Our Spooky Enemy - Pt 3

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Peter 5:9-14 ESV).

Peter goes on to say, “And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (v. 10). What this verse promises is this: if God called you to his glory, he's going to get you to his glory. A little suffering in between is not going to stop him. In fact, I would argue that his little “suffering is not worth comparing” to the glory we have waiting for us (cf. Romans 8:18). The meaning of being a Christian is that we have been effectually called to eternal glory (cf. 1:15; 2:9). This is Peter's way of saying what Paul said, “Whom God calls he also justifies, and whom he justifies he also glorifies” (Romans 830). Peter simply says, “The One who called you to his glory will get you to his glory: he will perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” It's a promise. You can take it for yourself if you will have it and believe it and bank on it this morning. And I urge you to take it. When Peter says that "the God of all grace" makes this promise, he wants to help you believe that it's for you. You may say. It can't be for me. I'm not qualified. I'm not spiritual. Peter says, you don't start with being qualified. You start with the God of all grace. Grace precedes qualification. You may have this promise freely, if you will believe in this God of all grace. And he gives one last encouragement to believe it in verse 11: "To Him—to the God of all grace—be dominion forever and ever. Amen." Dominion means superior strength. God has dominion over the devil. He is stronger than Satan. Therefore when he promises to successfully get us through the jungle of this world and bring us to glory, he can do it and will do it. Dominion belongs to the Lord. So when Satan roars with his suffering in your face and threatens to devour you, don't say, "O, I'm eternally secure, this is no real threat." Rather say, "The God of all grace has called me to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, and after I have suffered a little while from your claws and fangs, he will perfect and confirm and strengthen and establish me. He is a God of all grace. He is a God of absolute dominion. You can maul me. And you can even kill me. But you cannot devour me. He has called me to glory and he will get me to glory." That's how to resist him firm in your faith. Take this promise this advent season. Believe it. Be saved by it. Rest in it. Fight with it. Persevere with it. It's yours free from the God of all grace.

Our Spooky Enemy - Pt 2

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Peter 5:9-14 ESV).

It is important for us to understand how the devil can “devour” us. Peter says, "Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (v. 8). So the devil's aim is to devour. Devour is not scratch or maul or wound. It's is chew up and swallow. I don't think there is any way to make this mean anything less than bring to ultimate ruin. The devil aims to take people with him to the lake of fire. Now Peter says this is the reason we should resist him, "But resist him, firm in your faith" (v. 9). He's trying to devour you, so resist him. Now what shall we make of this? Is it just a charade? No devouring is really possible? Christians can't get eaten by the devil? They can't go to hell? It's sort of like war games? The bullets are all blank? But let's fight like their real? I don't think so. Devouring is real. And resisting is real. And what is at stake is heaven and hell. I think he is saying we can be devoured in hell versus being merely mauled in prison followed by glory. And this brings us to a dilemma. Can true, born again Christians possibly be devoured by the devil? No they can't, because true born again Christians resist the devil firmly in their faith. That's the meaning of being true born again Christians; they have the Holy Spirit inside moving them to fight the fight of faith. If God says, which Peter does say in the first chapter that God will keep us eternally secure by his power through faith (1:5) then it is foolish and presumptuous to say, I am eternally secure without a life of faith. The promise stands sure in many wonderful passages of Scripture (cf. Philippians 1:6; 1 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 13:20f; and Romans 8:30): God will bring us safely through the jungle of this world and keep us from being devoured by the devil; and he will do it by his power through faith. Therefore the person who says, I believe I am eternally secure, and so I don't need to resist the devil firm in my faith is contradicting God and throwing away the warrant of his assurance. Those who are called by God do not do that. They fight to the end. And that is their badge of being born of God. That is what we know as “The Perseverance of the Believer.”

Our Spooky Enemy - Pt 1

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. (1 Peter 5:9-14 ESV).

We come to the end of our study in the first letter of the Apostle Peter coinciding with his encouragement to those early believers to “resist” the devil. And, he also describes the devil as a “roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (v. 9). When I first started this series, my thought was to end it at the end of October, which we will. However, the motivation for ending it this month was so that we could start a lengthy look at the birth of Christ. As is often the case, God’s great sense of humor puts us ending the present study talking about the devil on Halloween! So, let’s get right to it. Peter says that the devil is an adversary that walks around roaring seeking to devour Christians. It is important to see the visual image. If a lion wants to eat someone, they don’t announce their presence with a roar. They slowly stalk their prey through the tall grass and pounce on them, overpowering them quickly and efficiently. In other Scripture the devil is described like a snake. It's subtle. It doesn't roar. It hides and slithers. The devil is like that. He's dangerous sometimes because he is subtle and quiet. But that's not the case here. He is dangerous for other reasons. A lion is dangerous not mainly because it sneaks, but because it's so strong. Even if you know it's there, you're a goner unless you have some power more than your own. So Peter's point here is not the devil's subtlety or craftiness, but his power. Read these verses carefully and you'll see this: "Resist him… knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world" (v. 10). The same as you are facing in the lion. Resist this lion because Christians everywhere are in this fight of suffering. The roaring jaws of the lion are the sufferings of the saints, designed by Satan for their devouring. By the way, he can only kill you. Jesus says to the church in Smyrna, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10). In other words Satan will throw some in prison so that some die there. But), they will live forever, or as Peter says here, they will be "perfected, confirmed, strengthened and established." Which means that successfully resisting the devil does not mean that he can't kill you. It only means he can't do you any ultimate harm. He can only kill you. And he can't do that without God's will (cf. 1 Peter 4:19). There’s our hope… in Him!

The Porcupine

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:10 ESV).

I’ve used a rather the Porcupine over the last few days to illustrate the means through which we may conquer our anxieties. I know that may seem very unusual. In fact, as I looked through most of the resources mentioning porcupines in relation to strength or emotional well-being, I found that the porcupine was typically used to represent a negative personality. Titles like “How to Hug a Porcupine”, or “Handling that Porcupine in Your Church” were representative of the common theme. Tragically, the authors have used a common misconception of this animal’s character. Porcupines are large, slow-moving rodents with sharp quills on their backs. They are found on every continent except Antarctica. The North American porcupine is the only species found in the United States and Canada. All porcupines have a few traits in common though. The most obvious trait is the long, sharp quills that cover their bodies. Some quills can get up to a foot long, like those on the Africa's crested porcupine. Porcupines use the quills as a defense. They may shake them, which makes them rattle, as a warning to potential predators. If that doesn't work, they may flex their muscles in a way to make them stand out from their body and more easily released into the predator. In general, porcupines live in just about any terrain, including deserts, grasslands, mountains, rainforests and forests. Dens in tree branches or tangles of roots, rock crevices, brush or logs are the porcupine's home. Porcupines are nocturnal. During the night, they forage for food. Porcupines aren't really social preferring a solitary life. They are unusually docile however. Porcupines are herbivores, however they may chew on bones or shed antlers to sharpen their teeth and provide important minerals, like salt and calcium, to keep them healthy. Some would assign no value to this rodent. However, that would assume that God had no purpose in creation. The truth is they are an essential part of providing for smaller animals and birds, especially during the winter when food is scare and difficult to obtain. As they eat the bark and ends of branches, smaller bits and pieces fall to ground making foraging much easier for countless other species (there’s a sermon in there somewhere, but that’s for another time). Here’s the point. Humility has nothing to do with strength or the lack thereof. In fact, the bible teaches us the humility brings with it strength. The believer ought to know the source of our strength is not in our physical or intellectual abilities. Like the porcupine we may look odd and vulnerable; however, since we are the children of God, and he cares for us (cf. 1 Peter 5:7), nothing can change our ultimate destiny. We are bound for exaltation (James 4:10). Be a porcupine, not a prickly, disagreeable person!

Anxiety - Pt 6

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9 ESV).

We started our look in 1 Peter 5:6-11 several days ago. It was a look at conquering our anxiety through humility. I used the illustration of a porcupine and transitioned to several other examples from the animal kingdom. It is appropriate to come back to our prickly little rodent. At least one of the most unusual things about the porcupine is the high levels of antibiotics found naturally in their skin. It seems they prefer to eat the tender buds and blooms on the ends of branches that are often too weak to hold their weight. As they climb further out on the weaker limbs, the limb breaks and they fall, often injuring themselves with their own quills. Some might say that they ought to have evolved better by now. Well, the same might be said of humans. It is insanity that we keep doing the same things and expecting different results. God is not requiring a change in behavior for us to conquer our anxiety; he is looking for a change in belief. Let me make the transition clear. We often trust God in the abstract. Yes, he is a trustworthy God. Yes, he can save sinners in general. Yes, he will work it all out, generally speaking, for my good. But Peter indicates that we take a more specific route. We ought to trust him specifically that he cares about us. When it says that he cares, it means he will not stand by and let things develop without his influence. It means he will act. He will work. Not always the way we would. He's God. He sees a thousand connections we don't see. Casting our anxiety on God means trusting him for handling specific situations. If we believe that he cares, and believe that he is God, then our fears will be lifted. There is one other thing to say about this act of casting anxiety on God, namely, the connection with prayer. This is the meaning of our reading. So 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast your anxiety on God by trusting that he cares for you." And Philippians 4:6 says, "Cast your anxiety on the Lord by praying and letting your requests be made known to him." The connection is simple. Trusting that God cares about your anxiety is expressed in prayer. Prayer is the trust turned toward God and spoken. Be a porcupine!

Anxiety - Pt 5

And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:35-40 ESV).

We finally come to a word about “how” we can cast our anxieties on God. This word "casting" (cf. 1 Peter 5:7) occurs only one other time in the New Testament. It is found in our reading today. It's Palm Sunday and the disciples have been sent to get the donkey for Jesus to ride on. Then Luke tells us, "They brought it to Jesus, and casting their garments on the colt, they set Jesus on it" (v. 35). The meaning is simple and straightforward: if you have a garment on and you want an animal to carry it for you, you "cast" the garment on the animal. In this way you don't carry it anymore. It's on the animal not on you. The donkey works for you and lifts your load. God is willing to carry your anxieties the same way a donkey carries your baggage. One of the greatest things about the God of the Bible is that he commands us to let him work for us before commanding us to work for him. "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). God wants to be a burden bearer because it demonstrates his power and puts him in a class by himself among the so-called gods of the universe. "No one has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him." So throw the garments of your anxiety onto him. He wants to carry it. You do this by trusting that God genuinely and completely “cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Here is where we see the practical means to make the anxiety transfer from our back to God's back. When we trust that he cares for us, really believe that promise, we are freed from the burden. That promise does not hang in the air. It is connected to a command and the promise is meant to show us how to obey the command. The command is, Cast your anxiety on God. The promise is, God cares for you. That means, he cares about the thing that has you worrying. He wants to be trusted for that. Regardless of the root of our anxiety, the answer is always found in the truth that God cares for us. He will not fail us, or forsake us (cf. Deuteronomy 31:6); and, it will all work for our good (cf. Romans 8:28). Believe it!

Anxiety - Pt 4

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV).

