Lesson 15: Response to suffering – anticipation
1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV)
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.
13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Another response to suffering should be anticipation. When a doctor gives us medicine to help us with an illness, we take that medicine gladly (rejoicing) because we have that anticipation coming from the doctor’s promise that the medication will make us feel better.
God’s promises are far more certain than any doctor’s promises. The promise in verse 13 is that when we share in Christ’s sufferings we can rejoice because that day is coming when we will see Him in all His glory, and every pain, every suffering, every tear will be wiped away forever.
What does it mean to share in Christ’s sufferings? To answer that, we must read to see how and why He suffered. In Luke 24:27 we read that Jesus explained, using the Old Testament Scriptures, how it had been prophesied from the beginning that Jesus would suffer. The best picture we have of that prophecy is the system of sacrifices God gave to the people of Israel – sacrifices that included blood (for the forgiveness of sin) as well as other things. Our sacrifice today is our whole self – see Romans 12:1-2.
Verse 14 gives us another way of suffering we may not always consider as being suffering for Christ – insults. How often do we face ridicule or insults or harassment in our lives and the name of Jesus is never mentioned in connection with this suffering? A co-worker might be trying to get you in trouble so they can have your job, a friend betrays your confidence, someone steals something from you – if they don’t even know you’re a Christian, how can this be suffering for Christ? We must remember Ephesians 6:12 – our battle is NEVER against flesh and blood (the person making us suffer), it is ALWAYS against spiritual forces of wickedness. Does Satan know if you’re a Christian? Yes, he does, and he hates Christians almost as much as he hates God.
Our anticipation of the glory that is coming is also called hope in the Bible. It is hope that is based on faith rather than on wishes. It is hope anchored in God Himself rather than in anything we have so far experienced.
*How would remembering and claiming God’s promise of “our blessed hope” enable you to endure your suffering better?
*Have you experienced suffering you didn’t connect with suffering for Christ at the time, but now you can see this as part of the unseen spiritual battle that’s always raging?
Lesson 15: Response to suffering – anticipation Print
Modified on: Tue, 15 Dec, 2020 at 12:15 PM
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