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Peter is writing to Messianic Jews living outside of the land of Israel in Asia Minor – modern‑day Turkey. They are facing trials and opposition because of their faith in Yeshua. Gentiles around them mock their devotion to the God of Israel, while fellow Jews who have not yet embraced Yeshua as the promised Messiah, view them as traitors. They are experiencing rejection and divisions in their families, being slandered and insulted, loss of reputation and honor, economic hardship, and possibly persecution by local authorities. They were experiencing fiery trials.

Peter continues with the theme of suffering. Suffering in this world inevitable. Everyone suffers. However, Messiah’s followers must suffer for representing Him in this world – not for sinning and engaging in bad behaviors.

Verse 14: If you are insulted because you bear the name of Messiah, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

If you are insulted because you bear the name of Messiah, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.

Godless people hated the Messiah. They insulted the sinless Son of God. If we bear His name – which means that we believe in Him, publicly identify as one of His followers, and live like He lived, we will be hated and insulted too.

Being insulted for bearing the name of Yeshua doesn’t mean God is displeased with us or has abandoned us. It means the opposite. It means that God’s presence is with us and He will bless us. Just as the Shechinah, the glorious dwelling presence of God rested on the mishkan, the tabernacle, the Spirit of God rests on those who suffer for representing Messiah in this world and endure its abuse.

Not all suffering is created equal. Suffering for being a follower of Yeshua is a blessed thing. It brings the presence, approval, and reward of God. But this is not the case when our pain is self‑inflicted through sin and bad behaviors. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs. If we experience consequences because we have acted sinfully, foolishly, or irresponsibly, that’s not suffering that’s worthy of a reward. That’s is the natural result of our actions.

Peter names two sins and two bad behaviors that bring self-inflicted suffering: murder, stealing, making trouble, and prying into other people’s affairs.

It’s obvious why being punished for murder and stealing would cause the murderer and the thief to suffer. However, Peter includes two bad behaviors that are not as serious as murder or stealing, yet are nevertheless destructive: making trouble and prying into other people’s affairs.

“Making trouble” refers to causing problems, stirring up conflict, provoking arguments. A troublemaker is someone who creates upset, damages relationships, causes division, injects negativity and unnecessary drama into situations. Making trouble undermines the peace that God wants for His people. Suffering because we are making trouble is not the kind of suffering that will be blessed. It’s simply reaping what we have sown.

Prying into other people’s affairs refers to the meddler and busybody who inserts himself into situations that are none of his business. Pryers, busybodies, meddlers often disguise their interference as concern, but the Word of God is clear: that kind of interference brings harm, not help. Instead of focusing on improving their own life, meddlers divert their energy into scrutinizing everyone else’s life. Peter warns believers not to bring suffering on themselves by intruding in other peoples’ affairs.

In this fallen world, suffering is inevitable. Guaranteed. All of us will suffer. Peter is telling us that we need to make sure that when we suffer, it’s for being called by Messiah’s name and for representing Him well – not for being unlike Him and representing Him badly.

But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! Christian. We use Christian all the time. But what does being a Christian actually mean? Where does it come from?

Christian comes from the Greek Christianos, which means “belonging to the Messiah,” or “a follower of the Messiah.” It first appears in Acts 11, where the disciples in Antioch were given this name – not by themselves, but by outsiders.

These early believers were probably called “Christians” to make fun of them. “Oh look. He’s become one of those Christians, one of those Christ people, one of those ‘Messiah‑people,’ those ‘followers of that crucified Jew,’ those ‘people obsessed with their Christ, their anointed one.’”

But the early believers didn’t reject being called Christian. They embraced it. Why? Because if the insult meant that others knew they were connected to Yeshua, they wore it like a crown. What the world meant for shame became a badge of honor and a testimony to the truth.

And, we should do what they did today. Let me give you a few examples of how insults can become opportunities:

Someone says: “You’re a Jesus freak. You’re a religious fanatic.” Fine. Now we can say: “You’re right. I’m fully committed to the Lord. He rescued me, and I can’t go back. I’m completely devoted to Yeshua who redeemed me through His sacrifice.” Their mockery becomes an opportunity for witness.

“You’re a Bible thumper. You take the Bible way too seriously. It’s only a book.” Wonderful. Now we get to share why the Word of God is true and leads to wisdom and hope and joy and eternal life. Their insult enables us to proclaim the truth.

And now I say something specifically to Messianic Jews: Some in the Messianic movement refuse to identify themselves as Christians, thinking it sounds too Gentile or that it threatens our Jewish identity.

“You’re not Jewish anymore. You’re a Christian.” “Oh no, I’m not a Christian. I’m a Messianic Jew. I’m not part of Christianity. I’m part of Messianic Judaism.” That’s wrong and strategically unwise.

“Christian” simply means “Messiah‑follower.” There’s nothing un‑Jewish about following the Jewish Messiah. Refusal to identify as a Christian confuses people, creates barriers, and makes evangelism harder.

