Your Plan for Handling Persecution--1 Peter 4:12-19 (1 Peter Series)

            On this day when we celebrate a young man’s baptism, it may seem odd that we are about to take a look at a passage on dealing with persecution. But there is a connection between these things – allow me to explain.

            For many people throughout history and around the world today, their baptism is a moment that invites persecution from their friends and family. When people convert to Christianity out of some other religion, their baptism is often seen as the moment when they are making their break from their former religion official. They have trusted in Christ prior to that, of course, but their friends and family might be willing to tolerate their faith as just some quirky opinions. But when these brothers and sisters are baptized, they often find themselves facing the brunt of hostility from their friends and family.

            The attitude that one expresses in baptism – this desire to be known as a follower of Christ – is an attitude that will bring persecution to each one of us at some point in time. It may be the loss of a friendship, or it may be insults and slander, but as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

            We all must be prepared, then, to face persecution. In 1 Peter 4:12-19, we find a condensed version of Peter’s teaching in this book about how to handle persecution. In this passage, we can break down his plan into four phases.

Phase 1—Expect persecution (v. 12)

            This is not to say that we need to live in constant fear or dread, but we just need to keep ahold of the realization that at some point, someone is not going to like a decision that you make on the basis of your faith, and they’re going to let you know about it—perhaps in subtle ways, like avoiding you, or perhaps in obvious ways, like insulting you or making life hard for you. Notice what Peter writes in v. 12 [READ v. 12].

            The point is that we simply need to remember that persecution will come our way in this world that is in rebellion against God. If we don’t remember that, then we might be caught off guard by it and be ill-prepared to handle it. But by keeping the possibility in mind, we won’t be taken by surprise.

Phase 2—Rejoice during persecution (vv. 13-14)

            This commandment always seems at least a little bit counterintuitive, but Peter gives us three solid reasons as to why we should rejoice when we face persecution.

1. You’re being associated with Christ

            [READ v. 13a] That’s a very interesting way for Peter to word this thought. Obviously, you and I are the ones who are here physically on earth enduring the suffering, but notice how Peter states that the sufferings really belong to Christ. When people persecute you, even though they don’t understand this, their real target is not you but Christ who is in you.

            Jesus takes it personally when we are persecuted for being known by his name. When he appeared to the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus, the first thing that the Lord said was, “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Now, Saul hadn’t been chasing Jesus all over the countryside because Jesus was no longer on the earth – he had already returned to heaven. But as Saul persecuted Christians, Jesus took it so personally that he could say, “Why are you persecuting me?”

            So when you are persecuted, not only are your persecutors associating you with Christ, but Christ himself is as well! He identifies with you; he is on your side and in your corner.

2. You will be rewarded for facing persecution

            Let’s finish verse 13 now [READ v. 13]. Our rejoicing at the revelation of Christ’s glory is not only from the fact that we will see Christ, but also because we will receive the rewards that he has promised to those who are faithful despite persecution.

            As Peter penned these words, I have to think that he had Matthew 5:11-12 in his mind: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

            If God chooses to let you face persecution in this life, He will more than make up for it in the life to come. Because you have been associated with Christ in persecution, you will also be associated with him in his glorious reign, and you will be given a position of honor and authority in his future Millennial Kingdom on Earth.

3. It is confirmation of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life

            Jesus noted in Matthew 5 that if you are persecuted, you are just like the Old Testament prophets – men through whom the Holy Spirit spoke. If you are persecuted today, it is confirmation that the Holy Spirit is upon you as well [READ v. 14].

            And so, as strange as it might sound, we can rejoice in persecution for these reasons. The whole experience reminds us that we are in good company – the company of none other than Jesus Christ himself – and we will be his trusted companions in his future kingdom as well.

Phase 3—Evaluate the cause of your troubles (vv. 15-18)

            Sometimes we might face anger and rejection from other people simply because we’ve brought it on ourselves – not because they’re lashing out at the Spirit of Christ within us. For example, when the members of the Westboro Baptist Church face insults and anger for displaying their hateful signs, I really don’t think they could call that persecution. It seems that they themselves are acting in hatred, so when they face hatred and return, they are simply reaping what they themselves have sown.

