God must break us before he can bless us. Coming to him in humility to receive by grace what we cannot earn with our personal effort is the beginning of the gospel and the entryway of the Kingdom. In the first three beatitudes Jesus crushes the pride of this world and replaces it with the all-sufficient provision of God’s grace.
Hope is all about perseverance. The goal of this long obedience in the same
direction is to be found faithful both individually and in community. In spite of
spiritual opposition, anxiety, and potential pitfalls, God has called the church to
remain faithful, hopeful and loving. Starting on the leadership, believers must
carry on the mission of God until Christ returns and rewards everyone according
to his work.
In this life suffering is not optional. The cause of our suffering, however, may be something we can determine. When we suffer for doing evil, suffering is simply the inevitable result of evil. When we suffer for the sake of righteousness, however, we become Christ-like counter cultural members of God’s household. God has not promised us to keep us from suffering but God has promised us to keep us through it all.
One of the most challenging things for a Christian is facing injustice when we are
trying to live for Christ. In situations like this, followers of Jesus may feel
tempted to retaliate or pay others in kind. In these verses, Peter reminds us evil
cannot be overcome by evil. In our struggle with injustice, Christian witness is the
answer to the problems that only God can solve.
The gospel begins at home. When those who are closest to us in the flesh receive
God’s grace, redemption is able to paint a picture of restored humanity not just in
the redeem individual believer but in the redeemed home. Christian marriage is a
temporary state that has eternal implications and repercussions. Redemption
rescues and restores humanity at the very root of what sin distorted, namely the
relationships and roles between husband and wife.
Humility is the hallmark of true Christian maturity. Believers deployed on
mission are sent to be salt and light in their communities sharing the love of
Christ. Sharing his love can be challenging in our everyday living particularly
when we are persecuted or treated unfairly by the world. This however, is an
opportunity to show the world what only Christ can do- redemption. We have a
story to tell, our story is one where Christ rescued us from a rebellious past to
become like Christ, the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
We all want to be accepted. Rejection by others is one of the most painful
experiences anyone may have. When we become followers of Jesus, we become
people rejected by the world. As Jesus said, we are rejected by the world because
we are accepted by God. To belong to God means that we no longer belong or fit
in the categories this world has for us. By God’s grace we have been given a new
identity and purpose that ultimately reflect his eternal glory and the reason for our
mission- to proclaim the excellencies of he who called us out of darkness into his
wonderful light.
Who do you show kindness to most of the time? Those who deserve it? Those who cannot repay it? David showed kindness to lame Mephibosheth. Jesus shows lovingkindness to us sinners on the cross. We can model the Gospel by showing grace to those who don’t deserve it.
