True Leadership

Luke 22:24-30.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty on February 7, 2016. 

We have been looking at the Passover Supper that Jesus shared with his disciples on the night he was betrayed.  Each of the disciples was destined to have a critical role in the work of Jesus moving forward.  Yet, this brought great temptation with it.  They renewed an old favorite pastime of squabbling among themselves about who was the greatest disciple.  This argument gives rise to great insight from Jesus into what makes a great leader.

Who is the greatest disciple?

It is common in any group to have a clash of inflated evaluations of self and the disciples were not immune.  Verse 24 brings this out.  Of course, self-evaluations are always there and are not wrong necessarily.  However, Jesus taught that judgments should not be according to appearance, but rather should be righteous (John 7:24).  Clearly the disciples failed on this evening.  Yet, they become an example of what we should not do.  Take joy in the fact that, even when you fail, you can provide an example to yourself and others.

The word translated as dispute is a bit unclear.  The word that is translated here means more than just a dispute and the strife that goes with it.  It is literally a “love of disputes” that is referred to.  Thus this was not just a difference of opinion, but a love of arguing with each other.  Sometimes when you argue with someone you realize that either you or they fall into the trap of arguing for arguments sake.  You may use logic for your point but then refuse that same logic from the other side, which is both illogical and hypocritical.  Such love of dispute is not anchored in a love of God, or a love of righteousness and truth.  It is anchored in contention itself.  Conflict can become a habit that mimics addiction.  However, Christians are called to be peacemakers, not lovers of strife.  Their question of which of them is the greatest stirs up a spirit of arguing within the group.

Jesus steps in and uses the situation to teach about true leadership.  Notice the word “considered.”  They are all concerned on how they are considered by the others.  They each think the others should consider them the greatest.  Jesus points this out as a problem.  They are thinking like the world about power and position.  He reminds them that in the world the rulers exercise dominion and rule over the people.  The people in turn often admire them and give flattering titles like “benefactor” to them.  Thus in the world leaders are often seeking the admiration of the crowd and the titles that they may give in consideration of them.  People will often take pride in an oppressive leader if they think the leader is benefiting the status of the nation within the world.

Greatness is defined by Jesus

Our knee-jerk answer to the question of which of them was the greatest might be to exclaim, “None of you are great!  Only Jesus is great!”  Yet, take notice that this is not how Jesus responded.  None of them are claiming to be greater than Jesus.  They are only thinking among themselves, and Jesus gives them an honest explanation of what greatness is in God’s eyes, rather than men’s.  So who do you want to “consider” you great, God or people?

Christian leadership must not seek privileges nor to be served by others.  Jesus points out that in the systems of this world the older ones obtain privileges the higher they move up in leadership.  To become like the younger is not to use the system for these privileges.  In fact it is to be as one who has none.  One of the problems with our government today is the many privileges that they have legislated for themselves.  This is also seen in the way that great leaders of this world are served by lesser leaders.  To move up in leadership is to have more servants at your beck and call.  This creates a kind of sycophantic system in which younger leaders serve greater leaders in flattery and unhealthy ways in order to obtain position and privilege.  Think of how corrupt religious and secular institutions can become through this dynamic.  Even in the sciences there is a system in which the younger plebes do research and write papers in order to please the older ones who hold the power of their advancement.  In a perfect world this would not be a problem.  But, welcome to Earth.

How does the Lord respond to this?  “Not so among you!”  It is sad to see how often we have tossed such words aside in the heat of the moment in order to obtain what our flesh desires, greatness.  Whether in local churches, within denominational structures, or among the body of Christ as a whole, we have continued to transgress this command and to our own detriment.

Yet, Jesus then points to himself.  The example that Jesus gave of servant-leadership is contrary to the way of the world.  It would be interesting to know exactly when the foot-washing of the disciples occurred.  Even so, it works the same whether he had already done it or did it right after these words.  As Jesus washes their feet, he takes a lowly position that would be given to the lowest plebe in any worldly system.  All of the disciples would have stated strongly that Jesus was the greatest among them.  Thus Jesus highlights the inner dissonance that exists.  They know that he is the greatest and yet they continue to follow the world’s ways in order to obtain their own greatness.  The greatest leader in God’s eye is the one who will come down off their throne and serve those under them.  The world serves for the privileges and the accolades of men to the expense of pleasing God.  The disciples of Jesus must not follow that model.  The believer must reject privilege and use the position and power to serve those “under” their authority.  Even then, the service must be done not to please those you help, but instead God.  Of course Jesus was within 24 hours of his ultimate service.  He would become the substitute for the punishment of their sin.  If Jesus led to please his disciples, he would have never gone to the cross.  They didn’t want a crucified leader.  They wanted Jesus to walk into Jerusalem and take over.  They wanted the fame of the world, not the hatred.

