REJOICE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST

1 Peter 4:1-19

Key Verse: 4:13

“But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Today we are studying 1 Peter chapter 4, which is one of the famous passages about Christian suffering. Nobody likes to think about suffering. It’s human nature to avoid suffering by any means. But this passage teaches us that we should not be like that. And it contains the really good news that we can rejoice even in the midst of suffering when we belong to Jesus Christ. We really want to learn how to do that. Let’s study this passage with prayer to be changed to rejoice to participate in the sufferings of Christ.

I.    Arm yourselves with the same attitude as Christ (1-6)

Apostle Peter deeply understood the human desire to avoid suffering. Once when Jesus foretold his own suffering and death, Peter rebuked him. Then Jesus rebuked Peter in a way that he did not forget (Mk 8:31-33). Since then, Peter learned the secret to facing and overcoming sufferings, and he passed it on to us. The first step to rejoicing to participate in the sufferings of Christ is to accept suffering with a right attitude. Look at verse 1. “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.”

It says we should arm ourselves with the same attitude that Christ had when he suffered in his body. Christ suffered in his body. How did Christ suffer in his body? During the time of his passion, Jesus was beaten so severely that Isaiah describes him as “marred beyond human likeness” (Isa 52:14). Christ was flogged with a whip of leather strands embedded with metal spurs that ripped his flesh. Christ was fastened to a cross, having long iron nails driven through his hands and feet. His physical suffering was indescribable; his suffering of soul was even greater. Finally he died on the cross.

How did Jesus behave as he went through these things? Let's think about some of the words he spoke during his suffering. When arrested, Jesus was in command. As he said, “I am he,” his arrestors drew back and fell to the ground (Jn 18:6). When condemned to death, he boldly declared that he was going to the right hand of God and would come on the clouds of heaven (Mk 14:62). On the cross, he prayed for sinners, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34a). When he died, he said in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Lk 23:46). A hardened Roman centurion was so impressed that he fell to his knees and said, “Surely, this man was the Son of God” (Mk 15:39). Throughout his suffering, Jesus revealed the hope of glory with his Father, his assurance of God's final victory, and forgiving love.

How about us? In great contrast, sometimes we are about to despair and curse God and fall into depression after just a few small hardships. How could Christ display such confidence and victory while undergoing such suffering? The gospels also show us that through his Gethsemane prayer, Jesus armed himself with a right attitude toward suffering. In his flesh, Jesus did not want to face this ordeal. But how did he pray? “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). Jesus prayed this way until his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Jesus prayed this way until he was fully prepared to take his cup of suffering and death.  Here we see that we can arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ through prayer. When we confront a difficulty we don’t want to face, the first thing we have to do is pray. Many of us know this, but we do not always practice it. Instead, our first reaction is to sleep a little more, or try to think our way around the problem, or do something to distract ourselves. But victory in suffering comes only through prayer. So let's learn to pray first, like Jesus.

We may ask, why do we need an attitude to face suffering bravely? Why not just avoid suffering altogether? But the Bible teaches that God uses suffering for a very good purpose. Look at verse 1b. “...because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin.” Who suffered in his body? Jesus suffered in his body. Jesus suffered in his body to do away with our sin. Jesus fought our sin for us. So first of all, this verse refers to how Jesus’ suffering paid the price for our sin. Yet God also works in a similar way through our own sufferings, to help us practically become sanctified. Because of Jesus, we cannot ignore the role that suffering plays in being God’s people.

When we suffer in our bodies, what should the result be? Look at verse 2. “As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” In our lives, we have a few big sufferings and many small sufferings. The important thing is how we respond to them. Sufferings teach us how frail and temporary our life in this world is. So small or great, all sufferings should lead us to pray and make a decision to use the rest of our life for the will of God. We use sufferings very wisely when we prayerfully turn them into a decision to live for the will of God. This was Jesus’ attitude: to offer his life for the will of God, as he prayed, “Father, not my will but yours be done.”

