Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6).

This message of the Suffering Servant as our Substitute is at the center of the second half of Isaiah.

May this truth be at the center of the messages we tell ourselves and what we share with others.

Notice as you read the rest of our Old Testament lesson for today Isaiah 52-54 that Zion/Jerusalem/God's Church is invited to celebrate because of the rescue that is to come. 

Because of what our Suffering Servant has done for us, the LORD, the Creator of the world, claims you as his own!

Fear not the lions...

1 Peter 5 always makes me think of The Pilgrim's Progress.

The pilgrim on the way to the heavenly Jerusalem sees lions on either side of the road ahead of him. He is afraid to go on.

But his guide tells him to look more closely. The lions are chained.

The roaring lion of the devil cannot reach us when we stay on the path - that Jesus is our Substitute.

In 1 Peter 5, it is that comfort that motivates us to serve - whether we find ourselves in positions of leadership (elders) or as youth. We trust the Lord will protect us from Satan's attacks and bring us safely home. 

As 1 Peter 5 closes, the author mentions he is in Babylon. There is no evidence from church history that Peter traveled to Babylon. Most commentaries suggest this is a reference to Rome, which was becoming the Babylon of the New Testament. Babylon was the last great enemy of God's people in the Old Testament. The Roman empire was becoming the new great enemy of God's people.

Notice the close working relationship between Paul and Peter. Silas, Paul's trusted companion, is now working with Peter.

Notice Peter's reference to Mark. This is the same John Mark who deserted Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:13; 15:36-40). Sometimes our Savior's rescue from the roaring lion of the devil is given to us, not by keeping us from failing at all, but by the assurance of forgiveness and restoration we have in Christ Jesus. 

"Cast all your cares (literally, all the things that "divide your mind") on HIm because He cares for you."