The rewards of following Jesus

In verses 28-30 Jesus changes his tone.  Though he has verbally stripped them of any appearance of being great disciples, he transitions to what they have done that he thinks is truly great.  On top of that he tells them they will be rewarded for it.  Many had left Jesus over the course of the last months.  The crowds had quit following after him.  Even Judas was in the middle of leaving him.  The disciples themselves would scatter in unbelief of what would happen to Jesus the next day.  Even today, followers of Jesus are being challenged.  Will we leave Jesus in order to give allegiance to something else?  Or, perhaps we will simply redefine Jesus and thus serve “another” Jesus, a Jesus of our own making and in our own image?  These men had remained with Jesus through his trials.  The word has the sense of a trial that is intended to prove the genuineness of something.  Jesus was enduring a test to prove whether he truly was the Anointed Son of God.  His teachings and way of living life was undergoing a test.  And, as he is being tested, so those who are learning his way are to be tested.  Jesus was joyous to have these men in all their weakness and frailty, who had nevertheless stuck with him.  “Who else has the words of Life, Lord?”  The truth of Christ and his way is undergoing a test in this generation.  Will we stand by Jesus unwavering, or will we betray him?  Will we learn to seek his approval, or will we seek the consideration of each other, striving to be seen as great?  His testing is our testing.  So, learn to trust the master.  His way leads to life.

Verses 29-30 are interesting.  In a sense Jesus speaks of two kingdoms: one that he is giving to his disciples and one that they will join him in later.  The way they lead in the kingdom that he gives them will be rewarded in the Lord’s kingdom later.  He will not be present as they lead the Church after his ascension.  Thus their faithful service in the first century to lay down a foundation for the Church to be built upon would be rewarded in the coming millennial kingdom.  If we will listen to the commands of our Lord then we will find sure reward later.  Do not worry about the level of your authority and strive to get higher and higher.  Whatever authority comes your way in life, use it to honor Jesus and not yourself.  Use it to serve those under you in a way that will cause the Lord to think you are great.  At times that may make people under your influence to think less of you.  But that must not matter to us.

Do not embrace worldly thinking in any part of your life, much less within the Church.  It is high time that we drop the ways of the world and adopt the ways of the master, our Lord Jesus.

Leadership audio

The Test of Freedom

July 5, 2015--Luke 18:31-34

This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner.  The following is only a summary of it.  Please click the audio link at the end of the article to listen to it.

This weekend we are celebrating 239 years since our declaration of independence from King George of the British Empire in A.D. 1776.  Looking back, we can see how that freedom has been tested in many different ways over the centuries.  First it was tested by the War of Independence itself.  Once that test had been passed we were tested on whether or not we could govern ourselves.  This gave rise to the constitution in 1789.  Of course other tests involved the Civil War in the 1800's, our rise as a global economic power since WWII, and throughout the last 70 years the test of our spiritual and moral fortitude.  Freedom is not a right we can demand.  It is a condition we can enjoy, but will always be tested.  Our founding fathers believed that it was the right of all men to be free simply because they are created by God and He intends them to be free.  Do we still believe that?

The story of the Bible is one of the enslavement of men and God’s consequent work to free men from it.  It is not God who enslaves us.  We are enslaved by our own sins to do the will of the devil.  Jesus in John 8:36 tells us, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  We also see in the Bible, 2 Cor 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”  Whether or not America will pass the tests of today and remain free, every believer in Jesus needs to recognize that, regardless of society, they can remain free as individuals who have embraced Jesus, the only true source of freedom.

Jesus frees us to trust God

In Luke 18:31-34 we see that the disciples did not really understand the plan and purposes of God in Jesus.  In retrospect we can see it is all about freedom, but for them it looked like Jesus was refusing to free them.  The interaction of Jesus with the rich man earlier in this chapter is ultimately about a man enslaved by trust in his wealth, rather than God.  Thus Jesus calls this man to embrace freedom and let go of his slavery. Of course he walks away sad because he is not sure he wants to be free from what enslaves him.  He would rather have both.  I want to have my cake and eat it too.  However, freedom often requires us to choose what we want more.

