1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,640 Do please keep your Bible open at 1 Peter in chapter 4, as we take up the 2 00:00:06,640 –> 00:00:12,960 thread of this great letter in the New Testament at verse 12. 3 00:00:12,960 –> 00:00:16,959 Now we’ve been learning together that God has given to every Christian 4 00:00:16,959 –> 00:00:21,200 a great objective, and that is that we should live in such a way 5 00:00:21,200 –> 00:00:24,799 that people who are highly resistant to the good news of Jesus will 6 00:00:24,879 –> 00:00:28,480 the last day come to glorify God. That’s 1 Peter chapter 7 00:00:28,480 –> 00:00:32,080 2 in verse 12. And through the heart of the letter 8 00:00:32,080 –> 00:00:35,680 Peter has been setting out for us a clear strategy 9 00:00:35,680 –> 00:00:40,080 as to how we’re to pursue this objective. Number one, we’re to seek to act 10 00:00:40,080 –> 00:00:43,520 redemptively. Number two, we’re to seek to pray 11 00:00:43,520 –> 00:00:47,040 effectively and number three we are to be ready to 12 00:00:47,040 –> 00:00:51,840 speak courageously knowing, that when you speak about Jesus, 13 00:00:51,840 –> 00:00:56,080 Jesus speaks through you. And then we saw last week, 14 00:00:56,080 –> 00:01:00,160 that we have a limited amount of time to pursue this great objective. 15 00:01:00,160 –> 00:01:03,439 There are three clocks as it were that are all ticking. 16 00:01:03,439 –> 00:01:07,519 There’s the amount of time that God gives to me before I’m taken home into 17 00:01:07,519 –> 00:01:10,080 his presence. There’s the amount of time that God 18 00:01:10,080 –> 00:01:12,959 gives to a resistant person who is known to me 19 00:01:12,959 –> 00:01:16,000 before they are brought to give account to him. 20 00:01:16,000 –> 00:01:19,040 And there is the amount of time that is given to the whole church before 21 00:01:19,040 –> 00:01:22,800 the whole family of God is taken up into the presence of Jesus 22 00:01:22,800 –> 00:01:27,199 when Christ comes again. These three clocks are all ticking 23 00:01:27,199 –> 00:01:30,839 and like three alarm clocks, they could go off at 24 00:01:30,839 –> 00:01:34,800 any time. And they could go off as it were in any order. 25 00:01:34,800 –> 00:01:39,199 Christ could come. Anyone of us could be called home. 26 00:01:39,199 –> 00:01:43,440 A resistant person near to us could be brought into the presence of God. 27 00:01:43,440 –> 00:01:48,239 And so there is an urgency about this task that has been given to us. 28 00:01:48,239 –> 00:01:51,360 Well that’s where we’ve got to in 1 Peter and chapter 4. 29 00:01:51,360 –> 00:01:55,440 And now today we’re going to see that there is also a cost 30 00:01:55,440 –> 00:01:59,360 in pursuing this great calling. And that’s our theme for the 31 00:01:59,360 –> 00:02:02,559 eighth key to understand the Christian life, 32 00:02:02,559 –> 00:02:08,240 A new reality. A new reality. Look at 1 Peter 4 and verse 12. 33 00:02:08,240 –> 00:02:12,160 Dear friends, do not be surprised at 34 00:02:12,160 –> 00:02:14,720 the painful trial you are suffering as though 35 00:02:14,720 –> 00:02:18,080 something strange were happening to you. 36 00:02:18,080 –> 00:02:22,000 Now remember that 1 Peter is like a manual for discipleship. 37 00:02:22,000 –> 00:02:25,440 It’s telling us everything that we need to know to live the Christian life. 38 00:02:25,440 –> 00:02:32,240 And this eighth key I’m convinced is absolutely crucial 39 00:02:32,240 –> 00:02:36,960 to a person following Christ for a lifetime. 40 00:02:36,960 –> 00:02:40,639 You see there are many people who struggle because they say 41 00:02:40,639 –> 00:02:45,440 I’m disappointed with God. And the reason there are so many people 42 00:02:45,440 –> 00:02:49,679 in churches who say that they are disappointed with God 43 00:02:49,679 –> 00:02:52,960 is that they set out on the Christian life 44 00:02:52,960 –> 00:03:00,000 with expectations that are unbiblical and therefore unrealistic. 45 00:03:00,000 –> 00:03:03,919 And 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 12 makes it clear that this was a problem even 46 00:03:03,919 –> 00:03:07,520 in the earliest days of the church. It’s quite clear from this verse as you 47 00:03:07,520 –> 00:03:12,880 look at it that there were evidently some people who came to Christ 48 00:03:12,880 –> 00:03:16,479 then experienced a painful trial in their life 49 00:03:16,479 –> 00:03:20,000 and were surprised. They felt as if something 50 00:03:20,000 –> 00:03:23,520 strange were happening to them. They said, look I’ve come to Christ, I’m a 51 00:03:23,520 –> 00:03:27,600 Christian. Why is this happening in my life? 52 00:03:27,600 –> 00:03:33,440 They had the feeling that painful trials do not belong in the life of a 53 00:03:33,440 –> 00:03:38,639 person who follows Jesus. Their expectations, in other words, were 54 00:03:38,639 –> 00:03:44,399 shaped by the mistaken idea that, if there’s a loving God I should 55 00:03:44,399 –> 00:03:48,880 have a comfortable life. And there are many people in Christian 56 00:03:48,880 –> 00:03:51,919 churches today who have shaped their expectations 57 00:03:51,919 –> 00:03:57,119 of life around that mistaken assumption. If there’s a loving God, I should have a 58 00:03:57,119 –> 00:04:01,960 comfortable life. The Bible never promises that or even 59 00:04:01,960 –> 00:04:06,639 suggests it. So Peter says this is a big mistake. This 60 00:04:06,639 –> 00:04:14,080 is a wrongly shaped expectation. Don’t be surprised when you 61 00:04:14,080 –> 00:04:19,359 suffer a painful trial. So many among us, in some way either recently now or 62 00:04:19,359 –> 00:04:24,480 perhaps sometimes in the future, we’re experiencing a painful trial and 63 00:04:24,480 –> 00:04:27,760 God says to you, as you think about that painful trial 64 00:04:27,760 –> 00:04:31,519 don’t be surprised about it. Don’t say, well this is a strange 65 00:04:31,519 –> 00:04:34,799 thing that this should be happening to me because I’m a Christian. 