Hope Beyond Misery: Lasting Lessons, Part 1

None of us are immune from suffering. In fact, there are seasons of life when we wonder when the misery is going to let up.

Maybe you're in one of those low places right now. Well, today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll offers biblical wisdom on how to handle the inevitable seasons of grief and sorrow. Today and tomorrow, we'll hear the final message in this 17-part series called Hope Again.

Chuck titled this final message, Hope Beyond Misery, Lasting Lessons. I often think of that proverb when I come to the end of a project around the house. And sometimes, Cynthia and I will quote that proverb to one another or one of us to the other when we know that a lengthy process has occurred that has required a good deal of labor and effort to energy and we finally bring it to completion. There is a sense of sweetness that comes over the soul.

It may be something as practical and simple as getting all the windows washed or getting the garage finally cleaned out for the fourth time that year or getting one of the rooms completely done or getting the upstairs of our place like we have wanted it for a long time or maybe one of the cars all finished. There's a sense of desire accomplished is sweet to the soul. And that comes to my mind when we come to the end of a book or a letter that we have been studying. There is a sense of sweetness as we come to a final study in this case, the letter of 1 Peter. Perhaps as much as anything, I found myself encouraged by the fact that Peter gets us beyond the misery part of a suffering. You have noticed, haven't you, how we all throw pity parties for ourselves when suffering comes and it's almost as though we capitalize on the downside rather than focus on the benefits that come from the hard times.

As I've said so many times and I keep learning, the growth occurs when it's hard, not when it's easy. We get beyond the misery stage then we find that there is a magnificent lesson or series of lessons to be learned. Not a Christian author, but Dan Greenberg has written another funny book called How to Make Yourself Miserable.

It is an entire series of pages. In case you have missed a way to do it, he helps you know how to make yourself miserable. In some ways it is absolutely hilarious, just if you will permit me just the introduction. Too long have you gone about the important task of punishing yourself for your various guilts by devious or ineffective means. Too long have you had to settle for poorly formulated anxieties and hit and miss methods of self-flagellation simply because this vital field has always been shrouded in ignorance, a folk art rather than a science.

Here at last is a frank report you have been waiting for. In it we shall take you on a step-by-step investigation into every phase of humiliation, sharing with you in the process many of the methods we ourselves have used so successfully in the past. It is our humble but earnest desire that through these pages you will be able to find for yourself the inspiration and the tools for a truly painful, meaningless, miserable life.

And then he goes chapter after chapter after chapter and it is one funny book. And it's funny because it is the way we are. We look for ways to capitalize on our misery, to multiply our troubles rather than to learn through the sometimes torturous and yes, humiliating experiences of life, the vital lessons that bring about... can you believe it?...

true joy and true meaning, true significance in life. I think it was Charlie Tremendous Jones who said there is something wrong with everything. Have you found that true? No matter where you go or what you do, there will be something wrong with it. I think it's Murphy's Law. If something can go wrong, it will.

And one wag had the audacity to say Murphy was an optimist. There are many, many things that can go wrong. Usually they will and even more beyond that and there are whole books written on those funny subjects. The problem is when we are all alone, it isn't funny. When we are the brunt of the experience or we are in the midst of the swirl, we find it almost impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

One of Murphy's Law says that's not a light, that's the headlamp of an oncoming train at the end of the tunnel. You just think it's relief but it isn't. Since life has so many dark shades and since so many things not only can but will go wrong, it's about time we find some help from the scriptures on how to handle such times.

And 1 Peter is a masterful presentation. Five solid chapters on your suffering is not the end. It's a means to the end. And God's end for us is maturity.

It is growth. It is a reason for living and going on and this book will help you know how to do it. So we've come to the end and there is a sense of sweetness about it. Let me give you, as I look at these five chapters as a whole during this study, let me give you five sort of general observations about the letter.

