1 Peter 2:18-25
We live in a world that has falsely assumed
That the only role of importance is the leadership role.
Our society thinks that if you aren’t in charge, you aren’t important.
Nothing could be further from Biblical truth.
Jesus never said the leadership position was most important.
Jesus said the servant role was most important.
According to Jesus, the secret to greatness
Was not found in authority, but in service.
Luke 22:24-27 “And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”
Jesus told us true greatness only came through being a servant.
Matthew 20:26-28 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Not only did Jesus teach that submission is the key to greatness,
He also taught us that the glorified position in heaven
Will not be the leader, but the servant.
Matthew 19:30 “But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.”
When we get to heaven,
It won’t be the logical people who will sit in the most prestigious seats.
We assume those who are first in the world who will be first in heaven.
Not so!
The servant is the one whom Jesus will honor.
Matthew 23:11-12 “But the greatest among you shall be your servant. “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”
Submission is not a dirty word.
It is a fact of life, and a good one at that.
Jesus was the greatest man to ever live,
Yet He was continually submissive to the Father, and the governing authorities.
We know we must all submit to governing authorities…
Children must submit to their parents…
Wives must submit to their husbands…
Husbands must submit to the Lord…
And also included in this list,
Is the fact that slaves must submit to their Masters.
This flies right in the face of worldly thinking.
WE THINK HAVE THE RIGHT TO FORCE OUR RIGHTS
Under that mindset, wars have been fought…
Marriages have been terminated…
Possessions have been stolen…
And lives have been taken…
BUT WHEN DEALING WITH A CONCEPT LIKE SLAVERY, IT IS OK TO RISE UP AND TAKE YOUR RIGHTS ISN’T IT?
The closest thing we find to slavery is our workplace,
Where we are under the command of our boss.
And here it is imperative that we be submissive.
Tonight we see another aspect of submissive evangelism.
We look at our witness while in unfair working conditions.
Many times in life,
God allows us to be placed in difficult circumstances
So that we can be used as a witness before an unbelieving world.
I’ve witnessed Christian parents that lost children…
I’ve witnessed Christian children that lost parents…
I’ve witnessed Christians lose jobs…
I’ve witnessed Christians get maligned…
Somehow a true Christian seems to rise to the occasion
As a witness of the grace of God in those moments like never before.
Job was a man like this.
He wasn’t chosen because he was sinful, but on the contrary.
God was about to show off one of His own.
Job was a greater witness in suffering than he ever was in his comfort.
Peter also knows this is the case,
So while writing to those who are rejected, and scattered,
He is reminding them that even though they are despised,
They have an opportunity in their hardship to really shine for Jesus.
We call it submissive evangelism.
And tonight, there are 3 main points to Peter’s message.
#1 EXHORTATION
1 Peter 2:18a
“Servant be submissive to your masters with all respect”
It is not hard to tell at all what Peter is commanding.
This is not a conditional passage.
In fact, unlike Paul who does speak to masters as well,
Peter doesn’t require anything of the master.
He is only concerned with you as a servant.
And the simple command is “be submissive…with all respect”
Not only do you do what they say,
But you treat them with respect while you do it.
It is unacceptable to either disobey, or disrespect
Those who serve as master over you. The Bible never allows it.
Paul clarifies it even a little more.
Ephesians 6:5-8 “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.”
Peter said “be submissive”
Paul said “be obedient”
Peter said “with all respect”
Paul said “with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ”
Then Paul gives the obvious motivation for obeying them.
It is because you are out to please God, and He is watching.
And this leads us to our next point.
#2 EXPLANATION
1 Peter 2:18b-20
Peter is explaining in greater detail what he means.
First, he answers a natural fleshly argument before it is even asked.
(we all get around our role, by pointing out that the other isn’t fulfilling theirs)
Peter knows that the obvious loophole
to not obeying your master is if he is unfair.
To that Peter says in verse 18
“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.”
Peter again reveals the command to submit is not conditional
God knew what kind of evil masters there would be
When He gave this command.
But He still commanded it.
And here is why we are to do it.
Verse 19, “For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.”
Not talking about God yet (that is verse 20)
Peter is talking about finding favor with your master.
No matter what your job is,
There is always a time when something extra is asked.
That is your opportunity to shine.
Even more so if it is unfair.
When you just do the status quo, you don’t get reward.
Reward comes when you go beyond.
Luke 17:7-10 “Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? “But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? “He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'”
The point is simple.
If you really want to make a difference,
And be a witness to your master or boss.
Then submit even when it isn’t natural.
You will soon find his favor.
But Peter goes on.
Verse 20, “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.”
We understand what Peter is saying.
If you do bad, there is no reward in being punished.
