“The Suffering Servant”

“The Suffering Servant”

 

You don’t gain anything by being punished for some wrong you have done. But God will bless you if you have to suffer for doing something good.  1st Peter 2:20

Peter urges the Christian slaves to HONOR God by SUBMITTING to their masters, whether they were GENTLE or CRUEL.  The CHRISTIAN SLAVES should SHINE the LIGHT of CHRIST by being OBEDIENT to their MASTERS, with a STRONG POSSIBILITY that they might SUFFER UNJUSTLY. However, PETER reminds them; it is BETTER to do GOOD and SUFFER for it than to do EVIL and SUFFER. 

One thing Peter addressed in his letter, was: “If we endure SUFFERING for doing what is RIGHT, it brings FAVOR with God.” The MOST IMPORTANT reminder to the Christians is that WE ARE CALLED to SUFFER because CHRIST also SUFFERED for US, giving us an EXAMPLE so we MIGHT FOLLOW in the FOOTSTEPS of CHRIST. Christ did NOT SIN or EVER tell a lie.  He was ABUSED, but He NEVER tried to get even.  When He SUFFERED, He made NO THREATS.  Instead, He had FAITH in GOD who JUDGES FAIRLY.  (Vv22-23)

Our SINS, PAST, PRESENT, and FUTURE were CARRIED to the CROSS by the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and they were NAILED to the CROSS because He was NAILED to that OLD RUGGED CROSS.  The purpose for this was: That we might LIVE in RIGHTEOUSNESS.  RIGHTEOUSNESS is the STANDARD God REQUIRES.  So, if you’re SAVED, JESUS CHRIST, has given you the ABILITY to TURN SIN OFF and TURN RIGHTEOUSNESS ON.  The ROTTEN OLD DEVIL doesn’t want you to know that.  And he DEFINITELY don’t want you to do it.  But we can say “NO” to sin and “YES” to RIGHTEOUSNESS, and “NO” to SATAN and “YES” to GOD’S Agenda.

Whose AGENDA are YOU FOLLOWING?  If YOU have NOT GIVEN your HEART and LIFE to GOD, through your ACCEPTANCE of His PLAN of SALVATION, then you are FOLLOWING the Devil’s AGENDA, which means; if you CONTINUE in this manner, your DESTINY will be to SPEND ALL ETERNITY in HELL with ALL its HORRORS and NO WAY to ESCAPE once you are there. 

However, God ‘s Plan is for YOU to COME to JESUS and ADMIT that YOU are a SINNER, in NEED of the SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  You MUST BELIEVE with ALL your HEART that JESUS DIED for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in HEAVEN making intercession for YOU before God.  You MUST CONFESS your SINS to Him and ASK Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST be WILLING to TURN AWAY FROM your SINS and TURN TO GOD, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART.  You MUST ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION and FOLLOW CHRIST, the SUFFERING SERVANT. He’s your ONLY WAY to an ETERNITY in HEAVEN with ALL its BLESSINGS.  Do this NOW, while you STILL can!!!  He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!  Don’t Be LEFT BEHIND!!!