ENCOURAGEMENT FOR CHRISTIAN PILGRIMS

1 PETER 1:1-5

INTRODUCTION

          The writer identifies himself as “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ” (v. 1). “Apostle of Jesus Christ” designates the office of Peter and at the same time indicates his authority for writing this letter. Apostles were directly commissioned by Christ. They therefore stood in a unique relationship to Him. The word “apostle” occurs approximately seventy-five times in the New Testament, with most of these occurrences clustered in the writings of Luke and Paul. Essentially the word “apostle” means, “One sent forth” by another, hence a messenger (cf. John 13:16). In most of its occurrences in the NT the word means something like “authorized ambassador.” All of those who were apostles in the strict sense of the word had seen the Lord (and so could bear witness to His resurrection) and had received a personal commission from the risen Christ. The marks of a true apostle were the performance of signs, wonders, and miracles. This does not imply that signs, wonders, and miracles have ceased. Peter’s use of the word apostle reflects his consciousness of a commission from the Lord, his sense of dependence upon and responsibility to the Lord, and his sense of authority to speak for the Lord.

          The recipients are identified as “God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia," etc. These were believers who had been driven to various cities due to persecution. They were the elect of God. By the term “elect” the Christians are described from three points of view.

          First, their relation to God: they are “elect.” The word “elect” is used in the Bible of those chosen out by God for a special relation to Him and with a view to special service on His behalf. Therefore, if you have received Christ as your Lord and Savior you are among the elect of God. In the NT, it is the third most frequent term for Christians, exceeded only by “disciples” and “saints.” The word “elect” speaks of privilege: believers are chosen to salvation in Christ, destined to be sons and daughters of God, holy and blameless before Him (Eph. 1:3-4). It also speaks of responsibility: believers are chosen to carry out God’s purpose of grace in the world, sent forth to proclaim abroad the praises or excellencies of Him who called them (1 Pet. 2:9). The term “elect” does not refer to anything special that we are in ourselves as believers or to anything special that we have done, but rather to something special that God has done to and for us. It is God who takes the initiative to save us and choose us and not the other way round. We have to remember that the Bible represents the term as a truth designed to make us humble, give us comfort and encouragement, and elicit thanksgiving and praise to God.

          Second, the readers are described in terms of their status in the world: they are “strangers in the world," scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, etc. “Strangers” (exiles) translates a word used of foreigners who settled for a while in a town or region without making it their permanent home. They were “resident aliens.” The word occurs in only three places in the NT: here; 1 Peter 2:11; and Hebrew 11:13. The world is a bridge. The wise person will pass over it, but will not build his/her house upon it. The underlying thought is that as Christians our true home is heaven, and so long as we are in the world we are living in an alien environment. We are the exiles of eternity. We must be apart from the world but never aloof from it. Our responsibility is to be the salt and the light of the world. Salt preserves from decay and creates thirst. As light we are to penetrate the darkness and drive the darkness away so that people can see. Many Cuban exiles in United States cannot wait to return to Cuba after the death of Fidel Castro. We, as Christians are the Chosen People of God; we are the exiles of eternity. Therein lay both our priceless privilege and our inescapable responsibility.

          The term “scattered” (Dispersion; cf. James 1:1) is a free rendering of a Greek noun that was almost a technical term for Jews who lived outside of Palestine. They were a “scattered people.” Here Peter uses it figuratively (spiritually) to suggest the pilgrim life of believers. By using the term that was used exclusively for Jews, Peter is suggesting that Christians are an integral part of the Israel of God.

          Third, the readers are described in terms of their geographical locality: “Pontus, Galatia, etc” of these districts, only Galatia and Asia are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament as having Christian converts. However, we are to take note of the fact that during the day of Pentecost people from some of these provinces were present in Jerusalem (Acts 2:9).

I.                  PETITION FOR GRACE AND PEACE V. 2

          Peter’s greeting is a prayer for grace and peace to be abundantly to the readers. “Grace” is the special favor of God through which believers experience forgiveness and divine help. Therefore, you and I need God’s grace to make it through everyday. “Peace” describes a condition of wholeness and completeness in fellowship with God. The peace of God is not the absence of trouble but the presence of God. In verse 2 all three members of the Trinity is mentioned—God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. All members of the Trinity work to bring about our salvation. The Father chose us before we chose Him (Eph. 1:4). Jesus Christ the Son died for us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:6-10). The Holy Spirit brings us the benefits of salvation and sets us apart (sanctifies us) for God’s service (2 Thess. 2:13).

II.               THE REBIRTH OF THE BELIEVING

           COMMUNITY V. 3

          A significant feature of 1 Peter is its teaching that Christians are a new people of God, a new Israel. If you are a Christian you have been chosen by God the Father. At one time, only the nation of Israel could claim to be God’s people, but through Jesus Christ all believers both Jews and Gentiles belong to God. Our salvation and security rest in the sovereign and merciful choice of Almighty God. No persecution or trials can take away the eternal life He gives to those who believe in Him. Peter begins the prayer with a doxology to God. Peter is not praying to a distant and unknown God; rather he is praying to the God who is like Jesus and to whom, through Jesus Christ, we may come with childlike confidence.

