1 Peter 5:12-14

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12 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. 13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. 14 Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. ~ 1 Peter 5:12-14

Today, we come to the closing verses in the book of 1 Peter. This epistle, full of principles on how to maintain our hope in a world of suffering, was written by a man who fought the battles himself. Peter had no idea at the time that he was walking with the Lord Jesus that he was being prepared to write such a practical guide that would aid millions. This is the nature of our walk with the Lord. More of Him and less of me.

Peter was an eyewitness to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was there all during His ministry; he saw firsthand the transfiguration, stumbled at the crucifixion, and was restored at the resurrection. He beheld the ascension and participated in the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Peter sat with the elders of the early church and continued his witness of the work of Jesus Christ throughout his life. This letter, along with the other 65 books of the Bible, testifies to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the focus of Scripture and we are to keep our attention directed upon Him alone. 

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "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."

Silas who was Paul's companion during his missionary trips has now become Peter's companion. And, due to the fact that Peter did not have a formal education, Silas was helpful to Peter for writing his epistles. Here is discovered a tapestry that all of our lives have, proof that the Lord is in the middle of everything that happens in, to, through and around us.

It is the grace of God that declares the believer in Christ forgiven and acceptable before God. Nothing is earned or maintained with reference to our acceptance before God. Our perfect posture before God was procured by the Lord Jesus Himself. His grace rescued us from our spiritual blindness. It releases us from our bondage to this fallen world. God's grace gives us the faith to be utterly assured of what we cannot see. It frees us from refusing to believe in anything we cannot experience with our physical senses. God's grace connects us to the invisible One in an eternal love relationship that fills us with joy we have never known before and gives us rest of heart that we would have thought impossible. 

Peter encourages us to stand firm in this unmerited favor of God. Since there is nothing more powerful in this world than the grace of God, we must not move beyond its influence. In fact, we must be diligent to wallow in it. It is only the grace of God that acknowledges the ugliness of our sin and chooses to do the unthinkable to solve it. God, the Father, did this by sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in our place on the cross of Calvary. 

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark."

Peter used the name Babylon metaphorically for Rome. As we have pointed out before, the Apostle Peter wrote this epistle from Rome at the end of his life. Most commentators believe that in the book of the Revelation the Apostle John used Babylon as a code name for the Rome of John’s day. Like Babylon of old, Rome had gained a worldwide reputation for luxury, corruption, and power. Peter used Babylon instead of Rome in order to disguise his whereabout because he was in danger of being discovered and apprehended by the Romans.

Then Peter mentions Mark who was the young man who had abandoned Paul on his first missionary journey. This is yet again another picture of grace in action. In mentioning Mark, Peter closes this, his first epistle with not only the reason why we have a relationship with God, but also how we relate to one another after we have entered into a personal relationship with God. Whereas the Apostle Paul had given up on Mark, Barnabas nursed Mark back to the place of usefulness to God. It was the active nature of God's grace in the life of Barnabas and eventually the others that got Mark back to a posture of victory.

In v.14 of today's passage we read, "Greet one another with a kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ."

In this the final verse of this epistle Peter closes it out with the same sentiment that Paul used four times in his epistles: "Greet one another with a kiss of love." This was, and still is, the custom in many parts of the world. The kiss was intended as a greeting, just as western nations today shake hands or possibly hug, depending on familiarity. In the Far East, a deep and respectful bow is given in substitute of this.

The first kiss in the Bible is found in Genesis 27:26 when Isaac blessed his son Jacob before he departed to Padan Aram. From that point, the kiss is seen among the covenant people of God and among those who aren’t yet in the covenant, thus demonstrating the cultural nature of the greeting. When Jacob met Rachel, without knowing her in any familiar way yet, he kissed her. 

The premier example of this greeting is found in Luke 7 where the Lord Jesus said to the religious leaders, "You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil."

After this note of fraternal affection, Peter next says, "Peace to you all who are in Christ Jesus." To a Jew, the word "peace" is deeper than what we may think of it today. In biblical days it involved an entire state of contentment and calm. Thus, Peter’s words are a petition for wholeness and blessing, leading to what one might call a "fully satisfied soul." He then finishes with, "Amen," which means "so be it." And for all who read his letter of five chapters and 105 verses, may it be so that God's peace rules our lives. Amen!

1 Peter 5:10-11

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10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. ~ 1 Peter 5:10-11

Today, we continue our study of 1 Peter 5 where the Apostle Peter has been helping us to view our sufferings from the context of eternity. Our suffering is a part of God's curriculum to mature us in the faith. Having walked with the Lord Jesus, the believer in Christ knows the truth of Romans 8:28, "That all things work together for good to those who are called to God according to his purpose."

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

In this verse, Peter draws our attention to the fact that it is the grace of God that enables us to enter into a personal relationship with Him through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. In John 1 we read, "The law came by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Under the law of Moses, God demands righteousness from man. Under His grace, God gives righteousness to man. Under the law, righteousness is based on our good works; under grace, it's based on His finished work on the cross. Under the law, it only takes one sin to make us sinners; under grace, it only takes one Savior to fix it all. So to put it in its simplest form: grace is how God deals with you. It's not based on what you deserve, it's based on what the Lord Jesus did on the cross. 

In 1 Corinthians 5:21 we read, "God made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him." In other words, God treated the Lord Jesus Christ like we deserve to be treated, so He could treat us like the Lord Jesus deserves to be treated. That is the covenant of grace. We must know for ourselves God's grace to make it to the finish line. We are saved and secured by God's grace alone. 

The second part of v.10 reads, "...who called you to his eternal glory in Christ." Here, the Apostle turns our attention to the call of God upon our lives. God's purpose for our lives goes beyond the grace-filled life and it includes eternal life. When the Lord Jesus prayed that private prayer to His Father in John 17, He said, "Father, I want all those that you have given me to be with me where I am, that they may see my glory." One day, and perhaps real soon, our Father in heaven will answer that prayer when He takes us to be with Him in His glory. 

