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March 18, 2022 12:00 am
Rebel! Resist! Revolt! These are society's responses to unjust leaders, but should they be ours as well?
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Naturally still respect to the manager is easy to work, we naturally submit to the supervisor who seemed prescient or worse, we naturally submit the boss who doesn't put on us more than that for which we volunteer managers that command to love the loving to respect the respect fall to work hard out of appreciation for those who appreciate you. You don't need help with that, like any of us that rise to their defense to correct the injustice we perceive what in your life. Have you found that people always treat you fairly probably not so while this is hard. It might be better to train our children to know how to handle unfair treatment instead of training them to always expect fair treatment. At least Stephen Davey think so. And that's part of what he's teaching in today's lesson called surprising submission. This is wisdom for the heart.
Today we bring you the conclusion to the message that Stephen began last time. Imagine Peter writing this letter to churches where the household slaves would be the pastor teacher and the master would be a member of the church that we know from history.
This occurred was just one of the early church leaders was a slave perpetual and aristocratic woman in the early church was still a household servant, you became a martyr for her faith about 100 years after Peter wrote this letter is going to be the gospel, by the way, the truth of the gospel that will create a brand new culture culture in here is different than the culture out there and it ought to. We don't conform here that out there. We don't get our excuse in here from that out there.
This is a new culture, but by the way, that atheist or that Prof. who loves to tell you the Bible justifies slavery because of text like these doesn't understand slavery in first century Rome was different than the 18th century, the slavery or the servitude. Peter is addressing would not be the people who were bought abducted and bought and sold against their will. They were not kidnapped by their own countrymen many times and then sold to other nations. In fact, let me have you rethink this issue just a little bit as I got out of little. Also, the Bible been followed in Great Britain and America. The kind of horrific slavery. We think of today if they had followed the law of Moses would have never ever taken place. I glistened taxi my jot down the verse in the margin of your Bible you want to go back into the law of Moses, it stated in Deuteronomy chapter 24 verse seven. This, if a man is caught kidnapping any of his countrymen that he deals with him violently or sell that man shall die, and you shall purge the evil from among according to the law. 11 God made it clear buying and selling of human being. The kidnapping the ducting of human beings was an evil deserving of capital punishment. What about the New Testament what you look at the record, you discover Paul on one occasion as listing list on the Austin sinful buddy list sort euros a really bad right in the middle of the lesson for 70 chapter 1 verse 10 he mentions in the slavers. Those who kidnapped Oregon.against another human being will, for the purpose of enslaving so slavery or servitude as we think of it in the 18th and 19th centuries existed.
Love it. It existed not because of the Bible. But in spite of it, it will be Christians on both continents will take the Bible clearly teaches that wherever the gospel, to this day because guess what's happening around the world today. Slavery in the form of abduction and kidnapping back in his book entitled how Christianity changed the world. Alvin Schmidt recorded how the transforming truth of the gospel in those countries where it is allowed to prosper and this evil.
He says the countries that will not accept it will continue or hide it.
He summarizes that the African nation of Ethiopia in Ethiopia. Slavery was finally outlawed in 1942 in Saudi Arabia. Slavery was finally outlawed in 1960, and slavery was finally outlawed in India in 1976. By the way, the greatest expense occurring in relation to this kind of slavery. This kind of kidnapping and abduction is taking place in the media won't report it happening in Sudan were already 3 million slaves have been killed. Why because they're Christians being sold to their countrymen who are Muslim.
It will be the revolutionary transforming truth of the gospel that will change the presuppositions and the institutions of our world. Let me make one more important observation so that we can understand this, which does not defend that kind of chattel slavery Peter doesn't even use the normal word for slave here uses the words found only three other times in the New Testament and it refers to household servants what we would call domestic servants while they did have the rights of Roman citizenship, depending on their household. They might receive an education could even purchase property.
They might enter a profession such as music or teaching or medicine they could represent their household in a number of ways, depending on the benevolence of that housewarming think in your mind of a different kind of context. Think in your mind of the household staff of Downton Abbey bank where they do all the work in the family of the house spends all their time all day drinking tea and changing clothes to be noticed that all the kids that picture in your mind that wrong.
This was in some ways, like Joseph, he was adopted.
Yet he entered a culture where he rose to be the household administrator for part of her. However, like Joseph in the first century of servant even a household domestic servant still had no legal standing his world could change at the whim of his master, whether brutal or benevolent and Peter is going to address the employees of both scenarios all right.