          The first unit of the prayer of thanksgiving focuses on the recipients’ experience of the new birth and ascribes praise to God the Father for making this possible through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The full title “Lord Jesus Christ” given to the Savior calls attention to His relationship to us (our divine Lord); His true humanity (Jesus); and His divinely appointed office (Christ). The term “born again” refers to spiritual birth (regeneration). It is the Holy Spirit’s act of bringing believers into God’s family. Jesus used this concept of new birth when He explained salvation to Nicodemus. It is the radical nature that we experience in Christ. We have been brought into a situation so entirely new and different that it is nothing short of a new life. It is as though we have been born a second time (John 3:3-5). Whatever else this means it means that when you become a Christian, there comes into your life a change so radical that the only thing that can be said is that life has begun all over again for you. God’s great mercy in our salvation points to three things:

·        God’s action in causing us to be born again was in accordance with His compassionate character.

·        There is a richness and magnitude in God’s mercy: it is a great or abundant mercy.

·        It follows that we who are Christians owe God a great debt of gratitude for making new birth a reality. Not our merit but His mercy is at the root of it.

         

          A. A Living Hope

          Peter goes on to explain that the new life into which believers are brought involves a hope (v. 3), an inheritance (v. 4), and a salvation (v. 5). As a child of a rich man might be described as born to wealth, the child of a king as born to a throne, so believers have been born to hope, to an inheritance, and to salvation. We have been born to a living hope. This hope involves an inheritance, and the inheritance is more precisely defined as a full salvation from God. Hope occurs five times in this Epistle (here, 1:13, 21; 3:5, 15). The New Testament does not use the word “hope” loosely as we use it today. It is not to be thought of as mere wishful thinking but as a firm conviction concerning the future. The word hope means confident expectation, or joyful anticipation. We tend to take hope for granted today but we have to realize that the pagan world of the apostolic times like the pagan world of our day was a world without hope (Eph. 2:12). Unprecedented depression, uncertainty, and fear have settled over the masses today.

          The verse states two things about the believer’s hope: First, it is a “living” hope. That is to say it is a hope that is active (cf. Heb. 4:12), that has reality about it, that will not disappoint, but will be fully realized (cf. Rom. 5:5). It is a fearful thing when a man and all his hopes die together. Because our hope in Christ is a living hope, “It is a firm, stable, indivisible hope, an anchor fixed within the veil.” Second, it is a hope made possible through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This implies that the hope of which Peter spoke is essentially the joyful expectation of believers that we will rise from the dead just as Jesus did.

III.           THE GLORIOUS INHERITANCE VV. 4-5

B. A Heavenly Inheritance (v. 4)

          As Christians, God’s Word says that we have entered into a glorious inheritance. The word “inheritance” is a word with great history; for it is the word which is often used in the Greek Old Testament for the inheritance of Canaan, the Promised Land. The turmoil that has escalated in the Middle East revolves around the parcel of land on which the Israelis live. The Old Testament states repeatedly that God had given to the Hebrew people the land for an inheritance to possess (Deut. 15:4; 19:10). However, to us inheritance tends to mean something which we shall possess in the future. One thing about this inheritance is that it is a secure possession. However, to the Jews the great settled possession is the Promised Land. That is the land they had always possessed. But the Christian inheritance is even greater. The inheritance that God has given to us is imperishable. That means the inheritance can never perish. The word was occasionally used with a military connotation—of a land not ravaged by enemy armies. In both the Old and New Testament times, the land of Israel was ravaged by invaders. The land had been fought over and destroyed and rebuilt many times. But the Christian possesses a peace and a joy, which no invading army can ravage and destroy. Our heritage in God is imperishable, not liable to decay or corruption. In short, death cannot reach it and destroy it.

          Not only that, but also the inheritance is undefiled. The word means to pollute with impious impurity. Many times Palestine was polluted or defiled by the worship of false gods (idols) (Jer. 2:7, 23; 3:2; Ezek. 20:43). The defiling things left their touch on the Promised Land; but we who are Christians have a purity that the sin of the world cannot infect. The inheritance is beyond the reach of evil and cannot be contaminated by it. It retains its integrity. The inheritance is unfading; it can never fade. In the Promised Land and even here in the United States the loveliest flower fades and beautiful blossom dies. But Christians are lifted into a world where there is no change and decay and where our peace and joy are untouched by the chances and the changes of life. The Christian inheritance is not subject to the wasting effects of time. The word unfading suggests a beauty that time does not impair or cause to wither away. It is unchanging. Finally, our inheritance is kept in heaven. This means that it is divinely preserved. In recent times, many banks and shops in the Metroplex have suffered armed robberies. Some of these armed robbers have been arrested and put in jail. However, the inheritance that God has given us in Christ can never be touched by any armed robber, because it is heavily preserved and protected. Do you recall what took place in the Garden of Eden? When Adam and Eve disobeyed God and fell for Satan’s lies, God expelled them from the Garden of Eden. To ensure that they would not return to the Garden, God placed a seraph (angel) in the garden. Therefore, the inheritance that God has given to us is divinely preserved and therefore completely safe. The inheritance is being watched over or guarded, and protected from loss. The inheritance is securely kept under God’s careful watch. As Christians, we may endure much hardship and suffering, but we can be sure that our eternal inheritance is secure, for it is in the custody of our God. His eye is ever upon it, and we know that our God does not sleep or slumber.

