Rachel Workman: 14
So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious
Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for
murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But
it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of
being called by his name! 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must
begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate
awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? 18 And also, Suffering
for doing good and not by our bad choices is what Peter is referring to. We
don't see that as much here as you do in other parts of the world. I guess I didn’t
consider a few snide remarks and eye rollings to be suffering for the name of
Christ. But I'll take it. I don't need everyone in my life to believe the same
as I do. I would like it. But if they don't it doesn't change my faith in
Christ.
“If the righteous are barely saved,
what will happen to godless sinners?” They are going to hell and that should break every one of our hearts.
19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. I love this verse. Trust your lives to the God who created you. If you can't trust your creator who can you trust? For he will never fail you. Those are strong words with a strong promise. Just think about that for a minute. We live in a world who fails us every day. At times our children fail us, or our spouses fail us and we fail them. But God will NEVER fail us. It's refreshing and reassuring.
“If the righteous are barely saved,
what will happen to godless sinners?” They are going to hell and that should break every one of our hearts.
19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. I love this verse. Trust your lives to the God who created you. If you can't trust your creator who can you trust? For he will never fail you. Those are strong words with a strong promise. Just think about that for a minute. We live in a world who fails us every day. At times our children fail us, or our spouses fail us and we fail them. But God will NEVER fail us. It's refreshing and reassuring.
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John Burnett: 12 Beloved,
do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for
your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but
to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so
that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.
When the military puts Evangelical Christians on the same terrorlist list
with Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood, you have to believe that
suffering for Christ’s sake is in the future. I pray that he will take
the faithful before it gets to that point 14 If you
are reviled [a]for the name of Christ, you
are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. The
rewards will far outweigh the persecution15 Make sure that
none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a [b]troublesome meddler; 16 but
if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to
glorify God in this name. 17 For it is time for judgment
to begin [c]with the household of God;
and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome
for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous
is saved, [d]what will become of the godless
man and the sinner? 19 Therefore, those also who suffer
according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in
doing what is right. These words were written almost 2000 years ago
and they apply just as much today as they did then. God’s word is not
dead, it is most certainly alive.
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Krista
Cook: 2 Dear friends, don’t be
surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange
were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you
partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy
of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
- we can rejoice in our
trials b/c they are working to make us stronger in the Lord
14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian,[e] for then the glorious Spirit of God[f] rests upon you.[g]
14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian,[e] for then the glorious Spirit of God[f] rests upon you.[g]
- no better thing to be
insulted for!!
15 If you suffer,
however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into
other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian.
Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
- wear His name with
great pride!
17 For the time has come
for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins
with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?
18 And also,
“If the righteous are barely saved,
what will happen to godless sinners?”
19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
“If the righteous are barely saved,
what will happen to godless sinners?”
19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.
______________________________
Mike Grimm: 12 Dear friends, don’t
be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange
were happening to you. Difficulties are an opportunity for a Christian to
show real trust in God. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with
Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his
glory when it is revealed to all the world. When people
suffer because they are Christians, they can have joy. They know what will
happen in the future. They suffer as Christ did when he was in the world. When
he returns, they will have a share in his glory. Then they will be full of joy.
14 So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. God blesses Christians when people curse them. Peter calls the Holy Spirit ‘the Spirit of God”. All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their lives. When Jesus returns, all Christians will have a share of God’s glory. But those who suffer because they are Christians have special help from the Holy Spirit now. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. Christians know that it is wrong to murder or to steal. These are among the 10 commands that God gave to Moses (Exodus 20). It is also wrong to ‘make trouble in other people’s lives’. That means being too interested in someone’s personal affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! Not everyone will suffer as a Christian. If you do, that is no reason to be ashamed. Philippians 2:9-11 says that, in the end, everyone will have to agree that Jesus Christ is Lord. Christians can thank God now that Jesus Christ died to forgive their sins and to give them new life. They are happy to know that he is their Lord. 17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? 18 And also,
“If the righteous are barely saved,
what will happen to godless sinners?”
God will judge people by his standards of what is
right and wrong. Then he will reward or punish each person. It is not easy to
live a Christian life. God wants Christians to be pure. He allows them to have
troubles. These troubles test their trust in God and make it more pure. But
many people do not trust Jesus or obey him. Their lives are full of what is
bad. They are wicked people. If they do not accept Jesus, it will be awful for
them when God comes to judge them. God will not forgive them. In Matthew 18:9
Jesus says they will go to ‘the fire of hell’. This describes their terrible
fate.
19 So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. Christians cannot always understand what God allows to happen. However, they must continue to trust him and to do what is right. God created the whole world and everything and everybody in it. So he has very great power. God is ‘loyal’. This means that he will use his power to care for all who put their trust in him. He will never fail them. He will always do what is good for them.
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