This is the fourth in a series of posts written by our very own Paul Burgess. See the first post and an introduction to the series here.
HIS SUFFERING IS OVER
“After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits- to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.” (1 Peter 3:19-20 NASB)
The Lord of the Sabbath kept the Sabbath by preaching to the dead, and there wasn’t one dead spirit who challenged His authority. What was said we most likely will never know, but praise God, Jesus was no longer suffering.
That is not something we can say about ourselves. Many are suffering, from stress to unjust persecution. Jesus has left us His example of suffering, and God has promised that he will work our circumstances for our good. With eyes on him, we are to exercise our faith and accept God’s will for our lives with thanksgiving.
“For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:21-25 NASB)