We Are Not in This Alone

By Rev. Heidi L. Barham |  May 21, 2023

Click here to listen to the service 
  
Read 1 Peter 5:6 – 11
 
Our New Testament lesson this morning once again comes from the book of 1 Peter.  I must say that we can learn a lot about Peter from the Scriptures… not the least of which is that he was a former fisherman who was known for being impulsive and headstrong… but it is worth noting that Peter was also part of Jesus’ inner-circle of three along with his fellow disciples, James and John… But perhaps Peter’s greatest claim to fame was being known as the rock on which Jesus would build His church. 
 
Now, scholars have noted that Jesus’ first recorded words to Peter which are found in Mark 1:17 were, “Come, follow me.”  And His last recorded words to Peter, found in John 21:22 were, “You must follow me.”
 
And in spite of several stumbles along the way… including cutting off the ear of a soldier named Malchus… and rebuking Jesus… then later denying that he even knew Jesus… not once, not twice, but three times… in spite of all that, Peter lived his life as a follower of Christ.
 
Recognized as a leader among Jesus’ disciples, Peter’s was the first great voice that spread the Gospel, during and after Pentecost.
 
Now, as we heard last week, having been beaten, jailed and threatened often… Peter was also a man who was well acquainted with persecution.  And this letter that he wrote to the scattered and suffering church serves as a reminder to us that even in the face of difficult circumstances… there is still work for us to do… but this letter also offers a word of encouragement that WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE.
 
And with that in mind, I want to invite us to take a closer look at this passage from Peter’s letter, beginning with verse 6 of the text as it appears in the Message Paraphrase, “So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time.”
 
This is a gentle reminder to us that rather than worrying about personal recognition or achieving some elevated position or status… our focus ought to be on following the Lord and doing what God has called us to do.  
 
But sadly, people can easily lose sight of what the main objective should be… which is glorifying God in all that we say and do. 
 
Now I know it is not an issue here at Ledgewood [or any of the churches that all of you belong to] …but perhaps you have worked on a committee within an organization or been on your job and witnessed what happens when people get so focused on what’s in it for them that they lose sight of the actual goal… giving little to no thought to the greater good… they seem to forget that WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE and that it takes all of us working together to achieve success.
 
There is no way the church can survive on the single efforts of just one person… not even if that one person is the pastor… make that especially if that one person is the pastor. 
 
And as we consider the beautiful music that comes from the choir… it is the result of blending multiple voices together to sing songs of praise that give glory and honor to God.  And although there are some extremely gifted and talented individuals in the group, it takes more than one person to be a choir.
 
And yet, how often do we find people wanting to make it all about them… wanting to get all the glory for themselves.
 
But realistically speaking… it is not and should not be about any one of us getting credit or recognition.  In fact, Jesus cautioned the disciples and those gathered around Him about this very thing… saying, “… those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (see Matthew 23:14 and Luke 14:11.)
 
And the Apostle Paul told the church at Rome, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you” (Rom. 12:3).
 
And in James 4:6, we find this reference to Proverbs 3, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
 
At the end of the day, it should never be about sticking our chests out and saying, “Hey, look what I have done…”  On the contrary, we should always remember that WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE… we are in this alongside our family and friends, our coworkers and colleagues, and our brothers and sisters in Christ… and it is important for us to  keep our thoughts focused on working together for the good of us all… and doing it all to the glory of God. 
 
Now, if we look at the next verse of our text, we read, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 
 
Many times, when we find ourselves in the middle of a storm, we get so focused on the circumstances around us, we lose sight of the One who has command and control over the storms of life.  We become so overwhelmed with thoughts of how big the storm seems that we lose sight of just how big God is.
 
Perhaps you may recall a story that is found in Matthew 14 that took place just after Jesus had fed more than five thousand men, women and children with two fish and five loaves of bread.   Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him in a boat while He stayed behind to dismiss the crowds. 
 
Now, a short time later… in the wee hours of the morning… Jesus walked out on the water toward the boat where the disciples were. 
 
And according to the Scriptures… the disciples were frightened and thought they were seeing a ghost.  But Jesus encouraged them not to be afraid… to which Peter responded, “Master, if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”
 
And Jesus did just that. 
 
You all know how the story goes… Peter got out of the boat and began walking on the water toward Jesus… that is until he took his eyes off the Master. 
 
