Jesus is Enough, So Live Selflessly and Sacrificially at Home

Good morning and welcome to our Typhoon Sunday family worship service.

I hope you are warm and cozy, safe and secure at home.

Thanks for joining us today, even if via the internet.

It was Elizabeth Elliot who said,

The secular world looks for happiness through self-assertion.

The Christian knows that joy is found in self-abandonment.

Elizabeth Elliot was a missionary in the jungles of Ecuador amongst Indian tribespeople in the 1950s,

along with her husband Jim Elliot.

They had met at university and gone to the mission field in Ecuador independently of each other.

But there they met again, they had married and they had their first child there.

Soon afterwards, Elizabeth's husband Jim, along with four friends,

decided to try and meet the Hurani Indians face to face.

In order to get to know them, to love them, to tell them about Jesus.

It was a risk as these Indians were known by neighboring tribes to be savages.

A few hours after these five men left, news came back to the camp.

Jim and the other four missionaries had been found speared to death,

lying on the beaches near the Hurani tribe.

Jim and Elizabeth Elliot's daughter was just 10 months old.

But rather than returning to America to pursue a life of comfort and convenience,

she decided to stay in Ecuador to continue to live and work amongst the tribe's people.

And two years later, she and her daughter moved to live amongst the Hurani people,

the very tribe who had killed her husband just a few years before.

Elizabeth Elliot writes,

The secular world looks for happiness through self-assertion and self-preservation.

The Christian knows that joy is found in self-abandonment.

Today's passage of scripture is 1 Peter 3, verse 1-7.

1 Peter 3:1–7

But we're going to start by looking at chapter 2, verse 21.

It's a passage of scripture which has caused more heat than light.

And yet because these are the words of a good God,

who knows us better than we know ourselves,

and because Jesus really is who he said he is,

the passage of scripture we look at today are words of good news.

Good news for our own hearts.

Good news for our marriages.

Good news for our homes.

If Elizabeth Elliot is right,

if Jesus Christ is right,

that true joy is found in self-abandonment,

not self-assertion,

today's passage is a call to true joy.

This morning's passage really is part two of the arguments Chris unpacked for us last week.

These two passages together are one unit of thought with three applications.

And last week Chris looked at the first two applications.

Today's passage of scripture looks at the third.

So let's recap the flow of thought.

Remember the whole book of 1 Peter is a call for Christians to live lives that are distinctive and devoted.

Because this world is not our home,

because we belong to Jesus,

and therefore we live with a different hope.

We walk to a different tune.

So in chapter 2 verse 11 to 20,

Peter encourages the Christians to live distinctively in an unjust society.

The people to whom Peter is writing are being ostracized and criticized.

They are being marginalized and discriminated against because they are Christians.

They are regarded as bad news for society because they would not worship the cultural gods.

They are persecuted because they are followers of Jesus.

And yet rather than fighting back or protesting against this abuse or standing up for their rights

or even being passive aggressive, disrespecting their bosses behind their backs,

Peter says don't do that.

That's how you live if your hope is tied up to this world.

But you are born again to a living hope.

A hope which cannot perish, spoil or fade.

And so live distinctively.

Live devoted to Jesus.

And the reason he says this is because, verse 21,

because of Jesus.

The main point there was that Jesus Christ is the most perfect example of someone who did not demand his rights.

But he submitted himself to what was unworthy of him,

being treated unjustly.

But he did so because this world was not his home,

because his identity is found in God.

And as verse 23 said,

he entrusted himself to God the Father.

That's the key.

Jesus entrusted himself to God the Father.

He trusted in God even as he approached the cross.

He trusted that his life and his hope were not found in the hands of those who tied him up.

His life was not in the hands of those who bound him or beat him.

But even in the midst of what seemed as if it was not right,

he trusted in God as Father.

And therefore,

he could lay down his life.

He could forego what he was legitimately entitled to,

to live selflessly and sacrificially,

saying,

not my will,

but your will be done.

