IRREPRESSIBLE HOPE
II. “Hope Infused Suffering”
4-13-08
Ken Peterson
1 Pet. 1:3-13
INTRODUCTION
Do you remember Snoopy from the Peanuts comic strip, on top of his dog house with a typewriter, writing a novel? He always starts the words, “It was a dark and stormy night.” In one of those comic strips, Lucy comes by, reads those words and berates Snoopy as only Lucy can do, telling him in no uncertain terms that all great stories begin with “Once upon a time...” After more put-downs, she leaves. The last frame shows Snoopy starting over, “Once upon a time, it was a dark and stormy night.”
We all want our stories to be happy, “once upon a time” stories ending with “happily ever after.” But Snoopy is onto something. We can’t avoid the dark and stormy nights– especially the dark and stormy nights of the trials in life that test and stretch our souls.
This Wednesday it will be one year since the Virginia Tech massacre in which a student killed 33 students, including himself, and wounded 15 others. In the wake of that tragedy, the usual questions were being asked that are voiced after almost any great tragedy: “Where was God?” and “Why does He allow such suffering?” Suffering, whether at the hand of evil or natural disasters, often precipitates a crisis of faith. When bad things happen, some angrily reject God but others embrace God.
The problem of suffering is always a huge one for us and there will always be mystery here. It is important to not resort to simplistic answers. The problem is deep and complex. However, God does give believers a lot of guidance and encouragement regarding the suffering we face.
God is using Peter in this letter, to help all those who suffer. As I mentioned last week, Peter is a pastor, writing to Christians scattered through Asia Minor (present day Turkey). They are in the midst of dark and stormy nights– persecuted and suffering. Our text this morning is the first of five places in this short letter he gives detailed insight into suffering– plus there are numerous other passing references to suffering. These are faithful believers, facing injustice, insults, outright persecution, with some even losing their lives. What he offers to these early Christians will help any of us in any manner of suffering we face. God’s Word through Peter cultivate hope that changes the character of suffering totally.
READ: 1 Pet. 1:3-13–
Pastor Peter offers us three crucial things:
1. Keep the big picture in mind.
2. Suffering has meaning and purpose for us.
3. Therefore, meet it with faith, rejoicing.
THE BIG PICTURE
The Scripture we’re focusing on this morning begins with vs. 6,
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
The words, “In this,” draw us back to what Peter has just said, the key verse of the entire letter:
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)
As Peter addresses these suffering believers, it is with a reminder of the incredible gift of God they’ve been given. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we have an inheritance in heaven and His ongoing presence and power to shield and protect us– though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials (6). “The now” and but “a little while” in the whole scheme of things helps us keep things in perspective. It can be like the pain of the therapy after surgery– a necessary “little while” for years of health. We need to realize this “little while,” no matter how long it is in this life is like one minute out of a life-time compared to eternity.
In his old age, the great French Painter Renoir suffered from severe arthritis. His friend, Henri Matisse, watched with sympathy as Renoir could only grasp the paint brush with his fingertips, and each movement caused stabbing pain. One day, Matisse asked Renoir why he continued painting when it was such torture. Renoir replied, “The pain passes, but the beauty remains.”
That is a great perspective for Christians who suffer. We need to focus upon the beauty God can not only bring to us now in our souls, but what He has promised for all of eternity. That is what Paul is reminding us in 2 Cor 4:17-18–
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
When the good times go south, and the easy living vanishes, it brings our future in heaven into clearer focus. Suffering Christians have always had a longing for heaven when there will be no more suffering, no more sorrow, and no more pain. The Negro spirituals capture this so well. In the difficulties and hopelessness of their present life in slavery, they set their hearts on the future God had for them, an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. The uncertainties of our economy should be a reminder that treasures here do not last. It should be a call to heed Jesus’ command,
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:19-21).
How do we keep the big picture in mind? When we’re hurting, that pain can easily become the focus of everything. It has a way of narrowing our vision to “me and my troubles.” Peter does something very important as he addresses suffering. He emphasizes the need to be Christ-centered. Christ’s sufferings are mentioned a number of times in this letter, so He identifies with and understands our suffering. But, all the evil done to Him and all the suffering ultimately served God’s purposes in raising Him from the dead. That is proof that we can trust God in the midst of our adversity. As we emphasized last Sunday, hope is in a person– the Risen Christ. He cannot and will not fail us.