Next, in v.10, Peter writes, "...after you have suffered a little while." This suggests that there is light at the end of the tunnel in the process of suffering. In 2 Corinthians 4, we read, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though we are wasting away outwardly, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. And so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporal, what is unseen is eternal." 

The point here s that we are to live this life looking forward to what's beyond life. C. S. Lewis said, "Christians who do the most for this present world are those who think most of the next. Aim at heaven and you'll get earth 'thrown in': aim at earth and you'll get neither." 

The last phrase in v.10 reads, "...will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast." In this one portion of the verse, we are reminded of those things that God has done on our behalf for eternity through the person of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The first is "He restores us" which literally means "to repair or mend a net," or "to set back in place a broken bone."  When God mends our brokenness we will know the gift of holiness. This mending brings us to the place of being defined more by God and this is where we begin to grasp our wholeness or completeness in Christ.

The second is that "God makes us strong" which literally means "to be as firm as granite or steel." Through our suffering we are solidified and toughened, like fired and tempered steel. We need this type of tempered disposition in order to withstand this world's attacks upon us.

The third is that "God makes us firm" which literally, we will be "filled with bodily strength." It's like bodily discipline through exercise which toughens up a flabby body, replacing fat with muscle. That's what God's doing to and for us through our suffering. 

The final thing the Lord did for us is He made it possible for "God makes us steadfast" which literally means "to provide a foundation for a building." Here, Peter uses an architectural term which pictures the believer in Christ running to Him through his suffering. Our troubles have as their design to drive us to our foundation who is the Lord Jesus Himself. In suffering we figure out what is superficial in life, what is unnecessary, and we are driven to THE only One upon whom we can build our lives. 

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

Through Peter's outburst of praise here, we discover a principle behind it; and that is, when this life is all over, and the trials that shape our lives are all over, and the sufferings that bring refinement is all over, and death is all over, and we are in glory, then, we will all look back and say that everything that God did and allowed was perfectly justified. The proper response of the restored, strong, firm, and steadfast believer in Christ will be to give all the blessings back to the blesser. The Lord Jesus will get the credit for any success that we enjoyed. Therefore, to Him let us yield our lives for His glory because in loves service, only the broken can serve.

1 Peter 5:8-9

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8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. ~ 1 Peter 5:8-9

Today, we return to our study of 1 Peter 5 where the Apostle Peter directs our attention to the real battle that over shadows all other battles that we as followers of Christ encounter. Since we tend to make mountains out of our mole hills, it is good to get an eternal perspective to our daily lives. It has been said that "Eighty percent of life is how we respond to the twenty percent that happens to us."

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

Here, the devil is described as a roaring lion that prowls around seeking to devour the followers of the Lord Jesus. His posture reveals that he is limited and we must not allow him to become greater in our lives than he is. In fact, when we give in to him and his culture, we allow him greater status in our lives.

The word "devil" means one who attacks another by slander which is making a false verbal statement that damages someone’s reputation. It is a term that is used 35 times in Scripture. The devil is referred to as "Satan" 54 times in the Bible; another 5 times he is called "the evil one"; another 8 times he is called "the wicked one." He's also called "the destroyer," and "Lucifer." All of these names or titles reveal his true character and when we give in to him, we invite the very fires of hell into our existence.

In today's passage the devil is called the intimidating lion who wants to devour us. We would think this lion would sneak up on us instead of walking about and roaring. Contrary to his approach in the Garden of Eden when he was subtle and slithery, here he is a dangerous lion with a loud sound. He thinks that if he can intimidate us with his roar, we will think that he has the upper hand on us. This is not true, unless, like Adam in the Garden, we yield up the authority God has given us to battle him.

The word "devour" means to gulp down. The devil's ultimate goal is to see you and me burn in hell forever. In John 10 the Lord Jesus said, "The thief comes for no other reason except to steal, to kill, to destroy." Hell was not made for people; it was made "for the devil and his angels." But misery loves company and the devil wants to get as many people in hell with him, and he wants humanity to burn in hell forever. 

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

Satan has access to the entire world geographically, but his focus of attack is on believers specifically. Three times the Lord Jesus referred to Satan as "the ruler of this world." Paul refers to him as the "god of this world" in 2 Corinthians 4.  

The hardest thing about suffering is not that it sneaks up on us, the hardest thing about suffering is that it can overwhelm our faith with fear and pain. And that's exactly what Satan wants to do in our lives through suffering. The devil, that roaring lion, wants to derail our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is exactly why Peter commands us to resist the lion. This means we must be careful to not give him a foothold in our lives by feeding the flesh. And the flesh shows up in our lives as complaining, hatred, discord, and envy just to name a few. When we are being defined by the flesh, we will lack faith that the God of the Bible is doing a great work in our lives, even when we are encountering suffering and pain.  

The name "devil" means slanderer. In Revelation 12, he is called "the accuser of the brethren." One of the ways he tries to attack us is by accusation. He accuses us before God, our brothers and sisters in Christ, always trying to divide us. This is why we must resist talking badly about others behind their backs, even though what we may be saying is true. 

The Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:7, tells us the "thorn in the flesh" was given to him to keep him humble. Yet, he called it a "messenger of Satan." If God is sovereign over all things, including Satan, which He is, then God has control over the designs of Satan. God's design is holiness or wholeness in our lives, and He even uses the ill intentions of the enemy to accomplish His good work in and through us.

We "resist" the devil when we "stand firm in the faith." The devil is presented here as a vicious lion, but he is only a second-rate lion. He roars a lot and he sounds intimating, but he's a second-rate lion. In the book of the Revelation, the Lord Jesus Christ is called the "Lion of the tribe of Judah." When the Lord Jesus came the first time to this earth, He came as a Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. As the Lamb of God, while on the cross, He cried out with a loud voice, "It is finished!" That meant that all sin that had ever been committed and every sin that will ever be committed was judged in His body on that tree. And, everyone who trusts in Christ's finished work on the cross will live for eternity away from sin and death.

