God’s Order for a Wife (Part 1)

 

“God’s Order for a Wife” 

1 PETER 3:1-6

SUBJECT: SUBMISSION APPLIED TO MARRIAGE

THEME: each believing wife is to submit to her own husband in God’s order for marriage as a matter of trusting God.

RELEVANCE: though much of marriage is thrilling, our experiences can become unfair and sometimes painful; those who are the most intimate can hurt us deeply. Undoubtedly this is the case in marriage. To further complicate matters, many Christian couples are oblivious of what God calls them to deeming ‘God way’ as outdated. Regardless as children of God we are expected to accept God’s order and conduct ourselves accordingly even in poor circumstances. The obligation to trust God and embrace a better future are thus directed and reinforced in marriage.

INTRODUCTION:

Every relationship requires some work, labor, adjustments, growth, change, and effort if it is to serve God’s intentions and be mutually beneficial for all parties. Certainly, this is true in marriage.  

“No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown.”—William Penn (1644–1718)

Marriage affords us a unique opportunity to deepen our sanctification, build together, and focus on eternal goals with the guarantee the tunings and personal progress will be worth it in the end.

There are basically three ideas regarding submission and marriage in this short series:

• The acknowledgement of God’s order for all believers
• The wife’s submission to the Lord as she follows her husband     
• The husband’s submission to the Lord by providing leadership for his wife and family

It is imperative that we acknowledge God’s order for marriage because this is one way we represent the Lord and propagate the Kingdom of God. Each person in a godly household exists to promote Jesus Christ and to demonstrate their personal commitment to advancing God’s reign and rule through proclaiming the gospel. This exhibit holiness, hope, and affords some happiness for couples, homes, and society in general. By doing this our Lord reigns in our experiences, is taken seriously, honored, and obeyed through believers who execute His will.  

 MESSAGE:

I.               Acknowledge God’s Order

A.    This is How These Ideas Should be Understood

                                                    i.     “Be in subjection to your own husbands. . .vs 3:1” This of course is the same word that appeared in chapter 1 Pet. 2:13 regarding human government, verse 18 regarding slaves, and in verse 3:5 regarding the character of holy women. 

1.     1 Pet 3:1, employs the word “Likewise” referring to the topic of “subjection” and now applies it to “wives.” Peter also makes a similar injunction for men applying ‘subjection’ to them (1Pet. 3:7).

2.     Submission here means that the Christian wife is to place herself under her own husband’s authority, control, and leadership as unto the Lord. A husband is to follow Christ’s leadership, He is accountable to God for his entire household, and he provides clarity and specificity on boarder kingdom objectives. A wife is to place herself under such authority and employ her gifts and abilities to advance the husband’s purposes in Christ.   

                                                  ii.     It is submission to a wife’s “own” husband and not to men or society in general.

1.     It is the home that God would rule over that is in view, this is also true of churches as God choose men to take roles of leadership.

2.     Leadership for a specific household will vary from one to the next. There is always something to learn from other believers and godly couples, but a wife is to follow her own husband’s lead in the home. Together they make a team for Christ with a team captain and a team member.

3.     God is not addressing the lost world outside of Christ; not work, not governments, and not the culture, or society. He is speaking only to real believers; what the world needs from us is more of the gospel.

                                                iii.     It is Important to Understand What God Does Not Mean When He Commands Submission:

1.     God does not mean that a wife should be subjected to a controlling tyrant, her enslavement, acquiescence to wife beatings, a disrespectful authoritarian, a chronic critic, an unfaithful deadbeat, or a self-absorbed manipulator!     

2.     God is not excusing a wife’s sarcasm, manipulation, disrespectfulness, big mouth—sharp tongue, belittling, lack of affection or intimacy, silent treatment, or undermining criticisms either.  

3.     NONE OF THESE IDEAS CONVEY WHAT GOD INTENDED BY SUBMISSION IN MARRIAGE! These are migrations away from God’s prescriptions; none of these represent what God has in mind for marriage.

