1 Peter - Theme of a suffering Saviour

The Sufferings of the Messiah

1 Peter
Chapter 1.2 The "sprinkling of the blood of Christ" is figurative language, based on the Old Testament sacrifices, to indicate that the death of the Lord Jesus was and is able to obtain our forgiveness and acceptance with God. Sin which offends God so much, can indeed be removed.

1.11 "the sufferings of Christ" foretold in the prophets. This is an important authority and explanation for what happened when Jesus died. See Isaiah 53 for an example.

1.18,19  "Redeemed____ by the precious blood of Christ" This reflection on Exodus 12, the Passover lamb, is an outstanding statement by the Apostle of what was achieved at the cross. Setting people free from slavery. Buying people back to God.

2.21 "Christ also suffered...leaving you an example".  This is a challenging example of how we should react when persecuted, just like the Lord.

2.24 "bore our sins in His own body on the tree"  He had no sins of His own, and was not obliged to do anything for us, but He willingly took our sins, to set us free.

3.18"Christ also suffered once for sins. the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God".This is a clear statement of  Jesus Christ suffering as a substitute for the sins of the guilty. For those who understand the judgement sin deserves, this is news of great relief. His one sacrifice is sufficient for all time and all people.

4.1 "Christ suffered in the flesh".  As He , in the days of His  flesh, did not take the easy path, or the path of human passion, so likewise  we can be delivered from wasted lives by choosing the same.

5.1 "a witness of the sufferings of Christ".  For Peter, to remember what he saw at the cross, seriously affected his reactions to the command of the Master "Feed my lambs" "feed my sheep"  Peter now as a shepherd, encourages others to  shepherd God's sheep in light of the sufferings of Christ.

This theme deserves much meditation.  I observe many Christians who only think of the cross once a year. How much they are missing of the blessing of knowing the overflowing value knowing the sufferings of the Christ.

Perhaps my reader has never found the joy of forgiveness from God through the sufferings of Jesus the Christ. Today  take time to read Isaiah 53,  and see how God, who knows we are like wandering sheep, chooses to bring us back to Himself through the sufferings of His perfect servant Jesus Christ. Faith in Him will bring to reality the promise of justification and eternal life.

johnmckee@internode.on.net

The writings of Peter

1 Peter

This letter from the Apostle Peter is a brilliant compass for the journey from being lost, right into heaven itself. It is a great book of themes. To help my readers, I would like to trace some themes.

          It is a common mistake we all fall into  -  reading the Bible to find something for ourselves. Perhaps we will  begin by looking at what is in this letter “for God”!

Chapter 1, verse 1 and chapter 5:13 present God as choosing. How good it is to honour God as having the right to choose and the honour of always choosing wisely.

Verse 2 – He knows all things including the future, and by His spirit applies the blood of Christ to effect redemption, thus bringing the wandering people back to Himself.

Verse 3 – He is the happy, blessed God. He is distinguished as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is working toward the objective in verse 7 – the revealing of Jesus Christ in glory. His purpose will not thwarted. Chapter 5.10 the glory of our Lord is assured.

          As we highlight the mentions of God our faith and hope is established in God, not ourselves or our circumstances. Ch1.21

Please read the chapter through again and then continue reading, highlighting the mentions of God and God at work. You will be blessed.

more later

John McKee

Celebrating God' Goodness

Today I celebrate 49 years as a Christian. I celebrate God’s love, goodness, mercy and grace. He alone is worthy to be praised now and forever.

     Of the many things that could be said of the journey of 49 years, I would like to highlight the deep pleasure I have found in God’s word  - the Bible. From a child I was taught to respect it. At seven years, I could recite Psalm 23 and early I was given my own KJV Bible.

The assurance of forgiveness from God and peace with God, came through a Bible verse – Romans 10.9   “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead , Thou shalt be saved.”

