Resist, Stedfast in the Faith!

 

The audio excerpt in this video was taken from Pastor Bob's sermon; in I Peter 5, on Sunday, May 14, 2023.

From 1 Peter 5:8-9 - "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world." 

Be aware, be alert, because Satan, who is the devil is your adversary. "Devil" means "slanderer" and "Satan" means "accuser;" he is also called "adversary." He is adversary to both God and man, slandering and accusing man to God and God to man. 

1 Peter 5:9 tells us to resist him. James 4:7 also tells us how, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." We can resist him because of Christ who dwells within us. We are strong in Him, and the Word of God abides in us...and that's not all, we have overcome the wicked one (1 John 2:13-14). 

Despite his deceptions, his accusations, his power, his hatred and ferocity, he is already a defeated foe (Hebrews 2:14) by the work, sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That said, we must "Put on the whole armour of God" (Ephesians 6:11, 14-17) that we can "stand against the wiles of the devil."

The word "wiles" is equivalent to "strategy."  The devil is "the god of this world," the one that "deceiveth the whole world" (2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9).  He can appear as "an angel of light" and yet is as "a roaring lion...seeking whom he may devour".  In our own strength, we are no match for him at all.  We can only stand against him if we are "strong in the Lord" wearing the whole armour of God.  We cannot be "ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11), deception and lies which cause us to doubt God's Word, and then to disobey it.  It is evident that he has been extremely successful with this since the beginning, and through history, through the wholesale rebellion against all of God's commandments, and finally by the rejection of God's great live in the sacrifice of His Son.

Resist him, and be stedfast in the faith!

To The Church-In-General

Bobservations' Column

Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Peter does a “wrap-up” of this, his first Epistle in Chapter 5. Peter has been changed, even to His personality and methods of accomplishing things. That Jesus has touched his life is evident throughout the Epistle. From a rough, impulsive fisherman, Peter is a Church Elder and a teacher here, concerned with every member of every flock that was to read this message. And as a General Epistle to be read in the churches mentioned in Verse 1.

Forgiven are Peter’s actions against the servant of the High Priest when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Even Peter’s boastful attitude is now gone and forgiven. He has learned much about the mercy and forgiveness of God.

The topic of this letter is living in a Christ rejecting world. Peter seems aware that his days on Earth are numbered because of the persecution from Caesar Nero, one of the vilest of the Caesars.

The overall theme of the letter is “suffering as a Christian.” Though such a topic is difficult, Peter handles his words to every believer with gentleness and encouragement. Persecution was (is) to be expected because of our beliefs. And Peter teaches that the way to handle any level of religious persecution against us is by the example of Jesus, even as He faced the cross: quietly, prayerfully, without anger, and without trying to build a defense for self, but with an expectation of future glory.

Peter would surely have been with Jesus after His resurrection, most every day until His Ascension into heaven. Jesus’ last words to Peter and the other Apostles were of their commission to preach the Gospel in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the Earth. They were to be His witnesses and give testimony of Him to all, wherever they went. Jesus’ words to Peter should echo in our own ears: “If you love me, feed my lambs, feed my sheep, feed my sheep (John 21:15-17). And with this great commission, all eyes were upon the Lord, perhaps expecting further instructions, and more details…

Acts 1:9 - 

“And when He has spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.”

Today's Audio Message:

1 Peter 5:1-14 - "To the Church-in-General"

Summary/Notes:

Peter closes out his letter to the scattered Christians in the churches of Asia Minor with some final instructions. He counsels the elders about how to lead, includes how and why to live in humility with each other, and gives a final warning to be clear-minded and alert.

Peter counts himself as one of the elders. And so, he passes on the same instructions Jesus gave to him: to feed and shepherd Christ's sheep. That is the role of an elder in the local church: to serve as a shepherd of the "flock of God." Peter insists that those who are called to lead are not to do so by constraint, or for money or power, but with humility because they love the Lord Jesus. They should lead first and foremost by example, showing others in the church how to follow Christ by doing so themselves. When Christ returns, He will reward those shepherds with an unfading crown of glory.