When Peter turned his gaze downward… looking at the waters swirling and churning around him… and began focusing on his circumstances and not the One who was in control of those circumstances… well, that is when Peter lost his nerve and he started to sink.
 
But thankfully, that is not where the story ends. 
 
Because when Peter began to sink, he cried out in desperation, “Lord, save me!” …and while it was not exactly an eloquent prayer by most standards… it was certainly an effective one.  Because the gospel writer says, “Immediately, Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.” 
 
Whenever I tell this story, I make it a point to highlight something that is extremely significant… Jesus did not have to move in order to get close enough to Peter to save him.  The scripture says He simply reached out His hand… in other words, He was already right there beside Peter.
 
Peter was not alone in the midst of the storm… and neither are we.
 
Whenever we find ourselves in those difficult situations where it feels like we are sinking and are about to drown… we can think back to Peter and say to ourselves… WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE… Jesus is here with us.
 
Now, it is a really good thing to know that Jesus is right there beside us because the next verses in our text say:

 
Or as it reads in the Message Paraphrase:  
 
In other words, when it comes to being confronted with the attacks of the enemy, WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE.  We are not the only ones fending off the fiery darts that are designed to knock us off course and keep us from doing what God would have us to do.
 
Now, the text calls to mind something that is known as the strategic offensive principle of war… perhaps you have even heard it said that, “The best defense is a good offense.”
 
And in our text, Peter has provided us with what could be described as a good offense that should be our best defense… and that is the encouragement to remain awake, alert, and clearheaded.
 
Now, some of you may know that in a former life, I was a fraud investigator for a bank.  And one of my responsibilities was to train branch personnel on matters related to safety and security. 
 
One of the illustrations that I would often use when I was conducting training was actually a true story that happened when a young man came into one of our west side locations. 
 
As soon as this young man entered the office, he was greeted warmly by members of the staff who looked up from what they were doing and made eye contact with him as they welcomed him to the bank. 
 
The young man turned around and left the office rather quickly.  And as it turns out, he went down the street to another branch where the staff was not quite so engaging.  None of them looked up from what they were doing and acknowledged the young man’s presence… and unfortunately for them, the young man proceeded to rob the branch.
 
So, what was the difference?
 
The first group of employees were awake, alert and vigilant.  The robber knew that he had been seen and could likely be described to law enforcement. 
 
Rather than run the risk of being identified by potential witnesses… the robber found another set of victims… who, although their eyes were open physically… were literally asleep on the job.
 
That is why it is incumbent upon us to always be aware of our surroundings… of the people we encounter… of the places we go… and of the things we see. 
 
Being observant and remaining vigilant are critical components in protecting ourselves against the attacks of the enemy.
 
Now, there is also another key factor involved in mounting a good strategic offense… which, as Peter wrote in verse 9 of our text, is to “resist” the enemy.  Something that we find echoed in James 4 (7b) which reads, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
 
Looking at Webster’s dictionary, we find that the definition of that word resist is “to exert oneself so as to counteract or defeat.” 
 
And so, in order for us to resist, counteract, and defeat the enemy… we have to stop looking down… and instead, look around, and more importantly, look up… understanding that WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE… and that we already have the victory through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
 
And this brings us to the last verses of our text for the morning, which read in the Message Paraphrase:  
We are bound to have trials and tribulations in this lifetime. Just remember Jesus’ words that are found in John 16 (33), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
 
The fact of the matter is that we are going to be faced with struggles and there is bound to be suffering on this journey we are taking here on earth.  But the good news is that everything that we are enduring now… all the chaos and confusion that we are encountering day after day… it all amounts to nothing in comparison to the eternal joy that awaits us in the kingdom of heaven.
 
The Apostle Paul said it like this:  
And as Peter, himself, wrote in the first chapter of this letter:  
It can be hard to wake up each day and see what is happening in the world around us and not lose heart… and not get discouraged… but we can rest secure in the knowledge that this life is not all there is… and that WE ARE NOT IN THIS ALONE. 
 
There is something and some ONE much greater than all the hardships and heartaches we are faced with on a daily basis.  And when we focus our hearts and minds on that One and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior… we have the blessed assurance of brighter days ahead as we hold tight to the promise of the resurrection and the gift of eternal life that awaits us… in that place of quiet rest that is near to the heart of God.
 
And with that thought in mind, I want to invite us all to stand and join in singing our Hymn of Discipleship:  Near to the Heart of God #581.
 

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