66 00:04:34,880 –> 00:04:38,320 No, this is not strange or unusual, it is 67 00:04:38,320 –> 00:04:46,320 normal, it is what you should expect. Now, I want to do two things this 68 00:04:46,320 –> 00:04:50,880 morning. The first is to try and name 69 00:04:50,880 –> 00:04:56,239 and then nail some false expectations of the Christian 70 00:04:56,239 –> 00:04:58,559 life, because they kind of flutter around in 71 00:04:58,559 –> 00:05:02,799 the Christian community very often and it’s important to draw out 72 00:05:02,799 –> 00:05:06,799 expectations that are false and to declare them 73 00:05:06,799 –> 00:05:13,040 to be false so that we’re clear. Secondly, I want us to see how to shape 74 00:05:13,040 –> 00:05:20,399 a Biblical and therefore a realistic expectation of what the Christian life 75 00:05:20,399 –> 00:05:24,239 and experience will actually be like. So these two 76 00:05:24,239 –> 00:05:28,399 things together. First of all, then, here are a number of 77 00:05:28,399 –> 00:05:32,640 unrealistic expectations that are spoken or suggested 78 00:05:32,640 –> 00:05:36,320 in different ways, and I think you’ll recognize them, and you may be able to 79 00:05:36,320 –> 00:05:41,040 think of and add many others. Unrealistic expectation 80 00:05:41,040 –> 00:05:45,440 number one. Christians always have 81 00:05:45,440 –> 00:05:52,399 happy marriages. False. False. Why? 82 00:05:52,399 –> 00:05:56,959 Marry a difficult person, and you’ll have a difficult marriage. 83 00:05:56,959 –> 00:06:03,679 Temperaments clash between believers as much as they do 84 00:06:03,679 –> 00:06:06,799 between unbelievers. That’s why it’s completely unrealistic to say when the 85 00:06:06,799 –> 00:06:10,559 two of us love the Lord then, obviously, things will be fine. 86 00:06:10,559 –> 00:06:14,160 1 Peter 3, chapter 3, that we looked at just a few weeks ago, 87 00:06:14,160 –> 00:06:17,679 makes it very clear that believers struggle with 88 00:06:17,679 –> 00:06:21,679 problems in their marriages. Peter wrote to 89 00:06:21,679 –> 00:06:25,359 husbands about the need to be considerate. Why? Because Christian 90 00:06:25,359 –> 00:06:29,920 husbands sometimes aren’t considerate. He spoke to Christian wives and it was 91 00:06:29,920 –> 00:06:33,200 very evident from what he said, we saw a few weeks ago there, that there were some 92 00:06:33,200 –> 00:06:35,359 Christian wives who had magnificent hairdos, 93 00:06:35,359 –> 00:06:40,399 magnificent dresses, and nothing else very beautiful about them. 94 00:06:40,399 –> 00:06:44,239 So this is an unrealistic expectation. If you think that because we love the Lord 95 00:06:44,239 –> 00:06:47,920 that everything’s going to be hunky-dory at home. 96 00:06:47,920 –> 00:06:55,600 Number two, Christians are always motivated to love, pray, and serve Christ. 97 00:06:55,600 –> 00:07:00,480 False. Christians struggle with mixed motivations. 98 00:07:00,480 –> 00:07:03,839 We love Christ, we want to serve him, but we do live this life 99 00:07:03,839 –> 00:07:07,600 in the flesh and we become tired. We become discouraged. 100 00:07:07,600 –> 00:07:11,440 We’re constantly in need of being renewed in our inner being. That’s why 101 00:07:11,440 –> 00:07:14,000 we gather here week by week for worship. That’s why 102 00:07:14,000 –> 00:07:18,880 fellowship and encouragement are so necessary and important. 103 00:07:18,880 –> 00:07:24,160 False expectation number three, Christians no longer struggle with sin, 104 00:07:24,160 –> 00:07:29,440 doubt, and fear. False. The Bible makes it clear we’re no 105 00:07:29,440 –> 00:07:33,600 longer under the power of sin, doubt, and fear, but we are not 106 00:07:33,600 –> 00:07:37,359 yet saved from their presence. These things are our 107 00:07:37,359 –> 00:07:42,559 constant enemies. We are always in conflict with them, they are always 108 00:07:42,559 –> 00:07:47,440 attacking us, and sometimes they do prevail. 109 00:07:47,440 –> 00:07:55,760 Fourth, Christians feel painless because Christ is with them. 110 00:07:55,760 –> 00:08:00,799 False. People also get confused here, you know, where Paul says 111 00:08:00,799 –> 00:08:04,959 we do not grieve like the rest of men who have no hope. 112 00:08:04,959 –> 00:08:08,399 Some people misinterpret that and have the idea that Paul was saying that 113 00:08:08,399 –> 00:08:12,959 somehow Christians didn’t grieve. That’s ridiculous. 114 00:08:12,959 –> 00:08:17,279 Of course Christians grieve. And when Christians grieve, it hurts every bit as 115 00:08:17,279 –> 00:08:21,519 much when we experience loss as it hurts other people. Read the book 116 00:08:21,519 –> 00:08:26,320 of Job. Let your expectations be shaped by the 117 00:08:26,320 –> 00:08:30,480 Bible. Now what Paul was saying when he spoke 118 00:08:30,480 –> 00:08:34,080 about our grief is he’s reminding us that we have a hope for the future 119 00:08:34,080 –> 00:08:39,520 that shines into our grief, but the grief of a Christian who loses a loved one 120 00:08:39,520 –> 00:08:46,559 is every bit as deep as the grief of one who does not believe. 