A timeless warning about something that we all need to be on the lookout for....

This week we are addressing why it is essential for people to be consistently investing their time in a community group. And to do that, we are looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Hebrews. Yesterday we discovered that the book of Hebrews was written around 65 A.D. to the Hebrews, which were Jewish Christians who had never heard or seen Jesus in person, but had learned of Him as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel had been proclaimed throughout the known world.

However, as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel was proclaimed throughout the known world; and as people from throughout the known world responded to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by believing, trusting and following Jesus, persecution against followers of Jesus began to increase throughout the known world.

As a result of what the author of the book of Hebrews saw occurring among these Jewish people who claimed to want to follow Jesus but who had become either stalled and stuck, or were considering bailing on Jesus, the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote this letter to communicate a simple but profound message. And that simple and profound message involved the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus Christ and Christianity over Judaism.

The writer of Hebrews began his letter by proclaiming the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus as the messenger to proclaim God’s message to humanity. And because of the reality that Jesus had a position of absolute supremacy and superiority over the prophets and angels when it came to proclaiming God’s message to humanity, in the second chapter of the book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews encouraged and exhorted the Jewish readers of his letter to pay attention to the superior message of Jesus.

And it is in this context that we jump into this section of this letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of Hebrews, beginning in Hebrews 3:12. Let’s look at it together:

Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.

Here we see the writer of Hebrews continue his call for the readers of his letter to pay attention to the superior messenger of Jesus and His superior message as contained in the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by providing a timeless command. And that timeless command was this: “Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.”

Now to fully understand what the writer of Hebrews is commanding here, we first need to define some terms. When the writer of Hebrews uses the phrase take care, this phrase, in the language that this letter was originally written in, conveys the sense of watching out for something that is hazardous. This phrase, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: Be careful and be on the lookout for this so that you can avoid this”.

The writer of Hebrews then explained that what the readers of this letter were to be on the lookout for so that they could avoid was that there not be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart. When the writer of Hebrews refers to the heart here, he is referring to that which is the center and source of our inner beings, where moral decisions are made. In addition, the word evil here was used to describe something that is morally or socially worthless. Finally, the word unbelieving literally means to have an unwillingness to commit oneself to another. This word was used to describe a disloyalty that would result in an unwillingness for a person to trust another.

Now taking all those terms together, this command, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “Be careful and be on the lookout that the center and core of your being is not marked by a moral worthlessness that results in you demonstrating a disloyalty to God”. Now that leads us to the next phrase that we need to accurately define, which is the phrase “that falls away from the living God”.

You see, in our culture today, the phrase to fall away conveys a sense of passivity. In our culture today, this phrase conveys a sense of something happening to us. For example, I fell off the stool is different from I jumped off the stool, isn’t it. I fell on the ice is different from I dove on the ice. However, the word fall away, when used in the language that this letter was originally written in, at the time in history that this letter was originally written in, had a much more active sense to it.

The phrase "that falls away” literally means to purposely distance oneself from someone or something. This word, throughout the book of Hebrews, conveys an active rebellion against God, not passive fall away from God. We see this definition reinforced by the quotation from the Old Testament that the writer of Hebrews points the readers of his letter to. For example, in Hebrews 3:8-11, which immediately precedes the verses we are looking at this morning, and in Hebrews 3:15, which comes immediately after the verses that we are looking at this morning, the writer of Hebrews quoted from a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the Old Testament, called the book of Psalms.

In Psalm 95:9-11, the psalmist reminded his readers of the generation of Jewish people that wandered in the wilderness for forty years after God delivered from slavery through Moses out of the nation of Egypt. However, after being delivered from slavery by God, that generation of Jewish people repeatedly and selfishly rebelled against God. After being delivered from slavery by God, that generation of Jewish people actively and demonstrated a disloyalty towards God and a desire to return to Egypt. After being delivered from slavery by God, that generation of Jewish people repeatedly and rebelliously demonstrated an unwillingness to trust God that led to them repeatedly challenging Moses and God. 

The writer of Hebrews pointed his generation of Jewish people who were considering bailing on Jesus in order to return to Judaism to a previous generation of Jewish people who repeatedly expressed a desire to bail on God and return to Egypt, because the writer of Hebrews wanted his generation to clearly understand that, just as it was with that generation of Jewish people that rejected God to turn back to Egypt, by turning back from the truth of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel to return to Judaism, they would be revealing the reality that the center and core of their being was marked by a moral worthlessness that produced a disloyalty to God and a distrust of God.

And just as it was with that generation of Jewish people that rejected God to turn back to Egypt, this would not be a passive loss of a relationship with God that they once had. Instead this would be an active distrust and disloyalty to God that revealed the reality that they never had a true relationship with God. The writer of Hebrews wanted the readers of his letter throughout history to be extremely careful and be on the lookout to make sure that the center and core of their being was not marked by a moral worthlessness that resulted in a distrust and disloyalty to God that revealed the reality that they never had a relationship with God.

