Heirs of the Grace of Life
Notes
Transcript
Scripture Intro:
Scripture Intro:
Scripture Reading (“Please stand…”)
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Pray...
Intro:
Intro:
This entire section of 1 Peter relates to subjection of oneself...
to someone over you.
The People with their Government
Servants with their Masters
(v. 13) “Be subject for the Lord’s sake...”
(v. 18) “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect”
This section helps us get to Peter main point for this section.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
Be subject to the UNJUST authority (masters)
Same can be said of emperors and governors.
Be subject to the just and the unjust governments.
Reminding us that we are “sojourners and exiles”.
This world (as it is now - rebellion against God)...
will never meet our needs and satisfy our hearts.
We are exiles.
We are sojourners.
We must never forget that.
Remember Jesus...
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.
God’s Value of Men and Women
God’s Value of Men and Women
If you examine ancient culture,
the two of specific groups of people that are addressed in this section
had very little social credibility and power.
Servants and Wives
Please hear me very clearly...
Both of these groups of people have equal value
in this world and in God’s creation.
However, in that time of history,
Servants and Women (specifically wives) did not have as many rights.
Not did they have status in that culture.
This was a breach of the social order
And yet, Peter addresses them here.
Simply by writing directly to them,
Peter elevates their value and worth.
They are worth addressing.
They are people who live for the glory of God in this world.
Where else in this passage...
do we see the value of men and women?
“honor”
1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman...
“Heirs Together”
1 Peter 3:7 (ESV)
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives… since they are heirs with you of the grace of life..
We’ll come back to this point,
but for our initial look at this passage,
it conveys that men and women (husbands and wives)...
have equal footing in their salvation, their inheritance,
and their belonging to God.
God’s Design of Uniqueness within Mankind
God’s Design of Uniqueness within Mankind
How We are Made
How We are Made
Distinctiveness.
Equal in Value and Worth
Yet, distinct in our design.
God made it that way.
The Scriptures are very clear that male and female are quite distinct.
Obviously, physically.
(v. 7) “showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel”
First off, both husbands and wives are “vessels”
so don’t get turned off by that word.
“weaker”
That’s the word that needs some special focus.
There are two senses where we don’t over read this phrase.
Privilege in society
Physically
There is a general truth that husbands are physically stronger than their wives.
Of course, this is not always the case,
but generally true.
As such, husbands “may be tempted to threaten their wives through physical or verbal abuse.”
God is saying through this passage...
May that never be.
Physical strength that is given by God
ought never be used to intimidate or abuse,
especially a husband to a wife.
Ex. Culture.
Our culture has a ton to say about...
Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation.
Gender Unicorn
I was first sown this in 2016...
and a lot has changed in the cultural discussion in 8 years.
Genderbread Person (version 4)
Zoom in...
Genderbread (top half)
Genderbread (bottom half)
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Anatomical Sex
Sex Assigned at Birth
Sexually Attracted to:
Romantically Attracted to:
Notice that all of these are sliding scales.
From Null on the left....
to Full Expression on the right.
Scale of how much of each of these things is possible.
The only thing that is a checkbox (“Sex Assigned at Birth”)
Our culture says (from the middle of this graphic)...
“Identity DOES NOT EQUAL Expression DOES NOT EQUAL Sex...
DOES NOT EQUAL Gender DOES NOT EQUAL Sexual Orientation”
That’s what culture says...
What does God say?
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
God designed male and female.
Any design is intentional, intricate, purposeful, beautiful...
something to be celebrated and enjoyed.
God’s design gives us the freedom to recognize differences between men and women.
It’s not something to hide from.
Not something to diminish.
It’s something to see as God’s design for this world.
App. In this cultural climate,
this is something God’s people need to know and be confident in.
God’s design physically...
is consistent with God’s design of human beings...
sexually and gender and relationally.
The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.
Not find a “helper”
“fit for him”
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 2
The term does not imply that the helper is either stronger or weaker than the one helped. “Fit for him” or “matching him” (cf. ESV footnote) is not the same as “like him”
Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
Man and woman are designed by God...
to be fit for each other.
To unite as one.
How We Relate
How We Relate
In Relationship
Back to 1 Peter
Wives
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
Our culture says “NO!!!”
God says, there is a beautiful design in how men and women relate.
Actually, this is pointing to wives and their “own husbands”
Not all men… their own husbands.
That there is a design of relationship in marriages and in the home.
The headship of men for their families.
The radical part of this in that day...
"their subordination is revolutionary in that they are subordinate
not out of fear or desire for social position or other human advantage
but out of obedience to Christ,
who treats them as full persons
and allows them to rise above the threats and fears of this age”
Husbands
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
“Understanding way”
According to knowledge
Men, you must become students and thinkers in your marriage
“showing honor to the woman”
Men, it’s hard enough for a wife to heed the call of God in the relationship of marriage.
Your call before God is to NOT make it even more difficult.
I know of some men that make the call of God to the wife...
nearly impossible for them.
Ex. Women were not held in high regard in the 1st century.
They were misused, abused, cast off, degraded.
Christianity comes along and gives honor to women.
Notice the Gospels and how important women are in the life of Jesus.
Christianity was the most “pro-woman” worldview.
Today, it is seen as oppressive.
For the original audience, this was shocking and liberating for women.
“so that your prayer may not be hindered”
If you won't listen to your wife, don't expect God to listen to your prayers.
Wayne Grudem,
“no husband may expect an effective prayer life unless he lives with his wife ‘in an understanding way, bestowing honour’ on her.”
The Purpose of How Wives Live
Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
“be subject”
“they may be won”
“if some (husbands) do not obey the word...
they may be won without a word.”
How? “by the conduct of their wives”
“respectful and pure conduct”
Respectful - “in fear”
Just like 1 Peter 1:17
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
“in fear” OF THE LORD...
not if fear of your husband.
seen v unseen
Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—
Not an exhaustive prohibition.
Adorning “not be external”
“braiding hair”
“gold jewlery”
“clothing”
Obviously, Peter is not prohibiting the use of clothing.
He is speaking else than the complete prohibition...
it is the seeking of value through external adorning.
App. Why do you wear what you wear?
Why do you adorn yourself externally?
Instead, (v. 4)
but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
Internal
Gentle, quiet spirit (way of carrying yourself)
Imperishable (unfading)...
Lasting, not fleeting
Seen/Unseen...
Wives - adorn yourself with what is unseen (internal heart)
rather than outward appearance which is seen.
As you do this,
It is "in God's sight"...
and he thinks the internal gentle and quiet spirit is precious.
Goppelt remarks,
“‘The hidden person’ is not the inner side of the person, but the whole human being as it is determined from within.” (Goppelt)
(v. 5-6) Holy women of the past.
Sarah living in respectful following of Abraham.
Calling him “lord” (not her god),
but a term of rs
God’s Future for All of His People
God’s Future for All of His People
“heirs together”
Heirs together.
Men and women have equal share in the inheritance of the Gospel.
Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Close in Prayer
Close in Prayer
Closing Song:
Closing Song:
“Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery”
Look to Christ, who condescended
Took on flesh to ransom us.
Christ the Lord upon the tree
In the stead of ruined sinners
Hangs the Lamb in victory
Benediction:
Benediction:
