1 Peter 2.18-25
Life is Never Fair
11/29/98
1 Peter 2:18-25
Introduction:
Two weeks ago, we noted that there are many critics of Christianity these days. It’s been that way from the birth of the church, and we discussed three ways to silence those critics.
This morning we want to discuss what happens when the critics just will not be silenced.
Such seems to be the case in Saudi Arabia at the present. According to one source, the church there is going underground since the government is tightening its control. Among the things forbidden in the country are “Christian worship, evangelism, literature, Bibles, and crosses.” Not long ago, 12 foreigners were arrested; the Saudi government means business. Also, Filipinos who have come to the country for jobs have had to meet privately.
So what happens when the critics just refuse to be silenced?
1 Peter 2:18-25
I. The Importance of Endurance (vs. 18-20)
II. The Example of Endurance (vs. 21-24)
I. The Importance of Endurance (vs. 18-20)
Sometimes Christians have no recourse but to patiently endure
A. Consider the 1st century servant to which this section of the book is addressed.
1. This particular mention of servants refers most likely to household servants. Those who served their masters in a house.
2. There is evidence that some servants in the 1st century were very well treated. Some of them were even doctors, teachers, nurses, and musicians. It’s possible they were even paid for their services.
3. It is true that their position was lower than that of the Roman citizen. They had no legal rights.
4. It’s possible that the servants to which Peter is speaking were getting close to our concept of employment, though certainly not completely so. Today, we are employed by choice. The servants at this time were not servants by choice.
5. Undoubtedly it could be said that some servants were treated very well and others were treated very poorly. Today, if an employer started to beat up on his employee, his employee could seek justice in the law. The 1st century slave did not have that luxury. They had no legal rights.
6. Verse 18- the difference in masters
a. some were good and gentle, mild-mannered, balanced, fair.
b. others were froward- crooked, perverse, my favorite, it’s been defined as warped.
Illustration:
We expect various authorities in our lives to treat us with fairness. We hope that bosses will be sure that everything is done with our best interests in mind. We expect government to dispense justice.
That’s why my wife and I were so shocked when we got a letter from a missionary in Africa.
Two adult daughters of a deacon had a can of powdered milk taken from them by force and were commenting to each other that men in this particular area know only how to drink and take what does not belong to them. A policeman overheard the women and concluded that they were referring to him (must of had a guilty conscience). The policeman followed them to their home and began to beat them up. The father asked if they could talk about it, and so the policeman turned on him and began to beat him. In self-defense the deacon threw a plate and hit the officer above the eye. The policeman got so mad he went to get a gun, while the family ran for their lives. When the policeman got back, the house was locked, so he shot through the door a few times and then sat down to wait for the family to return.
Because of the shooting, two other policeman were sent to see what happened and began to struggle with the first policeman. One of the policemen was shot during the struggle. The case went to court. Who was guilty? The deacon of course, for giving birth to the two women who started the whole incident.
That’s Justice!!!!!!
Low and Slow
Sometimes life isn’t fair. And sometimes, those in authority do not dispense justice.
Maybe you’re embroiled in a situation at work that is terribly unfair. It has you tied up on knots. It’s makes it difficult to even go to work. Your boss is “froward.” Crooked, perverse, warped.
So what do you do?
7. verse 18 says be subject. Do what he says to do.
a. Don’t lie for him, (don’t disobey God for him) but be sure to do what he says to do.
b. Ultimately, we follow the orders of a froward man, out of “conscience toward God.” (vs. 19) That is, God-consciousness instead of boss-consciousness. Doing it for God, and not for man.
B. Through this circumstance God wants you to patiently endure (vs. 19, 20)
Pause: Often, as we face difficult situations especially at work, we have no choice but to stick with it, because back home the bills are stacking up and we’ve got to have that job to survive. No choice but to endure.
But this morning I want to suggest that we go on to a higher level of enduring. Not just enduring, but enduring correctly.
1. Patient endurance brings praise and commendation.
a. “For this is thankworthy” (vs. 19)
b. “for what glory (“credit”) is it (vs. 20)
c. “this is acceptable to God” (vs. 20)
2. Be sure you’re suffering for what’s right.
a. Don’t get “buffeted” (literally, beaten, same word for what they did to Christ Matt. 26:67) for doing wrong.
b. If you’re going to get beat up, be sure it’s for something right. When Peter says these things, some of these servants were probably envisioning their last beating, and thinking, now was that something that I deserved or didn’t deserve?
When we suffer for doing the right things, and patiently endure, God is well-pleased with us.
Illustration: Kent Hughes tells of the nightmare of his first job at fourteen years of age. He worked after school at a nursery watering plants, stocking, and waiting on customers. He wanted to do his best, so he made sure that he was never late, did not stand around and looked for things that needed to be done. But his boss just did not seem to be pleasable. Finally the day came when his boss terminated him.
That happens. It’s not fair. But the Christian is not told to question the fairness of things. He is told to endure for God. God-conscious, not boss conscious.
Life relevance:
But this principle of enduring patiently is not isolated to the work-force. It relates to all of life. When the critics of Christianity just will not be silenced, the Christian at times has no recourse but to hang with it.
