1 Peter 5:8-10
8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
This whole passage is reminiscent of the teaching of Jesus and particularly as he spoke to his disciples in Gethsemane. 'Be alert' he kept telling them, and they kept falling asleep. 'Keep watch': be ready for the coming of the end, and the coming of the devil, too. Vigilence is required, and presence of mind.
Is it too much to imagine that Peter has in mind the beasts of the arena, who feasted on human flesh as a spectacle? It is certainly a vivid picture. The trial is coming when you will be tempted to deny Christ. That is the devil's aim. He uses many and various means; but the result of conceding to him is destrution. Resistance however is not futile: the suffering of the Christian is not isolated. The real devouring beast in the arena was not the slathering furry creature who was eyeing off the victim for its lunch: no, to get eaten was fine! This was not self-destruction. Rather, to deny Christ was to fall prey and become easy meat to the 'lion'.
5 comments:
NO NO NO!!!
The old template was MUCH BETTER. This one is harder to read, it makes me not want to come back here any more...
You're meant to be an Anglican Mike, and Anglicans dont change ANYTHING!!!
oh alright. There was something funny in the formatting and I thought a change might sort it out... Now I have lost all my links. Bum.
Links are still there, just way down the bottom.
Hi Michael, I was at St Ebbe's in Oxford last Sunday and noticed that you're preaching there this Sunday. If I hadn't already known it was a good church, that tipped me off that it would be "approved" by the Sydney Anglicans. I made the mistake of going to St Aldates the previous Sunday. I walked out before the end of the sermon, something I've never done before!
See you this Sunday!
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