Some of them will be terribly elementary, forgive me for that, but others will be a little bit more intriguing. First and obviously Peter wrote the letter. His name appears at the very beginning of verse 1. I've said many times I love the way they wrote letters in the old days. How many of us have received 10, 11, 12, 15 page letters and the very first thing we had to do was look on page 10 or 12 or 15 and see who wrote it. In the old days they gave their name first so you'd know right away who wrote it. By the way, always sign a letter you write. That's one of the greatest courtesies you can do to anybody who gets a piece of correspondence from you. It is terribly important that you put your name on what you have said and you own it. You declare this is what I believe or these are the things I feel. Peter is a spokesman for the 12.

You know that. He is the one, he is perhaps the closest of Jesus' companions. He is a man who never stayed lukewarm about anything. Peter was impulsive. He was impetuous. He regularly put his foot in his mouth and I'm sure he looked back on numerous occasions and thought, I wish I hadn't said that. He goes to the heights of ecstasy and he goes to the depth of shame and discouragement but I'll tell you something about Peter. He drained from life its fullest. I got a kick out of a little piece written by an anonymous friar in a monastery in Nebraska some years ago.

Listen to this anonymous friar's comment. If I had my life to live over again, I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would limber up. I would be sillier than I have been this trip. I know a very few things I would take seriously. Don't look at me like that.

This is supposed to be upbeat. I know a very few things I would take seriously. I would take more trips. I would be crazier. I would climb more mountains. I'd swim more rivers. I'd watch more sunsets. I'd do more walking and looking. I would eat more ice cream and less beans. I would have more actual troubles and fewer imaginary ones. You see, I'm one of those people who lives life prophylactically and sensibly hour after hour and we've all met people like this.

Listen, day after day, oh I've had my moments. If I had to do over again, I'd have more of them. In fact, I'd try to have nothing else, just moments, one after another, instead of living so many years each day. I've been one of those people who never go anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a gargle, a raincoat, an aspirin, or a parachute. If I had to do over again, I would go places and do things and travel lighter than I have. If I had my life to live over again, I would start barefooted earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall. I would play hooky more.

I know some of you parents are thrilled I'm reading this for your children to hear. I would not make such good grades except by accident. I would ride on more merry-go-rounds.

I would pick more daisies. You get the point of that. That's the Peter lifestyle. And whatever you may say, as a very careful Christian who plays your cards close to your vest, it's kind of a tough analogy to talk about a Christian playing cards close to his vest, but you know what I'm talking about. And as much as you wish to do that, you know in your heart you envy some of the experiences of Peter kind of people, risky kind of people. Folks who are willing to say what they think or say what they feel, even though they may be wrong. How much more fun it is to be around folks like that than people who are so careful and so close and so protective, you never really know what they really feel or where they really stand. They're very, very careful and they get very little done for the kingdom.

Because everything is very, very protected. Not Peter. Peter says, I wrote it.

Yes, I'm the one that blew it. I failed him when he was under arrest. I spoke when I shouldn't have. But I write as an old man. I write as a former fisherman. I write as one who has learned many things the hard way, things about suffering.

And you know when I write them, I write not out of theory, I write out of experience. So Peter wrote the letter. The second observation I make is that hurting people received the letter.

Peter calls himself an apostle of Jesus Christ. And look at the recipients of the letter to those who reside as aliens. Not abandoned, but they are aliens. They're frightened, but they're not forgotten. They maybe even feel numb at times, but they're not unknown.

They are scattered throughout Pontius and Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia. And yet they are those who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. He begins and ends then at that sentence which includes one of his favorite words, May grace and another one, may peace be yours in fullest measure. Whenever you find yourself away from home, whenever you find yourself feeling abandoned, frightened, somewhat overlooked and forgotten, 1 Peter is a magnificent therapy. I suggest you pick up a copy of the Living Bible or of the New International Version or one of the translations that speak in a little bit more easily read terms and some of the paraphrases as well. Phillips does a masterful job, J.B. Phillips, one of the early paraphrases of scripture, of the book of 1 Peter and just read it through.

