1 Peter 2:11-17 - Seek the Kingdom

Notes:

Well, it’s tempting to respond in one of several ways when being slandered for following Christ: 1. Fighting back, verbally or physically. Defending oneself or even going on the offensive and feeling justified in doing so because of the injustice one has suffered. 2. Withdrawal, disengagement. Maintaining a holy, separate society by having as little to do with the surrounding culture as possible. 3. Acculturation, blending in, “closeting” one’s true identity as a Christ- follower by adopting or mimicking the culture in which one lives. (Jobes) Peter’s says “no” to all 3 of tempting these options as strategies for the Christian living in a hostile environment. Peter, instead, calls them to godly engagement with the culture in which they find themselves. For Peter, Jesus Himself is the exemplar of how to be in the world but not of it; how to handle undeserved persecution and suffering. To live rightly in such a place, Peter gives them a two-pronged strategy: 1. They must maintain their identity as God’s holy people---which in turn may cause them to suffer unjustly. They must be prepared for such suffering; but without retaliation. 2. Their allegiance to God in Christ does not exempt them from submitting to pagan authority

To be an exile is to not be in charge.

How to live as an exhile

Fight against sin

Do good things (honorable)

NOTE: We are all so ready to accept the inheritance that is positive. But we all are promised that we will suffer injustice just as Jesus suffers. We will have needs unmet (in the world) but we have God, through Jesus Christ, with the power of the Holy Spirit.

1 PETER IS THE MOST POPULAR BOOK OF THE BIBLE AMONG CHRISTIANS LIVING IN MUSLIM Dominant Countries like Indonesia and Egypt.

Can those around us tell we are Christians?

In Jewish thought, the honor or dishonor of God was determined by how outsiders viewed the deeds of His people. This most certainly influenced early Christian thought as well. (Daube, The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism, London: Athlone, 1956)

Luke 6:

John Stott said, The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power, but love; not force, but example; not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve