An excerpt from George MacDonald’s “The Diary of an Old Soul.”
Sometimes I wake, and, lo! I have forgot,
And drifted out upon an ebbing sea!
My soul that was at rest now resteth not,
For I am with myself and not with thee;
Truth seems a blind moon in a glaring morn,
Where nothing is but sick-heart vanity:
Oh, thou who knowest! save thy child forlorn.
Can be sung to the tune of O God our Help in Ages Past
Hear Thou, My Lord, my anguished plea
My soul undone for sin
Lift up mine eyes to see the Cross
Where Christ my soul did win
Amid the crush of daily life
I fall beneath the weight
Within, without Temptation’s lure
Draws out each sinful trait
I find no hope, but Christ alone
For only He can save
Fast tend my wounded heart once more
Thy holiness I crave
Renew my flagging, foolish mind
On this, Thy Truth alone
Lest in the World’s foul darkness lost
Sin claims me as its own
Refresh, restore my faith and hope
In Christ my Sov’reign Lord
In Him, in Him, and Him alone
Rests all you can afford
Unending mercy, plumbless grace
The depths of Thine own love
Abide within the breast of Him
Sent from your throne above
Take hold my hand, my grip too weak
Myself I cannot save
Now lift me from the miry clay
As Christ rose from the grave
Fill me afresh, Thy Spirit’s breath
Hand working Christ within
Till all at last subdued in Him
Brings death to all my sin
Lord haste that day when in the sky
Christ Jesus reappears
To call us home, to dwell with Him
In floods of joyful tears
When in that hour our every hope
At last is all fulfilled
In Glory’s throne room, Christ’s adored
Sin’s tumults finally stilled
The Devil and his wicked host
Cast in the lake of fire
Nought else but Christ’s own glory song
Will echo ever higher
Forever there in unveiled sight
At last we’ll see The Son
In Whom the Godhead’s fullness dwells
Salvation’s end full won
Who are you looking for Mary?
Here by this wide open tomb?
Had you imagined that somehow
Death swallowed Jesus in doom?
More than the binder of demons
More than the healer you sought
Died – now in power has risen
By His own blood you’ve been bought
Who are you looking for Peter?
Who had you walked with so long?
Isn’t He more than you dreamt of?
How was it you were so wrong?
More than your Teacher or Prophet
More than your Master and friend
Risen in glory and honor
His blood brought your guilt to an end
Who were you talking to Cl’opas?
Who made the Scriptures blaze life?
Who showed Himself in the Bread there?
Who disappeared in the night?
More than a traveling stranger
More than a teacher or sage
None but the Prince of all glory
King of all life age to age
Who are you seeking dear sinner?
Who draws you now by His Word?
Who sends His Spirit to woo you?
Who can bestow the new birth?
None but the crucified Jesus!
None but the risen Amen!
None but God’s perfect Atonement!
None else the Savior of men!
Come to the Fountain for cleansing!
Come and be plunged in the flood.
No stain of sin can remain there
Come and be washed in His blood.
Enter the life of the Savior
Redeemer, Healer and friend
All of the curse in Him ended
Even the grave finds its end
Chorus: Give Him all glory and honor
Praise and adore Him always
Jesus the Christ our Redeemer
Prince of the Ancient of Days
From the Tyranny of the Urgent to the Eternally Important
Matthew 8:28–34
AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND HERE
In 1984 Charles Hummel, published an intriguing book, “The Tyranny of the Urgent.”
His premise was simple, sometimes, because some things seem to scream for our immediate attention, we are unable to pay attention to the things that are really more important.
In the book he writes: “Several years ago an experienced cotton mill manager said to me, “Your greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.” He didn’t realize how hard his maxim hit. It often returns to haunt and rebuke me by raising the critical problem of priorities.”
It is the line about “letting the urgent things crowd out the important” that caught my eye.
He’s right.
It is a critical problem of priorities. How to assign things their proper priority so that we do not end up only dealing with things that scream for attention – when in fact, on the grand scale, they are not nearly as important as others things.
One person who understood this well made a sign that pushes back a bit: “Attention: A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.”
The Bible has a classic example of that in Luke 10. You are all familiar with it no doubt: Luke 10:38–42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Martha was “distracted” by the urgency of seeing a meal was well prepared and hospitality carried out.
But at that moment – God in human flesh was sitting in her living room.
And if there was anything MORE important, it was hearing what He had to say.
Mary got it. She knew Jesus would willingly wait for His sandwich after His teaching was over – but her soul could not wait to hear what He had to say.
Not everything that presents itself as urgent, is necessarily important.
Temptation to sin – Fear, Lust, Greed, Anger, Pride – whatever – always knocks on the door of our heart with urgency: ANSWER NOW OR LOSE SOMETHING OF GREAT IMPORTANCE!
But everything that is truly important, also brings some urgency with it.
Sorting out the difference has a massive impact on how we live and deal with temptation.
What in the world does that have to do with our text today?
Just this – neither the demons Jesus encountered in this account, nor the people in the village nearby had any sense of how to judge what this moment in time really meant – because they were so wrapped up in their own plans, purposes and desires.
What was urgent to them, was not that which was of the greatest importance.
And what was truly of greatest importance, seemed to have no urgency in their minds.
Such is the twist in our thinking that sin has brought about in us.
So God was with them – and the result of failing to reckon with the fact God was with them – right then – ended in disaster.
And I want everyone within the sound of my voice today, to be able to reckon with what is truly important AND urgent in this regard – right now.
I want you to be able to take full advantage of it to your eternal good, and NOT to your eternal destruction.
There is no question this passage is rife with material that makes it quite enigmatic.
Jesus seems to go out of His way just to get to this place.
No sooner does He step foot on shore than He is met with 2 men the text says were “demon-possessed.”
Yes, the Bible attests to the reality of demonic spirits – beings who were originally created as angels – what Hebrews 1:14 calls “ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who are to inherit salvation”.
In other places in Scripture we find that a number of these angels rebelled against God, and 2 Peter 2:4 notes: “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.”
We don’t have time to explore that topic in depth this morning – but note simply that the Bible says this is a reality, and that some people, can give themselves over to the influence of these fallen beings, to the degree that they are “possessed” – or as the Greek has it: δαιμονίζομαι – demonized.
Mark’s account of this same event teases out the horrifying condition of one in this state:
In this state – as these 2 were, one is completely given over to sin so as to have it dominate the life fully and so as to crowd out even normal routines of living. This man had:
Mark 5:2–5 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones.
2. He lived among the tombs. He dwells and is fixated upon the macabre. Life does not interest him, only death. Decay and solitariness fascinate to the point of dominion.
3. He had no normal restraints. Conscience was not binding. Law was not binding. Love was not binding. No outward human structures had any effect upon him.
4. He was in constant inner pain and turmoil. Literally, his soul howled in its bondage. He could not divest himself of his uncleanness, and mourned the same lack of feeling he delighted in when harming others.
