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1 Peter 5:1-7 - The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a
fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker
of the glory that will be revealed: [2] Shepherd the flock of God which
is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not
for dishonest gain but eagerly; [3] nor as being lords over those entrusted
to you, but being examples to the flock; [4] and when the Chief Shepherd
appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.
A) ELDERS AMONG US (V.1)
1 Peter 5:1 - The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow
elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of
the glory that will be revealed:
- Who are these elders that Peter is referring to?
- First off, Peter identifies with them as a fellow elder. However,
Peter also identifies himself as an apostle in 1 Peter 1:1.
- The word "elder" speaks of a person who is mature and
has spiritual oversight over people. The world elder could refer
to any of the offices found in Eph. 4:11, apostle (as in the case
of Peter), prophet, evangelist, pastor/teacher or any person who
has spiritual oversight over people. So who is Peter addressing?
- "Among you" is referring to people in a region.
1 Peter 1:1 - Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims
of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
These are provinces south of the Black Sea.
- Some key words in this passage will help us to understand the passage
better.
- The word "shepherd" in 1 Peter 5:2 is "poimaino"
which means to tend as shepherd.
The following verses use this word:
Matthew 2:6 - 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are
not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come
a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "
John 21:16 - He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son
of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You
know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
Acts 20:28 - Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the
flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd
the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
1 Cor. 9:7 - Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants
a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and
does not drink of the milk of the flock?
Rev. 7:17 - for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will
shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God
will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
- The Chief Shepherd in 1 Peter 5:4 refers to the Lord Jesus Christ
depicted in a specific office. The words "Chief Shepherd"
are one word in the Greek: "archepoimen." Arche means the
first in rank as translated here, the Chief. Poimen is found in Eph.
4:11 where it is translated as pastor. The pastor is an under-shepherd
in submission to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
- We can all share in the ministries of Eph. 4:11 to some degree:
Ephes. 4:11-16 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, [12] for
the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ, [13] till we all come to the unity of the faith
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ; [14] that we should no longer
be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful
plotting, [15] but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all
things into Him who is the head--Christ-- [16] from whom the whole
body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according
to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes
growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
- Not many are apostles but we are all sent to minister.
- Not all are prophets but we can all prophesy.
- Not all are evangelists but we have all been given the ministry
of reconciliation
- Not all are pastor/teachers but we can all be involved in helping.
B) WITNESS OF THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST
1 Peter 5:1-7 - The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow
elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of
the glory that will be revealed
- The word "witness" does not refer simply to what Peter
saw with his physical eyes but to the act of testifying to what one
has seen.
- Peter claims to have been retained to give testimony concerning
what he has seen.
C) SHEPHERDING, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN (V.2a)?
1 Peter 5:2a - Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving
as overseers,
- Shepherding does not mean making decisions for people. It means to
tend as a shepherd, feed, offer guidance and guard.
- The words "serving as overseers" in the Greek have the
idea of taking the oversight.
D) THE RIGHT MOTIVES (V. 2b-3)
1 Peter 5:2b-3 - not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest
gain but eagerly; [3] nor as being lords over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock;
- Pastoring is a call of God. A person should never accept a position
by compulsion or constraint.
- Dishonest gain is the result of greed. A pastor needs to stay where
he is called, never leaving for a better paying pastorate. Neither is
he to commercialize his ministry.
- The word "lords" speak of a high-handed autocratic (tyrannical,
oppressive) rule over the flock.
- This does not mean that there is not a God ordained structure of
authority in the church. Leadership is called to lead.
- Every local church is a family. It is God's decision where we are
to attend church.
- Each local church is a portion of God's heritage. God places you
where He wants you in the body.
1 Cor. 12:18 - But now God has set the members, each one of them,
in the body just as He pleased.
- One major reason that some believers are not content or fulfilled
is because they are in the wrong place, the wrong local church.
- That local church might be a wonderful fellowship but they are outside
that ministry's sphere of influence.
2 Cor. 10:13 - We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but
within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us--a sphere which
especially includes you.
- The "limit" is a limited portion. The sphere is a boundary.
You will never influence what is outside the limited portion of your
God appointed boundary.
