Follow the Footsteps of Christ 1 Peter 2v13-25

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men,

whether to the King as the supreme authority, or to governors who are sent by him to punish

those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good

you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your

freedom as a cover-up for evil. Live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone. Love

the brotherhood of believers. Fear God. Honour the King. Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters

with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?

But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in

his steps. He committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth. When they hurled their insults at

him, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to

him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree so that we might die to sins

and live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray,

but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.

Thanks, Chris. As we pray, keep your Bibles open to 1 Peter and just cast your eye back to

1 Peter chapter 1 verse 24 and 25. Let me read that as we pray together.

1 Peter 1:24

1 Peter chapter 1 verse 24.

1 Peter 1:24

All of us are like grass and all our glory is like the flowers of the field.

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.

Father, we recognize that we are fragile and weak and that the world we live in is so uncertain.

And so what we long for is something that is sure and certain, something that is strong, something that we can build our lives upon that will not shake, that will not move.

And so we come to you, the living word.

Asking that your truth would be the foundation of our lives.

Asking for your spirit's help that we might build upon this foundation.

That we may live lives that display Christ.

And bring hope where we walk.

Father, we are so desperate for your help.

And we need it.

So help us, we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

So are you a good living kind of person?

I don't mean have you signed up to the don't smoke, don't curse, don't drink brigade.

What I mean is this.

If you are a Christian,

does the quality of your life display Christ?

Does the quality of your life display Christ when you walk into work,

when you go to college,

when you hang out with your friends?

Look at 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 12.

1 Peter 2:12

Live such good lives among the pagans,

among those who are not yet followers of Christ,

that though they accuse you of doing wrong,

though they don't like what you believe,

don't like what you say,

they may see your good deeds

and glorify God on the day he visits us.

You see, if we are Christians,

if we're followers of the Lord Jesus,

our lives,

look at verse 12 again,

are to be among

those who are not yet followers of Christ.

Rather than run from the world

and hide in the comfort of our nice,

safe, religious ghetto,

we are to immerse ourselves in the world

and we are to engage with the world.

We are to form friendships

and we are to do good where we walk.

You see, God's people,

the church,

has been called to attract the world to Christ

through our actions

and reflect Christ to the world

through our deeds.

In other words,

our good behaviour

displays the beauty of Christ.

And the reason for our good deeds

is simply this,

that our good deeds

can soften hard hearts,

can break stubborn minds,

shatter disinterested souls,

so that people want to hear the truth

about Jesus Christ.

Our good behaviour,

as we display the beauty of Christ,

can soften hard hearts,

break stubborn minds,

shatter disinterested souls,

so that people want

to hear the truth

of Jesus Christ.

Christ.

So,

live such good lives.

This morning,

we're going to look at two things.

What this good living looks like

and how we can live it.

First,

what good living looks like.

Number one,

what good living looks like

in society,

within our community.

Look at verse 13.

Submit yourselves,

for the Lord's sake,

to every authority

instituted among men,

whether to the king,

we don't have a king,

but we have a Taoiseach

and a government,

as the supreme authority,

or to governors,

like the guarda

or the courts,

who are sent by him

to punish those

who do wrong

and to commend those

who do right.

Our good living means,

verse 13,

we are to submit

to every authority.

That means we're to obey

our rulers

and the laws

that they put in place.

So if it's household tax

or water charges,

we pay it.

If it's the income

that we earn,

we declare it.

All of it.

If it's about speed limits

or driving restrictions,

we follow it.

We are to submit

to our rulers

and follow the laws

that they put in place.

We say,

why should we do that?

Why be so pernickety

about the way we live?

Well,

for two reasons.

We submit

to every authority.

Here's the first reason.

Verse 13,

submit yourselves

for

the Lord's sake.

You see,

the rulers

that are in place,

the government

that is in office

has ultimately

been placed there

by God.

Yes,

we have voted.

Yes,

we live in a democracy.

But every authority,

every government

that is in office

has ultimately

been placed there

by God.

You see,

through the governing authorities,

God maintains

order and justice,

which is good

for society.

That's why

he's put them in place,

verse 14,

to punish those

who do wrong

and to commend

those who do right.

So when we obey

the laws of the land,

when we follow

our rulers,

we are simply

pointing people

towards our ultimate

king who loves

justice

and order.

When we obey

our rulers,

when we follow

the laws of the land,

it is an expression

of our obedience

to our true king,

Jesus Christ.

So first,

we submit

for the Lord's sake.

Second,

we submit

to every authority,

look at verse 15,

because

it is God's will

that by doing good,

you should silence

the ignorant talk

of foolish people.

people.

