[0:00] This morning as we come to God's word, we come to be reminded of the good news. We come to reflect on the death of Jesus and what it means for us.
[0:13] We come to be reminded of his awesome love for us. And we hear of these things through one of the men who knew Jesus very well. He was one of the twelve disciples and more.
[0:27] He was one of the inner circle of three, a best friend of Jesus, Peter, the fisherman from Galilee. Many of you know the story of Peter.
[0:40] He was called by Jesus. He left it all to follow Jesus. He was there for the many miracles that Jesus did. He was there for the many parables that Jesus taught.
[0:53] He was there when Jesus said the hard truths, the ones the people didn't like to hear. He was there when Jesus was challenged by his opponents, the religious leaders.
[1:08] Peter was there with Jesus in the upper room where Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples. He was there as Jesus broke bread and passed the cup around the table.
[1:22] Peter was there in the garden while Jesus was praying in deep anguish of soul. He was there with the sword in his hand when Judas came to betray Jesus with the temple guards.
[1:39] Peter was there in the courtyard of the high priest while Jesus' enemies had their way with him. And as Jesus came to be tried by Pilate and led away to be crucified, it doesn't say anywhere in the Bible in those moments where Peter was.
[1:57] No doubt he feared for his life, having been one of the closest followers of Jesus. Not only that, but he also bore the weight of his own personal betrayal of Jesus, having denied that he even knew the Lord three times in the middle of the night.
[2:18] But somewhere in the crowd, we suspect he was there, watching from a distance as Jesus was tried and led away and hung up to die on a cross.
[2:32] Peter was there three days later at the empty tomb. He was there behind the locked doors that evening when Jesus suddenly appeared to them all alive.
[2:46] Peter was there in Galilee some days later when Jesus had cooked breakfast for his disciples on the beach. He was there walking with Jesus after breakfast as Jesus charged him to take care of his sheep.
[3:02] And Peter was there some days later on the Mount of Olives when Jesus was taken up to heaven before their very eyes. Peter was there at Pentecost in the upper room when the spirit of Jesus came down upon them all.
[3:20] And he was there in the streets proclaiming Jesus of Nazareth that day and onward. Jesus the Lord. Jesus the Messiah.
[3:33] He was there as the church of Jesus began to grow and spread from Jerusalem on outward. And some years later, Peter sat down to write a letter to the followers of Jesus living far away in provinces and regions around the Mediterranean.
[3:50] It's a wonderful letter. It's full of reassuring truths about Jesus. It's full of practical instruction for Jesus' followers about how they should live for him.
[4:03] At one point in Peter's letter, he comes to talk about what to do when you're treated harshly. Or when you suffer unjustly. Think of that for a moment.
[4:17] What should you do if you're a follower of Jesus and are being treated unjustly? Or if you are suffering at the hands of someone who has sway, who has authority over you.
[4:33] Even though you've done nothing wrong. How would Peter answer that question? What would his counsel be to us? It's here that Peter's mind went back to those awful, soul-wrenching hours.
[4:49] When his best friend, his Lord, suffered. We're going to pick up the story or the words of Peter's letter in 1 Peter 2, verse 18.
[5:08] It starts as an address to slaves. Peter writes, Slaves, In reverent fear of God, Submit yourselves to your masters.
[5:25] Not only to those who are good and considerate, But also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable If someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering, Because they are conscious of God.
[5:41] But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good, And you endure it, This is commendable before God.
[5:56] To this you were called. Because Christ suffered for you. Leaving you an example. That you should follow in his steps.
[6:08] He committed no sin. And no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at him, He did not retaliate.
[6:22] When he suffered, He made no threats. Do you see what's being replayed in Peter's mind as he writes here? It's as if in Peter's mind he's there.
[6:37] Watching it all happen again. Playing it over in his mind. The things that happened to Jesus. What did Peter remember about those awful hours of Jesus' suffering?
[6:54] He remembered, As he watched it all unfolding, The injustice of it all. He, Jesus, Says Peter, Had committed no sin.
[7:10] I mean, It would have been one thing if Jesus had been beaten and flogged and crucified, Because he had done a whole bunch of terrible things. Because he had done wrong.