          Moreover, we are protected by the power of God Himself through faith. The word “protect” is also a military word. It means that our life is garrisoned by God and that He stands as a divine guard over us all our days. I don’t know about you, but because I know that my God protects me I can go to bed and have a sound sleep in the night. I know that I am in the perfect hand of the Omnipotent God.

CHRIST OUR MODEL FOR SERVICE AND SUFFERING PART I

1 PETER 2:18-25

INTRODUCTION

          Last week, we took a look at The Christian Obligation in a broken World. Today, we are going to deal with Christ Our Model of Service. Last week, we saw how we are to live as citizens of both heaven and earth and our responsibility to earthly authorities.

          The fact that the practice of slave trade and slave holding has been abolished today has caused some people to state that this text is not relevant for our postmodern world. However, don’t jump into such a conclusion until we have exegete the passage and drawn the application. When Peter wrote his Epistle the topic of slavery was relevant to his generation. First century society, economically and politically was in fact based on slavery. As I said last week, it was estimated that there were about 60, 000,000 slaves in the Roman Empire. In many of the leading cities of that day, half of the citizens were slaves. Many of them were more educated than their masters; and they held responsible positions within their master’s household. It is believed that almost all the medical doctors, engineers, architects, and people of great skills were slaves. This is the reason I asked you to hold your peace. If Peter from a practical point of view could enjoin slaves, who had no rights to be loyal to and work faithfully for their masters, how much more would he urge honest and faithful work upon Christian employees of our day, who enter voluntarily into our employment, who can bargain with their employers, and who can terminate their relationship to a company at any time.

          The next problem about this text and others like it in the NT that vexes many modern Christians is that the inspired writer did not condemn slavery. To every Christian in our postmodern world today, the whole institution of slavery seems repulsive, and many Christians are shock to discover that the apostles did not question slavery as such. However, there are several responses to this. For one thing, the apostles did not condemn slavery, neither did they commend it. They simply accepted it as a fact of life in their society. Another thing is that in their statements concerning the institution of slavery, the apostles sometimes attempted to regulate and modify it, urging masters to treat their slaves with justice, kindness, and even brotherly love, and reminding them that their slaves had rights and that slave owners as well as slaves had a master in heaven (cf. Eph. 6:9; Col. 4:1). By such teachings the apostles called attention to principles that would eventually destroy slavery. Furthermore, some think that the reason for the apostles’ conservatism was the church’s preoccupation with the thought of the imminent end of the age or perhaps their fear of dreadful reprisal or retaliation if they encouraged social revolution. Others think that the reason was the burning conviction of these early Christians that through their fellowship with Christ, they had entered into a relationship of brotherhood with one another in which ordinary social distinctions had lost its meaning (Gal. 3:28; 1 Cor. 12:31; Col. 3:11; Philemon 8-18).

I.      THE IMPERATIVE OF SUBMISSION V. 18

          Last Sunday we saw how the Word of God commands us to submit to ruling authorities. In verse 18, the Word of God again commands servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect. Let us talk about the word servant or slave. In the New Testament, the predominant word that is used for slave or servant is the Greek term doulos, which means a bondslave (cf. v. 16, where the term occurs in Peter’s epistle); the word that is used in the present passage is the Greek word ioketes, which means house servant; that is slaves who worked within the household. In those days the slave whether doulos or oiketes, was the chattel of his/her master whose power over the slave was almost absolute.

          I have given you some synopsis of the situation in which slaves found themselves in those days (first century). Let me throw additional light on the plight of slaves at the first century. Slaves were not allowed to marry; but they could cohabit; and the children born of such partnership were the property of the master, not of the parents. However, it would be wrong to conclude that the lot of slaves was always wretched and unhappy, and that they were always treated with cruelty. Many of the slaves were loved and trusted members of the family; but one great inescapable fact dominated the whole situation. In Roman law a slave was not a person but a thing; and he had absolutely no legal rights whatsoever. For that reason there could be no such thing as justice where a slave was concerned. The only distinction between a slave and an animal or a farmyard cart was that a slave happened to be able to speak. In regard to a slave, his master’s will, and even his master’s caprice, was the only law.

          It was in the midst of this situation that Christianity and its message came that every person was precious in the sight of God. Evidently, this was the more reason Christianity was appealing to the common people of the first century. The result of God’s unconditional love broke the barriers that the society had created in those days. Even today where the real Gospel is preached social distinctions and racial pride are abrogated. The reason is that the cross of Jesus Christ is level ground. Tradition reveals that Callistus, one of the earliest bishops of Rome was a slave; and Perpetua, the aristocrat, and Felicitas, the slave-girl, met martyrdom hand in hand. The great majority of Christians were humble people and many of them were slaves.  It was quite possible that the slave was pastor or overseer of the congregation and the master an ordinary member of it. This was a new and revolutionary situation. It had its glory and it had its dangers.

          Peter urges believers in those days to be submissive to their masters for he sees two dangers. First, suppose both master and servant became Christians, there arose the danger that the slave might presume upon the new relationship and make an excuse for shirking his work, assuming that since he and his master were both Christians, he could get away with anything. The same thing can be said of employees and employers who are both believers and attend the same church. There are still people who trade on the goodwill of a Christian master and think that the fact that both they and their employers are Christians gives them the right to dispense with discipline and punishment. In other words, they think that they can do anything without being reprimanded. However, Peter is quite clear in his teaching. The Christian must indeed be a better worker than anyone else. Your Christianity is not a reason from claiming exemption from discipline; on the contrary, it should bring you under self-discipline and make you more conscientious than anyone else.

