Sermon Tone Analysis

We are now in week 3 of this new series called “Hope for Suffering Saints”

from an ancient text, written by one of the closest disciples of Jesus, pointing beleaguered believers to their heavenly HOPE in the middle of difficult days.

Today we dive deeper as we learn the key to Enduring Unjust Suffering.

There isn't much more frustrating than being punished for doing what is right, but followers of Jesus better be ready to respond like Jesus did.

That was the apostle Peter’s message to the 1st century Christians and a message we need to hear today too, since our culture continues to embrace what God says is evil while alienating those who speak up about what God says is good.

For example...

Abortion - killing the innocent human life and turning the womb into a tomb.

Our nation is more likely to protect unborn turtles than unborn humans.

Sexual Impurity - sexual activity outside of the marriage relationship between a biological male and female.

Our culture is so backwards that it applauds those claiming to be ‘transexual’ people playing dress-up.

The pro-nouns of “he” and “she” are under attack in favor of whatever FLAVOR you choose.

In 2014, Facebook offered a list of 56 GENDER OPTIONS to choose from.

*https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/02/heres-a-list-of-58-gender-options-for-facebook-users

Many ways to God.

When we claim that Jesus is the ONLY way to God we will catch some serious heat.

The 1st century Christians typically faced a lot more suffering than we currently face, but the passage we look at today might become more precious to us as we enter into more and more hostile territory within our own country.

LET’S PRAY

Remember that Peter first referred his audience as “God’s elect exiles” (1 Pet 1:1), God’s HOUSE (1 Pet 2:5), God’s people (1 Pet 2:9-10) those who have an inheritance awaiting that will not perish, spoil, or fade (1 Pet 1:3-5).

So while these believers have earthly homes, they have come to understand that they should be preparing for their eternal home.

And that home is becoming more and more desirable as many of these followers of Jesus are facing persecution where they live.

So, Peter continues his letter writing:

1 Peter 2:11–12 (NIV)

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

First, believers are to abstain from sinful desires.

Here are some of the desires that includes:

Galatians 5:19–21 (NLT)

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.

Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Contrary to what our culture often says, we can actually control our behavior.

We aren’t animals that make decisions based on INSTINCT, but human beings made in the image of God, who have the intellectual ability to override what some might call our ‘instinctual’ desires.

God commands us to abstain from sinful desires.

This word translated “abstain” is from the Greek term meaning to be far away from*.

The same term was used of the Prodigal whom the Father saw “while he was still a long way off” (Lk 15:20).

* Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 724–725.

We aren’t to dabble or flirt with these sins.

The question shouldn’t be, “How close can we get to sin and not sin?”

That’s like asking, “How close can I get driving on the edge of the cliff and not fall off?”

Instead, we should keep the danger at a distance.

WHY?

These sinful desires…wage war against your soul.

There is a CIVIL WAR going on inside of you and me.

Our sinful desires are at war with our souls where the Spirit of God lives.

That’s why, as you’ve likely experienced, living in sin separates us from real relationship with God and His people.

Living in sin dilutes our confidence in Christ and our ability to impact others for Him.

Followers of Jesus - abstain from sinful desires!

At the end of the day, when you have purpose, hope, & a clean conscience.

- you’ll be glad you did!

Next, Peter challenges this Christian audience to...

1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.

Where did Peter get this idea from?

Probably from that GUY he followed around for years and saw rise from the dead!

Jesus said:

Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Our LIVES are to overrule their LIES so that when Jesus returns - the day He visits us - they will glorify God because of our good deeds.

There will be a day of judgement where those who mistreated and lied about us will be confronted by the truth and forced to glorify God - to confess that He is good & what He says is true.

Could that mean that some who used to persecute us will thank God for our faithful example?

Is it possible that some of our current enemies will become our brothers/sisters in Christ - that our consistent obedience to God will lead them to turn from their sins and follow Him too!?!?

I sure hope so!

That’s what happened with a Roman jailer in Philippi (Acts 16:25-34).

At midnight Paul & Silas were praying and singing to God in their prison cell while the other prisoners listened.

When God brought about an earthquake that opened on the prison doors, the jailor was awakened to see all the doors open.

Thinking they had all escaped and knowing it would cost his life, this jailor prepared to fall on his own sword, but Paul stopped him and reported that no man had escaped.

Rather than just stick them all back in their cells, this man asked fell down trembling in front of Paul and Silas and asked, “What must I do to be saved?”

(Acts 16:30).

What brought this jailor to this point?

Had he seen the difference in Paul & Silas?

Did he hear them praying, singing, or sharing the good news of Jesus with others?

We simply aren’t told.

The jailor certainly DID recognize that Paul & Silas spared his life by giving themselves up rather than running away.

Paul & Silas answered his question: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

The jailor was so grateful that he took these prisoners TO HIS HOUSE, washed their wounds, and gave them a meal.

And that guy and his whole family believed on Jesus and were baptized!

How incredible is that!

This jailor, who certainly thought Paul and Silas had done wrong, saw their good deeds and glorified God!

1 Peter 2:13–15 (NIV)

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by Him [the Lord] to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.

For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.

for the Lord’s sake In other words, we are to submit to governing rulers because this honors Jesus.

This is what HE wants us to do.

How does Peter know this?

He walked with Jesus for years.

He watched Jesus for years.

He listened to Jesus for years.

And now he reminds those who have never seen physically nor heard Jesus audibly: Jesus commands us to submit to governing authorities as He did.

Think about THAT for a second - Jesus - God in skin - submitted to human authorities -

like Pagan Pilate when He said, “You would have no authority over me at all,...if it hadn’t been given you from above.”

(Jn 19:11).

And when Jesus was asked about whether it was right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar, the emperor, or not.

Jesus answered with the now-famous words, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

(Mk 12:17) Jesus wasn’t disobeying human authority.

He was teaching others to submit to human authority, but never forgetting to first submit to our ULTIMATE AUTHORITY.

Jesus even paid the temple tax, despite being the Son of the Owner (God the Father).

WHY?

He did not want to cause offense (Mt 17:24-27).

In this way no one could say that Jesus disobeyed the Roman authorities nor the Jewish authorities.

In fact, He modeled what He expected Peter and rest of His disciples were to do.

We should always submit to governing authorities UNTIL the governing authorities command us to disobey our ULTIMATE AUTHORITY.