An Enduring Faith
Notes
Transcript
Story Commentary
Story Commentary
It’s hard to read these verses without thinking of the election. This passage refers to political authority
Series
Series
written to a people who are suffering under persecution. They are not being denied a job promotion, being marginalized by a social clique or ridiculed for their faith (these are painful). They are living in abject poverty; sentenced without trial, and tortured and executed for sport.
We can’t relate to that, but we all suffer.
Our suffering is a good test our faith. Suffering can increase our faith.
We need a resilient faith, that stands the test of time even when we are exhausted, vulnerable, confused, scared and in pain.
Sermon - faith that ENDURES during suffering
Sermon - faith that ENDURES during suffering
specifically a faith that endures suffering from evil leaders?
Intro
Intro
We don’t stop to think we all live under some kind of an authority every day without thinking about it. Kids taking going to school are under the authority of a teacher - so are parents.
We we perform music, or write research papers we under e are under the authority of copyright laws.
When you stop at the traffic light on red you’re submitting to authority of traffic laws
When you play a monopoly, you are submitting to the rules of the game
When you vote, you are choosing whom you want to have authority over you.
Imagine a world where no one is required to submit to human authority - chaos, anarchy
but what if that authority is the cause of suffering?
Peter’s letter was written to a people who were suffering, a large part of that was the result of authority - the Roman Emperor. The poverty, prejudice, injustice, suffering were the result of one person’s hatred.
And Peter simply says: “Fear God and honor the Emperor .”
When we dishonor those in authority, we are dishonoring what God says we are to honor.
When we dishonor those in authority, we are dishonoring what God says we are to honor.
A Christian radio host was reporting the national weather. He announced that it was so cold that it froze the lips of the state’s governor. He named the governor and reported his lips were so frozen that he couldn’t open his mouth and say something stupid, as he normally did.
The guest on the show quoted the Bible, he said, “Doesn’t the Bible say...”
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
"Fear God and honor the emperor.” 1 Peter 2:17
But there is nothing wrong with a little humor.”
“Not at the expense of what God tells us to honor. The apostle Paul said,
To mock authority is to mock what God says is to be honored
When I was reading this, I was repaying the tapes in my mind and wondering how many politicians I have mocked. We live in a world of political satire, and it’s very entertaining. But where it the line between playful humor and mockery. I suppose we all draw our own line. Where is that line?
Who benefits from what I am saying?
Honor those in positions of authority: It’s fairly easy when agree with the person in authority. It’s hard - painful - when you disagree
Submitting to Authority you did not elect.
Submitting to Authority you did not elect.
Emperor was not elected, invited.
When is it okay to be engaged in politics? When is it not okay?
Peter was writing to persecuted Christians. Why should these people give honor to a government that caused them to suffer?
What does it mean for Christians to “submit to every human authority”? What does it not mean?
How can we honor those who have authority over us - especially authority that we see as harmful?
How do we know when we are dishonoring those in authority?
1. Are setting ourselves apart or are we blending in with the rest of the world
1. Are setting ourselves apart or are we blending in with the rest of the world
humor is great - it can relax you on a really bad day; in a world of harsh political rhetoric, are we blending in a sea of harsh political rhetoric
For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
are we demonstrating wisdom with our speech, or are we blending in with the harsh political rhetoric?
2. By honoring leaders we don’t like, we are trusting God
2. By honoring leaders we don’t like, we are trusting God
God sets up and takes down leaders.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.
God says I put them on the throne, I take them down. I out them in the capital building, I take them out of there.
When we honor authority we don’t like, we are honoring whom God what God has put in that position of authority.
God holds these people accountable - I put them in, I take them out. I have given them the opportunity to lead, I will take away that opportunity.
Lest we point fingers at elected officials: I lifted you up, I’ll take you down.
A Master’s Authority Over Slaves
A Master’s Authority Over Slaves
Hopefully when you heard the words:
Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.
something inside of you reacted - that doesn’t sound right. Slavery is not being condemned (like other places in the Bible)
This was a favorite verse of slave owners in America. they would teach Christianity to their slaves, baptize them, and preach passages like this to their slaves. The Slave Bible.
What can we do with this commandment to submit to your masters?
I can’t gloss over it in a way that makes me feel completely okay with it. But here’s how I’ve read this. Like all Scriptures we interpret it in light of the rest of the Bible. We don’t cherry pick - find things we like and focus on those, dismiss
Bigger picture of the Gospel is everyone is loved by God, equal value, dignity. A great example of this is in another small book of the Bible:
A slave runs away from his master; meets the Apostle Paul, accepts Christ, Paul returns him - wasn’t running an Underground Railroad
no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a fellow man and as a brother in the Lord.
submit to authority, while challenging it
3. By honoring leaders we don’t like, we are imitating / demonstrating Christ.
3. By honoring leaders we don’t like, we are imitating / demonstrating Christ.
When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
Jesus didn’t just passively take a beating, he boldly publicly criticized unjust rulers (why do you think he was killed)
He held them accountable, he denounced them; he pointed to the one true authority;
but he honored them - render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar..
We have a right - an obligation - to hold our leaders accountable; to denounce their deeds - but we honor them
how do we know the difference? mockery
By our speech…are we setting ourselves a part as a holy people, or do we blend in with all of the harsh political rhetoric; does our speech acknowledge that God has put this person in authority, and God will take them out (do we trust God?)…by our speech are we imitating Christ, who publicly denounced leaders, while submitting to their authority
Election season is a great opportunity to share the Gospel.