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August 21st, 2026

THE FAIR JUDGE

Ashley Issler, Children's Pastor

There is no shying away from the fact that our world is filled with suffering. Suffering that we can’t avoid, suffering that we brought on ourselves, and suffering that happens because of the good choices we make. Jesus was our perfect example of someone who suffered, and he surely did not suffer for anything he brought on himself.

The book of 1 Peter faces this issue head on. Peter is speaking to a group of Christians who are being persecuted because they are following Jesus, their perfect example. And what does our perfect example lay out for us?

He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly. (1 Peter 2:23) Sounds simple right?

So then why don’t we do that? Think of that thing that is causing anxious thoughts, frozen decisions, spiraling emotions, or manipulative actions. Peter is urging you to take that very big thing in your life and place it in the even bigger hands of God. But we so often don’t. We keep trying to carry it on our own. Is it because we think we are stronger than God? Is it because we are skeptical of how much God truly loves us? Do we think we know better how to solve this problem than Him?

Peter spends the entire book laying out proof upon proof that God can be trusted.

Trust Him because…

  • You are chosen (1 Peter 1:2)

  • He is the God of mercy which was proven to us when God raised Jesus from the dead. (1 Peter 1:3)

  • He purchased you with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18)

  • He looks beyond this present moment and sees your eternal life (1 Peter 1:23)

  • He values you as part of his temple. (1 Peter 2:5)

  • He cares more about you than you could ever possibly comprehend. (1 Peter 2:9)

  • He is your Maker and His ways never fail. (1 Peter 4:19)

  • He wants to take care of you. (1 Peter 5:7)

However, there is more. And this proof is not as cheerful and comforting.

  • Trust Him because Christ suffered (1 Peter 2:21)

Yikes. Peter, as well as Christ’s example, doesn’t comfort us with a formula about how to avoid suffering. It will happen. But we serve a fair and trustworthy judge.

Finally, the book of 1 Peter ends with hope and a promise.

"In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." 1 Peter 5:10

We worship a God that we can trust. We can trust that he has our back, that he values us, that he cares about us, and that his ways are far greater than this present moment of suffering.

He left His case in the hands of God who always judges fairly.