Author: Athol Barnes

Everyone goes through suffering; no one is exempt. As Christians, we can be assured that God uses every moment of our suffering for a greater purpose. 

In Chapter 4, Peter encourages the believers to endure suffering because there is a purpose in it. He reminds them and us that while Jesus lived on the earth, he was a man of sorrows (see Isaiah 53:3-5). There was a purpose to Jesus’s suffering—our salvation—and there is a purpose to our suffering—our sanctification.

Armoring Up

Peter writes in verse 1, “…arm yourselves with the same way of thinking,”

To arm oneself is to prepare for battle. Arming ourselves with the knowledge of the Bible—the Sword of the Spirit—is the greatest way we can prepare for life’s battles. Peter wants us to arm ourselves with the same attitude Jesus had toward the world, sin, and suffering. 

If we face suffering without a biblical worldview, suffering will embitter rather than purify us. The Bible clearly says we will endure hardship in this world (John 16:33); we cannot dodge that bullet. If we want to live victoriously in the face of suffering, we must embrace a biblical worldview of the challenges we face. Restraining Sin Verse 1 ends with a somewhat confusing statement, “…for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.”

This doesn’t mean that the person who has suffered is no longer capable of sinning. Rather, it means that they are no longer enticed by temptations the way or to the degree that they once were. 

In Luke 15, the prodigal son came to his senses while in the literal pigpen of his sin. He realized that he was made for more; the slops and corn husks were not desirable to him. He left the pigpen and returned home to his father.

If you are a child of God, you will no longer enjoy living in the pigpen of your sin. Your tastes will have changed; sin will no longer hold the appeal it once did (see 1 Peter 4:2 & 1 Corinthians 5:17). When you find yourself tempted toward or back in the pigpen of your life before Christ, you will quickly run from it and return to the Father.

If, however, you live in willful sin without conviction, you are most likely not saved. You cannot be a child of God and enjoy living in the pigpen. 

Coming Judgment 

Peter looks to the future: our lives are short, and we must not waste time going back to play in the pigpen of sin and brokenness. 

He writes in verse 3, “For the time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry.”

Peter lists the specific sins that his audience saw all around them, the sins that enticed them. We can add to his list the sins we see all around us, the sins that entice us—gossip, lying on our tax returns, pornography, etc. 

The time is past for living in that pigpen. Walk in purity because life is short. The world is rapidly moving towards the judgment of God. 

Suffering Witness 

As you walk in purity, you will be countercultural, and that may attract attention, good or bad. “With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you,” 1 Peter 4:4 says.

When you live for Jesus, walking out the new life he has given you, your life will raise questions. Some people will be drawn to the peace of God in you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Never underestimate the example of your lifestyle.  

Other people will be offended by you. They will be convicted of their own sin, made aware of their own pigpen. As a result, they will try to pull you back. They will mock and scorn you. 

If you are a true follower of Jesus, you have a new nature—the nature of Christ, you have a higher calling to glorify the name of Jesus with your life. You have the Holy Spirit, who gives you the strength to live out that new nature regardless of what circumstances and opposition you face. 

Living for Eternity

Peter looks ahead with an eternal perspective, writing, “but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead” (1 Peter 4:5).

Every person must give an account before Jesus one day—even those who are in Christ for believers, this judgment will not determine salvation—that took place on the Cross—but it will determine our eternal rewards. In light of eternity and the day of judgment, what does it matter what someone thinks of you? They won’t stand next to you when you stand before Jesus.

Live for a higher purpose and r calling. 

Refining Purpose 

“For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does” (1 Peter 4:6). 

Peter was referring to the fact that the Gospel was preached to people while they were physically alive yet spiritually dead. Some responded and were saved. Others rejected Christ and are eternally separated from God, facing eternal suffering in hell—this is the second death that Revelation 20 speaks of. 

These are the stakes. This is why we need an eternal perspective on every moment and the life that we are called to live. Often, that calling includes suffering by the grace and purposes of God. Many reading this are very much aware of this; you can see in your own life how God has used your suffering for His purposes and your good. 

Sometimes God uses suffering to discipline His children. Sometimes we suffer because of our own poor choices. But Peter is writing about the suffering God intentionally allows for the purpose of refining us and realigning our lives with Him. 