Let's go back to the basic command servants for safety. Be submissive to your masters with all respect. Now with that culture in mind. The text is easy to apply to every one of in the 21st century. In a free country because so many point out, this has to do with the relationship in a free country like tires of an employee to an employer which is really bad news because now we can talk about something happening way back there happening to you right now and has to do with your response in mine today that the point can be made so I'll make it servant without personal rights or benefit packages. The first century was commanded to show deference and respect to his master. What excuse do any of us have, to disregard or disrespect or disobey those in authority over ours with all of our benefit and freedom.
Maybe you're saying is, like the direction this is going. All of a sudden I would be expecting this besides Stephen you obviously don't know anything about my ball or my supervisor, you know, more like or my teacher. You have no idea how absolutely laterally unreasonable. They are Peter need be thinking verse 18, be submissive to your masters with all respect not only to those who are good and gentle but also to those who are unreasonable closes the loophole word for unreasonable skill ER switch means crooked hard to deal with that like scoliosis. We use it of the spine hard to live with can cause difficulty.
That's what he thoughtwe naturally show respect to the manager who's easy to work for. We naturally submit to the supervisor who seems to appreciate our worth. Like working for their we naturally submit to a boss who doesn't put on us more than that for which we volunteer commanded do that you will need a command to love the loving perspective, respectful to to work hard out of appreciation for those who appreciate you. You don't need help with that right to any of us about that. What's not so easy for you right now to know maybe you like me to know. But you know you see all like your contract. Perhaps at this moment with going through your mind. That's how you feel about your job is no respect for you. You're constantly belittling fact you might be serving the bosses entire thinking patterns are just that. I mean you're wondering why in the world and here's your variety deposition. It can't think right crooked. I read one author who now was a pastor but he recounted the time when he was going to college and he served as an assistant in the hotel to the man he supervised all the food operations is named the boss was George.
George was hard-working, but ate he was loud and he was critical all he was abusive verbally played favorites. He divided everybody between either great friends or terrible entities. There was no in between the Baker in this particular hotel was evidently one of his enemies. He didn't know why.
Probably she knew more about through the needed, but at any rate, she did nothing but look whatever pleases him.
One day he writes he made Apple cinnamon pancakes and George said his assistant, this man is now pastor young to bring some better for him to taste approve taste some of it and said send it back. Not sweet enough so I ran back to the Baker and she added some swinger to it. I ran it back to George. He tasted it and then he thundered to sweetscented back the third time she stood there and fumed, and she knew what was going on. He said I watched her just shaken empty container over the batter and waive the spirit in the air over her head and handed to me and sure enough, I sent it back and George said now that your boss maybe I described him or her. Hi hello beloved, it doesn't describe you as I know I speak to many who are employers but makes a mark for the gospel is living out this text with surprising submission. No man like George. This is surprising submission. This is the kind of work ethic. From the first century to the 21st century that will do more for the transformational power of the gospel to advance that a thousand gospel tracks you leave on your bosses desk or a thousand invitations to church you're working out there in the world.
By the way, you know, treasures, independence and autonomy and the demand of personal rights and if you can find a lawyer's phone number quick universal script right they love to criticize the authority whoever happens to be on matter is that the authority rise against workforce. As you know is filled with complainers, commanders, people arguing over there assignments in the question Peter is not allowing any of us to start is are we. One of you happen to know right now some reaching through this text. You know who it is in your workplace, who's always chasing the promotion is always asserting themselves, their idea of putting their best foot forward is taking you out of the way. You're always undercutting the other employees are always criticizing the management unit are constantly self promoting, self applauding, the favorite topic of conversation is the deal they made a great day are the company dead.
This place would be without them. Is it ever occur to you that we might be doing that with her children.
Setting this kind of environment complaining when they don't get put at the head of the line. No, following up on all their complaints in a deal like your teacher honey me and my parents had asked me that question. Do you think I would've ever said yes. I love no swallowing up calling that teacher because they didn't give your child a better grade getting on that coach because I don't get your kids more playing time getting upset with her with the school drama teacher because it'd give your child a better role in the school play my child to the bed, hands over Grendel's mother is sunflower over there all the sunflower or worse yet, there is vegetable me how to work on your teaching your children to grasp for the wrong glory. You never see beyond all the politics can't be treated unfairly. They had to assert their rights, setting them up there gonna grow up not know how to demonstrate submission in respect to those in authority, whether the coach or teacher, even if they might be unkind or unreasonable or unfair. Learn servants, those under authority.
How to demonstrate respectful deference and humility on the playing field work, or in that classroom more in that board room or on that job site. This is going to be. Do you realize how surprising you will be different. They know you didn't get promoted and they deserved it.
You responded with respect and grace. Peter hinted the resource by the way, that makes the surprising submission possible first 19 for this finds favor that is for this is, this is commendable, if for the sake of conscience toward God.
