Trials and Suffering

And we're going to get a chance to interact a lot this morning. I've got lots of questions for you. All right, 1 Peter 4, verse 12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though one strange thing happened unto you. But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of the Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Do you remember the last verse Hal covered with you last week? put you on the spot here this morning. What was the last verse that Hal went over with you last week?

How about if I give you a clue? It was in 1 Corinthians. How about another clue? Verse chapter 10? 10.13, Doug, you got it. What does that verse say? You may be able to endure it. Gee, that's kind of nice, isn't it? The title of this class is Trials and Tribulations. The idea is, why me, Lord?

But the verse 1 Corinthians 10.13 gives us a lot of faith that there's a purpose to all this.

You know, Scripture's not soft on this topic. It really has a tremendous opportunity for us to delve into this kind of truth in numerous passages, and I think what Hal wanted me to cover today is in 1 Peter, and I think I'm just going to open up the door to that, and he may choose to continue this next week. I'm not sure exactly how far he wanted me to get, but we're going to cover verses 12 and 13 today. So let's look at the text here and see how that builds on the truth of 1 Corinthians 10, 13 from last week.

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you as though some strange thing happened unto you. It's kind of a double negative, isn't it? I mean, there's lots of nots and as though is an implication that maybe this thing shouldn't have occurred. And I guess the issue is what's a fiery trial? What do you think of when you think of a fiery trial? Is that kind of the day-in, day-out nuisance that comes our path, or is this something more significant?

Small, big, indifferent. All right, the word's perfect. Yeah, and it comes from the Greek term pyrosis, and actually, fiery trial's one word in the Greek. It's not several different words. Fiery is not one word, and trial's another one. These are a combined term that really means something more than the usual.

So let's look at this a little bit more in detail. Let's turn to 1 Peter 1. So just back a couple of pages. And there it says in the King James, and we're going to look at this in the inner linear in a second, it says, in this ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season.

If need be, you're in heaviness through manifold trials, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love, and whom though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." So there's an implication of things that relate to the future. and things that relate to the present. The Interlated Greek says, in order that the proving of you of the faith, much more precious than gold perishing through fire yet being proved. Strong terms.

This is kind of a process by which the element gold is refined and purified. And in a sense, it's applied to the believer. We see our lives really laid open to this perfection, if you will, of the Lord working through us. Now, who's getting perfected here?

Yeah, I mean, how are you doing with these trials and tribulations in terms of building patience? And we'll return to that in a few minutes. Is it Adam who's getting patience through all these trials? I mean, how many times do you turn to Scripture and say, gee, another trial, Lord, I'm going to work on my patience here kind of deal?

I think you've already kind of failed the purpose of the trial, haven't you? Because I think when we view things as being tried as gold is, in terms of the refinement process under fire, we're thinking of something that's very, very substantial in terms of a physical property that makes gold what it really is. So the idea here is Adam can't be buffed up very much, can he? And in fact, if he is buffed up, it's only short-lived.

Margaret and I were talking about this on the way here this morning. I mean, the idea of working on our patients through trials is not the concept we're talking about here. We're talking about refining our oneness in the Lord Jesus Christ through trials, making us realize who we really are. And that's a whole different process, I think, than the idea of working on our patients through the trials that beset us. Now, the other place we find this fiery trial is in Revelation. It's pretty dramatic there. Let's turn to Revelation chapter 18.

We're talking here about Babylon's destruction, and as we know that will occur by fire. In verse 9 it says, And the kings of the earth who have committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her shall bewail her and lament for her when they shall see the smoke of her burning. Same Greek term.

18, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city? So here, the fiery trial is the same type of fire that we'll see this earth ultimately be burnt down with. So the word is really not subtle here in terms of what these trials are like.

Think of things in your life that may have been considered a fiery trial, and I don't think these are the day-to-day issues that come before most of us, but these maybe are the bigger things, the more significant trials. We've all lost loved ones. We've all seen disease in our families. We've all been, at times, beset by financial issues. These kinds of big-picture issues, I think, is the implication of the Scripture in the fiery trial.

