Submission as Saints - 1 Peter 3:8-12 - July 18, 2021

These are the Sermon Notes for July 18, 2021. We are meeting in person and streaming online (facebook and youtube) every Sunday at 9:37 am. You can also watch livestream recordings at any time.

 1 Peter 3:8-12 Submission as Saints

Good morning! We are back in 1 Peter this morning, so you can turn to chapter 3, verses 8-12, page 1015 in the pew Bibles.

When you think of the Apostle Peter, what are some words that come to your mind? Disciple, fisherman, impetuous, impulsive… How about: expositor? Bible teacher?

Here in these verses this morning that is exactly what Peter is doing, he is expositing the text of Psalm 34:12-16. In his exposition of the text he shows us five key words that are to characterize the Lord’s church family, five essentials for Christian living.

Let’s read it together.

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Let’s pray

Psalm 34 is a Psalm of David, a wonderful hymn that acted as a sort of discipleship manual in the early church. Don’t forget that Psalms are songs and the words and tune would have been familiar to Peter’s  original audience of Jewish believers scattered throughout Asia Minor.

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

So Peter, as an expositor, as a good Bible teacher, avoids the trap of a three point sermon and goes for five points instead. So let’s look at Peter’s five points.

First in verse 8: 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind,

He has been speaking to specific people in specific roles and their responsibilities of submission, but now he widens his focus on the whole church and their responsibilities of submission to one another.

Unity of mind is not possible without submission to one another out of reverence for Christ. Unity of mind can also be translated, “harmonious, or, in harmony.” This harmonious, unity of mind, is the description of everyone pursuing one end, the same goal.

As a musician, I can appreciate the idea of being harmonious. Harmonies in music are powerful and beautiful. Singing in unison can be powerful, but there’s nothing like good harmony. 

Life in the church family is just like that, we may not all sing the same part, or play the same instrument, but we should all be playing the same song with the Holy Spirit as the conductor and God’s Word as our sheet music.

Jesus prayed for exactly this for the church in John 17:10-11,

10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

How unified should our minds be? That unified. One. 

“Making and maturing disciples of Jesus Christ together as a family,” that’s our unifying thought that we can all pursue together in harmony.

The next word Peter uses is, “sympathy.” 

As one body with many members, being united in mind, when one part suffers we all suffer. When we stub our toe, our brains feel it, our eyes may tear up, our mouths may fire something off. That’s how a body works.

Romans 12:15 says, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 

This is not just simply feeling bad when someone else is struggling, this following Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as you love yourself. In the church family, everyone cares not only for themselves but looks out for the benefit of the others. In the church family we are to bear one another’s burdens.

Sometimes the loudest sermon is just a hug, whether it’s for comfort, encouragement, or celebration.

This is a strong reminder that we are not in this alone, we are designed to do life together.

Peter’s next word is, “brotherly love.”

JP Lange wrote that brotherly love is: “A radical sweetness in the temper of the mind that spreads itself into a man’s words and actions, and this is not merely natural but spiritual.”

If you consider Peter’s source text from Psalm 34, where it says, “Let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit…” 

What does that have to do with brotherly love? Brotherly love does not use its tongue to harm or deceive its brothers and sisters. It does not slander or gossip or insult or curse at or scold, it does not lie or swindle or gloss over the truth.

Brotherly love turns away from evil and does good, it seeks peace and pursues it. It chases after peace when it won’t be granted to it, it follows after it when peace seems to flee, it strives towards peace with intense effort. 

Brotherly love is not content with discord, it does not simply shrug its shoulders at conflict but does the hard work of seeking to resolve it. 

Matthew 18 gives us great instruction on conflict resolution and pursuing peace. 

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Peter’s next word is, “a tender heart.”

A tender heart is a heart that is merciful, affectionate, and compassionate. A tender heart doesn’t just say, “I love you,” but proves it with action. A tender heart helps its family in their miseries and bears with their infirmities. This is the beautiful combination of feelings and action, it is a “hearty compassion.”

Paul used this same word in Ephesians 4:32, Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

That’s exactly what tenderheartedness requires, kindness, compassion, and if necessary, forgiveness.

Peter’s fourth word is, “a humble mind.”

None of these thoughts are possible without this one. In truth, all of these thoughts are dependent upon each other and build upon each other, but a humble mind makes them all possible.

A humble mind is a stronger word than just humility. The idea is that of a conscious effort to pursue an attitude of humility. Being humbled can come from the outside, playing the game of baseball is a great way to do this. The game will humble you in an instant.