One day soon, the Lord Jesus will return as the Lion of Judah. And, "Out of His mouth will go a sharp sword. With it He will strike the nations." This will happen at the end the battle of Armageddon. Afterwards, "He Himself will rule all the nations with a rod of iron." This means the Lord Jesus Christ will come back to this earth, and He will rule and reign in righteousness. 

Finally, this earth will be a place that we will want to be in. And, as never before justice will be done. This will be so significant because just before the Lord returns a second time, the devil and his followers will ransack this old world and good will be called bad and bad will be called good. We can see this beginning to happen throughout this world today, and it will get so bad that for those longing for the appearing of the Lord's return at the end, it will be the most welcomed appearance.

1 Peter 5:5-7

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5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,"God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~ 1 Peter 5:5-7

Today, we return to our study of 1 Peter 5 where the Apostle Peter continues to show us the utter importance of submitting our lives to God. And, when we submit to Him, He will define us. Peter reveals two postures which cause us to either submit to God or to not submit to Him. Submission to the God of the Bible is the ultimate expression of wisdom and humility, and, pride is its nemesis. Humility and pride are center staged in today's passage.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'"

The group mentioned right before this verse were the elders who had the responsibility of shepherding the flock. The elders were commanded to lead by example. After addressing the elders, the Apostle Peter addressed those who were younger, and then everybody else, saying that we should be submissive and to humble ourselves before God. 

Peter's audience was made up of a group of sufferers. Twenty-one times in this letter he addressed the subject of suffering. So, he wrote this letter to a group of people who were intensely feeling the pain of suffering. And, it is in these contexts that good leadership shows up best. Those who feed God's suffering sheep give them the ability to navigate their suffering. And, most often through our sufferings we often resort to being defined by the flesh, we need oft reminders to humbly submit ourselves to the Lord who desires to inculcate His culture into our submitted lives. 

The word for "submit" is a military term that means to line up under. The idea is that we line up under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means that we relinquish our rights to Him. Peter commands us to voluntarily adapt ourselves to each other, or blend with one another, or to be willing to surrender our rights to the Lord Jesus for the benefit of the others who are in our lives. In God's economy, humility is essential to the success of the believer in Christ. And, in today's verses Peter gives two very important reasons for us to be humble.

All of society is built on the principle of submission. There are laws that we must live by. And if we do not keep them, those in authority will enforce those laws to help us remember. When we go to work, we have to submit to rules and regulations of the company or the vision and instruction of the boss. In virtually every part of life there is a structure, a chain of command for anything to work, and so, it is among believers in Jesus Christ. 

When we choose to be humble, we choose to submit ourselves to the capable hands of our Heavenly Father. In Micah 6:8 we read, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." God loves humility in His children because humility gives us the vantage point of wisdom and wisdom will always enable us to see the diabolical nature of the self life.

In v.6-7 of today's passage we read, "6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 

The primary expression of humility in this passage is when we "cast all our anxieties on God." Peter commands us to be humble because, if we are proud, the culture of God will be foreign to us. Peter also commands us to be humble because as we access His grace through humility, He will lift us up in due time. The primary hindrance to casting our anxieties on God is pride which most often expresses itself through the sin of worry.

Pride stubbornly refuses to be taught the ways of God, and makes its own wishes the measure of truth. Pride cannot trust God. The posture of trust is too weak and dependent for the proud. And, trusting God is the heartbeat of humility. When pride keeps us from trusting God to take care of us, there are two detrimental results: 1) false security based on our own imagined power and shrewdness to avert trouble, and 2) since we cannot guarantee our security, we are controlled by our anxiety.

Trust is the opposite of pride, and trust is the essence of humility. Trust is the confidence that God is not out to crush us but to care for us. We must be careful to not give pride safe haven in our souls; we must be diligent to cast our anxieties on Him because He will care for us. We learn to trust God by trusting Him. We don’t learn to trust simply by reading books on trust. We only learn to trust God by trusting God.

Finally, our choice to submit, to be humble and to rest in His will for our lives are not instantaneous things that come to fruition in our lives over night. These characteristics of God's culture take a long period of time for them to be inculcated into our souls and this process is supernatural. This process comes on the heals of us learning to trust the Lord increasingly. God has to work His culture in us as we choose to submit to Him. This process is sanctification or the reshaping of our souls by the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 5:1-4

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1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 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 pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. ~ 1 Peter 5:1-4

Today, we transition into 1 Peter 5 where the Apostle Peter turns his attention to those recognized as leaders among the flock. Leaders lead and are therefore recognized as such. We live in a day when leadership among God's people has been either professionalized or it is a popularity contest. Biblically speaking, those who have been gifted as leaders will lead because they are gifted by God to do such. If they do not lead, then they are not leaders no matter how many times they are voted into a position to lead. In today's passage are identified five temptations that could derail effective leadership. 

In v.1 of today's passage we read, "To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed."

The first two temptations in this verse that can derail real leadership are: losing sight of Christ's sufferings and losing sight of the coming glory of God. The key to being a follower of the God of the Bible is to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. If we do not follow Him consistently, we will not be motivated aright. We are commanded over and over in the Scriptures to keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus, in particular, we are told to focus on His death for us. God does this because there is no greater motivation for the human heart than to be reminded of His undying love for us. In addition, what His undying love has given us that we will share in His future glory.

When we lose sight of the greatest display of love ever displayed before us and what that has and will produce in our existence, we go the way of the self. It is the self that is our greatest enemy, not Satan, not the world, not unbelievers. To borrow a line from the song writer Charlie Peacock, "The disease of self that runs through our blood is a cancer that is fatal to our soul."

