Suffering Now, Glory Later - 1v3-12

1 Peter, verse 3 to 12, it's page 1217 in the Red Bible.

1217 in the Red Bible.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead

and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.

1317 in the Red Bible.

Though you have not seen him, you love him.

And even though you do not see him now, you believe in him

and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who spoke of the grace that was to come to you

searched intently and with the greatest care,

trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ

in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ

and the glories that would follow.

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you

when they spoke of the things that have now been told you

by those who have preached the gospel

to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.

even angels long to look into these things.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Avril.

There's pens and notes there if you'd like to take notes.

And also just to remind people that if you haven't yet looked at our church website,

carigolinebaptist.org, I encourage you to do that.

And there's some helpful articles.

And there you'll find the talks from the morning recorded.

And you can catch up and follow along or listen back even if you wish.

Well, let's ask God for his help as we look at his words together.

Let's pray.

Father, would you help us this morning to fix our eyes,

not in what is unseen.

For what is unseen is temporary.

Father, help us to look at the future and what is to come.

For we know that that is eternal.

Lord, help us to trust you.

And we ask for the help of your Holy Spirit

as we read and look at your word together,

that you would encourage us on in our life with you.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Sleepless nights.

Anxiety.

Weeks of hard study

is nothing compared to the delight

when a student passes his exams and graduates.

Backache.

Backache.

Discomfort.

The cries of pain in the labour ward

is nothing compared to the joy

when a mum holds her newborn baby in her arms.

Battling through injury.

Training in isolation.

Endless workouts.

Is nothing compared to the glory

of standing on the podium

with a gold medal.

Each one is a journey

of agony to ecstasy.

It starts with suffering

but it ends in glory.

Now that is the pattern

also for the Christian life.

Suffering now

and glory later.

Have a look at chapter 1 verse 10.

Concerning this salvation,

the prophets,

that is the writers of the Old Testament,

who spoke of the grace

that was to come to you,

searched intently

and with the greatest care,

trying to find out

the time and circumstances

to which the Spirit of Christ

in them was pointing

when he,

that is the Spirit,

predicted the sufferings of Christ

and the glories

that would follow.

You see,

the message of the Old Testament

points to

the coming of Christ.

He is promised

and they're looking forward

to when Christ will come.

And through their message,

they predicted,

look at the end of verse 11,

they predicted

the sufferings of Christ

and the glories

that would follow.

And as Christ came,

he did suffer.

He suffered

as he was betrayed

and insulted

and beaten

and executed

on a cross.

But Jesus' glory

came

as he rose

from the grave,

defeated death

and ascended into heaven

to rule

over all things.

And the message

through this text here

is that

just as Jesus suffered,

so we will suffer.

Because Jesus

received glory,

we will receive glory.

You see,

Jesus sets the pattern

for the Christian life.

his journey

becomes

our journey.

Remember,

Peter is writing,

if you look back

at verse 1,

Peter,

an apostle of Jesus Christ,

to God's elect,

that is,

God's chosen people,

strangers

in the world,

scattered.

If we are followers

of Jesus Christ,

we are like

refugees,

we are living

in exile,

we are shut out,

pushed out,

misunderstood,

opposed,

persecuted.

Living life

in this world

as a Christian

will be hard.

And to make sure

we reach

our goal,

we need to keep

three things

in mind.

The first

is this.

Focus

on our

future glory.

Focus

on our

future glory.

As we

journey

through life,

we need

to keep

our eyes

fixed

on what

is to come.

Have a look

at verse 3.

Praise

be to the

God and

Father of

our Lord

Jesus Christ.

In

his great

mercy,

he has

given us

new birth.

Now,

just as

the physical

seed

from the

Father

is the

means for

starting

a new

life,

the birth

of a

child,

so God

by the

gospel,

the gospel,

the good

news about

Jesus,

is like a

seed in

our life

that brings

a new

beginning,

a fresh

start to

life with

Christ.

Have a look

at chapter

1,

verse 23.

Chapter

1,

verse 23.

For you

have been

born again.

This is how

the new

birth starts.

The new

life from

Christ begins

in this

way.

