Trials

January 11, 2009

Introduction

 

            Recently, Johnie Wade wrote to me about my article about the Trinity on my website.  After some correspondence by e-mail, Johnie shared the following e-mail with me:

 

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'    
 
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.  
 
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
 
That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.      
 
As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.  
 
The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says:  'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'   She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.  
 
The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.
 
The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'  
 
If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

 

            Right now, our brother David is going through a very trying, difficult time.  As I see his faith and courage, I have to think of David as he goes through his various trials.  This morning, our topic is “Trials.”  What does the Bible say about trials?  When we were in school, we called them tests.  As I was about to graduate from ACC, I faced my comprehensive exam over my major:  The Bible.  I remember the routine we always went through:  We “crammed” for exams.  It was the night before the test.  It was over the Bible.  Where do you begin to “cram” for this exam?  I shook my head and crawled into bed.  I knew then I either knew it or I didn’t.  It was too late to “cram.”

 

            Someday, our final exam will come.  There may be no time for last minute “cramming” for that exam.  Our study this morning is what do we do about the trials along the way?

 

Body

 

I.        James says trials are part of life, and we are to welcome them.

 

(James 1:2 NKJV)  My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,

 

A.     Why would you count trials a joy?

 

(James 1:3 NKJV)  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience (perseverance).

 

B.     There must be a maturing process that goes on.

 

(James 1:4 NIV)  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

 

C.     And for the process to work, we will need wisdom.

 

(James 1:5-6 NKJV)  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. {6} But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

 

II.     We have hope through our trials.

 

(1 Pet 1:3-4 NKJV)  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, {4} to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

 

1. We are kept through faith in God.

 

(1 Pet 1:5 NKJV)  who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

2. We rejoice in the hope we have that in the end we will be rescued from it all.

 

(1 Pet 1:6 NKJV)  In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

III.   Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

 

(Rom 8:35-39 NKJV)  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? {36} As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." {37} Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. {38} For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, {39} nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

IV.  Trials and persecution are just part of life.

 

1. Jesus spoke of persecution as very real.

 

(Mat 13:20-21 NKJV)  "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; {21} "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

 

1.      Not everyone passes the tests of tribulation or persecution that comes our way.

2.      For some, our trials may be persecution.

 

(Mat 5:10-12 NKJV)  Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. {11} "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. {12} "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

2. But what is the context of where our study began?

 

(Mal 3:2-3 NKJV)  "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderer's soap. {3} He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness.

 

Conclusion

 

I.        The Hebrew writer speaks of problems as chastening.

 

(Heb 12:11-13 NKJV)  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. {12} Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, {13} and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

 

II.     May we encourage and help one another along the way.

III.   May we be found ready for the trials of life and be ready for the “final exam.”

 

Scripture quotations marked "NKJV™" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

 

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