The call to freedom comes from Jesus to whoever will listen.  Leave everything else behind and follow me.  Peter recognizes that they had done that in verse 28. The disciples had successfully navigated the test that the rich man failed (at least in this moment).  Jesus of course recognized that what Peter says is true.  In fact the things they have lost have been replaced with something that is more and yet different, as Pastor Nick shared with us last week.  Though they left their families and jobs behind, Jesus had made them part of a new family with a new job.  They had trusted God and wanted Him more than their previous lives.

Yet something else needed to happen.  Jesus is not just a way of looking at the world and living life. He had to do a real work of freeing us from the guilt and judgment of our sins.  Thus Jesus takes the 12 aside in order to remind them where he was headed, that is the cross. Our sins keep us from freedom by leading us off the path of trusting God’s way.  No matter how much we want to be with God the desires of our flesh continually pull us away from God and separate us from Him.  They also keep us from freedom by the guilt and judgment that stands in the way of getting back on God’s path.  Jesus is not just our great example.  He is that and much more.  He is also our Sin Remover; our Punishment Surrogate; our Willing Scapegoat.  He sacrificed himself for our freedom.  Thus, it is one thing to embrace Jesus as a means of having a wonderful life.  It is quite another to follow Him through the cross and to the other side.

To stay free is to keep trusting God

Once having been given freedom it is important to hold on to it.  Your flesh, the world, & the devil fight against that freedom.  The only way to retain freedom is to keep trusting God.  "He who endures until the end shall be saved."  The endurance here is not about human strength, but about faith.  If we hold our faith in God and His Son, Jesus, we will remain in His freedom.

Our faith is never more tested than when we have to walk a difficult path and endure the hostility of sinners.  Jesus takes time to point them to the hostilities and difficulties that lie ahead.  This is the 3rd time Luke records Jesus telling them about the difficult death ahead of him. Yes, we are tested in just taking hold of the call to freedom.  But we are also tested in the holding on to it. Difficult paths can cause us to shrink away from freedom and retreat back into the slavery of self-life.  Jesus warned his disciples that to follow him, they would need to pick up their own cross. Difficult times lay ahead.  In fact he would be mocked, insulted, spit upon, scourged, and killed. They would not stand by him in his darkest hour, which would become a guilt and shame hanging over their head.  These things would test them severely.  What are we willing to endure in order to retain freedom as an individual?  As a nation?  The Israelites of the first century A.D. had a choice to make.  They could cling to the hope of national freedom of Israel, or they could let go of it and obtain the freedom that no dictator or terrorist can take away; freedom in Jesus.  Is there a hope for freedom of America in the days ahead?  As long as there is a God there is hope.  However, even nations can cross lines that bring about the judgment of God.  Yet, even if this nation is without hope of turning back, we as individuals must stand with Joshua and say, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  We cannot lose the greater in trying to keep the lesser.  Perhaps the time has come for American Christians to make a choice.  Is your love for this country greater than your love for Jesus?  It is easy to conflate the two.

So how can one remain free when faced with such choices?  Ultimately freedom was won by the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf.  In a similar manner, the natural freedom of our nation was won by the sacrifice of men and women who put their lives on the line. This principle cannot be avoided: freedom is only maintained by sacrifice.  As Christians we follow a Lord who sacrificed earthly glory in order to give us true freedom.  So how can I put my life on the line for this nation?  Yes we can join militaries and police forces and fight against evil.  But even that finds a dead end when whole nations embrace wickedness and reject God.  The way of the cross has never been about saving the body of a man or the body politic of a nation.  Jesus and his disciples are our model.  They did not shrink back because the path was difficult.  Rather, they pushed ahead even to the point of laying down their lives as fishermen and Israelites.  They did this for themselves but also for the sake of those who would follow behind them.  They wanted others to be free.

When you trust God it does not mean the path will be easy.  But God has always aided His people against the forces of tyranny.  Even when those forces seem invincible.  He has pledged to free the world from this age of the darkness of man’s rebellion and the tyranny that forever chases us like a howling wolf.  We must trust that.  We must pick up our cross and follow Him.  Let’s be the light in this dark and perverse generation so that some may believe and find freedom.

Test of Freedom Audio

Understanding Bad Events and God's Judgment

Today we will be looking at Luke 13:1-9.

No one likes to have bad things happen to themselves or their loved ones.  When they do happen, we often try to make sense out of the events and can run into some pitfalls.  Now the Bible gives us a strong framework upon which to understand bad things in our life and the Holy Spirit promises to give us wisdom regarding how to respond.  So the question is, “Am I trusting in these two supports, or am I trusting something else?”  When difficult times come, we need to take time to remind ourselves of the biblical truths involved and open ourselves up to what God may want to say to us.

