Shepherds, Sheep, & Standing Firm
1 Peter 5:1-14
Shepherds, Sheep, & Standing Firm
1 peter 5:1-14
“The vocation of pastor has been replaced [in North American culture] by the strategies of religious entrepreneurs with business plans… I wonder if at the root of the defection is a cultural assumption that leaders are people who “get things done,” and “make things happen.” That is certainly true of the primary leadership models that seep into our awareness from the culture—politicians, businessmen, advertisers, publicists, celebrities and athletes. But while being a pastor certainly has some of those components, the pervasive element in our 2,000-year pastoral tradition is not someone who “gets things done” but rather the person placed in the community to pay attention and call attention to “what is going on right now” between men and women, with one another and with God—this kingdom of God that is primarily local, relentlessly personal, and prayerful “without ceasing.”
~ Eugene Peterson, The Pastor: A Memoir
Main Idea: Elders shepherd the church toward humility and endurance so we might stand firm in grace.
I. Shepherding the Flock of God (5:1-5a)
Peter discusses four aspects of pastoral ministry:
1. The Task of Elders (5:2): “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight”
Shepherding the flock involves knowing, feeding, leading, and protecting the church “among” them (cf. John 21:15-17).
Acts 20:28: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
2. The Calling of Elders (5:3): “... not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly” (cf. Titus 1:11; 1 Tim. 6:5)
3. The Manner of Elders (5:3): “... not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
2 Corinthians 1:24: Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.
4. The Goal of Elders (5:4): “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (cf. 2:25)
John 10:11–14: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me”
In response to Godly leadership from elders over the flock, the congregation should “be subject to the elders” in humility (5:5).
Hebrews 13:17: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
II. Standing Firm in the Grace of God (5:5b-14)
Peter urges the church to “stand firm in the grace of God” (5:12), evidenced by two pursuits:
1. Humility (5:5b-7)
All in the church ought to “clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.” This humble posture toward each other is rooted in Christ (Phil. 2:3-5) and prepares us to receive grace from the “mighty hand of God.” A prideful, envious, and competitive spirit is fundamentally “anti-grace.”
Practically, Peter urges us to “cast all our anxieties on God” as an expression of humility (cf. 4:19).
“Worry is a form of pride because when believers are filled with anxiety, they are convinced that they must solve all the problems in their lives in their own strength. The only god they trust in is themselves. When believers throw their worries upon God, they express their trust in his mighty hand, acknowledging that he is Lord and Sovereign over all of life.”
~ Tom Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude
2. Endurance (5:8-14)
For the first time in his letter, Peter identifies Satan - our “adversary” and ancient foe - who “prowls like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Though Satan is a defeated foe (because of the finished work of Christ), he nevertheless rages on against the Lord and his people “because his time is short” (cf. Rev. 12:12).
We “resist” Satan (cf. Jas. 4:7) by applying what Peter has been consistently exhorting throughout his letter:
Living with sober-mindedness and watchfulness (5:8a)
Standing firm in our faith (5:9a)
Expecting suffering (5:9b)
Looking forward to our glorious future (5:10)
In all of these exhortations, Peter reminds these “elect exiles” that they are not alone, but have been given the gift of one another in the community of faith. Those who have been saved by Jesus are to “stand firm” together in the grace of God in solidarity and strength alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Expect, Embrace, Entrust
1 Peter 4:12-19
Expect, Embrace, Entrust
1 peter 4:12-19
Main Idea: We rejoice when we suffer as Christians by entrusting our souls to God while doing good.
I. Expect the Fire (4:12-14)
1 Peter 4:12-19: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
John 16:33: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
1 Peter 4:13: But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
James 1:2-4: Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Acts 5:41: Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
1 Peter 4:14: If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
Isaiah 11:2: And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
II. Embrace the Cross (4:15-18)
1 Peter 4:15: But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
1 Peter 4:16: Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
If you suffer for the name of Christ, bearing that name, you glorify God.
1 Peter 4:17-18: For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
The fire that purifies the Church will consume everyone outside the Church.
“It is God’s nature to make something out of nothing. Hence one who is not yet nothing, out of him God cannot make anything.”
~ Martin Luther
The best is yet to come for those in Christ, but for all those who are not in Christ, the worst is yet to come.
III. Entrust the Future (4:19)
1 Peter 4:19: Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
God is your Creator — He is sovereign over everything.
And He is faithful — He never fails His people.