You see,

your friends

might mock you

for what you believe

about Jesus.

Your work colleagues

may laugh at you

because of your views

of the Bible,

that you believe

it's true.

You can be shut out,

you can be pushed out,

people might have

no time

for your Christian values.

But what they will see

as they look

at your lives

are people

who love justice

and love order

and that,

verse 15,

will silence

their ignorant talk.

Through our good living,

people will see

that we care

about people's rights,

that we're concerned

for the protection

of the vulnerable,

that we want justice

for those who are homeless,

that we want order

in society,

that we don't want

the guilty

to get off scot-free,

that we want

evil people

who do things

that are wrong

moved from society

and others

are protected.

You see,

when Christians

lovingly submit

to our ruling authorities,

we are displaying

the kind of world

that one day

God is going to establish

in all its perfection.

By our obedience

to our government,

we are giving people

a glimpse

of what it's like

to live under God's

good and loving rule,

rule, a rule

that cares for people

and wants things

to be right and good

and to be a blessing.

You see,

it is through

our good living

that we can soften

hard hearts,

break stubborn minds,

shatter disinterested souls

so that people

want to hear the truth

about Jesus Christ.

Well, I'm sure

you're all thinking,

are we meant

to obey

everything

the government does?

What if I live

in a country

or what if

we're in a situation

where the government

isn't right

or fair?

Because there are

some very bad

and evil governments

and dictators

that live in the world.

Well, Peter is mindful

of that

and the Christians

that he was writing to

basically lived

in a dictatorship.

So what does he have

to say?

Well, look at verse 16.

There will be times

when we do need

to disobey.

Verse 16,

Live as free men

but do not use

your freedom

as a cover-up

for evil.

Live as servants

of God.

Sometimes

the laws

of our governments

will be unjust

and they will go

against God's

good order

for society.

So if the government

decides,

along with the people,

to repeal

the Eighth Amendment,

well, we don't

support it.

we stand against it.

We use the freedom

that God has given us

to stand for justice

and order.

Because God's kingdom

is marked

by justice and order

and as people see us

stand for what is right

that we will not

put up with injustice.

People will be attracted

to the beauty

and wonder

of who God is.

If we must disagree

and if we must

disobey

our rulers,

verse 17,

show proper respect

to everyone.

Love the brotherhood

of believers.

Fear God

because it is him

who we will stand

before

as judge.

But honour

the government

and the leaders.

Yes,

we can disagree

but we do so

respectfully.

we don't slag them

off unmercifully.

We don't shout out

in hate.

We stand firmly

for what is right

because God loves

what is right.

God seeks to protect

all life

and watch over

all life

and at the forefront

of all of this

of good order

and justice

should be the

Christian community

as they live

such good lives

where they are.

Because it is

through our good living

that we soften

hard hearts.

We break

the stubborn mind.

We shatter

disinterested souls

so that people

will want

to hear the truth

about Jesus Christ.

So we live

good lives

in society

and we live

good lives

in work.

Look at verse 18.

Slaves,

submit yourselves

to your masters.

Now let me

make it absolutely

clear that

all slavery,

all slavery

is wrong.

Whether it was

the slavery

which involved

the kidnapping

and selling

of black

Africans

to America

and Britain

or whether

it's the slavery

today of young

girls and young

boys being trafficked

through the sex

trade,

it is a terrible

evil.

Slavery

is a great

offence to God

and it should be

a great offence

to us.

So why

is Peter

telling slaves

to submit

to their masters?

Well we've got

to understand

that slavery

in the first

century in

Roman world

was different

to how we

might think

about slavery

today.

It was a little

bit more like

the employer

employee

relationship

that we have.

It wasn't

perfect.

Masters

abused their

position from

time to time.

However it

was the kind

of normal

working

relationship.

So in this

context as we

read we could

read it that

verse 18

employees

submit

yourselves to

your employers

with all

respect.

Not only to

those who are

good employers

and those who

are considerate

but also to

your boss

who can be

harsh.

So if you

are an

employee or

if you are

in any

position where

somebody is

in authority

over you

how do you

relate to

them?

How do you

relate to

your teachers

to your

lecturers?

How do you

relate to

your boss

when you

go in on

Monday

morning?

Do you

join in

with the

rest of

the staff

and slag

and abuse

the boss

when they're

not listening?

Do you

pretend to

look busy

when the

boss is

walking

around and

when the

boss has

disappeared

go back to

playing Angry

Birds on

your phone?

You see

how we

behave with

our or

among our

work colleagues

really matters.