But pursuing an attitude of humility is different, it removes the necessity of humbling because you’re already there.

Again, Paul echoes this pursuit of humility in Philippians 4:3-4,

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

John Calvin wrote, “Nothing produces more discord than when we think too highly of ourselves.”

CS Lewis said, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.”

Putting the needs of others before ourselves, treating others the way we would like to be treated, any of this sounding familiar?

Peter’s final word is, “blessing.”

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

I think the words, “evil,” and “reviling,” bear close examination.

In this context, “evil,” means to do harm, not just random wickedness, but consciously harming another.

Reviling is not that much different, where “evil,” could be considered physical harm, reviling is insult and slander, harming someone’s feelings or reputation.

In either case, Peter reminds us that we are not to seek revenge, Paul does too in Romans 12:19, Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

Peter had addressed Jesus’ example in this way back in chapter 2 of 1 Peter, 

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

But instead of just leaving us with a negative: don’t do this, Peter gives us a positive, what we are to do instead: bless.

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

Evils are to be overcome with acts of kindness, specifically, in this instance, with prayers for blessing.

Jesus said in Luke 6:27-36,

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

When we are attacked we are to bless, to literally pray for God’s favor on those who did us harm. This is how to truly pursue peace.

John Chysostom, a fourth Century church father said, “Fire is not extinguished with fire, but with water; likewise wrong and hatred, not with retaliation, but with gentleness, humility and kindness.”

Peter’s word here is, if we submissively bear injuries, and answer with blessing, the Lord will bestow on us blessing, we will reap what we sow.

Now that leaves me with a question, what’s to be our motivation here, should we sow blessing in hopes of reaping blessing? Should we seek out being harmed or slandered so that we can pray for God’s favor on those who would injure us so that we can get blessed by God? Am I overthinking this?

Even if I am, we should not sow blessing in order to reap God’s blessing but because, as God’s children, we are sowers by nature! So sow!

Unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, a humble mind, praying for blessing in the face  of evil and reviling… Sounds a lot like Jesus.

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Amen.

Submission as Spouses - 1 Peter 3:1-7 - July 11, 2021

These are the Sermon Notes for July 11, 2021. We are meeting in person and streaming online (facebook and youtube) every Sunday at 9:37 am. You can also watch livestream recordings at any time.

 1 Peter 3:1-7 Submission as Spouses

Isaiah 51:1-2, Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. 2 Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him.

Good morning! We are returning to 1 Peter this morning and wrapping up our mini-series, the three spheres of submission. We began with submission as citizens, followed by submission as servants, and now we will look at submission as spouses. 

You can turn with me to 1 Peter 3:1-7, page 1015 in the pew Bibles.

Far too often we bristle at the thought of submitting our wills and welfare to the rule of others. This is by far one of my least favorite things, submitting to people or policies that I feel are inferior or foolish just grinds my gears. But the truth of the matter is that Christ is our example. Jesus had more reason to refuse to submit to the will of others more than any man that has ever lived, yet He willingly submitted to the mocking, beating, and crucifying of unworthy men. And He did so for the joy set before Him of seeing us reunited by faith with our Heavenly Father.

So if Jesus submitted, we should submit. We are to submit as citizens to the authorities put in place over us by God, we are to submit as servants to our earthly masters, to our employers or others that we serve, and we are to submit as spouses to the husbands or wives that the Lord has blessed us with.

Again, Peter didn’t include chapter and verse numbers when he first wrote this letter so there was no big number three in his original text, he just picked up where he left off with servants submitting to their masters.

Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Let’s pray.

I often get nervous about preaching passages such as this. I don’t revel in the thought of suggesting that we may need to reshuffle our priorities in order to please the Lord. Even in the last few weeks I have been asked my opinion about some controversial topics, but with a plain reading of the text, my fears are relieved. Understanding what the Bible really says, instead of trying to make it say what I want it to say, or picking out fragments to serve my biases, isn’t frustrating, it’s freeing. It’s freeing because I can trust God, I can trust His Word, and I can trust that He will do as He says, and will reward those who obey Him.

So does God really say that wives should submit to their husbands? Yes, yes He does.

Likewise, wives, [just as citizens to the emperor and servants to their masters] be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

Now there are some interesting thoughts in here.

First, wives are to be subject, to submit to, their own husbands. 

This is a curious statement. It may go without saying that wives are to submit to their own husband and not somebody else’s husband, but maybe we need to be reminded that Peter is not suggesting that all women should submit to all men.