A person bears a under sorrow when suffering unjustly, half-barrel under the sort of suffering and injustice unjustly noted noticed your conscience is turned toward God construction here can be understood to mean that the believer is able to bear up under sorrow because he is conscious of God like that understanding he could render it because he is conscious of God. In other words, you are conscious of the fact that your boss is not George it's God in the notice, you bear up under sorrow that compound verb conveys the picture of of of something sustaining a way that's placed on it. Not succumbing to the load, bears how you are working under that load you are submitting to that load with an awareness of God's presence. You are carrying a load realizing he is carrying you, miss you are suffering and I want fertilizer by another sunflower you are suffering unjustly is undeserved. It's unfair. It's unwarranted, it's unjustified that when submission becomes really surprising might I add Christlike repeaters will eventually take our study today.
Notice verse 20 go there for what credit is there if when you said and are harshly treated. You endure it with patience at the auto sort of tongue-in-cheek, probably you know little chuckle. This is in contrast to suffering unjustly is one thing Peter likes to suffer unjustly is another thing to be punished for wrongdoing.
Don't say all being persecuted. So when you get pulled over for running a red light after church today.
That's not persecution by the state of North Carolina, suffering for your faith just because church and in the speeding ticket happen on the same day you can't connect that there is a big difference between persecution doing the right thing and punishment for doing wrong. If your supervisor is always getting on to you for being late doing a poor job, poor quality. Having a bad attitude that is not persecution that's just punishment. That's a fair evaluation event. He writes in verse 20 knows what credit is there and that the word for credit is used only here in the entire New Testament in his word that signifies a a fair evaluation. A good report appears basically saying listen you credit you get a good report when you make a nuisance of yourself. You are a good word when you're in your lazy or sloppy or tardy or you're resentful you credit because your boss noticed he prayed. You know before you make an alliance doesn't work that way sector that describes your work ethic and attitude. Let me encourage you to stop praying in public before you in your life be far better for the management of the gospel in your boss never saw you bow your head. Try to represent God in 10 seconds somehow make up for the fact that you're not representing him well from 9 to 5 keep your Christianity is secret, so credit report doesn't help anything certainly doesn't help Christianity is verse 20 but if when you do what is right and you suffer for patiently and would see that as for the personally tomorrow to get a good job site in your butt of jokes. You know you're the other end of all the innuendos your your result of the smirks you your your the holy Joe. You're the one who was in church.
The boss will play favorites and you'll never make it. He resents her testimony in all of its traced back implicitly to the one you do represent with a good attitude and respectful demeanor, and even that keeps you from joining in with the other employees if they don't appreciate that either. But without any superiority about you let any chip on your shoulder without any sense of hundreds better than all of you, bear out, you patiently endure that as you depend on the Lord to carry you even that it doesn't let what is Peter say the universe 20 this this finds favor with God. This is the ultimate bonus. This is the payoff see beyond this is the payoff the gracious commendation of God cc we think the witness stand before the Lord one day. Maybe if we been hello José, well done. If a thought about the fact of just working hard tomorrow receives his commendation of the way of the buyer passed from another generation pass to from England, who commented on this text and he said this kind of submission in the face of this kind of treatment producers of thrill of the light in the very heart of God from the throne of God. Stoops to say you think. Thank you Matt. Thank you for the way you handled that personal innuendos thank you for how you responded to that unkind word that unfair assessment or assignment, thank you for demonstrating with everybody around windows is surprising submission. You live that way because you see beyond all the junk all the politics you know ultimately that you didn't write the term paper George Prof. George that you wrote it forgot you didn't you didn't work hard with excellence on that assignment for boss man you you don't live with graciousness and deference and respectfulness just for King George. But for God's never really about George's only ask you to wrap it up is George in your life got his face. Her face right now knowing who is what you gonna do about him tomorrow I get to respond and speak to them. I can work service, be submissive to your masters with all respect when you pillar your head tonight. I want you to hear Peter writing has the word who suffered more than we could ever imagine on behalf of God Peterson's you say thank God's word is difficult for us to accept and apply and this might be one of those passages.
Submission is not easy, but it's what God calls us to do so. I hope this lesson has encouraged you today this is wisdom for the heart with Stephen Devi before we leave you today I want to remind you of a gift we have available during the month of March. We have a free resource that we want to get to you. Stephen has a booklet called the coming tribulation.
In it he explores the future. Of time known as the great tribulation. It's a topic that has confused and divided Christians for many years. This is a great resource to help you understand what the Bible says about the coming tribulation. This is a free resource that you can download from our website go to wisdom online.org for information is a link on the homepage that'll direct our ministry is on social media and that's a great way to stay informed and interact with us and join us next time. As we continue through this series here on wisdom