Psalm 31:5: Into your hand I commit my spirit;
you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God
Acts 7:59: And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
Luke 23:46: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”
Heidelberg Catechism Q & A
Q: What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A: That I am not my own, but belong— body and soul, in life and in death— to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
When the Going Gets Tough
1 Peter 4:12-19
When the Going Gets Tough
1 peter 4:12-19
Main Idea: God’s sons and daughters refuse to let suffering stop them from “blessing” and “doing good.”
I. By Resisting the Lies Suffering Stirs Up in Us (4:12, 16)
1 Peter 4:12,16: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you… Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.
Two lies are embedded in the two prohibitions Peter makes in this passage:
Suffering tends to “surprise” us, stirring us to think “This should not be happening to me!”
Suffering tends to provoke us to be “ashamed” thinking “I must be a failure that this is happening to me.”
II. By Resting in the Truth Suffering Opens Up to Us (4:13-15)
1 Peter 4:13-16: But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name
a. Rejoice, because you belong to Jesus
On the surface, suffering and rejoicing seem opposed to one another. But that is only if you put the accent on the suffering and fail to rest in what is behind it. Peter is talking about the kind of suffering that befalls us because we belong to Jesus. And that is the truth in which we “greatly rejoice” that we belong to Jesus! (cf. 1 Peter 1:3-6)
b. Glorify God in that name
We have been called to bless earth, like salt does, by retaining our “saltiness,” which is the holy, noble lives Peter has described all through this letter.
We have been tasked with lighting up the world, like cities on hills and lamps on lamp stands. We do this through ”good works” that direct everyone’s attention to “our Father who is in heaven.”
II. By Remembering the Outcome Suffering Points Us To (4:17-18)
1 Peter 4:17-18: “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
a. Saints are being “refined” for the glory that awaits them
The fiery trials that come upon us to ”test” us are not permitted with the intent of destroying us, but “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1:7)
The “judgment” that God allows to fall upon the “elect exiles” distinguishes the false from the true, the fake from the real, the wheat from the weeds.
b. Sides are being drawn before the end of the world
Peter contends that those who “malign” the saints “will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (4:5) As Peter puts it rhetorically here, “If the righteous is scarcely saved - as evidenced by the ordeals inflicted upon them and currently allowed by Heaven’s just Judge - “what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” In other words, if the glory that awaits the saint is so surpassingly magnificent as to defy words, the wrath that awaits those who “disobey the gospel” shall be distressingly severe.
Conclusion: What are we to do with this exhortation?
If you are a saint, a Christian, an elect exile subject to the fiery trials and insults that are a part of this current season: “Let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Peter 4:19)
If you are among “those who do not (yet) obey the gospel of God,” one of the “ungodly and sinners” maligning Christians and Christianity, facing a guilty verdict at the Judgment, repent!
Living in Light of the End
1 Peter 4:1-11
Living in Light of the End
1 peter 4:1-11
Main Idea: We prepare for the end by thinking and living rightly together, for the glory of God.
I. End-Time Thinking (4:1-6)
As we behold the suffering of Christ for us (cf. 3:18), we are instructed to ‘arm ourselves with the same way of thinking’ (4:1). Peter is calling us to prepare to expect suffering in this life, as we follow our Savior who was a ‘man of sorrows’ (Isa. 53:3).
Philippians 1:29: For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake
Those who “arm” themselves with this thinking have made a decisive break from sin; sin has ‘ceased’ to have dominion over them in this life. Embracing this life of suffering has two different applications:
Pressure Within: We are to “live no longer for human passions but for the will of God” (4:2). These passions that we are to “put to death” (Col. 3:5) and “put off” (Eph. 4:22) include sensuality / sexual immorality, cravings, drunkenness, and lawless idolatry.
Pressure Without: as Christians live holy lives as “sojourners and exiles” (2:11-12), it will provoke both surprise and maligning from the world.
Though we will face temptations to sin and the scorn of the world, we must remember whose opinion and approval ultimately matters: “Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” We should not cave in to these pressures because they are short-lived; even when we die, for those who believe the gospel, we will “live in the spirit the way God does” in new resurrection life beyond the grave.
II. End-Time Living (4:7-11)
Peter reminds us that “the end of all things is at hand.” The consistent witness of the NT is that we are living in the “last days” (Acts 2:17, 2 Tim. 3:1, Heb. 1:1-2; 1 Pet. 1:20) because of the finished work of Christ. The final act of redemptive history (the return of Christ) could happen at any time.