Maybe we also need to be reminded that wives should reject the temptation to replace the leadership of their potentially less-than-spiritually-stellar husbands with the leadership of seemingly more enlightened or spiritually stronger men.

This is not to say that wives should not listen to sound teaching and instruction from God’s Word from men who are not their husbands, but there is always a danger of putting such teachers in a place in one’s heart that should be reserved only for one’s own spouse. This greatly threatens marriages and the ministry of teachers and pastors who are put in those places unwittingly.

The second interesting thought here is the powerful preaching of respectful and pure conduct.

Many a man has been won to Christ, not by constant nagging or guilt trips, but by the steady, faithful, reverent conduct of their wives. While certainly not my wife, my mom’s faithful morning devotions, with a cup of tea and her Daily Bread, was a testimony to me and was monumental in my walk with Christ.

Wives with believing husbands obviously have an advantage in this way because, if those husbands are faithful to God’s Word, those husbands lead under the authority of Christ and so, there is nothing to fear, no loss of dignity or respect because biblical submission has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority, just God assigned roles.

Peter’s next phrase may be one you’ve been looking forward to, I know I have…

3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

This comes down to a question, “What did you just hear vs. what did I just read?”

Did you just hear, “The Bible says I shouldn’t wear jewelry, or braid my hair, or dress fashionably?” because that’s not what I read, because that’s not what the Bible says.

Peter’s point is to not let your adorning be external. Adorning is simply putting things on to make yourself beautiful. Peter’s warning is to not fall into the trap of believing that the external, perishable, worthless trifles are what really do that. True beauty is not external at all, but internal. True beauty is holiness. Peter doesn’t condemn every form of ornament, or hairstyle, or dress, what he condemns is vanity.

Matthew Henry wrote, “The ornaments of the body are destroyed by the moth, and perish in the using; but the grace of God, the longer we wear it, the brighter and better it is.”

He also said, “A true Christian’s chief care lies in the right ordering and commanding of his own spirit. Where the hypocrite’s work ends, there the true Christian’s work begins. The endowments of the inner man are the chief ornaments of a Christian; but especially a composed, calm, and quiet spirit, renders either man or woman beautiful and lovely.”

 When I read, “but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious,” did you hear that you wives have to just zip it, keep your thoughts to yourselves, the Bible says to be quiet?

Because that’s not what I read. 

Let what makes you beautiful be on the inside not the outside. Let your beauty be that which the Spirit of God forms and develops in the secret workshop of your heart, a new way of thinking, feeling, and willing.

A gentle spirit is meek not weak, meek is simply strength under control which takes great strength. It is the opposite of self-will, pride, presumption, obstinacy, hardness, anger and envy.

A quiet spirit is also not a silent spirit. It’s not silence, it’s peaceful, tranquil, “He leads me beside quiet waters…” It’s not the absence of sound, it’s the presence of peace.

It’s this gentle, tranquil spirit that is very precious to God.

Peter gave us a wonderful example of this kind of gentle, quiet spirit from the Old Testament in the person of Sarah the wife of Abraham.

5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 

The mark of the women of blessed memory is their hope in God, and they proved their hope through their submission to their husbands.

Think about the pattern of Sarah.

She showed her obedience by leaving her homeland with Abraham, relying on God’s promises to him.

She called Abraham “lord” and regarded him as such, you can read about that in Genesis 18.

Her obedience to her husband was rewarded by God when God commanded Abraham to listen to her and do as she said.

Being called “Sarah’s children,” would be easily understood as high praise by the believing Jewish women in Peter’s original audience. Doing good in this way was certainly evidence of their relation to Sarah. Having no fear to submit to their husbands in the face of things that are frightening was too.

Submission to their husbands in the face of fear was following in Sarah’s footsteps. Sarah’s trust in God was so great that she was not moved by the evil that she faced in the courts of Pharaoh and Abimelech. Peter’s admonition was to strive for the courage and strength of your ancestress!

But Peter’s instruction was not just to wives but to husbands as well.

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Peter’s primary objective here was to make sure that husbands did not abuse the obedience of their wives. To live with their wives in an understanding way is to live according to knowledge, knowing yourself and your spouse and knowing your roles and the reality of why you have those roles and also the reality of knowing who we both are before God.

Husbands are to show honor to their wives, to respect them, the respect that they are due.

Now, when I said, “weaker vessel,” did you hear, “inferior vessel?” 

Because that’s not what I read.