We started with the subject of anxiety and quickly moved with the apostle to the need to humility. The conundrum is how humility creates strength. Further, how can humility take our anxiety away? We can see the answer easily if we start with examples of humility. For example, when you've made a mistake, admitting it and saying you're sorry; or, when you are weak or sick or inadequate for a task, not being too proud to ask for help. It means doing some ordinary jobs and spending time with ordinary people and being indifferent to accolades. We can certain that humility in all its forms is the risk of losing face. Humility is the risk of not being noticed, not being appreciated, not being praised, and not being rewarded. Lowliness runs the obvious risk of being looked down on. And, being looked down on is painful. Being unnoticed and unappreciated is painful. And the command to be humble under God and to be clothed with humility toward each other makes us anxious. So if we are really going to be humble, we have to solve this anxiety problem. If we are going to have the courage of humility and the boldness of lowliness, someone is going to have to take our anxiety away. That’s the point Peter makes in our reading. Note the connection between humbling yourself under God's mighty hand (v. 6) and casting your anxiety on God (v. 7). God is the focus in both verses, and the connection is this: before you can put yourself humbly under God's mighty hand, you have to put your anxiety confidently in God's mighty hand. There is a fearful cowering under the mighty hand of God for the rebellious and the proud. But that is not what Peter is calling for. The humility Peter commands under God's hand is the peaceful, confident humility that comes because we have cast our anxiety on God with the confidence that he cares for us. I love these two images side by side: humbled and lowly under the mighty hand of an infinitely holy and powerful God, and confident and peaceful because that very God cares for us and carries our anxiety. Before you bow down and step under him, cast the burden of your anxiety on him! That’s the essence of the Gospel!

Anxiety - Pt 3

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV).

There are those few times when the ESV does not punctuate as carefully as I would like. Our reading today is one of those. It, along with the New International Version and the Revised Standard Version, puts a period at the end of verse 6 and make verse 7 into a new sentence. "Humble yourselves . . . Cast all your anxiety on him." I believe that break obscures the connection. The New American Standard Bible and the King James Version don't have a period. The original text did not start a new sentence with the thought of verse 7. It is part of the sentence in verse 6 and continues with a participle: not, "Cast all your anxiety on him . . . ," but," …casting all your anxiety on him." Let me substitute what I think is a better translation: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Notice the significant difference: It is not "Humble yourselves. And cast your anxiety." But: "Humble yourselves . . . casting your anxiety." The point is that casting your anxiety on God is somehow part humbling yourself. Casting your anxiety on God is crucial if you are going to humble yourself under God's hand and clothe yourself with humility toward each other. Casting your anxiety on God is not simply a separate thing that you do after you humble yourself. It's something you do in order to humble yourself, or in the process of humbling yourself. There is something about humbling yourself under God's hand and humbling yourself before other people that makes casting all your anxiety on God necessary. Or to say it another way, there is something about casting your anxiety on God that makes humbling yourself under God and before others possible. It looks like humility is a threat that causes anxiety. And if we are going to be humble with God and with each other, we are going to have to cast our anxiety on God. That's the connection between verse 7 and what goes before. "Clothe yourselves with humility toward each other and humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God by casting your anxiety on God." This is where we find strength for our suffering. By the way, the byproduct of this sequence is relationship rather than competition. The Scripture teaches us the wisdom of strength in community: And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12). How we fight is just as important as why we fight!

Anxiety - Pt 2

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV).

Yesterday I began our study of our reading with some facts about the porcupine. I know it was a little obtuse to go from there to humility, but that’s what the apostle does in his letter. Humility is the key to strength. It is at the heart of conquering our anxieties. While there are many predators who would love to make the porcupine and easy meal, that rarely ends well. Their safety is not rooted in their aggressive personality. In fact, despite their prickly reputation, porcupines are actually very mellow animals. Though they're feared for their sharp quills, they only use them in self-defense. The rest of the time, they're solitary, tree-dwelling vegetarians. Notice this in the flow of thought from the earlier verses: Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:5-7 ESV). The chapter starts with a word to the elders of the church to shepherd the flock willingly and eagerly and without being motivated by money. Then the focus turns to the others in the church. It is here that the connection between this call for humility and the command to cast all your anxiety on God exists. The command for humility seems to cause anxiety to rise and so Peter deals with it. I will deal with this connection more tomorrow. I’m going to wade out into a little deeper water here. So, first a disclaimer: this is not an endorsement nor condemnation of any political party or platform. I find it a distraction and subtle lie that believers have become the tools for any politician’s goals. This is not to say that we cannot, or should not personally support or vote for those men and women who best represent our values. However, much of what I have seen over the last decade has been more of a personal attack directed toward the candidate rather than a declaration of the truth we stand for. Even when Jesus delivers his scathing rebuke of the Scribes and Pharisees (cf. Matthew 23) he does so with tears of compassion (cf. Matthew 23:37). Even though we have the Lion of Judah walking before us, we should be cautious in our behavior. Humility in the power of the Gospel is our greatest weapon! I think I like the porcupine more and more as I discover the truth in this creation of God.

Anxiety - Pt 1

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And 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. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11 ESV).

There’s an old saying I grew up hearing in Texas: “If it doesn’t sting you, bite you, or stick you it ain’t from Texas.” As much time as I have spent outdoors I can personally attest to the veracity of this common proverb. Porcupines are one of those critters native to Texas that will “stick” you. Fishers are one of the primary predators of porcupines, but quills have been found embedded in coyotes, cougars, bobcats, foxes, lynxes, bears, wolves and even Great Horned Owls. In our picture today I have taken a frame from a video showing the attack of a young leopard on a porcupine. It did not end well for the leopard! I’ve only seen one in the wild a few times. The first time was quite a surprise in that they are much bigger than you might imagine. However, it is not their size that prohibits other animals from making them an easy meal. Porcupines do not throw their quills, but when threatened, they contract the muscles near the skin, which causes the quills to stand up and out from their bodies. When the quills are in this position, they become easier to detach from the body, especially when a porcupine swings its tail toward a pedator. The barbs at the tail tip become lodged in the flesh of the attacker and are difficult and painful to remove. They are not animals to be trifled with. Our reading today begins a section calling on believers to be humble so that they may have victory over their enemy. The opposite of boldness is fear or anxiety. It's not surprising then that God not only calls us to be bold for Christ and his kingdom, but he also makes a provision for us to get rid of our fear and anxiety. Giving us courage and taking our fear are two ways of doing the same thing. Today's text is not a direct call to boldness. It's a call not to be anxious. And so it's an indirect call to boldness and courage. The threat in this text that tempts us to be anxious is not explicitly prison or injury or slander or plundering of property or loss of money. The threat is humility. Or to put it another way, the reason Peter deals with the problem of anxiety is because he is dealing with the problem of humility. Somehow the command for humility makes the command to cast our anxiety on God more urgent, more needed. How humble are you?

