November
24th
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.
- What are the two main areas of service?
- When will the Lord judge Israel?
- What is the gospel of the kingdom?
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