Monthly Archive for December, 1997

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1 Peter 4:14b

Published on December 21, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”
 
 
for the name of Christ
 
“Name” refers to all that Christ represents. Our name represents us. If we write a check or note that name represents our person and character. 
 
Mt 1: 21 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” [Jesus means Savior]
 
Mt 18: 20 “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” [We gather together representing Jesus]
 
Jn 1: 12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” [We believe in what he represents]
 
Jn 3: 18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” 
 
Jn 14: 13 “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” [We pray on the basis of the character of Christ]
 
Jn 15: 16 “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”
 
Jn 16: 23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24“Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” 
 
Jn 20: 31 “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” [We have eternal life because of what Jesus represents]
 
Acts 2: 38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” [We are baptism in what Jesus represents]
 
Acts 4: 10 “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11“This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” [Jesus name is the only basis of salvation]
 
Acts 15: 14 “Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name.” [We are called to represent his name]
 
Acts 21: 13 “Then Paul answered, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” [We die for what Jesus represents]
 
Ph 2: 9 “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [The Father gives Jesus a distinct name]
 
Ro 10: 13 “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
 
I Co 1: 10 “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” [Appeal to unity is on the basis of Jesus’ name]
 
Co 3: 17 “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” [Everything we do we do representing Jesus the Lord]
 
Ep 5: 20 “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
 
Re 19: 13 “He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. … 16And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”
 
PRINCIPLE: Everything we are and everything we do we represent Jesus’ name.
 
APPLICATION: What kind of representative of Jesus are you?
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1 Peter 4:14

Published on December 20, 1997 in 1 Peter. 1 Comment
Read Introduction to 1 Peter
“If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.”
 
 
If you are reproached
 
The “if” carries the idea of “since” in the Greek — “Since you are reproached.” It is a reality that these Asia Minor Christians are in the process of being reproached for the name of Christ. No Christian should be surprised that people laugh at him/her because of their faith. Ridicule is part and parcel of the Christian life. 
 
This is persecution of slander and of the tongue. “Reproached” means defame, disparage. Reproach is verbal abuse by disparagement because of our testimony. Someone puts us down because of our faith. 
 
Mt 5: 11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” 
 
How many of us have been reproached for Christ? 
 
He 11: 24 “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”
 
Moses turned down the prestige and wealth of the greatest leader in the world of that day. In his day the pyramids stood in their majesty.   He had the proper “estimation” or viewpoint. He had the right set of values. What have we given up for the name of Christ? Not much. Moses knew how to add spiritually. 
 
Ga 5: 11 “And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.”
 
The “offense of the cross” goes with “reproached for the name of Christ.” 
 
2 Ti 1: 8 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.” 
 
PRINCIPLE: People who share their faith will undergo verbal attack.
 
APPLICATION: Christianity in our day does not cost much nor does it demand much. We have an anemic Christianity today. It is a flabby Christianity compared to that of the first century. Is it possible that we believe the same things as the apostles did? When we read the book of Acts it appears that they had one different brand of Christianity and we have quite another.
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1 Peter 4:13e

Published on December 19, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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”But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
 
 
with exceeding joy
 
“Exceeding joy” means to celebrate a victory. We experience a state of great joy that often involves verbal expression – to be extremely joyful, to be overjoyed, to rejoice greatly. When we arrive at the point where we have inner joy based on what God does for us then we have something to celebrate. Celebration is a result of victory. 
 
Faith lays hold of future glory. Christians have a wonderful future. We therefore need not fear old age or what the future holds in time. There is no comfort in the future for those without Christ. 
 
“Exceeding” means to go beyond and carries the idea of exulting. In that day we will have an intense joy and a transcending joy. This is joy that goes beyond anything we have ever known. We cannot properly describe this joy. 
 
1 Pe 1: 8 “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”
 
Ps 16: 11         “You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”  
 
The only joy in which non-Christians can participate is temporal joy. Temporal joy never lasts. 
 
A manifestation of the Christian who is controlled by the Holy Spirit is joy,
 
Ga 5: 22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.”  
 
