1 Peter 2:18-25
"Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."
"Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."
When we suffer for doing good, it is very easy to get self-righteous and argumentative. "Can you believe what she did just because I tried to help?" Can you take it patiently, or do we need to fight back? We have an example to follow, and you hold His covenant memorial in Your hands. Jesus had a choice in Gethsemane, to exact blood from Romans and Sadducees, or to pour out His own. He could call down legions of angels to spill blood and save Himself, or He could spill His own blood and save you. Whose blood is this cup about? It is a new covenant in HIS blood. When we face trials and adversity, we have an example to follow. He has shown us the way and won our salvation by His grace. Send and be sent for others to know Christ. Spend and be spent for others to grow in Christ. But first, rest here in God’s grace, that it is Christ’s blood that satisfies the Father and brings you into His favor.
3/18/12
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