What causes a man to say, "O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge" (Psalm 7:1), or "But you, O LORD, are a shield about me" (Psalm 3:3) or "I love you, O LORD, my strength" (Psalm 18:1)? What brings a man to sing, "O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame" (Psalm 25:2), or "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1), or "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5)? What would inspire a man to think of God as his shepherd (Psalm 23), or rock, or fortress, or deliverer (1 Samuel 22:2)? All these sentiments, and many more, David was able to write and sing and pray to God, and I submit to you that each was sparked by the hostility David experienced as God's man. Though many of his trials were a result of his personal sins, each phrase mentioned here was brought to life through fiery trials for being a man after God's own heart.

David, and millions of others, have discovered God's friendship in the midst of suffering -- for God. In the sorrows attached to being maligned for Jesus, marginalized for the gospel, or dismissed for living according to the word of Christ, many believers have learned anew of God's nature. They fell into the pit, but God was waiting at the bottom. Like Daniel in the lion's den, instead of death, they found life, instead of pain, they found power, and instead of feeling far from God, they found friendship with God.

We sing to God, "You're a Good Father." But the persecuted and outlawed and imprisoned church sings the same thing, and often with an even greater awareness of the Father's goodness. All this is because God is a friend to those exiled for their relationship with him. The Triune God -- Father, Son, and Spirit -- conspires to chase down his suffering servants with his love. And though there are moments outcast Christians feel the same distance Jesus did when he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me," God inevitably breaks through those moments and walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. He is, indeed, our Good Shepherd.

It is this facet of suffering for Jesus that I want us to think about today. I know many of you are concerned about the future. I have concerns as well. And I certainly don't root for society to become more hostile to Christian doctrines or Christian people. But I am also excited about the prospects of the future. It's not hard to imagine that in twenty years' time, we will have a purer, more devoted, stronger church. The fluff of casual Christianity might have burnt off by that time. And we might be left with a pruned but more fruitful church, a church that is alive because of its close and abiding relationship with God. The trials attached to exile Christianity give us a chance to partake of our friendship with God in heightened ways. Let's consider:

Exile Friendship: With Christ (4:12-13)

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

A Reason To Rejoice

Peter was a great pastor, and here he encouraged his congregation with the truth that their suffering for Christ meant they suffered with Christ. He said they shared in Christ's sufferings (13). To share means to fellowship with or commune with, to be in a close relationship. Paul called this "the fellowship of his sufferings," meaning there is a closeness with Christ that we can only get when suffering like him (Philippians 3:10). Paul would know -- he was converted after Christ confronted him with the question, "Why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4-5). When Jesus asked the question, he had already been back in heaven for years. Paul wasn't imprisoning or beating or killing Jesus, but Jesus' followers. Still, Jesus felt the pain. To Jesus, Paul was hurting him when he hurt his people.

So Peter tells us to rejoice as you share Christ's sufferings (13). It means we are on the right track because Jesus said, "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18). This means that when you are ridiculed for a biblical doctrine or lifestyle choice -- when someone thinks you're ridiculous because you believe the book -- you should bring up the knowledge that Jesus was also rejected. The world hated him first.

James told us to "count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" (James 1:2-3). This truth helps greatly because it reminds us of the character God is building in us as we endure trials. But Peter is not making the same point. What Peter means is that our trials for Christ identify us with Christ and bring us into deeper fellowship with Christ.

There are certain facets of Jesus we will not know unless we suffer in his (and for his) name. Near the end of his life, when no one would stand with imprisoned Paul the apostle, he said, "All forsook me...but the Lord stood with me and strengthened me" (2 Timothy 4:16). He was suffering for Jesus, and Jesus was close by.

Rather Than Surprise

And this perspective that Jesus walks closely with the marginalized believer is much better than the alternative perspective. Peter started this section by exhorting us: "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you" (12). If we can't see suffering for Christ as sharing in Christ's sufferings, we will inevitably think of suffering for him as a surprising and strange experience.

But why would we be shocked when the fiery trial of Christ's sufferings comes? (12-13) Why would we be surprised when we are insulted for the name of Christ? (14)

1) Our surprise could stem from the incorrect conclusion of a correct belief. Believers are God's children. And God is good. Correct. But then consider our suffering for Christ, and it can become confusing. Why is this happening to me? I thought I was God's child? I thought God was good? And like a baby being put into the bathwater, we look up at our Father's face in confusion. This is not fun. Why are you doing this to me?

