1 Peter 2:18-25 - Work Unto the Lord

Introduction

Do you know that some Christians in America today are buying up big plots of land in rural areas so that they can develop Christianized communities. One group doing this says, “We develop and sell communities in rural clusters around small towns… pioneering a new model for local life in America… We select our locations based on natural beauty, affordability, politics and local culture.”

They avoid language that might sound like they are discriminating on the basis of religion, but the sort of “trust” and “community values” they articulate are drawn directly from the Protestant Christian perspective that was so prevalent during the founding of America.

I’m not sure exactly what I think about efforts like this, but one thing is for sure: these Christians are taking Christian living seriously, and they are pressing their Christianity into all of life. They are not segmenting off their work or their finances or their family life or their politics from their Christianity.

You or I may or may not agree with their methods, but we ought to observe and learn from their underlying conviction that Christianity is not something we do only on Sundays, only in our homes, or only in our small friend-groups.

For most of Christian history, everyday believers knew that Christian doctrines and ethics were to shape every aspect of their lives – including their career path, their work-ethic, and their financial priorities.

Today we are continuing our study of Peter’s first letter to Christians scattered about in the ancient Roman empire. Peter has reminded them of the salvation God has provided, Peter has commanded them to live honorably as strangers in the world, and Peter has begun applying that overarching command to various relationships.

Today, our passage is largely emphasizing the Christian perspective of work or labor – especially urging us to be willing to endure even bad circumstances in our vocation. Our own cultural, political, and economic conditions are quite different than those of first-century Christians, but there’s much for us to learn and apply here.

Of course, like all biblical commands and rationale, there is rich theology behind it and woven through it – especially centering on the person and work of Jesus Christ. We will certainly see this on full display in our passage this morning.

I pray that the Lord will help us understand and apply the command, and that He will help us to both trust Him and follow after Him as He is presented to us here in our text today.

Please stand with me as I read 1 Peter 2:18-25.

Scripture Reading

1 Peter 2:18–25 (ESV)

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 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.

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. 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.

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. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Main Idea:

Christians must work unto the Lord, prepared to endure unjust suffering because it is commendable to do so, because Christ exemplified it, and because Christ is our Shepherd and Overseer.

Sermon

1. Serving the Lord (v18)

Christians must work as unto the Lord.

Our passage this morning is a continuation of Peter’s earlier command – “Be subject [or “submit”] for the Lord’s sake to every human institution [or “creaturely authority”]” (1 Peter 2:13). And this comprehensive command is itself an application of Peter’s explanation of what it looks like for Christians to “keep [their] conduct among the Gentiles [or non-Christians] honorable” (1 Peter 2:12).

The first “human institution” or “creaturely authority” Peter listed was civil authority – Christians are to “honor” those who wield the authority of civil government in everything, unless civil authorities forbid what God commands or command what God forbids. As we considered a couple of weeks ago, we must “honor the emperor” (or “king” or “ruler”), but we must “fear God” (1 Peter 2:17).

Here in our passage this morning, Peter is focusing on yet another “human institution” or “creaturely authority” – that of “masters” (1 Peter 2:18).

The primary relationship Peter is addressing here is the one between “Servants” (or “slaves”) and “masters” (or “lords”). And this can be difficult for us to understand (1) because of our cultural differences and (2) because of the way many of us associate the word “slavery” with one specific kind of slavery.

I’ve addressed this topic before, and if you want to talk about it more, then I’d be happy to discuss it with you… but let me be brief in my summary for our purposes today. In the ancient world (and for all human history, right up to today), slavery has existed in several forms – and some are better than others.

One can become a slave when his people are conquered.

Slavery is a way to survive under a new regime.

One can also become a slave by the fact of his social and economic class.

Working for the household of a wealthier patriarch is often a far better existence than extreme poverty.

One can become a temporary slave as a way to pay off debt.

This provides a humane opportunity for many people to pay back what they owe while still ensuring that their families do not suffer greater loss in the meantime.

Again, drowning in debt is worse than living under the provision of a debtor for a time in order to work your way out of debt.

And, of course, one can become a slave on the basis of ethnic differences and exploitation.

This “man-stealing” kind of slavery is probably what comes to our minds most easily, since this was such a big part of our own history in America.

But it’s important to note a few things here about chattel slavery or “man-stealing”:

First, chattel slavery is not unique to America.

It existed in the ancient world, and it is pervasive throughout history (not just in the New World or during the colonial period).

Second, chattel slavery still exists today.

While Christianized cultures have largely outlawed the practice, criminals still do it, and many other cultures do not have laws against it.

Third, chattel slavery is never condoned in the Bible.

Scripture acknowledges the world as it is, but it never encourages or endorses “man-stealing.”

In fact, the Bible explicitly calls it sin (Ex. 21:16; 1 Tim. 1:10).

