How quickly we move through life. For some of us, it feels like we were just getting ready to celebrate the turn of the millennium and now here it is 2023 already. As I began looking at Peter’s words in our text for this morning I could not help but be reminded that God is omniscient, that is He is all knowing. Well, of course He is all knowing, He lives in the eternal present meaning that for God there is no yesterday or tomorrow, only today. Remember, on the very first day of creation He created time for us, giving us light and night and day. Because God lives in the eternal present and sees all of our time at one time, He is all knowing, thus as we see, read and hear these words He inspired Peter to write we can see just how true these words are. Indeed, we do live in a world which seems to be moving more and more away from the Christian faith and the further the world moves the more it has, is and will turn against those who do hold the Christian faith, in other words, it will bring fiery trials to us.
We have been following along in Peter’s letter for the last few weeks and it is interesting that Peter warns us so much of what trials may come. Of course we understand that the people to whom Peter was writing were already facing persecution for their faith. This persecution is something we may not completely understand, because we do not really suffer for our faith, at least not as the people to whom he is writing and at least not to any great degree here in the United States of America, at least not yet. Yet, I believe we would do well to heed Peter’s words because there may come a day and will come a day when these trials will affect us directly and that day may come soon.
We begin with Peter’s warnings that trials will come. We begin at verse twelve (v. 12-19), “12Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.”
Peter warns us that we may suffer persecution simply for the fact that we are Christians. Why is it that we may suffer persecution? I believe it is simply for the fact of our exclusive claims as Christians. As Christians we believe there is one and only one way to eternal salvation in heaven and that way is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. This exclusive claim discounts all the other religions, cults, and sects of the world and judges them to be condemned. And really, this is not our word of judgement, but God’s Word of judgement. Interestingly enough, as churches in our country and in our world today are overtaken by our culture we are getting to the point when more and more so called “Christian” churches are upset at these exclusive claims. More and more so called “Christian” churches want to compromise, as they believe, for the sake of peace, and say that there are other ways to eternal life, or enlightenment as it may be called and that there are other viable options to salvation. Personally I can see happening in the United States what happened in the Roman Empire years ago, that is that one day it will be okay to be a Christian as long as we first acknowledge that all other religions, cults and sects are equally valid, which of course we cannot do, which will bring persecution.
When the day of persecution comes we will certainly want to read and reread Peter’s words of encouragement. Peter reminds us that Christ suffered first, and He suffered unjustly. Yes, of course, we know that is the reason Jesus came into this world, that is to suffer, but how often do we really acknowledge that it was because of my sin and because of His great love for me that Jesus did what He did. Yes, it was because of my sin that Jesus came into this world. It was because of my sin that Jesus went to the cross. It was because of His love for me that Jesus suffered unjustly. What Jesus suffered was ours to suffer and yet we have never, nor will we ever have to suffer the eternal consequences, the eternal death penalty of hell for our sins.
Just as Peter reminded us last week, so he reminds us again this week that it is better on earth to suffer unjustly for doing right and good than to suffer justly for doing wrong. At the same time he says it will also even better in heaven to suffer unjustly here on this earth for doing right and good than to suffer justly for doing wrong. Our earthly suffering is but for a short time, especially compared to our eternal life in heaven, thus it is certainly better to keep the faith even in the midst of suffering, rather than give up the faith because eternal life in heaven is a far greater thing than eternal death in hell.
Peter encourages us, “Let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good,” knowing that with the Lord’s help, with God on our side, we can remain faithful and we will be given the reward He has won for us in heaven.
Our text then picks up in chapter five with more of Peter’s words of warning and encouragement. We read beginning at verse six (v.6-11), “5:6Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
Peter’s gives us words of instruction. His first words are probably some of the hardest, that is that we are to humble ourselves. How difficult it is, in our “me first,” society in our “get ahead” culture, how difficult it is to humble ourselves before the Lord and especially before others.
We are to humble ourselves before the Lord and a part of humbling ourselves is that we are to cast all our anxieties on Him. Here again we get back to our roots and our American culture where we believe that we have to do everything for ourselves. How can we take care of our own anxieties if we cast them on the Lord? Perhaps a big part in humbling ourselves is in humbly recognizing what we cannot do, that is we cannot take care of our anxieties.
Peter encourages us here with the instruction to be sober-minded. To be sober-minded means to rightly admit what we can and cannot do. We can sin and we do sin. We sin and we sin boldly. We sin in thought, word and deed. We sin sins of omission, not doing what we are supposed to be doing. We sin sins of commission, doing what we are not supposed to be doing. And we cannot help ourselves. We sin and it is natural for us to sin. To be sober-minded means to admit and confess our sins and our inability to do anything about it, so we thus cast our sins and all our anxieties on the Lord, knowing that He has taken care of them.
Peter goes on to encourage us to watch. We are to watch because Satan, the devil, is a roaring lion. The devil hates anything good. He hates anything of God. His whole will and purpose is to destroy us. And so Peter encourages us to be on watch against the devil.
Peter reminds us that we are not alone. He says, consider your company, in other words, consider your fellow Christians around the world who are suffering for their faith. There are many who have suffered and we know that the Lord was with them during their suffering and as He was with them, so He will be with us.
And finally, Peter reminds us that our suffering will only be for a little while, then we will be given glory forever. Sometimes, especially in times of persecution, it is best to put things into an eternal perspective. An eternal perspective is to understand that our lives on this earth, although they may be up to a hundred years, yet, when compared to eternity, our lives on this earth are very short. So, what is important? Certainly our faith is important.
I believe Peter’s words give us a better perspective on life. While we are living on this earth, bearing the name “Christian” may not always be easy. And even though it may not be too difficult at this time, it may get harder. And I believe it will get harder.
Being a Christian may actually be the reason that testing comes to us. And testing may come from the world as well as the devil. Testing may come from within our own families, even within our own churches and congregations. Understand, the devil always works the hardest on those he does not yet have.
At the same time, as Christians, we have Christ on our side. As Christ has overcome all temptation, sin and death, so He helps us to overcome. Jesus knows what we are facing because He has already faced it all and even greater and He is ready, willing, and able to help us especially in times of need. Remember, the fullness of the Gospel is not simply that Jesus died for us, but the fullness of the Gospel is that Jesus lived for us. What we could not and cannot do, live a perfect life, be perfectly obedient, choose Jesus as our Savior, dedicate our lives to Him, He has done for us. He has chosen us. He was obedient for us. He dedicated His life for us. He lived in perfection for us because of His great love for us and He gives it all to us including faith, forgiveness, life and salvation.
Finally, we will always remember that the ultimate overcoming is eternal life in heaven. Perhaps we would do well to keep an eternal perspective in our own lives. Remember, this world is but a blink of the eye compared to eternity. Whatever difficulties, whatever persecution, whatever sadness, whatever anything we face in this world is nothing, really nothing, compared to eternal life in heaven which is what awaits us by faith in Jesus who won it for us and gives it to us. Remember, when difficulties come, even when our lives are threatened, what is the worst that can happen? We can die. If we die, by faith in Jesus we go to heaven and there we will have eternal joy and pleasure and that is a great thing.
And so, I encourage you as Peter does, when suffering comes, entrust yourself to the Lord who is your Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. Until then, immerse yourself in the Lord, making regular and diligent use of His means of grace for strengthening and keeping in faith. To God be the glory for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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