The Unwanted Guest

Transcript

This transcript was generated automatically from the audio and may contain small errors.

Thank you, first of all, for the opportunity for me to be able to preach your Word. Thank you for this Church. It's gathered together to worship you, to make assignments, and to push back and tear forward. Jesus, I ask that your presence would be here with us, as we open up scriptures, that we would fix our eyes on you. You would always figure out that you would move among us. And that my frail would be words, but somehow we'd need the message that you would have for us this morning. Because we live to our savior, Jir Oh yes, Jesus in your precious name. Amen. We're going to turn in your Bibles to 1st Peter 4, verses well through 19. So that's the book of 1 Peter and will be in chapter 4 looking at verses 12 19 As returning there have a question for you ever had an unwanted guess Thanksgiving is coming up as you reflect on Thanksgiving's past. I'm sure You had an unwanted. Yes. We all have that one family number, right?

We don't want to show up for Thanksgiving, but inevitably they do. There they are, sitting at your table. Whether it's a crazy uncle, if you don't know what he's going to say, or a cousin that's going to say something rude or offensive, or whoever it may be. If we're honest with ourselves, we know that we have someone that would rather not be at the Thanksgiving table, but there they are. So what do you do when you have a non-wanted kiss? Well, for us, sometimes, you just have to suffer through the visit. You just have to put up a book. You just have to endure. You just have to suffer through it. The book of 1 Peter, the Apostle Peter, has written this letter to a church of Jewish Christians, or a group of churches of Jewish Christians scattered around the age of minders present day Turkey. And he wants them to know how they are to live as enzymes, as people who don't fit into their cultures.

He has believers at that time, they're living in a culture, they're living in a society that doesn't particularly like them, that doesn't want them around, that doesn't understand him, which you don't understand, you often fear. And so these Jewish Christians, these churches, they're facing persecution, they're facing suffering. And we get to the point in the letter where Peter is taking the steam of suffering, taking the steam of persecution, and he's unpacking it for them and letting them know how we're supposed to handle the unwanted guest of suffering. No one wants it. No one wants suffering, not me, at their door. No one wants it around. No one issues suffering and imputation. But Peter wants these Christians, and by extension us, this morning, to know the answer to this question. How do we handle the unwanted guests of suffering? He gives us six ways, and I promise I'll move through those as quickly as I can.

But he gives us six ways on how to handle the unwanted guest of supper. But I want to let you know at the beginning, before we dive down into it, that just like that unwanted family member at Thanksgiving, sometimes you just have to suffer through the visit. Nowhere in those six ways, or the six things that Peter gives us, is there a way to end the visit. Because you have to handle suffering like you handle an unwanted guest, you just have to suffer through it. You just have to endure the visit. So read with me, in chapter 4, verses 12, through 19, Peter writes, For love, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice, insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of Glory within God rests upon you.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that day. For it is time for judgment to begin the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey God's lookout? And if the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and ascend? Therefore, that those who suffer according to God's will, instructs their souls to their faithful Creator while giving in. So the first way, the first command that Peter gives us on how to handle this unwanted gas of suffering is number one, don't be surprised that he's coming over. Look at verse 12, he says, below do not be surprised at the fire of trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. So imagine with me,

okay, you're back home, you're sitting on the couch, for those of you that are in the room, you have that one chair in the house that you'd like to settle in, you're bound to turn on your favorite show, and there's a knock on the door. And definitely when that happens, your mind starts to wonder, who could that be? I'm not expecting company. Who has, who in their wet mind is coming visit me at this time? There's a surprise there. Because normally when a guest comes over, you're expecting them. We handle suffering like we handle an unwanted guest. An unwanted guest, but a guest. We have to expect that he's going to pay a visit. Notice our text says, when it comes upon you, not if it comes upon you. It's going to happen. Not all the time. There will be seasons of not suffering. And we rejoice in those, but inevitably suffering is certain. And you can't suffer through the visit of the unwanted guest if you aren't accepting

him to show him. Peter is probably remembering the words of Jesus in John 1520, if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. These Jewish Christians, like I said, they are living in a society that doesn't like them, that doesn't understand them, that doesn't particularly want them to come around. And in some ways, our society mirrors them. Not to the extent, perhaps, that their society did, but if we are honest with ourselves, if we look around the culture that we find ourselves in, There's parts of our culture, there's people in our society that don't particularly like us, that don't want us around, that don't understand us, and perhaps they don't understand us, they fear us. Sometimes when that happens, persecution comes. Suffering is suffered. But we need to suffer through it. We need to endure the visit of the unwanted guest, because Peter writes in verse 12,

