Delight in Grace

None of us looks forward to experiencing hardship in our lives.  It is human nature to avoid pain and look for pleasure instead.  Yet Christians who have faced adversity often speak of it as a time of deep growth in their lives- learning truths that they believe they would’ve missed in the ease of life.  In this message from 1 Peter 4:17-19, Rich shares four ways that God’s people can face hardshi...

None of us looks forward to experiencing hardship in our lives.  It is human nature to avoid pain and look for pleasure instead.  Yet Christians who have faced adversity often speak of it as a time of deep growth in their lives- learning truths that they believe they would’ve missed in the ease of life.  In this message from 1 Peter 4:17-19, Rich shares four ways that God’s people can face hardshi...

None of us looks forward to experiencing hardship in our lives.  It is human nature to avoid pain and look for pleasure instead.  Yet Christians who have faced adversity often speak of it as a time of deep growth in their lives- learning truths that they believe they would’ve missed in the ease of life.  In this message from 1 Peter 4:17-19, Rich shares four ways that God’s people can face hardshi...

Today, As we continue this sermon series titled How Free People Suffer,  Rich challenges us to reframe the way we view suffering.  He shows us from God’s Word that suffering is sacred. The apostles knew this about their own suffering.  After receiving a beating for sharing the gospel of Christ in Acts 5, the apostles “left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” ...

Listen as Pastor Rich unpacks 1 Peter 4:14-16 to show that suffering is a unique opportunity to engage in the highest purpose.

Today, As we continue this sermon series titled How Free People Suffer, Rich challenges us to reframe the way we view suffering. He shows us from God’s Word that suffering is sacred. The apostles knew this about their own suffering. After receiving a beating for sharing the gospel of Christ in Acts 5, the apostles “left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. Liste...

Today, As we continue this sermon series titled How Free People Suffer,  Rich challenges us to reframe the way we view suffering.  He shows us from God’s Word that suffering is sacred. The apostles knew this about their own suffering.  After receiving a beating for sharing the gospel of Christ in Acts 5, the apostles “left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” ...

Rejoicing in the face of suffering seems counterintuitive. We might expect surprise, worry, fear, or anger in the face of hardship, but 1 Peter 4:13 calls us to rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. How do we rejoice when we share Christ's sufferings? Today Rich shares the confident expectation we can have that w...

Rejoicing in the face of suffering really seems counterintuitive.   We might expect Surprise, worry, fear, or anger in the face of hardship, but 1 Peter 4:13 calls us to rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  But how do we do that?  Today Rich shares the confident expectation we can have that will lead to settled sat...

Rejoicing in the face of suffering really seems counterintuitive.   We might expect Surprise, worry, fear, or anger in the face of hardship, but 1 Peter 4:13 calls us to rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  But how do we do that?  Today Rich shares the confident expectation we can have that will lead to settled sat...

Rejoicing in the face of suffering really seems counterintuitive.   We might expect Surprise, worry, fear, or anger in the face of hardship, but 1 Peter 4:13 calls us to rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  But how do we do that?  Today Rich shares the confident expectation we can have that will lead to settled sat...

The Bible explicitly teaches that suffering is to be expected in the Christian life.  Today’s text, 1 Peter 4:12 says 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. So why are we so often blind-sided when hardship and hurt come our way? Pastor RIch answers this question in today’s message titled  Suffering i...

The Bible explicitly teaches that suffering is to be expected in the Christian life.  Today’s text, 1 Peter 4:12 says 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. So why are we so often blind-sided when hardship and hurt come our way? Pastor RIch answers this question in today’s message titled  Suffering i...

The Bible explicitly teaches that suffering is to be expected in the Christian life.  Today’s text, 1 Peter 4:12 says 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. So why are we so often blind-sided when hardship and hurt come our way? Pastor RIch answers this question in today’s message titled  Suffering i...

The Bible explicitly teaches that suffering is to be expected in the Christian life.  Today’s text, 1 Peter 4:12 says 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. So why are we so often blind-sided when hardship and hurt come our way? Pastor RIch answers this question in today’s message titled  Suffering i...

Christians, we have a race to run, a mission and calling for today.  God calls us to a disciplined life.  For some of us, that word “discipline” may have connotations of striving in our own strength to follow rules, as if God saves us by grace, then sends us off to the  exhausting and impossible task of  being worthy of that salvation.  But no.  God’s beautiful grace follows us in its transforming...

Christians, we have a race to run, a mission and calling for today.  God calls us to a disciplined life.  For some of us, that word “discipline” may have connotations of striving in our own strength to follow rules, as if God saves us by grace, then sends us off to the  exhausting and impossible task of  being worthy of that salvation.  But no.  God’s beautiful grace follows us in its transforming...

Christians, we have a race to run, a mission and calling for today.  God calls us to a disciplined life.  For some of us, that word “discipline” may have connotations of striving in our own strength to follow rules, as if God saves us by grace, then sends us off to the  exhausting and impossible task of  being worthy of that salvation.  But no.  God’s beautiful grace follows us in its transforming...

Christians, we have a race to run, a mission and calling for today.  God calls us to a disciplined life.  For some of us, that word “discipline” may have connotations of striving in our own strength to follow rules, as if God saves us by grace, then sends us off to the  exhausting and impossible task of  being worthy of that salvation.  But no.  God’s beautiful grace follows us in its transforming...

For believers, our freedom is anchored in the cross of Jesus.  Because of that, the way we process life must be cross-centered.  As we surrender daily  to Christ’s work, our attitudes and affections will be transformed by Him.  Only then can we do life well.  A cross-centered life will look drastically different from the world’s system of living, but we can swim against the current with the confid...

For believers, our freedom is anchored in the cross of Jesus.  Because of that, the way we process life must be cross-centered.  As we surrender daily  to Christ’s work, our attitudes and affections will be transformed by Him.  Only then can we do life well.  A cross-centered life will look drastically different from the world’s system of living, but we can swim against the current with the confid...

For believers, our freedom is anchored in the cross of Jesus.  Because of that, the way we process life must be cross-centered.  As we surrender daily  to Christ’s work, our attitudes and affections will be transformed by Him.  Only then can we do life well.  A cross-centered life will look drastically different from the world’s system of living, but we can swim against the current with the confid...

For believers our freedom is anchored in the cross of Jesus. Because of that the way we process life must be cross-centered.

The Gospel is hope in a dark world. Apart from the suffering of Christ there would be no possibility that we could be rescued from the necessary wrath of God. This rescue is God's free gift of love to any who will accept it. Forgiveness of sin, reconciliation with our Creator, fellowship with God's people.

The passage we deal with today is perhaps one of the most enigmatic of all scripture, 1 Peter 3:18-20 "For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, in which he also went and made proclamation to the spirits in prison who in the past were disobedient, when God pa...