          Second, there was the danger that new dignity which Christianity brought him would make the slave a rebel and seeks to abolish slavery altogether. The reason why some Christians find themselves in trouble in our world today is because they want to change the society in which they find themselves too soon. The truth is that some situation cannot be changed at the time you are seeking change. When that happens, we have to be patient and allow God to work things out until the time is ripe for the change to happen.

          Observe what the Bible says in 1 Peter 2:18. It does not say, servants be submissive to your master with all respect to those who treat you well. Rather it says, “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”  Here Peter admits that there some masters who are kind and gentle and there are those who are harsh, cruel, and perverse. Let’s bring it home. It is easy to work for an employer who is cool and gentle. The burden of Peter’s letter in this passage is not on the master who is good and gentle. The burden is on the harsh, cruel, and perverse, because it is such an employer that a Christian or Christians face the temptation of rebellion and self-assertiveness, but this situation provides unique occasion to demonstrate the power of the gospel in the believer’s life. Suffering, discrimination, and abuse are not easy to bear at the work place. It is in such circumstances that the Christian is tempted to show disrespectful conduct and ruin his/her testimony for Christ. However, God commends you when you bear under the weight of unjust treatment for the name of Christ. What Peter is saying is that when you and I endure underserved suffering it is an act that pleases God.

II.   THE MOTIVATION OF SUBMISSION VV. 19-20

          Peter is saying that what pleases God if you and I are going to suffer we must suffer for doing good not for doing what is evil. God is displeased when Christians suffer because we have acted in some rebellious or sinful manner. In one hand, if you and I suffer for insubordination, then we are acting outside God’s will for His people. On the other hand, if we patiently endure undeserved suffering it is an act that is pleasing to God. Jesus does not want His disciples to become social revolutionaries who want to topple the government. God wants the Christian slave community to manifest a kind of behavior that transcends the norm of society and demonstrates its supernatural origins. Thus, Christian slaves are to submit to their masters as part of their holy conduct (2:11-12).

          In verse 20, Peter is expanding the thought in verse 19. He is saying that if you endure suffering for doing what is wrong what benefit do you receive? If you do what is wrong to your boss at the work place and he fires you what sympathy and commendation do you get from God as a believer? You don’t receive God’s commendation or applause. Actually, what you have done has brought a shame and contempt to the name of God.

          The phrase “receive a beating” translates a Greek term used in Mark 14:65 and Matthew 26:67 of the blows given to our Lord Jesus Christ. The verb “beat” or “beating” is a strong one, meaning “to strike with the fist,” “to beat,” or “to treat roughly.” It is a different matter when you endure suffering even when you have done what is right and good. Peter states that such an attitude is commendable.

III.           THE BASIS OF SUBMISSION

          I always feel uncomfortable when some Christians make the statement that the Christian life is an easy life. The Christian life is not an easy life. On the contrary, it is an impossible life without the help of the Holy Spirit. That is the reason Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after Me he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Peter raises a hypothetical question, which could have been the plight of some of the persecuted Christians of the Dispersion. He says something like, suppose you have the Christian attitude to people and to work and you are treated with injustice, insult, and injury what then? This is where the rubber meets the road. Peter’s answer to unjust treatment is that this is exactly what happened to Jesus. He was none other than the Suffering Servant. Verses 21-25 are full of statements and quotations of Isaiah 53, which is the supreme picture of the Suffering Servant of God, which was realized in Jesus Christ. Jesus was without sin and yet He was insulted and He suffered. However, He accepted the insults and the suffering with undisturbed love. Peter is saying that the greatest incentive to patient endurance of hardship or suffering is the example of Christ (vv. 21-25). Peter is saying that you and I are to follow the example of Jesus when we suffer. The word that Peter uses for example is graphic. It is the Greek word hupogrammos. The word was used in classical Greek for a copy-piece to be traced or imitated by children learning to write. Thus the sufferings of Christ are left as a pattern or model “that you should follow in His steps” (v. 21c). Elsewhere Apostle Paul states that the cup of Christ’s suffering spills over to us because we are His followers. Should Christ suffer for us so that we can go to heaven on flowery bed of ease? The verb “follow” translates a compound word that means “to follow closely.” The last word of the quotation “steps” though always used figuratively in the NT, translates a term that signifies an actual footprint. There was a TV commercial to discourage the use of drugs among young people. I don’t see it these days. A father caught his son smoking marijuana and was so upset about it. Then he asked his son who taught him to smoke. The son’s response was revealing and convicting. He said, “I learn to smoke by watching you.” When the son said that the father’s face dropped and he was speechless. He knew that he had not been a good example to his son.

