The Humblest - 1 Peter 5:5-7 - September 26, 2021

 

1 Peter 5:5-7 The Humblest

Good morning and welcome to another episode of do as I say not as I do, where you can learn, like I have, how to be the humblest. No really, I’m not conceited, though I have every right to be…

We are returning in our work in 1 Peter to chapter 5 verses 5-7, page 1016 where the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Peter instructs the church in the area of humility.

I’ve heard it said that humility is not a destination but rather a pursuit, the pursuit of humility. It’s a subject of much instruction in Scripture and one with great examples recorded in Scripture, mostly because it is so important for us as individual disciples and united together as a group, and also because we are so bad at it.

You may remember from last time we were talking about the responsibilities the elders, to watch after and shepherd the flock of God and now Peter turns his attention to all the members of the flock again.

5 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.” 

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Let’s pray.

Peter begins with a “likewise,” because just as the elders were to look after the church with pure motives, not because they were forced to, or were after money or power, but willingly, eagerly being examples to the flock, likewise, willingly, eagerly, the younger should be subject to the elders.

Now the scholars are divided on who the youngers and the elders are here. 

Some say the youngers are the younger ministers or the deacons in the church and they should be in submission to the elders/overseers/pastors in the churches.

Some scholars say that Peter simply meant what the translators wrote here, that the younger people should be in submission to the older people.

Some scholars say that it is a mixture of the two, that Peter meant that the younger men, because the Greek word used is masculine, should be in submission to the elders in office and generally in years their elders.

Peter has already instructed for wives to submit to their husbands, children to their parents, and slaves to their masters. It stands to reason then that here he is instructing the flock to submit to their shepherds.

John Calvin wrote that, “Nothing is more repugnant to the mind of man than to be subject.”

He is entirely correct. He is correct because submission to anyone requires our least favorite of all the Christian graces: humility.

JP Lange wrote, “This subordination, which is insisted upon as a principal point in the order of the Christian commonwealth, must be founded on Humble submission to God.”

Peter says in verse 5, Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

There are some very important words there in that verse: to clothe yourselves, and, all of you.

Peter has already described, as I said before, the relationships of humility between husbands and wives, children and parents, slaves and masters, and now he describes the relationship of humility, all to all.

Humility is all of our responsibility.

Matthew Henry wrote, “Humility is the great preserver of peace and order in all Christian churches, consequently, pride is the great disturber of them, and the cause of most dissensions and breaches in the church.”

The important phrase there is: clothe yourselves. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward on another…

The Greek word that is translated into English, “clothe yourselves,” literally means to tie around yourselves with a strong knot.

This Greek word was used to describe the apron worn by servants, tied around their waists. It also reminds me of our ultimate example of humility: the Lord Jesus Christ.

Turn with me to John chapter 13.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus clothed Himself in humility, He tied it around His waist like that towel, and told His disciples that they ought never to think that they were better than Him and He willingly humbled Himself to serve them and so they, and we, ought to do the same.

Humility puts us in the proper position to receive God’s grace. Pride seeks to raise us up where we do not belong, but humility bows our knee before the Father. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. All who elevate themselves will have God as their enemy.

As verse six says, Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you.

The scholars speak of the image of the two hands of God, one hand raised, holding a hammer, ready to beat down the proud, and the other hand under the humble, ready to lift them up at the proper time.

God’s promise to exalt the humble at the proper time means that He will lift the humble up from the dust, to advance to honor from disgrace, to joy from grief. This is God’s promise to the truly humble!

However, it is not God’s promise to the falsely humble.

The falsely humble person dresses up their pride in shabby clothes. The falsely humble person talks about their humility, keeps that plaque that says, “the humblest,” and is not conceited, though they have every right to be. 

False humility makes sure everybody knows just how humble they are, but God is not fooled by this charade.

True humility, according to Calvin, is defined as the person being emptied of every confidence in their own power, wisdom, and righteousness, and seeks every good from God alone. Since there is no coming to God except in this way, who, having lost his own glory, ought not willingly humble himself?

Verse 7 is the great demonstration of this concept of humility and submission to the Father, that we have no confidence in our own power, wisdom, and righteousness, but are wholly dependent on Him for grace.