PRINCIPLE: Suffering forms a backdrop for God to demonstrate his grace making us exult in inexpressible joy.
 
APPLICATION: David spent much of his life as a lonely shepherd boy and later as a fleeting nomad. This prepared him for his role as king. God operates the same way in our lives. He prepares us to be conformed into the image of Christ. David said that “It was good that I have been afflicted.”
 
Ps 119: 71 “It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.”
 
Black clouds make us appreciate the sunshine. The grace of God cannot be seen unless he has a means to manifest it through suffering. When trials come our way it is an opportunity for God to display his grace. Persecution blesses us because it forms a dark backdrop for the true radiance of the Christian life. The stark contrast of God’s blessing in trial is like a brilliant diamond that sits on pitch-black velvet. 
 
Affliction is the emery wheel that takes off the rough edges of our lives. Suffering makes us more mature and appreciative of eternal values. 
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1 Peter 4:13d

Published on December 18, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

 

you may also be glad
 
“Glad” means to enjoy a state of joy and well-being – to rejoice. 
 
“I rejoice as I suffer for you,” Col 1.24
 
“Although saddened, we are always rejoicing,” 2 Cor 6.10
 
“Glad” is the same word as “rejoice” of the first phrase of this verse. “Glad” is not a good translation because it may be understood as a superficial overt emotion that comes from outward stimulus. You buy a new car and therefore you are “glad.” At another point you graduate from college and you are glad. Joy transcends gladness. Joy is an inner animation of soul that bases its orientation on truth. 
 
PRINCIPLE: Christian joy is not superficial emotion but jubilant celebration of the person of Christ.
 
APPLICATION: A little boy was sailing his toy boat in the middle of a pond when the wind stopped leaving the boat in the middle of the pond. An older boy came along and started throwing stones near the boat. The younger boy was greatly disturbed but then he began to see that the waves moved the boat toward shore. God causes many waves to splash against our lives but each wave is for our good. When we recognize that God causes the waves of our lives for a purpose, we know our suffering is for an ultimate divine design. 
 
When we realize that the purpose for our suffering is for the name of Christ, there will be true celebration when Christ comes back again.
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1 Peter 4:13c

Published on December 17, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

 

that when His glory is revealed
 
The word “that” connotes a purpose clause. The purpose of our joy goes to the point when Christ comes again. We keep eternal values in view in our suffering. We suffer now but when we see the Lord we will be specially blessed when we see him. The Christian’s future is a basis for hope. 
 
Ro 8: 18 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.”
 
“Is revealed” signifies to unveil, to uncover, to cause something to be fully known. It means to reveal or to disclose who Jesus truly is. “Is revealed” in the Greek is not a verb but a noun. Literally the phrase reads, “in the revealing of His glory.” The revealing of his glory is the unveiling of the truth of who Jesus is in his coming.
 
Note how Peter weaves together both the suffering and the glory of the coming of Christ. First comes the suffering then the glory. The glory has not yet been revealed. When he comes in glory our glory will be revealed as well. When the glory of Jesus is revealed our glory will be revealed. In the meantime we suffer with him. Some suffer for him.
 
1 Jn 3: 2 “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” 
 
PRINCIPLE:  There is glory in knowing that the history of suffering will culminate with the coming of Christ.
 
APPLICATION: We face the reproach of Christ, the offense of the cross and the afflictions of the gospel. We must deal with these three ugly experiences. We deal with them by keeping the coming of Christ in view. God reveals his glory in persecution. 
 
 
He 11: 26 “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”
 
Ga 5: 11 “And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.” 
 
2 Ti 1: 8 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God.” 
 
Jesus’ “glory” is his essence as manifested at his coming. Believers will see that glory at the rapture and non-believers will see it at his Second Coming (Mt 19:28; 25:31). 
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1 Peter 4:13b

Published on December 16, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
 
 
that you partake of Christ’s sufferings
 
 “Partake” means to have a share of, to share with, take part in with the implication of some kind of joint participation. We share in the sufferings of Christ. We share mutual interest in suffering with Christ. There is a close relationship in facing adversity together. In some cases football teams that go through adversity together draw closer together. Christians who go through trial with Jesus draw closer to him.
 