Throughout this letter,

Peter has been telling us that being a Christian is not just about praying a prayer,

or knowing Bible stories.

It's about a changed life,

a different way of seeing the world.

Being a Christian means everything is different,

because we have a new hope,

and a new purpose in Jesus.

And this has been Peter's plea to his readers the whole time.

That because your life is found in Jesus,

you have a different view of suffering.

Because your life is found in Jesus,

you can handle injustice.

Because of Jesus,

although you are treated like the rubbish of the earth,

you are in fact a royal priesthood,

a holy people.

Because of Jesus,

you don't need to fight for your rights.

You don't need to demand what you think you're entitled to.

You don't need to go about life feeling like a victim when things don't go your way.

Because what you have in Jesus,

and what you have in the gospel,

is more than sufficient to cover any shame you may suffer,

for being a follower of Jesus.

Because Jesus Christ is enough.

Friends, do you know this?

Do you know in your heart that Jesus Christ is more than enough?

Because otherwise,

when pressure comes,

and life gets difficult,

and persecution comes,

or people don't treat you fairly,

you may feel tempted to feel sorry for yourself,

and when things get really bad,

you will shake your fists in the air at God,

and say,

why is this happening to me?

I thought you were meant to be a good God.

Friends,

we have to know this,

that Jesus Christ is enough.

Robert Murray McShane was a Scottish minister,

and he actually died at the very young age of 29,

from a sickness he contracted.

He said this,

And so this has been Peter's plea,

keep your eyes fixed on Jesus,

because he's more than enough.

And so as we saw last week,

because Jesus is enough,

you don't need to insist on your rights,

and your privileges,

but you can live distinctively like Jesus,

in both society,

and the workplace,

even when you're being treated unfairly.

And now Peter gives us a third application,

live distinctively like Jesus,

at home.

Peter's going to,

first address the married woman,

and then married men.

And show how this gospel,

speaks to our marriages.

Now for those of you,

who are not yet married,

don't dial out just yet,

because what Peter's going to say,

to us actually addresses our hearts,

not just our behavior.

And in some ways,

this will be applicable to all of us.

So firstly,

wives be distinctive,

in your womanhood.

Let's look at chapter 3,

verse 1 to 2 together.

Peter says,

Likewise,

wives be subject,

to your own husbands,

so that even if some do not obey the word,

they may be won without a word,

by the conduct of their wives,

when they see your respectful,

and pure conduct.

Now in order to understand this,

we need to notice a few things.

First,

notice the first word.

What does it say?

It says likewise.

Well,

like what?

Well,

like he said in chapter 2,

verse 13,

Christians be subject,

to human institutions.

And in verse 18,

servants be subject,

to your masters.

And now he says,

likewise,

wives be subject,

to your husbands.

So let's think about this.

If you are a Christian,

who is your highest authority?

That's right.

It's King Jesus.

That's what it means,

to be a Christian.

It means you've turned away,

from a life,

where you are your own master.

You acknowledge your sin,

and you surrender to Jesus.

You hand over the throne,

of your life,

to King Jesus.

Now he is your Lord,

and master.

He is your king.

And now you live a life,

of faith in him,

obeying him,

trusting him,

and loving him,

as Lord.

So,

in chapter 2,

verse 13,

when the Roman rulers,

were threatening the Christians,

or giving them a hard time,

they might have been tempted,

to say,

well I'm not under your authority,

I'm under Jesus' authority.

Or they could have said,

we have a higher authority,

than you.

I don't need to listen to you,

I only listen to Jesus.

But actually,

Peter says something,

counterintuitive.

He says,

because Jesus is your Lord,

follow his example.

Lay down your rights,

choose to submit to the emperor,

as part of your worship,

to King Jesus.

And then he says the same thing,

in chapter 2,

verse 18.

If a Christian's boss,

or master,

was giving them a hard time,

they might have been tempted,

to say,

well I'm not under your authority,

I'm under Jesus' authority.