- The pastor and the leadership team are to be examples to the flock.
Godly examples can be imitated.
-
God rewards faithfulness.
E) CROWNED (V.4)
1 Peter 5:4 - and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive
the crown of glory that does not fade away.
- God's word lists five Crowns of honour.
The Victor's Crown
Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4:7-8 - I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [8] Finally, there
is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all
who have loved His appearing.
The Martyr's Crown
Crown of Life James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who endures temptation;
for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which
the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
The Imperishable Crown
Imperishable Crown 1 Cor. 9:24-25 - Do you not know that those who
run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way
that you may obtain it. [25] And everyone who competes for the prize
is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown,
but we for an imperishable crown.
The Soul-Winners Crown
Crown of Rejoicing 1 Thes. 2:19-20 - For what is our hope, or joy,
or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord
Jesus Christ at His coming? [20] For you are our glory and joy.
The Crown of Glory
Crown of Glory 1 Peter 5:1-4 - The elders who are among you I exhort,
I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and
also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: [2] Shepherd the
flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion
but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; [3] nor as being
lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;
[4] and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown
of glory that does not fade away.
2. Stay faithful to what God has called you to do.
3. You are not rewarded based on what you do, but rather on whether or
not you did what God called you to do.
Matthew 25:21 - His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful
servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over
many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
Luke 19:17 - And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because
you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'
"Very little" here speaks of the lowest job, that which is considered
insignificant.
Hebrews 6:10 - For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor
of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered
to the saints, and do minister.
Written by: Glenn Forest
How
do we survive when life presents us with difficulty and thrive in the
middle of times of adversity. I will present seven points based upon Jesus'
seven words spoken while on the cross that will help us to deal with the
struggles we face in life. We will look at the spiritual significance
of these seven words but also how we can apply the principles to our own
lives when we have a bad day.
What we know as Good Friday was not a good day for Jesus, but a bad one.
It was a day of betrayal, beatings, violence, rejection, pain, and loneliness.
Each of us will experience bad days and times of trouble at some point
in life. On the cross Jesus left us an example to follow that will help
us deal with bad days, because he realized that we too would suffer. Let
us now examine Jesus' seven statements to overcoming adversity.
I. FORGIVENESS
A) # 1 SPIRITUAL - LK. 23:34 - THEN JESUS SAID, "FATHER FORGIVE
THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DO."
- The message of the Gospel is simple, "Christ died for our sins."
- Christ's first words from the cross are for the sinners first great
need, the need for forgiveness.
- The word "Then" is significant here. Jesus prayed this
after he had been nailed to the cross, which had been raised and allowed
to fall into a hole made for it with a dreadful thud and jolt that lacerated
the newly made wounds - "THEN."
- This prayer was for his executioners and the whole Jewish nation.
- It was in His most painful time that Jesus extended forgiveness to
all.
- There was not a trace of resentment or bitterness.
- Jesus forgave by the grace of God.
Ephes. 1:7 - In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness
of sins, according to the riches of His grace
B) # 1 PERSONAL APPLICATION - LK. 23:34 - THEN JESUS SAID, "FATHER
FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY DO."
- The first point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to forgive everyone who's trying to ruin your
life.
- Bad days (times of adversity) are the result of things that happen,
and things that happen are the result of what people do.
- People are going to commit sin and many times they will hurt others
along the way and oftentimes we just happen to be in their path.
- Jesus points us to a starting place in dealing with the hurt that
people inflict on our lives, and that starting place is in realizing
that people don't know what they're doing. That probably isn't the way
many of us feel about hurtful situations. We "tend to see things
from the viewpoint of our experience, and when bad things happen, it
appears that whoever did us wrong knew exactly what he was doing and
didn't really seem to care either. It must have looked that way from
the cross too.
- We need to learn the art of forgiveness, because forgiving those
who hurt us is the key to not being victimized by them. We can learn
to forgive and forget, as the old saying goes, and we will find peace
of mind in the midst life's difficulties.
- True forgiveness springs from gratitude to God for His forgiving
us. This truth is found in Ephesians 4:32 which tells us,
Ephes. 4:32 - And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.
