AM Nov 24th 1Pet 4

November 24^th

11: If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Be proud of Christ

12: Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14: If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15: But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16: Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17: For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18: And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19: Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Previously Peter had said… As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Now he is more specific, he says those who prophecy are to do so as speaking the oracles of God and those who minister let them do so according to the ministry that God has given. And so we have the two great ministries of the Spirit – the Elder and the Deacon. The Elder teaches and the Deacon serves. And both serve in their own God appointed way not in opposition to one another but in partnership, to the glory of God. Peter again reminds the believers not to be fazed by the trial which has come to them, but they are to rejoice in the sufferings of Christ. This is reminiscent of the Beatitudes. Then Peter reminds these Jewish believers that the judgment of God will begin at the house of God – The Jewish nation. (This will occur before the judgement of the living nations Matt 25) And the judgment will fall on those who do not OBEY the Gospel. What is this Gospel that is to be obeyed? It is the Gospel of the Kingdom or rather the Gospel of God, Which is a further extension of the Gospel of the Kingdom to include the death and resurrection of Christ. Those who suffer commit their souls to the God of the resurrection who will raise the righteous from the dead to enter the Kingdom.