The Life of Joseph #1

Becoming a Believer of Integrity and Forgiveness
The Life of Joseph #1
Pastor Ben Fleming

The English poet – Alexander Pope said, “To err is human and to forgive is divine.” Everyone of us have done something to hurt someone else and we want to be forgiven… but forgiving someone who has done a wrong to us is difficult….. And for some us – we think it is next to impossible to forgive them. There is a bumper sticker that says “I do not get mad, I just get even” -------- you might laugh at that but to most people it is not a joke – it is a reality. Getting even has become a twisted art in our society….. for example, this past week, when some gang members could not tag some mailboxes on Woodside Drive because the residents chased them away…. they came back and shot guns at the residents because they said they were disrespected. Today – I want to begin a study with you of the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis. We are going to study his integrity and his forgiveness of his brothers. We are going to begin today by looking at his father Jacob and his family background.

I have been hurt by people who have said that they loved me and so have you. I have been hurt and taken advantage by believers and non believers who thought they were persons of integrity. When you think of integrity what do you think of???? Are you a person of integrity??

Some say integrity is what you are when no one is watching. Let me give you a working definition of integrity.

Integrity = One can describe a person as having integrity to the extent that everything that person does comes from the same core set of values while those values may change, their consistency with each other and with the person's actions determine the person's degree of integrity. ------ some of us have little integrity and some have a lot

We are going to study the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis. You can find him starting in chapter 37 all the way through chapter 50. Joseph was a man of integrity and forgiveness. That is why I have given this series the title “Becoming a believer of integrity and forgiveness”. Joseph was a man who demonstrated and lived out integrity and forgiveness in spite of how he was treated – he did so, in spite of how unfair his circumstances were – he was rejected – he was abused – he was abandoned and forgotten. He refused to become resentful – he refused to bear a grudge or become bitter. Some of you might have been treated like him in your past and some of you might be going through things like he did today??

The life of Joseph almost seems to be to good to be true – but Egyptian archeology tells of a leader who made great storehouses for food that saved the nation – Genesis tells who that leader was – Joseph. God has given us the record of many biblical characters to teach us and warn us as children of God. This is the reason we study such people like Moses and Joseph – David – Esther – Jonah – Peter and Paul. The bible tells us why God has given these written records:

Romans 15:4 “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” God has given us the Old Testament for two reasons: First - to teach us how to live and secondly to give us hope for the future…… We can learn who God is in the OT and we can learn how to persevere from the OT for the future….. The apostle Paul also wrote to the Jewish believers in the church at Corinth about their forefathers -

1 Corinthians 10: 9 - 11 “We should not test the Lord, as some of them did – and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did – and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings to us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.” God has given us the life of Joseph as an example to follow and aim for --- So let’s begin - chapter 37: 1 - 4

Vs. 1 “Jacob lived in the land where his father had stayed, the land of Canaan. This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, a young man of seventeen, was tending the flocks with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives, and he brought a bad report about them. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” ---- Let us pray. ------ keep your bible open to Genesis….

Background: So that we can understand what family background Joseph grew up in…. and what he had to overcome…. lets understand some background….. His father, Jacob was an old man when his son Joseph was born. The bible tells us that Joseph was the “son of his old age”. Jacobs original name in Hebrew meant “deceiver” or “conniver”. He was this kind of a man from his youth even though he was the son of Issac and the grandson of Abraham. This is one reason why you will read of Jacob at times referred to as the name “Israel” --- Right in the beginning Jacob deceived his father Issac and stole his fathers blessing from his brother Esau. It is not surprising that deception was part of Jacobs family and that he passed it on to his sons. Not only was he a dad who deceived but he was a passive father – he was too busy for his family – too preoccupied and could care less about what was happening in the lives of his children. And sadly, Many dads today are just like Jacob.

Jacob was getting old, and when Joseph was born.. he got a new lease on life. Joseph was his last born son and he loved him more than any of his other children. Jacob’s love for Joseph was also perhaps because of his great love for his beloved wife Rachel. Look at chapter 30: 22. “Then God remembered Rachel; he listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, God has taken away my disgrace. She named him Joseph, and said, May the Lord add to me another son.” This is what the name Joseph means – “add to me” or may “He God add.”….. Up to this point --- Rachel was barren ---- in her culture… a woman had great shame if she could not bear a child. Jacob had another wife whose name was Leah ----- who had already given Jacob children. Some of you know this story or Rachel and Leah and some of you do not.-- let’s review it…

When Jacob was a young man --- he fell in love with Rachel who was the beautiful daughter of Laban. He asked Laban if he could marry his daughter Rachel and told him that he would work for him for 7 years ------- Laban agreed and Jacob worked 7 years for Laban – but on Jacobs wedding day --- Laban deceived him and switched girls and he ended up married to Leah – Rachel’s sister. Jacob worked 7 more years for Laban and he finally married Rachel. Over time – Leah had given Jacob 6 sons and 1 daughter and Rachel had given him none. Can you imagine the competition – resentment and bitterness in that family??

Laban lived in Haran – which was far to the north of Canaan – which was the promised land or today’s Israel. Jacob had worked for his father – in law for 20 years and now he wanted to go back home. Turn in your bible to chapter 30:25 “After Rachel had given birth to Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, Send me on my way so I can go back to my own homeland. Give me my wives and children, for whom I have served you, and I will be on my way. You know how much work I’ve done for you.” Laban agreed with Jacob but if you read on in the process both the son in law and the father in law again try to deceive each other. Jacob left, but on their way south – Jacob ran into tragedy when they got to the city of Shechem where the Hivites lived – Jacobs daughter Dinah was raped by the prince of the land --- look at chapter 34:1 “ Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her. After this, Dinah, was surrounded by her brothers who loved her and cared for her and they came up with a plan and they killed all the men of that city. When Jacob heard what his sons had done – he was angry. He was not concerned about what was done to his daughter or how brutal his sons were…. he was upset at what the people of the land would think and do. He was more concerned with how the public would react.

They left Bethel and continued south towards Jacobs home of Jerusalem and on the way Rachel gave birth to another son who was named Benjamin....... but Rachel died in childbirth…… Can you imagine how Jacob felt? He had waited years to marry this women and now she dies. He buries her and continues on and one of his sons has sexual relations with one of the concubines who was the mother of his two half brothers. When Jacob heard that his son had committed incest – he did nothing. He was such a passive father that he did nothing. He did nothing when his daughter was raped and he did nothing when his son disgraced him with incest.

Folks ----This is the family that Joseph was born into…. His family was one of deception – anger – rebellion – sexual immorality - rivalry and out and out jealousy. All of these characteristics had been displayed and modeled by his father. Some of you come from such homes --- some of you know people who are in such homes and maybe your home is like this???? This is the home into which Joseph was born. You reap what you sow. Jacob learned that and it affected his entire family. Let us draw several lessons for our lives today from the life of Jacob.

