Peter concluded yesterday's passage by assuring his readers that the gospel he preaches is not just a story. He was an eyewitness of it. Today he begins by pointing out that the gospel fulfills the Old Testament prophecies of Christ.
"We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:19) He says, "You don't have to rely only on my eyewitness testimony as proof of who Jesus of Nazareth is. Search the Old Testament prophecies. Whose life perfectly matches the prophecies concerning the Messiah? The prophets foretold His lineage, His virgin birth, His place of birth, His flight into Egypt, His miraculous ministry, His torturous death, and His victory over the grave. Who possesses all these credentials? No one but Jesus of Nazareth. So don't just take my word for it. Check these facts for yourselves."
Peter says the gospel is like a light shining in a dark place. If I didn't have the light of the gospel in my life I don't know how I'd make it through this dark world. Many days the only reason I've kept moving forward is because my Redeemer lives. Right now the "prince of this world"---Satan---is still working hard to lead men and women astray from the truth (John 14:30), so the light of the gospel is a welcome respite from the darkness around us. But when the King of all kings comes to reign, He will be like the blazing sun, lighting up every corner of the earth like the sun coming up in the morning. Life on earth will be an endless day under the eternal reign of our King. The darkness will flee forever.
The prophecies of the Bible, like Peter's eyewitness testimony, can be trusted. This is because the prophecies were given to the prophets directly from God. There is no higher authority than Almighty God. "Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things." (2 Peter 1:20) The Lord didn't give prophecies of the Messiah to only one prophet. He confirmed the truth of the prophecies by giving them to multiple prophets. That's how we know these men didn't make their messages up. This cannot be said of false prophets. The messages of the false prophets did not agree with each other in the details and they didn't come true. In the days of real prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah, for example, false prophets were promising peace of Judah and assuring the people they would not be conquered. But of course we know they were conquered just as Isaiah and Jeremiah warned them.
The prophets usually made twofold prophecies: one for the near future and one for the far future. If the prophecy for the near future did not come to pass, then people could hardly be expected to count on the prophecy for the far future. The prophet Isaiah told Judah that Babylon was coming for them, and it came to pass. He also told them the Messiah was coming and would suffer for the sins of mankind and would rise from the dead after His suffering. (See Isaiah 53.) This prophecy also came true. This means everything Isaiah predicted regarding the Messiah is reliable, and it means everything the other prophets of the Bible predicted regarding the Messiah is reliable. And no one fulfilled the detailed prophecies regarding the Messiah except Jesus of Nazareth.
"For prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21) The prophets sometimes understood exactly how and when God was going to fulfill the word He gave to them. At other times they did not, but they passed the messages along anyway. Many of them must have been puzzled by the idea of a rejected and suffering Messiah. They didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle and could not clearly foresee how this was part of God's plan to save the souls of human beings, but they faithfully passed along God's word. In Peter's day, and in our own, we can clearly see how the puzzle fits together. Peter and his readers understand things the prophets desperately wanted to understand. We understand it too. We see how Christ can be both the suffering Servant and the conquering King, for at His first advent He gave Himself as the sacrificial Lamb, and at His second advent He will rule the world from David's throne. We can look forward to this as a fact. The prophecies of His life in the flesh came true. The prophecies of His perfect eternal kingdom will also come true.
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
The Letters Of A Changed Man: A Study Of 1st And 2nd Peter. Day 19, Peter Speaks Of His Impending Death
On the day that the risen Lord reinstated Peter publicly in front of the other disciples, He said to him, "'Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch our your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.' Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God." (John 21:18-19a) Peter has always known he would give his life for the gospel of Christ, and today he tells his readers that the time is near.
In our day the words "you will stretch out your hands" isn't as clear to us as it was to the people of Peter's day. Crucifixion was a familiar form of capital punishment all over the Roman Empire. These executions were carried out as publicly as possible, which means that everyone Peter is writing to is familiar with the sight of both men and women nailed with widespread hands on crosses beside public roadways and on prominent hilltops. The agony of crucifixion and the public display of it was intended as a deterrent to criminals. It was a clear message from the Roman government, "This is what we do to enemies of the state". So when the Lord told Peter "you will stretch out your hands", Peter and the other disciples knew exactly what He meant. This is why John said that Jesus' words indicated the type of death Peter would die.
The letter we are studying is Peter's farewell letter to the church. He's using it to repeat to remind them of things like he said yesterday, such as to grow in love and in the knowledge of the Lord. In yesterday's passage he urged them to make certain they are really in Christ and not just going through the motions, having joined the growing Christian movement for reasons other than believing on Christ as Lord. This is where we pick up today, with Peter stating that he feels it's important to remind them of these things before he gives his life for the faith.
"So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." (2 Peter 1:12-15) I love the way Peter describes his impending death. He refers to his body as a tent, a temporary dwelling he has inhabited and out of which he will soon move. He calls his death a "departure" because that's what it is: leaving one place and moving to another. He speaks of it as if he is going to step aboard a ship and disembark at another location, which is a beautiful way of describing the physical death of the Christian. The instant our souls leave the temporary tents of our bodies they are immediately present with the Lord. Death is not really death. It is only a departure from one place and an arrival at another.
Why is Peter able to so bravely face the coming torture of the cross? Because he knows that the gospel he proclaims is the truth. It's the truest truth there is. He can't deny it. He won't deny it. He is willing to die for it. "For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. He received honor and glory from the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.' We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain." (2 Peter 1:16-18) He speaks here of the incident known as the Transfiguration when he and James and John caught a glimpse of the glory of Christ which no man had ever before seen, and when they heard the testimony of God the Father from heaven. Peter knows what he knows. There isn't even a smidgen of doubt in the most remote corners of his mind. Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and the only hope of redemption is through Him, and Peter is going to hold to this truth no matter what. He wouldn't die for a lie. He wouldn't die for a gospel he doubts. He's going to die for what he knows to be a fact.
On the day Jesus informed Peter what his death would be like, He also asked him three times, "Do you love Me?" Peter answered in the affirmative each time, but I think at the end of his life he loved Jesus far more than he did on that morning on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. On that morning I don't know whether he would have been willing to go to the cross for the truth, but as the years went by and as Peter's faith grew and as his relationship with Christ grew deeper, he became willing. By the seashore Christ was asking something like, "Do you really love Me? Do you love Me enough to die for Me? You are going to need to love Me that much. I told you during my ministry to count the cost of being My disciple. It's going to cost you your life. Do I mean that much to you?" Having so recently denied that he had ever laid eyes on Jesus, I can just imagine the turmoil in Peter's mind. He knows how weak his flesh is. He knows he lied about Jesus to save his own skin. He didn't love Jesus enough to claim friendship with Him on the night of His arrest. Will he love Jesus enough to die for Him many years down the road? I think Peter spent the rest of his days on earth learning, through the power of the Holy Spirit, how to love Christ enough to die for Him. When the Roman soldiers nail Peter to a cross, he will ask to be hung upside down because he does not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. As he breathes his last breath I think he will remember the question the Lord asked him three times on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and I believe he will whisper with what strength he has left, "Yes, Lord. I love you."