In any event these two met Jesus and cried out: Matthew 8:29 “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”
And this, as Luke notes, was because the moment Jesus saw these 2, He began commanding the devil to come out of him.
So 30-31 tell us that this herd of pigs was close by, and the demons asked to be given permission to go into them.
32 And when Jesus said “Go!” – the pigs ran down into the water and drowned.
33-34 So the herdsmen who saw this, went and told those in the town what happened – ostensibly the owners of the pigs.
And the Townspeople came out and asked Jesus to leave them.
Three observations and applications:
1. Everyone has an innate sense that a day of judgement is ahead of us.
As much as many want to try to avoid the thought, the reality that a final day of reckoning is coming is the stated Biblical reality of life in God’s Kingdom.
The devils knew it.
Literature is filled with people wrestling with the fact.
Everyone – deep down knows that if there is anything called justice at all in the universe – the good and bad in this world must be judged. And the Bible proclaims this repeatedly.
Matthew 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
Matthew 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,
Romans 2:6 He will render to each one according to his works:
Romans 14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
And each will either stand cleansed from sin in the blood of God’s Lamb – Jesus Christ, or be condemned in their sin and perish in a Christ-less eternity.
Here is an issue of both the utmost importance AND urgency.
2. We have no idea how amazing this present day of grace is.
The wording right here is really important to see.
Matthew 8:31 And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.”
And Jesus responds: “Go.”
They asked permission, and He gave it!
The time of final judgement had not come.
Whatever the final disposition of these demonic entities, while they know they are already cast down and awaiting an end – it is not yet.
Note then how great is this day of grace in which we live.
What or who is more despicable and liable to judgment than the very demons of Hell.
Yet the day of judgment has not yet come.
And so even they find temporary reprieve from their immediately just due.
That is where you and I stand today – in the day of Grace, in the day of temporary reprieve.
A day when we can still hear the Gospel and believe – repent, turn from our sin and self-government and flee to Jesus for forgiveness.
And if they – the demons – found Christ so willing to stay His hand in their case, then how much more those made in the image of God, yet still bound in their sins?
There is grace to be had!
Today!
For every sinner within the sound of my voice.
This is the moment as well, for Christians who have too long played with hidden sins – like the Jews with their pigs… you have one last time to repent this morning. Don’t let the moment go!
The townspeople at the end of this said don’t bother us with these things now – go away.
And perhaps the most tragic words in all the Bible are then written: in 9:1 – And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city.
He did just what they asked the way He did the demons.
And this is the moment for you who are still outside of Christ –
The hand of The Lord has been withheld by grace.
Judgement hasn’t yet been poured out.
But it is coming!
All who hear may come now, still.
But – and this is where the vast and eternal importance of the Gospel finds itself welded to the urgency of the hour – the day will come when such hope is withdrawn.
Unbeliever listen to me: you need to hear and respond in this extraordinary season of the Gospel.
Before it is too late.
Don’t worry that you are too far gone in your sin to be recovered and made His – beyond forgiveness.
The blood of Christ is sufficient for any and all sin.
If He will grant permission to the very demons of Hell before the Day of Judgement – how much more compassionate will He be to those made in His image?
Forsake your sin now.
Leave your self-will and self-government and self-righteousness behind – and run to Christ!
There is a fountain – filled with blood
Drawn from Immanuel’s veins
And sinners plunged beneath that flood
Lose ALL their guilty stains.
Jesus Christ will save you from your sin and His just wrath that you deserve for rebelling against His right of Lordship over your life – and He calls you now – while it is today – to come and be made new.
3. Some will reject God’s deliverance because they believe the cost is too great.
While it is true that there were many Gentiles living in this area at this time – nevertheless, this was Jewish soil.
According to Jewish Law, it was not permitted for Jews to herd and traffic in swine as they were unclean animals.
But here was this herd of 2000. Something the Jews should never have had – in direct defiance to God’s expressed will.
But the cost of seeing these two men delivered from the bondage to demons was too steep for them.
It would cost them the perceived benefits of their sin.
1000 unclean pigs per person was too much to pay for the souls of men to be freed from demonic oppression.
The Bible is clear – we should all know the cost of following Jesus before we profess to do so.
It WILL cost us something.
It will cost us a life surrendered to God’s Will – above our own.
It will cost us our sins and the temporary and defiling pleasure we take in them.
So – how much is your soul worth?
A few more fleeting moments of the pleasures of sin?
A few more pigs?
Is that all?
Don’t be fooled by the urgency of your sinful desires – yielding to them is not important – hearing and yielding to the call of the Gospel is infinitely important – and in this moment – all encompassingly urgent.
Let’s pray.
ANCHORING THE SOUL
PROVERBS 3:5, 6
THE AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND HERE
Proverbs 3:5–6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
A WORD OF EXHORTATION – Trust in the Lord with all your heart
A WORD OF WARNING – And do not lean on your own understanding
A WORD OF COUNSEL – In all your ways acknowledge Him
A WORD OF PROMISE – And He will make your paths straight
2 Things.
Nothing strikes more directly at the heart of saving faith than this statement.
This is neither naked nor religious optimism.
It is not the bare hope that everything will just turn out OK.
It is a personal trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ at Calvary.
Trust in WHO He is.
Trust in His atoning sacrifice.
Trust in His Word and Promises.
Trust in God’s own character.
You can believe every word of the Creed we just recited is true…
You can believe every word of the Bible is true…
And still perish in a Christ-less eternity.
For it is not merely that we give mental assent to the truthfulness of these things – this, the Devil and all the demons in Hell can and do –
It is believing that Christ died for our sins…
And then actually and personally turning away from every other hope in religion, goodness, works, doctrine or anything else – and resting your entire hope on His sacrifice as in your stead.
When Jerry Bridges was here for our conference, I asked him what he thought was the biggest change he’d seen in evangelism on college campuses? : “We’ve stopped asking people if they are Christians or even Believers, we now ask: Is Jesus Christ your sin-bearer?”
And this is the question before every one of us this morning: Is Jesus your sin-bearer?
For if you cannot answer that in all honesty and reality – you are not yet a Christian no matter what you may profess, or hold to be true.
And the rest of this passage is of no use to you.
Personal Trust in the Person and Cross-work of Jesus Christ.
Nothing else is saving faith.
We must trust in the LORD with all our hearts.
You cannot truly trust anyone you do not know.
And our trust must be in the Christ of the Bible, and not an imaginary one or a fake one.
If you were to need an operation, you’d want a real surgeon to do it, and not someone who plays a surgeon on TV.
And so it is vital that we put our trust in the REAL Christ, the Jesus of the Bible, and not the Jesus fabricated by false religions, cults OR, our own imaginations.
The Jesus Christ of Mormonism for instance is the spirit brother of Satan – and was a man who became a god even as God the Father was once a man and became a god.
That is an abominable and soul damning invention.
