Thoughts from Camp - Day 5

"Seek God until He breaks your heart, and then preach from the bottom of your broken heart." This 

is what I often say to those I mentor. So with seven weeks of speaking, writing devotions and heading up ministry at a summer camp, I anticipate being challenged, stretched and broken as the weeks roll on. Each day I will post some lessons to be learned from the devotions and messages we have studied as a camp.

Three times he denied Jesus, and yet he still became one of the most prominent men in church history. Peter was an incredible man, and after Pentecost, he marched into the world, boldly proclaiming the gospel. We don't know all of his ministry, but the first bit of Acts details his life, and we have two of his letters carefully preserved in the Bible.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21)

Christ is our example. He procalimed truth, and when the crowds rose up to kill Him for it, He did not waver. He continued to proclaim the truth about both God and man. His message was not watered down, it was not simplified, He knew He would be killed for what He was saying, and He kept saying it. As Leonard Ravenhill once said, “If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified.”Leonard Ravenhill

“He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.” (1 Peter 2:22)

He was perfect. This makes Him uniquely qualified to take your punishment upon Himself.

“When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23)

When Christ preached truth and was hated for it, He gave no response, and this is our example. We do not need to defend the truth of Scripture. Truth is truth, whether or not people mock it. Christ simply entrusted Himself to our just judge. He would let God judge those that struck Him. He would not strike back.

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,” (1 Peter 2:24a)

Christ's substitutionary perfection is repeated here. His perfection was placed on us, and our sin was laid on Him.

“that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24b)

Why did he do it? Why did He go to the cross? Among other reasons, so that your sinful nature might be put to death. So that every day for the rest of the Christian's life would be days of hating sin more and loving God more. So that sin might be done away with in us and that righteousness might reign.

“By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” (1Pe 2:24c-25)

And here lies the central, glorious truth of Scripture. He was wounded, and we were healed. We were lost, but He came down, sought us out, and restored us to a relationship with God. And here we are on Earth, with a shepherd and overseer – a king and a ruler. For the Christian, our sin is on the cross and our lives are in His hands.