 Well, here we are in 1 Peter chapter 4, if your Bibles are open, we're going to be looking at verses 10 through 19, and I'll read verses 10 and 11 and give some introductory remarks and we'll move into our study. 1 Peter chapter 4, beginning at verse 10, reading to verse 11, the Apostle writes, as each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Now as I was preparing the study, I realized that verses 10 and 11 really could be a subject by themselves. It's so rich with information and so rich with the various things that we could develop that it's almost difficult to move into verse 12 and conclude because it would seem at first that these have almost a disconnected kind of relationship, though when the Apostle Peter was writing, it actually all connects and you'll see in just a moment how that actually occurs, but verses 10 and 11 will be our introduction. Then I'm going to move into verse 12 and take you back to something that the Apostle has been speaking about throughout this letter. So as we begin, we need to remember that the Apostle Peter has been exhorting believers concerning the need to remain steadfast in the face of opposition, in the face of persecution. You see persecution in the early church really began very early. In the first days of the church, within the first six years, persecution became something that was going to be a common experience. When you study the book of Acts, and you look at the book of Acts in chapter seven, you actually have there in that passage a story concerning a man by the name of Stephen who is the first Christian martyr. And so Acts chapter seven speaks concerning a message that he gave as well as the result of his message. And the message that he gave led to his martyrdom. It led to him being put to death. And when you see that in chapter seven, you move into chapter eight in the book of Acts. And in chapter eight verse one, it reads, now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church, which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles. And so persecution began within the first six years of the history of the church. When we're looking here in 1 Peter, this is a letter that was written somewhere around 25 years later. And so persecution has become commonplace by the time that the Apostle Peter is writing his letter here, 1 Peter. And so what he's doing is he's writing concerning something that occurs regularly in the lives of believers. And what he's doing is giving to them encouragement concerning how they're going to face persecution and remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ. What he wants to do is give them what we would call today an eternal perspective. See things not for just the immediate, but see things with the eye of something that's going to occur in the future. Now that's the same kind of attitude the writer of Hebrews writes. You see 1 Peter and the book of Hebrews actually were written right around the same time. And so the writer of Hebrews said this when he said in Hebrews 10, 32 through 34, But recall the former days in which after you were illuminated you endured a great struggle with sufferings. Partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, And partly while you became companions of those who were so treated. For you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods. You mean that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. So he speaks concerning the fact that the church is undergoing hardship. But what is it that the writer of Hebrews encourages them to? He encourages them to an eternal perspective. You have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. So in the face of persecution the apostle Peter is writing and instructing the believers to care for one another. He said to fervently love one another, to overlook petty differences and to be sincerely hospitable to one another. You see when undergoing persecution these things are necessary for believers in order for the church to survive. And so as he's speaking concerning those things he continues on and he begins to speak about the ministry that is occurring. Verse 10 he says as each one has received a gift minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. And so as you are there with fervent love as you're caring for one another with sincerity as you're praying for one another and at all he says you also need to continue ministering to one another. Now in verse 10 notice with me he says each one has received a gift. So when he says each one has received a gift that word gift is the word that is used to describe spiritual gifts. Each member of the body of Christ every person in this room right now who is saved every one of us in this room who is saved has received what is called a spiritual gift a charisma. And this charisma that has been given to us is utilized by the believer to serve God and to serve people. Every person has one every believer has one every believer has received a spiritual gift and that enables that believer to minister to the body of Christ. When you look in the New Testament you find various passages that refer to what are called spiritual gifts. You see it in Romans chapter 12. You see spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14. You see spiritual gifts mentioned in the book of Ephesians chapter 4. And you see spiritual gifts mentioned here in 1 Peter