Lesson 453 - Junior

Memory Verse

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" (I Peter 5:6).

Notes

Hindrance to Prayer

The letters which were written by Peter were addressed to Christians. A Christian is one who follows Jesus and His teachings. A Christian is a believer in the Word of God, and practices what the Bible teaches. Jesus' disciples "were called Christians first in Antioch" [ACT:11:26]).

After one is saved, he must continue to walk with the Lord, that his soul might be fed. One must read the Bible and pray each day. Peter pointed out some things that might hinder one's prayers from being answered. One must be careful how he lives at home before his family and close friends. A real Christian lives for Jesus every hour, not only at church but also at home, at school, at work or at play. With Jesus in his heart, one wants to be courteous, to have compassion, and to love others. He who has been given a new heart by Jesus does good to all people, even those who do not treat him well. Jesus taught His people the Golden Rule: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them" [MAT:7:12]).

Ornaments

Often people like to make a good appearance before others, by trying to conceal what they really have in their heart. The condition of the heart is more important than what appears on the outside. One can have fine clothes and manners, expensive watches and cars, but God looks past all these things to the heart. In the days of David, the Prophet Samuel said, "The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" [1SM:16:7]).

Peter taught that "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit" is worth a great price in the sight of God. One does not have to tell others that he has a good heart or that he has a meek and quiet spirit. Those things come from God and change one's actions and behaviour. After one is saved, he has a new heart. Then as he obeys God, as he prays and consecrates his life to the Lord, he will receive from God these Christian graces; he will have spiritual adorning; he will have the fruit of the Spirit [GAL:5:22-23]). A Christian dresses like a Christian, and does not go along with the extreme fashions of the world. Christians dare to be different from the worldly throng, and try to glorify God in the way they dress and conduct themselves.

Protection

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." What a comfort to a Christian to know that God sees everything: the things that are done to him as well as the things that he does! How good to know that he can call upon God and know that His ears are open to prayer! In time of need one may call for help but he is not sure that any person will hear or that any person will want to help. What a blessing to the Christian to know that God is watching and listening, waiting to protect and help him!

Does God know about those who are not saved? In [PRO:15:3] we read, "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." God knows what people do -- the good and the evil - but His face is "against them that do evil." Think what it means to have sin and evil in one's heart. God is against such people and they will never have real peace until their heart is changed and the sin is gone. God can see your heart; and remember, you are being watched. We can easily see that it pays to serve Jesus and have His help and protection.

Hope

Besides all these things, a Christian has a great hope -- that Jesus will be with him, that Jesus will help him, that Jesus will keep him, and that Jesus will take him to Heaven. The Bible was written that "we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" [ROM:15:4]). Hope is an anchor of the soul [HEB:6:19]) and it inspires one to be pure ( [1JN:3:3]). "Hope thou in God" [PS:42:11]).

Peter said that a Christian should "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh . . . a reason of the hope" that lies within him. Sometimes one is asked why he is happy or what he has to smile about. A Christian can always say that the peace of God is in his heart and his sins are gone. There are many other reasons for having hope.

This hope, peace, and all the other reasons we give are due to the fact that Christ died for us. He shed His Blood that we "might have life" and that we "might have it more abundantly" [JHN:10:10]).

Suffering

Peter mentioned the suffering of Christ, "the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." There are different kinds of suffering: physical pain as well as spiritual and mental distress. Jesus suffered in different ways. He had physical pain when He was hanging on the cross. He was deeply distressed in spirit when God turned His face from Him [MAT:27:46]), when Peter denied Him [MAK:14:68-72]), and when He prayed in agony in Gethsemane [LUK:22:44]). Jesus suffered temptation [LUK:4:2]), sorrow [JHN:11:35]), persecution [LUK:4:28-29]), and many other things so He would be able to comfort us [HEB:2:18]) and to leave us an example [1PE:2:21]).

Trials

After Peter mentioned what Christ suffered for us, he tells Christians how to act when they suffer. Some will have "fiery trials" but they should not think it strange. Rather, they should rejoice that Christ counts them worthy to be tested. Job went through a trial and said, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold" [JOB:23:10]).

Christians will suffer persecution. In the Sermon on the Mount we read how a person should act when made fun of or ridiculed for being a Christian. Jesus said, "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you" [MAT:5:12]).

In the world there is much suffering of many kinds with little relief. How different from a Christian, who is promised: "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him" [2TM:2:12]), and if we suffer with Him, we shall also be glorified together [ROM:8:17]).

Casting Cares upon Jesus

Peter closes this Epistle, or letter, by encouraging Christians to be watchful and prayerful: watchful because we have an enemy who, "as a roaring lion," goes about seeking whom he may devour. We should be prayerful because we need the help of the Lord to be true disciples and full overcomers.

By being humble before God and our fellow men, we know that in God's time He will lift us up. By casting our cares on Him, we will find that the love of God will bring the things, which are best into our lives and prepare us for Heaven. "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you."

Questions

1. Who wrote this Epistle?

2. To whom was it written?

3. How should a Christian act in his own home?

4. What kind of ornament is worth a great price in the sight of God?

5. How can one get that ornament?

6. What is hope?

7. For whom did Jesus suffer?

8. Why should a Christian rejoice when he is persecuted?

9. What will God do for those who humble themselves before Him?

10. Why should one cast his care upon Jesus?