The Jesus of Jehovah’s Witnesses is an angel – the Archangel Michael and not God. A kind of secondary divine being.
The Jesus of Christian Science is just a man who demonstrated what they call the “Christ ideal.”
In Scientology Jesus is just a human teacher who realized his potential.
In Islam he was merely one of the prophets, and superseded by Mohammed
And in Baha’ism He’s just one more manifestation of God but not God.
John Owen: But the ancient Christians told [others] the truth,—namely, that “as they had feigned unto themselves an imaginary Christ, so they should have an imaginary salvation only.”[1]
The one we are to trust in with all our hearts – must be the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible if we are to have a true salvation, and true help in our time of need.
Running to the wrong Jesus is as helpful as a wrist watch tattoo.
It may have the appearance of the real – but in the end, it is an utter fake.
The Jesus we need is the Jesus of the Bible – so magnificently above all the fakes as the heavens are above the earth.
Listen to how old John Flavel writes of the Biblical Christ: We ought dwell often on the glories of His divine nature.
“It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God in giving Christ, that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in his cabinet; a mercy of the greatest worthy, and most inestimable value, Heaven itself is not so valuable and precious as Christ is: He is the better half of heaven; and so the saints account him, Psal. 73:25. “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” Ten thousand thousand worlds, saith one,* as many worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh Christ’s excellency, love, and sweetness. O what a fair One! what an only One! what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ! Put the beauty of ten thousand paradises, like the garden of Eden, into one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one; O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder.
Now, for God to bestow the mercy of mercies, the most precious thing in heaven or earth, upon poor sinners; and, as great, as lovely, as excellent as his Son was, yet not to account him too good to bestow upon us, what manner of love is this!
(4.) Once more, let it be considered on whom the Lord bestowed his Son: upon angels? No, but upon men. Upon man his friend? No, but upon his enemies. This is love; and on this consideration the apostle lays a mighty weight, in Rom. 5:8, 9, 10. “But God (saith he) commendeth his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,—When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” Who would part with a son for the sake of his dearest friends? but God gave him to, and delivered him for enemies: O love unspeakable!
(5.) Lastly, Let us consider how freely this gift came from him: It was not wrested out of his hand by our importunity; for we as little desired as deserved it: It was surprising, preventing, eternal love, that delivered him to us: “Not that we loved him, but he first loved us,” 1 John 4:19. Thus as when you weigh a thing, you cast in weight after weight, till the scales break; so doth God, one consideration upon another, to overcome our hearts, and make us admiringly to cry, what manner of love is this! And thus I have shewed you what God’s giving of Christ is, and what matchless love is manifested in that incomparable gift.[2]
It is The Lord we are being exhorted to trust in – and He is worthy of such trust.
You will not read Christ exalting words like these in any religion or cult, and you would certainly never invent them yourself.
THIS, is the Jesus of the Bible.
Trust HIM with your salvation.
Trust HIM in all His promises and that the rewards of Christ are greater than any pleasure of sin.
Trust HIM in His holiness, faithfulness, power, goodness, grace, mercy and love.
Trust the LORD, with all your heart. Trust Him as God eternal – one with the Father.
If you are not a Christian today – this is the one you must trust in order to be saved from the wrath of God for your sin: Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
And if you are a Believer today – then there is no one else you can absolutely trust with every care, burden, need, concern and trial: Psalm 112:6–8 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
Let me mention 1 or 2 more helps in this regard: REHEARSE THE HISTORY OF HIS PROVISION IN YOUR OWN LIFE AND THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS
JORDAN – THE CROSSING OVER
HERMONITES – WHERE GOD DEFEATED SIHON KING OF THE AMORITES AND OG KING OF BASHAN
MIZAR – A PLACE OF PRIVATE BLESSING
RECOUNT HIS PROMISES TO KNOW WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WE ARE TO TRUST HIM FOR
Psalm 121:3 He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Hebrews 13:5 for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Matt. 28:20 And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
1 Cor. 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
Psalm 18:30 This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
Psalm 34:22 The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Psalm 25:3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame
Psalm 115:11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.
We can trust in WHO He is, and WHAT He has promised.
And beyond that, we leave everything in His hands.
There is no assurance of tomorrow, or a better diagnosis, or the salvation of a loved one beyond what His Word says.
1 – OUR UNDERSTANDING IS ALWAYS LIMITED – Isa. 46:10 – He declares the end from the beginning.
2 – OUR UNDERSTANDING IS OFTEN DEFECTIVE – 1 Cor. 13:12- “now we see through a glass darkly”
EXAMPLE: ATTRACTION AT DARIEN LAKE
3 – OUR UNDERSTANDING IS OURS, NOT HIS – I.E. CENTERED IN US, NOT HIM – Isaiah 55:8–9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
And we are not to lean on our own understanding when it comes to things hard to be understood in His Word.
Trinity
The hypostatic union of Christ – how He was both very God and very man.
Salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
The resurrection.
The New Heavens and New Earth.
Do not over scrutinize your circumstances as tho living in a tit-for-tat universe where everything can be tied together in an immediate cause-effect relationship.
Do not lean on your own understanding – but believe His Word – even where it is hard.
1 – SEEING EVERYTHING IN HIM – Luke 12:6–7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.
2 – CONFESSING EVERYTHING TO HIM – FEAR, DOUBT, FAILURE, SIN, WRONG ATTITUDE, GRIEF, SHAME, CONCERN, WEAKNESS, WRONG DESIRE, EVERYTHING!
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah
3 – LAYING EVERY PLAN BEFORE HIM – Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
4 – CASTING OUR WHOLE CONFIDENCE UPON HIM – 1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
1 – HE – NOT “IT”, NOT “THINGS” / GOD HIMSELF PROMISES TO ACT
2 – HE WILL – NOT “CAN” NOT “MIGHT” / GOD HIMSELF PROMISES
3 – HE WILL MAKE – NOT “WATCH” NOT “HOPE” / GOD ACTUALLY PERFORMS
4 – HE WILL MAKE YOUR – NOT “GENERIC” NOT “ONE SIZE FITS ALL” / GOD PROMISES AND PERFORMS CONCERNING YOUR UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCE
5 – HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS – NOT “JUST THIS THING” NOT JUST THIS ONE TIME” / HE PROMISES AND PERFORMS IN BRINGING YOUR WHOLE COURSE UNDER HIS CARE
6 – He will make your paths straight – Not “CRYPTIC” not “ETHEREAL” / He
He promises and performs this by bringing your whole course under His care so that having walked,
You can look back and know that the way He took you was right.
Proverbs 3:5–6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
[1] Owen, John. The works of John Owen. (Ed.) William H. Goold. . Vol. 1. Edinburgh: T&T Clark.
[2] Flavel, John. 1820. The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel. . Vol. 1. London; Edinburgh; Dublin: W. Baynes and Son; Waugh and Innes; M. Keene.
