Do you want to help me move the Lord's table? Yes. It's not that hard. It's a rare card. There's a fire button. I was turning up a bit. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you very much. So, how, like, is there going to be any sort of, like, kind of, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like, you know, like We used to have it on campus. We can't do this anymore. We can't do it anymore. Actually, now we can on campus. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. I know you can do that, but you have to pick up, pick up the moment that you can swing it, and I hope that's what you put it in, or I can't. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. I don't know. All right, I will not forget that. Good morning Grace Community Church. If there are those who are out in the foyer visiting, just encourage you to come in. And we're going to start our worship service momentarily. Our call to worship this morning is from Psalm 53. And so let's Let's quiet our hearts and start our worship service right with God's word. These words are profound and true for all time. Psalm 53, the fool says in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt. doing abominable iniquity. There is no one who does good. God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all fallen away. Together, they have become corrupt. There is no one who does good, not even one. Have those who work evil no knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and do not call upon God? There they are, in great terror, where there is no terror. For God scatters the bones of him who encamps against you. You put them to shame, for God has rejected them. Oh that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion when God restores the fortunes of His people. Let Jacob rejoice. Let Israel be glad. Brothers and sisters, is it not amazing that we come together here and every one of us in our original condition was just like the fool who said there was no God. And yet, here Israel sits this morning, and we are ready to rejoice in the goodness of our King, in his tremendous outpouring of grace, And that's why we sit here with salvation this morning. Salvation belongs to our God. Let's pray. Father, we come this morning as a broken people who have been redeemed. And Father, we thank you that because of your son, Lord Jesus Christ, and because of the Holy Spirit who came and opened up our minds and hearts to see the gospel as true and right and good, that we sit this morning as a people in Christ, as your children. So Father, thank you for your word this morning. We pray for those who are sitting in this service right now, who still say, ha, there is no God. Lord, we pray that you would send your spirit on them as well. And this morning salvation would come to Israel. Be with our service. Bless our time together. And as we so often pray, may we worship in spirit and truth this morning. In Jesus' name, amen. Somebody a little bit shorter than me was here. That's anybody. Welcome, brothers and sisters. It's great to see you all. I'm afraid you're ready not to worship man or to admire anything in man, but to worship our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So please stand up. We're going to sing crowns, many crowns. ♪ Down in the daily crowds ♪ ♪ Of heaven upon His throne ♪ ♪ Are now the heav'nly and the ground ♪ ♪ Of music by His throne ♪ ♪ Come make my soul and sing ♪ We can really help our ancestors through all eternity. ♪ In the Lord our God ♪ ♪ We hold His hand and sigh ♪ ♪ With truth and ease our hope abides ♪ ♪ In beauty, glory, and might ♪ ♪ O angel in the sky ♪ ♪ Can fully fill the sky ♪ ♪ But now the heavens return ♪ to be so proud. I'm proud in the glory of these, whose marvelous chapters praise. From old to old and old it seems, my Lord, in prayer and praise, these praise shall forever be. be. Amen. Amen. Did it ever strike you as just almost incomprehensible that the God who made this earth, the God who gives life to every single thing, the God who knows what's in the universe, four billion light years away, is the one who gave his life for us. We should just be amazed. Next song is Let Me See Thy Face and Die. That sounds a little strange. We want to live and see God's face. But we realize that as we are, as we come to God, we cannot see his face and live because he's so old, so awesome, and we're so sinful. And that sin cannot stand before Him, but yet through our Savior will be comforted. So let's sing about that. To thee, great Father, God our God, I am prostrating beside the door. Thy faith I see through passing hour. ♪ I cannot stand, I ask for more ♪ ♪ The gifts of God, the gifts of God ♪ ♪ My soul for all, my presence found ♪ ♪ I cannot see, my gifts can live ♪ ♪ And let me see thy face ♪ ♪ Oh, kiss my eye, reverse my fear ♪ ♪ The God of perfect sanity ♪ ♪ The gospel God, my hope is sure ♪ ♪ To us, my God, your head is clear ♪ ♪ The dead to sin shall find thy grace ♪ I shall see your face, I cannot see your face again, but let me see thy radiance again. In Christ the door is lifting, shall see and learn the knowledge of God. I cannot see thy face, my dear, and let me see thy face when I look for you. Please be seated. Good morning and welcome to our worship services here this morning. It's good to be gathered as God's people and it's good to see everybody here, visitors alike. We thank you for coming and we pray that you will be blessed as we approach the throne of grace this morning as well, through word and through prayer. So I just ask that this morning before we begin, we have a couple of announcements and Deanne, would you like to come up and start them? Well, first of all, I hope you're all enjoying the nice, clean church. Yes. Woo! Let's give a hand. Wow, it's great. Do you know that every one of these pews were washed yesterday? Scrubbed down, the walls, everything. It was wonderful. Well, we're finishing up our Esther study. November the 1st will be our last time together. We will do, wait for it, all three chapters left in the book. I know it's a lot, but you can do it. Persevere. And we'll discuss those three chapters on the first. I was listening to a podcast this week, and they were interviewing a couple from Iran, Persia. And there is an amazing revival going on in Persia, or Iran. Studying the book of Esther, we could see God's hand there. And God's hand is now in Iran. I think it's something to rejoice in for sure. The other thing is on the 13th of November, we're going to have, as Alistair Begg says, Pururum Festival. And we're going to invite all the girls, nine and up, to come with the women, and we're going to have a two-hour wonderful time, 10.30 to 12.30, just celebrating the Book of Esther, which the festival Purim comes from. 2,500 years later, the Jewish people are still celebrating this festival in the Book of Esther. Do you realize even during the Holocaust, in a concentration camp, they would secretly celebrate this? Because the Germans didn't know that doing this kind of festival was a Jewish one. They just thought they were celebrating something. This is God's hand in all of this. So we invite you to come. Look around. There's posters. I'm going to have the newsletter. The new newsletter is out. It will have the details on there. And part of this festival is to give to poor. So we've decided we're going to come up with what is called a hygiene kit. And we're going to distribute these kits to homeless women by the end of November. The newsletter will show you, will tell you what are some of the things that we suggest be in this hygiene kit. And anyone who is interested can come with us as we distribute these hygiene kits to homeless women in the park, probably Galt Garden, the end of November. So I'll put this kit on the back table by the mailboxes so you get a sense of what that would look like. It costs about $10 to do a kit like this. And if you feel that you really don't have the time to do that, if you contact us, Wilhelmina is going to go and buy some kits and get them organized as well, and you can contribute towards that. Our church also supports pregnancy support and we'd like to donate towards them as well as part of our festival. So if you would like to donate diapers