Are you armed with the attitude to use the rest of your life for the will of God? Or would you like to enjoy sin a little bit more now and then? The truth is, we are slow to renounce our sins. I have to confess that I still loved serving myself and thought I could make myself happy by enjoying some empty things. We are too slow to see our sins from God’s point of view. Our spiritual desire for the will of God is too weak.

But look at verse 3. “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry.” Here Peter tells us unmistakably, “You have spent enough time...” We have sinned enough! We must overcome the deception that sentimentalizes our past sinful lives. Sometimes we are like the Israelites in the wilderness. They had been liberated from terrible slavery to Pharaoh in Egypt. However, when facing hardship, they actually longed to return to slavery. They fantasized about sitting around pots of meat (Ex 16:3). They had been slaves, not aristocrats! It was irrational sentimentality.

We basically know how carousing and partying goes; it has not changed for thousands of years. After drinking too much, you began to act really ridiculous in front of your friends. Then you vomit in an inconvenient location. The next day you have a splitting headache and are useless. You get behind in your classwork. And then the greatest deception of all comes: instead of repenting, you convince yourself that you had fun. This is really irrational sentimentality. In contrast, those who have repented have admitted that living in sin brings misery and pain. Verse 4 calls the world’s pagan way of living “a flood of dissipation.” Dissipation means to take the life God gave us and rebelliously waste it on empty things. In fact, we all did this, even if we were not drunkards or partyers. But now we who know Jesus’ grace hate sin, realizing that Christ died to save us from it. We choose to say NO to ungodliness and worldly lusts. We pursue union with Christ and seek to live the rest of our lives for the will of God. That’s our new attitude.

When we live for the will of God instead of for evil human desires, the pagans in this world will heap abuse on us. They will accuse us of being strange and over-religious and will say anything that can plant doubt, because we won’t join them in sinning. But verse 5 says that they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. People like to judge. People really enjoy judging others’ lives. They also judged Jesus’ life and sentenced him to the cross. So while we are in this world, our lives will also be judged by people. But on the day Jesus comes, the judgment of all the people in this world will not add up to two cents. Only Christ is given the right to judge. In the end, the only thing that matters is whether we have done the will of God, which is by faith.

The will of God is good, pleasing and perfect (Ro 12:2). Obedience to the will of God produces good fruit and true accomplishment. It gives a deep and abiding joy that leaves no regrets and leads to eternal life (1 Jn 2:17). Jesus’ life is the greatest because he used his life and spent his life for the will of God. By doing so, he became the cornerstone of world salvation. Jesus knew that the will of God was to save all kinds of undeserving sinners by his grace. So through prayer, Jesus armed himself with the attitude to do the will of God, even to offer himself on the cross as the Lamb of God for our sins. The Bible teaches that the will of God for us is for us to become like Jesus; for us also to be sanctified for God’s world salvation purpose. Let’s also be willing to struggle in order to make a decision of faith to do the will of God. Every day, let’s arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ, so we may use the rest of our lives not for empty human desires but for the will of God.

II.   The end is near: Love one another and glorify God (7-11)

Let me ask a question: do you think the end of the world is near? There have always been people who invented lots of wacky theories to figure out whether the end is near. What a waste of time! Let’s read verse 7 instead. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” There’s our answer. Peter said, “The end of all things is near.” Peter saw the living God who judges the world day by day. Peter saw the coming of Christ which will bring a sudden and unexpected end to this present age. Jesus’ return and the final judgment could happen at any moment. It’s too easy to live as though everything will just keep going on forever as it is. However, the Bible clearly teaches that there will be an end. So we also have to be clear that there is an end to the present world that we know.

However, this doesn’t mean that we have to be terrified and panicky. As the end draws near, people in the world will be agonized with fear and get more and more panicky. They will say, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” God our Father does not want us to be caught up in this kind of end-times hype. Look at verse 7 again. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.” As the end comes, God wants his royal priesthood to inaugurate the kingdom of God through prayer. Satan wants us to be lazy or distracted or panicky or anything else that keeps us from praying. So we have to be clear minded and self-controlled, not just because it’s a good way to be, but so that we can pray. As the end draws near, it’s all the more important for us to maintain our prayer topics clearly and not become scatterbrained.

