Daughters of Sarah

In this way. In former times the holy women also God used to adorn themselves being submissive to their own husbands is coming back end of the first century what was taking place in the lives of godly women in the centuries gone by and he also varied encouragingly reminds these women then that are not believing women throughout the past history of redemption were adorned by the same submissive qualities of graciousness and it might seem old-fashioned or even offensive. It's a passage from God's word that teaches submission in the context of marriage. First Peter three. The apostle Peter used Abraham's wife Sarah as an example is Stephen teaches from this text today. Let's approach this is God's eternal word that's just as true today as it was when it was first written this lesson from the series. For better or for worse, is called daughters of Sarah Weathers. There's no such thing as a perfect wedding ceremony and even if you did have a near perfect wedding ceremony is no such thing as a perfect marriage factor will be long after that near perfect wedding ceremony that you realize it isn't a perfect marriage. That's because marriage is the union of imperfect people.

Marriage is to sinners uniting in covenant with God. For the first couple recorded in human history. They ended up having their own troubles all the way to the 21st century church still in need of answers our way, and it all goes back those questions of the same issue that we make this thing work how's it supposed to work.

The apostle Peter has been delivering some spirit inspired truth about the subject. Let's go back there today were in first Peter go to chapter 3 is opened. His comments in that first paragraph by addressing lives the opening subject is revolve around the concept of submission.

Then Peter moves on to their appearance and behavior of the internal attitudes of a godly wife fact this is the wardrobe of genuine beauty Peter sort of turns everything around. He turns the tables on contemporary thinking he makes it clear that true beauty is not external. It is internally driven and it appears externally as he describes in these gracious attributes of composure and kindness. A godly woman get stressed from the inside out, and he has spent several verses giving wives and women in general instruction now Peter is going to give wives an illustration so to get back up there.

We've arrived at verse five. If you're new to our studying for in this way. In former times the holy women also hoped in God used to adorn themselves being submissive to their own husbands, just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord Geiser a theme verse for your marriage right there and write it out on the 3 x 5 card put on the refrigerator is perfect.

You know she accept his point at the refrigerator as you head to the backyard where you're going to live and dinner dinner.

Here's a here's a great comeback to calling him Lord and in a moment but first is go back to the fact that what Peter doesn't circle around now to this idea of submission. He began that way. Verse one in the same way you wives be submissive to your husband and now he brings it up again. In the end of this paragraph. Verse five middle part being submissive to their own husband Peter is a married man. By the way, the Lord Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law given a story in Matthew chapter 8 in verse 14 and you typically don't get a mother-in-law without the benefit of getting wife Melissa subject you know, sort of stuck in Peter's mind because he's having difficulty and you know the little lady needs a little instruction, no he's delivering what every generation needs. This is a wedding rehearsal on the core issues of how to leave that ceremony and age in married life as we learned in our previous exposition of verse one where the idea of submission.

I first came up it means to willingly rank under it can be expanded this word in the Greek New Testament to refer to voluntarily arranging and adapting and serving your husband with deference and respect.

The word is actually as we discussed verse one. This is an administrative term which carries the idea of voluntarily assisting in order to bring about completion. It's not a negative concept. It's a very positive concept. The roles of a wife and husband were originally designed by God. Before the fall of man headship and submission work divinely ordained. In fact, it's interesting that God uses the same language as Moses quotes God all the way back in the garden of Eden, and as he is about to create Eve and walk her reservoir down the aisle to Adam, this is the first marriage and it is arranged by the way, I think there's love the concept. I certainly do but it iterates here she comes, but before he creates her.uses this language and he says I will make for ad may help her suitable for him. I'm going to give Adam a helper.

That's another way of saying Adam is gonna need help right and all the men said authority that was very hardy, or not it at all.

The men gave authority. I did any rate, one author I quoted several weeks ago pointed out this a wife who embraces this God glorifying perspective understands that as she voluntarily adapts and submits to her husband. She's actually completing the picture she's helping him fulfill his responsibilities helping him become the man. The husband, the leader God intended.

The further down the river. We go to culture the stranger this more foreign scene. You mentioned the idea of submission and people in your world will think you came over on the Mayflower. And this is this is archaic at best is tantamount to slavery, master slave relationship at worst God as we learn calls it strength. As we learned in our last discussion. This is a woman of power power under control since my sermons are are not only heard in here without their through radio and an Internet fact we just begun streaming.