Now a natural question that could arise here is “Well, Dave, that sounds interesting, but how exactly am I supposed to do that? How exactly am I supposed to be on the lookout to make sure that the center and core of my being is not marked by a moral worthlessness that results in a distrust and disloyalty to God? How do I practically do that?”  If that question is running through your mind, I just want to let you know that that is a great question to ask. And fortunately for us, the writer of Hebrews provides the answer to that question in what he says next.

Friday, we will look at what the writer of Hebrews says next and discover why it is essential for people to be a part of a community group…

"Why should I be a part of a community group?"

Every week at the church where I serve, we gather together in community so that we can create the space where we can explore faith, grow in our faith, and experience genuine and authentic community. As a church, we desire to create environments where you can move on a spiritual journey from the place of being a consumer who is either searching and shopping for answers when it comes to Jesus and the Bible or who view that church as a place that provides spiritual goods and services, to the place where you are an owner who owns and genuine and authentic relationship with Jesus and where you can move from the place of being an owner to being an investor who is investing their time, talents and treasure in the kingdom mission that we have been given.

Every week, we express that our goal is that everyone who attends here at City Bible Church would be investing their time in a community group, their talents serving God by serving others on a ministry team, and investing their treasure in a way that reveals and reflects the generosity of Jesus through regular and proportional giving. Now you might be reading this and a natural question that could arise at this point is "Well Dave, where did you come up with these desires and goals? And why should I embrace these desires and goals? Why should I be a part of a community group? Why should I be a part of a ministry team? Why should I give to the church?"

If you are asking those questions, I just want you to know that they are great questions to be asking. And my answer to those questions would be this; when we read the letters that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship that reveals and reflects Jesus invested their time with other Christians as they gathered corporately for regular weekly worship gatherings and as they scattered to experience community in homes throughout the week. When we read the letters that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship that reveals and reflects Jesus consistently invested their talents serving God by serving others through the exercise of their spiritual gifts. And when we read the letters that make up the Bible, we consistently see that followers of Jesus who are involved in a growing and maturing relationship that reveals and reflects Jesus consistently invested their treasure to support God’s kingdom mission through regular and proportional giving.

As a church we repeatedly express these desires and these goals not because we want something from people; instead we repeatedly express these desires and goals because we want something for people, which is that they would experience a growing and maturing relationship with Jesus. As a church, we simply want people to experience the relationship with God that you were created for. And part of experiencing the relationship with God that they were created for is to be doing life together in close community with other followers of Jesus.

So this week I would like for us to spend our time together talking about why it is essential for people to be consistently investing our time in a community group. And to do that, I would like for us to look at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of Hebrews. However, before we jump into this section of this letter, we first need to spend a few minutes talking about the book of Hebrews.

As the title of the book of Hebrews reveals for us, the book of Hebrews was written around 65 A.D. to the Hebrews, which were Jewish Christians who had never heard or seen Jesus in person, but had learned of Him as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel had been proclaimed throughout the known world. However, as the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel was proclaimed throughout the known world; and as people from throughout the known world responded to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by believing, trusting and following Jesus, persecution against followers of Jesus began to increase throughout the known world.

However, while persecution of Christianity increased throughout the world, those who were involved in Judaism were not experiencing persecution. And as a result of what was going on at this time in history, these Jewish people were impacted in two specific ways. First, there were Jewish followers of Jesus who became stalled and stuck when it came to their spiritual growth. Some Jewish followers of Jesus became paralyzed by the persecution that they were experiencing in such a way that they had stopped growing in their relationship with Jesus.

Second, there were some Jewish people who were exploring faith and claimed to be following Jesus who were considering bailing on following Jesus to return to Judaism. After all, Judaism was safe, while following Jesus was proving to be dangerous. Judaism was accepted by the culture of the day, while Christianity was opposed by the culture of the day.

And as a result of what the author of the book of Hebrews saw occurring among these Jewish people who claimed to want to follow Jesus but who had become either stalled and stuck, or were considering bailing on Jesus, the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote this letter to communicate a simple but profound message. And that simple and profound message involved the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus Christ and Christianity over Judaism.

The writer of Hebrews began his letter by proclaiming the absolute supremacy and superiority of Jesus as the messenger to proclaim God’s message to humanity. Jesus was a superior messenger as opposed to the prophets because unlike the prophets, Jesus was the hands of the Creation who was the exact representation of the nature of God. Jesus was the visible representation of the invisible God who most fully proclaimed God’s message as a prophet of God who was also the Creator and King of the universe. In addition, the writer of Hebrews proclaimed that Jesus was a superior messenger as opposed to the angels because while angels were servants who ministered and worshipped Jesus as the King and Creator, Jesus was the object of their worship.