            So we should consider whether we have brought this trouble upon ourselves through our own behavior. Look at verses 15 and 16 [READ vv. 15-16]. This is one of the only times in the New Testament where we find this word “Christian.” That title has an interesting origin, because it was actually coined by unbelievers who used it as an insult toward followers of Christ. Eventually, that title became a badge of honor to our brothers and sisters for the reasons we just mentioned – it reminded them that they were being lumped together with Christ! So today, it has become the most common title that we use to identify ourselves as followers of Jesus.

            So if you can look at your trouble with others and say that it truly is coming because of your Christian faith, then you can conclude that it is part of the testing and assessing that God is putting us through. Peter reminds us of this process in the first part of verse 17 [READ v. 17a].

            When you hear the word judgment here, don’t think of the words “condemnation” or “punishment.” Remember, a judgment is only a bad thing if you’re on the wrong side of it! In verse 12, Peter reminded us that these fiery trials come upon us to test us, and all the way back in chapter 1, Peter argued that the tested genuineness of our faith is even more precious than pure gold, and it will bring us praise, glory, and honor when Christ returns.

            So God allows us to face persecution to test us so that he might reward us later on. And so his testing and assessing of us has a positive motivation – to make us fit to win the prize of future rewards. But for those who do not believe, God’s judgment of them will have a much different outcome [READ vv. 17-18].

            Verse 18 is not meant to make us question our salvation or something like that. Rather, it’s an argument that if we are saved in spite of what we actually deserve, what will become of those who actually get what they deserve because they refused to accept salvation through Christ. It is a very sobering thought!

Phase 4—Entrust yourself to God and do good (v. 19)

            I’ve said before that verse 19 could be seen as Peter’s entire message in a nutshell [READ v. 19]. It is sometimes God’s plan for us to face persecution, because when we respond to it well, we end up with something that is even more valuable than pure gold – a refined faith, for which we will be rewarded.

            So when we find ourselves in those moments, we can remember that God has it all under control. He knows what he’s up to, and he is seeking to give us something that is more valuable than we will probably even realize in this lifetime. So we don’t have to take matters into our own hands when we are persecuted. We can entrust ourselves to him and simply focus on continuing to do good – even to those who are doing evil to us!

            We can entrust ourselves to God in this way because he is exactly as this verse describes him. First of all, he is faithful. He will always keep his word, so if he says he will reward us for facing persecution, you can take it to the bank! If he says that tested faith is more valuable than pure gold, you can believe that and safely act that way.

            Second, he is the Creator. Among other things, this fact means that he is in charge. He is in charge of my life and of your life and of the lives of those who may persecute us. Even if they seem to have some power to make life miserable for us, they still are not in control. God is in control, so he is the one whom we must respect and obey more than any man.

            God is so kind to give us all that we need to know in order to handle persecution. He has warned us about it ahead of time so that we are not caught off-guard by it. He has told us what he seeks to accomplish through it, so we know that it is part of his plan. He has told us that he will reward us for enduring it faithfully, so we have that incentive among others to drive us toward obedience in those moments. And he reminds us in so many ways that he is in control over all. So let us entrust all of this to him, and on our part, let us simply continue to focus on doing what is good.

Keeping Christian Community Strong in the Last Days--1 Peter 4:7-11 (1 Peter Series)

            Whenever you come to the end of a major project or season of life, there is always a sense of relief. But leading up to the end, there can also be a lack of focus—and some downright sloppiness!—because you know the end is near. Just remember what it was like as a student to try to learn anything after Spring Break! Or if you’ve ever quit a job and had to give two weeks’ notice, I’m sure those final two weeks were not the most productive two weeks of your career! And at the end of any project, when you’re tired and worn-out, it becomes so easy to cut corners or just slap everything together because you know you’re so close to the end.

            In 1 Peter 4 today, we’re going to be reminded that we are living in the last days of this present phase of human history. That fact is both a great comfort and a great challenge. It is a great comfort because it reminds us that our suffering is not going to last forever! The general sufferings of life and the rejection that we might face because of our faith – it all has an expiration date, and we’re close to it; we’re in the home stretch, and it won’t be long now!