121 00:08:46,799 –> 00:08:52,000 Two men break a leg in the same place in a game of football. One’s a believer, 122 00:08:52,000 –> 00:08:56,000 the other’s an atheist. They have the same pain if they break 123 00:08:56,000 –> 00:08:58,799 the same leg in the same place in the same way, 124 00:08:58,799 –> 00:09:05,599 right? Two people lose a loved one. Their experience of grief and pain is 125 00:09:05,599 –> 00:09:09,919 also equal. It feels the same. The presence of Christ 126 00:09:09,919 –> 00:09:15,760 will bring you through, but the pain you experience will not be 127 00:09:15,760 –> 00:09:20,479 less. The Bible never suggests it. 128 00:09:20,799 –> 00:09:25,599 Fifth. Christians should not need medication 129 00:09:25,599 –> 00:09:28,960 if they are trusting in Christ. You heard this one? 130 00:09:28,960 –> 00:09:36,159 Oh boy. We need to name it and nail it as false. 131 00:09:36,159 –> 00:09:42,239 We live by faith in the son of God but we live this life of faith in the 132 00:09:42,239 –> 00:09:48,000 body, and the functioning of the body is directly affected by its chemical 133 00:09:48,000 –> 00:09:50,880 balance. There is no difference between the 134 00:09:50,880 –> 00:09:53,840 believer and the unbeliever at this point. 135 00:09:53,919 –> 00:09:57,679 So if you give your Christian kid too much sugar 136 00:09:57,679 –> 00:10:03,359 he’ll be hyper as much as an unbelieving kid with too much sugar, right? 137 00:10:03,359 –> 00:10:08,080 What Christians eat and how Christians do or don’t exercise 138 00:10:08,080 –> 00:10:13,119 affects our health in exactly the same way as if we were not believers. 139 00:10:13,119 –> 00:10:17,760 If you have an overactive or an underactive thyroid 140 00:10:17,760 –> 00:10:21,039 that will affect your energy and your mood. 141 00:10:21,039 –> 00:10:24,880 Being a believer makes no difference to that. 142 00:10:24,880 –> 00:10:31,359 And a great deal of unhappiness could be avoided if Christians who 143 00:10:31,359 –> 00:10:36,960 need medication would just take it. 144 00:10:37,039 –> 00:10:40,880 And I’m gonna say a word very honestly to some of the men here because I think 145 00:10:40,880 –> 00:10:44,080 we’re sometimes the worst on this one. I mean I don’t know how many times I’ve 146 00:10:44,080 –> 00:10:47,520 heard this. I don’t like to take my medication 147 00:10:47,520 –> 00:10:50,719 because I don’t like what it does to me when I take it. 148 00:10:50,719 –> 00:10:55,119 Listen there are people around you who don’t like what it does to them when you 149 00:10:55,119 –> 00:10:58,080 don’t take it! 150 00:10:58,640 –> 00:11:01,919 Take your medication! 151 00:11:02,159 –> 00:11:07,359 Sixth, Christians are safer healthier and wealthier than other people. You 152 00:11:07,359 –> 00:11:11,039 heard this one? It gets suggested kind of in there in all kinds of conversation. 153 00:11:11,039 –> 00:11:16,159 False! God has never promised that if you’re a Christian you’re less likely to 154 00:11:16,159 –> 00:11:19,359 have a car accident or that you’re less likely to have your 155 00:11:19,919 –> 00:11:23,440 home burgled. It’s obviously true that those who care 156 00:11:23,440 –> 00:11:26,479 for their bodies and those who are good stewards of their money 157 00:11:26,479 –> 00:11:31,359 may expect to enjoy the benefits of that, but there’s no significant difference in 158 00:11:31,359 –> 00:11:34,960 that regard between a Christian who looks after his body and looks after his 159 00:11:34,960 –> 00:11:40,799 money and a Muslim or a Buddhist or a Hindu or a Jew who does the same thing. 160 00:11:40,799 –> 00:11:44,479 Jesus said and he said it to His disciples, 161 00:11:44,479 –> 00:11:48,400 which of you can add one hour 162 00:11:48,400 –> 00:11:56,799 to his life by worrying about it. They can’t. They simply can’t. 163 00:11:56,880 –> 00:12:01,440 Seventh, Christians don’t get tired or discouraged. 164 00:12:01,440 –> 00:12:06,799 False! Of course we do! And the reason that the Scriptures are so 165 00:12:06,799 –> 00:12:11,679 full of encouragements to persevere is because Christians do become jaded and 166 00:12:11,679 –> 00:12:13,919 discouraged and when we get knocked down, it’s 167 00:12:13,919 –> 00:12:17,840 difficult sometimes to get up. That’s why we gather week by week in 168 00:12:17,840 –> 00:12:20,559 the presence of God. We need to be renewed and encouraged 169 00:12:20,559 –> 00:12:24,000 and strengthened for the challenges of this 170 00:12:24,000 –> 00:12:29,359 difficult Christian life. We don’t come here to escape from reality, 171 00:12:29,359 –> 00:12:34,320 we come here so that we can face reality. 172 00:12:34,320 –> 00:12:38,419 Now the problem with these expectations is that they are 173 00:12:38,419 –> 00:12:45,000 unbiblical. And because they are unbiblical, they are unrealistic. 174 00:12:45,000 –> 00:12:50,099 And if you live with unbiblical and unrealistic expectations, 175 00:12:50,099 –> 00:12:54,500 you will live in the constant fog of confusion, 176 00:12:54,500 –> 00:13:00,500 frustration, and disappointment. So it’s very important 177 00:13:00,500 –> 00:13:03,940 if we are to live this Christian life that we shape 178 00:13:03,940 –> 00:13:10,979 our expectations from the Bible. Some years ago there was a book written 179 00:13:10,979 –> 00:13:14,179 that was given the, I think rather brilliant title, 180 00:13:14,179 –> 00:13:18,419 I’m okay, you’re okay. Remember that book? I’m okay, you’re okay? 181 00:13:18,419 –> 00:13:21,539 Well you know, let’s face it, sometimes it can feel a little bit like that when 182 00:13:21,539 –> 00:13:24,580 we come into church, and everyone looks at their very best and we all comb 183 00:13:24,580 –> 00:13:26,900 their hair and look very respectable and so forth, and 184 00:13:26,900 –> 00:13:30,260 it has this kind of feel, you know, I’m okay, you’re okay, 185 00:13:30,260 –> 00:13:33,859 come and join us. We’re the fellowship of the okay, and if you’re with 186 00:13:33,859 –> 00:13:38,900 us you’ll be okay too. Now, look, it’s just not 187 00:13:38,900 –> 00:13:46,059 true. The fact is that Christians, every one of us, are a 188 00:13:46,059 –> 00:13:51,419 mass of contradictions. We love Jesus, but we struggle with the 189 00:13:51,419 –> 00:13:55,500 flesh. We have faith, but we struggle with many 190 00:13:55,500 –> 00:13:59,179 doubts. We have been forgiven, but we are not 191 00:13:59,179 –> 00:14:03,419 wholly free from sin. We’ve discovered the truth, but we have 192 00:14:03,419 –> 00:14:07,900 many unanswered questions. We experience God’s comfort, 193 00:14:07,900 –> 00:14:10,940 but we feel also the pain of our own failures 194 00:14:10,940 –> 00:14:15,900 and of our own loss. So let’s take off the rose-tinted 195 00:14:15,900 –> 00:14:20,299 spectacles. Then we will be able to look at life as it 196 00:14:20,299 –> 00:14:24,780 really is. Then we will be able to face reality, 197 00:14:24,780 –> 00:14:28,619 and we will discover what God has to say to us about how to live in 198 00:14:28,619 –> 00:14:31,340 this world. 199 00:14:32,299 –> 00:14:35,500 So I want to spend the rest of our time now 200 00:14:35,500 –> 00:14:42,059 shaping from this passage of Scripture realistic Biblical 201 00:14:42,059 –> 00:14:48,380 expectations of what it’s like to live a Christian life. 202 00:14:48,380 –> 00:14:51,179 Now I want to suggest to you, now that we’ve cleared away some of the 203 00:14:51,179 –> 00:14:55,500 misapprehensions that so easily clutter our minds, 204 00:14:55,500 –> 00:14:58,619 that our expectations of the Christian life should be 205 00:14:58,700 –> 00:15:03,340 shaped by three realities. 206 00:15:03,340 –> 00:15:10,460 Number one, Christians live in a fallen 207 00:15:10,460 –> 00:15:14,880 world. That’s a fundamental Biblical truth that must 208 00:15:14,880 –> 00:15:21,099 shape our expectations of life. Christians live 209 00:15:21,099 –> 00:15:26,619 in a fallen world. So, coming back to 1 Peter 4.12, don’t be surprised at the 210 00:15:26,619 –> 00:15:28,520 painful trial you are suffering. 211 00:15:28,520 –> 00:15:32,479 As though something strange were happening to you. 212 00:15:32,520 –> 00:15:37,380 Painful trials are not strange in a fallen world. 213 00:15:37,380 –> 00:15:42,760 Now, just so we’re clear when we talk about a fallen world. 214 00:15:42,840 –> 00:15:46,280 We’re talking about a world that suffers from all the effects 215 00:15:46,280 –> 00:15:52,280 of human rebellion against God. The fall is the way that we usually refer 216 00:15:52,280 –> 00:15:56,919 to the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve. The first sin of course 217 00:15:56,919 –> 00:16:00,599 wasn’t the only sin, but it was the beginning of a pattern of 218 00:16:00,599 –> 00:16:03,799 rebellion that runs unbroken throughout human 219 00:16:03,799 –> 00:16:09,479 history, and still continues today. In other words, we have been born 220 00:16:09,479 –> 00:16:14,840 into a world that is on a collision course with God. 221 00:16:14,840 –> 00:16:21,559 We are part of the human race that is at war with God. 222 00:16:21,559 –> 00:16:25,880 That’s how the Bible puts it, we are enemies of God, the human race in 223 00:16:25,880 –> 00:16:31,239 total. Now, God will win this war against his 224 00:16:31,239 –> 00:16:36,919 enemies, and he has offered an amnesty 225 00:16:36,919 –> 00:16:40,039 to all who will from within the human race 226 00:16:40,039 –> 00:16:45,559 give up the fight against him. The amnesty is open to all who will 227 00:16:45,559 –> 00:16:49,799 surrender in repentance and faith to our Lord 228 00:16:49,799 –> 00:16:54,520 and Savior, Jesus Christ. And to all who from the human race, will 229 00:16:54,520 –> 00:16:57,799 surrender to him, God’s promise is that he will take us 230 00:16:57,799 –> 00:17:01,559 out of this rebellious world before the final 231 00:17:01,559 –> 00:17:07,719 judgment comes. But until that day, even though we are 232 00:17:07,719 –> 00:17:12,520 surrendered to Christ, we still live in this world, which is 233 00:17:12,520 –> 00:17:16,359 the war zone. We are, therefore, caught 234 00:17:16,359 –> 00:17:20,599 up living in this world with all the effects 235 00:17:20,599 –> 00:17:24,520 of experiencing life in a world that has chosen 236 00:17:24,520 –> 00:17:28,680 a path that leads to destruction. That is the world in 237 00:17:28,680 –> 00:17:33,400 which we live. That is what will shape our experience 238 00:17:33,400 –> 00:17:42,040 of life. Now, we live in a culture where many of our kids 239 00:17:42,040 –> 00:17:48,439 are brought up to expect the world. Right? 240 00:17:48,520 –> 00:17:52,520 Now, if you’re going to bring up your children 241 00:17:52,520 –> 00:17:59,160 to expect the world, please make sure that they understand 242 00:17:59,160 –> 00:18:06,680 what world to expect. Tell them if you want to raise them 243 00:18:06,680 –> 00:18:15,479 with a Christian understanding. Tell them about the fallen world. 244 00:18:15,479 –> 00:18:21,400 Tell them about the First World War where thousands upon 245 00:18:21,400 –> 00:18:27,560 thousands went to their death for no good reason. 246 00:18:28,119 –> 00:18:34,119 Tell them about the Second World War, where millions died because of an 247 00:18:34,119 –> 00:18:40,599 appalling evil. Tell them about the Holocaust. 248 00:18:40,599 –> 00:18:43,959 Tell them about the genocide in Cambodia 249 00:18:43,959 –> 00:18:48,760 and Rwanda. Tell them about September the 11th and the Oklahoma bomber. 