By What Death Will You Glorify God?

Transcription

1 By What Death Will You Glorify God? Summary and Goal Peter had told Jesus he was willing to lay down his life for Him (John 13:37). After the resurrection, Jesus told Peter that by following Him, he would do just that. When we make a decision to follow Christ, we give up our life for His glory. Are you ready? Main Passages John 21:18-19; 1 Peter 4:13-19 Session Outline 1. Peter s Death Foretold (John 21:18-19a) 2. Whole Life Discipleship (John 21:19b) 3. Peter s Perspective on Death and Discipleship (1 Peter 4:13-19) Theological Theme Discipleship is not bound by the limits of the believer s comfort. Being like Christ also means suffering and, sometimes, death. Even in death, though, believers can glorify God. Christ Connection Just as Jesus provided a model for living out the Christian faith, He also provided a model for how to follow God s will in death. Missional Application The global church has never been more persecuted in history than it is now. It is important to remember that true discipleship means the believer dies a death like the one Christ died. 1 Leader Guide

2 Historical Context of John Purpose John wrote his Gospel to inspire faith. John knew Jesus intimately, and John s Gospel provides an intimate portrait of the Lord. John recorded for us Jesus most memorable sayings, His longest sermons, and His most profound miracles. As a valued eyewitness to Jesus life (19:35), John was the source of many stories from faraway Galilee and Judea. John had heard, seen, and touched the Word of life (see 1 Jn 1:1-4). Author Despite doubts from various quarters, a good case can be made that the fourth Gospel was written by John, the one Jesus loved (as he referred to himself throughout his book), brother of James and son of Zebedee, just as early church tradition suggests. That same tradition places John in and around Ephesus, ministering to the churches of Asia Minor, until his death as an elderly man at roughly the end of the first century. The author would thus have been an eyewitness of much of the material he recounted and in a position to provide accurate information. Date Written Most scholars believe that John completed writing his Gospel around A.D. 90. To Whom Written John most likely wrote his Gospel for Jewish Christians living abroad in the Mediterranean world. Setting A small community of Christians lived in ancient Ephesus during the late first century A.D. They had learned the remarkable story of Jesus from the apostles Paul and John. This early church became strong in faith under the leadership of these men. While many stories circulated about Jesus, the apostle John had his own recollections and insights. In the later years of his life, John wrote these stories down, providing his followers and us with the fourth Gospel. Key Verses John 3:16; John 20:31 Key People John, Jesus, John the Baptist, Jesus disciples Key Places The Temple Special Features John s Gospel provides an intimate portrait of the Lord. John recorded for us Jesus most memorable sayings, His longest sermons, and His most profound miracles. Excerpted and paraphrased from the Life Application Study Bible (NIV). Tyndale House Publishes, Date of My Bible Study: 2

3 3 Session Plan By What Death Will You Glorify God? For Further Discussion What characteristics might be associated with a death that glorified God? Why? Introduction How does the idea that God is glorified through the death of those who love and serve Him resonate or conflict with what you perceive to be the American idea of Christianity? In this week s session, the second part of Jesus conversation with Peter turned to the topic of Peter s death. After his three-part restoration, Peter was informed that his discipleship would extend to his death, including the manner in which he would be killed. While John recorded this conversation in his Gospel account, Peter would already have been crucified by the time the Gospel of John was written. In reading some of Peter s own writings, one can see how the knowledge of his death shaped his perspective of discipleship. 1. Peter s Death Foretold (John 21:18-19a) As the conversation between Jesus and Peter turned from restoration from his past failure to the topic of Peter s eventual future, the tone of the conversation became heavy. Many scholars believe that the prediction from Jesus was actually an adapted proverb that Jesus appropriated to tell Peter about what was to come. The two concepts of tying one s belt and walking convey the collective idea of control over one s life. A certain degree of autonomy was enjoyed in the days of one s youth, and that was certainly true of Peter. Even in his early days of leadership over the church, Peter exercised authority, travelled widely, and, even in moments of imprisonment for the gospel, experienced the freedom that can only come from God literally and spiritually. If you had eavesdropped on this conversation between Jesus and Peter, what would your feelings and thoughts have been when you heard of Peter s predicted death? Why? 2. Whole Life Discipleship (John 21:19b) Immediately following the delivery of the news of the nature and severity of his end, Jesus told Peter, once again, Follow Me. The significance of these two words could hardly be overstated. First of all, as Matthew and 3 Leader Guide