chapter 4. And the point is these spiritual gifts have been given to us to serve the Lord with and they're not natural abilities. These are supernatural gifts that God gives to people. You may be somebody who likes to speak you may be a school teacher but that doesn't mean that when you get saved you automatically become a Bible teacher because it's not a natural or acquired gift. You may be somebody who plays the musical instrument well and sings well but you may not be called to be a worship leader because just because you have the ability to sing and play an instrument doesn't mean that you have the spiritual anointing to lead worship. So spiritual gifts are gifts that God gives to us to serve the body of Christ with and these spiritual gifts are distributed to us as God determines. And so I can ask the Lord for certain gifts. I can say Lord would you give me this or may I serve in this capacity but it's up to God to determine what gift I receive. In 1 Corinthians 12, 11 it says the spirit of God, the spirit of God gives them to each one just as he determines, just as he determines. So God gives gifts to each one as he determines. And so each one has received a gift and that's what he's saying here in verse 10 as each one has received a gift. And that means that people in this room today can also be those whom he's addressing in this sense, each one of us has a spiritual gift. And each one is supposed to minister not just certain key members of the congregation but every individual who has received Christ is to be a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 4.16 says from him the whole body joined and held together by every supporting ligament grows and builds itself up in love as each part does its work. So every individual has a gift that God has given and more than likely more than one spiritual gift. When you have more than one spiritual gift it's called the gift mix. So you have the ability to do certain things under God's anointing that are spiritual in nature that have been received from him. I've had people ask me, how do you know your spiritual gifts? And I usually answer the same way. I don't know. Don't bother me. Go away. No, I normally will answer in the same way. What is it that you do for the Lord that has fruit that you enjoy doing? What is it that you enjoy doing that has fruit to it that remains? Because that's one of the ways to discover your gift. And secondly, what is it that those who know you best would say your gifting is? Because sometimes you may not even be aware of a gifting that somebody else can see very clearly. You simply don't see it yourself. Back, I believe it was in early September of 1973. I was at my parents' house and there was a young man in their kitchen and he was talking about things of the Lord. And I remember he said something that didn't line up with Scripture. And so I said to him, well, actually, that's not what the Bible says. What the Bible says concerning that is this. And I explained some very basic thing to him. And my dad, I remember my dad was standing right on my right hand and my dad was standing there as I was explaining to this young man something from Scripture. The young man looked at me and said, well, thank you and walked away. And my dad looks at me and said, I didn't know you could do that. And I smiled at my dad and I said that I could do what. And my dad said, I didn't know you could explain the Bible so that I could understand. And I started thinking about that because I never really thought about that before. And so within two or three weeks, I started a home Bible study at my parents' house, September of 1973. This month marks my 39th anniversary of opening the Word of God like we're doing this morning and teaching the Word of God to people. And it began that way. It began that way where my dad simply said, I didn't know you could do that. And I didn't either. I didn't think I was doing anything. And it may be the same for you. You may see a need somewhere and you just step in and you meet it. Or you may see some disorganization and it's not because you're just somebody who likes to see things in a mess and you need to fix them up because you're really like that. But you just are one who likes to organize. It may be that you have the gift of administration or you see somebody needing help and you have the gift of helps. You don't know what your gift is sometime until you seek the Lord and somebody else may validate that. And yet the bottom line is everybody who's been born again has a gift that God gave, at least one that God gave to you. And that's what he's saying. In the midst of tough times, in the midst of the hardships, make sure that you continue ministering to one another with the gift that God has given to you. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. And he goes on to speak of two gifts. