Suffering for Being a Christian

Meditations in the Season of Lent 

April 4, 2022

Suffering for Being a Christian

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

1 Peter 4:19

Read: 1 Peter 4:12-19

Four parts of today’s reading caught my attention. First, Peter is continuing to assert that the followers of Jesus understand their lives within the context of looking forward to Jesus coming again in final victory. It is this truth that enables us to understand and make a difference in the world today.

Secondly, Peter reaches back to Zachariah 13, to a passage that Jesus quoted in Mark 14:27, to affirm, “do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (v. 12) The reference Jesus quoted was “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” (Zechariah 13:7) Even though Jesus has defeated the powers of sin and death, in our present time as we await Jesus’ return, we will experience persecution as we align ourselves with God’s Messiah, Christ Jesus.

The third point is that when we align ourselves with Christ and stand with him in our world, when we are insulted because of the name of Christ, we are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on us. (v.14) Those persecuting us think they are diminishing the name of Christ, when in fact they bring glory to God in Christ Jesus.

My Takeaway: Peter not only draws on the OT prophet Zachariah to make his point, he also quotes Proverbs 11:31 in verse 18. Peter was a fisherman and an apostle. He was very well schooled in the scriptures, and as a follower of Jesus, should I be. 

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.