[3] 2001. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
![Psalm 207 [fullscreen]](https://responsivereiding.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/psalm-207-fullscreen.jpg)
Some put their trust in chariots –
In military power
Some put their trust in horses’ strength
As tho wealth will win the hour
Some put their trust in politics
In human institutions
Or in religious moral reform
To counter sin’s pollutions
But none of these can win the day
None else can set us free
None but the name of Christ our Lord
The Tower where Christ’s own flee
1 Peter Part 9 / 2:18-25
Living Supernaturally at Work
AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND HERE
One of the chief ways the Gospel has been most harmed in our day, is in how it is often presented as a cure for difficult circumstances, rather than a cure for sin-sick souls.
[[SLIDE]] This is David Berkowitz – Some of you might recognize him as “The Son of Sam Killer”.
He is currently serving 6 consecutive life sentences for murdering at least 6 people and injuring many more.
If the Gospel we preach isn’t as relevant to someone like a David Berkowitz, serving 6 consecutive life sentences for murder, someone whose circumstances can never change – as it is to our neighbor – then we have competing Gospels.
The Gospel must be relevant to each PERSON.
No matter what their circumstances. In all places, at all times and under all conditions.
So it was in 1987 – David Berkowitz believed the Gospel and was born again. But he will never leave prison. Never.
It is this approach to the Gospel that forms so much of the core or Peter’s letter to his hearers.
And we’ll come back to that before we are done.
[[SLIDE]] You’ll remember last time, we began looking at Christians living supernaturally under the authority of human government.
That was the 1st of 5 spheres of life Peter is addressing.
In each, he is teasing out what it means to live out our Royal Priesthood in this present world.
[[SLIDES]] And as we’ve seen so far – it is:
Counter-cultural to the World’s ways of doing things,
Counter-cultural even to how the Christian context in which we live often does things,
And certainly counter-intuitive to our natural ways of doing things.
It is an awesome and expansive way of seeing and living life.
One which can only be accomplished by living in the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ.
We must keep in mind this is not a way TO BE SAVED, but the way of life those who are already IN CHRIST, by saving faith, are called to live.
It is a prophetic life.
It speaks out into the World.
Life which is itself a living message the World seldom grasps.
One which will have to await Christ’s return to be fully validated.
[[SLIDE]] It is to live ever mindful that those who have been born again by the Spirit of God are a Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood, and a Holy Nation – and set here with a divine goal that rises above everything else, and informs everything we do: [[SLIDE]] “That we might proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness, into His marvelous light.”
These are our marching orders.
This is our purpose. This is our mission: To make God known in the saving work of Jesus Christ – by living His life out in the power of the Spirit.
And I dare say if we give ourselves to that – we won’t have much time or energy left over to entangle us in host of other things.
[[SLIDE]] So this morning, we want to look at the second sphere of life Peter mentions.
What does it look like to carry out our Priesthood in the Workplace?
[[SLIDES]] 1 Peter 2:18–25 TEXT
Building off of the previous portion – our relationship to human government – this portion speaks to us in terms of our employment.
[[SLIDE]] Peter addresses this portion to “servants” in vs. 18.
Servants or slaves were the lowest caste of society.
They were also seen as a part of the household.
The most powerless and marginalized segment of society.
So Peter is making sure that we disconnect ourselves from the social compartments that so often govern us.
Instead he elevates the powerless to remember that if they are in Christ – they too, are this Chosen Race, Royal Priesthood and Holy Nation – and even in their supposedly powerless place, can nonetheless carry out God’s divine strategy in the world.
One does not need money to serve God well.
One does not need social standing to serve God’s purposes.
One does not need political clout to accomplish God’s agenda.
One does not need to fret about being a minority or without a public voice.
One does not need some extraordinary talent or gifting.
One only needs to live out the life of Christ where by God’s sovereign appointment He has placed them.
Many a Christian says they would do this or that for the Kingdom of Christ if only they had the time, or the money, or the position to be heard, or the gifts to impact others or the personality to engage others, or the intelligence to do this or that or the other thing.
[[SLIDE]] Poor Christian, be not dejected, because thou seest thyself out-stript and excelled by so many in other parts of knowledge; if thou know Jesus Christ, thou knowest enough to comfort and save thy soul. Many learned philosophers are now in hell, and many illiterate Christians in heaven.[1]
And Peter is saying by The Spirit – those may be good and well in their place – but right now, right where you are, right in your present circumstances, with the gifts and graces you already have, you can “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” by the way you respond IN your very circumstances.
Under an oppressive, anti-Christian government – live Christ!
In a dead end, job with a crummy boss – live Christ!
Then he’ll touch on 3 more spheres before he’s done.
So what of our text?
[[SLIDES]] I. Here’s the SETUP: Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
He envisions some of his readers to be in a slave relationship to some masters who are not only pagan, but also – unjust.
Since nearly 40% of the Roman population were slaves, this was a pretty common state of affairs.
And unlike our day where one can just look for another job if they don’t like their current boss or employment, these didn’t have that option.
As we’ll see, Peter’s word to us here applies even if one CAN jump ship to another job.
For the focus isn’t upon changing the situation as much as it is on taking advantage of the situation as one of Christ’s Royal Priests right where we are.
Now we must tease out the central thought so that it doesn’t get lost in the details.
Here is God’s Word to us in these servant/master relationships:
[[SLIDE]] No matter how unjustly we are treated – we must never use that treatment as an excuse to respond sinfully ourselves. Instead, we are to use it as a platform to display the supernatural grace of Christ in us.
Let me repeat that: No matter how unjustly a Christian is treated, we must NEVER use mistreatment as an excuse to respond to it sinfully. Instead, we are to use it as a platform to display the supernatural grace of Christ within us.
And I am certain I can hear someone object: But they are thick and stupid and lost and won’t understand it. It will be lost on them.
To which the text responds: It doesn’t matter – because Christ takes note.
So the SET UP is unjust treatment by someone with power over us.
[[SLIDE]] II. And the LENS through which we are to see it is: 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
Did you catch that?
It is a “gracious” thing, a display of grace, when MINDFUL OF GOD – we endure sorrow when suffering unjustly.
Let us be clear – this is NOT the pagan or religiously mistaken idea that there is virtue merely in suffering. That is not the Bible’s teaching.
Suffering in and of itself earns no one anything. {MY 1st funeral?]
Only when we endure a certain way – mindful of whose we are, what we are, and why we are here for the sake of Christ!
[[SLIDE]] III. He goes on to an EXPLANATION: 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
There is nothing laudable about taking our licks patiently when we deserve them. Anyone can do that.
But when we aim to do our human master GOOD, and in the process STILL suffer – mindful of the God we serve in it – THIS, God takes notice of. This He delights in and commends.
[[SLIDE]] IV. Why? Revealed Reasoning.
Because of how it mirrors the work of Christ, and how it demonstrates that we are not of this world – but truly serve another master – THE Master.
[[SLIDE]] 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
So this is the example Christ Himself set for us. Our “CALLING”.