Matthew 7:12 - Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you,
do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
- We all want to be forgiven and to experience the emotional and spiritual
release that results from having the burden for past wrongs lifted from
us. If we desire to have others forgive us, then we must be willing
to forgive them as well.
- Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:14-15,
Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you. [15] But if you do not
forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.
- It's very important to forgive others when they harm us, because
in doing so we maintain a right relationship with the Heavenly Father.
When we know that we are doing the Father's will then we are able to
make it through difficult times.
II. HELPING OTHERS
A) # 2 Spiritual - Lk. 23:43 - "Assuredly, I say to you, today
you will be with Me in paradise."
- Here we see one thief receiving Jesus Christ and the other rejecting
Him.
- This is the result of accepting His forgiveness. One represents all
those that have their sins forgiven, the other all those who reject
the sacrificed Lamb of God.
- One is concerned with only natural values, the other with eternal
values. The very words "remember me" speak of the after live.
- The reality of heaven and hell.
Rev. 21:4, 7-8 - And God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There
shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away [7]
He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and
he shall be My son. [8] But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable,
murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall
have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which
is the second death." "
- This is a perfect example that salvation is not by works but by faith
alone, this thief was nailed to a cross.
Ephes. 2:8-9 - For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, [9] not of works,
lest anyone should boast.
B) # 2 Personal Application Lk. 23:43 - "Assuredly, I say to
you, today you will be with Me in paradise."
- The Second point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to help others who are experiencing your same
struggle.
- The story here portrays that there were two thieves beside Jesus,
one of the thieves mocked Jesus while the other believed he was the
Son of God. The repentant thief was experiencing exactly the same thing
Jesus was. Jesus could have been focused on His own problems, but He
demonstrated sensitivity that remained available to the needs of other
people around him, even while dealing with his own pain.
- It's very easy to be blinded to the needs of others around us when
all we can see is our own pain, but Jesus revealed to us that we need
to look past our own difficulty. When we start caring for people's needs
we realize that we are in a lot better shape than many others, and we
also tend to ignore our own problems because we are concerned only with
what we can do to help someone else. Helping others is therapy to our
souls.
- Many times the Lord will lead us to others who are experiencing similar
trials as we are for the specific purpose of comforting them. In 2 Corinthians
1:3-7 Paul reveals our task of comforting others when he says,
2 Cor. 1:3-4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, [4] who comforts
us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who
are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted
by God.
- Let us learn to comfort others, and then we too will be comforted
when our own problems fade into obscurity because of our concern for
others.
III. TAKE CARE OF THOSE NEAR YOU
A) # 3 Spiritual - Jn. 19:26, 27 - "Woman, behold your son!"
[27]... "Behold your mother!"
- Notice that Jesus is not indifferent to the needs of His family.
- In this verse we see that Jesus turned His concern to His mother's
personal plight. When he said, 'Woman, behold your son!' He wasn't saying,
'Look at Me and weep, Mother.' He was directing her attention to John.
He was saying, 'Woman (which was a term of respect, approximately equivalent
to ma'am), this man will become the one who oversees you.' And completing
the transfer of responsibility for His mother, He said to John, 'Son,
behold your mother'.
- In the business of service for the Lord we may forget our responsibilities
on the home front. Jesus remembered. Jesus was thinking more of the
sorrows of the others than His own.
- To be standing at the cross, identifying with a man whom the Roman
government considered to be worthy of death on a cross was dangerous.
- But that is the power of love. Standing there were Mary's sister,
the 2 Mary's and a disciple.
- This is true commitment rooted in love. It's not shallow commitment
that only offers service when it is convenient but at the expense of
life if necessary.
- The disciple that is standing by is John. John was know as the apostle
of love. Love is the strongest force in the universe.
1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts
out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love.
- How many are willing to stand with the Lord Jesus Christ until the
end.
- We need a fresh revelation and infilling of the love of God.
B) # 3 Personal Application - Jn. 19:26,27 - "Woman, behold your
son!" [27]... "Behold your mother!"
- The third point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to be sure you take care of those near you.