                                                 iv.     What God intends by “subjection” is order, cooperation, and relationship—that a husband and wife are to walk together, hand in hand, throughout life to execute God’s purposes for a godly home. It is her willingly yielding her will to God’s authority and not forced subjugation manifesting trust, and humility to her husband as the God-ordained spiritual leader of that family. The Christian wife in obedience to God, assumes the proper order for her husband’s leadership, authority, and control so that God’s kingdom is advanced.

                                                   v.     For further emphasis, submission generates a trust in the sovereignty of God that frees a believer from fear and resentment over the way others treat us, posters us to serve the Lord more broadly, and helps us build a genuine love for others.

                                                vi.     “Subjection” also promotes viewing God as our real source of security and not merely ‘managing’ material means like using a man, a steady paycheck, money and excessive spending, or the government’s welfare dole. A lot of so-called ‘independence’ or ‘self-sufficiency’ would rapidly evaporate if the material props were suddenly taken away! To be at the mercy and whelm of mere people is the ridiculous place many find themselves in, but they mistakenly call it ‘independence’!

B.    Society Has Long Departed from God’s Order!

                                                    i.     Many reject the idea of women’s subjection in marriage as archaic, outdated, and old-fashioned. Some even react in anger and hostility against the Word of God and the preacher or person who deals with the subject.

                                                  ii.     Serving and providing service is still honorable, not a form of enslavement! We all exist to serve the Lord in some capacity, we serve each other, society in general, and the kingdom of God. Serving is what we all do; Christian marriage is yet another way to serve. It is not meant to be an institution designed to satisfy any person’s carnal desires. The focus is totally skewed when we insist the relationship exists to make us feel like a ‘king or queen.’ Marriage is not all about you; it is primarily about the Lord Jesus!

                                                iii.     Female leadership has invaded the church because it first invaded the home. Many believe the Bible ‘allows’ such changes if it is considered at all. Further too many young people are raised without any sense of a positive male role model in the home. These children, raised by their bitter mothers, learn to hate men also. These men may have wronged them, but we cannot ascribe such actions to all men. Unfortunately, such young girls have no idea of how to acquire a godly husband (most prefer to be impregnated by some guy from the hood), and they know even less about how to keep one—they have so few examples. The very notion is foreign to them!

                                                iv.     These young men are oblivious of the kind of leadership they are supposed to afford a home. No one demonstrated that for them…they never even heard of such. They don’t even expect to live out their lives; they anticipate a future of drugs, fornication, jail, or death. Again, this is complete ignorance…inexcusable, but unawareness!

C.    Please do not Confuse Gods’ Plan with Today’s Catastrophes!

                                                    i.     Some major challenges with marriage involve us reducing God’s plan and institution to personal feelings and preferences, cultural identity perimeters, manipulated court and divorce strategies, shortsighted laws, a way to realize personal rights, selfish innuendoes, self-centered reasons for leaving, and even assertions of sexual equality. God’s prescriptions unfortunately have been jumbled with human purposes, national traditions, blatant materialism, mere chauvinism, hyper-feminism, sexual equality, simple chivalry, our personal agenda/schemes, and other modern carnal adaptations!

                                                  ii.     Dating and marriage seem obsolete and old-fashioned while God’s ways are rejected and unexplored even though they cannot be improved upon! God made us…He best understands how we can live and work together in the home.

                                                iii.     What is God’s Order then? It is God’s plan to reach every person with the hope of Jesus Christ in the gospel (Matt. 28:19-20; Jn. 20:21-23). Each genuine believer is to serve God to achieve this end—God rules in the life that is devoted to his purpose. We must present ourselves, the people committed to us, and our resources to execute God’s kingdom agenda (Matt. 4:17; 5:3, 10; 6:13; Luk. 17:20-21; Rom. 14;17; 2Tim. 4:18; Jam. 2:5; 2 Pet.1:11). So, we place ourselves on the altar of God’s will (Rom. 12:1-2), we give the people we are responsible for to this undertaking, and we steward our belongings to administrate our portion of God’s plan. The ultimate goal is to manage God’s plan for us and our families demonstrating God’s order, rule, and authority over our lives.  

Ridiculous Joy

Ridiculous Joy

1 Peter 1:8, 9

Trials are that part of life we feel we can live without. However, God can use them to strengthen and mold us with our cooperation.

