{"id":1466,"date":"2021-06-27T19:51:33","date_gmt":"2021-06-27T18:51:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=1466"},"modified":"2021-06-27T19:51:34","modified_gmt":"2021-06-27T18:51:34","slug":"how-to-follow-jesus-the-suffering-saviour-1-peter-211-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pbthomas.com\/blog\/?p=1466","title":{"rendered":"How to follow Jesus the Suffering Saviour 1 Peter 2:11-25"},"content":{"rendered":"

The apostle Peter is writing to Christians who are living as exiles and strangers in the world and who are suffering persecution for the name of Jesus. He calls them to live holy lives, and to follow Jesus\u2019s example in their suffering. And Peter supports his commands by explaining how Jesus\u2019s death on the cross brings life and salvation to all believers. We will start by looking at that second point, and then go back to see what living like Jesus should look like.
\nHOW JESUS SAVED US
\n21 Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
\n22 \u2018He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.\u2019
\n23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
\n\u201cHe committed no sin.\u201d During Jesus\u2019s earthly ministry Peter got to know him as well as anybody else. The inner circle of Peter, James and John spent more time with Jesus than the other apostles. So Peter is sharing his testimony of all he knew about Jesus. \u201cHe committed no sin.\u201d The apostle John had the same testimony about Jesus in 1 John 3:5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
\nPeter has already hinted about the innocence of Jesus in 1 Peter chapter 1.
\n18 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
\nJesus was the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus was a lamb without blemish or defect. The New Living Translation reads, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
\nJesus was sinless. The letter to the Hebrews says the same about Jesus. Hebrews 4 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are\u2014yet was without sin.
\nThe Roman Governor Pontius Pilate declared that Jesus was innocent of the charges against him.
\nLUKE 23 4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, \u201cI find no basis for a charge against this man.\u201d13 \u2026 I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. 15 \u2026 he has done nothing to deserve death.
\nEven the thief on the cross next to Jesus recognised Jesus was innocent when he said to the other thief, Luke 23 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.\u201d
\nHe committed no sin. Jesus was innocent. Jesus was without sin. And this was an essential part of God\u2019s masterplan of salvation. The death he died was not for his own sin \u2013 because he had no sin. Instead Jesus died for our sins, in our place. He died the death we deserve to die, taking the punishment we deserved upon himself.
\n2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)
\n(New Living Translation) 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
\nBearing shame and scoffing rude, In my place condemned He stood;
\nSealed my pardon with His blood: Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
\nGuilty, vile, and helpless, we; Spotless Lamb of God was He:
\nFull atonement\u2014can it be? Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
\n1 Peter 2 22 \u2018He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.\u2019
\nThis death of an innocent saviour was entirely in fulfilment of the prophecies in Isaiah chapter 53.
\nIsaiah 53 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death,
\nthough he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
\nAnd Peter goes on to explain Jesus\u2019s death in other quotes from Isaiah 53.
\n1 Peter 2:24 says \u2018He himself bore our sins\u2019 in his body on the cross,
\nJesus took our sins on himself.
\n24 \u2018He himself bore our sins\u2019 in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; \u2018by his wounds you have been healed.
\nOur sinless saviour died so that we might stop sinning.
\nAll this was in fulfilment of Isaiah 53.
\n5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
\nthe punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.
\n6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;
\nand the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
\nJesus fulfilled all Isaiah\u2019s prophecies of the Suffering Servant.
\nPeter says 25 For \u2018you were like sheep going astray,\u2019 but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
\nJesus was the Good Shepherd. He had compassion on the people because they were lost and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He was the shepherd who set out to find the sheep that was lost.
\nIsaiah 53 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
\nSee how Peter puts it,
\n24 \u2018He himself bore our sins\u2019 in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; \u2018by his wounds you have been healed. 25 For \u2018you were like sheep going astray,\u2019 but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
\nSo Peter has explained how Jesus has saved us, by suffering for us and in our place. By taking all the sin of the world on his shoulders. This is how the Early Church and all the New Testament writers understand the cross.
\nBut Peter is giving this explanation of the death of Jesus in order to support the instructions he had just given about how Christians should live. Peter says that the innocent sufferings of Christ give us an example of how to cope with innocent suffering in our own lives.
\n21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
\n\u201cTo this you were called\u201d looks back at verses 11 to 20. The example of Jesus\u2019s sufferings and death shows Christians how we should live, in a number of situations.
\nLIVING LIKE JESUS LIVED \u2013 LIVING SUCH GOOD LIVES
\n11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
\nJesus was holy and sinless. Christians should avoid sin and instead live good lives full of good deeds of love and kindness and service which will bring glory to God. Jesus said the same thing in the Sermon on the Mount.
\nMatthew 5 14 \u2018You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
\nLIVING LIKE JESUS LIVED \u2013 SUBMITTING TO HUMAN AUTHORITIES
\n13 Submit yourselves for the Lord\u2019s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God\u2019s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God\u2019s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor.
\nThe Christians in the Early Church who were reading Peter\u2019s Letter were experiencing brutal persecution from the Roman Empire under Emperor Nero. Their natural desires would be to rebel against the Emperor and the authorities. But here the apostle Peter is saying that the right way forward is not to rebel, but instead to live holy lives. And that will include 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honour the emperor.
\nAnd this is exactly how the first Christians lived, even in the face of brutal persecution. Submitting themselves to every human authority. The apostle Paul said something very similar when he wrote to the Roman Christians around the same time.
\nRomans 13:1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
\nThere may be extreme situations when it could be acceptable and right for Christians to disobey the state. When the authorities made it illegal to meet, or to pray, or to worship, or to evangelise, as it was in Communist Russia or still is in China or North Korea or Afghanistan. So Christians still meet in secret. Christians in South Africa felt they were justified in rebelling against the immoral system of Apartheid. But those were extreme exceptions. I have written about this in a sermon \u201cShould the church always obey the state? You can find that online on my blog. But for us the important message and the general principle is clear \u2013 Christians should obey the governing authorities. Because this is what God expects and requires believers to do.
\nLIVING LIKE JESUS LIVED \u2013 SUBMITTING TO OTHERS
\n18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
\nThere are still some forms of slavery in the modern world, and even in Britain. But most of us do not experience slavery. The logical application of this passage for us is in employment and the relationships between workers and bosses. Some bosses are good and fair \u2013 some bosses are bad and exploitative. Christians should respect and submit to their employers out of reverence for God, even if our bosses are bad and unfair. Even if our bosses are mistreating us because we are Christians, we should acknowledge their authority. Because that is the example Jesus has given us.
\nLIVING LIKE JESUS LIVED \u2013 SUBMITTING TO UNJUST SUFFERING
\n19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
\nPeople can usually accept punishment and suffering if it is deserved and fair and proportional. But Peter is saying that Christians should be prepared to endure unjust suffering. Because that is what Jesus took upon himself for us and for our salvation. Jesus shows us how to live. Jesus was completely innocent, totally without sin, yet he suffered on out behalf.
\nSo we should live like Jesus did, living holy lives full of good deeds, submitting to the authorities, submitting to others, even submitting to unjust suffering. Why is this the case. It is all because
\nChrist suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
\n24 \u2018He himself bore our sins\u2019 in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The apostle Peter is writing to Christians who are living as exiles and strangers in the world and who are suffering persecution for the…<\/span><\/p>\n

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