Peter gives a big summary...1 Peter 4:12-19...Matthew Henry

 


This handsome fellow is Matthew Henry.  He is described as a non-conformist minister who was born in Wales on October 18, 1662.  He is most known today for his commentaries.  As a traveling minister all over England he had a mugging incident that made it into his daily diary.  I make mention of this in the sermon this week as an example of suffering for doing good rather than doing evil.  Rev. Henry seeking to be thankful in all situations prayed this prayer as he proceeded onto his next preaching engagement.

“I thank Thee. First, because I was never robbed before

Second, because altho’ they took my belongings, they did not take my life.

Third, altho’ they took everything I had, it was not much.

And fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.”

Peter tells the beloved not to be surprised but to rejoice and be glad.  

Peter tells the beloved that while insulted to be blessed (happy).  

Peter tells the beloved to suffer as a Christian with glorifying God rather than being ashamed.  

Peter tells the beloved to suffer according to God's will with continued entrusting in their faithful Creator and doing good.

Each of these statements need context to understand them fully but also a different mindset of God and His sovereignty over our lives.  How we view God changes how we respond to what we walk through in this age.  Not losing sight of the age to come allows us to rejoice and be glad, be happy, and glorify God in this age so those who are surprised (those who do not yet obey the gospel and malign us for not participating with them in the world's sinful ways) may be impacted by our good deeds, good defense and even good death as children of our faithful Creator.

The final challenge to the beloved (the true church) is to what the surprised will see?  Will they see a church that is ashamed of God while enduring the suffering the church is experiencing in this age or will they see a church that continues to glorify God while enduring suffering it is experiencing in this age?  God set up His redemption plan to include His children's' obedience as a continual witness of Him until He returns again.

Adam



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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