or formula, we will take them over to pregnancy support. Again, all of that information will be here on the newsletter to give you a sense. The last thing is I'd like you to go to the web page. It has been in the progress, but it is progressing well. So I'd like you to go to the web page and just see what's there under women's ministry. We are adding things daily as we speak. And so I'd like you to be there. And one of the things we want to do this year is during Advent is have all the women of the church reading through different passages of scripture and go on the web page and see what other women are commenting about those passages of scripture. So I know there are some potential bloggers out there that would love to have a comment or two or just read what other women are viewing on the different passages of scripture. And again, that information will be on the newsletter and you can see it there. So thank you very much, Mark. Thanks, Dan. Just a reminder of a couple other announcements as well. We're looking for a new head usher, so if you'd like to take on that position or you know somebody who's interested, just talk to them and then get them to see one of the elders or either Mark or Daryl as well. Lord's table today, so if you have talked with one of the elders in the past, then we would just ask that you could come and join us. But if you haven't, then we just ask that you would refrain and just come see one of us before you partake at the table as well. On the 31st of October there's a Reformation Day hymn sing and I think it begins at 5 o'clock here at the church. So just come and gather together here and we'll just have a time of singing and fellowship as well. We have an Oikloos meeting on November 21st and that'll be the second one we've had. The agenda will be coming out. Have you got it? Yeah. It will be coming out. So just watch. Go to the web page. You'll find it. Yeah. OK. In Sunday school, we're going through the New City Catechism. So if you'd like to join us, again, everybody is welcome. Come and just sit in and learn what the Bible teaches as well. So prayer meeting, Wednesday night. Come join us. We have an in-person one at Charles and Caitlin's, and we have one online. whatever your preference is, but just come and spend time in prayer and just lift up your hearts to God for all the requests and all the needs of the world, community, and individuals as well. So, I'm just going to ask if Renee would like to come up and whoever, Ryan? Thank you. she would come into membership as well. If anybody's interested, the membership covenant, I think it's in the webpage. So if you want to read it, that's what you sign when you become a member here. And when you become a member, or when you sign this covenant after you have been baptized, you will become a member of the church as well. We strongly believe that baptism and church membership coincide with each other tremendously. So I'm just going to ask Renee if she would just come sign this and then Ryan, you want to pray? Okay. You can take one with you. Okay. Ron, I'll just pray with you before you go. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we want to thank you for your goodness and your kindness that you have demonstrated to us all. We want to especially thank you this morning for the work you've done in Renee's heart. We're so thankful, Lord, that her and Mariah could show publicly that Jesus is their Lord through baptism, through immersion. And now, Lord, we ask that you would continue to show that Jesus is Lord in the context of this church family. Father, we know what your word says. We heard it last week that Renee has been gifted with spiritual abilities for the common good, for this body. And we pray, Lord, that by faith and in obedience to Christ, she would seek to utilize those giftings, that she would serve her brothers and sisters, but that we also, Lord, would invest into Renee's life And Father, that we would increase with the glorious fellowship that Christ has purchased. So Lord, thank you for saving Renee. And Father, in the context of this local church, may we watch her flourish. We pray, Lord, that she would become more holy and we would see more Christ in her. And Father, that she would also be willing, Lord, to gladly serve her brothers and sisters here as well. Lord, continue with us. And Lord, we're so thankful for Renee and that she can be a member here at Grace Community Church. Would you be with her even this day? In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you. For our New Testament reading this week, To reading through the New Testament we find ourselves this morning in Matthew chapter 11 So if you'd like to take your Bibles or read I just assume you take your Bibles and follow along Matthew chapter 11 Beginning in verse 1 It says, when Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. Now when John heard in prison the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? And Jesus answered them, go and tell John what you hear and see. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John. What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you in more than a prophet, this is he of whom it is written, behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you. Truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist, yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates. We played the flute for you, and you did not dance. We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn. For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say he is a demon. The son of man came eating and drinking, and they say look at him, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds. Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. Woe to you, Corazon! Woe to you, Besaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tir-in-Sidon, they would have repented long ago in Sakloth and Achish. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the Day of Judgment for Tir-in-Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, Will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you." At that time, Jesus declared, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children. Yes, father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my father, and no one knows the son except the father. No one knows the father except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden. and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Jesus asked some pointed questions to the people. I think he does three times in verses seven, eight, and nine, he asked them, what then did you go out to see? My question this morning is, why are you here? What have you come here for? What's your reason for gathering in this place this morning? Have you come to truly see and hear the word of God? Are you coming just out of ritual, out of formalism, whatever. He asked that question. But then Jesus goes on and he declares woes against the people of those cities who would not repent, who would not turn to Jesus Christ and believe him. Just by the works that he had done, people had reason to believe that he truly was the Messiah. But they refused. But then Christ never ends there. In the last verses that I read, he says, come to me, come, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Christ wants you to come. We have people here this morning, we have children here this morning who don't profess Jesus Christ. We have adults here probably who don't profess Jesus Christ. Christ begs you, He asks you, out of a heart that is gentle and lowly, full of love, full of compassion, come to Him. Come. All who come to Him, He will no wise cast out. All He asks is come, bow your knee to Him, trust Him. He will give you that peace and that rest that you require. This is a chaotic world, upside down. But you can find rest, you can find peace in Jesus Christ. So I beg of you this morning, do what Christ has asked you to do. Come and recognize a God who is gentle and lowly in heart and would never turn anybody away if they come in repentance and faith to Him. Let's just bow our heads and pray this morning. Father, we thank you for this passage of Scripture. And Father, it's It's just amazing that as we stand here this morning, we look back into