But yet God says, Don't be surprised. This is what I have for you. And so this idea of the believer being rich and successful and wealthy is the right path that God's working in our lives is probably a misconception, isn't it? I mean, it's the trials that really refine us as gold to prove, in fact, who we really are. So it's interesting when we think about the type of trial that this is in terms of the magnitude of it and how it works in the life. Again, back to what this trial seems to implicate in Scripture.

The Interlinear Greek says it's a trial to you happening. If we go back to 1 Peter 4, verse 12. Interlinear Greek. Okay, those are the Bibles that are in your pews in front of you. And the ILG is probably among the best translations in terms of the actual Greek translated into English. It says in the King James, Beloved, think not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you. Now, the interlinear Greek would bring that across as the trial to you happening.

I mean, the interlinear Greek doesn't give us the idea of us being tested by the trial. It's kind of like, hey, wake up. The trial is actually happening. It's not kind of an implication. It's that we should expect these things, and it's ongoing in our presence.

And here the Greek term, and Hal really translates paraiso for you, it's a term you've seen multiple times in this class and we've seen it together, it's a solicitation to sin with a view towards failure. So these trials then are envisioned in a way that we are going to be tempted to respond to them in that downhill staircase effect that Hal's shown us by diagram in terms of when a temptation can give rise as bait to lust and ultimately to sin and then to death. So this is the type of trial terminology that's being used in the interlinear Greek.

Another implication would be is darts from the evil one, which is in Ephesians 6.16. This is the same term used as Satan, in fact, influencing this trial to be happening. Now, obviously, God's got a lot of room for these trials to be existing in our life, and it's particularly His intent that these trials be part of our growth process. But I think, you know, it's not to disagree with Hal to some extent, but I've gone into this in a little bit more detail in terms of this Greek term parazo.

And in fact, it may be that at times, if you think of 1 Corinthians 10.13, as Doug has enlightened us on, the idea there is that the trial is not there to tempt us to fight off that temptation, but to actually prove to us who we really are. Just think about that a little bit. If in fact temptation means an effort on behalf of Satan to really take us down a pathway by which we can succumb, it's interesting then putting first Corinthians 10, 13 into perspective. And that verse, as Doug has enlightened us, says, no temptation has overtaken you, but such is the common demand.

There's nothing unique to us as believers here. I mean, these fiery trials are for everybody, right? Believer or unbeliever has death in the family. Believer or unbeliever has financial stress. Believer or unbeliever is potentially involved in activities that are ultimately going to be viewed as a fiery trial.

But God goes on to say, He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what you're able. So each one of us are given, I think, these fiery trials for a purpose that is unique to us. And it says also, but with a temptation will also provide a way to escape that you may be able to endure it. Now remember in the teaching that I think you got last week, that we can respond to these trials and tribulations in several different manners. we can respond in the flesh. And when temptation exists and we conceive of it as it exists, we bite the bait and we travel down the pathway of wrong choices and ultimately succumb to the temptation.

But who's the believer? What makes us different than the world in terms of responding to this temptation? Just parenthetically, What would be the response to an unbeliever, or even us as believers, who then decide to withhold the temptation and not give in to it?

I mean, what's the result of that type of behavior? Well, for an unbeliever, you're obviously in the flesh. So there are plenty of responses as believers that we respond to in the flesh, are there not? All right. So what does that result in? As a believer, that's death. That's a sin. That's sinning, basically, because we're in unbelief.

Well, I don't know. Let's conceive something here a little bit. Let's stop short of a fiery trial, this huge trial that may be part of our experience, but now go to lesser temptations, if you will. Temptation X shows up and we decide that that's a temptation and we ultimately say, you know, intellectualize the fact that we're new creations in Christ Jesus and therefore can't give in and work hard to conceive that that's the wrong response if we decide that we're not going to do it.

Is that a victory? So what's the result of a flesh-driven right decision? Yeah, right, it's self-righteousness, is it not? We had a bunch of Pharisees that are walking around here. I mean, it's a legal principle where we put a yardstick to our response. Is that really what you think what the Lord's talking about in terms of response to trials? So what are we talking about here?

