Surprised by Suffering
(1 Peter 4:12-19)
Good morning. I am a substitute teacher today. PJEFC didn’t send one. I hope I won’t disappoint you.
Pastor gave me a topic for today. Surprised by Joy. But instead of joy, I am doing the exact opposite. I am going to talk about suffering instead. Surprised by Suffering. It's based on 1 Peters 4:12-19. Always the rebellious Israel.
But seriously, I think Surprised by Suffering is a more accurate reading.
Outline
I am going to try to keep this short, but, hopefully, interesting and illuminating. Today’s sermon can be broken into three parts. First, a bit of history. Reading Scriptures without historical context is dangerous. Most heresies begin that way. Then, we will look at Peter’s letter as a whole and his core message. What Peter was trying to tell his listeners, particularly his solution to what they were going through. Lastly, I am going to touch a little on some misreadings that lead to strange teaching on spiritual warfare and healing.
Part 1 - Historical Background
Nero & the Fiery Ordeal
Peter likely wrote this letter around 63-64 AD while in Rome. The letter was written by Silas, Paul’s companion. The infamous Nero was the caesar of the Roman Empire. The caesar who likely had Peter and Paul, and many Christians executed after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD. Nero used them as scapegoats for the fire that devastated the city, which many suspected he started. One wonders if Peter’s frequent theme of fire as a test of faith was somehow related to this event.
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:7)
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12)
Why Christians Were Targeted?
As Rev. Barnabas and Pastor Adelaine have rightly taught in previous weeks, Peter was writing to encourage the Christians in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey, because they were undergoing intense suffering from those who opposed them. There were two major reasons why they were suffering.
First, it was because of their new found faith in Jesus. And as followers of Jesus, their lifestyle was at odds with those who didn’t believe. They were viewed with suspicion because religion was public life, but Christians practiced their rituals in secrecy. Christians were ostracized because of rumours that they were cannibals, eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus, and committed incest because they regarded one another as brothers and sisters.
More importantly, Christians refused to participate in the religious rituals of the majority around them. They believed that bad things happened to them because of the Christians angering the gods. They were upset that Christians were not like them. They were like them before, but now they were like foreigners after their conversion.
You can see glimpses of this historical reality in Peter’s letter. (1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11;4:1-6)
The second reason is Nero’s persecution after the great fire. Many Christians were arrested and brutally executed. Christians were "being thrown to the beasts, crucified, and being burned alive". When the emperor of the Roman empire was openly killing Christians, naturally the local communities and governors would be emboldened to do the same. This certainly made Peter’s solution all the harder to follow.
[Another historical fact worth mentioning is the letter was not read as we do now. It was heard. Most were likely illiterate and literature was expensive. Like Paul’s letters, it was read out to a gathering of believers as it circulated across Asia Minor.]
Part 2 - Peter’s Message
Now, we come to Peter’s message. Peter was encouraging the Christians to hold on during a difficult period of persecution. How did Peter do it? How did he encourage them?
First, he gave theological grounds for a very real problem. Even when Peter gave practical advice, it was infused with theological reasoning. I know many think that theology is impractical and mere theory. Academic stuff. Not for the real world. But, Peter didn’t think that way. Neither did Paul. Neither did the gospel writers. The New Testament was not written as a manual of dos and don’ts. It was not an ancient self-help-feel-good book. Essentially, it was doctrinal letters and biographies.
The solution offered by Peter can be summed up in 1 Peter 1:13-14
Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (1 Peter 1:13-14)
Peter used theological reasoning to encourage the suffering Christians at Asia Minor.
He asked them to set their hope on the salvation and inheritance which Jesus Christ would reveal at his coming. (1 Peter 1:13)
He reminded them that their Lord, Jesus, the Saviour, also suffered the same. (1 Peter 2:21) The Lord would have asked the same question, “why do I need to suffer this injustice and evil?” God's answer would be “I will prove and judge them wrong”.
He warned them not to fall back to sinful ways in times of trial (1 Peter 1:14; 1 Peter 2:9-11; 1 Pet 4:2) because they were redeemed at great cost (1 Pet 1:18-19), given birth through the living word (1 Pet 1:23) and chosen for greater glory (2 Pet 2:9-10). Peter knew it was extremely easy for Christians to fall back to their old ways in times of trouble.
Hope in God.
Set your eyes on Jesus.
And don’t turn back.
That’s Peter’s solution.
In addition, he also taught them that:
They were suffering because those who didn't believe could not understand why they were different. Why they don't live like they did. In ways that were displeasing to God. (1 Pet 4:4)
God would indeed judge in the end (1 Pet 4:5, 17-18) and give justice to those who suffered righteously. God’s justice would be impartial to both Christians and non-Christians. That is why he warned them never to fall away. (1 Pet 1:17)
It was blessed to suffer as a Christian, and for doing what was right. It was right to suffer if they did what was wrong. (1 Pet 4:14-16; 1 Pet 3:14) He taught them to provide a reason why they chose to hope in God, endure suffering under the hands of evil men, not retaliating and all the while doing good. (1 Pet 3:15-16; 1 Pet 2:22-23)
To sum up Peter’s message, it is best to listen to what he said directly.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. (1 Pet 4:12-14)
This echoes the words of our Lord in Matthew 5.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matt. 5:10-12)
And Peter gave extremely difficult advice to three groups of people in the ancient world who often suffer abuse and injustice.
Subjugated People (1 Pet 2:13-17)
Slaves (1 Pet 2:18-21)
Women (1 Pet 3: 1-6)
And when suffering injustice, Peter said the same thing as Jesus and Paul did. Do not repay evil with evil. Love your enemies. Let God be the judge.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. (1 Pet 3.9)
And Peter and Paul lived out literally what they taught as both died in the hands of a wicked Roman emperor. And they did not retaliate nor repay evil with evil. They themselves became living examples to all believers on how to follow Jesus who first suffered and died for all.
Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body has finished with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)
Hope in Christ in suffering and persevere. Don't fall back to sin. God will judge and restore in the end.
So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:19)
Part 3 - Misinterpreted Texts
Finally, I want to end my sermon with two correctives. Two passages are often incorrectly quoted to teach about spiritual warfare and healing.
Paul’s armour of God in Ephesians 6 and Peter’s quote of Isaiah 53.
Paul said, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13)
We often take this out of context and use it for very strange teaching about spiritual warfare. But, the actual context is about “standing your ground when the day of evil comes”.
What does that mean?
Peter explained it in his first letter.
“Be alert and of sober mind. 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 the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Pet 5:8-9)
Do you see the same language used by Peter and Paul?
The message is about standing firm in faith and not falling away during evil days, during times of sufferings. Because the devil’s scheme is always to tempt suffering Christians to give up and fall back into sin. Paul and Peter, referring to Jesus’ own trial against the devil in the desert, admonished the brethren to stand firm, and don’t give in. To continue to do what's right.
Paul and Peter’s “spiritual warfare” passages are about holding on in times of trouble with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, hope of salvation, Scriptures and prayer.
On healing, Peter’s often misunderstood quote of Isaiah 53 is not about physical healing, but turning away from the death of sin to the life of righteousness.
‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Pet 2:22-25)
The phrase “by his wounds you have been healed” is sandwiched like a hamburger patty between two pieces of bread. The “you have been healed” are to be understood as “we might die to sins and live for righteousness” and “sheep that are astray returning to the shepherd”. In other words, Christ’s suffering and death turned us away from sin and back to God. That’s how Isaiah prophesied and how Peter understood it.
Let us pray.
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