Lessons from Jacob

#1 If you ignore God’s plan for a biblical marriage you can expect that eventually in your family others will ignore God’s plan. Monkey see monkey do. Children of divorced parents divorce easier. That is not to say that the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer cannot break the curse of divorcee but without the transformation of the Holy Spirit the curse of divorcee is easily passed on to the children. Right from the beginning Jacob was controlled by the lust of his flesh when he married two women.

#2 If you show favoritism in your family it will create serious friction that results in jealousy, resentment and hatred. This is what we saw in Josephs family – all because of the father Jacob. Look with me at our text in chapter 37.

Vs. 2 Jacob used Joseph to spy on his older brothers. “Joseph, a young man of seventeen was tending the flocks with his brothers,….. and he brought their father a bad report about them. “ Jacob elevated Joseph above his brothers as the object of his love and praise – he sent wrong signals to Joseph about his importance in the family. Jacob had raised a family and he had poured gasoline all over its members and now Joseph was going to light it……
It is easy to play favorites in a family and rationalize it --- but when you do you are creating a climate of resentment and bitterness.

Vs.3 Jacob made a special display of favoritism in his family by giving Joseph a special tunic. ”Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his others sons… and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.” Can you imagine the pain of rejection that Jacob was inflicting on the rest of the sons who were the object of his attention and then this Joseph comes into the family. He treated his sons more like servants.

Vs.4 Jacob’s attitude and actions fed sibling rivalry, but his sons directed their anger at Joseph and not at their father. “When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.” You can imagine the resentment that is building in these brothers and next week when Joseph tells them his dreams you can fully understand how they responded to their brother.

3. No enemy is more subtle in our lives than passivity. When parents are passive, they may eventually discipline their children but in the end their delayed action will often be carried out in anger. Passivity is an enemy. Inaction is ungodly. A family is not just going to take care of itself. Your marriage is not just going to take care of itself. Your finances are not going to get in order by doing nothing and going deeper and deeper into debt – and living the way you have always lived. The status quo is not acceptable in God’s economy. When there is action to be taken --- take it.

James 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” The best action is not inaction. When it comes to broken relationships take action to restore them. When it comes to an offense – take action to forgive the offender or reach out to the one you have offended. Listen to me: Things will not get better by just sweeping them under the carpet. For example: A father of a 7 year old boy was troubled. His father thought that he might be having nightmares and he patiently urged his boy to tell him what was bothering him. After a lot of persuasion, the boy began to describe several scenes of horrible – hard core pornography. Restraining his surprise and anger – the father probed to find out where his son had been exposed to this. The finger pointed to a 9 year old neighborhood boy who had turned a computer room into a porn shop --- and neither of his parents knew anything about it. Passivity is an enemy.

4. No response is more cruel than jealousy. King Solomon wrote in Song of Solomon 8:6 “Jealousy is cruel as the grave”. If we allow jealousy to rule in our hearts and in our families it will grow and fester and lead to devastating consequences. If you allow jealousy in your family – you are asking for trouble. The writer of Proverbs put it this way on your outline.

Proverbs 27:4 “Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

We have to come down hard on jealously in our own lives and in the lives of our families. We have to attack attitudes that are wrong and when you catch glimpses of right attitudes – reward and build up that other person. Jacob – Rachel – Leah and Laban were very poor examples for Joseph and his brothers. Jacob could have turned to prayer – the bible does not say that he did but he could have modeled a life of prayer for his family. A father who prays is a father who brings power to his family. A father who speaks out verbally to God in front of his family models godliness. Fathers –we must become men of prayer. Single men – you must become a man of prayer.

Application:
1. Allow God to change you and begin to conform you into His image. It does not matter what your family background has been. You begin this change by coming to Jesus. You begin this change by being born again. It is what is known as saving faith. Saving faith changes a person. Saving faith is different from believing faith. Saving faith begins to restore a person. It begins to make them whole. It takes the past and begins to heal it.

2 Cor 5:17 --- “if any man or woman is in Christ – they are a new creation – the old is passing away and the new is coming.” Old habits – old sin – old pain – old resentment – anger and bitterness. Start by coming to Jesus …….. ask God to give you saving faith. COMMENTS…

2. Begin to understand and live out your new identity in Christ. You are a new person in Jesus Christ. You do not have to wait until you go to heaven to begin to experience the benefits of saving faith. Your past does not have to control you and determine your future. Your family and the pain and disappointments of the past have no power over you when you begin to understand and live your new identity in Jesus Christ. The bible says, “you are complete in Christ” – “You have been redeemed and forgiven from all your sins, you may approach God with boldness and confidence, you are a member of God’s household, you have been adopted as God’s child, you are Christ friend…. and I could go on and on and on telling you more of who you are in Christ. Joseph did not live his life like his father. He knew His God and His God knew Him.

3. Keep on pursuing a renewed mind. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul tells the believer three vital actions in the renewal process. In Romans 6:14 – he says that “sin shall not be your master. In Romans 8:2 – he says – the law of Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death – we do not have to live in the past --- we do not have to live the way were taught and how it was demonstrated for us by our families and then in Romans 12:2 “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. I do not have to think like my parents Bill and Rowena Fleming taught me to think. I can think like God wants me to think and has freed me to think. Joesph learned this – we are going to see time and time again --- Joseph did not think like his family taught him to --- he allowed God to renew his mind. What are you doing? Is the past still controlling you? Are you still living and thinking the way you did last year? Comments……….

Let us pray:

Brady Family Blog

Phil and Stacie Brady now have a family blog for their mission plans. www.TheBradyFive.blogspot.com. In December, Silver Hills Church Family will be saying goodby to the Bradys as they leave for missionary training in Texas. We are going to be having a cookbook for sale to help raise funds for their training course. After they finish, they hope to be assigned to an unreach people group with To Every Tribe Mission. Jesus said, "The harvest is ripe, ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into the harvest field." Folks, we have asked and here are laborers. My wife and I are changing our mission support in January so that we can support the Bradys as the Fleming Family. Would you consider what you are going to do so that you can be an active part of sending the Bradys to the mission field?

Prayer Vigil

HELP Would you come and join me in prayer on August 6th? I would appreciate it my church family gathering for prayer. I know of nothing better that God's people could do than to gather in unity to pray. There are so many issues to pray for - there are so many people who need prayer. God said, "Call to me and I will tell you great and mighty things you do not know". What makes me think I can go through this life thinking that I know everything??

Peacemaking

I recently met with a woman from another church in Carson City who is divorced from her husband and they are in court battling child support issues. She came to me and asked, "how can I get rid of the resentment and unforgiveness in my mind and heart"? I presented the Gospel to her and in the end, she said that she wanted to work towards peacemaking and take the issues out of the courtroom. Pray for me for wisdom in this issue.

Resentment

I have been meditating on the issue of forgiveness and resentment in the life of a believer. I would like to believe that I am a forgiving person but I seriously think I battle resentment. I have recently done some postive outreach actions to people from my past who have hurt me in attempt to let the chains fall off of my mind and heart. It was good to see some of them respond.