In the same way, those who are younger are called to be subject to these shepherds. Newer believers should see more experienced Christians as a God-given authority in their lives. This, of course, also puts additional responsibility on those older Christians to live in a way that honors the Lord, leads others to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Peter then addresses all Christians with this: Put on humility toward each other out of submission to God. God is God, and we are not. We are to humble ourselves under His hand, understanding that our only significance is found in Him. We can freely stop promoting ourselves, because He will exalt us, when the time in due season. One such act of humility is this: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you" (vs 5).  He loves us as a Father loves his children.  He wants us to look to Him and trust Him with all of our needs.  He already knows our needs before we do.

Peter then instructs his readers for the third time to be clear-minded (or sober-minded) and alert. The reason he offers this time is that we have a mortal enemy prowling around and seeking to devour us. The devil is portrayed as a lion, preying on the vulnerable and easy prey.  We are instructed to engage in resisting him.  Be alert!  Be aware!  Our adversary the devil is seeking to discredit the Name of Jesus Christ.  Resist steadfast!  Immoveable Faith! We need to focus on staying firm in our faith, both in Christ, and in God's plan for us.  That plan may include suffering for the brief course of this life. And yet, it also includes a permanent end to suffering and a future in which our Father—forever powerful—will perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle us forever.

Finally, Peter signs off with a commendation for Silvanus, who will likely deliver this letter to the churches, as well as greetings from the Christians where he was, including his son in the faith, Mark.

Dead To Sin

Bobservations' Column

Pastor Bob Lawrenz

This weekend marks one month after the Passover weekend when Jesus was Resurrected from the dead. Our date today is May 7, and this past Good Friday was on April 7. Today we might celebrate His 30th day of living after His Resurrection. It is now ten more days to Ascension Thursday, and twenty more days to the Feast of Pentecost.

These post-resurrection days of Jesus’ time on Earth were remarkable because He did not hide Himself away but showed Himself openly to everyone as He continued teaching. He had not only risen as He said, but also fulfilled of His own prophetic word through King David in Psalm 16:10 – “For thou will not leave my soul in the (grave); neither wilt thou (allow) Thy Holy One to see corruption.”

Not only would God’s Anointed rise from the grave, but His body would not begin the inglorious process of rotting away.

Chapter four of 1 Peter confronts our own doubts and unbelief in newness of life, and lays out truth for us to stand upon in faith. The Apostle Paul’s chapter 6 of Romans echoes Peter’s words: new life brings death to sin, and to the temptations of our old life.

No longer must we follow after the old lusts, because those things are dead to us our new life-in-Christ. No longer corruptible because we have put on incorruption through the death of Jesus Christ, and we shall live on into eternity.

~ Romans 8:11 ~

“But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Today's Audio Message:

1 Peter 4:1-19 - "Dead to Sin"

In our study in First Peter chapter 4 this week, Peter urges Christians to be fiercely committed to fulfilling the purpose of our lives in Christ. Prior chapters made the case that we are a "holy people." We have been rescued from sin and meaningless lives and set apart from the world, in order to be used for God's purpose. Since believers have these new, eternal lives in Christ, we must begin to think like Jesus, including Jesus' way of thinking about suffering.

Jesus expected persecution along the way to fulfilling His mission on earth. Peter is clear that we should expect to suffer, as well. In fact, this is part of completing the mission God has given us. We should be ready and willing to suffer for Christ, as He did for us. In doing so, we will set the course of our lives away from sin, especially the mind-numbing sins of endless pleasure seeking.

The path of submission to Christ and the path of self-serving pleasure go in completely opposite directions. Those who still indulge in drunkenness, partying, and idolatry won't understand or accept the Christian's lifestyle. In fact, they will resent the fact that Christians refuse to participate. According to Peter, refusal to do what unbelievers do will result in criticism and condemnation from them. This is especially true when the believer is someone who used to commit those very sins, but has been changed by Christ.

But Peter offers a warning and encouragement: The end of all things is drawing near, and the Judge is coming. Instead of living for pleasure, we must be very careful to stay clear-minded and focused so that we can pray faithfully. We must strain hard to love each other well. We must share and serve and speak to each other with God's gifts, with His words, with His strength.