2) Our surprise could also stem from an incorrect belief. Many religious people, including Christians, hold to a cause-and-effect view of nearly everything in life. The religious leaders in Jesus' time thought this way; that's why the disciples wanted to know if the blind man or the blind man's parents had sinned to bring on his blindness (John 9:2). And we also might be guilty of this Christianized version of the concept of karma. I've been faithful. I've walked with God. I've believed and trusted in him. Why am I suffering for it?

3) And our surprise could also stem from incorrect expectations. The gospel is good news, but suffering for Jesus seems like bad news. But believers are people who expect heaven after Christ comes, not before Christ comes.

Insofar

Still, there is a sense, when we suffer for his name, that something is off. We think, "this is not what life is meant to be." And we would be right.

It seems in all of God's children are the echoes of Eden at the first creation combined with a thirst for the new city of God in the new creation. Our hearts have a backward longing and a forward anticipation. And when we suffer for Christ today -- even in small ways -- those hopes are stirred up again. Why can't it be like it was in the garden of Eden? And when will the new heavens and earth come?

But this is why Peter said what he did: But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (13). The word insofar is important here; it indicates a connection. The more we rejoice in our suffering for Christ now, the more we will rejoice when Christ comes in glory. Why is this true?

Well, when you rejoice over being counted with Christ, it indicates you are someone who enjoys Jesus' person, presence, and approval more than anyone else's. And if Jesus dominates your value system, you will really like it when he comes in glory. But when people and their approval are all important to you, Jesus' presence and glory are no big deal for you. If you don't like Jesus today, why would you like him tomorrow? And if you don't want Jesus above all others today, why would you stand with him today?

Exile Friendship: With The Spirit (4:14-16)

14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

Double-Check: As A Christian

As Peter continued to speak to them (and us) about being insulted or suffering for Christ, he was sure to insert a qualifying statement. He wanted them to double-check the reason for their suffering. It should not be for murder or theft or evil or meddling in the affairs of others (15).

This check provides balance to the marginalization of the church in Western societies today. We must work hard to make sure we are not insulted or ridiculed for things worthy of insult and ridicule. We must not suffer for lack of wisdom or discernment. We must not suffer for standing for unjust or disproven causes. Jonah suffered. But he could not call it persecution.

But Peter is saying more than simply that we should not call suffering for sin suffering for Jesus. He pointed out four specific sins we should not commit when being marginalized. When the church suffers physical violence, retaliation in the form of murder or murderous thoughts is not acceptable. When financial persecution comes through property confiscation or the loss of work, theft is not the answer. When evil is done to us, we should not do evil in return, meaning we do not fight with the same weapons the world uses.

And then there's the last exhortation. In addition to murder, theft, and evildoing, there's meddling. A meddler is an agitator or busybody who infringes on the lives of others. Paul was concerned about this sin when he wrote to pastor Timothy about which widows should be specially taken care of by the church. He warned that some should not be on the church care list if they were still able-bodied. He said:

1 Timothy 5:13 (NLT) — 13 If they are on the list, they will learn to be lazy and will spend their time gossiping from house to house, meddling in other people’s business and talking about things they shouldn’t.

In times of suffering for Christ, in times the church is marginalized, it is tempting to respond with all the sins Peter mentioned -- murderous vengeance, thieving, returning evil for evil, and privately pushing people around. But God's people must make sure to double-check that we aren't suffering for such things but for our devotion to Christ.

Blessed

With that check-in place, Peter wants us to know we are blessed if we are insulted or suffering for the name of Christ (12, 14).

This statement of blessing for suffering as a Christian might remind you of the words of Jesus:

Matthew 5:10–12 (ESV) — 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

But, though Peter believes those words of Jesus, he isn't saying we are blessed in suffering for Jesus because the kingdom and its rewards belong to us. In this paragraph, he tells us we are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us (14).

Just as the sufferings of Christ draw us close to Jesus, the sufferings of Christ release fresh power from the Spirit of God. He rests upon us when we endure trials because of our identity as God's people.

For this, we must remember the setting the believers Peter wrote to were in. He wrote during a time when Christian values and its resulting way of life contrasted starkly with Greco-Roman society. You could not be an uncompromising Christian and blend in. The same is happening today, and in another ten or twenty years, true Christians will stand out for their completely different way of life. Our allegiance to Jesus and his way will have a natural way of setting us apart from much of the flow of society. It isn't fearful withdrawal but faithful devotion that will produce this difference.

And when this difference leads to forms of insult or financial pressure or pain, we must be conscious of Peter's promise. We might not have societal approval or acceptance in those moments, but the Spirit of glory and of God will rest upon us.