4 Mark recorded in the calling of Peter, these two words form a sort of grand inclusion, bookend, around Peter s entire experience with Jesus. What started with Follow Me after a great catch of fish was continued and renewed with Follow Me after another miraculous catch of fish. Second, with these words, Jesus was reminding Peter that he was not being asked to do anything that Jesus had not already modeled. Peter had personally watched Jesus passion in every detail. He knew with painful clarity exactly what would be involved in dying a death similar to that of Jesus. What are the aspects of your own discipleship that give you hesitancy? Serving others? Sharing your faith? What about Jesus example in His earthly ministry encourages you when following Him is difficult? How does it impact you to realize that, just like Peter, Jesus has bid you to follow Him? What level of importance do you currently place on your intentional discipleship? How does this passage challenge you? 3. Peter s Perspective on Death and Discipleship (1 Peter 4:13-19) Peter warned that believers were not to suffer deservedly, as though civil authorities had a right to punish them for crimes committed. All suffering of the believer was to be specifically because of claiming the name of Christ: But if anyone of you suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. It is critically important to realize that Peter did not teach or believe that justified suffering brought glory to the Father. Nothing could be further from the truth. God receives glory only when His children suffer because they refuse to relinquish their claim as Christ followers. For Further Discussion Reading Peter s writing in this passage almost treats suffering with a degree of nonchalance. What strikes you most about his wording and tone? From this particular part of Peter s writings, what do you pick up as the reason that Peter can address the matter of suffering with such a victorious attitude? Conclusion How would you rate your current level of satisfaction with regard to how well you know God? How would you like for that to change by the end of this year? What elements need to be in your life in order to help make that so? How open are you to God s calling to experience new things for His sake, even if they are uncomfortable for you? What are some ways that you can become an advocate for the martyrs around the world? How familiar are you with their plight? How can you encourage them? Session 3 4

5 Expanded Session Content 3 By What Death Will You Glorify God? Introduction In his seminal book on the prominent figures of the Reformation, Theology of the Reformers, Dr. Timothy George described the life and work of William Tyndale. Tyndale is most prominently known for his unquenchable desire to translate the Holy Bible into the common language of the laity so that anyone might read and understand the treasures that are held within its pages. However, translating the Bible into common language would greatly impair the stranglehold the Catholic Church held over everyone during the 16th century. In that light, Tyndale had to be stopped. In describing what his calling cost him, Dr. George described Tyndale s perpetual life on the run this way: He was a reformer on the run, harried from pillar to post by agents of the pope, the emperor, and King Henry VIII. He lived a cloak-and-dagger kind of life. He had no wife or family or home to call his own.in fact, the most settled position he ever had was a two-year stint as tutor to the children of his friends, Sir John and Lady Anne Walsh, at their estate, Little Sodbury, in his native county of Gloucestershire. Despite the undeniable knowledge that his life was in constant danger and that being burned at the stake seemed inevitable, Tyndale pressed on. He left portions of the translated New Testament at the various stops he made. Those found in possession of them were also burned alive. Ultimately, at the age of 42, after 12 months of torturous imprisonment in Vilvorde Castle, Tyndale was strangled to death and his body burned at the stake on October 6, Summarizing his life by recalling his end, George noted, According to a tradition passed on by John Foxe, [Tyndale s] final words were in the form of a prayer: Lord, open the King of England s eyes. If these words were indeed spoken, it would evidence that even at the moment of death, Tyndale was still concerned with this one thing, the accessibility of the Scriptures in his native tongue. The threat of death was not significant enough to deter Tyndale from the calling of taking the Bible to the common man. Even in death, he reflected a Christ-like compassion and prayer for his executioners. 1 5 Leader Guide

