Submitted Living (Part 3)

Introduction

Good morning Church! It is so good to be back with everyone once again. I hope that everyone has had a wonderful week and I look forward to spending a little time with each of you today.

If you are watching online with us this morning, I encourage you to make this service as much like a normal service as possible. Don’t forget that you can put your comments in the chat, so I encourage each of you to still be vocal, just as you would in church. You are helping me preach when you do this, and you are letting me know that you are still awake and not just letting the video play. Also, if you like the sermon today, please remember to share the video at the end so that we can get the Word of God to as many people as possible. With the virus raging as it is right now, there are a lot of people who are watching from home so let’s make sure that we get God’s Word to as many of those people as possible.

Alright, if you are ready to get into the Word of God, just type Amen in the chat as we get started. We are going to be preaching from 1 Peter 3:8-22 today, so I am going to ask that all who are watching please be finding that in God’s Word as we open up in prayer.

Ok. Let’s get to work! For the past two weeks, we have been looking at the thought of submission. We have seen so far that we are to be in submission to our masters, or bosses, as well as the governing authorities. Last week, we looked at the idea of submission within the bonds of marriage. Today, we are continuing the thought of submission, as we look at how as Christians, we are to be subject unto God.

Now it is a good thing to be in submission to others, as the Word has shown us, but without having a submission to God, the rest is useless. Peter now turns to most important focus of our submission and that is to Almighty God Himself.

Let’s take a look.

The New International Version Chapter 3

8 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

10 For,

“Whoever would love life

and see good days

must keep their tongue from evil

and their lips from deceitful speech.

11 They must turn from evil and do good;

they must seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are attentive to their prayer,

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”w

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?

14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”z

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—

20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

The Extent of Our Submission (3:8-12)

We Are To Be Submissive In Our Conduct (3:8-9)

We Are To Be Submissive In Our Conversation (3:10)

We Are To Be Submissive In Our Character (3:11-12)

The Essence of Our Submission (3:13-17)

Submitted Because of Our Blessings (3:13-14)

Submitted Because of Our Beliefs (3:15)

Submitted Because of Our Burdens (3:16-17)

The Example of Our Submission (3:18-22)

His Love (3:18; 21)

His Long-Suffering (3:19-20)

His Lordship (3:22)

Conclusion