          As Christians if we have to suffer insult and injustice and injury, we have only to go through what Jesus has already gone through. This does not mean that we have to become like door mats for people to walk on us. At the back of the mind of Peter is a great truth. That suffering of Jesus was for the sake of the human race; He suffered in order to bring you and me to God. And it stands to reason that when you suffer insult and injury as a Christian with uncomplaining steadfastness and unfaltering love, you show such a life to others as will lead them to God (Stephen, Acts 7). Peter’s readers could not reproduce every aspect of Christ’s sufferings, but verses 22 and 23 call attention to three qualities of that suffering that are patterns for believers. Verse 22 emphasizes the innocence of Christ. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” This statement is very important because Peter affirms the sinlessness of Jesus Christ. Verse 23a stresses the patience and meekness of Jesus, His unresisting submission to maltreatment (Is. 53:7). Here Peter is drawing from his eyewitness account of the Passion of Christ (cf. Mk. 14:61, 65; 15:5, 17-20; Lk. 23:9). Verse 23b affirms Jesus’ trust in God, suggesting that His confidence in the righteousness of God lay at the root of His patient endurance of the insult and suffering.

CHRIST OUR MODEL FOR SERVICE AND SUFFERING PART II

1 PETER 2:22-25

INTRODUCTION

          There are many benefits in knowing a foreign language. One of the chief benefits lies in the increased ability to understand and be understood. If a person knows only one language, he is tempted to think that everything he communicates is understood. However, if forced to translate an idea into another language, he must consider various possible words to use and their shades of meaning as well as all of the other elements of the language. This effort opens up a door, allowing him to communicate with many new people.

          Suffering is like knowing a foreign language, since things that one usually takes for granted in a normal flow of life must be thought through in new ways in a time of suffering. For those who have lived with suffering, a door of ministry is opened wide to a world of hurting people.

          Today we are continuing the message we began last Sunday: Christ Our Model for Service and Suffering II. Last week I said in conclusion that the readers of Peter’s Epistle could not reproduce every aspect of the sufferings of Christ but there are three qualities of that suffering that are patterns for the followers of Christ.

          First, verse 22 emphasizes the innocence of Christ.  Jesus committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth. It is very remarkable that Peter one of the disciples who was close to Jesus could make such a statement. Peter was affirming the sinless life of Jesus as He walked the face of this earth.

          Second, is the patience and meekness of Christ. Two of the qualities of the life of Christ that the Holy Spirit would like to cultivate in every believer’s life are patience and meekness. Jesus submitted Himself to maltreatment. Could you believe that the Creator experienced brutal treatment from the hands of sinners? Peter is drawing from the eyewitness account of the suffering of Christ. Jesus is the sinless Savior who experienced injustice from the hands of unjust religious leaders.

          Third, verse 23b affirms Jesus’ trust in God the Father. Jesus in His time of suffering was confident of vindication before the Father. Because the heavenly Father judges righteously, His verdict is always fair and just. Therefore, if you suffer in the hands of wicked people, hold your peace, for the Father will vindicate you at the right time.

I.      THE SILENCE OF JESUS V. 23

          Verse 23 states, “And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.” When Jesus was slandered, He did not retaliate with sharp barbs, nor did He threaten those under whose hands He suffered; instead, He entrusted His case to the God who judges justly and waited for God’s vindication. The slaves therefore are also to respond kindly and not retaliate. This is one of the reasons that I say to live the authentic Christian life is not a piece of cake as some would like us to believe. We live in a society of instance justice. Today the least mistake you make somebody is going to sue you at court. In the days of Peter, the slaves did not have any right. Peter is telling us the truth that all who are followers of Jesus must be prepared to suffer (Mk. 8:34-35). Peter learned this from Jesus and passed them on to us. Therefore, when you endure suffering for the name of Christ, don’t behave like you are going through something that is strange to the Christian life. Just this week an American pastor in Haiti was abducted and held at a ransom simply because his church was booming. A ransom was paid to the kidnappers before he was released. This is the kind of world in which some Christians live and serve. Therefore, if you are not experiencing any suffering in the United States don’t conclude that the Christian life is an easy life. If the Christian life is an easy life, then Jesus is a liar, because He said that in this world we will have tribulation, but we must be of good cheer because He has overcome the world.

II.   THE SUBSTITUTIONAL AND VICARIOUS DEATH OF JESUS V. 24

          The truth of the matter is that Jesus did not suffer for any sin that He had committed, because there was no sin found in Him. He was the perfect man. He was the sinless Messiah. His suffering and subsequent death was for us. He did not deserve to die on the cross. We were the ones who deserved to die such horrific and shameful death and yet Jesus took our place. The righteous died for the unrighteous. The Savior died for sinners. The Just One died for the unjust and sinful humanity. Jesus died in our stead. The penalty of our sin came upon Him.

          The “He Himself” in verse 24 is emphatic. The thought is that “He and no other,” “He alone,” died for our sins. This statement refutes the Islamic belief that it was not Jesus who died on the cross. If it was not Jesus who died on the cross where did He go? The word “bore” renders a word that was a technical term of the sacrificial system, meaning, “To offer,” “to present.” Jesus took away our sins when He was nailed to the cross on that fateful Friday. He was carrying away your sins and my sins on His body on the cross. His death was vicarious and substitutional, because the cross was meant for criminals. Jesus endured the sins that were our due reward. This alone calls for daily thanksgiving to Him from everyone of us who call ourselves Christians. Have you noticed how Peter has shifted his use of the second person pronoun? In verse 24 he uses the first person plural pronoun, “our” sins. Peter identifies himself with those that Jesus died on their behalf. For one thing this means that Christ’s death on the cross has benefit for all believers, not just slaves.        It is also a confessional statement that Peter is making. He is uniting himself with the readers of his letter in acknowledging the participation in the benefit of Christ’s death. This should speak eloquently to us that we are not to take salvation for granted, because it took the life of Jesus to save us from sin. As I said earlier, Jesus died like a criminal because the “tree” is a graphic term for the cross. In classical Greek the term “tree” was used of the scaffold on which criminals were hung. Therefore, the word carries the connotation of criminality. Jesus was numbered among criminals. On the day He died, He died in the middle of two criminals.