The people to whom Peter addressed these words were quite discouraged due to the sufferings that had come their way. They needed to be reminded that their faith was born and strengthened through suffering and adversity. It is God's way to use our suffering to give us eyes that see Him and a heart that pursues Him, resulting in a love for others. The Apostle Peter was the ideal disciple to be used of the Lord to pen these words. He was the only disciple who walked on water. He saw the glory of the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration, only to discover his worst nightmare of denying the Lord three times the night He was betrayed. In fact, when he denied knowing the Lord a third time, he cursed so badly the word he used could not be recorded in the Scriptures.

I have learned if we bear suffering the world’s way, it produces death, the death of bitterness and resentment toward God and others. I have met people through the years who are outstanding illustrations of this truth. People who received a wound, a hurt, trouble who were as a result resentful and bitter.  And, as a result, it has produced death in their life, death to their spirit, death to their joy. When God allows suffering in our lives, it is that we might experience, among many other things, Him and His comfort.  

In v.2 of today's passage we read, "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 pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve."

Peter exhorts those who do the work of leadership to "shepherd" those "under their care." The Lord is often seen as a shepherd in the Bible. In Psalm 23 we read, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." In Psalm 100 we read, "We are the sheep of his pasture, we are the people of his hand." Shepherds in the Scriptures are seen in a good light because of the care they provide the sheep. Sheep, on the other hand, in the Bible are not always put in the greatest of light. In Isaiah 53 we read, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we've all gone our own way." In fact, the only time sheep are placed in favorable light is when they're placed under the supervision of a good shepherd. Since sheep get lost easily, they do not navigate well, they do not find their way on their own. Sheep require constant oversight, constant leading, constant rescue, constant cleaning, or they will die. 

As indicated in this second verse, the second temptation that could derail authentic leadership is "dishonest gain." This is the motive of false teachers whom Jude describes as "those who care only for themselves." Instead, leaders should serve "eagerly," as if the work of shepherding the sheep itself is reward enough. In order to serve willingly and eagerly as a shepherd, one has to love the Lord before he attempts to love the sheep. Some sheep are really hard to love and if we do not have the heart of THE shepherd, we will not love like we ought. And, our love for the least reveals the most about the authenticity of our love for the sheep.

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock."

The next temptation that derails effective leadership is when leaders yield to the temptation of "lording (their leadership) over those entrusted to them." True leaders are those who know the way, who go the way, and then who show the way. As a result, true leaders will not serve in a "domineering" way, bossing, nagging, and threatening. They will not live to manipulate the sheep, and if they did, they would not have a flock of healthy sheep. The remedy for this is when leaders are "examples to the flock" of what it looks like to know and follow the Lord Jesus for themselves. If the leaders do not have the heart of the Shepherd themselves, they will not have a heart for His sheep.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away."

The final temptation that derails effective leadership is when the leaders lose sight of "the crown of glory that will never fade away." When Peter penned these words, he had in mind the Olympic games in Athens. Those who finish first, second, or third in the games received wreaths of leaves that were placed on theirs heads. Those wreaths did not last long. In fact, they died within a week. 

We can all labor for God for different kinds of crowns, but there is only one "crown that will never fade away." Sadly, some labor motivated by the crowns of fame and popularity, others for the crown of riches. But the best way to labor is out of the approval we have before God through the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. The best posture from which to serve God and others is the salvation that the Lord Jesus earned for us. In this case self is never in the equation. From this posture, we choose to lay down our lives for the One who laid down His life for us.

1 Peter 4:17-19

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17 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? 18 And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. ~ 1 Peter 4:17-19

Today, we conclude our study of 1 Peter 4 where the Apostle Peter has addressed a group of young first century Christians who were being brutally persecuted by all in the known world at that time. In today's passage Peter gives further instruction on how to handle suffering.

Suffering is within God’s will for the believer in Jesus Christ. This is true even when Satan may be the immediate cause. But, God is always poised to bring good out of our hardships, most importantly, to give us a deeper walk with Him. God uses all things together for our good and for His glory. When we give God enough time, He reveals the genius of His ways to us.

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "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?"

Peter speaks of judgment for believers in Christ here not as punishment, rather, he speaks of judgment as the act of separating the real from the fake. God uses suffering in order to inculcate His culture into our lives. Think of a judge who uses scales to weight two metals to determine which was is genuine and which one is a fraud. God uses the purifying work of suffering to change the believer from the inside out, enabling us to know what is good and of God. This work is a process we know to be sanctification. Whereas our justification before God was procured by Christ alone on the cross, our sanctification is a process whereby God is changing our souls which is made of our minds, our wills, and our emotions. God's role behind the suffering in the life of the believer in Christ is to inculcate His culture into us through our suffering.

On the other hand, the role of suffering in the life of the unbeliever has as its design to draw the unbeliever to faith in the God of the Bible. And, for those who do not believe, evidenced by their lack of obedience to God, they will spend eternity separate from God and all that is good. God did not create evil. And, hell seems to be a very harsh punishment for sin, that is until we understand that behind the smallest expression of wickedness is the wicked one himself. In hell, sin will one day be banished forever and never again will it threaten the well being of humans.

Judgement is always involved in the choices we make. This is the nature of the truth; it involves discrimination between that which is true and that which is false. Having trusted in the One who referred to Himself as the Truth, the believer is protected from the judgement of God. Not so, for the unbeliever.

For the believer in Christ, the judgement Peter wrote about here is different than the judgement God exacts on those who choose not to believe that the sacrifice of Christ paid the penalty for their sin. Believers in Christ go through suffering so that we may hone our abilities to make correct judgment. God does not allow suffering in our lives because He hates us, He allows suffering in our lives because He loves us and He desires for us growth. Our sufferings drive us to God enabling us to know the heart of our heavenly father.

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

In this verse Peter quotes Proverbs 11:31. The salvation of the believer in Christ includes persecution and hardship. God uses suffering in our lives in an instructive way. It is kind of like a remedial test through which God teaches us the destructive nature of sin and the gloriousness of the truth. That kind of judgment is hard for us and it will continue in our lives until the Lord takes us home to live in eternity with Him. Suffering helps us to see the importance of a clear evaluation of all things, including our suffering. It is hard, but as we grow in our understanding of it, we will recognize its real value.  

