Following Christ - no fun

1 Peter 2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

 

When we are called to be like Jesus or to follow him, we often don't think of the ramifications of that lifestyle. Peter, here in his short letter, spells it out in plain English. We are called to suffer for Christ and his cause. 

That doesn't sound very appealing to most. Called to have power, or wealth or a comfortable level of fame, that sounds more like what we think that we want. However, that is not what the Son of God came to achieve. 

He became somewhat famous because of the plethora of miracles that he did. He demonstrated his power by raising the dead walking on and calming the water and feeding the multitude. Wealth? He had nothing of earthly value his whole life. Though he was the creator of all. 

He did suffer, however. Isaiah says that he was despised and rejected more than any other man. That puts him at the top of the "rejected" chain just like Paul put himself at the top of the "worst sinner" category. There was none more despised than Jesus. 

Do you think that that caused suffering? That is to be our goal. Is that the life that you want? It was Paul that summarizes what needs to be our theme when he says, "... For me to live is Christ and to die, is gain." That is an ironic and incredible statement. To live is to suffer and to die is bliss forever more.