          In verse 24b, Peter under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit stresses the purpose of Christ’s death, which was that, we having forsaken our sins might live for righteousness. Christ died so that we may have a complete break from sin and live right for God. The positive purpose of Christ’s death was that His people might “live for righteousness.” The thought in righteousness is not imputed righteousness (that is the righteousness that we receive from Christ having put our faith in Him). Rather, it is the righteousness that is, right conduct, the doing of what is right.

          The sufferings of Christ bring healing (v. 24b). Peter states, “For by His wounds you were healed.” Peter emphasizes the special application of his teaching to suffering slaves of his day. “Wounds” used only here in the NT, translates the word that speaks generally of “a bruise or a wound trickling with blood.” More specifically, it was used of the cuts and bruises left on the flesh when a person was scourged. Peter points out the unique and vicarious nature of Christ’s suffering both through the scourging and His death on the cross. This is a new and strange method of healing. The doctor suffered the cost and the sick person received the healing. Jesus is the doctor who suffered the cost and you and I received the healing. This verse is the favorite of many Christians when they are praying for a person who is ill. However, the primary interpretation of the statement, “By His wounds you were healed,” is not physical healing. Instead the word “healed” suggests restoration to health from the wounds made by sin that is moral and spiritual healing. That this is the correct interpretation is indicated by the words that follow (v. 25).

III.           THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST THE MEANS OF RECONCILIATION V. 25

          The sufferings of Christ are the means of bringing you and me to God. The reason is given in verse 25, “For you were like sheep going astray but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” The term “Going astray,” suggests the aimless wandering of sheep that have lost their way. When sheep do not have anybody to guide them, they become the prey for wolves and predators. Sheep are easily led astray. We are just like sheep we can easily be deceived or led astray by false teachers and the devil.  Nevertheless, when Jesus saved you, He brought you home to the Father. Like a lost sheep, you were wandering in the forest of sin, but Jesus found you, saved you, and brought you to His sheepfold. The term “going astray” is a graphic description of the condition of the unconverted person. This is part of the reason we need to share the gospel with our friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors who are lost. They are like sheep that have gone astray. If you have been saved that means you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your soul. Life outside the Shepherd and Guardian of your soul is meaningless; it is a life without proper direction; it is also a life of vulnerability to the assault of the evil one.

          When you are saved, it is not you who took the initiative. Therefore, when Peter says that “now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” he does not suggest that you went out and returned to the Shepherd at will. On the contrary, the Good Shepherd came looking for you and has brought you back. When a sheep goes astray, it does not come back home until the shepherd goes looking for it. The same thing applies to your salvation. When you were not saved it wasn’t you who decided that one day you were going to get saved. It is God who comes looking for you when His Holy Spirit convicted you of your sin and waywardness. Therefore, you are no longer astray from God, leading lives that lack direction and purpose.

          Christ being your “Shepherd and Overseer” is an encouragement to you and me. That means whatever the trials and burdens, whatever storms of life you are facing, know that you have a trustworthy Protector in Him. The word “Shepherd” is the word translated “pastor” in Ephesians 4:11. The Greek for “Guardian” or “Overseer” is episcopos, meaning literally “one who watches over.” It is from the same word that we get our English word “Bishop.”

          Therefore Christ is the Shepherd of the souls of men and women boys and girls. That is why David in his famous Psalm says, “The LORD is my shepherd” (Ps. 23:1). Isaiah states, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs in His arms; He will carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young” (Is. 40:11). The great King that God was going to send to Israel would be the shepherd of his people. Ezekiel hears the promise of God: “And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them; he shall feed them, and be their shepherd” (Ezek. 34:23; 37:24). This was a prophecy about the coming of Jesus Christ. The term “Shepherd” was the title that Jesus took to Himself when He called Himself the Good Shepherd and when He said that the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:1-18). To Jesus the men and women who did not know God then and now and were waiting for what He could give them were like sheep without a shepherd (Mk. 6:34). Therefore, as the spiritual under-shepherd of Christ, it is my responsibility to protect you from false teachers who prey on the church.

          The word Shepherd tells us most vividly of the ceaseless vigilance and the self-sacrificing love of Christ for us who are His flock. “We are the people and the sheep of His pasture” (Ps. 100:3). Christ is the Shepherd and the Guardian of our souls. In His love, He cares for us; in His power He protects us; and in His wisdom He guides us in the right way.

          Since this truth has come to you today, what is your response? Are you going to share the good news with others so that Christ will save them and bring them to Himself? Our friends and loved ones who are without Christ are like sheep without a shepherd. The wolf can come in and destroy them at any time. Your work has been cut for you.

GENEROSITY: AN ACT OF WORSHIP

PHILIPPIANS 4:10-20

INTRODUCTION

          A tramp was looking for a handout one day in a picturesque old English village. Hungry almost to the point of fainting, he stopped by a pub bearing the classic name, Inn of St. George and the Dragon. “Please, ma’am, could you spare me a bite to eat?” he asked the lady who answered his knock at the kitchen door.

