P2 | OUR PAIN HAS PURPOSE | HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Home Away from Home, Part 2 (1 Peter)

Philippians 3:20 (NIV2011) 

But our citizenship is in heaven.
Example: College years
Review:

A new birth (1 Pet. 1:3) A living hope (1 Pet. 1:3) An eternal inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4)

1 Peter 1:4-9 (NIV2011)
4This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5  who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6  In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7  These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8  Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9  for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Kingdom citizens can have joy regardless of their circumstances

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Pet. 1:6)

We are protected by God’s power

This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power… (1 Pet. 1:4-5)

Example: Our “scary” home away from home

Our trials are temporary

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1 Pet. 1:6)

Example: In home away from home, trials can be terminal
Example: Cross Country “kick”

Our pain has purpose

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Pet. 1:7)

It refines our faith

Example: Gold
Example: Gym

It proves our faith

Example: Jim & Elisabeth Elliot

“There is nothing worth living for, unless it’s worth dying for.” Elisabeth Elliot

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 (NIV2011)
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.