Third Sunday of Easter (2025)

1 Peter 2:21-25

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

My Brothers and sisters in Christ, what a great and glorious set of passages this morning as we meditate upon Christ who is our shepherd, that has cared for us and kept us safe from all the assaults of Satan that we might belong to Him and have a place in His Kingdom. That as those who belong to the Flock of God might learn to imitate Him. For we belong to Christ and He has called His own, and we wish to remain close to Him in the midst of any affliction or trial. So let us see what the Scriptures have to each us in 1 Peter 2:21-25

Straying Like Sheep

We don’t naturally love God.

Now this may sound striking for who wouldn’t naturally love God who has given us life, breath, our reason, and all our senses and still takes care of them. We learn from the Scriptures of all the great and mighty works, but

If we did, we would keep His Word.

For that is what matters to the Lord, that we abide by His Word, and there is little challenge with that so long as you read only the passages you like, but when you consider all of Holy Scripture you realize there are parts that convict us of our sinfulness.

We’ve all wandered.

For when the Law of God demands and requires that we love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our strength. That we are to love God more than money, more than our families, more than our friends, more than even our own earthly life. We are to abide by it faithfully.

The Law Doesn’t Empower Us

We’ve been called, but we lack strength.

This is one of the great struggles with the Law. People believe that God would never give a commandment that they couldn’t fulfill. They hope that by the Law they might become perfect, that they might free themselves from sin, by withdrawing from the world and living in a monastery, or like the pietists of the 1800s and today who think that if they try hard enough they can remove all sin from their life. This is not the purpose of the Law.

The Law reveals sin.

Romans tells us this in Romans 3:20 “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” The Work of the Law was not that we might become righteous, but rather that we might realize as we struggle with the law attempting to be good, that there is nothing good inside of us, that we are sinners.

It’s why every mouth is stopped.

For before the throne of God, the Law reveals the terrifying truth. That all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, which means we are deserving of God’s wrath and judgment. The Law is preached with a purpose, that we might learn to not rely upon our works, or our righteousness, but rather that we might learn to rely upon Jesus.

Our Shepherd and Overseer

Jesus came to seek us.

The pharisees condemned Jesus for eating with sinners and tax collectors, and Jesus doesn’t say, "I do not wish to have sinners but only righteous people about me!" No, He confirms the pharisees statements by saying, "Yes, I want sinners about Me," and then goes on to prove His point by telling the parable of the lost sheep. The shepherd picks up the lost sheep, even though it is bloody and bruised. He places it on his shoulder and, rejoicing, carries it to the sheepfold. That’s why

Jesus fulfilled the Law for you.

You couldn’t do it, you were bent down under the power of sin, lost in the kingdom of Satan, and knowing a terrible day of wrath was coming, but then your Good Shepherd came and said, Fear not little lamb, I will suffer for you that you might make it home safely.

Jesus trusted the Father.

Even though it was the will of the Father to punish Jesus for our sins, and lay on Him the iniquity of us all, but Christ loved God when you could not so that your sins might be forgiven and that where your works fell short and incomplete, Jesus was able to say it is finished, and he finished it for you.

Why Endure Unjust Suffering?

This passage is addressed to slaves.

Slaves throughout history have been mistreated, and aren’t considered people, but property and as Christians we know that this isn’t how we should regard anyone who is made in God’s image, but it is the reality of the world. But you might wonder.

How can that mean me?

I’ve never been a slave to anyone! Well except when you were a child, that’s why parents have kids, cheap labor. Whoever sins is a slave to sin, and after our redemption we aren’t free to do whatever we want, but rather we are now children of God who desire to do the will of our Father. Well what does that look like? We look at Jesus Christ our Savior, who redeemed us, who loved us, and we see what Jesus endured.

Jesus suffered unjustly for you.

If the Son of God could suffer on account of my sins? On account of my horrible failings, why am I unable to suffer a bit for the sake of my neighbor? To suffer on account of our sibling, our children, our parents, our friends, or our fellow christians? If this is what the Son of God was willing to suffer the wrath of God the father against sin, why can I not bear a bit of discomfort for the sake of my neighbor. So if we are reviled, if we suffer, or whatever, we can entrust ourselves to God who judges justly and will repay the wicked for their deeds far better than you or I can in this life. Where do we find the strength?

The Gospel Empowers Us

Jesus forgave you.

It is the Gospel that brings us to life through the Forgiveness of Sins and the world message that God loves you and that is why the Father sent His Son who has rescued you from sins and wiped away your debt. Whereas we were before dead in our trespasses and sins,

We have been healed by Him.

and brought to life by His wounds, and we receive the fruit of those wounds today at the altar. We are no longer lost or wayward sheep, but we have been restored just Peter was after he strayed. There is forgiveness no matter how grievous our sins might be, but let us not remain in them, but rather may

We share Jesus’ love with others.

For the world is filled with darkness, with shame, with guilt, and often due to the fact that we know the law and are lying to ourselves about what’s right and wrong. Sin warps us to bring us down to eternal death. Christ died for them too, let us share with them the good news in the hopes that they too can find healing in the wounds of Jesus.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Peter himself knew the importance of forgiveness and restoration, for as one of the sheep of Christ, he had fallen grievously, but Jesus restored Him and entrusted Peter with feeding and tending the flock. We are all sinners who are in need of salvation and the healing that comes through Christ’s sacrifice. May we never flee from the voice of our shepherd, but gather around and ever hear the voice of Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.