Righteous Suffering

1 Peter 2:18-25.

What are ways that we can suffer today? (others make us suffer)

Bible tells us suffering is not a bad thing; may not be ideal in the moment, but eternally it is good.

James 1:2–4 “2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

Peter ties in our relationship to Jesus with suffering

1 Peter 2:18 “18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.”

Servants refers to household slaves; this is not an affirmation of slavery; Peter is putting a regulation on a societal norm

Peter giving a household code; household codes would only address the masters, not servants; Peter is elevating a slave to be of equal value as the master

Christianity has always put people on a equal playing field; no one is greater than the other; book of Philemon is about a master welcoming back in a slave as an equal; Galatians 3:28 “28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

We do not fit into a modern construct of slavery today, but we are all servants

Where are places that you would be considered a servant?

We are to serve our masters (boss, parents) with all respect. The word respect comes from the word which we get the english word “phobia”

Good and gentle but also the unjust; character of master does not determine whether we serve them with respect; Why?

1 Peter 2:19 “19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.”

get even mentality; verses like this make us uncomfortable; to be like Christ, we must do this

Luke 6:32–33 “32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.”

1 Peter 2:20 “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.”

Patience, endurance, perseverance; not giving up

1 Peter 2:21 “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; a calling is not optional but it is mandatory; failure to heed a calling is disobedience

Why? Because Jesus suffered for you. He was our example. We are to follow in his steps.

Have you suffered because of your faith like Jesus suffered? No

But we are to be like Christ; learning to write the alphabet by tracing; We trace the steps of Jesus

Mark 8:34 “34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” ; Christ being our example, we are to take up our cross

How did Jesus suffer

1 Peter 2:22–23 “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.”

Christ our example; do the things he does, don’t do the things he doesn’t

What are some things that Jesus does that are easy for us to do? What are some things that are hard for us to do?

verse 24, Peter justifies Jesus to the believer

1 Peter 2:24 “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.”

Why did he die? He paid the penalty for our sins; we have forgiveness; strive for righteousness

How would you define righteousness?

He died so that we would be healed. Spiritually. Why did he do this for us

1 Peter 2:25 “25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

example of sheep

Shepherd not only protect sheep, but it is their duty to keep the sheep together in a herd

We have been promised that the children of God would be regathered by a faithful shepherd that would feed them and shepherd them. Who is this shepherd? Jesus

refelctions

1. If you never suffer as a Christian, what might that say about your Christianity?

2. How does this passage help you to prefer Christ over comfort?