This series was constructed by Bro Shawn Evans while a student in the Doctorate Division
at The Center for Expository Bible Preaching. For you to enroll in this wonderful school,
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
A series by Brother Shawn P. Evans
for Advanced Exposition Class
Center For Expository Bible Preaching
Professor: Dr. Wayne Hinson
1 _Peter's Lessons On A Perfecting Life
2 _Peter's Lessons On A Propitiated Life
3 _ Peter's Lessons On A Practical Life
4 _ Peter's Lessons On A Peculiar Life
5 _ Peter's Lessons On A Partnership Life
6 _ Peter's Lesson On A Persecuted Life
7 _ Peter's Lessons On A Pastoral Life
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #1
Peter’s Lessons On A Perfecting Life
Introduction to 1 Peter
I).
The Saint’s Redemption
(1:1-2:10)
The redeemed are dependent
of God for all. All that we have-- wisdom, the pardon of sin, deliverance,
acceptance in God's favor, grace, holiness, true comfort and happiness, eternal
life and glory--we have from God by a Mediator; and this Mediator is God. God
not only gives us the Mediator, and accepts His mediation, and of His power and
grace bestows the things purchased by the Mediator, but He is the Mediator. Our
blessings are what we have by purchase; and the purchase is made of God; the
blessings are purchased of Him; and not only so, but God is the purchaser. Yes,
God is both the purchaser and the price; for Christ, who is God, purchased these
blessings by offering Himself as the price of our salvation.
Jonathan Edwards, Closer Walk, July, 1988
A). The Road of Redemption
(1:3-12)
In the passage of 1:3-12, the apostle Peter gives us the roadmap for salvation. It is through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. No blood, you get the fire flood.
B). The Results of
Redemption (1:13-25)
The result of redemption is that have been made holy and have the hope for heaven. Another result is the capacity to live a righteous life.
C). The Reason of Redemption
(2:1-10)
The reason or purpose of redemption was to buy back that which was formally sold under sin. God sent His Son to redeem the lost creation. Ultimately it is the mercy and grace of God that we have redemption through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
II).
The Saint’s Incarceration (2:11-3:12)
It’s possible to obey
without submitting. Obedience is an outward action, while submission is an
inward attitude. God calls us not just to obey, but also to submit.
A mother ordered her
disobedient son to sit in a corner. After a couple of minutes of sitting, he
told his mother, “I’m sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the
inside!” He obeyed, but he didn’t submit. (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for
Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 128)
There is submission and obedience in three places, which are these…
A). Humanity
(2:11-25)
We are to be in subject to the powers that be (Romans 13) for they are ordained of God.
B). Household
(3:1-7)
These verses talk about the wife be in subjection to her husband as well as the husbands
C). House of God (3:8-12)
We are to be in subjection to each other
III). The
Saint’s Passion (3:13-4:19)
On a wall in his bedroom
Charles Spurgeon had a plaque with Isaiah 48:10 on it: "I have chosen thee in
the furnace of affliction." "It is no mean thing to be chosen of God," he wrote.
"God's choice makes chosen men choice men...We are chosen, not in the palace,
but in the furnace. In the furnace, beauty is marred, fashion is destroyed,
strength is melted, glory is consumed; yet here eternal love reveals its
secrets, and declares its choice."
W. Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, p. 223.
A).
Passion (suffering) Brings A Testimony (3:13-17)
B).
Passion (suffering) Brought A Testimony (3:18-22)
C).
Passion (suffering) Brings A Toll (4:1-6)
D).
Passion (suffering) Benefit’s The Brethren (4:7-11)
E).
Passion (suffering) Because We Believe (4:12-19)
IV).
The Saint’s Contribution (Chapter 5)
Being a servant doesn’t
necessarily mean having a lowly position; it means having a lowly heart. My wife
and I went to a restaurant where the meanest waitress we had ever met was
“serving” us. She waited on us with the attitude, “My name is Grumpy, and I will
be your waitress today. If you need something, you are just going to have to
wait your turn. So don’t push me!” She was in a servant’s position, but she
didn’t have a servant’s heart. (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity,
Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 129)
A).
Contributing To The Cause - Ministerial
(5:1-4)
B).
Contributing To The Cause - Militarily
(5:5-11)
C).
Conclusion (5:12-14)
In closing, are you having the heart of what the apostle Peter talks about in the book of 1 Peter? Are you making contributions to the cause, are suffering for His name sake? Are you in subjection to the Word of God? You may answer yes to these questions but if you cannot answer yes to the salvation that the Lord Jesus Christ gives you, you need to be saved. Are you born again? The Bible says “Ye must be born again.”
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #2
Peter’s Lessons On A Propitiated Life
1 Peter 1:2-12
I).
Redemption Includes Verity
(1:2)
(1 Peter 1:2)
“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through
sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”
Verity defined is by
Webster’s 1828 dictionary as Truth; consonance of a statement, proposition or
other thing to fact.
Once, when a stubborn
disputer seemed unconvinced, Lincoln said, "Well, let's see how many legs has a
cow?"
"Four, of course," came the
reply disgustedly.
"That's right," agreed
Lincoln. "Now suppose you call the cow's tail a leg; how many legs would the cow
have?"
"Why, five, of course," was
the confident reply.
"Now, that's where you're
wrong," said Lincoln. "Calling a cow's tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
Bits and
Pieces, July, 1991.
John 8:32
“And
ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
There are a few statements that Peter makes in these 2 opening verses of
1 Peter 1.
A). Peter
states God assists us by His Control
(Elect according to the
foreknowledge of God the Father, )
No matter what comes down
the pike, God is in control.
B).