In our day the words "you will stretch out your hands" isn't as clear to us as it was to the people of Peter's day. Crucifixion was a familiar form of capital punishment all over the Roman Empire. These executions were carried out as publicly as possible, which means that everyone Peter is writing to is familiar with the sight of both men and women nailed with widespread hands on crosses beside public roadways and on prominent hilltops. The agony of crucifixion and the public display of it was intended as a deterrent to criminals. It was a clear message from the Roman government, "This is what we do to enemies of the state". So when the Lord told Peter "you will stretch out your hands", Peter and the other disciples knew exactly what He meant. This is why John said that Jesus' words indicated the type of death Peter would die.
The letter we are studying is Peter's farewell letter to the church. He's using it to repeat to remind them of things like he said yesterday, such as to grow in love and in the knowledge of the Lord. In yesterday's passage he urged them to make certain they are really in Christ and not just going through the motions, having joined the growing Christian movement for reasons other than believing on Christ as Lord. This is where we pick up today, with Peter stating that he feels it's important to remind them of these things before he gives his life for the faith.
"So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things." (2 Peter 1:12-15) I love the way Peter describes his impending death. He refers to his body as a tent, a temporary dwelling he has inhabited and out of which he will soon move. He calls his death a "departure" because that's what it is: leaving one place and moving to another. He speaks of it as if he is going to step aboard a ship and disembark at another location, which is a beautiful way of describing the physical death of the Christian. The instant our souls leave the temporary tents of our bodies they are immediately present with the Lord. Death is not really death. It is only a departure from one place and an arrival at another.
Why is Peter able to so bravely face the coming torture of the cross? Because he knows that the gospel he proclaims is the truth. It's the truest truth there is. He can't deny it. He won't deny it. He is willing to die for it. "For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. He received honor and glory from the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, 'This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.' We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain." (2 Peter 1:16-18) He speaks here of the incident known as the Transfiguration when he and James and John caught a glimpse of the glory of Christ which no man had ever before seen, and when they heard the testimony of God the Father from heaven. Peter knows what he knows. There isn't even a smidgen of doubt in the most remote corners of his mind. Jesus of Nazareth is the Son of God, and the only hope of redemption is through Him, and Peter is going to hold to this truth no matter what. He wouldn't die for a lie. He wouldn't die for a gospel he doubts. He's going to die for what he knows to be a fact.
On the day Jesus informed Peter what his death would be like, He also asked him three times, "Do you love Me?" Peter answered in the affirmative each time, but I think at the end of his life he loved Jesus far more than he did on that morning on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. On that morning I don't know whether he would have been willing to go to the cross for the truth, but as the years went by and as Peter's faith grew and as his relationship with Christ grew deeper, he became willing. By the seashore Christ was asking something like, "Do you really love Me? Do you love Me enough to die for Me? You are going to need to love Me that much. I told you during my ministry to count the cost of being My disciple. It's going to cost you your life. Do I mean that much to you?" Having so recently denied that he had ever laid eyes on Jesus, I can just imagine the turmoil in Peter's mind. He knows how weak his flesh is. He knows he lied about Jesus to save his own skin. He didn't love Jesus enough to claim friendship with Him on the night of His arrest. Will he love Jesus enough to die for Him many years down the road? I think Peter spent the rest of his days on earth learning, through the power of the Holy Spirit, how to love Christ enough to die for Him. When the Roman soldiers nail Peter to a cross, he will ask to be hung upside down because he does not feel worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. As he breathes his last breath I think he will remember the question the Lord asked him three times on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and I believe he will whisper with what strength he has left, "Yes, Lord. I love you."
Monday, November 5, 2018
The Letters Of A Changed Man: A Study Of 1st And 2nd Peter. Day 18, Great And Precious Promises
W begin Peter's second letter today, and in it he talks about the great and precious promises God has made to us and about how God supplies us with power to live godly lives. He also warns us that if our lives exhibit none of this power, we need to examine ourselves to be certain we even belong to Christ.
"Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." (2 Peter 1:1-2) It is thought that Peter is addressing this second letter to the same group as the first letter. He doesn't address the churches by name again in the salutation, so it could be assumed this letter is a follow-up to the first. Either way, we can be certain he is writing to Christian Gentiles, for he says their faith is the same as "ours", meaning the Jewish Christians. In Christ all are equal no matter the religious or cultural background.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 1:3) We have a source of power that is available to us every second of every day: the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Paul says, "The spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you." (Romans 8:11a) If we are in Christ then we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, so we can't say it's impossible to do the right things in a wicked world. This doesn't mean we will never make mistakes. But we ought to be doing a lot more right than we do wrong. We make hundreds of small decisions in a day and perhaps a big decision or two. Each of those is an opportunity to do the right thing with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
"Through those He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 Peter 1:4) The great and precious promises are given to us through His glory and goodness which Peter spoke of in verse 3. Christ has made promises to us that He hasn't made to the unbelieving world. The unbelieving world can't claim these promises or rely on them. The promises contained in the Scriptures only belong to the faithful ones, and because we have these promises we choose to live for the Lord instead of for worldly desires. We are in the world but not of the world. We are chosen and holy, sanctified and set apart. We should stand out from the crowd not only for the good things we do for the cause of Christ, but also for the bad things we don't do.
Because we are Christ's we should look like Him and do the things He would do. We should be developing honorable character traits as we grow in our relationship with Him. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." (2 Peter 1:5-9) In the gospel accounts we don't see Peter portrayed as a man with patience and self-control. The character traits he mentions here are things that have developed in him over time as his knowledge of the Lord has grown. He wasn't given these things instantaneously when he met with the risen Lord and was forgiven and restored. We know this because he says we have to make an effort to develop these things. Peter is encouraging us to lean on the strength of the Lord in order to make right choices. We can't lean on Him for strength if we aren't in close relationship with Him and if we aren't studying what He says in the holy Scriptures.