You've been

born again,

not of

perishable

seed,

so it

isn't

something

physical,

but of

imperishable

seed,

through the

living and

enduring

word of

God.

So as the

good news

of Jesus

comes into

our life,

the Holy

Spirit takes

that and

it's like a

seed dropping

into our

life that

explodes into

life.

And the

life that

God gives

to us is

a life that

will last

forever.

Go back

to verse

3.

Let's pick

it up in

verse 3.

In his

great mercy,

he has

given us

new birth

into a

living hope

through the

resurrection

of Jesus

Christ from

the dead.

Just as

Christ died

and rose

again from

the dead,

defeating

death and

destroying

the grave,

so all

those who

trust in

Christ will

also one

day rise

from the

grave and

will be

with him

forever.

This new

birth,

this living

hope that

we have

received is

the beginning

of something

that is

never ever

going to

end.

so what

will this

glorious

inheritance

be like?

Well,

look at

verse 4.

We have

this new

birth into

a living

hope,

verse 4,

and into

an inheritance

that can

never perish,

spoil,

or fade.

Now you

think about

the world

and life

today.

Everything

perishes.

Everything

is spoiled

by sin.

Everything

fades

and breaks.

Now can

you imagine

some place

that will

never perish,

spoil,

or fade?

a world

untouched

by the

pain and

heartache

of death,

a world

unspoiled

by selfish,

evil actions

of people,

a world

that unfades

through the

course of

time and

seasons.

This is

our glorious

inheritance.

This is

what we are

to fix

our eyes

on as we

journey

through life.

Death

will be

no more.

There will

be no more

funerals,

there will

be no more

goodbyes,

and life

will rule

forever.

Evil

will be

banished,

there will

be no more

terror,

and no more

war,

and sin

will never

return.

Suffering

will be

removed,

no pain,

no hurts,

and all

sickness

will be

healed.

will be

healed.

But this

is more

than just

a glorious

inheritance,

some kind

of wishful

thinking.

This is

guaranteed

inheritance.

Look at

verse 4.

From this

new birth

into a

living hope,

an inheritance

that can

never perish,

spoil,

or fade,

kept in

heaven for

you.

This

inheritance,

marked by

purity,

and beauty,

and wonder,

and delight,

is being

kept for

us.

It's not

ours now,

it's not

ours to

experience

today,

it is yet

to come,

but it is

guaranteed

and assured.

just as a

child receives

his allotted

inheritance

when he

turns a

certain age,

so a

day will

come when

Christ returns

and we

will experience

our living

hope in

all its

fullness.

It is

being kept

for you,

like treasure

in a safe.

It is

yours.

But there

is something

even more

remarkable

than that.

Not only

is our

inheritance

kept for

us,

we are

kept for

our

inheritance.

Let's

read verse

four and

five again.

We enter

into an

inheritance

that can

never perish,

spoil,

or fade.

Here's the

double assurance

and guarantee.

First,

it's kept

in heaven

for you,

and second,

who through

faith are

shielded by

God's

power,

until the

coming of

salvation

that is

ready to

be revealed

in the

last time.

I don't

know if

you're like

me,

but sometimes

I wonder,

am I

ever going

to make

it?

Will I

receive that

promised

inheritance?

Because

sometimes I

just find the

Christian life

too hard,

it's too

difficult.

The

pressures,

the

struggles,

it's too

much,

and I

want to

give up.

Sometimes

I look at

my own

life,

and I

see the

sin,

and the

mess of

my own

heart,

and the

times that

I fail,

and I

wonder,

can God

possibly

take me?

Amazingly,

incredibly,

look at

verse 5,

we are

shielded

by God's

power

until the

coming of

the salvation

that is

ready to

be revealed.

Shielded

by God's

power.

The picture

is of this

guard in

all his

armour,

standing

over a

city,

keeping all

danger at

bay,

and protecting

the people

inside.

And this

is what

God is

doing for

his

people.

By faith

in the

power of

God,

we are

being

kept.

Our

faith

is being

protected

for our

eternal

inheritance.

In fact,

it's even

stronger than

that.

It's not

just we

are kept.

The implication

of verse

5 is,

is that

our very

faith in

Christ is

shielded by

God's

power.