Peter states God’s aim for us is Consecration
(through sanctification
of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ)
Consecration means:
To make or declare to be sacred, by certain ceremonies or rites; to
appropriate to sacred uses; to set apart, dedicate, or devote, to the service
and worship of God; as, to consecrate a church.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary
C).
Peter states God’s action to us in his Comments
(Grace unto you, and
peace, be multiplied.)
1).
The Perception of Grace
(God’s gift to you)
2).
The Partner of Grace (Peace)
II).
Redemption Includes Victory
(1:3-5)
1 Peter 1:3-5
3 Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us
again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and
undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”
Walking through a park, I
passed a massive oak tree. A vine had grown up along its trunk. The vine started
small--nothing to bother about. But over the years the vine had gotten taller
and taller. By the time I passed, the entire lower half of the tree was covered
by the vine's creepers. The mass of tiny feelers was so thick that the tree
looked as though it had innumerable birds' nests in it.
Now the tree was in danger.
This huge, solid oak was quite literally being taken over; the life was being
squeezed from it. But the gardeners in that park had seen the danger. They had
taken a saw and severed the trunk of the vine--one neat cut across the middle.
The tangled mass of the vine's branches still clung to the oak, but the vine was
now dead. That would gradually become plain as weeks passed and the creepers
began to die and fall away from the tree. How easy it is for sin, which begins
so small and seemingly insignificant, to grow until it has a strangling grip on
our lives. And yet, Christ's death has cut the power of sin. Yes, the "creepers"
of sin still cling and have some effect. But sin's power is severed by Christ,
and gradually, sin's grip dries up and falls away. J. Alistair Brown.
A).
The Prosperity of Redemption
v3
“Blessed be the God
and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath
begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead,”
Prosperity defined means:
Advance or gain in any thing good or desirable; successful progress in
any business or enterprise; success; attainment of the object desired; as the
prosperity of arts; agricultural or commercial prosperity; national prosperity.
Webster’s 1828 Dictionary he word prosperity is because we have a lively
hope from the abundant mercy of God.
The result in the abundant mercy is the lively hope.
God has prospered us.
The reason I use
B).
The Preoccupation of Redemption
v4
To an inheritance
incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for
you,
We should have our thoughts
on heaven so much. That is our
future home and future hope.
Colossians 3:2-4 states 2 Set
your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid
with Christ in God. 4 When Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
C).
The Promise of Redemption
v5
Who are kept by the
power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
The word kept is from the root word keep and keep is defined by Webster’s 1828
dictionary as:
1.To hold; to retain in one's power or possession; not to lose or part with; as,
to keep a house or a farm; to keep any thing in the memory, mind or heart.
2. To have in custody for security or preservation.
III).
Redemption Includes Vexation
v 6-9
1 Peter 1:6-9
“Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for
a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus
Christ: 8 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: 9
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
Vexation comes from its
root word vex and vex is defined as: To plague; to torment; to harass; to
afflict.
"Wherever you see
persecution, there is more than a probability that truth is on the persecuted
side." --Hugh Latimer, English martyr, Book of Living Quotations
A). Our Vexation (affliction, distress) Directed
from Temptations v6
Wherein ye greatly
rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through
manifold temptations:
We can be weighed down by
the temptations that the devil and the world throw at us.
B).
Our Vexation Directed for Fiery Trials
v7
That the trial of your
faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ:
Our afflictions put us
through trials for a reason. Though
at the time, we do not know why we are going through this trial, it is better to
trust the Lord, for He sees the big picture of all things.
C).
Our Vexation Dictates Our Tribute
v7-9
That the trial of your
faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried
with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ: 8 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: 9
Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
The afflictions of this
life are to bring unto the praise of the Lord.
IV).
Redemption Includes Verification
v10-12
1 Peter 1:10-12
10
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired
and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
11 Searching what, or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not
unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now
reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy
Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
A).
The Witness of the Prophets
Of which salvation the
prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that
should come unto you: 11 Searching
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify,
when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should
follow.
There are hundreds of
verses in the Old Testament that prophesy about the coming of the Messiah and
His suffering. Not one of the
prophecies failed about His first Advent nor will they fail for the Second
Advent. That is a promise from God.
B).
The Witness of the Spirit
Searching what, or what
manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it
testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
It was the Spirit of God
that was in the prophets of old that testified of the coming of the Just One.
C).
The Witness of the Preachers
Unto whom it was
revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things,
which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you
with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to
look into.
Thank God for Bible Preachers who declare “Thus saith the Lord”.
We are to preach as though we may never preach again.
We must preach Christ. The
sad thing is that a lot of preachers preach their agenda instead of the Book.
Parishioners hard pressed
for something to say to the clergy after the service have, according to one
minister's friend said to him,
·
"You always
manage to find something to fill up the time.?
·
"I don't care
what they say, I like your sermons.?
·
"If I'd known you
were going to be good today I'd have brought a neighbor.?
·
"Did you know
there are 243 panes of glass in the windows"?
·
"We shouldn't
make you preach so often.?
Arthur Myers in Berkshire
Sampler
Today I wonder if you have
the truth about salvation. Are you
saved today? Are you one of those
people who wonder more about the Lord and what He is about?
He is about the truth, He is about giving you the victory, though it may
have some vexation attached to it, but we have a verification while we are going
through that is life is not the end.
Do you know the truth? Do
you need some verification to the promises of God?
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #3
Peter’s Lessons On A Practical Life
1 Peter 1:13-25
I).
