1 Peter 4:12-19

1 Peter 4:12-19 

English Standard Version 

  "Rejoice when you suffer" hasn't been a very popular recruiting line in the church.  Some churches out there will tell you that being a Christian will make you suffer less.  Some people will even say that if you're suffering, that means you're not a strong enough Christian.  Those people are wrong. If they were right, then how do you explain Jesus?  He was the most perfect Christian that ever lived, and he suffered more than anyone else.  He suffered more than all of humanity, and it wasn't because he wasn't a good enough Christian -- he did it because we fell short and because he loves us.  

  Suffering will always be hard.  There's never an easy way through it.  But when we suffer, it can be a reminder to us of God's tremendous love for us, and it can help us remember to give thanks for all that God has done for us.

1 Peter 4:7-11

1 Peter 4:7-11

English Standard Version 

  It's easy to despair.  There are plenty of reasons... the latest news of the latest tragedy.  It breaks your heart to read the news, to see what people go through.  Some things in the world simply make us angry, while others leave us at a loss for words.

  Scripture reminds us to be dedicated to a life of prayer.  If we keep at this, it reminds us to love one another and use our gifts for the good of the world.  To remain faithful, day by day, in the face of incredible adversity, is a tremendous gift to the world.  Be steadfast in the face of opposition, remembering constantly that it is the strength of God at work in us, moving through us and out into the world.  Only through God will the world be saved, so let us not grow weary of doing good but persevere for the glory of God!

1 Peter 4:1-6

1 Peter 4:1-6 

English Standard Version 

  When I was driving in Atlanta, it required a different way of thinking.  To follow the speed limit was to risk life and limb.  Obeying traffic laws could imperil you.  To drive the way that I drove in Cincinnati would've been futile.

  This letter is suggesting the same method to us.  When we convert to being a Christian, we can't keep living like we did beforehand.  We should see the world differently, and that should change the way we act.  Our suffering should no longer lead us to despair, but rather we abide always in hope, for the time in which the passions of the flesh reigned has past, and we now live with Gospel hope in the Kingdom of God entwined deep in our hearts.  Chasing worldly pleasures that lead us into places of division cannot satisfy, for we have heard whispered in the depths of our hearts the truth that will truly satisfy, and therefore the devil's empty promises ring hollow.  We know they are lies, and because we have heard the truth, our appetites have changed.  

  We watch the world and wonder if things are really fair.  They are not, fortunately, for we who deserve death are given life through Jesus Christ, thanks be to God.  God alone is the judge, and we must entrust that the God who comes as judge is the same God who comes as Savior.  What will happen to those who choose evil?  We cannot know.  Will they receive the blessed mercy that Christ offers?  Will they see the error of their ways and repent?  Will they know the truth and be set free by it?  Will they perish, clutching at their empty idols?  

  We don't know.  May we have the humility and wisdom to pray for all, and to trust in God.  

1 Peter 3:18-22

1 Peter 3:18-22 

English Standard Version 

  As we draw nearer to Christmas, a few things happen.  You start to feel like the season is racing by and you're not ready for Christmas, and the inundation from commercials becomes unbearable.  Maybe Christmas traditions help anchor the season by providing things to look forward to or celebrations that remind you of the connections we have, but it's so hard to stay focused during Christmas.  It always seems to me like the next thing is bearing down on me.

  Scripture has its ways of reminding us of the miracles of God's love.  The more we read, the more we listen, we see and hear God's promises appearing over and over.  They overlap and intersect, with Noah pointing ahead to Jesus and Jesus pointing back reminding us that God has been at work this entire time.  All of Scripture is a gift, sent to affirm our belief, to push us beyond our comfort level, and ultimately to treasure God's presence and seek out God's guidance.

1 Peter 3:13-17

1 Peter 3:13-17 

English Standard Version 

  It can be so challenging in life to do the right thing when no one is watching.  At those moments, the temptation is to slack off, to relax a little, and maybe to cut a corner or two.  

  But Scripture reminds us that it's so much easier to live in such a way that we consistently choose to do the right thing.  Align our hearts with God's holiness, and we'll be prepared to explain why we did something.  We don't have to worry about our conscious if we're not cutting corners in our private life.  It may cause suffering, Scripture warns us, but we're better off being persecuted for doing what is right than living a life that lacks integrity and pursuing the easy way out.  We will be blessed, we are told -- we'll have peace of mind, and that is a tremendous gift.

1 Peter 3:8-12

1 Peter 3:8-12 

English Standard Version 

  This may be the hardest part of being a Christian -- we're called to exercise love even in the face of evil.  I was reading about some of the problems the Columbus Zoo has with traffic when tens of thousands of people show up and then all try and leave at the same time.  Inevitably, fights break out in the parking lot as one person gets mad and then the next person gets mad in response.  We can't help but react in anger when others are doing the same.  

  But the Gospels tell us that it's not how we're made.  We are called to bless in the midst of such situations, as hard as that may seem.  In the midst of such situations, how can we pray for Holy Spirit wisdom to be a blessing to others, to seek ways to love, to exercise patience?  

1 Peter 2:18-25

1 Peter 2:18-25

English Standard Version 

  It's amazing how committed Christ is to us.  Despite having the power to escape painful torture and a gruesome death, he endured.  Such is the love that God has for us that even while we were still enemies of God, Christ pursued us at great cost to himself.  Hy his wounds, we're told, that we are healed.  