Being reminded of the “end of all things” should not produce outlandish fanaticism but instead ordinary faithfulness as we prepare for this day. Thoughts of the end ignite us to be “self-controlled” and “sober-minded” for the sake of our prayers (cf. Mt. 24:42-44; 26:40-41).
Our “clear-headedness” is intended to be played out practically together in the household of faith. Peter emphasizes three components of this:
1. Love one another
Our love for one another in the household of faith should be ‘earnest’ (cf. Lk. 22:44), and not half-hearted or begrudging. It should be an expression of Christ’s love for us, since love “covers a multitude of sins” (cf. Prov. 10:12; Jas. 5:19-20).
2. Welcome one another
Biblical hospitality is less about “entertaining” and far more about opening our heart, lives, and homes to others. This is hard and sacrificial work, which is why Peter urges us to do this “without grumbling.”
Romans 15:7: Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
“Whatever darkness inside of you troubles your heart, whatever capacities for wickedness and stupidity lurk within, whatever still haunts you from your past, however fearful you are that you will never change, know this: your sin does not intimidate Jesus. What is right in him far outweighs what is wrong in you. There is more grace in him than guilt in you. He is better at saving than you are at sinning. It is at the point where all of us feel the most disgusted with ourselves, the most hopeless, and the most worthy of judgment that we find Jesus most tender and gracious toward us… This is Christ’s welcome. He moves toward the needy, the outcast, the messed-up, and the sinful. He doesn’t recoil in disgust. He doesn’t keep his distance. He makes the first move, he approaches, he reaches out, he heals and restores. This is what it means for Christ to welcome us. This is what we’re to offer to one another.”
~ Ray Ortlund & Sam Allberry, You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches
3. Serve one another
In Christ, the Spirit has given “each a gift” that we are to “steward.” In God’s gracious wisdom, we have not received mere talents or abilities but “gifts” that are to be offered back to the Lord in worship and to his people in love. Whether ‘speaking’ or ‘serving’ they are all to be done by word and strength that God supplies, so that he might receive glory and honor.
Christ's Victory
1 Peter 3:18-22
Christ’s Victory
1 peter 3:18-22
Main Idea: Christ has accomplished complete and total victory, powerfully pictured in baptism.
I. The Victory of Christ (3:18-19, 21-22)
Christ’s victory that accomplished our salvation is told in 4 chapters:
1. Death (3:18a): “Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God..”
Peter reminds us here of the “great exchange” that lies at the heart of the gospel; unlike the OT sacrificial system that required repeated sacrifices, Jesus suffered once for sins on the cross (Heb. 10:11-14), as the perfect “lamb of God” (Jn. 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:19) to bring us to God.
2 Corinthians 5:21: For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2. Descent (3:18b-19): “... being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison”
The “spirits in prison” are likely fallen angels (cf. 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6; Gen. 6), being held in the “place of the dead” where evil spirits reside (‘Tartarus’). Christ went either between his death and resurrection (on “Holy Saturday”) or after his resurrection from the dead to declare his victory over evil, sin, and death (cf. Col. 2:15).
Revelation 1:17-18: “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
3. Resurrection (3:21): “... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ..”
4. Ascension (3:22): “... who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.”
While Peter has been talking about “subjection” throughout his letter (2:13, 18; 3:1), the tables are now turned: because of Christ’s finished work, all things have been subjected to him (cf. Phil. 2:9-11).
“Jesus is Lord of all… all kings and princes upon earth, all leaders of thought, and all controllers of human movements, are subject unto him. Do not be afraid of this or that form of anarchy; nothing can shake the eternal throne of the Prince of Peace. Monarchs may die and crumble back to dust, and their empires with them; but the throne of the Son of David shall endure for ever and ever. No acts of senators, nor decrees of despots, nor ragings of the multitude, nor foamings of rebels, nor deliverances of sages, can interfere in the least degree with the supreme power of Jesus of Nazareth. Be cheered by his reign… for the Lord has given Jesus the kingdom, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
~ Charles Spurgeon, “Our Ascended Lord”
II. The Waters of Baptism (3:20-21)
Peter draws a connection between the situation of the early church with the righteous in the days of Noah:
Noah and his family were a minority of the faithful surrounded by hostility and unbelief
Noah witnessed to the world around him through his faith in building the ark
Noah knew that judgment was soon to come upon the world, and that there was a way of escape and salvation
Noah lived in a time where God waited “patiently” for repentance before bringing his righteous judgment (cf. 2 Pet. 3:8-10)
This passage tells us three things about the nature of baptism:
1. Baptism pictures our union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection (Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:12)
Romans 6:3–5: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death. We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
2. Baptism symbolizes our rescue from God’s judgment
“The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.”