250 00:18:48,760 –> 00:18:52,520 Tell them about the terrible power of evil that is at work 251 00:18:52,520 –> 00:18:56,040 within the hearts of men. Tell them the Bible says 252 00:18:56,040 –> 00:19:00,359 that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked 253 00:19:00,359 –> 00:19:04,439 and that is why the world is as it is. That is how you understand what is on 254 00:19:04,439 –> 00:19:09,959 the front of your newspaper. Now, don’t tell them all of this in one 255 00:19:09,959 –> 00:19:13,640 day. Don’t tell them, you know, 256 00:19:13,640 –> 00:19:17,239 last thing at night when they’re four years old. I mean 257 00:19:17,239 –> 00:19:22,359 but in the course of raising a new generation that expects the world 258 00:19:22,359 –> 00:19:26,599 let’s tell them what kind of world to expect. 259 00:19:27,479 –> 00:19:32,920 When your kids say, dad that’s not fair, use that as a wonderful teaching 260 00:19:32,920 –> 00:19:37,880 opportunity. Hey son, this world in which you live 261 00:19:37,880 –> 00:19:41,160 isn’t fair and if you think you’re going to go through life being treated 262 00:19:41,160 –> 00:19:46,040 fair all the time you’re going to be desperately disappointed. 263 00:19:46,119 –> 00:19:50,760 Let’s give them a Christian view of the world, 264 00:19:50,760 –> 00:19:58,199 not a naive suburban isolationist view of the world. This world was 265 00:19:58,199 –> 00:20:03,560 created perfectly by God but has tragically fallen 266 00:20:03,560 –> 00:20:07,079 through sin and is now living under sin’s awful 267 00:20:07,079 –> 00:20:10,920 curse, and throughout history mankind has had 268 00:20:10,920 –> 00:20:14,359 this dream of a perfect world where there will be 269 00:20:14,359 –> 00:20:18,439 peace and order and universal brotherhood. Where in 270 00:20:18,439 –> 00:20:22,599 the bible does it ever say that will happen? 271 00:20:22,599 –> 00:20:25,719 The New Agers are full of it. It will never 272 00:20:25,719 –> 00:20:29,319 happen in human history, it will only happen 273 00:20:29,319 –> 00:20:35,880 under the reign of Jesus Christ. Why? Because we live in a fallen world, 274 00:20:35,880 –> 00:20:40,199 a world that is in rebellion against God and it bears all the scars and the 275 00:20:40,199 –> 00:20:43,160 suffering that come as a result of such a rebellion. 276 00:20:43,160 –> 00:20:47,000 And we live life in this world and God does not section 277 00:20:47,000 –> 00:20:50,040 Christians off to have an entirely different experience 278 00:20:50,040 –> 00:20:53,719 of life in a fallen world from everyone else. 279 00:20:53,719 –> 00:20:58,359 It’s a fundamental biblical reality that must shape 280 00:20:58,359 –> 00:21:05,719 our expectations of life in this world. So first, here’s the second. 281 00:21:06,280 –> 00:21:11,160 Christians live in a fallen world but secondly, Christians follow 282 00:21:11,160 –> 00:21:17,319 a crucified savior. Now think about this. 283 00:21:17,800 –> 00:21:24,920 If you follow a rock star or some other celebrity, 284 00:21:24,920 –> 00:21:29,640 you know, you’re a roadie with the rolling stones or something like that. 285 00:21:29,640 –> 00:21:34,119 You follow the celebrity. You would expect that some of their 286 00:21:34,119 –> 00:21:41,640 glamour would rub off on you. Reflected glory of the lights. 287 00:21:41,640 –> 00:21:46,119 If you follow a great military general, you might expect that you would share in 288 00:21:46,119 –> 00:21:49,400 something of his victory. 289 00:21:50,040 –> 00:21:57,800 But what would you expect if you choose to follow a man who was crucified? 290 00:21:58,280 –> 00:22:04,680 What would you really expect if you choose to stand alongside someone 291 00:22:04,680 –> 00:22:09,000 who was nailed to a cross? What would you expect? 292 00:22:09,479 –> 00:22:16,680 See, Jesus said, in this world you will have trouble. Period. 293 00:22:16,680 –> 00:22:19,880 And he said to his disciples, if the world 294 00:22:19,880 –> 00:22:24,359 hates you—that’s a strong word, hates you. 295 00:22:24,359 –> 00:22:31,079 And the world does hate the believer. If the world hates you, 296 00:22:31,079 –> 00:22:37,079 keep in mind that it hated me first. 297 00:22:37,800 –> 00:22:44,760 See, our experience will always be a reflection of what we are invested 298 00:22:44,760 –> 00:22:50,520 in. We sometimes use the phrase, talking about a career, you say, oh what 299 00:22:50,520 –> 00:22:57,800 are you in. Oh, I’m in business, someone says. Well if you’re in business 300 00:22:57,800 –> 00:23:00,520 and things are tough for business then things are tough for you. 301 00:23:00,520 –> 00:23:04,680 When we talk about investments, what are you in? 302 00:23:04,680 –> 00:23:10,199 Oh, I’m in stocks. Well, if you’re in stocks and things are tough for stocks, 303 00:23:10,199 –> 00:23:14,760 things are tough for you. If you’re in bonds and things are good 304 00:23:14,760 –> 00:23:18,920 for bonds, things are good for you. Now one of the most fundamental 305 00:23:18,920 –> 00:23:23,640 descriptions of a Christian is that we are in Christ. 306 00:23:23,640 –> 00:23:27,479 And if you’re in Christ, it would be reasonable to expect that what happened 307 00:23:27,479 –> 00:23:30,439 to Christ will happen to you. That in some sense you will 308 00:23:30,439 –> 00:23:37,079 share what is his, if you’re in Christ. And of course, that is exactly what 309 00:23:37,079 –> 00:23:43,640 Peter says here in verse 13. Rejoice, he says, that you participate 310 00:23:44,040 –> 00:23:49,640 in the sufferings of Christ. You’re so identified to him that a share 311 00:23:49,640 –> 00:23:55,000 of what touched him is touching you. 312 00:23:55,000 –> 00:23:59,800 Now, let’s just take a moment to think about what that might look like. 313 00:23:59,800 –> 00:24:03,319 Let’s think about Jesus’ experience of life in this world. 