The Fiery Oreal - Pt 2

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:12-14 ESV).

Jesus pleaded with his Father, asked for a path without suffering, but ultimately gave himself up to the gracious plan of his Father in Heaven. Even in the face of death, Jesus trusts in the goodness of his heavenly Father. We can certainly see that in the suffering of Jesus, we have an example of trusting in the promises of the Father. We can also take heart that Jesus is able to sympathize with us in temptation, especially the temptation to bypass suffering. But mostly, we can take heart that our redemption comes through suffering, specifically, the suffering of Christ. The only way to glory is through the cross. Being baptized into the death of Jesus and that suffering, we too have the promise of the glory that He earned for us. The suffering of Jesus isn’t just an object lesson, but rather the very means of our salvation. In A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis’ heart-wrenching account of the death of his wife, we see a Christian suffer under the weight of what he thought was undue and unnecessary, at least on a visceral level. He writes, “But go to Him when your need is desperate when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double-bolting on the inside. After that, silence.” And later still in the same work, with a Petrine flair, Lewis also states, “We were promised sufferings. They were part of the program. We were even told, ‘Blessed are they that mourn,’ and I accept it. I’ve got nothing that I hadn’t bargained for. Of course, it is different when the thing happens to oneself, not to others, and in reality, not imagination.” Lewis told stories for a living, and in these stories, the characters were tried, tested, and suffered. Crooked pathways aren’t made straight without a struggle. But writing or reading about someone else’s suffering can be an academic exercise, and we can close the book at any time. The promise that we will suffer is perhaps the hardest promise in all of Scripture, but the suffering is not, in and of itself, redemptive. Suffering is the way of a broken world. But the God of the Cross has made sense of our suffering, and there is no shortcut. It is only through our participation in the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus that any of our temporal suffering can make sense. Look again at the meme I’ve chosen for today. It is a matter of life or death. Choose God and know life!

The Fiery Ordel - Pt 1

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:12-14 ESV).

Well, today is a special day. My youngest son, Aaron is 36! There are many time in a parent’s life when we want to “bubble-wrap” their lives. I certainly have done that with mine; and, I have often wanted God to do that with my life. I know pain is often a part of life especially in our world today. However, I don’t like any pain, and some is more than I desire. Peter comes to this part of his letter and returns to the issue of “fiery trials.” Whatever that is, I don’t want it for my spouse, children, grandchildren, or myself! As we begin a new section in our study of 1 Peter, it is serendipitous for us to come to our reading today. I serves as a means of encouragement to all of us and is perfectly illustrated by the fact that I have a family birthday to celebrate. Aaron has been the Associate Teaching Professor at Georgetown University since he graduated from LSU with his Ph.D. In addition to the French studies he is responsible for on campus, he also directs the summer study abroad program. This necessitates that he spend two months in France with 25-30 college students. I am told that is somewhat like “herding cats.” Regardless, I am always relieved when he returns home. An ocean is a larger distance of separation than I am comfortable with! I am reminded of the desire God has in protecting and securing us as I reflect on my own desires toward my family. Peter, known for his rash decisions and foot-in-mouth disease, reminds us that suffering for Jesus must actually be on account of Jesus and his saving work. It is part of the means through which God brings us good in our lives. I don’t fully understand that mystery. However, I have experienced the truth of it in my life. As I have watch Aaron through some of the difficulties of life, I have learned that had I rushed in to “rescue” I would have robbed him of some of the most incredible experience he has had; experiences that have all been an integral part in developing him into the incredibly gifted, mature man he is today. Of course, we all still want the bubble-wrap. However, I would encourage you in whatever, fiery trial you may be walking through, God will bring good into your life from it. He has never failed us, not will he ever forsake us. If we as earthly parents can do that, just think of how much more He will do so! Thanks for the lessons, Aaron! Happy Birthday!

The End of the Age - Pt 2

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11 ESV). As I wrote in yesterday’s devotional, the second coming of Christ is practically imminent, even if it is not prophetically so. Our behavior should be the same whether Jesus is coming today or 2,000 years from today. We should be warning others in love of the danger of a life without Jesus.

When this devotional is posted Mary and I will have just returned from a little vacation to Boston and surrounding areas. The necessity of flying to Boston is obvious to us. However, it is never an activity that I relish. Inevitably there will be the long lines at the kiosk to get our boarding passes and luggage tags; long lines to pass through security; and, long lines to board the plane. There will be people everywhere. At this moment though, I am writing from the comfort of my home office, looking out the window at a beautiful fall day in Texas. There isn’t a person in sight, and I can see a long way from where we live. This reminds me that there are yet many people who don't believe that the end is near; or that there even is a Lord of history that is guiding it all to an appointed end. I felt more need to tell others about the grace God has given to us than in recent days. I pray the Lord will stir you as well to warn as many people as you can, earnestly, lovingly, and boldly. There is another word for us comes from this reading. Peter says that our love needs to be the kind that covers each other's sins (v. 8). In other words the focus is on the effect of love that enables fellowship in spite of sins. If that wasn’t enough, the apostle says we should be hospitable "without complaint" or without grumbling (v. 9). Love says, "I'm just going to cover the things about which I could complain and grumble." God's amazing word to us today is simply put: love covers sins, so that hospitality can happen, not because we agree on what the sins are, but because love covers them. Peter is saying that authentic love and fellowship is based, in part, on the covering of many sins. This is not sweeping things under the rug. It's not endorsing keeping skeletons in the closet. It's not renouncing church discipline. It's saying when we've done all the confrontation, when we've done all the argumentation and exhortation we cover it. Whatever side we are on, we cover it; we give it up; and, we keep from murmuring about it. Then we turn together to God's future grace so that we may so live "that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (v. 11). Now, that’s amazing grace indeed!

The End of the Age - Pt 1

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:7-11 ESV).

So, if Peter does not mean Jesus is coming back any moment NOW, what does he mean? And, how does this affect our lives? I think Peter is speaking from the perspective of the current circumstances of his readers. There was an intensifying persecution. That was not a surprise. Jesus had warned them of such before his crucifixion. There were rumors of wars, which had been a common experience for mankind then and now. The horizon was dark for Israel, and the judgment on Jerusalem was near. Not only that, the gospel was spreading quickly and pervasively as the Spirit was being poured out on Jew and Gentile alike. Paul was able to plant churches in all the major cites of Galatia in a matter of months. Now he had completed the frontier mission work from Jerusalem all the way around to northern Italy (cf. Romans 15:19), and he planned to go to Spain. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of other bands of missionaries were forming and going to the unreached. Between Peter and Paul (shown in the ancient drawing today), there were churches established throughout Europe and Asia. Peter must have believed if Pentecost was any indication, and if the success of Paul is any evidence, the world could be evangelized in a very few years by God's great power. I don’t think he was speaking prophetically, but practically. He is encouraging his readers to be ready, because it appeared “the end was at hand.” He goes on to say: "So be sober for prayer, because the great danger facing us is that we fall in love with this world and become spiritually dull and the day come upon us like a thief and we be destroyed. O pray, brothers, pray for the coming of the kingdom and for your strength to endure and escape the trap of spiritual apathy. Pray that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." And that's exactly the way I would talk about the coming of the Lord today. It is just around the corner. The end is near indeed. If anyone dallies with sin and the world, thinking, "I have lots of time," he plays the fool. The Judge is at the door. And the time remaining should be spent in earnest prayer that we not be made drunk and hard by the cares and pleasures of this world. Tomorrow we’ll look at two practical applications of this admonition. Today, pray you will be ready!

Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 6

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

One last way Peter strengthens us for suffering is that shows us that Christ is at the right hand of God ruling over all angels, authorities and powers. He says, "He is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him" (v. 22). Take this one thought with you in preparation for your suffering. No harassing, oppressing, deceiving, accusing demon is free to do as he pleases. All angels, authorities, powers, devils, evil spirits, demons, and Satan himself are subject to Jesus Christ. When Peter says at the end of his letter (5:9) that the devil prowls around like a lion seeking to devour, resist him firm in your faith, THIS is the faith he has in mind. The faith that all angels, authorities and powers are subject to Jesus. This is what we rebuke and resist the devil with: “You are subject to Jesus.” Jesus reigns at God's right hand and the devil is under him. He can do nothing without his permission. He may be a lion to some, but to the believer he is merely a large cat on a chain. He cannot touch us unless Christ lets him. And he will only let the devil harm us to the degree that his touch will turn for our good and for God’s glory. As Moses told Joshua just before he was to lead Israel into the Promised Land: Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV). So stand firm believers. Stand firm in this great faith, and arm yourselves with the purpose of Christ. The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. Let's follow him.

Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 5

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

The fourth way that Peter strengthens us for suffering is by describing the meaning of baptism. The flood waters that brought judgment on the world in Noah's day reminds Peter of Christian baptism (v. 21). Peter said that Christ died for sins and brought us to God (v. 18). But the question is: who is us? Whom does Christ's death actually save? That's what this verse answers. But Peter knows that this will be misunderstood if he does not qualify it. So when he says, "Baptism now saves you," he adds, "Not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience." This is virtually a definition of baptism. Baptism is an outward expression of a spiritual, inward declaration of God’s cleansing in Christ. Baptism may cleanse the body because it was by immersion. But that is not why he says it saves. It saves for one reason: it is an expression of faith (cf. Romans 10:13). When we have come through the water of baptism, we have passed through death and judgment. We have been buried with Christ and we have risen with him. We have passed from death to life. Judgment is past. The suffering we are experiencing cannot be the condemnation of God. That has already been experienced for us by Christ. We have received that by faith and we have expressed our faith by baptism. It stands as a constant reminder that the worst suffering has been averted. Christ took it for us. We will never have to come into judgment. There is now no condemnation. We have already died that death in Christ and been raised in him. Therefore our present suffering is not the wrath of God but the loving discipline of our Father and the preparation for glory. This also brings us the assurance that, while we are presently suffering, we are promised eternal life yet to come. The present is just a temporary circumstance. What awaits the believer is eternal perfection in Christ. All of this life will pale in comparison to that!

Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 4

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

Third, we may be encouraged as we remember the days of Noah (vv. 18-20).these verses have been controversial among scholars. I think it refers to the time when people in Noah's day were disobedient, mocking him as a righteous man obeying God, and that Jesus, in the spirit, was sent by God in those days to preach to those people through Noah. Just like in 1:11 the Spirit of Jesus was in the Old Testament prophets predicting his coming, so the Spirit of Jesus was in Noah preaching to the disobedient people of Noah's day. They are NOW in prison (cf. Luke 16:24). I don't take this verse to refer to Jesus' going to the place of the dead and preaching to the spirits there. There were thousands and millions of spirits there who had not lived in the days of Noah. So I take it mean that Jesus went to preach in the days of Noah to people who, because they rejected that preaching, are NOW in prison awaiting final judgment. There are three ways that this strengthens us for suffering. 1. One is that it assures of the greatness of Christ. He is not bound by space and time. He was there preaching thousands of years before and he is here speaking today. He will be with you, as he said, to the end of the age wherever you may suffer, both now and forever. 2. Second, it is better to obey him and suffer than to disobey and be cast into the prison of verse 19. That is what happened to the spirits in Noah's day. They thought it was foolish to heed the call of God like Noah did. So they stayed comfortable and respectable until the rain started. 3. Third, it is no disadvantage to you to be a small rejected minority. That's the point where Peter in the ark "a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water." It must have felt foolish to be such a small minority. If you are a minority with God, you will be saved and the end of it all will be gloriously good. As the suffering comes, don't throw away your confidence.

Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 3

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

The second truth encouraging us in suffering is that Christ has triumphed and brought us safe to God forever. Peter strengthens us to suffer by telling us that Christ has triumphed over our greatest enemy and delivered us from death. Some might ask, "Why would anyone become a Christian if what you could offer them was that things in this world would probably go worse for them and that their lives would be at risk?" The answer is that the greatest human needs are not to live long on the earth and be comfortable. The biggest human needs are how to have our sins forgiven and overcome our separation from God and live forever with happiness in his presence instead of living forever in misery in hell. There are four things to note here: Christ died "for sins." This is what separates me from God. This is my biggest need. These are my biggest enemy—not Satan (cf. Isaiah 59:2). This is vastly more terrifying than suffering for righteousness' sake, suffering the wrath of God because my sins have not been forgiven. But Jesus died "for sins." There is forgiveness. This is why people would believe on Jesus even if it cost them their lives. Christ died "the just for the unjust." His death was substitutionary. He took my place. He stood under the wrath and penalty that I deserved and bore it for me. His death was utterly innocent. It was all for others' sins, and not his own. Christ died "once for all"—that is, his death was final and all-sufficient to accomplish the forgiveness of all who believe on him. He does not have to ever offer another sacrifice. It was finished. It was all that was necessary to take away the guilt of my sins. The debt is paid in full. All of this brings me to God. "Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that he might bring us to God." This is the great comfort for all who suffer in Christ. Sin has been defeated. And Jesus has made sure that we will be at home safe with God. He has brought us to God. The separation has been removed. God is near us, and he is for us. Our lives are hid in him. Suffering is no sign that God has forsaken us and turned against us! Christ has carried our sin, absorbed the wrath of God, and brought us safe to God. That is Good News!

Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 2

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

Christians suffering for their belief has been the norm for nearly two thousand years. If that sounds unbelievable, it is probably because you, like most Americans, are insulated from the bigger world outside our own country (about 5% of the total) and outside our own American era (about 5% of the last 6,000 years). For most of the world and for most of history being a Christian has not been safe. Imagine doing evangelism in a context where you could not make any promises to people that things would go better for them on earth, but that if they believed what you offered, they would be risking their lives. That was normal in the context of this letter, and in most of the places of the world most of the time, including today. Without being maudlin or hyper-dramatic, let me cite one example. Evangelical missionaries entered Cambodia in the 1920s. By the time they were expelled in 1965 there were about 600 believers. Between 1965 and 1975 during the civil war the Christian population soared to an estimated 90,000. It was an amazing work of God. But when the Khmer Rouge took control and Pol Pot unleashed his fury on the nation, most of these Christians died or fled the country. Even in China, where the Christian Church has grown to nearly 97 million people, the political climate has changed and it is beginning to be forced underground again. The gruesome pictures and videos are not aberrations. It is normal not abnormal for Christians to be hated (cf. Matthew 24:9). There is a warning here for us in America. The atmosphere seems to be one of acrimony, rancor, and mean-spiritedness as if the liberal, humanistic, secular, relativistic cultural elites have taken our Christian world from us. I think the time is right for a heavy dose of the teaching from 1 Peter. He is laboring in this letter to say that we are aliens and exiles here and that it is NOT surprising when the cultural powers that be revile Christianity. So in this text today, and in the whole letter, Peter is laboring to help us be ready to suffer, if God should will it. That is why verses 18-22 were written. Tomorrow we will look at some ways to practically prepare for suffering. Today, would you join me in praying for those not as fortunate as we are in America, those who are now suffering because of their faith in Christ?

Strengthened for Suffering - Pt 1

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV).

If you have been following our journey through Peter’s first letter over the past few weeks, you will notice I have skipped ahead a bit with today’s reading. So, before we get too deep into these verses we should understand how it relates to what goes before and what comes after. The preceding verse is the key: "It is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong" (v. 17). The apostle knows they are going to face great persecution under the rule of Nero. He also knows that sometimes it is God's will that we suffer for doing what is right. This is not an easy thing to hear. We need help with this. We need understanding and we need encouragement and hope, if God is going to will that we suffer for doing what is right. Peter begins our reading by saying, "For Christ also died [suffered] for sins once for all” (v. 18). The word "for" shows us that Peter is beginning to explain why it is sometimes God's will for us to suffer for doing what is right. Look at the connection between the paragraph and what follows in 1 Peter 4:1. The next unit begins, "Therefore, since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same purpose"—that is, the purpose to suffer for doing what is right, like Christ did. So just before the text (in 3:17) and just after the text (in 4:1) the point is: get ready to suffer for doing what it right, if that should be God's will. Arm yourselves with that purpose. Ouch! The main point of these verses is to help us get ready to suffer with Jesus for doing what is right, not for doing what is wrong. For all the puzzling things in these verses we must not forget this main point. Peter's intention in this text is to help us arm ourselves with the faith to suffer for the sake of Christ and his kingdom. The truth is as you serve people as you follow the example of Christ in your life, you will give, forgive, forget, release your own will, obey God to the maximum, and wash dirty feet with an attitude of gentleness and humility. And after all those beautiful things, you will often be rewarded with some kind of suffering. It may be as benign as gentle chiding or ridicule; it may be as severe as being horribly tortured or executed. Expect suffering and know peace.

The Mystery of Marriage - Pt 4

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:1-7 ESV).