[7:22] But that was the injustice of it all. He had committed no sin. He had done nothing wrong. He only ever did good.
[7:33] To everyone. All these years. And he had only ever spoken the truth to people. No deceit was found in his mouth.
[7:46] Says Peter. True. Some things Jesus said had been difficult to understand. Parables. Even sometimes riddles.
[8:01] Difficult questions. Stuff about spiritual realities. That at times confounded people. But he had never once lied.
[8:13] He had never once deceived anyone. No deceit was found in his mouth. What else did Peter remember from those awful moments when Jesus suffered so cruelly?
[8:30] Verse 23. When they hurled their insults at him. He did not retaliate. When he suffered.
[8:43] He made no threats. Peter had a bit of a reputation. He seemed to be a little impulsive. Quick to speak his mind.
[8:56] Quick to draw the sword. At least one time. He majorly put his foot in his mouth. And was rebuked very strongly by the Lord Jesus himself. And on a couple occasions.
[9:08] Peter failed to speak the truth. When it really mattered. It's very difficult to keep a rain on our mouths. Peter. Peter.
[9:19] No doubt. Knew that. About himself. But what really caught Peter's attention. Was that Jesus was not like him. In that regard.
[9:31] In all that Jesus suffered. That evening. And that day. He never once. Hurled an insult. He never once.
[9:42] Lashed back at them. He never spit in their faces. Like they did in his. It was amazing. One of my favorite quotes.
[9:55] Not from the Bible. Is this. A glass can only spill. What it contains. What it contains. My neighbor across the street. When I was a.
[10:06] A young boy. He always spoke so kindly. And so respectfully. In my presence. Being an older boy. And me just a little kid. But then one day.
[10:18] I watched him drop a fence post. On his toe. And the profanity. That came flying out. Shocked me. But a glass can only spill.
[10:28] What it contains. And often times. When the glass is really. Jostled and bumped around. Is when what's inside. Spills out. Peter knew what spilled out.
[10:41] In his own life. When he was. Bumped. And jostled. And treated rudely. And yet Jesus suffered. More than any man. Ever has.
[10:52] And yet not once. In all of that. Did he. Insult. Or threaten. The people. Who treated him. So terribly. Hail.
[11:07] King of the Jews. The soldiers mocked. Save yourself. Come down from the cross. If you are the son of God. Prove it.
[11:20] Said the passersby. Oh. He saved others. But he can't save himself. Said the religious leaders.
[11:31] He's the king of Israel. Let him come down now. From the cross. And we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God.
[11:42] Rescue him. If he wants him. After all. He said. I am the son of God. God. And. We can't even begin to imagine.
[11:53] What it was like. For Jesus. To hang there on the cross. And hear these insults. And mocking words. What was it like. For the one who really was.
[12:06] The king. Of the Jews. The messiah. Chosen. By God. To hear words like these. what was it like for the one who really was the son of god to be spoken to like this what was it like for the one who had the power to save to save people from god's wrath to be told to his face that he's powerless and pathetic and that everything that he's promised to those who believe in him are just empty words if there was ever a moment in which jesus could have cursed men or at least in which we imagine that he could have this was it and yet what came out of the glass of jesus in these moments father forgive them for they don't know what they're doing yes this caught peter's attention that day when they hurled their insults at him he did not retaliate when he suffered he made no threats instead he entrusted himself to him who judges justly he himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness by his wounds you have been healed said peter the beautiful gospel is here from peter's own pen speaking of any of us who might suffer even though we haven't done anything to deserve it speaking of injustice here's the amazing thing says peter jesus suffered what he did in his body on that cross for our sins not for his own jesus himself bore our sins in his body on that cross think about all the filthy things you have ever done ever said ever thought think about all the good things the right things that you have failed to do failed to say jesus took the punishment for all our sins in his body on the cross why the simple answer is love because he loves you he doesn't want you to bear your own guilt to face the consequences you deserve on that final day he loves you does your heart know that jesus death was not an unfortunate tragedy that should have been prevented jesus suffering and his death on that cross was for something it had a deep and glorious purpose and this is what it is peter says by his wounds you have been healed think about jesus wounds for a moment
