CHRIST CREATIVE BAPTIST CHURCH
A SERMON PREACHED ON SUNDAY
MAY 9, 1999
BY
THE REV. DR. GEORGE ST. ANTHONY FERGUSON, SR.
AUTHOR: Peter
THEME: Suffering and Glory
DATE: 65 AD
TEXT: 1 Peter 4:12
Have you notice that strange things are happening today? Do you realize that strange things are happening today? Has it come to your attention that strange things are happening today? Look at the weather and you don’t know if it is spring or winter. That’s strange. Look at the way children are acting in school and you don’t know if you should wear a book bag or a bulletproof vest. That’s strange. Look at nations today and you will see that nations are rising up against nations and there are wars and rumors of wars. That’s strange. Look at diseases today and you will see all kinds of afflictions and pestilences like AIDS and the Ebola virus. That’s strange. Look at the church today and you will realize that most pastors and people don’t know God because if they did, those pastors would not pimp the people for money, sex or power and those people would strongly desire to know the Word of God. That’s strange. Arsineo Hall said it makes you want to go “Hum!” But are all these things really strange? Are they really unusual? Are they really unexpected? No, because Jesus said these are the beginning of birth pangs or sufferings in the last days. And one day Peter told us about suffering. So today on this Mother’s Day and for those who have endured the pain and joy of child birth, the Lord told me to preach on the title: Suffering Is Not A Strange Thing.
I wanted to preach a traditional Mother’s Day sermon today but God told me to deal with the issues of the day. And God told me that mothers today suffer more than mothers of yesterday. So our sermon text is found in 1 Peter 4. As I begin, you should know that this is one of two epistles that Peter wrote. Peter was writing to Jewish Christians throughout the Roman World. Peter was in the fishing business with James and John, and their father Zebudee. Peter was a cursing and lying fisherman. Peter was an angry and fighting fisherman. But despite his cursing, lying and fighting ways, Jesus saved his soul and made him whole. And Peter had what I call foot in mouth disease. Peter often spoke before he put his brain in gear. Peter often reacted without thinking. Peter was just like us. Peter was prideful. Peter was impetuous. Peter was impervious. But on the Day of Pentecost, Jesus transformed him from being a little pebble of a man to being a rock of Gibraltar. Peter preached the first Christian sermon on the Day of Pentecost and became the pastor of the Church in Jerusalem. Peter wrote this epistle and was the source for the gospel of Mark. Peter was the apostle to the Jews but the Jewish and Roman leaders hated him. Herod wanted to kill him and Caesar would crucify him on an upside down cross. Peter knew something about suffering. By the time we get to chapter 4, Peter told us we are redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. Peter told us the Jesus Christ is our cornerstone. Peter told us the duties of husbands and wives. So in chapter 4 V12 Peter said, “Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trail which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.” My first point is this: Suffering Is Not The Exception, Suffering Is The Rule. Peter is telling us how us Christians ought to carry ourselves in light of the times in which we live. The times in which we live are evil. The times in which we live are full of demons. The times in which we live are full of darkness. But I don’t care how dark, destructive or demon possessed the times get; greater is He who is within you and me, than he who is in the world. The spirit of antichrist might be rising today but the Spirit of Jesus Christ is greater than that. Where sin abounds, grace does much more abound. Suffer is not a strange thing that rarely happens to a Christian. Suffering is common. Suffering is natural. Suffering is everyday. People who do not suffer or claim they do not suffer are unnatural. We suffer because sin is in the world and all around us. Sin is in our flesh even after we become a Christian, so we suffer. Wherever there is sin, Satan and the world system, there is suffering. Jesus said in the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer, I have conquered the world. When trials and tribulation come your way, don’t ask why me? Ask why not me? You are not exempt from suffering just because you believe in Jesus Christ. Because you believe in Jesus Christ, the devil and his demons have you on their radar scope. They have a laser beam on you. They have put the target on your back. You are the number one candidate for suffering. Peter said don’t think it is strange when you go through fiery trials and tribulations. Peter said fiery trails are only designed to try you and test you. Peter said don’t act like some strange thing happened to you. It happens to everybody, especially those in the household of faith. God knows your situation. God knows the devil is on your case. But God allows suffering in His permissive will to strengthen your faith in Him. God allows suffering in His permissive will to make you stronger in Him. What doesn’t kill you will make you strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. You can do all things through Christ who strengthen you. Peter told us that the end of all things is at hand. Therefore we need to be sober minded and watch and pray. In times like these, we need to have fervent love for each other because love covers a multitude of sins. In times like these, we need to have hospitality one towards another without hating one another. In times like these, we need to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. In times like these, we need to glorify God with our lives.
IN TIMES LIKE THESE YOU NEED A SAVOR
IN TIMES LIKE THESE YOU NEED A DELIVER
IN TIMES LIKE THESE YOU NEED SHEPHERD
IN TIMES LIKE THESE YOU NEED AN ANCHOR
And His name is Jesus, yes He’s the one. His name is Jesus, the only one. Be very sure. Be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid rock. Am I right about it? Suffering Is Not A Strange Thing.