Or they could have said,

I have a higher authority,

than you.

I won't listen to you,

I only listen to Jesus.

But what does Peter say?

As part of your worship,

and your submission to King Jesus,

follow his example,

by laying down your rights,

and choose to submit to your boss.

And now he says the same thing.

Likewise,

in the same way,

wives submit to your husbands.

In other words,

as part of your worship,

as part of your submission,

to King Jesus,

follow his example,

by laying down your rights,

and choose to follow your husband.

Another way of saying it is,

because your life is found in Jesus,

and because Jesus is more than enough,

live selflessly,

live sacrificially,

not insisting on your own rights,

or demanding your own way.

Now why does Peter say this?

What's going on here,

that makes Peter say this?

Well the next part of the sentence tells us,

look what it says,

it says,

likewise,

wives be subject to your own husbands,

so that,

even if some do not obey God's word,

they may be won without a word,

by the conduct of their wives,

when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

You see,

what's going on here,

is that some of these ladies in the church,

had become Christians,

but their husbands weren't believers.

Or they,

maybe were Christians,

but they didn't take God's word very seriously.

Now the custom in,

Greek or Roman world at the time,

was that a husband's position,

and honor in society,

was very much dependent,

on how his wife and children were,

and whether they honored him,

as the head of the home.

In fact,

in this society,

it was expected,

that a man's wife,

would have no friends of her own,

because all her social relationships,

were tied to that of her own husbands.

And certainly a wife,

would not worship a God,

foreign to her husband's gods.

And so if a woman became a Christian,

this was a big deal.

This would put massive pressure on the family,

and the marriage,

because firstly,

it would automatically be considered rebellion,

which would bring shame,

and loss of face to her husband.

But additionally,

if she joined the community of believers,

and joined the church,

developing friends,

outside of her husband's circle of friends,

this would be received,

as being shameful for her husband.

And so what should a Christian wife do?

Should she honor her husband's desires,

which might mean not going to church?

Or should she insist on her own rights,

and freedoms that her newfound faith in Jesus gave her?

Peter doesn't tell these women,

to do this or that.

But he goes after the heart.

And this is what he says,

You see,

friends,

this is the very opposite of the world's understanding of freedom.

In the secular world's understanding of freedom,

freedom means having no constraints,

being able to live as I want,

how I want,

to pursue my own dreams and my own desires unhindered.

In the world's understanding of freedom,

I get to do what I want,

when I want,

how I want.

But actually,

in the end,

we become slaves to our own desires.

But Peter says that Jesus gives you a freedom to live selflessly,

sacrificially,

to say no to your own desires for the benefit of another.

And the reason is simple,

because the spirit of Jesus,

the most selfless,

sacrificial man who ever lived,

now lives inside of us,

because you've been mastered by him.

What is astonishing is that in Peter's day,

the secular philosophers would never address women or slaves.

That was a prerogative of the husbands or the head of the home.

Women and slaves were considered second class citizens.

And so no religious leader would dare address them.

But Peter does address them.

And so on the one hand,

Peter is cutting across the culture of his day

by affirming the value and the dignity of these women.

And the fact that they're not just objects in a man's household,

but responsible human beings,

capable of making their own choices and choosing their own behavior.

So Peter gives them a dignity and a respect,

which is unprecedented in Greek thought.

But at the same time,

no husband could ever complain that Peter's encouraging rebellion

or undermining his own authority,

because Peter explicitly affirms the husband's leadership

and position in the home.

And what is his rationale for this submission?

It's not the expectations of Greek or Roman society.

It's the authority and the example of Jesus.

Because Jesus is enough.

Because in Jesus,

you have such a depth of freedom

that you can freely deny your own desires

for the sake of another.

That in Jesus,

you have a treasure deep enough

that you don't need to fight for your individuality and your rights.

Jesus Christ is enough.

You see,

this freedom to serve rather than to be served,

this freedom to give love rather than demand love,

this freedom to give of yourself

rather than thinking of yourself

is what characterized New Testament Christianity.

