GRATEFUL FOR GROWTH 1 PETER 1:6-7

Stephen Brown

Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

0 ratings

· 24 views

Notes

Transcript

Sermon Tone Analysis

Emotion

Language

Social

View more →

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 1)

6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

BIG IDEA: BE GRATEFUL FOR THE DIFFICULTIES OF LIFE

WE’RE MAKING OUR WAY THROUGH OUR ANNUAL SEASON OF THANKS...

IT’S BEEN MY OBSERVATION THAT WE’RE CONSISTENT WITH THANKING GOD FOR OUR FAITH...

FOR OUR FAMILIES..

FOR OUR HEALTH AND HOMES...

BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU ACTUALLY THANKED GOD FOR YOUR SUFFERING?

I MEAN, OPENED UP YOUR MOUTH AND SAID, “LORD, I THANK YOU FOR WHAT I’VE GONE THROUGH, BECAUSE BY YOUR POWER, I CAME OUT BETTER - WISER - STRONGER!”

BELOVED, I SUBMIT TO EACH OF YOU THAT THANKSGIVING BECOMES COMPLETE WHEN WE CAN THANK GOD FOR OUR DEFEATS!!!

LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY, “THANK HIM FOR THE L’S!”

THIS MESSAGE IS A MAJOR MOVE TOWARDS MATURITY FOR THE AVERAGE BELIEVER...

WE ARE VOCAL WHEN THINGS ARE GOING GREAT: WHEN WE LAND THE JOB; WHEN OUR KIDS GET ACCEPTED INTO THE SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE; WHEN WE GET PREGNANT…WE SHOUT!!!

AND YET, WE’RE SILENT WHEN WE LOSE THAT SAME JOB; WHEN OUR KIDS DON’T GRADUATE; WHEN THE LOVED ONE DIES..

PAUL, TO THE BELIEVERS AT THESSALONICA SAID, “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

WE MUST DEMONSTRATE GRATITUDE FOR THE GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR LIVES....THEN WE WILL EXPERIENCE A COMPLETE THANKSGIVNG!!!

PETER IS WALKING HEAVY IN THIS TEXT.

HE TAKES MY THOUGHT INTO A DIFFERENT ATMOSPHERE BY STATING, DON’T JUST GIVE THANKS FOR YOR SUFFERING, BUT REJOICE IN YOUR SUFFERING...

AWW, BELOVED, HERE IS OUR FIRST MOVEMENT:

BEGIN WITH JOY!

REJOICING IN OUR TEXT IS CONNECTED TO THE OUTCOME OF OUR DIFFICULTY: REJOICE - IN THIS (KNOWING THIS) THAT WHAT YOU GO THROUGH WILL MAKE YOUR FAITH GROW! (REPEAT)

YOU SEE, PETER HAS JUST QUIPPED IN VS. 3 THAT OUR SALVATION IS REAL AND THAT OUR SALVATION IS SEALED!!

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 1)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

NOW WHILE THIS DOESN’T GIVE US LICENSE TO LIVE LICENTIOUSLY, IT COMFORTS ME TO KNOW THAT I’M SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH!

SO, WHATEVER I GO THROUGH CAN NOT UNDO WHAT ONLY THE LORD CAN DO!!

BELOVED, THIS IS HOW WE BEGIN WITH JOY...

WE BEGIN WITH THE VICTORY WE HAVE THROUGH CHRIST JESUS, AND WITH THE JOY - THE FRUIT - THAT COMES ALONG FOR THE RIDE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP...

ALSO, KNOWING THAT WHAT WE GO THROUGH ULTIMATELY MAKES US BETTER SUITED TO BRING HIM GLORY!

Y’ALL, THAT’S WHERE THE JOY COMES FROM…THE JOY THAT WE ARE TO BEGIN WITH: KNOWING OUR RELATIONSHIP IS SECURE - AND THAT ULTIMATELY, OUR DIFFICULTY HAS A PURPOSE! - BEGIN WITH JOY!!

ANXIETY - WORRY - FRET - FRUSTRATION LITERALLY SUBTRACT YEARS FROM OUR LIVES...

AND YET, MANY BELIEVERS LIVE LIKE THIS!

NO JOY.

NO PEACE.

SO YOU TAKE THAT UNDERLYING LACK OF JOY, AND STACK SUFFERING - OR GRIEF - OR TRIALS ON TOP OF THAT, AND YOU HAVE A RECIPE FOR A SPIRITUAL DROUGHT!!!

GO BACK AND REVIEW OUR SERIES ON WORRY...

REDISCOVER YOUR JOY AND WALK IN IT....

AWWW, THE TEXT IS MOVING:

YOU REJOICE IN THIS, EVEN THOUGH NOW FOR A SHORT TIME, IF NECESSARY, YOU SUFFER GRIEF IN VARIOUS TRIALS 7 SO THAT THE PROVEN CHARACTER OF YOUR FAITH - MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD WHICH, THOUGH PERISHABLE, IS REFINED BY FIRE - MAY RESULT IN PRAISE, GLORY AND HONOR AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.

YALL, WE CAN PREACH OFF OF THESE FEW VERSES FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR...