If that is you today, I encourage you to embrace the purposes of God for your life. Turn towards God in your suffering, and don’t give into the temptation to become bitter. God loves you and will not abandon the good work He is doing in you. 

This passage is one of the more challenging portions of Scripture to understand, but it declares wonderful truths. 

Glorious Access

Baptism and Communion are the two ordinances that Jesus gave to the church. Two seemingly simple activities, but they proclaim the reason why we exist as believers. This is the Gospel, the good news about what Jesus has done. 

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18. 

Jesus suffered more than any human being has ever suffered, but the purpose of his suffering was to reconcile us to God so that we could have a relationship with God the Father.

The phrase “bring us to God” is a legal term that means to gain an audience in a court. Because of what Jesus has done on the cross, we now have access to the throne of God (see Hebrews 10:19). 

The victory that Jesus won transformed the way believers relate to our Heavenly Father. The Old Testament prophets longed for the access that we have been granted by the Holy Spirit. We take for granted this glorious access. 

Glorious Proclamation. 

1 Peter 3:18b-20 continues, “being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, ²⁰ because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.”

Who are the spirits that Jesus went to visit?

Theologians propose three possibilities: 

1: Some propose that Jesus went to preach to those who died in the flood of Noah. They suggest that Jesus gave them a second chance for salvation. But this goes against the teaching of the rest of the Bible (see Hebrews 9:27).

2: Others suggest Peter is saying that the Holy Spirit preached through Noah already and that when Jesus died, between his death and resurrection, he visited these people. Jesus didn’t go to preach the Gospel but rather to simply declare his victory over sin and death. 

3: Another commonly accepted explanation proposes that Jesus proclaimed his victory to fallen angelic spirits. Proponents of this viewpoint to the fact that Peter used the word “spirits” and not souls in verse 19. One of the reasons for this explanation is found in the little letter of Jude verse 6 and 7. Some believe Paul was referring to the account in Genesis 6 as he wrote the letter to Jude. In Genesis 6 we read that fallen angels had sexual relations with women, procreating a race of giants. God placed these fallen angels in confinement until the final judgment, and hence it may be that Jesus went and declared his glorious victory to these imprisoned spirits. Regardless of which interpretation is correct, the point remains clear: Jesus has won the victory, and he himself proclaimed it. Glorious Witness

1 Peter 3:21 continues, “Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Peter connects the relationship between Noah and the topic of baptism. 

At first reading, Peter seems to be saying that baptism saves us. The rest of Scripture tells us this is not true. For example, the thief on the cross who was crucified next to Jesus, repented and was saved. He was never baptized. 

The Bible teaches that it is through faith in the saving work of Jesus that we are saved. There is no further work needed. Baptism is a public witness of something that has already taken place—a glorious witness, declaring to all that we have been saved by the blood of Jesus. 

Glorious Savior

Chapter 3 ends with a powerful and encouraging declaration. 

“…Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him,” 1 Peter 3:21b-22.

Our savior is at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. But he is not remote and distant. He is present with us by his Spirit in us and we are with him, (see Ephesians 2:4-7). 

Jesus is our advocate, high priest, savior and redeemer, who is constantly interceding for us (see Romans 8:34). 

When you are struggling and God seems far off, remember that we have Glorious Access. 

When you are surrounded by negative voices and it seems that all around you the world is spiraling into darkness, remember the Glorious Proclamation that Jesus has victory over sin and death. 

When the enemy tries to tempt you into doubting your salvation, remember the Glorious Witness of your baptism.

When you are tempted to think that the enemy is gaining the upper hand in the world, remember our Glorious Savior who has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (see Matthew 28:18-20). 

And it is in that authority that he commands us not to retreat or run and hide but to go and proclaim Jesus Christ: crucified, risen and victorious over sin and death. 

We have a Glorious Victory! Walk in that victory this week.

The Apostle Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:1, “…wives, be subject to your own husbands.” This is a topic that most people in Western culture would say is irrelevant and out of touch.

But this verse is only contentious because the more we drift from Biblical morality and authority, the more foreign and out of date the Bible seems to be.

God designed marriage for healthy families and society.

Another similar passage relating to marriage is found in Ephesians 5, where Paul writes that the real purpose of marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church (see Ephesians 5:32).