Just read it through sitting there in that hotel room or sitting there alone in your apartment. It is good counsel for those who are hurting. Third, turn to chapter 5, will you? The letter came through Silas, verse 12.

That's the third observation. Now we kind of tie these two verses together. Peter, verse 1, chapter 1, an apostle to those who reside as aliens and scattered, verse 12, chapter 5, through Silvanus or Silas. So he's writing the letter through Silas. Through is a word of agency, through the agency of Silas. It doesn't mean Silas ran an agency.

It means Silas took a pen in hand and actually did the writing as Peter gave him the words. Peter, you understand, is an unlearned, rugged fisherman, unschooled Galilean whose scholarship raised nobody's eyebrows. Silas, however, is a Roman citizen, cultured, well-educated, traveled extensively.

Isn't it interesting? It occurred to me when I was putting my thoughts together that we always talk about Paul, the missionary. We always talk about Barnabas, his traveling companion. We frequently talk about Luke who traveled along with him beginning at chapter 16 of Acts. We always seem to mention Timothy who was one of the fellow travelers. How little we know about Silas. I bet if I passed around a three by five card, there'd be room left on it if you filled out what you knew about Silas.

Very interesting man. Some people sort of had the idea that he was kind of a clutch that carried the bags for Paul. Paul was the one that traveled and Paul was the one that got the attention and yet it was Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas. They were the ones that sang in the jail there in Philippi.

Right there at midnight and there was this enormous earthquake and they were freed. Silas was the one alongside Paul when the man was stoned. Silas is one who really does understand the heart of Paul. Look at Acts 15 verse 22 in case you need a little bolstering of your respect for Silas.

1522. Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders with the whole church to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. And here they are. Judas called Barsabbas. Don't confuse him with Iscariot. He's dead by now. Judas called Barsabbas and Silas.

And look at the next statement. Leading men among the brethren. Here is a man who was among the leaders of the church in the first century. Silas who was alongside Peter. Now back to chapter 5. Who was called by Peter our faithful brother for so I regard him. He says, I have written to you briefly exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God.

Now bear with me on this. I have a feeling that right about here Peter took the pen back. First of all I say that because of the way it reads right here at verse 12 of chapter 5.

And second the Greek gets very simple and the vocabulary words become again very simple. Silas uses Peter is pretty tough Greek. Peter is first Peter doesn't look like a fisherman wrote it. Silas wrote it. That is he did the actual writing.

The Spirit of God ignited it. Peter is the one who received the message from God and gave it. And I take it that Silas is the one that was through him the letter got actually put into print. So if you agree with my theory that Peter took in hand the pen right here at verse 12 of chapter 5.

And you see his feelings that lead into my fourth observation. Fourth the letter concludes with a greeting from a woman. Verse 13 she who is in Babylon chosen together with you sends you greetings.

And so does my son Mark. Now obviously everybody wonders who's the she? Identify the woman. She is said to be in Babylon. Some have taught that this is a reference to the church who is referred to frequently in the feminine.

The church she or her. However notice his reference to my son Mark. One wonders if it is a literal son or if it is a spiritual son. Could it be John Mark?

We don't know. Most would say it's probably John Mark. The she I suggest is Peter's wife. He was married 1 Corinthians 9 verse 5 refers to Peter's wife. Do we not have, this is Paul writing 1 Corinthians 9 verse 5, do we not have a right to take along a believing wife? See Paul is not now married. I think he was married but no longer is he married. To be a Sanhedrinist he had to be married so sometimes his wife pulled out or died or something. But anyway he does not marry. And he says don't I have a right to have a believing wife? I mean if I were a missionary going to the field wouldn't it be better to take a companion along with me? Since I'm involved in the worldwide evangelization wouldn't it be more advantageous to have a wife?

Yeah sure would. And yes he has a right. In fact he says as even the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and there he is. It's a proper name for Peter.

Cephas. Peter has a wife. We know that because Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law.