      For many years I listened to the Bible read at home, expounded and preached in Christian gatherings. I am so thankful for the appetite to read and search, given to me by the Holy Spirit.. At age 16 I left home to get employment in Sydney and my closest companion was my Bible – and the Lord revealed to me in the Holy Scriptures. In my spare time, I would spend hours with a Strong’s concordance pouring over the sacred pages. This was not just an introvert preoccupation – at 17 , with my brother , we purchased a printing press and began distributing Bible messages to the unbelievers around us.

      As life moved on, I constantly consulted God’s word for guidance – where to be, who to marry, how to live, what to preach etc. Perhaps more than anything I was endeared to the book by its constant unveiling of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Old Testament along with the New  Testament.  “to know HIM” was an ambition implanted in me  by the Apostle Paul as well as other preachers. This has been the most stabilizing and satisfying thing in  those 49 years.

       I  want to testify that God has been faithful in good times and bad times. A little plaque hanging on our bedroom wall has often given strength and hope:

          “Trust in the Lord,

          He faileth not 

         and forsaketh not His saints”

      Of all the disappointments of life, God is not a disappointment and His word is a sure rock for faith and living.

May God bless all  my readers with the same joy of “Knowing HIM”  Philippians 3.10

Johnmckee@internode.on.net

More than a compass

More than a compass

The Bible is a songbook, an atlas, a medicine book, a history book, a futures book, a doctrine book, and more, but above all it is spiritual food.

Peter, who was reared with the Old Testament read often in his hearing, encouraged the people to have an appetite for the ‘word of the Lord’. By regular feeding upon this pure spiritual milk, he said we would grow – grow in many ways. Grow in understanding, in wisdom, in the salvation that changes our inner self to become more like God’s own Son.

But better still, Peter writes that by the word of the Lord, we “come to Him” and we are enabled to offer spiritual sacrifices to God ( in contact with God !). This is our most noble occupation now and in the life to come.

This is my brief meditation this morning from 1  Peter 1:22  to 2:5. Read it and be encouraged to seek the Lord, to know the Lord, to feed, trust and worship the Lord.

John McKee

PS Two weeks ago I met a lady who said she was a Christian, but did not read the Bible because it had too many contradictions! I was dumbfounded. Tell me how can you be a Christian and refuse to read the Christian message??

Joseph the buyer of land

Concluding meditation from the life of Joseph

    Genesis 47.20 “ So Joseph bought all the land for Pharaoh.....................”

This is a small picture of God’s claim upon the whole earth, and in particular through the redemption wrought by Christ, all belongs to HIM.

   Much strife and warfare has proceeded from the efforts of men to conquer land for a possession, land for agriculture , land for mineral wealth, land for power over people, land for security etc.

           How different it would be if all peoples recognised what the Bible teaches  -- we are all tenants on God’s land (Leviticus 25.23). Really no one has ‘land rights’ except the Lord Jesus. He as the creator (John 1) has the ownership of the earth. He as the final judge will call to account what we have done with the stewardship of earth. Presently political leaders rise, ruin and run away, but in the day when the books are opened, each one, great and small will be judged according to the responsibility granted.

   

      As one put it recently at a conference ‘ours is not so much to save the planet, but rather to be good stewards of what we have’

    Joseph did not operate by self attained wisdom or even scientific knowledge – rather he acted under the revealing hand of God and thus saved more than one nation. May present day leaders do the same. ( I have met some who do seek to take orders from above.)

    Of course we have a stewardship of more than land. How wise we should be with our time, money, relationships, children , skills  etc

        It is interesting reading to see what happened when another king rose up who did not know Joseph   -  the nation turned to oppression and was basically destroyed by self indulgence – how like today when people refuse to know and yield to the heavenly Joseph.(  Jesus Christ the  Lord)

J McKee

Joseph

One of the most God exalting biographies of the Bible is the story of Joseph. Just to read Genesis chapter 39 to 48 , is most satisfying. It is to see how God turns a bad situation into a good outcome.

