Placing Our Lives in His Hands

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

1 Peter 2:19–25 ESV

19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

This can be a difficult passage for us to contend with in our modern world. The idea of slavery is repugnant to us because of the terrible history that we have in the United States with slavery and the use of passages such as this to say that slavery was permitted in scripture. These characterizations of Peter’s words have left us void of truly understanding his intent. To do so, we need to back up a few verses. In verse 16, Peter says, “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” This understanding of the Christian living as a slave or servant to God is one of the primary ethics of the faith. It reminds us that our lives are not our own but God’s. We are to place our lives completely into his hands when we become followers of Jesus.

Peter writes to a group of churches called to persevere in faith while suffering persecution by giving themselves entirely to God. Therefore, the image of the slave or servant is an important metaphor for the Christian life and our ethical living. These newly baptized Christians will be called to live contrary to the rest of the world. There are examples in the history of slave revolts and assassinations of masters who are cruel. Peter encourages those in difficult situations to live under submission to a just or unjust master. Doing so shows others that in times of difficulty and hardship, our reliance is not on this world but on Christ.

1. We endure unjust treatment. (vs. 19-20)

Peter begins by telling his readers that when we receive unjust treatment from others, we must be mindful of God. He begins to talk about slaves but does so right after talking about the injustice rampant throughout the Roman Empire's governmental structures. The use of the image of a slave or servant in this context is not to show his agreement with such practices but to give a real-world example of how the Christian is to behave in times of persecution and injustice done against them. How one responds to the acts of injustice done against them for no reason is a testimony to the work of Christ in a person’s life.

‌Showing kindness and grace to others when others do not deserve it is a sign of Christian witness. If the Christian responds in kind - good for good, evil for evil - he becomes only a victim when treated unjustly. In anger and resentment, it would be easy for a slave to seek an opportunity to repay the evil done. By not responding in kind with evil, the Christian has broken the bondage of sinful anger by the power of the Spirit. He shows confidence in the justice of God rather than taking revenge for himself.

‌Peter is applying the teaching he heard from Jesus. Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 10:22, “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” When we are unthreatened by evil, we can overcome evil with good, and in times of suffering, we can show mercy to those who would show no mercy to us.

‌There is a call to live differently from the pagan ethics that pervade our society, where it is always about getting one up on others. That is our natural response to everything. Revenge and resentment. Even in our time and situation now, where we are on the other side of disaffiliation and in a new denomination, we can look at current happenings and wish ill will against the powers of the UMC. It is frustrating. And it makes me angry when I hear how those in the GMC are characterized and belittled. But to return that kind of rhetoric in kind does nothing but hurt me and you. It does nothing to what we left behind. It just creates bitterness and hostility within us. Are many being unjustly treated in this process? Absolutely. But you and I are not going to change that. God, in his sovereignty, is the only one that can do anything about it in terms of changing hearts and minds. Our responsibility is to live into our baptism and endure that which is unjust now because our endurance and kindness in the face of evil will be the light of Christ to the world.

2. Christ is our example. (vs. 21-23)

Peter begins verse 21 by declaring, “to this you were called.” What are we called to? We are called to suffering, to having injustice come our way, and to endure it all with patience even when we are persecuted for doing what is right. As he says earlier in this chapter, “We have been called out of darkness and into his marvelous light.” All Christians are called to suffer with Christ before they are glorified with him. Remember what Paul says in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

‌But suffering is not inevitable. We are not asked to face it with stoic resignation. A life of suffering is our calling, not our fate. It is our calling because we are God’s people. It is our calling because it was the calling of Christ. Jesus calls his disciples to follow him. Suffering can refine our faith. Sometimes suffering is the direct result of our sin. However, our example of suffering is the One who was completely innocent and free from sin. He suffered not for his sake but for God and to bring salvation to those that believe. When we follow Christ, suffering will come not because of our sins but because following him means we live differently than the rest of the world.

‌Christ has left us an example. He has given us a pattern that we are to trace. I am not an artist. I can’t draw a stick man with a dime and a ruler. I had friends who were great artists. One of my friends in high school is now a graphic artist and a comic book illustrator. I was envious of his abilities. I would try to emulate his art to learn how to draw. I would even trace it out after he had inked a drawing. But mine was never as good as his. It lacked precision and form. It was a scant copy of a great original.

‌We are not going to follow Christ perfectly in his steps. His ultimate goal was to die for the sins of the world. But Peter does give us ways to do so that can be summed up by walking in obedience to Christ. He gave us a life that can be traced by us, however imperfectly, with a heart that is given fully to him.

3. Placing our lives in his hands brings healing and life. (vs. 24-25)

Christ has accomplished our salvation through his atoning sacrifice on the cross. We are like lost sheep brought back to the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls. Jesus is not only the Good Shepherd who has given his life for his sheep. He is also the one who gathers the flock. He bore our sin for a purpose: “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” In this, Peter is speaking close to the language of Paul. One of the central doctrines of Paul is our union with Christ. We are united with him in his saving death. When he died to sin, so did we. When he rose, we rose with him. Now we are called to live in accordance with our new position.

‌Peter presents this doctrine through the Servant songs of Isaiah. In this passage, he uses Isaiah 53, the passage of the Suffering Servant, as an example of how Christ has identified with us and become our representative. We have ceased sin in Christ’s suffering and death for us, and now we are called to live for God. He has healed us from the brokenness related to sin and restored us through the work of the cross.

‌By his atoning death, Christ has set a claim on us. Peter uses Isaiah 53:6 to illustrate this point, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” We may try to escape suffering or be safe by following the world’s ways so that others do not look at us differently. It is easy for us to fall back into a life pattern modeled after our desires rather than the desires of God. When quoting from this passage, Peter remembered well the time in the Garden of Gethsemane when all the disciples scattered and ran from Jesus to save themselves when the soldiers moved in to arrest him. It would be easy for us to do the same. But Christ has called us back to himself through his atoning sacrifice on the cross. He has called us to live a life of righteousness through the example that he set. He has healed us of sin and brokenness so our lives can be right with him.

‌This passage reminds us that God’s kingdom, the slave is made a priest and that Jesus is Lord. We are a slave to God and are called to live for him and walk in the example of Christ so that even in suffering, Christ is glorified through us.