1Peter 4:12-13
Change of Attitude
Peter continued to help the Christians that had been scattered
throughout Asia Minor due to the persecutions of Nero. Although
Peter does move away from that thought from time to time, it is only
a slight movement, and it is only for a short period of time. I
believe that signifies how intense the persecutions were. Peter felt
a strong need to help the believers, and he does.
In this Bible passage, he shared a very important truth. When you
can’t change the circumstances, it’s best to change your attitude.
God deals to everyone cards that they don’t want. We can ask Him to
exchange them, but what if He does not? Believe it or not, as bad
as things may be, they can get worse and our attitude makes it so.
Tonight, let’s ask God to give us a change of attitude.
I. \\#12\\ Don’t think you are alone.
A. Peter began by giving us an attitude adjustment.
1. One is to remember that everyone goes through trials.
2. Whatever trial we are going through, we need to remember
that we are not the first, the only, and probably not the
last to go through it.
1Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,
as though some strange thing happened unto you:
B. So often when we are going through difficulty, our first
response is, "Why?"
1. I have said on many occasions and believe strongly that
God does not mind us asking why—as long as we are
willing to receive His answer or accept that He may not
answer at all.
2. If we are willing to receive His answer, asking why opens
the door up for us to understand God better.
3. The problem with most of us is that when we ask why what
we really mean is WHY!
4. Our use of the word is an accusation not question.
5. Asking a question may bring knowledge. Shouting an
accusation will bring sin.
C. Someone may ask, "How does this help me?
1. It may not help your circumstances but it will help keep
you from adding bitterness to the load you are all ready
carrying.
2. Bitterness is a heavy load, and it never, ever helps.
3. Being a negative Nellie or a whining Willie will only:
a. Dry up compassion for you.
b. Drive off your friends.
c. Drive away those that would help you.
D. Interesting to me is that fact that Peter was telling this
to people who were being hunted and cruelly killed for
following Jesus.
1. Truthfully, not everyone goes through that.
2. Peter was attempting to help his readers set their
prospective back to the center.
a. Acknowledge pain.
b. Acknowledge disappointment and even discouragement.
c. Ask for help, but don’t let self-pity add to your
afflictions.
II. \\#15\\ Don’t suffer for evil.
1Peter 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a
murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as
a busybody in other men’s matters.
A. While everyone suffers, Christians should not suffer for evil.
1. Peter gave four examples:
a. Not as a murderer.
b. Not as a thief.
c. Not as an evildoer.
d. And not as a busybody in other people’s matters.
2. Isn’t it interesting that, under the direction of the Holy
Ghost, Peter put busybody in the same short list as a
thief and a murderer?
3. I don’t believe that makes one the same as the other, but
it does make them all wicked sins in God’s eyes.
B. Notice Peter was indicating that life is made up of choices.
1. As I have repeatedly pointed out, the suffering that was
happening to the church was not related to sickness,
age, or the circumstances of others.
a. In one matter of speaking, it was voluntary.
b. It came because the people suffering chose Jesus and
chose to keep choosing Jesus.
c. Every person who chooses Jesus is choosing not only to
live with Him but to suffer and to die with Him if
necessary.
2. Let’s don’t chose to do evil.
3. Christians may have to suffer as evil doers, but let it
not be because we actually did evil.
III. \\#17-18\\ Don’t think you can escape suffering.
A. If we think by avoiding a stand for Christ we will avoid
suffering, we are wrong.
1Peter 4:17 For the time is come that judgment
must begin at the house of God: and if it first
begin at us, what shall the end [be] of them that
obey not the gospel of God?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where
shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
B. Peter made three statements.
1. It is time for judgment.
2. It will begin with the Christians.
3. It will be even worse on the lost.
C. Why was it time for judgment?
1. It always is.
a. We are sinners and sinners are always under the
sentence of death.
b. That is why we should love mercy so much—both to give
it and to get it.
2. But with the murder of Jesus, it was expected that God
would soon come in wrath.
a. That was the expectation that Jesus gave the
disciples.
b. One of the last parables Jesus gave was about a
vineyard owner whose servants took over the vineyard
and mistreated and killed his stewards.
c. Finally, the master sent his son.
Matt 21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son,
they said among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his
inheritance.
39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the
vineyard, and slew him.
40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard
cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy
those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard
unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the
fruits in their seasons.
d. I do not believe any of the New Testament writers
expected God to wait this long to complete His plan.
D. Why will it begin with the saved?
1. To whom much is given, much is required.
2. It is only right that God hold the people who have
received so much accountable before the people who have
not.
3. But notice there is also a hint here.
a. If God is going to start judgment at the house of God,
it is logical that the house of God is going to need
judgment when He comes.
b. That is not absolute but it is hinted at and I believe
it IS and WILL be so.
E. Why will it be worse for the lost?
1. Because they are lost.
2. What can be worse than the judgment that awaits the
unsaved?
IV. Suffering for Christ means three things are true.
A. The Spirit of glory and God is on you.
1Peter 4:14 …for the spirit of glory and of God
resteth upon you….
1. People TALK about being filled with the Holy Ghost, but
how do you know you ARE filled with the Holy Ghost.
2. When you chose to stand for Jesus and suffer instead of
quit on Jesus and be safe, you are filled with the Holy
Ghost.
B. \\#16\\ We nothing of which to be ashamed.
1Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a
Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him
glorify God on this behalf.
1. Some have too much pride to allow others to think of them
badly.
2. That kind of pride can cause a person to compromise or
quit on Jesus.
3. Chunk it.
4. There is no shame in doing right no matter how many people
think so.
C. We have everything in which to rejoice \\#13\\.
1Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are
partakers of Christ’s sufferings….
1Peter 4:16 …let him glorify God on this
behalf.
1. This is one of the many paradoxes of the Bible.
a. The way to rise in authority is to serve in humility.
b. The way to be rich is to give.
c. The way to live is to die to self.
2. Here Peter said the way to respond to suffering is to
rejoice and glorify God for it.
a. That word glorify is a difficult word to comprehend.
b. It means to be happy over, to praise God for, to exalt
God for the privilege.
3. WHAT? WHY?
a. Because we have been called to suffer WITH Christ.
(1) \\#13\\ We are partakers with Christ.
(2) While it may sound foolish today, in the
countless millenniums of eternity, it will be a
blessing to us.
b. Because we will be rewarded for any suffering we
endure.
2 Timothy 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign
with him: if we deny [him], he also will deny us:
V. \\#19\\ Commit yourself to the Lord.
1Peter 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer
according to the will of God commit the keeping
of their souls to him in well doing, as unto
a faithful Creator.
A. We are in the Lord’s hands. Everyone is and everyone always
has been.
B. God lets the things happen to us that happen.
1. Be wise. Foolishness always adds to and amplifies our
anguish.
2. Pray. Prayer can turn adversity into advantage.
3. Trust.
a. Wherever you are and whatever you are going through
is for a purpose.
b. You may not be able to change it and God may not be
willing to change it, but it will bring you something
if you will let it.
When you can’t change the circumstances, it’s best to change your
attitude.
Let that not just be a sermon. Let it be a challenge.
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