HOPE IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERINGSixth Sunday of Easter

25th May 2014

Easter 2014 just passed…what next?

Back to the daily grind?

Problems?

Small daily issues?

Disillusion?

Back to life? Back to suffering?

Struggling with faith issues?

Struggling with life issues?

Struggling with health issues?

God? Church? Prayer?

Family? Relationships?

Sickness? Fitness?Struggling with wealth issues?

Not enough? Too much?

1 Peter 3:13-22• 3:13 Now who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good?• 3:14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what

they fear, and do not be intimidated,• 3:15 but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to

anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you;• 3:16 yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when

you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame.

• 3:17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil.

Quick contemplation…

Called to do good

Problems, distractions

Takes sacrifices, but usually rewarding

But what if not rewarding? What if mocked? Or stopped?

Stop? Or continue? What’s the point?

Share your faith? Share your hope? Share your love?

1 Peter 3:13-22• 3:18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the

righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit,

• 3:19 in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison,

• 3:20 who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water.

• 3:21 And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you--not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

• 3:22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

Quick contemplation…

Like the floods… Baptism symbolizes salvation…

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus

Christ had the ultimate victory

Our baptism is our commitment…our acknowledgement of God’s work in our lives, the supernatural power of the resurrection

Jesus suffered for the world… are we then to be exempt?

In Noah’s time, the Spirit of Christ warned Noah, but there were many hard hearts…. The floods then came. Noah suffered but persevered.

That was physical, now it is spiritual…

Checkpoint…

In these times, there will be suffering…

We are called to do good…

Share our faith…hope… love

Is there help?

John 14:15-21• 14:15 "If you love me, you will keep my

commandments.• 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give

you another Advocate, to be with you forever.• 14:17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world

cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

• 14:18 "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you.

• 14:19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.

• 14:20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

• 14:21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them."

Quick contemplation…

There is LOVE…. The love of God

His promise….help…

The Advocate, the 3rd Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit

Pentecost = He came

Today = He is here. With you. With me. With us. With the Church. This church

Is it still Easter? Or the days of Pentecost?

As God has loved us, so we return that love

What do we have?The SPIRIT and the LOVE of God

GOSPEL

There is no need to wait anymore…

How then shall we live?With Hope

In gratefulness for the gift of the Holy Spirit

In preparation of God’s work to come

Participate in the work of God

Why?Regular re-empowerment for loving

Therefore….

[So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”] John 20:21

Love Him…. And go love your world…