These sermons alive on Facebook. I did it was but I did: of our pastors yesterday and asked him how that's going and he told me last Lord's day, nearly 3000 people streamed this service live through Facebook. I don't know that's how many people are skipping church today because of the exposure I get a lot of reaction. My first sermon on the subject of submission led the responses that ranged from anger people contact me. I received from want a charge of being a false teacher to frustration and even sadness that husbands were not really living the life worth following me know when you get the men in the Where the weight of the burden resides for now. Remember the God and think Peter's delivering this beginning in chapter 2 is defining roles for husbands and wives and children, and King and governments and legal authorities, and it has nothing to do with there are people more valuable on the planet than others, it simply has to do God's order and dysfunction in his design is submitting to a position. A person with a position of authority for a wife doesn't mean that she has less value and in fact even keep in mind the submission doesn't have anything to do with less value or character, but structure and design and function that policeman who stops me on the interstate for not reaching the minimum speed happens all the time I get out of my car and I obey him, not because he is holy error is better as God or he is more value on the planet or because you special, but because he has a role of authority that I don't have further submission and marriage doesn't mean that a wife is inferior. That's when the world always wants to take you and you saying that woman is inferior to submits her husband has nothing to do that is nothing to do with essence or value.

In fact, if any man thinks submission of a wife is based on the inferiority of women is revealing his own inferiority complex, and he needs to grow up. We had another thought submission does not mean blind obedience, God's idea of a wife serving her husband as a helper means that she is bringing things that she contributes things that will add to and improve she will challenge she will confront she will warn will see the moment.

Any man who believes that submission is blind obedience is blind for the women hearing this letter read in the first century assembly and armadillo have their own personal copy they can highlight and underline their hearing it, and in that century, it was really no different than this century it would've been just as out of style. Then as it is now in one of their greatest challenges as women of God would be there. They're entering as new believers, many of them into something new. The church stuff still being written. They don't have elective courses on marriage and family materials work more in the process of being written for the New Testament church. Not only was the church relatively young. There were no books published on marriage that just out of curiosity, I went to Amazon.com and an put in the title marriage and discovered there are 1/4 of a million books readily available on the subject. Many of them don't get it right.

But in this immediate context as well. Keep in mind this is directed to women who are in a very difficult situation. There there in marriages to unbelieving Amman, Peter describes Gillick back in verse one quickly who is disobedient to the word.

This is an expression of unbelief and it implies obstinacy. It implies a disregarded it in. It implies a Martin disregard for the gospel. It's in the disk for it. It's an expression for unbelief, but it can be broadened. New Testament scholars believe to include men who are disobedient to claim to know Christ, but live ungodly lives. So he sees addressing the subject in a difficult environment where it would not be easy to follow the DAT help husband what Peter is going to do is draw from the resources they all had to dip into the Old Testament notice verse five. Again, for in this way. In former times the holy women also who hope in God use to adorn themselves being submissive to their own husbands appears on a couple of things. He's essentially telling them that submission is a new is coming back in the end of the first century what was taking place in the lives of godly women in ancient centuries gone by any also very encouragingly reminds these women then that they're not alone. They're not the first to hear this, believing women throughout the past history of redemption were adorned by the same submissive qualities of graciousness and would you notice his description. Further of them. Now in verse five.

Two descriptions are provided.

First he calls them holy women are holy women and has been a perfect women door to holiness simply means separated on the God for his glory. In other words, these women were living their lives for the glory God when they got out of bed in the morning they were only asking that I please.

My husband are asking how can I get God. Secondly, Peter right they hoped in God.

That is, they look to God for their strength there hoped the New Testament word for word for settled conviction there hoped in God wasn't rooted in culture. It wasn't rooted in what their peers can provide. It wasn't even rooted in whether husband could provide.

They were holy women who hoped in God. There is your rock. There is your refuge there is your source hope is in God's Peter rights to these women in the first century that these women in the past centuries were known for their character and their holiness and their trust. It's clear as these New Testament women would quickly identify these were not inferior intellects for moral cowards. These were women of great strength and courage. Peter at this point, you might think would stop and give us a list. Give us a list of some of those holy women of old and in fact I'm sure that there are many in the assembly who wished that he had. He does anything for God wanting a moment I will get to her, but that unit, my mind begins to go back into the Old Testament the guy wonder who the holy women were and is not our to think of women, the courageously live for God. I think of of Abigail. Abigail was married to a foolish man and arrogant wealthy rancher and if you go back into the Old Testament. Read the full story. All survey very very quickly. For those of you that are under the faith the when King they were young David before his cane and his men are in hiding from King Saul. He wants to take his life thereon enables property often enable an expansive ranch and they just by default of character graciously watch over those herds and flocks from predators and from C and they were paid to do it. They just because of their character. Did it in the end of the season. David needs food in his men. And so he sends a message to name all asking reminding them of what they've done, then asking for food in a ball in his Friday dinners foolish heart he mocks David and his men then basically tells him he's treasonous while David and his men mount up and it got bigger to go to enable have you killed him which would've been wrong on his part. His hands would've been stained with blood. Before mounting that throne would be devastating. And this one man, Abigail Nabel's wife overhears her husband's response of arrogant, foolish, shortsighted pride and she takes the initiative without being seen loads are David out with food heads off to meet David and meet some on the path before you can reach her family estate with wise gracious counsel.

She confronts David with something that would've been wrong for him to do. And as best as she can. She represents her foolish husband David praises her wisdom returns home, Abigail returns as well back into a very difficult marriage to this man, which doesn't keep the truth from him.