We thought a bit about the gifts of the Spirit last week, but this week we should think about the Spirit as a gift. He is with us, in us, and upon us. And, as we thought about last week, the "upon" experience of God's Spirit is meant to empower you. The Spirit is in you to comfort, shape, and guide you. But the Spirit comes upon you to work through you on earth. And this is especially true when marginalized for Jesus. For example, Jesus said:

Mark 13:11 (ESV) — 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Again, nothing compares to the presence of God, especially as he uses your life. So it stands as a special reality that the Spirit is upon us when suffering for Christ.

Why was the church in the book of Acts so dynamic and powerful? Because the Spirit was upon them, moving and working in fresh and amazing ways. Perhaps we should see suffering for Christ as an avenue that leads to great blessing. Perhaps we are meant to lean less on human ingenuity and strategy during times Christianity is under duress. Perhaps we are meant to cling more intensely to God. And perhaps he will release his Spirit upon us and make us more dynamic and effective than ever before.

Exile Friendship: With The Father (4:17-19)

17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

God As Our Judge

In this section, Peter brings us to the Father. When suffering for Christ, we are sharing in the sufferings of the Son. When suffering for Christ, we can experience the power of the Spirit. And when suffering for Christ, we can also partake of a special closeness with God.

Part of this closeness comes from the fact that God will use our suffering for Christ as a way to purify us. This is what Peter means when he says, "For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God" (17). We often think of the negative and final forms of God's judgment. And God will certainly judge the world. Peter asked, "what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" He quoted from Proverbs 11 when he said, "If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" Peter says these things in the full knowledge that God will be the ultimate and final Judge of all flesh.

As believers, we know there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). God does not judge us as guilty or condemned in our sin any longer. Because he has delivered us, it might shock us to see that judgment begins with us. What does Peter mean?

Peter means that the afflictions we endure for Christ today, the persecution or slander or marginalization, one way God refines us as his people. He loves us. He sees us as he sees his Son. The imputed righteousness of Christ runs through our veins. But, in another sense, God is not unaware of our imperfections. He works to purify and strengthen us. He wants to develop a church for his glory. And one method he uses to reform and reshape us is suffering for Christ.

God the Judge acts to remake his people through the pains of Christian suffering. He uses it as a plumb line to straighten us out and as a fire that purifies us of impurities. This is part of the reason Peter kept referring to suffering for Christ as a fiery trial (12, 1:7). The fire burns and God uses it to cleanse his people. And, to Peter, when persecution comes to the church, part of the reason is that it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God (17).

So perhaps we should see the current marginalization of the church in modern societies as God's hand of purification. Perhaps God is creating for himself a stronger and purer and holier church.

God As Our Trustworthy Creator

In the midst of this thought, though, Peter said, "Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good" (19). This is a wild application to the idea that God is judging and purifying us with the instrument of suffering for Christ. God judges and Peter says we should entrust our souls to him. Why?

1) Because the fact of his involvement in our suffering helps us know there is a limit to our suffering. If we weren't suffering according to God's will like Peter said we might, if our suffering was outside of God's plans, then we would have no assurances that our suffering would ever end. But knowing that God is sovereign over our suffering for Christ puts controls and limits to that suffering. The intensity and duration of our pain are limited and maintained by our Creator.

2) Because the fact he is judging us through our suffering for Christ helps us know our sufferings are somehow good for us. God's purifying work is happening. We must trust him as he conforms us into Christ's image through Christ's suffering. If he were not involved, we would have no assurances that good would come, but his direct involvement reminds us of his ultimate nature. He is good, and he is using it all for good in our lives (Romans 8:28).

3) Because God's involvement helps us know we are not alone. He is with us. He might allow the hardship, but he will not leave us alone through the hardship. He is faithfully walking with us through the fire. And there are times he picks us up as defenseless sheep and carries us to his green pastures.

Deposit Your Soul To God

As a result, we should entrust our souls to God (19). The word "entrust" is a banking term. When you deposit your money into the bank, you are entrusting your money to the bank. This is what we should do with our souls. We should entrust them, deposit them, to God.

But too many believers are hiding their souls in crumpled-up bills in the sock drawer or under the mattress. What I mean is that God will do a better job watching over your soul than you will. Too often, we think if we don't look out for ourselves, especially when marginalized for Jesus, no one else will. Instead, we should entrust our souls to God and focus on something else -- doing good.

This is a summary of the whole letter: Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

This means we have a golden opportunity to press into our relationship with God during the age we are in. We are called to a life of good, but we need the Lord's strength to live that life.