How do we keep Christ-centered when our adversity or pain is crying out to consume all our thoughts and energies? We need the objectivity of God’s Word– and throughout this letter, we’ll see Peter has a strong emphasis upon the promises of God contained in Scripture. Make a choice in your difficulties to seek God afresh through His Word. And don’t miss the teaching and preaching of God’s Word through others. Be at church on Sundays to get your eyes onto the bigger picture.
PURPOSE IN SUFFERING
These 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 honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (7)
For the believer, the trials, griefs, and suffering are not random, pointless occurrences. God wants to use them on our behalf to refine and strengthen our faith. I honestly believe that the most important questions that anyone needs to ask when they suffer are not, “Why me?” or “Why this?,” but, “How can I grow in this?” “How can this suffering serve to develop greater depth of character and deepen my relationship with God?”
Peter uses the image of refining by fire which purifies and burns out the impurities. When the fires of adversity rage in the life of a believer, it causes us to get more serious in prayer. We know we need God and we lean on Him. Feelings of self-sufficiency go out the window. AND, this is good for our spiritual lives. Our number one spiritual problem is self on the throne of our lives. We want to be in charge and do it our way. The Christian walk depends upon putting Jesus Christ on the throne, living with Him in charge– our Lord and Master. When life becomes unmanageable, it is much easier to turn the control over to God. In that relinquishment, in that letting go, God is able to move into new areas of our lives. Then, we become more aware of His resurrection life and power surging within us, and that life is filled with supernatural "living hope" as the key verse of this letter affirms.
C. S. Lewis, in an arresting phrase, refers to pain as "the megaphone of God." Pain does shout; it does get our attention. It lets us know something is wrong (as with physical pain in our bodies). It forces us to pay attention and do something about it. It can let us know something is messed up in a relationship, and if it hurts enough, it motivates us to rectify it. Later in this letter, Peter says, ...he who has suffered in his body is done with sin (4:1). When you're really hurting, thinking you're going to die with pain, it can be pretty effective in taking away any desire for sin, can't it? Eugene puts that verse like this,
Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you'll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.
William Carey is often called the “Father of Modern Missions.” He dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel in India, where he served from 1793-1834, 41 years, never taking a furlough home to England. He had little formal education, but was gifted in languages and learned dozens of them. His goal was to translate the Scriptures into as many Indian languages and dialects as possible. To this end, Carey supervised the creation of India’s first printing press. He built a large print shop where he had 20 translators working plus the typesetters, pressmen, and binders.
Then in 1812, tragedy struck in the form of a fire, destroying the operation. Carey’s entire library, his completed Sanskrit dictionary, part of his Bengal dictionary, two grammar books and 10 translations of the Bible were lost. Gone also were the type sets for printing 14 different languages. Vast quantities of paper imported from England, priceless dictionaries, deeds, and account books were all gone. Carey was away at the time. When another missionary told him of the tragedy, he wept and said,
“In one short evening the labours of years are consumed. How unsearchable are the ways of God. I had lately brought some things to the utmost perfection of which they seemed capable, and contemplated the missionary establishment with perhaps too much self-congratulation. The Lord has laid me low, that I may look more simply to him.”
Carey recognized the purifying quality of suffering that Peter is emphasizing here. In repentance, he is aware of pride regarding his work. Trouble should always give us pause before the Lord to examine our hearts.
Although he was heartbroken, he did not take much time to mourn. With great resiliency Carey wrote:
“The loss is heavy, but as traveling a road the second time is usually done with greater ease than the first time, so I trust the work will lose nothing of real value. We are not discouraged; indeed the work is already begun again in every language. We are cast down but not in despair.”
Indeed, the ways of God proved more “unsearchable” than Carey could imagine. The fire brought his work to the attention of the people all over Europe and America. Within 50 days, so much money had come in they had to ask people to stop giving. Volunteers also came to India to assist in the work. By 1832, 20 years after the fire, the expanded printing operation had published complete Bibles or portions of the Bible in 44 languages and dialects!