1 Peter 1:8 says: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”. Peter speaks of the immense love and inexpressible thrill we feel for our Lord Jesus Christ. He first loved us and we love and believe in Him even though we have not physically seen Him. We correctly anticipate the magnificent deliverance of our souls.

Such sentiments are nothing short of profound and inexpressibly filled with godly joy marking our deep, triumphant happiness because of our Lord’s grace and presence.  

How Does This Truth Enable Us to Conquer Trials? (1 Peter 1:8, 9)

The trails of life, though real and often painful, are not to defeat or discourage us. On the contrary, we are to regard them as steppingstones to becoming stronger in the Lord. But how do we do this? How can we conquer trails when they are so painful, devastating, destructive, disorienting, powerful, damaging, and threatening? Fortunately, our feelings don’t tell the entire story!

                A.  Conquer them by Our Love for Christ, Vs 8 “Whom having not seen ye love….” Because we love Christ, we obey him, we keep his commandments, turn away from temptations, and we walk with him through trails. True love does everything possible to show love and avoid hurting our beloved; in fact, when we love someone, we do our best to please them. I read something that said, ‘love is still the strongest force on earth.’ If this is true, then the most formidable power to overthrow our trails is ours.

In times of trails, reflect on how Christ saved you and forgave you and how greatly He suffered for our sin. He freely demonstrated His great love for us! Permit your natural appreciation for Him to empower you to stand for God in trails and temptations. Love is not primarily an emotion, it is action.

Recall the example of Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicademus. They loved the Lord and openly identified with Him at a very trying time for any followers of Christ. Matt 27:57-58, When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: [58] He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

                B.  Conquer them by Our Faith in Christ   Vs 8

We must continue to believe or trust Christ, and we must continue to be faithful to His teachings.  Stand firm upon His council and rely completely on His power and presence to conquer and carry us through all trails.

The Three Hebrew Boys understood what it meant to stand for God in Faith and be true to God centered convictions during trials! They were literally in the fires of their trial, but they enjoyed wonderful fellowship of the Son of God during that experience. Through their trial they bore testimony for Christ before a watching world! They knew what it meant to rely on God’s Power and Presence during trails!

Eph 6:13-16, Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14, Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16, Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

I Jn 5:4-5, For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5, Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

                C.   Conquer them by Our Rejoicing in Christ   Vs 8

Our Joy is not based on circumstances but upon the finished work of Christ. There are times though when this joy is to be filled up with “glory”. Our present joy and rejoicing are to be based on things to come; again, this will enable us to stand during trials. Sometimes you must rejoice on credit and there is strength from God during such periods!

Isa 61:10, I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Neh 8:10, Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

                 D.  Conquer them by Focusing on our Salvation Christ Provided   Vs 9

1 Pet 1:9, Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

The goal of our salvation is living in the very presence of God to execute His great will continually free of opposition or difficulty! Stay focused on this goal!

                                      TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS

O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There's light for a look at the Savior and Life more abundant and free!

His word shall not fail you He promised; Believe Him and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face; and the things of the earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His Glory and Grace.

Why Evangelize the Unsaved?

 

Why Evangelize the Unsaved?

Matthew 28:19; Romans 3:23; 6:23

There are several biblical reasons for evangelism in the life of every believer.  First there is the command of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19, where he says, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”  Every believer should take this command seriously and personally. Then secondly are the sinner’s needs which can be a powerful motivation when we consider passages like Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  And then Romans 6:23, where Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” These are clear commands from our Lord Jesus and the Word.

The reality of Hell and the wrath of God remain in the future of every unrepentant sinner.  A third reason for evangelizing is our love for Christ who was an outstanding evangelist to say the least. He certainly expects believers to obey his command to evangelize and to prove our love for him by our obedience to him. It was Christ who said in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”  A fourth and very good reason for evangelism is our love for others.  It is only natural to love one’s family and friends and want their good in all things.  Likewise, genuine love will compel us to be concerned with their eternal good.  These are just a few reasons, but there are others like the example of the Lord Jesus and his disciples, the stewardship of the Gospel, the glory of God, the lack of workers, and the promise of rewards which should also compel us to engage ourselves in the process of evangelism.  

