Bridge Church Vancouver

Hope for the Hard Times

A Living Hope

1 Peter 4:12-19

Sept 23, 2007

I want to start our time together with a story, one of the oldest recorded story in the Bible and it describes one of the most common and oldest aspects of our human experience - Making it through the hard times and finding hope 

Job 1:6-12

Job 2:1-7

Satan was challenging God - you think so highly of your kid Job, but he is untested, give him to me and I will have him curse you to your face in no time.

We are going to look at our passage in  1Peter, but first I want to set the stage with a parallel teaching from our brother of Jesus - a few pages back

James 1:2         Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

There are a few observations from this passage that help us set the stage for talking about and understanding how we find hope and strength in the midst of trials. 

1. it is common for Christians to encounter trials - "whenever you face trials"
1. if you are in one right now, you know it; if you just went through one, the impact of it is still fresh  -  another one is just around the corner
2. Trials come in various categories - "trials of many kinds"
1. Physical, emotional, relational, financial
2. Home, work, with friends, in church, with neighbours
3. Natural, accidental, brutal
4. Private, public
5. As a result of someone else' sin - unintentional
3. Trials intended to test our faith - "you know that the testing of your faith"
1. Find out what you are made of, what you are relying on  -  Who you are - spiritually
2. Draw us back to basics - prayer, God's Word, council of godly
4. Without Trials you cannot grow in maturity

"...so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

1. Trials change us - a single person has a different outlook as a result of the trials associated with getting married, an adults perspective chages as a result of having children, a person looks at money differently after you go through a bankruptcy - We hope they are more mature regarding different things as a result of a hard time.

Peter knew what it was to be tested -

Luke 22:31    "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat.

Peter is writing to Christians, who are living in pagan cities who are going through significant testing.

1Pet. 4:12        Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.  15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.  16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.  17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  18 And,

            "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

                        what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

1Pet. 4:19        So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

To find Hope in the hard times:

1. Don't be Surprised

We usually have the opposite reaction "I cant believe what just happened, I just got a phone call and my child...", "I was shocked when I opened the mail and found....", "I couldn't believe it when the mechanic called and told me the transmission was gone, and we were in the middle of no where, a long ways from home."

Don't be surprised when difficulties come

We often live like everything should go along smooth

I smile on the inside when I listen to a single young person in their 20's tell me their plans for life, it usually involves success at an early age, lots of travel or whatever they are into and retire by 40 with lots of money to have all the time they want to raise their family.  I smile on the inside because I know they left out the trials that are going to come that will blow their plans out of the water.

Tests are designed to help us learn how well we are doing in life, they are opportunites to gauge our own growth in maturity.  You get to grade your own paper.

Through trials we learn things we didn't know we needed to learn

God is interested in shaping you to have the same kind of character as Jesus - what may surprise you is you do not have that today, you were not born with the character of Jesus and it will take some significant changes to bring His character into your flesh, and primarly those come through opportunities to grow and change and measure your growth.

1. Keep on rejoicing

"13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

A New Perspective

Rejoicing is not the worlds approach to trials - we are so conditioned to respond to the way the world around us would respond.  That is where we so often gain our perspective, and we draw our perspective from. 

Fear is transmitted from one fearful person to another.

You watch how your mother responds to bad news about a family member, and you are likely to respond in like manner.

You watch how your father responds to a financial crisis and your likely to respond similarly.  You watch a friend respond to bad news and learn an appropriate way to socially respond.  That doesn't make it a godly response.

When we go through a hard time - it is an opportunity to enter into a closer partnership with Jesus.

It is important to distinguish the difference to our initial response and our ongoing response.  Our personality types will determine our initial response.  Some cry, some scream, some gasp, it is not that initial response I am talking about - but the ongoing perspective,

Do you draw on the emotion of fear, or helplessness, or hopelessness or discover the strength and hope that comes through a closer relationship with Jesus

James 1:2         Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

It is here that new themes to your life come alive.

Focus on the future

Rejoicing realizes there is a reward in growing through the test

James 1:12    Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

A few things to remember:

1. A trial is my opportunity to draw on maximum power

14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you

      You have unprecedented access to God to help you - but you must look to him, not yourself, your natural responses, the world around you - look to God - His spirit to guide you through prayer, his word, his council, his strength - the "power of his resurrection"

1. Some suffering is deserved  .  15 "If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler"

Sometimes I deserve the treatment I got - there are consequences of sin,   even meddling - ‘busybody' messing around in places / ways you don't need to be.  Many interpersonal conflicts arise because people are messing in someone elses business and shouldn't be there.

1. Most suffering should not cause us to feel ashamed - 16" However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed,"

Don't apologize when you need help.  We take shame on and it is really hurt pride, I shouldn't be in this situation, I shouldn't deal with this problem, instead - recognize it is from God - he is bringing growth in you and if / when you need help , that is part of the lesson - don't apologize for that.

1. Trials are timely and needed  -  .  17 "For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"

Purging is needed, pruning is important - it brings new growth

Can you imagine going through a great trail without a saviour?, when you have no foundation, where there are no borders, no absolutes, no reason - hopelessness - 

A Christian leans on Christ - what does a non-Christian have to lean on

1. No comparison between what we suffer now and what the unrighteous will suffer later

Imagine a future without Christ

, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?  18 And,

            "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

                        what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

Deposit their souls to a good and faithful creator. 

When you make a deposit to a bank there could be a limit

But we have a God who millions and millions of Christians have deposited their souls and He holds us each securely, safely.  No one can declare he is bankrupt of compassion or can't see you through a trial.

Psa. 31:5          Into your hands I commit my spirit;

                        redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.

Jesus said:

Luke 23:46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Things that help me:

1. when trials come remember that God is faithful - He has neither forgotten you nor abandoned you

Hudson Taylor: "it doesn't matter how great the pressure is, what matters is where the pressure lies.  Whether it comes between me and God or whether it presses me towards God"

1. When trials stay - no end in sight - remind yourself to do what is right.  Continue to do what is good and right

When you are tested the temptation is to handle it in your own strength, to do what seems right  / best to you - streetwise, fight your way through.

The enemy will be right there to whisper all kinds of carnal ideas.  He will give you evidence that other got away with it, but do what is right - hide in him.

Job realized He had a relationship with a good and faithful God and was committed to doing what was right.

Job 2:9             His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

Job 2:10           He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

      In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.

When it was through - God blessed Job.  Everything he lost he received back double.  He endured through the trial and grew in maturity and in relationship with God - he had a good and full life.