Sunday Scripture

Greetings my friends. It is Sunday September 18TH 2022, and this is the day that our LORD has made. Let us rejoice. Let us be glad in it. Let us celebrate this great new day of believing, following, trusting, loving, and being more like our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Let us love our neighbor as ourself.

This past Wednesday I got the word that I’ll be preaching God’s Word from the pulpit today. I’ll be preaching my sermon “Good & Evil”. It’s based on 1 Peter 3:8-4:8, and it’s the follow-up to “Honor & Respect”.

Last month I preached – “Honor & Respect” – to my church family. It’s based on 1 Peter 2:10-2:25. Here on #SundayScripture I’m presenting it in its original written form. Here’s Part 6 of this series:

Our God has placed each and every one of us here on this Earth and in His church so that our lives can have an impact on the people with whom we come into contact with. Some will run away from us, and they won’t look back. Some will ridicule us, or criticize us, or persecute us, or even harm us for living a godly life. Some will receive our message, and they will want to hear more from us about the God we know. They may come to know our God themselves – because of us. That’s another miracle. They will glorify God for our testimony and their salvation.

You have to be there for 100 – in order to reach that 1. In other words – you may testify about the God you know to 100 people, and only 1 of those 100 listens to you, and takes it in, and thinks about it, and wants to hear more from you. If you reach that 1, so that God can reach that 1 – then it’s all worth it. That’s another miracle.

In His kindness God called you to share in His eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while – He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation. All power to Him forever ! Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

You see we have to deal with stuff here on this Earth – this temporary place that we call home. These sufferings – they appear endless, but can I tell you ? – they are not. They will be over – just like that, and then we will spend a glorious eternity with our God in Heaven. The Bible says that what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal to us later (Romans 8:18). For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:18b)

You know our God is pleased with us when we do what we know is good and right – even when people treat us unfairly, or disrespect us, or discriminate against us, or hurt us – mentally or physically.

Christ suffered for us. He died for us. This is how Chapter 2 of Peter’s first letter ends (22-25):

He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.
He did not retaliate when He was insulted, nor threaten revenge when He suffered.
He left His case in the hands of God – who always judges fairly.
He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
By His wounds you are healed.

Ah – let me say that again:
By His wounds you are healed.

Once you were like sheep who wandered away.
But now you have turned to your Shepherd – the Guardian of your souls.

That’s from Peter’s letter to persecuted Christians who live in a hostile world. Sounds like us today. It also sounds very Old Testament-like. That’s because much of it is from the prophet Isaiah – from some 770 years earlier – before Peter.

In fact – let me be more specific. Much of that is based on Isaiah Chapter 53. Peter is not alone in quoting or referring to Scripture from Isaiah Chapter 53. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John do so in their respective Gospels. Luke also does so in Acts – which begins where his Gospel ends – with the ascension of Christ into Heaven. And Paul also refers to Isaiah 53 in his letter to the Romans.

(End of Part 6)

If you wish to learn more about the God I know then stay tuned to #SundayScripture. The best is yet to come !

Thank you for reading my blog for this day, and may:

The LORD bless you, and keep you.
The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.
The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. AMEN.