Following Jesus at Work and in Marriage

Intro:

Last week I said let’s talk about submitting to the Government.... and I saw eyes pop open! This week.... we go into work and marriage!

This is a blessing of going verse by verse through a book of the Bible… we get what the Word of God brings!.....

How do we follow Jesus in our work and in our marriages?

1. The Call to Follow Jesus

1 Peter 2:18–3:7 (ESV)

The call of Jesus is both to saving faith and to a life as a disciple

a. Come to me.... and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28) and (1 Peter 1:10)

b. Come, take up your cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24). This is what Peter is going to be building upon here. Jesus as the perfect suffering servant, the savior, and the shepherd and overseer of our souls. He calls us, we follow...... 1 Peter 2 :12 “12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

This morning, before we look at how we are to follow Jesus as work and in our marriage..... We must know why we are following Jesus! What does Peter provide for us here that we need to hear this morning?

As our example v.21-23 - Jesus is the perfect example for us to follow..... He submitted to the rulers and authorities above him.... He suffered doing good.....

He was sinless.... He committed no sin.

No deceit was in His mouth.

He did not revile in return

He did not threaten

He entrusted himself to the Just Judge.... God!

In today’s world..... in today’s political climate.... in today’s vernacular.... Your rights are central.... I have the right to do this.... I have the right to do that!....... I am not here to debate whether you do or do not have the right.....

But in Jesus..... He had every right to forgo his execution.... he had every right to revile in return..... He created the men who crucified him to the tree..... he created the men who were whipping him.... punching him..... He could have called down legions of angels to defend him..... He had the right as the Son of God..... the third person in the Trinity...... Yet he did not..... He entrusted himself to the Just Judge!

b. Sacrifice for our sins v. 24

Jesus was the substitutionary atonement for our sins..... In your place, Jesus died. From the sacrifice in the garden of the animals to cover us the nakedness of Adam and Eve, to the ram in the thicket, to the passover lamb, to the sacrificial animals given on the altar.... Jesus once and for all died for the punishment you deserved!

Hear how Peter is drawing on Isaiah in this passage....

Isaiah 53:2–12 “2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken …”

Christ’s death was substitutionary… Jesus was taking our place. That is why the charges brought against Him were blasphemy and treason, for these are the very charges we face before the judgment seat of God. We have made ourselves into gods, and thus blasphemed His holy Name; we have rebelled against His rightful rule over our lives, and we are guilty of high treason against his gracious majesty. Sinclair Ferguson, A Heart For God (68)

We can only be saved from the penalty our sins deserved by the very one we’ve sinned against—God himself.” Mark Dever, It is Well(122)

In Christ’s substitutionary atonement....we receive the healing of our spiritual need of a savior. Our sins are forgiven, we are free from the bondage of sin and death..... We may experience healing of our physical bodies now..... but we will for certain experience eternal life with Jesus forever...... Eternal healing of our body and souls!

You were the reviling and threatening pharisee.....

You were the blasphemous

You were the traitor who denied him

Jesus died for you.... in your place for the forgiveness of sins, absorbing the wrath of God due your sins.... and in exchange you are counted righteous.

c. As the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls v. 25

You have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your soul..... who has the ultimate authority in your life? Who is the shepherd of your heart? If we are submitting the governing authorities..... in a few minutes to our boss at work.... to our spouse...... Then we must ultimately find our submission to Jesus as Shepherd and Overseer of our life.

We are Sheep -

We need protection

We need guidance to green pastures and water

We need to be fed

We bite

We are prone to wander

We are easily influenced

We know our shepherds voice

He is our Shepherd

i. He Guards us

ii. He Guides us

iii. He is Gentle and Tender

iv. He Watches over us

v. He restores and Heals us

I wonder if today isn’t the Day God has set aside for you to return.....That, your heart and your faith has just been word only..... that Jesus is calling you back to his flock.... back under his authority...... That the things of this Earth have drawn you away.... you were finding false hope, false security, and false providence from these Earthly things..... and Jesus is using God’s Word, the holy Spirit, this church family, and maybe even this moment to call you home.....

A. Following Jesus at Work

a. Respect good or unjust bosses v. 18

The term servant here as one commentator wrote is between our understanding of slave and modern day employee.

So a word stronger than ‘servant’ but weaker than ‘slave’ is needed – something meaning ‘semipermanent employee without legal or economic freedom. "1 Peter" by Wayne A. Grudem. Scribd.

There is no Biblical approval for race based discrimination and slavery found in our nations history..... period...... The Bible speaks here of a household worker that in that time.... different than our idea of slaves that were wrongfully treated here in America. Instead.... we should see this equalling to our everyday employee relating to a boss. (although today, you can move from job to job easier than these servants could then).

How should you treat a bad boss or bad treatment at work?

Deal with it by showing your Christian GOOD Conduct..... there will be benevolent bosses and there will be unjust, crooks, evil bosses..... and Peter is saying.... You are a Christian....so act like one even in this social setting!

You do not respond with evil if the boss is evil… you aren’t playing.... how will the day go based on how the boss is!....

b. Work mindful of God v.19

Who is your ultimate boss?