314 00:24:03,319 –> 00:24:10,040 What was life in this world like for Jesus? 315 00:24:10,680 –> 00:24:14,599 Because it would be reasonable to expect that there would be some similarities 316 00:24:14,599 –> 00:24:16,760 between the experience of life in this world 317 00:24:16,760 –> 00:24:21,959 for Jesus and the experience of life in this world for those who follow him. 318 00:24:21,959 –> 00:24:25,479 So, let me just make 10 very simple statements about 319 00:24:25,479 –> 00:24:29,479 Jesus’ experience of life in this world, and you can measure 320 00:24:29,479 –> 00:24:34,439 whether your experience is the same or whether God has given you more and 321 00:24:34,439 –> 00:24:36,920 better. 322 00:24:37,160 –> 00:24:43,800 Number one, he worked hard in manual labor, making a living that was 323 00:24:43,800 –> 00:24:47,880 never more than enough to merely get by. 324 00:24:47,880 –> 00:24:52,680 He was never married, and he had no children. 325 00:24:52,680 –> 00:24:58,680 He never became a homeowner. In fact, he had no place to lay his head. 326 00:24:58,680 –> 00:25:03,079 He was the special focus of Satan’s particular attention. 327 00:25:03,079 –> 00:25:07,319 The devil tempted Jesus with greater force than any person has ever been 328 00:25:07,319 –> 00:25:12,500 tempted before, or since. He was, fifthly, the most 329 00:25:12,500 –> 00:25:17,239 under-appreciated person who has ever lived. 330 00:25:17,239 –> 00:25:21,640 Rejected in his own town, he described himself as a prophet 331 00:25:21,640 –> 00:25:27,959 without honor in his own country. He experienced, sixthly, the constant 332 00:25:27,959 –> 00:25:31,160 frustration of colleagues who did not understand what he was saying 333 00:25:31,160 –> 00:25:34,760 and were reluctant to follow where he was going. 334 00:25:34,760 –> 00:25:37,959 He knew seventhly the deep pain of being betrayed 335 00:25:37,959 –> 00:25:42,520 by one with whom he had shared so much of life, and to whom he had given 336 00:25:42,520 –> 00:25:45,560 so much trust. 337 00:25:46,280 –> 00:25:51,079 When he faced his hour of greatest need, he looked for his friends, 338 00:25:51,079 –> 00:25:54,599 and none of them were there to stand with him. 339 00:25:54,599 –> 00:25:57,719 When he faced false charges and they were brought against him, there was no 340 00:25:58,119 –> 00:26:04,920 would help him to find justice. He reached out in love, 341 00:26:04,920 –> 00:26:08,599 and in giving love to others he found his love 342 00:26:08,599 –> 00:26:14,680 was returned with hatred from the very people that he had chosen 343 00:26:14,680 –> 00:26:18,359 to serve. Now, that’s what life was like in this 344 00:26:18,359 –> 00:26:23,560 world for Jesus, not even referring to His crucifixion and death, 345 00:26:23,640 –> 00:26:28,680 but we have chosen to follow him. So, if your experience at any of these 346 00:26:28,680 –> 00:26:31,719 points is the same or even similar to His, 347 00:26:31,719 –> 00:26:37,560 let’s call that par for the course. And if at any point God has given you 348 00:26:37,560 –> 00:26:43,640 more than Jesus experienced, then let’s call that a special 349 00:26:43,640 –> 00:26:47,160 gift and privilege from the gracious hand of a 350 00:26:47,160 –> 00:26:52,599 loving Father and cherish it with awe 351 00:26:52,599 –> 00:26:58,119 and with thanksgiving.” Let the life of Jesus 352 00:26:58,119 –> 00:27:01,880 set your expectations as one of His followers 353 00:27:01,880 –> 00:27:06,839 for your life in this world. If there’s one person who stands with you in your 354 00:27:06,839 –> 00:27:11,000 darkest hour, you have more than Jesus had in His. 355 00:27:11,000 –> 00:27:13,560 One person. 356 00:27:14,439 –> 00:27:18,280 And notice that Peter says, rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of 357 00:27:18,280 –> 00:27:22,359 Christ. Why would he say that? Because, verse 13, if you share in His 358 00:27:22,359 –> 00:27:26,920 sufferings, this is the surest sign that you are 359 00:27:26,920 –> 00:27:32,359 in Him and if you’re in Him sharing in His sufferings you’re 360 00:27:32,359 –> 00:27:35,239 also in Him going to share in His glory 361 00:27:35,239 –> 00:27:39,959 because beyond this world, Christ was raised from the dead. 362 00:27:39,959 –> 00:27:44,280 He ascended and was exalted at the right hand of the Father 363 00:27:44,280 –> 00:27:49,160 and if you are in Christ, then beyond this life that is the experience that 364 00:27:49,160 –> 00:27:52,199 you will share too. What happened to Him will happen to 365 00:27:52,199 –> 00:27:56,280 those who are in Him and so if you see the costly sign 366 00:27:56,280 –> 00:28:00,199 of being in Him now, rejoice because think what that’s 367 00:28:00,199 –> 00:28:04,680 going to mean in the future. There is no greater privilege in this 368 00:28:04,839 –> 00:28:09,319 life than to be in Christ, whatever 369 00:28:09,319 –> 00:28:14,199 it costs you. That’s why he says, verse 14, you are 370 00:28:14,199 –> 00:28:20,199 blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God 371 00:28:20,199 –> 00:28:24,439 rests on you. This is evidence that you are 372 00:28:24,439 –> 00:28:28,839 in Christ, and Christ is in you, and if that is the reality, 373 00:28:28,839 –> 00:28:32,839 you are going to be overjoyed in His presence on the last day 374 00:28:32,839 –> 00:28:36,119 so whatever it costs now you have that which is 375 00:28:36,160 –> 00:28:39,760 of infinite value. 