For the Lord’s Sake

Prayer

God You Are_______________!

God I need you because__________________!

God I thank you for_____________________!

God I need to see you move in_____________________!

Mission statement:

Outfitting the Body to Rescue the Searching!

To Be a church that makes disciples that make disciples!

Recap

Peter has been writing his letter to those who are dispersed throughout the Roman Empire, in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. His letter is intended to challenge the church to remember who they are, and Who’s they are! He called them up to be holy as Yahweh is holy. That means two things. Set apart as “other”, from the profane things of the world so as to be set apart unto the Lord.

At the beginning of Chapter 2, Peter starts to describe how God is in the process of building a spiritual house, starting with the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ, and then building on top of that foundation with us, born again believers, who are “like living stones”. He then goes on to talk about how Jesus isn’t just the Chief Cornerstone, but he is also referred to as the stone that the builders rejected and a stone of stumbling, a rock of offense.

He then turns back to us and describes us as a chosen raise, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.

Next he reminds those reading his letter to be keep our conduct honorable among the gentiles, because we are sojourners and exiles.

All of that leads us into this next section and it doesn’t just lead us into it, it sets the stage for context we need to have.

Context is everything! to groups are going to be identified today and God through His author Peter is going to challenge the readers both of his own day and us today as to who we are called to submit to as well as why. Those two groups are government institutions and to our masters as their servants.

This topic was huge before 2020 and even now as things are going crazy our nation and the world, we tend to want to rebel and refuse to submit. If you think we have it bad, I want us to consider just how bad Christians of 67 AD had it.

The Roman Emperor at the time was Nero. If you know much about Nero when it came to his treatment of Christians, he was sadistic and cruel. He used them as a kind of scapegoat for the issues and problems that He had set in to motion. Christians were torn apart by dogs in the colosseum, crucified, and even burned alive at night to light the city streets.

At the same time, because Rome ruled a vast part of the known world, most of its people were slaves not citizens. Now, I’m not talking about slaves as we know slavery. The slaves of Peter’s day were their own social class and made up a huge percentage of the overall Roman population, somewhere between 25-40%. Slaves were aquired as the “spoils of war” before Peter’s day. Men and women were sold into slavery often times to settle a debt. Any children born to a slave was an automatic slave. So, slaver in the Roman world was based more on social, economic, and political status than on race or ethnicity.

How slaves were treated was at the discretion of the master. They could be as kind or cruel as they wanted.

This was the life of many if not most of the exiles Peter was writing to. All the more reason why Peter was trying to encourage them by reminding them of who they are and Who’s they are.

Over and above challenging these believers to be Holy in the normal fleshly ways or ways of the heart, I believe this challenge, the command to submit to those in authority over you, was probably the hardest pill to swallow for these Christians that faced cruelty and brutality every day.

Let’s dive in and see what the Lord has for us today.

Submission to Authority

1 Peter 2:13–14 ESV

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.

This phrase, be subject, comes from the Greek word Hypotasso - hoop-ot-as’-so, which means to subordinate, to obey, to be under obedience, to submit oneself unto.

Peter is starting out by saying, you know, that whole “keep your conduct honorable” stuff, that applies to all of those that God has not just allowed to be in authority over you, but he actually placed them in that position of authority. It doesn’t mean for a second that He approves of all that they do, but it does mean that He has put them there as part of His overall sovereign plan which goes for past what we have the ability to comprehend.

He even states what he’s placed them there to do. To punish those who do evil and praise those who do good. Now, as soon as I say that, we could pull up so many examples of how our government and people in authority have that in reverse.

Isaiah 5:20 ESV

20 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

I think this is why Peter keeps bringing up the fact that as believers we are sojourners and exiles. Not just so we remember that we aren’t suppose to look like the world around us, but it also allows us to remember that God has set us apart from the world for Himself, as His own possession, and everyone else, at least for the time being, is not going to have any inkling that they should act any differently than they do.

Too often, because we have been changed by the Spirit of God, we will look at those around us that call evil good and good evil and we see them as aliens! Someone or something that is foreign in our world, when in all actuality, we are the Aliens, those that belong to another supernatural kingdom. And in all of this, God has a purpose for us being here and for telling us to make ourselves subject to those in authority. The good news is he even tells us why in the first few words.

