Humility

Jesus is a great example of what humility looks like as He chose to humble Himself and suffer – deny His self-will and the temptations and demands from sin – instead of giving in to sin.

Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh,^[a] arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. – 1 Peter 4:1  ESV

Part of being humble is coming to an understanding that we can use whatever spiritual gift that God has given us to serve others.

 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. – 1 Peter 4:10  ESV

Humility is the only way to joy in suffering and persecution.

But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. – 1 Peter 4:13  ESV

It is in my humbly accepting suffering that draws me nearer to Christ but only if I am looking to Jesus as I suffer. There faith unites my suffering with Christ’s. There and then, because I see the results, I can rejoice.

I think that one of the costs of discipleship is loss of energy.

Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – 1 Peter 4:11 ESV

When I think I cannot do any more, I must, like an athlete, learning the invaluable dynamic of serving in another’s strength by leaning on God, walking in faith, for there I find the energy I did not think I had.

Peter also tells to not be ashamed of being a Christian.

However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. -1 Peter 4:16

It means that the word Christian did have some negative connotations back in his day. Even so, they were still proud of being called one.

As a side note – did you know the word ‘Christian’ only appears three times in the entire Bible (Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, 1 Peter 4:16)?

The word ‘disciple’, (or disciples), appears over 250 times in the New Testament.

One of the most significant facts in the New Testament is that the name “disciple”  applied to Jesus’ followers throughout the Gospels and Acts and it absolutely disappears from the New Testament from Acts to Revelation! The apostle John used the expression “disciples” some 77 times in his gospel, but never once in the three short epistles that bear his name, nor in the book of Revelation.