EMMAUS SCHOOL OF BIBLICAL STUDIES

I wonder what kind of movement the Apostle Peter would lead if he were African American in the 1950s and 1960s…

In retrospect, King was successful in changing public policy for the better, but was he successful for the kingdom of God? How could he have led his movement differently – possibly more biblically?

1 Peter. Only two days to study a book that is packed full of so many truths, ones more simple and others difficult to understand. The main theme of 1 Peter is hard to miss, Peter uses a circular communication to get across his main theme: suffering. Peter talks about suffering from beginning to end. He mentions it, gives an example, mentions it again, talks about it in a different way, talks about it again…the discussion points back again and again to his main theme of suffering. Peter is talking to believers who are going through suffering because of the Neronian persecution. He writes to encourage them to persevere, to encourage them to continue to do good, be steadfast in their faith, and to support each other in the midst of this hard time. Peter offers them hope for the future, and points them to hope they have right now. He shows them how Jesus suffered for them and how He understands what it is like to suffer for doing good. He encourages them to keep doing good though they may suffer for it, because they are a witness to those watching.

One comforting thing I noticed at the end of 1 Peter in 5:7 is that he says “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” I was thinking about how much Peter loved Jesus. He knew him for a while, and many times during their time together Peter makes mistakes. Its interesting to me that Peter says this. The guy who made so many mistakes, who Jesus had to rebuke and correct so many times, he is the one who probably knows best, and can say for sure from his own experience that Jesus really cares. Though he went through (or should I say BECAUSE he went through) tough times, and made mistakes, he knew that this was true of Jesus. This is just really encouraging to me when I think about it, because I know that if Peter is saying it, and HE knows it to be true, then it is probably REALLY true, because he went through a lot of stuff with Jesus. This encourages me to do the same when I am feeling anxious about things.

If anyone thinks these little books towards the end of the bible are lightweight - think again.  In this letter to the believers though the region of Northern Turkey Peter encourages them to not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among them.

These people are suffering not because they have done anything to deserve it but simply because they are followers of Jesus.   This  is not a principle we are well acquainted with.  We like comfort.  We have our rights. 

Peter (who was with Jesus so he should know something) tells them to rejoice if they are sharing for the name of Jesus.  This is the will of God – WHAT!  God wants me to suffer?  Well from this book it appears that is, in fact, part of His plan for refining his followers. 

Are you willing to be insulted for following Jesus? 

Are you willing to lose business because you are a believer?

Are you willing to be beaten and maybe die?

Well as Peter so kindly points out Jesus was the forerunner in being insulted and persecuted.  He went so far as to lay down his life for those who would believe in him.  Peter also points out in a Sermon on the Mount kind of way that it is not our place to try to get justice for ourselves.  This is God’s job.

This book makes me think that Peter thinks the Sermon on the Mount was more than just a nice idea.  Are we really to turn the other cheek?  Are we really blessed when people persecuted us?  This is not what I would normally consider a blessing!

Food for thought.  This should really affect the way I live…..

Therefore let those suffering in accordane with God’s will enturst themselves to a faithful Creator, while continuing to do good.

Paul is writing, just kidding Peter is writing to a persecuted church.  Man, it seems like Christians are always being persecuted.  Anyways, this book is pretty straight to the point.  If you flip it open, you will drastically see how it is mainly about hope in suffering.  It is neat how I judge a book by not knowing what I was going to get out of it, and thinking to myself “How could this possibly teach me another aspect of suffering?”  Well, to my surprise, well actually not my surprise, because I think like that before every book, God taught me yet another trait of his character.

One idea that Peter touches on suffeirng for the good vs. bad.  He mentions slaves in this chapter, and how they are to accept authority from their masters.  He says what credit is it if they are suffering for doing wrong?  But, the amount of blessing and credit one gets when a follower of Christ suffers unjustly, awhile holding onto the grace of God, being aware that he is still God, not doubting where he is in admist of suffering.  That concept is so beautiful to me.  Yet, really difficult to take in.  In our culture, that does nooootttttt flow! You have your American rights, and my personal rights, and my space, and my wants, and my desires.  Well, good luck at trying to conform that into the Bible comfortably for you life.  The truth that I am trying to put across is how we are supposed to share in Jesus’ sufferings, and he was suffering for something good.  In admist our suffering as Christians, even it is so unjust, suffering and enduring, awhile holding onto Christ is a good thing to have.  It’s almost a blessing in itself.  It brings us to a broken state, longing, dying for Christ to be all of our fulfillment.

