Wives representing Jesus well in marriage by following positive examples of the past...

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. In 1 Peter 3:1-6, we see Peter reveal for us the reality that living as part of God’s kingdom community should result in wives representing Jesus well in marriage. In 1 Peter 3:1-6, we see Peter reveal for us ways that wives represent Jesus well in marriage.

First, in 1 Peter 3:1-2, we see that wives represent Jesus well in marriage when they respect their husbands in a way that results in a win for God's kingdom community. Wives respect their husbands in a way that results in a win for God's kingdom community by exercising wisdom in their conversations about the kingdom. Knowing and living in the tension of when to speak through words and when to speak with actions requires wisdom. And when that wisdom is exercised, the result is a win for God’s kingdom community.

In addition, wives respect their husbands in a way that results in a win for God's kingdom community by exercising a lifestyle that reflects the kingdom in their relationship with their husbands.  As part of God’s kingdom community, wives are to exercise a lifestyle that is marked by a purity and a respect for Jesus that results in behavior that represents Jesus well and that is readily observable to their husbands who are not a part of the kingdom community.

Then, in 1 Peter 3:3-4, we see Peter reveal for us the reality that wives represent Jesus well in marriage when they live in a way that brings honor to Jesus and their husbands. Wives bring honor to Jesus and their husband by rejecting the beauty that comes from a life that is marked by a sense of self importance.

Instead of living in a way that is overly impressed by a sense of self importance and in drawing attention to oneself in a way that could draw the suspicion of the community, wives bring honor to Jesus and their husbands by embracing the beauty that comes from a life that is marked by an inward transformation. An inward transformation that produces a life that is not overly impressed by a sense of one's self importance and a well ordered disposition and temperament that produces a life that is of great value and worth in the sight of God and that brings honor to their husband. Peter then reveals a third reason why living as part of God’s kingdom community should result in wives representing Jesus well in marriage in 1 Peter 3:5-6. Let’s look at it together:

 For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.

Here we see Peter call the readers of his letter to follow the example of women who represented Jesus well in marriage by living in a way that brought honor to God and their husbands. You see, Peter wanted the readers of his letter to clearly see that there were women throughout history who lived out their day to day lives in a way that was set apart to God and that placed their hope and trust in God so as to live in obedience to God. Peter wanted the readers of his letter to clearly see that there were women throughout history who lived out their day to day lives in a way represented God well and brought honor to their husbands.

Peter wanted to point the readers of his letter to the godly examples of women willingly placed themselves under their husbands by placing their husbands first.  And to do that, Peter pointed the readers of his letter, and followers of Jesus throughout history, to the example of Sarah and her husband Abraham.

Now if you grew up in church or are somewhat familiar with the letters that make up the Bible, Abraham and Sarah would not seem like a great first choice. After all, Sarah responded to God’s promise of a child by impatiently trying to help God out by having Abraham marry and have sex with her servant. And then after the servant became pregnant and had a child, Sarah yelled at Abraham. That does not sound like a great example of representing God well in a marriage. So why would Peter specifically point out Sarah as an example to follow?

Peter gives us a hint as to why when he uses the phrase “you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear.” Peter is pointing the readers of his letter to two events from history that are preserved and recorded for us in a section of the very first letter in the Bible, called the book of Genesis. In Genesis 12 and Genesis 20, Abraham asked his wife Sarah to tell people around them that she was his sister and not his wife. In Genesis 12, it was the Pharaoh. In Genesis 20 it was a powerful king named Abimelech.

In both cases, Abraham and Sarah were temporarily residing in a culture that was dominated by beliefs that ran contrary to the life that God called them to live. And as a result of living in a culture that was radically different than their own and that was radically opposed to their own, both Abraham and Sarah were afraid of suffering difficulties and even death. And because of the fear of being put to death so that they could have his wife, Abraham hatched a scheme by which they would say that Sarah was his sister.

Now it is important to understand that Peter does not point the readers of his letter to Abraham and Sarah because he agreed with Abraham’s scheme. Instead, Peter pointed the readers of his letter to Abraham and Sarah because of Sarah’s response in the face of fear. In both cases, Sarah responded by willingly placing herself under Abraham’s leadership by placing Abraham first in the face of fear.

Instead of smacking Abraham upside the head for his ridiculous idea; instead of responding to fear with hatred and hostility to her husband who definitely was not trusting in God, but in his own ridiculous plan, Sarah responded by doing the right thing. You see, Peter pointed women throughout history to Sarah because Sarah responded to a husband who was not trusting in God by doing what was right without treating him with hatred and hostility.

Peter’s point is that wives who follow Jesus follow the example of Sarah when they do what is right and do not give way to the kind of fear that results in hatred and hostility in their relationship. Peter here is calling wives who are followers of Jesus and who are married to men who are not followers of Jesus to not despise and reject their husbands in a way that makes the climate at home one of hostility. Instead, Peter is calling wives who are followers of Jesus and who are married to men who are not followers of Jesus to willingly place themselves under their husbands leadership, even if that husband mocks and marginalizes their faith.

Now, Peter is not saying that wives should remain in a marriage that is marked by abuse, either, physical or emotional.  Peter is addressing wives who have become followers of Jesus while their husbands have not and who have difficulty not with how they are treating their wives, but with the new found faith of their wives. Peter’s concern was that the behavior of a wife who was a follower of Jesus in such a circumstance would be an apologetic for the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

And it is here that we see Peter reveal for us the reality that wives represent Jesus well in marriage when they live in a way that follows the positive examples of the past. As part of God’s kingdom community, wives have the positive examples of women who lived a life that brought honor to Jesus and their husbands.

These wives brought honor to Jesus and their husbands by living in a way that was set apart as distinctly different. These wives brought honor to Jesus and their husbands as a result of their confidence trust in God. These wives brought honor to Jesus and their husbands by respecting their husbands. These wives brought honor to Jesus and their husbands by placing themselves under the leadership her husband in the face of fear. These wives brought honor to Jesus and their husbands by doing what was right and by not giving in to the kind of fear that results in hatred and hostility in the home.

Once again, Peter was concerned with the key question “Are followers of Jesus representing Jesus well? What is the reputation of followers of Jesus in the eyes of unbelievers?” And for Peter, living as part of God’s kingdom community should result in wives representing Jesus well in marriage.

As part of God’s kingdom community, wives represent Jesus well in marriage when they respect their husbands in a way that results in a win for God's kingdom community. As part of God’s kingdom community, wives represent Jesus well in marriage when they live in a way that brings honor to Jesus and their husbands. And as part of God’s kingdom community, Wives represent Jesus well in marriage when they live in a way that follows the positive examples of the past.

So with that in mind, ladies here is a question to consider: Are you representing Jesus well in your marriage? Do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by your husband’s with hatred and hostility? Or do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by respecting your husband’s in a way that results in a win for God's kingdom community?

Do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by living in a way that brings honor to Jesus and their husbands?  Do you respond to any mocking or criticism of Christianity by following the positive examples of women in the past?

Because, the timeless reality is that living as part of God’s kingdom community should result in wives representing Jesus well in marriage...