If you haven’t already guessed in this series on 1 Peter I have a some reasons why I chose this book.
I feel that our present situation is very similar to that of the original audience of the book.
They either were facing persecution at the moment they read the book, or outward persecution was looming like a sure-coming storm.
I believe the situation in America is ripe for persecution. Take a look around. We are now living in a post-Christian world. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a prophet of doom, but I do know what I am seeing. Christians being slandered in this nation, being blamed for all kinds of twisted things (Matthew Shepherd, forcing NFL players to tithe, etc. . .) just the way Nero blamed the burning of Rome on the Christians.
One bumper sticker said, “God, save me from your followers.”
Christians are not only being slandered, but killed in many parts of the world.
We’ve got to be ready to suffer with endurance if that’s what God wants.
It’s not just on the job that Christians are being treated unfairly.
But on top of this, God often brings things into the lives of His children that cause them to suffer. Not just persecution, but health problems, death, financial problems, family problems. Things that cause us to suffer. EXPECT IT!
Verse 21- “For hereunto were ye called. . .”
We’re so busy trying to escape suffering, when God has called us to suffer. We keep trying to get out of it, and He keeps getting us into it!
We are called to suffer! The question is not, “will I undergo suffering?” That question was settled the moment of salvation.
The question is, “how will I handle it?”
Here’s where Peter moves to a living illustration of how to handle it.
II. The Example of Endurance (vs. 21-24)
A. One of the things I enjoyed about winter-time as I grew up was going to my folk’s cabin in the mountains. Since the snow got very deep it would need to shoveled off the roof. The sheer weight of the snow had caused some cabins to collapse.
We could drive up till we got within about three quarters of a mile from the cabin, and from there would walk, snowshoe, cross-country ski, or snowmobile the rest of the way.
When we got to the cabin, the snow was so deep near the cabin, that it was above a beam that went across our porch. The beam was about eight feet high.
To walk through the woods was very difficult and you walked single file. One guy was out front, breaking trail. His was the hardest job. He had to plow through. The others could just follow, walking in his steps. To go very long in the front could wear a person out very quickly. He was the one who broke trail for the rest to follow.
That’s what Christ has done for us. He broke the trail of suffering. He leads the way.
Verse 21 says that He left us an “example so that we could follow “His steps.”
B. Peter used a very picturesque word for “example.” Speaks of writing assignments given children in which they were to copy specific words, or trace letters.
The word smells of learning. Making mistakes, trying again. Getting better. Practice.
Suffering with endurance is a learned skill, and our Great Teacher Jesus Christ, left behind a grammar on suffering. We are to trace its’ every line, walk it’s every step. Imitate every move.
When faced with suffering, people will often respond by getting away. Escape from problems, difficult people and tough situations.
But the first rule in Christ’s grammar book is that you can’t run. Running is not the answer. You can never outrun the lessons Christ wants to teach. If you suffer at this job and run, it’ll just catch up to you at the next. If you escape this problem by cashing in, it’ll get you soon enough.
Rather, Christ says, “you come walk with Me. I’ll show you how to handle it. We’ll walk through this thing together.” You just put your foot where you see Mine has been and you’ll be just fine!” Forget about failed lessons in the past, just focus on this week’s lesson.
And you thought you were done with school.
So here comes the how to part of Peter’s presentation. What are the steps of Christ to follow?
C. The steps of Christ to follow (vs. 22-24)
1. Be guilty of no wrongdoing (Christ was perfect, we should come as close to it as possible)
2. Do not return abusive speech with abusive speech.
a. “revile means abusive language
b. Ever had anyone use abusive language against you? Don’t return it
3. Do not threaten anyone
a. Christ could have certainly threatened them. He had all power at His disposal. He created the very ones who were killing Him. He knew how to inflict pain if He wanted. They were little ants in comparison to Him.
b. Yet He didn’t threaten them.
4. Entrust yourself to the Righteous Judge (vs. 23)
a. Christ got no justice from the high priest. He got no justice from Pilate.
b. He committed Himself to the ultimate justice of God the Father
c. And that is sometimes the only justice Christians will get.
Are you suffering like Christ today? Or are you not entrusting yourself to God’s care? Are you responding with abusive language to those who are causing you pain? Are you suffering for something wrong you have done?
D. The accomplishment of Christ’s suffering.
1. Our sins were put upon Christ. (vs. 24) Instead of Christ suffering, it should have been us. He took our penalty in our place. The truth is, it wasn’t fair.
2. Purpose- freedom from sin, alive to doing righteousness. Could never come any other way. No matter how hard you try. Christ is the only way.
3. Notice, Christ’s wounds (“stripes”) are healing wounds.
You’ve seen the shirt, “His pain, your gain.” His wounds, your healing.
4. Christ’s suffering brought you back to your Spiritual Guardian. God.
Conclusion:
Big Idea: Christ is the example of enduring while suffering
I. The Importance of Endurance (vs. 18-20)
II. The Example of Endurance (vs. 21-24)
Are you ready for suffering? Are you ready to suffer properly?
Follow Christ.