4–[1 PETER] What Do You Do When Trouble Comes? (1 Pt 1:13-25)

Bethel Church | Jackson, Michigan | Ken Pierpont, Lead Pastor | OCTOBER 17, 2021 AM

Introduction: When Suffering Comes:

—What do you do (intro)

—What should you do (Peter’s imperatives) 

—What can you do? (Conclusion)

What will suffering bring out in you? When suffering comes—hope, holiness, and love with be difficult. Temptation. Pressure. Doubt. Hardship. Suffering will test your faith… what will you do. Will you finish faithful?

—Some will not continue to trust God for the future. The loose hope.

—Some will not continue to live holy lives.  They lose holiness. 

—Some will not continue to so love for others, but they will turn selfish. They lack love. 

KEEP THOSE WORDS IN MIND HOPE, HOLINESS, LOVE

1—IN HARD TIMES CLING TO HOPE. (13)

¹³Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Hold to hope by preparing your mind for action and being sober-minded. 

Gird up the loins of your mind… put on your mental and spiritual running shoes…. 

2—IN HARD TIMES PURSUE HOLINESS. (14-21) 

¹⁴As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 

¹⁵but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 

¹⁶since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 

¹⁷And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 

¹⁸knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 

¹⁹but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 

²⁰He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 

²¹who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 

2.1—holy like obedient children (14)

2.2—holy like God—He is holy (15-16)

2.3—holy we face our father the impartial judge (17)

2.4—holy, not the empty life we lived before. (18)

2.5—holy, redeemed with the blood of Christ (18-19)

2.6—holy, risen Savior is going to be manifest. (20) 

3—IN HARD TIMES DEVOTE YOURSELF TO SINCERE LOVE. (22-25) 

²²Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 

²³since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 

²⁴for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 

²⁵but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

This is the heart of what I want you to see today church:

What DO you do when trouble comes? 

You should because…

You can because.. (in Christ)

1—Hope is possible (13) Destined

2—Holiness is possible (14-21) Ransomed

3—Love is possible (22-25) Regenerate

Conclusion: Suffering is coming. Cling to Christ and hope in future grace. Keep in mine your redemption, your judgment to come and with a sober and holy reverence toward God… and stick together. Suffering will make hope, holiness, and love hard. But we are still commanded and in Christ we are able to live in hope, holiness, and love.