~ Tom Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude
3. Baptism represents our cleansing from sin: “not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience.”
The Blessed People who Bless People
1 Peter 3:8-17
The Blessed People who Bless People
1 peter 3:8-17
Main Idea: The grace of God is revealed to a watching world through our love, our lips, and our longing.
I. Our Love (3:8)
“Modern Western concepts of individualism tend to trump commitment to community. Where commitment is found, it is often evaluated in terms of individual needs. An individual whose needs are no longer met by a community terminates the “commitment” and seeks a new and more obliging group. Such thinking runs counter to the qualities of 3:8. Like-mindedness implies a willingness to conform one’s goals, needs, and expectations to the purposes of the larger community.”
~ Karen Jobes
II. Our Lips (3:9-12)
“By the 1980s ... a large majority had begun to think that what was worthwhile in life had nothing to do with its normal routines such as getting up each day and going to work. Nor with the traditional responsibilities of marriage and the raising of children. Rather, life is about its more exotic moments. It is not about what happens on Monday through Friday, but what happens on the weekends. Its real meaning, and its real rewards, are found when the self, unencumbered by routine and responsibility, can be found, nurtured, and satisfied.”
~ David Wells, The Courage to be Protestant
III. Our Longing (3:13-17)
“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”
- Charles Spurgeon
Wartime Witness
1 Peter 3:8-17
Wartime Witness
1 peter 3:8-17
Psalm 137:4: How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
Main Idea: Christ calls us to love each other, bless our enemies, and glorify the Father by the power of the Spirit.
I. Brotherly Love (3:8)
1 Peter 3:8: Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Be harmonious (unity of mind)
Be compassionate (sympathy)
Be loving (brotherly love)
Be tender hearted
Be humble-minded
1 Corinthians 13:4–7: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
II. Bewildering Blessing (3:9-12)
1 Peter 3:9-12: Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Romans 12:17–18: Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Mark 8:34–35:“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
III. Beautiful Witness (3:13-17)
1 Peter 3:13–17: Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Romans 8:31: If God is for us, who can be against us?
Matthew 5:11–12: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Genesis 50:19–20: But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Beautiful Marriages in Exile
1 Peter 3:1-7
Beautiful Marriages in Exile
1 peter 3:1-7
“Marriage is the best training ground to let us explore the terrain of heaven and hell… Marriage gives us a taste of the goodness of God, the wonder of intimacy, and the startling naked holiness of what it means to be forgiven and found to be delightful. The goodness of marriage is almost more than we can comprehend. On the other hand, the bitter emptiness, the incomprehensible, confusing, alienating distance that comes with the hurt and failure that comes in marriage, is almost more than a human being can bear… marriage can be a taste of heaven or a taste of hell.”
~ Dan Allender
Main Idea: In the crucible of marriage, husbands and wives should hope in God and honor one another.
I. The Fearless Wife (3:1-6)
Peter continues his exhortation of how to “keep your conduct honorable” (2:12) by addressing wives. Peter’s acknowledgement and exhortation of both bondservants and wives would have been dignifying and uplifting in the 1st c. Roman Empire. He gives three broad exhortations:
A. Beautiful Submission (3:1-2)
Peter takes a general principle for all Christians (free submission) and applies it specifically to wives. This “shape” of the marriage relationship is consistently affirmed as God’s good design and not rooted in tradition or culture (cf. Gen. 2:18; Eph. 5:22-25; Col. 3:18; Rev. 19:7).
Because this gospel principle and posture has been abused, we need to note what submission is not:
It does not mean inferiority (cf. 3:7; Phil. 2:3-7)
It does not mean putting the will of your husband above the will of Christ (cf. 2:13; Eph. 5:22)
It does not mean there is no Biblical recourse in abusive or adulterous marriages
It does not mean agreeing with everything your husband says or does
Peter says this principle applies even in the very difficult circumstance where a believing wife has an unbelieving husband. “A wife should not acquire her own friends, but should make her husband’s friends her own. The gods are the first and most significant friends. For this reason, it is proper for a wife to recognize only those gods whom her husband worships and to shut the door to superstitious cults and strange superstitions” ~ Plutarch (1st Century Greek Philosopher)
B. Internal Adorning (3:3-4)
Rather than a legalistic ban on any external beauty or adorning, Peter here warns of an inordinate preoccupation or setting hope in these things; wives should treasure and pursue the “imperishable” (cf. 1:4) inward beauty of a “gentle and quiet spirit” (cf. Mt. 11:29; Gal. 5:23).