What does the response in the new man look like? Okay, and what's, how's that play out? How you doing at that, by the way? Okay, Roger, good. Okay, so the idea is, go ahead, Roger, go ahead. To me, that's basically accepting what God has brought and saying, Lord, if that's what you've brought, then I accept that. I mean, you can say, why me? And you can fight against that, or you can accept it by faith and say, I don't understand this, but I'm going to trust you for that, if it's that kind of trial.

Now, in some cases, it's not that kind of trial. It may be something different. And I'm not sure that's exactly where you're heading. No, that's perfect in a sense. So what's the response that we have to that? Does that make it easier? In a small way, it does. Or maybe it's a big way. But when your focus is on the Lord, it's not on the old man. You're recognizing him in it. Okay. All right. Okay.

So the idea of focus makes me think how we're viewing our relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. I mean, how many of us heard, keep looking up? Is that the perspective we need to have here? Yeah, it's keep looking down, isn't it? What does God challenge us to do as these trials come our way? Is it simply to identify and reckon?

I mean, there's no question about the importance of Romans 6.11, reckoning ourselves to be dead indeed into sin and risen with him in newness of life. But what's another response that's common for a believer who has a fiery trial before them? Well, really, you know, Hal said this so many times, too, that we should be thanking the Lord for our trials because it does show us our position. I mean, it shows us who we are in Christ.

Where are we staying? Where's your citizenship, right? I mean, our citizenship is in heavenly places. It's not here. My late wife had a sign on our refrigerator that had one of those cross-members through it, a circle with a cross-member like this. said no whining, but the implications were that the earth is our business address and in fact heaven is our home and so therefore if our home and citizenship is in heaven, This idea of the flesh of the response has no basis on the citizenship we've been so graciously given in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Did anybody read The Hungry Heart today in terms of moving towards a response that the believer must have to the trials and tribulations that we have in our life? Nobody read it this morning? Let me read it for you. One of the responses that we're called to is directed prayer, is it not? How are you doing at prayer, by the way? Everybody doing okay at prayer? Before Miles went home to be with the Lord, I actually sent him a little quip one time. I said, Miles, how do you pray? And he said, Bob, it's good that you've asked this question. That was his response.

So anyway, let me take you through this because I think the fiery trial has a way of drawing us to prayer, and I'm not sure I still understand very much what prayer is, but let me read you this because I think it's really reflective. Prayer to God must come from God. Good place to start, right? This idea of ten minutes on your knees each day and checklist off on your refrigerator that you've been there, you know, is probably not what we're looking for here, is it? There can be no prayer in the full assurance of faith apart from the known will of God in the matter. the God of our fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldst know his will."

Acts 22.14. I do not think that a petition that misses the mind of God will ever be answered.

1 John 5.14. Personally, I feel the need of trusting him to lead me in prayer as well as in other matters. How about fiery trials? I find it well to preface prayer not only by meditation, but by the definite request that I may be directed into the channels of prayer to which the Holy Spirit is beckoning me."

And he gives a reference there, Romans 8, 26, 27, the idea of utterances that go beyond our ability even to perceive them in time. Isn't that profound? That actually there's a prayer life that exists within each one of us that we're not intellectually even perceiving. It's a mechanism of communication that goes beyond the obvious.

It's the working of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ in us as we even think about prayer. I've always liked the part of Robert where it's really more quality than quantity because the person in the audience said, I'm getting more prayerful because I'm up to 50% today. Good, Norman.

There's certainly no yardstick here, is there? When we once have the deep, calm assurance of His will in the matter, we put in our claim, just as a child before his father, a simple request and nothing more. No crying, no beseeching, no wrestling, no second asking either.

It's not that God needs to be reminded, is it? The Lord may see it needful for the trial, quote, development, unquote, of faith. to seem for a season not to regard our supplications. Yet if we patiently and believingly continue to wait upon him, it will be manifest in his own time, and way that we did not call upon him in vain." And then Miles quotes the Psalms, My soul wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him.

So I think this idea of the fiery trial is one in which allows us to begin with rest and trust and identification with citizenship, is it not? I mean, if our citizenship is in heaven, what here can go wrong that's sufficient to really burden us and tear us down? And I think citizenship is such a reality test. I mean, we all have lives that at times are complicated and difficult.