our suffering is to test us. And also the network can also be translated proof. What is a test? When you think back to your days in school, or for some of you who are still in school, the test is given to you so that you can demonstrate that you have understood the material. So supposed to do some studying beforehand. So that when the test comes, you know how to perform well, how to ace it, how to get the good ring. But if a teacher is a good teacher, they've been doing checks with you throughout the class now. And the test really isn't for them to understand how much you know. The test is really to serve the test for you to see how much you know. This is how suffering operates in our lives. It reveals to us, improves to us, whether or not we understand the material, whether or not we have a stuck in the world. Faith that is tested is no faith at all. And so there's nothing in life that ever comes about that causes us to express that faith,

to exercise that faith, to put that faith into action. then are we really sure that we have faith? That there is never a demonstration of it. So if you want to suffer through it, if you want to persevere through suffering, if you want to endure the visit of the unwanted guest, you're going to have to expect that he's going to be paying a visit. And you're just going to have to suffer through that visit. But hopefully, as you're suffering through, as you're enduring, As you're persevering, you're proving to yourself that you understand the material, that your faith is real, that all the time you have been digging into the Word, gathering with the saints, sharing your faith with others. Now you have a demonstration to yourself that that faith is real. Okay. So not only is Seth that he's coming over, Peter also tells us that one of the ways that we handle the unwanted guests of suffering,

is to bring them into the house. Look in verse 13, he writes, but rejoice in so far as you share Christ's suffering, that worth therefore rejoice carries with it the idea of welcoming. So suffering, persecution, it may be an unwanted guest, but it's still a guest. When a guest shows up at your door, You slam the door into space because you don't want him there. Or do you perhaps, but right jingly, go ahead, open the door and let him know he is. We treat suffering like we treat you with unwanted gifts. Even if you don't want him there, you have to bring him into the home. You have to welcome him. welcome Him as part of your experience. It's the only way that we're able to suffer through the unwanted visit. The only way that we can endure through suffering and persecution. But I know it's hard to think about welcoming suffering into your life. That's understandable.

So Peter gives us a little bit of encouragement as he tells us to bring suffering into our home. rejoice in so far as you share in Christ's sufferings. Our Lord's Supper. We shouldn't be surprised that it's coming because by Jesus said that they persecuted me, they will also persecute you, our Lord's Supper. Right when he came from heaven, when he asked God and took on this flesh, this humanity, became a man and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, In a sense, it's suffering. And of our Lord's Supper, we shouldn't be surprised that we have to suffer as well. But in that encouragement that our Lord suffered, that we share in His sufferings, and so He can rejoice in our sufferings, He also says that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. In a sense, we rejoice now so that we can rejoice later. We welcome suffering now so that we can welcome a much more joyful visit of a different guest

sometime in the future. What Peter is talking about is there's coming a day when our Lord is going to return. When he came the first time, yes he suffered, he endured the shame and the scorn of the cross. But he resurrected three days later. He ascended into heaven and one day he's coming again. He's coming back and all of the heartache, all of the pain, all of the injustice, all of the suffering and the persecution that we may face in this life, one day he's coming back and he's going to fix it. You can welcome the unwanted guess of suffering into our lives because we know our Lord suffered as well. But there's coming a day that even though we share in His sufferings now, we rejoice now because we will one day rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. Yes, we have to endure the unwantedness of suffering. We have to suffer through the visit. But we know there's coming this one day

going to be a visit from a much happier guest. But what we're really reunited with, he gives another reason why we can rejoice in suffering in verse 14. He says, if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are relaxed, because the Spirit will reign with God and rest upon you. Now, we may not like to think that we're persecuted. It seems like a persecution you still have the Jew talking. So it seems like a persecution we kind of have two extremes of thinking about. We either think everything's persecution, or we think, and I'm not going to jail, I'm not being beheaded, so I'm not being persecuted. So some of us think that we're being persecuted because we're not being put in prison, we're not being beheaded, we're not being killed for our faith, and thank God for that. But we have to understand that even though we're not facing that, And even though not everything that we face is an attack against our faith