In order for us to understand and apply this command in our own day, I think a good way to analogize this relationship between “Servants” (or “slaves”) and “masters” (or “lords”) is to think in terms of employee and employer. In our culture and economy (because of its rich Christian foundation and influence) the master-servant relationships in America are based on agreement – we agree to work for our employer, and our employer agrees to compensate us for it; or we may be the employer who agrees to pay for the labor and time of our employees.

The command for us, then, is for those under vocational authority to “be subject to” or “submit to” or “obey” their employer. This is not an unlimited command (as with civil authorities). We must obey God if our employers try to compel something contrary to God’s law. But this is a real command to submit – and even to those employers that are “unjust” (v18).

There is no scenario whereby we will avoid having sinful authorities over us. This is true when it comes to our civil rulers, and it’s also true when it comes to our employers. Those who sign the paychecks have their responsibilities before the Lord – they are to show no partiality (Eph. 6:9), and they are to be just and fair (Col. 4:1) – but none will do this perfectly.

For the Christian, we must approach our vocation (i.e., our work or our labor) as a service to the Lord Himself.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men… You are serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:23-24).

“So… whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

“[Render] service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord” (Eph. 6:7-8).

Friends, God has created us for work. Work is not a result of the Fall (in Genesis 3), and we ought not treat work or productivity as a negative thing.

It’s also important for us to remember that work is not just the sort of thing we do for a paycheck. Work (in the broadest sense) is virtually anything we might do as productive contributors in our homes, in our communities, and on our jobs.

Thus, we ought to be productive, we ought to use our time and skills for improvements of all kinds – improvements of our homes and families, of our neighborhoods, of our churches, and of our businesses. And we ought to strive for such improvements as a feature of our love for and submission to Christ.

The words “vocation” and “profession” come from the Protestant idea of work and work ethic. Our diligent, honest, and productive labors are a feature of our “profession” of faith in Christ – we believe that God “calls” (Latin “vocare”) or designs us with skills, temperaments, opportunities, and desires… and whatever our labor (whether in the church or the world, whether on the job or in the home) we are right to view our labor as a “calling” a “vocatio” or a “vocation.”

Friends, there is no secular-sacred divide in the Christian life. Whether we are working to preach sermons or to manufacture widgets, whether we are laboring to drill wells or to raise children, Christians may… Christians should… do their work as unto the Lord. Christ Himself is our chief “Shepherd and Overseer” (v25), and we delight to serve Him.

2. Suffering Injustice (v19-20)

It is commendable in the sight of God to suffer injustice for doing good.

The command of v18 – “be subject to your masters with all respect” – includes a wide-ranging application, “not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust” (v18). This assumes what I’ve already said earlier – that we will never have (at least not until Christ returns) perfectly just authorities over us, not in government and not in our labors. Some “masters” or employers will be generally “good and gentle,” but others are largely “unjust.”

So, what are Christians to do when their submission to vocational authorities puts them in the position of suffering injustice?

Let me offer two responses to this question – one based on another NT passage and one from our main passage here.

First, Christians are not obligated to suffer wrong without seeking justice.

The Apostle Paul told the Christians in Corinth, “if you can gain your freedom, then avail yourself of the opportunity… [and] do not become the bondservants of men” (1 Cor. 7:21, 23). This apostolic teaching makes at least two things clear:

Freedom from unjust authorities over our work is a good thing, and we should seek it if possible.

No Christian must endure unjust suffering on the job if he or she can get free of that job and find another.

Vocational freedom is better than captivity.

If a Christian has the ability and opportunity to avoid putting himself or herself at the mercy of an unjust employer, then we ought not squander it by becoming dependent on one.

Friends, the Bible often gives us principles that we are to apply with prudence or wisdom. The principled command to “be subject to your masters with all respect” is not absolute in the sense that we must “be subject” or “submit” to vocational authorities no matter what. There are other biblical principles to consider, and we would do well to think through our options and make good decisions based on all the facts we can know.

Does this company generally treat employees well?

Then maybe I’d like to work there.

Does this vocational field make it hard for workers to follow Christ?

Then maybe I should not make that my career.

How would this job affect my family?

How might this job affect my own spiritual growth?

What opportunities are available to me that might give me better circumstances to be the Christian man or woman I am supposed to be?

All of these are good questions to ask when considering our employment and our labor. We do not have to settle for whatever we can get, and we certainly should not endanger our families or our own souls for the sake of a paycheck.

And yet, the main command we see in our passage this morning is a directive from God Himself that Christians ought to prepare themselves to endure unjust suffering from unfair vocational authorities. But why?

Well, on the one hand, experience and history tells us that many employers are “unjust” in their treatment of employees. Even if they are not universally unjust, they are at least sometimes unfair or discriminatory. Once again, we must adjust our expectations. We are sinners and so are our employers. We are bound to experience injustice at some point in our vocation.