And because of the reality that Jesus had a position of absolute supremacy and superiority over the prophets and angels when it came to proclaiming God’s message to humanity, in the second chapter of the book of Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews encouraged and exhorted the Jewish readers of his letter to pay attention to the superior message of Jesus. The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention to the superior message of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel, because failing to pay attention would result in greater consequences to those who rejected that message.

The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who proclaimed the message of the gospel. The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who freed us from the power of death through His death on the cross, in our place, for our selfishness and rebellion.

The Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who frees us from the power of temptation through the example of how He responded to temptation. And the Jewish readers of this letter were encouraged to pay attention because of the greatness of the messenger, Jesus Christ, who was a superior messenger than Moses as a result of being the Son of God who is God, and not just a servant of God.

And it is in this context that we are going to jump into this section of this letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible, called the book of Hebrews. Tomorrow, we will jump into this letter together…

Representing Jesus well in the face of suffering by following the example that Jesus modeled for us...

This week we have been looking at a section of a letter that is recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of 1 Peter, where we discovered that Living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering. In 1 Peter 2:18-25, we see Peter reveal for us three reasons why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering.

So far, we have discovered that we represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we respect authority regardless of their character. We also discovered that we represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we respond in a way that receives God's favor. As followers of Jesus, we receive God's favor when we bear up under unjust suffering in a way that is informed by our awareness of God and His character. And as followers of Jesus, we receive God's favor when we suffer for the right reasons.

Now you might be pushing back and disagreeing with everything you have read. Maybe you still do not see what this passage has to do with us today. You still feel like Peter is talking just to slaves and not to anyone else. If I just described your response to what I just said, let’s look at what Peter says next. Because it is in what Peter says next that removes any question as to the shift that Peter has made and reveals a third reason what living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering. So let’s look at what Peter says next in 1 Peter 2:21-25:

 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, ²² WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; ²³ and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. ²⁵ For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Now here are some questions to consider as we think about what we just read from Peter: When Peter states for you have been called for this purpose, do you think that Peter only has slaves in mind? Now, I have to admit that I wish Peter was only talking about slaves here, because Peter is basically saying that we have been called, or chosen by God, to be rescued by our rebellion by Jesus and become followers of Jesus and part of following Jesus means that we could experience suffering. And part of following Jesus is to respond to suffering in a way that is an apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by doing the right thing in the face of opposition and suffering for doing the right thing.

In addition, when Peter states since Christ suffered for you, do you think that Peter has only slaves in mind? I mean, Jesus suffered on the cross, in our place, for the selfishness and rebellion of all humanity, not just the selfishness and rebellion of those who found themselves as house slaves in the Roman Empire in the first century. And because of that reality, Peter explains to the readers of his letter that Jesus suffering left us and example to follow in His steps. Now the word example here conveys the sense of a model of behavior to follow.

Peter then unpacks the example that Jesus modeled for us by quoting from a section of a letter that is preserved and recorded for us in the Old Testament of the Bible called the book of Isaiah. Peter directly quotes and alludes to Isaiah 53:3-10. Now if you grew up in church, these verses may sound familiar because we often read these verses around Easter. Let’s take a minute and look at these verses that the prophet Isaiah wrote over 600 years before Jesus arrival on earth that predicted and proclaimed the suffering that Jesus experienced while on earth that first Easter:

He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. ⁴ Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. ⁵ But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. ⁶ All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. ⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. ⁸ By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? ⁹ His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. ¹⁰ But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

Peter pointed the readers of his letter to the prophet Isaiah because Jesus suffered in a way that fulfilled God’s prediction and promise. And Jesus suffered in a way that modeled an example for followers of Jesus throughout history to follow it comes to how they experience and respond to suffering. Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus suffered even though He never committed an act of omission or commission against God and others that flowed from selfishness and rebellion against God.

 Jesus suffered even though no deceit was found in his mouth. In other words, Jesus never spoke or acted in a way that took advantage of another through crafty and underhanded methods.  Jesus was not shady in what he said. Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus never responded in kind when he was abused. Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus never threatened those who caused Him to suffer. Instead of threatening those who caused Him to suffer, Peter explained that Jesus kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. Instead of threatening those who caused Him to suffer, Jesus placed His confident trust in God as the right and just judge to care for Him in the midst of His suffering.

Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus bore, or carried the selfishness and rebellion of humanity on His shoulders to the cross, so that followers of Jesus would follow His example by separating themselves from the acts of omission and commission that are committed against God and others that flow from our selfishness and rebellion and that hurt God and others. Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus bore, or carried the selfishness and rebellion of humanity on His shoulders to the cross, so that followers of Jesus would follow His example by living for what is right in God’s sight.

Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus bore, or carried the selfishness and rebellion of humanity on His shoulders to the cross so that followers of Jesus would be healed from the wounds that selfishness and rebellion inflict on and that separate humanity from God through His suffering. Peter pointed to Jesus because Jesus bore, or carried the selfishness and rebellion of humanity on His shoulders to the cross so that followers of Jesus, who once wandered away from the relationship with God that they were created for and wandered toward selfishness and rebellion, would return to God as the one who guards their souls through His suffering.

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us the reality that we represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we follow the example that Jesus modeled for us. As followers of Jesus, God has called us to respond to suffering in a way that represents Jesus well. As followers of Jesus, God has called us to respond to suffering in a way that recognizes that Jesus suffered for us. And as followers of Jesus, God has called us to respond to suffering in a way that follows the model that Jesus provides us.

You see, Jesus suffered in spite of the fact that He was sinless. And Jesus responded to the abuse He received by not responding in kind. Jesus responded to the suffering He endured by placing His trust in the right place. And Jesus suffered for us so that we would separate ourselves from selfishness and rebellion and do the right thing. And when we respond to suffering by following the example that Jesus modeled for us, our lives serve as an apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

Now, I fully recognize that we are blessed to live in a nation where we do not experience persecution by the government. We are blessed to live in a nation where we have freedom of religious expression. And yet, as we have talked about, society and culture is changing at an increasing rate, and as culture and society continue to rapidly change, that Christianity is being left behind. And in many quarters, Christianity is now mocked and criticized for clinging to a religious belief system that is viewed as being outdated and outrageous.

So with that in mind, here is a question to consider: Are you representing Jesus well by how you respond? Do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by responding in kind? Do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity with threats? Do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by calling for boycotts?

Or do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by following the example that Jesus modeled for us? Because, the timeless reality is that living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering. We represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we respect authority regardless of their character. We represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we respond in a way that receives God's favor. And we represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we follow the example that Jesus modeled for us...

Living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering...

This week we are looking at a next section of a letter that the Apostle Peter wrote to early followers of Jesus that is recorded for us in the Bible called the book of 1 Peter. Yesterday we looked on as Peter commanded slaves, regardless of how their master treated them, to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to their masters.

We also addressed our natural reaction is to view slavery through the prism of how slavery was conducted in the early days of the United States by looking at how slavery in the first century differed from how slavery was conducted in the early days of the United States. We discovered that, unlike the caricature that our culture paints of Christianity as being a male chauvinistic religious system, Peter here in his command to slaves, reveals the reality that Christianity is based on the assumption that both wives and slaves have a moral responsibility for their behavior that exceeded the social expectations of the day.

Peter and the writers of the letters that make up the New Testament actually subverted cultural expectations of the day by elevating the slave and the wife to a position of unparalleled dignity in the culture of the day. The issue that Peter is addressing here is how followers of Jesus, as a result of their new identity as part of God’s Kingdom community, were to operate within the culture’s most basic social unit, the home.

Peter’s concern was that the behavior of a slave who was a follower of Jesus would be an apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. And just like we talked about a few weeks ago, part of that apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel would be living their day to day lives in that social order of the home in a way that affirmed part of that social order that lined up with the message and teachings of Jesus while rejecting those parts of the social order that were not compatible with the message and teachings of Jesus.

We ended by addressing the question whether or not the words that Peter pens for us in this section of this letter have everything to do with us today? If that question is running through your mind, I want to let you know that is a fair question to be asking. And we see Peter provide the answer to that question in what he says next. So let’s look at what Peter says next in 1 Peter 2:19-20:

 ¹⁹ For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 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.

Here we see Peter provide a reason behind his command for slaves to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to masters regardless of how their master treated them. In verse 19, Peter states that this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. Now what is so interesting here is that the word favor here, in the language that this letter is originally written in, is that same word that is translated grace. This word refers to someone or something that wins a favorable response from God.

In addition, the phrase, conscience towards God conveys the sense of having an awareness of God. Peter’s point here is that what wins a favorable response from God is when a person, in light of their awareness of God, bears up under the trouble, difficulty, and emotional and physical pain and suffering that comes as a result of being treated unjustly. Then in verse 20, Peter reinforces his point by asking a timeless question: “For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?”

Peter’s question, if communicated in the language we use in our culture today, would have sounded something like this: “What credit do you think you should get from God when you do things out of your selfishness and rebellion that hurt others and then get beaten as a result of your rebellion? Do you think that enduring a beating that you deserved to get as a result of your selfishness and rebellion that hurt others should result in you getting credit from God?”

I mean, the answer to that question is obvious right? I mean, it is obvious that a person does not deserve credit from God for suffering as a result of their rebellion because they are only getting what they deserve from their rebellion. I mean that only makes sense. However, Peter explains that if a person does the right thing and then suffers for doing the right thing as a result of being treated harshly for doing the right thing; if a person does the right thing and maintains doing the right thing in the face of opposition and suffering for doing the right thing; this is what wins a favorable response from God.