            But this fact is also a challenge because it means that we may have very little time left before Jesus returns and we have to stand before him to explain how we did or did not serve him. In these last days, then, we can’t afford to be like that student who has “senior-itis;” we can’t afford to be like an employee who’s just going through the motions during his last two weeks. We have to be living faithful, obedient lives, and as Peter is going to remind us today, part of such a lifestyle is doing what we can to keep our Christian community strong.

            In 1 Peter 4:7-11, Peter is going to take us back to the basics, in a sense, to remind us how to keep our fellowship and our relationships running smoothly. He’s going to remind us about the necessity of three keys for strong Christian community.

Key #1—Praying

            In verse seven, Peter writes [READ v. 7]. Here, Peter is giving us another reason why we can’t be messing around with the kind of lifestyle that he described back in verse three – a lifestyle defined by sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. Not only are such things sinful in and of themselves, but they also distract us from the important ministry of praying.

            I hardly need to remind you about how vital prayer is in our lives. It is so important that the Apostle Paul commanded us in 1 Thessalonians 5 to “pray without ceasing.” But our prayers are going to be less effective if we’re not in control of our own urges and lusts, and if we’re not thinking clearly about our circumstances and what God has called us to do.

            When Peter says that we should be “sober-minded,” he doesn’t just mean sober rather than drunk. He means that we have to have the proper biblical perspective about our circumstances and God’s expectations for us in those circumstances. This whole letter is designed to give us the proper perspective for facing persecution and opposition for our faith, so this perspective will help us know what kind of things we should ask for in those situations.

            And of course, we have to be praying for each other during trying times and in these last days. The Christian life is a team sport, we might say. It’s a little bit less like wrestling and a little bit more like baseball, where everyone’s individual contributions contribute to the good of the team. So we have to be praying for each other, and a lack of self-control on my part or lack of clear-headed thinking on your part is only going to hinder that.

Key #2—Loving

            Here in verse 8, Peter writes [READ v. 8]. What Peter means here is that loving one another will allow us to overlook so many of the sins that we inadvertently commit against each other. How often do we act selfishly, or in a way that’s just a bit rude or inconsiderate? Well, probably more often than we realize! And so many of these sins we don’t commit intentionally, but due to the frailties of our human nature, we end up doing these things. It seems that Peter is saying that rather than being overly sensitive about all of these sins, our love for each other can allow us to overlook them rather than get bent out of shape about every little perceived slight from someone else.

            Think of it like the suspension on your car. As you travel down the road, the suspension on your car allows you to have a nice smooth ride because it absorbs hundreds of little bumps that you barely even recognize, because your suspension has done its job – it has carried you smoothly over all of those little rough spots.

            Love does a very similar thing in our relationships with each other. As we travel down the road of life together, love allows us to glide smoothly over so many little bumps that are caused by our thoughtless or inconsiderate sins. So we don’t have to call each other to repentance each time we forget to return a phone call promptly, or every time we forget to say hello to each other at church. We can allow so many things to be covered by love rather than become a major point of contention in our relationships.

            And let’s remember that when Peter writes “keep loving one another earnestly,” he’s not primarily saying “try to cultivate warm, fuzzy feelings toward each other.” Peter would be thinking much along the same lines as the Apostle Paul did when he described love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” If we will choose to act in those ways toward each other, we can allow the blanket of love to douse so many of the tiny sparks of sin that threaten to flare up among us.

Key #3—Serving

            In verses 9 through 11, Peter first mentions a general way in which we could all serve one another, and then he reminds us of the unique ways in which we have all been gifted by God to serve each other.

            First, the general method of serving is showing hospitality [READ v. 9]. Remember the general setting of this letter, because it explains why hospitality may have come to Peter’s mind at this point. This letter was sent to some believers who were facing some persecution for their faith. They were possibly in conflict with government officials and masters or employers; there was possible conflict in some of their homes or with extended family. Because of these conflicts, some of these believers may have been having a very hard time making ends meet.

            So what might be part of the solution for meeting those needs? Showing hospitality to one another; sharing some of what you have with your fellow believers; opening your home to those who are rejected by others to tell them, “You’ve got a friend in me, and I accept you.”

