Rejoicing in Suffering

Surviving Times of Suffering

1 Peter 1:3-5

 

Peter wrote this first letter to encourage Christians living in a hostile world to look beyond their pain and trials and rejoice in their eternal inheritance.  This entire letter should be seen through this lens.  The first two verses were a summary of the gospel and these next three verses are an intelligent song of praise for the wonder of our salvation.

 

Theme of this book: 1 Peter 1:6, 7 and 4:12

 

“The hidden things, the things that are hidden from us, belong to God, but the things that have been revealed have been revealed so we may do all the words of the law.”                                                                            Deuteronomy 29:29

 

Peter calls on us to begin by .

 

John 14:6, 7

 

“This full redemptive name, ‘Lord Jesus Christ’ (v. 3)

is a ‘concentrated confession.’”

 

“Lord” identifies Him as sovereign Ruler

“Jesus” identifies Him as the incarnate Son

“Christ” as anointed Messiah-King

 

The Bible promises us that we will .

 

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. . .”                                                                                 Isaiah 43:2

 

1. (v. 3)

 

Ephesians 2:4, 5

 

“Mercy is the act of withholding deserved punishment, while grace is the act of endowing unmerited favor. In His mercy, God does not give us punishment we deserve, namely hell; while in His grace, God gives us the gift we do not deserve, namely heaven.”

 

 

“When we realize that the ultimate destination on this long, difficult journey is eternity in heaven, it makes the potholes and breakdowns in life worth bearing.”

-Chuck Swindoll

 

Christian hope is grounded in the reality of Christ and  

 

 

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in the world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” 

-C.S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity”

 

A living hope is an assured conviction of the . 

 

 

2. (v. 4)

 

Each of the words has a particular nuanced meaning:

 

•  “Imperishable” means “not able to be destroyed.”

 

•  “Undefiled” means “not polluted.”

 

Revelation 5:4, 5

 

•  “Unfading” means “not subject to decay.”

 

 

3. (v. 5)

 

 

Salvation is a general word that means to be . 

 

 

  -PAST  – We have been saved from the of sin.

 

Romans 10:9, 10 (NLT)

 

The Bible calls this regeneration. 

 

Ephesians 2:9, 10 (NLT)

 

  -PRESENT – We are being saved from the of sin.

 

Romans 8:29

 

  -FUTURE – We will be saved from the of sin. 

_

Hebrews 9:28

 

2 Timothy 4:18

 

2 Corinthians 5:8

 

Matthew 25:34

 

We have to know the Truth and we have to train ourselves in the Truth

 

Psalm 22:1

 

Daily Meditations

 

Memory verse: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 

1 Peter 1:3

 

Monday

Read 1 Peter 1. What had God given Peter and his readers according to verse 3?

 

 

 

 

How have the trials you’ve been through strengthened and refined your faith?

 

 

 

 

Tuesday

Read 1 Peter 1:1-5. Into what kind of inheritance did Peter say his readers had been born?  See verse 4. 

 

 

 

 

When did God give you new birth?

 

Wednesday

Read 1 Peter 1:1-5.  What are the meanings of the three names used here for Jesus:

 

Lord –

 

 

Jesus –

 

 

Christ –

 

 

Thursday

Read 1 Peter 1:1-5.  According to verse 5, by what are believers shielded? For how long?

 

 

 

What trials are you or have you suffered recently?

 

 

Friday

Read 1 Peter 1:1-5.  Describe the three different tenses of salvation:

 

Past –

 

 

Present –

 

 

Future –

 

Saturday

Read 1 Peter 1:1-5 and Philippians 3:8-10.  Paul shares his perspective on suffering in Philippians 3:8-10.  What do you think Paul means by “the fellowship of His sufferings?”

 

 

 

Has your suffering led you into deeper fellowship with Christ?  How?