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it with the ability which God supplies, then in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. So he speaks of two gifts. Notice he says here in verse 11, if anyone speaks. When he says if anyone speaks, he's speaking of speaking gifts, gifts that require language. Gifts like preaching and teaching, gifts like prophecy. So what he's saying here is if anyone speaks, and I want you to notice this, let them speak as the oracles or the words of God. Speak with confidence. Let them speak as if he's actually speaking God's very word. Don't hedge your bets. Don't try and make things palatable to people. Just speak the truth and speak it with confidence. Make sure that you know the word of God is the word of God. And when you communicate it, communicate it with certainty and confidence. When you speak the word of God, make sure that you speak it as if it really is God's word. Because it is. A great speaker of another day, a preacher by the name of Charles Spurgeon, was once asked, how do you defend the Bible? He responded very easy. The same way I defend a lion. I simply let it out of its cage. When you let the word of God go, God brings about that which God desires. So speak it with confidence. Speak it with certainty. It's like what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 2.13. He said, we also thank God continually because when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it. Not as the word of men, but as it actually is the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. You received it as God's word and not some inspired human inspiration. It's not like poetry and it's not like the kinds of writings that men come up with. He said, you receive this message as it is. It is the word of God. Speak it with confidence. When you share the word of God, speak it with confidence. Like the day that I brought my father to faith in Christ and I held the Bible and I said to him, dad, this is the word of God. I didn't know it very well yet. I was only three weeks old in the Lord. But I knew this is the very word of God and we need to hear what God's word has to say. Speak it with confidence. The Bible makes it very clear that in the latter days some will depart from the faith. They will no longer put up with healthy teaching. They will heap it to themselves, teachers having itching ears. They'll be turned aside from the truth and turned into fables. And that's why Paul says, therefore, preach the word in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and teaching. Timothy, the day's going to come when people will turn their ears voluntarily away from hearing what is truth, but preach it nonetheless. Do it with a confidence because it is a very word of God. We need to walk out today knowing that this book that we're looking at is God's word and it transforms people's lives when applied by faith. We need to understand that because if you don't understand that, you will never have a ministry that is effective because you're always going to be doubting that what you're saying is actually true. And I can tell the difference between somebody who believes what they're saying and somebody who's trying to convince themselves even as they speak. And so you need to know the word of God is true. And so, one, when you preach the word, when you speak it out, like he's saying here, if anyone speaks, then do so as if you're speaking the oracles of God. And then secondly, he says, if anyone ministers, let them do it with the ability which God supplies. Ministry, the word minister is where you get the word deacon, deacon us from. It speaks of service to God. When you serve, do it with God's power and not your ingenuity. Do it with God's strength and not your own personal creativity. In other words, trust in the Lord to produce that which he wants to produce because sometimes what happens is we may get caught up thinking that we're doing something for the Lord and we end up taking pride in our successes. And so all ministry should be done under the power of the Holy Spirit. Like it says in Zechariah 4-6, not by might nor by power but by my spirit, sayeth the Lord. And so ministry ought to be done in such a way that God gets the glory. In 1 Corinthians 1-29, Paul says no flesh should glory in his presence. 1 Corinthians 3-21 says let no one glory in men. So what God has called us to do is to minister with the power that he's given to us so that he receives all the glory as we speak forth his word or as we serve him. And that's what you do and that's what's taking place in the midst of persecution rather than hiding, you continue serving. Now as he's speaking of this, picking up again at verse 12, he continues and says, beloved do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you're reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part he's blasphemed but on your part he's glorified but let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer or as a busy body in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God and if it begins with us first what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God. Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved where will the ungodly and the sinner appear. Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him and doing good as to a faithful creator and so he returns once again to the theme of 1 Peter which is suffering. This is a tough subject, suffering. I don't like teaching on suffering because I don't like to suffer like you. And yet we're looking at a church that's going through very difficult times. One of the problems in teaching on such a subject is we Americans by and large the majority don't understand the depth of suffering that many even in our day go through. Americans have been blessed in so many ways in such various fashions that it can be difficult for us to understand other people who go through tough times. I was reading just this last week an article about a man who works for a major, worked for a major corporation, Hollywood corporation and was making salary wise over a million dollars a year. It's almost as much as I make. No, a million dollars a year. Had a very nice mansion that he lived in, had nice cars, a single man had a lot of girlfriends. And because of his business, he represented Hollywood stars, movie actors and all, he had a lot of friends who were in the business. Well-known Academy Award Oscar-winning friends. That's his job, that's what he does. Makes a lot of money and does it well. Well, he got kind of in a point where he needed to take a break from the Hollywood scene, decided to bike through Asia. And so, as he was biking through Asia, he stopped in Cambodia. While in Cambodia, who was in Phnom Penh, somebody was taking him on kind of like a tour and he went to a dump. And this dump is just filled with medical syringes, discarded medical waste and his tour guide said, you have to be careful walking here because you can step on one of the hypodermic needles and you can get AIDS and you can get a variety of diseases if you're not careful where you're walking. So be careful because the syringes are everywhere. And as he's walking through this dump and he's looking at it, he sees these children who are there scavenging in the dump. And so this very wealthy American says to his guide, what are those little girls doing? And the guide says, while they're scavenging, they're taking things that they can recycle and they're using them, selling them so that they can make some money so they can eat. And he looks and he sees this woman who's under a tarp and she's laying on this hill there in the dump. The dump, by the way, is filled also with remains of human bodies that they will dump there in the dump. And so it's just a very, very, very unclean place and yet this woman's laying on top of a mound there with the tarp over her and her two little girls lay next to her and so the man says, oh, she must be taking a break from working and his tour guide says, that's not a break she's taking, that's where she lives. And so this man who is used to driving his expensive cars, living in his beautiful home, hobnobbing with the very wealthy American actors and living the lifestyle that he lives is taken by that. And so he doesn't know what to do and so what he does is he finds a child and he gives the parents some money and he says, I'd like you to make sure this child goes to school and you need to feed this child and a couple weeks later he finds out that the parents he gave the money to actually used the money for gambling and alcohol and didn't use it at all for the child. Now he's upset because he's thinking, what can I do? And so it provokes him to the point where he begins to try and work with the children and over time he's actually rescued something like 1200 children and he has a kind of what we would probably refer to as an orphanage kind of ministry, a compassionate concern for these children in Cambodia and he's caring for them, but he's now at that point beginning to come back to the States and do his job and then goes back to Cambodia then he returns to the States and he's beginning to wonder, should I just move back here to Cambodia and remain here? And he's not sure what he should do. And so he had just welcomed five little girls into his orphanage if you will and found out that all five of those little girls have typhoid and when he had just been notified that these babies had typhoid, he gets a phone call from an agent of an actor that he represents back in the States and the agent tells this man, you've got to fix a problem. We've got a real problem here. The plane that the studio chartered does not have the right snacks and the right water on it and I'm not budging until we have the right water and the right snacks on our plane. Then the actor gets on and says, my life isn't supposed to be this difficult, fix it. And that's what caused this American to just move lock, stock and barrel to Cambodia to care for these kids because he saw how rancid people's minds can be when they don't even understand what the word difficult is. And there are people today who say I'm living a difficult life. Why? Because my car is four years old. I am telling you, I'm having a tough time right now. Why? Because my sound system only causes one ear to bleed. So we really think that way. I'm very poor. I only have two color TVs. I'm very poor because my air conditioning isn't working. That's American and we don't even see it. But that's how we are. So it's very difficult to speak concerning suffering because it's just a difficult subject for us because we have been saved many of us from so much of that we don't understand it. When I was in the Philippines, I walked through a dump called the Tondo Dump. And it is literally like Jesus said, where the worm, diethnot, and the fire is never quenched. He was speaking concerning Hinnom, the Valley of Hinnom, which was the dump. And they had the refuge burning constantly. The refuge was always burning and the smoke would rise constantly and the flames are still there. And he used that as a picture of HAL, Guyana, the Valley of Hinnom. And in dumps around the world, they do ignite the trash and burn it there. And I've been in the Tondo