            Showing hospitality is a very tangible way to express love for other people, and it can be a powerful testimony in our world that has a lot of lonely people who may be dealing with the fallout from broken relationships. Our tendency today is to think of our homes much more like castles than community centers – they are places we go to isolate ourselves from other people. When people see someone adopting a different attitude toward their home or their possessions, it gets noticed!

            When I was a youth pastor, a family in my church once opened their home to the youth group to have a cookout. We enjoyed some good food together, and then we played some silly Frisbee game out in the street and just laughed and played and had a good time. The mother of this family told me later that her next-door neighbor had asked her what that was all about, and she just explained that it was our church’s youth group getting together. Her neighbor was shocked that you could get a group of modern teens together who would have fun just enjoying each other’s company and playing a silly Frisbee game!

            Now notice that Peter commands us to show hospitality “without grumbling.” It certainly does take some sacrifice to share your space and your time and your possessions, and we might be tempted to complain about that sacrifice. There is also some possibility for bitterness if you show hospitality to others but they never reciprocate. But we shouldn’t let the sacrifice required or any concerns about a return invitation keep us from showing hospitality to others. This is a very tangible way for us to serve one another.

            Peter then goes on to remind us about what we usually call our “spiritual gifts” [READ v. 10]. The whole subject of spiritual gifts brings up some interesting questions. One of those questions is, “What are they?” What are these things we call spiritual gifts? Are they natural abilities that we’re born with? Are they abilities that we didn’t have before we were born again, and then all of a sudden we did have them after we were saved?

            You may be surprised to learn that the Bible doesn’t totally answer that question for us. Some of the gifts mentioned in the Bible certainly come all of a sudden after salvation – like the gift of tongues in New Testament times. But what about the gift of administration that Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 11? I’ve never known of someone suddenly developing amazing administrative skills right after they were saved!

            Another significant question is, “How do I know what my spiritual gift is?” Once again, you may be surprised to learn that the Bible really doesn’t spell that out for us. There’s no chapter in the Bible that contains a spiritual gifts test like you see online sometimes, and no chapter that lays out a procedure for determining what your spiritual gift is.

            Perhaps the best advice I’ve ever heard for determining your spiritual gift is to ask yourself, “How does my passion and talent intersect with human needs?” Or to put that another way, “How could I make the greatest difference with the greatest effectiveness and the greatest joy?” Some careful consideration of those questions can help you pinpoint how God has gifted you to contribute to a Christian community and meet the needs of others around you.

            Whenever the New Testament talks about spiritual gifts, the one fact it is certain to emphasize is that we all have one, and thus we all have something to contribute to the life of a Christian community like the church. None of us should let ourselves think, “I have nothing to contribute to the life of my church.” Maybe you’re not entirely certain about what your contribution should be, and sometimes churches aren’t great about helping people figure that out. But as surely as God’s word is true, you have something to contribute to the life of a church, and therefore you are needed and your contributions are important.

            Peter goes on in verse 11 to talk about spiritual gifts in just two broad categories – speaking and serving. For those who might preach or teach or in some way educate or encourage the body of Christ through words, Peter says this: “whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God.” Wow! Thanks Peter—no pressure there! This challenge reminds us that whenever we would presume to say, “This is a truth from God’s holy word,” we should approach that opportunity carefully and reverently. But also, when we are confident that we do have the truth of God accurately in our minds, we should communicate that with passion and zeal, knowing that we are not just passing along human opinions but the life-giving truth of God!

            Then for those who would serve in various ways, Peter says this: “whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies.” Now this does not mean that we should serve in a way that ignores our God-given need for rest, telling ourselves that it’s okay to stretch ourselves too thin because God will just keep us going. That is a rather foolish and presumptuous attitude. Rather, the idea is that as we serve, we keep in mind where our strength actually comes from – that we are being empowered by God to serve, so that we are actually doing His work, not just our own. We are actually his hands and feet in this world so to speak.

            And the purpose for this is to remember that it is God who deserves the praise and glory for every good thing we do. That’s why Peter closes this section with a beautiful doxology, or statement of worship: “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

            So the keys to keeping Christian community strong in these last days are praying, loving, and serving. If we will keep these keys in hand and make use of them as we should we will to be well prepared to withstand any opposition that may come our way and to have a good answer when we stand before our Lord at his return.