So that

means no

matter how

difficult the

Christian life

is,

no matter

what struggles

I face,

even when I

fail and

fall,

even when I

give in to

temptation and

give in to

sin,

God by

his power

will sustain

the faith that

he has given

me so that

I will keep

faith in

God.

He will

keep me

and he

will keep

you.

The God

who chose

you,

the God

who loved

you from

before the

creation of

the world

is going

to keep

you.

He will

not let

you go.

He will

bring you

from this

world to

your glorious

inheritance.

So first,

focus on

our future

glory.

Second,

prepare for

our present

sufferings.

We have

a glorious

future,

but the

journey from

here to

there is

going to be

a tough

one and

a hard

one.

And I

want us to

hear this

this morning.

It's

going to

be

hard.

There

will be

suffering

through

trials.

Look at

verse 6.

In this,

speaking of

the inheritance

to come,

in this you

greatly rejoice,

though now,

today,

for a little

while,

you may have

had to

suffer grief

in all

kinds

of trials.

trials.

If you

are a

Christian,

if you're

a follower

of Jesus,

we will

face all

kinds of

trials.

And I

think there

are two

particular

trials we

will face.

First,

there are

the trials

from this

world,

the world

that is

opposed to

us.

Have a look

at chapter

3,

verse 13.

So,

speaking to

Christians

living in

the world,

chapter 3,

verse 13.

Who is

going to

harm you

if you're

eager to

do good?

But even

if you

should suffer

for what

is right,

you are

blessed.

Verse 16.

Keeping a

clear conscience

so that

those who

speak maliciously

against your

good behaviour

in Christ

may be

ashamed of

their slander.

It is

better,

if it is

God's

will,

to suffer

for doing

good than

for doing

evil.

Or

chapter 4,

verse 12.

Dear

friends,

do not

be surprised

at the

painful

trial you

are suffering

as though

something

strange

were happening

to you.

Verse 19.

So then

those who

suffer

according to

God's will

should commit

themselves to

their faithful

creator and

continue to

do good.

Do we get

the picture?

This is

normal

Christian

experience.

As we

live as

God's

people in

this world,

we will face

opposition,

people will

speak against

you,

there will

be all

kinds of

things,

malicious

talk against

you,

there will

be injustices

against you,

people across

the world will

even lose

their faith,

or lose their

life because

they follow

Christ.

Listen to

this quote

from Open

Doors,

an organization

seeking to

help Christians

who are

suffering.

This is what

they say,

the persecution

of Christians

has increased

across every

region in

which Open

Doors works

by 50%

since 2013.

From

imprisonment

to torture

to beheadings,

100 million

Christians

worldwide live

in fear of

their lives

more than

at any other

time in the

modern era.

There will be

suffering.

Now we

might live

in a part

of the

world where

we don't

fear our

lives being

taken,

but what

of the

future?

What kind

of world

are our

children going

to be living

in?

If God

should call

you to

serve him

overseas in

another

country,

you may

lose your

life because

you follow

Christ.

But as we

live our

lives here

today,

we will

face

discrimination

and isolation.

You will

feel left

out.

You will

be misunderstood.

There are

trials in

this world

and it

will be

tough.

The second

trials we

face,

have a look

at chapter

five,

are the

trials not

just from

the world

but from

the devil.

he stands

against us.

Look at

chapter five

verse eight.

Be self-controlled

and alert.

Your enemy,

the devil,

prowls around

like a roaring

lion looking

for someone

to devour.

Resist him,

standing firm

in the faith

because you

know that your

brothers and

sisters throughout

the world are

undergoing the

same kind of

sufferings.

he's not a

pussycat.

He is a

roaring lion

who stands

in fierce

opposition to

believers,

ready to

attack,

mocking,

accusing,

tempting,

laughing when

you fail,

telling you to

give up and

that it's not

worth it.

so let me

warn you,

if you are

a believer

today,

if you are

engaging in

Christian witness,

if you teach

in Sunday

school,

if you're

helping out

in the rock

or in polo,

you will

suffer.

If you

seek to

stand for

Christ in

your workplace

or in your

family or

amongst your

friends,

you will

suffer.

