ALL WHO ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. 1st Peter 5:13-14 The assembly at Babylon and Mark, who was regarded with affection, wanted their greetings sent so the saints would know that others cared for them as well as for Peter. Fellowship in times of suffering is a great encouragement and can strengthen us. After hearing the words of this letter, the suffering saints would have turned to each other in a special way. Perhaps, with tears, they would have said to each other, "Peter and those with him know what we are going through and genuinely care about what is happening to us."
Fellowship, grace, and Christian love extend to all who are truly born again, live in the Spirit, and obey the word of God, doing His will from the heart, creating a spiritual unity even if they don’t know one another personally. The spiritual well-being of other Christians is important to those to whom the true grace of God has given care and concern for others. It is the heart’s desire of those who truly love the Lord to see other believers walking with the Lord and experiencing the many blessings of life in Christ.
Peter had a genuine concern for the Lord’s people who were being persecuted under the pressure of an increasingly hostile world. Shortly after writing this epistle, Nero began openly persecuting Christians, and that persecution spread throughout the whole Roman Empire. The Holy Spirit knew the Christians needed encouragement and readiness for the hard times that were about to come upon them.
Historical writings and tradition say that Peter himself lived what he taught and was martyred by being crucified upside down because of his faith and testimony for Christ. Those early believers stood firm in the faith despite opposition and endured the harshest persecution and death because they would not deny the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, many Christians all over the world suffer the same kinds of trials, persecution, and death as they did in the early days of this church age. Other believers have to endure other kinds of opposition, persecution, and suffering. False accusations, deception, innuendo, isolation, mockery, scorn, and rejection challenge their faith emotionally rather than physically. No matter what kind of suffering believers in Christ have to endure, the challenge is to stand fast in the faith.
May we all be strong in the faith that is in Christ Jesus, and may the grace of God be evident as we, with patience, endurance, and courage, do not become ashamed of our Lord or His people when opposition comes. May our fellowship be sweet and genuine as we greet one another and share our lives in faithful testimony to our Lord and His word. Our oneness in Christ brings the wonderful blessing of peace, a beautiful, soul-calming, spirit-blessing sense that everything is under control and that all will be well in the end.
I have heard of “the kiss of betrayal” and “the kiss of death,” and I want to stay as far from those as I possibly can. But there is another kiss, most holy; it is the greeting of assurance, that you can count on this man. When you see them coming toward you, it lightens your step. You know that this person is true. Their interest is genuine; they know what is good and want the blessing of God to rest upon you. There is no subtlety, no deceptive intentions. They smile, and there is evidence of love on their face. The “embrazzo,” the handshake, or the kiss on the cheek, is evidence that God, through them, is showing His grace. That is the “kiss of love.”
Accompanying that greeting, whether coming or going, is a peaceful intent that gives strength to your feet. How important it is to others, the same as to me, is that they sense the same intention when I greet them. It may seem the same to those who don’t know better that a greeting of arrival or departure is important. There are some things that can’t be faked by them or me. A “kiss of charity” is an act of spiritual deportment.
Peace is a fitting way to conclude a letter written in times of persecution. Those in Christ can have peace. Those who do not know Christ will have "no peace." Peter paid the price of faithfulness with his life. The price we are called to pay at this time and place may be to stand for our Lord in faith, living with endurance, patience, and courage in times of opposition, persecution, and suffering.
Peter was certainly a man God could use. How he must have delighted his Lord as he went from place to place speaking of the Savior and his love for the Lord. As he got older, he was used especially for the saints, it seems, because he had suffered too. Is this an area of service I should consider more as I get older? “Gracious Father, guide me, I pray, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”
SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST IN 1st PETER:
1. Foretold. 1:11. Old Testament spokesmen did not understand the identity of the Person
who was the Messiah, or the time of His appearance.
2. Our example. 2:21. He suffered unjustly and patiently. We are to be as close as possible
to Christ, like a copybook that contains flawless penmanship. The farther one moves away, the more the copy worsens.
3. His patience. 2:23. He was patient under provocation. His silence was not weakness but
supernatural strength.
4. His endurance. 3:18. His sufferings were: expiatory- freeing us from punishment;
effectual – forever; substitutionary; reconciling
5. Our aim. 4:1. We have choices – sin or suffering. To avoid persecution would be a sin. To
maintain purity and godliness, the reproach of Christ means suffering. If we do this, the power of sin is broken.
6. Partakers of His sufferings. 4:13. We share in the same kind of sufferings: rejection and
reproach. Those who suffer for Him now will rejoice in the future with Him.
7. Our testimony of His sufferings. 5:1. Peter was a witness. He saw the Shepherd die for
the sheep.
SUFFERING OF CHRISTIANS IN 1 ST PETER:
1. Suffer for Christ’s sake. 2:19. When we suffer unjustly, we win God’s approval. This is one
way we can display Christ.
2. Suffer like Him. 2:20. Patient suffering for well-doing counts. It is unnatural and hopefully
will lead others to repentance and salvation.
3. Suffer for righteousness’ sake. 3:14. Three results: God uses the suffering and overrules
the suffering for His own glory. He uses the suffering to bring blessings to others. He blesses the one who suffers for His name’s sake.
4. Suffer for well-doing. 3:17. Suffering may be God’s will. We should never bring suffering
on ourselves for our own misdeeds.
5. Suffer for His name. 4:14. Suffering for Christ’s sake is a true indication that the Spirit of
glory and of God rests upon us. That indicates total commitment to the cause of Christ.
6. According to the will of God. 4:19. Acting impulsively without divine guidance leads to
dishonor. He is the Creator in two ways: we are part of the original creation, and He has made us a new creation in Christ.
7. Reward of suffering. 5:10. The God of all grace works out His purposes. He has called us
to His eternal glory. We are only here for a short time so that He might educate us, strengthen us, and mold our Christian character.