1 Peter 2:13-25

1 Peter 2:11-12

Begin again with verse 12 because it connects the who we are, “living stones in God’s new temple, the church,

a people who are aligned individually and collectively with the cornerstone, Jesus”

All who are in Christ are living stones, are called to unity in line with Jesus, but we’re not uniform

individual stones in a stone building are not all the exact same size, color, shape, or function

Likewise, the church, the collective people of God, are gifted with various spiritual gifts, with different functions, and unique ministry callings

But all are given by God, just as He intends, for strengthening and building up the church and for witness and mission to the lost and dying world around us

We each individually and collectively display His glory, His goodness, and what He’s like by using our diversity of gifts and functions

yet still remaining unified, in line with Jesus through His Word and by His Spirit

And this is most often accomplished by walking in good works

Ephesians 2:10 READ

As God’s workmanship, His handiwork, His masterpiece if you will

We’ve been created, reborn, made new IN CHRIST

WHY??? God’s glory displayed in and through us

BY WALKING IN THE GOOD WORKS which God prepared in advance for us to walk in

But please look at the order of the sequence for just a moment:

made new, born again COMES FIRST

THEN, as a result, good works always follow

NOT good works and then as a result born again

God’s workmanship: have you ever seen a mosaic before?

a whole bunch of little pieces of different size, shape, and color all brought together (unity) and positioned appropriately (function) to bring about a beautiful piece of art (purpose)?

(SHOW JESUS MOSAIC)

When we are united and using our gifts and functions and walking in good works for God’s glory

We, the church, like this mosaic stained glass, will be displaying to the world the beauty of Jesus’ character

They’ll see Jesus in and through us, the church

*As the church, our good works, our lives, our conduct matters…can’t be overstated

1 Peter 2:11-12 READ

abstain from evil desires, from temptation

conduct yourselves honorably among unbelievers

so even WHEN they accuse you of evil, they will SEE your GOOD WORKS and glorify God on the day He visits

that they might turn to Jesus in repentance and faith through the witness of Jesus’ followers

through the words and actions of the church

But living this way requires full surrender to God

Luke 9:23 READ

When you come to God through faith in Jesus, you’re not just surrendering to Him as Savior, you’re surrendering to Him as Lord also

And you’re not just surrendering to Him as Lord, but Savior also

Just as you couldn’t say to me, I invite you into my house as Rob, but not as Augustin.

Well there’s a problem.

You can’t separate the two. You invite me as Rob Augustin or not at all because you’re trying to make a distinction where there is no distinction

We struggle with surrender as sinful humans, as Americans, as southerners

(and may I remind you, I’m speaking to you, this morning, as a sinner saved by grace, an American, and southerner)

meaning, I don’t say this from a high horse or as someone who doesn’t relate

But I share the truth in love all the same

Every believer who has ever and will ever walk this earth lives in a culture, including us today

But our identity as citizens of heaven supersedes our culture, our citizenship in our earthly country

meaning, we’re to be brought into line with Jesus, to be shaped by Jesus, to be shaped by God’s word

NOT the culture we live in

But we struggle with surrender

And when we get down to it…the reason why is because of sin

our own sin-because we think we know what is best for us

when in reality God is the One, the only One, who is all-wise and who loves us more than we love ourselves

And we struggle with surrender because of the sin of others

meaning, others have broken our trust at various points in life

but God will never fail us…hope in Him will never put us to shame (1 Peter 2:6)

But surrender in the life of a believer begins at the foot of the cross and the empty tomb

Where the all-wise, all-knowing, God displayed His wisdom, love, mercy and grace by not withholding even His own Son to rescue sinners

The One True God, who loves you more than you love yourself

THIS, is who you are surrendering to and trusting in first and foremost

It’s HIM you are obeying first and foremost

Because all authority has been given to Jesus in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18)

And bringing our lives more and more in line with the Cornerstone means obeying His word, applying His instructions to His people, the church, in Scripture (not to earn our way in but because we’re in through faith in Jesus)

So with all this in mind, let’s look at today’s text in 1 Peter 2 beginning in verse 13 & receive this instruction from God’s word, joyfully

Verse 13-We submit, we surrender willingly as unto the Lord, meaning that our surrender to God’s instructions is first and foremost a submission to Him

our surrender is bringing our mind, our desires, our will into line with Him and His word

But here in verse 13, God is instructing us, as His people, to submit also to every human authority placed over us

And WHY??? would be the question many of us are asking at this point?

the answer is found in verse 13 also, “because of the Lord”

because He instructs us to do so, for His sake, for His glory

which is our purpose as His people, to glorify Him, to point to Him with our whole lives as living stones as living sacrifices

God is up to something good in our submitting to every human authority He has placed over us

How can you be sure? Romans 8:28

this is one of those “all things” in the life of the Christian

His glory, our ETERNAL GOOD, living in light of eternity and that day when Jesus returns for His bride, the church!

