Fourth Sunday of Easter (2024)

1 Peter 2:11-20

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we have from Peter’s epistle, his encouragement to Christians who are still living in the world, and in his case a world that is quite hostile to Christianity. The faith is still illegal and Christians are persecuted by both the Pharisees and those Jews who reject Jesus as the promised Messiah. They are also under persecution from the Roman empire for they reject the idolatry that the Romans glorify. They have been suffering for their faith, and Peter writes to encourage them.

God’s Chosen People

The Bible says,

We are a chosen race,

This has to do with our election, that God is one who chose us from before the foundation of the world to be his people. For a long time the Israelites thought this only meant them, but as you read the Old and New Testament God continues to point also to the gentiles. That he will call people from all the nations, meaning the peoples. More than that we are also

Royal priesthood, a holy nation,

The priesthood was a life of sacrifice and service to God, but we are royal for we are in service to the King of kings and Lord of Lords, we are also a holy nation, even though we came from all different tribes and languages and peoples, the church is united as nation that is set apart, as the Scriptures say

A people for his own possession.

Not that we might own ourselves, but rather that we belong to Christ who came into this world to save us, who is our shepherd as we heard in Ezekiel, for God

God called us out of darkness.

and into the marvelous light of his son that we might live forever in his kingdom. This is all contained in the few verses before our text begins, but it’s important before we get into the next section which has to do with the life of Christians. For that is why the Bible calls us,

Sojourners and Exiles

We are not yet home.

We belong to Christ’s kingdom, and yet here we are still on earth waiting for the coming of Christ’s eternal kingdom. But right now we dwell here and await the day that CHrist comes in all glory power and might.

Like the ancient Israel, we are in foreign lands.

We are waiting to see the promised land, since the day we were baptized we began the journey that would hopefully bring us home, but we have to be careful of the dangers on the road.

We are called to abstain from passions of the flesh.

This is difficult, no one makes the claim that this is easy or simple to reject sin especially when we live in a world that does not encourage us to abide by God’s Words, but to chase after our own desire.

Rather we are called to be honorable.

To abide by God’s Word, to love His Word, and listen to his Word instead of following own hearts, which are the desires of the flesh.

Desires of the Flesh

The flesh is the old adam inside us.

The Christian will begin to find that there are two wills at war within, one that sees the Law of God as Good, and says yes, that is what I want to do, but at the same time find within another will that wants to remain as we were and do what is easier, more enjoyable, it reminds you of the good times, but not the morning after.

We are not to indulge evil.

We aren’t to make room for it, but rather flee from it when it comes our way. We think what could a little evil do to me. Well

What happened in the wilderness?

Out of the Israelites who walked through the red sea, and the ate the manna, all those over the age of 20, perished in the wilderness never making it to the promised land because they did evil.

Why did they lose Jerusalem?

Because even though they had the temple, and the line of david, they abandoned the word of God and ended up forsaking the word of god for the pleasures of this world.

Christ Set Us Free

Jesus set us free from sin.

From its power and its hold and it does not have the ability to harm us in the end. For the sting of death is sin, and Jesus took the sting of death for us, that sin might no longer have power over us in the last and be in its kingdom.

Jesus also set us free from this world.

For this world was under the same curse that we were and was being brought to an end. If we remain bound to this world and its course, that is our destruction. But Christ set us free from its path into dissolution, and instead us bound us to the new heavens and the new earth.

We aren’t mean to stay.

This is important thing to understand how we are to live here on earth while we await the day when we enter into Christ’s Kingdom. We weren’t meant to hold on to any of the things that are here. They don’t last, even this flesh, will be raised, but will be raised without corruption of sin. Since we have been set free from sin, we are now instead

Slaves of God

We don’t like that word, but what does it mean?

We belong to God, we are a people for his own possession. A royal priesthood, a chosen nation, we no longer belong to the world from which we have been set free, but we now belong to God.

Jesus purchased and won us.

For all sin, death, and the power of the devil not with gold or silver, but with his holy and precious blood, his innocent suffering and death. That we may be his own, He didn’t set us free and then just say, eh whatever, go do what you want. He has a purpose for you here.

God placed you here to serve others.

That is what Peter is talking about in our text, each of us is here with the purpose of serving our neighbor. To show them the same love that God has given us, and he talks here about Governors and Masters, who would that be for us today? Government, and Bosses. In the very next chapter talks about Husbands and wives as well.

What about when they wrong me.

Does them wronging you change what the right thing to do is? No what is right and true remains. Let the fault and failing be with them, not with you. Them wronging you doesn’t give you the right to abandon your responsibilities. Should they punish you for doing what is right, then don’t worry, for Christ suffered for you, and left you an example to follow. When you endure it is to your credit, and gracious thing in the sight of God. Should you suffer for doing wrong, that is to your shame not theirs, for then they are doing what is right. But we are called to

A Life of Service

We are therefore stewards.

This is an important role in the world. God has a place in mind for us to serve. Many thought that we had to withdraw from the world in order to serve God, or it could only be done in the church, or spend their life searching for their best possible purpose. Never realizing that where you are at is where God intends you to help. At times it seems to ordinary, but it is important.

We are given gifts for a time.

Be it the number of our days, the abilities that we have, and even the money that God has given to us. We are meant to use it all in service to our neighbor, this is where the world goes astray.

James says, that we ask wrongly.

And that is why we don’t have, because intend to spend it on ourselves. Trying to amass treasures that would bind our hearts to this world. Instead of making right use of them for our neighbor. We can’t take any of this with us, so make right use of it to help others.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ this is of course easy to say, but harder to do in this world. For we are of the flesh, and the things of the flesh want to bind us to this world, but Jesus set you free. So make use of this world as sojourners and travelers who will be here for a time. Then it is easier to be generous and helpful even when people wrong us. For Christ showed us grace and mercy while we were yet still sinners. So honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God, and honor your leaders. In Jesus name. Amen.