On the other hand, our passage teaches us that one of the motivations for working unto the Lord (despite the injustice of our employers) is because “this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (1 Peter. 2:20). In other words, God sees every injustice, and He is eager to commend or praise or reward His children when they “endure sorrows while suffering unjustly” (v19).

Brothers and sisters, what a freedom and joy there is when we remember that this day, this week, and even this whole earthly life is not all there is! What a freedom and joy we may have when we remember that our God sees us, and He is keeping count of the “good” we do, even if no one else sees it.

Sometimes God grants us blessings in this life for our diligent service in the face of injustice, and sometimes God withholds those blessings until that day when He will deliver them all in full. But either way, things will not always be as they are right now. Our sorrow will soon be turned to celebration, and our unjust suffering will soon be turned to reward.

And yet, some of our sorrows and suffering are due to our own sin. Enduring earthly consequences for our sin is no “credit” at all (v20) – it is what we deserve. Therefore, we ought to “live for righteousness” and “die to sin” (v24)… and we ought to accept our consequences when we do sin in various ways.

But we may also labor with joy in virtually any circumstance because we know that our reward is not comparable to whatever we may endure in this life.

Brothers and sisters, how are we laboring as witnesses of our eternal hope on our jobs?

Do our fellow employees observe us enduring hardship (and even injustice) with patience and grace?

Do our employers notice that our ultimate concern is not our vocational advancement or the size of our paycheck, but our service to Christ and His approval?

Christians must work unto the Lord, and they must be prepared to endure unjust suffering because it is commendable to do so.

3. Succeeding Christ (v21-23)

The second motivation for Christians to work unto the Lord and even to endure unjust suffering as we do it is that Christ is the great example of suffering injustice while doing good.

Peter even seems to say here that unjust suffering is the Christian “calling” (v21). This is what Christians must learn to expect in this world as we follow Christ. It is no surprise that Christians would be called to such a thing, since Christ is our King, and He suffered more injustice than we will ever do.

Nevertheless, Christians are to succeed or follow or come after Christ. We are His disciples, and the unbelieving world will (when the opportunity arises) treat us like they treated Him.

Our passage describes Christ’s example in at least three ways (in v21-23) – (1) Christ behaved with perfect righteousness, (2) He did not return injustice to those who treated Him unjustly, and (3) He did this (at least in part) to intentionally give His people an example. Let’s consider each of these briefly.

First, Christ behaved or acted with perfect righteousness. Peter says, “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth” (v22).

Friends, we will never be (in our earthly lives) without sin. Our hearts (even though we – as Christians – are now free from the slavery of sin)… our hearts still love sin, and sin will come out of our mouths and hands because it is in our hearts.

This is, however, no excuse to give ourselves over to sin. Indeed, we have been freed from sin’s dominion or mastery. We are not slaves to it! We do not have to follow our sinful temptations.

Christians are to strive to be like Christ. We must aim to commit no sin, neither to let deceit come from our mouths. Instead, we want to live righteous lives, obeying Christ’s commands. And we want to tame our tongues, so that we will speak what is true and good.

Second, Christ did not return injustice to those who treated Him unjustly. Peter says, “When [Christ] was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten” (v23).

If you’re anything like me, then your first impulse (when treated unfairly) is to respond with greater force. I tell my sons all the time, “If you attack me when I’m not expecting it, I will escalate quickly.”

But this is not the way Christ has shown us to respond to every wrong. Jesus was treated with the greatest injustice. No accusation against Him was true, and no abuse He suffered was His due. His life and words were nothing but true and good, and yet He was “reviled” (or maligned or wrongly accused), and He “suffered.”

However, He did not return (on His accusers and abusers) what they gave to Him. Instead, we’re told that He “continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (v24). That is, Christ often gave up His right to defend Himself, knowing that there is coming a day when all injustices will be judged rightly.

Brothers and sisters, we do not have to be doormats, and we are not wrong to call out injustices when we see them, but we also don’t have to take everything into our own hands. Some bad guys may not get everything they deserve in this life, and some wrongs may not seem to be made right, but all will stand before God’s bar of justice on the last day. We can rest assured on that.

A third descriptor of Christ’s example (of holiness and humility) is that it was intentional. Peter says, “Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (v21).

This example Christ has provided for us should humble us a bit when we are treated unfairly or when we are wronged in some way. As I said before, we don’t have to roll over every time someone means us harm or ill. But it is sobering to consider that Christ deserved every praise and honor, and yet He did not crush His enemies every time they set themselves against Him.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are worse than he thinks you to be.” I may not by guilty of that thing I’m being falsely accused of right now, but I’ve committed sin just as bad or worse before. And I may not deserve a harsh word or action from that guy, but I my behavior has earned me far worse consequences than I’ve ever experienced.