LET’S BUILD… WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR GROWTH, WHEN WE FIRST BEGIN WITH JOY…AND SECONDLY, WHEN WE

GLOW THROUGH OUR TRIALS!

NOT JUST GO THROUGH, BUT GLOW THROUGH!!

I PROMISE I’M PREACHING TO ME TODAY!!!

THE REFINING OF GOLD IS SET AGAINST THE REFINING OF OUR FAITH...

BOTH REQUIRE HEAT.

BOTH MUST RELEASE IMPURITIES...

BOTH FACILITATE A TRANSFORMATION....

PETER IS STATING THAT THOSE SHORT SUFFERINGS ARE BRINGING FORTH A MORE REFINED FAITH...

LOOK AT SOMEBODY IN YOUR CRIB AND SAY, “GLOW BABY!”

THIS PROCESS OF PERFECTION IS COMMON IN SCRIPTURE: JAMES SAYS, “BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES ENDURANCE...”

THE FIRE OF THE TEST OF OUR FAITH IS BEING USED TO REFINE OUR FAITH AND TO REVEAL THE TRUE VALUE AND SUBSTANCE OF OUR FAITH...

TO REFINE AND TO REVEAL...

GLOW THROUGH IT, YALL!!!

WHEN THE FIRE OF OUR SUFFERING - OF OUR DIFFICULTY HEATS UP, JUST KNOW THAT GOD IS WORKING YOUR FAITH OUT FOR YOUR GOOD AND FOR HIS GLORY....

The Process of Refining Silver

The story is told of a group of women that met for Bible study. While studying in the book of Malachi, chapter three, they came across verse three which says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.” This verse puzzled the women and they wondered how this statement applied to the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out more about the process of refining silver, and to get back to the group at their next Bible study. The following week, the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him while at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest, beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith work, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire, where the flames were the hottest as to burn away all the impurities. The man said that not only did he have to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on it the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, “But how do you know when the silver is fully refined?” He smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy–when I see my image in it.” (Source Unknown)

BELOVED, I’M HOLLERING AT Y’ALL VIRTUALLY - DURING THIS THANKSGIVING SEASON TO LET YOU KNOW YOU’VE GOT TO GLOW THROUGH IT!

I KNOW THAT FIRE IS HOT...

I KNOW THAT SITUATION IS DIFFICULT...

BUT BELOVED, KNOW THAT GOD’S GOT HIS HAND ON YOU, AND HIS EYE ON THE FIRE…HE’LL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU!!!!

BEGIN WITH JOY - GLOW THROUGH OUR TRIALS...

FINALLY, PETER SAYS, “SO THAT THE PROVEN CHARACTER OF YOUR FAITH - MORE VALUABLE THAN GOLD WHICH, THOUGH PERISHABLE, IS REFINED BY FIRE - MAY RESULT IN PRAISE, GLORY AND HONOR AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST...

PRAISE JESUS NOW!

PETER WANTS BELIEVERS TO KNOW THAT WHEN JESUS RETURNS (AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST), WE’LL HAVE A TREMENDOUS PRAISE PARTY.

WE’LL BECOME FULLY SANCTIFIED...

BUT WE DON’T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL HIS RETURN TO PRAISE HIM...

PRAISE JESUS NOW...

WHILE YOU’RE GOING THROUGH YOUR SEASON...

WHILE YOUR HEART IS STILL HEAVY...

WHILE YOUR FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN...

WHILE YOUR MARRIAGE IS SHAKY...

WHILE YOUR CHILDREN ARE WAYWARD..

PRAISE JESUS NOW!!!

AS YOU GLOW THROUGH IT, A PRAISE OUGHT TO BE IGNITED IN YOUR HEART!!!

REMEMBER, YOU’RE PRAISING HIM BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR FAITH WILL BE MORE REFINED IN THE OUTCOME...

LET’S HAVE A FULL THANKSGIVING SEASON - NOT JUST THANKING HIM FOR THE BLESSINGS, BUT ALSO THANKING HIM FOR THE BURDENS...

THOSE BURDENS MAKE US STRONGER AND BETTER...

PRAISE JESUS NOW!!!

John Wesley was about 21 years of age when he went to Oxford University. He came from a Christian home, and he was gifted with a keen mind and good looks. Yet in those days he was a bit snobbish and sarcastic. One night, however, something happened that set in motion a change in Wesley's heart. While speaking with a porter, he discovered that the poor fellow had only one coat and lived in such impoverished conditions that he didn't even have a bed. Yet he was an unusually happy person , filled with gratitude to God. Wesley, being immature, thoughtlessly joked about the man's misfortunes. "And what else do you thank God for?" he said with a touch of sarcasm. The porter smiled, and in the spirit of meekness replied with joy, "I thank Him that He has given me my life and being, a heart to love Him, and above all a constant desire to serve Him!" Deeply moved, Wesley recognized that this man knew the meaning of true thankfulness.

Many years later, in 1791, John Wesley lay on his deathbed at the age of 88. Those who gathered around him realized how well he had learned the lesson of praising God in every circumstance. Despite Wesley's extreme weakness, he began singing the hymn, "I'll Praise My Maker While I've Breath."

Related Media

Related Sermons