Practicing Submission part 4
Scripture reading: 1 Peter 3:10-12
Title: Practicing Submission part 4 – 1 Peter 3:8-12
Introduction: Not long ago the beautiful mosaic painted by Michelangelo in the Cisten Chapel in Rome was cleaned and restored. The pollution and dust of the last two hundred years had made it so that no one really knew what lay beneath the grim, when they cleaned it all were amazed at images that they had never seen before and the beauty that hid for so long was finally revealed. The beauty was there all along but after years of neglect and filth it was hidden.
In so many ways the beauty of the practice of submission has been covered over by 6000 years of human filth and Satan’s evil grim. But over the next couple of weeks, Peter is going to get the restoration kit out and walk us through layer after layer of filth to open the hidden beauty of submission, the way that God intended it to function in the life of the believer.
Central Idea: The practice of submission is pleasing to the Lord
Main Transition: As we continue on with our understanding of the practice of submission Peter has brought us all back together again. We were split off as we looked at the different areas of submission, but we all have the command to practice submission, so as Peter wraps up his instruction on Submission he assembles us all together to make sure that we keep each other accountable as well as all understand what is required of your actions. So he reminds us that we are called to submission, then he reminds us of the practice of Submission, and finally the reason we submit is because it brings approval from the Lord.
I. We were called to submission (8-9)
A. The believer’s responsibility to submit (8)
1. Peter has taken us apart, dividing off each group and our subsequent submission into parts, but now he is about to finish off his exhortation by focusing back to the church and our relationship with other believers,
2. he does so by calling us all to submission by five actions that are mostly used only here in Scripture, if you are marking your Bible these are five words that would be good to underline, they are the gage of how well you are acting like a fellow believer in Christ.
a. Harmonious – This means that in your submission you are to seek to become likeminded
b. sympathetic - Feeling the pain another is enduring
c. Brotherly – Love each other as if you were their sibling, as you are in Christ
d. kindhearted – Softness toward others
e. humble in spirit – Having the attitude of humility
B. You actions reflect your submission (9a)
1. The world’s wisdom is to treat others the way they treat you, noticed I changed that from what you heard from your parents and what you told to your kids,
Application: We usually practice the world’s wisdom, if they insult you insult them back, if they cut you off on the interstate, ride their bumper for the next 15 miles. You understand, because we all have that emotion to return evil for evil. An eye for an Eye isn’t that what the Lord says!!
2. But notice this passage we are to use the opportunity to repay evil for blessings. The reason we do is to pierce the dark hard heart and to soften it for the gospel, people are used to being insulted, they why they insult you back, but responding in grace softens their hearts to your message of Christ.
C. Your calling requires submission (9b)
1. Peter now tells us why, you do so because you were called to partake in the gift given while we were yet sinners.
2. While you did not desire any blessings Christ died and rose again, you are partakers in that wonderful gift and that requires that you in turn respond out of the same kind of love for another.
3. You receive an inheritance out of your blessings to others but this is not our motive, our motive reminds us of our Central Idea this morning, this practice of submission is pleasing to the Lord.
Transition: Peter has taken the first of many layers to come of the beautiful mosaic of submission. He has told what to do already, but now he telling us how to practice it. He is telling us that we are the ones who must remove the layers off our own submission so the light of the gospel can shine through, and minister to those around us, and even to other believers in the church.
II. The practice of submission (10-11)
A. Practice submission in the richness of this life (10a)
1. Peter turns to the Old Testament, to Psalm 34:12-16 to further help our understanding. He has changed the wording somewhat to help illuminate his meaning
2. He begins with an statement – He who desires life, to love and see good days – We might say he who wants to live a life worth living. Who would say that?
3. We all desire to live a life worth living. To do that we must practice submission in our actions
B. Practice submission in your actions (10b-11a)
1. Then comes the command – Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.
a. To practice submission changes the value and impact of your life.
b. Everyone wants to leave their mark, but what value does your life have if you are watching your submission to others especially with the use of your mouth.
2. Then comes the second of the three commands – “he must turn from evil and do good.”
a. In order to remove the layers of grim off of our mosaic of submission we must live a life worth following
b. Submission requires a turn around in our life, it requires that we reject the ways of this world and follow after the righteousness of God
c. This submission is not for the benefit of others, but for our selves, our live becomes worth living
Illustration: Just as the last verse to the hymn of “because He lives” which says, “Life is worth the living just because He lives.”
C. Practice submission with obedience (11b)
1. The third command is another action in the heart of the submissive servant that makes life worth the living.
2. He must seek Peace and pursue it, this refers to our bent toward sin, we must disdain sin and pursue the holiness of God.
Transition: Peter’s connection is incredible, the world says that in order to live the good life, let no one run over you, you run over them on your way to the top, but the Lord says, the way up is down. You truly want a life worth living learn submission! Practice submission, and by taking of the grim and restoring the true example of submission in your life the world may see Christ in you and your life just became a life worth living.
III. Submission brings approval from the Lord (12)
A. The eyes of the Lord are open
1. Peter takes us where we need to start at, we submit because we are watched by the Lord. We watch our tongues, and turn from evil, and pursue peace, because we are watched by God
2. The hearts of the sinners melt away at the thought of God watching them. They know that they are guilty and the presence of God convicts them
Illustration: I heard this week a very scary interview with a couple of radical Newagers. The question was posed, “so what about after death, what do you say happens after death.” The answer was revealing the heart of this dark soul, he said, “I don’t give it any thought, nothing. To the world the eyes of the Lord are frightening,
3. But to the believer this give us hope and strengthen, God is mindful of what we are doing for Him, he takes notice and cares when we are maligned for submission, this makes life worth living.
B. The ears of the Lord are listening
1. This is even more encouraging to the believer, God not only sees, but hears us, He heard Jeremiah cry out to him after facing rejection and persecution, He heard Rahab and responded, He hears Chad when I cry out, He hears you who believe.
2. Submission to God opens the doors to heaven and gives us an audience with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the End.
3. Your prayers do not hit the atmosphere and bounce back, they arrive at the ear of Almighty God.
C. The face of the Lord brings condemnation
1. Peter finishes this passage from Psalms with the negative. Those that reject God, who live by the world standards of a good life, receive the attention of the Lord as well, as they are condemned by they selfish ambition and pride.
2. The connection that Peter draws takes us back up to reveal that the eye of the Lord is upon the Good and the wicked
3. You may be here this morning having never received Christ as Savior. You may say, This is all to scare the weak. You must realize that one day you will stand before God, who saw everything and watched and will ask for an account of why you did not receive Christ on April 20th 2008. I imagine that just the thought of God watching spooks you and bring terror to your heart.
4. It is time to trust in Christ as Savior, make your life a life worth living.
Conclusion: As the grim peals off the practice of submission the very doors of heaven open to reveal the Lord, pleased at the practice of submission being lived out in the lives worth living of His servants. Satan does not want the grim removed, and will do anything possible to pollute and cloud the true results of submission, but don’t be deceived. The question that we have to ask this morning is simply, are you practicing submission? Believer, don’t let the grim of sin block the beautiful mosaic of Submission.