- There can be any number of reasons why our bad days or times of difficulty
affect our family members such as wives, husbands, mothers, fathers,
siblings, or our own children.
- When we follow hard after Christ we "take up our cross"
so to speak, meaning that we will experience difficult days.
- We need to be able to set our own feelings aside. The key is to spend
quality time with our families.
- No matter how hard life gets, we must keep our priorities in line.
- Priority # 1 (Genesis 2:7) My 1st most important priority in
life is my personal, intimate, eternal relationship with God.
- Priority # 2 (Genesis 2:18-25) My next most important priority
is my personal intimate until death do us part relationship with
my wife.
- Priority # 3 (Genesis 4:1) My next most important priority is
my personal intimate until they leave home, relationship with my
children.
- Priority # 4 (Exodus 25:1-8) My next most important priority
is my personal, intimate until the rapture relationship with the
church.
- Priority # 5 (Exodus 31:1-5) My personal intimate relationship
with my job.
IV. AIM YOUR HARD QUESTIONS AT GOD
A) # 4 Spiritual - Matt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Ps. 22:1 - "My God, My
God why have You forsaken Me?"
- This is the only question Jesus asks and there is no reply to follow.
- From noon until 3:00 p.m. there is darkness.
- This is the only time that Jesus appeals to His Father as God.
- At this point all the sin and guilt of humanity is poured out on
Jesus.
- Jesus literally becomes sin.
- Jesus becomes our substitute. Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3), delivered up because of our offenses
(Romans 4:25), suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust (1 Peter
3:18) become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone
who hangs on a tree") (Galatians 3:13), He is made sin, that we
might be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).
- God forsook Jesus for wrath sake. The cross was God's punishment
on Jesus for the sins of the whole world.
Isaiah 54:8 - With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment;
But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you," Says
the LORD, your Redeemer.
B) # 4 Personal Application - Matt. 27:46; Mk. 15:34; Ps. 22:1 - "My
God, My God why have You forsaken Me?"
- The fourth point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to aim your hard questions at God, not man.
- The reason we need to do this is because in life's darkest hours,
there are usually no human beings with adequate answers.
- Many times when bad things happen to us our minds become so clouded
that we are tempted to blame God.
- If we listen to people while standing in the middle of a confusing
situation, we will only become ten times more confused and lost than
we first entered our dark valley.
- In the book Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan the character named
Christian was on a journey symbolic of the Christian walk. Throughout
his journey many people offered him advice and tried to tell him the
will of God, but had Christian taken their advice he would have wound
up dead like many of his "counselors." I'm referring to human
advice, not trained counselors within the church. He survived by utilizing
what he had learned from the Word of God. We need to turn to the Word
of God when we do not understand why certain things are happening to
us, and God will speak to us while we are in the valley and help us
out.
- We should never be afraid to come to God with any question no matter
how hard, ridiculous, or difficult we think it may sound. God is big
enough to handle anything we ask of him.
- In Jeremiah 12:1, Jeremiah said to the Lord, "Righteous are
You, O LORD, when I plead with You; yet let me talk with You about Your
judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy
who deal so treacherously?"
- Jeremiah provides us with an example of how we can come to God with
any question, for he came to the Lord in frustration, anger, and sarcasm
about how the just were suffering while the wicked prospered.
- Aim your hard questions at God.
V. BE HUMAN ENOUGH TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR HUMAN NEED
A) # 5 Spiritual - Jn. 19:28 - "I thirst."
- This is the shortest of the 7 sayings.
- This is a cry of His humanity. It stresses the fact that Jesus was
part Human.
- Let us remember that Jesus was 100% God and 100% man (hypostatic
union). If God was ever to redeem a man, He had to send a man.
- One of the reasons that this statement is recorded is because it
shows that Jesus was in fact human and He underwent the agony of the
cross.
1 Tim. 2:5 - For there is one God and one Mediator between God
and men, the Man Christ Jesus,
Philip. 2:5-8 - Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ
Jesus, [6] who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery
to be equal with God, [7] but made Himself of no reputation, taking
the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. [8]
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became
obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
- It took a perfect man to go to cross and in our stead. The blood
Jesus shed on the cross had to be stainless, without sin.
