Tue Dec 16

Listen up, little ones

Especially for the littles in your household.

Listen for the words trial and testing.

Reading

1 Peter 1:6-9—Joy in Distress

Keys for kids

Also for the littles. Young households might choose, after Keys for Kids, to go directly to praise and prayer.

God’s work in and for us gives us great joy.
This joy carries us even in times of hardship and distress.
Fiery hot trials cannot destroy our faith.

Questions

(some read the ?s before notes, then ask them after)

What gives us great joy as Christians?
How can we have that joy in distress?
How is our faith tested?

Notes

(See Saturday for authors. Today’s notes are from a commentary on 1 Peter by William VanDoodewaard)

Much like the returning exiles of Nehemiah’s day who “rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy” (Nehemiah 12:43), the New Testament church’s reflection on what God has done, is now doing, and will do for them, fills them with great joy. Their joy is in the one who is so full of mercy, grace, and love towards them. Edmund Clowney says that Peter “is thinking, not just of all the blessings we have in Christ, but of Christ in whom we have the blessings.”

Part of the context of this exultant joy is present hardship. Real suffering occurs in the life of the church … Scripture does not minimize the legitimacy of sorrow or the reality of difficulty in the Christian’s life. Instead, it calls God’s people to place these things in the context of greater, enduring realities he has just described (verses 1–5). … While they are diverse and difficult, God specifically appoints and limits them in their nature, extent, and duration. What purpose could painful trials in life, even persecutions, serve for the child of God? Peter, by the Spirit, tells us they exist only when necessary for our good, and the glory of God.

Our faith goes through trials in the same way that gold is purified; impurities are burned out at high temperatures. But Peter notes the great difference—gold is perishable, our faith is not. No matter how hot the fire of the trial it cannot destroy our faith.

Swedish Method questions

See the Sunday notes for meaning of the symbols.

Praise

Psalm 42c, 57b

Prayer

Pray that you will rejoice even in distress, trusting God.
Give thanks for something from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.