And the reason is because this is the heart of Jesus.

New Testament scholar F.F. Bruce

sums this up in a remarkable way.

He says,

Do you see that?

Peter is so free,

he's not even enslaved to the idea of being free.

He's so free,

he could give up his independence

when it benefited others for him to do so.

Because Jesus Christ was enough.

Now,

what do you think happens

when a Roman or Greek wife

responds to her husband like this?

Well,

Peter gives us two consequences.

First,

a wordless sermon.

Look at what he says here.

He says,

Wives,

be subject to your husbands

so that even if some do not obey the word,

they may be won over

without a word

by the conduct of their wives

when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

Last week,

Chris quoted that amazing statement

by Bill Clinton

after Mother Teresa

had just challenged his views on abortion.

Bill Clinton stood up,

not knowing what to say.

He simply said,

It's difficult to argue with a life well lived.

And this is what Peter is saying.

Your unbelieving husband may not agree with you.

He may not even like Christianity,

but it's going to be hard for him to argue

with a well lived life.

Your life will preach the gospel

and testify to the beauty of Jesus.

But then there's a second consequence of this.

It's an untouchable beauty.

Look at verse 3 to 5 with me.

He says,

Wives,

An untouchable beauty.

In Hong Kong,

we spend an inordinate amount of money

on beauty and cosmetic products.

The beauty and cosmetic products industry

in Hong Kong is worth billions of dollars

and is projected to grow

by almost 50% in the next three years.

Just think of how many billboards

advertising products and treatment

filled the corridors of our NTR stations.

But what is devastating about this industry

is that so many of the people

who really do spend thousands and thousands of dollars

feel no more worthwhile,

no more lovely,

no more lovable

for all the investment in the industry.

A few years ago,

a 19-year-old Australian model,

Essena O'Neill,

had half a million Instagram followers

and she decided to quit social media

and to be honest about her life

striving to look beautiful on social media.

This is what she writes,

I would spend hours

looking at everybody else's perfect lives

and I strived to make mine look just as good.

I had half a million followers

and I was famous

but I still felt average.

I'm just a girl.

It suffocated me.

I was lonely

and I was miserable.

Now friends,

is it wrong to want to look beautiful or attractive?

Should Christian women be banned

from wearing makeup

or wearing good clothing?

Does Peter say,

Now I don't want women to look attractive

but rather make yourselves

as ordinary and as boring as possible?

Is that what Peter is saying?

Of course not.

But he does call us to a much higher calling.

He says,

Let your adorning,

your beautification,

be the hidden person of the heart.

So what's Peter saying here?

He's calling Christian women

to be so stunningly beautiful,

so exquisitely attractive

and so spectacularly gorgeous

that others cannot help

but stop and take notice of you.

But not because of your expensive clothing,

not because of your fashionable accessories,

but because of the stunning beauty

of your character,

because of the beauty of your security in Jesus,

and because of the attractiveness

of your unshakable hope

and confidence in the living God.

He says,

This is how holy women

who hoped in God

used to adorn themselves.

Friends,

if you are a teenager,

let me ask you to sit up

and listen for just a second.

Every day,

you are being lied to

and you are being disrespected

by social media

and by advertising companies

which lie to you,

telling you that your value

and your dignity

are found

in your physical appearance

or how socially acceptable you are.

How you look,

where you shop,

who's interested in you,

what clothes you are wearing

or accessories you have.

Friends,

it's a lie.

And for some of you,

it's already become a rope

around your neck.

You're a slave

to other people's opinions

and it's killing you.

There is a way

to be free from that.

It's to be adorned

with the beauty

that comes from

a rock solid security

and confidence in Jesus.

Friends,

if you don't want to be ordinary,

if you want to glow

with a beauty

that takes people's breath away.