The Godly Ways We Display Our Redemption (v13-17)
1 Peter 1:13-17
13
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not
fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is
holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy;
for I am holy. 17 And if ye call on
the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's
work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
A holy life will make the
deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns, they just shine. - D. L. Moody
“Holiness does not consist
in mystic speculations, enthusiastic fervours, or uncommanded austerities; it
consists in thinking as God thinks, and willing as God wills.”
John Brown,
nineteenth-century Scottish theologian, quoted in J. Bridges, The Pursuit of
Holiness, p. 51
A). We
Are To Display Our Redemption By Our Logic
v13-14
Wherefore gird up the
loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not
fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
B).
We Are To Display Our Redemption By Our Labor v15-16
But as he which hath
called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy;
for I am holy.
C).
We Are To Display Our Redemption By Our Life v17
And if ye call on the
Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work,
pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
II).
The Grounds Why We Display Our Redemption (v18-25)
1 Peter 1:18-25
18 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:
20 Who verily was foreordained before
the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that
raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might
be in God. 22 Seeing ye have
purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love
of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
23 Being born again, not of corruptible
seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for
ever. 24 For all flesh is as grass,
and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the
flower thereof falleth away: 25 But
the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel
is preached unto you.
And they overcame Him by
the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not
their lives unto the death. (Rev. 12:11) This is the last reference in the Bible
to the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; here it is the overcoming blood,
enabling believers to withstand the deceptions and accusations of Satan. There
are at least 43 references to the blood of Christ in the New Testament, all
testifying to its great importance in the salvation and daily life of the
believer. Judas the betrayer spoke of it as "innocent blood (Matthew 27:4) and
Peter called it "the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
without spot" (I Peter l:9). It is the cleansing blood in I John l:7 and the
washing blood in Rev. l:5, stressing that it removes the guilt of our sins.
Source Unknown.
A).
The Blood Of Jesus Christ is Priceless
v18-19
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:
The Blood of Jesus Christ is worth much more than anything man could afford. There is not enough money, property, or possessions that could be traded or sold that would equal the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
When evangelist John Wesley
(1703-1791) was returning home from a service one night, he was robbed. The
thief, however, found his victim to have only a little money and some Christian
literature. As the bandit was leaving, Wesley called out, "Stop! I have
something more to give you." The surprised robber paused. "My friend," said
Wesley, "you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here's
something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!'"
The thief hurried away, and Wesley prayed that his words might bear fruit.
Years later, Wesley was
greeting people after a Sunday service when he was approached by a stranger.
What a surprise to learn that this visitor, now a believer in Christ as a
successful businessman, was the one who had robbed him years before! "I owe it
all to you," said the transformed man. "Oh no, my friend," Wesley exclaimed,
"not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin!"
Our Daily Bread,
October 1, 1994.
B).
The Believer Of Jesus Christ Is Made Perfect
The Lord is my Shepherd -
Perfect Salvation
I shall not want - Perfect Satisfaction
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures - Perfect Rest
He leadeth me beside the still waters - Perfect Peace
He restoreth my soul - Perfect Restoration
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake - Perfect
Guidance
Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil - Perfect Protection
For thou art with me - Perfect Companionship
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me - Perfect Comfort
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies - Perfect
Provision
Thou anointest my head with oil - Perfect Consecration
My cup runneth over - Perfect Joy
Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life - Perfect Care
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever - Perfect Destiny
Source unknown
C).
The Bible Of Jesus Christ Is Perpetual
Psalm 119:89
For
ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and
earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
I need not to say more. God’s word
will never be destroyed.
We need to live our lives the way that God wants us to. The way that He wants us to live is a holy way. The only way that this can be done is that we have the precious blood of Jesus Christ applied to our lives. Do you have the blood applied? If so, are you striving to live a holy life for the Lord.?
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #4
Peter’s Lessons On A Peculiar Life
1 Peter 2:1-25
I).
The Description Of A Submitted Life
(2:1-10)
1 Peter 2:1-10
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and
all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living
stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6
Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a
chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded. 7 Unto you therefore
which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone
which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock
of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto
also they were appointed. 9 But ye
are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;
that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light: 10 Which
in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
It’s possible to obey
without submitting. Obedience is an outward action, while submission is an
inward attitude. God calls us not just to obey, but also to submit.
A mother ordered her
disobedient son to sit in a corner. After a couple of minutes of sitting, he
told his mother, “I’m sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the
inside!” He obeyed, but he didn’t submit. (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for
Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p. 128)
A). New Born Babes
v1-3
Wherefore laying aside all
malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere
milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
1). We Are To Have A Hatred
For Wickedness
2). We Are To Have A Hunger
For The Word
B). New Built Buildings
London businessman Lindsay
Clegg told the story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had
been empty for months and needed repairs.
Vandals had damaged the
doors, smashed the windows, and strewn trash around the interior.
As he showed a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say
that he would replace the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any
structural damage, and clean out the garbage.
“Forget about the repairs,” the buyer said. “When I buy this place, I’m
going to build something completely different. I don’t want the building; I want
the site. Compared with the
renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as trivial
as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God’s, the
old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17).
He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to
build.
Ian L. Wilson, Source unknown
II). The
Details Of A Submitted Life
(2:11-25)
1 Peter 2:11-25
11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as
strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may
by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of
visitation. 13 Submit yourselves to
every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as
supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as
unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the
praise of them that do well. 15 For
so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance
of foolish men:16 As free, and not
using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of
God. 17 Honour all men. Love
the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. 18
Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear;
not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
19 For this is thankworthy, if a
man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it,
if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if,
when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is
acceptable with God. 21 For even
hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was
guile found in his mouth: 23 Who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
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.
