Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday January 17, 2010

Download | Duration: 00:47:06

Rejoicing in Suffering

1 Peter 4:13-16 p2

I’ve got bad news/good news.  Bad news: I’ll be talking 2u about burning/suffering/testing/judgment.  Good news: No, I'm not going to tell you how the Bible says you can remove these pesky experiences from your life; I’m going to talk 2u about how to embrace/appreciate these things – make them your friends.  

An old dog that fell into a farmer's well. The farmer decided that neither the dog nor the well were worth saving. Instead he planned to bury the old dog in the well/put him out of his misery.  When the farmer began shoveling, the old dog was hysterical. Then it dawned on him that every time a load of dirt landed on his back he should shake it off/step up. So he did . “Shake it off/step up, shake it off/step up” he repeated to encourage himself.  The old dog fought panic and just kept shaking it off and stepping up! It wasn't long before the dog stepped over the wall of that well. What was meant to bury him blessed him.  The bad news was really good news.  If you approach it right, the bad news in your life will work out as good news.  

The fiery ordeal is sharing in the sufferings of Christ for the purpose of testing which results in a judgment. Burning/suffering/testing/judgment – here’s a cluster of words we want to avoid. We’d rather hear of blessing/prosperity/victory/healing.  And then to further throw a monkey wrench n2 the works, Peter tells us to rejoice through it all.  Because as you rejoice ur shaking it off and stepping up.

Rejoice as you suffer according to the will of God.  WHY?

#1  It’s a command  Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:22-23

An emotion can’t be commanded, but an attitude can.  Ja. 1:2ff.  Not: have happy feelings; but: count it all joy.  James isn’t calling for an emotional event, but an attitude adjustment.  If you depend on your emotions to determine your attitude you’ll be positive one day and negative the next.  If you allow God’s Word to determine your attitude – good attitude daily.  Then it will be your attitude and not your circumstances that will influence your emotional life.  

Attitude = orientation – the way I face.  Vacation hotel – room w/ a view.  Parking lot or ocean?  Attitude of rejoicing is room w/ a view.  HEB.  11:27.  Moses chose a room w/ a view.  You can't control your emotions, but you can control the orientation of your soul.  You can develop a healthy attitude – one of looking to Jesus. HEB. 12:2

#2  It’s the doorway to the work of the Spirit   Romans 5:3-5; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; 4:17-18  As the orientation of your soul is toward the Lord in your troubles, the Holy Spirit works something n2u.  But the conditions have 2b right.

Diamond comes from the Greek word meaning ‘unbreakable’.  Diamonds need the right temperature/pressure/material to form.  If the temperature (inside the mantle) rises or the pressure drops then the diamond crystals may partially melt or totally dissolve. Every 100 tons of mud produces one carat of a diamond.  You’ve got enough mud/plenty of pressure in your life to make diamonds– but do you have the needed temperature – the attitude of worship/joy – a heart on fire for God?

“The very thing you say is necessary to experience a work of the Spirit in my life is the very thing my soul can't do.  I can't rejoice when I am so filled w/ sorrow/grief. It wouldn't seem like an act of faith, but an act of phoniness.” I agree.  We see this happening in Ps. 42/43/73... They are bringing their sorrow and complaint to God, not their praise/worship. Someone can be rejoicing/not have faith and someone can be grieving/have faith.  In Psalms, those who came to God in sorrow came to a place of praise/worship.  Isaiah 61:3

As the psalmist came to God in his grief, he was looking at the parking lot. As he poured out his heart b4 God, he got a room with a view.  

If you don’t rejoice as you share His sufferings, you won’t rejoice w/ exultation at the revelation of His glory.  You’ll rejoice, but w/ guilt/regret that you didn’t follow Him more closely.  Haven’t you gone through a trial/the Lord has brought you through/you have to repent for being so blind to His presence in that time?  Footprints.

#3  It’s refreshing  v14

As you suffer according to the will of God w/ a rejoicing spirit, the Spirit of glory rests on you.  Rests (in context) = refreshment.    

He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.”  Mark 6:31

A spirit of worship/rejoicing in the midst of your troubles brings you close to Jesus.  Refreshment makes it possible 4u2 face life afresh. Psalm 63:1-5

      On Christmas Day a poverty-stricken woman was eating a dinner that consisted of a piece
      of bread and a small fish. The minister who visited her spoke sympathetically of the
      poverty of her meal.  The woman replied, "Poor meal!?  Dear heart, don't you see that the
      Lord has laid His hand on land and sea to feed me this blessed Christmas Day?" 

She’s got a great orientation! She lives in a room w/ a view!

#4  It’s doable  Acts 5:41; 16:25

A sacrifice of praise will always cost you something. It will be a difficult thing to do. It requires trading in our pride, our anger, and most valued of all, our human logic. We will be compelled to voice our words of praise firmly and precisely, even as our logic screams that God has no idea what he's doing. Most of the verses written about praise in God's Word were penned by men and women who faced crushing heartaches, injustice, treachery, slander, and scores of other intolerable situations. Joni Eareckson Tada

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. HEBREWS 12:1-2

Jesus didn’t look around Him at His circumstances, He looked b4 Him to the reward.  What was that reward?  You.  He did it all 4u.