This has hugely touched in my life on a huge scale.  I think about the things I am suffering for right now, and how if I compare them with things I was suffering for a couple years ago, there was no hope in that suffering.  It wasn’t even good that I was suffering for, which made it even more hopeless.  But, now, God has be in suffering positions for a reason, that I am longing and edging to find out.  But, even if there is no outcome, will I still hold onto the cross that exemplified the hugest amount of suffering in history?  I hope.

             It’s pretty incredible that we still have letters written by Peter, over almost 2,000 years ago, who was one of Jesus’ best friends. What a privilege it is to be able to read it! Coming from a Jewish background, Peter’s style of writing is much more circular in nature – majorly differing from Paul’s Greek style of writing, which is very logical. Therefore, Peter has themes of having an eternal perspective, suffering, and living holy weaved throughout the entire letter. Writing to Gentiles undergoing severe persecution under the evil Emperor Nero around AD 64 (who used to dip Christians in wax and light them on fire for candles at his dinner parties), they must have been struggling with how they were to interact with those who were persecuting them and asking all sorts of “why” questions. He encourages them to maintain the eternal perspective that everything is temporary and that one day all brokenness will be restored. In light of their hope of eternity, they must endure persecution, all the while honor those persecuting them and continue to live holy.

            With this theme of suffering continually coming up in the New Testament, it challenges me to really examine the issue. Just like the original readers of this letter, my initial question sometimes when I see suffering or experience it myself is to ask God “why?”. Although Romans makes it pretty clear that we may not get an answer to that question, we can learn our role and responsibility when it does come. 1 Peter shows us that because God values us becoming like him, that sometimes he allows suffering to happen so that we may become more Christ-like, knowing it is ultimately for our best. He is very explicit that our attitude towards suffering should be rejoicing. Really? Rejoicing? However, that begins to make sense when I remember my eternal destination and that everything else will fade. In reality, my relationship with God is of the utmost importance, and if I really believe that, then I will be thankful for the opportunities, whatever they may be, that strengthen my relationship with him.

            In light of this, as Christians, we should never be overwhelmed or discouraged because everything that discourages will fade away and is ephemeral. One day, our Creator will himself fully restore us. Therefore, we can respond towards others, even those causing the suffering, with humility, trusting that God will one day be the judge and make all things right. We can then rest, knowing that’s not our place, and believe that whatever happens in life, good or bad, holds the opportunity for us to know our Maker a little more.

Peter wrote the letter of 1 Peter to several Galatian churches in the regions of Galatia and Asia, to encourage them in their suffering, and to tell them to keep an eternal perspective in this present life, so as to give them endurance and encouragement in the midst of their pain. Peter knows that they are experiencing intense physical persecution; b/c in those days, to be a Christian meant that you could be tortured and possibly killed. He didn’t want the churches to give up, just because life on earth is hard; therefore, he repeatedly reminds them throughout the letter to focus their goal on heaven, and to realize that their real home is in heaven and not on earth.

This helped them realize that it was not a present life of comfort and ease that they should be striving for. Instead they should focus on being with Jesus, and the fact that he had suffered for them and saved them from eternal suffering. Thus, they shouldn’t set their hope on this life, because the life of eternity with Jesus will be more glorious than they could even imagine!

This is encouraging for us too, because in this life we too have suffering and physical hardships as well. When we look from an earthly perspective, it is easy to get discouraged and wonder why we even have to endure these sufferings? However, as soon as we realize that God always has a purpose in suffering, and that our home is not on earth, but in heaven, then we will realize that the things we suffer on earth are light and momentary.

