Setting an Example

Please read Psalm 23 and 1 Peter 2:19-25.  Following God as we travel through the mire of life is our charge; we need help.  David’s dependency on God sets the tone for how we are to trust in God.

           When we are baptized, we are called to a new way of life as Christ’s disciples.  In baptism, God claims us as his children and members of the church, cleansing us from sin as we renounce the power of evil and seek God’s will and way.  We are in a sense, branded; set apart.  Like sheep, the markings identify whose they are. We, are identified by our responses to life bringing us to 1 Peter. 

           Peter is written to people under great duress, suffering because of their beliefs.  His words urge them and us to stay true to the Good Shepherd.  I believe he is saying, if you do wrong, you will suffer.  Harder to hear, he says…when one is being treated unjustly and the results cause suffering…we need to endure.  Here, Peter offers us Jesus’ experience as the example to follow.   

What Peter is saying is to confront with the love of God.  Church, we need to respond to situations without returning retribution; we need to confront with compassion.  We need to forego the “pointed yous” that put the receiver on the defensive; we need to follow Jesus. Retaliating with an eye for an eye as Ghandi puts it will eventually make the whole world blind.  

         Jesus’ endurance under gross persecution is what kept us from going astray.  As he hung on the cross and was spat upon, he said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  That’s radical and we are called to live that radically.  Forgive as you have been forgiven; face resistance constructed in love.  Of course, this is difficult and cannot be done without our Shepherd’s work in us – this is why Psalm 23 is paired with this text.  We need to pray for the strength to be meek – not weak. We need to submit to God’s authority, pray for God’s strength to equip us to do God’s work.    

       Through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, our debt to sin is paid, as if it never happened.  Our Shepherd suffered and “bore our sins in his body on the cross, that we might die to sins and live for righteousness.”   So, here is where living differently is obvious, are we conducting ourselves in a way that reflects our relationship with Jesus?  The cross caused pain and in that pain birthed joy.  This ultimate act of love should emanate joy.  Christ gave his all and in response to Christ’s overwhelming sacrifice, Peter is urging the church, to endure – not retaliate, but trust God to do God’s work and pray to God to help do your work – follow Jesus. 

       Imitating Christ we are called to live a Godly life.  This is a challenge.  Yes, like sheep, we go astray and Christ the shepherd of our souls directs us and cares for us as we stumble and fall.  Jesus, suffered more than we can fathom and Jesus trusted the Father to set things right.  We are free and called to live rightly.  With God’s help, let’s comply and follow our leader. 

       Finally, an often-quoted quip from Robert Ketchum’s book, I Shall Not Want, tells of a young girl “reciting” Psalm 23 this way, “The Lord is my shepherd, that’s all I want.”  Let’s strive to imitate our best friend, our Shephard and Savior.  And all God’s people say, amen!

Blessings,

Pastor Kerry

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