We suffer now with him but we will also share in his glory in the future.
 
Ro 8: 17 “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
 
The New Testament uses the word “partake” in other passages dealing with chastening. 
 
He 12: 8 “But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.” 
 
We partake of divine discipline when we step out of fellowship. “Chastening” means child training. The purpose of child training is remedial, educatory, and not punitive. God is not trying to get even with us. He never loses his temper and beats us out of losing control of his emotions. He educates us so that we will not make the same mistake again. 
 
He 12: 10 “For they [our parents] indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He [God] for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.” 
 
We partake of God’s holiness as a result of suffering.
 
PRINCIPLE: We share more intimate fellowship with the Lord when we enter his suffering. 
 
APPLICATION: We are in partnership with the Lord’s suffering. We partake jointly in Christ’s suffering. We have no choice. This is what it means to be a child of the King. God thinks too much of us to let us get away with bloody murder. God cares too much to let us have our own way. He is a Father who raises his children right. 
 
Some children are left to shift for themselves. They grow up to populate prisons and asylums. However, in the family of God, our Father is faithful to us by discipling us when we go astray. His children do not intimidate him. He is not afraid to deal with us. 
 
We are in partnership with Jesus the Lord. Part of that partnership involves persecution.
 
Ph 3: 10 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”  
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1 Peter 4:13

Published on December 15, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”

 

But rejoice
 
“But” introduces a contrast. In contrast to the time when disaster hit and we fell apart, we now “rejoice.” Instead of thinking it strange that we suffer, we can now rejoice in the suffering. We do not rejoice in trial itself. We do not rejoice in the reversal but in the Lord who never changes. 
 
The joy of these Asia Minor Christians was not in persecution itself but in the fact that they were able to suffer for the Lord. They took a stand for the Lord. 
 
to the extent
 
We rejoice in accordance with the degree that we suffer with Christ. To the degree that we share Christ’s suffering to that degree we rejoice. 
 
PRINCIPLE: The degree of our devotion to the Lord is measured by our willingness to pay the price for Him. 
 
APPLICATION: Persecution is a test of our faith and a test of the reality of our faith. Only those who are willing to suffering will take risks that will put them jeopardy. These are those who truly love the Lord. Their convictions go beyond convenience orientation. 
 
The Lord uses both the rod and the staff on us. The staff comforts us. The rod comforts us as well but the rod disciplines us so we return to fellowship with the Lord.
 
Ps. 23: 4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” 
 
We now keep on rejoicing (present tense) through anything that may come our way. No trial can daunt the dynamics of our lives. To the contrary, we can have joy in trial. This was the testimony of Paul and his colleagues.
 
Acts 5: 40 “And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”
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1 Peter 4:12e

Published on December 14, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”
 
 
as though some strange thing
 
“Strange” is something alien or foreign in nature. Suffering is not foreign to Christian living. Christians should expect trail to come their way. God has purpose for allowing pain. 
 
Although God designs suffering into our lives, He can handle any reversal that we may encounter. There never was nor ever will be a trial or heartache or disaster that is too great for the plan of God. When the Christian links with the providential plan of God, he can orient to suffering.
 
The “thing” could be anything. It could be the time when you were admitted to the emergency room and wondered why. You may find in your hospital room someone who needs the Lord. They watch you as you cope with pain. Now you know the reason. God put you in that hospital to be a testimony to the nurses, to the patient in the next bed. You would have never met that person otherwise. You would have never had the opportunity to share Christ so extensively. 
 
God has a plan, a program, just for you. That is why we know that “all things work together for good” (Ro 8:28).
 
happened to you
 
Nothing just happens to the Christian. Everything that comes his way comes from the providential hand of God. 
 
PRINCIPLE: The Christian should anticipate adversity as part of the plan of God for his life. 
 
