The First Sunday after the Epiphany, 2022

 

The First Sunday after the Epiphany, 2022

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

 

The Hymn #537      Every Morning Mercies New                         

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne: high and lifted up.

And I heard the voice of a great multitude, saying, 

Alleluia: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Psalm. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands: 

serve the Lord with gladness.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

O Lord, we beseech Thee mercifully to receive the prayers of Thy people who call upon Thee; and grant that they may both perceive and know what things they ought to do and also may have grace and power faithfully to fulfill the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.

The Epistle and Gradual             Romans 12:1-5

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things: and blessed be His glorious name forever.

V. The mountains shall bring peace to Thy people: 

and the hills righteousness. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands: serve the Lord with gladness. Hallelujah!

The Gospel                                 Luke 2:41-52   
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #73    Lift Up Your Heads (3rd tune)

The King of Kings Is Drawing Near

The Hymn #196         I Am Content

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #651        Be Still My Soul

Prayers and Announcements

• The Bible Book, Second Edition, is nearing completion.
• Eye surgery, tomorrow and next Monday, Pastor Jackson.
• In treatment - Doc Lito, Pastor K, Pastor Shrader, Chris Shrader, Callie and C, and the three boys - Aaron and their Mom especially.
• Randy Anderson is doing very well after his surgery.
• A vastly improved Logitech camera will arrive tomorrow, and various platforms other than Vimeo will be explored. You may see various tests on the Ichabod blog. Do not be alarmed. 
• Note that KJV precedes Scripture citations most of the time. Several pointed out that it is a good way to distinguish the Majority Text and Translation, both of which are abandoned by the denominations, colleges, and seminaries, all the way down to ELDONA.

KJV Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

KJV Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. 48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

The King of Kings Is Drawing Near

KJV Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast.

Background:

These two introductory verses should not be overlooked or taken for granted. Luke was mocked by the rationalists for not being accurate, making up titles, and therefore questionable facts.

Where facts can be examined (since most of history is buried), Luke is exactly correct. An example is "ethnarch" - which was supposedly invented by Luke. But it turns out that the title was used in the city where he used it. 

More importantly, the little details about Jesus are especially noteworthy, and we should not rush past them to get to the famous verses. He parents went to Jerusalem every year, bringing Jesus. Mary did not have to attend, but it was expected of men who could make the journey for Passover. 

Luke was a close companion to Paul and praised for his work and his faithfulness to the apostle. Luke was with Paul when the apostle was executed.

We have an important detail about Jesus in the opening. He was with Joseph and Mary on these trips (which explains how they went back without Him) and He was 12 years old. Routine trips do not have the same anxiety level that a first-time visit has. That was especially true with traveling with the extended family and friends. 

Another detail is the irony of the King of Kings being there so many times. There were three great disturbances to announce His coming as the Messiah:

1. The Star of Bethlehem.
2. His Presentation at the Temple
3. Talking with the elders.

As He taught in the parable of the yeast in bread dough, the Gospel leaven began early and was offered in various ways, so Israel could receive her King.

Jesus was 12 years old, a young man, old enough to have questions about the Scriptures and to discuss them. But this was far beyond what anyone could expect.

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. 

The opening gives us the reason why the parents left without Jesus. Everything was normal and expected, and the entire group headed back home together. But Jesus stayed behind. The parents were not anxious about Him because boys that age like to travel and talk together, comparing experiences, just as parents do. My family belonged to a club that had a little shack on the shore of the Mississippi River. We could take out rowboats (with permission), walk along the shore, pretend to fish, even swim sometimes as a group. Adults sat around the fire and cooked food for the meals. I was "lost" once because no one knew where I was. A cat adopted me and stayed on the dock with me, some distance away, to be petted. My mother found me in a stage of great excitement and said they had been looking for me a long time. Their fears were a crippling accident, a water episode, or perhaps the Ransom of Red Chief. 

These things develop from lack of fear, and they are just as common today as they were in ancient times. 

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. 45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him. 

We should note how much is said in a few words. Joseph and Mary were not anxious about Jesus because they assumed, based on experience, that He was with friends and relatives. That would have been normal, not exception. They turned back when they realized their assumption was wrong.

How many parents can say they had the same experience? One pastor's wife was moving into the parsonage when their little girl became lost. Her mother ran up and down the neighborhood looking. She said, "What an introduction to my new neighbors!" I said, "They will always remember you as the mother with her hair on fire." She laughed and laughed.

So now the anxiety was completely fired up. Joseph and Mary headed back, fearing and hoping at the same time. 

46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found [eureka] him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. 

Those three days were torture, because hope turns to fear and dread when a search must be continued. Worse, the journey from Jerusalem - built on the side of a mountain - was going back uphill all the way, an arduous journey anyway but worse when frightened. Relief and anger were bound to be combined - with anger first.

