Introduction: Have you ever suffered for doing what was right? Peter, led by the Holy Spirit  warns his readers – including us today – suffering in the CHRISTian life can be expected. Jesus suffered. But when we suffer – not because of sin – but because of God’s will, then we need to be reminded that Jesus suffered for us. 

Here are three responses when we face suffering.

1.SANCTIFY Jesus in your TESTIMONY!

“15But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Be ready to give a LOGICAL defense for what you believe…

Particularly, we have a special witnessing platform when we suffer. Some people will listen to how we are coping with the suffering. Therefore, we need to be ready to give a defense of what we believe.

2. SUFFER with Jesus through His MINISTRY!

“17For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” (1Peter 3:17-18)

CHRISTian Persecution is to be expected. Jesus set the example for us to follow concerning suffering. Does this give you a New Perspective on suffering?

3. SUBMIT to Jesus by leaving a lasting LEGACY!

“19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.” (1Pet 3:19-22)

There are different interpretations on the passage in 1Pet 3:18-19… It is a very difficult passage…and due to limited space (needing more detail to explain the Greek texts), here is the short answer.

Views:

1. Jesus preached to the fallen angels (“spirits in prison”) who are described in Gen 6; i.e. “Sons of God” (Jude 6,7; 2Pet 2:4)
2. After Jesus died on the cross and before He was resurrected, He descended into hades to preach to those who were lost before the flood of Noah’s day – a second chance.? No scriptural evidence.
3. Another view is that Jesus proclaimed victory to all those in hades without offering a second chance. 
4. The view used by most conservative scholars seems to be that Jesus preached through Noah (preincarnate- preflood) to those during his day that rejected the message and are now referred to as “spirits in prison”.
5. Still another view is that Jesus’ announcement was to the offspring and the result of the co-habitation between angels and women. 

Because of His Victory over (vv 19-22) death, hell, sin, and the grave, and because He has gone to heaven, that means He has all AUTHORITY, and one day will come in GLORY!

Conclusion: Because suffering is in God’s eternal plan due to man’s sin, we can expect to suffer. But ultimately, Jesus endured the cross, overcame death, and arose on high so that we might identify in His suffering. 

In the future, we will experience His GLORY!