Readings for today: 1 Peter 1-5
It is the fundamental assumption of the early Christians that following Jesus would involve suffering. They knew their faith would make them different. Set them apart. They knew they would not be welcomed in either Jewish or Gentile societies. The Jews would consider them heretics. Blasphemers. People who dishonored God by claiming Jesus as Messiah. The Gentiles would consider them seditious. Traitors. People who dishonored Caesar by claiming Jesus as Lord. As a result, they had nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. There was no place they could go for safety. So what did they do? They endured and they trusted God would use even their suffering for their good and His glory. Listen to how the Apostle Peter, a man well-acquainted with suffering himself, puts it. “You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials so that the proven character of your faith, more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire, may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 CSB)
Suffering is not just external. It’s also internal. We battle not just forces external to us like the world, human society, and cultural norms. We fight a spiritual battle against our own sinful nature. Once again, Peter puts it in stark terms. “Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul.” (1 Peter 2:11 CSB) Every day we face temptations. Every day our flesh tries to draw us away from God. Every day the enemy attempts to get us to indulge our sinful desires. It could be greed. It could be selfishness. It could be lust. Sex, money, and power tend to be the biggest draws. But we must resist these desires and live holy lives before the Lord and before our friends and neighbors in the world.
How do we do this? Especially when our flesh is so weak? When our strength is so small? Once again, Peter gives us the answer. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you. Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.” (1 Peter 5:6-10 CSB) I can’t tell you the number of times God has used these specific verses to encourage and challenge me. The reality is I battle temptation every day. The needs that come my way as a pastor are often overwhelming. I find myself coming face to face with my own inadequacies on a regular basis. And there are times when I start to lose hope. Start to lose heart. Especially when I spend time with my friends around the world who are suffering under intense persecution. It is in those moments that God reminds me the battle belongs to the Lord…not to me. It is the God of all grace who restores, establishes, strengthens, and supports…not me. It is the mighty hand of God that holds all my anxieties and fears…not mine. And I can trust Him. He will be faithful.
Readings for tomorrow: Hebrews 1-4