‘the Christian's Eternal Glory'

‘THE CHRISTIAN’S ETERNAL GLORY’

I PETER 5:5-11

In the Bible, the Christian life is compared to many things such a member of a body, and as a member of a family. But the one I like the best am the one Peter describes in his book of I Peter, a pilgrim.

We see this in Abraham’s life recorded in Hebrews 11:9-10-By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city, which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

I like the old song, which says, “I am a stranger here within a foreign land, my home is faraway upon a golden strand.”

I heard a story about a boy marching in a parade who was out of step with the others marching. The reason was that he was listening to his pocket radio. He had his ears plugged into music from another location. It is the same with Christians too. For to this world, it may seem that you and I out of step. But the truth is that we are marching to the tune of another world.

I was watching an old move entitled, “The Longest Day’, the other night. It was movie about “D’ Day in WW II when the United States and its allies invaded France at Normandy with 3 million troops. The paratroopers went ahead behind the enemy lines to blow up railroads and bridges. When they landed, they used carrier pigeons to carry the message of their save arrival to avoid the Germans from intercepting their message. They went back to England where they were released. These pigeons have something in them that allows them to find their way back home

It is the same with you and I as Christians; we have something inside of us too. The Holy Spirit which guides us and leads us to our heavenly home.

So as Peter closes out his letter after talking about the Pilgrim’s character, his lifestyle, his actions, he talks about the pilgrim’s future glory; his final leg home.

I-WE SEE IN THIS PASSAGE, THE PILGRiM’S ATTITUDES: V-5-7

He gives us several attitudes we are to have while traveling her in this world.

A-WE ARE TO PRACTIVE THE ATTIUTDE OF ABASEMENT: V-5-6

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

In these verses, we are to be submissive or humble in three directions: toward the elders, toward each other and toward God.

When he talks about the “elder”, he is talking about age. He is talking about older Christians who are leaders. He is saying to the younger Christians, be humble toward them, be teachable, and look to their example and experience.

Mark Twain said, “when he was 18, he thought his daddy was the dumbest person he knew. But three years later when he reached 21, he thought he was the smartest man he knew. He sure had learned a lot in three years. “ But what had really happen, this young man had grew up and saw he needed him.

When he says, we are to “be clothed with humility”, it means to tie a knot. It is the idea of a slave putting on his apron. In others words we are to take the role of a slave toward each other.

Martin Luther said, we need goat sense? He tells of seeing two goats meeting on a path on a mountain ledge. Instead of butting one another, one of them laid down and allowed the other one to pass over him. That is real humility and is what we need in the Church.

John Wesley was a great preacher, but not everybody, of course, liked him. One day as Mr. Wesley was out walking, he was on a narrow path when he met a man who didn’t like him. One of the men would have to step aside to allow the other to pass. The man came charging ahead saying, "I never make way for fools." John quickly stepped aside saying, "I always do."

Notice in our humility toward God, He is the one who does the exalting. For the way up in the Kingdom of God is down.

I remember when I was student at Mobile College of seeing one of the religious professors kneeling and praying to God as we started the class. He taught us a lesson that day on being humble before God.

The branch that bears the most fruit bows lowest to the ground while the branch with little or no fruit stands most upright. So it is with humility and conceit. Humility carries with it the weight of wisdom while conceit has the light-headedness of pride.