Recently, Roma Wade, a talk show host of all things, had this to say about resentment. "Do you harbor resentment? Then you are poisoning your own meal at life's banquet table. Imagine your mind as a "little shop of horrors", a kind of museum filled with relics of all the injustices and harm you've ever endured. Each exhibit depicts your memory of what someone did or didn't do that hurt you. Brightly illuminated by your resentment, every exhibit has a sound track echoing with loud, angry, and accusing voices. The walls are covered with horrible instruments of punishment and long lists of penalities to be inflicted on your wrongdoers. And coating everything is a thick, clingling residue of self - pity that keeps you from moving along to the New Futures Wing of your museum - where the exhibits are filled with pleasure and joy - and possibilities. Can you imagine what it would be like to be locked permanently inside a changer of horror and hate and resentment? If you are unable to forgive others for real or imagined wrongs then that horror chamber exists within YOU. That chamber of Ill Will is YOUR OWN MIND."

1 Peter 5:5 - 11

1 Peter 5:5 – 11
Pastor Ben Fleming
July 27, 2008
The Character of Sheep

This is our 18th and last message from
1 Peter. Next week we are going to start studying the life of Joseph in the book of Genesis……. Last week we saw Peter addressing the character of the shepherd. Spiritual shepherds are to be examples to God’s people. They are to point God’s people to Christ and the #1 calling of a shepherd is to preach and teach God’s Word to God’s people. Jesus said it to Peter when He told Peter “feed My sheep” and Paul said it to Timothy, “preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage with great patience and careful instruction.”….. The character of the shepherd –

Now for the sheep. The magazines Newsweek and Time both have had Obama and McCain on their covers .. focusing on the character of each person – who they are – what is their character – what do they believe --- for some reason we still think character matters in our political world….

In God’s world character matters with His sheep. God cares about the character of the sheep that are in His sheep fold. He cares about how they act and how they treat one another – He cares about how they respond when there is danger and temptation……in God’s economy you cannot be one of His sheep and not grow and develop and mature in how you treat and respond to the other sheep around you.

Today – Peter is closing his letter to the churches – he is closing his letter to the elect --------- “to those who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God” ----- by addressing them about their character and how their character must grow and mature. In our text, we are going to see Peter hammer home on 5 character qualities believers must grow and mature in.

1 Peter 5:5 - 14 5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”£ 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 12With the help of Silas,£ whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it. 13She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. PRAY

1. Believers must grow in submission. (vs. 5a) “Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older.” When Peter uses the words “in the same way” – he is shifting his focus from one group to another group --- he is shifting from the elders or leaders of the flock to the flock itself. Shepherds submit to the chief Shepherd (JESUS)… and now the flock must submit to its shepherds or leaders – the older spiritually mature men. Submission is a character quality that we see all throughout the New Testament. If a believer is maturing ------- if a believer is growing to become more like Jesus they are in the pursuit of reflecting and living a submissive lifestyle.

It does not matter how educated or how spiritually verbal they are--- God’s children in His flock must pursue a character of submission….. When we talk about submission in the church we generally think of wives submitting to their husbands – that is only part of it. The opposite of submission is rebellion and to be very direct with you – which most of you know I am – the church of America generally does not reflect and live a submissive lifestyle. The church in America is generally rebellious. I see that in you and I see that in myself.

Submit = to line up under. Peter says that the younger men must submit to the elders. They are to submit to older mature godly men….. it means that they are to learn from the older men – they are to spend time with the older men and hang around with them. You do not find that much in the church today -- the younger men are generally not in church and if they are they are looking for girls. Most young men would have nothing to do with older men. So, why should a young man submit to an older man in his church??? Think about it… Because if he does --- perhaps he will make fewer mistakes and mess ups and perhaps God knew that young men will one day be the elders of tomorrow? The NT church was full of this example of submission.

1 Corinthians 16:15 - 17 “You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints. I urge you, brothers, 16to submit to such as these and to everyone who joins in the work, and labors at it. 17I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you.”

1 Thessalonians 5:12 -13 “Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.” ------ a submissive spirit

Application: Ask yourself --- in what area of your life are you rebellious?????

2. Believers must grow in humility. (vs. 5b - 6) “ All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.” Linked right to the character of submission is the character of humility. You cannot be humble and not be submissive…. You cannot be submissive and not be humble. Peter says to clothe yourself with humility - I brought this apron with me from home – no I am not going to cook something -------the word Peter used literally meant to tie something on oneself like a work apron worn by a servant….. Humility is an act. You demonstrate humility through service to your church family….. You live out humility in the body of Christ. You just do not sit there silent and say nothing and think that you are demonstrating humility by your silence and inactivity. The opposite of humility is pride. Pride and especially spiritual pride is perhaps the worst of sins in God’s eyes. Pride keeps the character of sheep from growing. Pride stops spiritual maturity.

If the foundational character in spiritual growth is submission… humility is, then, the footing to which the foundation is anchored. When God’s sheep become proudly rebellious, fight against the Lord’s purposes or judge God as unkind or unfair, they forfeit the grace of God in their lives. ---- how can you demonstrate humility??

Application
* Confess to another sheep. When you confess your sin to another believer in your church family you are humbling yourself. It is humbling to confess your sin to another believer ---- it is not always true humility to confess your sin quietly and privately to God. If you do not confess your sin sometime to another believer you have a problem with pride in your life.

* Serve other sheep. Listen to someone else in your church family, learn to ask them questions about themselves. Stop talking and telling your own stories for once. Find someone you do not know and who does not know you……… When Peter said to clothe yourself with humility he was most likely thinking about when Jesus washed the disciples feet. It is humbling to serve the body of Christ. It is humbling to serve and not expect any thank you or recognition….. Look what Peter says --- humble yourself under God’s mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time. Those who serve…….. – God is the one who brings thanks and blessing to them. God’s sees the service of His children to other children in the flock of God. God is watching those who give and God is watching those who are simply takers…..

* Do not be offended by other sheep. Sheep will insult sheep. Sheep will offend sheep. If you are in the flock of God and if you care to associate or know other sheep in that flock – I guarantee you – at one time you are going to run into a situation where you are either going to be humble and forgiving to other sheep or you are going to be insulted and offended. --------- how is the character of humility growing in your life??????

3. Believers must grow in trust (vs. 7) “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” ……. When you begin to learn submission and humility you will find that when the trials and testing come your way you will grow in trusting God and His purposes. Peter knows that God’s people will have problems –……. God’s people will be abused and used and suffer…… If they are humble and submissive they will find the character of trust easier to grab hold of in their lives…… Peter says to cast all your anxiety on God because He cares for you. Paul says in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything with prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your request to God.”.. Peter did not steal these words from Paul – he was thinking about the words of King David on your outline Ps 55:22 – “Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

Both in the Hebrew and the Greek --- the word used here to cast meant to throw something on someone or something else. In Luke 19 – it was used of throwing a blanket on an animal. – so if I am growing in the character of trust --- I am learning to throw my anxiety on the Lord. It does not meant that I do not deal with it and wrestle with anxiety it means that I am learning to throw it on God. Your anxiety can include discontentment – discouragement – despair – questioning – pain – suffering or any trial that you are suffering or face in your life. You begin to TRUST GOD as you mature and grow spiritually because you have learned to trust His love – His faithfulness – His power and His wisdom. Submission – Humility and Trust – are you starting to see any of those three character qualities on your wool?????