When we suffer an opportunity to work When we pass over an opportunity to work Because they know we won't cook the books Because we're Christian When people malign us Because of our faith We have to embrace that We have to understand that as suffering As persecution Even if it's not at this level We have to understand it for what it is We're not going to rejoice in that. We're not going to welcome them. We're not going to deal with it at the front. Peter says that when we're insulted for our faith, when we face pain by our persecution, or the persecution of the last couple, Peter says we are... and rejoice in that because we are blessed while being persecuted as the spirit of glory that God rests upon us. The spirit of God would descend on an individual and empower them for service and faithfulness for a specific task that God has afforded them, which means we are blessed because God has

appointed us. unwanted us to go through suffering. Because it tests us, it proves our faith in God, because it gives us the opportunity to look towards the return of Christ. It's part of His plan. It's part of the way that He shapes us. In one of the ways that we can welcome suffering from persecution, that we can obey the Lord is understanding, that we welcome it. feel lucky bringing it to the home. He comes. It's how he's shaping us. And it's his plan for us. The flipside of that is the third reason, the third way that Peter gives us on how to handle this one. Yes, that's don't send him an invitation. So expect he's coming. Welcome him into the home. But that doesn't mean that you have to send him an invitation to come over. Take him out. In the book of James where he said, when you stumble into trials, this isn't something that you go looking for. Just because suffering is a way that God shapes us

and molds us to look into the image of Christ, doesn't mean that we have to go look for it. It's something that we stumble into, that we allow to God to bring it back. It's one thing to go looking for trouble, it's a completely different thing, or it's one thing to let the trouble happen to you, it's a completely different thing for you to go live in fortune. So Peter writes in verse 15, well let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or as a medallist. Suffer through it, endure the visit, but make sure that you're not sub-ranging because you're reaping the consequences of the ground sin. Once again, this is an illustration of the Barnes of Drew. Sometimes things that happen to clients, When you go through an intersection, the line is green, you get T-boned by a semi, it's such a fault. But it was green that semi wasn't paying attention, and it just happened.

And now you have to deal with it. That's the kind of suffering that Peter's talking about. He's not talking about you, and I really don't want to wait for this red light, so I'm just going to barrel on through and then get T-boned. It's unfortunate, I hope you're okay. I hope the hunt you can pay for the hunt for the bills, but you reaping the consequences of your own actions. That's not the type of suffering that Peter was talking about. He tells us, don't suffer because you are a murderer, or a thief, or an evil doer, or a murderer. If you kill someone, you go to jail, you deserve that. If you steal something, you go to jail, you deserve that. If you do something evil, an evil's something you deserve that. But you may be sitting there and saying, Aaron, I don't steal. There's not anything that I do that I don't characterize as me being an evil to our people's business.

So make sure that no one wants you around when you're being blind, when you're being assaulted, and you're being mocked. It's actually because you're a Christian. And not because you're just sticking your nose where it doesn't look. That you're... So then as you're being maligned and being exalted and being mobbed, because you know you're a bit of a mob, we don't understand what type of suffering Peter is talking about. So if we don't understand what type of suffering Peter is talking about, then we're not going to be able to suffer through it in the way that he wants us to. Because for suffering, because we're reaping the consequences of our own sin, the way that we're supposed to respond to that is repent, turn, and trust in the name of the Lord. If we're suffering or facing persecution because of our faith, generally because of our faith, there's no need for repentance. There's no need to turn away from it.

You lean into it. But Jesus wanted to suffer and he'll send suffering to you. There's no reason for you to go, respect suffering because of his, okay, you visit. What will happen to your home? Don't send a meditation. Number four, don't have a guess. Verse 16, if anyone says it's a Christian, let him not be ashamed. Let them glorify in that guess in your home. When it's Thanksgiving, the crazy uncle's there, the rude cousin, don't want to deal with it again. When they're in the home, you have other people there, other guests there with you, there's kind of a temptation, honest to try and like sear them away from other people you know where the vocal jack says this is gonna set off and sue so let's try and keep Jack away from her so it doesn't happen but what that all boils down to is that we're embarrassed we're ashamed they're unwanted guests because we feel like right it'd be

knowledge that their family knowledge that they're guests are alone it's It's going to somehow say something about us. That we approve, that we agree with, whatever the case could be. Peter tells us not to treat suffering that way. You should treat suffering by the unwanted guess, but there's still a guess. You brought them into the moment, you rejoiced, that suffering is there, shaving you, molding you into the image of Christ, but if it's shaving you, if it's molding you, if you're not suffering as a consequence of your sin, then what is there to be ashamed of? There's a tendency in the Christian life, in the church, to when things are happening to us, we don't share it with the body. We don't tell our brothers and sisters, we keep it to ourselves, and when we show up on Sunday morning, how are you going to find?