But, you know, the Lord has a way of reminding us of who we are in Christ, and that ain't looking up. looking down. It's really, I think, very, very critical, particularly in the big trials, but also the small ones, to maintain the right perspective. And 20-20 vision is at the right hand, not down here.

So this response in prayer, I think, was very timely this morning. I had no idea about incorporating that into the lesson, but it just seemed so appropriate to say that a response in prayer needs to be one in which the Holy Spirit leads and accomplishes in us. All right, why are we told to think it not strange?

1 Peter 4.12, why should this not be strange for us to have these fiery trials? It isn't the exception, it's the rule.

All right, you know, I really like that because the rule of us being in a foreign country is the idea that we're never welcomed here. I mean, if our citizenship, we have an ownership for our citizenship at the right hand, then we're in foreign turf down here. You know, again, the earth is just our business address. This ain't our home.

And so the idea of it being expected is really appropriate. And I think Peter very nicely writes to this. This isn't a strange deal, everybody. If your citizenship's really in heaven, what do you think this earthly path's all about? A bunch of pastors? Well, it's the same thing.

You strengthen steel by putting heat to it. And heat, in our respect, is pain and suffering. And therefore, our strength comes from the glory of glorifying God through our response to the pain and suffering. Yeah, that's so true. And you know, just as a personal reflection, I mean, ten years from, about three weeks from now, the Lord took my first wife home to be with Him, and man, talk about fiery trials, that was a tough one. But yet, the grace that was extended for me to accept that, that my wife was getting a good deal here, she's going home.

And she and I, near her death, or separation is a better term, I think. You know, we were kidding. This was within 24 to 48 hours of her death. And I said to her, you get the good deal. You're leaving me behind with all these additional fiery darts and trials. And she laughed and said it was such a great moment. But, you know, we both were really very, very content with that.

It was the Lord's plan that, in fact, she's the one who benefited me, the one that had to experience and grow much more in His grace. So the fiery trials come our way, and I say, you know, the concept of this playing out as true is really maybe something that has something to do with why I'm up here today, because that was such a growth experience for her, for my children, for myself, and this was a big cup to be brought forth. But yet, the Lord sustaining me through faith in that situation was one that I thank Him for, and really has made my citizenship much more clear and much more real. a very special time, actually, that I wouldn't want to reverse in a heavenly sense. Obviously, God's plan is God's plan, and sometimes we sit here and doubt, but nevertheless, that's the way he worked that out.

So keep in mind, everybody, this idea of a fiery trial and tribulation coming your way ain't supposed to be a surprise. It's not that you're not on your knees enough. It's not that you're not living a good enough life and you're not in prayer enough. Expect them, and that way, when they come, you'll be ready for them. You know, the Lord Jesus even said, in this world you will have tribulation. And Paul addresses it, and James addresses it, and Peter addresses it, and John addresses it. You know, every author of the New Testament really addresses it.

Why would we think there would be anything else? And think of the Lord Jesus Christ. Think of him in the wilderness where he was offered all the things of this world. In a sense, although there was the same term in terms of temptation unto sin, we know Christ could not respond in that manner. But think of the identification we can have with a wilderness experience of the Lord Jesus Christ. What did that testing or trial of the Lord Jesus Christ do for us today as believers?

It proved him for who he really claimed to be. And in a sense, for us as believers, we have the same opportunity to have us be refined as gold. to prove us that we've already been through the fire and have been accomplished completely in the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All right, now, beloved, let's turn to a couple of other texts. Let's turn to 1 Thessalonians 3, 1 through 4. Beloved, be not surprised. It's a surprising thing to you occurring, meaning sensing these trials. Are trials surprising? Not according to 1 Thessalonians 3. And whoever gets that, please read it for us. anybody. Therefore, when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone.