The Pattern of Marriage

In the Bible, headship or rulership is not defined by authoritarian style leadership, but rather by Christlike sacrifice (see Ephesians 5:25).

In the Garden of Eden, men and women were given dominion over the animals, but they were never given dominion over each other. Headship in a marriage does not refer to power, but rather responsibility – responsibility to lead and be accountable for the spiritual direction of the family.

Wives are called to submit to their husband’s leadership, but husbands are called to daily give their lives for their wives, preferring them over themselves.

“Headship is not dictatorship, but the loving exercise of divine authority under the lordship of Jesus Christ” – Warren Wiersbe.

It is important to point out that for a wife to submit to the authority of her husband does not mean that she must submit to abuse. Abuse of any kind has no place in marriage or society. The Bible does not encourage us to ignore or cover over abuse.

But healthy submission to godly leadership is God’s design for a healthy marriage. It does not mean that the wife is inferior to the husband (see 1 Peter 3:7). Husbands and wives are called to be partners, not competitors.

The Unbelieving Spouse

In verse 1, Peter encourages women who are married to unbelievers to conduct their lives in a manner that would win their husbands to Christ.

In the Roman empire, women had a very low position, but the church was growing, and many women were beginning to understand their value in the kingdom of God. 

Many of these women were married to unbelievers, and they were trying to figure out how to live with their unbelieving husband. The Bible clearly states that a believer should not marry an unbeliever (see 2 Corinthians 6:14). As a follower of Jesus, he is the most important relationship in your life. To marry an unbeliever will lead to pain and heartache. 

However, if you are married to an unbeliever, Peter writes that you have an opportunity to win over your spouse to Christ, not by preaching or arguing, but by your lifestyle. The character of the believing wife will win her husband over, and the qualities of her character must be the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23).

This applies to all our witnessing for Christ. People are not brought to the point of conversion because of our good arguments; rather, as we proclaim the Gospel and live a lifestyle that displays the fruit of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit draws the unbeliever to salvation.

The Beauty of the Heart

In verses 3 to 5, Peter writes about the way women were relying on external adorning, such as jewelry and fine clothing, to look beautiful. Peter warns the Christian wives to not be too focused on external decorations, but rather on internal character (see 1 Peter 3:4). 

The Bible says internal beauty is imperishable. Some of the most beautiful people in the world are the elderly who poignantly exhibit the beauty and the character of Christ. That is precious in God’s sight. 

In verse 5, Peter writes that this inner adorning is part of submitting to one’s husband.  Things that align with God’s original design are beautiful. 

The Fearlessness of Submission

The submission Peter calls wives to is willing submission, not unhealthy subjection out of fear of punishment or abuse. A woman who is subjected to an unhealthy relationship, who walks in fear, loses some of her inner beauty and joy. 

In a healthy God-honoring marriage, the wife should not need to walk in fear of abuse in the marriage or fear of external threats to the home. God calls men to protect and lead their families in such a way that their wives do not fear such threats. 

The Godly Husband

In verse 7, Peter addresses believing husbands and gives them three instructions; 

1: Live with your wives in an understanding way 

This is more than simply sharing the same address; it is being present at home, spending quality time as a couple, “in an understanding way”. 

There was a recent survey that revealed that the average American couple spends 37 minutes a week in actual communication. No wonder so many marriages are in trouble. 

You can never understand someone unless you make the effort to spend time with them and even disagree with them at times. Marriages will not grow without wrestling through what makes us different. 

2: Show honor to the weaker vessel

Chivalry is not outdated. Women are usually weaker physically, but not in any way inferior mentally, morally, and spiritually. 

Giving honor is showing respect, preferring your wife. This does not mean you have to always agree, but you must listen to and respect her opinion. 

3: Unhindered prayers 

Peter assumes that men are praying. Men, your primary responsibility in the home is to lead and to shepherd your home in the ways of the Lord. 

If you are not praying together as a family, it is your responsibility. If you are not leading your family to pray, you are neglecting your duty. This is critical and probably the primary reason why Christian marriages are struggling. 

The Mystery of Marriage

Marriage is designed to proclaim the Gospel. It is a mystery. God ordained marriage, and He desires for us to proclaim the beauty of the Gospel through our marriage. 