376 00:28:41,280 –> 00:28:48,239 How are we to shape our expectations? We live in a fallen world, 377 00:28:48,239 –> 00:28:53,359 we follow a crucified savior 378 00:28:53,439 –> 00:28:58,400 And thirdly and finally we are in the process 379 00:28:58,439 –> 00:29:02,560 of being saved. Now look at verse 18 a 380 00:29:02,599 –> 00:29:07,680 very important truth for us to grasp. Notice that Peter says it is a hard 381 00:29:07,680 –> 00:29:11,800 thing for the righteous to be saved. 382 00:29:12,079 –> 00:29:16,079 He goes on to draw a conclusion with regard to the unbelieving world but 383 00:29:16,079 –> 00:29:19,199 I want simply to focus on the statement that he has here. 384 00:29:19,199 –> 00:29:24,479 He makes it clear that it is a hard thing for the righteous 385 00:29:24,520 –> 00:29:25,760 to be saved. 386 00:29:26,560 –> 00:29:30,839 Now the Bible speaks about salvation in three tenses past, 387 00:29:30,880 –> 00:29:32,119 present and future. 388 00:29:32,880 –> 00:29:36,000 It speaks of our salvation as a completed transaction, 389 00:29:36,719 –> 00:29:40,079 a continuing process and a future hope. 390 00:29:40,760 –> 00:29:45,880 We have been saved the Bible says, and particularly the 391 00:29:45,880 –> 00:29:47,640 reference there is being saved 392 00:29:47,640 –> 00:29:50,959 from sin’s penalty is this. 393 00:29:51,640 –> 00:29:53,140 In Ephesians 2, 8, it is, 394 00:29:53,140 –> 00:29:56,160 by grace that you have been saved. 395 00:29:56,160 –> 00:29:57,479 You have been saved. 396 00:29:57,760 –> 00:30:00,680 When you came to Christ a transaction took place in 397 00:30:00,680 –> 00:30:03,099 which the power of his blood touched your life. 398 00:30:03,119 –> 00:30:04,239 Your sin was forgiven. 399 00:30:04,459 –> 00:30:06,239 Your condemnation removed. 400 00:30:06,479 –> 00:30:08,439 You became a new person in Jesus Christ. 401 00:30:08,640 –> 00:30:10,599 You have been saved. 402 00:30:11,800 –> 00:30:14,199 But the New Testament also speaks of salvation 403 00:30:14,199 –> 00:30:15,579 in the future, 404 00:30:15,920 –> 00:30:19,839 because in the future we will be saved from sin’s 405 00:30:19,839 –> 00:30:21,119 presence. 406 00:30:21,500 –> 00:30:24,119 We live in a sinful world, 407 00:30:24,119 –> 00:30:25,319 a sinful environment. 408 00:30:25,319 –> 00:30:28,760 The remains of sin still trouble us within our own 409 00:30:28,760 –> 00:30:30,040 lives. 410 00:30:30,359 –> 00:30:33,199 And it’s a future day when Christ comes again, 411 00:30:33,199 –> 00:30:37,260 when we will be taken out of sin’s presence altogether. 412 00:30:37,500 –> 00:30:40,719 Peter spoke about this in 1 Peter chapter 1 in verse 6 413 00:30:40,800 –> 00:30:43,560 There’s a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the 414 00:30:43,560 –> 00:30:45,319 last time. 415 00:30:45,680 –> 00:30:48,839 And we rejoice in this even although we go through many 416 00:30:48,880 –> 00:30:51,560 trials now. 417 00:30:51,800 –> 00:30:54,719 But, then the New Testament speaks also of us 418 00:30:54,979 –> 00:30:58,800 being saved, a continuing process 419 00:30:58,800 –> 00:31:02,439 which really is the very essence of the Christian life. 420 00:31:02,439 –> 00:31:04,699 To us who are being saved. 421 00:31:04,699 –> 00:31:07,859 Present tense, Paul says, the cross is the 422 00:31:07,880 –> 00:31:09,680 power of God. 423 00:31:09,939 –> 00:31:12,199 And, of course, that is what Peter is talking about here. 424 00:31:12,359 –> 00:31:15,819 It is hard for the righteous to be saved. 425 00:31:16,119 –> 00:31:19,260 He’s not saying that it’s a hard thing to believe in Jesus. 426 00:31:19,260 –> 00:31:22,719 He’s saying it’s a hard thing to live the Christian life. 427 00:31:22,719 –> 00:31:26,219 It’s a hard thing to live the Christian life. 428 00:31:26,219 –> 00:31:29,800 I want to draw two conclusions from that, and then we’re through. 429 00:31:29,800 –> 00:31:33,079 It’s a hard thing to live the Christian life. 430 00:31:33,079 –> 00:31:35,780 It is hard for the righteous to be saved. 431 00:31:35,780 –> 00:31:39,680 This is shaping our expectations. 432 00:31:39,680 –> 00:31:43,660 And if you’ve grasped that biblical truth, 433 00:31:43,760 –> 00:31:47,800 it seems to me that first, that comes as a warning 434 00:31:47,800 –> 00:31:50,859 to those who find it easy. 435 00:31:50,859 –> 00:31:55,880 You see, it’s hard for the righteous to be saved. 436 00:31:55,880 –> 00:32:01,040 The reason for that is that God is saving us, 437 00:32:01,040 –> 00:32:04,420 delivering us from this power of sin, 438 00:32:04,420 –> 00:32:06,459 and that involves a battle and a struggle 439 00:32:06,459 –> 00:32:08,979 that continues throughout the whole of the Christian life. 440 00:32:08,979 –> 00:32:11,180 Every Christian knows it and experiences it, 441 00:32:11,180 –> 00:32:16,219 and so if you think it’s easy, 442 00:32:16,219 –> 00:32:18,160 my fear is that you don’t really know anything 443 00:32:18,160 –> 00:32:20,380 about the battle, 444 00:32:20,380 –> 00:32:22,160 and if you don’t know anything about the battle, 445 00:32:22160 –> 00:32:24,520 I don’t think you’re saved. 446 00:32:24,520 –> 00:32:26,079 You’ve no Biblical warrant to think you’re saved 447 00:32:26,079 –> 00:32:30,160 if you know nothing about the battle. 448 00:32:30,160 –> 00:32:33,680 The one who is with Christ has declared war on sin, 449 00:32:33,680 –> 00:32:37,099 and it’s hard. 450 00:32:37,099 –> 00:32:39,479 The one who has not declared war on sin 451 00:32:39,500 –> 00:32:43,699 is not with Christ. 452 00:32:43,699 –> 00:32:45,219 So if you think it’s easy, 453 00:32:45,219 –> 00:32:48,719 check which path you’re on. 454 00:32:48,719 –> 00:32:50,500 That’s the warning. 455 00:32:50,500 –> 00:32:53,099 Here’s the encouragement. 