[16:07] what kind of wounds were they i'm not going to go into all the details of crucifixion this morning i'll simply say his wounds were fatal and yet the wounds he suffered at the hands of others had a deep and glorious purpose it's by them the wounds of jesus that we are healed made whole given life cured of our spiritual problem here is the greatest example of those words that joseph said to his brothers long ago what you meant for evil god meant for good the blows the piercings the fatal injuries of jesus body are the remedy the cure the healing that we need and again we might ask why why would he do that for me for you for the world and peter tells us why verse 25 for you were like sheep going astray but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls why would jesus suffer like he did for us because he looks at us like a good shepherd looks at his sheep he saw that we had gone astray and he cared about us enough to come after us and do what needed to be done to bring us back to the shepherd of our souls to god our father love love love is why he did it to save you to save me to bring us back to god the shepherd who cares for us you might be here this morning thinking wow what a wonderful thing that he died for me that he took the punishment for my sins
[18:42] I'm not worthy of that this gift of forgiveness it can't possibly be for me I've done some pretty awful things peter's answer is this just one chapter later in the very same letter for christ also suffered once for sins the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to god this gift of jesus love is for the unrighteous it's for those who admit who confess to god that yes i have blown it big time i have sinned i do deserve your punishment it's love love in the heart of christ jesus that's why he chose to suffer for unrighteous people like you and me to bring us back to god many of you have heard this before but i want to say it again what do we need to do to receive this gift of god forgiveness for our sins you might be wondering i've already told the first part which is to admit to god that you are one of those unrighteous people that you have done things that are not right next the bible tells us that you must believe believe jesus and we're talking about deep sincere relational belief trust embrace jesus with your heart and with your soul finally the bible says we must confess jesus basically it means to declare our allegiance to him yes you are the king you are my king you are my lord my savior and we mark that decision as jesus commanded us to by baptism in water this is the way to receive god's gracious gift of love god's forgiveness a admit to god that you're a sinner b believe jesus and c confess jesus as your lord and savior that's it the moment that you do that god does a miracle in you and the rest of your story will change forever god puts his own spirit inside of us and the spirit begins to produce all kinds of good things in us love joy peace patience kindness gentleness faithfulness goodness self-control power to change to live differently to live righteously and much more i could go on about this peter has so much to say in his letter about what god has given to us through jesus he talked about new birth he talked about a living hope he talked about an inheritance that we have in christ kept in heaven for us that can never perish spoil or fade all of these things are gifts of god's mercy that we don't deserve but that god has offered through jesus
[22:43] to us because of his kindness they're gifts made possible and secured for us by the suffering and death of jesus at the cross and that's what we mark today as we come to the lord's table in just a moment we're going to partake of the bread and the cup the bread represents jesus body and the cup represents jesus blood it's the death of jesus that we remember as we eat and drink from this table and it's the fiercest and most glorious love that we celebrate with this bread and this cup if you've made that decision like i talked about earlier admit to god that you're a sinner believe in jesus confess jesus as your lord and savior then i want to invite you to partake with us this morning in just a moment charles is going to come up and pass out the elements and if you have made that decision please join with us eat and drink with us mark and celebrate this love with us if you've not made that decision please just let the bread and the cup pass you by until you're ready to make that decision we'll take a moment in silence now to pray quietly and i encourage you to talk to god in the quiet of your heart and after a few minutes of that charles will come and pass out the elements we'll wait until all have been served and then we'll eat and drink together in unison take a moment and i'll meet you
[24:46] Amen. Amen.
[25:46] Amen. Amen.
[26:46] Amen. Amen.
[27:46] Amen. Amen.
[28:46] Amen. Amen.
[29:46] Amen. Amen.
[30:46] Amen. Amen.
[31:46] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, thank you for this incredible gift.
[32:03] Thank you for dying on that cross, for suffering, for enduring the insults, all of it, for us. We love you so much.
[32:14] Amen. Bless us as we do this in remembrance of you. Amen. Amen.
[32:45] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.
[32:57] Amen. You can put your cups in the little holders in front of you in the seats. the seats. And I'll invite Teresa to come back up and we'll sing one more song together.