…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

How is casting, literally throwing all our anxieties, cares, worries, troubles, on our Heavenly Father an act of submission and humility? Because it is the opposite action and attitude of thinking that we can control everything, and our need for control is a function of pride.

By casting all of our cares on Him we are releasing control to the Father, not that we were ever really in control in the first place.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus said that we must turn and become like children in Matthew 18?

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

What advantage to children have over adults?

Kids trust their parents, they have confident reliance on their parents’ goodness, they run to them when they’re hurting, they don’t wonder about their worthiness of their father’s love, or question the reality of it, they simply accept it.

I think, for me, the last phrase of verse 7 may be the most powerful. “Casting all your anxieties on Him, BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU.” 

I think sometimes, not to plunge too much into psychology, but sometimes I think, or act, or feel, as if I know that God loves me, after all, the evidence is overwhelming, but the thought that He cares for me, cares about me, has me at His heart… it’s mind blowing and wonderful and I need to be reminded maybe you do too…

Psalm 37

1Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! 2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 12 The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming. 14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright; 15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken. 16 Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. 18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance. 20 But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away. 21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives; 22 for those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off. 23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; 24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand. 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. 26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. 27 Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever. 30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. 31 The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip. 32 The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. 33 The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. 34 Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off. 35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. 36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found. 37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. 38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Amen.

Led, Fed, Watched, and Warned - 1 Peter 5:1-4 - September 19, 2021

 1 Peter 5:1-4 Led, Fed, Watched, and Warned

Good morning! We are returning to our work in 1 Peter this morning, we will be looking at 1 Peter 5:1-4, page 1016 in the pew Bibles.

Today we are going to be dealing with one of the most important subjects in the whole Bible, not to oversell it because you’re already all here. The topic at hand in 1 Peter 5:1-4 is the responsibilities of church leadership. I bet that’s exactly what came to your minds when I said it was one of the most important subjects in the Bible, wasn’t it?

Well, it is!

I’d like to begin first with a passage from the Gospel of John and then we’ll pray and dive into 1 Peter.

John 10:11-16:

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Let’s pray

The Lord as a shepherd is a recurring theme in Scripture, Psalm 23, the Shepherd’s Psalm is one that everybody used to memorize and is recited at every funeral. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.

The New Testament refers to Jesus also as the Chief Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, He called Himself the Good Shepherd there in John 10.

And just as Jesus is our One Great Shepherd, He has called men throughout the ages to serve as His under-shepherds to follow His example of servant leadership, to feed and lead, to watch and to warn His sheep, and that is Peter’s concern in 1 Peter 5:1-4, not  the qualifications for theses under-shepherds, those can be found in the letters to Titus and Timothy, but Peter writes of the responsibilities of these men.

So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Peter begins with a reminder of the basis of the authority with which he exhorts the leaders within the churches, that he was a fellow elder with them, not prince of the Apostles, not the Vicar of Christ on earth, and certainly not the Pope, a fellow elder.

He was also a witness of the sufferings of Christ. He was there for the betrayal, the denial, the trial, beatings and crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. But he was also a partaker of the glory that is to be revealed. He was there on the Mount of Transfiguration, he was a witness of the risen Christ and of His ascension back into Heaven.

Peter had been there through the whole ministry of Jesus Christ culminating in His death and resurrection and ascension. He was someone to be listened to. And now, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit he earnestly appealed to the elders of the churches, as it says in verse 2, shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight…

Now here in these opening verses Peter uses the three interchangeable words that the New Testament uses to describe those whom the Lord appoints to look after His church, “pastor, elder, overseer.”

I say that they are interchangeable because they are. 

The Greek words are: poimen, which means shepherd, the Latin word is Pasteur, where we get the word pastor; presbyteros, which means elder; and, epsikopos, which means overseer. You may recognize those words, they are where we get our words Presbyterian and Episcopalian, but why those words are used to describe some churches or denominations is a discussion for another day. 

What’s important is the role. As I said, Peter was not concerned at this moment on the qualifications but on the responsibilities of these men. I do want to point out just one qualification so that we avoid confusion, and that is that according to the Bible, pastors and elders are to be men, this is not a role in the church that is assigned to women. Don’t get mad and walk out, if you want, we can talk about it later, but for now bear with me. Elders were also not always the oldest in years, but rather those most experienced and mature among the churches. Age is no guarantee of maturity, I can prove it!