APPLICATION: What happened to you last month? What is happening to you this week? Put down the things that happen to you as God factoring in “good” into your life. To understand this you must come to the quiet place near to the heart of God. There you can say to the Lord, “Yes, Lord I know your providential care for me. You have a plan for me.” 
 
We learn from the test so that we do not have to take the test again. We write over the test, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ep 5:20).   We settle the test once for all. We need not go through it again. We can give our lives in reckless abandon to the One who loves us unconditionally. 
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1 Peter 4:12d

Published on December 13, 1997 in 1 Peter. 0 Comments
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“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”
 
 
which is to
 
 “To” means face to face. If we meet trial face to face, we will benefit from the courage of honest examination of what God is doing with our lives. When we face trails with a relaxed attitude we can stand down anything that comes our way.
 
try you
 
All trials for the Christian seek to prove our character. God designs adversity for our benefit. God learns our character by submitting us to extensive testing. 
 
PRINCIPLE: God designs trouble for us so that we will prove that the Christian life is real. 
 
APPLICATION: We dare not seek to detour God’s plan for our lives because then we would deflect God’s purpose for us.
 
1 Th 3: 3 “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.” 
 
“Appointed” means that God ordained our suffering. God makes an appointment for us to suffer.  
 
1 Pe 2: 21 “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” 
 
God “calls” us to suffer. This is our calling. “I didn’t count on that when I became a Christian. I thought I was going to be free from trouble.” No, but we do have the hand of God on us while we go through these things. God provides and protects and allows nothing to happen to us that he does not personally screen. We would not want it any other way.
 
God knows the straw that will break the camels back. He will never heap upon you more than you can carry (1 Co. 10:13). You will find that He is under the load as well helping you to carry it. He will carry both your burden and you as well.
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1 Peter 4:12c

Published on December 12, 1997 in 1 Peter. 1 Comment
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“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”
 
 
concerning the fiery trial
 
A “fiery trial” is a trial by ordeal. Christians face test by fire. These trials are not light ones. Flames of persecution will scorch them. 
 
The word “fiery” may refer to the smelting process. Smiths put gold or silver ore into a smelting pot to separate the chaff from the gold making the gold pure. As the ore heats the chaff comes to the top leaving pure gold at the bottom. God puts Christians into the fire to separate them from their sin. 
 
The Roman government made a hostile policy change toward Christians at the time of the writing of 1 Peter. Christians were unjustly blamed for bad things happening to the Roman Empire. Hundreds were killed for apparent treachery. 
 
PRINCIPLE: God puts us into the fire to separate us from sin and to build our character.
 
APPLICATION: Not all trial is a “fiery” ordeal. Some of our troubles are not serious but simply pesky little things like mosquito bites. At other times a bumble bee will bite us. That is more serious. There are times when God calls us to go through "fiery" trial. 
 
We should not take the attitude that “I don’t know what I every did to deserve this.” You may not have done anything to deserve deep suffering. This is part of God’s plan for you. Trial is inevitable in that plan. No one gets through life without hurt and pain. Just because we became Christians does not make us immune from suffering and exempt from trial. You will weep. You will hurt. 
 
We get the idea that when we become Christians God puts a glass cage around us so that no problem will come our way and nothing can hurt us. For sure, God does hedge us about. Absolutely nothing can touch us unless He initials it first. No trial can come to us without the Lord giving it His OK first. Everything he permits is for our good and His glory. 
 
We may not fully appreciate this while we go through the trial. We cry, “This is hot! It hurts!” Sure it does but we will come out the other side stronger and better Christians. After gold is refined it is more valuable. After the dross is removed gold is more beautiful. God is in the process of removing the dross from our lives. He is in the process of making us more beautiful. Do not think this is strange. This is par for the course. This is God’s plan. 
 
No Christian goes to heaven on “flowery beds of easy.” Yet we have the promise that God “will never, ever, ever, ever, ever [5 particles in the Greek] leave us” (He 13:5).
 
 Is 43: 2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
 Nor shall the flame scorch you.”
 
We can count on the Lord to go with us when we go through fiery trials. It is just like the Lord to be with us in trial.
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