6 What are your initial thoughts about Tyndale? What impression does it make on you when you read the story of someone who is not deterred by execution for the gospel? How does the idea that God is glorified through the death of those who love and serve Him resonate or conflict with what you perceive to be the American idea of Christianity? What characteristics would you say would be associated with a death that glorified God? Why? Session Summary In this week s session, the second part of Jesus conversation with Peter turned to the topic of Peter s death. After his three-part restoration, Peter was informed that his discipleship would extend to his death, including the manner in which he would be killed. While John recorded this conversation in his Gospel account, Peter would already have been crucified by the time the Gospel of John was written. In reading some of Peter s own writings, one can see how the knowledge of his death shaped his perspective of discipleship. 1. Peter s Death Foretold (John 21:18-19a) As the conversation between Jesus and Peter turned from restoration from his past failure to the topic of Peter s eventual future, the tone of the conversation became heavy. Many scholars believe that the prediction from Jesus was actually an adapted proverb that Jesus appropriated to tell Peter about what was to come. The two concepts of tying one s belt and walking convey the collective idea of control over one s life. A certain degree of autonomy was enjoyed in the days of one s youth, and that was certainly true of Peter. Even in his early days of leadership over the church, Peter exercised authority, travelled widely, and, even in moments of imprisonment for the gospel, experienced the freedom that can only come from God literally and spiritually. Deathly Serious The topic of death was treated very seriously by early Christians. Specifically, with the expectation that Jesus would return prior to any of the first generation of believers experiencing death, when believers died, it brought about serious questions of God s sovereignty. So the fact that John s Gospel, which was written after Peter s martyrdom, includes this conversation with Jesus and Peter, demonstrating Jesus awareness of the circumstances of Peter s death, was extremely important for the first century church. On one hand, it must have been encouraging to Peter to know that he would be able to grow old. That was not a guaranteed fact of life for the early believers. On the other hand, Peter knew crucifixion awaited him. The stretching out of the hands referred to the crossbar of the cross (the patibulum) being placed across the shoulders and neck of the person being crucified, with their hands tied to the beam. Once the cross beam was secured, the executioner would gird the one being crucified with a loin cloth, and then force them to carry the cross beam to the place where they would be executed. Session 3 6

7 If you had eavesdropped on this conversation between Jesus and Peter, what would your feelings and thoughts have been when you heard of Peter s predicted death? Why? What similarities do you see in this passage between Jesus death and Peter s coming death? What differences would there be? Shame Obliterated In plumbing the depths of importance of John s reporting of this conversation between Peter and Jesus, George Beasley-Murray explains, Peter s martyrdom will have been known among the churches; the shame of Peter s denials of Jesus will have been obliterated by his blood, and the renown of his leadership in the Church brought to a notable climax with the gaining of the martyr s crown (Beasley-Murray, George R., John. Second edition, from Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 36, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999). To be certain that his readers understood that Jesus was in fact referencing Peter s death, John added an editorial aside. Not only did he make it clear that Peter s death was the subject, but also that Peter s death had a purpose. Just like the purpose of all aspects of discipleship, the purpose of Peter s death was to glorify God. Scholar George Beasley-Murray explains, In a manner akin to the glorification of God in Jesus, though not to the same degree, God is glorified in those who lay down their lives for the name of Jesus (Beasley-Murray, George R., John. Second edition, from Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 36, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999). 2. Whole Life Discipleship (John 21:19b) With John s clarification that Jesus was indeed speaking of Peter s death, one must assume that Peter also understood what Jesus was referencing. Immediately following the delivery of the news of the nature and severity of his end, Jesus told Peter, once again, Follow Me. The significance of these two words could hardly be overstated. First of all, as Matthew and Mark recorded in the calling of Peter, these two words form a sort of grand inclusion, bookend, around Peter s entire experience with Jesus. What started with Follow Me after a great catch of fish was continued and renewed with Follow Me after another miraculous catch of fish. Second, with these words, Jesus was reminding Peter that he was not being asked to do anything that Jesus had not already modeled. Peter had personally watched Jesus passion in every detail. He knew with painful clarity exactly what would be involved in dying a death similar to that of Jesus. However, Peter also could not deny the magnitude of glory that God received as a result. Peter had frequently pledged following Jesus to death if necessary, loving Jesus more than others, and never leaving Jesus. Now he was told that the opportunity to follow through on all those vows was very much a reality. What are the aspects of your own discipleship that give you hesitancy? Serving others? Sharing your faith? What about Jesus example in His earthly ministry encourages you when following Him is difficult? 7 Leader Guide