So what does Peter exhort the elders to do? Shepherd the flock of God, exercising oversight.

There’s a lot to be learned just from that statement.

The flock, first of all, belongs to God.

As a pastor, I often get asked about “my church.” “How big is your church? Where is your church?” And I know what people mean, and I’m sure you do too, but the truth of the matter is, that the church belongs to God our Father, we were purchased with the blood of His Son, Peter himself called us “a people of His own possession.”

The church, individual churches do not belong to their individual pastors. The responsibility of pastors and elders is to shepherd the flock of God.

Now, not to put words into your mouths or thoughts into your brains but you may be wondering at this point, “what is the difference between pastors and elders?”

Biblically speaking there is no difference, I am an elder here at CrossRoads just like Kraig and Mr. Aron, I am only supported financially because my primary work is in preaching and teaching, but as you have all witnessed all of the elders are able to teach and do so on a regular basis. Not necessarily from here all the time but in daily and weekly interactions with you all.

The work of a shepherd, according to Alistair Begg, is to feed, to lead, to watch, and to warn.

A shepherd’s work is to lead the sheep entrusted to him to the wholesome pasture of the Word of God, to guard the sheep from the poisonous weeds of false doctrine, and wolves, that are false teachers, that would gobble them up or carry them off, and to go before the flock by their own example of love and good deeds.

19th Century French psychologist Claude Bernard said, “Tend [the flock] with your mind, with your mouth, with your work, tend it with prayer, with exhortation, and the exhibition of your example.”

And we have a remarkable pattern to follow, Jesus, the Good Shepherd! I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He is our example.

Paul wrote in one of the passages about the qualifications for elders, Titus chapter three, “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.”

The task is indeed noble, but Peter warns against motivation that may not be so noble in verses 2-3.

…shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

A warning against three terrible motivations to want to be a pastor or elder: compulsion, greed, and power.

I’ve often counseled young men who wanted to be pastors that if they could do anything else, if they could be anything else, do it.

Some even listened. But if God has truly called a person to this ministry they won’t be able to stay away from it for long. I praise God that those who listened to my counsel eventually found their way back and did so cheerfully. There is a lot of pressure on pastor’s kids to walk in their father’s footsteps, and some have been gifted for it and called to it but to be pressured into it by the expectations of their parents or others in the church is wrong.

There is also great temptation to use the office of overseer for shameful gain. Gilded thrones on tv sets and air conditioned dog houses come to mind, but even on smaller scales using titles and influence in the church family to get what you want when what you want has nothing to do for shepherding the flock faithfully is just as wrong.

The abuse of power is the third warning Peter gives, domineering over those in your charge. Just getting people to do what you want, controlling people, controlling churches, somehow feeding some psychological need to get what you want by ordering people around is a great temptation in the ministry of church leadership.

Martin Luther wrote, “Where the love of gain reigns, the shepherds are apt to become hirelings, even wolves… Those who pamper their body seek the milk and wool of the sheep.”

The church is not just some resource to exploit as so many have, but a family to lead and feed, to watch and to warn.

But Peter doesn’t just say “don’t do it this way,” don’t serve under compulsion, or for shameful gain in your never ending quest for power. Shepherd the flock willingly, cheerfully, by being examples for the flock.

Verse four reminds us that this ministry comes also with accountability and reward.  And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Under-shepherds will give an account of their work to the Chief Shepherd when He comes, and He is coming, and that, right soon.

The reward He brings for faithful service is not sordid gain but noble gain, a true prize, an unfading crown of glory. This is also a team effort, nowhere in Scripture are the pastors/elders/overseers alone in this ministry, it’s always plural, there’s always a group.

This  ministry is critical for the church, and it’s critical that we do it according to the Lord’s pattern that He describes for us in His Word. 

Many flocks have wandered off and got lost because their shepherds weren’t faithful to follow the Great Shepherd and refused to feed the flock God’s true Word. 

Many sheep have gotten lost because their shepherds got distracted by other things, programs, buildings, publicity, and lost touch with individuals.

Here in the CrossRoads family there is room for improvement, and there is room for expansion. If any man should desire to be an overseer he desires a noble task, and the elders would like to hear about it.

I’d like to close with another quote from Alistair Begg, 

“I want to say to you again that if you care about [the] Church—not today—if you care about [the] Church, should the Lord not return, ten, twenty, thirty years from now, understand something: the election to the Supreme Court of the United States of America is nothing in comparison to the election of local leadership in a church so that generations yet unborn will be nurtured, led, fed, watched, warned, as a result of decisions made in a moment in time now that have longevity in history and then actually are eternal in their significance.”

Amen.

What Kind of Suffering? 1 Peter 4:12-19 - September 5, 2021

 

1 Peter 4:12-19 What Kind of Suffering?

Good morning! We are back in 1 Peter 4 again, we are going to look at verses12-19, page 1016 in the pew Bibles.

There are some that call 1 Peter, “The Epistle of Afflictions.” And it’s true that Peter has dealt with afflictions and suffering of various kinds, but in our text for this morning Peter deals with a very specific kind of suffering.

But before we get any further let’s pray and ask for God’s wisdom as we examine His Word.

Let’s pray.

12 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. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

I want to be very clear, suffering is very real, and it is a huge part of our human experience.

Alistair Begg said, “Pain is not an illusion, it is an intrusion.” Meaning that pain and suffering are a result of the curse, they are a result of the fall of man in the Garden, they are a result of Adam and Eve’s sin. But even though pain and suffering were not part of the original design, that does not mean that pain and suffering are outside of God’s plan.

There is an extremely popular mindset and teaching in the church that suffering of any kind in the church is outside the will of God. That it’s not God’s will that anyone be sick, it’s not God’s will that anyone should suffer, that we have victory and so these things should not be part of our experience.

In Christ we do have victory, but it is victory over sin and death and the grave. The victory we have over difficult circumstances is not freedom from those circumstances but by trusting our Heavenly Father we know that he is at work in them and that they have purpose.

Alistair Begg also gave ten bullet points that deal with what the Bible says that some, but not all, of the purposes of God are in the experience of suffering and I want to go over them just quickly.

1. Suffering exists to develop perseverance. James  1:2,3 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

2. Suffering exists to bring us to maturity. James 1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

3. Suffering exists to assure us of our sonship. Romans 8:16,17 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

4. Suffering exists to prove the genuine nature of our faith. 1 Peter 1:3-7 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

5. Suffering exists to develop in us humility. 2 Corinthians 12:7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

6. Suffering exists to keep us on track. Psalm 119:67  Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. Proverbs 3:11, 12 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

7. Suffering exists to deepen our insight into the heart of God Philippians 3:10 …that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…God is a suffering God, His Christ was a suffering Christ and He is our example.

8. Suffering exists to enable us to help others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

9. Suffering exists to reveal what we really love. Luke 14:26,27 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. In order to follow Christ all other relationships must become subordinate to our relationship with Him, everything else must come second and when we are made to suffer the reality of what is truly first in our hearts gets revealed.

10. Suffering exists to display God’s glory. John 9:1-3 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

I say all that to say that that is not what I want to say and that is not what Peter is saying. Those things are all true and helpful but they are not the kind of suffering that Peter is talking about.

12 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.

Lest we think in our selfishness that the fiery trials that Peter mentions here are just anything that happens to us that we don’t like, just any unpleasantness or difficulty that we face on any given day, I’d like to read an account of the kind of fiery trial that Peter meant.

This is an account from the book of Daniel chapter 3. (And no, I didn’t choose to read from Daniel just to be cute either.)

This account takes place when the Jews exiled in Babylon, around 500 years before Jesus was born.

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 

8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” 

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” 

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. 

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” 

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.

The people Peter was writing to were about to experience a very similar kind of persecution just like our brothers and sister in Afghanistan are experiencing now. 

Peter’s message is simply to trust in the Lord when you are persecuted for His Name’s sake. Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, He will walk with us through those fiery trials. 

Jesus is a victorious Messiah but He is also a suffering one, and He is our example in both.

The real challenge before us is to live in such a way that it is obvious that we belong to Jesus, not to seek out persecution but to follow Him closely enough that those who don’t can recognize a difference.

12 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. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Amen.