our lives and we see exactly the people in us that He was talking about when He pronounced the woes. Father, we were rebellious. We were wicked sinners who actually hated God. And yet you call to us, come to me. And Father, we obeyed. We know not why, but we do now. For we came, and we believed, and we trusted in you. And Father, we still struggle with sin. We still have these problems. But Father, we recognize that we have a Savior who loves us. And a God who loves us. and a God and a Savior who want us in fellowship with them. And so as we've gathered here this morning, grant all those, Father, who are here, who don't know you, grant them, Lord, the ability just to bow their knee to you this morning. Just awaken them to the reality, Lord, of the brevity of life. We never know what tomorrow brings. or the next hour. So I beg of you, Father, save those that are in hearing of this word this morning and draw them into your kingdom. Father, it's our desire to see many people come to you and help us, Father, as well, to continue to preach and to bring forth that good news as well. In that same regard, Father, we pray that you would do the same for Noah Stone and his family. And Father, that you would truly help them as they engage in that lamp project of translating the Bible into the Kurdish language or into one of the dialects. And I pray to you, Father, that you would give them, and especially Noah, that you would give him the grace and the ability, Lord, just to do all that he can. just to preach a word and grasp hold of it so that he can explain it to the people. And Father, that you would just grant him the ability, even in the city he's living in. where there are some of these people to grant him the ability to speak to them and to show them Christ as well. And that you would raise up even in that part of the world, Lord, people who would love you and cherish you and want to worship you as well. Just pray that you would just be with us as a congregation, as a church, Father. We need you. We need your help as well, just to carry on in this world each day by day. Father, we just ask that you would lead us and direct us. And Father, thank you for just upholding and keeping many in this congregation who have suffered loss, who have health issues, difficulties. Father, you are very gracious and very kind. And you are there for us to lean upon and just to find someone, Lord, who is willing to listen and care for us as well. I pray that you would, again, just be with all those in our congregation as well who are pregnant, fathers, all the mothers we have in this congregation. Raising children is an awesome task. It's an onerous task, but it's an awesome task. And I pray, Father, that you would give them all the ability to teach and instruct the children and point them to Christ at an early age as well. And Father, you would use the ministry of the mothers as a means to draw these children to yourself as well. Just pray that you would do great things amongst us in this church. Keep us united, keep us with one goal in mind, and that is to serve you and worship you all the days of our life. And Father, to proclaim you wherever we go as well. Bless us now as we open up your word, as we continue to sing even before the message. Bless Ryan with the ability to just open up his heart to you Just proclaim your word as you have placed it upon him. Just help him, Father. Give him words of simplicity, the ability to speak in a way that truly we can, he can reach into the hearts of all of us and just draw us closer to yourself. Bless us now, we pray. Continue with us as we worship you, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Alright, please stand with me. I'm going to sing an old song. by John Newton. If you don't know who John Newton is, I would encourage you to find out. There is much to be gained from that man's life and God's work in it. It's a little bit more modern tune, and many of you might find it familiar as well. Let's sing. I ask the Lord that I might grow in faith and love. I ask the Lord that I might grow in faith and love and every creed, but for a day I shall wish and grow and seek for her name. ♪ But see this place ♪ ♪ For the seed grows strong ♪ ♪ And we must be brave ♪ ♪ And we are strong ♪ ♪ And meant to prevail ♪ ♪ But in this way ♪ ♪ It's time to win ♪ to this day I hope that it's a favor done and once again, sir, I request that by his blood, the tree be crowned, the blue glass be ♪ And if he does, instead of this he may give me ♪ ♪ The needles of my heart ♪ ♪ And when he breaks, he finds a way to heal me ♪ With every heart, with all it is, Lord can we say we intend to ever live by your law. I'm I am He said, Lord God, I know I am poor, but now am I. Listen to me and bring us in, the worthy joy that Thou mayst give. God works in a mysterious way. Sometimes the things that we think would really help us grow in our spiritual walk, they're the things that God says, uh-uh, that's not what you need. I gotta do some deep heart work first. I gotta do some plowing first before I can plant tend that growth that needs to be there. But as we come to understand this and also experience it in our spiritual walk, we start to see how God's way is perfect. God's way is wise. Sometimes it hurts. It really hurts. But we know that our Father never does anything, never does anything that will be bad for us, but rather it's He's shaping us into exactly what we need to be so that we can glorify Him. We can be what we're made for. We can become more like His Son. If you remember the man of sorrows who walked this earth. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy. It wasn't a majestic or successful life in a human term. But we see that through His sufferings we've been able We're called to walk that path in His footsteps. And I pray that this song will encourage your heart. Please be seated. We'll continue our worship again. If you're able, please turn in your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 4. Now that song was chosen intentionally, not just because it was written by a pastor. It was called by God to shepherd hurting souls within his congregation, but also because I think it provides for us a great segue into our text this morning. So if you're able, please stand as we read God's word together, 1 Peter 4, verses 12 to the end of the chapter. 1 Peter 4, beginning in verse 12. Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. Rather, 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 and of 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. Rather, let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome? for those who do not obey the gospel of God. And if the righteous is hardly saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God continue to entrust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good. Thanks be to God for his word. Let's pray. We are so thankful that you give us exactly what we need. And I confess that I'm almost exasperated with having to preach another message on suffering. It seems that's all we've been looking at in 1 Peter. And probably, like myself, many are wondering when is there going to be a positive cotton candy sermon. But Father, we know this is exactly what we need, especially in this day, especially in this age. especially in this hour when it seems like the evil clouds, Lord, are forming and the deluge of persecution against committed followers of Christ seems ready to be unleashed upon this nation. Oh, Father, would you help us to see your goodness to us? Would you not allow us to have wrong views and opinions that are based on our feelings and emotions. But would you help us rather to see you rightly through your Word and in your Son. And so Father, we cry out, pour out the Spirit of glory upon us this morning. Would we be reminded that as Christ was glorified, the Spirit too will raise us on that day that we will share in the glory of Christ. Would you help us, Lord, to learn from Pastor Peter this morning how we can now suffer well and to the glory of God. Would you help us, Lord, to know how we are to live in this world and not to shrink back when the times are difficult, but rather to embrace them and to see them as a great opportunity for the advance of