But did you notice what Peter did in these verses? Did you notice the subtle shift that Peter makes? Did you notice that when Peter gives the reason why slaves were to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to masters regardless of how their master treated them, Peter does not refer to slaves? Instead Peter uses the phrase “a person”.

Peter here is no longer talking just to slaves. Instead Peter is now talking to everyone who is reading this letter. Peter uses his command to slaves as a launching point to address a much larger issue that impacted every person who read this letter. And it is here, in this shift that Peter makes in these verses, that we discover a timeless truth about how we are to live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are part of God’s kingdom community in the midst of a rapidly changing culture in that living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering.

And in 1 Peter 2:18-25, we see Peter reveal for us three reasons why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering. First, in verses 18, we see that we represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we respect authority regardless of their character. As followers of Jesus, we are to respect those in authority who meet a high standard of merit. As followers of Jesus, we are to respect those in authority who are tolerant and right-minded. And as followers of Jesus, we are to respect those in authority who are morally bent. As followers of Jesus, we are to respect those in authority who are unjust.

Second, in verses 19-20, we see that we represent Jesus well in the face of suffering when we respond in a way that receives God's favor. As followers of Jesus, we receive God's favor when we bear up under unjust suffering in a way that is informed by our awareness of God and His character. And as followers of Jesus, we receive God's favor when we suffer for the right reasons.

We should not expect to receive any credit from God when we suffer as a result of our selfish and rebellious actions. Instead, we are to recognize that we receive credit when we maintain a exemplary level of conduct in spite of suffering for doing what is good and right. We receive favor from God because our right response to suffering and wrongdoing serves as an apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that affirms what lines up with the message and teachings of Jesus while rejecting what is not compatible with the message and teachings of Jesus.

Now right about now you are pushing back on everything I just said. You might be disagreeing with everything I just said. Maybe you still do not see what this passage has to do with us today. You still feel like Peter is talking just to slaves and not to anyone else.

If I just described your response to what I just said, let’s look at what Peter says next. Because it is in what Peter says next that removes any question as to the shift that Peter has made and reveals a third reason what living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well in the face of suffering.

Friday we will look at what Peter says next...

Is slavery in the Bible similar to the slavery that occurred in the early history of the United States?

A common question that can arise surrounding the Bible involves the issue of slavery. Specifically, does the Bible condone slavery? And is slavery that occurred in the New Testament similar to the slavery that occurred in the early history of the United States?

At the church where I serve, we are in the middle of a sermon series entitled living as part of God’s kingdom community. During this series, we are addressing the reality that as followers of Jesus, the hope we have in Jesus should lead to us embracing our identity as part of God's kingdom community. However, to truly embrace our identity as part of God’s kingdom community requires that we live out our identity as part of God’s kingdom community.

But how do we do that? In other words, what does embracing our identity as part of God’s kingdom community look like? How should followers of Jesus live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are part of God’s kingdom community in the midst of a rapidly changing culture? How should followers of Jesus live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are part of God’s kingdom community when our faith is minimized and marginalized? How should followers of Jesus live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are part of God’s kingdom community when our faith is ridiculed, criticized, and slandered?

This week, I would like for us to spend our time together picking up where we left off last week. And as we jump into the next section of this letter that the Apostle Peter wrote to early followers of Jesus, we will discover a timeless truth about how we are to live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are part of God’s kingdom community in the midst of a rapidly changing culture. So let’s discover that timeless truth together, beginning in 1 Peter 2:18:

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 begins this section of his letter by commanding servants to be submissive to your masters with all respect. As we discovered last week, to submit is to willingly place oneself under others by placing others first based on one’s role in the relationship So Peter here is commanding slaves to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first. And for Peter, slaves are to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first with all respect. The word respect here is that same word that is translated fear in our English Bibles. This word conveys the sense of having reverent respect for someone that results in submission and obedience to that person.

In other words, Peter is commanding slaves to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to their masters. Peter then further unpacks his command by explaining that slaves were to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to their masters not only to those masters who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

And not only were slaves to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to masters who met a high standard of merit and who were gentle and right-minded in their treatment of them. Slaves were to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to masters who were morally bent or twisted and who were harsh and unjust in their treatment of them. Peter here is commanding slaves, regardless of how their master treated them, to willingly place themselves under their masters by placing their master first in a way that results in obedience to their masters.

Now, for those of us reading this letter in 2017, our initial reaction is to read these words through the cultural prism that we live in today. Our natural reaction is to view slavery through the prism of how slavery was conducted in the early days of the United States. And as a result of this reaction, our natural tendency is to believe that the words that Peter pens in this letter have nothing to do with us today.

However the words that Peter pens for us in this section of this letter have everything to do with us today. To see how these words have everything to do with us today, we first need to understand how slavery in the first century differed from how slavery was conducted in the early days of the United States.