But once again we must be careful here not to cross over into human religious notions, and attach some form of virtue to suffering for suffering’s sake.
That is not Peter’s point. No.
The example Jesus set for us while suffering in order to secure our salvation by His substitutionary atonement on the cross is this – and THIS is Peter’s crucial point:
[[SLIDE]] V. EXAMPLE – Jesus Sinned against: [[SLIDE]] 22 He committed no sin,
He never let other’s sin against Him, lead Him into responding sinfully.
[[SLIDE]] a. Sinned against He didn’t try to deflect suffering by playing both sides: neither was deceit found in his mouth.
[[SLIDE]] b. Reviled by others, He did not respond in kind: 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return;
[[SLIDE]] c. He never threatened back: when he suffered, he did not threaten,
[[SLIDE]] VI. RESPONSE – So what DID He do?
What are WE to do?
[[SLIDE]] but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
[[SLIDE]] VII. PAYOFF: [[SLIDE]] 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
[[SLIDE]] He died bearing our sins on the tree, SO THAT we might be freed from responding to sin in sinful ways.
[[SLIDE]] Essential to our salvation is His bringing us to a place where our motivations are not rooted in reacting to the sinful acts of others – but to the display of His excellencies IN us.
Showing that we have not only been forgiven of our past anger, retribution, revenge and sinful responses to sin – we’ve been redeemed from responding that way at all – in stark contrast to the World and Human nature!
This is the privileged life of His Royal Priests.
Jesus did not respond to the abuse of others, because He was about bigger business than that.
And Peter is calling us to live that way to.
To move beyond the mere external circumstances, to accomplish a spectacular and supernatural work in the world THROUGH the way we endure those circumstances.
It is to find our ministry in living Christ out in the midst of and in response to the darkness around us.
It is here we come face to face with the real wonder of our salvation, and the atoning work of Jesus on the Cross.
This brings us back to where we started.
There is an old joke about what you get when you play a Country Western son in reverse: You get your girl back, your truck back, your job back, your house back and your dog back!
Now that’s great when we are joking about a genre of music.
But how desperately we need to avoid letting presentations of Christianity devolve into that same sentiment.
Just come to Jesus and your marriage will be fixed.
Your kids will grow up healthy and marry well.
Your finances will miraculously turn around and every bad medical diagnosis will be reversed.
However our gracious Lord may bless us in any of these circumstances, it is to demean the Cross and the work of Christ to reduce it to being the means to live the best version of the American way of life.
He died to save us from our sins!
[[SLIDE]] As Paul states in Colossians 1:13–14 “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
He did not die to give us better jobs, more harmonious homes, loving spouses, a sound economy or a stable government.
Jesus’ death on the Cross was to free us both from the penalty of sin – from its dominance in our lives. To set us free from its power.
That we might die to sin in all of its forms, and irrespective of its provocation.
So that we might commit no sin when abused.
So that we might not use deception to avoid difficulty.
So that we might not revile those who revile us.
So that when we suffer, we might not threaten in response.
So that we – like Jesus, might entrust ourselves to His justice, not needing to bring it about ourselves by any sinful means.
And in the process – to accomplish God’s own agenda in the world through the Gospel.
[[SLIDE]] To proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness, into His marvelous light!
This is what Peter means when closes this segment by saying “by His wounds you have been healed.
By having been “healed” by the wounds of Christ. vs. 25 – He means through Christ’s substitutionary death, we have been restored to right fellowship and relationship to God the Father.
Brought back under the oversight and care of the Shepherd of our souls.
To serve Him in joy above every earthly institution and power externally and especially INTERNALLY.
To be other-worldly in Christ – in this fallen, sin-sick world.
To the glory of our God and King – Jesus Christ.
Now THAT’S – the Gospel we preach.
The Gospel we are called to live.
The Gospel which saves us from sin – both its penalty, AND, its power.
[1] Flavel, John. 1820. The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel. . Vol. 1. London; Edinburgh; Dublin: W. Baynes and Son; Waugh and Innes; M. Keene.
Monday afternoon Sept. 28,, 2015, as I understand it, Presidential hopeful/GOP frontrunner/multimillionaire/business mogul Donald Trump, met with some 40 religious leaders for prayer at Trump Tower in NY.
Among those 40 or so gathered, were the likes of Kenneth Copeland, David Jeremiah, Paula White, Robert Jeffress and Jan Crouch. All there, ostensibly – at least in part, to pray for Donald Trump.
The good: That prayer is offered up on behalf of one of those who would aspire to lead this nation.
I would hope all those who support a candidate – irrespective of political party – if they are genuine
Christians would be praying for them. Praying for wisdom.
Praying for the light of salvation to enter their souls and transform them into children of the living God by repenting and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Praying that they would be ethical, upright, serious leaders committed to searching out the best ways and means to provide for the flourishing of the people of this nation.
Praying that if they should in fact be elected to the highest office in this great country of ours, they would be world leaders impacting countless numbers through policies and actions that reflect hearts and minds determined to do what is best for people everywhere before the eyes of God.
Praying that whether their favored candidate wins election or not, the one who does would be truly led by our glorious Christ in serving in that office with honesty, integrity, dignity, conviction, humility, clarity and excellence.
To such prayers, I can only add my own amen.
The Bad: No one there, could have been so naive as to attend such a gathering, without it being construed by those who look to them as spiritual leaders, as a tacit endorsement of Donald Trump’s candidacy.
Knowing Trump’s past and public tactics, this HAD to become a photo-op of the highest order. And as “generic” as some of those prayers were, due to their publicized nature – they in fact are endorsements.
And will be read by many if not most, as implying that Trump should be the “evangelical” candidate.
Never mind his own personal ethics – which are questionable at best.
His multiple marriages.
His public adulterous affair with Marla Mapels, his 2nd wife.
His being given over to amassing monetary wealth and ostentation.
His building, owning and operating casinos – promoting some of the most grievous sins inflicted on the poorest and and most sin-addicted in our society.
His public acknowledgement that he never apologizes for anything – hardly an even remote species of repentance.
Foul mouthed, vilifying, denigrating of any and all who oppose or disagree with him, and a man possessed of a seemingly limitless ego.
So men and women who supposedly profess their highest allegiance to the Cross and cause of Christ, will lend their names and ministries in the promotion of this man in such a public way?
I am not shocked by much, but I am at this. Or rather – horrifibly sickened.
Don’t get me wrong – these individuals are more than free to vote for whomever they please without fear of reprisal of censure from the likes of me.
But to stand with him so publicly while in their roles of leading major Evangelical constituencies is tantamount to using Jesus to sell Trump.
That my friends beyond egregious.
The ugly: I can say without fear of any serious rebuttal, that Kenneth Copeland and Paula White are out and out heritics. Guilty of some of the worst crimes agains the Gospel and the Church of Christ as any in our age.