The last thing we want to become as Christians is ineffective. It's possible to be saved only by the skin of our teeth and to do little to grow the kingdom of our Lord. This is why Peter tells us if we don't exhibit any of these honorable characteristics we are nearsighted and blind. We are thinking only of ourselves and not of our Lord or of the lost world when we don't strive to do what Jesus would do. We have, in that sense, forgotten how much sin the Lord cleansed us of. If we would keep in mind everything He did for us, we would naturally desire to do things for Him.
Peter closes by telling us to examine ourselves and make sure we really are who we think we are. Did we truly accept Christ as our Lord or not? Do we really love Him or not? If our lives aren't bearing any fruit for His kingdom, it's time to take stock of the condition of our souls. "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:10-11)
Peter isn't saying we will never mess up. The type of stumbling he's talking about is a permanent type of falling, not the occasional mistake we make where we then get up, dust ourselves off, and continue following Christ. He's speaking of either a complete falling away from the faith or of deceiving ourselves into believing we are in the faith when in truth we never really have been. He urges us, "Be certain! If you have any doubts whether you really belong to Christ, you can make things right with Him now. You don't have to live fruitless lives. You don't have to walk through this world believing you are a Christian simply because your whole family is or because you grew up in the church or because you believe the gospel with your head and not also with your heart. Christ transforms hearts, so if your heart has not been transformed and if you are not exhibiting the fruits of one who belongs to Him, something is wrong that needs to be corrected. Submit yourselves to Him and let Him correct it."
"Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." (2 Peter 1:1-2) It is thought that Peter is addressing this second letter to the same group as the first letter. He doesn't address the churches by name again in the salutation, so it could be assumed this letter is a follow-up to the first. Either way, we can be certain he is writing to Christian Gentiles, for he says their faith is the same as "ours", meaning the Jewish Christians. In Christ all are equal no matter the religious or cultural background.
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness." (2 Peter 1:3) We have a source of power that is available to us every second of every day: the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Paul says, "The spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you." (Romans 8:11a) If we are in Christ then we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, so we can't say it's impossible to do the right things in a wicked world. This doesn't mean we will never make mistakes. But we ought to be doing a lot more right than we do wrong. We make hundreds of small decisions in a day and perhaps a big decision or two. Each of those is an opportunity to do the right thing with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
"Through those He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." (2 Peter 1:4) The great and precious promises are given to us through His glory and goodness which Peter spoke of in verse 3. Christ has made promises to us that He hasn't made to the unbelieving world. The unbelieving world can't claim these promises or rely on them. The promises contained in the Scriptures only belong to the faithful ones, and because we have these promises we choose to live for the Lord instead of for worldly desires. We are in the world but not of the world. We are chosen and holy, sanctified and set apart. We should stand out from the crowd not only for the good things we do for the cause of Christ, but also for the bad things we don't do.
Because we are Christ's we should look like Him and do the things He would do. We should be developing honorable character traits as we grow in our relationship with Him. "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins." (2 Peter 1:5-9) In the gospel accounts we don't see Peter portrayed as a man with patience and self-control. The character traits he mentions here are things that have developed in him over time as his knowledge of the Lord has grown. He wasn't given these things instantaneously when he met with the risen Lord and was forgiven and restored. We know this because he says we have to make an effort to develop these things. Peter is encouraging us to lean on the strength of the Lord in order to make right choices. We can't lean on Him for strength if we aren't in close relationship with Him and if we aren't studying what He says in the holy Scriptures.
The last thing we want to become as Christians is ineffective. It's possible to be saved only by the skin of our teeth and to do little to grow the kingdom of our Lord. This is why Peter tells us if we don't exhibit any of these honorable characteristics we are nearsighted and blind. We are thinking only of ourselves and not of our Lord or of the lost world when we don't strive to do what Jesus would do. We have, in that sense, forgotten how much sin the Lord cleansed us of. If we would keep in mind everything He did for us, we would naturally desire to do things for Him.
Peter closes by telling us to examine ourselves and make sure we really are who we think we are. Did we truly accept Christ as our Lord or not? Do we really love Him or not? If our lives aren't bearing any fruit for His kingdom, it's time to take stock of the condition of our souls. "Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:10-11)
Peter isn't saying we will never mess up. The type of stumbling he's talking about is a permanent type of falling, not the occasional mistake we make where we then get up, dust ourselves off, and continue following Christ. He's speaking of either a complete falling away from the faith or of deceiving ourselves into believing we are in the faith when in truth we never really have been. He urges us, "Be certain! If you have any doubts whether you really belong to Christ, you can make things right with Him now. You don't have to live fruitless lives. You don't have to walk through this world believing you are a Christian simply because your whole family is or because you grew up in the church or because you believe the gospel with your head and not also with your heart. Christ transforms hearts, so if your heart has not been transformed and if you are not exhibiting the fruits of one who belongs to Him, something is wrong that needs to be corrected. Submit yourselves to Him and let Him correct it."
Sunday, November 4, 2018
The Letters Of A Changed Man: A Study Of 1st And 2nd Peter. Day 17, Don't Allow The Past To Ruin The Future
This morning we are concluding our look at Peter's first letter. He encourages his readers in the "God of all grace" and he sends greetings to them from two other men who are familiar to us.
"And the God of all grace, who called you into His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10) Peter has been talking about the temptations we face in this world and the persecution that comes against people of faith. If you think about it, even on our best days we are aware of the temporariness of this life and of all the potential temptations and trials that may arise somewhere down the road. We know life isn't easy. We know that sometimes we suffer for doing good, as Peter has pointed out, because the unbelieving world hates people who boldly stand for something righteous. We know that sometimes our sufferings are a refining process, in the same way that heating up precious metals causes the dross to rise to the top where it can be skimmed off. And we know that sometimes we suffer due to our own mistakes.
But our Redeemer is able to redeem anything we commit to Him! If suffering comes to us even while we are living according to God's laws, we can commit the situation to Him and trust that He intends to use it for our good. If suffering comes because of mistakes we've made, we can repent and submit the mess we've made to Him, and He can use even our mistakes to help us grow in the faith. Should we have any doubts about this, all we have to do is look at what the Lord did for the Apostle Peter. Peter is the only disciple who ever denied he knew the Lord. He could have allowed that mistake to ruin his whole life and make him unfit for the ministry. In my opinion, that mistake would have been far greater than the first. But after the resurrection the Lord met privately with Peter. (1 Corinthians 15:5a) We don't know what transpired between the two of them because the Lord intended it to be kept between the two of them, but I believe during that meeting Peter repented and committed his mistake to the Redeemer who lovingly restored him. Later on the Lord publicly restored Peter in the presence of the other disciples so there would be no doubt that he was commissioned to preach the gospel. (John 21:15-18) Peter chose to accept the grace offered to him, which is why we are still reading his letters in 2018. If he had not chosen to accept this grace, he would have disappeared into history and would not have fulfilled his calling and would not have been able to minister to us today.