Isn’t that our favorite question to ask, from an early age, when our parents tell us to do something, what did we say? Why? “For the Lord’s sake”! Not because He needs us to, but because that’s one huge way we can reach others and have a good testimony in front of all those around us.

1 Peter 2:15–16 ESV

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.

God is telling us to submit to authority because it’s His will. It’s not just His will, it’s to accomplish His purpose. He’s telling us to do this so we can shut up the ignorance of foolish people. Who is He referring to? He literally is saying that by being someone seen as in opposition to what the world says is right and good, yet by being willing to ‘ submit to their authority we will silence them, render them speechless.

In Peter’s day, baseless charges and rumors had already been going around about Christians. Things like, “They’re loyal to a different king.” They’re a rebellious sect” “They want to overthrow the government” “They are subversives!” God is saying that by submitting VOLUNTARILY, by doing right before God and people, they would muzzle the mouths of those spreading such vicious and erroneous rumors.

Peter then gives 4 commands!

1 Peter 2:17 ESV

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

As simple is those statements are to read or say, they are much harder to live out! It’s quite the balancing act!

We are to first, honor everyone! That means everyone! Honor doesn’t mean approve of. It means to value them. That is really hard if we are going to let our differences, not matter how extreme they are, cause us to make a judgement on them because they are different, which in turn always causes us to place a lower value on the individual.

But they…..! It’s kind of like “Honor your father and mother” in the 10 commandments. It didn’t say if they deserve it or not. It doesn’t say if their beliefs line up with yours, it means to value them as God does because they are created in HIS image.

Love the brotherhood. Love them no matter what! Again, it doesn’t say put up with their toxic behavior, it simply says to love them like Jesus loves them. Love them as yourself!

Fear God. God must have our reverence, treating His will as supreme. We must hold Him with reverent awe. That doesn’t just mean the person of God, but His word and His will!

The last one is hard, especially when he’s not who you voted for or if their values back things that God is opposed to! He still placed them there and we are called to honor the emperor. For the Christians of that day, honor the one who is killing you and burning you alive.

For us today that means even the one who hates you, even hates his own people, and hates God! We are to submit to him.

In all reality, no leader is perfect and our submission isn’t to be hinged on whether they demonstrate biblical values or morality. He’s not going to be a friend of the believer. Tax dollars are used to pay for unspeakable things, yet we are still under God’s will commanded to pay our taxes because the government says so.

Trust me, this is challenging for me as well. I don’t want to bend on what I think is right, but in light of what God is wanting to accomplish through out the life of one who will follow His will in the world, and out of love and honor and fear for Him, so that some will be silenced and be able to listen to what Yahweh is trying to show them! It’s worth it! IT’s all apart of His plan!

1 Peter 2:17 ESV

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Servants Submit to Masters

1 Peter 2:18–20 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.

He’s saying that submitting to your master, be it a boss, or whatever person has authority over you, it shows God’s grace to them when you endure sorrows as you suffer unjustly. When we end up suffering for doing good, we end up suffering as Jesus did and it’s a gracious thing in the sight of God! It shows them favor which is unmerited & unearned, just like the grace that God showed us through Jesus death, burial and resurrection and the free gift of salvation through Him!

What God is shooting at here in us and in those that we reach is heart transformation!

Chuck Swindoll - “It is true that where the gospel of Jesus Christ penetrates people’s hearts on a wide scale, that culture is transformed and evils like poverty, slavery, and oppression are radically diminished. But these social changes are the result, not the goal, of God’s ultimate priority - transforming hearts and minds!”

As Paul said in Romans 12, be transformed by the renewing of your minds! He desires this for those who would see us as enemies as well! Remember, we too were once enemies of Jesus. Son’s of disobedience. Children of Wrath!

Our Example

Through all of this, we are called to follow God’s word and Christ’s example!

1 Peter 2:21–25 ESV

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.

Rebellion has never been at the heart of GOd’s plan for His people. Occupy until He comes. Live honorably with everyone, even the King you may passionately disagree with. Most of all, fear God and love the brotherhood!

Jesus is our shepherd. He’s the Good Shepherd and overseer of our souls!

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Communion