Application: What one thing in your life do you need to trust God with right now? ________________________________________________________________

4. Believers must grow in self control and vigilance (vs. 8) “Be self- controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
The believer will begin to the character of self control when they are walking in the Holy Spirit. The power of the Holy Spirit in your life produces self control. Most of the time we might think of self control in relation to intoxication or gluttony but here it is used more in a metaphorical sense that refers to the ordering and balancing of ones life and the issues of life that require one to have a discipline of mind and body….. This character quality of self control is necessary in our lives because it will cause us to be alert spiritually. Believers are to be awake and alert because there are many spiritual forces attacking believers.

Peter puts it very clearly -- “you enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour.” The devil is looking and scheming to attack believers in churches --- he is looking to attack Christian marriages ---- he looking to attack Christian teenagers and Christian singles --- he is looking to attack Christian pastors.

Growth in spiritual maturity in a believers life is seen when they are awake and sober - on their guard against the attacks of the devil. Think about it……. Why is this command in the bible?? God’s people are naturally not self controlled and alert --- they do not believe that the devil is real and out to defeat them. If that was not the case – you would not find so many divorcees in the church --- you would not find so many believers hoping from church to church and so many believers living rebellious – independent - impotent and defeated Christian lives.

Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation, the spirit is willing but the body is weak.” Why do believers fall into and give into temptation? The command of Jesus tells you why – they do not watch and they do not pray.

The apostle James put it this way in James 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.” Where do you get the power to resist Satan in your life? From the Holy Spirit. When you grow in submission – when you grow in humility and when you grow in trusting God you will experience and demonstrate self control and vigilance in your life.

Application: Where do you need to see more self control in your life today? ______________

5. Believers must grow in spiritual fortitude (vs. 9) “Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” Peter now says that believers must have a mind that is going to resist Satan by standing firm in their faith. You do not resist Satan by yelling at Him ---- you do not resist Satan by reading a spiritual book or listening to music or saying nice positive chants. The bible clearly says that the believer resists Satan by standing firm in their faith. When you do – the bible says he will flee from you.

How do you stand firm in your faith? As a believer in Jesus Christ - you stand firm in biblical revelation. That means you stand firm in the truth that is contained in the Bible. Look what Hebrews says about the Word of God.

Hebrews 4:12 12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. “ Read Matthew 4 – every time the devil attacked and tempted Jesus – Jesus responded to the devil with the Word of God – He said – it is written and then quoted scripture over and over and over again. If Jesus stood firm against the devil with the Word of God what makes a believer today think they can use something else and be victorious over the devil? How can you build spiritual fortitude in your life? Is there anybody here who wants to be victorious over temptation and the attacks of the devil in your life?

Application:

1. Know the truth. Read the bible. Get into the habit of a devotion. Learn the bible address of where something is in the bible. Resist Satan and stand firm in your faith.

2. Obey the truth. It is one thing to read the bible and it is another thing to obey the truth that you know. James 4: 17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”

Summary: We look for shortcuts in life…….but there are no shortcuts to experiencing and living out the godly character qualities that Peter has outlined for us. These character qualities will only be perfected in our lives as we regularly and faithfully place ourselves under the preaching, teaching and study of God’s truth and obediently allow His Word to change our hearts and shape our character. 2x

Continental Worship Band

It was nice to have a full house when the Continental Worship Band was here at Silver Hills on Wednesday the 23rd. I was encouraged to see these young people set up and take down and during that time they presented a godly testimony for Christ. That was encouraging. I invited many people to come on Wednesday. There were several churches represented. Would a prayer meeting or an outreach to our city draw churches together like Wednesday night. We will always come and hear music but will we come to pray that God's will would be done here on this earth and in our city? The last time we had a music group come, many Silver Hills family members did not support it. It was encouraging to see most of us present. Thank you . I especially want to thank those who hosted the band members in their homes.

Comments

Thank you for the comments. I have recieved three. My son disagreed with the view of Phillip Keller on sheep. According to his reading, sheep can actually be trained.

Love and Respect

The Love and Respect Seminar is winding down on Thursday nights. This material has been some of the most refreshing and eye opening material on marriage relationships that I have ever heard. The focus on wives respecting their husbands is not found in any other biblical marriage teaching. "Husbands, love your wives and wives see to it that you respect your husbands." Are there any couples in the church who would like to go through the seminar in 2008 -2009?

Log In Your Eye

Has your family experienced a family feud? Is there a broken relationship or constant tension in your family? When you as a believer are willing to be the first one to deal with your part in the feud, no how minor in your eyes, it often breaks the logjam and begins the process of reconcilliation. When you demonstrate humility it is often the bridge over which others in your family will pass bringing reconcilliation.

Our families are the place where our most intimate and potentially devasating relationships can occur. Your family is the enviroment where you will learn your identity and self worth. Is there jealousy in your family? According to Dr Erwin Lutzer, jealousy has torn more families apart than any other sin.

1 Peter 5: 1-4

The Character of The Shepherd

1 Peter 5: 1 – 4
July 20, 2008
Pastor Ben Fleming
The character of a shepherd

In his book “A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23,” Philipp Keller, a shepherd himself writes, “ It is no accident that God has chosen to call His children sheep”. The behavior of humans and sheep is very similar according to Keller…. Sheep do not just take care of themselves as some might think. They require more care than any other class of livestock, endless attention and meticulous detail to their needs. To most animals, God has given them an uncanny instinct to find their way home. But if sheep stray into unfamiliar territory, they become completely disoriented and cannot find their way back home….. Is it any wonder that Jesus used the parable of the lost sheep to communicate this point. Sheep need a shepherd to guide them, provide for them, protect them and sometimes rescue them from harm.

Sheep spend most of their time eating and drinking. If they become lost, they are helpless to find adequate food and water. Left to themselves, sheep will indiscriminately eat both healthy and poisonous plants. They will over graze and ruin their own pasture. Sheep have to be led to water that is not impure or stagnant, not too hot or too cold and water that is not moving to rapidly. Could that be why the King David writes “he leads me beside quiet waters”? Ps 42:11
“why are you caste down oh my soul?” and in Ps 23 it says, he restores my soul. When sheep become fat or with too much wool they can fall over on their sides and they cannot get back up again ---- if the shepherd does not come and pick them up and put them on their feet they will die. This is the picture these two Psalms give us about believers who are caste down.

