notes

Notes

Refer to www.desiringgod.org/labs/suffer-for-the-joy-set-before-you I found this to be a very intense and dense LAB. I could have come up with my own arcs, but I wanted to follow Ps Piper's thought process because he had a way of seeing that I wanted to learn. So I decided to track it. I hope this is helpful for others too.

Phrase

editing

NT

1 Peter 4:13

esv

But rejoice

Command for present joy

insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings,

#1 Joy in response to present suffering

that you may also rejoice and be glad

Purpose of 13a-b

when his glory is revealed.

#2 Joy in response to future glory

phrasing

On following the thought processes of Pastor John Piper Pray for understanding, for revelation, for inclining of the heart,for connections, to please God Read the verse in context. Here taking 1 Peter 4:12 together with 4:13 Observing the contrast between "do not be surprised" and rejoicing Observing how this passage is contra to a notion that Christians are unhappy, grumpy Break verse into various pieces, Focus on each one and their relationships Step back Look for patterns Noticing a two-pair pattern of joy in present suffering and future glory Observing that Christianity involves suffering now and glory later Asking whether this has been mentioned elsewhere in the epistle? Yes,a two stage suffering-glory in 1 Peter 5:1 "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed" Yes, two stage again in 1 Peter 1:10-11 "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories ." Christianity progresses through suffering of Christ to the consummation in glory Likewise we in 1 Peter 4:13 will share in present suffering of Christ and future glory Understand this process, don't expect the glory to be present. Don't be confused. Be patient. Ask how does the present joy in suffering relate to the future joy in glory? Desire the that future joy and ask how we can have it? In seeking the above question, find the answer in the text... "that (in order that)" ie the purpose that is, we should pursue this joy in the present suffering, (e.g. by the Holy Spirit), in order not to be excluded from that future joy Seek further verification of a typical Petrine idea: to do something now for the purpose of later joy. E.g. 1 Peter 3:9 "Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing." Avail ourselves of resources to bless that we may be blessed, we may rejoice. Push another question: Do we rejoice because we have a great reward or in order to get it" Think of other parts of relevant Scripture to answer this E.g. Matthew 5:11-12 Rejoice now because there is a great reward Returning to 1 Peter 4:13 Rejoice now in suffering because we do have a great reward Rejoice for the purpose that we will have a great reward (see #20) Put it all together "Rejoicing now in Christ's sufferings shows that our treasure is Christ and not the world. Thus showing that we are born again." Affirm the above from other parts of 1 Peter. 1 Peter 1:3-6 If we are born again, we are being kept, our faith being guarded until the consummation. Therefore if we are born again, our reward is sure. Wrap up loose threads Loose thread #1:The Word reveals two statements that appear contradictory but are not. Loose thread #2: Two statements are true: we rejoice because of a great reward, AND in order to get a great reward Loose thread #3: Apparent contradiction is resolved in seeing the whole logic of the Word The logic here is #36-#39: we should rejoice that our reward is sure. Our rejoicing in itself shows that our treasure is in heaven And shows that we are born again Therefore without this rejoicing now in the sufferings of Christ, we don't have any assurance that we will rejoice and be glad when He comes.