Whereas it is hard to get heaven into the believer, it is impossible for any human to get into heaven apart from him believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. In fact, it was the Lord Jesus who said, "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter heaven." 

According to Luke's gospel, the word used for needle was a surgeon's needle. Luke narrowed the word so specifically because he himself was a doctor. The point the Lord Jesus was making is it is most difficult for someone who trusts in money to get into heaven. In fact, when the disciples heard this teaching, they were greatly astonished and they said, "Who then can be saved?"  The disciples being Jewish believed if the rich can't get saved, nobody can get saved. Of course, they were wrong. They believe that if one has riches, wealth it's a sign of God's blessing on that one's life.

No person on earth can be saved in and of and by himself. It is simply impossible. This is why the Lord Jesus had to come and live a perfect life, measuring up to the truth, and dying a perfect death, defeating death through His resurrection. His purchase of our salvation is something no human could possible do due to our fallenness.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

God is a faithful Creator, not just of a few small things in our lives, but of the entire universe. He spoke, and light was created. He breathed, and life began. He keeps the planets spinning. He keeps our hearts beating. He is our faithful Creator. Sometimes we feel as if our lives are spinning out of control, yet God has always been faithful to hold our lives together when we let Him. The Creator of the universe is trustworthy. The God who created the heavens and the earth is big enough to handle whatever problems we encounter in this life. He has a proven track record. So, Peter reminds us to trust Him in our suffering. 

Peter ends today's passage with a challenge to trust God while doing good. We are to trust God in our suffering while doing good. We, as believers in Christ, should be the most motivated to do the will of God for many reasons, especially for the sake of those who have not trusted Christ as their Savior. I believe the paramount to the good that we can do in this world is topped by being faithful to share the gospel with the lost. I am most grateful to those who loved me enough to tell me the truth. Without their stedfast obedience, I wonder where I would be today. I am truly grateful for the many who chose to obey the God of the Bible and tell me of their relationship with Him and to share with me the gospel of Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 4:15-16

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15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. ~ 1 Peter 4:15-16

Today, we return to 1 Peter 4 where the Apostle Peter is pulling back the curtain so that we can see the precedents to the believer's intimacy with God. In today's two verses, the Apostle Peter gives us two dangers when we are suffering for Christ. 

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler."

Peter reminds us our suffering should not be the result of irresponsible living, such as murder, thievery, criminality or meddling. In 1 Peter 2:20 we read, "For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?" Again, in 1 Peter 3:17, we read, "For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right, rather than for doing what is wrong."

The phrase "any other kind of criminal" employed in today's verse is used to cover all the crimes not mentioned in the first two words. Then, Peter adds one other very interesting word, he says, "or even as a meddler." This is the only time in the New Testament that this word is used. This word "meddler" describes a revolutionary who disrupts society. 

In v.16 of today's passage we read, "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."

The second danger Peter mentions in today's passage is to be ashamed of the name of Jesus Christ. This is the third and last time that the title "Christian" is used in the New Testament. The other two occurrences are in Acts 11:26 and Acts 26:28. The word "Christian" simply identifies one as a follower of Christ. 

In the courtyard of the High Priest, Ciaphas, it was Peter who was ashamed of the Lord. Peter's shame showed up when he denied knowing the Lord Jesus on the night Jesus was betrayed. Perhaps, as Peter wrote these words, he thought back to that early morning some 30 years earlier when he denied knowing the Lord those three times. After the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, Peter demonstrated a different approach to life. This was largely due to the indwelling Holy Spirit. In fact, this is why you and I desire to bring honor to our Savior. Of course, He rescued us by dying on the cross for the penalty of our sin. And just like Peter, He has given us the Holy Spirit who has given us a new heart with new desires.

The shame that Peter felt that early morning some thirty years earlier was a product of his guilt. Peter didn't know what to do with his guilt. It was only until after he was born again that he began to understand guilt. Guilt is the nerve ending of the soul. Guilt can be good and it can be bad; it can drive us to the Lord or it can drive us away from the Lord. It is kind of like fear; it is a product of sin. And, guilt gives birth to shame if we allow guilt to drive us away from the Lord. It is in being driven to the Lord that our guilt and our shame serves us. And, when we begin to understand that on the cross the Lord Jesus took our guilt and shame along with all of our sin from us so that we would not be defined by it. 

I am finding that the greatest thing in life is to bring honor to Him, no matter what is required and no matter the cost. Bringing honor to the One who rescued me from certain damnation for eternity is simply not enough to express the gratitude that I have for what He has done for me. This gratitude grows as my understanding of my guilt and my shame grows. And the more I understand that, the more I understand the enormity of the payment He made on that cross for me.

Faith in the God of the Bible is the belief that He will do what is right. Many believe faith is that God will do what we want Him to do. Faith in the God of the Bible is that He will do what is right and true. This is the best for all of us because only that which is right and true will endure into eternity. 

Peter ends today's verse with this phrase, "praise God that you bear that name." 

The name Jesus, announced to Joseph and Mary through the angels means "Yahweh saves." Transliterated from Hebrew and Aramaic, the name is Yeshua. This name is a combination of Ya, an abbreviation for Yahweh, and the verb Yasha, meaning "rescue," "deliver," or "save." The Lord Jesus came to this earth because Yahweh saves.

For years I kept the Lord Jesus at arms length. It wasn't until the greatest heartbreak came to me that I turned to Him and I began to get to know Him in a personal way. As a result, over time I was willing to let Him into my life. And now, the greatest privilege in life for this bedraggled ragamuffin is to say to Him, "Yes, Lord." After entering into a personal relationship with the Lord, I am discovering that the more I let God take over my life, the more I am becoming the person He made me to be. Many have drawn the wrong conclusion of Him because they have not honestly considered His person, His life and His claims. This same Lord Jesus who created all, who defined everything in the beginning, loved us enough to yield Himself to the cruelty of the Roman cross so that we could be truly defined by God.

