1 Peter 5:10 (CSB) “The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.”

In between two great events in the life of the church; Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the day of pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came on the disciples with power, there was a ten day period of waiting. Two scripture readings that bracket this time of waiting are Jesus’ prayer for his disciples ( and us) before His crucifixion in the Gospel of John, and Peter’s first letter to the suffering and persecuted church, which was written about 30 years after the Day of Pentecost.

Jesus, in His prayer for the disciples and for all believers, uses the word “glory” or some form of it eight times in this prayer recorded for us in John, chapter 17. God is glorified in Jesus, and Jesus is glorified in us, His people. The glory Jesus speaks of is eternal glory.

In the book of Acts we read that when the disciples were with the resurrected Jesus for the last time, just before He ascended, they asked, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” They were looking for immediate glory, a return to Israel’s prominence in the world, with Jesus at the head. But no, Jesus had other plans for them (and us) first, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Before they could experience glory, they had to take the gospel to the whole world, and they would have to suffer for it.

Turning to 1st Peter, chapters 4 & 5, there are three things I want to Highlight:

1. Suffering is a normal part of the Christian life.
2. The Christian life is at war against the forces of evil.
3. The promised glory far out weighs the sufferings.

Suffering. In this age in America, suffering is treated as an enemy to be avoided at all costs. We want no pain, We want to be forever young, we refuse to accept death, (we call it passing) We subjugate, medicate, and operate on our bodies to preserve the illusion of eternal youth. It wasn’t always that way. The notion that suffering and sacrifice is part of life is often rejected today.

For the Christian, suffering is inevitable but not without purpose, which is what Peter says in his letter to the young churches. After Pentecost the church grew as some of the three thousand who were present went home and spread the gospel. Churches were formed. The new believers met in their homes, told their neighbors, and began to worship God in a new way. But not everyone supported this new thing. The unconverted Jews hated them and ostracized them. The Roman authorities mistrusted them and at times sought to eliminate them.

I once worked in a truck frame factory. We made frames for the big, over-the-road semis. Mild steel was cut, punched, and formed into the correct shape, but that piece was not tough enough for the road. It had to be subjected to a hardening process where the frame was heated to 1,400 degrees, white hot, and then instantly chilled to room temperature.Then it was reheated to 800 degrees, and left to cool slowly. Now the frame was tough and strong, but not brittle.

So it is with us. Whether we suffer from active persecution, or subtle discrimination, or pain or sickness or other hardship, all these fiery trials can strengthen us as we trust in Jesus alone for help and deliverance. So suffering should produce in us a quiet joy, knowing that if we suffer in faith, for the faith, we will one day share in Christ’s glory.

Resist Evil. Peter describes the devil as a hungry roaring lion seeking to devour. He’s vicious and relentless. He attacks from without through persecutions that in many parts of the world still lead to injury and death.

Satan also attacks from within, sowing doubts, fears, anxieties. When we think we’re strong, cruising along, he trips us up. That sneaky, lying snake is always after me, especially during times when I’m preparing to write or speak a Christian message.

The forces of evil are real and they are powerful. We can’t be complacent because it looks easy to be a Christian here in America. It isn’t that easy. It’s costly sometimes. So be alert. Resist. Lean on Jesus. Peter says “be firm in the faith.” He says that you can cast all your cares on Jesus because He cares for you. He will not let you fall; He will preserve you to the end.

Finally, glory. We know that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We know, as Peter reminds us, that it is God, through the Holy Spirit, who has called us into this faith. And it is God who will preserve us to the end. To restore: to make whole again. To establish: to set up permanently; to strengthen: equip us for new life; to support: provide all that’s needed for living in His kingdom.

Like Jesus, Peter says we will suffer for a “little while.” It may not seem that way sometimes. I’ve known people who have suffered nearly a lifetime with some pain or sickness or grief. From our perspective, years or decades do not seem to be “a little while.” But in view of eternity, it really is a very brief time.

Peter closes this passage with a declaration, “To God be dominion forever. Amen” Whatever trials or temptations we may be facing, as individuals or as congregations, God is sovereign over it all. There is an eternal plan being worked out in time that includes all things. Every trial and every blessing has a purpose. We do not see as God does, but we have in Jesus’ prayer and in the scriptures, a promise of God’s triumph, of Jesus rule, and of our future glory when Jesus returns and all things are restored.

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will come on the church in power, as He did on that day long ago, and that Christ’s glory will be made manifest in the life of every believer and every congregation that bears the name of Christ.