Lesson:

I.               What Are the General Evangelism Approaches?  

So, with solid reasons to get involved, where should I start? How do the approaches to evangelism complement each other and represent parts of the strategy of evangelism?

There are three basic approaches to evangelism, and they each complement each other and represent parts of the strategy we need to embrace. The three parts are Presence Evangelism, Proclamation Evangelism, and Persuasion Evangelism.  Presence evangelism relates to the lifestyle of the believer that is his witness and testimony.  Proclamation evangelism focuses on announcing and publicizing the good news of Christ.  Persuasion evangelism concentrates on persuading and motivating the sinner to embrace Christ by faith.  It is intentionally preaching to secure soul-winning results.  Again, these are interrelated and interdependent upon each other.  For example, by our presence we win a hearing, by our proclamation we share the gospel message, and then by our persuasion we convince others to place their trust in Christ. These interrelated approaches affords ways to immediately invest ourselves in reaching people with the gospel.

II.            What Terms refer to New Testament Evangelism?

If we refer to the various words found in the New Testament to describe evangelism, the following is what we would discover.  Some present-day examples of these different types of evangelism are also delineated.

There are various Greek words found in the New Testament which describe evangelism; there are matching present-day examples for each of these words. 

• 1.     Martureo (Acts 1:8) is sharing your experience with others. The present day equivalent is sharing one’s personal experience in trusting Christ as Savior. 
• 2.     Laleo (Acts 4:1) is talking to others.  The present-day exercise of this type of evangelism occurs when we weave the message of the gospel and our faith into the average conversation with someone.
• 3.     Euaggelizo (Acts 8:4) is telling others about Jesus.  This can be achieved today by telling others the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Emphasis would be placed on the message of the good news in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.
• 4.     Didasko (Matt. 28:20) is teaching others the gospel systematically.  Today we should explain the gospel message in great detail and systematically especially when working with someone who has questions or is religiously confused.  The goal is to remove misconceptions so people can understand and believe.
• 5.     Dialegomai (Acts 18:4) is answering reasonable questions.  Today as we share the gospel with others, some will have more questions or our presentation will raise legitimate concerns in the hearts of the sinners.  We can afford them opportunity to present their questions and give them Bible answers.  This form of witnessing takes on the form of dialog or a question-and-answer session.
• 6.     Kataggello (Acts 17:3) is driving home the gospel.  This can be effectively used today in public preaching as we bring sinners to understand their need and fervently point them to the reality that Jesus is the answer, solution, and “The Christ.” Such public proclaiming of Christ should be filled with conviction and astutely advocated by the believer.
• 7.     Kerusso (Acts 8:5) is announcing the gospel so people can respond.  Modern day street preaching wonderfully follows the manner of publicly heralding the gospel so that people can hear and understand.
• 8.     Mathateuo (Matt. 28: 19) is convincing others to follow Jesus.  Today we are to lead people to a conversion experience in trusting Christ to save them and then to actually become lifelong followers of Christ.  The elements of repentance, faith, and discipleship are all included.
• 9.     Peitho (2Cor. 5:11; Acts 18:4) is persuading those who are hesitant.  This is the modern effort of fervently bringing someone to the point of a decision for Christ as Savior.  While no one can be coerced or pressured for a decision, it is correct to persuade and encourage a positive choice for forgiveness and regeneration. 

III.         What is Evangelism?

Evangelism is the effort of believers to sustain a lifestyle which witnesses of the power of the gospel, to proclaim the gospel message clearly so that sinners can understand and believe, and to convince or persuade people to receive Christ as Savior.  Evangelism should be accepted as a mandate for all believers and an essential component for Christian living.

Conclusion:

Beloved, we have a clear mandate from our Lord and insight into our very real human condition of sin. God’s perspective is inarguable transparent also; people who die without Christ have no hope of salvation. Regardless of our position in a congregation or lack thereof, we are charged with the message of Christ. We who know the gospel must share it with those who are without the hope of Jesus Christ. As evangelists, we are referred to as fishers of men, witnesses, ambassadors, and stewards.  Several other occupations illustrate the work as NT evangelists. Terms like “builder” (1Cor. 3:10), “soldier” (2Tim. 2:3), “farmer” (1Cor. 3:6-9), and “sower” (Matt. 13:3) also shed light on our work. Clearly our job is placed before us as NT evangelists.  So, go in as many ways as you can to share the hope of Christ with whoever through the gospel.

Refill Your Cup

 

Refill Your Cup

Luke 5:16, And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

Mark 1:35, And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

The Lord Jesus practice something we often miss in our hustle and bustle, he frequently prayed alone in solitary places to connect deeply with God, secure daily guidance, and find strength for the challenges ahead. Such solitude allowed him to focus and engage in undistracted communion with his heavenly Father. Again, such activities were vital for receiving instructions, spiritual power, and wisdom for his very complex ministries and God’s designs. These ‘get aways’ provided rest, reflection, refreshment, and a way to process emotions and challenges. Our Lord’s habit of withdrawing demonstrates the importance of personal solitude in the presence of God, spiritual growth, and recharging our serving capacity. 

Sometimes we are called upon to do the extraordinary! We typically don't even hesitate to meet the expectations and requirements. It is a part of what we do—forsake ourselves for the benefit of others! Doing so can be demanding, exhausting, depleting, and grueling at times, but we still come through in brilliant color and reliable force. Afterwards, it is important to reset in the wake of these episodes...to take a breather...a well-deserved break. I am talking about intentionally stepping back from daily demands to recharge spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.

This may involve short resets like walking in God’s creation, praying, or meditating on a verse or phrase. You may try longer getaways like a trip on a long weekend to a location that permits you to unwind. What is critical is that we focus on non-work activities, clear our calendars, unplug from the various forms of tech, and prioritize time with God, rest and good food. There are multiple benefits to doing this like hearing from the Lord afresh, seeing things in Scripture you forgot were there, realizing there are matters we left unresolved, and even relationships we should pursue as well as those we need to eliminate. We can experience a boost in our health, inspiration for our interests, and a renewed eagerness to be more productive, and certainly preventing the various forms of burnout before returning to the fight. It is okay to reduce some of the stress.

Anybody with eyes can see we have been working at a fever pitch to make a lot of great things happen for many others. We have been there making events special, cherish-able, memorable, and picture-worthy-epics. We have treated others with dignity, respect, courtesy and service. But please remember you need a break too…a period of rejuvenation. Start planning now for enjoyable, restorative activities, rather than just passive screen time, these are your keys for true renewal. So, go ahead and steal way to sit prayerfully in God’s presence, plan a trip or even take a short drive, visit a museum you have been wanting to explore, journal your reflections and thoughts, disconnect from work/social media, read the Word slowly and thoughtfully, engage in other restorative activities like walking, hiking, gardening, an unscheduled nap, a long bubble bath, or just taking it down a few notches at home. 

The requirements will still be there when you return, and the demand will be also.... But please take that ‘needed break’ in the coming weeks. You don't have to feel guilty as you do so. We all need these types of respites several times a year. Afterward you may continue to pour from a cup that has been properly refilled.

Jesus's solitary prayer life and his ability to unplug from society was not a matter of avoiding people or merely being alone. Jesus intentionally prioritized a profound and personal interaction with his heavenly Father. Clearly his actions provide us with a model for finding peace, clarity, and strength in our own lives. It informs us to refill our cup often as a matter of priority.  

 

Our Watchful Shepherd

 

“Our Watchful Shepherd”

1 Peter 2:21-25

SUBJECT: THE PROFIT IN SUBMISSIVE LIVING

THEME: There are immediate and eternal benefits to living submissively unto God.

RELEVANCY: But why is this important to us?

Christ’s example and the message of the gospel impact our lifestyles and behaviors of submission giving credibility to our faith claims and confidence in our experiences. 

MESSAGE:

Jesus Is Our Watchful Shepherd in Heaven (1Pet. 2:25).

In the Old Testament economy, the sheep died for the shepherd; but at Calvary, the Shepherd died for the sheep (John 10).