Sometimes, within our lifetimes, we are able to see how God has used suffering for our good, and for the development of our souls. Other times, we may not know how God has used it until we get to the other side and see things from God’s perspective. At that time, I’m confident every believer will stand in grateful awe of the handiwork of God wrought through adversity. But now, we live by faith, trusting His hand. Later in this same letter, Peter says (The Message)
Friends, when life gets really difficult, don't jump to the conclusion that God isn't on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. (I Peter 4:12-13)
REJOICING IN SUFFERING
Twice here, Peter talks about joy. He begins in this section, vs. 6, in this [suffering] you greatly rejoice... and then in vs. 8, they are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy. The joy comes from knowing God is doing marvelous things in and through our suffering. Our sufferings serve a higher purpose– God’s incredible plan for our salvation.
And, as incompatible as joy and rejoicing seem with suffering, Christians know it is true. Paul pairs rejoicing and suffering frequently and so does James. It makes sense when we realize the purpose of the suffering is to bring us into greater trust in Christ. As we do that, we know more of His presence. And, as the Psalmist affirms, in Thy presence is fulness of joy (Ps. 16:11). Often I hear that witness from the lips of those going through terrible difficulties– “I can’t believe the deep, inner sense of joy I have in spite of what I’m going through!”
I see verses 10-12 as commentary on the magnitude of the plan of salvation, beyond what anyone can really see. In illustration, he uses the prophets predicting Christ’s coming and suffering, and that these prophets were not serving themselves but us (12). We are given something even angels do not have and “long to look into” (12). This gets us back to the big picture– it is far greater and more magnificent than we can ever imagine.
It is one thing to trust God when life is good and everything is going our way. But it is a far deeper thing to trust Him when everything seems to be going wrong. We sang that chorus this morning written by Matt and Beth Redman, taken from Nehemiah 9:5 and from Job 1:21, “Blessed Be Your Name.” Notice these lyrics:
“Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
When Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name.
Blessed be Your name when I’m found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name.
“Every blessing You pour out I’ll turn back to praise;
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say:
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your name.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be Your glorious name.
“Blessed be Your name when the sun is shining down on me
When the world is all as it should be
Blessed be Your name.
“Blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name.
You give and take away, You give and take away;
But my heart will choose to say,
Blessed be Your name.”
In the midst of incredible suffering, Job is weary of the arguments and explanations of his friends about what is really going on. Perhaps the highpoint in Job’s expression of trust in the midst of the confusion suffering brings is in chapter 19. He wants something to write on– notice the progression here of what he wants to write on:
23 "Oh, that my words were recorded,
that they were written on a scroll,
24 that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
or engraved in rock forever!
He moves from writing his words on a scroll, to inscribing them on lead (one of the softest of metals), and finally engraving on a rock forever! These words are too important to trust to any temporary medium. They are too wonderful and too precious to be lost. They have come at enormous cost. And the word he wants to engrave?
25 I know that my Redeemer lives,
and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been destroyed,
yet in my flesh I will see God... Job 19:23-26
That is the kind of trust that can only come out of severe testing! Job has wrestled with doubt and wondered about the goodness of God. He’s worked through all the “whys?” without any answer. But deep within his heart, he knows. Through suffering Job has come to be sure there is a Redeemer who will come and stand upon the earth and that Job himself will see God. This is a most amazing statement of faith, considering that Job may well have been the earliest book written in the Bible– well before Genesis. Out of the greatest story of suffering in the Old Testament, comes the greatest revelation of the coming of our Redeemer.
But our rejoicing is not dependent upon feelings. It is an act of faith, trusting in God, that in this present adversity, He is still in control. Paul puts it well in Rom. 5:3-4,
we...rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance character; and character hope.
Even if we don’t see it, we have the promise. Suffering is not without purpose and meaning. It is taking us somewhere that in the end will be glorious beyond imagining. So it is that he writes from prison that famous command, Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! (Phil 4:4). So, when we lose our perspective in suffering, the quickest way to restore it is to follow this command and begin to rejoice in the Lord.