Honour Everyone
1 Peter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Intro
Intro
*Give brief recap of being away at Grand Beach last weekend/Dad’s fiancee*
Big thanks to Emery for preaching last weekend
I never heard a sermon that smelled so good (passing the sniff test)
Focused on 1 Peter 2:11-12, the latter of which says to “keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
TONS of false accusations levelled against the early church (undermine social and political structures, cannibalism, hedonism, etc.)
Based largely on ignorance of the teachings of a brand new sect of Judaism
Peter believes that the best way to put these (unsubstantiated) fears to rest is to live honorably
Don’t give any fuel to the fire; don’t try to explain something people won’t understand; live in a way that honours everyone
This, then, is his motivation for the passage in 1 Peter 2:13 - 3:7, specifically the key verses in 1 Peter 2:15-17 (read here)
The goal = honour everyone to refute false accusations and misunderstandings
The way = outline how different relationships in society now work in light of the fact that all are made free in Jesus Christ
Pray and then continue
Live as People Who Are Free
Live as People Who Are Free
The crazy fact of the Gospel is that Jesus sets people truly and completely free
Free from bondage to sin
Slaves to sin -> freedom to no longer sin or be under its control
Free from the broken systems of the world
Political power, social hierarchies, racism, sexism and slavery were all thrown aside by Jesus
Christian gatherings were the ONLY place you would find high-ranking officials on equal footing with women, slaves and other marginalized people
Which is one of the reasons why outsiders viewed Christians as socially disruptive
So how are Christians to utilize this newfound freedom in Christ? By turning around and serving God
Re-read 1 Peter 2:16.
First, this freedom is NOT to be used for covering up evil, or doing whatever we want
Any notion of Christian freedom being the autonomy to do what we want or desire is absolutely false and unbiblical
At its worst, we can use this sense of freedom to justify our own selfish (and sometimes evil) desires
Instead, the truest expression of Christian freedom is the opposite of autonomy: it is to willingly (freely) choose to obey God
“servants of God” (v. 16) = “slaves” of God
Whoa! That sounds different than how our culture defines freedom
Paul takes it one step further: Cf. Romans 6:17-18.
Slaves to sin -> freedom in Christ -> slaves to righteousness
While this is an extreme calling, using our freedom to choose devoted service to God is the most fulfilling way to live
This is what biblical freedom looks like, and it will satisfy like no other
One significant way that we use our freedom to serve God is by also serving others
Cf. Galatians 5:13-15.
When we are driven by using our freedom for our own gain and desires, it comes at the expense of others we are in relationship with
It’s not uncommon for the Gammarus duebeni shrimp to indulge in eating some of their young, but this goes into overdrive when they are infected by the Pleistophora mulleri parasite. The tiny parasite is only as large as a human red blood cell, but they can exist in the muscle fibre of their host in their millions, demanding more and more food to survive. This, in turn, makes the shrimp hungrier but less able to catch their traditional prey, turning their attention instead to their unsuspecting juveniles, which they gobble up quicker and in greater numbers than they would normally. (BBC Science Focus)
Conversely, when we serve God by serving others, it protects our relationships and community
And, according to Peter, it protects the reputation of the church as well
How are you utilizing the freedom found in Christ? To serve yourself, or to serve God and others?
Submit to the Government
Submit to the Government
If the goal is to utilize Christ-given freedom to honour all others, the way to that goal is to submit
This shows up in the remaining part of the passage: Peter’s household codes
What were these codes? Practical examples of how Christians can live in their existing relationships in a way that uses freedom to honor those around them
Must be set against the backdrop of the Roman social order (hierarchy and patriarchy)
Peter gives a “Jesus remix” to the entire situation (Rachel Held Evans)
Not designed to overthrow the social order but to instead live within the social order in a radically different way
Make the best of a broken system and reform it from the bottom up
To start, Peter declares to the persecuted church that they are to submit to governing authorities
Read 1 Peter 2:13-17.
This was ANYTHING but easy for Peter’s original audience
Current emperor = Nero = first to radically persecute Christians
The reason? God has instituted these human institutions to “punish those who do evil and praise those who do good”
Cf. Romans 13:1-2.
This also introduces a level of accountability
Most importantly, we aren’t called to submit to the government for the government’s sake, but “for the Lord’s sake”
As we seek to honour everyone through willing submission, our primary submission in EVERY instance is to God
Therefore, we know where our primary allegiance lies
So when submission to the government and submission to God come into conflict, we should always side with God
Remind of the complexity of decisions for churches during COVID
Submit to Others in Authority
Submit to Others in Authority
Peter shifts gears and calls servants to submit to their masters (even in their freedom)
Read 1 Peter 2:18-21.
“Servants” = “slaves”
Slaves in Roman times were much better off than some of our conceptions; still owned by someone else (need a middle term)
Didn’t Peter want to abolish slavery? Remember, his goal was for Christians to live freely in Christ in a radical way WITHIN the existing cultural system
Slaves were equals during worship gatherings
Christian ethics would drive emancipation in the future (redemptive arc)
Specifically, Peter calls servants to submit and serve well in difficult situations
What good is it when you suffer because you deserve it? It is a gracious thing to endure suffering unjustly
Peter goes on to point to Jesus as our prime example (more next week)
This is a dangerous teaching! Is Peter counselling those stuck in abusive and destructive situations to stay unsafe?
No! There may have been some slaves in AD 60 that could not change thier situation, only change the way they served, but we have much more freedom today. Get and stay safe.
This passage translates the best to employee/employer situations
NOT the exact same; but the principle works
How many have had a bad boss? Raise your hand
It can be difficult to submit to those in authority in your life “with all respect” when you believe they don’t deserve it
Share story of the 2 foremen
Submit in Marriage
Submit in Marriage
Read 1 Peter 3:1-7 and invite Pastor Earl to come and preach
“Likewise” ties in with other acts of submission; but remember, this is the “Jesus remix” on normal Roman social order
Paterfamilias = Everything ran through the husband/father/son
Stay in this structure, but live it radically different
Stay because it can help save the eternal lives of unbelieving husbands (those that do not obey the word)
When wives would live out true Christ-like freedom in their marriages, that got everyone’s attention (including husbands)
Peter focuses on inner beauty (hidden person of the heart) vs. outer beauty
Outer beauty is not bad, but it is not the true beauty that matters
“Gentle and quiet spirit” does NOT mean wives can’t be heard; it means to live peaceably in marriage
Peter also acknowledges Sarah as being an example of godly woman, adorning herself with true inner beauty and submitting to her husband
Husbands, sounds pretty good so far, right?
“Likewise” husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way
If the first “likewise” was about submission, the second one is too
Completely counter-cultural! Men would NEVER be addressed this way
Cf. Ephesians 5:25-28.
Paul takes this waaaay further! Now husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church
Complete self-sacrifice and… submission (just look at 1 Peter 21)
Biblical marriage is one of mutual submission (with role distinctions)
Submission to the Lord first, and then each other
Why should husbands do this? Because women are the “weaker vessel”
Only “weaker” because of the game stacked against them (not referring to inequality, physical strength, or emotional sensitivity)
Women were ENTIRELY dependant on men; they couldn’t look after themselves if they tried (biblical emphasis on widow care)
In fact, Peter drives equality home be declaring women to be “fellow hiers of the grace of life”
The last word goes to equality: Cf. Galatians 3:28-29.
When you place your faith in Jesus, you are free and equal. Doesn’t matter where you came from of what your race, gender, social status, gender orientation is. You are a co-heir with Christ
So use this freedom to serve God well by submitting to him and to those around you in government, authority and marriage
Pray