Verse 18

We are to

submit with

all respect

not only to

those who are

good and

kind and

considerate who

you love

working for

but also

when they're

harsh.

even in

our workplace

when we

do nothing

wrong and

we work

really hard

and never

get any

thanks for

it

even when

we do

more than

we ask

and we

never go

home early

or doss

off but

just get

criticised

by our

boss

even in

those

situations

we are

to show

respect.

Now why

would you

do that?

You're on a

hiding to

nothing.

Nobody shows

respect to

their harsh

boss, do

they?

Well if we

are Christians

we do

and here's

the reason

the first

reason

we respect

our boss

because

look at

verse 19

because

it is

commendable

if a

person

bears up

under the

pain of

unjust

suffering

because

he is

conscious

of God

or because

he is

mindful

of God

in other

words as

employees

we work

not to

get praise

from our

boss

but to

please

God.

We respect

our employer

because

well we want

to honour

God

because as

Christians

we are

serving a

greater

master

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

we are

conscious

of God

as we

work

we're

mindful

of him

and we

work

to

please

him.

Yeah

your fellow

workers

might want

to hear

your

beliefs

but

they're

sure

going

to

take

notice

of

you

when

you

are

still

respectful

even

when

they

mistreat

you.

Colleagues

will rubbish

you over

your views

in the

Bible

but it

is certainly

going to

stop them

in their

tracks

when you

speak

kindly

to

your

boss

even

though

he

has

been

unfair

to

you.