          “A bite to eat?” she growled. For a sorry, no-good bum—a foul-smelling beggar? No!” she snapped as she almost slammed the door on his hand.

          Halfway down the lane the tramp stopped, turned around and eyed the words, St. George and the Dragon. He went back and knocked again on the kitchen door.

          “Now what do you want?” the woman asked angrily. “Well, ma’am, if St. George is in, may I speak with him this time?” If we say we are Christians, we should realize that we represent Christ in a wicked and non-caring world. Therefore, we must always be careful with our attitude towards others, especially when there is a need that we can meet. On the basis of this, I would like to share with you this morning on the subject, Generosity: An Act of Worship.

I.                  THE OVERRULING PROVIDENCE OF GOD V. 10

          As the Apostle Paul was about to conclude his correspondence to the Philippian church, he expresses his joy over the contribution the church had made to him in the form of money. This is Paul’s way of saying “thank you to the brothers and sisters in the church of Philippi.” It is likely that this is not the first time Paul is expressing his gratitude to this community of believers. The Lord used the Apostle Paul to establish the church in Philippi (Acts 16). At the time of writing the Epistle to the Philippians, Paul is in prison. He is in prison not because he has committed any crime, or done anything wrong. He is prison simply for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why I always caution you not to use the Christian life as an escape route from difficulties. Christians too go through difficulties and troubles, but the difference is that the exalted Christ walks with us in our afflictions.

          When the Philippians heard of Paul’s imprisonment, they did everything to help him. The generosity of the Philippian church for the promotion of the Gospel left a lasting memory in the heart and mind of the Apostle Paul. Paul says, “You have revived or renewed your concern for me.” It is not because the church had no concern for Paul previously, but that they lacked opportunity. You see, Paul’s day was not like today where we have advanced in science and technology. Today we have various means of communicating with friends and loved ones who are separated from us thousands of miles away. We call this information highway.  We have several ways of sending money to a family member of friend. Thanks to science and technology. In the days of Paul, they did not have Post Offices, Western Union, Money Gram, Bank transfers, and Forex Bureaus as we have them today. Messages and gifts were carried by people on a horseback, donkey, ship, boat, or simply by walking on foot. Paul knew that the church had not forgotten him. As soon as the church found Paul’s whereabouts, they sent their gifts to Paul through one of their members. This help did not come to Paul by accident. The help came due to the providence of God. The providence of God is His hand ruling and overruling in the affairs of life. God in His providence had caused the church at Philippi to become concerned about Paul’s need, and it came at the very time Paul needed their love most! The Philippians had been concerned, but they lacked opportunity to help. Many Christians today have the opportunities, but they lack the concern!

          Life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments. “I will guide you with My eye” (Psalm 32:8). Abraham called God, “Jehovah-Jireh,” meaning, “the Lord will see to it,” the Lord will provide (Gen. 22:14). This is the providence of God, a wonderful source of contentment.

II.   THE UNFAILING POWER OF GOD VV. 11-13

          Paul is quick to let his friends know that he is not complaining! His happiness does not depend on circumstances or things; rather his joy comes from something deeper, something apart from either poverty or prosperity. Obviously, Paul had needs but his primary concern for the Philippians was not the relief of his personal need. Paul had learned to be content with what God provided regardless of his circumstances. Most of us have learned how to “be abased,” because when difficulties come we immediately run to the Lord! However, a few believers have learned how “to abound.” Prosperity had done more damage to believers than has adversity. “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing” (Rev. 3:17). That was the problem of the spiritually dead Laodicean church. How I wish Christians will learn the secret of contentment!

          Contentment is not idleness; it is not indolence. Contentment is not complacency, nor is it a false peace based on ignorance. The complacent believer is unconcerned about others, while the contented Christian wants to share his/her blessings. Contentment is not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle. That is why Paul could say, “For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” Two words in this verse are very important—“learned” and “content.”  The verb “learned’ means, “learned by experience.” Paul’s spiritual contentment was not something he had immediately after the Christ saved him. He had to go through many difficult experiences of life in order to learn how to be content. The word “content” actually means, “contained.” It is a description of the man whose resources are within him so that he does not have to depend on substitutes without. The Greek word means “self-sufficient” and was a favorite word of the Stoic philosophers Nevertheless, the Christian is not sufficient in himself/herself; he/she is sufficient in Christ. Contentment is the ability to live without being controlled by things or circumstances. Because Christ lives within us, we are adequate for the demands of life.

          The word “learned” in verse 12 is not the same as “learned” in verse 11. The word “learned” in verse 12 is the same as “instructed.” It means “initiated into the secret.” It was used by the pagan religions with reference to their “inner secrets.” Through trials and testing, Paul was “initiated” into the wonderful secret of contentment in spite of poverty or prosperity: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (v. 13). It was the power of Christ within him that gave Paul his spiritual contentment. A contented person is the one who finds his/her sufficiency not in money, not in things, but in Jesus Christ. Sad is the person who finds his significance only in his position, work, education, money, or material things. It is not what we do that makes us significant but rather who we are in Christ. Until you have learned this secret, you will not find contentment, and you will always have a problem with low self-esteem. For if your significance is found in your work, what about if you lose the work or you can no longer do the work? If your significance is found in the accumulation of money what would happen if you lost the money? If your significance is limited to what you do, what would happen if you could no longer do what you do? Paul has found the secret to contentment, which many Christians are trying to find in all the wrong places. Paul is saying, “I know the secret; circumstances can never again touch me.” Thus contentment is the mark of a mature believer, and an objective to be cultivated by all believers who want to grow in Christ, who had “nowhere to lay His head” (Luke 9:58). The secret to contentment is the sufficiency of Christ.