When Bad Things Happen

In verse 1 we have some news of the day that is described to Jesus.  In the manner of “did you hear about so and so,” the crowd wants to hear what Jesus has to say.  This news event is about a situation where Pilate, the governor of Jerusalem and Judea, had killed some Galileans.  We are told that he mixed their blood with their sacrifices.  Several questions are not answered but are clearly implied.  Pilate most likely sees these Galileans as part of one of the rebel groups that existed in those days.  It also seems that he waited until they had entered the Temple to sacrifice their offerings before he killed them.  Thus the picture of a group being slaughtered in the act of worshipping God is shown.  Part of understanding the mindset of the people and why they are bringing this up to Jesus is to recognize their sense of judgment.  Pilate was not a righteous and godly man.  He mercilessly ruled Judea so as to keep Caesar happy and the Jews under control.  Yet, the fact that they are killed while worshipping God sets up a shock scenario: shock that Pilate would defile the Temple in such a way, and shock that these Galileans were killed in such a horrendous manner.  The whispers and “water cooler talk” would center around what God’s response would be.  Would God kill Pilate or did the Galileans deserve such a horrible death?  Was it a sign that God was about to remove Pilate (i.e. he has lost all restraint) or is it a sign that these Galileans were wicked and rejected by Him?  What do you think Jesus?

Jesus offers a very different response to these questions.  But, before we get into that, let’s look at the question of whether it was from God or not.  When bad things happen, whether to us or to others, we ask the question why.  Did God cause this, or is it just happenstance?  There can be no hard fast answers.  In fact part of the response Jesus gives is to point out another disaster that had happened recently and tie it together with this story.  In it a tower falls and kills 18 people.  Notice in the first story a wicked man kills some Galileans and in the second there is seemingly no one causing the tower to fall.  One thing to keep in mind is that we live in a fallen world that is under a curse.  Thus many things we call bad are a result of mankind’s choice to rebel against God.  We suffer disease and death as a result of it.  God is not necessarily directly causing our sickness and death.  Often, it is just the result of man’s choice in the Garden of Eden.  Also, much “bad” that occurs is a result of our own sin and the sin of others.  God didn’t make us sinful.  Sin is when we reject the directions of the One who created us.  We do so at our own peril.  In the midst of these two categories is the reality that some things are directly caused by God and some things are only indirectly allowed by him.

An example of direct involvement is when God pours out plagues upon Pharaoh in Egypt.  God generally reveals His involvement in such events through His prophets by both predicting, warning and explaining.  However, in the case of Job, we see that God is only indirectly involved.  It is Satan who is directly causing the trouble, but for some reason God is allowing it. 

In all of these things we have to exercise humility and caution in our judgments regarding the way in which God is involved.  Our first premonitions and analysis are not always right.  Even with a strong, biblical world-view and understanding of the above information, we can misjudge.  Job’s friends were sure that he was guilty of secret sin because of the horrendous nature of the things happening to him.  The Psalmist also recognizes that people looked upon his sickness as a judgment from God.  It is also the case that, when bad things happen to me, my flesh is quick to be angry with God and give up.  This fleshly dynamic is interesting to watch in others, but believe me, it is operating in you.  We are quick to judge (and even relish) the misfortune of others as proof that God is against them and quick to be angry with God when bad happens to us.  Jesus nips this in the bud in verse 2 with the words, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners?”  He even answers it, “No.”  God is not operating a universe in which the worse things happen to the worse of sinners and by extension nothing bad happens to the best people, as much as we may wish it.

Jesus turns his hearers away from judging those in misfortune and back to themselves.  When bad happens to others, I need to look at my own life.  We need to take time and judge our own life with the same soul-searching that the Psalmist cries for in Psalm 139:23-24.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart!  Try me and know my thoughts!  And, see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

The truth is that devastating events can teach us important truths.  First, it teaches us the reality of our frail mortality.  No matter how righteous and close to God we are, we are still frail and not guaranteed tomorrow.  Second, it teaches us to not pride in our position whether with God or with the systems of this world.  Such arrogant elitism can develop in the life of Christians as well as the lost.  God does not always protect the righteous from physical harm and devastation.  It keeps us humble and focused upon our true task, trusting God in a fallen world.  Third, I must always be ready to stand before God and give account for my life (i.e. to meet my Maker).  We can come up with many others such as how we come to see the reality behind why God has warned against sin and will judge sinners.  It is in the “Bad” times that we often draw closer to understanding God and being more like Him.