I don't know what may lie in your past. There are some very ugly things in mine. If I were to list them here I'd be ashamed for you to see them. If I wanted to keep living in the past I'd quit right now and never visit this blog again. But my Redeemer has offered me grace in place of the things that caused me guilt and shame. He has told me to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to refuse to look back and wallow in guilt over poor decisions He has already forgiven me for. He tells me the same thing He told Peter: "Follow Me!" (John 21:19b) We can't follow Christ if we are looking behind us.
Out of a grateful heart Peter exclaims, "To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:11) Yes! To Him be the power and the honor and the glory for saving a wretch like me!
Now Peter moves on to his closing remarks. "With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." (1 Peter 5:12) You will recognize Silas as the close friend of the Apostle Paul. It is believed he either transcribed Peter's letter while he dictated it or that he was the deliverer of Peter's letter---or both. Silas was a great minister and servant of the Lord himself, but he was also privileged to work closely with two of the greatest ministers of the ancient world: the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter. I would love to know the things he witnessed while he worked with these men.
"She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark." (1 Peter 5:13) We don't know who Peter means when he says "she who is in Babylon", but the most widely accepted theory is that "she" represents the church and that "Babylon" represents the wicked Roman Empire. This makes sense when we consider that Peter is believed to have written his two letters from Rome and when we consider that the Bible often uses the name of "Babylon" as a symbol for idolatrous and unrighteous nations. Peter was in a precarious position in Rome, and will later be executed there, so it's understandable he would not want to put anything in print that openly criticizes the Roman government. He doesn't know who might intercept and read his letters. But I think there is no doubt that his readers knew what he meant. So I think he is saying something like, "The glorious church of Christ, which is growing even in a land of spiritual darkness like Rome, sends you her greetings."
When Peter mentions Mark it is generally understood that he means John Mark who wrote one of the four gospels. Peter is much older than John Mark and so he refers to him as "my son" in the same way that the Apostle Paul refers to the much younger Timothy as "my son". It has long been believed that Mark accepted Christ under the preaching of Peter and that Peter was Mark's source of information for writing the gospel that he authored. After all, Mark was not a disciple and was not present when most or all of the things in the gospel account occurred. He had to get his information from someone who was there, and that someone was Peter. The first mention of John Mark is found in Acts 12 when Peter is miraculously released from prison and goes straight to the home of John Mark and John Mark's mother Mary where the believers are gathered together praying. So we see that Peter and Mark knew each other very early on and that Mark probably listened eagerly and on many occasions to the stories Peter shared about the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord.
"Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ." (1 Peter 5:14) The apostle concludes, "Love each other and the Lord. Be at peace with each other and the Lord." He says this because he knows there is no true peace without the Lord. How was Peter able to move on after making the most horrible and blasphemous mistake of his life? By making peace with the Lord. He knows he has been forgiven. He knows the Lord doesn't want him dwelling on the past. It's not that the past has had no effect on Peter, but in giving his mistake to the Lord he was able to learn from it and actually become a more effective minister than he would have been otherwise. Peter had natural leadership abilities, but until he sinned so terribly he trusted in his own strength. His character had not been refined. His faith had not been tested. Now he knows how easy it is to fall into even the most shocking of sins and he knows he has to rely on Jesus every hour of every day. Now he is a man who can preach the gospel of grace from experience. Let's take his advice and not allow our past to ruin our future.
We don't know when a dark hour or trial or temptation may come unexpectedly upon us. Peter wasn't prepared for that dark hour, but it taught him to trust in Christ for his strength. If we are in the habit of trusting in Christ for help, we can stand firm. As a result of his denial of Christ, Peter learned to trust in Him and he stood firm for the rest of his life. I believe that the name of the One he once denied was on his lips as he drew his last breath. The Lord gave Peter the grace to die for His name. Why would we ever doubt that the Lord will give us the grace to live (and die if necessary) for His name?
"And the God of all grace, who called you into His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10) Peter has been talking about the temptations we face in this world and the persecution that comes against people of faith. If you think about it, even on our best days we are aware of the temporariness of this life and of all the potential temptations and trials that may arise somewhere down the road. We know life isn't easy. We know that sometimes we suffer for doing good, as Peter has pointed out, because the unbelieving world hates people who boldly stand for something righteous. We know that sometimes our sufferings are a refining process, in the same way that heating up precious metals causes the dross to rise to the top where it can be skimmed off. And we know that sometimes we suffer due to our own mistakes.
But our Redeemer is able to redeem anything we commit to Him! If suffering comes to us even while we are living according to God's laws, we can commit the situation to Him and trust that He intends to use it for our good. If suffering comes because of mistakes we've made, we can repent and submit the mess we've made to Him, and He can use even our mistakes to help us grow in the faith. Should we have any doubts about this, all we have to do is look at what the Lord did for the Apostle Peter. Peter is the only disciple who ever denied he knew the Lord. He could have allowed that mistake to ruin his whole life and make him unfit for the ministry. In my opinion, that mistake would have been far greater than the first. But after the resurrection the Lord met privately with Peter. (1 Corinthians 15:5a) We don't know what transpired between the two of them because the Lord intended it to be kept between the two of them, but I believe during that meeting Peter repented and committed his mistake to the Redeemer who lovingly restored him. Later on the Lord publicly restored Peter in the presence of the other disciples so there would be no doubt that he was commissioned to preach the gospel. (John 21:15-18) Peter chose to accept the grace offered to him, which is why we are still reading his letters in 2018. If he had not chosen to accept this grace, he would have disappeared into history and would not have fulfilled his calling and would not have been able to minister to us today.
I don't know what may lie in your past. There are some very ugly things in mine. If I were to list them here I'd be ashamed for you to see them. If I wanted to keep living in the past I'd quit right now and never visit this blog again. But my Redeemer has offered me grace in place of the things that caused me guilt and shame. He has told me to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to refuse to look back and wallow in guilt over poor decisions He has already forgiven me for. He tells me the same thing He told Peter: "Follow Me!" (John 21:19b) We can't follow Christ if we are looking behind us.
Out of a grateful heart Peter exclaims, "To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 5:11) Yes! To Him be the power and the honor and the glory for saving a wretch like me!
Now Peter moves on to his closing remarks. "With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it." (1 Peter 5:12) You will recognize Silas as the close friend of the Apostle Paul. It is believed he either transcribed Peter's letter while he dictated it or that he was the deliverer of Peter's letter---or both. Silas was a great minister and servant of the Lord himself, but he was also privileged to work closely with two of the greatest ministers of the ancient world: the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter. I would love to know the things he witnessed while he worked with these men.