Proverbs 31:25, 30: Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
C. Steadfast Hope (3:5-6)
Peter cites the example of Sarah from Genesis 18:12: So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” Her statement was made “to herself,” revealing the posture of her heart toward her husband in what was a difficult marriage.
“The delicate relational pattern of head with helper, the head taking responsibility and providing initiative, the helper supporting, encouraging, comforting –is too beautiful to be regimented. There is no one-size-fits-all way to follow through. But a wife’s submissive heart toward her faithful husband is a pattern, a design, clearly taught in the New Testament. It is filled with potential for displaying the gospel before family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, some of whom might never come into a church to hear the gospel.”
~ Ray Ortlund, Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel
II. The Honorable Husband (3:7)
Peter gives two overarching exhortations to husbands:
1. Live with your wives in an understanding way (Lit. ‘according to knowledge’)
“The New Testament never tells a husband to subjugate his wife. An imperious (domineering, arrogant) husband knows nothing of the mind of Christ. Instead, the New Testament calls a Christian husband to enter into his wife’s hardships with sympathetic understanding, because she is his equal, a helper fit for him, and a fellow heir of the grace of life (1 Pet. 3:7).” ~ Ray Ortlund, Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel
2. Show honor to your wives
‘As the weaker vessel’ (cf. 1 Thess. 4:4) speaks to the general physical realities of manhood vs. womanhood, or the social status of a wife in the 1st century. Husbands are to protect and honor this vulnerability rather than exploiting and abusing this reality.
Though they may be ‘weaker’ in this sense, they are certainly not lesser. Peter says they are to show honor to their wives “since they are heirs with you of the grace of life.” (cf. Gal. 3:28). The consequences for either the domineering or the passive husband are severe: “that your prayers may not be hindered.”
Because the mystery of marriage is a signpost to the gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:32), as husbands and wives hope in God and honor one another, they will declare and display the good news of Jesus Christ to one another and to the watching world.
“Christians are invited to ‘cut out’ small niches of hope, reconciliation, forgiveness, beauty, and health in the world. Rather than using the language of business and project management… perhaps mission is rather like marking art. We are not to expect that a beautiful sculpture will change the world into a paradise, but it will give the world something to think and talk about by just being there. ... So, this may be our task: a mission of small things – things that will be redeemed when Jesus returns.”
~ Stephen Paas, Pilgrims and Priests
Submission, Suffering, & Grace
1 Peter 2:13-25
Submission, Suffering, & Grace
1 peter 2:13-25
Main Idea: We honor the Lord by freely submitting to authority and faithfully enduring suffering.
I. Free Submission (2:13-17)
Specifying how Christians are to live “honorable” lives among unbelievers (2:12) in a variety of ordinary vocations and relationships, Peter begins by addressing authorities, urging us to “be subject to every human institution” [lit. ‘creature’].
Peter gives three reasons for this general posture of submission:
Authorities have been sovereignly put in place by God to promote justice, so we submit to them “for the Lord’s sake” (cf. Dan. 2:21; Acts 5:29)
Free submission will silence ignorant slander and accusations (cf. 2:12)
We are ultimately servants and slaves of God (cf. 1 Cor. 7:22; Rom. 6:20, 22), embracing not merely a freedom from (negative freedom), but also a freedom for (positive freedom)
“Freedom is perhaps the most resonant, deeply held American value. Yet freedom turns out to mean being left alone by others, not having other people’s values, ideas, or styles of life forced upon one, being free of arbitrary authority in work, family, and political life. What it is that one might do with that freedom is much more difficult for Americans to define.”
~ Robert Bellah, Habits of the Heart
As a summary, we are to “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor” (2:17). Christians ought to have a general posture of honor and respect toward others, empowered by the love we have for the “household of faith” and our worship of God, the only one we are commanded to “fear.”
II. Faithful Endurance (2:18-20)
Peter then addresses ‘servants’ or ‘slaves’ in indentured servanthood in the Roman Empire (an estimated ¼ of the population), urging them to be subject with all respect to masters who are both ‘good’ and ‘unjust’ (lit. ‘crooked’).