And here stand, arm in arm – seemingly joined by politics with those whom they would utterly reject theologically – in a unified Religio-Political platform – men like David Jeremiah and Robert Jeffress.
Have we lost our minds?
Is politics really the end game, so that the cause of Christ is to be used simply to further it?
Shame. Shame on us. Shame on Evangelicalism in America that such a spectacle is even thinkable let alone actually possible.
Hear me, please hear me clearly: Donald Trump cannot save America.
Neither can any other candidate for that fact.
Is he a Christian? I do not know. And in this respect it does not matter.
I do know he has tapped into the anger of many – and that as Christians, such anger is not a right heart and mind from which we ought to be making our political (or any other) choices. For if it anger above everything else which unifies us, we are no different from the World.
The only, the ONLY thing which can save America, is a wholesale rejection that politics can do anything of lasting and true value for this nation; And that the only thing which can is revival – a recalling of the Church to her first love and purpose in repentance, with a subsequent pouring out in prayer and preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for lost men and women.
And that, my friends, transcends this or any government.
Jesus Christ in His saving power is our, or any other people’s only, ultimate hope.
1 Peter Part 8
1 Peter 2:13-17
Jeremiah 29:1-9
THE AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND HERE
We’ve spent all our time in this letter thus far, reckoning with the Believer’s true identity in Christ.
[[ SLIDE ]] An identity summed up in v9 as: A CHOSEN RACE; A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD; A PEOPLE FOR HIS OWN POSSESSION.
Now what is that supposed to look like in the real world?
Here, we move from the theoretical and doctrinal, to the practical.
[[ 4 SLIDES]] OUTLINE
1 – 13-14 / WHAT TO DO – The Directive: Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
The connection between this exhortation and what came immediately before seems clear: the one who will not submit to earthly authorities, will not submit to God’s either.
Submission to earthly authorities is the boot camp to serving God.
Practice here serves us well for the other, and failure here indicates unwillingness in the other.
These are not disconnected issues but very closely tied, indeed intertwined.
Do not imagine yourself a devoted follower of Christ if you are constantly chafing against earthly restraint – for the Heavenly is more encompassing.
[[SLIDE]] Note that Peter’s concern here is in our interaction with pagan governments.
Whatever that might look like, it must be governed first and foremost by regard to Christ’s Lordship and program in the earth – for His sake.
The idea is that we do not interact for our OWN sake as the primary motivation, but what will be most useful in the displaying of Christ’s Lordship in this place and under these circumstances. What will put Him in the best light and accomplish His will?
That Christ has an agenda, and that that agenda must inform our responses to oppressive and pagan rulers.
We can’t help but see here in Peter’s instruction, is that the argument that Christians need only submit to the government IF the government is performing up to Biblical standards and fulfilling its God appointed functions and purposes – doesn’t hold water.
This specific government he is referring to here was a pagan government.
This was a Godless government.
This was a government that endorsed abortion and infanticide.
This was a government that endorsed, practiced and regulated widespread slavery. Nearly 40% of the population.
This was the Emperor who removed them from their homes, and exiled them to this place.
[[SLIDE]] This is Emperor, Claudius in the best case, Nero in the worst – but let’s take Claudius –
Was married 4 times.
Had his 3rd wife and her lover executed.
In his 13 year reign had 35 Senators executed and over 300 knights. Knights where a privileged class, originally from the army but who stood as an intermediary group between the ordinary citizens and the senatorial class.
He was well known for ignoring the laws in court rulings merely on personal whims.
And what was widely known and would have opened him up for ridicule is the fact that his own family thought he was defective and useless.
One relative called him a monster.
His childhood illness left him disfigured.
He was “clumsy and coarse.”
Tales of him falling asleep after dinner, and being pelted with food to wake him up were common.
It was even said they put shoes on his hands while asleep so that when he woke he would rub his eyes with them.
He was a joke to his family and everyone else.
He had an undiagnosed malady with head tremors. When he got excited his nose ran profusely and he even foamed at the mouth.
He also had an extreme blood-thirst, addicted to the gladiatorial games in the arenas.
Claudius and his government cared nothing for the religious rights of Christians as a sect of Judaism.
And he ran a government that cared nothing for whether or not these people were discriminated against due to their ethnic origin (Jews?) or their religion.
[[SLIDE]] And Peter, through the Holy Spirit says: “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.”
For the Lord’s sake. So that His will and agenda is accomplished.
[[SLIDE]] We are NOT at war with our government – but with sin.
[[SLIDE]] 2 – 15 / WHY DO IT THIS WAY? – The Rationale: “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”
[[SLIDE]] The idea here is that the Christian lives a supernatural life in the midst of a fallen natural world.
We don’t base our actions on theirs – but upon Christ’s commands, at whose pleasure we serve as a Royal Priesthood.
Doing good in this context is specifically connected to our obedience to secular authorities.
This is a UNIQUELY Christian attitude, meant to display our trust in higher glories in Christ as Lord.
And so we are not afraid of earthly authorities, nor at war with them.
I fear that in our day, this idea is almost entirely lost in the Church.
[[SLIDE]] Because our responses are to be EVANGELISTIC.
God desires to have us address these circumstances with His eternal plan in view, above our immediate concerns.
He draws into His grand scheme, rather than letting us founder on the small stuff.
In the capacity of your Priesthood, you have a vastly different responsibility toward God’s purposes in your circumstances.
Note how silencing the ignorance of this foolish people (specifically corrupt governmental agents) is done:
Not through demonstrations.
Not through legislation.
Not through protests.
Not through lawsuits.
Not through shouting the others down.
Not through vilification of the opposition.
Not through cowering in fear.
Not through fleshly human responses.
But, through DOING GOOD – as one of the core honors of our Priesthood we discussed last week. Remember Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
[[SLIDE]] “Epistle to Diognetus” in the early part of the second century. “The Christians,” he says, “are not distinguished from other men by country, by language, nor by civil institutions. For they neither dwell in cities by themselves, nor use a peculiar tongue, nor lead a singular mode of life. They dwell in the Grecian or barbarian cities, as the case may be; they follow the usage of the country in dress, food, and the other affairs of life. Yet they present a wonderful and confessedly paradoxical conduct. They dwell in their own native lands, but as strangers. They take part in all things as citizens; and they suffer all things, as foreigners. Every foreign country is a fatherland to them, and every native land is a foreign. They marry, like all others; they have children; but they do not cast away their offspring. They have the table in common, but not wives. They are in the flesh, but do not live after the flesh. They live upon the earth, but are citizens of heaven. They obey the existing laws, and excel the laws by their lives. They love all, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown, and yet they are condemned. They are killed and are made alive. They are poor and make many rich. They lack all things, and in all things abound. They are reproached, and glory in their reproaches. They are calumniated, and are justified. They are cursed, and they bless. They receive scorn, and they give honor. They do good, and are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice, as being made alive. By the Jews they are attacked as aliens, and by the Greeks persecuted; and the cause of the enmity their enemies cannot tell…This lot God has assigned to the Christians in the world; and it cannot be taken from them.”[1]
[[SLIDE]] When is it a sacrifice to “do good”? When you are doing good to those who are NOT doing you good – perhaps doing positive harm!