Friends,

if you want to glow

with a beauty

that neither age

nor changing fashion

can steal from you,

if you want to be free

from the cruelty

and the tyranny

of wondering about your appearance

and what people think about you

or whether you look good enough,

follow the footsteps

of the godly women

who have gone before you.

They may never make it

on the cover of magazines,

but their lives

have radiated

with a beauty

and a magnificence

that very few others

have ever known.

Friends,

Jesus Christ

is enough

and therefore

you can live lives

of self-sacrifice,

finding your hope

and your identity

in him.

Well,

what about the men?

Does Peter have anything

to say to them?

Well,

secondly,

husbands,

be distinctive

in your manhood.

Let's look at verse 7 together.

Peter writes this,

Likewise,

husbands,

husbands,

live with your wives

in an understanding way,

showing honor to the woman

as the weaker vessel,

since they are heirs with you

of the grace of life,

so that your prayers

may not be hindered.

Up until now,

Peter has spoken to citizens

to submit to the emperor

and governors.

He's spoken to slaves

to submit to their bosses.

He's spoken to wives

to submit to their husbands.

And now he speaks

to those

who have all the power

and all the authority

in the Greek and Roman world,

the men.

Peter's going to show

how the gospel cuts

right across male privilege

and he calls these men

to display the distinctiveness

of the gospel

by also living lives

of selfless

and sacrificial love.

Look at what he says.

He starts off saying,

Likewise,

in the same way.

In other words,

the very attitude

he has just called

these Christian women

to display

is the exact same attitude

he calls these Christian men

to display,

which is to follow Jesus

and to live lives

of selflessness

and sacrificial love,

knowing that Jesus

is enough.

Now it's going to look different

for wives,

their distinctiveness

was displayed

in selfless

and sacrificial surrender.

For husbands,

their distinctiveness

is going to be displayed

in selfless,

servant-hearted leadership.

So what does Peter say

to these Christian men?

Well, he says three things.

He says,

Be selfless

by loving your wives

with understanding.

Earlier this year,

Claire and I

went through

one of those times

in marriage

when we weren't

quite seeing eye to eye.

We weren't fighting,

but there was

a certain coldness,

a certain tension

between us.

And what was frustrating

for me was that

because I knew this,

I tried to go

the extra mile.

I tried to be around more.

I tried to serve more.

I tried to wash more dishes.

I tried to help

around the house more

in order to ease

the tension.

But it didn't seem

to help.

There was still

this coldness,

this distance

between us.

And so one day,

I had the day off.

The kids were at school

and we went for a walk

around the peak

and we both knew

it was coming.

So eventually,

we said,

okay,

what's going on

between us?

Why the distance?

I can't really remember

what I said,

but I do remember

what Claire said.

She said,

I can see you're trying

and you're doing

all the right things,

but you're not showing

any tenderness

towards me.

You see,

I was trying to do

the right things.

I was doing what I thought

was a good idea,

what seemed like

the right thing,

but it wasn't

what she needed.

It wasn't what made

her feel loved

or appreciated.

What Claire didn't need

was more service

or more flowers.

What she needed

was an apology.

Men,

do our wives

feel understood?

Do our wives

feel heard?

Do we demonstrate

thoughtfulness

to our wives?

Peter calls us

to honor the women

in our lives

by loving them

with thoughtfulness,

with understanding,

knowing what makes

them feel loved

and appreciated.

Secondly,

he says,

be selfless,

not only by loving

your wives

with understanding,

but loving your wives

with your strength.

Look what he says here.

He says,

live with your wives

in understanding,

showing honor

to the woman

as the weaker vessel.

Now,

when Peter talks

about being weaker,

it doesn't mean

weaker emotionally

or spiritually

or psychologically,

as if women

are just fragile

rose petals.

It literally just

means physically

weaker.

In Peter's day,

no one would have

contested that,

generally speaking,

men,

many of whom

were soldiers

or farmers,

were more physical

than women.

But what's Peter's point?

What's he saying?

He's saying,

husbands,

use your strength

not to serve yourself,

but to selflessly

and sacrificially

serve the woman

in your life.

