1 Peter 2:11-25
Jesus Suffered for Us, and is Our Example How to Live
11 Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Jesus said His people who follow in His footsteps would suffer...So many followers of Jesus believe this and say that suffering is an inherit part of the human experience...After we read the Book of Job it appears that God does allow suffering...If you believe that suffering is inevitable in one's life, you should also believe that God with Him Being LOVE and His capacity of knowing all things has the power to lessen and ease suffering...He did so with Job...God and Jesus show us that we can lessen suffering in life by helping others who are weak, who are meek, who are low in Spirit, who are outside of society's norm, and the needy...Jesus when He was on earth did these deeds and acts on a regular basis in helping those groups in need...
St. Peter says that Jesus left an example of how to suffer...He was persecuted and crucified by the Roman officials...He came in the flesh to suffer and die to save undeserving sinners...For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God...But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?...But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God...To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps...“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”...So although Jesus did not commit a sins or any deceit come from His mouth, He still suffered...
So because we do sin, we can see that suffering will happen...In this world we will have troubles...So let us follow Jesus and follow our Savior and Teacher...Peace He leaves with us; His peace is a different kind of peace...He does not give to us the peace like this world gives...Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid...
Obstacles, such as earthly things, material possessions, earthly pleasures, and earthly carnal desires get in our way and our minds are easily distracted by the earthly and fleshy things on earth...These types of things are earthly and only temporary things we desire...They are not treasures of long term value...So Jesus teaches these are not real treasures, just temporary things that give us a temporary pleasure...The real treasures are eternal and treasures of heavenly value...Jesus teaches we should not store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal...But let us store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal...For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also...Real Treasures are Eternal...
We may find that if we constantly search for the earthly treasures and wind up sinning in the process, that we will be separated from God and further from Him...And yet we sometimes keep trying to fulfill an earthly desire, which is fleeting and is therefore only temporary...So we are never satisfied by our satisfied desires and after we satisfy one, another one is there waiting...
Our desires change, but Jesus is unchanging...Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever...When we practice helping others as Jesus does we feel better, and often have less suffering...When we are helping others we are following Jesus...And following Jesus helps lessen suffering...Knowing Jesus means we know the Truth and the Truth will set us free...And if the Son of God sets us free, we are free indeed...When we are free then we have found these Real Treasures, Jesus was speaking about that last and are Eternal...Very truly whoever obeys Jesus' Word will never see death and our earthly sufferings will get better and be better...When we are free from sin we are better and suffer less...
The Way to Jesus is suffering, so life at some point there will be some amount of suffering...Jesus died on the Cross suffering in a tortuous death...And He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and the Way to Heaven and God...