I love watching undercover boss.... I mean it gets me every time!..... But the just of the show is that people are not aware that the CEO is working in the lower level positions of the big company..... If we could only understand that God is our ultimate boss.... and that he is with us on the job every day!.... That is what Peter is getting at here!.

Colossians 3:23 “23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,”

c. Suffering is a grace of God v. 20

“this life is a kind of preparatory school for the great life that is awaiting us beyond death and time.” ― D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the

Working at Babies R Us...... Life lesson..... God works through my wife.... she mentioned.... why do you bring that home?

1. I felt superior in education

2. I felt above the position

3. I felt the urge to gossip along with the fellow employees

All this together though..... I learned.... I grew.... I changed.... I worked for the Lord not for men!

B. Following Jesus in Marriage

1. Wives submit to your husbands

a. With the conduct of your faith not words

b. With your inward beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit

c. Without Fear

This does not mean......

Woman must remain silent

Woman submit to ALL men.... it says here to her husband

Woman must remain in physical, emotional, or spiritual abusive marriages

Woman are inferior to men and husbands

Woman cannot wear fine jewelry, make up, and pay attention to their physical appearance.

This does mean

a. You are mindful of how you use your words in your marriage relationship

Proverbs 27:15 “15 A continual dripping on a rainy day and a quarrelsome wife are alike;”

Proverbs 19:13 “13 A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.”

Proverbs 21:19 “19 It is better to live in a desert land than with a quarrelsome and fretful woman.”

Proverbs 25:24 “24 It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”

b. You spend more time on the beauty of your faith...... that will win your husbands heart to Jesus.

We were at the park taking the other day.... and getting out of the car I noticed a young lady getting ready to go on a run and shooting a selfie of her self.... like several pictures..... and then like an hour later we were getting back in the car and going home.... and she was again by her car taking selfies......

What Peter is saying here.... selfies are not evil..... but take the time to make sure you are adorning your faith as much as you are adorning yourself on social media.

How much time do you take getting ready in the morning?...... Peter is saying.... spend that much time or more on getting your soul ready for the day!

How much time do you invest in presenting well in public? Social Media? Work?...... Put that much if not more effort into improving your Christian life in public!

c. You are a powerful, strong, and wise women..... When Sarah calls Abraham lord.... she is also laughing at what God had promised.... she is listening on the outside of the tent and says..... HAHA.... now that’s funny.

Wives in the room..... Men in the room..... Marriage is a journey with each other.... together...... Women you have are not called to be a silent partner in this......

Proverbs 31:25 “25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.”

As simple as I can say this.... I value, love, and need Krystle to speak to me, into my life, and help me be a better husband, father and minister of the Gospel...... As a small example.... this week.... we are having a conversation.... a normal conversation, talking about life and ministry.... and then she lovingly points out that I have a phrase that I keep repeating in normal conversations and in my sermons...... THIS IS NOT NEW! :) I have throughout my journey as an adult and also as a pastor..... have a phrase that will show up for months at a time and Krystle, who knows me best, kindly brings it up..... it is a simple and yet so helpful way that she loves me enough to point it out!

It goes beyond words too...... She speaks into my life with her commitment to love and serve our family......

2. Husbands submit in an understanding way

a. Be considerate

How does your wife feel this week men? What has defined her week?..... Have you slowed down enough to consider her? To know her emotional, spiritual, and physical needs?

Practically speaking..... do you do what you want to do all the time? Do you get up and help around the house?

Our American sit-coms paint men as dumb and self-interested and self-motivated......That being a man..... you either are to be joke.... or you can’t see past what you want to spend money on or watch on tv......

A Christian husband submits to his wife when he walks in the door each night from work and not only asks how her day was, but sits and seeks to understand how her day was.... Then he gets up and washes the dishes.... he picks up after himself........

b. Show honor

As a general rule.... God has designed men to be physically stronger than women..... Men in Peter’s day as well had more political/social power..... So Peter is calling men to be Chivalrous..... To honor women.... to protect women.... to take care of them when they cannot take care of themselves.

If something goes bump in the night at my house.... I don’t look over at Krystle and say.... you handle this!

If we get a flat tire on the side of the road..... I don’t look at Krystle and say.... you got this!

If you are moving across the country.... you don’t pack the boxes and then tell your wife to load them all!

Peter is giving instruction here..... Can a woman do those things.... yes… but as men we honor them by serving them!

c. Recognize her God-given identity

Of all the commands for husbands.... this is the biggest...... You are co-heirs with Christ...... You are not more privileged..... you are not less privileged..... Co-heirs of the promise, co-heirs in salvation, equal before God..... She is not your servant, she is not your genie, she is your co-heir......

Galatians 3:28-29 “28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

The warning is clear.... if you mistreat your wife in not doing these things..... your prayers will not be heard!

Conclusion

So we follow Jesus because he is our example, Savior, and Shepherd.......

We follow him in our workplace.... we do good and we may suffer for our faith.

We follow him in our marriage.... we do good, honor each other, submit to one another in love.....

We follow Jesus… to reflect the Gospel to others in our life!

Most importantly..... Have you responded to the Call of Jesus to have faith in him?

Today, are you submitting to Him as the Shepherd and Overseer of your soul?

How might you need to change, turn, repent..... in how you follow Jesus at Work? in your Marriage?