He sanctifies, makes us more like Jesus through this surrender

Verses 13-14 specifically mentions two authorities:

1) the emperor

2) the governors

Here we have to stop for a moment and remember to whom this letter was originally written:

Believers scattered throughout 5 Roman provinces

So as far as earthly authorities are concerned, as roman citizens, , the emperor of Rome and the governors of their Roman province were their supreme authorities

None higher

So you can see and maybe even feel the tension already here in the life of believers then and us now

Because in both chapters 1 and 2 of 1 Peter, believers have been called to be strangers, exiles

meaning, our ultimate citizenship is in HEAVEN, not an earthly kingdom, but a heavenly one! In God’s coming kingdom

Not in Rome for them or the U.S. for us or whatever country for believers all around the globe

But in these two verses today, we see that AS citizens of heaven, out of our willing submission to Jesus, we follow HIM, by obeying His word to submit to earthly authorities placed over us

and boy o boy does this require trust…I get it!

but not in the earthly authorities…rather ultimately trust in God

Might be thinking, Rob, I have some real issues with this

it’s good to ask questions, but I’d remind you, if we have issue with God’s word rightly interpreted, the issue is never with His word, but rather with us

His word isn’t wrong…we are

The truth of His word changes us…we don’t change the truth of His word

His word is not like a buffet in which we choose what we like and ignore what we don’t

We’re given some additional light on what it looks like to submit to earthly authority as citizens of God’s kingdom by the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:1-2

There is no authority except from God, and authorities that exist are instituted by God

The one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command and will bring judgement on themselves (not eternal judgement but discipline???)

But Paul also mentions what the role of the authorities as far as the government is concerned is to be in Romans 13:4

Government’s overarching purpose is order

Earthly governments are given “the sword”

meaning-God’s purpose in government authorities is for punishing bad conduct and approving good

we see this in 1 Peter 2:14-those sent out by Him to “punish those who do what is evil and praise those who do what is good.”

so our call is to be good citizens in our earthly country and culture

to obey the laws of the land, so far as they don’t conflict the laws of God’s kingdom

Not looking to earthly authorities or rulers for matters of faith and practice because God is our ultimate authority

But you don’t know what our authorities are like!

Look at our past ones. Or look at our present ones.

1 Peter and Romans are NOT saying that God approves of or is pleased with everything our earthly authorities do

Not saying that the authorities are godly or Christ-like

Who was emperor in Rome at this time??? (NERO????)

governors of the provinces weren’t supporting Christianity, at best it was tolerated

Verse 15 Read

God’s will in His people, in you, submitting to authority, is sanctifying, yes, but it’s also missional

meaning-He uses our obedience to show Himself to the world and to point others to the truth of who He is and what He’s done

It points the lost world to His coming eternal kingdom

It silences foolish people, the unbelievers, referenced as Gentiles in verse 12

And we see HOW this takes place in Verse 15

“By doing good”

Sounds a lot like verse 12

in the grace of God, they will SEE your doing good and it may silence the ignorance of foolish people

Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, “There’s no God.” They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good.”

1 Corinthians 1:18,  “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God to us who are being saved.”

Already seen “doing good” listed 3 times in 4 verses this morning

that should get our attention as to the importance of the way we’re called to live as God’s people and why

In Verse 16 Christians are called to willingly submit as slaves of God

and what is being said here, is that because of their freedom in Christ, they should willingly and gladly obey God

and not use their freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (VERSE)???

we WANT to serve God

we WANT to be His

Because we’ve lived apart from Him and His Lordship and we don’t want that anymore

slaves to God, not under compulsion verse ???

He’s a good Master, better yet, a good Father!

And in obedience to Him VERSE 17 READ

Fear God, be in awe of Him and live in light of Who He is. Honor Him above everyone else

And as a result, love your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ

show honor to the emperor as good citizens

honor everyone as unto the Lord

Then beginning in verse 18, Peter moves from addressing believers as willing slaves of Christ to addressing believers who are actual slaves

As mentioned a few weeks ago, there were approximately 60 million slaves in the 1st Century Roman Empire

many of whom turned in faith to Jesus as Savior and Lord

so beginning