456 00:32:53,099 –> 00:32:54,479 It’s a tremendous encouragement 457 00:32:54,479 –> 00:32:56,979 to all who find it hard. 458 00:32:56,979 –> 00:32:58,939 You find the Christian life hard? 459 00:32:58,939 –> 00:33:00,739 I find the Christian life hard. 460 00:33:00,739 –> 00:33:02,040 Boy, if the Bible said to me 461 00:33:02,040 –> 00:33:03,420 the Christian life was easy, 462 00:33:03,420 –> 00:33:04,660 I’d be scratching my head and saying, 463 00:33:04,660 –> 00:33:07,040 what is wrong with me? 464 00:33:07,140 –> 00:33:08,180 You know, when the Bible says to me 465 00:33:08,180 –> 00:33:09,699 the Christian life is hard, 466 00:33:09,699 –> 00:33:11,459 I say, thank you, Lord. 467 00:33:11,459 –> 00:33:12,459 I understand that. 468 00:33:12,459 –> 00:33:14,439 I can relate to that. 469 00:33:15,359 –> 00:33:18,219 See, maybe you became a Christian recently 470 00:33:18,219 –> 00:33:20,260 and you thought, oh, when I come to Christ, 471 00:33:20,260 –> 00:33:22,459 I’m going to know peace all the time 472 00:33:22,459 –> 00:33:23,660 and it’s going to be wonderful, 473 00:33:23,660 –> 00:33:25,380 my whole new life, 474 00:33:25,380 –> 00:33:26,540 and you say, you know, 475 00:33:26,540 –> 00:33:28,540 I’m finding I’ve got more struggles going on 476 00:33:28,540 –> 00:33:30,439 in my soul even than I knew before. 477 00:33:31,739 –> 00:33:34,260 It’s what Peter is talking about here. 478 00:33:34,260 –> 00:33:36,500 The Christian life is hard. 479 00:33:37,140 –> 00:33:39,239 You know, any dead fish 480 00:33:39,239 –> 00:33:41,739 can go with the current of the river, 481 00:33:41,739 –> 00:33:43,760 but it takes life and it takes strength 482 00:33:43,760 –> 00:33:46,260 and it takes energy to go against the stream, 483 00:33:46,260 –> 00:33:48,959 and to be a Christian is to go against the current 484 00:33:48,959 –> 00:33:51,420 of the world and the flesh and the devil 485 00:33:51,420 –> 00:33:53,619 and that ain’t easy. 486 00:33:53,619 –> 00:33:57,699 It’s not easy to overcome a besetting sin 487 00:33:57,699 –> 00:34:00,339 that you’ve struggled with for 10 years. 488 00:34:00,339 –> 00:34:03,060 It’s not easy to maintain your passion 489 00:34:03,060 –> 00:34:05,739 for serving Jesus for a whole lifetime. 490 00:34:05,739 –> 00:34:09,179 It’s not easy when you see other people enjoying a gift 491 00:34:09,179 –> 00:34:11,320 and a blessing from God that you long for, 492 00:34:11,320 –> 00:34:14,199 but he hasn’t given you. 493 00:34:14,199 –> 00:34:18,379 But the struggle to honor Christ in all of these things 494 00:34:18,379 –> 00:34:22,419 is the evidence that you’re going in the right direction. 495 00:34:25,340 –> 00:34:29,219 So when someone says oh, I find it so hard, 496 00:34:29,219 –> 00:34:33,320 I want to say, hard is normal. 497 00:34:34,320 –> 00:34:37,379 But the Spirit of God is with you 498 00:34:38,419 –> 00:34:39,919 and he will bring you through. 499 00:34:42,120 –> 00:34:45,399 So then don’t be surprised at the painful trials 500 00:34:45,399 –> 00:34:47,159 of your life, Peter says. 501 00:34:48,239 –> 00:34:50,439 Christians live in a fallen world. 502 00:34:51,320 –> 00:34:55,719 We do follow a crucified savior and God after all 503 00:34:55,719 –> 00:34:57,520 is not finished with any of us yet. 504 00:34:57,520 –> 00:35:00,600 We’re still in the process of being saved. 505 00:35:00,600 –> 00:35:02,500 That’s what the Christian life is all about 506 00:35:02,620 –> 00:35:06,600 and that process isn’t over, nor is it easy. 507 00:35:07,879 –> 00:35:10,600 So Peter says, verse 19, 508 00:35:10,600 –> 00:35:13,040 those who do suffer according to God’s will 509 00:35:14,020 –> 00:35:16,820 should commit themselves to their faithful creator 510 00:35:17,860 –> 00:35:20,620 and continue to do good. 511 00:35:21,479 –> 00:35:22,979 Let’s pray together, shall we? 512 00:35:27,139 –> 00:35:29,820 Thank you, O Lord that your word is the truth 513 00:35:29,840 –> 00:35:32,739 and therefore it speaks right to where we are. 514 00:35:35,260 –> 00:35:39,100 There isn’t one of us who’s truly your child 515 00:35:40,659 –> 00:35:44,080 who thinks or finds that the Christian way is easy. 516 00:35:45,719 –> 00:35:46,780 We know it’s hard. 517 00:35:48,340 –> 00:35:50,219 And so we thank you that you speak to us 518 00:35:50,219 –> 00:35:51,300 right where we are. 519 00:35:52,500 –> 00:35:54,000 We thank you that in a struggle 520 00:35:54,000 –> 00:35:56,560 against the stream, as it were, 521 00:35:56,560 –> 00:35:59,020 where so often we find ourselves pushed back, 522 00:36:00,840 –> 00:36:03,719 you affirm that that very struggle 523 00:36:04,639 –> 00:36:06,620 is the sure evidence that we are going 524 00:36:06,620 –> 00:36:07,780 in the right direction. 525 00:36:08,620 –> 00:36:11,340 And so we’re grateful, and so we’re encouraged. 526 00:36:12,360 –> 00:36:14,020 We pray that you will clear our minds 527 00:36:14,020 –> 00:36:16,899 of the clutter and confusion of unbiblical 528 00:36:16,899 –> 00:36:19,540 and therefore unrealistic expectations. 529 00:36:20,739 –> 00:36:24,580 And with that clear mind and firm purpose, 530 00:36:24,580 –> 00:36:27,040 with the strength of your Spirit, 531 00:36:27,040 –> 00:36:29,320 that we will renew with firm resolve 532 00:36:30,199 –> 00:36:35,219 our determination to follow Jesus whatever the cost, 533 00:36:35,219 –> 00:36:38,399 knowing that that which is of true value 534 00:36:39,479 –> 00:36:41,479 always comes at a price, 535 00:36:42,320 –> 00:36:46,800 and as He has paid that ultimate price for us, 536 00:36:46,800 –> 00:36:51,100 no price is too great for us to pay for Him. 537 00:36:51,939 –> 00:36:56,340 Lord, hear our prayers and strengthen us in the battle 538 00:36:56,340 –> 00:36:59,479 till Christ shall come, for Jesus’ sake. 539 00:37:00,919 –> 00:37:01,760 Amen.