Jesus was sitting there, oblivious to His parents concern, listening to the professors and asking them questions. His calm at seeing them was polar opposite to their emotions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

As Lenski has written, He was not teaching the elders, but answering and asking questions. That alone had a great impact. As we were taught in sales, questions determine the conversation. The right question would open the teachers up to their own Scriptures. His responses showed they were in agreement.

It takes unusual comprehension to answer and ask questions and astonish these men. In rabbinic lore, asking and answering questions was basic to teaching. 

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. 

The miraculous nature of this meeting between Jesus and the teachers is ignored in grief and anger of Mary. This is not saying the parents burst into the conversation but said this when there was a chance, most likely away from the teachers.

There are three errors pointed out by Mary -

1 - You have ignored our feelings.

2 - We have been looking for you, and it is clear Jesus would know how long this took.

3 - We were full of sorrow the entire time.

The build up of anxiety seemed to make the parents forget His divine nature. There are many examples in the Gospels where the individuals either had the right idea (the woman with the flow, who touched His robe) or the wrong idea (the disciples telling Jesus to dismiss the Canaanite woman). Also - the disciples - we have no food (boat) and there is no way to feed the multitude in the dessert! (No?)

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? 50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. 

They could not grasp that Jesus had to take the opportunity to begin the leaven of the Gospel in the Temple itself, among the most influential men in the nation. That eventually stirred up murderous intent but also faithful following (Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea). 

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.

We are often like Joseph and Mary, wondering in anxiety how things could be so difficult. Parents have this issue. So do all those who look at this nation and its rejection of basic law and the U. S. Constitution. The Savior is not oblivious. His wisdom and power are so far beyond ours that we must pay attention to Him and not to the soothsayers of our world.

 

The Epiphany of Our Lord

 

The Hymn # 132                O God of God, O Light of Light
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody

The Lections

Isaiah 60:1-6

Matthew 2:1-12

The Sermon Hymn #131  The Star Proclaims   

The Star of Bethlehem Made a Comeback

The Prayers and Lord’s Prayer p. 44
The Collect for Peace p. 45
The Benediction p. 45
The Hymn # 127        As With Gladness Men of Old

Announcements and Prayers

• We are looking at camera and broadcasting options.
• Two are facing unConstitutional mandates. Keep them in your prayers.
• Monday and next Monday - Cataract operations, Pastor Jackson
• Medical issues - Pastor K, Doc Lito, Pastor James Schrader and his wife Chris
• Callie, C, and a family with three boys, one with a very rare disorder - Aaron.

 

KJV Isaiah 60

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. 5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

KJV Matthew 2

2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

The Star of Bethlehem Made a Comeback

KJV Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Kepler, the astronomer was considered a crank, a "mystic," someone who believed in miracles. He carefully calculated and found that there was indeed a Star of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth. That was treated as mythology as late as this generation. Roland Bainton, who was trained in New Testament rationalism, scoffed at the Star and the Wise Men.

The Star did appear, although there are a few possible candidates. Planetariums now get long lines explaining that to people. The people believe and what they believe is factually argued - the Star of Bethlehem made a big comeback through science.

As I mentioned before, I ran into an astronomer - on the Internet - who was disgusted the Star of Bethlehem was filling the planetariums. He did not think the astronomers should pander to the public. So he was blinded to the truth.

One point of this miracle is to show that Jesus came as the Savior of all mankind. He came from a tiny, hardly known religion, and was to go to the Jews first, then the Gentiles, like Paul. His first efforts were to reveal Himself to His own people, as shown by the shepherds seeing and hearing the angel chorus.

In this case, the Gentiles came to Him, as prophesied in the Old Testament. 

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

The problem with being powerful is that there is so far to fall from that throne. Herod was all the more anxious because he was a pagan ruler. He knew the scholars were reading the future and knew what was coming. One could say that he believed, but only for his own good. That only made his actions worse. That will be true of many leaders today. No matter how much they escape their deserved fate, they will still have to face God Himself. Their pride and arrogance will do them no good, only harm, even if they grovel and make a show of convenient contrition.

This is where we see the importance of believing like a small child. They have the IQ and they grasp the message easily. The only fault they have is being impressed with adult wisdom. One mostly absent day put it this way, "No offense pastor, but I love the children's Christmas pageant is so pure coming from them. It is the Gospel. They are not doing it for a living - excuse me pastor. They are speaking from the heart."

There are so many excuses to be made, like the now-forgotten scientists in the age of Kepler. They agreed with one thing - Kepler was a nut.

That is why so many people concede that the Great Pyramid is solid poof of something, but nothing or nobody on earth.