The first difference involved what slavery was based on in the first century. Unlike slavery in the United States, slavery in the first century was not based on ethnicity. Instead, the main sources of slavery involved those who were conquered in warfare, those who were victims of piracy, infants who were exposed and left to die, and economic debt. In the case of warfare, piracy, and infant exposure, those who faced a certain death as a result of those circumstances were instead enslaved and allowed a chance at life. In the case of economic debt, in the first century there was no such thing as bankruptcy; instead you were placed into slavery until you paid off your debt.

Now that leads us to the second difference, which involves how slaves were treated in the first century. While some slaves, especially those who worked in the mines, experienced deplorable conditions, many slaves, especially those who lived in cities or who were household slaves, lived in remarkably different conditions then the slavery that occurred in the early days of the United States.

In addition, slaves in the first century were not separated from free persons when it came to types of work that they performed. Many slaves were educated and worked white collar jobs. As a matter of fact, in some cases in the first century, slavery actually offered the opportunity for social mobility when compared to the opportunities that some people who were free actually had.

Now that leads us to the third difference, which involves how slaves were viewed by society in the first century. You see, at this point in his letter, Peter is making a transition. Last week, Peter commanded the readers of his letter to submit yourselves to every human institution. Peter then specifically addressed how followers of Jesus were to submit to the human institution of government.

Here, in this section of his letter, Peter is addressing how the readers of his letter were to submit and live in relationship with one another as a part of the institution called family. When Peter refers to servants here, he is addressing those who were house slaves. When it came to house slaves, these slaves did not have separate living quarters. Instead house slaves typically lived in rooms within their masters homes. 

Now, in the Roman Empire during the first century, slaves were viewed as property, not as free moral agents. In other words, slaves were not viewed as having the capacity to make moral decisions. By contrast, wives were viewed as being free moral agents who were to be under the authority of their husbands. For example, Aristotle viewed slaves as being incapable of deliberative thinking, while a wife had that capability but not the commensurate authority.

So, in the Roman culture of the first century, the husband was viewed as having both the capability and the authority to reason fully. In addition, in the Roman culture the expectation was that a slave would worship his master’s gods and that a wife would worship her husband’s gods. To not worship their master’s or their husband’s gods would be a sign of disrespect to his authority in the culture of the day.

So, in essence, the only difference between a slave and a wife was that a slave was viewed as property. The only difference between a slave and a wife was that the wife was viewed as being capable of making moral decisions. Both a slave and wife were to live under the authority of the male authority figure in the home, who would be either their master or their husband, respectively.

You see, unlike the caricature that our culture paints of Christianity as being a male chauvinistic religious system, Peter here in his command to slaves, reveals the reality that Christianity is based on the assumption that both wives and slaves have a moral responsibility for their behavior that exceeded the social expectations of the day. Peter and the writers of the letters that make up the New Testament actually subverted cultural expectations of the day by elevating the slave and the wife to a position of unparalleled dignity in the culture of the day.

The issue that Peter is addressing here is how followers of Jesus, as a result of their new identity as part of God’s Kingdom community, were to operate within the culture’s most basic social unit, the home. Peter’s concern was that the behavior of a slave who was a follower of Jesus would be an apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

And just like we talked about a few weeks ago, part of that apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel would be living their day to day lives in that social order of the home in a way that affirmed part of that social order that lined up with the message and teachings of Jesus while rejecting those parts of the social order that were not compatible with the message and teachings of Jesus.

Now right about now you might be thinking to yourself “What does any of this have to do with us today? How can you say that the words that Peter pens for us in this section of this letter have everything to do with us today?” If that question is running through your mind, I want to let you know that is a fair question to be asking. And we see Peter provide the answer to that question in what he says next.

Tomorrow we will look at what Peter says next…

Is it ever okay to disobey government?

This week we have been looking at a section of a letter that is preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of 1 Peter, where we have discovered that living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority. In 1 Peter 2:13-17, Peter reveals for us four reasons why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority.

So far this week, we have discovered that, as followers of Jesus, we are to represent Jesus well by respecting government authority regardless of the level of government. We have discovered that, as followers of Jesus, we are to represent Jesus well by respecting government authority because God desires that we represent Jesus well before those in authority. And we have discovered that, as followers of Jesus, we are to represent Jesus well by respecting government authority because our freedom as followers of Jesus should not result in a license to do wrong.

Today, we see Peter conclude this section of his letter by revealing a fourth reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in 1 Peter 2:17:

 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

Peter concludes this section of his letter to these early followers of Jesus with four specific commands that are connected to the common responsibilities we have as followers of Jesus who are citizen’s of God’s kingdom community. When Peter uses the word honor here, this word literally means to show a high regard for someone or something.

Peter is commanding followers of Jesus throughout history to show a high regard and respect for all people. This command addresses the social responsibility we have as followers of Jesus for those who live in our areas of influence socially. Regardless of where those who live around us are spiritually, we are to treat everyone with a high level of respect socially.