"She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark." (1 Peter 5:13) We don't know who Peter means when he says "she who is in Babylon", but the most widely accepted theory is that "she" represents the church and that "Babylon" represents the wicked Roman Empire. This makes sense when we consider that Peter is believed to have written his two letters from Rome and when we consider that the Bible often uses the name of "Babylon" as a symbol for idolatrous and unrighteous nations. Peter was in a precarious position in Rome, and will later be executed there, so it's understandable he would not want to put anything in print that openly criticizes the Roman government. He doesn't know who might intercept and read his letters. But I think there is no doubt that his readers knew what he meant. So I think he is saying something like, "The glorious church of Christ, which is growing even in a land of spiritual darkness like Rome, sends you her greetings."
When Peter mentions Mark it is generally understood that he means John Mark who wrote one of the four gospels. Peter is much older than John Mark and so he refers to him as "my son" in the same way that the Apostle Paul refers to the much younger Timothy as "my son". It has long been believed that Mark accepted Christ under the preaching of Peter and that Peter was Mark's source of information for writing the gospel that he authored. After all, Mark was not a disciple and was not present when most or all of the things in the gospel account occurred. He had to get his information from someone who was there, and that someone was Peter. The first mention of John Mark is found in Acts 12 when Peter is miraculously released from prison and goes straight to the home of John Mark and John Mark's mother Mary where the believers are gathered together praying. So we see that Peter and Mark knew each other very early on and that Mark probably listened eagerly and on many occasions to the stories Peter shared about the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of the Lord.
"Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ." (1 Peter 5:14) The apostle concludes, "Love each other and the Lord. Be at peace with each other and the Lord." He says this because he knows there is no true peace without the Lord. How was Peter able to move on after making the most horrible and blasphemous mistake of his life? By making peace with the Lord. He knows he has been forgiven. He knows the Lord doesn't want him dwelling on the past. It's not that the past has had no effect on Peter, but in giving his mistake to the Lord he was able to learn from it and actually become a more effective minister than he would have been otherwise. Peter had natural leadership abilities, but until he sinned so terribly he trusted in his own strength. His character had not been refined. His faith had not been tested. Now he knows how easy it is to fall into even the most shocking of sins and he knows he has to rely on Jesus every hour of every day. Now he is a man who can preach the gospel of grace from experience. Let's take his advice and not allow our past to ruin our future.
We don't know when a dark hour or trial or temptation may come unexpectedly upon us. Peter wasn't prepared for that dark hour, but it taught him to trust in Christ for his strength. If we are in the habit of trusting in Christ for help, we can stand firm. As a result of his denial of Christ, Peter learned to trust in Him and he stood firm for the rest of his life. I believe that the name of the One he once denied was on his lips as he drew his last breath. The Lord gave Peter the grace to die for His name. Why would we ever doubt that the Lord will give us the grace to live (and die if necessary) for His name?
Saturday, November 3, 2018
The Letters Of A Changed Man: A Study Of 1st And 2nd Peter. Day 16, Resist Satan And Stand Firm In The Faith
The Apostle Peter encourages everyone to resist the wiles of the devil and to stand firm in the faith. We take a look at the importance of staying connected to the body of Christ so we don't make easy pickings for Satan, whom Peter likens to a lion stalking its prey.
"Be alert and of sober mind." (1 Peter 5:8a) Peter has already cautioned us about this before. I don't think he ever forgot the night in the garden when he fell asleep during Jesus' dark hour of anguish. If Peter had obeyed the Lord to "watch and pray", he would not have failed so miserably later in the night. He would have stood firm in his faith in Jesus, admitting he was one of His disciples. Then he would not have had to step outside the high priest's courtyard to weep bitter tears of guilt. (Matthew 26:75, Luke 22:62)
We will do a lot of weeping in this world, but the bitterest weeping we will ever do is when we admit to ourselves that we have failed to remain alert to temptation and have fallen into its trap. We've all wept tears of grief and disappointment, but these are unavoidable in a fallen world. Sorrows are going to come to us even when we are living faithfully in the Lord's will. But it's those tears we cry when we are responsible for our own mess that are bitter. That's when we wish we could go back in time and make a different choice. I've felt that way many times myself. I could have avoided a lot of tears if I had done the right thing in the first place. I think for the rest of Peter's life he wished he had made a different choice on the night before the crucifixion, but he can't change the past, so he keeps reminding himself and us to always be on the alert for anything that might tempt us to do or say anything that would make the world think we aren't disciples of the Lord.
We are to be as alert to danger as a herd of gazelles. We have a predator who hates us and is always on the prowl, waiting to pick off the one who falls behind or who appears the weakest. "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8b) This passage makes me picture a lion crouched in the tall weeds, waiting to see if a member of the herd drops behind. The lion carefully scans each one to determine if any is sick or handicapped. Why should he exert himself more than he has to by trying to take down a gazelle that is strong and fast? All he needs to do is look for one that will be easy to tackle. That's how Satan watches the church---the body of Christ. He looks for the one who has dropped out of church and who isn't receiving the constant encouragement of the other believers. He looks for the one who has stopped reading the Bible regularly. He looks for the one who hardly ever prays anymore. The devil, like a lion in the weeds, isn't going to put more effort into catching his prey than he has to. He's looking for an easy mark, and we make ourselves an easy mark when we don't remain connected to the Lord through prayer and the Scriptures and when we don't remain connected to other believers.
We don't have to walk through life in fear, thinking Satan is hiding behind every bush. Even the gazelles know there isn't a lion hiding at the edges of every meadow. But the gazelles know they have an enemy who might be waiting for an opportunity to pick one of them off, so when crossing each meadow they are alert for signs of danger. They know there is strength in numbers and in remaining close together. They know how important it is to appear healthy and strong so that the lion will pass them by. That's what we have to do too. We have to be so strong and healthy in the faith that Satan won't want to put the effort into taking us down.
Peter made several mistakes on the night before the crucifixion and he wants us to learn from them. The first mistake he made was sleeping instead of remaining alert and in prayer. (Matthew 26:40)That was the moment when Satan picked him out as an easy mark. The second mistake Peter made was not staying close to the Lord, following Him to the high priest's house at a distance. (Mark 14:54) The third mistake he made was in not remaining closely connected with the other disciples that night, the majority of them having fled the garden in fear (Mark 14:50). I think he had such a forceful personality and so many leadership qualities that he could have banded the disciples together so they could go as a group to see what was happening to Jesus, but there is no evidence he tried to do this. Without strength in numbers, he waited alone in the courtyard of the high priest. John, who was known to the high priest, was unable to get Peter admitted to the residence. (John 18:15) If only Peter had had some other disciples with him in the courtyard he might not have become so overwhelmed with fear that he claimed never to have even met Jesus.
