THE CROWN WITHOUT A CROSS?
Text: 1 Peter 2:20 – 25
1 Peter 2:20 - 25 (19) For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. (20) If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval. (21) For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. (22) "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." (23) When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. (24) He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (25) For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
The are is no such thing as a crown without a cross! Peter reminds us in verse 21 that we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus while carrying our crosses. Do you sometimes wish your cross had wheels to make it easier?
As long as we follow the crowd, we will not experience resistance. Are we not like chameleons when we try to blend in with the crowd? Isn’t that the popular thing to do?
The way of the cross calls us to be salty and bright! The way of the cross calls us to endure suffering inflicted upon us even when we are innocent. That is why the cross always precedes the crown!
When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he offered Jesus a way to get His kingdom without the cross. It would have been an artificial victory. Just before the Transfiguration, Peter was against the suffering and death that Jesus said must happen. Jesus rebuked Peter and told him that this suffering must happen. It was not until after the resurrection that Peter saw that the crucifixion was as a victory. It was only after the resurrection that Peter understood what that meant because there is no crown without a cross!
Today we will explore three things. Jesus is our pioneer who teaches us about patience through passion.
PIONEER
What does a pioneer do? A pioneer is one who paves the road where no road was in existence before.
1) Divine pioneer: Jesus came as a pioneer, the only pioneer from heaven who was both fully human and fully divine.
>>>Hebrews 2:10 1It was appropriate for God, for whom and through whom everything exists, to use experiences of suffering to make perfect the pioneer of salvation. This salvation belongs to many sons and daughters whom he’s leading to glory (CEB).
>>>Hebrews 12:2 looking to Jesus [is] the pioneer and perfecter [the founder and perfecter ESV] of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God (NRSV). He came to save us.
2) Divine Conqueror : Jesus was battling against the evil and the works of the devil that causes deception, brokenness, confusion, suffering and death. “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil ( 1 John 3: 8).
3) Divine Vindicator: It would take a pioneer to vindicate us and it could not be just any pioneer. That is why Jesus came all the way from Heaven as the way, the truth and the life because there was no way back to God without His help.
Isn’t it easier to travel when there is a road?
1) Obstructions: I once moved into a parsonage where the grass in the front yard was as tall as I am. It was only when that yard was cut that you could see the house behind that grass. That reminds me of what Jesus did as our pioneer. Jesus was heaven’s pioneer who carved a road of life in a world of sin and death and the fear of death that blinded people to the light of the Gospel, (2 Corinthians 4:4), so that He could save us!
2) Deputies: In verse 21, Peter is telling us that we have been deputized to continue the work of Christ because we have been called to follow in His footsteps which means that Peter is reminding us that Christ called us to deny ourselves pick up our crosses and follow in His footsteps.
PATIENCE
How many of us have patience when an adversary provokes us?
1) Injustice: Will it take patience when we suffer unjustly for our faith? How did Jesus handle it? Jesus taught us how to turn the other cheek and practiced what He taught. Even when it ended up costing Him His life, He did not give in.
How many times have people opposed us, canceled us, shadow-banned us, harassed us, boycotted us and even persecuted us simply because we witnessed to them about the Lord Jesus Christ?
2) Opposition: “Hitler imprisoned a German pastor, Martin Niemoeller, for eight years. He spent some time in prisons and concentration camps, including Dachau. Hitler realized that if Niemoeller, a First World War hero, could be persuaded to join his cause then much opposition would collapse, so he sent a former friend of Niemoeller to visit him, a friend who now supported the Nazis. Seeing Niemoeller in his cell, the one time friend is reported as saying, “Martin, Martin! Why are you here?” To which he received from Niemoeller the response, “My friend! Why are you not here?” (Source Unknown). https://www.family-times.net/illustration/Opposition/201864/ Sometimes our enemies oppose us in the hopes that we might join them.
What about the times when we loose our patience? Have you ever been impatient with God because you think God is taking too long? Are you losing your patience right now because you do not think God is moving fast enough? Are you losing your patience with hard-hearted and hard- headed people to whom we witness? How many times have you gotten exasperated? Have you ever prayed for patience, demanding that God give it to you right now?
Have you heard story of a man who chopped at a rock all day long with the hope of breaking it? He got so impatient and decided to quit. Then along came one of his fellow employees who picked up the pickaxe and with one blow, it fell to pieces. Do we ever get impatient and want quit when God is about to make something happen?
PERSEVERANCE
Do you believe that the enemy is just going wait to the final whistle and accept defeat?
1) Resistance: In the very first chapter of Mark, Jesus exorcised an unclean spirit out of a man who resisted leaving that man’s body! “The man’s body shook violently in spasms, and the demon hurled him to the floor until it finally came out of him with a deafening shriek!” (Mark 1:26 TPT). Neither Satan, nor his demons are going to accept defeat without resisting and fighting!
2) Battleground: We are in a spiritual battle right now! It is truly good versus evil! Even though evil seems to get by, it will not be unpunished!
3) Spiritual minefield: Satan will attack us in our walk with a custom-designed spiritual minefield. with the hopes to discourage and defeat us as God’s deputized disciples until Christ comes back. We will face obstacles that Satan has designed to defeat us. He wants to tempt us, deceive us, distract us, discourage us, dissuade us, dispel us, disarm us, and destroy us.
4) Perseverance: Per-severe: We must never forget that the word persevere comes from the prefix per, meaning through, coupled with the word severe. It means to keep pressing on, trusting God, looking up, doing our duty—even through severe circumstances. Morgan, R. J. (2000). Nelson’s complete book of stories, illustrations, and quotes (electronic ed., p. 610). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. Do you remember what Peter said? (20) If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God's approval.
4) Diligent: Diligence alsways goes te extra mile! Louis Pasteur, the pioneer of immunology, lived at a time when thousands of people dies each year of rabies. Pasteur had worked for years on a vaccine. Just as he was about to begin experimenting on himself, a nine-year-old, Joseph Meister, was bitten by a rabid dog. The boy’s mother begged Pasteur to experiment on her son. Pasteur injected Joseph for ten days - and the boy lived.
Decades later, of all the things Pasteur could have had etched on his headstone, he asked for three words:
Joseph Meister Lived.
Our greatest legacy will be those who live eternally because of our efforts. Sources: Comeback Churches by Ed Stetzer and Small Congregation, Big Potential by Lyle Schaller. https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/63767/louis-pasteur-the-pioneer-of-immunology-lived-by-bobby-scobey Again, in verse 21, Peter reminds us that we are called to walk in the footsteps of Jesus to help others find their way to Jesus.
Why do we have to keep on keeping on?
1) Conquerors: Romans 8:37 reminds us that we are more than conquerors. “It is not simply that we triumph over these formidable forces, but that in doing so we bring glory to God, blessing to others, and good to ourselves. We make slaves out of our enemies and stepping stones out of our roadblocks”. (Believrer’s Bible Commentary)
2) Footstool: We need to keep on keeping on till we have helped Jesus put all His enemies under His feet. Hebrews 10:12-13 says “ But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (13) and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool” (NIV). That is why we have to keep on keeping on!
3) Crown: James 1:12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. The cross that we must carry involves humility and denying ourselves of pride’s desire. Pride is evident when people would rather have the glory without the sacrifice---the crown without a cross.