1 Peter 1:18-19 - knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible
things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by
tradition from your fathers, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ,
as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
- Notice that the sour wine given to Jesus was given to him in a sponge
at the end of a stock of hyssop.
John 19:29 - Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there;
and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put
it to His mouth.
- Hyssop is an unlikely thing to use for this purpose but it reminds
of the saving blood of the Passover Lamb.
- This was John's way of saying that Jesus was the great Passover
Lamb of God, whose death was to save the whole world from their
sins.
- Another reason Jesus asked for something to drink had to do with
what He was about to say. The biblical setting made that unmistakably
clear. As the Word incarnate was about to bring His final sermon - a
message for all time, to first be proclaimed from the elevated pulpit
of His cross - He needed to clear his voice. The announcement to follow
was not to be muttered or choked out but trumpeted so that all mankind
throughout all history would be able to hear it. But to prepare for
that moment he needed help. This is a cry of His humanity.
B) # 5 Personal Application - Jn. 19:28 - "I thirst."
- The fifth point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to be human enough to acknowledge your need.
- On a bad day, humbling yourself to ask assistance of other mature
believers can help you clarify the stance you're taking in trusting
God. This is no prompting to seek the shallow refuge of someone to pamper
you by mouthing self-pitying complaints but you and I need the help
we can bring to each other.
- We need to learn to humble ourselves and ask for help.
Proverbs 11:14 - Where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.
Proverbs 15:22 states, "Without counsel, plans go awry, but
in the multitude of counselors they are established."
- We are not supposed to ask for human advice, like what was just warned
against, but we are to seek biblical and spiritual counsel from fellow
believers who we know are presently walking closely to the Lord.
VI. BE ASSURED, THERE IS A PURPOSE AND AN END
A) # 6 Spiritual - Jn. 19:30 - "It is finished."
- Jesus accomplished everything, He set out to do.
- The perfect sacrifice that God required for the salvation of all
men had been offered.
- The work of the cross is what was needed to redeem man, to restore
his original position within the framework of God.
- Here we have the fulfillment of Is. 53:4, 5
Isaiah 53:4-5 - Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our
sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
[5] But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for
our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by
His stripes we are healed.
- Jesus' cry of "It is finished!" was not a cry of defeat.
Jesus was in control of the situation for he willingly submitted himself
to be tortured and crucified. He did so because there was a purpose,
and that purpose was to redeem all of mankind through his shed blood,
the blood that serves as the atoning sacrifice to cover all of our sins.
When He cried out, "It is finished!" he wasn't giving up hope
and declaring that his life was over, but he was confidently proclaiming
the completion and victory of the long race that he had run.
- Three English words define this one Greek Word "finished"
(TETELESTAI) - IT IS ACCOMPLISHED - IT IS COMPLETED - THE WORK IS DONE
! - - - IT WAS NOT A CRY OF DEFEAT - IT WAS A SHOUT OF VICTORY ! TELELESTAI
- IT IS FINISHED - IT STANDS FINISHED - IT WILL AWAYS BE FINISHED.
- Four ways the Greeks understood this word:
- TO THE SERVANT - When the job was completed, the Servant would
say to the master - TELELESTAI - meaning I have completed the job
you gave me to do. I did it - I won - I overcame. And the Master
will say to the servant - "Well Done."
- TO THE PRIEST - The Jewish people would bring their sacrifice
to be offered - after the high priest examined and excepted it -
He would say - TELELESTAI - meaning It is perfect, It is excepted!
- TO THE MERCHANT - The debt had been fully paid - When you purchased
something, the merchant would take your money and hand you a receipt
- TELELESTAI - Paid in full.
- TO THE ARTIST - When an Artist would complete his work, he would
step back and say TELELESTAI - It is finished. The picture is completed
and an excellent work.
- AS YOU LOOK AT JESUS: There is a Life that can never be copied; A
Righteousness that cannot be Tarnish; A Peace that cannot be taken away;
A Rest that cannot be disturbed; A Joy that cannot be diminished; A
Hope that cannot be disappointed; A Glory that cannot be clouded; Light
that cannot be darkened; Happiness that cannot be stolen; Purity that
cannot be defiled; Wisdom that cannot be baffled; Beauty that cannot
be marred; A Resource that cannot be exhausted. THERE IS NO NEED HE
CAN'T MEET, NO HURT HE CAN'T HEAL.