          In Our Daily Bread, Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked. “Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman. “Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked. “What would I do with them?”

          “You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you will have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.” The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?” “You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist. What do you think I am doing now?” the fisherman replied.

          All of nature depends on hidden resources. The great trees send their roots down into the earth to draw up water and minerals. Rivers have their sources in the snow-capped mountains. The most important part of a tree is the part you cannot see, the root system, and the most important part of the Christian’s life is the part that only God sees. Unless we draw upon the deep resources of God by faith, we fail against the pressures of life. Paul depended on the power of Christ at work in his life (cf. 1:6, 21; 2:12-13; 3:10).

          The Living Bible, which is a paraphrase puts verse 13 this way, “I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me strength and power.” The Amplified Bible states, “I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.” Jesus teaches this same lesson in the sermon on the vine and branches in John 15. The branch does not bear fruit through its own self-effort, but by drawing upon the life of the Vine. Jesus said, “Without Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). As you maintain your communion with Christ, the power of God is there to see you through.

          The overruling providence of God and the unfailing power of God are two spiritual resources upon which we can draw that we might be adequate for the tasks of life. But there is a third resource.

III.           THE UNCHANGING PROMISE OF GOD VV. 14-20

          Paul thanks the church at Philippi for their generous gift. He compares their giving to three familiar things.

1.     A Budding Tree (v. 10)

          The word “renewed” or “revived” means “flourished,” which carries the idea of a flower or tree budding or blossoming. Often in life we go through “winter season” spiritually, but then the spring arrives and there is new life and blessing. The tree itself is not picked up and moved; the circumstances are not changed. The difference is the new life within.

2.     An Investment (vv. 14-17)

          Paul looked upon their missionary gifts as an investment that would pay them rich spiritual dividends. Here the apostle Paul uses business or accounting terminology. Paul says, “I regard such demonstration of selfless giving as interest credited to your account. The account is deposited in the bank of heaven where Jesus keeps the records. Where do you save? Where is your bank? Is it Bank One, Bank of America, Chase Bank, Commerce Bank, or Summit Bank? Every Christian should have two banks: the bank on earth and the bank in heaven, but we are to invest more in the bank of heaven because the bank of heaven is eternally secure. Nothing bad can happen to your accounts there. Have you invested in the bank of heaven?

          The church gave materially to Paul, and received spiritually from the Lord. The church that fails to share materially with others is spiritually poor. True generosity is experienced through identifying with the need of another, showing interest, then getting involved in meeting that need.

3.     A Sacrifice (v. 18)

          Paul looked at their gift as a spiritual sacrifice, laid on the altar to the glory of God. There are such things as “spiritual sacrifices” in the Christian life (1 Peter 2:5). We are to yield our bodies as spiritual sacrifices (Rom. 12:1-2), as well as the praise of our lips (Heb. 13:15). That is why I encourage the youth to be involved in praising the Lord with your lips when you come to church. When you praise the Lord with your lips, you are offering spiritual sacrifice to Him and God is pleased with that. Good works are a sacrifice to the Lord (Heb. 13:16, and so are the lost souls that we are privileged to win to Christ (Rom. 15:16). Here Paul sees the Philippian believers as priests, giving their offering as a sacrifice to the Lord. In light of Malachi 1:6-14, we need to present the very finest that we have to the Lord. However, Paul does not see this gift as simply coming from Philippi. He sees it as the supply of his need from heaven. Sharing in true generosity is not prompted by personal inclination or applied pressure, but by the grace of God. Generous sharing is a response of loving obedience motivated by the goodness of God.

          There is an interesting contrast between verse 18 and verse 19. If we were to paraphrase Paul we would state it, “You met my need, and God is going to meet your need. You met one need that I have, but my God will meet all of your needs. You gave out of your poverty, but God will supply your needs out of His riches in glory!” God has not promised to supply our greed, but our needs; He has not promised to supply our wants but our needs. You should be able to distinguish your needs from your wants. Let me illustrate. Maybe you are in desperate need of a dependable car and you are praying to God for a car. That is a legitimate prayer. Then, God makes it possible for you to Nissan, but you would rather want a Lexus. God has not promised to give you a Lexus because the Lexus is your want, but God sees that the Nissan can meet your need. Here is another profound truth: God has promised to supply all your needs, not solve all your problems. God always supplies according to His riches. There is a difference between “according to” and “out of.” Let me clarify: The billionaire who gives a $1000.00 gift is giving “out of” his wealth, not “according to” it. God, however, always acts in a way that is compatible with His nature. (A testimony about our church in the area of giving).

          Contentment comes from adequate resources. Our resources are the providence of God. These resources made Paul sufficient for every demand of life, and they can make us sufficient, too. The Apostle Paul is so moved by these truths that he exclaims, “To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” This is the bottom line: True generosity in our stewardship is intended for God’s glory.