1Peter 4:12-13
Rejoicing in Pain
1Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers
of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory
shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding joy.
The word TRIALS is a strange word. For most Christians, a negative
image forms in the mind. We think PROBLEM or PAIN or HURT or
SUFFERING. However, in the Bible, whenever the word TRIAL is used, a
positive is most often portrayed.
For example, after Jesus described being persecuted for the cause of
Christ, He commanded:
Mt 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for
great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted
they the prophets which were before you.
Paul in describing the suffering inflicted upon the churches of
Macedonia went on to say:
2 Corinthians 8:2 How that in a great trial
of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of
their liberality.
And of course in this text and throughout this letter, Peter told the
brethren to rejoice in their sufferings. In fact, Peter called the
trials of our faith, precious:
1Peter 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:
How is this possible? Trials are bad things aren’t they? It does mean
the same thing in the Bible that it means to us, doesn’t it?
Yes. It does mean the same thing; but in order for Christians to
find the joy in trials, we must realize that God never sends the
trials alone. He always sends other things with them. Let me show
you some of what God sends.
I. God sends His presence in the trials.
A. God has promised His presence in several
1. God promised to hear the cry of His people in trouble.
a. God has a history of hearing His people.
1. In your darkest days, God is watching, and God is
listening.
2. Few days were darker for Israel than their Egyptian
bondage.
3. Even in the days of Roman, Greek, Assyrian, and
Babylonians conquests, captivities, and
occupations, the Jews were not forced to kill
their own children.
4. But take note:
Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen
the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,
and have heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
b. Notice in that verse, God specifically refers to
hearing and seeing His people.
Psalms 22:24 For he hath not despised nor
abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
neither hath he hid his face from him; but when
he cried unto him, he heard.
c. I don’t mean to imply God is not watching and
listening to His people in the good times because we
know He is; but He promises special attention to His
people in the difficult times.
2. God promised power to His Word when His people are in
trouble.
Psalms 119:50 This is my comfort in my
affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
Psalms 119:143 Trouble and anguish have taken
hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.
a. Again, God’s Word is always powerful; but we have all
read a Bible verse in times of trouble, perhaps a
verse we know quite well, and found it speak to us
like it has never spoken before.
b. That is God’s extra anointing on the Word during times
of trials.
3. God promised a real presence to His people in trouble.
Psalms 34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth
round about them that fear him, and delivereth
them.
Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering
spirits, sent forth to minister for them who
shall be heirs of salvation?
Isaiah 63:9 In all their affliction he was
afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved
them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed
them; and he bare them, and carried them all
the days of old.
B. But I cannot help but to notice that there are times when
trial are around God’s people, but His presence does not
seem to be there.
1. I believe all America is in a trial right now.
a. Have we forgotten what was going on BEFORE COVID?
b. Sometimes I believe our news media focuses on one
problem to divert our attention from something far
more serious.
c. For the last 18 months, COVID has been the news
maker, but let’s remember what was going on before
COVID.
d. America was already in trouble:
(1) Abortions, baby murdering, has been going on for
a long time in this country.
(2) Perversions of all kinds.
(a) Men marrying men; women marrying woman; laws
being changed to make that possible.
(b) Surgeries being performed on kids in a
perverted attempt to change their gender.
(c) Kidnapping, violence, sex slavery, and more!
(3) Then came along a seemingly undefeatable virus, a
run-away inflation rate, an incompetent
President, a liberal court system, a corrupt
Congress, and our country seems to be jumping
into to socialism.
2. Yet it does not appear that most Christians have not
drawn any closer to God than they were 2 or three years
ago.
a. In fact, it seems like we have cooled off and backed
away from God.
b. That is not just true for Christians in general.
(1) Here for the last few months, our sanctuary has
only been about half full. One might think it
is COVID but attendance is way down in the
parking lot and on Facebook too.
(2) This is a time when we should be seeking God’s
presence.
(3) These are the trials but it does not seem to be
drawing our people nearer to God; in fact, the
opposite seems to be true.
c. COVID is much worse around here than it was a year
ago. A year ago, I could honestly say that I did
not know of anyone who had even gotten severely sick
from COVID; but this year, I have known of several
very sick and some who have died; yet, neither our
people, our church, our community, or our
neighborhoods seem to be experiencing the presence
of God. My daughter and her family are suffering
from COVID. I learned just a few minutes ago that
my son-in-law is on oxygen. This is definitely a
time of trials.
d. I talked to a pastor last week who said his church
has almost split in the last months due to COVID. He
did not mean to start a problem. All he said was
that he did not understand why people were staying
away from church when he sees them out shopping on
a regular basis. He made the point that if it is
safe enough to shop, it is safe enough to go to
church; and the people got upset with him. Rumors
started flying. It appears some have left the
church. That is definitely not getting close to
God.
e. Then it comes to me: All Christians have trials but
not all Christians have the presence of God.
3. All of this confuses me for I see the trials but I do not
see the presence of God and so I am left to think that
not only are trials required to have the presence of God,
but we must want the presence of God as well.
a. Here’s a fact: Needy people will find God when they
can’t live without Him.
b. Most American Christians are just not needy enough
to need God.
c. We have too much.