8 How does it impact you to realize that, just like Peter, Jesus has bid you to follow Him? What level of importance do you currently place on your intentional discipleship? How does this passage challenge you? As evident in the next paragraph, the call to follow Him was both literal and spiritual. Jesus actually did invite Peter to walk with Him on the beach, as evidenced by Peter s turning to see John follow them. Certainly in the grander context of John 21, though, the meaning of Jesus words were much deeper. Peter was not only being restored to fellowship with Jesus, but he was also being restored to a place of leadership and prominence in the birth of the New Testament church. In doing so, his ultimate guiding instruction was to continuously conduct himself in a manner that was congruent with the person and character of Jesus Christ even His death. 3. Peter s Perspective on Death and Discipleship (1 Peter 4:13-19) There are numerous points in Peter s writings in which the reader can sense the weight of Peter s knowledge of his coming suffering. Perhaps none of them deal with the matter so straightforwardly as this collection of verses. In this particular passage, Peter addressed suffering as an expectation, not something out of the ordinary. What s more, Peter was careful to repeatedly tie the experience of suffering for Christ with the glory that God received as a result. Peter warned that believers were not to suffer deservedly, as though civil authorities had a right to punish them for crimes committed. All suffering of the believer was to be specifically because of claiming the name of Christ: But if anyone of you suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. It is critically important to realize that Peter did not teach or believe that justified suffering brought glory to the Father. Nothing could be further from the truth. God receives glory only when His children suffer because they refuse to relinquish their claim as Christ followers. Reading Peter s writing in this passage almost treats suffering with a degree of nonchalance. What strikes you most about his wording and tone? From this particular part of Peter s writings, what do you pick up as the reason that Peter can address the matter of suffering with such a victorious attitude? Session 3 8

9 In the closing verse of 1 Peter 4, Peter remarked that those who suffer in the name of the Lord are to entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good. If processing this lesson to this point has been particularly challenging, perhaps Peter s word here offers some degree of comfort. The reason that Peter could face such an unbelievably difficult future reality with such a degree of confidence and victory was because of the depth of knowledge he had amassed about who God is. That s not to say his knowledge was of the intellectual sort, but that he knew Jesus personally. He walked with Jesus. He spoke privately, personally, and transparently with Jesus about matters of the greatest eternal importance. The result was that entrusting himself to a faithful Creator was much more familiar to Peter because of how well he knew that Creator personally. The confidence to face death, while being comforted by the faithful character of God, grew with every passing day he walked with Christ. Conclusion There are not many topics that are more dissonant with American Christianity than the idea of dying for our faith in Christ. And to be sure, Jesus did not make the request He made of Peter to everyone. However, following Christ in the midst of a world that largely rejects everything about Him comes with an unavoidable amount of risk. Furthermore, outside the bounds of American Christianity, Christianity has more martyrs and greater persecution in the 21st century than at any other time in its history. Considering points of application for these verses leads to a couple of important considerations. First, it is important that we regularly consider how seriously we take our discipleship. For Peter, he knew that his discipleship would include his martyrdom in a manner that was virtually identical to the way Christ was killed. For us, discipleship also goes all the way to our death. That may not mean that we are martyred for our faith, but it does mean that as long as we draw oxygen, we are to answer the call when Jesus says, Follow Me. That understanding of discipleship exceeds compartmentalized, Sundayonly Christianity. It demands that, just as Jesus taught, believers pick up their crosses daily and follow after Him. Second, in order to be faithful to such a demanding, self-denying approach to discipleship, we must be consistently increasing in our personal knowledge of who Jesus is. We do that through prayer, biblical community, Scripture reading and memorization, sharing our faith, and a host of practices that reflect the model that Christ gave for us so that we might know how to live in light of our identity as sons and daughters of the Most High God. The more we personally commune with God, the more readily we will be able to entrust ourselves to the Creator while we are living faithfully. 9 Leader Guide

10 How would you rate your current level of satisfaction with regard to how well you know God? How would you like for that to change by the end of this year? What elements need to be in your life in order to help make that so? How open are you to God s calling to experience new things for His sake, even if they are uncomfortable for you? What are some ways that you can become an advocate for the martyrs around the world? How familiar are you with their plight? How can you encourage them? Prayer of Response Pray for the many believers around the world who are persecuted for Christianity. Ask the Holy Spirit to encourage and empower believers to endure being scorned for Jesus sake. Pray that you would count the cost of what it means to truly follow Jesus, even unto death. Additional Resources Water from a Deep Well by Gerald Sitser Twelve Ordinary Men by John MacArthur The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken Session 3 10

11 For Next Week Session Title --Keep your Eyes on your Own Page Main Passages --John 21:20-23 Session Outline 1. Following Jesus With Others (John 21:20) 2. The Danger of Comparing Calling (John 21:21) 3. Mind Your Own Business (John 21:22-23) Memorize 18 Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don t want to go. 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, He told him, Follow Me. - John 21:18-19, CSB 11 Leader Guide

