Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 PeterServe, Pt. 2 Serve, Pt. 2 (1 Peter 2:18-(1 Peter 2:18-25)25)

ReviewReview• Because of Faith: Because of Faith:

−Lost work, family, homesLost work, family, homes

• DiasporaDiaspora- living in  Pontus, - living in  Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithyniaand Bithynia

−Outpost cities in modern-Outpost cities in modern-day Turkeyday Turkey

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Point: "Live out the faith in Point: "Live out the faith in the midst of suffering"the midst of suffering"

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How I speak of and treat How I speak of and treat people, esp. other people, esp. other believers, is a primary believers, is a primary evidence of my walk with evidence of my walk with GodGod

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Submission to human Submission to human authority for the Lord's authority for the Lord's sake…sake…

−UsurpUsurp−RebelRebel−DenyDeny−Submit to ChristSubmit to Christ

ContextContext::

Be subject for the Lord’s sake Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution…to every human institution…

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

SlaverySlavery::

−SlavesSlaves

−FreemenFreemen

−FreedmenFreedmen

SlaverySlavery::

Roman Empire- Est. 18-60 Roman Empire- Est. 18-60 Million SlavesMillion Slaves

−WarWar−DebtDebt−BirthBirth−Selling by parents or selfSelling by parents or self

SlaverySlavery::

−Desirable position by those in needDesirable position by those in need

−The work of Rome was done by The work of Rome was done by slavesslaves

−Doctors, Gardeners, Housekeepers, Doctors, Gardeners, Housekeepers, Business Managers, ShopkeepersBusiness Managers, Shopkeepers

−Often treated much better than Often treated much better than most lower-class Romansmost lower-class Romans

SlaverySlavery::

−Saturnalia Festival- Saturnalia Festival- Celebration in which Celebration in which Masters and Slaves Masters and Slaves switched places in switched places in appreciation of the Slavesappreciation of the Slaves

SlaverySlavery::

•Yet, no status as anything Yet, no status as anything other than propertyother than property

•No legal rights to marryNo legal rights to marry

•Could be abusedCould be abused

•Some were sold into Some were sold into prostitutionprostitution

SlaverySlavery::

Why didn't Paul condemn Why didn't Paul condemn slavery and call for the slaves slavery and call for the slaves to rise up and rebel?to rise up and rebel?

−Bloodshed and meaningless Bloodshed and meaningless deathdeath

−Stain on Christianity/changed Stain on Christianity/changed the Missionthe Mission

−Some Romans liked and needed Some Romans liked and needed itit

−Christian teaching would Christian teaching would overthrow slavery eventuallyoverthrow slavery eventually

SlaverySlavery::

Slavery was part of the Slavery was part of the downfall of the Roman downfall of the Roman empireempire

−EconomicsEconomics−SoldiersSoldiers

1 Peter1 Peter

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

HypotassoHypotasso- to subordinate - to subordinate oneself, to obey, to submit tooneself, to obey, to submit to

For this is a gracious thingFor this is a gracious thing, , when,when, mindful of God, one mindful of God, one endures sorrows while endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. suffering unjustly. 

For what For what creditcredit is it if, when you is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you good and suffer for it you endure, endure, this is a gracious thing this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. in the sight of God. 

Credit= Credit= kleos- glory, fame in kleos- glory, fame in memory of others…memory of others…

When faced with hardship:When faced with hardship:

• Endure without sinningEndure without sinning

−RetributionRetribution−Bitter HeartBitter Heart−LyingLying−ThreatsThreats

When faced with hardship:When faced with hardship:

• Endure without sinningEndure without sinning

−……if when you do good and suffer if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a for it you endure, this is a gracious thing gracious thing in the sight of Godin the sight of God

• Karis= grace, joyous, thankfulKaris= grace, joyous, thankful

Enduring hardship well is part Enduring hardship well is part of the eof the evidencevidence of a changed of a changed life that has the potential to life that has the potential to change other lives for Christchange other lives for Christ

When faced with hardship:When faced with hardship:

−Just- I dJust- I deservedeserved it it

−Unjust- I'm innocent and Unjust- I'm innocent and being treated ubeing treated unfairlynfairly

Important: Don't want to be so Important: Don't want to be so focused on the hardship that focused on the hardship that I miss the opportunity for I miss the opportunity for ggrowthrowth and witness and witness

Just Hardship and Blame-Just Hardship and Blame-ShiftingShifting::

Job: Blame or simply Job: Blame or simply consequences?consequences?

Relationship: Maybe it's not Relationship: Maybe it's not them- it's me!them- it's me!