Dump and I've walked it more than once. But on this one particular occasion, there in Manila, Philippines, a young girl by the name of Esther, was my tour guide, if you will. I thought she was seven years old. She was 12, but she was so little and so precious and so sweet. And she took me by the hand and she walked me through the dump as I watched a little boy run past me with a tin can and a piece of string as he ran past me. And that was his toy and he was laughing. And I saw these other kids with deflated basketballs trying to shoot the hoops, shoot hoops with deflated basketballs with different sized shoes on. And it tears your heart up to watch that. And then she takes me to the church that her father passed her there in the middle of the dump that he had built with his own hands out of trash that he had scavenged from the dump. And he had little pews of mismatched wood and they were not level at all. He didn't have any tools to make pews like we have here. He didn't have anything like that. And he would go up on Sundays and he would preach the word of God to these people because that was his call. And his little girl, his little baby Esther walked me through that dump. And I never forgot Esther. It's been many years. But within a year after me coming home, it was shorter than a year, I received word that Esther had died of a childhood disease that all of our kids here in the States could have and they would recover. Esther never did. And at the age of 12, she died suffering. We don't understand it. We don't understand it. It's a difficult subject to speak on because it's beyond most of us. It's beyond me. I have seen it. I have seen children who are being raised on cardboard beds, on sidewalks, in India, in Bombay. I have seen it. Where women have been sold into prostitution living in cages and selling their bodies to men to survive. I've seen it. And I've been around the world and I've seen some beautiful things but I have seen a lot of pain. And so when I look at subjects of suffering like this and he's speaking concerning it, it's a difficult subject for me to speak about because it's very difficult to understand let alone communicated in a way that helps us to realize that these people were going through some very difficult times. Difficult times where they were losing, like the writer of Hebrews said, you joyfully took the plundering of your goods. They were losing everything. They were being martyred. They were being put in jail without proper, the rights being exercised properly and so many other things. And so here we are looking at suffering once again but notice what he says, beloved verse 12, do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you. Don't think it's strange. Don't be surprised. Don't be shocked that you undergo severe trials because suffering is not to be something foreign to a believer. You see these trials are referred to as fiery trials. They're called fiery trials because they refine our faith. It's like what it says in Isaiah 48, 10 where God says, I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. These are the events of our lives that give us opportunity he's saying to trust God or to react in our flesh. But they're the things that God uses to purify us. We already saw in chapter one here in 1 Peter verses six and seven how he said in this, you greatly rejoice though now for a little while if need be you've been grieved by various trials that the genuineness of your faith being much more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. He's saying don't be surprised. Don't think it's strange that you undergo these trials. This should not be a shocking thing to you. He says you need to learn in verse 13 to rejoice. Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings that when his glory is revealed you may also be glad with exceeding joy. So instead of complaining rejoice why because God is doing a work in you because he's refining you. Rejoice because you're partaking he says now notice in Christ's sufferings Jesus suffered for who he was. We suffer because we identify with him. And Jesus said in John 15 18 if the world hates you keep in mind it hated me first so we suffer but we don't suffer like he did he suffered in what is called a redemptive sense but believers partake in the same kind of suffering because we suffer for doing that which is right. Jesus suffered for doing that which is right in a redemptive way but we suffer because we are following his footsteps and therefore there are times that we will be suffering along with him but we need to know that we're gonna be comforted because we will share with him in glory. Now in verse 14 he says if you're reproached for the name of Christ blessed are you for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you on their part he's blasphemed on your part he is glorified. So when he says if you're reproached that word reproach speaks of rejection if people reject you for the name of Christ blessed are you it's basically calling back to Jesus's words on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 11 and 12 where Jesus said blessed are you when people insult you persecute you falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you so Jesus has already prepared us to realize that rejection is part of the package because when you openly identify with him there are those who don't love