Rabbi Melvin Tinker wrote a book called, Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People? He asked that question because as a Jewish Rabbi and a human being, he wanted us to understand that it is not strange that bad things happen to good people. It is normal. Think about the sufferings of Job. Job was a righteous man. Job was an honest man. Job was a godly man. But yet God allowed the devil to try and to test Job. The devil took his cattle. The devil took his land. The devil took his money. The devil took his children. The devil took his health. Job’s wife told him why don’t you curse God and die but Job refused to curse God. He said the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord. In spite of the lie that is going around in the name it and claim it section of the church today, Christians will always suffer. You cannot just name it and claim it and get a house. You cannot just name it and claim it and get a car. You cannot just name it and claim it and get a job. You cannot just name it and claim it and get healed. All these things happen just because the Lord is blessing you. Even when you are in the perfect will of God, that is no guarantee that you will be healthy, wealthy and wise with no suffering. You need to be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who when King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that they bow down and served his idol god, they said we will not be careful how we answer you oh king. They said our God is able to deliver us. How many of you know that God is able? We all like to said God is able. But what I like even more and what shows a deeper level of faith is what I call “but if not” theology. Those three Hebrew boys said but if not, if God does not deliver us, we still are not going to serve your dumb, stupid idol oh king. For doing the right thing, they were cast into the fiery furnace to suffer and die. But the 4th man, Jesus Christ, showed up. And if you think that godly people should never suffer, Peter said look at Jesus. Jesus was in the perfect will of God and He suffered. He suffered in His birth. He suffered in His living. He suffered in His ministry. He suffered in His death on the Cross. If Jesus was not exempt from suffering, what makes you think you will be exempt from suffering just because you are a Christian? The word Christian means to be like Christ. So why not be like Christ? Jesus talked about the universal suffering of mankind in His ministry. In Luke 13:1 the Jews told Jesus how Pontius Pilate killed some Galilaean Jews on their way to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God. He took their blood and mingled it with their own sacrifices. You see the Jews ignorantly thought that only those who were the worst sinners suffered evil, just like many of us think today. But Jesus in Luke 13:2-5 asked the Jews, do you suppose that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans because they suffered such things? Jesus said No: but, except you repent of your sins, you shall all likewise perish. Then Jesus told them of the 18 Jews who died when the Tower of Siloam fell on them. Jesus asked the Jews of those 18 upon whom the tower in Siloam fell and slew, do you think that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? Jesus said No: but, except you repent, you shall all likewise perish. In other word, although suffering happens to all, if we don’t repent of our sins, we will perish as sinners. Jesus said God so loved the world... Do you think the people in Kosovo are suffering from ethnic killing because they are outside the will of God? Do you think the people in Littleton are suffering from high school violence because they do not know Jesus? Do you think the people in Oklahoma are suffering from the bombing of the Federal Building and now these killer tornadoes because they do not know God? I don’t think so! Jesus in Matthew 5:45 said for God makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and God sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In other words, no one is exempt from suffering. Everyone will go through a storm. You are headed to a storm, already in a storm, or coming out of a storm. But the storms of life are constant. Bill Gates is just as susceptible to suffering as the homeless man on the street. Billy Graham is just as susceptible to suffering as the sinner in the gang. The Pope is just as susceptible to suffering as the godless atheist. We Christians are just as susceptible to suffering as the unbeliever. It matters not if you are in or out of the will of God. It only matters what God allows or does not allow in your life. You will suffer, so it all comes down to which price of suffering you want to pay. You will either suffer for the cause of Christ or you will suffer for your own selfish sin. You are going to suffer if you are holy or unholy, if you are righteous of righteous, or if you are just or unjust. But no matter what happens, you ought to rejoice in the Lord. Peter in V13 said, “But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” My second point is this: “Make Sure You Always Rejoice In The Lord.” See, when you suffer for the cause of Christ, you are partakers of the sufferings of Christ. Now I am not talking about you suffering for your own silly sins, misbehavior and bad decisions. Peter said let none of you suffer as a murderer. Let none of you suffer as a thief. Let none of you suffer as an evildoer. Let none of you suffer as a busybody in other people’s affairs. But Peter said if anyone suffers as a Christian let him or her not be ashamed but let him or her glorify God because you are suffering for the cause of Christ.
REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE
REJOICE EVERMORE
REJOICE WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY
YOU OUGHT TO REJOICE WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY
THE JOY OF THE LORD IS YOUR STRENGTH
This is the day that the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. Can I get a witness up in here? Suffering Is Not A Strange Thing.