For we sent Timothy, our brother, and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions. For you yourself know that we have been destined for this. For indeed, when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer afflictions, and so it came to pass as you know." Isn't that interesting that no man should be moved by these afflictions for yourselves know that we are appointed. I mean, God knew what they needed. I mean, this was no surprise to him. And as Paul so nicely writes here in 1 Thessalonians 3, verse 3 in particular, is the idea that these trials have been aforeappointed. And it's not a surprise to him.

And remember 1 Corinthians 10.13 again. He'll provide a way for us to escape. No, I don't think that's the right interpretation. We're not to escape the trial. We're in fact to come out of the trial exalted and in fact lifted up because of the truth of who we are in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let's turn to 2 Timothy 3.12. And it says here, yea, and all that will live godly, or as the inner linear Greek puts it, the wishing to live piously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Now this is not persecution for self-righteousness sake. I mean, the martyrdom is not the concept here. The idea that we decide that we're going to be, in a sense, an earthly martyr and therefore You know, convince ourselves that we need to be put into trials and tribulations so that we can prove who we really are. Just wait, they'll come. We don't have to envision any self-effort in allowing these trials to appear in our lives. They will show up. It's an open discussion. Many of you have heard of this before. I think it's a three minutes Bible study.

But a couple of things happened when we were on the road all those years living in a motorhome. And we were in Utah. And I was out picking up all those little key dumps on the motorhome. It was a large motorhome. It took a while to pick it up. And I could see this man walking from quite a ways away over toward me. Eleanor was inside preparing dinner. And he walked over to me and he said, Brother, are you in Christ? And I said, yes. He said, then you must pray harder so that you won't have crutches.

And I was timid enough to just kind of be polite and shrug it off, let it go. And he stayed a little bit longer and realized I probably wasn't going to listen to him too much. And he left. About six months later, we were back at another Utah campground. Another person came across it. And he started out the same way. In the meantime, we've been listening to tapes from the church we were attending in Colorado Springs, which I think give me some strength to finally say, yes, I believe I'm in Christ. And I believe that I am exactly where the Lord would have me. And it was almost as if I had rebuffed him. And he turned around and walked away. One walked away feeling joyous that he had said something, maybe made a point. The other one walked away feeling really rebuffed.

So I felt like I was being right in saying that I am exactly where the Lord wants me at this moment. That's really wonderful. You know, the idea of these kind of television ministries where we see people who, in fact, are healed of their crippled state, etc., is one that leaves me in doubt for sure. I saw Benny Hartnett for about 30 seconds, about 20 seconds stand. And that brought that story back to me for some reason. You know, so much does relate to our citizenship.

You know, our victory is there without any earthly example of what God's done in our life, right? There doesn't have to be a physical change, right? I mean, the spiritual man is upstairs, is he not? And that's where our heaven and earth is our home. Norm, he wants you to keep looking up harder. And the rest and trust we have is looking down, being fully completed and perfected in the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's what the fiery trials all about. Josiah. Bob, you mentioned our citizenship.

I noticed that the word there for strange is used twice. And it's the verb form of xenos. And xenos means stranger. And we are strangers here because our citizenship is in heaven. Yeah, neat. when Peter's telling them, don't think it's strange what's going on down here. It's an excellent point. The King James translates it as strange, whereas in the ILG it calls it surprising. But nevertheless, it is a citizenship deal, is it not? Play it out here.

Helmut? Did this provide the strength for Job also to go through all of that? Hey, talk about a man in rest, right? In faith? I mean, look at you, the way he responded. If you always look for results, then you're really in a sad state and you're very weak because every time you get a blow, you say, my God, what's the matter with you? Why do you do this to me? Talk about fiery trials.

How many people do we know that are believers that if they are not standing in their position They become so disillusioned and angry and depressed. I mean, I know so many believers who become, I mean, really depressed. Because they don't understand, you know, they're doing everything they think they should do and here comes the trial. And they don't, because they don't understand their position. How sad that is. And it's so contra anything that the Bible says is fine.

Do you remember that list that Hal made a couple of weeks ago? I'm not sure I have it here. It wasn't on the list of trials. It was the sources of trials. I think I have it here. You've all seen this, but let me just make it apparent to you. Here it is. The temptations are sin nature. Do you remember this list? There you go.