him and they will openly reject you. Psalm 2710 says when my father and my mother forsake me then the Lord will take care of me. When I got saved I realized that my mom and my dad could reject me. I realized that they could be upset at me that my mom could be hurt I realized that my dad when I grew up was a good man but my dad didn't believe in God. He wasn't what you would call an avowed atheist he just didn't have time for God. Dad never went to church and dad didn't want a Bible in the house. The only person my dad ever knew who read a Bible had mental problems. So my dad thought that if you read the Bible you go crazy and so my dad didn't want a Bible in the house. The one thing I know my mom disobeyed my dad in the one thing she had a Bible and she used to hide it from him and she would bring it out and read it once in a while. My dad didn't have a relationship with God and so when I got saved I knew that my dad could reject me. I knew it. I knew my dad could get upset at me because my dad didn't want Bibles in the house and my dad did not like the idea of religion. My dad was that way and yet when I got saved I knew that my dad needed Jesus Christ and I needed to tell him about Jesus Christ. And so the first thing that happened in my life is I began to change and the second thing that happened is I began to speak and I began to share and that's how my dad came to faith in Christ. But I knew that I could be rejected but I was willing to be rejected if my dad might have opportunity to know Jesus Christ. I was speaking to somebody many years ago now who said to me if I were to embrace what you teach as truth then I would lose a relationship with my mother who is very devout in her faith. And I said to him are you willing to go to hell for your mother and he said yes I am. And I said I was not willing to go to hell for my mother but I was willing to bring my mother to heaven and you need to have a relationship with Jesus Christ so that your mother will be saved from hell because it's not a relationship with her religion that takes her to heaven. It's a relationship with her God through Jesus Christ that results in salvation. And so you have to be willing to speak the truth in love and you do it in a way that is confident and you can be reproached for it and you'll be mocked by television show hosts like Bill Maher and others who make their living out of putting down Christians and trying to make believers look like idiots. That's how they make their monies and that's how they do their thing. And yet the bottom line is he says listen you are blessed the spirit of God and his glory will rest on you. The word rest speaks of bringing relief. The Holy Spirit will bring relief to you and will produce a glory in your life. Then he says in verse 15, let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer or a busybody. Now isn't that interesting? Murderer, busybody, same thing. To me that's interesting. Murderer, thief, evildoer, busybody. What are you talking about? He's saying well you know what? You can suffer for doing wrong and it can run the gamut from killing people to destroying families through your gossip. It can happen by you meddling in other people's affairs. A busybody is somebody who is really interested in your business. That's why they're called a busybody. They're interested in you. They're the kind of person who's always watching, looking around in case you're having fun. They want you to stop right now. Don't you laugh? Don't you smile? Don't you have fun? They're busy but what's going on in your life? They want to know. They're trying to get involved in the things of your life. They're meddlers. He says don't be suffering as one. Don't be suffering in any way. Listen, if you're gonna be in any way going through hard times, let it not be by doing evil. If you're gonna go through hard times, notice verse 16, if anyone suffers, let it be as a Christian and let them not be ashamed but let them glorify God in this matter. Don't be ashamed of being called a Christian. There are a lot of people today who because of the negative TV, negative movies, negative definitions of you as a believer, there are quite a number who do not wanna identify themselves as being a Christian. They just don't want to watch because people say oh, you're one of those. You're a born againer. You're one of those. And we have a difficult time sometimes identifying with that. Well, the bottom line is don't be ashamed of being identified with Jesus Christ. Like Paul said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's the power of God into salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. I'm not ashamed of it. The word ashamed in the Greek language means to shrink back or draw back. I'm not drawing back from identifying with Jesus Christ. That's what I am, a believer. A believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. And there's nothing to be ashamed of. As a matter of fact, it's something that I ought to speak with boldness. In Matthew 10.33, Jesus said it like this. He said whoever denies me before men, him I will also deny before my father who's in heaven. And so instead of shrinking back and denying him, we need to openly declare our faith in him. And by the way, when you begin by opening your mouth and saying, I'm a believer in Jesus Christ, it gives you opportunity to live up to your