The Crown Without A Cross? (May 7, 2023).

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.