Peter then commands followers of Jesus throughout history to love the brotherhood. When Peter refers to love, this word refers to a warm, other-centered regard, affection and interest in another. In addition, the word brotherhood refers to the common brotherhood and sisterhood we have as a part of the family of God in God’s kingdom community. This command by Peter addresses the responsibility we have as followers of Jesus for those who are a part of God’s kingdom community. As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to demonstrate a selfless, other-centered love to our fellow followers of Jesus.

Third, Peter commands followers of Jesus throughout history to fear God. Now this word fear here is not referring to the fear we experience when we watch our favorite horror movie. This is not the fear we experience when we watched the shallows. Instead, the word fear in the Bible conveys the sense of having a profound measure of respect for God that results in submission and obedience to God. This command addresses the responsibility we have as followers of Jesus spiritually in relationship with God. As followers of Jesus, we have a responsibility to demonstrate a profound measure of respect for God that results in submission and obedience to God.

Fourth, Peter commands followers of Jesus throughout history to honor the king. This command addresses the responsibility we have as followers of Jesus politically when it comes to how we relate to government authority. Peter is commanding followers of Jesus throughout history to demonstrate a high regard and respect for government and government leaders.  And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us a fourth reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in that we are to respect government authority because it is our responsibility as citizens of God’s kingdom community.

As citizens of God’s kingdom community, we have a responsibility to respect all people in the social arena. As citizens of God’s kingdom community, we have a responsibility to selflessly love fellow followers of Jesus in the church arena. As citizens of God’s kingdom community, have a responsibility to live in submission and obedience to God in the spiritual arena. And as citizens of God’s kingdom community, have a responsibility to respect and show a high regard for government authority in the political arena.

Now some of you may be thinking, “But what about evil governments? What about the Nazi’s in WW II or China or Iran today? Are we, as followers of Jesus, supposed to obey evil governments?” Is it ever o.k. to disobey government?” 

We believe that the letters that make up the Bible teach that followers of Jesus can express direct civil disobedience, which is when a government attempts to force us to disobey God’s clear commands. When government attempts to force us to disobey God we are to choose to disobey government and obey God. And our attitude in expressing civil disobedience is just as important as the act of disobedience itself. If we refuse to obey government for religious reasons, we should not be rebellious in our attitude and be prepared to accept whatever consequences that the government imposes.

We see this in the Old Testament story of the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. We also see this in Acts 5:27-29 when the Apostles were told to quit spreading the gospel message. However, we believe that the letters that make up the Bible does not condone indirect civil disobedience, which is when we choose to disobey government to protest government violations against someone else. To illustrate and apply this principle, let’s take the issue of abortion.

Currently in America it is legal to get an abortion. And while it is legal to get an abortion, as Christians we believe that abortion violates God’s moral law. And, in America, Americans are not compelled, or forced, to get abortions as a result of being pregnant. In China, however, with its one child policy, Chinese citizens are compelled to receive abortions.

So, from a Biblical perspective, Chinese Christians are permitted to express civil disobedience due to the fact that they are being compelled or forced to violate God’s clear command to not murder by getting an abortion. In America, however, civil disobedience regarding abortion would not be permissible as it would be indirect civil disobedience.

As followers of Jesus, we can express a Christian worldview and promote policies that would change the law regarding abortion, but we are not permitted to violate the laws of the land to do so. It is against Biblical principles to blow up abortion clinics, refuse to pay taxes, or violate any other government law in order to protest government policy. We are permitted to express direct civil disobedience only against a law that compels or forces us to disobey God’s clear commands.

So here is a question to consider: Are you representing Jesus well by respecting government authority? What is your reputation in the eyes of those around you who do not buy the whole Jesus, Bible, church thing when it comes to how you talk about and treat authority? What is the reputation of this church in the eyes of those who do not buy the whole Jesus Bible church thing when it comes to how we as a church talk about and treat authority?

Because, the timeless reality is that living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority. As citizens of God’s kingdom community, we are to respect government authority regardless of the level of government. As citizens of God’s kingdom community, we are to respect government authority because God desires that we represent Jesus well before those in authority. As citizens of God’s kingdom community, we are to respect government authority because our freedom as followers of Jesus should not result in a license to do wrong. And as citizens of God’s kingdom community, we are to respect government authority because it is our responsibility as citizens of God’s kingdom community.

Representing Jesus in a way that does not result in a license to do wrong...

This week we have been looking at a section of a letter that has been preserved and recorded for us in the New Testament of the Bible called the book of 1 Peter. Yesterday, we began to look at 1 Peter 2:13-17, where we discovered a timeless truth about how we are to live out our identity as followers of Jesus who are a part of God's kingdom community in a rapidly changing culture. And that timeless truth in that living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority.