Sheep are in need of other assistance as well. Because their wool secrets a large volume of oily lanolin that permeates their fleece, much dirt, grass and wind blown debris can cling to it. Since they have no ability to clean themselves, they remain soiled until the shepherd shears them. Get this: Between shearings the shepherd must clear the dirty sticky accumulation from under their tails or they cannot eliminate waste and they may become sick and die. Sheep are naturally passive and defenseless against predators, and when they are attacked their only response is to flee in panic and the shepherd must be continually on the guard to defend and rescue the sheep from attack. If you read the gospels you will find time and time again Jesus referring to His children as disoriented, confused, unclean and spiritually lost sheep without a shepherd.

God does not expect His children to feed themselves spiritually, lead themselves and protect themselves. In God’s economy – He designed His children to be shepherded as a flock by a shepherd and not by a preacher in a TV box or in a book. The prophet Isaiah compared all of mankind like lost sheep in Isaiah chapter 53:6 “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each has turned to his own way”.

Believers in Jesus Christ are prone to wander… The book of Hebrews warns the believer, “be careful lest you drift away.” In almost every flock of sheep there will be a fence walker. This is often the biggest ewe with the best looking wool. She will always be looking at the grass on the other side of the fence and finding a way to get out to that grass – which is always worse than the grass in front of them. The fence walker will even lead her own lambs out and others will follow ----- eventually the shepherd has to kill the fence walker to protect the rest of the flock. Believers are prone to take in what is bad for them, they become unclean, they are highly vulnerable, they are defenseless on their own, and they are often naïve. It is easy to see why God would command and demand that there be shepherds over His sheep…..

Conclusion: For someone to call themselves a believer in Jesus Christ and yet they have nothing to do with a shepherd and a flock of other believers is a contradiction. That person is deceiving themselves. The call for shepherds who are faithful and responsible is compelling in the New Testament. Our text for this morning.

1 Peter 5:1 - 4 1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

Today we are going to look at the character of a shepherd or pastor and then next week we are going to examine the character of sheep in the flock of God. Peter gives us 4 points…..

1. Shepherds are commanded by God. ( Vs.1 ) “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed.”
Leadership and care of God’s people is expected and commanded by God throughout the New Testament…. The character of those who are to care for God’s children is described in 1 Timothy 3: 1 -7 and Titus 1:5 -9. God lays out the qualifications of an elder in those letters. Peter is writing to the churches. He is saying that in your flocks there are men who are to be elders. He appeals to those men. Other translations use the word exhort instead of appeal.
Peter wrote the word parakaleo – it comes from the same word root Jesus spoke of referring to the Holy Spirit. It means to call alongside or literally to encourage or compel someone in a certain direction. That is the role of a shepherd. To call someone alongside – to encourage them and compel them in a certain direction. There are three words in the New Testament that talk about a shepherd. Peter uses the word elder or presbuteros which simply refers to the man’s maturity for ministry. Another word is episcopos or bishop – which is an overseer or manager – but the word most closely related to shepherd is the word poimen which is the one who has the duty of feeding – caring for and teaching the truth of God’s Word – you know that person as a pastor.

Being a shepherd of a flock of God’s people involves many things. It requires one to have and exercise spiritual leadership, to grow spiritually and mature oneself and to protect the flock under ones care. But the most important aspect of being a shepherd of God’s people is to feed the flock through skillful preaching and teaching of God’s Word. A shepherd must hear from God…… Where does the mandate for a pastor of a flock of God’s people come from? You hear some people say they do not need a pastor….. Turn in your bible to John 21: 15 -17. The words Peter writes in chapter 5 might have come from his encounter with Jesus after the resurrection by the Sea of Tiberias.

“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” Yes, Lord, he said, you know I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, Simon son of John, do you truly love me? He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of My sheep. The third time he said to him, Simon son of John, do you love Me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love Me? He said, Lord you know these things; you know that I love You.” Jesus said, feed My sheep.” Notice what Jesus says in this section:

* His sheep need to be fed. His sheep need to be cared for. Jesus tells Peter – feed my lambs – take care of my sheep – and again feed my sheep. Since Jesus said what He did – one must conclude that it is impossible for one to think of or believe that one is a child of God and say that one does not need to be cared for and fed by a shepherd. If that were the case then you would not find these commands in the bible and the words Jesus spoke to Peter was an option or they only applied to weak people. 2nd Jesus

* Feeding the sheep of Jesus communicates love of God. To feed God’s sheep involves tending them – caring for them and teaching them. Teaching them involves edifying and strengthening them with deep truths of spiritual food.

If what Jesus said to Peter is true- then when a believer does not submit themselves to teaching and preaching from God’s Word they are refusing the love of God. They are saying “I am spiritually self sufficient and the teaching and preaching of God’s Word in my life is not all that important”. …..2x Remember this point:

Feeding God’s sheep involves telling them not only what they want to hear but what they do not want to hear but need to hear! Point #2

2. Shepherds have a flock. (vs.2a) “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care”
To be a shepherd is to feed a flock. It is to tend. It is to care for a group of God’s people. One cannot call one self a shepherd and you do not tend a flock. Peter is saying to the elders in the churches to feed the people. Teach the believers. Encourage the believers. Rebuke the believers. Equip the believers. Peter tells them to be pastors to believers in God’s flock. He is talking about the children of God. He is talking about the wider body of Christ and a local body of Christ.

Someone who calls them self a believer in Jesus Christ and does not sit under and submit to the teaching and preaching of one shepherd is fooling themselves. They are outside of the will of God. Why do I say that? In the church world today – there are people who go from church to church to church. They never get close enough and sit long enough under the teaching of a shepherd for that shepherd to know them. He never gets close to their sores. He never gets close enough to hear their pains – they are off to another flock. Do not hear me wrong: it is not wrong to be with others in the family of God. It is not wrong to pray with others in the family of God. Some people are proud today to say that they attend two or three churches. They are simply saying that they do not have a shepherd they submit to and they are not part of a flock. There is a sore or pain that they are hiding and they want no one to know about. Why does James say – confess your sins to one another so that you can be healed? Why does the writer of Hebrews chapter 13:17 say “obey your shepherd and submit to his authority, he watches over you and must give an account for you.” 3rd point Peter gives us…

3. Shepherds are to be examples. (vs. 2b -3) “…serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. “

Here Peter gives two positive ways a shepherd is suppose to act and two negative ways he is not. He says first - they are to serve as an overseer. An overseer is to watch over the sheep and to access their condition.

Think about it: For that to happen – the sheep have to be close enough or get close enough for the shepherd to see them and watch them. That takes time. When a pastor sees someone every 6 weeks you cannot watch them. When you say amen and the sheep head for the door you cannot watch them and observe them.

There are people who have been coming to this small church for years and still I do not know them. I realize that some of that is my fault ---- I could be a better overseer. In our society, I believe that the challenge a shepherd has is that most people say to themselves – “if I get close enough to have a shepherd assess my condition” – “he might not like what he sees.” The second positive action a shepherd must take is to serve the sheep and be examples to the sheep. A shepherd must be an example to those he shepherds. He must be an example on Sundays and he must be an example in the community and at home. All throughout the NT you will find time and time again Paul telling his sheep to be an imitator of him. Do what Paul does. It is right for a pastor to tell his people to do what he does. It is not boasting. The week before Sunday June 29th I struggled with writing the message that I wrote “When God Changes Your plans” --- it was a personal message and most of it was for my son and daughter in law ---- several times I thought of not giving it but I heard God tell me – “let the people know your journey”.