His point is that

because you,

husband,

are stronger physically,

don't use that

to your advantage.

Don't take advantage

of your wife,

but in the fear of God,

use your strength

to honor her,

to encourage her,

to make much of her,

to see your wife flourish.

One of the greatest

tragedies of the fall

of humanity

and the deceitfulness

of sin in our hearts

is that as men,

we tend to use

our strength

to dominate,

to manipulate,

and to control women

rather than serving

the women in our lives.

The recent hashtag

MeToo movement

around the world

has thankfully exposed

and highlighted

some of the ways

that we as men

do this,

exploit and harass women.

But the tragedy

is that even in the church

we're not immune

from this.

And so while very few

of us will have our names

written in headlines

or plastered

across the internet,

the truth is that

the same sin

and the same tendency

to exploit

rather than to serve

is not far from

our own hearts

and therefore

not far from

our own homes.

And while this is

applicable to both

men and women,

for women are stronger

than men in other areas,

I want to address

the men for a second

and I want to ask

you if the women

in your life,

that may be your wife,

your daughters,

your girlfriend,

your colleague,

or even just female friends,

do they feel

like you use

the strengths

God has given you

to their advantage

or to your own advantage?

When you have a disagreement

with your wife,

does she feel scared

or does she feel safe?

Peter says that

one of the ways

we demonstrate

the distinctiveness

of the gospel

is the way that

we use the strength

God has given us

to selflessly

and sacrificially

serve and love

our wives.

And then thirdly,

Peter says this,

be selfless

not only by

loving your wives

with understanding,

not only by loving

your wives

with your strength,

be selfless

by loving your wife

as your equal.

Look what he says here,

he says,

husbands,

live with your wives

in an understanding way,

showing honor to the woman

as the weaker vessel,

since they are joint

heirs with you

of the grace of life,

so that your prayers

may not be hindered.

In a culture

which elevated masculinity

and looked down

upon femininity,

in a culture

which undeniably favored

men and not women,

in a culture

which honored

and advantaged men

over women,

the gospel of Jesus Christ

speaks radically

and counter-culturally

when it says

both men and women,

both husbands and wives,

both sons and daughters,

both singles and married,

both rich and poor,

both educated

and uneducated,

are completely

and utterly

equal

and worthy of honor

because both men and women,

boys and girls,

married and singles,

rich and poor,

are sinners

without hope

apart from Jesus.

Our hearts

have turned away from God.

We've become our own God

and yet in Christ

both are equally saved

and equally loved by God

and equally welcomed

into his family.

You see,

in a Roman or Greek culture

a woman wasn't really expected

to even have her own faith.

Her religion was just assumed

to be that of her husband's

and if there was a God

she would access

that God

by her husband's devotion.

But here Peter reminds us

that the ground

is equal at the cross.

He calls husbands

to see that

in the most important

area of life

who God is

and how you can know Him

and how you can be accepted

by Him.

In this most important

area of life

he calls husbands

to recognize

their wives

as equals

since they are

joint heirs with you

of the grace

of life.

And then look

what he says.

He says,

Do this

so that your prayers

may be heard.

Brothers,

it doesn't matter

how much we serve,

preach,

pray,

how much money

we give to the church

or the kingdom of God.

If we do not love

the woman in our lives

like Jesus

selflessly

and sacrificially

it's meaningless.

We know better

than the 19 year old

supermodel

posting photos

of herself

looking happy

and carefree

or being miserable

and alone

inside.

And while the world

may be fooled

Jesus is not.

And so because

Jesus is enough

husbands live

distinctively

in your manhood

by leading

the woman in your lives

with servant heart

sacrificial love.

As we come to close

let me land

with three

very quick

practical applications.

Firstly,

for those of you

who are married

can I ask you

to start today.

Start today.

This passage

calls us to follow Jesus

and to live lives

of selfless

and sacrificial love

and surrender.

