Peter Finished the Sentence
Last weekend I presented a sermon based
on something God had strongly impressed me with a few days previous.
It was based on Hebrews 5:7-9 where it talks about how Jesus learned
obedience through the things which He suffered and was made perfect
as a result.
As I was studying that passage out
carefully I was impressed with a parallel passage from Peter that in
my estimation is the most potent and clear explanation of the real
truth about the cross of Christ written anywhere. This emerging
revelation about the cross has been progressively expanding in my
mind over the past few years as I seek to find sense apart from all
the nonsense that religion has taught about the cross that has
confused so many. As the truth about this becomes more clear to me, I
come under increasing conviction of my need to apply this truth to my
own circumstances and relationships.
The day after I presented this to my
church, our head elder told me a story about a man who had been
arrested for trying to pay a large bill that he was contesting with a
bag full of pennies. I won't go into the details except to say that
as soon as I heard this story something deep inside of me came alive
with rage. It was so deep and resonating that I knew it was tapping
into a reservoir that I have known about for years and have been
seeking healing for from God. It is a dangerous liability for me that
is rooted in residual feelings from my growing up years that has
never gone away but has just been repressed and controlled. But at
times it leaks into the open like when I heard of this incident. Many
feelings of intense bitterness about injustice suddenly surged up
again inside of me.
Later as I was driving home that night,
the story kept replaying in my head as the fuel from my anger kept it
alive in my imagination. I found myself involuntarily imagining all
sorts of hateful things I would like to see happen to those who
perpetrated this gross injustice against an innocent man, things I
won't go into detail about partly to prevent self-incrimination. I
will just say that the sorts of scenarios that can quickly cross my
mind when agitated in such a way are usually things that need
repentance.
I chose to honestly face these feelings
and scenarios that my flesh wanted to see happen, and I asked God
what I should do with them. Instantly I received the response
reminding me of what I had shared with my church just the day before.
Suddenly it started becoming clear to me how I need to apply what I
am learning with my head to my own experience related to my own
wounded heart. So many things from the past few years that God has
been teaching me and I have been sharing with others – things like
forgiveness, the real truth of what happened at the cross and how to
relate to offenses all came to my attention clearly showing me how to
practically follow the example of Jesus that I had just emphasized in
my sermon. I need to let these intense feelings go by trusting God
myself with every situation, whether it be injustice happening to me
or done to others.
What is now becoming clear in this
revelation from Peter is the how part of letting these things go. I
am beginning to see better that Jesus didn't simply grit His teeth
and force Himself to not retaliate or seek revenge when suffering
injustice. No, He followed the formula that is shared by James by
first submitting Himself to God which then empowered Him to resist
the devil.
Submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 NRSV)
You must understand this, my beloved:
let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for
your anger does not produce God's righteousness. (James 1:19-20
NRSV)
This morning when I meditated on the
thoughts from Oswald Chambers for today, as is often the case the
passage was extremely timely and relevant. What suddenly caught my
attention was how much the text for this day resonated with what I
have been focused on over the past few days. Then as I perused over a
number of versions I was struck with the fact that from heaven's
perspective Peter in essence complimented what John wrote possibly
without even realizing it. When I place the two passages together it
is as if Peter finishes the sentence that John started making the
thought complete. And what comes clear is just what God had impressed
me I must do if I am to become free and be healed from these triggers
of rage over acts of injustice.
But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25 NKJV)
who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; (1 Peter 2:23 NKJV)
But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men, and because he had no need that any man should testify about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (John 2:24-25 ACV)
Who, being reviled, did not revile in return. Suffering, he did not threaten, but yielded to him who judges righteously. (1 Peter 2:23 ACV)
But Jesus did not have faith in them, because he had knowledge of them all. He had no need for any witness about man; for he himself had knowledge of what was in man. (John 2:24-25 BBE)
To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness: (1 Peter 2:23 BBE)
But Jesus knew what was in their hearts, and he would not let them have power over him. No one had to tell him what people were like. He already knew. (John 2:24-25 CEV)
Although he was abused, he never tried to get even. And when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he had faith in God, who judges fairly. (1 Peter 2:23 CEV)
But Jesus did not trust them, because he knew how all people think. He did not need anyone to tell him what a person was like. He already knew. (John 2:24-25 ERV)
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. (1 Peter 2:23 ERV)
But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all about people. He didn’t need anyone to tell him about human nature for he knew the way people think. (John 2:24-25 FBV)
and when he was badly treated, he didn’t retaliate. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten to take revenge. He simply placed himself in the hands of the one who always judges rightly. (1 Peter 2:23 FBV)
Jesus, however, was wary of these believers. He understood people and didn't need anyone to tell him about human nature. He knew what people were really like. (John 2:24-25 GW)
Christ never verbally abused those who verbally abused him. When he suffered, he didn't make any threats but left everything to the one who judges fairly. (1 Peter 2:23 GW)
Jesus
did not commit Himself unto them … for He knew what was in man.
John 2:24–25 .
Disillusionment
means that there are no more false judgments in life. To be
undeceived by disillusionment may leave us cynical and unkindly
severe in our judgment of others, but the disillusionment which comes
from God brings us to the place where we see men and women as they
really are, and yet there is no cynicism, we have no stinging, bitter
things to say. Many of the cruel things in life spring from the fact
that we suffer from illusions. We are not true to one another as
facts; we are true only to our ideas of one another.
Everything is either delightful and fine, or mean and dastardly,
according to our idea.
The
refusal to be disillusioned is the cause of much of the suffering in
human life. It works in this way—if we love a human being and do
not love God, we demand of him every perfection and every rectitude,
and when we do not get it we become cruel and vindictive; we are
demanding of a human being what he or she cannot give. There is only
one Being Who can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human heart,
and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Why Our Lord is apparently so
severe regarding every human relationship is because He knows that
every relationship not based on loyalty to Himself will end in
disaster. Our Lord trusted no man, yet He was never suspicious, never
bitter. Our Lord’s confidence in God and in what His grace could do
for any man was so perfect that He despaired of no one. If our trust
is placed in human beings, we shall end in despairing of everyone.
(My Utmost 7-30)
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