But while

we suffer,

let's

remember

that God

is using

it for

our good.

We suffer

through trials,

but we are

also saved

through trials.

Look at

chapter 1,

verse 7.

Chapter 1,

verse 7.

These have

come,

these trials

have come,

so that

your faith

of greater

worth than

gold,

which perishes

even though

refined by

fire,

may be

proved

genuine

and may

result in

praise,

glory,

and honour

when Jesus

Christ is

revealed.

The trials

that we

face from

the world

and from

the devil

are not

just accidents,

are not

just coincidences

that happen

in our life,

they are

used and

controlled by

God to

prove to

us and

to others

that our

faith is

real and

genuine.

We're given

an example

to help us

think this

through.

The example

of gold

is gold

in a

furnace.

It must

first be

put in

the furnace.

The raging

temperatures of

the furnace

burn off

everything that

is worthless

and impure

and what's

left is

pure,

genuine

gold.

Now here's

the point

of verse

7.

At the

end of

time when

Christ comes

again,

even pure

gold,

look at what

it says in

verse 7,

will perish

even though

refined by

fire.

It's not

going to

last.

last.

But not

our faith

in Christ.

Our faith

in Christ

will last.

Because our

faith,

look what it

says,

is of

greater value

and is

more precious

than gold.

So when

our faith,

when our

life goes

through the

fiery trials

of life,

when we

come under

the testing

of the

world and

the attacks

of Satan,

when we

face hostility

from people

at work,

when you

struggle under

the weight

of temptation,

our faith

in Christ,

end of

verse 7,

may be

proved

genuine

and will

result in

praise,

glory and

honour when

Jesus Christ

comes again.

I remember

as a child

getting stuck,

wedged between

a wall,

a concrete

wall and

a trailer

and I

sensed the

danger

and I was

in absolute

panic and

in that panic

all I could

do was just

cry out,

roar out for

help and I

shouted out

Dad!

the trial

caused me

to shout

out to

my father.

The trial

proved to

me who

I trusted

and who

could help.

You see,

the trials

that we

face in

life sometimes

crush us,

but they

are used

by God

and allowed

by God

to cause

us,

his children,

to call

out to

him,

to run

to him

in faith.

It proves

that our

faith in

Christ is

genuine.

The trials

will not

kill our

faith.

They will

prove that

we are

followers of

him.

So second,

prepare for

our present

sufferings.

glory.

And third,

journey with

joy in

our hearts.

The journey

to glory

is going to

involve

suffering.

But because

we know

what is going

to happen,

because we

know glory

is to

come,

we can

rejoice

today.

We can

rejoice

today.

Look at

verse 6.

in this

you

greatly

rejoice.

We don't

rejoice in

the suffering

itself.

We're not

jumping up

and down

at the

trials that

come our

way.

Suffering

is hard

and difficult

and it

brings pain

and struggles

into our

lives.

but what

we are

to do

is to

rejoice

in the

security

of our

salvation.

In this

you greatly

rejoice.

In the

salvation

that God

has prepared

for you.

Our

inheritance

is kept

for us

and we

are kept

for our

inheritance.

That means

whatever we

face today,

nothing will

be able to

rob us of

what is to

come.

No trial,

no suffering

will take

from us

what God

has given

to us.

In fact,

as we've

just seen,

God uses

it all to

bring us

to glory.

So in

the midst

of your

suffering

and in

the midst

of your

trial,

rejoice.

Rejoice

today.

Joy

is to

be our

present

experience.

Look at

verse 6

again.

In this

you greatly

rejoice,

though now

for a

little

while

you've

had to

suffer

grief

in all

kinds

of

trials.

For a

little

while.

The

world

in which

we live

in,

the

struggles

that we

face

today

are

temporary.

It'll

be like

a blip

on the

line of

eternity.

One

day these

trials

are all

going to

end.

one

day our

journey

from here

to glory

will be

over and

we will

reach our

glorious

destination.

So rejoice

in what

is to

come.

Have your

hearts filled

with joy

today.

But our

joy is not

just in what

is to

come.

Our

joy is

to be

rooted

in

Christ.

Our

joy is

to be

rooted

in

Christ.