Okay. And inside, that's not the case. We're crumbling, we're hurting, because suffering is Peter says when you suffer, when you're suffering right before your faith because of persecution, not because of maybe the consequences of your sin, when you suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. There's no common situation when we face truth. And so, Lord of the 80s, for the night of his journey, it is there to be ashamed. me, the God who wants you to share that with your brothers and sisters because they have something for you to carry it through. Jesus suffered through the visit of the unwanted guest. Suffering through the visit of the unwanted guest matures your faith. Suffering through the visit of the unwanted guest is a blessing and suffering through it is God to do it for you. So what is there to be ashamed of? So when you come here on a Sunday morning and someone asks you,

how are you doing? Not so good. You receive the comfort and the encouragement, or if nothing else, the understanding. Not sure enough. But related to that, number five. Praise God there's an end to the visit. So look at the tail end of verse 16. But let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for a judgment to begin in the household of God, and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey, not to look up? And then the righteous are scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? Unlaunted guests, right? You have to endure through the visit that you'd rather not have, right son? It's going to come to an end.

Uncle Jack's going to go home. It soothes our goal eventually. Eventually. You have to suffer through it. You have to endure. It's hard when it's coming a day when it's going to end. It never binds these believers. It reminds us that whatever suffering we may go through, whatever persecution we may face, It's temporary. One day there's a day coming where there's going to be a just judgment. Sometimes suffering ends in this life. We praise God when it does, but sometimes it extends. When we have to go through it all of our days. But even then suffering will will come to an end, because there is going to be a just judgment. When the glory of Christ will be revealed, and all of the unjust suffering that we face, all of the persecution, all of the unkind words, all of the missed opportunities, all of the insults, all of the mocking, all of the ridicule, whatever it may be, will be

made right. And so you suffer through it. You endure the visit of persecution, because you understand that it will end. Then this will end eventually. Suffer through it because Christ will return. Suffer through it because evil will be punished. Suffer through it because there will be a just judgment. Everyone in these verses, some people in these verses get a little bit out of shape because it talks about this idea of judgment beginning with the household of God and the righteous and being seriously saved. I understand the question, God does discipline his children. He does visit judgment in a sense when he disciplines the church. We have to be reformed and shaped and molded in that way we are scarcely saved. But the main idea that David was talking about in these verses is that if we are not spared, there will be a custom judgment in everything we need.

Last week, the viewer gives us the to endure the visit of the unwanted guests. It just asks God to help you put up with it. I'm sure you have an unwanted guest in your home. We do have a bottom right here. What viewer is talking about? Therefore, those who suffer reports their souls to a faithful creator. Wow. Give it to me. And trust. Give it to me. Take responsibility off of yourself. off of yourself, that your hands off of it, and cast it to God. Bring your cares and concerns to God, because He cares for you. Suffer through it, because you can't entrust your soul to Him. If you are repented of your sin, if you turn away from the evil that you have done, and experience the grace and the mercy that exists in Christ, if you can entrust your soul to to him, then certainly you can entrust your situation. And you can give it to him. Peter gives us a reason why we can entrust our souls, our situation to God, because he

is a faithful creator. And that may not make a whole lot of sense at first. Peter, I understand entrust my suffering to him because he saved me. I understand that. Why? Because he is a faithful creator. I'm sure that when your child has been wrong, you probably will not understand that. He has brought all of this into existence. He has created all that exists on this earth. He rules and reigns over it. He is in charge over it. He has authority over it. The entire universe is his. So he's brought it, he knows how to get it, he knows how to incorrect it, or to leave it in place. Because the lesson that we're learning is authority. It's not going to play. He's brought it about. He's sovereign. It's under his authority. So we can suffer through this unwanted visit. and we can endure through suffering or persecution because we understand that He is in control.

And He also tells us what we are going to do while we are suffering through it. He says, in trust, our soul, those who suffer according to God, trust our souls to the faith of the Creator while doing good. There is a temptation in us that when we suffer through it to cry out for me, to grow bitter, to be angry, we need to acknowledge that suffering hurts and is real. It's not fun. Tears need be shed. Grief needs to be given. We also understand that grief, that lamenting, that mourning is not a reason to sit back and do nothing. We acknowledge the pain, we understand that it hurts, so we move forward. What can do good? So you suffer through it to doing the same good that got you in suffering in the first place. Remember he's talking about persecution. So when you're spreading your faith, you suffer the root of healing. You suffer being in soul. You suffer the mocking.