[[SLIDE]] 3 – 16 / WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR – The Warning: “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.”
The freedom referred to here seems to be the freedom from earthly authorities versus Heavenly.
Our service is to FIRST of all Christ, not to men.
We are citizens of Christ’s Kingdom.
We are called to submit to them, but not fear them like we do God Himself.
Yet we are not to construe that as license to ignore human authority – nor as license to rebel against or overthrow human authority.
It is freedom to serve Christ above all, but that, in righteousness.
It is interesting to note that Israel as God’s people was in captivity 2 major times: 1st in Egypt and 2nd in Babylon.
AT NO TIME WERE THEY GIVEN PERMISSION TO REBEL AGASINT THEIR CAPTORS.
[[SLIDE]] The early Christians were subject to a power which required them to do that which was forbidden by their religion. To that extent and within those limits they could not and did not obey it; but they never encouraged in any way resistance or rebellion.… He only disobeyed when it was necessary to do so for conscience sake. The point of importance is the detachment of the two spheres of activity. The Church and the State are looked upon as different bodies, each with a different work to perform. To designate this or that form of government as ‘Christian,’ and support it on these grounds, would have been quite alien to the whole spirit of those days. The Church must influence the world by its hold on the hearts and consciences of individuals.… [William Sanday and Arthur C. Headlam, The Epistle to The Romans (New York: Scribner’s, 1895), p. 372][2]
Daniel was not to rebel.
Joseph was not to rebel.
Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael were not to rebel.
[[SLIDE]] Civil disobedience under specific circumstances? Yes.
[[SLIDE]] When commanded to do anything God’s Word forbids,
Or,
[[SLIDE]] When forbidden to do anything God’s Word commands.
But that does not then carry over into wholesale rebellion.
Only in those circumstances and with a willingness to endure the consequences.
Again – Free in what way?
We’re free from the constraints the Culture would try to impose upon us.
Live as those who resist being compelled to do that which is against holiness – the pressure to be “politically correct”.
But in that freedom – don’t use it as a cover up for venting your spleen in “righteous indignation.”
It is so easy to justify anger, vilification and outward contempt on lost people and their thought process.
But deal with them in patience and righteousness and not in justifying your inward compulsion to shout them down or dominate over them.
Live as servants of God as opposed to:
The Jeremiah portion we had read needs to come in here.
Note how God directs the actions and attitudes of the Jews while under the severe captivity of the Babylonians.
[[SLIDE]] Jeremiah 29:4–9 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:
[[SLIDE]] Extremes on all ends must be avoided:
[[SLIDE]] 4 – 17 / THE WRAP-UP – The Summary: “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
What does that look like?
[[SLIDE]] Honoring EVERYONE. Each in their own station. 3 Examples:
This, as opposed to vigilantism.
We all yearn for justice.
And we have an interesting affinity for movies and such where someone wronged may go outside the bounds of what is legal and ethical in order to bring about the justice they may have been deprived of.
And the stronger our sense of justice, the more inclined we are to cheer such exploits.
But a sinful response to sin is never justified – no matter how grievously we may have suffered injustice at the hands of others.
It is a hard thing to trust God with injustice. But a necessary one.
Every single human being is made in the image of God. They must all be treated as such.
Above mere honor, those in the Church must be LOVED, and thus encouraged and supported and reminded of their station, identity, provision in the Spirit and ministry to the World as Priests.
God alone is to be feared. Period.
But honor is due, even to that rascal who subjected them to such difficulty. He too, is one made in the image of God.
The bottom line to it all is this: To live a supernatural lifestyle, in submission to His appointed arrangement, unperturbed, in carrying out Christ’s agenda and not our own. Fearless but respectful.
To present a stark contrast to all human and fallen reasoning.
To be otherworldly – here and now, for Christ’s sake.
Ultimately – to live as He lived in His incarnation.
This is what He did in saving us. This is what we do in extending that salvation to the rest of this fallen world.
That all might come to know Him savingly too.
[[SLIDE]] OUTLINE.
[1] Schaff, Philip & David Schley Schaff. 1910. History of the Christian church. . Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
[2] Ryrie, Charles Caldwell. 1982. The Christian and social responsibility. (Current Christian Issues). Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
1 Peter Part 7
The Honor of the Believer’s Priesthood
1 Peter 2:1-12 / Isaiah 61:1-7
THE AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE HEARD HERE
Last week, we spent our time in this same passage, and we saw how Believers are not to be thrown by being prized by God while at the very same time being rejected by the culture.
This idea was presented in terms of Jesus being God’s “Cornerstone” the foundation of all God is doing.
Then Peter notes that Believers share in that experience.
And uses this phrase: “So the honor is for you who believe.”
He is saying that the outward negative experience, is actually an HONOR when understood in the context of sharing in Christ’s experience.
And then he goes to fill that out in describing the sum of the Believer’s 3-fold identity:
We are: Members of a new race.
Part of a royal PRIESTHOOD,
And Citizens of a new Kingdom.
This idea of the Priesthood of the Believer. What exactly might that mean?
That’s what we want to explore a bit this morning.
First, by taking a look at God’s appointed priesthood in the OT, and then seeing how that might apply to the Believer in the NC.
Ordinarily, when people think of Priests, they think of vocational clergy.
Some Protestant denominations like Anglican or Episcopalian for instance, call their clergy “priests.”
Certainly that is the case with Roman Catholicism and many other religions as well.
For us it comes as a surprise that Peter would use that term in talking about ordinary believers.
Yet that is the term Peter uses.
To Peter’s Jewish readers, this would evoke images from their own heritage, where within the greater Israelite nation, God chose one tribe out of the 12 to serve Him as Priests – The Levites.
In Ex. 28, we see the appointment of Aaron, who was of the Tribe of Levi, and his sons, set apart by God to serve Him as “priests”.
However, nothing is said about the entire Tribe of Levi until the incident with the Golden Calf at Sinai. There, in Ex. 32, when Moses is restoring order to the people after their wild abandon into idolatry,
the text reads: “Exodus 32:26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.
Later, when God is giving instructions on organizing the nation – something He has not done with any other nation on the earth – we read: Numbers 1:1–4 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness…2 “Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, according to the number of names, every male, head by head. 3 From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, company by company. 4 And there shall be with you a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers.
Numbers 1:47–51 But the Levites were not listed along with them by their ancestral tribe. 48 For the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 49 “Only the tribe of Levi you shall not list, and you shall not take a census of them among the people of Israel. 50 But appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it and shall camp around the tabernacle. 51 When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down, and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.
No one else was allowed to enter the Tabernacle in the Holy Place, where God manifested His presence behind a veil, over the Mercy Seat or cover of the Ark of the Covenant.