testimony. Whenever I was in class as a college student, I didn't always go to Christian colleges. I went to non-Christian colleges, more non-Christian colleges than Christian colleges. And when I was in college in non-Christian college, when the teacher gave you opportunity to share anything about yourself, one of the very first things I would say is my name is David Rosales and I'm a born again Christian. That's how it started out in class. My name is David Rosales, I'm a born again believer. I remember sitting through this particular political science class and you have 30 students there and every one of us was given an assignment where the professor was gonna give to us a word and he was gonna bring us up before the class and he was gonna give us the word and we spontaneously were supposed to interact with the word that he gives to us. And so he might use the word love or he might use the word constitution. He'll use any word he wanted. And your responsibility was to stand up there and give an impromptu speech concerning that word. And I was there in this class for several weeks and it finally was my turn to stand up before the class. And as I was standing there, the professor, this is a non-Christian school. As I'm standing there in front of the class, the professor looks at me and says, David, here's your word, speak about freedom. And so I said, I said, remember what I started out to say, I said freedom, when you use the word freedom to me, the word freedom speaks concerning freedom from bondage and a person who doesn't have a relationship with Jesus Christ is in bondage. But Jesus Christ said he has come to bring the truth and the truth will set you free. So if you open your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, he will set you free from your bondage and free. And I preach the gospel because I knew that's what I'm supposed to do. Now these people aren't standing up going, oh, speak it, man of God. They're listening and you're having an opportunity to share. I was 24 years old. So sometimes you think, oh, this old man up there, you know, I was doing this when I was 23. I was doing this when I was 22. I was doing this when I was 24 years old. You stand up and you speak out in the name of Jesus Christ, draw not back, but do not be afraid. Just, man, when Jesus said, if you open your mouth, I will fill it. He said, it's not you who speaks, it's the spirit of your Father who is speaking at that moment. I will give you words and I will give you wisdom that none of your enemies will be able to gain, say, nor resist. So you just take that word as truth and you speak it out. And you may feel like you're fumbling and it may feel like you're not making much sense, but God uses those things because when I stood up and said, I'm a believer and Jesus gives you freedom, there was one other believer in the class, some young woman, and she yelled out, hallelujah. So I wasn't alone. I wasn't alone. She was there praying for me. She walked, oh, after all, praise the Lord, it's good to know there's another brother in the class. And that's how it works so very often. And so don't shrink back. Don't be ashamed. If you suffer, glorify God in this matter. He says in verse 17, the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God. And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, if the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good as to a faithful creator. Judgment begins in the house of God. It refines the body of Christ. God purges the body of its sin. The Bible in Proverbs 15-10 says, correction is grievous to him who forsakes the way, and he who hates reproof shall die. The Lord reproves us, corrects us in order that he might restore us. So this is a word to encourage the church. If God is this tough on a believer, what's gonna happen to the unbeliever? And he says, finally, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him. You haven't committed any crimes, but you are being persecuted, he's saying, for your faith, hold fast. Like you said in chapter three, verse 17, it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. So how do I live? Live patiently, trusting Him. Continue, he says, to do good. Commit your soul to Him. Hand over to Him what you value into His care. Place your life confidently in His hand. He will care for you. Psalm nine, verse nine says, the Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 61, verse three, for you have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. So in doing good, they will remain in the center of God's protective care. Continue faithfully serving Him, and in doing so, that is the path of safety. Hold fast to Him in the midst of your persecution. Do not deny Him. Do not shrink back, walk in His spirit, exercise His gifts, love one another, and just wait, because the Lord will deliver you. Hold fast to Him, because there's only good in your future, because the Lord is gonna bring you to be with Him. And at that point, and in that day, you will not be complaining, you will not be crying, you'll just be overwhelmed with the joy of being in His presence and hearing His words when He welcomes you in. Well done, my good, and my faithful servant, when He says, enter in to the joy of your Lord, which has been prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And at that point, it will all be worth it. So hold fast.