Joy to the World, But First...

It’s the time of year when we sing “Joy to the World.” I’ve sang it at Christmas since I was a kid. It refers to the day Jesus was born. God was bursting at the seams and sent an angel to some shepherds out in a field watching their sheep at night. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

But for the whole world to experience that joy, there had to be sorrow, for this great Saviour came to die. In between His birth and His death, there were some dicey decades. As the Saviour of the world, Jesus was on a mission to explain this salvation. But not everyone agreed that they needed to be saved. This led to personal suffering for Jesus, the Christ.

Now fast-forward to day. As we study 1 Peter, if holiness is the theme, suffering is the sub-theme. But not just any suffering. Christ’s suffering for us and thus our suffering for him. “Be ye holy for I am holy,” and so by implication, “I suffered for you, leaving you an example to suffer for me.”

Let’s connect a few verses that show this to be true: For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: …and Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (1 Peter 3:17-18 and 4:1-2)

Neither Christ nor we suffer for suffering’s sake. It’s not just an unfortunate consequence of sharing something that some people do not want to hear. It might look that way from the outside (Christ’s death looked pretty much like cause-and-effect regarding his message on the surface). Christ’s suffering for us, and our suffering for Christ is a part of the perfection that results from submitting to it. Here’s proof: Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience [compliance, submission] by the things which he suffered; (Heb. 5:8)

And back to our two verses for today: Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (1 Peter 4:1-2)

Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. (Psalms 119:67)

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. (Psalms 119:71)

I don’t know why, but suffering leads to submission—a prime quality God wants to see in us. It has ramifications in our life both now and in the future. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Rom. 8:17-18)

So, what about that joy the angel promised? Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (Psalms 30:5b)