your Son's kingdom, Father. and to demonstrate that Christ is more valuable to us than any earthly comfort. And so would you instill within us, Lord, this morning, fresh hope. Would you help us to leave here with thanksgiving in our gladdened hearts. And Father, I pray that even this morning, as the unbelievers in our midst sit, that you would terrify them. that if they die in their sins, if they die apart from Christ, if they die outside of the covenant, that the only thing that awaits them is your indignant wrath and fury, because they have repudiated your Son and trampled underfoot the blood of His covenant. Oh, Father, please work Sovereignly this morning, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Please be seated. Well, as Nathan was sort of explaining that last hymn, a text came to my mind. It's actually Isaiah 55. And we're reminded that God's ways are not our ways. And when we think of what would make us holy, we think it would be much more comfort. Or we think maybe just another study. But in the toolkit of God's sanctifying work in our lives, He has some favorites, and suffering is one of them. But Father knows best. He's a good God. He's a wise physician. And so I pray that we would increasingly learn to entrust our souls into His care. He's not just a sovereign creator, he's a faithful creator, and that's how the text actually ends. Right, Peter's going to give us a whole bunch of commands and explanations, but verse 19 is sort of, as it were, the summary of it. In light of all that I have said, Peter says, so then, let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful creator while or in doing good. And remember who's writing this? It's the Apostle Peter. He didn't get it either. Do you remember in Matthew chapter 16 where God the Father reveals to Peter who Jesus really is, he says, you are the Messiah. You are the son of the living God. And do you remember what Jesus said? Blessed are you. That word's used here as well. Blessed are you when you really understand who Jesus is. Now Peter didn't have a full comprehension of who Jesus was. Into Peter's mindset, suffering didn't fit under the category of triumphant Messiah. And if we're honest, sometimes we think that. What is triumphant Christianity? It's probably not 1 Peter 4, 12 to 19. And that's why we constantly have to come back to the scriptures and allow them to wash us and allow them to correct us, to reprove us. That God inspired this scripture to help us see Christ rightly and help us see ourselves rightly. Suffering is not contrary to the will of God. Actually, it says here, if you suffer according to the will of God, Was it God's will for the Christ to suffer? It was. The author of Hebrews says that Christ was perfected through suffering. His ministry was completed through suffering. And we saw in chapter two of 1 Peter that we are to follow in Christ's steps. And so if the Messiah, if the head suffers, so then will the body. We all want the crown without the cross. But that's just not the way it goes. You want to enjoy the crown? In God's wisdom, he has ordained for you a cross to take up daily as you follow King Jesus from death to life everlasting. That's just the path. But understand that he doesn't call you to walk it in your own strength. This is the most profound thing that struck me, and we'll get there, but I just want to highlight it, just in case some of you doze off while I'm watching. When you talk to most Christians in comfortable Christianity, of evangelicalism in the West, about what it means to be spirit-filled, a lively sermon, a rockin' band, health, wealth, prosperity, that moves the spirit. Absolutely not. All those can be manufactured in the flesh. In fact, I would say a lot of what is counted as evangelical spirit-filledness is really done by the flesh. According to this text, if you really wanna see the spirit activated in your life, it will be through suffering. And I'm going to show you. That's foreign to us. Oh God, I want the Spirit to rust upon my ministry. Oh, that the Spirit would be upon me at work. You avoid suffering. You take the easy way. I'm not saying you're not safe. But the Spirit especially equips the saints, like their Savior, to endure suffering and to trust a good and faithful creator in doing good. See, that's the thing. The Spirit enables us to do good. But as Peter has shown us, it's the doing good that actually brings the reproach of the world upon you. For in doing good, you expose the darkness and evil of this world, and they don't like it. They love their sin. And so they will seek to snuff out the light that exposes them. But let's get to the text. I could alliterate this, and I might, but the danger of such an alliteration is that it allows us to rest in propositional truth and doesn't encourage us to active obedience. So I'm gonna kind of simultaneously alliterate, but if you're writing notes, write down the commandments or the imperatives. And that's what Peter does. He's not writing an alliterative sermon. We forget them. Two weeks ago, Charles was like, what were your three A's? I forgot them already, and I already forgotten his three B's. The text is what should drive us. So the first alliterative point is, with regards to suffering according to God's will and for his glory is, expect suffering. Or you might say, the expectation of suffering. Or the command is, stop being surprised. Or literally, stop thinking it's strange. We've seen that verb before. In chapter four, when you do not join the world in its running together into debauchery, they think you're strange. That's the Greek word, xenos. It's sort of used for hospitality. So unbelievers, they think you're strange. And they're allowed to think you're strange. Peter's saying, Christians, you're not allowed to think it's strange when you're going through a fiery trial. This is why you need to arm your mind. See, if you're not rooted in biblical Christianity, you will be surprised. If you attend a health, wealth, prosperity church, you'll be very surprised. What? I thought everything's supposed to get awesome when I follow King Jesus. No, everything will be perfectly awesome when King Jesus returns and God uses the trials and all the tribulation and suffering to make us like King Jesus. It's actually the absence of trials that perhaps proves that you don't belong to him at all, says the author of Hebrews. So the first thing Peter says is expect trials. What kind of trials? They're fiery. Now, not all of them are. Go back to chapter one. And in verses six and seven, if you were to find two passages that are almost identical, it'll be first Peter one, six and seven, And 1 Peter 4, 12 and 13. And I have no problem repeating this because Peter does. Peter's a preacher. He repeats things. We saw on Sunday school this morning, Moses loved to repeat things. It's not just your pastor who has very little to say, so he keeps repeating. It's because we're so intentionally forgetful that we have amnesia, because we're just so full of the world often that we forget what the word of God says. So look in verse six. In this you rejoice." Same language. In this you are rejoicing. Though now for a little while, in light of eternity. If necessary. You're like, whew, I sure hope it's not necessary. Spoiler alert. It is necessary. If you're a Christian, you don't get a pass. You have been grieved by various trials. It's the same Greek word that we heard last week when Charles talked about these various gifts. These multi-colored, multi-faceted. God has all kinds of trials and he knows exactly which trials we need, when we need them, for how long we need them. And one of his favorite trials You know, he broadly mentions trials that are of all kinds in chapter one, and one of his favorite kind is fiery trials. Because fire burns away chaff. It gets rid of all the uselessness. It refines gold. You see that, right? So that the tested genuineness of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes though tested by, Fire. Peter's picking up on this. You might not like the fieriness of the trial, but understand that it's necessary. If you are to endure in a life where you are persecuted and reviled and slandered, you're gonna need a pure faith. A puny faith will