In 1 Corinthians 4:16, Paul tells the believers ,”Follow my example as I follow Christ.” So --- it is right for a pastor to tell people about his personal life. It is right for a pastor to tell people about his prayer life – his own personal devotional life --- his married life --- his struggles – his personal finances. The challenge with this as a pastor is that you battle thinking that you are boasting when you speak of your life.

A pastor is not only to be an example to his flock by what he says and teaches them but how he serves them. He must be available at all times. You can call him at 6 am and 12 midnight. You can ask for his help anytime and in any circumstance. He does not just tell people what to do – he shows them how to do it and does it himself.

Now look at the two negative warnings: The first is that a pastor can battle with feeling like he must do what he does because of compulsion ---- what will people think? I must do this because I am a pastor. Peter says ---- pastor keep your heart tender --- keep your heart motivated by your love for God. It is God who you are to please and not people. It is God who sees what you do and how you do it. Battle for joy and battle to be a pastor whose heart is motivated because of His love for Christ. Peter also warms pastors not to be motivated by money or material gain. Peter is not saying that pastors must be kept poor – he is warning them of the temptation to be motivated by money.

Shepherds are to be properly compensated – in 1 Cor 9:7 --- Paul says that a shepherd has a right to expect the sheep he feeds to take care of him – and one cannot call a pastor ones pastor if you do not support him financially in the work he does. The last warning Peter gives a shepherd is to be careful that you do not fall into the trap of dominating people. Perhaps the easiest way a pastor can do this is by what he says. You can lord it over people with your words --- you can lord it over people through guilt --- you can lord it over people by appealing to authority – it is easy to manipulate people and try to play Holy Spirit in their lives. Shepherds are to be examples…..

4. Shepherds serve the Chief Shepherd. (vs.4) “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” Every pastor of every flock. Every pastor of every church must keep in front of their minds that they serve the chief shepherd. The church belongs to Jesus – He is the good shepherd as John calls him – He is the great shepherd as Hebrews calls Him and He is the Shepherd and Guardian of souls as Peter calls Him. When Peter says “when the Chief Shepherd appears” he is referring to when Jesus comes again – those who took care of His sheep will be given eternal crowns that will never fade away. In the Greco- Roman world of Peter’s day – the winners of athletic events were given crowns and not trophies – Peter says the crowns that Jesus will award to His under shepherds will never fade away.

Shepherding a flock of God’s people is a serious – sobering responsibility. Every elder who cares for God’s people will stand before God on the judgment day and give an account of his ministry. Look on your outline at the words of the apostle James.

James 3:1”Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” James is not trying to discourage God’s people from becoming shepherds - he is simply reminding them of God’s high standards and the coming judgment before the judgment seat of Christ.

Application:

1. Pray with your shepherd. Pray for your shepherd. Has your shepherd hear your prayers? Has your shepherd ever heard you praying for him?

2. Support your shepherd. Do not always expect him to come to you. Come to him even when you do not have a problem or a complaint. Be an encourager to your shepherd. Support the shepherds who are in training. Hebrews 13:17 17Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

3. Mature yourself to where you become a shepherd. Stop expecting to be taken care of – start taking care of others. Get equipped to be a shepherd – ask God to give you a teachable spirit. A church needs more pastors. A church needs older women pastoring younger women. A church needs older men pastoring younger men.

Let us pray:

Ezekiel 34:11 -16 “For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. 14Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. 15I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign LORD. 16I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!

Oral Surgery

I had oral surgery on Monday to remove scar tissue from bitting my tongue and cheeck over the years. I have been focused all week on words. Words that I can say and words that I cannot say. I have found how speaking creates pain and how keeping quiet helps in the healing process. I am reminded of Proverbs 10:19 "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." Keeping silent has brought me more than wisdom this week. James knew what he was writing about in James 5:3 "Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." What would others say about you? Are you someone who runs at the mouth or are your words few? Do you listen more than you speak? I can think of many people who have the gift of many words but few who are known as "listeners".

The Master's Hand

The hands of the Master have been ahead of us coping with every situation in life that would undo us. He has gone ahead of us in every situation, anticipating what danger we may encounter, and praying for us that we might not succumb to that danger.

At all times we would be wiser if we would walk a little closer to Christ. This is one sure place of saftey. It is always the distant believer, the ones who roam and stay alone who are picked off by the predators in life at any unsuspecting moment.

Sorrow by C.S. Lewis

Sorrow, turns out to be not a state but a process. It needs not be a map but a history, and if I don't stop writing that history at some quite arbitary point, there's no reason why I should ever stop. There is something new to be chronicled every day.

Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape but not every bend does. Sometimes the surprise is the opposite one: you are presented with exactly the same sort of country you thought you had left behind miles ago. That is when you wonder whether the valley isn't a circular trench. But it isn't. There are partial recurrences, but the sequence doesn't repeat.

It is rare to find young men who are real friends. Men who have friends who walk through the deepest pain with them are men who are real men. It might be easy to grieve alone but true healing comes when you connect with somone you have walked many years with.

To Love At All

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken... The only place outside heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is hell.... We shall draw nearer to God, not by trying to avoid the sufferings inherent in all loves, but by accepting them and offering them to him...throwing away all defensive armour. If our hearts need to be broken and if he chooses this as the way in which they should break, so be it" - C.S. Lewis

"When you are happy, so happy that you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn with Him to praise and gratitude, you will be - or so it feels - welcome with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is in vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside." Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?"
- C.S Lewis

Prayer Vigil

Wednesday August 6th

Would you come and spend some time praying with your church family? Come for the entire time, or come for 1 hour. We will pray for our church, our families and our nation. Why do people pray? Why would you come and pray with others who believe in prayer? Does prayer really matter?

Books Suggestions:

I have been reading some good books the past few months. A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller. This is an old book written by a shepherd. It gives a very clear picture of sheep and how God sees His chidlren as sheep. It drives home the point of why sheep must have a shepherd and the responsibility of the shepherd.

"If God is so good, why do I hurt so bad?" by David Biebel. One of the best books that I have read in a long time on the subject of pain and suffering. The book was sent to me by Rick Stilwell's sister in law after she found out about the death of Caleb our grandson. The author writes out of his own pain of loosing his two sons. One chapter, "When losses come, Who do I know?" is very helpful. Biebel is so honest in the book that you are drawn to what he writes.

"When you've been wronged" "Moving from bitterness to forgiveness", Dr Erwin Lutzer is a great writer. He is easy to read with plenty of stories. I find his honest treatment of forgiveness and bitterness refreshing. He drives the fact that "What you do not forgive you pass on". If you have a problem forgiving - READ THIS BOOK. If you enjoy being bitter, stay away.