I’ve chosen another picture from our wedding 50 years ago. It is the exchange of rings portion of the ceremony. There is an interesting truth that is illustrated by the physical condition of these rings all these years. Both of them are not nearly as “new” as they were that day. They have grown worn, the Florentine nearly invisible, mine is no longer a perfect circle having been misshapen with age, and Mary’s is nearly rubbed through on one side. They have not been hidden away in a safe place; they have been displayed on our hands indicated our lives together. Life has happened to them as it has happened to us. Following Christ has not meant easy lives without challenge. However, as every ding and dent in our rings has merely been another memory of the life lived, so every challenge has merely been a reminder of the costly nature and unshakeable commitment of God to us in His grace through Christ. In the hope that I might encourage you by these verses and the truth of them in our lives, let me conclude with some practical application. First, husbands, allow your lives to be transformed by the call of leadership. In other words, husbands, don’t stop leading, but turn all your leading into serving. The responsibility of leadership is given not to puff yourself up, but to build your family up. Second, wives, submission does not mean putting the husband in the place of Christ. Submission does not mean that the husband’s word is absolute. Only Christ’s word is absolute. No wife should follow a husband into sin. You can’t do that in reverence to Christ. Submission does not mean surrendering thought. It does not mean you have no input on decisions or no influence on your husband. It does not come from ignorance or incompetence. It comes from what is fitting and appropriate (cf. Colossians 3:18). When a man senses a primary God-given responsibility for the spiritual life of the family, gathering the family for devotions, taking them to church, calling for prayer at meals, when he senses a primary God-given responsibility for the discipline and education of the children, the provision of food, the safety of the home, the healing of discord, that special sense of responsibility is not authoritarian, autocratic, domineering, oppressive, or abusive. It is simply servant-leadership. And I have never met a wife who is sorry she is married to a man like that. Because when God designs a thing, he designs it for his glory and our good.

The Mystery of Marriage - Pt 3

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:1-7 ESV).

Today we get to the common problem with our reading. It is rooted in the correct definition of headship and submission. I cannot urge you strongly enough to see this passage does two important things: it guards against the abuses of headship by telling husbands to love like Jesus; and, it guards against the debasing of submission by telling wives to respond the way the church does to Christ. Perhaps it would be best for me to give a direct, clearly delineated definition of headship and submission as I understand them from this text. Later I will also raise an objection or two and ultimately close with some practical implications. First, headship is the divine calling of a husband to take primary responsibility for Christ-like servant leadership, protection, and provision in the home; and, second, submission is the divine calling of a wife to honor and affirm her husband’s leadership and help carry it through according to her gifts. This begs the question of mutual submission (cf. Ephesians 5:21). The ideas of headship and submission are not popular today. The spirit of our society makes it very hard for people to even hear texts like this in a positive way. The most common objection to the picture I just painted of loving leadership and willing submission is that Paul teaches us to be mutually submissive to each other: “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21). Some would conclude that if mutual submission is a reality between husband and wife, then it’s a contradiction to say the husband has a special responsibility to lead and the wife a special responsibility to support that leadership and help carry it through. I would say that it is simply not true. However, there is no contradiction between mutual submission and a relationship of leadership and response. Mutual submission doesn’t mean that both partners must submit in exactly the same ways. Christ submitted himself to the church in one way, by a kind of servant-leadership that cost him his life. And the church submits herself to Christ in another way by honoring his leadership and following him on the Calvary road. So it is not true that mutual submission rules out the family pattern of Christ-like leadership and church-like submission. Mutual submission doesn’t obliterate those roles; it transforms them. That brings glory to God.

The Mystery of Marriage - Pt 2

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:1-7 ESV).

Again I am going to draw heavily on Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (cf. Ephesians 5:23-25). One of the things to learn from this mystery is the roles of husband and wife in marriage. One of Paul’s points in this passage is that the roles of husband and wife in marriage are not arbitrarily assigned and they are not reversible without obscuring God’s purpose for marriage. The roles of husband and wife are rooted in the distinctive roles of Christ and his church. God means (by marriage) to say something about his Son and his church by the way husbands and wives relate to each other. We see Paul speaks to both the husband and the wife. He is revealing the mystery in the redeeming of headship and submission. Let’s review the entirety of Scripture. In Genesis 1-3 we see that the when sin entered the world, it ruined the harmony of marriage not because it brought headship and submission into existence, but because it twisted man’s humble, loving headship into hostile domination in some men and lazy indifference in others. And it twisted woman’s intelligent, willing submission into manipulative obsequiousness in some women and brazen insubordination in others. Sin didn’t create headship and submission; it ruined them and distorted them and made them ugly and destructive. Since this is true, then the redemption we anticipate with the coming of Christ is not the dismantling of the original, created order of loving headship and willing submission but a recovery of it from the ravages of sin. Both Peter and Paul are saying to wives that they should let their fallen submission be redeemed by modeling it after God’s intention for the church; and, to husbands that they should let their fallen headship be redeemed by modeling it after God’s intention for Christ. Therefore, headship is not a right to command and control. It’s a responsibility to love like Christ: to lay down your life for your wife in servant leadership. And submission is not slavish or coerced cowering. That’s not the way Christ wants the church to respond to his leadership. He wants it to be free and willing and glad and refining and strengthening. There’s our direction. That should be our commitment.

The Mystery of Marriage - Pt 1

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. (1 Peter 3:1-7 ESV).