It’s much better to say, “Yes. I am a Christian. I’m a follower of Israel’s Messiah.” Start with what people understand, and then tell them about the Jewishness of Jesus, and how believing in Him is the most Jewish thing any Jewish person can do.

I learned from my brother-in-law to tell people. “I’m 100% Jewish and I’m 100% Christian.”

Peter is a Jewish apostle writing to Messianic Jews and uses the term Christian to refer to them. If Peter, who will sit on one of twelve thrones ruling the twelve tribes of Israel – if Peter wasn’t ashamed of identifying Messianic Jews as Christians, then why should we?

But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! What a wonderful little phrase: the privilege of being called by His name. In the Word of God, the Lord referred to Israel as “My people who are called by My name.”

To be called by Yeshua’s name means having identity, purpose, and representation connected to Yeshua.

Identity: Yeshua is at the core of our identity.

Purpose: to live for Him and be with Him forever.

Representation. We are Yeshua’s ambassadors. We are His emissaries. We are His representatives. When people see us, they are to see Yeshua. When people hear us, they are to hear Yeshua.

Being called by Yeshua’s name is a privilege – and not just any privilege – it’s one of the greatest privileges. It means we belong to Him. We receive our identity from Him. We share His authority. We are partners in His mission. And we will spend eternity in His presence.

What an amazing thing: You and I have the privilege of being called by the name of Yeshua. Let’s make the most of that privilege.

More about suffering: For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”

Peter told us that the end of the world is near and that God’s judgment is certain, will include everyone and is ready. Now he adds this: The time has come for judgment. He doesn’t mean the final judgment – that comes later. Judgment here means examining, testing, trying, proving.

It’s the kind of judgment Moses wrote about in Exodus 20, with the awesome display of power that accompanied the giving of the Ten Commandments: He said to Israel: Don’t be afraid … for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning! And in Deuteronomy 8: Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.

The time has come for judgment means it’s time for God’s purifying, refining work among His own people. In these last days, God is preparing His people for the return of Messiah, and He uses trials, suffering, and hardship to cleanse, mature, and strengthen us. This kind of judgment is not condemnation – it’s the loving discipline of a Father who refuses to leave His children unchanged.

And Peter says, “Judgment must begin with God’s household.” Greater privilege brings greater responsibility. It is the same principle Yeshua taught when He said, “To whom much is given, much is required.”

God’s sons and daughters must reflect His character. Those who have been entrusted with His Word must obey His Word.

Judgment begins with God’s people but it doesn’t end with us. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? If God judges us, examines us, tests us, tries us, proves us – which causes us pain – we can be sure that the pain of those who disobey the glorious message of salvation that alone can save them will be much worse.

If God is refining us now, it’s because we belong to Him and He is purifying us for the day when Messiah is revealed; and if this is what God does to His beloved children, then the future of those who reject Him is truly terrible.

Peter reinforces this with a quote from Proverbs 11: If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to the godless and the sinner? If the righteous are barely saved does not mean our salvation is uncertain or fragile. It means that there’s no easy path to God’s kingdom. Salvation requires a real turning from evil, real repentance, and real perseverance accompanied by God’s holy fire.

This is an argument from lesser to greater. If God’s faithful people enter the kingdom through trials, discipline and refining fire – if the righteous are barely saved – then what hope is there for those who don’t belong to God, who are without God and refuse to turn from their sins?

More about suffering: So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you. Suffering with a good attitude, suffering for doing what is right, suffering for being loyal to Yeshua, pleases God. Why? This kind of suffering reveals our loyalty, devotion, and genuine love for God. God is pleased when His children persevere in doing what is right when it costs them something. So, we are to keep on doing what is right.

However, trials have a way of tempting us to compromise or give up. But Peter urges us: Don’t do that. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t compromise. Stay the course. Keep on following Yeshua. Keep on doing what is right.

What helps us keep on doing what is right? Trusting our lives to the God who created us. God is our Creator. The One who created us knows when we are suffering. The God who created the universe, and us, is fully capable of helping us make it through every fiery trial.

And we are to trust our lives to the God who created us because He will never fail us. He will never forget us, abandon us, break any of His many wonderful promises to us. He will never not supply us with His grace – which will be sufficient for us to endure every trial we experience. His faithfulness will enable us to not only endure every trial we experience, but be better off for having endured our trials.

The world will fail us. Politicians will fail us. Our government may fail us. Friends and family may fail us. Our own wisdom and strength may fail us. But the God who created us, who is faithful and true and full of love for us, will never fail us. So, let’s fully trust our lives to Him. Amen?

Let’s pray: Lord God, thank You for helping us understand that when we are insulted for bearing the name of Yeshua, help us remember that Your Spirit rests upon us. Keep us from the sins and behaviors that bring self‑inflicted pain, and strengthen us to suffer only for doing what is right. Purify us through every trial, refine our character, and make us worthy representatives of Your Son. Teach us to see the privilege of being called by His name. Help us keep doing what is right, enduring our suffering, and trusting our lives to You, our faithful Creator, who will never fail us. Amen.