Friends, if we are Christians, then we are Christ’s disciples and followers, and we must understand what it means to succeed or follow after Christ in this world. Jesus has given us a perfect example, behaving with perfect righteousness and not responding in kind to those who did Him wrong.

May God help us to labor or work unto the Lord, prepared to endure injustice… because it is commendable to do so and because Christ has done it perfectly before us.

But that’s not all Christ did. Not only did Jesus give us an example to follow, He also (and more fundamentally) “bore our sins” and is the “Shepherd and Overseer of [our] souls.”

4. Trusting the Shepherd (v24-25)

The third motivation for Christians to work as unto the Lord is that Christ is our Shepherd and Overseer.

The word “Shepherd” or ποιμην is where we get the label “pastor,” and the other word “Overseer”or επισκοπος is where we get the term “bishop.” There’s yet another word that’s often used interchangeably with these in the NT, and that is “elder” or πρεσβυτερος.

All three of these words can refer today to those biblically qualified and congregationally recognized men who serve and lead in the pastoral office of the church. However, Jesus is the “chief” or supreme “Shepherd and Overseer” (1 Peter 5:4).

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). And Jesus is called the “head of the church” (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18). In other words, Jesus Christ is the supreme “Shepherd and Overseer” (1 Peter 2:25).

And we see Jesus’s activity and position (as the chief “Shepherd and Overseer”) right here at the end of our passage today.

First, Jesus “bore our sins in his body on the tree” (v24) when He “laid down his life for [His] sheep” as the “good shepherd” (Jn. 10:11).

Friends, this is the central work that Christ has done for those who turn from their sin and trust in him. He has taken our sin, and He has suffered in our place as the guilty one. When Christ died on the cross (i.e., the “tree”), He was counted as sinful so that all who look to Him would be counted as righteous.

Like a good shepherd, He did not leave His sheep to suffer destruction, but He gave His own life in order to spare theirs. This is why the Bible teaches us, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

We must turn from our sin, we must trust in Christ, and we ought to live as those who have been purchased by Him. We (who love and trust in Christ) are doubly responsible to work and live as unto the Lord, since we are His created things and we are His purchased things – He made us, and He bought us.

Brothers and sisters, we do not have an uncaring or unjust master who only commands and rules us for his own benefit. We have a good shepherd, one who knows and loves us, one who acts for our good and commands for our benefit. Any obedience we give to Him will only result in our advantage and reward… even if our earthly masters (or employers) are not looking out for us in the least.

Remember, Christians “live as people who are free,” and we voluntarily serve God in all we do because He is good to us and because we love to “do good” in honor and fear of Him (1 Peter 2:16-17, 20).

Christ is our “Shepherd,” and He has “borne our sins in his [own] body” (1 Peter 2:24-25), thus we delight to live our lives (at work and at home) for Him.

Second, Jesus is now the “Shepherd and Overseer” (not the condemning judge or brutal tyrant) of those who were once “straying like sheep, but have now returned” to Him (v25).

Once again, this speaks to Christ’s loving guardianship over His people, but “Overseer” carries a more explicit weight of authority and headship (v25). Both “Shepherd” and “Overseer” overlap quite a bit, but “Overseer” is more obviously a term of supervision or superintendency.

A supervisor is one who manages and directs, and a superintendent is one who governs and controls.

As we have considered previously during our study of 1 Peter, we are never able to avoid being conformed to something. Before we came to know Christ, we were being conformed to the “futile ways” that come naturally to sinners (1 Peter 1:18). But now, having come to know Christ, having been born again by His Spirit, and having received the wisdom and instruction of His word, we are to be conformed to holiness… we are to “live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:1-5, 24).

This is what Christian discipleship and growth are all about! Christians are those who trust in Christ as Savior and who follow and obey Him as Lord. Therefore, we work or labor or live as unto the Lord Jesus Christ because He is our “Shepherd and Overseer” (v25), He is our Savior and our Lord, He is our Redeemer and our Master.

Conclusion

Friends, God commands us to work as unto the Lord. In all we do – as productive contributors to our families, our communities, and our economy – we ought to be diligent, honest, hard-working, and ambitious. We want to do good with our labors, and we want to glorify God with our work.

Sometimes this Christian attitude about labor will not receive the reward it is due, and sometimes we may even have to endure unjust treatment at the hands of others. When we do, we must remember that God knows, and He will make it right… sooner or later. We must also remember that Christ (our Lord) has suffered injustice far more egregious than any that we may endure.

And we must remember that we (as Christians) are ultimately serving Christ in our labors. The loving savior who died for us, the good shepherd who cares for us, and the wise and generous overseer who directs us – He is the one we are ultimately serving with our sweat and effort.

May God help us to serve Him well as productive contributors even in an unfair (and at times unjust) economy and society.