The word “asthenes,” means physically weaker, not mentally weaker, nor spiritually weaker, nor inferior in any way. This is not a matter of superiority or inferiority, but of diversity.

We are both vessels but we are both weak. JP Lange wrote, “As women’s weakness is relative, man also being a weak, frail vessel, he, mindful of his own weakness, ought the more readily sympathize with the weaker vessel.”

Man and woman are different, and that is a diversity worth celebrating, but in the eyes of God, as far as salvation and redemption are concerned, we are the same, we are co-heirs of the grace of life, co-heirs of God’s eternal kingdom through faith in Christ.

Lange also wrote, Woman becomes man’s equal in virtue of the gift of the grace of life accorded to and hoped for by both.”

We are both destined, by faith in Jesus Christ, to inherit the kingdom of God and eternal life.

As Paul wrote in Galatians 3:27-29, 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 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.

So, does submission find its root in superiority, does the New Testament teach inequality or inequity? 

Quite the contrary! This passage proves the equality of husband and wife in virtue of the gift of God’s grace and emphasizes the respect and honor of diversity within the marriage covenant. True love is rooted in mutual esteem, flowing from the thought that both are children of God, purchased with the same precious blood of Christ and are coheirs of the kingdom of God.

And as far as hindered prayers are concerned, here are two quotes from Roos and Grotius:

“There is no room for prayer that may be answered where the husband despises and tyrannizes his wife and where a marriage is marred by discord.” And, harsh treatment leads to insult and strife, which hinder the power and efficacy of prayer.”

One more quote as we close…

In his book, Marriage Ring, Bishop Jeremy Taylor writes: “Marriage was ordained by God, instituted in paradise; the relief of a natural necessity, and the first blessing from the Lord. Marriage is a school and exercise of virtue. Here is the proper scene of piety and patience, of the duty of parents and the charity of relatives; here kindness is spread abroad, and love is united and made firm, as a centre. Marriage is the nursery of heaven, fills up the numbers of the elect, and hath in it the labours of love and the delicacies of friendship, the blessing of society and the union of hands and hearts. Marriage is the mother of the world, and preserves kingdoms, and fills cities, and churches, and heaven itself. Like the useful bee, marriage builds a house, and gathers sweetness from every flower, and labours, and unites into societies and republics, and sends out colonies, and feeds the world with delicacies, and obeys their king, and keeps order, and exercises many virtues, and promotes the interest of mankind, and is that state of good things to which God hath designed the present constitution of the world.”

…wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 

7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Amen

Servants and Submission - 1 Peter 2:17-25 - June 20, 2021

These are the Sermon Notes for June 20, 2021. We are meeting in person and streaming online (facebook and youtube) every Sunday at 9:37 am. You can also watch livestream recordings at any time.

 1 Peter 2:17-25 Servants and Submission

Good morning! We are back in 1 Peter 2 this morning, page 1015 in the pew Bibles.

We started talking last week about everybody’s favorite Christian virtue, submission. (At least I think that’s what that was… Thank you all for your prayers by the way.)

In our passage for this morning Peter gets more specific about submission as Christians, that we are not only to submit to the governing authorities over us, but we are also to submit to those whom we serve.

Paul talks about slaves submitting to their earthly masters but Peter uses a different word, Paul says slaves, Peter says servants. And I think that we can probably have an easier time applying these principles to our own lives.

Let’s look at our text.

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Let’s pray.

Peter fleshes out here several ways how we, as Christians, are to honor everyone as it says in verse 17. One of the most practical ways for the original audience of this letter and us to honor everyone is for servants to be subject to their masters with all respect.

Where Paul addresses slaves, Peter addresses household servants, “domestics,” they might be called.

And before we get any further, I know that there are many who bristle with idea of identifying with slaves or domestic servants. I’ve had conversations with people who have outright refused to hear the principles in these texts because they refused to be compared with slaves or servants because, “nobody owns me, I’m nobody’s slave.”

Try not showing up for work for a week and see if you aren’t.

We can identify with these ideas because most of us are, or have been, employed by somebody, we have all had bosses or managers to whom we are accountable. These principles that Peter talks about parallel perfectly with the relationships we have with our managers or bosses, honestly, anyone to whom we are accountable or responsible.

Weisinger wrote, “Before such masters the false longings for liberty are most apt to break out; but here is just the point at which Christian views and principles appear in the strongest possible contrast with merely human and natural ones, and at which the peculiarity of the Christian calling, as a power of endurance, shows its marvelous glory.”