But if you endure punishment for being good.
“this finds favor with God”
God is pleased, even if your boss is not.
AND IS THAT NOT WHO WE ARE ULTIMATELY OUT TO PLEASE?
Remember how Paul put it.
Ephesians 6:5-8 “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.”
If you want a reason to submit.
Then do it to find favor with your boss.
But even if that doesn’t work, do it to find favor with God.
You see, God is shaping you, and molding you.
He is allowing you to go through a few difficulties to forge you into what He wants.
If you resist hardship, you are resisting God’s working on your life.
Look at what the Bible says.
James 1:2-4 “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Hebrews 12:11 “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”
God is trying to make you “perfect and complete”
God is trying to get you to “yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness”
God is trying to make you “conformed to the image of His Son”
He does through difficulty, through trials, and through hardship.
Be obedient even under difficult circumstances,
“for this finds favor with God.”
#3 EXAMPLE
1 Peter 2:21-25
Notice what Peter says right off the bat.
“For you have been called for this purpose.”
IS THAT NOT WHAT WE JUST READ FROM PAUL?
Romans 8:28-29 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”
We have been called to be made like Jesus,
So Peter is going to show us what Jesus was like.
4 truths
1) HE WAS MALIGNED FOR NO PURPOSE (21-22)
As Peter pointed out in verse 20, sometimes we deserve our suffering.
But Jesus never did.
He suffered but He “committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth.”
It is impossible to look at the punishment of Jesus
And ever say, “He just got what He deserved.”
In all the arguments trying to discredit Jesus,
I’ve never heard “He deserved it” used.
Of all the examples in the world of people suffering unjustly,
Jesus is the pinnacle.
Peter reiterated this fact in his sermon at Pentecost.
Acts 2:22-23 “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know — this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”
He was forced to suffer, not because He was wicked,
But because those in authority were.
And He is our example.
So you didn’t deserve what happened to you.
Well, neither did Jesus.
2) HE WAS MEEK DURING PERSECUTION (22)
I would say this point is an understatement.
There has never been, nor will there ever be,
A greater display of strength under control
Than Jesus being scourged and nailed to a cross.
He is God.
Look at what He did to Pharaoh
Look at what He did to the Red Sea
Look at what He did to Jericho
Look at what He did to countless evil armies
Look at what He did to Nebuchadnezzar
The only reason they did what they did is because He chose to let them.
The Bible clearly says He could have called ten-thousand angels,
But trust me, they would have only been spectators
If He had decided not to let it happen.
No where is this seen better then in the arrest of Jesus.
John 18:1-13 “When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples. Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,” to fulfill the word which He spoke, “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?” So the Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.”
If He hadn’t let them off the ground, they would still be there.
If He hadn’t refused Peter, they would all be earless.
If He hadn’t controlled His strength, He would have never been arrested.
All is summed up there when Jesus says to Peter, “the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”
Jesus wasn’t persecuted because He was too weak to do anything
Jesus was persecuted because He was determined
To be submissive even amidst hardship.
He just “kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously”
He just kept trying to find favor with God.
3) HE WAS MERCIFUL TO HIS PERSECUTORS (24)
Talk about mind blowing facts.
It is bad enough He suffered unjustly.
It is bad enough He allowed Himself to suffer.
But He actually suffered for the sake of those who caused Him to suffer.
Now be honest.
Suppose you have agreed to die for the world.
You are going to be the sacrificial lamb,
And you have determined to allow yourself to suffer, even unjustly.
But when that beady-eyed, sissified, sniveling, hypocrite of a high priest
Spit in your face, wouldn’t you have scratched him off redemption’s list?
“I’ll go through with it, but not for you buddy.”
But it is at this point is when Jesus blows our minds the most.
Luke 23:34a “But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”
He endured for those who were persecuting Him.
That is why we do it.
We are trying to reach, even those who malign us.
It is called submissive evangelism.
4) HE MADE HIS POINT (25)
YOU KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF HIS SELFLESS ACT WAS?
Those who continually strayed from God ended up running to Him.
Those constantly chose sin, ended up turning to Jesus.
YOU AND ME
His selfless act made a way for our salvation.
His selfless act led us to salvation.
He is the greatest example that submissive evangelism works.
He didn’t save you and me by threatening our lives.
He saved us by not resisting when His life was taken.
He submitted, and His point was made.
That is what Peter is talking about.
If you want to be a witness to this world, then live like Jesus.
Preach the truth, but also practice what you preach.
That is how you really let your light shine.
Jesus said it like this.
Luke 21:12-19 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. “It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute. “But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all because of My name. “Yet not a hair of your head will perish. “By your endurance you will gain your lives.”