          Joseph had many reasons to become bitter and wayward, but two comments stand out:

Genesis 39.23 “Whatever he did, the Lord made it to succeed”

Genesis 41:38 “a man in whom is the Spirit of God”

And so the nation of Egypt is saved from disaster, and so the wayward sons of Jacob are brought to account, and so weary old Jacob finds rest in his submissive, sovereign son. This story  is compelling reading. Maybe you know it well - read it again. Maybe you don't know  this story - read it today.

The value of the story is manifold – I mention some  -First it confirms the historical nature of Genesis as being relevant to the real world in which we live. Second – it has great moral value for all people today. Thirdly – it is a beautiful illustration of God the Father moving in God the Son by God the Holy Spirit to bring about the salvation of those in desperate need (in need of food and those in need of forgiveness). It is an intriguing story of estrangement and reconciliation.

It demonstrates:

The sovereignty of God eg giving Joseph the dream of stars bowing before him. The under the providential scheme of God it happens so.

The all knowing of God (omniscient) bringing these sons of Jacob to account for their sins against Joseph and Jacob and God.

The forgiveness of God is expressed in Joseph – letting them go free after they are brought to repentance.

The grace of God is seen in the plan of providing a saviour for Egypt and Israel in the time of famine.

I will not recount the story – it is so easy to read and interpret  ---- read it again today.

If you do not have a Bible, email me today and I will see what can be done to provide one

johnmckee@internode.on.net

Character studies

I would like to change my style and reflect briefly on some Bible characters. These stories from the past give us insights for today and for tomorrow.

Genesis 2:15-17

Adam was given a job to do – in the garden to work it and keep it.

   Adam was given a choice to make – to eat or not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

      Adam had a friendship to enjoy – Verse 9 – in the cool of the day, God called to the man “where are you?”

Adam made the wrong choice and we today live with the unpleasant consequences.

Genesis 6:12-14

Noah lived in a wicked, corrupt, violent, immoral society  -  ruined with no repentance

    Noah was given a command – ‘Make yourself an ark’ and he did.

        Noah received a promise. 9:12-13 A rainbow that promised the judgement was past and future clouds would bring showers of blessing.

Noah obeyed, and by God the judge , he was blessed forever

Genesis 15:1,5,6

Abraham was rich with gold and camels but had no children.

   Abraham was given a promise. Ch 15:15 ‘so shall your offspring be’ – impossible!

     Abraham believed God. – and God kept the promise and Isaac was born

Abraham thus became the friend of God, with whom God shared His secrets.

Genesis 25:26

Jacob was a cheat, a deceiver by nature

   Jacob was afraid of God Ch 28:16  Yet he was given a promise of blessing and  Jacob makes a vow of surrender

      Jacob is given a new name Ch 35:9 ‘Israel’ – a prince prevailing with God

From a bad start, with a wily nature and an unhelpful family, faith takes him through many difficulties to end his days , worshipping as he leant on his staff.

Ruth 1:4

Ruth was a Moabite – not a good history, no claims to God’s promises

   Ruth clung ,V14-17 , to Naomi, to Naomi people, to Naomi’s God

     Ruth was redeemed by Boaz Ch3.13 Wedded to Boaz Ch4,13 and  thus she became the great, great..................... great grandmother of Jesus.

One of the sweetest stories of God’s grace, in the Bible.

1 Samuel 16.11

David was despised as insignificant – keeping sheep

   David risked his life, Ch 17:34-37, for the name of God, and for others.

      David sang – prayers of anguish, songs of praise, psalms of adoration, songs of enduring intimacy with God  - Psalm 23

David chose God’s way, obeyed God’s command, Believed God’s promises, Trusted Gods loving-kindness, clung to the God of all grace!

What is your choice?

Will you obey?

  Will you believe God

    Will you surrender to God?

      Will you cling to God and His grace?

Can you truly sing “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”