5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 

All through the Bible we have solid facts about the future. Some want to believe only what fits into their mindset, discarding the rest. But God's Word is so clear and powerful  that we can trust every single passage. What seems difficult now becomes much clearer as we deal with its message, over and over. 

The miracle of water turned into wine. At first, we are very impressed that the Son of God could do something like that. The actual miracle remains in our hearts and then we realize it is also an analogy to marriage. It starts out as romance (or even an arrangement, as they do among the very wealthy) But with Gospel help and maturing faith, the husband and wife see that this ordinary institution, only water to most people, can turn into something quite miraculous through God's power.  We learn to love and forgive, so love grows stronger. We teach God's Word to children and that bears fruit. We go through sorrow, challenges, failures, and successes, and realize God's role in it all.

Herod wanted only evil, which he doubtless saw as protecting the kingdom for Rome. Maybe he heard the marching footsteps of the elite soldiers in his mind. They could depose him. They were coming, but later when conflict turned into civil war, after the resurrection of Jesus plus 40 years. 

He only wanted to know the signs so he could kill, but like all evil people, he died anyway.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

Bainton was amused by the idea of a star moving. Planets move relative to our place on earth, and that is why they are called planets (Greek for wanderer). If this was a conjunction of two or three planets, they would certainly would have seen this strange and exciting movement.

People hardly look up into the skies, partly because of light pollution, trees blocking the view, and clouds.  In those days they had almost no illumination in a dry climate with few clouds. Then the sky is spectacular and changes are impossible to miss. 

The Star led the Wise men because they had faith in what God was doing.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. 

Luther:

47. However, that heretics originated from the Scriptures, is true. From where else should they have come? There is no other book that teaches the Christian faith but the Scriptures. Therefore, as no one can become a Christian except by the Scriptures, so also can no one become a heretic but by the same Scriptures. Christ is indeed a sign spoken against and set for the falling and rising of many. Should we on that account reject him or set up another Christ by his side? You do not at the same time need wine and bread, but should we on that account quit tilling the farm and the vineyards or start others besides them? Satan is the enemy of the Scriptures and therefore he has decried and calumniated them by this clamor and blasphemy.

48. But what does this Gospel teach? In the first place, these wise men did not inquire after the chief priests and do not ask: Where is Annas or Caiaphas, or how did this or that man live? But they ask: Where is the newborn king of the Jews? Yes, Christ permits them, as a warning to us, to go astray and to seek him in Jerusalem in the holy city among the priests, the learned and the royalty. He is not found in the holy place nor in the holy customs. Nor did they receive as an answer any human opinions, but only what the Scriptures say about Christ, which alone are to be sought among the holy people and in holy places.

They wandered around at first, because they went to the natural places to find out - the cultural centers in Jerusalem. So we wander around in life until we realize that the sole source of God's wisdom is God's Word. Many times the great and educated have to be pushed aside because they do not teach the truth. We still have the clear Word of Jesus Christ, which can be discerned in the midst of all the turmoil.

Let's take a poll. All of the institutions are KJV-Nevers. They will allow any translation or paraphrase except the KJV. They go easy on the "living" (verbose) and "amplified" (extremely verbose) versions. But the KJV? NO!

These are men and women with multiple degrees. They will gladly offer that information. They want the best Bible text of science and discovery - and they have it - the Majority or Byzantine Text. That text keeps reproducing itself because it is the text of the Christian Church of believers. 

Their so-called scientific texts are 1) the fraudulent Sinaiticus and 2) the Vaticanus forgery. Neither one has any descendants, so there are two mysteries. 

A. Why did no one make any copies of these great, wonderful, marvelous, best ever texts of our New Testament? They have no children, not a good way to deal with the best texts, eh? 

B. Manuscripts written on leather should not have lasted 1400-1500 years. They would have been used to death, right? 

C. One man wrote a letter to the newspaper in London, saying, "I created that Bible called Sinaiticus, as a present to the Russian Tzar."

And that is proving to be true. The previously despised and ignored Majority Text, which is the basis for the KJV, is now being accepted by serious scholars as the only possible NT text.

The NIV, ESV, RSV, NRSV, and many others could become as ridiculous and out of place as The Cottonpatch Bible (done in Southern lingo) and The Women's Bible (100 years old, changing words for the early Suffragettes). They are hulahoops, not the Holy Bible.

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

They took the Gospel back with them. Who knows how many became Christian believers or preserved the Faith in that land, which may have been relatively close or far away, just as we are far away from that original place of revelation.

Sunday after New Year 2022

  

The Sunday after New Year

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time

The Hymn #131           The Star Proclaims               

The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16

Introit

Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, forever.

Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting.

Psalm. The Lord reigneth, He is clothed with majesty: the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith He hath girded Himself.