God Is Looking For Fruit

In verses 6-9 Jesus gives a simple parable to drive this point home.  To understand this parable let’s establish what the parts of the parable represent.  The “certain man” who owns a vineyard is God himself and Jesus in particular.  In this vineyard he has a certain tree that is not bearing fruit.  This tree is the people of Israel.  So what does the fruit represent?  The fruit of any believer is those godly actions that come from a heart of faith.  In fact, it might be good to point out that when the Bible speaks of the fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace etc. it is not talking about feelings in our heart as much as it is talking about faith in God (following the Spirit) expressing itself in actions of love, joy and peace etc.  Jesus came looking for actions of repentance from sin, righteousness and mercy towards others.  But the tree of Israel lacked fruit as a whole.  So who are the caretakers here?  This is less clear but it seems best to connect the caretaker with the prophets.  The digging and fertilizing are those drastic events and the warnings of the prophets that could open the “roots” of people’s lives to God’s truth.  The ground around our heart can be so hard that God’s Word is unable to penetrate and do us good.  Jesus warns that though the tree be given one more year to bear fruit, it will be cut down if not.  Cutting down here is a picture of final judgment.  It is the loss of life and standing before God.  Israel as a national vehicle of God speaking to the world was about to be cut off.

It is important to recognize that God periodically comes looking for fruit, whether in the Church, a nation, or an individual.  Obviously He knows at all times how we are doing.  But He works by seasons in our life.  He breaks open our hardened ground and inserts His Word.  He then gives that Word a season to grow and come to maturity.  He then has an appointed time of harvest.  This parable highlights the judgment upon those who do not respond well to His Word.  We should not take for granted the goodness of God.  Rather we should work to cooperate with it.  When we trust Him, we believe that He will work all things to the good (even bad things).  Why would we believe that?  We believe it because we know that He loves us and has called us for His good purpose.

Yes, God is looking for fruit.  But, that does not mean that all bad things are a sign of His final judgment upon us.  God is not quick to cut people off.  He is long-suffering and works continually even in the life of unbelievers in order to open their eyes to sin and to His purpose.  He works with His people as a parent with little children.  Most of the time, He is simply disciplining us in order to make us more like Him.  He is trying to lift us up and not push us down.  He knows that those things we often label as bad can work for our good.  Thus He allows some.  He knows that we need chastised for our sin from time to time.  Thus He causes others.  Even when God is punishing a nation, city, or an individual, the path of repentance is always open to them.  Even the threat of final judgment can be the devastating thing that breaks through our hardness and gets the Truth down to our roots; like Nineveh.

We can change our mind and thus walk a different path.  This is the beauty of God’s mercy.  He desires us to come into fellowship with Him.  Even the thief on the cross is welcomed into Paradise, though he lived a life of sin.  In the end he had a change of heart and publicly declared the innocence of Jesus and begged his mercy.  Such is the heart of God even in the midst of judgment.  Let us search our hearts.  But, even more important, we must allow the Holy Spirit to search our hearts and bring to our attention those things that keep us from bearing the fruitful actions of a heart of faith.

Understanding Bad Events Audio

The Problem of Suffering IV

Today we will finish up chapter 4 of 1 Peter by looking at verses 12-19.  Peter will finish up the topic of the suffering of Christians before concluding his letter in chapter 5.

In This World Suffering Is Normal

In verse 12 Peter reminds them that their suffering is not a strange thing.  As the Creator, God himself is the definition of what is normal.  It is He who made the earth and the universe.  Thus we could say that it is not normal.  However, since the rebellion of mankind and many of the angelic order, it has become normal for those who do righteousness to suffer for it.  Satan has strong control over the minds and powers of this world.  So we should not be surprised at opposition.  In America we have had it so good for so long that we have forgotten that all institutions and nations eventually fall to the infiltration of this spiritual enemy.  It is only by God’s Spirit that we can win.

Peter refers to suffering as a fiery trial.  This is reminiscent of the 3 Hebrew boys who were protected from the fire of Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel.  Even though we are not all physically protected, the fiery trials of this world cannot destroy our faith in God.  In fact if our faith is mere wood, hay, or stubble it will not survive.  But if our faith is true metal, the fire will only serve to purify us.  Thus what the enemy intends for evil, God works for our good.  Notice that God doesn’t often overturn the event itself.  Rather, He overturns the end to which it was sent.  Thus God uses fiery trials to prove that our faith is genuine and also to purify it and make it stronger.

