A couple months ago we heard from 1 Peter 3:12–17. This passage gives to us a motivation, or a right compulsion, for following Christ even when the circumstances aren’t clear. Jesus blesses gospel obedience, and this is especially true where the path seems difficult. The Lord challenges us with a promise: the pilgrim is marked by a zeal to discover the blessings of Christ in every situation. What does this pattern of life look like?
First. Zeal looks like obedience. Peter marks that pilgrims will suffer for righteousness. As we seek to do the will of the Lord, we may be prepared for challenges that every person is prepared for—sickness, financial troubles, heartache. We wouldn’t welcome those troubles, but we are used to them. However, pilgrims meet with other sorts of spiritual challenges like church squabbles, the need for changing attitudes and preferences, loving and serving people with whom we wouldn’t normally share life. In all of this, the pilgrim is actually zealous for the Spirit’s sanctification, to meet and be blessed through those kinds of experiences.
Second. Obedience looks like growth. As we meet with these experiences, the Lord reminds us to “honor Christ the Lord as holy.” Those circumstances that most abruptly, unexpectedly challenge us become pivotal moments for our faith journey, and the Lord walks with us to discover how He corrects, encourages, shepherds, reveals, and overall sanctifies us as the only one who satisfies our need for such experiences. As the Lord’s people, we are bricks in the very Temple of the Lord—His Spirit lives in us—will He not supply those for whom He died? Spiritual gentleness, perseverance, joy, peace, fortitude all grow as we lean into obedience. How have you noticed the ways in which Christ has changed your attitude when interrupted by a dilemma, by emotional or spiritual testing? Share with those pilgrims around you how you are being sanctified—such conversations remind us we are called to honor Christ the Lord as holy—because it is good for us, He is worthy!
Third. Growth looks like a flourishing church. Christ suffered and thus left an example for His church: vv23–24, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” All this work of Christ proved Himself alone as the perfect supply of His people. He remains faithful and true even when we don’t think He is at a particular moment or circumstance, even when we are perplexed. The joy of our experience is discovering, growing in zeal, to see how perplexing and confounding the work of Christ is in meeting us at just those moments for His own glory. As a church, we grow together in those circumstance. God trains His church and uses us as a mobile sanctification factory. It is said, many a boy has cried in hunger when sat before a table full of food. We, too often, want all the blessings of the Christian experience without tasting the provisions God commands us to partake. We flee before challenges, turn aside to our own perspectives, abandon conversations long before the fruit comes. But Christ calls us to a zeal that enriches not only ourselves but the body together.
Let us defend the honor of Christ’s bride by doing the joyful work of looking to Him for supply. Let us experience the glory of Christ by growing zealous for obedience. Let us find in every opportunity a reason for looking to the Savior who redeemed us and redeems even our time minute by minute with our fellow brothers and sisters. How can you spark that zeal today within yourself, your family, your fellowship?
Pastor Chris
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