We have to be aware at all times that we might be attacked by temptation. The best way to avoid being picked out as an easy mark by Satan is by staying in close relationship with the Lord and in close relationship with other believers. We can't neglect prayer. We can't neglect reading God's holy word. We can't isolate ourselves from the body of believers who can help us be strong and healthy in the faith. Whenever we find ourselves feeling withdrawn and unsociable, we need to immediately go on the alert. Like the gazelles in the meadow, we should start sniffing the air to see if a lion is in the weeds. That's when we have to draw closer to the Lord and to other believers in order to present a strong and united front. Let's make it too much trouble for the devil to bother with us!
"Be alert and of sober mind." (1 Peter 5:8a) Peter has already cautioned us about this before. I don't think he ever forgot the night in the garden when he fell asleep during Jesus' dark hour of anguish. If Peter had obeyed the Lord to "watch and pray", he would not have failed so miserably later in the night. He would have stood firm in his faith in Jesus, admitting he was one of His disciples. Then he would not have had to step outside the high priest's courtyard to weep bitter tears of guilt. (Matthew 26:75, Luke 22:62)
We will do a lot of weeping in this world, but the bitterest weeping we will ever do is when we admit to ourselves that we have failed to remain alert to temptation and have fallen into its trap. We've all wept tears of grief and disappointment, but these are unavoidable in a fallen world. Sorrows are going to come to us even when we are living faithfully in the Lord's will. But it's those tears we cry when we are responsible for our own mess that are bitter. That's when we wish we could go back in time and make a different choice. I've felt that way many times myself. I could have avoided a lot of tears if I had done the right thing in the first place. I think for the rest of Peter's life he wished he had made a different choice on the night before the crucifixion, but he can't change the past, so he keeps reminding himself and us to always be on the alert for anything that might tempt us to do or say anything that would make the world think we aren't disciples of the Lord.
We are to be as alert to danger as a herd of gazelles. We have a predator who hates us and is always on the prowl, waiting to pick off the one who falls behind or who appears the weakest. "Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8b) This passage makes me picture a lion crouched in the tall weeds, waiting to see if a member of the herd drops behind. The lion carefully scans each one to determine if any is sick or handicapped. Why should he exert himself more than he has to by trying to take down a gazelle that is strong and fast? All he needs to do is look for one that will be easy to tackle. That's how Satan watches the church---the body of Christ. He looks for the one who has dropped out of church and who isn't receiving the constant encouragement of the other believers. He looks for the one who has stopped reading the Bible regularly. He looks for the one who hardly ever prays anymore. The devil, like a lion in the weeds, isn't going to put more effort into catching his prey than he has to. He's looking for an easy mark, and we make ourselves an easy mark when we don't remain connected to the Lord through prayer and the Scriptures and when we don't remain connected to other believers.
We don't have to walk through life in fear, thinking Satan is hiding behind every bush. Even the gazelles know there isn't a lion hiding at the edges of every meadow. But the gazelles know they have an enemy who might be waiting for an opportunity to pick one of them off, so when crossing each meadow they are alert for signs of danger. They know there is strength in numbers and in remaining close together. They know how important it is to appear healthy and strong so that the lion will pass them by. That's what we have to do too. We have to be so strong and healthy in the faith that Satan won't want to put the effort into taking us down.
Peter made several mistakes on the night before the crucifixion and he wants us to learn from them. The first mistake he made was sleeping instead of remaining alert and in prayer. (Matthew 26:40)That was the moment when Satan picked him out as an easy mark. The second mistake Peter made was not staying close to the Lord, following Him to the high priest's house at a distance. (Mark 14:54) The third mistake he made was in not remaining closely connected with the other disciples that night, the majority of them having fled the garden in fear (Mark 14:50). I think he had such a forceful personality and so many leadership qualities that he could have banded the disciples together so they could go as a group to see what was happening to Jesus, but there is no evidence he tried to do this. Without strength in numbers, he waited alone in the courtyard of the high priest. John, who was known to the high priest, was unable to get Peter admitted to the residence. (John 18:15) If only Peter had had some other disciples with him in the courtyard he might not have become so overwhelmed with fear that he claimed never to have even met Jesus.
We have to be aware at all times that we might be attacked by temptation. The best way to avoid being picked out as an easy mark by Satan is by staying in close relationship with the Lord and in close relationship with other believers. We can't neglect prayer. We can't neglect reading God's holy word. We can't isolate ourselves from the body of believers who can help us be strong and healthy in the faith. Whenever we find ourselves feeling withdrawn and unsociable, we need to immediately go on the alert. Like the gazelles in the meadow, we should start sniffing the air to see if a lion is in the weeds. That's when we have to draw closer to the Lord and to other believers in order to present a strong and united front. Let's make it too much trouble for the devil to bother with us!
Friday, November 2, 2018
The Letters Of A Changed Man: A Study Of 1st And 2nd Peter. Day 15, God Shows Favor To The Humble
We begin the last chapter of Peter's first letter today. He gives instructions to the elders about leading the church, and he gives instructions to the younger church members to show respect to the elders.
He will also quote the words of King Solomon in promising us that God rewards a humble spirit.
First the apostle addresses the elders in the church. Peter himself is an elder by now and is fully qualified to instruct these leaders. "To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ's sufferings who will also share in the glory that is to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them---not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Peter was with Christ during His ministry, at His arrest, and at His trial before the Sanhedrin when the high priest unlawfully allowed Him to be beaten. We don't know whether Peter saw Jesus outside Pilate's palace after the Roman soldiers had viciously whipped Him. We don't know whether Peter saw Him hanging on the cross. Many scholars believe Peter did view these things from a distance, perhaps with his head or face covered out of fear that he too would be arrested and crucified. The only potential evidence we have that Peter witnessed the crucifixion is his statement that he saw "Christ's sufferings". I feel it's likely that he was present during our Lord's suffering, even though only the Apostle John specifically mentions being there. If Peter was hanging about on the fringes of the crowd then John (who was near the cross comforting the mother of Jesus) would not have seen him.
In the passage above Peter is providing his qualifications to instruct the church members regarding their behavior. He is more of an elder and an authority than any of them because he was a disciple of Christ and knew Him personally and witnessed what He suffered to save mankind. He also was commissioned by the Chief Shepherd to "feed My sheep". (See John 21:15-19) It is fitting that Peter should instruct the elders to be good shepherds, for he himself has worked diligently to fulfill his commission to be a good shepherd.
