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By: Nathan Scheele
You may listen to this devotion in audio form via podcast here.
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.
Jesus warned us that it would not be easy to follow him. You know, the whole ‘take up your cross’ deal. It’s still a shock to the system when you follow the call of Christ and suffering comes as a result of following that call. One of Jesus’ best friends tells us in our reading that if we are insulted or suffer for the name of Christ we indeed are blessed. Peter knew what it meant to suffer for the name of Christ. He had his fair share of humble pie and on top of that beatings and imprisonments for the name of Christ. He was also familiar with the teachings of our Lord on blessedness (see Matthew 5:3-12), that blessing is often found in the least likely of places.
Peter also saw the innocent Jesus suffer like no one else has and even heaped on the suffering by denying that he knew him. Peter knew that Jesus does not ask us to do anything that he has not already done. Even in suffering for following Christ we mirror and reflect Christ to the world, and not just in the fact that we are suffering but how we suffer.
Holy week is the culmination of the suffering of Christ. Christ’s suffering did not begin Thursday evening but long before that. It is continual suffering for a righteous soul to endure and even just observe sin and wickedness. Christ entered into this fallen and sinful world for our redemption. His humiliation and suffering began the moment he was conceived. Jesus endured and overcame our sin all the way from the womb to the tomb.
Peter also once said that Jesus “bore our sins in his body on the tree that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” All for the sake of love Jesus entered into suffering and overcame sin and death for us. And in bearing our crosses for the sake of love we continue to reflect the love of Christ to the world.
Don’t be surprised when you suffer for following the call of Christ. It’s the only way to glory. You should actually be surprised if you don’t!
Peter explains why we are blessed when we suffer for the name of Christ; “because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” What else could you ask for?! There is nothing better than being in God’s presence, nothing more powerful, nothing more blessed! Jesus was forsaken in his suffering, but we are not! In our suffering is when he is most near.
Christ in his suffering for our salvation continually entrusted himself to God (1 Peter 2:23). Continually entrust yourself to God (1 Peter 4:19). That pretty much sums up the Christian life.