Look at

verse 8.

Though you

have not

seen him,

though you

have not

seen

Christ,

you love

him.

And even

though you do

not see him

now,

you believe

in him and

are filled

with an

inexpressible

and glorious

joy, for

you are

receiving the

goal of your

faith, the

salvation of

your souls.

Jesus.

You see, we

may never

have seen

Christ like

Peter did.

Peter was an

eyewitness.

He saw

Jesus.

He touched

Jesus.

He ate

with him.

He drank

with him.

He talked

with him.

We have

the eyewitness

account, the

testimony of

Jesus.

We have the

work of the

Holy Spirit

in our life

to convince

us that this

is true.

And so we

love Jesus

and we

trust in

him today.

And we

love him and

we trust him

because it

is Christ

who has

given us new

birth into a

living hope.

It is Christ

who has died

on the cross

for us,

suffering the

judgment of

God for us.

It is Christ

who rose from

the grave,

securing our

life with

him.

It is Christ

who is guarding

our inheritance.

It is Christ

who is keeping

and sustaining

our faith so

that we will

reach glory.

It is Christ

who is using

every trial

and suffering

for our

good.

It is Christ

who is our

salvation.

It is Christ

who is the

foundation of

our joy.

And so we

are filled

with an

inexpressible

and glorious

joy for we

are receiving

the goal of

our salvation.

Trials will

come in our

life.

Christ is

but Christ

is our

foundation.

Christ is

sufficient

as we

journey from

here to

there.

You may

lose your

friends because

you are a

Christian

but you will

not lose

Christ.

He is

enough.

You may be

misunderstood and

isolated at work

but Christ

does not

misunderstand your

pain and

Christ is

enough.

You may

suffer injustice

and abuse at

the hands of

evil people

but Christ

took the

greatest suffering

for you on

the cross

so Christ

is enough.

You may live

with ongoing

pain or develop

cancer but

Christ will be

with you.

He is

enough.

You may

have to bury

your spouse

or a loved

one but

Christ defeated

the grave

and Christ

is enough.

You may be

persecuted.

You may be

killed because

of your faith

but Christ

is enough.

Where is our

hope today?

What do you

turn to when

struggles and

difficulties come?

Where do you

run when

life is tough?

Where you

feel crushed

and shattered

because of the

journey we are

on?

Look at

verse 8.

Though we

have not seen

him, we

love him.

Though we

do not see

him now,

we believe

in him

and we

are filled

with an

inexpressible

and glorious

joy.

For we

are receiving

the goal

of our

faith,

the salvation

of our

souls.

Christ

is the

foundation of

your joy.

Love him,

believe him

and rejoice

in him.

Let's pray.

our

father God,

you have

brought us

face to

face

with the

realities

of life

itself

today.

The

hardships,

the

struggles,

the

sufferings

that will

come

and that

we are

going through

today.

And yet

you have

overcome

and you

have provided

a way

that we

would not

only share

in your

sufferings,

but we

will also

share

in your

glory.

Father,

would you

please help

us to keep

our eyes

fixed firmly

on what is

to come?

Would you

fill us with

the power of

your Holy

Spirit that

we may

stand strong

in trials,

in the

knowledge that

you will

keep our

faith and

you will

use those

trials to

bring us

to glory?

And will

you keep

us loving

Christ,

trusting

Christ,

fill our

hearts today

with that

inexpressible

and glorious

joy that

even in the

midst of tears

and heartache.

We can

rejoice in

Christ for

what is to

come and

what we

have.

We praise

you and we

thank you.

In Jesus'

name,

Amen.

We're going

to sing

the invitation,

come people

of the risen

king.

We do

not serve

a dead

saviour,

we serve

a risen

saviour.

Just look

at this,

the second

verse.

Come those

whose joy

is morning

sun,

and those

weeping

through the

night.

Come those

who tell

of battles

won,

and those

who are

struggling

in the

fight,

for his

perfect

love will

never

change,

his

mercies

never

cease,

but they

follow us

through all

our days

with the

certain

hope of

peace.

Rejoice,

rejoice,

let every

tongue

rejoice.

Let's stand

together and

give our

praise to

our great

God.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.