There's a temptation to sit back and go, I don't want to do this again. I don't want to experience that pain. It's painful, it's hard, it hurts, I understand that, I don't want to admit it, I don't want to treat me like that, not at all. But you suffer while doing good. You continue to make disciples, to entrust them yourself. You press someone. You should suffer. So what's the point of a guest? How are we being persecuted? You need to cover a river, but that's not for you. They have an idea of what a Christian is, of what they believe, of what they stand for. That they do fit. Are you insulted? Are you mocked? Are you despised? Are you rejected? What's your unwanted guest? Because Peter tells us how we handle it. You handle whatever your unwanted guest is. You handle it by enduring the visit. I know that's not encouraging at first, but you suffer through it and you don't be surprised at your suffering.

You suffer through it and you rejoice as you're being persecuted like Jesus was persecuted because your faith is being tested. Your faith is being refined. You're being made to look more like Him. You suffer through it, but you're making sure that you aren't reaping the consequences of your own sin. You are suffering as a believer, as a Christian. You suffer through it, and you're not ashamed of your suffering. You acknowledge the pain which you bring in before your brothers and sisters, and you name it. And you receive the blessing that they have for you, the coming words, encouragement, the prayers that they have for you. You suffer through it, and you glorify God in it, because you know you're being tested, you're being refined. You're coming today when it will come to an end, and you will receive your crown of life If you persevere through the end and you suffer through it because you understand that God is sovereign over it all.

He is anointed you to go through this and is serving his purpose and is serving his plan and may have to be fun in the moment of whatever we go through in this life and Christ Jesus at that day. If you are in the midst of some kind of suffering, some kind of trial, some kind of persecution, the good that can be accomplished through that is what the Spirit is asking you to do, prompting you to do. So it's because of that that we have a response time in our church. And so we want to have a response time every Sunday where we sing. And while we sing, I'm going to be right over here with my mask on. And it's okay if you're not succeed from me because we both have masks on. But if you need prayer, if you need to know what that next step is, if you're interested in joining our church, If the Lord's doing something, you can't quite discern it, but you just need help.

You can come up, come right around and talk to me right here. I'll be kind of standing up. We'll all be standing up as we're singing. And so I just want, just in a spirit of prayer, as we sing, I want you to consider what your next step is, what the Lord's asking you to do in response to what he's doing in your heart, in response to the persecution and suffering that you're dealing with. So let's stand and sing. Stay like a covenant of old Your love is enduring Through the winter rain And beyond the horizon With mercy for today And the faithful you have been And the faithful you will be You've pledged yourself to me And it's why I see your praise will ever be on my lips. Ever be on my lips. Your praise will ever be on my lips. Ever be on my lips. Your praise will ever be on my lips. Ever be on my lips. Your praise will ever be on my lips. Ever be on my lips

You father be your friend Your kindness makes us whole You shoulder our weakness Your strength becomes our own You're making me like you Clothing me in wine Bringing beauty from ashes For you will have your bride And three of are her gifts And rid of are her shame And known by her true name And it's why I sing your praise We'll ever be on my lips Ever be on my lips Your praise we'll ever be on my lips Ever be on my lips Your praise will ever be on my lips Ever be on my lips Your praise will ever be on my lips Ever be on my lips You'll be praised You will be praised With angels and saints we sing worthy Are You, Lord? You will be praised, You will be praised With angels and saints we sing worthy Are You Lord? You will be praised You will be praised With angels and saints we sing worthy Are you Lord? You will be praised. You will be praised. With angels and saints we sing worthy. Are you Lord?

And that's why I sing your praise will ever be on my lips. Ever be on my lips your praise will ever be on my lips. ever be on my lips your praise will ever be on my lips ever be on my lips your praise will ever be on my lips ever be on my lips Jesus we thank you Lord for the word you brought and God I can't help thinking about the suffering that I've been through and how it wasn't pleasant but Lord you you meant for great good and Lord I just pray that you give us the strength and the courage to welcome the unwanted guests and accept it for your good purpose in our life and Lord we love you we want to be more like you in Jesus name amen