The issue is that these maybe fall out of them short of the fiery trial and the way we respond, but keep in mind the flesh is always capable of responding in the way, Margaret, you just mentioned. Casting blame, anger, irritability, resentfulness, self-pity, discouraged, extravagance, laziness. I mean, this is, Hal said this is a partialist. He says a few examples.

I mean, that's the earthly response. And you know, the thing that I think is so relevant is, and I'm so guilty of this, the idea of expectations. In other words, deservingness. I deserve this. This shouldn't have happened because this isn't right. You know, this idea that we're owed something here in terms of a response or behavior of others or a reward of some sort. Wrong thinking. I mean, as heavenly citizens, there's nothing promised here for us, is there not?

But boy, the security blankets we put on day in and day out are ones that want to try to build a castle from trials around us. But yet God, in certain of our circumstances, breaks those castles down in a way that we maybe better perceive the reality of who we are in Christ.

Any other comments on verse 12 at all before we look at verse 13? All right, so in summary, verse 12 tells us, don't be surprised that there are these major trials that come into our life. It's expected of us as believers to face these, and this really, I think, has a method for us to enhance and reestablish and further our citizenship.

Verse 13, but rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's suffering, that When His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy. The interlinear Greek, but as ye share the of Christ sufferings, isn't that interesting, the ILG? I like this better than partakers of. But as ye share the of Christ sufferings, rejoice, in order that also at the revelation of the glory of Him, ye may rejoice exulting.

Now, we're going to look at this in a little bit more detail, because I think this is interesting from several perspectives. Turn to James 1-2, and Hal spent a lot of time with us in this particular passage. But this idea of rejoicing through these temptations and trials is an expected response of the new man in Christ. This is not supposed to be something we work on. This is the new nature in how he responds to the trials. Don't feel that failure is anything but a lesson in terms of depending on the self rather than on the Lord Jesus Christ in our life.

James 1.2, my brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials. And those could be the small ones or they could be the bigger ones. My brethren, count it all joy. Isn't that of interest?

That's very consistent with 1 Peter 4.13. Turn to Acts. Well, in fact, I think I have much of the context here on the board. And these are in your hand, Acts 2, Acts 5, 40-42.

And when they had called the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. And they departed, rejoicing that they were, notice this now, they rejoiced, rejoicing in that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his namesake. And dot, dot, dot, cease not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Not only did they count it a privilege, to be beaten for the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. They went ahead and kept teaching and preaching.

I mean, have you had enough today or would you like to revisit this again tomorrow? That's no fleshly response, is it? I mean, how many of you have seen Passion of the Christ? Have some of you seen that movie? A few of you. I had an ambivalent response to that movie.

I don't know, Doug, but the idea of the way the punishment was given out to him and ultimately he withstood. I don't see the Bible giving us any indication that the Lord gave him special strength to get up and carry his cross up the hill after the beatings and discouragings, but all that aside, you know, the idea of being beaten and being submitted to that type of physical punishment and still go on with a message really is perfectly portraying the Lord Jesus Christ. But yet here are men in the Acts, the apostles who were presumably equally beaten. And in fact, went ahead and continued to preach and teach. That ain't Adam working on a better behavior here.

I mean, that's a rest in trust and a faith in their citizenship and who they really are. And notice that they rejoice that they were counted worthy. Can you believe that response? Where does that come from? That's not working harder at living the good life and walking in his footsteps. This is a solid faith portrayed in the response to the trials and tribulations that we come into subjection to.

Romans 5.3 talks about the fact that we're to glory in our tribulation. What's the outcome?

Which is also mentioned in James 1.3. Let me go back to James a second. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the testing or trial of your faith work with patience. Patience, you know, in Romans is after tribulation. Tribulation worketh patience, and patience virtue, right? And on down the line. How you doing on your patience?

Yeah. Yeah. I can assure you, Doug, my Adam is never patient. Never. I have no patience in this old man. It's a rest and more of a different sense. No, I think it's... I think that we're studying James with my... I think this patient isn't like, oh, I'm being patient, I'm dealing with it, I'm, you know... I think it's... It's abiding under. Well, it's...