The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19

Collect

Almighty and everlasting God, direct our actions according to Thy good pleasure, that in the name of Thy beloved Son we may be made to abound in good works; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth, etc.
The Epistle and Gradual 

Gradual

Save us, O Lord, our God, 

and gather us from among the heathen: 

to give thanks unto Thy holy name and to triumph in Thy praise.

V. Thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer: Thy name is from everlasting. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

V. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy name forever. Hallelujah.

      

The Gospel              

Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #128           Brightest and Best  - Bishop Heber

Fiery Trial

The Communion Hymn #307          Draw Nigh and Take the Body of the Lord        

The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #657            Beautiful Savior    

Prayers and Announcements

• Denver suffered a catastrophic fire last week.
• Randy Anderson is doing very well.
• Doctor's care - Pastor Shrader, Pastor K, Dr. Lito Cruz.
• Kermit and Maria Way have ongoing medical issues.

                                  

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Matthew 2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Fiery Trial

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

The apostle Peter began this section of his letter with a word play that also appears in English. An alien or foreigner or someone from another synod might be called "stranger," someone we are not accustomed to. The term xenophobia is taken from that Greek word - and it means a fear of strangers.

In spite of all that has happened before, they should expect new challenges and trials in the future. The Roman Empire was in decline, and that made persecution of the Christians more appealing. Someone had to be blamed, because this was going to be unthinkable to the Romans, which so strong, powerful, armed with full-time troops. 

Lenski, Peter, p. 202

They are on the way. The introduction explains how the situation has changed completely, and how this change prompts Peter to write to all these people in the provinces mentioned in 1:1. Nero and the imperial government in Rome are taking a hostile attitude to-ward Christianity, are treating it as a religio illicita,   The Roman authorities in the provinces will soon adopt the same attitude. When they do, the readers are not to be surprised but are to rejoice that they are called upon to fellowship the sufferings of Christ who was put to death by the Jews (3:18).

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

The early Christian Church was persecuted as an illegal religion and scapegoat until Constantine issued the Edict of Milan 313 AD, after his victorious Battle of the Milvan Bridge.

The Holy Spirit inspired Peter to warn the beloved members of this upcoming threat and the gravity of the persecution. This was also the time when the Christian Church also began opposing heresies within.

Various writers complain that there is both a message about the return of Christ and one about not knowing when. But some were already tempted to think the end was near and work was not necessary. It is best to be warned and able to deal with the unknown with faith in Christ and His mercy.

Luther talks about light in his sermon on the Day of Epiphany. The light of revelation is harsh to those who do not believe, but pleasing to those who do. When Jesus was transfigured before the eyes of certain disciples, they wanted to stay there and enjoy the experience, and build a memorial.

14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Outright persecution of the Faith is not practiced here, as it is in many countries, but the disloyal opposition is skilled at denigrating Christianity, faith in Christ, and the values of being a Christian. There is no better position for mischief than within the ranks, as has happened over the centuries. The Antichrist is at work, along with the efforts of little Antichrists, all serving their Father Below. They do not love the Light of the World, so they are keen on adjusting everyone to their version.

Reproach for the Name of Christ should make us more keen about the truth and answering why we have this hope within us, as Peter himself taught. That is one reason I emphasize Creation in gardening and also in becoming Christian, since we are literally new Creations when the Gospel converts us to faith in Him.

Creation makes many people uneasy, at least on the surface, because everything scientific is measured and explained by evolution. However, evolution is a denial of God's work and also convenient but wrong way to look at everything around us. How strange to be awed by what a generation of men decided in removing God from every issue, ignoring what is clearly beyond our comprehension if we look closely at what is happening in our own garden, and lacking that, in our lawns.

Falsehood is often wrapped up in layers of very sophisticated philosophy. However, truth is voiced by the smallest children who have never studied Kierkegaard and Thomas Aquinas. 

Fellowshipping with the suffering of Christ, as Lenski wrote, is a great honor. His denomination did their best to silence him about inerrancy, because it would interfere with the merger of 1930. Almost 100 years later, his commentaries are still in demand and people ask about how to get them. The publisher, after two mergers, abandoned the commentaries but decided no one else could print them. They are public domain.

15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. 16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.  17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

This is a an interesting combination - three great crimes, and one which is a common problem and a gradual destroyer of others. Suffering as a Christian glorifies God. But now we are in the time predicted in this section. Major figures have revealed their false character and have become pariahs for those crimes. If they are found guilty of crimes, how much worse will it be for unbelievers. 

If the righteous scarcely be saved - that is a challenge for us to live in peace and in obedience to the Word of God.

19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Our faithful Creator will accomplish everything according to His will and compassion, so we are to trust in Him.