Next he instructs the younger church members, "In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders." (1 Peter 5:5a) Peter used to have a lot of difficulty submitting himself to his elders. When he was young he was bold and impetuous and outspoken. He even had the nerve to occasionally scold or instruct the Lord Jesus because he thought he knew what was best for Him. I don't know whether Jesus was his elder according to age, but He certainly was his elder according to authority, yet Peter thought he was qualified to give advice to Jesus. When he was young he thought he knew it all. He knows that the youth in the church may think they know it all, so he tells them to listen respectfully and obediently to their elders in the faith.
Everyone in the church should be humble and loving toward each other. Above all, every person in the church should maintain a humble spirit toward God and show Him the respect that is due Him. "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'" (1 Peter 5:5b) In context, the verse Peter quotes comes from this passage, "Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into His confidence. The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame." (Proverbs 3:31-35) We want the Lord to take us into His confidence. We want Him to bless our homes. We want Him to give us honor. Both the Apostle Peter and King Solomon tell us that the way to receive these wonderful things is to maintain a humble spirit.
Peter concludes today's study with these beautiful words, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7) We can find several examples in the Bible of men who humbled themselves under God's mighty hand and were later lifted up with honor. Jacob's son Joseph comported himself humbly and obediently in Egypt and later became second in power only to Pharaoh. The prophet Daniel behaved with a humble spirit in Babylon and was rewarded by God with a very high position in the government. David humbled himself under God's mighty hand during the fifteen years his life was threatened by King Saul, but in due time he was given the promised crown of Israel. But the best example we have of someone with a humble spirit is the Lord Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself under God's mighty hand and who now has been given the name above every name. (Philippians 2:9)
Not only does God desire to honor us for submitting to Him, but He also wants to bear our burdens. In the original Greek the word Peter uses for casting off our anxiety means to throw something heavy off our shoulders. A man in Peter's day would load a donkey by carrying his heavy belongings across his back and shoulders over to where the donkey was tied up, and then he would gratefully transfer the load from his back to the donkey's back which is much stronger. This is what God is saying to us, "My shoulders are strong enough to carry every burden. Yours are not. Transfer them to Me and trust Me with them. I don't want you bent down and staggering under a heavy load. How can You serve Me and My people that way? How can you help others with their problems when all you can think about are your own problems? I want you walking upright and strong as you work for My kingdom, so throw your burdens on Me. I care about you and I care about your problems. You can trust Me with them, so throw them onto me with a sigh of relief and get on with the things I've commissioned you to do."
He will also quote the words of King Solomon in promising us that God rewards a humble spirit.
First the apostle addresses the elders in the church. Peter himself is an elder by now and is fully qualified to instruct these leaders. "To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ's sufferings who will also share in the glory that is to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, watching over them---not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away." (1 Peter 5:1-4)
Peter was with Christ during His ministry, at His arrest, and at His trial before the Sanhedrin when the high priest unlawfully allowed Him to be beaten. We don't know whether Peter saw Jesus outside Pilate's palace after the Roman soldiers had viciously whipped Him. We don't know whether Peter saw Him hanging on the cross. Many scholars believe Peter did view these things from a distance, perhaps with his head or face covered out of fear that he too would be arrested and crucified. The only potential evidence we have that Peter witnessed the crucifixion is his statement that he saw "Christ's sufferings". I feel it's likely that he was present during our Lord's suffering, even though only the Apostle John specifically mentions being there. If Peter was hanging about on the fringes of the crowd then John (who was near the cross comforting the mother of Jesus) would not have seen him.
In the passage above Peter is providing his qualifications to instruct the church members regarding their behavior. He is more of an elder and an authority than any of them because he was a disciple of Christ and knew Him personally and witnessed what He suffered to save mankind. He also was commissioned by the Chief Shepherd to "feed My sheep". (See John 21:15-19) It is fitting that Peter should instruct the elders to be good shepherds, for he himself has worked diligently to fulfill his commission to be a good shepherd.
Next he instructs the younger church members, "In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders." (1 Peter 5:5a) Peter used to have a lot of difficulty submitting himself to his elders. When he was young he was bold and impetuous and outspoken. He even had the nerve to occasionally scold or instruct the Lord Jesus because he thought he knew what was best for Him. I don't know whether Jesus was his elder according to age, but He certainly was his elder according to authority, yet Peter thought he was qualified to give advice to Jesus. When he was young he thought he knew it all. He knows that the youth in the church may think they know it all, so he tells them to listen respectfully and obediently to their elders in the faith.
Everyone in the church should be humble and loving toward each other. Above all, every person in the church should maintain a humble spirit toward God and show Him the respect that is due Him. "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'" (1 Peter 5:5b) In context, the verse Peter quotes comes from this passage, "Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways. For the Lord detests the perverse but takes the upright into His confidence. The Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous. He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed. The wise inherit honor, but fools get only shame." (Proverbs 3:31-35) We want the Lord to take us into His confidence. We want Him to bless our homes. We want Him to give us honor. Both the Apostle Peter and King Solomon tell us that the way to receive these wonderful things is to maintain a humble spirit.
Peter concludes today's study with these beautiful words, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7) We can find several examples in the Bible of men who humbled themselves under God's mighty hand and were later lifted up with honor. Jacob's son Joseph comported himself humbly and obediently in Egypt and later became second in power only to Pharaoh. The prophet Daniel behaved with a humble spirit in Babylon and was rewarded by God with a very high position in the government. David humbled himself under God's mighty hand during the fifteen years his life was threatened by King Saul, but in due time he was given the promised crown of Israel. But the best example we have of someone with a humble spirit is the Lord Jesus Christ, who humbled Himself under God's mighty hand and who now has been given the name above every name. (Philippians 2:9)
Not only does God desire to honor us for submitting to Him, but He also wants to bear our burdens. In the original Greek the word Peter uses for casting off our anxiety means to throw something heavy off our shoulders. A man in Peter's day would load a donkey by carrying his heavy belongings across his back and shoulders over to where the donkey was tied up, and then he would gratefully transfer the load from his back to the donkey's back which is much stronger. This is what God is saying to us, "My shoulders are strong enough to carry every burden. Yours are not. Transfer them to Me and trust Me with them. I don't want you bent down and staggering under a heavy load. How can You serve Me and My people that way? How can you help others with their problems when all you can think about are your own problems? I want you walking upright and strong as you work for My kingdom, so throw your burdens on Me. I care about you and I care about your problems. You can trust Me with them, so throw them onto me with a sigh of relief and get on with the things I've commissioned you to do."