When the Lord Jesus hung on the cross, He experienced a distance from God the Father that you and I deserve but we should never experience. Had He not gone through with the redemptive plan of God, we would be without hope of any kind. Since He took our sin upon Himself and God judged it in His body on that tree, the penalty for our sin has been paid and now we are in His family for eternity. 

1 Peter 4:14

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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 4:14

Today, we return to our study of 1 Peter, the book with the theme of hope in the times of suffering. In today's verse the Apostle Peter continues with the same general idea as he had written about in the past two verses. In those two verses, the Apostle mentioned the fiery trial of believers, and our participation in Christ’s sufferings. For the believer in Christ these are to be expected and actually are a point of honor. 

Peter begins today's verse with, "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ." 

This portion of this verse is not speaking of suffering which is a result of faith in Christ as much as it is a title of honor for bearing the name of Christ. The reproach is because of the honorable name the believer in Christ bears, and it is used as an insult by those who do not bear it. This is not a problem for the believer who is being defined by God. In fact, when we are being defined Him, the insults of others will not result in their designed intentions. Those who insult us do this in order to get us to respond in like manner. When we resist the lurings of the flesh or the evil desires that are yet within us even though we are born again, we experience the pronouncement of God's Spirit and power upon, in and through us.

We do not understand the power of God unless we see it displayed in our lives. We do not really experience God's power unless we go through suffering. Notice that I said "go through." Those who cut the process short, desiring comfort or relief over substance, miss out on the deepening of their hearts for the very pronounced presence of God. Our comfort, which is what our suffering disrupts, blinds us from the reality of God's presence being pronounced in and through our lives. It also blinds us to God's power being released into and through our lives. It is our fallenness that almost always requires us to go through suffering in order to be more intimate with God. And, we will not know the pronounced presence and power of God personally until we turn to Him in the midst of our suffering. This is the subject of the second half of this verse. 

The Apostle uses the phrase "for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you" strategically in this verse. The word "glory" speaks of the shekinah glory that was visible over Mount Sinai when God gave the Law to Moses. This shining glory was visible over the tabernacle as Israel traveled through the wilderness out of Egypt. It was visible when the temple was dedicated in Jerusalem. This was the glory which Peter saw when the Lord Jesus was transfigured before him on the mountain with James and John. This cloud of glory is the outward manifestation of God's presence among His people. When the Old Testament believers saw this cloud in its various forms, they knew that God was with them, and they were assured of God's presence. Peter says believers in Christ  actually have the same glory of God, in us, over us, around us, protecting us, directing us, even though we have a very difficult time seeing it. This verse is a reminder when we suffer for the name of Christ that we are sharing in His sufferings. We are put in a place to give evidence of God's blessing and presence and power as we stand tall amid the suffering.

The blessing that the Apostle wrote about here is not a subjective happiness; it is the objective presence and power of God in our yielded lives through the Holy Spirit. When we are insulted because of our identity in Christ, we are blessed because God's presence is pronounced in, to, and through us. To know His presence is the most fulfilling experience for any believer. I find it instructive that in heaven at the end of time according to Revelation 22, believers in Christ will be the temple or the resting place of God. In that context, we will be most fulfilled. So, it makes good sense that when we are insulted because of the person of the Lord Jesus, we will experience God's presence in such a way that we will be most satisfied.

The word "rests"  speaks of the refreshing that comes when we yield to the most dominant power in the midst of our suffering. Many down through the years have been martyred for their faith and they totally transcended the physical pain during the persecution. Some have been known to sing hymns while their physical lives were being taken from them. They were able to do those things because they hosted the pronounced presence and power of God in that moment. This happened because the Spirit of God had rested upon them to lift them up beyond the physical dimension. 

This reminds me of Philippians 2:13 which reads, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."

When our wills agree with God, we are rendered powerless and helpless to do what we need to do. This is where the Lord shows His power and His glory. As a result, we "work out" what God "works in" us. We do not work to earn "our salvation," we allow the very life of the Lord Jesus to be manifested to and through our yielded lives. As we do this, we do not oppose God's will. No, His will becomes our will.

1 Peter 4:12-13

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12 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. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. ~ 1 Peter 4:12-13

Today, we return to our study of 1 Peter 4 where the Apostle Peter addressed first century Christians who were unmercifully being persecuted. According to history, we know that at that time the ruler of the world, Nero, had set the city of Rome on fire in order to blame Christians, justifying his ill treatment of them throughout his empire.

Atheists tell us that the universe is random and we should take a blind and an indifferent approach life because it is without meaning and purpose. But, when we go through our darkest of moments like these to whom Peter wrote, that postulate just does not cut it because there is absolutely no comfort, no hope in that approach to life. If there is no God, then where did we get the standard of goodness by which we measure evil? This argument for God's existence is called the moral argument which underscores the idea that if there is no God, there should not be any ultimate values. And, if there are no ultimate values, there should be no such thing as good or evil. But, to this, I find it amazingly instructive that I have never heard an atheist speak at a funeral; it is only those who have hope that are asked to speak at such events. Those with hope have an ultimate standard. This is revealing of a much deeper truth.

The Apostle Peter addressed the problem of suffering no less than 21 times in this letter. And, one thing that sticks out most in this epistle is that God works in and through our suffering and our pain. And, when we say, "There is so much evil in the world," we only say that because we innately know that there is a supreme good. And if there is a supreme good, there must be a supreme being behind it. I taught middle and high school students for thirty one years. When my students made less than the perfect mark, it was presupposed there was a standard of perfection. The perfect mark was the standard by which everything else was measured. 

Having said that, we wrestle with the fact that we live in an imperfect world. It was once perfect but through the Fall of man in the Garden of Eden, imperfection entered the world, and, sin was given its birth. God is not to blame for sin because sin is the devaluing of that which God defined as good in the beginning. But, God offers us hope through the fact that He majors in the art of pulling victories out of our mistakes. The question is whether we will embrace His hope or not.