They're similar. They may be a little bit different. But I think that in general, the interpretation as patients isn't too far from from accurate in terms of what it creates within us. There may be a slight difference in interpretation, but yes. Yeah, well, in a sense, that wraps it up, too, in terms of what it is.

It's kind of like patience, maybe not perfectly represented. But what do you think of when you think of patience in an earthly sense, a worldly sense? Tolerance? Yeah, I was going to say tolerance. Yeah. But think about that tolerance plays out in so many different circumstances, doesn't it?

I mean, it could be with a driver on the road. with a child who talks back. Have you seen that in your children occasionally? Under the circumstances on the road, we don't have much time to take it into consideration. Yeah, art in Rome, they have less time. If any of you ever been to Rome and see the way they drive there, it's amazing how skilled they are. It's not a place. That's right. So that was quite an experience.

So the idea of whatever this patience is, if we defined it correctly or not, I think we're close. The idea that this isn't something that comes as a result of working on it through the power of the flesh. This is an acceptance, or if you will, a creation of a personal environment that is consistent with our faith that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ being worked out within us.

What does it mean to share of, quote, of Christ's sufferings or be partaker of Christ's sufferings? Your opinion. I would say that her sufferings are going to be, you know, maybe not exactly, we may not be crucified, although some people might be, of the same kind of sufferings that he had in his life. Okay, what do we think of when we think of Christ's sufferings? What were his sufferings? Just list a few that we think about when we think of his sufferings. Not only maybe the physical ones that led to the cross and the passion.

When he saw Jerusalem. Alright. Suffering in the garden. Okay, suffering in the garden. When the Lord turned away from him. Alright. Abandoned. Abandoned. He suffered because of the sins of the world. Alright. What was the first suffering that he had? When his mother told him to turn water into wine. We're not going to spend a lot of time there, Helmut. Fine point, I wouldn't have thought of that one, actually.

The first suffering, Philippians 3, Don't we consider it a sacrifice of him leaving the throne? I mean, in a sense, him becoming man was, in a sense, knowing, I mean, in anticipation perhaps, but now he's going to take on an earthly body. And so, in a sense, that really relates to our citizenship, does it not? I mean, if we're created and positioned in the Lord Jesus Christ, then in a sense we're beginning to suffer just because we're on a foreign turf.

Back to the concept we developed a few minutes ago. We are citizens and ambassadors for Christ. When an American ambassador goes to a foreign country, do they live like in that country or do they live like the Americans did? Well, what do you think? I think they live like the Americans did. And is that a mistake? But the world may view it as a mistake in terms of Americans' opinion overseas. Well, all roads lead there, don't they? But that's true.

But I mean, Christ, in a sense, portrayed that example, didn't he? But yet it was a suffering for him to leave the heavenly throne and become a man. And that's where it began. And there were multiple earthly sufferings that followed. So when we're partakers of his suffering, we think of, maybe positionally to begin with, the idea that we're not at home.

And there's a suffering that takes part in the believer's life simply by being separated from his heavenly home, other than by faith. I think the worst pain that he went through wasn't the physical pain of the nails or the opening of a spear inside, but when he said, My God, my God, why is that for sin? And he was separated from God that night, only because he had taken all the sins of man upon him. God could not look upon sin, and therefore God had to turn his back on Christ, and he was separated from his family. It was an ultimate loss, and I'm sure that Many, many times worse. I've felt that many, many times worse than a human losing their parent-in-law, their wife, their children, or abandoning their children, their background.

He has, his Heavenly Father, turned his back on him. That's right. You know, let's not belittle the physical pain that he suffered. The Passion portrays that very vividly. But let's think about the fact that God then failed to acknowledge his son when he took on the sin of the world. I mean, in a sense, that's the ultimate portrayal of his suffering, being separated from his Heavenly Father.

All right, let's see if we can wrap up fairly quickly. In the Greek, the partakers is the Greek term koinonium, which means lying or open to all which is common, and that's where koinonia comes from, the term fellowship. And so in a sense that's very appropriate here, isn't it? When we're told that, but rejoice in as much as your partakers of Christ's sufferings, that's the fellowship we have with him. Thinking about his separation from his Heavenly Father at the cross, but all that goes and extends beyond that, that when we suffer, we are fellowshipping with the Lord Jesus Christ, and that's what partaker means. So of Christ's sufferings or being partakers is, in a sense, our identification with him in that process.