25 For ye were as sheep going
astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
"We are not to be isolated
but insulated," said Vance Havner, "moving in the midst of evil but untouched by
it." Separation is contact with contamination. Jesus was "holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners" (Heb. 7:26), yet He was "a friend of tax
collectors and sinners" (Luke 7:34).
Vance Havner.
A). We Are To Be Strangers For Jesus
v11-14
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from
fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12
Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas
they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they
shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that
are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that
do well.
B). We Are To Be Servants To
Jesus
v15-18
For so is the will of
God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:16
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness,
but as the servants of God. 17
Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters
with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
C). We Are To Suffer For
Jesus
v 19-25
For this is thankworthy,
if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
20 For what glory is it, if,
when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye
do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye
called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye
should follow his steps:
22 Who did no sin, neither was
guile found in his mouth: 23 Who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but
committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
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.
25 For ye were as sheep going
astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
In conclusion, we are to live for the Lord. We are to be separated from this present evil world. God has showed us how we are to obtain this separation. Are you willing to submit your will unto His?
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #5
Peter’s Lessons On A Partnership Life
1 Peter 3:1-12
Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any
obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of
the wives; 2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3
Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and
quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.5 For after this
manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned
themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed
Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and
are not afraid with any amazement. 7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them
according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel,
and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not
hindered. 8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or
railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto
called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and
see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they
speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and
ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
So far in this series we have seen some of Peter’s lessons on a:
1). Perfecting Life
2). Propitiated Life
3). Practical Life
4). Peculiar Life
Today I want you see Peter’s Lessons On A Partnership Life
I).
Peter Shows Us Some Spousal Instructions
v1-7
“Likewise, ye wives,
be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also
may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they
behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not
be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that
which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is
in the sight of God of great price.5 For after this manner in the old time the
holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection
unto their own husbands: 6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose
daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour
unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the
grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”
Matthew Henry states…“The
wife must discharge her duty to her own husband, though he obey not the word. We
daily see how narrowly evil men watch the ways and lives of professors of
religion. Putting on of apparel is not forbidden, but vanity and costliness in
ornament. Religious people should take care that all their behaviour answers to
their profession. But how few know the right measure and bounds of those two
necessaries of life, food and raiment! Unless poverty is our carver, and cuts us
short, there is scarcely any one who does not desire something beyond what is
good for us. Far more are beholden to the lowliness of their state, than the
lowliness of their mind; and many will not be so bounded, but lavish their time
and money upon trifles. The apostle directs Christian females to put on
something not corruptible, that beautifies the soul, even the graces of God's
Holy Spirit. A true Christian's chief care lies in right ordering his own
spirit. This will do more to fix the affections, and excite the esteem of a
husband, than studied ornaments or fashionable apparel, attended by a froward
and quarrelsome temper. Christians ought to do their duty to one another, from a
willing mind, and in obedience to the command of God. Wives should be subject to
their husbands, not from dread and amazement, but from desire to do well, and
please God. The husband's duty to the wife implies giving due respect unto her,
and maintaining her authority, protecting her, and placing trust in her. They
are heirs together of all the blessings of this life and that which is to come,
and should live peaceably one with another. Prayer sweetens their converse. And
it is not enough that they pray with the family, but husband and wife together
by themselves, and with their children. Those who are acquainted with prayer,
find such unspeakable sweetness in it, that they will not be hindered therein.
That you may pray much, live holily; and that you may live holily, be much in
prayer.”
Notice…
A). The Wife’s Pleasantness
v1-4
Likewise, ye wives,
be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also
may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 2 While they
behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 3 Whose adorning let it not
be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of
putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that
which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is
in the sight of God of great price.
He speaks namely of those
who had husbands who were not Christians, who ought so much the more be subject
to their husbands, that by their honest and chaste conversation, they may win
them to the Lord. - People’s New Testament
The hidden man of the
heart - Complete inward
holiness, which implies a meek and quiet spirit. A meek spirit gives no trouble
willingly to any: a quiet spirit bears all wrongs without being troubled. In the
sight of God - Who looks at the heart. All superfluity of dress contributes more
to pride and anger than is generally supposed. The apostle seems to have his eye
to this by substituting meekness and quietness in the room of the ornaments he
forbids. I do not regard these things, is often said by those whose hearts are
wrapped up in them: but offer to take them away, and you touch the very idol of
their soul. Some, indeed only dress elegantly that they may be looked on; that
is, they squander away their Lord's talent to gain applause: thus making sin to
beget sin, and then plead one in excuse of the other.
Wesley’s Notes on the Bible
B).
The Wife’s Past
v5-6
For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in
God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: 6 Even as
Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do
well, and are not afraid with any amazement.
“The adorning of those
holy women, who trusted in God, and therefore did not act thus from servile
fear, was, Their meek subjection to their husbands: Their quiet spirit, not
afraid, or amazed: and Their unblamable behaviour, doing all things well.”
-Wesley’s
Notes on the Bible.
C).
The Wife’s Partner
v7
“Likewise, ye
husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife,
as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life;
that your prayers be not hindered.”
“Dwell with the woman
according to knowledge - Knowing they are weak, and therefore to be used with
all tenderness. Yet do not despise them for this, but give them honour - Both in
heart, in word, and in action; as those who are called to be joint - heirs of
that eternal life which ye and they hope to receive by the free grace of God.
That your prayers be not hindered - On the one part or the other. All sin
hinders prayer; particularly anger. Anything at which we are angry is never more
apt to come into our mind than when we are at prayer; and those who do not
forgive will find no forgiveness from God.”
- Wesley’s Notes on the Bible.
II).
Peter Shows Us Some Shared Instructions
v8-9
“Finally, be ye all
of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be
courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but
contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should
inherit a blessing.”