(1) Too much in possessions.
(2) Too much in resources.
(3) Too much in pride.
(4) Too much trust in credit scores, in government,
in "the way things have always been," and in
unproven science.
d. Must the shelves are empty, the churches be closed,
the dollar be worthless, and the police be coming
before we will realize that we cannot live without
Him?
e. Apparently we are still so well insulated by our
bounty and blinded by our enemies, that we do not see
our need for God.
II. God grows stronger character with the trials.
A. For most, character is not grown on the spiritual mountain
peaks but in the spiritual valleys.
James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye
fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith
worketh patience.
Rom 5:3 …but we glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed;
B. We need more character for our service in this life.
1. Character is not what we think we are. (vanity)
2. Character is not what others thing we are. (reputation)
3. Character is what God knows we are.
4. There is grace that comes with trials with build
character.
C. I love the GPBC but our church lacks character. This is
nothing new. I have seen it before, but it is much more
noticable since there are less people joining in to do the
work.
1. The characteristic that I see that we seem to need the
most is easy to define.
a. I have come up with six terms to describe:
commitment, drive, determination, steadfastness,
consistency, dedication.
b. The characteristic that we need is to take old of a
what needs to be done and stick with it.
c. Most of the people in our church have the character,
"If I don’t have anything else to do, I’ll do it."
d. That kind of character may be okay for having a good
time, but you cannot build a church with.
e. Our character must be one that says I will put my
ministry ahead of my luxery and comfort.
2. I am not the only one who has seen this. In fact, it is
prophesied. If Revelation is a book of end times and if
chapters 2-3 are describing the various church ages until
the end of the church age, then the Church of the
Laodiceans would be this church age. Now we are a good
church, but that does not mean we are not slipping.
Listen to the character of the church of the last age:
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the
Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen,
the faithful and true witness, the beginning of
the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold
nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and
neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my
mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased
with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest
not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the
fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white
raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that
the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and
anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest
see.
D. But I think we are also being shaped for eternity in this
life.
1. I do not know the secrets of eternity, but I believe much
of our future is being determined by our present.
(a) I believe our future responsibilities are being
determined now. That is how we serve today will
determine what we do for Him in eternity.
(b) I wonder if it is also possible that much of who we
will start out as in heaven is being determined right
now.
2. Most have the concept that we will be transformed into a
perfect person when we get to heaven.
(a) That is possible, and I will agree, it seems logical
and even necessary.
(b) However from what I see God do on earth, it may also
be that even in heaven character, God will have us
learn and earn our character instead of it just
being claimed and delivered.
(c) I have noticed that this is the way God does it on
earth.
(d) If that happens to be so, many Christians—myself
included—may find themselves limited for our first
few centuries in heaven while we learn some
important lessons we should have learned down here.
3. I certainly do not know but I think we should take
advantage of every opportunity to get all of the
character God wants us to have while on earth; and one
way to get character is to let God built it during the
trials.
III. God gives a greater ministry with our trials.
A. Again, God knows our character.
B. But people know us by our reputation.
1. That makes our reputation important.
2. Some people say they don’t care what people think about
them.
a. I do.
b. I may not be able to do anything about what they think
of me, but I do care.
C. Did you know there is a report being written about us.
Acts 22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man
according to the law, HAVING A GOOD REPORT
OF ALL THE JEWS which dwelt there,
Acts 16:2 (Timothy) Which was well reported of
by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.
Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among
you SEVEN MEN OF HONEST REPORT, full of the Holy
Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this
business.
1. The report being discussed here is what we call our
reputation.
2. And did you notice that in all three of those Bible
passages, some were looking at other’s reputation report
as they decided how much they would participate in their
ministry?
a. Our reputation determines how many doors God will open
and close for you.
b. A large part of our reputation is how we respond to
to our trials.
2Cor 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and
the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that
we may be able to comfort them which are in any
trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves
are comforted of God.
Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well
doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we
faint not.
IV. God gives eternal rewards with our trials.
A. This was Peter’s point in our text.
1Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his
glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding joy.
B. But it is also is a theme throughout the Bible, Old and New
Testaments.
Isaiah 51:11 Therefore the redeemed of the LORD
shall return, and come with singing unto Zion;
and everlasting joy shall be upon their head:
they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow
and mourning shall flee away.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction,
which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
C. Some are earning some great rewards in this life because of
the way they carry their trials.
1. Lois White’s name was mentioned just a little while ago.
a. I think of her often too.
b. I think of how she must have hurt, how lonely she
must have been, how frustrating it must have been to
have the problems that she had; but I also remember
you would never know it by how she carried herself.
c. She had a ministry of encouraging.
d. All she had to do was show up.
2. Others in this church do that too.
3. Some wonder what mega-church preacher/pastor will get the
largest crown when we get to heaven. It may not be a
preacher/pastor. It may be a Lazarus that has had to
sit his whole life outside of the rich man’s gate, but
did so to please God.
Can we have joy and rejoicing in trials? Yes, we can; but only if we
will accept the other things that God sends with the trials. I pray
we all will.
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