Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
1 Peter 4
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. 16 But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!
Commentary:
4:12–13 Beloved marks the beginning of a new section of the letter (cf. 2:11). Suffering is the norm for Christians, not a surprising exception. To suffer as a Christian is a call to rejoice as a disciple of Christ, and such joy is the prelude to the joy that is to come at the return of Christ (when his glory is revealed).
4:14 To be insulted because one belongs to Christ is to be blessed by God, because in such times the Spirit of glory, the Holy Spirit, rests upon believers in an especially powerful way. Further, it is the same Spirit that rested on Jesus (Isa. 11:2; cf. Matt. 3:16) who now rests upon the believer.
4:16 The term Christian in the NT is always (except in this case) used by opponents of believers. The term was coined in Antioch (Acts 11:26), and Agrippa used it in his conversation with Paul (Acts 26:28). The term means “follower of Christ.” Christians are to suffer in such a way that they bring honor to God instead of disrepute.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2412.
4:14 To be insulted because one belongs to Christ is to be blessed by God, because in such times the Spirit of glory, the Holy Spirit, rests upon believers in an especially powerful way. Further, it is the same Spirit that rested on Jesus (Isa. 11:2; cf. Matt. 3:16) who now rests upon the believer.
4:16 The term Christian in the NT is always (except in this case) used by opponents of believers. The term was coined in Antioch (Acts 11:26), and Agrippa used it in his conversation with Paul (Acts 26:28). The term means “follower of Christ.” Christians are to suffer in such a way that they bring honor to God instead of disrepute.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2412.
Questions:
- Clayton shared the stories of the martyrs of the faith. Andrew, Bartholomew, James (the brother of John) James (the son of Alphaeus), John, Jude, Matthew, Peter, Philip, Simon, Thomas, Matthias, James (the brother of Jesus)... all of them met brutal ends for the sake of the name of Jesus. He ended with the story of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John. He was arrested and warned to recant his faith Jesus. What was his response? "Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How, then, can I abandon my King and Savior?" Then he was burned alive and ran through with spears. THIS is where we come from. THESE are our ancestors. How are you living out their legacy? How do we carry the faith with similar passion and conviction? What kind of faith legacy are WE leaving?
- 1 Peter 4:16 says, "But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!' He is basically saying our suffering brings honor to God, and it is a privilege to do so! How can you honor God through your suffering? Do you truly feel it is a privilege to be called His?
Pray:
- That you would leave a legacy worthy of those that have gone before.
- That you would learn to honor God through suffering and persecution.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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