God designed the human body with incredible detail. Each part relies on and connects to the rest of the whole for a specific purpose. When one part fails or becomes disconnected, the entire body is aware that something is wrong. 

In 1 Corinthians 12, the apostle Paul uses the human body as an illustration for the church. The picture of the church as a body is helpful, as every member of the church has been given spiritual gifts for the health and growth of the body. 

The Members of the Body

The church consists only of followers of Jesus who are filled with his Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:13). Sadly, most churches have people on the membership role who are not true followers of Jesus. 

It is imperative that we as the church proclaim God’s Word in truth and challenge people to really know what it means to give their life to the Lordship of Jesus. 

As the Body of Christ, as fellow believers, we need to be committed to one another. We are called to gather regularly for fellowship, worship, and the preaching of the Word.  

The Lies of the Enemy

We know from the Bible that the enemy of our souls is a liar and the father of lies. From this passage we see two lies that Satan uses in the church. 

Lie #1: “I don’t belong” 

“If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body…” 1 Corinthians 12:15-16a.

Sometimes we are tempted to think that if we are not on a committee or lack a title, we are not really important to the Body. The pastor, deacons, life group facilitators, and other leaders in the church are the valuable members, but we think we don’t really fit if we don’t have a title or an official role. 

That is a lie. 1 Corinthians 12:17 reads, “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?”

God has designed you and uniquely gifted you for His church (see 1 Corinthians 12:18). 

Lie #2   “I am not needed”

“The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 1 Corinthians 12:21.

One of the negative consequences of the mega church/seeker sensitive model is that church has become a place where people sit down and are entertained. We want people to attend, but we never encourage people to use their gifts. As a result, the subtle message we are conveying is that “we don’t need you”. We need your attendance, we need your money, we need your likes on Facebook, but just sit there and be “blessed”while we take care of the rest. That is not the Body of Christ; that is not the Church. 

We read in verse 18 and verse 24 that God has arranged and composed the members of the Body, the church,  with giftings and purpose for His glory and for the ministry of the church. Exercise your gifts; don’t wait to be nominated or asked to be on a committee. 

• If your gift is hospitality, invite someone you don’t know over to your house and bless them. 
• If your gift is mercy, find out who is sick or homebound in the church, go visit them. 
• If you have the gift of helping, ask an elderly person in the church if they need help with anything. 

Don’t believe the lie of the enemy by thinking that because  you are not apostolic, prophetic, healing, or speaking in tongues then you are lesser than in the body of Christ. 

We have to get away from the destructive culture of spiritual elitism. There is great danger in being in a group that makes other Christians seem “lesser than” because “they don’t have the revelation that we have. We are the mature ones; we have the special ear of the Lord.”

We are all sinners saved by grace, and we are all gifted by the Holy Spirit to be a part of the Church. Use the gift that God has given you. The church will be blessed, and you will be fulfilled in your walk. 

The Result of Our Gifts “That there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.” 1 Corinthians 12:25. 

Unity is always under attack in any church because it is incredibly powerful. Unity grows as we utilize and encourage our individual gifts. 

David Prior wrote, “we differ from one another, and only God, who made us different, can hold us together”. The result of using our gifts well is unity and mutual care in the Body of Christ.. 

The Desire for Higher Gifts

Paul explains that we each have different gifts, but he says in verse 31, “but earnestly desire the higher gifts.”  What are the higher gifts?

I would like to propose that the higher gifts are the servant gifts. The gifts done in secret, the “non-platform” gifts. 

It seems there was a competitiveness in the church in Corinth that is still in our churches today. People with the more visible, the more demonstrative and supernatural gifts, tend to be elevated to super-Christian status. This can lead to pride and that spiritual elitism. 

Jesus said in Matthew 20:26, “It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”

What if that is what Paul was talking about in verses 21-25, about the unseen or the weaker parts of the Body? In verse 24, we read, “…but God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it.”

Learn your spiritual gift and exercise that gift. You will be fulfilled, and the church will be blessed.

To play on a sports team, you must have the talent and the skill required to play a particular position on the team. If you don’t have the talent or skill set, you might not be chosen for the team, and you will have to become a spectator. 

However, if you are a follower of Jesus, you have been chosen to be a part of the Body of Christ; you are already “on the team”. There’s more good news— you have been equipped by the Holy Spirit with spiritual gifts so that you can play an integral role in the church. 

