2020-05-06 1 pet 3.1-2
Notes
Transcript
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
I. The overarching theme of submission is all about the gospel.
I. The overarching theme of submission is all about the gospel.
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
A. Submission, even to the unjust, communicates who we believe is in control.
A. Submission, even to the unjust, communicates who we believe is in control.
Illus: 1 peter 2 &3 is an odd passage. At least from our perspective.
It begins by teaching us to submit to every human authority… including the emperor, govoners, and all in governmental authority over us.
This was durring the time when christians did not have benovlent governments, but instead faced persecutions regularly.
So Peter begins by saying submit to the government which persecutes you. Submit to the wicked government.
Then Peter takes a step farther than that. He teaches those under indepted financial slavery to submit to their masters.
Peter takes the same aproach as the government… he does not say slavery is good, but instead teaches that they are to submit in the midst of a broken and sinful institution.
But wait, there’s more… then he teaches that women are to submit to their husbands even if the husband is not a God fearing man.
***Pause for a moment. If you are in a physically abusive situation today, do not stay there. The Bible is not teaching you to enable abuse. Please reach out to us***
Why would scripture teach it’s people to submit to wicked governments, wicked masters, and wicked husbands?
The reason is simple, our lives validate our words. If we say that we trust in the power and sovereignty of God, and yet constantly stir strife towards our governing authorities, unfair bosses, and spouses, what do we really communicate?
On the opposite hand, if an unjust government sees that Christians are it’s best citizens, even when they are treated unfairly, those in government will have open ears to the gospel of Jesus.
If an unfair boss sees that a believer is his best worker, even when the believer is treated poorly, then he will have open ears to hear the gospel.
If a lost spouse sees your submission and sacrifice to them out of revrence to God, they will have open ears to the gospel.
BUT… The quickest way to ruin your gospel witness, no matter the government, unfair institutions, or family members is to reject God’s teaching on submission because you care more about your power and individual rights than you do the world transforming gospel of God.
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.
16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
B. The way we relate to unjust authority magnifies the gospel to them.
B. The way we relate to unjust authority magnifies the gospel to them.
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
Illus: The audacity of the gospel mirrors peter’s teaching on submission perfectly.
While we we dead, sinful, enemies of God, Jesus Christ died for us.
So… If Christ could submit himself to the humility of life on this earth under roman rule, embrace the legal system which trumped up charges of spiritual idolatry and insurrection, and willing submit to the horrors of the cross, what room do we have reject God’s call to submission.
Jesus Christ submitted to humanity, his parents, the law, the Romans, taxes, and death in order to save human kind.
When we embrace the difficult teaching of submission, we follow in his steps.
In all of this, Jesus trusted God and his plan. The greatest moment in Jesus’ life was while he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. When doubts of death and fear of pain surrounded Jesus, he said, “Not my will but yours be done.”
The key to embracing Scripture’s teaching on submission is to say, even when I don’t understand it, and I want to fight for my rights and power, “not my will but yours be done.”
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.
II. Yes, God did create order in the family. It does matter.
II. Yes, God did create order in the family. It does matter.
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
A. God built the family with order and purpose.
A. God built the family with order and purpose.
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
Illus: Let’s continue to build on our understanding from scripture. Power and equality are not equal.
From God’s perspective… both Caesar and the peasant are of equal value, but God calls the peasant to submission.
From God’s perspective… both my children and myself are of equal value, but God calls my kids to submit to me.
God has built order in this world. Yes, wicked people do pervert their standing and abuse their power.
Wicked men abuse their positions in the government. Wicked men as well abuse their position in the family.
Just because people abuse their roles does not mean God’s order and structure in the family is wrong.
God has given distinct roles to both the husband and the wife in the marriage.
Sin leads both the husband and wife to despise each other and usurp each other’s roles.
Ladies, your husband will stand the strongest when you honor him, submit to him, serve him, and respect his authority.
Men, your wife will respect you when you sacrificially lead her, protect her, provider for her, and lead her to love Jesus.
Marriage is both husband and wife pursuing their God given roles out of fear and devotion to God.
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,
23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body.
24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her
26 to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word.
27 He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless.
28 In the same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
B. Wives, you magnify God through honoring your husband.
B. Wives, you magnify God through honoring your husband.
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
Illus: To look at submission and say, I will not lower myself to that place is to despise the path of Christ.
Every ounce of our sinful nature whispers, you are too great, too important, to valuable to embrace submission.
It is sinful pride which despises submission.
The bible truly is an audaciously odd book. It not only calls people to submit, but it calls people to submit to their enemies.
It teaches to love those who do not love you.
It teaches you to endure persecution.
It teaches you to place your hope in God when broken men succeed.
Back to the family… does the bible actually teach a woman to submit to her husband. It does....
But more than that it teaches her to be the embodiment of Jesus Christ through that distinctive role.
5 Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
6 who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
7 Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man,
8 he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.
III. How do you respond to a husband who does not deserve honor?
III. How do you respond to a husband who does not deserve honor?
1 In the same way, wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, even if some disobey the word, they may be won over without a word by the way their wives live
2 when they observe your pure, reverent lives.
A. Your contentment and life flow out of your relationship with God. Submission is not whether your husband deserves it. It is about whether God deserves it.
A. Your contentment and life flow out of your relationship with God. Submission is not whether your husband deserves it. It is about whether God deserves it.
Illus: I want to take a moment and talk about what happens when your husband is not a believer.
1st, when you are looking for a person, please remember that “christian” is not just a box to check off. If you are dating someone who does not have a passion for Jesus and the church, no matter whether they call themselves a christian or not, you will not be equally yoked to them.
2nd, no amount of nagging will win them to have a love for Jesus or the church. Also, belittling your husband because he is not a spiritual leader, failing to honor him, or rejecting his authority will destroy your witness and gospel presence in your family.
3rd, The greatest witness you can have to your unbelieving spouse is your pursuit of Jesus while simultaneously honoring their authority and giving them the dignity and respect God has given them as men.
How can you do it? Jesus must be the first love of your life. When you find contentment and value in your relationship with Christ, you will not see the need to usurp your husband, nor belittle his authority at home. In this your life, respect for him, personal pursuit of Christ will speak volumes.
In other words he will see such life and transformation by you living out the audacious call of submission while pursuing christ that through your life He will be won over to faith.
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord,