Following the Path of Christ in Suffering

I’ve always said that being a Christian is hard and this morning’s lesson in 1 Peter is one that proves that point. I say that because I just don’t see many of us living out the truth of the section of scripture I studied this morning. Certainly I cannot say I have submitted to its truth yet. As many of you read this, my guess is that there will be a tendency to discount the lesson or to try and change the message. The words from Peter are clear and they are repeated in other readings of scripture. So as I am so often heard saying, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Personally I take every word of the Bible seriously and I am praying this morning that as a disciple of Christ I will begin to apply these words into my Christian walk.

Holiness, again, is at the forefront of Peter’s writing. Glorifying God is the goal of our lives.

1 Peter 2:11-12
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

First of all we need to come to grips with the fact that as Christians this is not our home, heaven is. We are just passing through. Yes we live in America but being American is not the most important driver of our behavior. We are blessed to live here. Things in America are much easier than in most places throughout the world. But our first allegiance is to God. So when those in the world hate us because we are American our reactions must be honorable. They need to see “good” deeds out of us so that when the day of visitation from God comes for them they will see His glory. We are ambassadors of Christ. They are watching us. They are reading what we say about them and about others on social media. Hating someone does not glorify God.

Next Peter speaks about authority and how we as Christians are to respond to it.

1 Peter 2:13-17
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.  For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.  Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.  Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Again I remind you that Peter is not preaching some new idea about those in authority over us. This is clear Biblical teaching supported by Jesus and the Apostle Paul. The Bible has many stories about God’s people living this out. In those stories we find men who didn’t follow authority when it violated God’s law, but go through those stories and you find respectful reactions when they had to break civil law. Look at Daniel and see how he dealt with the king’s dietary law that violated his conscience. Peter and the others were ordered to stop preaching in the name of Jesus by the authorities. They didn’t stop preaching but they remained respectful in their opposition to the leaders. They also were willing to accept the consequences of breaking the law. Paul was always respectful when facing legal trouble for standing up for truth. You see these men trusted God to be their protector. They were willing to suffer for the cause and they did. They even died for their faith. They didn’t die by going down in some gun battle; they died in complete submission to the authorities. This goes against our American way. We are fighters and rebels. But this is where we fall back on who we are. In this we must not act as Americans but act as Christians. Our pride is what gets in the way here.

Peter wraps up chapter two with a comparison of a slave and his owner. He uses this analogy so that we get the point. The point is this; we must be willing to suffer for Christ. And the suffering he is talking about is not suffering that comes when we deserve it; it is suffering that is unjust and unfair.

1 Peter 2:18-25
 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.  For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.  For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.  He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.  When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.  He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.  For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Did you read that? Carefully? Here is the point; “if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.  For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.”

We are called by God to suffer unjustly. Why? Because the greatest witness to the world is to show them Christ and how He suffered for our sins. He took the complete penalty for what we do. We are to follow in His steps. Then means if we have an unsaved spouse we suffer in that relationship so that they might see Christ in us. We suffer at work so that bosses and co-workers might see Christ. We suffer on the highways and in stores and wherever we go so that the unsaved world will see Christ.

This is not the teaching of modern psychology nor do we hear much about it in church. But it is the teaching of the Bible. Many who read this are going to argue. I’m not interested in that. The Bible is clear. Your flesh and your mind will rebel against this. Rather than argue with me here I suggest you pick up your Bible and read it from cover to cover. This is what it teaches. This is what Jesus lived. This is what the apostles lived. This is how both died. My prayer for myself is that someday I can live this type of obedient life.

Yes, I know you won’t like this message. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. The Bible is clear and I’m not going to argue with it. I’m not going to try and spin its truth. As usual I leave you with a scripture. It’s about death. The Christian faith is actually a paradox. Death brings life. But as I asked, rather than argue with me just read your Bible. As a matter of fact rather than agree with me you should just read your Bible. Listen to God not man.

Philippians 2:5-8
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,  but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!

God bless each of you.