12 Extended Commentary John 21:18-19 The second crucial issue that was left untreated in the earlier part of the Gospel is the risen Jesus understanding of Peter s end on earth. There is no doubt that by the time these verses were written Peter had suffered martyrdom. One question that would have been on the minds of some was the issue of whether Peter s death was known and understood by the risen Jesus. Death was taken very seriously by the early Christians, as is evident from the questions raised by the believers in Thessalonica when their hope was at stake (cf. 1 Thess 4:13 18). Why were the leaders dying before the Lord returned? Was the God of the resurrection really in control? The answer to the last question was a resounding yes. Jesus knew Peter would suffer martyrdom. Therefore, do not worry! The church and history are in the hands of God. That is the basic message Peter himself delivered to the church in 1 Pet 4: : The significance of these verses for the early church is marked by the fact that these words of Jesus are introduced by the well-known double amēn (truly, truly) expression found repeatedly in the rest of the Gospel. Some scholars, such as Bultmann and Bernard, have considered v. 18 to be a Johannine construct (even a reconstructed ancient proverb) contrasting the freedom and alertness of youth with the helplessness of old age. But early in the twentieth century Bauer had already argued that it was a fitting description of the ancient custom of crucifixion. Hengel confirmed that this statement was an accurate description of the ancient tortuous execution procedure of crucifixion.178 The victim would be forced to carry the heavy patibulum, or cross beam, over his shoulders and behind his neck, and his arms and hands would be stretched out and tied to the cross beam. His midsection would normally be covered with a loin cloth, and he would be led like an animal to the place of execution. The Johannine editorial aside in v. 19, therefore, was undoubtedly intended to make certain the reader understood that Jesus was clearly addressing the concern about Peter s death. Literary asides in stories are vital because they provide the insurance that readers will not misunderstand the writer s intentions for inclusion of certain materials. They also provide windows of insight into the concerns of writers. In this case the aside reveals that Peter s death was a concern to the community. But it was also a way of preparing the community for an even more significant concern, the death of the beloved disciple. Session 3 12

13 The point of this section is, I think, quite different in the way John has set up this three-part literary piece. In the first part of this presentation related to previously untreated issues Peter is reinstated and rehabilitated after an intensive set of questions. Then in this second part Jesus informed Peter that he must suffer martyrdom as an aspect of his discipleship. That meant that he was obliged to follow Jesus, even to the point of crucifixion. In this way he would also glorify God, not in the theological impact and significance of Jesus death (cf. 12:27 28; 13:31 32; 17:1) but as a faithful disciple who was willing to follow his master to death (cf. 1 Pet 4:16). The final part, to which we now turn, involves the typical Peter who was concerned about someone else s life and who needed to hear again the emphatic words of Jesus: Follow me! (21:22). 1 Peter 4: :13. Again, the believer should not be surprised at this. Our suffering is the same kind of thing that Christ received, and therefore, in some sense, suffering is an indication of the believers identification with Christ. Believers participate in the suffering of Christ. Participate is taken from the familiar word koinoneo, to share or fellowship with someone. How does this work? Think of it this way: Your closest friends are those with whom you have suffered and hurt. As you stumble and crawl through pain together, you grow together as friends. The same thing happens in our spiritual lives. As we view our persecutions as suffering for Christ and with Christ, we love him more deeply and trust him more completely. As this occurs, we are able to rejoice in the midst of our pain. Our present-tense joy will be turned into super joy when the pain is gone at the return of Jesus Christ (when his glory is revealed). This kind of joy should not be surprising, but in fact it should be expected. However, it is the present tense rejoicing that comes as a surprise. Joy in suffering is not a trick of the mind. Rejoicing in pain has nothing to do with deriving pleasure from being mistreated in some way. Suffering has meaning as it puts us into deeper fellowship with Jesus Christ. As this occurs, our level of trust in his wisdom and care in our lives increases so that we are able to rejoice. Joy, in its most sublime meaning, is a deep confidence that God is in control of every area of our lives, even the painful places. The fullness of joy comes from a deep sense of the presence of God in a person s life. Joy occurs when our pain drives us to depend upon God. 4:14. This verse mentions a specific kind of suffering: if you are insulted because of the name of Christ. Insulted means to be abused or slandered. It pictures unjustified denunciations being hurled against the believer. For sensitive people, there is often more bitterness (in such attacks) than 13 Leader Guide