Thus, how does this change our day to day life? Well, instead of getting discouraged when we experience hard times, we can rejoice that one day we will be in heaven, and eternally surrounded by God’s glory. Therefore, it is not for temporary comforts on earth that we live – it is for ETERNAL life and glory with Christ. This should truly make us joyful in any circumstance, and give us the grace to endure it.

 This week we started our first letter of Peter.  His writing style is similar to Paul’s letters to Timothy in that there is not as much structure but more emphasis on the thematic elements of suffering, living holy and having an eternal perspective.  Similar to Paul’s letters also, Peter writes and addresses specific audiences such as wives, husbands, slaves, and shows them how they can embrace these themes in their own lives and why that is important.  In chapter 3 of 1 Peter, the idea of suffering and always being ready to defend the faith is mentioned, which I interpreted a different way-maybe Christ wants us to endure suffering as a defense mechanism for the faith.  Of course it doesn’t make any sense that to defend the faith we give into our opposition, but much of what Christ teaches seems counter intuitive, because we use our human thinking to figure things of heaven out.  

For me personally I really feel like the Lord has been calling me and preparing me for things in the future that are going to bring me out of my comfort zone, a suffering of some kind.  So what makes this timeless truth so special to me is that it prepares me mentally and spiritually for the suffering to come, in whatever form that suffering presents itself, because I know that my enduring suffering will defend the faith.  Our purpose here on earth is to serve God and to bring others to Christ so that they can have a hope in eternity, but how can I truly exemplify Christ unless I make myself like him in everyway, including being broken down, so other can be brought into his glorious family?

I walked away from the recent events here at ESBS and the studying of this book with an excitement. I realized the need for men to have real accountability in their lives, including me. I see that in 1 Peter the church is suffering as a result of persecution and not living godly lives and Peter makes a point to re-establish Elders. These men had to meet certain criteria though. They had to be Christ focused men at the core of the faith. Men that are living with an eternal perspective not one of this temporal world. This is a challenge to me. I find it much easier to talk a lot about how to be a good Christian than it is to actually walk out that example in front of people around me. After the meeting we had with Jerry last night I really felt the desire to stand up and be an example to the other students at the bible school. I want so bad for these men to understand what they are in Christ, to understand that an exciting life is lived outside of the box. But I must be living that life as well. It’s hard to sell a product in which you don’t believe.

The church is structured all wrong- How can my pastor be an elder if I only see him a couple of times a week at best and during those times he is preaching. True growth and discipleship comes during the 9-5 of life

Trust the faithful Creator…4:19

Peter spoke well to the christians about their sufferings and persecutions. Though i couldn’t imagine what that really looks like, they were pursuing a faithful Creator. If this journey of sanctification is to mean anything in our lives, suffering and trial are inevitable. How do i know that? Christ is the example we are left with. He died and was persecuted for things he didn’t do. He is the example we are to live by. I’m left with seeking fully trusting the faithful Creator. I see where i am so quick to be discouraged and lack trust. I forget that Christ is worth whatever i’m dealing with, that he hasn’t given up on me, and that he does love me. It is my prayer that i fully entrust myself and in fact my life with the faithful Creator…daily.

” All people who strive to thoughtfully deal with God and life are forced to live within the tension of God’s providence and a chaotic world.” ~Kyle Lake

People suffer from all kinds of unimaginable things because this is the world we live in. There is disease, poverty, violence, drugs, broken homes, abuse, rape, hurt, anger etc. I could go on. I have not had to deal with that kind of severe suffering. I am so grateful for the life that has been given to me.  Why do others have to suffer these things and I don’t? What comfort can I possibly bring to someone that I cannot even relate to? What hope can I give them?

This sounds like a Sunday school answer, but the truth is Jesus Christ. People say “how? Explain to me how Jesus can take away the suffering of these people?” They want a tangible and physical solution when God, who sees things in a much bigger picture than we do, knows that what we really need is not a quick fix solution to physical suffering. He has fixed a bigger problem that people don’t see as a huge problem. God sees our eternal problem of suffering. The suffering that goes on in the world today, is a shadow of the utmost worst suffering that awaits for all of mankind because we as a human race have messed things up. We all deserve death and eternal suffering.

