Suffering for Christ is not a sign of failure or abandonment, but rather an opportunity to share in His sufferings and experience the unique blessing of His presence and peace. When trials and persecution come, believers are called not to be surprised or ashamed, but to rejoice, knowing that God is at work in their lives and that His Spirit rests upon them. Even in the midst of grief and hardship, God provides a peace that surpasses understanding, strengthening His people to endure and glorify Him. [00:46]
1 Peter 4:12-19 (ESV)
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Reflection: When you face pushback or hardship for your faith, how can you intentionally choose to rejoice and trust God’s presence with you today, rather than shrinking back or feeling ashamed?
Proclaiming the gospel of Christ will always come with pushback, but it also brings blessing—sometimes in the form of peace in the midst of grief, and sometimes in the fruit of others coming to faith. The stories of believers who endure persecution, whether in distant lands or in our own communities, remind us that God uses even suffering to strengthen His church and to draw others to Himself. Obedience to Christ, even when costly, is always met with His sustaining grace and the assurance that our labor is not in vain. [04:01]
Acts 4:1-4 (ESV)
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
Reflection: Who is one person you can boldly share the love and message of Jesus with this week, even if you anticipate resistance or discomfort?
There is salvation in no one else but Jesus Christ; no amount of good works, religious rituals, or spiritual practices can add to or replace the saving work of Christ. It is easy to slip into thinking that our church attendance, giving, or spiritual disciplines contribute to our salvation, but Scripture is clear that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. Out of gratitude and love, we obey and serve, but our hope rests solely in Jesus, the cornerstone rejected by men but chosen by God. [19:38]
Acts 4:10-12 (ESV)
Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Reflection: Are there any “extras” you’ve been tempted to add to the gospel in your own life or in your expectations of others? How can you rest in Christ alone today?
While salvation is a gift received by faith, true faith leads to a transformed life—one marked by repentance, turning away from old patterns of sin, and walking in newness of life. God calls His people to be set apart, to cleanse themselves from what is dishonorable, and to live as vessels for honorable use. This transformation is not about earning salvation, but about living out the reality of being born again, crucified with Christ, and empowered by His Spirit to walk in holiness and love. [28:26]
Galatians 2:20 (ESV)
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where God is calling you to deeper repentance and newness? What practical step can you take today to walk in that newness?
The good news of the gospel is that, though all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, Jesus Christ died for us and offers the free gift of eternal life to all who confess Him as Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Salvation is not about being “good enough,” but about responding to God’s love with repentance and faith. Today is the day to respond—whether for the first time or in renewed commitment—by confessing Jesus as Lord and trusting Him with your life. [39:34]
Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)
Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Reflection: Have you truly confessed Jesus as Lord and believed in your heart that God raised Him from the dead? If so, how can you share this hope with someone else today? If not, what is holding you back from responding to Him right now?
Suffering and trials are not foreign to the Christian life; in fact, they are to be expected. When we follow Christ and proclaim His gospel, we will encounter pushback—sometimes mild, sometimes severe. Yet, in the midst of these fiery trials, we are called not to despair but to rejoice, because we are sharing in Christ’s sufferings and His glory will be revealed. The story of Pastor Tilahoon in Ethiopia reminds us that persecution, even unto death, can become a catalyst for greater faith and boldness among believers. The peace that God gives in the midst of suffering is a profound blessing, one that surpasses understanding and testifies to the reality of Christ in us.
We must remember that following Jesus is not a promise of an easy life. Rather, it is a call to spiritual battle, to put on the armor of God, and to stand firm in faith. The world may tell us that being a Christian should make life easier, but Scripture tells us otherwise. Our hope is not in the absence of hardship, but in the presence of Christ with us through every trial, granting us peace, strength, and joy that defy our circumstances.
At the heart of our faith is the truth that salvation is found in Christ alone. It is not Jesus plus our good works, church attendance, giving, or any other religious activity. These things are important as acts of obedience and love, but they do not save us. We must guard against adding burdens to the gospel, both for ourselves and for others, remembering that it is only by grace through faith in Jesus that we are saved.
As we grow in Christ, we are called to leave behind our old ways and live as new creations. This transformation is not the basis of our salvation, but the fruit of it. We are to pursue holiness, not to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received it in Christ. Our obedience flows from love and gratitude, not from a desire to earn what has already been freely given.
Finally, we are called to be active participants in God’s kingdom—sharing the gospel, serving others, and building up the church. The kingdom of God is not just a future hope, but a present reality. We must ask ourselves if we are being obedient to King Jesus, not out of fear or obligation, but out of love for the One who gave everything for us.
1 Peter 4:12-19 (ESV) — > Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And
>
> “If the righteous is scarcely saved,
> what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
>
> Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Acts 4:1-12 (ESV) — > And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.
>
> On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
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