So again, if we understand these principles to apply to employees as well as domestic servants, we can all have our pride beat into submission together.

J. Mombert wrote, “What the writers of the New Testament have said concerning slaves holds true concerning servants and all those employed… under a master [boss], they that discharge their office modestly, diligently and willingly, and act with faithfulness and integrity in everything that is committed to them.”

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

Peter reminds us that the quality of character of those whom we are responsible to is irrelevant, whether they be wonderful, loving, helpful, and kind, or, unjust, quite literally, crooked.

Our obligation to our duties does not depend on the character of those to whom we are responsible but on our own relation to Christ and His example.

Peter goes on to say…

19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

This here is an amazing concept, potentially life altering, or at least attitude altering, I hope.

The concept is merited suffering vs. martyr suffering. I say “vs.” because they are not the same.

Merited suffering is when you get what you justly deserve for bad behavior. Having to pay the fine for speeding, not turning in your homework and getting a bad grade, having a bad attitude or slacking off at work and being passed over for a promotion or not getting a raise. How often do we experience things like this and cry, “woe is me!”? This is merited suffering, we earned it, Peter says there is no credit for enduring beatings for our own sins. (Maybe beatings are against your company’s policy, but you get the idea.)

Martyr suffering, on the other hand, Peter calls, “a gracious thing in the sight of God,” doing good and suffering for it, enduring suffering or punishment or tribulation when you don’t deserve it.

JP Lange wrote, “You have no praise before God, you cannot glory in your tribulations, if you remain steadfast in troubles brought on by yourselves; but if, suffering wrongly you remain steadfast, you will have honor before God and secure His approval and good pleasure.”

If you’re anything like me, bless your little hearts, right now you may be starting to wonder, “What about my rights?” The reality is, deep down, I expect things to go my way pretty much all the time. An equal reality is, they seldom do. As my dad is fond of saying, “Why bother worrying? Nothing’s going to be alright.” When I’m faced with problems I have most likely created myself I often hear myself saying, “Can’t nothing be easy,” as if easy is owed to me. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

When we are faced with difficulties that are brought on because we have been willing to submit to the authorities placed over us we have a choice about how we react. Will we whine about our rights or will we patiently endure? 

To be frank, there is really no choice to be made here. Peter reminds us of our example, Jesus.

20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

There is beautiful and rich theology in these verses concerning the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf and in our place, but that wasn’t really Peter’s point. 

Peter’s point was to remind us of the innocent suffering of Christ, the Father’s purpose in it, and the example that He is for us to follow.

Matthew Henry wrote, “Good Christians are called to be sufferers, and therefore they must expect it… The sufferings of Christ should quiet us under the most unjust and cruel sufferings we meet in the world. He suffered voluntarily, not for Himself but for us, with the utmost readiness, with perfect patience, from all quarters, and all this though He was God-Man; shall not we sinners, who deserve the worst, submit to the light afflictions of this life, which work for us unspeakable advantages afterwards?”

Peter’s point is that Christ, our Shepherd, our Overseer, our example, quietly, patiently, willingly endured unjust suffering in submission to ungodly authorities. His example is a proof that patient endurance under unjust and undeserved sufferings in submission are acceptable to God.

Our Master and Savior expects no more from each of you than He was willing to do Himself. He bore our sins to save us, how much more should we be willing to quietly and patiently endure our own challenges in submission.

Jesus Christ is our Gift and Pattern, our Mediator and Head, our Shepherd and Light. What is our duty? To believe and to follow, to trust and obey His teaching and His example.

Bishop Horne said, “He who regards [Christ] as an example and not a redeemer is lost because he cannot follow Him; he who takes Him for a redeemer and not for an example will be lost because he does not follow Him.”

Though these verses are a reminder of Christ’s example for us as disciples to follow, our pattern, I would be remiss if I did not remind you all of the purpose of the pattern.

22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

The offer still stands: He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds, the wounds of our souls have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, will you now return to the Shepherd and Overseer of your soul?

The purpose of Christ’s submission and suffering is your salvation, will you now accept that gift, will you believe in Jesus, turn away from your sin, and entrust your life to Him? If so, I would love to pray with you and help you get to know the Lord Jesus our Great Shepherd.

And a reminder for those of you who know the Lord, the purpose of His submission and suffering was our salvation, the most world changing thing to ever happen, it is entirely possible that our own submission and subsequent suffering may also have effects far beyond what we could ever imagine!

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Amen.