“For ye were as sheep going astray” (1 Pet. 2:25; Isa. 53:6). Referring to our past, every lost sinner is like a sheep gone astray: ignorant, lost, wandering, in danger, without special care, away from the place of safety, and unable to help himself. The diligent “Shepherd” went out seeking and searching for us lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7). Heaven and the “Shepherd” rejoices when a sheep acknowledges their need, repents of their sin, and trusts the rescuing “Shepherd”. Jesus literally died for us sheep; so, we certainly have tremendous value to Him! This is the type of “Shepherd and Bishop” we have return to.

1. A Reminder of Christ’s Love, Protection, and Leadership.

‘Shepherd’ is a metaphor that convey the truth of Christ’s love, protection, leadership, guidance, sufficiency, and supply. No matter what comes our way this will always be true. In Christ there is love and spiritual protection against those who would harm us. We must be concerned with following His love, protection, leadership, and guidance as closely as possible.

As our “Shephard,” he is also our sufficiency and supply; his grace will always be enough (2 Cor. 12:9) whatever the challenges and he can supply our need when we have sacrificed to further his cause (Phil. 4:19).

B.    A Reminder of Christ’s Watch-Care, Administration, and Observation.

Now that we have returned to the fold and are safely in His care, He watches over us lest we stray and get into sin. The word “bishop” simply means "one who watches over, who oversees.” Jesus Christ is the superintendent of our souls.  No matter what goes bad, it must first be permitted by Him and He never allows too heavy a load to cross our little bridge. As the Watcher of our soul’s condition, it is imperative that we live to please Him. Also, he is fully aware of the circumstances and the challenges we face as we deal with the realities of submission to God but are under the control of mere people. People who occupy a position over us, but they are far from knowing our “Shepherd and Bishop.” I am so thankful the Lord Jesus knows and understands the situation completely.

C.    A Reminder of Christ’s Development, Growth, and Perfection. (In Us Believers)

Just as the elder-bishop oversees the flock of God, the local church (1 Peter 5:2), so the Savior in glory watches over His sheep to guard in every good work and develop us according to his good pleasure (Heb.13:20-21). Submission is part of our necessary growth in Christ! So our cooperation, communication, commitment, and surrender should mark our experiences in the Lord. He watches over us to grow us up in God.

This is the wonderful truth Peter wanted us to embrace as we live godly lives and submit to God especially in times of suffering, we are following Christ’s example and becoming more like Him. Yes, we are growing spiritually and becoming more like Christ. The unsaved world is watching us, but the Shepherd in heaven is also watching over us; so, we have nothing to be afraid of, be angry over, or resist submitting to. We can submit to Him and know that He will work everything together for our good and His glory. You and I must trust God for this.

CONCLUSION:

As the people of God, we must emphasize the importance of submission in the life of believers. This is certainly not a popular topic when lawlessness abounds in the quest for "personal fulfilment," but it is an important one. Peter amplified the concept of submission in the life of Christ as the servant of Jehovah. We must follow Christ’s example of submission as a matter of our calling to sustain a godly testimony before a watching and critical/skeptical world.

Changed and contented lives in a sinful and hurting world verify the claims of Christ and facilitates winning others to him. Simply stated, living right makes Christianity attractive and believable to unbelievers.  Additionally, by submitting to God, we accept the mandate to share the gospel with others by our words and deeds.

The driving principle in the Christian’s life is to live as unto the Lord God. This is true no matter what kind of human relationships we may have. No matter what the circumstance or the conditions, I am to live to please Him. This is the fundamental truth in all areas of Christian submission.

We must submit to Civil law and order. We must submit to our superiors in our work relationships, and we must follow closely the example of Jesus Christ. If we look to His example, we will be a powerful witness as a citizen, a godly witness as an employee and a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Phil 1:29, For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; No doubt this will require great TRUST on our behalf.  We must do as our Savior did and “commit” ourselves to Him that judges fairly (1Pet. 2:23).

Jesus is Our Sacrifice for Sin

“Jesus is Our Sacrifice for Sin”

1 Peter 2:21-25

SUBJECT: THE PROFIT IN SUBMISSIVE LIVING

THEME: There are immediate and eternal benefits to living submissively unto God.

RELEVANCY: But why is this important to us?

Christ’s example and the message of the gospel impact our lifestyles and behaviors of submission giving credibility to our faith claims and confidence in our experiences.