not help you suffer well. And so the irony is is that God uses suffering to purify your faith so you can suffer more. so that God would refine you. They may be found to result in praise and glory and honor, not in this life. Some of us just want it so badly. That's just not biblical Christianity. You'll have tastes of it. I get it. On the Lord's day when we gather, I taste of it. We get a glimpse, we say. but you're not gonna get all of it until Christ returns. I hate to pop the bubble, but that's just what Peter says. When are you going to experience all of these things? When Christ is revealed, when Christ returns. But look how it works. I know it seems like I'm preaching chapter one again, but look what God does through trials, through fiery trials, necessary fiery trials. whom not seeing you love. Somehow, in a mysterious way, the spirit of glory and the spirit of God increases our love for Christ through trials. Why? Because it decreases our love for comfort and the world and all these things that turn our eyes and our hearts and our gaze away from Christ. You know what Ryan's problem is? Too much chaff that distracts me. And as Charles reminded us last week, Sufferings remind us the telos is near, it has drawn near, it's at hand, the end, the end is near. Trials remind us that, as well as Charles. Though you do not see him, you believe in him. And here's the exact same words that we see in chapter four. You rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory as you obtain the outcome, the telos of your faith. the salvation of your souls. So the first thing Peter says is expect them. Now, don't miss the first word. I couldn't alliterate this unless you want to say endearment, beloved. Why would Peter start that? He has to start a new section. He did that in chapter two, verse 11, right? Beloved, you're sojourner, you're in exile, but remember you're beloved. So you're suffering for Christ. And my guess is that many of us probably are tempted to wonder, like Peter's audience and readers, if God really loves me. Yes, God does love you in the suffering. It's actually the expression of his love. This is where the child has to trust. Just like the child who has a brutal splinter. and they want daddy to remove it, but man does it hurt. And what do you have to basically coax your child to do? Trust me, it's gonna hurt for a little bit, but it's for your greater good. If you leave that in, it's going to infect and get all pussy and nasty and harmful. Don't forget that word, beloved. You are dearly loved by God and the presence of trials in your life does not mean the absence of love of God for you. So I always forget things, but please turn to Hebrews 12 quickly, because I think this is a good place to turn there. Under this heading, the expectation of suffering, or expect it, or stop being surprised, or more literally, stop thinking it's strange. So verse three says, consider him. Who's the him? Well, it's Jesus, the one to whom we're looking in verse two. The one who begins and the one who ends. He's actually, that word, he's the pioneer. He leads the way. Keep your eye on him. And the path you're running is not easy. I wanted to read all of The Pilgrim's Progress last night, but unfortunately I didn't have the time. If I can encourage you to read one book this year, with or without your children, if you're single, read it. Read The Pilgrim's Progress. And the way to the celestial city is fraught continually with all kinds of trials and thorns and thistles and ways that obviate from the straight and the narrow. That it's full of discipline, that it's full of suffering. Where did John Bunyan write it from? Does anyone know where John Bunyan wrote this classic? He wrote it while he was in prison. We all wanna be like the Puritans, we just don't wanna suffer like them. Consider him who endured from sinners. So here we have him saying, the ladies who studied Hebrews, what was the great trial that they were enduring? To want to return back into the good old days where they weren't persecuted by their family and friends and bosses. They can still be religious, but just not so much of this Christ business. None of this exclusivity of Jesus nonsense. And he says, you need to continue to consider him who endured from sinners. That's what they're doing. They're enduring from sinners hostility, just like Peter. And just like his audience. Just like we will if we're faithful. Who endured from sinners such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood, and have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? And then he goes on to quote Proverbs chapter three. Peter's quoting from Proverbs in his section as well, but let me read this. See, this is why we should not think it's strange. This is why we should expect it, because this is what God has planned for us. And as Marvin was reading Matthew 11 this morning, I was praying, oh Father, reveal the Son to us this morning. And oh Son, reveal the Father to us this morning. Because this is who the Father is. This is who the Son is. And unless you see Him as all glorious, you're never gonna wanna follow Him. He's not worth it! But when the Spirit shows you the beauty of Christ and the love of the Father, You can endure this. You can endure hostility from the world. My son, my daughter, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord. And I was reading commentaries yesterday, what's the discipline? Suffering in the form of rejection and slander, and worse, by God-hating sinners who are religious and irreligious. Do you understand, the context of Peter and Hebrews might be different. It might not be religious Jews who are trying to get these Christians to turn back. It might be just an imperial Roman system trying to get, but irrespective, they're being tempted to return because they don't like suffering. And the author of Hebrews, like Peter, is saying, expect it. Why? Consider Jesus. And if we're made into the image of the incarnated son, who did not get a pass from suffering, as we become like the suffering servant, you shouldn't be surprised when you as a servant suffer. Is that making sense? I'm trying to make it as clear as I can. When you preach the gospel, let people know there's a cross. Don't bait and switch them. That's unfair and unloving. and it produces people who think they're a Christian and in 15 years they go through a deconstruction phenomenon and then they put it on YouTube and everybody watches and thinks Christianity is bunk. No, these celebrities who love having the moniker of Christian who face suffering for the first time and might be cancelled because they think it's okay to say that homosexuality is not a sin, or that two men can get married. I know I keep saying this, but this is where we're going to get cancelled. Children, when you go to school, if you can go to school, If they let you into university, you are going to be singled out. If you say one man, one woman, in a monogamous relation, covenant for life, you will be cancelled. You will be shamed. You will be tempted to shrink back in the author of Hebrew's language. You will be tempted to be ashamed of Christ. And they're saying, don't think it's strange. The one who hung naked, bearing shame. Don't think it's strange if you are shamed. for following him. My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. Listen, for the Lord disciplines him whom he loves. What does 4.12 start with? Loved ones, dearly loved ones. Okay, so don't think those are mutually exclusive. Actually, let's keep reading. He chastises every son or daughter whom he receives. Everyone! It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. You want to become like the Son. We love Romans 8.28. All things work together for good. Romans 8.29 says that we're predestined to become like the Son. You know how God makes us like the suffering Son? We suffer for the Son. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Ouch. If you are left without discipline in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Read that in the King James, it's a little more harsh. Okay, so expect it. I was trying to find the quote, and I think it's from one of the Chronicles of Narnia, and I think Lucy's crying, and I think Mrs. Beaver says, what did you expect? That it was gonna be easy? And I, as a pastor, have to say that. This is part of our ministry as your elders, as we're gonna see in chapter five, is to remind you that the way of the cross is not easy. The end of it is glorious, but the way, the journey is fraught through many trials, snares, temptations. But I do wanna encourage you, we will get through by the power of God. Okay, so first, expect it when it comes upon you. That part also could mean that they're enduring it now, that it's near or it's inevitable. I don't know how to translate that. You can look at different translations. So he's either writing to those who are in a fiery trial or perhaps they see it down the horizon or it's just gonna come sometime. And I think all three fit. I think we probably fit into category two. I really think that it's on the precipice. I really think a fiery trial's coming. I think Peter's writing before Nero torched Christians, after he torched Rome. I don't think Peter's referring to this. I think Peter wrote before Nero's burning of Rome and then blaming it on the Christians. But I think Peter had some insight of what was brewing. I think he, you know, I remember when I was running through the coolies a year ago, and I was like, oh man, a storm is a coming. And I wanted to walk, and it's like, no, run. And it's in my mind. I saw just how brutal it looked. Now, it wasn't raining, but I knew it was coming. I think that's true for us, which is why we heard last week, be disciplined, be self-controlled, be sober-minded. Think rightly, don't be surprised. It starts in the mind. If you've equipped your mind, if you've prepared your mind for action, you won't be surprised, you won't think it's strange because you know the gospel is that Christ calls us to take up a cross and to follow him through a life of suffering. As though something strange were happening to you. Verse 13, here's the second point. You could say the exaltation, of suffering, but I just like Peter. So the first is expect it, the second is rejoice in it. This is counterintuitive. And he's gonna explain why, but here you need to train your mind. When suffering comes, the first thing we probably don't do is rejoice. Yes! Man, do I love it when they shame me. When they impugn me, impute false motives to me, speak slanderously against me for the sake of the gospel in Christ. Yes, I love it. No, that's not what Peter's saying. We love it because we know what it produces. And this automatically drives me now to 2 Corinthians. Turn there quickly. Go to chapter four. I'm equipping your minds, I hope. What time are we at? Wow, we got lots of time. Verse 16, coming from the pen of a suffering apostle called the Scourge of the Earth in 1 Corinthians 3. Okay, so 2 Corinthians 4, we see in verse 16, so we do not lose heart. If you're to look at the previous context, there's lots of reason to lose heart. We're afflicted in every way. We're perplexed. We're persecuted. We're struck down. We're always carrying in our bodies the death of Jesus. We're always being given over to death for Jesus' sake. That's a lot to lose heart over, isn't it? But I would encourage you to go and write all the buts. This is where theology informs our experience. Don't let your feelings drive you. Arm your minds. So in light of persecutions and despair, Paul says, so we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. These inward trials, these painful trials I employ from self and pride to set me free. Very few things have the ability to unwrench Ryan's clasping finger grip on the things of this world, like suffering for Christ. But that's how God reduces this outer self and renews the inner man. For this, what? Light, momentary affliction is doing what? Come on, please someone help me out here. It's preparing. It's preparing for us an eternal weight. It's the scale analogy. Afflictions light, but see God cares too much about our faith he wants us to enjoy something of substance of kavod of glory and As painful as that affliction is it's light and it's momentary in comparison to the weight of glory that awaits us As here it is as We are looking not to the things that are seen. This is a definition of hope and We've believed of what Christ has done for us in the past, but hope is future-oriented. By hope we look to the things that are not seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. And so this is how we rejoice. We rejoice in hope. Go to Romans 5. I know I'm all over the place, and that's all right. There's nothing new under the sun, at least here. So, let's work through this quickly. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, notice the transition from faith that has put its trust in something that happened in the past to hope that empowers us in the present. See that? It's in Peter and it's all throughout Romans as well. Okay, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Christ, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. Like, oh sweet, I'm standing in grace. In this realm of grace, until Christ returns, it's fraught with trials. Please understand that. And we rejoice in what? In hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice, come on, in our health and wealth and prosperity. No, no, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing, knowing that suffering produces endurance. You have need of endurance, the author of Heber says. And endurance produces character. See, this is what God is doing. He's more concerned about my character than I am, because I would never choose suffering. Aren't you glad that God doesn't leave your sanctification up to you? At all, right? I'd have a 15, I wouldn't even have, I'd be sitting in my pajamas right now. Not listening to me. Knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame. Listen. This is coming up to the next point. Hope, in suffering, activates the spirit. It's not just 1 Peter 4. It's Romans 5 and Romans 8. You're suffering, and the Spirit says, man, Charles is hurting. I need to remind Charles of future glory. I need to remind Charles that this is not the end. I need to remind Charles that Christ is coming back. I need to remind Charles that he will reign with Christ. I need to remind Charles that there is a hope that awaits him, that we fully finished and glorified when Christ returns. That's what the Spirit does. He makes us groan. And in Romans 8, the groaning is not because we ate too much. It's probably because we're suffering. Hope does not put us to shame, but the world is. But hope does not put us to shame. You see that? The world is shaming you, which is why you put your hope in Christ and His return for you. Why does hope not put us to shame? Because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. When does God often, at least for me, reveal his love to me? Usually when things are well, I forget God's love for me. Or it's a superficial hashtag blessed. I was reading through Safely Home last night. I'm thinking through the Fox's Book of Martyrs. When does the spirit give an otherworldly profound sense of divine love? It's often in suffering for Christ. That's what we don't wanna hear. I want more of the Spirit and I want less of suffering. And Peter's like, it don't work that way. I wish it didn't. So here comes the Spirit and he's groaning away. When does the Spirit groan within us? Abba, Father. Read Romans 8. We're heirs with Christ, amen. Provided you suffer with them. and you'll also be glorified with them. And so the spirit of glory, and that's intentional, the spirit of glory reminds you, glory awaits you in the future, even though your life is filled with shame for Christ in the present. You have to see things, the invisible. And so God pours out his spirit to remind us, especially in trials, he has not forsaken us, he has not cast us off, that actually he loves us as sons and wants to make us like Christ. And so he sends the fiery things, the fiery trials, to burn all those things, to remove all that does not look or smell or act like Christ. So first, don't think it's strange. Second, rejoice. There's an important word, and we'll move through this quick, but insofar. That's a decent translation, but a more precise translation, I like where it is, to the degree. And I like that translation. And it is in the LSB, Charles, I know that's exactly what you're doing. Rejoice to the degree that you share Christ's sufferings. This is mind-blowing. The more you suffer with, for, and in Christ, the more the rejoicing. Explain that, pastor. God gave you the Spirit. He didn't give you some guy who can give you grief. He gave you the Spirit, and at a level that I can't explain that to you, the Spirit can comfort you. But that's what the Spirit inspired to say, to the degree that you share. Everyone goes, I love that word, koinoneo, and you always have to say it like that. It means to participate in, to share, to have fellowship. And immediately in my mind went to Philippians 3. Oh, I want to know him. I want to know this Christ. I want to know the power of his resurrection. Stop. Nope. And I want to share in his sufferings. Sufferings make us long for the resurrection. Paul says, I'm not perfect yet. So to help me keep pressing on in my imperfection, God sends trials. It's like at our grace group on Friday. I have a dulling, relaxing, let's say a relaxing effect on people when I'm teaching. Relaxing is a good word and eyes were getting heavy and we had that little heat shield that Marvin Donated to my office and also me and it woke everyone up That's what trials do Right we get we get so easily Sleepy slumber and we slow down and trials say no keep on press on to the degree that you share in Christ's sufferings and you may rejoice and be glad. Jesus says in Matthew 5, rejoice and be glad when you suffer for the gospel's sake. Peter, who was listening to that sermon, repeats the words of Christ. Jesus says it, Peter says it. Don't be surprised. Secondly, rejoice and be glad. Or you could translate that, rejoice with overflowing gladness. It's a participle. Rejoice, rejoice in those sufferings. The world will think you're strange. But why should you rejoice in them? Well, this is verse 14. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed. He said that in chapter four. If you should suffer for righteousness sake, blessed. Beatitude. So to suffer for righteousness sake is to suffer for Christ's sake. That's how I interpret it. To suffer for the name of Christ. So when you're doing what is right for the name of Christ, you will be insulted. If you're slandered. Exactly the same word that Jesus uses again in Matthew 5. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed. This is so important. because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. Don't read it, but every commentator, and I agree with them, said that Peter is most certainly referring to Isaiah chapter 11, about this spirit-empowered servant who is going to come into the world and be empowered to do God's will. And what Peter is saying here is that the same spirit that was upon Christ that enabled him to endure suffering and the shame of the cross and to obediently walk the path the Father gave him, is the same spirit that rests upon the Christ's people. That's powerful stuff. Now, I'm not diminishing the second person of the Trihune God. I'm not. But understand, when you read, especially in Luke 4, that the Spirit came upon Jesus for his ministry. Go and read it in Luke 4. And the Spirit drives him into temptation. And the Spirit enables him to endure satanic deception. And the Spirit guides and directs him, not out of suffering, but into suffering. I'm not diminishing Christ. What I'm trying to do is actually bring the Spirit up to the way we should see Him as God. That the Spirit enabled and empowered Christ to suffer. It was Spirit empowered suffering. Praise God, that if you belong to Christ, you have received the same spirit. Right? Romans 12, don't turn there. What enabled Christ to endure that? The hope, the joy set before him. And the spirit of glory kept the Christ's eyes fixed on that. And what does the spirit of glory do for us? It keeps our eyes fixed on Jesus. Right? We see through the suffering to the glory. Why should you rejoice? Why should you be glad? Because in the suffering, the spirit of glory rests upon you. You all as Christians want more of that. Arm your minds. Please don't say I'm saying look for suffering. I'm just saying keep doing good. Keep doing good, and in a world that is bad, it will come. Suffering will come. Don't be tempted like your pastor to become mute. If you stand up for what is right, for the sake of Christ, it's inevitable. You will be a lightning rod. And insofar as you continue on in doing good, the spirit of glory and of God will rest upon you. That was the one takeaway that I had from this text. Verse 15, you might say, is an exception, and I'm gonna quickly pass by it. He's reminding, again, these saints to not suffer for being fools. He said that in chapter two, and he said that in chapter three. He says it in chapter four, which reminds me that sometimes Christians can suffer for all the wrong reasons. Don't be a fool. The unbelievers, they wanna react against maybe Roman overreach, and I think this applies to us today When we see sort of the tentacles of communism beginning to wrap around Canada, don't suffer for being a fool. Continue to do good. Don't suffer as an insurrectionist, like a murderer, or a thief, or an evildoer, or a meddler. Verse 16, yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed. So that's the next command. Don't be surprised. Don't be surprised. Rejoice and be glad. Thirdly, in verse 16, do not be ashamed. That's what gets me. The world wants to shame you. And shame is not just for Oriental cultures or Eastern, right? We always say, oh, that's a shame culture. I'm Western and I feel the heaviness of it. When someone wants to shame you, Peter says, don't be shamed. If you suffer as a Christian, not as a fool, but if you suffer as a Christianos, and perhaps Peter's playing off the other word, Caesareos, right? You had to confess either Caesar is Lord. If you suffer for saying, no, Jesus is Lord, don't be ashamed. Why? Because the world will shame you. The world will insult you and scoff at you and ridicule you. And sometimes the most, severe kind of persecution is just being laughed at. I'm not just talking about like, okay, you're gonna like die or be beheaded. Peter's saying, don't be ashamed, why? Because you belong to Christ. Rather, let him glorify God in that name. So on one hand, don't be ashamed, on the other hand, rather, glorify God. Glorify him. Glorify him, how? By trusting in Christ. This is how you show the world that Christ is worth it. It's one of the most powerful witnesses you can give the world, is to continue to do good, even though the good brings suffering, right? Good brings suffering, therefore get rid of good. No, Jesus is worth it. When the times get tough, show the world that Christ is worth it. Well, the world says we shouldn't. Well, then that's not a Christ that the world should want to believe in. But a Christ who is worth dying for, and worth living for, and worth being persecuted for, oh, the elect will be drawn to that Christ. Goats are drawn to the other one. So, glorify Him. Glorify Him in that name. I don't like to be called a Christian. I like to just be called a Bible. No, you're called a Christian. It's coming soon where that name Christian is going to be laughed at. Will all the Christians please stand up? Will you stand up? University, it's there already. Stand up, say I'm a Christian, see what happens. See what happens. Stand up at school, right? Stand up and say I'm a Christian. Don't be ashamed. Why? Because Jesus says, for whoever is ashamed of me, when I return, I will be ashamed of them. And that leads us actually into the next point. Why do we glorify God in that name? 17, for it is time for the judgment to begin. So this is the explanation. I gave you an exception. between the commands, and now here's an explanation between the commands. Why? For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the end, the telos, the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if the righteous are with difficulty saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinners? See, this is, again, a perspective renewal. And Peter's moving from lesser to greater. And here's my quick paraphrase, and we'll move on to the last verse. You think that it's hard to endure wrath from unbelievers for following Christ now? What will it be like for those who deny Christ now to endure God's wrath forever? You think it's terrible. You think it's terrible. Actually, a text that came to mind is 2 Thessalonians 1, turn there. He explains better than I can what I think Peter's trying to teach here. While you're turning to 2 Thessalonians 1, let me read verse 3. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. And that's because of persecution. If you read it, that fits in exactly what Charles says. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly. In some way, suffering increases the love of Christ's people for him and for one another. Go to some of those churches, right? When we went up to Edmonton, I've never seen anything like it. If you were to go to India or to go where there's suffering, okay? So suffering has some uncanny supernatural ability to unlock God's love for us, our love for Him, and our love for brothers. But look it, therefore, in verse four, we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all of your prosperity. What translation are you using? No, in all of your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are also suffering. Since God indeed considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven. with his mighty angels in flaming fire. You think the fiery trials are harsh for you now, Christian? Remember what you deserve. You deserved eternal flaming fire. And that's what he's saying. He's just trying to say, okay, fiery, yes, but also light and momentary. Peter's saying that these trials are meant to refine you. They're meant to purify you and to sanctify you. This is what trials do according to Jesus. In the most important parable that he could teach in Matthew 13 or Mark 4 or Luke 8. Remember the sower? And there's different kinds of soils. And do you remember the one soil that was in shallow dirt? There was the rock underneath and the sower sows and immediately, utus, it sprung up. And it appeared to be a healthy plant. until the sun came and scorched it. And because it had no depth of its root, because of shallow soil, a false gospel, it withered away immediately. I don't care about trees. Ah, but that tree is a picture of the person who's like, yes, I like Jesus, and that was a really moving worship service. I like this heaven bit. It's like pliable in the pilgrim's progress. Falls in to the quagmire. If this is what it's gonna be like, I'm out of here. And what has the mud, or what has the trial, or what has the sun exposed? It's exposed the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats. So God sends trials our way, actually, to actually encourage our faith, that if we endure them to the glory of God, not perfectly, but if there's a rejoicing and we sense the Spirit upon us, God is saying, you're not the believer of shallow soil. God sends those trials to purify His church. And as much as I've hated what COVID has done to the world in the last two years, I'll never forget when they interviewed James Coates and they said, you know, what do you think about all these churches shutting down? He says, I'm actually quite happy because most of those churches probably weren't true churches at all. They probably didn't have true pastors. They probably didn't have true believers. Now, be careful. I'm not saying all. But that's what God does. He sends. Will you gather even if it means arrest? Or you lose your job? Will you gather if they throw you into prison or laugh at you? Young believer, I don't like this. And so he sends these trials to purify his church and to sanctify his church. What helps you to lay aside all of those weights, the sin that so easily clings? Trials. It's like that, you know, get off of me. Trials help you to say that. Get off of me, you Klingons. Lastly, we have his final exhortation, his final command. Entrust your souls. Continue to entrust your souls. This is what Jesus did. It's the exact same verb used. Look at Jesus in verse 21 of chapter 2. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin. He didn't suffer as a sinner. He suffered as the righteous one, the sinless one. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, same Greek word used here, when they revile you, he did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten. Here it is, but he what? Continued entrusting himself. His whole life was trusting in the Father by the Spirit. That's to be our life. Father didn't show his disapproval of the Son, he actually showed his Son his love. So the final exhortation. Let those who suffer according to the will of God. I caught that glass, Hayden. I'm almost done. Let those who suffer according to the will of God entrust their souls. Here it is, a faithful creator. You have to see God rightly, which is why we go back to why I was praying, oh God, show us who you are. Father, show us the Son. Will you entrust yourself to an angry father? No. Will you entrust yourself to a faithful father who loved you so much that his son lived a perfect life and yet suffered and died in your place that it wasn't just the suffering on the cross but it was actually three years as it were of cross bearing which culminated on Golgotha? So you have to see Christ that way. You have to see the Father that way. And even though you might think or feel that he's not faithful or good or loving or kind, you go back to the gospel. And so he says, keep on doing good. Because doing good is the will of God. And suffering for doing good is the will of God. And suffering for doing the will of God glorifies him. What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy him forever. that often means suffering. But God has given us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit that rested upon Christ now rests upon His people. Here's a quote I got from Pastor James' sermon on this text. Our present suffering for Christ, I adapted it a bit, our present suffering for Christ is meant to point us to our future exaltation with Christ. Our future glorification with Christ is conditioned on our present willingness to suffer for Christ. Are you willing to suffer for him? Do not be surprised, but rather rejoice and be glad. Do not be put to shame, but rather glorify him. Finally, continue to entrust yourself to a faithful creator and do good for the glory of God. Father, we want to thank you for your goodness to us. Oh, we have not seen Christ, but we actually fellowship with him through the Spirit, especially in our sufferings. So Father, help us not to shrink back when the temperature is turned up, Lord, when we are called out. Oh Father, would you give us the Spirit that rested upon your Son, and upon Stephen, and upon the martyrs who were lit aflame. Would you give us the spirit of the Puritans who would not recoil, who would not recant? O Father, would you give us the spirit of glory and may he rest more fully upon us as a church. Lord, the fiery trials seem to be upon us. Help us to arm our minds not to be surprised. Help us to show hospitality and to love one another and to exercise the gifts you have given us by the Spirit. Well, Father, I pray, would you teach us how to suffer well according to your will? And would you teach us how to suffer well according to your glory? Father, I pray for any here this morning who are not saved, would they count the cost? They would say, yes, suffering, very heavy, but the immeasurable weightiness of Christ's coming glory is worth it. And I pray, Lord, that that they would embrace that Christ, take up His cross as a disciple, and faithfully follow Him until He returns. Lord, as we celebrate the table, we're so thankful that you provide for us rituals, nourishment, food, to strengthen our faith. Lord, we know it's not only trials, It's also things like the Lord's Table. And so as we celebrate it, O Lord, strengthen us for what you have planned for us. Strengthen us for what awaits us. Purify our faith and intensify our hope. Help us, Lord, to know what it means to live and suffer for the glory of your Son. Father, we ask it in his name. Amen. Well, we're gonna sing a song, partake of the table, pray with the family, and then close in song. So if you're able, please stand.