Is God on America's Side by Dr Erwin Lutzer. A must read for any believer who wants to pray for America and cares about the future of our country. If you watch Fox News, you must read this book.

Culture Shift by Dr Albert Mohler. Mohler examines in detail the culture of American and directs you to the truth of God's Word. If you want to keep your head in the sand DO NOT READ. I read Culture Shift after I read Is God on America's Side. Both of these books provoke you to look at America through the truth of God's Word instead of politics.

What books are you reading? Do you have any suggestions for me???

Continental Worship Band

The Continental Worship Band

July 23rd at 7:00 pm.

Consisting of about 10-12 people, this select band has accepted the challenge to travel further, to work harder, and to reach higher in their mission to lead worshippers. Churches will encounter a blend of current praise songs, original material, the worship songs of yesterday, and the elements of spoken word and personal testimony that have made Continental concerts so effective during 40 years of music ministry! Make sure that you are here as seating will be limited. BRING A FRIEND

Japan Short Term Missions Team

Silver Hills Japan Missions Team On Wednesday July 9th, the Japan Missions Team gave a report of their 2 weeks in Japan with Missionaries Ken and Bola Taylor. Every one of the team members had a great time and felt that the trip was worth the time and effort. Ken and Bola are now in the States recuiting a new Black Gospel Singer who will help them start a 3rd Gospel Concert Series. God is using this music to reach the Japanese people. As the church of China is growing because of persecution, so the church of Japan is growing because of music. We are praying about sending Pastor Kawasaki from the Mito Bible Baptist Church and invitation to come to Silver Hills in 2009.

Baptism

Baptism

It was a joy to baptize Kascia Vigil at our Carnival Outreach on July 2. Kascia is going to be a sophomore at Carson High. She began coming to Silver Hills last year as a result of Phil Brady inviting her. She was one of Phil's students. Kascia is at almost every Silver Hills event. She participates in girls discipleship bible study on Tuesdays and the youth gathering on Friday nights.

CONGRATULATIONS KASCIA

1 Peter 4: 12 -19

God’s Loving Judgment
1 Peter 4:12 – 19
July 13, 2008
Pastor Ben Fleming

Turn in your bibles to 1 Peter chap 4:12. It is good to be back with you. Thank you Dan and thank you church family for your love and support. Thank you for allowing me to be open and transparent with you during this journey our family has been walking through. ….. When we speak of suffering as a Christian, few of us believe such is possible or that it will be something that we have to go through… Edward Kuhlman writes, “Pain is the fundamental human predicament. No one escapes life without experiencing pain, although many become preoccupied with attempts to alleviate it. It is in the place of pain where we meet each other in humanity and more importantly where God meets us.”

Pastor David Biehl writes these words after loosing his two little boys ---- “sometimes life is agony and our loving God is in control” --- the problem is that for a believer who only embraces the first part – they might as well write on their tombstone the words --- Died at thirty – buried at seventy. If you only embrace the second part – your faith may survive, but your pilgrimage through life will be marked by an inability to truly love God with your whole heart ------ which is the key to healing and wholeness. It is hard to sing “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before” when your heart is defiled by bitterness from anger at God that you have never resolved.”

In our text today, Peter has been writing about suffering to Christians. He wrote this letter to Christians right before the persecution by the emperor Nero began. They were suffering or he was wanting to equip them to suffer victoriously. Suffering comes to our lives in different forms. Sometimes we suffer physically. Sometimes we suffer because of our own sin --- sometimes we suffer because of the sin of others – sometimes we suffer because of the sin of the church or the sin of our nation. Other times we suffer because of the judgment of God. Romans 8:1 tells us that “there is therefore now no condemnation or judgment for those who are in Christ Jesus”. Paul is referring to judgment for sin…. A believer will never come under the judgment of God for his or her sin….. Jesus took the judgment of God for the sins of God’s children….. But – the believer and the non believer will stand before God at the great judgment throne. The non believer will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire – eternally separated from God and suffering the full 100% wrath of God….. The believer will be judged for how they lived out and reflected the life of Christ here on this earth.

2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” The judgment of God is not just when the believer and non believer meet God face to face – but for the believer, the judgment of God is also now…... Some of us are walking through the judgment of God in our lives right now. All of us are going to experience judgment from God more and more.

In our text, Peter writes about the suffering of the Christian and says in verse 17 “For it is time for judgment to be with the family of God.”. Let’s put it this way as we talk about God’s judgment ----

Divine judgment = God’s refining discipline of His children. Does God judge His children? Yes!!! Perhaps the best scripture that tells us about the judgment of God upon His children is found in Hebrews 12:7 - 11 “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

So, in this message today, I am going to use the word– suffering – judgment or discipline to refer to that which is good – that which comes from God and is allowed by God for the good of His children.

1 Peter 4:12 - 19 “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 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. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

Bible professor Howard Hendricks said “There is no fear of judgment for the man who judges himself according to the word of God”. We find it easy to judge other people but we find it difficult to judge ourselves and if God brings judgment upon us as believers we lean towards questioning God and often we do not see it as coming from God. Look on your outline and see with me what Peter says what the response of the believer should be to the judgment of God.

1. Expect the judgment of God. (Vs. 12) “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.”
Peter is telling these Christians that they will encounter judgment. God is going to allow them to go through discipline – testing and that it may come to them in the form of suffering. In 2 Timothy 3:12, “Paul said to Timothy “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Living godly and suffering for the believer go together. COMMENT The NIV calls this judgment Peter writes about a painful trail – other translations call it a fiery ordeal. To the believers Peter is writing to it might have been a painful experience of persecution but the word he used also refers to a furnace melting down metal to purge it of impurities. God uses judgment to purge impurities from a believer. 2X Psalm 66:10 “For you, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver.” The judgment of God comes upon the believer to test him or her. The judgment of God comes to a believer to prove the genuineness of a believers faith. Paul put it best perhaps in Romans 5:3 “we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character; and character hope.” If God did not bring suffering – judgment and discipline into the life of a believer He would not love them. God is more interested in our character than he is in our pleasure. Pleasure does not last --- character is that which lasts.

When your hopes, plans and dreams fall apart how do you respond? What are the words out of your mouth. Where do you look to for help and hope? Expect suffering – judgment and discipline from God in your life. Application points:

* Know the Word of God. Develop the discipline of reading the Bible. Grow in the habit of reading God’s Word. Learn to hear from God in His Word. Discover who He is. I guarantee you – when you experience the judgment of God in your life you find guidance – comfort – hope and encouragement from the Word of God.

* Know the people of God. God never expects His children to walk through judgment, suffering and pain alone. When judgment comes upon the life of a believer – God expects His children to hold onto other believers. The bible tells the believer to encourage one another – join fast to one another – call to one another – tell one another – teach one another – show compassion and mercy to one another – love one another –be devoted to one another – honor one another – accept one another – serve one another – be kind and compassionate to one another and spur one another.