In 1 Peter 2:13-17, we see Peter reveal for us four reasons why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority. Yesterday, in verses 13-14, we discovered that we are to represent Jesus well by respecting government authority regardless of the level of government. As followers of Jesus, we are to respect those in authority as part of the federal government. As followers of Jesus, we are to respect those in authority as part of the state and local government.

We are to do so because those in government authority have been given the responsibility to punish wrongdoing. And we are to do so because those in government authority have been given the responsibility to recognize those who do right.  Today, we will see Peter reveal for us a second reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in 1 Peter 2:15. Let’s look at it together:

 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Now when Peter refers to the will of God here, this phrase refers to what God wishes or desires to bring about through the activity of others. In other words, God has a specific desire for followers of Jesus when it comes to how they live in relationship to the authority around them that is the result of human action and that did not believe in Jesus.

Peter explained that God’s desire for followers of Jesus when it comes to how they live in relationship to the authority around them that is the result of human action and that did not believe in Jesus is that  by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. When Peter refers to the ignorance of men, this phrase refers to those in the world who are ignorant when it comes to God and the things of God.

As we talked about last week, as Christianity spread throughout the known world, there were many people who spoke ill of and attempted to slander this new movement of Jesus and His followers. And much of what was spoken against Christianity and of followers of Jesus flowed out of an ignorance about what Jesus, and the message of teachings of Jesus, actually communicated.

And because of that reality, last week, we saw Peter command followers of Jesus to live out their day to day life as followers of Jesus in a way that is in line with the high moral standards that Jesus called them to as His followers, so that they would reveal that the accusations against them were malicious and unjust slander that was designed to discredit them. Here Peter is reinforcing the command that he made last week, by explaining that God’s desire for followers of Jesus is to live out their day to day life as followers of Jesus in a way that is in line with the high moral standards that Jesus called them to as His followers.

By living in such a way, these followers of Jesus would be good citizens that did what was right so as to receive admiration and approval by the Roman Empire in a way that would silence the malicious and unjust slander of those who were ignorant of God and the things of God. Peter here is echoing what the Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah to the Jewish people who found themselves living as exiles in Babylon in a culture that was hostile to God in Jeremiah 29:7:

'Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'

You see, Peter wanted the readers of his letter to know that God desired that followers of Jesus represent Jesus well in a way that advanced the common good of the Empire and that silenced the slander of those who were ignorant of God while making much of God to those who lived in the empire. And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us a second reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in that we are to respect government authority because God desires that we represent Jesus well before those in authority.

As followers of Jesus, God desires that we represent Him well by being good citizens that make a difference in our communities for the good of our communities. And as followers of Jesus, God desires that we represent Him well so as to silence those who slander God as a result of a lack of judgment and knowledge of God.

As followers of Jesus, we are to live out our day to day lives in a way that is in line with the high moral standards that Jesus calls us to, so that through our life and lifestyle we can silence those who do not believe in Jesus out of ignorance and instead influence their opinion in a way that enhanced God’s reputation.  Peter then reveals for us a third reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in verse 16:

Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.

Here we see Peter reinforce a timeless principle that we see in various places throughout the letters that make up the New Testament of the Bible. And that principle is that the freedom that we have as a follower of Jesus should not lead to license. In other words, the freedom that we have as a follower of Jesus should not lead to behavior that goes against the message and teachings of Jesus.

Peter here is commanding the readers of this letter, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to recognize that our true identity is as a citizen who is a part of God’s Kingdom community. However, the freedom that our citizenship as a part of God’s kingdom community provides us should not be used as a covering to conceal evil behavior that goes against the message and teachings of God’s kingdom. To argue that our freedom as a follower of Jesus entitles us to behave in a way that goes against the message and teachings of Jesus is shady.

And because of that reality Peter called followers of Jesus to recognize and use the freedom we have as followers of Jesus who are a part of God’s kingdom community as bondslaves of God. Now the word bondslave refers to one who is solely committed to the service of God. Peter’s point is that as part of God's kingdom community, we are not to live in way that goes against that kingdom. Instead, as followers of Jesus, we are to live in a way that is solely committed to serving Jesus as a part of His kingdom community.

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us a third reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in that we are to respect government authority because our freedom as followers of Jesus should not result in a license to do wrong. As followers of Jesus, our freedom as followers of Jesus should not be used as a cover for wrongdoing. Instead, as followers of Jesus, our freedom as followers of Jesus should be used to demonstrate our commitment to serving God.

You see, as followers of Jesus, we enjoy true freedom as we live in obedience to the message and teachings of Jesus as citizens of God’s kingdom community. Since we have been freed by those things that enslaved us in the past and that separated us from God, as followers of Jesus, we are not to go back to doing what we did in the past. Instead, we are to move forward by living a life that is solely committed to following Jesus as a part of God’s kingdom community.

Peter then concludes this letter by revealing a fourth reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should lead to a life that represents Jesus well by respecting government authority in verse 17. We will discover that reason on Friday...