Spiritual Gifts Are Vital

Some people choose to be passive in the church, even though God has equipped every believer to participate. When a believer chooses not to actively participate in the church, we all miss out on their God-given gifts. Sadly, many people in the church act as spectators, not active players on the team. What if every believer actually took the Word of God seriously, believing themselves to be an integral member of the church and exercising their God-given gifts for the ministry of the church and the glory of God? 

Spiritual Gifts are God-Given

“A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.”

Wayne Grudem

The gifts of the Spirit are a measure of God’s grace. They are not based on our worthiness or ability to earn them. When we receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, He imparts spiritual gifts to us. In verses 4-6 we note that the whole Trinity is involved in the gifts. “The same Spirit… the same Lord…the same God.” The Triune God has been acting in unity for all eternity, and the Triune God is now actively working in each believer’s life.

Spiritual gifts are given to be used.As we utilize our gifts in the church, we must keep three things in mind. 

Spiritual Gifts Require Effort 

Just because these gifts are God-given doesn’t mean it is easy to use them in the church, nor is it a passive endeavor in which we are effortlessly carried along by the Spirit.

Using our gifts requires obedience and takes effort on our part. But as we expend energy to activate the gift, God infuses our effort with His power  so that the impact of the gift brings Him glory. 

Spiritual Gifts are Not a Competition 

God has uniquely gifted every believer for certain roles in the Church. Don’t look at someone else exercising their gift and covet them because they are getting accolades, or you think their gift is cooler than yours. 

If you try to operate in a gift that you don’t have, you will burn out and others may be hurt. 

Spiritual Gifts are Others-Oriented 

2 Corinthians 12:7 reads, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

God gives us spiritual gifts for the good of the whole church. Our gifts are not to be exercised only for our own benefit. We may benefit from using them, but their primary focus is the building up of the church. 

Paul rebuked the church in Corinth because some were using their gifts for selfish purposes, manipulating others for their own benefit. Sadly, history has shown us repeated examples of incredibly gifted people using their gifts for immoral and sinful purposes.

Several passages list gifts of the Spirit: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. There is some overlap between the passages, but most scholars agree that the lists are not intended to be exhaustive. God can supernaturally give gifts of any kind to His children; whatever gifts He gives are always purposed for the common good of the Body of Christ. 

Neglecting Spiritual Gifts

The tragic reality is that many people hold back from exercising their God-given gifts. Consequently, they are not fulfilling their God-given design. 

When people don’t actively use their gifts, the church becomes ineffective and apathetic in ministry. Church members and the church in general become stagnant because a few people are doing all the work. Often this means those few people are trying to do things they are not gifted to do. This leads to burnout. 

In addition, when people don’t exercise their gifts, they don’t mature spiritually (see Hebrews 4:12-14). 

Why People Neglect Spiritual Gifts  

What holds people back?  I can think of at least three possible reasons. 

Fear of failure 

“What if I fail and am unable to meet my obligations?” 

Fear of failure is a subtle form of pride. I don’t want to make a fool of myself, so I will just sit back and let everyone else do the work. 

We fall prey to fear of failure if we think that we are responsible for the results. These are the gifts of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit is responsible to empower our gifts. The pressure is off. 

Apathy 

“Someone else can do it.”

If the Holy Spirit has empowered you, gifted you, and called you, it is terrible to sit back and remain apathetic. You will never regret serving the Lord when He calls you. 

Fear of commitment 

This is one of the evils of our generation, the terror of commitment.  

People don’t want to step into a role in the church, exercising their gifts, because it means commitment and possibly limits their options. 

Again, that is prideful and idolatrous; thinking that I know what is better for me than the perfect will of God. 

Exercise Your Gifts

The church will be healthy, the community will be blessed, and you will be fulfilled when you use your spiritual gifts. 

One of the best ways to discover your spiritual gifts is to sit down with another believer who knows you well, someone who can be honest and pray with you. Allow that person to affirm or coach you to understand your spiritual gifts. Then study that gift and ask how your particular gift can be used in the church. 

We will all be blessed as a result.

Living to Retire

The modern concept of retirement is relatively new for mankind, and it is not healthy for us. Research has shown that if we stop working and do nothing with our time, we will die sooner than if we are active in society. There is the misconception that retirement is when we stop working, but I would like to propose that for the Christian, retirement is simply when we can stop getting paid for our work. 