2. Exult in the judgment of God. (Vs. 13 -14) “But rejoice that you participate in the suffering of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.” Look what Peter says now – we are to rejoice when we experience the judgment of God in our lives. Peter says that if you suffer for Christ you are to have an attitude of joy. The believer who sufferers because of their faith On this earth will receive eternal rewards according to how they suffered for Christ.

Jesus puts it this way in the gospel of Luke 6:22 -23 “Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven…”

Peter is talking about suffering for Christ – a believer who rejoices because they were insulted for the name of Christ and responds with joy is rewarded in heaven. Google the words “persecuted Christians” and read about those who really are suffering for Christ. But we also suffer because of the judgment of God upon our lives as believers. He disciplines and punishes those whom He loves. He says that we are to rejoice in whatever we suffer --- we are to exult in the judgment of God. I have to say that in the suffering this past month in my own life – as tears and pain tear you apart – I did not see joy – or even feel joy. It was only in the times after the tears that I was able to begin to identify what was joy and taste it. I believe Peter is telling us that suffering reveals your faithfulness to Jesus Christ. Here is what I believe the principle Peter is trying to get across.

Your capacity for pain is an indicator of your capacity for joy.

Alison had tasted a lot of suffering and pain in her short 9 years. She remembered how alone she felt when her brother died at the age of 2 and how the complete focus of her parents was on him. When she turned 9 her 5 year old brother Christopher became sick and again the focus of her parents were poured into him – it was another year without attention. She lied in bed and cried and looked out her bedroom window at the stars. From those tears she wrote this poem.

As life goes by some things change – but others seem to just stay. I’ve always known that God is with me – but now He sees right through me. I feel as though I’ve been cheated one whole year, and no chance to complete it. Some people say life is not fair – though from my experience I feel as though God doesn’t care. I used to wonder if my life would break, when the next sob I would take. When I lie alone in bed, the place where I rest my head, I see the stars and moon above and that is when I know I am loved. Expect judgment from God and when it comes exult in it.

3. Examine the judgment of God. (Vs. 15 - 18 ) “If you should 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….. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”

Divine judgment on a believer is the decision God renders on their sin, for the believer that judgment contains no condemnation – they are declared not guilty by God because of the payment made by Christ but in that decision by God the judgment includes a chastening and leads to a cleansing or purifying of the believer. That is why we read such words in the bible “Be holy for I am holy and without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Notice verse 17 “for it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God..” Peter is not writing about judgment for sin. He is talking about the personal judgment of a believer --- which could be called as well the sanctification process whereby God disciplines the believer so that they will stand apart and separate from this world and be prepared to met Christ when He comes again. Paul makes puts this judgment and discipline of the believer clear to us when he writes in 1 Cor 11:32 “But when we (the believers) are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” How does God judge His children? I cannot give you answer to that question but I can tell you the bible tells us that God judges His children out of His love and for His love and for His glory. God judges His children to purify them and so that they may gain more of His glory. How does God judge a nation or a group of people? Dr Erwin Lutzer says that the judgments of God take various forms. Many times we are prone to think God’s judgments are seen in war, natural disasters or a terrorist attack, but the judgments of God are more evident as a result of the accumulated consequences of our sins. Lutzer says that you can see in American this judgment very clearly in three areas:

1. The destruction of our families. We are now redefining the family. The church is even supporting the new modern definition of a family. Even in the church, divorce is the norm. We have raised a generation that accepts immorality, we have glamorized pornography and raised a generation who spend their time watching MTV. It is not hard to see the judgment of God upon our nation and especially the church of America. Listen to a description of the judgment God brought on His people.

Deuteronomy 28:53 - 55 53”Because of the suffering that your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the LORD your God has given you. 54Even the most gentle and sensitive man among you will have no compassion on his own brother or the wife he loves or his surviving children, 55and he will not give to one of them any of the flesh of his children that he is eating. It will be all he has left because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege of all your cities.”

2. The loss of a knowledge of God. In America today, a knowledge of the true God is overshadowed by our so called tolerant culture which is intolerant of anyone who believes that he or she has found some religious truth. The suggestions that Christianity is a revealed religion by which all others should be evaluated is scorned by many. Faith in America is a cafeteria of ideas where people can choose beliefs that are just right for them. Even evangelical churches are neglecting the gospel and diluting it before the world. If you think all religions are the same and have perhaps some value just ask Elijah whether he thought that the prophets of Baal worshipped God like he did. God is judging us for our compromises and sins, and Christians are partly to blame.

3. Diminished influence of the church. The church in America has an increased visibility but a diminishing influence. Lutzer says that the American church is under judgment by God because we have cast about for a solution to our nation’s problems and thought that it lay with political muscle and with a specific political party. We have redefined our faith as politics.

Application: What are the long term consequences of your sin in your life?
What can you do to examine the judgment of God in your life and respond to it?

4. Entrust to God your judgment. (vs.19) “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”

When suffering – discipline or the judgment of God comes your way as a believer --- Peter says that you have a choice to commit yourself or entrust yourself to Your Creator. When Peter wrote this down he used a word that meant entrust – it was the same word used of a banker when you would deposit money or something valuable with the banker for safe keeping --- you have no concern or worry about the character or ability of the person you are entrusting that money or valuable with. We do it all the time --- we entrust money to the bank --- we entrust the dentist – we entrust the other driver when we go down the road --- one of the most astounding forms of entrust that we do is when we get on an airplane and most of the time you do not even see the persons who are flying the plane. They are behind closed doors. Peter says to us as believers ----- we must entrust to God the suffering we experience --- we must entrust to God the discipline that we undergo and if God brings some kind of judgment which we defined earlier as the refining discipline of God in our lives ----- we are to entrust that to Him – because He is the faithful Creator and He will not cease to do us good.

Psalms 31:1 - 11 1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. 2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. 3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. 4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. 6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. 8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. 9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction,£ and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends— those who see me on the street flee from me.

Application
1. Trust overcomes fear. Genuine trust in God says, “Whatever mess I am in, my heavenly Father will lead me.” There will be something in your life this year where you will have to choose to trust God or be consumed by fear.

2. Trust overcomes depression. Depression is common and if God were not the gardener, it would grow like a weed in our lives.

3. Trust overcomes hate. When careless or cruel people hurt you and sometimes that hurt is irreparable – you can hate forever or trust, but you cannot do both.

Let us pray
Martin Luther, at the height of all his trials, testified, “Lord, now that you have forgiven me all, do with me as you please” Luther was convinced that a God who could wipe away all sins and save his soul could certainly care for his physical body and material needs. In essence, Luther was saying: Why should I fear what man can do to me? I serve a God who can cleanse me of my sins and bring peace to my soul. It does not matter if everything around me collapses. If my God is able to save and keep my soul for eternity, why wouldn’t he be able to care for my physical body while I am on this earth? Oh, Lord, now that I am pardoned, forgiven, and able to stand before You on judgment day with exceeding great joy, do with me as you please.”