Just Hardship and Blame-Just Hardship and Blame-ShiftingShifting::

Money: Is it really just bad luck? Money: Is it really just bad luck? Really???Really???

Health: Yeah, that extra couple Health: Yeah, that extra couple of helpings of dessert every of helpings of dessert every day had NOTHING to do with it!day had NOTHING to do with it!

If I get so focused on shifting If I get so focused on shifting blame and feeling sorry for blame and feeling sorry for myself for being treated so myself for being treated so unfairly, I miss the unfairly, I miss the opportunity for growthopportunity for growth

Those opportunities are God's Those opportunities are God's way of redeeming hard way of redeeming hard circumstances- so I don't circumstances- so I don't keep making the same keep making the same mistakesmistakes

An examined life is a wise and An examined life is a wise and mature lifemature life

Just Hardship: Opportunity to Just Hardship: Opportunity to learn and growlearn and grow

Unjust treatment…Unjust treatment…

Unjust treatment: Opportunity Unjust treatment: Opportunity to show what Jesus looks like to show what Jesus looks like when Jesus is treated unfairlywhen Jesus is treated unfairly

−Karis= grace, joyous (at Karis= grace, joyous (at opportunity), thankful (for opportunity), thankful (for chance to identify with Jesus)chance to identify with Jesus)

Regardless of the reasons, my Regardless of the reasons, my responsibility to Jesus is to responsibility to Jesus is to return blessing for cursingreturn blessing for cursing

And as they were stoning And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my Jesus, receive my spirit." And falling to his knees he spirit." And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against do not hold this sin against them." And when he had said them." And when he had said this, he fell asleep - Acts 7:59-60this, he fell asleep - Acts 7:59-60

Then they returned to Lystra, Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to and encouraging them to remain true to the faithremain true to the faith. “. “We We must go through many must go through many hardshipshardships to enter the to enter the kingdom of God,” they said- kingdom of God,” they said- Acts 14:21-22Acts 14:21-22

For to this you have been For to this you have been calledcalled, because Christ also , because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. might follow in his steps. 

Example= Example= hypogrammos-hypogrammos- to to trace an outline as a way to trace an outline as a way to learn how to writelearn how to write

Christ is our Savior first, then Christ is our Savior first, then our exampleour example

……when they had called in the when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence go. Then they left the presence of the council, of the council, rejoicing that rejoicing that they were counted worthy they were counted worthy to to suffer dishonor for the name- suffer dishonor for the name- Acts 5:40-41Acts 5:40-41

Grace, Glory= Privilege Grace, Glory= Privilege

……Christ also suffered for Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his that you might follow in his steps.steps.

He committed no sin, neither was He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself entrusting himself to him who to him who judges justly. judges justly. 

Example:Example:

−No threats of revengeNo threats of revenge

−No lying to get out of itNo lying to get out of it

−No returning insult for insult No returning insult for insult (reviling)(reviling)

−Complete trust in the Father Complete trust in the Father to to administer justiceadminister justice

How would God administer How would God administer justice for what they did to justice for what they did to Christ?Christ?

How does God administer How does God administer justice for what we do to justice for what we do to Christ?Christ?

Rather than cry for justice, Rather than cry for justice, pray for grace!pray for grace!

He himself bore our sins in his He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, body on the tree, that that we might die to sinwe might die to sin and live and live to righteousness. to righteousness. 

If I return evil for evil- even if I If I return evil for evil- even if I just seek to get even- I nullify just seek to get even- I nullify Christ's sufferingChrist's suffering

By his wounds you have been By his wounds you have been healedhealed. For you were straying . For you were straying like sheep, but have now like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.Overseer of your souls.

HealedHealed== made wholemade whole

We strayed from God by our We strayed from God by our actions. He brought us back actions. He brought us back to himself by the bloody to himself by the bloody death of his son at our hands death of his son at our hands

ShepherdShepherd- keeps watch- keeps watch

OverseerOverseer- administers justice- administers justice

The justice is satisfied by the The justice is satisfied by the cross of Christcross of Christ

We, who have been forgiven We, who have been forgiven by Jesus, have no rby Jesus, have no rightight to to hold anything against anyonehold anything against anyone

Submit…even when the Submit…even when the authority is unfairauthority is unfair

Because of Jesus, hardship is Because of Jesus, hardship is always opportunityalways opportunity

• Don't love the hardshipDon't love the hardship

• But rejoice at the opportunity But rejoice at the opportunity to serve Jesus wellto serve Jesus well

−Redemption and growthRedemption and growth−Witness and glory to GodWitness and glory to God