Reformation Lutheran 1997 Lenten Devotional - Number 45
March 28, 1997. Today's Bible verse is 1 Peter 4: 1-6
Good Friday
Living in the Shadow of Good Friday
"... live for the rest of your earthly life
no longer by human desires but by the will of God." 1 Peter
4:2
Today is Good Friday, and contrary to what the crowds
in Jerusalem thought on that first Good Friday, it was God's Friday.
Peter begins our text from 1 Peter 4 by referencing Good Friday
(verse 1) when he refers to Christ's suffering. In 1 Peter 3:18
the expression "Christ suffered" is given its full meaning:
"For Christ also suffered for sin once for all, the Righteous
for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put
to death in the flesh...; ." It is with Good Friday in
mind that Peter challenges the people of God to live their lives
out in the shadow of Good Friday and its Cross: "...;
live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires
but by the will of God."
Now to live by the will of God will require much
of us. The "old Adam" in us must be put away. The
way of deliberate and intentional sinning must end. And by the
way, lest we wonder about it, Peter provides as a reminder a partial
catalog of sins, all of which are all too familiar in our society
today. We are challenged to put the old sinful ways aside and
become new creatures in Christ. We are called upon to be a "peculiar
people" in our society. We are to surprise the unregenerate
world by our open rejection of its unregenerate life style, and
to be heard declaring God's wonderful acts of salvation in Christ.
Nothing less than this is God's holy will for God's people.
Living by the will of God will not be easy. We will
at times be mocked, at times cursed as we daily die to sin and
rise to new life in our baptismal covenants. By the Holy Spirit's
influence let us keep our focus on the Christ, living in His grace
won for us on that first Good Friday. Yes, may we live under
His grace now as a people of God, meeting the challenge that is
ours, while awaiting in full confidence that great day of the
Lord when we shall with all the saints share in His eternal glory
which is yet to come.
Prayer: Heavenly
Father, with humble hearts we thank You for the Cross of Christ.
As we live in the shadow of Good Friday, lead us to reflect the
Cross to all with whom we come in contact.
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