“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed.
What is important as Christian leaders is that we are all under Jesus. Peter was with Jesus. He had seen Jesus. He had heard Jesus. He watched Him perform miracles. Jesus was his personal Rabbi while on earth.
There are times when I am envious of those twelve who could sit at Jesus feet and ask Him questions and delight in His presence and share in His ministry together. Then I remember that such a call to each of the twelve was a call to death. It was a commitment and that it was not going to be easy to share the good news to the world in which some are saved and many are violently opposed. It was a ministry that did not promise financial security, or good home life, or retirement and comfortable houses. It was a call that would demand more of them than they could imagine.
When I was going through a career fair as a senior at Michigan State University there was a representative from some company that grabbed my hand and shook it and said I’m looking for someone who is interested in making lots of money. I looked and him and said that is not my interest. He returned the surprise look and said, “Then I’m not interested in talking with you.”
I am sure that he had lots of takers who might have shown interest in his company. As I continued down the rows of representatives from other potential employers there was a sign that caught my attention. It was hand written. “Lousy pay, hard work, many long hours, but GREAT RETIREMENT.” I stopped. I saw it was an advertisement for ministry.
The great retirement, worthy of Peter’s commitment, was glory. He had seen the suffering of Jesus Christ. Through Christ’s suffering came salvation to the world to all and any who put their faith in His death, burial, and resurrection. It was that atonement that captured Peter’s zeal.
Peter’s faithfulness to the task of reaching a lost world was sharing in glory with His Master and Lord. His work was a work of faith. This glory was to be revealed at time known only to God and he was as certain of it as he was of anything in the world. Who would have thought God would send His Son to suffer for our sins? The resurrection changed Peter’s life. He had a new purpose. When Jesus promised to come again, that was a promise without question, because of all that Peter experienced. He knew God keeps His promises.
We are not saved by our works, but there are rewards to being faithful laborers for the master. That is a greater retirement than any plan can offer.
Application: Ask God how He wants you to live out your life and retirement.
Prayer: Lord, help me to make the best use of my time to Your glory!