INTRODUCTION:

Christ’s Submission to God Involved Suffering to Secure Our Eternal Benefit. Please consider that the Lord Jesus suffered in life as a Servant to God (1 Pet. 2:21-25).

MESSAGE:

I.       Jesus Is Our Voluntary Sacrifice to Our Benefit (1Pet. 2:21, 24). Again, the Lord Jesus is not our Example in suffering wrongfully merely, He died in our place and for our sin! He is our Substitute. His submission to the plan of God involved suffering and dying for our sins at Calvary. 

1.  Jesus Died as Our Substitute and Not a Martyr. This reminds us of the great “Servant Chapter,” Isaiah 53, especially Isaiah 53:5-7, but also verses 9 and 12.
1. Jesus did not die as a martyr; He died as a Savior, a sinless Substitute. The word ‘for’ (1Pet. 2:21) when used in conjunction with the death of Christ has the meaning of a substitute.  This is NOT teaching that Jesus left us the example of how we should be willing to die for the truth or some great cause. It is teaching that Christ died in our place, in our room, as our substitute. The Substitutionary death of Christ.

                                                    i.     John 10:15, As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

                                                  ii.     John 15:13, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

                                                iii.     Isa 53:5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. He suffered for the supreme benefit of others!  That we sinners might be saved; let our sufferings lead to the conversion of sinners!

2. The word translated “bare” (1Pet. 2:24) means "to carry as a sacrifice." The Jewish people did not crucify criminals; they stoned them to death. But if the victim was especially evil, his dead body was hung on a tree until evening, as a mark of shame (Deut. 21:23). Jesus died on a tree—a cross—and bore the curse of the law (Gal. 3:13).

                                                    i.     Christ did not deserve to suffer (1Pet. 2:22), because He did not sin at all. The Lord Jesus lived a completely sinless life, therefore He did not deserve to died.

                                                  ii.     There was NO SIN in His pure perfect holy life and there was NO GUILE in His mouth or there was no deceit in His heart either. Matt 12:34, O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

                                                iii.     This means that Christ was the perfect candidate to die for the sin of the world. God required a sinless sacrifice and Jesus provide exactly that. 1 Pet 1:18-19, Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19, But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

3. Secondly, it means to us that we must live pure, clean and holy before God and the world. Jesus’ heart and life were free of any anger towards God, any bitterness about His circumstances, or any resentment in his emotions! He was not secretly holding these events against God; he did not expect better treatment because he was the Son of God; he did not feel slighted or mistreated by God for these developments. While he recognized that people were treating him unfairly, he did not make the mistake of blaming God for his pains. Remember there is nothing thank worthy or praiseworthy in being knocked around and beat up for our faults but if we suffer for living godly this is tolerable with God! His kingdom is not of this world.

2. Jesus Died in Complete Surrender as an Act of Trust. Christ suffered willingly and voluntarily as a matter of Trust in God (1Pet. 2:23).  This can be seen in three facts.
1. He was reviled but He did not rail back at His attackers.  He had the power to fight back and end it all with His spoken word, but He didn’t do it.  It would have been lawful for Him to protect Himself, but it would not have been expedient for His cause and us sinners.

                                                    i.     We need to keep this important principle in mind when we want to wage war against our government or when we have a legitimate complaint at work.  You may have a good argument and the right or power to voice your opinion. But remember our Lord suffered and died unjustly.

                                                  ii.     Sometimes we may have to overlook the immediate issue, surrender our power to fight back, look at their need for the Savior, and willingly suffer wrong that they can see Christ in us.

2. He was abused, beaten and crowned with thorns, but He suffered it willingly. He ‘committed’ Himself, His life into the hands of a just God.

                                                    i.     According to verse 23, He knew that God would vindicate Him and He fully ‘Committed’ (handed Himself over to God).  And certainly, God vindicated Him early one Sunday morning when we raised Him from the dead. 

                                                  ii.     We must TRUST God’s wisdom and God’s way. Suffering for any reason at all is not easy, but we must trust the council of God written in this passage. It Will take real faith…super trust…to Commit ourselves to God as Jesus our example did.