Some feel it's the closest Jesus came to making a mistake but that's not true. Don't repeat me on that. That is just a joke.

I'm just having a little fun with you. So mothers-in-law just relax. Back to 1 Peter 5. This is a comment regarding Peter's wife. Clement of Alexandria states as one of the church fathers that she died a martyr for the faith in Peter's own sight. So in Peter's own sight, if Clement is correct, she died a martyr's death. She was a significant public figure say several of the church fathers. So it would fit that she would join her husband at least through his pen in greeting those who would read the letter.

Fifth observation. Note that the final command of the letter is one of intimate affection. This old fisherman still has a lot of love left in him.

Look how he puts it. Greet one another with a kiss of love. Shalom be with you all. Tertullian says what prayer is complete from which the holy kiss is divorced? What kind of sacrifice is it from which men depart without the peace? The kiss of the Christian was called the shalom, the peace.

The peace. In the passing of time, the kiss has left the church. It is an interesting study to trace through church history how the kiss became less and less intimate.

In fact, it's enough to disappoint you if you are the type that's given to warm affection as some are. In the first century, there was a kiss placed on the cheek of believers as they arrived and as they left the fellowship of the saints. As time passed, the kiss was placed sex with sex, men with men, women with women. And then by and by, there were the precious documents that began to be kissed rather than people. And before long in the history of the church, a board was passed around that people all kissed.

That sounds exciting, doesn't it? Let's go to church and I will get to kiss the board or whatever it was. But it lost the sense of affection and intimacy and the embrace of peace. And as the kiss would be placed on the cheek, you would say to one another, peace be with you.

That's exactly what Peter does here. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Now, I know you can go to extremes on this. There are some that just want to kiss everybody.

They make me kind of nervous, to be frank about it. So you've got to understand that you need to do it if it's appropriate. So if you want to bring back the first century greeting, understand most people don't know that.

And you have to help prepare them for it if that's your plan. Augustine says, when Christians were about to communicate, they demonstrated their inward peace by the outward kiss. It was a sign that all injuries were forgotten. All wrongdoing was forgiven, which made Judas kiss all the more deceptive.

Isn't that interesting? Some wonder why would he give them the sign of the kiss. Well, that was the sign of greeting. It was supposed to be a sign of the passing of Shalom.

Hail, master! He kissed him. Which tells you right away that the kiss is not the significant thing, it's what it represents. Well, Chuck Swindoll has much more to say about the betrayal by Judas, so please keep listening. This is Insight for Living, and there's only one program remaining in Chuck Swindoll's 17-part study of 1 Peter. He titled this teaching series Hope Again. In the event that you missed any portion of this presentation, remember that Chuck and his creative team has prepared online study notes for you. We call this feature Searching the Scriptures.

These are interactive, which means you can type your thoughts directly into the document, or you can feel free to print out the PDF and use the notes during your personal quiet times. To access these Searching the Scriptures guides for Chuck's daily messages, go to insightworld.org slash studies. Well, this is one of the last times that I'll be mentioning the book that Chuck wrote to coincide with this study in 1 Peter. You can purchase a copy of the book Hope Again by calling us.

If you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888, or go online to insight.org slash store. And then bear in mind it's your voluntary donations that make it possible for us to provide these daily visits with Chuck. To give a donation today, visit us online at insight.org. Rest assured, your gifts truly make a difference. Recently, we heard from a widow who left an affirming note for us. Responding to a particular message about the struggles within many homes, she said, Chuck, thank you for this rare and beautiful comfort to my 75-year-old heart. I'm a devoted Christian widow living all alone.

Even though I've been rejected by my own children, I've come to terms with my life, and your message about the family was sweet refreshment to my soul. Well, it's your donation that allows us to reach grateful listeners like this one. So please give us a call. If you're listening in the United States, call 800-772-8888, or you can give a donation online at insight.org. . I'm Bill Meyer. Be sure to join us next time when Chuck Swindoll concludes his series on the book of 1 Peter titled Hope Again on Insight for Living. . .