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WEEKLY
Volume 2 Number 20
14 October 2007
Following Jesus’ Steps
(Message delivered by Rev Hien Nguyen at the Sunday Worship Service, 2 pm, Oct 7, 07)
Text:
1 Peter 2:21-25
We have learnt that our Lord Jesus Christ has set a perfect Example for us to follow in godly purposes, in submission to God’s Word, in humble dependence on God, in prayer, in trust in God’s sovereignty, in obedience to God even unto death, and in training faithful men to continue the Lord’s work even after our departure. Today, we shall focus on following our Lord Jesus’ steps in His sufferings, as God’s Word says, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).
Christ’s Sufferings
The apostle Peter, “a witness of the sufferings of Christ” (1 Peter 5:1), repeatedly reminded us of Christ’s sufferings and
encouraged us to follow His steps in his first epistle: “Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow” (1:11), and “Christ also suffered for us…when he suffered, he threatened not” (2:21, 23), and “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit” (3:18), and “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind…But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings” (4:1, 13). Our Lord Jesus came into this sinful world to suffer many things even the shameful death on the cross for sinners, saying, “ The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22). Then, what are Christ’s sufferings so that we may follow His steps?
Be despised and rejected : Although Jesus was the holy God and the Creator, “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isa 53:3). Even His own people did not receive nor accept Him (Luke 4:24; John 1:11). May the Lord help us not to be hurt or offended when we are despised or rejected.
Be hated, persecuted, blasphemed and evil spoken of: Although Jesus lived a perfect life, gentle, meek, good, holy and righteous, as well as He preached the truth and His Father’s Word and served His Father faithfully and obediently according to His Father’s will, the Jews persecuted Him and sought to kill Him (John 5:16, 18; 7:7), and spoke evil of Jesus, “he deceiveth the people” (John 7:12), and “This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils” (Matt 12:24), and “this man is a sinner” and “He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?” (John 9:24; 10:20). May the Lord help us not to be hurt or offended when we are hated, evil spoken of or persecuted.
Be betrayed, forsaken and denied: Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, which made Him “troubled in spirit” (John 13:21). He was forsaken by His disciples when they fled for life (Mark 14:50) and denied by Peter, one of His very close disciples (John 18:17, 25-27). May the Lord help us not to be hurt or offended when we are betrayed, forsaken or denied.
Be exceeding sorrowful unto death: Jesus’ “soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death” in the garden of Gethsemane with the great suffering in view ahead of Him (Mark 14:34). May the Lord help us not to give up our faith and hope even in our great suffering or sorrow.
Be tortured, smitten and crucified : The wicked people falsely accused Jesus, spat on His face, smote Him, put a crown of thorns on His head (Matt 26:67; 27:12, 29, 30, 41), crucified Him with the two thieves and derided Him (Matt 27:35, 38; Luke 23:35). May the Lord keep us faithful unto Him and His Word even unto death.
Be misjudged and thought to be punished by God: The religious leaders mocked Him, saying, “He trust in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God” (Matt 27:43). Actually, “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa 53:4). May the Lord help us not to be hurt or offended when we are misjudged in our afflictions and trials of life.
Be burdened with the sins of all mankind: Jesus bare our sins as well as “the sins of the whole world” in His own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2), and it seems that His holy Father turned His
face from His dearly beloved Son at
the moment when all the wickedness, sins, unrighteousness, iniquities, and transgressions of human beings were upon the Lord Jesus, who cried “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46).
Dear friends, you and I can never fully understand how great and deep Christ’s sufferings were. That is not because of His faults, but because of your sins and my sins: “ Christ also suffered for us” (1 Peter 2:21; 4:1). It is because of Christ’s love and of our salvation that He has suffered for us. May His love constrain us to willingly be “partakers of Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13).
Following Jesus’ Steps
God has a purpose for us to suffer “because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21). Then what proper attitudes should we have to suffer for our Lord?
Be not surprised nor ashamed : Peter exhorted us, “ Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12) and “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed” (4:16). Our Lord Jesus says, “For everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (John 3: 20), and “ if the world hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hated you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:18-20).
Paul also confirmed, “But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now” (Gal 4:29). “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim 3:12).
Dear friends, if you and I are born again and determined to live a godly life according to God’s Word without any compromise but with separation from sins, worldliness and unbiblical doctrines, we shall surely encounter the hatred, opposition and persecutions from the world and even from unregenerate “Christians.” May God help us not to be surprised nor ashamed when we are despised, rejected, hated, or persecuted.
Suffer according to God’s will: Jesus suffered according to His Father’s will, so you and I should not suffer because of our sins “as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil doer, or as a busybody in other men’s matter” (1 Peter 4:15), but only “suffer according to the will of God” (4:19), which means to suffer for the name of Christ (4:14), as a Christian (4:16), for Jesus’ sake (Matt 5:11), for righteousness’ sake (3:14; Matt 5:10), for good conduct in Christ and for well doing (3:16-17), for a good conscience toward God (2:19; 3:16; Acts 23:1; 24:16); for the gospel’s (Mark 8:35), and for the word of God and the testimony of Christ (Rev 1:9; Mark 4:17). Then are you and I suffering according to God’s will?
Look unto the Lord and follow His steps : I t is vital for us to look unto Jesus all the time in our sufferings in order to be strengthened, encouraged, comforted and carried through by His grace: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb 12:2-3).
Rejoice and glorify God: You and I should rejoice and glorify God even in sufferings according to God’s will because (1) “the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified” (1 Peter 4:14). We do glorify God when we do not give up, but persevere, press on and are still faithful to Him and His Word unto death; (2) it is our great privilege to bear our Lord’s name and suffer for His sake, “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also t o suffer for his sake” (Phil 1:29); (3) we will know our Lord more, and His power and even “ fellowship of his sufferings” (Phil 3:10); (4) we will be more refined in sufferings (1 Peter 1:7; 4:1; Job 23:10) and “may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God” (2 Thess 1:5); (5) we will be comforted and more mature to comfort others in sufferings (2 Cor 1:4); (6) our light and temporary sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory (Rom 8:18; 2 Cor 4:17); and (7) it is the Lord’s command with His reward: “Rejoice (Keep on rejoicing) , and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt 5:12), and “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2 Tim 2:12). Then, may the Lord help us rejoice and glorify Him in our sufferings for Him and His truth.
Trust in God and commit everything to Him ( 4:19). When Pilate said to Jesus, “Speakest thou not unto me? Know thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?” Jesus answered, “ Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above” (John 19:10-11). Our Lord trusted in His Father’s sovereignty with His full submission, “The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it”? (John 18:11), and “when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). Paul did the same, “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (2 Tim 1:12). It is good and wise for you and me to trust in the Lord and commit everything to Him in our sufferings.
Conclusion
Dear friends, Jesus Christ loved you and me so much that He was willing to suffer many things, even the shameful death on the cross for us, not because of His faults but because of our sins. May His love constrain us to follow His steps and count it a great privilege to be partakers of His sufferings. We should not be surprised nor ashamed to be despised, rejected, hated, opposed, forsaken, mocked, evil spoken of, betrayed, misjudged, and persecuted for the sake of our Lord, His Name, His Word, His gospel, as well as for our good conscience toward God, our right relationship with Him and our godly life in Christ while living in this world of darkness among unregenerate people with sinful and rebellious nature. May God graciously help us trust in Him, look unto Him, commit everything to Him, rejoice and glorify Him and be faithful to Him and His Word until death. Amen.
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