You

see

it's

radical

living

through

our

good

lives

we

soften

the

hardened

heart

we

break

the

stubborn

mind

we

shatter

the

disinterested

soul

so that

people

sit up

and take

notice

and want

to know

the truth

about

Jesus

Christ

but there's

another

reason why

we should

respect

our

boss

because

look at

verse 20

how is it

to your

credit

if you

receive a

beating

for doing

wrong

and endure

it

if you

go into

work

tomorrow

morning

and you're

dossing

around

like

everybody

else

and your

boss

takes you

into

the

office

and gives

you a

tell-and-off

or fires

you

worse

how is

that

going to

be a

witness

you

deserve

it

but

verse 20

if you

suffer for

doing

good

and you

endure it

this is

commendable

before

God

your

boss

might

reward

you

for all

the hard

work

you put

in

you may

never

get a

pay rise

or a

promotion

but

God

is

watching

your

every

work

and all

that you

do

and all

that you

say

and he

will

commend

you

when you

stand

before

God

you

will

get

the

welcome

well

done

good

and

faithful

servant

you see

if we

behave

like the

rest of

the

employees

what's

what's

really

different

people

never

ask

questions

of those

who

behave

like

everyone

else

they

ask

questions

of

why

are

they

so

different

through

our

good

lives

we

speak

into

people's

hard

hearts

we

open

up

their

minds

we

bring

interest

to

them

so

that

people

are

why

are

they

like

that

they

ask

questions

and

we

want

to

hear

the

truth

about

Jesus

Christ

so

we

are

called

to

live

good

lives

in

society

in

our

community

where

we

are

in

work

as

we

go

from

here

into

college

into

school

into

our

workplace

amongst

our

friends

and

family

you say

that's

well and

good

I get

that

but

that's

really

hard

that's

really

hard

so

how

can

we

live

good

lives

how

are

we

actually

going

to

do

it

well

we've

got

some

great

help

look

at

verse

21

to

this

you

were

called

that

is

the

call

to

live

good

lives

in

society

and

work

this

is

our

calling

as

Christians

you

were

called

to

this

because

Christ

suffered

for

you

leaving

you

an

example

that

you

should

follow

in

his

steps

when

our

kids

were

smaller

we

used

to

go

climbing

along

the

rocks

and

along

the

cliffs

down

at

Roberts

Cove

and

Rocky

Bay

I

would

lead

and

they

would

just

simply

follow

behind

and

to

make

it

possible

I

just

kept

saying

this

put

your

foot

where

my

foot

goes

you

watch

where

my

foot

goes

you

put

your

foot

in

the

same

place

follow

my

steps

and

you'll

be

able

to

do

it

now

Christ

is

calling

us

verse

21

to

follow

in

his

steps

follow

me

he is

saying

to

us

follow

me

on

my

journey

on

my

road

to

the

cross

as

you

follow

me

to

the

cross

put

your

foot

where

my

foot

goes

see

how

I

walked

in

this

world

and

in

this

life

follow

me

on

that

same

path

and

you

will

see

how

you

can

live

such

good

lives

four

things

we

learn

as

we

follow

Jesus

as

he

walked

towards

the

cross

the

first

one

is

this

Jesus

walked

where

we

now

walk

Jesus

walked

where

we

now

walk

look

verse

22

it's

telling

us

about

Jesus

life

that

he

committed

no

sin

and

no

deceit

was

found

in

his

mouth

Jesus

was

the

perfect

man

he

lived

the

perfect

good

life

no

charge

could

be

found

against

him

he

never

disobeyed

the

authorities

he

never

disrespected

those

around

him

he

was

completely

innocent

but yet

he

suffered

but

when he

suffered

verse

23

when

they

hurled

their

insults

at

him

when

they

abused

him

and

threatened

him

he

didn't

retaliate

when

he

suffered

when

he

was

flogged

when

he

was

beaten

when

they

crushed

the

crown

of

thorns

in

his

head

he

made

not

one

single

threat

Jesus

has

walked

a

path

of

innocent

suffering

he

knows

what

it

is

to

face

a

corrupt

system

failed

leaders

and

unjust

rulers

who

made

up

stories

who

told

lies

who

in

the

face

of

what

was

true

ignored

it

and

crucified

him

so

Jesus

understands

what it

is like

to walk

in this

world

he

understands

when

you

walk

into

your

workplace

tomorrow

he

understands

when

you

go

to

college

or

to

school

what

it

is

to

face

a

tough

situation

he

knows

what

it's

like

to

obey

leaders

and

what

it

is

to

respect

your

boss

even

when

it's

hard

he

understands

and

he

walks

with

you

he

walks

with

you

as

we

walk

to

the

cross

the

second

thing

we

learn

not

only

is

Jesus

walking

with

us

but

that

Jesus

entrusted

himself

to

the

father

let's

read

verse

23

again

when

they

hurled

their

insults

at

him

he

didn't

retaliate

when

he

suffered

he

made

no

threats

instead

he

entrusted

himself

to

him

his

father

who

judges

justly

you

see

if

anyone

had

the

right

to

fight

back

it

was

Jesus

if

anybody

deserved

justice

it

was

Jesus

if

anybody

had

the

power

to

call

down

an

army

of

angels

and

beat

up

the

Roman

authorities

it

was

Jesus

but

Jesus

didn't

have to

justify

himself

he

didn't

have to

prove

himself

he

didn't

have to

retaliate

he

simply

end

of

verse

23

entrusted

himself

to

him

who

judges

justly

so

as we

go into

our

workplace

wherever

we

may

go

it's

really

not

about

our

rights

we

don't

need

to

be

concerned

about

how

we

are

treated

God

the

judge

will

put

all

things

right

he

will

correct

every

wrong

he

will

set

the

record

straight

God

will

judge

every

leader

and

hold

every

boss

accountable

so

if

God

will

put

everything

right

then

like

Jesus

we

do

not

need

to

retaliate

we

do

not

need

to

make

threats

we

do

not

need

to

fight

back

or

to

take

justice

into

our

own

hands

do

good

and

let

God

be

judge

back

up

to

verse

20

the

end

of

verse

20

if

you

suffer

for

doing

good

and

you

endure

it

this

is

commendable

before

God

God

will

commend

you

the

third

thing

we

notice

and

it's

slightly

different

to

what's

on

the

screen

this

is

the

title

for

the

third

one

Jesus

suffered

to

give

us

a

new

way

to

live

Jesus

suffered

to

give

us

a

new

way

to

live

as

we

follow

on

the

road

to

the

cross

this

is

what

we

see

he

suffered

to

give

us

a

new

way

to

live

verse

24

he

Jesus

himself

bore

our

sins

in

his

body

on

the

tree

so

that

we

might

die

to

sins

and

live

for

righteousness

by

his

wounds

you

have

been

healed

as

we

follow

Jesus

as we

follow

in

his

footsteps

we

are

to

stop

at

the

foot

of

the

cross

and

we

are

to

gaze

at

the

cross

because

we

can't

go

to

the

cross

here

is

where

Jesus

has

stepped

in

for

us

and

here

as

we

look

at

the

cross

we

see

that

our

life

has

been

changed

and

transformed

verse

24

he

himself

bore

our

sins

in

his

body

on

the

tree

Jesus

the

innocent

one

took

the

judgment

of

God

for

all

my

bad

behavior

all the

times

that I

have

disobeyed

and

disrespected

my

leaders

and my

boss

every

time

I have

misused

the

things

the

things

Jesus

has

taken

all

my

sin

on

himself

and

here's

the

reason

look at

verse

24

so

that

we

might

die

to

sins

and

live

for

righteousness

he

took

all

my

bad

sinful

behavior

and

in

place

of

that

he

has

given

me

his

good

perfect

life

so

that

we

might

live

such

good

lives

in

the

world

live

for

righteousness

so