You can only rejoice in suffering if you have the joy of the Lord deep, down in your heart. You thank God in everything, not for everything because this is the will of God concerning you. And Peter went on in V14 to say, “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” My final point is this: “When You Suffer For the Cause Of Christ, the Lord Is Blessing You Right Now.” The Greek word translated happy in V14 is the word "markarios." It means happy. It means blessed. When you read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12, Jesus said Blessed. Blessed means happy. To be blessed means to be happy. Don’t worry, be happy. The Beatitudes can be called the Be Happy Attitudes. Jesus said Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. You should be happy when you are poor in spirit because you know the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to you. You should be happy when you mourn because God will comfort you. You should be happy when you are meek because you shall inherit the earth. You should be happy when you hunger and thirst after righteousness because you shall be filled with the Holy Ghost. You should be happy when you are merciful because you shall obtain mercy. You should be happy when you are pure in heart because you shall see God. You should be happy when you are a peacemaker because you shall be called a child of God. You should be happy when you are persecuted for righteousness' sake because yours is the kingdom of heaven. You should be happy when men and women revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for the sake of Christ. You should rejoice, and be exceeding glad because great is your reward in heaven. Why? Because evil people persecuted the prophets who came before you. Suffering is no strange thing. It happens to the best of us. And it happens to all true believers in Jesus. In other words, if Moses, David, Elijah and Jeremiah were persecuted, then you sure enough know that you will suffer for the cause of Christ. But more importantly, remember Jesus himself, God’s only begotten Son, suffered. On the night He was betrayed, the Temple guards took Him to the High Priest house for a bootleg trial. Jesus was beaten by the Jews all night long. They pulled out His beard. They put a bag over His head, slapped Him in the face and said prophecy; who is slapping you. When daylight came, the Jews took Him to Pilate for a kangaroo court. Pilate sent Him to Herod who mocked Him. Herod sent Him back to Pilate. The Romans beat Him with whips. They tore up His skin. They beat Him with rods on his head and back. They put a crown of thorns on His head. He carried His Cross to Calvary, fell down and was spat on. At 9 AM, they nailed Him in His hands and His feet. They hanged Him high and spread Him wide. He was bleeding and dying for us. He said Father, forgive them for the know not what they do. Then at 12 Noon, darkness came on the face of the earth. The sun pulled down the shades of glory, closed the door and turned out the lights. In the darkness, all our sins were upon Him. He carried the sins of the world on His bleeding back. God the Father and God the Holy Spirit turned their backs on God the Son. He said My God, my God why has thou forsaken me! Then at 3 PM, after paying for our sins, sunlight came back and He gave up the ghost and died. He said Father into your hands I commit my spirit. Jesus died... Jesus suffered and died and He was totally in the will of God. Jesus said not my will but they will be done. So it is not a strange thing for righteous people to suffer. If Jesus suffered and He was totally in the will of God, then you and I will suffer. No ifs, ands or buts about it. But when you suffer for the cause of Christ, the Lord is blessing you right now. Only what you do for Christ will last. Well, as I head to my seat, I want you to know that if people don’t want you to tell them about Jesus, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t support you even though you love them with the love of God, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t come to church after they promise to come, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t come in the church with joy in their hearts, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t sing until the power of the Lord comes down, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t want to come to Sunday School even though you are ready to teach them, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t want to come to prayer meeting even though they need to pray, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t want to come to Bible Study even though it will renew their minds, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people don’t want to join the church even though you have opened the doors of the church, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people ‘buke you and scorn you and talk about you for the cause of Christ, the Lord is blessing you right now. If people call you everything but a child of God, the Lord is blessing you right now. The Lord is blessing you right now, right now. The Lord is blessing you right now, right now. He woke you up this morning, started you on your way. The Lord is blessing you right now! I don’t know about you, but the Lord is blessing me right now. So I am not afraid to suffer for the cause of Christ. God has not given me a Spirit of fear, but of love and of power and of a sound mind. Peter said the Spirit of glory which is the Spirit of the Lord is resting on us. Jesus said but you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. Jesus said, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me for He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted. To preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind. To set at liberty those who are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Jesus wants to heal your heart and soul right now. Our parents said there is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole. There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sick soul. David said the Lord is my life and my salvation, whom shall I fear. David said the Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid. David said for in the time of trouble, He shall hide me; He shall hide me in His pavilion. God is good how many times? ALL THE TIME! Say amen, somebody! So on this Mother’s Day, and to all the mothers here today, I want you to know that we’re blessed, we’re blessed, we’ve blessed. We’re blessed. We’ve got health and strength and all the rest, we’re blessed. We’re blessed, we’re blessed, we’re blessed. We’re blessed. We don’t deserve it yet, we’re bless. Oh, yes, yes we’re blessed. Oh, yes, yes, we’re bless. Oh, yes, yes we’re blessed. We’re blessed, we’re blessed, we’re blessed. And I’m blessed because my mother told me about Jesus. I’m blessed because my mother loved me. I’m blessed because my mother made me a man. And I’m blessed because my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Am I right about it? When you suffer, make sure it is only for Christ and not for your foolishness. And I just want to ask one question: “Are you suffering for the cause of Christ or are you just suffering because of your own selfish sins?” The doors of the church are now opened.
© 1998 drsax989238@msn.com
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