Look at verse 8. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” What’s most important to do as the end draws near? It’s for Christians to practice love for each other all the more. Of course, we are all struggling hard to live a holy life. But also, we are all sinners. To live as God’s people and maintain the work of God, we have to forgive each other many times and practice love that covers over others’ sins.

For more great end-times activities, look at verse 9. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” This means that our homes should be open to one another. When someone comes unexpectedly, we should welcome them with open arms and an open refrigerator, and if necessary, a place to sleep and to shower. When someone new comes to our church, we should invite them to our house to serve them. These days, our culture seems to be set up so that nobody has to practice hospitality. It’s become so convenient to live a self-centered life; it’s so easy to stay in a hotel instead of at your friends’ house. So hospitality is becoming a lost art. Thank God that our coworkers are famous for practicing hospitality and making it look normal again to share their lives. When I started going to Sunday worship service in the kitchen of M. Henry and Esther Kim, they would always feed me dinner after the service. It was very convenient, because worship service and dinner were at the same table. But I was so proud. After they did it two or three weeks in a row, I said, “You don’t have to feed me!” It’s true, I was not starving or lacking food money. But if they had not fed me, I would have gone somewhere and eaten all by myself. Now that I think about it, I guess I did need them to feed me. Hospitality can have a greater effect than we realize.

As the end draws near, it’s all the more important to keep on showing hospitality...how? Without grumbling. I guess grumbling is a natural response when we have to serve somebody unexpectedly. But when we show hospitality without grumbling, many students will feel welcomed and be free to come out of the world and spend their time in a holy environment.

As the end draws near, God does not want us to stop using all our gifts to serve. All of these active good deeds are the will of God for us. If we do them, we will indeed receive sufferings like Jesus did. This world is always tempting us to draw back from loving and serving each other. So those who get up and go out of their houses and go to the campus to serve students with the word of God are really, really great people. Make no mistake; deciding to do these things is deciding to participate in Christ’s sufferings. We must decide to do them for the glory of God. Let’s read verse 11. “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

III. Rejoice to participate in the sufferings of Christ (12-19)

In this part Peter is speaking to those who are undergoing suffering for Jesus in their real lives. He reveals the great glory of participating in the sufferings of Christ. Look at verse 12. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” The Christians Peter is writing to were going through a time of great suffering; it is described as a “painful trial.” We know a little about what they had gone through. They had been displaced from their homes, basically becoming refugees because of persecution. They had to pack up and move out in a big hurry, with their little children; they were in danger from the authorities. Probably each of them knew a friend who had been arrested, or imprisoned, or had their possessions confiscated, or maybe even been killed for Christ.

What about us? Have you had any painful trials lately? Maybe final exams? Of course, we are not living in a country with severe or systematic persecution of Christians by the authorities, though some of us are praying to be used in such a place someday. Still, we go through very real trials for Jesus. Our missionaries suffer through many trials over a long period to live in this land, even suffering from poverty for the sake of Jesus. To make a living in this world while serving God’s flock is a daily trial. Our college student coworkers face the trial of living in a corrupted and godless campus environment while they have to study and also struggle to maintain the testimony of Jesus. Shepherds face the trial and pain of caring for one soul who is lost and wandering. Then there is the sharp pain of betrayal, of being misunderstood,  accused and blamed by someone we tried to bring to Jesus. 

Our first response when we experience the pain of a trial is to be surprised. In shock and dismay, we might say to ourselves, “Why me?” “What did I do to deserve this?” “My life became too strange!” But such suffering is not really strange. It’s a fact. It happens. Most of all, it happened to Jesus. So we should not be surprised.

Then what should we do when we suffer? Look at verse 13. “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Here it says that suffering for Jesus is participating in the sufferings of Christ. We suffer because we are united with Christ. In fact, it is Christ suffering in us as he loves in us. This is in truth a beautiful thing. Paul called this “the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings.” Suffering for Jesus is not a cause for sorrow and despair, but for rejoicing. When we suffer for Jesus, we grow in a deep personal connection with him and gain greater love for him and thankfulness for what he has done for us.