  So how do we embody that in the world?  

  Who are we willing to suffer for?  Jesus tells us that we ought to love others as we love ourselves, which sounds great, but is actually an impossible standard.  Imagine that every time you treat yourself, you find someone else, a stranger or friend, and do the same thing for them.  Imagine that every time you see someone, you think about what they deserve for all their hard work or the challenging path they've had to walk.  It's impossible to care for someone the same way we care for ourselves.  We do this for children, sacrificing much for them, but for strangers?  For enemies?  It's unthinkable.  And yet that is the challenge, and that is the example that Christ shows us.

  May we marvel at his love, and may it inspire us to care for others in this time and place, that our lives may be transformed by his sacrificial act.

1 Peter 2:13-17

1 Peter 2:13-17 

English Standard Version 

  Part of being Christians is being part of a larger society -- we don't isolate and live on our own, but we go out into the community and seek to influence it for good.  We believe that God loves all people and that God is working to reconcile all people back to himself, and so we partake in society.  Trying to overthrow society would paint us as power-hungry.  I do believe that we're called to speak up when we see things that are wrong, to represent the voices of the oppressed and downtrodden.  We're to be advocates for people who are otherwise silenced.  It's tempting to withdraw, to avoid many of the downsides of community, but just like the disciples, we are sent out into the world with a message of hope for a world weary from conflict.  May we proclaim that message and live that message.

1 Peter 2:11-12

1 Peter 2:11-12 

English Standard Version 

  Peter spends so much time reminding his readers how treasured they are, and he immediately moves to behavior.  Friends, it matters how we live and how we treat one another.  It matters that we restrain ourselves, as challenging as it is, especially in an age of indulgence.  It's so easy to indulge whatever desires we have, especially in a world where we're constantly told that everything is ok as long as you're not hurting anyone else.  Peter tells us that our behavior should point to God, that it should help others glorify God.  It matters how we live, for that tells a story that we treat ourselves and one another like we are the beloved of God.

1 Peter 2:9-10

1 Peter 2:9-10 

English Standard Version 

  I know, I know -- you don't feel like a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession.  You feel like people simply trying to get by, wondering if there's enough energy and money left over at the end of the day.  Sometimes, you think you're forgotten by the outside world, and sometimes, maybe you wonder if God is really there and paying attention.  

  All of this is merely evidence that our feelings can betray us.  What we feel can be in contrast with what we are.  Here is 1 Peter, we're being reminded of our true identity.  No, we may not always feel like a people for God's own possession, but we are.  God shows us God's love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, and so we have received mercy.  This is true, and though our feelings drift over the days and weeks and months, the truth of God's love never changes.

1 Peter 2:4-8

1 Peter 2:4-8 

English Standard Version 

  God is building something, a kingdom that will stand forever, and we are stones in that kingdom.  We rest upon Christ as the cornerstone, but we are crucial pieces in the kingdom -- the kingdom is comprised of people, brothers and sisters in Christ, handcrafted in the image of God, formed through the work of the Holy Spirit in discipleship so that we might participate in this kingdom.  We go through life often unaware of the kingdom that God is building -- we spend so much time and energy focused on our own little kingdoms, building small worlds that crumble with time, when we instead ought to be thinking about what God is doing, building something glorious with us that will stand for all of eternity.  That's where our hearts ought to focus -- to pray for God to help us see ourselves as part of something majestic, beautiful, and eternal.  God thinks we matter in that kingdom -- God thinks we matter enough to die for us!  So don't downplay your role in God's kingdom.  God thinks you're crucially important in what God is building, so let us live like we matter, and treat one another like each and every one of us are critical pieces of God's eternal kingdom.

1 Peter 2:1-3

1 Peter 2:1-3 

English Standard Version 

  Well, there goes the talk shows and political commentary!  Talk radio is probably also going by the wayside.  Social media may not have long in the world, either, and perhaps that is a gift to society!  

  Jesus amazed his listeners by telling them they needed to be like children.  We often think children are less than adults, but then I listen to adults talk to each other, and I spend time around children... and we could learn a lot from the youngest among us!  

  What we're learning here in 1 Peter is that we need to recognize how dependent we are on the Holy Spirit to grow into people made in the image of God.  If we follow the ways of the world, we'll end up filled with envy and deceit.  But if we let ourselves be let by God each and every day, following where God is leading and treating one another the way we know we should, then we grow into the people God wants us to be.  

  May we first taste that the Lord is good, and develop a craving for God's Word, so that we may drink of it each day, and be led, little by little, growing into the disciples we are called to be.

1 Peter 1:22-25

1 Peter 1:22-25 

English Standard Version 

  The way we treat one another is directly linked to our status as having been born again.  Once we hear the Gospel and our hearts are transformed by the Holy Spirit, we cannot help but love one another.  I think this is a vital point that the church needs to continue to emphasize -- Christianity isn't simply an individual act of dedicating one's life to Christ, but an ongoing practice in which we experience the love of Christ and invest our time and energy sharing that with one another.  Our hearts are purified due to Christ's sacrifice for us, therefore we are called to love one another.  May we pray for Holy Spirit wisdom to pursue that this Advent season.