Peter uses this relationship as a greater paradigm of the godly response in the face of mistreatment: to endure suffering unjustly, while being “mindful of God” is actually a “gracious thing” that will be rewarded by Him (cf. Eph. 6:5-8).
Luke 6:32–35: If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
III. Following Christ (2:21-25)
As we suffer for righteousness’ sake while doing good, we are stepping into our “calling” in Christ, following his example. Peter emphasizes a number of ways that Christ suffered as an example for us (cf. Isa. 53):
He did not sin or speak deceitfully
He did not revile or threaten in retaliation
He entrusted himself to God as a just Judge
Romans 12:19: Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
While these exhortations are a difficult calling, Peter reminds us that Christ not only suffered with us, but he also suffered for us, in our place, on the cross. Christ’s sufferings are an invitation to a different posture and response to the sufferings we inevitably face in this life.
“If we ask the question: ‘Why does God allow evil and suffering to continue?’ and we look at the cross of Jesus, we still do not know what the answer is. However, we know what the answer isn’t. It can’t be that he doesn’t love us. It can’t be that he is indifferent or detached from our condition. God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself. … At the cross we have deep consolation and strength to face the brutal realities of life on earth.”
~ Tim Keller, The Reason for God
The outcome of Christ’s death on the ‘tree’(Deut. 21:32) on our behalf was not only for the forgiveness of our sins, but also that we might “die to sin and live to righteousness.” Christ’s crucifixion empowers us to live faithfully despite great opposition from within and without, having returned to our ultimate authority: The Shepherd and Overseer of our souls.
Pilgrims and Priests
1 Peter 2:9-12
Pilgrims & Priests
1 peter 2:9-12
Main Idea: As pilgrims and priests, we have been commissioned by God to declare and display the gospel.
I. Declaring the Gospel as Priests (2:9-10)
Peter reminds these “elect exiles” (1:1) of their status, name, and identity in Christ. They are:
A chosen race (Isa. 43:20-21; cf. Deut. 7:6-8; 1 Cor. 1:27-29)
A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession (Ex. 19:5-6)
God’s people who have received mercy (Hos. 2:23)
Three important realities can be seen in these identity markers:
They are rooted in Scripture, the place where our identity is given and formed
They emphasize God’s gracious, initiating love toward us
They are a corporate identity given to the church collectively, not merely scattered individuals
“Peter’s declaration of our ‘peoplehood’ in Christ has vast consequences for the life of the church of Christ. The church is not just a religious association formed by saved individuals to give united expression to their faith. Rather, the church is more a people than Israel was under the old covenant. Scattered in the world, indeed, as Israel was in dispersion, but a people nonetheless, bound together in the community of those who are united to one another as surely as they are united to their Lord. Church fellowship is not an optional advantage, to be chosen or ignored, like membership in a social club. It is the calling of every Christian. There is a spiritual ‘ethnicity’ to the church of Christ; Christians are blood relatives, joined by the blood of Jesus Christ”
~ Ed Clowney, The Message of 1 Peter: The Way of the Cross
As a “royal priesthood,” the church is set apart for a particular purpose: “that we may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6). “Priests” are ‘mediators’ who represent the people to God (through worship and praise) and God to the people (through teaching and blessing); our greatest ‘priestly’ service to the world is our sharing of the gospel (Rom. 15:16).
“I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with.”
~ C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
II. Displaying the Gospel as Pilgrims (2:11-12)
Peter reminds the church that our privileged and “beloved” status in Christ makes us “sojourners and exile” on the earth. He urges us as we wait for our true home to:
Abstain from the passions of our flesh which wage war against our soul; any “battles” that we might wage in this life must start first and foremost internally rather than externally (cf. Matt. 16:24; Col. 3:5; Jas. 4:1-3)
Keep our conduct among the Gentiles ‘honorable’ (good; beautiful), despite opposition, pressure, and false accusations (cf. Phil. 2:14-15)
“Inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners... They marry, as do all others; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all... They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor.”
~ The Epistle to Diognetus (2nd century AD)
As the church displays the gospel through ordinary, everyday faithfulness among unbelievers, they do not only have the “eye” of God (cf. 1:17) but also of the watching world. Peter fully expects that some will come to Christ as they “see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
Matthew 5:16: “… let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
“If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next… It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this [one]… I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country… I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and to help others to do the same.”
~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity