Rejoicing When You May Not Feel Like It 1 Peter 4:12-19 August 20, 2006
Main Point Suffering for your faith in Christ is a great blessing; rejoice in the midst of suffering by entrusting yourself to God and continuing to live in obedience.
1. Suffering for your faith in Christ is a part of being a Christian (v. 12)
2. When you face persecution for your faith, do NOT…
i. Be surprised (v. 12)
ii. Bring it on yourself by sinful actions (v. 15)
iii. Be ashamed (v. 16a)
3. Rather, you are to rejoice because suffering for Christ is a great privilege
i. Suffering demonstrates union with Christ in His suffering and future glory (v. 13)
ii. Suffering gives you a greater sense of the Holy Spirit’s presence with you (v. 14)
iii. Suffering allows you to glorify God (v. 16b)
iv. Suffering is a means whereby God confirms and purifies your faith (v. 17-18)
4. Rejoice in the midst of suffering for your faith by entrusting yourself to God and continuing to live in obedience to Him (v. 19)
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Dr. Richard Holdeman is the senior pastor of the Bloomington Reformed Presbyterian Church in Bloomington, IN. He is a graduate of Yale University where he received a B.A. in biological psychology and of Indiana University where he earned a PhD in molecular and cellular biology....
