why?

……so that the so that the tested tested genuinenessgenuineness of your of your faith—faith—more precious than gold more precious than gold that that perishes though it is tested by perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. the revelation of Jesus Christ.

What's worth more than gold? What's worth more than gold? Why?Why?

Faith is the key that unlocks the Faith is the key that unlocks the door to God's work in my lifedoor to God's work in my life

Hardship met with Hardship met with faithfulness produces faithfulness produces holiness, maturity, holiness, maturity, growth in intimacy with growth in intimacy with GodGod

Hardship met with faithfulness Hardship met with faithfulness produces holiness, maturity, produces holiness, maturity, growth in intimacy with Godgrowth in intimacy with God

Ends inEnds in::

Praise and glory and honor of Praise and glory and honor of Jesus when we see the Jesus when we see the rrealityeality of what we've of what we've bbelievedelieved

"Yay! I get to have an "Yay! I get to have an operation!"operation!"

Could it beCould it be::

That some people go That some people go through the same thing through the same thing over and over again over and over again because they keep trying because they keep trying to get out of the hardship? to get out of the hardship?

Or refuse to learn what God Or refuse to learn what God is trying to teach them?is trying to teach them?

Keys to Growth in TrialsKeys to Growth in Trials::

• Elect exileElect exile- Living in light of - Living in light of eternityeternity

−Kills "pKills "pityity p partiesarties""

−Kills focus on selfKills focus on self

−Kills anger and unforgivenessKills anger and unforgiveness

• Understanding what God has Understanding what God has and has not promisedand has not promised

KeysKeys::

• Ask for Ask for wisdomwisdom, live in , live in God's God's strengthstrength

KeysKeys::

• Ask for Ask for wisdomwisdom, live in , live in God's God's strengthstrength

−Various (trials)= Various (trials)= poikilos- poikilos- "many-colored." Used by Peter "many-colored." Used by Peter only 1 other time- 1 Peter 4:10- only 1 other time- 1 Peter 4:10- to describe God's graceto describe God's grace

−There is no "color" of trial I can There is no "color" of trial I can face that God's grace cannot face that God's grace cannot more than matchmore than match

KeysKeys::

• See pSee purposeurpose and trust that and trust that God is at workGod is at work

• Refuse to compromise the Refuse to compromise the faith to get a good rfaith to get a good resultesult

• Endure hardship like a good Endure hardship like a good soldiersoldier - 2 Tim. 2:3- 2 Tim. 2:3

Athlete's FootAthlete's Foot

Athlete's FootAthlete's Foot

The purpose is not to take The purpose is not to take strength out of me, but to strength out of me, but to put strength into meput strength into me

BToLBToL: Everyone goes : Everyone goes through hard times. The through hard times. The only question is, will it be only question is, will it be useless? Or will it have useless? Or will it have value?value?

How do I know?How do I know?

Can I have joy during the Can I have joy during the grief/heaviness?grief/heaviness?

"4 Stages of Man's "4 Stages of Man's Apprehension of Christ" (E.G. Apprehension of Christ" (E.G. Selwyn) Selwyn)

−Hope and desireHope and desire−Knew Christ in the fleshKnew Christ in the flesh−See Jesus with eyes of See Jesus with eyes of

faithfaith−Face-to-face, knowing him Face-to-face, knowing him

as we are knownas we are known

Though you have not seen Though you have not seen him, you love him. him, you love him. Though you do not now Though you do not now see him, you believe see him, you believe in in him and him and rejoice with joy rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and that is inexpressible and filled with glory, filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation your faith, the salvation of your souls.of your souls.

We can have joy in the We can have joy in the midst of pain because we midst of pain because we are living in the 2are living in the 2ndnd best best time ever: time ever:

−The time of seeing Christ The time of seeing Christ with eyes of faithwith eyes of faith

−And being transformed into And being transformed into his image through his Spirit his image through his Spirit at work in usat work in us

We can have joy in the midst We can have joy in the midst of pain because we are living of pain because we are living in the 2in the 2ndnd best time ever: best time ever:

−And the best is yet to come!And the best is yet to come!

……you believe in him and you believe in him and rejoice with joy rejoice with joy that is that is inexpressibleinexpressible and and filled with filled with gloryglory……

Being grieved over Being grieved over circumstances is normalcircumstances is normal

Grief that overwhelms and Grief that overwhelms and erases joy is a sign that I erases joy is a sign that I need to rneed to refocusefocus on God on God and his pand his purposesurposes

We're not there yet! We're not there yet! Salvation is still being Salvation is still being accomplishedaccomplished

Danger and disease are Danger and disease are still rampant in this worldstill rampant in this world

Concerning this salvation, the Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to about the grace that was to be yours searched and be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he indicating when he predicted the predicted the sufferings of sufferings of Christ Christ and the and the subsequent subsequent gloriesglories..

It was revealed to them It was revealed to them that they were serving not that they were serving not themselves but you, in the themselves but you, in the things that have now been things that have now been announced to you through announced to you through those who preached the those who preached the good news to you by the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which heaven, things into which angels long to look.angels long to look.

Jesus suffered- we identify Jesus suffered- we identify with and serve a King who with and serve a King who was tortured and killed as was tortured and killed as he hung on a treehe hung on a tree

……for the joyfor the joy that was set that was set before him endured the before him endured the cross - Hebrews cross - Hebrews 12:212:2

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• What do I rejoice in? What do I rejoice in? What does that tell me What does that tell me about what I really about what I really worship?worship?

• Do I need to repent?Do I need to repent?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• Am I learning what God Am I learning what God wants to teach me in the wants to teach me in the trial?trial?

• Am I focused on what God Am I focused on what God is doing? Or what I'm is doing? Or what I'm going through? going through?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

• We're all going to go We're all going to go through hardship? Will through hardship? Will mine have purpose and mine have purpose and meaning?meaning?

• Do I need to know Jesus?Do I need to know Jesus?