As we continue our journey through the Apostle Peter’s first letter, we come to our reading today. In order to thoroughly understand the principles in this passage, unraveling it from the misinterpretation so common today, we must look at Ephesians 5:31, which is a quote from Genesis 2:24. In the next verse (verse 32), Paul looks back on this quote and says, “This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.” The picture I’ve chosen today was taken nearly 50 years ago, December 21, 1969. In case you have some question how I might be able to say that with such specificity, it is entirely due to the fact that it is from Mary and my wedding. Even after five decades, I am still amazed at the incredible mystery of God’s work in marriage. The Scripture gives us some help. The Apostle Paul’s answer is: the marriage union is a mystery because its deepest meaning has been partially concealed, but is now being openly revealed by the apostle, namely, that marriage is an image of Christ and the church (cf. Ephesians 5:32). So marriage is like a picture for something more than a man and a woman becoming one flesh. It stands for the relationship between Christ and the church. That’s the deepest meaning of marriage. It’s meant to be a living drama of how Christ and the church relate to each other. If you want to understand God’s meaning for marriage, you have to grasp that we are dealing with a copy and an original, a metaphor and a reality, and parable and a truth. And the original, the reality, the truth is God’s marriage to his people, or Christ’s marriage to the church. While the copy, the metaphor, the parable is a husband’s marriage to his wife. Bromiley says, “As God made man in His own image, so He made earthly marriage in the image of His own eternal marriage with His people.” This “mystery” will be the basis for understanding Peter’s instruction. Today, understand that God’s desire in our marriages is His glory and our good. Good times and bad are all working to this glorious end. In that we may praise Him to the highest!

Radical Christianity - Pt 4

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV).

Some would ask, “What about justice?” Our compliance is not an indifference to justice. It is a way of saying that the safest place for retaliatory justice is in God's hands, not mine. If I am to be vindicated, it will be God who vindicates me "when he has tried and purged me duly" through suffering. Let me remind you of three brief comments of application. First, God’s will is designed to be shown in our suffering. I think this text assumes that God sometimes wills for his people to suffer unjustly. God wills this because he knows the best way for us to bring glory to him, sometimes by miraculously escaping suffering, and sometimes (more often) by graciously bearing suffering, that we do not deserve from men, because we trust in God. God often wills that we suffer unjustly and that we bear it by his grace and for his glory. Second there will be justice served for wrongdoing. Justice is in God at the last day. God will settle all accounts justly. No one will get away with anything. Those who hold Christ and his people in derision and do not repent will one day cry out for the rocks and mountains to fall upon them rather than face the wrath of the Lamb (cf. Revelation 6:16). And, God has given a measure of his authority for retaliation in this age to the state as his minister for keeping order and peace in society. So God wills that governments punish those who cause Christians (or anyone else) to suffer unjustly. We may legitimately labor for such a government. But the God-given rights of the state to retaliate and punish does not nullify the God-given calling of the individual Christian to endure unjust suffering patiently. God's glory shines partly through his dispensing of justice through the state. But it shines much more through the patient, God-centered suffering of his people. Finally, our lives are to "proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." These excellencies of God that shine through this kind of meekness and endurance and patience is a very long list. We can only give a start down the list. So when your time comes, keep these great words in mind. Be encouraged by God’s promise, He will never fail you!

Radical Christianity - Pt 3

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV).

There are five ways the lifestyle of a servant shows God. God is being shown, because God is the key to this utterly counter-natural way of life. In other words for these people Christianity DID make a difference. The root of their fallen nature is severed by the axe of God. They now are living from radically different premises, different values, different priorities, a different focus altogether. Notice the five times that Peter connects to God this radical freedom from our old, natural spirit of retaliation. 1. First, it is not rooted in fear of man (v. 19). We do not endure sorrow and unjust suffering out of the fear of man or even out of our own weakness. Those are irrelevant. We bear it "for the sake of conscience toward God." That is, we take God into account. We look to God and not to our circumstances. God is the unseen factor for the world. 2. Second, it is because we have found favor with God (v. 20). I think what Peter means here is that God delights in behavior that reflects utter reliance on his grace when the supports of the world are knocked out. When a Christian, out of "conscience toward God," looks to God, then He is shown in it. And when God is shown God is pleased. 3. Third, we have been called to serve (v. 21a). Suffering unjustly in this world is not a coincidence for Christians; it's a calling. Suffering with patience shows God because it is an answer to his calling; it is obedience to our vocation. 4. Fourth, this was Jesus’ example (v. 21b). Enduring unjust suffering patiently shows God because it makes the suffering of Christ real to people. People can see that this is the way Jesus was. And if you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father (cf. John 14:9). So this kind of demeanor shows God by showing Christ his Son. 5. Fifth, God will judge with righteousness (v. 23). When you endure unjust suffering "for the sake of conscience toward God," you are not saying justice doesn't matter; you are saying is that God is the final judge and will settle accounts justly. My abuser will not have the last say. God will have the last say. This is why I don't need to. I defer to God.

Radical Christianity - Pt 2

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (1 Peter 2:18-25 ESV).

Then Peter starts to give some examples of what true Christianity looks like in the hostile world of his day. Today he takes up a tough situation: what if you are a servant with an unbelieving master or even a crooked and abusive master? What does radical Christianity look like in that situation? He gives us a detailed description:  Christian servants are submissive with all respect to their masters (v. 18).  Christian servants bear up under sorrows when they suffer unjustly (v. 19).  Christian servants do good and when they suffer for it, they bear the suffering patiently (v. 20).  Christian servants do not return evil for evil; when reviled, they do not revile back or threaten (v. 23). In other words Christians are not defiant or rebellious or insolent. They have a spirit of meekness and submission and compliance, even when their masters are unreasonable and abusive. How does this "declare the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light"? The first part of the answer is that this heart and this demeanor are utterly contrary to fallen human nature. In fact I would venture that in dozens of people’s minds today strong feelings of resistance are rising against this call for meekness and submission and compliance, especially to unreasonable and abusive masters. By nature we hate to give the impression of weakness. We hate to look like someone got the advantage of us. We hate to let false accusations against us stand. We hate it when unreasonable and abusive people seem to have the last say. Tremendous powers within us recoil and push us toward retaliation. So what Peter calls for here is utterly contrary to our fallen human nature. That's the first thing to say when we ask: What does this demeanor have to do with showing God? If we triumph over our own fallen nature and live at this amazing level, it is strong evidence that something more than nature, outside nature, above nature, is at work in our lives. Is it at work in yours?