Citizens and Servants

Introduction

ILLUST - Corrie ten Boom - how would I respond? Would I have hidden Jews? How do we live honorably in the world and faithfully to God’s kingdom?

How should we view our government?

Last week:

We, as aliens, are to live differently. We form a different kind of people

1 Peter 2:11–12 (ESV)

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 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.

Although “aliens” of another kingdom, Peter reminds believers they are still citizens of earth.

This week: Peter will show us how this plays out - how we will be both exiles and honorable and the key is found in the central and key idea: submission.

Peter will show us how to live as:

Citizens = society as a whole

Servants = society in particular

With a submissive heart we stand for God.

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution,

Submit to the government for God’s glory.

“Be subject” = submit

not simply “show deference” or “respect”

Luke 10:17 (ESV)

17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

1 Corinthians 15:27 (ESV)

27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.

Peter says to submit to whom?

“Every human institution”

Literally institution = creature

cannot mean submit to everyone

context indicates human authority especially governmental authority.

whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him

Pater may have used “creature” as a slight directed toward the Roman (and other) emperors and kings of Peter’s day - to remind his readers that they are merely a human authority.

Two reasons why we should submit to government authority:

God instituted government to curb the evil and administer justice in the world.

1 Peter 2:13–14 (ESV)

whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

Romans 13:1 (ESV)

1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.

God not only institutes government as a whole but he is involved in overseeing government officials:

Daniel 2:21 (ESV)

21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;

(again this is the default position, not the special scenario)

Peter is not saying that every government will curb evil and administer justice

2. Obeying the government is God’s will to enhance your witness

Jeremiah 29:7 (ESV)

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

His point was that the good behavior of Christians will minimize slanderous attacks on believers, revealing that charges of moral debilitation have no basis

— Tom Schreiner

Matthew 22:15–22 (ESV)

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. 16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone’s opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” 21 They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.

Politics is neither separate from your faith nor is it married to it.

no president is our savior - only Jesus is.

no political party is Christian

Stand with your voice and vote even as you submit with your heart.

We are to submit “For the Lord’s sake” (because of the Lord)

In doing so we ultimately obey God and display Jesus

Excursus: Submission is not a bad word.

We tend to struggle with the idea of submission for a few reasons:

Rebellion is the default position of the human heart

We are all sons of Adam and have inherited his sin nature which is

America is a country of rebels

Our culture is a culture of “rights”

Modern Western culture idolizes self autonomy

de Cartes

postmodernism

critical theory

For some, the issue of submitting to earthly authorities is because of an issue with submitting to ANY authority.

While rebellion is the default position of the human heart, submission is the default posture of the Christian life.

The only way to come to Jesus is to submit your rebellious heart to his authority

- God will demand more of you than any government

When a cat’s fur is being rubbed the wrong way. Either you can stop it, or you can turn the cat around. When the word of God rubs you the wrong way, you should not avoid it, but turn the cat around!

Greear, J. D. 2017. “The Mysterious Witness of Submission and Suffering: 1 Peter 2; 3.” In J. D. Greear Sermon Archive, 1 Pe 2–3. Durham, NC: The Summit Church.

6 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

We are free from a rebellion-bent heart

We are to submit to governing authority while remembering we are servants of God.

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Center is chiastic?

Honor everyone

Same honor as the emperor

everyone deserves honor because they are made in God’s image

We don’t honor people with more power, money, etc.

Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect whether you agree with them or not - Whether they are a sinner or not.

Honor the emperor

Respect the office even if you don’t respect the person

Respect the emperor, but. . .

Fear God

while we are called to honor the emperor, it is God who is our final authority.

We don’t fear man, we fear God.

Acts 5:27–29 (ESV)

27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.

Love the brotherhood

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.

Serve well even if you suffer.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

Referring to household slaves

show them respect even if they don’t deserve it.

How do you respond to your boss?

With a servant’s heart? Do you act, think, and speak about your boss with respect?

But you don’t know my boss.

I don’t need to.

19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

Have you ever prayed for your boss?

Have you ever thought God has placed your boss where he/she is and you where you are for his glory?

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

You do what you do mindful of God not mindful of your boss.

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.

At work, do you have a heart of rebellion or a posture of submission?

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.

You have been called to a submissive heart.

Christ followers follow Christ’s example

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.

v22 = Is. 53:9

v23 = Is. 53:7

v24a = Is. 53:4

v24b = Is. 53:5

v25 = Is. 53:6

Jesus had every “right” to assert his authority over us. For the sake of God’s will and God’s glory he willfully submitted to earthly authorities (parents, boss?, religious authorities, government).

Philippians 2:6–8 (ESV)

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus had ultimate trust in God.

Jesus had sacrificial love for others.

Jesus used his freedom to set others free.

at a cost

Fear God First

Submit to authority

Serve for God’s glory

Is your heart willfully submitting to those whom God has placed in authority over you?

Or does your rebellious heart toward earthly authority indicate a rebellious heart toward God?