14 in the loss of goods, or in the torments or agonies of the body (Hiebert, quoting John Calvin, 268). The Christian who suffers these kinds of abuses is uniquely blessed of God because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. This refers to the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within those who are believers in Jesus Christ. Rests indicates that the Holy Spirit is within the believer continually to refresh and to strengthen. At any moment we can draw on the Spirit of God. Especially in moments of crisis and suffering, God s Spirit is available to strengthen and refresh the believer. 4:15. This verse offers a disclaimer or clarification regarding the suffering Christian s experience. Believers should not rejoice in certain kinds of pain and suffering and should not consider themselves blessed to be a part of such suffering. In these cases even the staunchest believer should not look for the refreshment and strength of the Holy Spirit. Those sufferings are detailed with four descriptive phrases. Murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal form one group and should be taken literally. They refer to breaking the laws of society and suffering the consequences of those actions. When that happens, the believer is not to say, I am suffering for Jesus sake or for the sake of righteousness. You are not. You are suffering because you broke the law. The fourth term may be the real concern: meddler. This refers to Christians who stick their noses into situations where they have no business. Words like agitator, disrupter, or troublemaker give the proper sense of the term meddler. By interfering in the lives of others, a meddler disrupts the peace and harmony of the local church and community. Everyone has had experience with such meddlesome people. They stick their nose in, get caught, and get called on the carpet. Invariably they respond, They are just picking on me because I am a Christian, or, I am just suffering for the Lord. Scripture says, Call it whatever you want, but you are not suffering on behalf of Jesus Christ; you are suffering because of your own meddling behavior. If you are behaving this way, stop your negative behavior. 4:16. Legitimate suffering for the name of Christ is again mentioned in this verse in direct contrast to the behavior pattern described in the previous verse. Christian appears only three times in the New Testament, but in each case it identifies the true followers of Jesus. Peter connected this name with true and valuable suffering. Some readers were suffering because of their faithful identification with Jesus Christ through their lifestyle choices or their verbal testimony. Faithfulness to Christ will Session 3 14

15 produce suffering and persecution. The reverse also seems to be true: a lack of persecution in a believer s life may suggest a less-than-faithful lifestyle and testimony. 4: These two verses, although somewhat connected to verse 16, are better understood in their connection to the entire paragraph, beginning with verse 12. For the believer in Jesus Christ, trials and sufferings can have a positive impact. They have a refining and purifying purpose. Verse 17 develops this idea by suggesting that trials, in the form of persecution, have redemptive value for the believer, even when seen as the judgment of God in the life of the believer. One commentator puts it in these words: The effect of persecution is to show up in the church those who really believe and are prepared to stand firm and those who do not really believe and so fall away when under trial. This judgment also purifies the true believers, encouraging them not to commit shameful acts (Marshall, 156). A quotation from Proverbs 11:31 reinforces this point from the perspective of the unbeliever. Unbelievers, unlike the followers of Christ, are not a part of the refining judgment of God. The judgment they face is judicial; it takes the form of punishment. When Jesus Christ returns, they will face the fire of his anger in judgment. 4:19. This is not the destination of the believer who receives quick reassurance of his or her connection to God in this verse. In this one verse the teaching of the entire letter of 1 Peter could be summarized. Believers do not suffer accidentally or because of irresistible forces of blind fate. Rather, they suffer according to God s will. This should be enough for his followers to commit themselves to God. Commit means to entrust yourself for safe keeping. Believers are in good hands, not with a human insurance agency, but with an all-loving and faithful God who has cared for us from the beginning. He asks us to commit ourselves to [our] faithful Creator. The combination of faithful and Creator reminds us of God s love and power, even in the midst of suffering and pain. God created the world, and he has faithfully ordered it and sustained it since the creation. Because we know that he is faithful, we can count on him to fulfill his promises to us. If he can oversee the forces of nature, certainly he can see us through the trials we face. The committed believer can obey the final injunction of this paragraph: and continue to do good. This means doing those things God views as Session 3 15

16 good. The believers to whom Peter addressed these words had not rejected their Christian faith. They had not stopped living out their faith. Perhaps they were beginning to feel weary and to weaken in their resolve. They needed encouragement to depend on God s care and the will to keep on keeping on. 2 References 1 George, Timothy. Theology of the Reformers, Revised Edition, Nashville, TN. Broadman & Holman, Walls, D., & Anders, M. I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, Session 3 16