And remember, in Romans 8.17, we're joint heirs, so therefore we're expected to suffer with him, that we may ultimately be glorified with him. And forgive me, but it's your citizenship, stupid. That's who we are. Right? We're joint heirs. So what else should you expect? but to be given the opportunity to suffer with Him.

2 Corinthians 1.5, because as abounds the sufferings of Christ in us, so through Christ abounds also the comfort in us. So the idea is that the sufferings are there, but His comfort transcends that. That's what a partaker really is.

2 Corinthians 4.10, always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Him may also be manifest in us. I mean, this is the purpose. So don't think it's strange. This is expected. This is no surprise. Let's end on this. The verse implies the future.

In other words, if you look at 1 Peter 4.13, it says, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. Do we think it should be limited to that? Is it only on Christ's appearing when his glory is manifest that we will be given, quote, crowns of glory because we suffered patiently with him? I honestly don't think so. I mean, that's what the verse tends to imply.

But let's go back to 1 Peter 1, 6 through 8, and closing then. He let me know whether you think this is just for tomorrow. In this she greatly rejoiced, though now for a season. Notice the rejoices for a season. It's not talking about some future event. Let me go back. In this she greatly rejoiced, though now for a season.

If need be, yearn heaviness through manifold trials, that the trial of your faith be much more precious than of gold that perishes. Though it be tried with fire, might be found under praise and honor and glory at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. Okay, so that does say one day. Whom having not seen ye love, and whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, notice this, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

No, I don't think this is limited to the manifestation of his glory upon his return or whether when we're with him in heavenly places. This is for now. The atmosphere of joy in the trials and tribulations really is not for tomorrow only. It's really for today.

Our faith is weak if, in fact, we don't think we can experience these trials and tribulations with joy here. And we've all had that opportunity, and I think we see that the scripture is really true as we think about our own experiences here. Any other thoughts, comments before we close? I know as we went through the loss of our daughter, that we really experienced that, the joy of this fellowship with the Lord, in the midst of the terrible pain of losing her and not having her. It was the flip side of that, the joy of just the fellowship with Him.

I don't know, you said earlier, does it make it easier? And I don't know if that's the right word, but it's two sides. painful loss, and then there's a resilience side of things that's being lost. You know, how often do you hear this as a response? Is that, you know, someone's lost a loved one, which again, we've all done, and some of us have physical disabilities, which we don't choose to have, but Paul's thorn in the flesh is an example of the response we have to that. But let's return to the loss of a loved one.

And people seem to get great pleasure out of this fact that they're going to see them again one day. That's really a consolation, is it not? Because when you put that into perspective as to why we're going to see them again one day, then that takes second place. We love our loved ones, and we don't want to be separated from them. But seeing them one day is not my great hope. Oh, I sure I want to see my first wife again. We had a great relationship.

Margaret's done a great job stepping into a very, very challenging opportunity. But, you know, my being with the Lord Jesus Christ is my hope and glory. And, boy, Sharon will be there, too. That's going to be great. But, you know, I mean, I want to be with her again. But, man, my heavenly experience has got to be a lot more than just being reunited with my first wife. I mean, that's where our hope is.

And because seeing her again is tied into that, that makes it wonderful. But this idea of just seeing your loved one again as a consolation to them being gone, to me, doesn't make it. The world can easily say that. I mean, everybody goes to heaven according to the world, because where else would they go? Only a bad place, right? I mean, nobody likes to think of it in those terms.

But the idea of being in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ makes my seeing her again be very special, just like with your daughter. Let's close with prayer. Father, these fiery trials, we're not only told they'll occur, but in fact that we should expect them. that the purpose here is not to do anything other than continue to refine us as gold that has been tried and tested from the very beginning of time. We're thankful that we're given the opportunity to respond with rest and trust and faith that these are for a purpose, that your name would be glorified and our citizenship would be assured. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.