In v.12 of today's passage we read, "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."

Unexpected struggle causes us to feel insecure because in those moments we discover that we are truly not in control of our lives. This is why it is so important for us to give the control over to the Lord because He truly has everything in control even when it appears that He does not. In fact, God is most acutely aware and He is most resoundingly attentive to each one of us when we are going through our most arduous moments. We only discover this when we honestly turn to Him. 

Once we have turned to the God of the Bible, it is then that we discover that He is all wise and He knows that we grow the most when we are going through the most difficult of trials. In His culture we discover that suffering is always purposeful. Peter says that it's purpose is to strengthen our trust in the God of the Bible. We must look at suffering with confidence that God is working through it to accomplish His greater good. 

Wednesday night, January 30, 2019, my 24 year old son went in to cardiac arrest. It was a tremendous blow to my being when I was told. As I drove down Interstate 20, I spoke with the Lord. I wasn't mad, I was just confused, because my son was really coming into his own as a teacher in a rural elementary public school. The Lord was using him in his students lives. As I drove along at a rapid rate, I told the Lord that I trusted Him, and whatever He decided I would accept. I just asked Him to help me and my remaining family navigate the trial. Eight days later I watched my middle son, Will, walk out of the hospital. We had experienced a miracle. I do not believe that the enormity of my faith produced that miracle. No, it was that God decided to leave my son on this earth for His glory. And, that it the purpose of our trials, so that He would be glorified and people would be drawn to Him.

If my son had died, I know on the authority of the Scriptures where he would be right now ... he would be in the presence of the Almighty God. In part, this trial forced me to face one of my biggest fears. It wasn't that the fear crumbled in the presence of my great faith. No, it crumbled in the great presence of my God. You see, the key to all of life is this: Who defines me? If it is anything less than the Lord Jesus Christ, our lives will crumble beneath the pressure of the outside forces that are much greater than we.

The "something strange" in this verse indicates a lack of understanding as to why trials occur in our lives in the first place. There should be no doubt as to why believers in the Lord Jesus face trials. Through our trials, God wants to provide a power that is accessed through our weaknesses; He desires for us to know His power. More acutely, He desires that we know Him most intimately. And when know Him like this, He defines us. This will result in the fact that we learn to walk with Him  through our mountainous situations with victory. This does not mean we will be free of pressure and pain, but it does mean we will be able to see the purposes for which we encounter various trials of many kinds. And, germane to all of the trials that we encounter is this: that we know the God of the Bible who is the very source of our strength.

In v.13 of today's passage we read, "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Believers in Christ participate in sufferings which are similar to those which Christ endured. The difference is our sufferings are emblematic of His sufferings, but we do not literally participate in His actual sufferings. Actually, it is through our sufferings that we are offered a deeper level of intimacy with the Lord Jesus. The question is: What will we do with our trials? Will we run to Him through our trials?

The word translated as "overjoyed" has the same root as at the word "rejoice" found at the beginning of this verse. It is through our pain and sufferings that we are granted greater opportunities to go deeper in our intimacy with the Lord. And, it is through our pain and suffering that we are granted the where with all to see our need for Him and His wisdom. When we suffer as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is obviously of great value to the Lord. When we endure trials and we lay hold of the multicolored purposes that He has in store for us, we will be tremendously overjoyed when He appears at His return.

1 Peter 4:10-11

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10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 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 for ever and ever. Amen. ~ 1 Peter 4:10-11

Today, we continue our study of 1 Peter 4 where we are learning certain principles that aid us in navigating in this fallen world which is not our home. In today's passage we learn of the importance of our spiritual gifts in the context of community. Every Christian has a spiritual gift, a spiritual enabling from the Holy Spirit who grants us the capacity to help others through the exercising of our spiritual gift. The goal is that believers in Christ through the exercising of our collective spiritual enablements are strengthened in the faith to navigate in this lost and dying world.

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."

When we first believed on Christ as our Savior, we were given spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are enablements from the Spirit of God who has made us alive to Himself and the things of God. These gifts give us the capacity to serve God and others. The fact that God has given us spiritual gifts, highlights the fact that God is a giving God. When I think of giving, I think of grace. Ah, grace, that unique characteristic of God which makes it possible for us to access His love.

Where as our text today uses the phrase "God’s grace in its various forms," some translations use the words "manifold grace of God" in this verse. This particular Greek word is used as an adjective to describe God's grace. This word is the emphasis in this verse. Most desire to emphasize the spiritual gifts, but that is not the case here. If it weren't for the "manifold grace of God" we would have no gifts from the Spirit.

The word translated "manifold" or "various forms" is a word that means "many-colored." Here, God inspired the Apostle Peter to paint a picture for us: He writes about the "many colored grace of God." The Greek word Peter used here was used to describe a garment that had many colors. The grace of God shows up in our lives as multi-colored and it leaves us and others spell bound. God's grace is not monotone. It is multi-faceted. However, if we are not being defined by God through our obedience, we will not experience the blessing that God has in store for us. As is the case with all of God's gifts given to us, the goal of the gifts is not for our benefit but for the benefit of others around us.

Philip Yancey once wrote, "Grace implies a risk, the risk that we might abuse it. Yet as I read the Bible, God seems quite willing to take that risk. Remember that Jesus made the “failures” the heroes of his stories. The question isn’t whether God will forgive us in the future, it’s whether we will repent and ask for forgiveness. God’s grace is there for us to receive, if only we hold out open hands."

Grace is free, not earned. Grace rescues us from our spiritual blindness. Grace changes us like nothing else. When we understand that we can do nothing to earn or maintain God's favor and He still gives it, we are blown away with gratitude.

God's grace can only be accessed through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why God requires us to come to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus. 