My daughter Hannah
practiced for two weeks for the high school cheerleader tryouts. She had been a
junior varsity cheerleader but wanted to move to the top squad. Only three
varsity spots were available in a school of about two thousands students. And
Hannah was nervous about competing against the other girls.
“Dad, do you think God
wants me to make the varsity squad?” she asked.
“Practice as hard as you
can,” I answered. “Do your best at the tryouts, and leave the results to God.”
Her best friend, Melissa,
who was already a varsity cheerleader, practiced with Hannah every day to help
her make the varsity squad. They had talked about how fun it would be if they
could cheer together. Melissa taught her the proper way to jump and encouraged
her to keep a smile on her face. When Hannah became discouraged, Melissa always
egged her on with, “You can do it, Hannah! I know you can!”
On the day of the tryouts
over a hundred girls showed up to compete for the three spots. That afternoon
each girl performed a routine in front of the judges. The results of the
competition would be posted at 9:45 p.m. Although each contestant had high hopes
of making the squad, all but three would go home heartbroken that evening.
Just before 10:00 p.m.,
Hannah came bursting in our front door sobbing uncontrollably. Immediately my
wife, Cindy, and I jumped out of our chairs and rushed over to comfort her for
not making the cheerleading squad. Cindy patted her on the back and said, “It’s
OK that you didn’t make varsity cheerleader. We still love you, and we’re glad
that you tried.”
Hannah continued to cry.
She finally settled down and explained what happened.
“Mom and Dad, I did
make varsity. But Melissa didn’t make it! The judges demoted her to the junior
varsity squad and gave me her place on the varsity. She’s devastated. I hurt so
badly for her!”
We were stunned. Melissa
had gone the extra mile to help Hannah make the varsity team so they could cheer
together. We certainly didn’t expect this strange turn of events. With hands
covering her face, Hannah continued to weep. “I don’t want to be a varsity
cheerleader now. I want my junior varsity position back so Melissa can stay on
varsity. Do you think the judges will let me swap places with her? I love her so
much. Now she says she has nothing to live for.”
“Hannah, I don’t think the
judges would allow that,” I said.
She realized what she
needed to do. Immediately she got up, walked out the front door, and drove to
Melissa’s house. She wanted to comfort Melissa that night, so she slept on the
floor next to her bed. Hannah knew the best thing she could do was to be near
her friend during this difficult time.
The next few days Hannah
helped her work through her devastation. Melissa put her disappointment behind
her and excelled in other ways during her remaining years in high school.
I watched Hannah lead
cheers at varsity football and basketball games for the next two years. But
that’s not what I remember most about her cheerleading career. My fondest memory
was the night she slept on the floor of a hurting friend.
When you swap places with
others to feel how they hurt, you’ve taken the first step toward loving your
neighbor as yourself.
(Kent Crockett, I Once Was
Blind But Now I Squint, Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2004, 85-86)
Though the Lord seems to
deal with the women first on several occasions (see Ephesians 5:22, Genesis
3:16, and then here in this text) before the men, He does give us some
instructions that we all need to heed.
A).
There Needs To Be Communion
v8a
Finally, be ye all of
one mind, having compassion one of another,
Unity and compassion is
what is needed in our church today.
We need to be as one and not divide on all issues of life.
B).
There Needs To Be Comradery
v8b
love as brethren, be
pitiful, be courteous:
“William Gladstone, in
announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching
story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria.
The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her
life by breathing the child’s breath. Once when the child was struggling to
breathe, the mother, forgetting herself entirely, took the little one into her
arms to keep her from choking to death. Rasping and struggling for her life, the
child said, “Momma, kiss me!” Without thinking of herself the mother tenderly
kissed her daughter. She got diphtheria and some days thereafter she went to be
forever with the Lord.
Real love forgets self.
Real love knows no danger. Real love doesn’t count the cost….”
Source Unknown (http://bible.org/illustration/real-love-forgets-self)
C).
There Needs To Be Clemency
v9
“Not rendering evil
for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are
thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.”
Forgiveness is the key to a
happy relationship with anyone, no matter who it is.
General Oglethorpe once said to John Wesley, “I never forgive and I never
forget.” To which Wesley replied, “Then, Sir, I hope you never sin.” Source
unknown
III).Peter Shows Us Some Straight-Edged Instructions
v10-12
For he that will love
life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that
they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace,
and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears
are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do
evil.
In the forests of northern
Europe and Asia lives little animal called the ermine, known for his snow-white
fur in winter. He instinctively protects his white coat against anything that
would soil it.
Fur hunters take advantage
of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don't set a snare to catch him, but
instead they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an
old tree. They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set
their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine. The frightened animal flees
toward home but doesn't enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white
coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For
the ermine, purity is more precious than life. - HGB
Our Daily Bread, April 21,
1997
A).
Faultless Conversation
v10
For he that will love
life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that
they speak no guile:
Aesop, the ancient
storyteller, told this fable: Once upon a time, a donkey found a lion’s skin. He
tried it on, strutted around, and frightened many animals. Soon a fox came
along, and the donkey tried to scare him, too. But the fox, hearing the donkey’s
voice, said, “If you want to terrify me, you’ll have to disguise your bray.”
Aesop’s moral: Clothes may disguise a fool, but his words will give him away.
Source unknown
B). Favourable Commission
v11
Let him eschew evil,
and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Eschew means To flee from;
to shun; to avoid.
Example:
Job 1:1 “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job;
and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.”
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in
all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as
long as ever you can." -- John Wesley
C). Father’s Care
v12
For the eyes of the
Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the
face of the Lord is against them that do evil.
