Good morning my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends on this the final day of January 2023.
So how has this new year begun for you? As you look back over the first month, are you satisfied and are you prepared to stay the course for February? Or perhaps you see that already in ’23 you need to make some adjustments, some course corrections in your life if the record of this year for you will be one you will be proud of in the future?
Listen to these powerful statements, made by people just like you and me, who want to live life building and leaving an honorable legacy:
Ps. 86:11 “Teach me Your ways O LORD and I will walk in YOUR truth, give me an undivided heart that I may fear Your name.”
Psalm 143:8,10 “Show me the way I should go, O LORD, for to You I entrust my life. Teach me to do Your will for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on the right path.”
So as you and I look back over our life journey in January ’23, do those statements accurately reflect how we lived?
Let’s rejoin Peter and see what he has to say about this as we continue our experience of sitting with Peter as he writes his first letter to suffering Christians in the first century. 1 Peter 4:1 “Since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves also with the SAME ATTITUDE, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. As a result, they do not live their earthly lives for evil human desires but rather for the will of God...”
Peter is challenging us to consider an important question: what were our life priorities this past month? We make time for, and we pursue our priorities, don’t we? In so doing our attitudes are often far more powerful than our words or our actions. As we write the story of our lives, we build our reputation and our legacy. So, when your name is mentioned, what do people immediately think about? Peter has spent much of his letter calling his readers to consider the model Jesus was for us in how He responded to rejection, humiliation, even persecution while Jesus maintained His commitment to living His life for God’s honor! Do you see the two words I highlighted, SAME ATTITUDE. As you think about the stories you’ve read or heard about Jesus, how would you describe His attitudes…God honoring or self-promoting; humble or prideful, sarcastic or encouraging; self-serving or others-serving; short sighted or long-term focus; task oriented, or relationship oriented; harmful or helpful?
Now think about the attitudes of Jesus when people opposed Him or mocked Him or rejected Him or when His friends abandoned Him, or worse, when He was beaten and even crucified. It shouldn’t be difficult for us to imagine what Peter is calling us to as we face the challenges of our lives on this last day of January ’23, should it? So, how do you nurture those God honoring attitudes in yourself and how do you encourage them in your family and friends? And how do you reject the attitudes which will ruin your reputation and dishonor God? Were our attitudes in January the same attitudes as Jesus had? If not, why not and what would you like to change in February ’23?
Peter continues his challenge to us: “For you spent enough time in the past DOING what pagans choose to do – living in debauchery…” and then Peter gives us quite a list of behaviors that he classifies as pagan style, rebellious, God DIShonoring living. We’ve moved from ATTITUDES to ACTIONS, do you see that? As you think back in your life, was there a time when you lived in debauchery? Do you find the memories of that lifestyle calling you back into the darkness from time to time? Or perhaps you have friends who keep inviting you to join them in behavior that you know makes a mockery of Jesus. In fact, Peter writes about such friends: “They think it strange that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.” Has that been your experience my friends? Do you feel rejected by your friends when you won’t join them at the bar or in things that you know will undermine your passion to keep growing in your relationship with God? Have you experienced how difficult it is to try and live two different lifestyles when they are opposite of each other?
Peter reminds us: “But they will have to give account to Jesus who is ready to judge the living and dead.” (1 Peter 4:5)
Oh, the power of those two words: “Give Account“. From the time we’ve been children we’ve been taught that we will be held accountable for our behavior and our choices, right? Our parents taught us that with their discipline. Our teachers taught us that with our school report cards. Our athletic coaches taught us that with extra practices until we got it right. Perhaps your boss taught you that when you were fired from a job for lack of performance or breaking the rules. And perhaps you’ve been taught by the police or a courtroom that accountability for wrongdoing can be expensive and painful! But what about standing before God giving account for your entire lifetime! Will that really happen someday for everyone? Yes, my friends, yes! May I give you three clear statements from the Bible that warn us about that final judgment day?
* Hebrews 4:13 says: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”
Revelation 20:11-13 says: “I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened…. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books…each person was judged according to what they had done.”
Romans 14:10-12: “We will all stand before God’s judgment seat...each of us will give account of ourselves to God.”
Peter and everyone in the first century were very familiar with trials and judgments and punishments. The Roman justice system was intolerant of anyone who did not follow the laws of the Caesar. Public trials were common as was public punishment, especially flogging and in extreme cases execution by public crucifixion. So as Peter wrote about God being the final judge and every person standing before God to give account for their lives, it was easy for them to imagine what that would be like.
I wonder if you’ve given that much thought my friends? None of us is perfect, all of us have sinned and we all fall far short of God’s perfection. (Romans 3:23) But when that day of judgment comes, I’m happy to tell you that God has provided an advocate, a mediator who will defend God’s people… Jesus! Paul explained this in his letter to Timothy: “There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.” (1 Tim. 2:5,6)
On that all-inclusive, final, judgment day I’m happy to tell you Jesus will be there to defend His people against any accusation! For those people who have trusted in Jesus Christ and His death to be sufficient for their salvation, ALL their sinfulness has been washed away by the blood of Jesus applied to their lives by Almighty God Himself! Psalm 103:12 says: “…as far as east is from west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Therefore, my friends, while God’s justice will be fair for all, for those who have fully trusted Jesus, His death and resurrection have delivered us! His blood has been poured over those entries in the books recounting our sinful lives and we will stand forgiven and righteous before God! (Romans 5) But for those who have rejected God’s provision through Jesus and have NOT repented of their sin and have not trusted fully in the death of Jesus as atonement for their sin, they will stand without excuse or negotiation and God’s holy justice judgment will fall upon them. So, which will be your experience on that day my friend? Overwhelmed with God’s mercy as Jesus, your Savior and Advocate, has paid for all your sin? Or will you be overwhelmed with your guilt and the horrific judgment of God? Every person is entrusted with the privilege of choosing their own destiny, which will be yours? If I can help you with that decision, please contact me, my friends!
For me and millions like me who know that judgment day will be a glorious day of celebration of all Jesus has accomplished for us and in us, here’s a great song of thanksgiving and praise to our great Savior, JESUS.
Today’s Scripture is 1 Peter 4:1-5.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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