You see, Christ is the only perfect one and His perfect life and death procured God's favor for all who would be humble enough to receive the free gift of God's forgiveness. In order to grasp "grace" we must go back to the old Hebrew equivalent to the word grace in the New Testament. It means "to bend" or "to stoop." God chose to stoop in order to help us in our helplessness. The Holy One, the All powerful One stooped in order to be in the position to deliver His grace to us.

The story is told of a man who was in a federal building and he was thirsty. As he walked through the halls of the building, he looked quite anxiously for a water fountain. Just then, he noticed the water fountain down the hallway. As he approached the newly installed water fountain, he looked for a pedal to step on, there was none. He looked for a button to press, there was none. At that point a worker came and fixed a sign to the wall just behind the water fountain which read, "stoop and drink." We can only access God's favor by stooping and drinking.

John Piper once said, "The most precious gifts you can think of are not ends in themselves. They all lead to God. Ultimately, that is what all His gifts are for.” God has gifted us in order to point others back to Him. But, we must be diligent to constantly "stoop and drink."

In v.11 of today's passage we read, "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 for ever and ever. Amen." 

Peter uses gifts from one end of the spectrum to the other to hammer home a very important point: No one gift is better than the other. Every gift is given and determined by the Holy Spirit. The moment He came to bring the culture of God to our souls, He delivered gifts which enable us to do His work on this earth in tandem with Him. We did not choose what gifts we end up with, however our gifts will reveal our passions to serve others. So, if we have a speaking gift like teaching or preaching, we most enjoy doing such. If our gift is more behind the scenes we will enjoy doing the behind the scenes things that are essential in ministry.

I close with a true story from 1945. During World War II there was a French village that was bombed. This village had a very important statue; It was a statue of Jesus Christ. The statue was broken to pieces. The townspeople collected the pieces and stored them until after the war was over. When the war was over, they rebuilt the statue. They found all the pieces, glued it back together, and put the statue in the town square. Only one problem, they couldn't find the hands. So it was a statue of Christ without hands. Now, the hands were very important to them, they bore the marks of the crucifixion. They couldn't find the hands. They looked high and low, but they couldn't find the hands. So one day somebody in that town put a plaque underneath. It read, "He has no hands but ours." This is the concept being communicated in this passage. Believers in Christ are equipped by the Holy Spirit with spiritual gifts to be the hands of the Lord Jesus to others. We are the expression of Jesus Christ in this world especially as we exercise our spiritual gifts.

1 Peter 4:8-9

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8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ~ 1 Peter 4:8-9

Today, we continue our study of 1 Peter 4 where the Apostle Peter is giving us principles about how to relate to one another while we are suffering severely. The wisdom needed from God is a must in order to navigate the frustrations and disappointments that we face in this life.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

This letter was written to a group of believers who were suffering intensely. It is when we are struggling that we find it most difficult to love others; it is also the most difficult time to be grateful. One of the major roles of our suffering and our pain, though, is to help us to recognize and to know the contrast between what is true and what is not. Being able to recognize the difference between good and evil is wisdom and it is wisdom that enables us to receive God's culture into our existence. This is where our trials serve us; they serve to drive us to the place where we increasingly are depending upon God and we are being defined by Him. The key is that we run to Him through our pain, that we run to Him for His definition of us.

In this verse we are admonished to love deeply those who are believers in the Lord Jesus. A careful study of the word "love" in this verse and a careful study of the word "hospitality" in the following verse reveals that unless we experience God's unconditional love and practice it among our brothers in the Lord, we will not be known for practicing brotherly love or hospitality to those believers we have never met. The word the Apostle chose to use in this verse for "love" is "agape" or commitment type of love. Then, in the verse to follow Peter used "phileo" with is brotherly love. As you will see, the usage of these two different words fro love is quite instructive to us. Both of these two types of love enable us to realize God's culture among us, all the while fighting back sin and grumbling.

God, by nature, is love, and it is only His kind of love that "covers a multitude of sins." In fact, it was His love that caused Him to send His Son to earth to shed His blood on the cross so that we could be made acceptable into heaven. The Greek word translated "deeply" means "stretched" or "strained." The Greeks originally used this word to describe the way a horse stretched forward to reach its top speed.  

In order to love this way we must be defined by God and to be energized to strain forward with those who are feeling the weight of the pressures of this world. It is this kind of love that enables us to strain forward with our commitment to those who are not easy to love. Human love can help sinners face sins and repent from those sins, but it has no power to blot out sin. True love cannot enjoy fellowship with the works of darkness. True love loves the truth and judges according to that truth. The role of true love is to choose truth and to resist its opponent, sin and self. In today's passage Peter describes two aspects of this kind of love, it is a love that covers sin and it is a love that recovers the fallen.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." 

The word translated "hospitality" here is the word from which we get our English word "hospital." This is the practical display of love. The word Peter used here for love means "to love a stranger who is a member of God's family." Peter tells us to love like brothers other believers whom we do not know well. This Greek word translated "hospitality" is a compound word, joining the word that means brotherly love with the word that means stranger or foreigner. In Peter's day the public hotels were immoral places, and both Christians and non-Christians tried to bypass them if they could. So it was necessary for people to open their homes to travelers who were also believers in the Lord. Peter says one of our paramount characteristics of the believer in Christ ought to be that we love strangers.

It is our gratitude that gives birth to this desire to be of help to a brother in need. When we complain, gratitude is not allowed to give the platform needed to these two very important choices. Gratitude provides the hands and feet that enable us to love in this very practical way. And, the biggest disease today is not cancer nor AIDS nor tuberculosis; the biggest disease today is lovelessness. Strangely, I am finding that my gratitude grows in spite of the hardships that I encounter in this life. In fact, I am discovering that as I go through hardships and He embraces me as I embrace Him through those hardships, it is then that I really experience His heart for me. This is not possible without our trials. We would want to avoid the trials but in so doing, we would avoid intimacy with God. This is what causes our hearts to swell with gratitude because we recognize that God is truly involved in our lives.