While Josh McDowell was
attending seminary in California, his father went Home to be with the Lord. His
mother had died years earlier, but Josh was not sure of her salvation. He became
depressed, thinking that she might be lost. Was she a Christian or not? The
thought obsessed him. “Lord,” he prayed, “somehow give me the answer so I can
get back to normal. I’ve just got to know.” It seemed like an impossible
request.
Two days later, Josh drove
out to the ocean. He walked to the end of a pier to be alone. There sat an old
woman in a lawnchair, fishing. “Where’s your home originally?” she asked.
“Michigan—Union City,” Josh
replied. “Nobody’s heard of it. I tell people it’s a suburb of —”
“Battle Creek,” interrupted
the woman. “I had a cousin from there. Did you know the McDowell family?”
Stunned, Josh responded,
“Yes, I’m Josh McDowell!”
“I can’t believe it,” said
the woman. “I’m a cousin to your mother.”
“Do you remember anything
at all about my mother’s spiritual life?” asked Josh.
“Why sure—your mom and I
were just girls—teenagers—when a tent revival came to town. It was the fourth
night—we both went forward to accept Christ.”
“Praise God!” shouted Josh,
startling the surrounding fishermen.
Our Daily Bread, September
18
As you can
see from this message that God has lined out some instructions for us to go by
in life. God sees and knows what
goes on in the heart and home of the Christian.
He is watching us at this very point and time in life.
Are you living for Him according to His guidelines and the not by the
world’s guidelines?
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #6
Peter’s Lessons On A Persecuted Life
1 Peter 3:13-22
So far in our series we have seen
1 _Peter's Lessons On A Perfecting Life
2 _Peter's Lessons On A Propitiated Life
3 _ Peter's Lessons On A Practical Life
4 _ Peter's Lessons On A Peculiar Life
5 _ Peter's Lessons On A Partnership Life
Now we want to look at Peter’s Lessons on a Persecuted life.
I).
The Course of Christian Suffering
v13-14
And who is he that
will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid
of their terror, neither be troubled;
In ancient Rome, crowds by the
tens of thousands would gather in the Colosseum to watch as Christians were torn
apart by wild animals. Paul Rader, commenting on his visit to this famous
landmark, said, "I stood uncovered to the heavens above, where He sits for whom
they gladly died, and asked myself, 'Would I, could I, die for Him tonight to
get this gospel to the ends of the earth?'" Rader continued, "I prayed most
fervently in that Roman arena for the spirit of a martyr, and for the working of
the Holy Spirit in my heart, as He worked in Paul's heart when He brought him on
his handcuffed way to Rome." Those early Christians "lived on the threshold of
heaven, within a heartbeat of home, no possessions to hold them back." Our
Daily Bread.
A). Contradiction
v13-14
The Bible has no contradictions at all but the world would seem to think there is by this passage. If we suffer for His name sake (Matthew 5:10-12 ) then God says that we are blessed. The born again child of God understands what this means.
B). Construction
v15
But sanctify the Lord
God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
We need to build up our
faith in the Lord. In order to this
we need to sanctify the Lord in our hearts.
C). Cleanliness
v16-17
Having a good
conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be
ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it
is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for
evil doing.
II).
The Course of Christ’s Suffering
v18-22
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: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits
in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of
God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that
is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism
doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the
answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22
Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities
and powers being made subject unto him.
Paul calls it the purchasing blood in Acts 20:28 and the redeeming blood
twice (Eph. l:7); Col. 1:14, see also I Peter l:18-19, Rev. 5:9), thus declaring
the shedding of His blood to be the very price of our salvation. Therefore, it
is also the justifying blood (Rom. 5:9) and the peacemaking blood (Col. 1:20).
Its efficacy does not end with our salvation, however, for it is also the
sanctifying blood (Heb. 13:12). There is infinite and eternal power in the blood
of Christ, for it is "the blood of the everlasting covenant" (Heb. 13:20).
The first reference in the
New Testament to His blood stresses this aspect. Jesus said, at the last supper:
"This is my blood of the new testament (same as 'covenant') which is shed for
many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28). Let no one, therefore, even
count the "blood of the covenant...an unholy thing" (Heb. 10:29), for the blood
of Christ is forever innocent, infinitely precious, perfectly justifying, always
cleansing and fully sanctifying.
Source Unknown.
A). Notice The Response
v18-19
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: 19 By which also
he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
This is undoubtedly best,
whereby we are most conformed to Christ. Now Christ suffered once - To suffer no
more. For sins - Not his own, but ours. The just for the unjust - The word
signifies, not only them who have wronged their neighbours, but those who have
transgressed any of the commands of God; as the preceding word, just, denotes a
person who has fulfilled, not barely social duties, but all kind of
righteousness. That he might bring us to God - Now to his gracious favour,
hereafter to his blissful presence, by the same steps of suffering and of glory.
Being put to death in the flesh - As man. But raised to life by the Spirit -
Both by his own divine power, and by the power of the Holy Ghost.