God is beautiful in the fact that he sees our greater needs as the most important rather than what our temporary physical desires are. Jesus Christ has fixed the ultimate problem of suffering in an eternal perspective. What hope is there for me to give to people suffering? Jesus Christ, because everyone deserves to suffer and he paid the ultimate suffering for us so that we may never have to suffer again. Hope for these people is that when this crooked world is over, they will never have to suffer again because of Jesus. That is love. That is compassion. That is worth temporarily suffering for if you see life as it truly is, outside ourselves and outside this fading world.

1 Peter 1:3-6 “…By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer…”

It is amazing how this truth of eternal perspective has already been passed on from me to another person. My friend had a question about where God was in mental illness. I was able to help him see an eternal perspective that hope for these people is one day never having to deal with suffering again because of Jesus Christ. It was a huge encouragement to them and it was just what they needed to hear at the right time. How incredible our God is!

Live with an eternal perspective! ( 4:17-19)

Living with an eternal perspective means to me that I live with the end in mind. Realizing that there will be situations that I go through and struggles and trials in my life, but I will not allow those circumstances to pull me away from the eternal hope that I have in Christ. There are times when I become so frustrated and completely wrapped up in my earthly circumstances. Sometimes I become fearful or worried about my life and my future, but when I live with an eternal perspective I remember my hope and my blessing and my provision that is kept for me by God. He is faithful and he has given to me beyond what the world gives to me. The world gives only what is dead, and defiled and passing away, but Christ gives to me what is alive by his spirit and what is unfading and undefiled! He gives me eternal hope and when I fix my eyes on him and live everyday with eternity in mind it changes my whole life, it changes my heart and my mind and my actions. My mind is changed in the way I think about circumstances in my life and my heart and actions are changed in the way I approach those circumstances and how I walk this truth out in my life. I walk it out now, in placing my hopes and my fears of the future in Gods hands, knowing that his ways are better, and that the only way to truly be fulfilled and happy is by doing what he has called me to do, so that means letting go of my views and ideas for my own life and embracing Gods views and ideas for my life. Because all things in this world are temporary and passing away, but Gods word will last always! I hope to always hold to the truth that glory comes in laying down my life and entrusting it all to a faithful Creator.
Christ is worth whatever I may face in this life, whatever challenge and struggle, I hope to endure knowing that he is worth it! This world is temporary and not my end. My end is eternal glory with God. And he is faithful to keep me until that end comes!! 

Timeless truth: (4:18) Entrust yourself to a faithful creator. While continuing to do well. Suffer in accordance with His will for your life. So that His work is proclaimed and He is glorified.

I am so inwardly consumed. If I ever do anything wrong and if I every do anything right. I pretend to care a lot. But usually I am looking out for myself. I do that out of fear. Fear that I am realizing is stemming from forgetting God is faithful, loving, and in control. He created me. He knows everything before I ever need or want it. He knows when I am not going to want to do something or fail at something I try. He still wants the best for me. He still expects the most out of me. He expects everything because he gave everything. I must speak truth in love boldly so that the Cross is proclaimed and He is glorified in everything because it is due to Him. God has saved me from so much, I pray I could be a vessel of his unselfishly to pursue an eternal perspective in my suffering and lifestyle within myself and towards others. 

Jesus knows all of my junk and loves me anyways. For that I will sing praises everyday. I will change my life in light of this scriptural timeless truth by being less selfish. By only speaking the truth and by loving Jesus so much I forget to look at my self as inadequate. I will pray with Carolina Belk as much as we can. And I will find strength, power and courage in Jesus. Not in my abilities to love others or have compassion for them. I will expect change because God is faithful. I will run the race marked out for me with diligence because Christ deserves my best. I will seek for Jesus to be my center and all my friends because it matters for eternity. I want to suffer. For outside of myself is the power. Within my flesh is nothing. I need help and I know the Lord will provide. I am trusting him. I am thankful Jesus has given me the Holy Spirit to proclaim His gospel with. And I want all that I do to honor and glorify Him. I will choose to walk intimately close to him. For I need the safety in His wings.