Thursday, November 1, 2018
The Letters Of A Changed Man: A Study Of 1st And 2nd Peter. Day 14, Our Faithful Creator
The Apostle Peter has experienced various forms of persecution already. He remembers how opposition broke out against the growing church in Jerusalem, causing many of the believers to scatter to other regions where they preached the gospel. (Acts 8:1-8) In the day in which he is writing this letter, Peter is aware of prejudice and discrimination against Christians in certain areas of the Roman Empire. He may not yet know that the Emperor Nero is developing an intense hatred for those who follow Christ, but the Lord Jesus told Peter he would someday give his life for the faith. (John 21:18) History tells us he was crucified during the reign of Emperor Nero, that madman who was as much of an enemy to the Christians as Adolf Hitler was to the Jews.
Peter knows bad times are coming, so he tells his readers how to conduct their lives in a fallen world, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:8-11) Love seems to be lacking these days when I listen to the news. For the past couple of years it seems like election season has brought out the worst in people who don't know the Lord (and even in some people who do know Him). Some of the rhetoric is quite frightening. In my opinion it isn't any of our leaders who are causing division among our citizens; it's the citizens themselves who are causing division. The reason I believe this is because it is a personal choice whether to love or hate. The Lord tells us to choose love, for "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:10)
The political climate of Peter's day is becoming quite frightening. He encourages his readers, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:12) Satan has tried from the beginning to derail God's plans for mankind. Satan hates God and attempts to undermine everything God does, and his main focus is on us because we are the crowning glory of God's creation---made in His own image. Eve had hardly gotten moved into Eden before Satan was busy leading her astray, and he has been busy leading people astray ever since. So Peter says, "Don't be surprised when you face opposition for following the Lord. Being faithful to the Lord is the last thing the devil wants for you. He will try to make you give up and quit. The unbelieving world hates you because it hates Christ, and just as the world persecuted Him, it persecutes His people."
I once heard Dr. Charles Stanley say on his radio program, "If the devil isn't bothering you, you aren't bothering him." Peter says something similar next. The fact that the Lord's people are facing opposition is the proof that they are living right. If they weren't following Christ as they should be following Him, no one would notice or care. "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." (1 Peter 4:13)
As we said earlier in the week, suffering is inevitable in this Fallen world. Since we can't escape it, our suffering should be for doing right instead of for doing wrong. "If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, 'If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?'" (1 Peter 4:15-18) Peter quotes the words of King Solomon from Proverbs 11:31. Solomon knew that hardship could either bring out the best or the worst in people. Persecution has always strengthened the church because it strengthens the faith of Christians. But hard times have destroyed many a faithless person. Peter points out that the trials of this world prove who we are. To God's people trials are like fire that purifies gold, but to God's enemies trials only magnify their faithlessness.
"So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19) King David said to the Lord, "To the faithful You show Yourself faithful." (Psalm 18:25) God will be faithful to carry us through anything we must endure in this world. He is with us in the good times and in the bad times. Peter's own life and death are an example of this, for Peter was once a man so afraid for his life that he denied knowing Jesus, but God will give him the strength to die for the name of the One he once denied.
I don't know what forms of persecution we may have to face. We may only be ridiculed or excluded from things we'd like to be included in. We may be verbally attacked for our beliefs. We may even be physically attacked. The tide in the United States seems to be turning against those who hold to Biblical values and it could be that we will lose some of our rights to practice our faith. I don't know what may come against us, but our Creator is faithful. He will give us the grace to face anything, just as He gave apostles like Peter and Paul the grace to face anything, and just like He gave grace to His own Son to complete His mission on earth.
Peter knows bad times are coming, so he tells his readers how to conduct their lives in a fallen world, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter 4:8-11) Love seems to be lacking these days when I listen to the news. For the past couple of years it seems like election season has brought out the worst in people who don't know the Lord (and even in some people who do know Him). Some of the rhetoric is quite frightening. In my opinion it isn't any of our leaders who are causing division among our citizens; it's the citizens themselves who are causing division. The reason I believe this is because it is a personal choice whether to love or hate. The Lord tells us to choose love, for "Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:10)
The political climate of Peter's day is becoming quite frightening. He encourages his readers, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." (1 Peter 4:12) Satan has tried from the beginning to derail God's plans for mankind. Satan hates God and attempts to undermine everything God does, and his main focus is on us because we are the crowning glory of God's creation---made in His own image. Eve had hardly gotten moved into Eden before Satan was busy leading her astray, and he has been busy leading people astray ever since. So Peter says, "Don't be surprised when you face opposition for following the Lord. Being faithful to the Lord is the last thing the devil wants for you. He will try to make you give up and quit. The unbelieving world hates you because it hates Christ, and just as the world persecuted Him, it persecutes His people."
I once heard Dr. Charles Stanley say on his radio program, "If the devil isn't bothering you, you aren't bothering him." Peter says something similar next. The fact that the Lord's people are facing opposition is the proof that they are living right. If they weren't following Christ as they should be following Him, no one would notice or care. "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." (1 Peter 4:13)
As we said earlier in the week, suffering is inevitable in this Fallen world. Since we can't escape it, our suffering should be for doing right instead of for doing wrong. "If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, 'If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?'" (1 Peter 4:15-18) Peter quotes the words of King Solomon from Proverbs 11:31. Solomon knew that hardship could either bring out the best or the worst in people. Persecution has always strengthened the church because it strengthens the faith of Christians. But hard times have destroyed many a faithless person. Peter points out that the trials of this world prove who we are. To God's people trials are like fire that purifies gold, but to God's enemies trials only magnify their faithlessness.
"So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." (1 Peter 4:19) King David said to the Lord, "To the faithful You show Yourself faithful." (Psalm 18:25) God will be faithful to carry us through anything we must endure in this world. He is with us in the good times and in the bad times. Peter's own life and death are an example of this, for Peter was once a man so afraid for his life that he denied knowing Jesus, but God will give him the strength to die for the name of the One he once denied.
I don't know what forms of persecution we may have to face. We may only be ridiculed or excluded from things we'd like to be included in. We may be verbally attacked for our beliefs. We may even be physically attacked. The tide in the United States seems to be turning against those who hold to Biblical values and it could be that we will lose some of our rights to practice our faith. I don't know what may come against us, but our Creator is faithful. He will give us the grace to face anything, just as He gave apostles like Peter and Paul the grace to face anything, and just like He gave grace to His own Son to complete His mission on earth.
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