Model Behaviour (3)

1 Peter 2:21-24 This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did: “He never sinned, and he never told a lie.” People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed.

Suffering is a nasty thing, a terrible thing, a thing that we don’t want to have to go through, or deal with, or even mention. But just as surely as God made little green apples, you and I still have some suffering to get through in the days that remain for us here on this earth.

Well, there’s a cheery thought – glad you joined me today? Sure you are, because, just like me, you need to be able to get through your suffering, to makes sense of your suffering … perhaps even to find meaning in your suffering.

People suffer unjustly for all sorts of reasons. Often it just doesn’t make sense – there’s no rhyme or reason to it. But there’s one Person whose suffering, whilst at the time it made absolutely no sense, has changed billions of lives since through His terrible time at the brutal hands of injustice.

Speaking to Christians who were suffering shocking persecution for their faith, the Apostle Peter writes this:

1 Peter 3:21-24 This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did: “He never sinned, and he never told a lie.” People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.