September 2016 Pastor's Points
Dear Church Family,
I am very excited to start a new sermon series this coming Sunday! We will be making our way through the book of I Peter over the next several weeks. The general message of “hope” is one that is very timely for followers of Jesus as we strive to be faithful in our walk with Jesus.
Danny Akin shares…“First Peter, while addressing many issues, focuses on the theme of “hope (and eventual “glory”) in the midst of suffering. While unbelievers cannot accept or understand this paradox, believers, because they have received a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, can face fiery trials (4:12). Christ provides both the model and inspiration for responding to every suffering (2:21-24).”
One of the themes that Peter deals with is that of suffering. Often times when we think of Christians suffering in scripture we think of them being put to death in some horrible way. But as Peter deals with suffering, he is dealing with sufferings that we can more relate to in our day. Warren Mc Williams shares… “Although some Roman Emperors in the second half of the first century persecuted Christians, many scholars suggest the persecution Peter’s readers faced was ridicule and rejection by non-Christians
co-workers and family members. Christians needed to be prepared to defend their faith in Christ. (I Peter 3:15). The message of I Peter concerns how Christians are to live in a hostile environment, and live in such a way that they not only endure but also have a lasting impact for good on that environment.”
But why would Christians face ridicule and rejection for living out their faith in Christ? I mean is it not good to live for Jesus and do good to those you come in contact with? Yes, if you see the world through a Christian worldview. But if you do not, Christianity can be offensive because of its claims of absolute truth and desire to live in holiness. So there are times that Christians suffer for what they believe and what they live out.
Mark Dever shares a few reasons why he believes this to be the reality of many believers. He says first Christians suffer because God has chosen them as special people. We are a special people because we have been “set apart”. We are holy. God has made us holy, meaning He has set us apart. Our holiness, like God’s holiness, combines the idea of “set-apartness” and the idea of Christ like purity. So this means we live our lives in allegiance to Him. We are not trying to be popular with the people around us, we desire to please God above anyone else.
So if we do this we are going to seem “strange” to those around us. In fact, in verse one of chapter one Peter addresses the people as “God’s elect, strangers in the world.” And we see in I Peter 2:11 that their old friends “think it strange that you do not plunge with them in the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you.” So because we have been made holy by God and desire to live in a way that honors him, the world sees that as strange. And so we come to understand that the thing that sets us up for ridicule and rejection is the different way that we now live since we have come to Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
So, I am excited to find words of hope, encouragement and challenge from the book of I Peter as we seek to live out our faith as EXILES in this world!!! Let’s have a lasting impact for good on our environment!!