Witnesses and Partakers

Peter wrote this not too long before he was to be executed. He uses terms unique to his writings. He calls believers something that is pertinent to us today. As long as we’re on earth, there will be suffering in general and suffering for Christ. Peter calls us witnesses and partakers. Addressing the elders in this chapter, he begins writing reminding them they are witnesses of the suffering of Christ and as a result partakers of his glory. If we share in sufferings—suffer for Jesus or his name—we’ll be partakers of his glory. We don’t earn heaven through what we endure. Jesus, through his suffering, bought our salvation. We partake by the grace of God.

I Peter 5: The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed.

Peter doesn’t make a command; he gives an exhortation, an encouragement to the elders. Consider who they are. Elders were the church leaders in that day. He could have injected his authority as an apostle, but he didn’t. He operated as an elder too. Typically we think of elders as older ones. In the church it means a person is called into a certain responsibility. It takes us all to make it work. It doesn’t punctuate our physical age but our spiritual age. To be a leader, one must be qualified in the right way. A leader should have a spiritually mature relationship with the Lord. A novice is not put in the position of a leader. Most of us have been saved a while now and should be ever growing in Christ and getting closer to the Lord. As we grow, it’s for a purpose. One purpose is for us to know how to handle what life throws at us.

We are witnesses of the suffering. The more acquainted we are with Jesus, the more we know his sufferings and how to handle our own suffering. Because Jesus suffered ahead of us, we can learn from it. We’re not free from or above suffering. He teaches us how to handle our own suffering. A Christian should never live by the notion “if you can’t beat them, join them.” Instead of letting life get to him, Jesus overcame. He overcame his enemies. His execution became our salvation. When the world and devil put you on a cross, turn it into victory. Through and by the grace of God, we can make it. He tells us in chapter 4 not to consider it strange when things happen to us.

Every moment Jesus was on earth he had the power to prevent his suffering. He was human, but he was also the Son of God. Being the Son of God meant he had the power to heal the sick, raise the dead, and walk on water. He constantly helped others. Not one time did he use that power to prevent his own suffering. If you had the power to push away suffering, heartache and temptations, what would you do? You’d do it. Jesus was human. He had the power yet chose not to use it on himself. He did that for us. He denied himself on our behalf and opened himself wide open. He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He suffered more than any human ever has. His worse years were between 30-33 years of age. He suffered naturally. He got hungry. He got tired. He ached and got weak. He had good and bad days just like we do. He got tired and sleepy. He had sleepless nights. The book of Hebrews states Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Satan used people to get to Jesus. Judas betrayed him. Peter denied him. Once in speaking to Peter, Jesus said get thee behind me, Satan. Was he calling Peter Satan? No. When the devil comes after you, Jesus can put him in his place. He put up with the devil so he can put him out of your face. Jesus told the disciples in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. Jesus overcame so we could. It’s because of him; it’s not anything in us.

What we fear the most is suffering—physical and emotional. Jesus was deserted. It hurt him to be here from his first breath in Bethlehem to his last one on the cross. It hurt to be human, and he put up with it all his life in every sense—physical, emotional, and spiritual. People can be a pain. Our own nature pains us. David said in the psalms what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. When I can’t trust myself, I can trust the Lord. When I can’t trust the doctor, I can trust Him. When I can’t trust society, I can trust God. Before I ever suffered the first time, Jesus had already suffered it so I could find grace to help in time of need.

The best friend we’ll ever have is Jesus. By our witness and association with his suffering, we will be partakers of his glory. One day there will be no more pain and suffering. Don’t get hung up on your own suffering. Identify with the Master. If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him.