B). Notice The Resemblance
v 20-21
Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah,
while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by
water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Here, I. The example of
Christ is proposed as an argument for patience under sufferings, the strength of
which will be discerned if we consider the several points contained in the
words; observe therefore, 1. Jesus Christ himself was not exempted from
sufferings in this life, though he had no guilt of his own and could have
declined all suffering if he had pleased. 2. The reason or meritorious cause of
Christ's suffering was the sins of men: Christ suffered for sins. The sufferings
of Christ were a true and proper punishment; this punishment was suffered to
expiate and to make an atonement for sin; and it extends to all sin. 3. In the
case of our Lord's suffering, it was the just that suffered for the unjust; he
substituted himself in our room and stead, and bore our iniquities. He that knew
no sin suffered instead of those that knew no righteousness. 4. The merit and
perfection of Christ's sacrifice were such that for him to suffer once was
enough. The legal sacrifices were repeated from day to day, and from year to
year; but the sacrifice of Christ, once offered, purgeth away sin, Heb. 7:27;
9:26, 28; 10:10, 12, 14. 5. The blessed end or design of our Lord's sufferings
was to bring us to God, to reconcile us to God, to give us access to the Father,
to render us and our services acceptable, and to bring us to eternal glory, Eph.
2:13, 18; 3:12; Heb. 10:21, 22. 6. The issue and event of Christ's suffering, as
to himself, were these, he was put to death in his human nature, but he was
quickened and raised again by the Spirit. Now, if Christ was not exempted from
sufferings, why should Christians expect it? If he suffered, to expiate sins,
why should not we be content when our sufferings are only for trial and
correction, but not for expiation? If he, though perfectly just, why should not
we, who are all criminals? If he once suffered, and then entered into glory,
shall not we be patient under trouble, since it will be but a little time and we
shall follow him to glory? If he suffered, to bring us to God, shall not we
submit to difficulties, since they are of so much use to quicken us in our
return to God, and in the performance of our duty to him?
II. The apostle passes from
the example of Christ to that of the old world, and sets before the Jews, to
whom he wrote, the different event of those who believed and obeyed Christ
preaching by Noah, from those that continued disobedient and unbelieving,
intimating to the Jews that they were under a like sentence. God would not wait
much longer upon them. They had now an offer of mercy; those that accepted of it
should be saved, but those who rejected Christ and the gospel should be as
certainly destroyed as ever the disobedient in the times of Noah were.
1. For the explication of
this we may notice, (1.) The preacher-Christ Jesus, who has interested himself
in the affairs of the church and of the world ever since he was first promised
to Adam, Gen. 3:15. He went, not by a local motion, but by special operation, as
God is frequently said to move, Gen. 11:5; Hos. 5:15; Mic. 1:3. He went and
preached, by his Spirit striving with them, and inspiring and enabling Enoch and
Noah to plead with them, and preach righteousness to them, as 2 Pt. 2:5. (2.)
The hearers. Because they were dead and disembodied when the apostle speaks of
them, therefore he properly calls them spirits now in prison; not that they were
in prison when Christ preached to them, as the vulgar Latin translation and the
popish expositors pretend. (3.) The sin of these people: They were disobedient,
that is, rebellious, unpersuadable, and unbelieving, as the word signifies; this
their sin is aggravated from the patience and long-suffering of God (which once
waited upon them for 120 years together), while Noah was preparing the ark, and
by that, as well as by his preaching, giving them fair warning of what was
coming upon them. (4.) The event of all: Their bodies were drowned, and their
spirits cast into hell, which is called a prison (Mt. 5:25; 2 Pt. 2:4, 5); but
Noah and his family, who believed and were obedient, were saved in the ark.
2. From the whole we learn
that, (1.) God takes exact notice of all the means and advantages that people in
all ages have had for the salvation of their souls; it is put to the account of
the old world that Christ offered them his help, sent his Spirit, gave them fair
warning by Noah, and waited a long time for their amendment. (2.) Though the
patience of God wait long upon sinners, yet it will expire at last; it is
beneath the majesty of the great God always to wait upon man in vain. (3.) The
spirits of disobedient sinners, as soon as they are out of their bodies, are
committed to the prison of hell, whence there is no redemption. (4.) The way of
the most is neither the best, the wisest, nor the safest way to follow: better
to follow the eight in the ark than the eight millions drowned by the flood and
damned to hell. - Matthew Henry
Commentary
C). Notice The Rising
v22
“Who is gone into heaven,
and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made
subject unto him.”
Jesus Christ is risen from the dead even after suffering for us and dying for us. He was persecuted for righteousness sake and beaten to a bloody pulp for us. He endured the hardness, He overcame death. We can have hope in persecution due to the fact that we belong to Him and He promised to come and get us and bring us to where He is. Are you going through persecution? If so, God has encouragement for here in this passage of 1 Peter 3.
Life Lessons From The Book Of 1 Peter
Part #7
Peter’s Lessons On A Pastoral Life
1 Peter 5:1-14
So far in our series we have seen
1 _Peter's Lessons On A Perfecting Life
2 _Peter's Lessons On A Propitiated Life
3 _ Peter's Lessons On A Practical Life
4 _ Peter's Lessons On A Peculiar Life
5 _ Peter's Lessons On A Partnership Life
6 _ Peter’s Lessons On A Persecuted Life
Now we want to look at Peter’s Lessons on a Pastoral Life.
I).
Pastor’s Are To Have Their Minds On The Church
(v1-4)
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a
witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall
be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither
as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when
the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth
not away.”
A shepherd
feeds
guides (sheep go
astray)
guards (against
wolves)
heals (the wounds of
injured)
------Between Two
Worlds, J.R. Stott, p. 120.
The Pastor is to lead and
feed the flock of God by this principles…
A). Not By Constraint
v1-2
The elders which are
among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of
Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by
constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
B). Noticeable Character
v2-3
Feed the flock of God
which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but
willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords
over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
C). Never-ending
Compensation v4
And when the chief
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
II).
Pastor’s Are To Have Their Messages On The Cornerstones (v5-7)
Likewise, ye younger,
submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and
be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Race car driver Bill Vukovich won
the famed Indianapolis 500 race in 1953 and 1954, a record of success few other
drivers had matched. Asked the secret of his success in Indianapolis, Vukovich
replied, "There's no secret. You just press the accelerator to the floor and
steer left."