We were created to work. Work is actively challenging ourselves. It is serving others, utilizing time and talents for productivity. Over our lives, we develop skills and talents that can be used to give us a fulfilling life and help others at the same time. 

What if we saw retirement as the ability to work without needing a paycheck, committing the final years of our life to the Lord? 

Living to Influence

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that at age 60, you reach the top of your potential, and this continues to your 80s.

For the Christian, this peak potential is maximized in your retirement years if you have diligently led, discipled, and influenced others. People will actually listen when you speak when they see that  you have led your family well and raised up other leaders.  This is what it means to leave a legacy. As Christians, we are called to discipleship, and discipleship leads to legacy. 

You may be young and not thinking about your legacy, but life is short and the decisions you make today regarding the use of your time will either lead to regret or to an honorable legacy (see Ephesians 5:15-16). 

When it comes to leaving a legacy, here is one thing that I can guarantee: one day, you will regret the time that you spent on social media and other mindless activities. Those are wasted hours that you will never get back. 

Living to Finish Well 

The Lord instructed Moses to climb Mount Nebo on the western side of modern-day Jordan overlooking the ancient city of Jericho. From this 2600 foot view, the Lord showed Moses the entire Promised Land (see Deuteronomy 34:4). 

Moses was strong, even at 120 years old. Verse 7 says that his vigor was unabated. He climbed the mountain by himself, and that is where he died. 

God buried Moses in an unknown location. God knew that the people would set up an idol and worship Moses. So, the Lord in His perfect wisdom made sure that the body of Moses was never found. 

Moses lived his life, to the very last second, as a servant of the Lord, and his reward is great. 

Have you ever met someone who served the Lord till the day they died?

I have been privileged to have known and officiated at funerals of several great men and women who lived their lives wholeheartedly for the Lord. Every life is a gift from God, a gift given so that we can be a blessing to those around us, bringing glory to God.

Unfortunately, too many people think that the gift of life is an end in itself, focusing on selfish pleasures and ambition. The secret to a blessed life is not in seeking our own pleasure but in running the race well, to the end.  The more lives we influence for Christ along the way, the more enjoyable our life becomes. 

Living to Replicate

Moses didn’t simply die and leave the nation to fend for themselves; he had diligently raised up a leader to take his place (see Deuteronomy 34:9).  

Moses had recognized Joshua as a man with a passion for the Lord and His glory. In Numbers 27, we read that in the sight of the whole company, Moses anointed Joshua and blessed him. 

Joshua had been close to Moses. He had seen his trials, victories and failures. As he watched,  Moses was preparing him to lead the nation into the Promised Land. 

The most effective leadership development program is simply letting people walk with you. Doing life together, letting other people see your struggles, victories, and even failures. Setting an example in prayer and faithfulness to the Word of God. This is something that is sorely needed today. 

Joshua was well prepared to lead the nation because the Spirit of God was on him, but also because he had been an understudy of Moses every day for forty years. 

To set an example for the next generation, we need to be living a life worthy of being followed. This is not a perfect life, but one that demonstrates what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus. 

Living for a better Moses 

We may be tempted to put Moses on a pedestal and glorify him (see Deuteronomy 34:10). Moses was a great leader, but he wasn’t the greatest (see Hebrews 3:1-6). 

Moses received the law of God on Mt. Sinai explaining God’s holy requirements. But the law could never be perfectly adhered to by any man. The law didn’t lead to rest. But Jesus came to fulfill the law, and He did (see Matthew 5:17).

God let Moses see the Promised Land, but he could never enter it. This is all that the Law can do; it lets us see God’s holy standard, but it cannot make us holy. 

Only by placing our faith and trust in Jesus will we be covered by his righteousness and immediately placed in right standing with God. Because of what Jesus has done on the cross, we can enter the eternal Promised Land, not because we perfectly fulfill the law, but because Jesus did. Apart from Jesus, we can view the Promised Land, but we will never enter it. 

Living to Leave a Legacy

Christian leadership is influencing people towards a relationship and a lifestyle of following Jesus. What if, instead of living for retirement, you lived to leave a legacy that points people to Jesus?

How are you running your race?  What will your legacy be?