She does wait until morning and in the early morning light. She informs Nabel all that David and his men had come to kill him and she had intervened and his life is been spared, and Nabel all has a heart attack and dies. Ladies get any ideas.

With this day, although we are on the side, cheering her on her. The point is, and that she confronted him and he died.

The point is you did the right thing and with courage.

She took the initiative and communicated a warning to David.

She communicated the truth to her husband.

This is not a weak woman is a strong woman strength under spirit control Peter is providing an illustration here as he shifts his focus to one woman, and particularly in verse six just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord Peter is referring to that moment in their marriage where the angelic visitors have arrived announcing to some measure the benefit of the covenant that they bettered by faith telling elderly Abraham that he and his elderly wife Sarah are going to have child your first the second time he will turn if you want to read and study it in Genesis 18 and you can do that at your your leisure and for Samuel 25 is where you hear that narrative, Abigail. When Sarah hears the announcement of having a son.

She laughs to herself that this thought which was a bit strange if not humorous. Given the fact that she was 90 years of age, and her husband was 100 years of age. The Bible records in verse 12 of Genesis 18 Sarah laughed to herself saying after I have become old. Shall I have this pleasure, my Lord, being old also. So if you want to literally apply that, ladies, if you want to call your husband, Lord, you can say the same breath you're an old man cave that just goes together.

This is where the expression my Lord is you know misunderstanding of this gives people an opportunity to jump all over this expression, and use this as a proof text that this patriarchal concept of submission is tantamount to slavery him. He looked at her, scraping and bowing. She is in scraping and bowing all you have to do is read the text and study their marriage. First of all, you will discover that Sarah is not the household servant. She isn't a wallflower.

She is anything but a pushover. She is an weak minded. She's not a doormat. The Lord as we would hear it in our years was simply an expression of respect. In fact, she didn't say to him. She said to herself.

This is an undergoing undergirding attitude affect Peter as he describes it here in this chapter uses a present tense participle, which means that she is always calling him Lord, that doesn't mean every time she sees him, she says, my Lord, this is the attitude. This is the pattern of respect in her heart and in her life for her husband. This is this ongoing attitude of deference and consideration and respect for Abraham known the ancient world.

In fact, up until a few centuries ago more Lord or my Lord was one of the expressions you might use the show deference and courtesy.

Just keep in mind that this Lord here is a little L not a L and if you look closely at their marriage. What you discover is that Sarah more than once, challenged her husband to think differently. She completed even to act differently, keeping it in balance. As Peter writes the wives is the challenges but how to do it without cutting your husband off of the need or wounding his spirit. By the way Sarah created some problems in G that some of her weightiest advice was wrong, self-centered, not influenced by God spirit and combined with a lack of spiritual character in Abraham.

They conspired to create a mass learning to become an instrument in the hand of God to offer wise counsel is that challenge the spirit of God through Peter is illustrating than submission with the life of Sarah. Not because she was perfect. Not because she had a perfect marriage, not because she had a perfect husband, none of that exists anyway. She was chosen as an illustration, in spite of the fact in spite of the fact that she wasn't perfect, in spite of the fact that their marriage was in spite of the fact that Abraham didn't always live up to get all father of the faithful title but she pursued a pattern of submissive cooperation and assistance. In fact, the courage of her willingness to go back and you studied her life. She follows her husband. Her husband is in the land of the Chaldeans in God's as a waiver family and the text says he went out, not knowing where he was going honey are you coming and she did. She watched him give away the best land of their greedy nephew. I don't know if she knew she watched her husband taking away their boy to sacrifice my wonder why she didn't throw herself in front of the car. She with her own faith land in Hebrews 11 is one of the one of the signature heroes of faith notice for six and you have become her daughters could render the children.

If you do what is right now I have a positive or just to mow this English Translation Can Earn Your Way, Sarah is family better understanding with Peter saying here that you demonstrated you become her daughter. When you do the right thing. He barer her resemblance.

It's a daughter is acting like her mother mother daughter resemblance you revealed to the world you have just that. Notice he also says without being frightened by any fear again from this context, it would be a fearful thing to follow your husband. It would be a fearful thing to follow him as best you can, so long as he doesn't ask you to sin. If he's an unbelieving husband. It's a frightening thing for a woman he knows Christ to follow the lead of her husband and those Christ knowing he can make stay probably remember your hope, which overcomes fear, your confidence is in the sovereign God who well, daughters of Sarah, I hope you were both challenged and encouraged. From this time in God's word. Steven is currently in a series called for better or for worse, this lesson is called daughters of Sarah. If you want to listen to it again you'll find it on our website. Simply visit wisdom online.org and there's a link to today's message right on our homepage. Wisdom for the heart is the Bible teaching ministry of Stephen David, the pastor of the shepherd's church and the president of shepherd's theological seminary. Learn more about us@wisdomonline.org join us again next time. As we continue through this series and discover God's wisdom for the heart