But twice a day, a Priest and only a Priest was to go to the altar of incense that sat right in front of the veil – and offer up incense as a picture of prayer going into God’s presence.
We get a glimpse of this in Zechariah – John The Baptist’s father when he served as a priest for a time. Luke 1:
Along with this function, the Priests were entrusted with the Urim and Thummim, two stones which were part of the High Priest’s special garb, whereby they might inquire of God concerning His will in matters of national importance in specific situations. Just how this worked is a mystery lost to us, and in fact the Urim and Thummim were lost to Israel in the Babylonian captivity – never to be seen again.
[[SLIDE]] 4. Lastly, the Priests were to officiate at the sacrifices which God appointed as central to Israel’s worship.
These are the 4 key areas God’s appointed priests in Israel were to set in place to perpetuate and administrate as God’s ordained priesthood.
And as I said, it would be the most natural connection for Peter’s first readers to have these ideas in mind when reading the portion we have before us today.
Additionally, and a point Peter’s readers could not have missed in this context, is how God also ordained that the Priesthood would have no physical or earthly inheritance like the rest of the Jewish nation.
Numbers 18:21–24 “To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service that they do, their service in the tent of meeting, 22 so that the people of Israel do not come near the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. 23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the people of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24 For the tithe of the people of Israel, which they present as a contribution to the Lord, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no inheritance among the people of Israel.”
This would have rung in their ears as they are now a dispossessed and transplanted people. Truly without any national or physical inheritance. And as Priests – if indeed ALL of God’s children are priests, would mean these circumstances are in fact to be expected!
God’s people are not to look at this life and its blessings, as our inheritance. We have something much greater before us.
They would also see that while God ordained a priesthood in Israel – that special class had undergone a tremendous transformation now that Christ as the Great and final High Priest had come.
For God had in fact prophesied to them that one day His entire PEOPLE would be a priesthood.
And this is exactly what Peter is saying has finally come to pass.
Ex. 19:6; Isa. 61:1-7
Not only does Peter pick up on this idea, but the writer to the Hebrews does in Heb. 13:15, and the Apostle John appeals to it no less than 3 times.
Rev. 1:6; 5:9-10; 20:6
Now that the Messiah has come, and fulfilled all the types and shadows of the Mosaic era, it is the Believing people called Christians who are this new nation of priests unto God.
And what of it?
This is Peter’s point for his readers: This idea of being a PRIESTHOOD is central to a lifestyle that refuses to be driven by the passions of the flesh – for the passions of the flesh war against the soul – and make it impossible to carry out our priesthood!
So we have but 2 things to look at this morning:
Taking the 4 general areas we saw above with the Levitical Priesthood, it isn’t hard to draw a line to what that might look like to us, especially when Peter Himself makes one of the chief connections for us.
And since the blood sacrifices have all been concluded in Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross –what is left to us?
Romans 12:1 / Heb. 13:13-16
2 Tim. 3:14-16
As Priests, all of us are to study it.
Some of us are gifted to teach it or preach it publicly.
All of us are to provide the means whereby it is proclaimed publicly – supporting the platforms for it.
Local Churches, missions, publishing, evangelism efforts, etc.
Guardians of what the Church is, and who is part and who is not.
1 Cor. 3:9; 3:16.
This is why at least in part, we hold to a concept of Church membership even in the local assembly. For every Christian in his or her priestly duty is to labor to preserve the identity of the Church as God’s called out people and to identify with them as such. Join themselves to them and identify as one of them.
This applies to Baptism as a public profession, and to church membership in being joined with other Christians to further the Gospel, display the Kingdom, grow in grace and preserve the public and Biblical worship of God in society.
Some do not think that Church membership per se is COMMANDED, but it most certainly is implied when we see how God structures His church, and calls us to that one racial identity, one citizenship and then the one singular priesthood. Taking responsibility for sustaining and building up the representation of God’s Church wherever it is found.
To be part of a gathering of God’s Priesthood to learn together, labor together in the Gospel, build one another up in grace and pray for each another. It is why intentional relationships in Christ are so important. Is anyone close enough to you to be really involved in your spiritual growth? This is part of the priestly privilege.
EZRA 4:1-3 – Not everybody who says they belong – do!
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
So Peter’s thought is this: Believer’s have this high and holy honor to serve God as His ordained Priesthood – a Priesthood which gets to exercise its unique privileges in –
Knowing and proclaiming God’s Word to the World
Offering up sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and service to the King
Building and protecting His Church, His Body, His people in all places and in every generation as a people set apart for God
And the extraordinary ministry of prayer.
And in this – NO priest is without opportunity. You may be precluded from every other priestly task, but all of us can pray.
It is not a millstone, but an unworldly honor bestowed upon the Priests of the Living God.
The warning then in this passage – if we take it as a whole is this – back in vs. 1 we were told: 1 Peter 2:1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.
Because we cannot, we CANNOT fulfill the role of priests in the areas mentioned, while at the same time being filled with malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander.
They are antithetical to one another.
Matthew Henry writes: The grand mischief that sin does to man is this, it wars against the soul; it destroys the moral liberty of the soul; it weakens and debilitates the soul by impairing its faculties; it robs the soul of its comfort and peace; it debases and destroys the dignity of the soul, hinders its present prosperity, and plunges it into everlasting misery. Of all sorts of sin, none are more injurious to the soul than fleshly lusts. Carnal appetites, lewdness, and sensuality, are most odious to God, and destructive to man’s soul. It is a sore judgment to be given up to them.[1]
In addition, when one is fostering sin in their lives, secret or otherwise, they dull their own ability to hear and know God’s will and Word. You won’t pray, especially for others, because guilt will either keep you away from prayer, or dominate your prayers. Sin wages a continuing battle against a heart and mind set on holy things.
In closing he says to keep our behavior honorable – commensurate with the honor of our Priesthood among the heathen – so that in the day when Christ reveals all – He may be glorified in what we’ve done.
It may never be recognized by any now – but one day it will.
1 Peter 2:9 Overall – that grand point is this: Believer – you have been ordained into God’s Priesthood in this present world.
It is a high and holy privilege.
And as we assume the role that is assigned us in offering up such spiritual sacrifices; establishing, building up and protecting God’s Church in the world; Absorbing and proclaiming God’s truth in the world; and engaged in prayer – entering freely into the very throne room of God to plead for one another – then let us throw off anything and everything that might hinder us in these pursuits.
Let’s get rid of everything that doesn’t fit with our role as God’s ordained priests.
Let us serve Him in the joy and knowledge of our privileges.
Oh what extraordinary privileges belong to those who are God’s own Children in Christ Jesus!
Peter is not laying some burden on the backs of his hearers, but reminding them of their high estate in Christ, though utterly scorned by the World.
In this, they are, we are prepared to face the petty scorn of others.
And to walk above it in the most humble and godly way.
[1] Henry, Matthew. 1994. Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume. Peabody: Hendrickson.
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