1 Peter 4

Plan

• Discuss Suffering.
• Talk about our cultural perception of strange.
• How are trials merciful?
• Various questions
• Tangential topics

Different?

• vs 4....are we different?
• Would any in our American culture consider our way of life strange?
• Do we idolize just like non-Christians?

Suffering

• Do we suffer?
• Should we? (Ps 94:12, Heb 12:6, Job 5:17)
• Are we too blinded to even acknowledge and grow from our trials?
• Are we apathetic?

Radical?

• It is plain how against their culture the early Christians lived.
• Should we ignore the fact that we aren't counter-cultural?

Ch4 vs1

• Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.

Has Satan made us spiritually inept?

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Guilt
• Fear
• Apathy
• Busy-ness
• Self-centered

Hospitality and love

• Love of strangers....
• Invite those who can't invite us back
• Caring for those who don't already care about you and who can't mirror your generosity

Love

• Covers a multitude of sins
• Does this mean loving wives/husbands/children/etc.
• Loving the unloved and those who can't love back

Trials...

• How are we blessed through trials?
• How do we consider it merciful to undergo/experience suffering?
• Trial-when trust in God and obedience to him will cost something very dear.