2020-04-08 1 Pet 2.17
Notes
Transcript
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
I. Honor everyone.
I. Honor everyone.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
A. There is a difference between tolerate everyone and honor everyone.
A. There is a difference between tolerate everyone and honor everyone.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Illus: The modern call is for us to be tolerant of all people. Let me say it differently, the modern call is that we should tolerate others.
The Biblical call is very different. We are to honor all people. Which is greater being tolerant or honoring.
Putting it into practice is very different.
Let’s be truthful. We are not good at honoring other people, frankly we struggle with tolerating them.
When
When even the smallest slight is done to us, we take offense. More than that we often feel it is our responsibility to shame the offending party so every one know how offensive it is.
If someone parks too close to a line, or makes a mistake, you have your phone ready to post their mistake.
If a waiter or waitress slightly mess with our order, the world need to know.
When a company does not do right by us, we want to show everybody how terrible that company is.
When a politician makes decisions that do not please us, we do our best to publicly shame both them and their followers.
When a person is not taking the social distancing to the the level you would, you air your grievances all over social media.
For many Christians, their lives are lived throwing shade at others. If you don’t meet their standard, be ready because their fury is coming.
The way we represent ourselves doesn’t even hit the level of toleration. How can honor people if we can’t even tolerate them.
Our honor should follow what God has done for us, While we were still sinners Christ died for us.
If God has done that for us, what on earth do we have to shame other with. What right do we have to throw shade.
So… The bible calls us to....
Honor people who don’t drive as well as you,
Honor waiters and waitresses who don’t get your order right,
Honor companies who make mistakes.
Honor politicians who have diametrically different viewpoints that you, even in election years.
Honor honor people who are not social distancing.
Honor everyone.
Here is the truth, when you publicly shame someone, whether verbally or online, you not only tarnish their reputation, but you tarnish your own. If you are a christian… You tarnish the name of Jesus. If you are a member of FBC Vidalia, you tarnish the name of our church.
29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.
30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.
32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
29 No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.
30 And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander be removed from you, along with all malice.
32 And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Eph 4:
B. We have a higher calling for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Illus: We started with honor… but then Peter moves the bar up to love for your brothers and sisters.
This is not talking about biological brothers and sisters, but instead is talking about spiritual brothers and sisters.
Let’s be clear about what love is and what it is not.
Love in our modern time is often defined as the feelings we have. We feel positive towards something and call it love.
Love is so much deeper than this. Love is willingly and purposefully sacrificing yourself for others.
It is choosing others over yourself. Sounds a lot like the golden rule- do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Our call as believers is to lay down our lives for each other in the same way jesus laid down his life for us.
Didn’t Jesus say, the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
That is love, and that is what we are called to do.
43 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.
10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
II. Fear God.
II. Fear God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
1 pet 2
A. The way we relate to our fellow man is a reflection of our relationship with God.
A. The way we relate to our fellow man is a reflection of our relationship with God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Illus: The way we relate to our fellow man is an overflow out of our relationship to God.
We respect authority because we respect God’s authority.
We love our enemies because God loved us as enemies.
We honor others because God honored us in our shame.
We forgive others because God forgave us.
It is all about what God has done.
The Bible commands us to fear God. So our reverence for God drives the way we relate to everyone.
When you choose to tear your fellow man apart, you are showing that you do not fear God.
When you choose not to honor those in Government you are showing that you do not fear God.
When you live mocking your fellow man online you are showing that you do not fear God.
The bible is clear, your heart towards God will be seen by how you treat your fellow man.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.
10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
B. The way we interact politically is a reflection of our fear of God.
B. The way we interact politically is a reflection of our fear of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Illus: At first when this social distancing his there was their breath of fresh air as everyone came together for a bit united by our common struggle against the virus.
Things have changed. Now as a country with too much time on our hands and too much sin in our hearts, we have gone back to our favorite hobby, criticizing politicians on the opposite side of the aisle from us.
An entire country is arm chair quarterbacking how those in authority should be handling things.
This isn’t new. Our nation is being torn apart partisanship and we are throwing fuel on the fire. The corona virus has just given our nation new talking points to argue over.
It breaks my heart to see the way we as believers interact online. The way we do politics does not please God.
The way we do politics should be a witness to the world. I am not saying that that check our votes at the door or disengage with the future of our nation.
I am advocating that we have such a confidence in the sovereignty of God, that we interact politically the way scripture advocates.
We refuse to join in political mocking, post forwarding, and name calling because we fear God and love the people God loves.
Our good, even in the political realm will show the world who God is.
13 Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority
14 or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.
15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good.
1 pet 2:13-15
III. Honor your leaders.
III. Honor your leaders.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
A. The gospel should transform the way we interact with everyone.
A. The gospel should transform the way we interact with everyone.
Illus: Does the way you talk politics help those on the other side of the political aisle know Jesus Christ?
Does the way you talk politics help our church reach people with the gospel.
I will be honest, I have invited people to our church who refuse to come because of the online presence of some of our members.
Yes, your dishonor of others is keeping our church from connecting them to God.
Let’s broaden this a bit. When give people the honor and dignity they deserve as human beings, you are more likely going to reach them with the gospel.
When you become so consumed with what your deserve that you vent online about the service your recieved, you have ruined your witness.
When you get to politically addicted that you mock your opponents, you have ruined your witness.
We live, not for ourselves, but for God’s kingdom. Your words, your online presence will either lead people to Jesus, or push people away from Jesus.
1 Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work,
2 to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.