After Jesus’ ascension, Peter and the other apostles preached the gospel in the temple courts according to an angel’s command. Then the Sanhedrin members were furious. They condemned and flogged the apostles. Surely it was painful. However, as the apostles left the Sanhedrin, they were not crying. They were rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for Christ (Ac 5:41). In the time of suffering their identity in Christ was strengthened and their fellowship with Christ was deepened, to such a degree that they rejoiced greatly.

This is not the only reason we rejoice to participate in Christ’s sufferings. Verse 13b also says, “so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” Jesus’ life consists of two parts; they are both named in verse 13. What are they? First, suffering, and then, glory. Since we are united with Christ, our life has this same pattern and same destiny as Jesus. When we suffer with Jesus, we can also rejoice in hope that we will be overjoyed when Jesus comes in his glory. On that day, we will share his glory, just as now we share his suffering. As we know, that day is near. If suffering for Jesus comes our way, we are so excited to realize that glory is also coming our way. Verse 14 says, “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” Who can understand the blessedness of participating in Christ’s sufferings? It doesn’t mean that suffering becomes easy; suffering is still suffering. But participating in the sufferings of Christ is an unspeakable privilege that can cause us to rejoice in our inner selves and rejoice in hope.

Another reason we can rejoice is that suffering for Christ is much better than suffering for sin. Look at verses 15 and 16. “If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” The fact is that everybody in this world suffers. Even a two-year-old child has some sufferings every day. But we have a choice of the purpose in our suffering. We no longer have to suffer because of our sins; we can suffer as a Christian. Suffering because of our sins is so terrible; there is no joy in it, only the sense of guilt and condemnation. One young man seemed to live a pure life in church, but in fact he continually indulged his lustful fantasies. Then one night he drank enough to act out his fantasy, as he really wanted, and lost his purity. Then he began to be tormented by guilt and irrational fears that he had contracted an STD. What misery! The good news is that Jesus is willing to set us free from this kind of suffering and all our past sins. When we live before God by faith in Jesus, we never have to doubt that our suffering is meaningful. Everybody suffers, but we have the most privileged option for suffering—suffering as a Christian.

In so many circles in this world, the name “Christian” is an insult. It has been that way since the beginning. But when we participate in Christ’s sufferings, we can praise God that we have been chosen to bear that name. Verse 17 says that in Christian suffering, God is some sense judging his own people early, before Jesus comes. As we said before, God is using our suffering to purify us and make us a holy people in this world. The result of this is that our whole spirit, soul and body will be found blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. So what if an unbeliever has it easy and never suffers too much in this life? It will not gain them anything, because if they are not in Christ, the day of judgment will be truly unbearable suffering. “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

Sometimes we wonder if it might not be better to take a break from suffering and enjoy an easier life than our mission life for a while. But it doesn’t work. If we try to avoid suffering, we just suffer the wrong way, from guilt and fear, and with no joy, because we didn’t trust God. The only way to really lighten our burden is to deepen our trust relationship with God. Look at verse 19. “So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” We must believe that God is our faithful Creator. There is no “easy way”, but God has promised to use our suffering for good. In God’s time it will end and we will receive everlasting glory. We should express our trust by commitment and express our commitment by continuing to live an active life of doing good. When we do, then even in suffering, we can experience that what Jesus said is true: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:30)

Some of our coworkers are experiencing the sufferings of Christ very vividly even today. Others of us may feel that we are not really participating much in Christ’s sufferings. For those people, this message is also an invitation. Of course, suffering comes to us according to God’s sovereignty; but God also wants us to choose not to live the same way that pagans live. God wants us to consciously choose to participate in the sufferings of Christ by actively doing good in this world. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Apostle Paul invited Timothy, “Join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life.” His attitude toward suffering for Jesus was totally positive. So whatever our current condition, let’s commit ourselves to God; let’s arm ourselves with the attitude to face sufferings for the will of God and use our lives in this world to do good.