- YES, IT IS FINISHED MEANS…. The Servant had finished His work,
The Perfect Sacrifice had been offered, Sins debt had been paid in full,
The Picture had been completed.
- JESUS HAD FINISHED WHAT HE CAME TO EARTH TO DO - SATAN HAD BEEN DEFEATED
!
- IT IS FINISHED - - - TETELESTAI
B) # 6 Personal Application Jn. 19:30 - "It is finished."
- The Sixth point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to be assured, there is a purpose and an end.
- "His call, 'It is finished!' is our call to hold firm in this
assurance: His sovereign power will ultimately win the day."
- God fully provided for you. He did not leave one thing undone in
respect to your salvation.
- He provided in order for you to be blessed spiritually, physically,
emotionally, socially, financially.
- In times of adversity God is at work on our behalf. We may not see
it with our physical eyes but He is at work in the hidden realm.
- When we are in the middle of difficult situations and Satan is trying
to get us down, we can turn to the enemy and say, "I have read
the end of the Book, and in the end I am victorious and you lose!"
Because we will win in the end through Jesus Christ we have a reason
to rejoice and have joy in our hearts! There is an end in sight, and
one day we will stand with Christ and shout with him, "It is finished!"
2 Cor. 2:14 - Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph
in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge
in every place.
VII. SURRENDER YOUR ADVERSITY TO GOD, AND LET IT GO
A) # 7 Spiritual - Lk. 23:46 - "Father, into Your hands I commend
My spirit."
- Jesus gives up His life; it was not taken from Him.
John 10:17-18 - Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down
My life that I may take it again. [18] No one takes it from Me, but
I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power
to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
- Like the previous statement, this also is a statement of definitive
action.
- The sixth word was one of triumph, the seventh one of trust. From
the human perspective His words indicate a colossal act of trust in
the Father. He was surrendering His control of life into the Father's
hands. Jesus basically said, "I'm ready to release My hold on life,
and I'm unafraid to do so because I am placing everything about Myself
into Your hands".
B) # 7 Personal Application - Lk. 23:46 - "Father, into Your hands
I commend My spirit."
- The Seventh point in overcoming adversity through personal application
of Jesus' last words is to surrender your adversity to God, and let
it go.
- My prayer today is that each one of us will be able to say, "Father,
into Your hands I commend my spirit."
- There is a story about a man who was walking along a narrow path,
not paying much attention to where he was going and slipped over the
edge of a cliff. As he fell, he grabbed a branch growing from the side
of the cliff. Realizing that he couldn't hang on for long, he called
out for help. He yelled, "Is there anybody up there?" When
a voice answered, the man said, "Who's that?" The voice replied,
"It's God, do you trust me?" The man said, "I trust you
completely, Lord." God replied, "Good. Let go of the branch."
After a long pause the man cried out, "Is there anybody else up
there?"
- When we are in the middle of a bad day, hanging on to our branch
on the side of a cliff, God will not help us until we learn to let go.
As long as we are clinging to the branch, we are either trusting in
our own finite power, or we are calling out for help from someone or
something other than God. God will not forcibly take control of our
lives. We have to willingly give him the control before he can and will
help us.
TIME OF REFLECTION
We have just learned seven points from Jesus' last words that will help
us when we are experiencing difficult situations in our lives. These seven
points are:
- Forgive everyone who seems set on ruining your life.
- Though troubled yourself, focus on encouraging others who are struggling
and uncertain.
- Be sure you are sensitive and loving, certain to take care of those
who are near you.
- When seemingly impossible questions come, aim them at God, not man.
- Whatever you adequacy, never be above making known your need for
help.
- Embrace the certainty that God always has a purpose and an end.
- And finally when it is all said, one thing remains to be done: Surrender
everything to God and let go.
THIS IS HOW WE LIVE THROUGH A BAD DAY
Written by: Glenn Forest
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