3. We as Christians need to stop looking entirely to the government to turn our country around and Trust God to bring us a national revival. We as Christian must first get right with God and then we will see the healing of our land. 2 Chr 7:14, If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. It is not the government’s fault that our society is going to the devil; it is our fault. Perhaps we have been cowardly quiet where we should have boldly spoken righteousness! And it will not change until Christians repent! 

3. Jesus Suffered to the Ultimate Degree, and it was Extremely Severe. 1 Pet 2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
1. Isa 53:5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
2. 1 Pet 3:18, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
3. Jesus Christ took our sin, our guilt, our judgement and our punishment -----and bore them for us. When we trust Him we receive His payment for our sins and we receive His righteousness. We as Believers cannot die for our own sin—as our own substitutionary sacrifice. But it may be necessary to DIE FOR OUR SIN BARER. Not to atone for or sins, but out of loyalty to Jesus Christ. The reality of Christian persecution in America will continue to increase as our society becomes more anti-God and anti-Bible. There are reports of Christians being arrested for street preaching, witnessing, and passing out tracks all the time.  Those who preach on the streets are being arrested all the time.  Churches are attacked with lawsuits and court battles regularly. It is no longer a distant possibility it is an own going battle today and it could mean our lives one day for the cause of Christ. 

4. Jesus Suffered for Our Sin That We Should Live in Righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24 ....that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. This is the clear and expressed purpose for his suffering; that we should live unto righteousness. And the hold purpose of our submission is to point people to our righteous God! So continue to do right!

5. Jesus Died to Secure Our Spiritual Healing. 1 Peter 2:24 ...by whose stripes ye were healed. The paradoxes of the cross never cease to amaze us. Christ was wounded that we might be healed. He died that we might live. We died with Him, and thus we are "dead to sin" (Rom. 6) so that we might "live unto righteousness."
1. The healing Peter mentioned in 1 Peter 2:24 is not physical healing, but rather the spiritual healing of the soul (Ps. 103:3). One day, when we have glorified bodies, all sicknesses will be gone; but meanwhile, even some of God's choicest servants may have physical afflictions (see Phil. 2:25-30; 2 Cor. 12:1).
2. It is not Jesus the Example or the Teacher who saves us, but Jesus the spotless Lamb of Cod who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).
3. Clearly, suffering for the benefit of others in not child’s play. Such trust in God is what Christ exemplified. Are we willing to submit to God’s leadership…to be His sacrifice…to lay ourselves down for His offering that will benefit someone else? Will we sacrifice rights, privileges, and opportunities for the spiritual benefit of others?   

6. Jesus’ Death is significant because all sinners abide under the wrath of God and we were all correctly sentenced to death. But JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED AND DIED IN OUR STEAD AS OUR SUBSTITUTE AND AS OUR REPRESENTATIVE! HE DIED FOR US! Therefore, if He took my death then I as a believer am no longer obligated to Death. That’s GOOD NEWS to us sinners!
1. Ezek 18:4, Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
2. Rom 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
3. Rom 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
4. God Has Declared That the Proper Punishment of Sin is Death. We all have sinned; we all have a tendency to sin and God has condemned that tendency in us all. Because we have sinned against God, we deserve death. This death is threefold:

                                                    i.     Physical Death—This is the separation of the Spirit and Soul from the Body.

                                                  ii.     Spiritual Death—This is the separation from God, we are born in this condition because of a sinful nature. (Ps. 51:5; Ps. 58:3)

                                                iii.     Eternal Death—This is separation from God forever in the Lake of  Fire (Hell) also called the Second Death. (Rev. 20:11-15)

5. The Good News is that Jesus Christ Died for Us. He took the punishment for sin that we deserved.  He was completely sinless and could not sin, therefore He did not deserve death.  But He willingly died in our place and as our substitute.

                                                    i.     2 Cor 5:21, For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

                                                  ii.     1 Pet 2:24, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

                                                iii.     Isa 53:6, All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The truth is that since Jesus Christ died for me and the penalty of sin was paid for everyone by Him, then we who have accepted Him need not die for our own sin.  If we accept His sacrifice for all sin…our own sinfulness, we receive complete payment to our sin debt the credit of death. We are no longer obligated to pay a debt that is paid in full by Christ. THIS IS GOOD NEWS!