Today in the Word,
February 17, 1993.
The Fundamentals of the
Faith are the cornerstones of our lives and faith.
Notice the…
A). Structure Of The
Fundamentals v5
Likewise, ye younger,
submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and
be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble.
One of the
biggest Fundamentals to the Fundamentals of the faith is subjection.
We need to submit and be in subjection to the word of God and to each
other.
5:5 Ye younger, be subject
to the elder - In years. And be all - Elder or younger. Subject to each other -
Let every one be ready, upon all occasions, to give up his own will. Be clothed
with humility - Bind it on, (so the word signifies,) so that no force may be
able to tear it from you. James 4:6; Prov 3:34 Wesley’s Bible Notes.
B). Standing Of The Faithful
v5-6
Likewise, ye younger,
submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and
be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble. 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may
exalt you in due time:
Being faithful to the Lord
also involves us being humble.
Humility is the key to
God’s heart that unlocks His mercy. (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for
Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, p.119)
C). Support Of The Father
v7
Casting all your care
upon him; for he careth for you.
We are the object of His
care and love. Why wouldn’t God
care for you and I when He is the one that sent His Son to die for us and save
us from our sins?
III).
Pastor’s Are To Have Their Militancy Opposing The Contender (v8-9)
Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about,
seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that
the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
"Praying always with all
prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians
6:18).
We are in a state of
spiritual warfare. This is made clear in a remarkable passage (vv. 10-18) on the
spiritual armor of the believer, equipping him for the great battles he must
fight.
A glimpse of this warfare
also can be seen in Daniel 10.
When Daniel prayer, God sent the answer immediately, but it was twenty-one days
before the angel conveying the answer got to Daniel. The answer was hindered by
the "prince of the kingdom of Persia? (Daniel
10:13), even though Daniel, himself, was situated in Persia. The
implication is that key emissaries of Satan (not flesh and blood) (Ephesians
6:12) rule over each geographic area of the world. Not one inch
of progress will be uncontested by Satan and his cohorts.
Paul warns of the "wiles?
(v. 11) of Satan, which mean stratagems or specific plans directed toward each
of us. In other words, Satan tailors his attacks to fit each person.
The hierarchy within the
Satanic organization is mentioned as well (v. 12). Remember that we are also
fighting a countless host of demons and fallen angels who are now in league with
Satan.
Since we are in a very real
war, we need to be dressed in full armor. In this passage, the only unprotected
part is the back. This surely implies that we must not turn and run.
We must also note where
the battle is being fought. This information is given in verse 18. The first
activity mentioned once we have donned the armor is PRAYER. The place and time
of prayer will be focal point of the battle.
However, we can go into
battle knowing that we are not alone (v. 18 tells us the Spirit is there). Satan
is already defeated. Remember, "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in
the world? (I John 4:4).
JGH Days of Praise, (ICR, El
Cajon, CA; December, January, February, 1998), page for January 30
A). Certainty Of The Devil
v8
Be sober, be vigilant;
because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom
he may devour:
If devil was not real, then
why would God make mention one time of him in the Holy Scriptures?
We have a real enemy today but as stated before, he is defeated.
B). Crying Out Of The Devil
v8
Be sober, be
vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
God indeed has the Devil in
a chain, but has horribly lengthened out the chain. - Cotton Mather
C). Combat With The Devil
v9
Whom
resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that
the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
Recently National
Geographic ran an article about the Alaskan bull moose. The males of the species
battle for dominance during the fall breeding season, literally going
head-to-head with antlers crunching together as they collide. Often the antlers,
their only weapon are broken. That ensures defeat. The heftiest moose, with the
largest and strongest antlers, triumphs. Therefore, the battle fought in the
fall is really won during the summer, when the moose eat continually. The one
that consumes the best diet for growing antlers and gaining weight will be the
heavyweight in the fight. Those that eat inadequately sport weaker antlers and
less bulk. There is a lesson here for us. Spiritual battles await. Satan will
choose a season to attack. Will we be victorious, or will we fall? Much depends
on what we do now—before the wars begin. The bull-moose principle: Enduring
faith, strength, and wisdom for trials are best developed before they’re needed.
Craig Brian Larson
IV).
Pastor’s Are To Have Their Magnification On The Creator (v10-11)
But the God of all grace, who hath
called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a
while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 11 To him be glory
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
J. S. Bach said, “All music
should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s
refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a
devilish hub-bub.”
He headed his compositions:
“J. J.” “Jesus Juva” which means “Jesus help me.”
He ended them “S. D. G.”
“Soli Dei gratia” which means “To God alone the praise.”
Kingdom Conflict,
J. Stowell, Victor, 1985, pp. 77ff
To God alone the praise
because of His…
A). Pardon
v10
IBut
the God of all grace, who hath called us unto
his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you
perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
f you add your works to the
cross, you subtract God's grace from the cross. Salvation is 100% grace. --Kent
Crockett
(Kent Crockett's Sermon
Illustrations,
www.kentcrockett.com )
B). Purpose
v10
But the God of all
grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye
have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
1). Make us perfect
2). Make us established
3). Make us strengthened
4). Make us settled
C). Pageantry
v11
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen.
The
pastors (elders) are to have…
1).
Minds on the Church
2).
Messages on the Cornerstones
3).
Militancy opposing the Contender
4).
Magnification on the Creator
We preachers
would be in some serious trouble if we neglect any of these 4 points.
Christians that are not called to preach are not exempt from these 4
principles, but are to fulfill them with glory given all to God.