In the next verse, Peter points out that they have a unique point of fellowship with Christ, namely in his sufferings.  Not many would volunteer to share in someone’s sufferings.  But much like fellow combatants who have a connection with each other because they went through the same “fire,” so too, we can come to understand the sufferings of our Lord Jesus.  His strength of faith and purity of heart cause us to go deeper in our love for who He is.  His endurance under intense suffering is a foreign thing to us when we have never suffered.  But when we suffer we understand and love Jesus on a far deeper level.  This is a cause for rejoicing.  We have joy now, but when Jesus is revealed from heaven in great glory we will do more than rejoice.  The word translated exceeding could also be translated as “causing to spring up.”  Today we can rejoice, but then we will be filled with “Leaping joy.”  The joy of Christ’s coming will be a far sweeter event when we have endured sufferings on behalf of our Lord.

Make Sure You Suffer For The Right Reasons

Let’s look at the next three verses (14-16).  Earlier Peter had warned slaves not to be punished for evil.  But if they are punished for doing good to bear it as unto the Lord.  Similarly, here he calls all believers to make sure that if they are suffering it is for the right reason.  If we suffer because of our trust in Jesus Christ we bring glory to God and ourselves.  First we bring glory to Christ because we honor him as worthy of our suffering.  In a world that rejects and dishonors Christ, we stand up and honor him.  We declare that we will go through anything in order to be with Jesus.  Peter reminds them that those who make such statements and live in that way will find the Glory of God’s Spirit resting on them.  This is a clear reference back to the temple.  When the Spirit of God came upon the tabernacle and the temple, it came like a cloud that rested upon the place.  That which was reserved for the most holy place now resides upon all believers who put their faith in Jesus.  The cloud may not be visible.  But we have a Spirit of Glory and also a destiny of Glory.

There is no shame in suffering because of Christ.  It is shameful to suffer because you are a murderer, a thief, an evil-doer, or a gossip.  But to suffer because of Christ is to put our hopes in a glory that is future.  When Jesus returns in great glory to judge the world, those who have put their trust in him will be raised to a glorious place with him.  Thus we ought to do all we can to glorify God in the way that we suffer, in speech, deed, and attitude.

Prepare For God’s Judgment

Peter reminds them that it is time for God’s judgment to come down.  But that judgment must first start with His people.  It would be easy to jump on Israel, but the first one judgment came upon was Jesus himself.  On the cross, the sins of the world were placed upon Jesus and the Father poured out his wrath upon Christ.  However, we can also recognize that God did not go on to judge Rome, but rather his judgments came upon Israel, its leaders, and its priesthood.  However, this judgment continues.  The church spiritually is free from judgment.  But in the flesh the believers looked like a people under the judgment of God.  In fact we are counseled to judge ourselves and turn to God in repentance.  We are a judged people.  God always judges His people first. But don’t fool yourself for one second.  His judgment will move to the world and those who are lost.  This world flatters itself as it pompously watches this judgment.  But their time is coming.  In fact the Roman kingdom eventually was judged, split asunder and then ruined.  The nations of this world may think that the Church’s days are numbered and that they will progress beyond religion, but a day of judgment is coming in which they will see the folly of their thoughts.  If the righteous one is barely saved what will become of the sinner?  He will have no hope.  What is meant by barely saved?  It means that our salvations hinges on a single moment in which we wavered on the edge of belief, precariously perched.  Few boldly march into heaven and lay down their crowns.  Most fearfully fret over the moment of faith and yet once they believe they find that the Lord’s hand is there.  This is not meant to minimize the work of God and maximize the works of man, but rather to point out the frailty of man.  If it were not for God none could be saved.

Thus we ought to entrust our souls unto God.  In verse 19 Peter challenges us to put our faith in God by doing what is good, or right.  That is the challenge.  We might shrink back from the right thing because it will bring us suffering.  But Peter says to do what is right and put your soul in God’s hands.  What a safe place.

Notice he refers to God as a faithful Creator.  I believe he does this to remind us of all the things God did at creation.  We are entrusting ourselves into the hands of the One who is powerful enough to create all things.  We are entrusting ourselves into the hands of the One who was wise enough to create all things. We are entrusting ourselves into the hands of the One who has a purpose in Creation,  just as he has a purpose in allowing this momentary suffering into our life.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me praise His holy name!

Problem of suffering IV audio