Husbands,

can you today

choose to love

your wife

in this way?

Can you today

choose to lay aside

what you may think

be your right

knowing that Jesus

is enough

and selflessly

and sacrificially

serve your wife?

Wife,

can you surrender

to Jesus

and sacrificially

serve your husband?

You may have been

married for 30 years

or three weeks.

There may be much

water under the bridge

but start today.

It's interesting

to note that

Peter tells

neither husbands

nor wives

to get their spouses

in order

to help their spouses

see the error

in their ways.

He merely calls

both husbands

and wives

to follow Jesus

in selflessly

laying aside

their rights

in order to serve

and love the other.

Maybe it needs

to start with an apology

asking your spouse

to forgive you

asking your spouse

to gently

and graciously

help you

whatever it takes

start today.

Secondly

for those of you

who are not yet married

be careful

who you date

and be extra careful

who you marry.

No marriage partner

is perfect

every marriage

consists of two sinners

whose natural bent

is to look after themselves

and think about themselves.

Coming to Jesus

doesn't completely

eradicate that overnight

but Christ does

give us a new heart

and he does give us

an example

and the power

to live differently.

Dating and then

marrying someone

who's not a follower

of Jesus

opens the door

to many of the difficulties

that this passage

addresses.

Living with a spouse

who doesn't share

your ethic

or your understanding

of marriage

or being married

to a spouse

who doesn't see

the importance

of selfless

and sacrificial love.

Being married

to a spouse

who insists

on their own right

and their own privilege.

Friends

be very careful.

Pray about it.

Ask God

to lead you

in Godly

and ask God

to give you

a believing spouse

that will help you

to love Jesus more.

And finally

for all the couples

who have children

coach your children

that should God

call them

to get married

one day

coach them

what it looks like

to be a godly husband

or a godly wife.

Teach them now

that Christian marriage

is patterned

after the life

of Jesus.

Servanthood

selflessness

sacrificial love.

Teach your children

to use their strength

in order to serve

the others.

Teach your daughters

what a godly man

looks like

and how a godly man

treats a woman

so she'll recognize

a good man.

Teach your sons

how to be selfless

and understanding

thoughtful and caring

towards the women

in their lives.

Teach your daughters

to desire to be

stunningly beautiful

and attractive

in character

in godliness

and confidence

and in faith.

when Elizabeth

Elliot died

in 2015

John Piper

wrote this of her

whether it was

the spears

of the Ecuadorian

jungle

or the standards

of American glamour

Elizabeth Elliot

would not be

frightened

or intimidated

she was captured

by Christ

she was not her own

she was supremely

mastered

not by any

ordinary man

but by the king

of the universe.

Let me close

with the words

of Elizabeth Elliot

herself

the missionary

to Ecuador

who watched

her husband

getting killed

and chose

to stay

and love

the people

that killed him

she says

for the Christian

woman

and this is also

true for Christian

men

but a Christian's

true freedom

lies on the other

side of a very

small gate

the gate

of humble obedience

but that gate

leads out

into a largeness

of life

into a freedom

undreamed of

by those

who consider

themselves

the liberators

of our modern

world

the world

looks for

happiness

through self

assertion

the Christian

knows

that true

joy is found

in self

abandonment

Watermark

because of the

beauty and the

wonder of Jesus

and because of

his supremely

glorious example

because our hope

is in him

and because

in Christ

we have found

all the treasures

that our hearts

seek

and because

no other being

in all the world

is so beautiful

and so worthy

of our lives

let's trust him

let's follow him

let us be men

and women

who follow him

living lives

of distinction

as men and women

who have been

mastered by Christ

and let us know

that true joy

is found

not in self

assertion

not in self

fulfillment

but in selfless

sacrificial

self abandon

thanks so much

for joining us

I hope you've

had a good morning

worshipping with

your family

we look forward

to seeing you

next Sunday

at our family

worship service

together

keep safe

keep warm

and we look forward

to seeing you soon

bye

bye