Contextual Reminder.
I. Our Relationship to God. 1:1-2:10
II. Our Relationship to the World.2:11-4:6
A. We are Citizens 2:11-17
B. We are Servants 2: 18-25
C. When Submit to our Spouses 3: 1-7
D We are Neighbors 3: 8-
E. We are Zealots for the Word 3:13-4:6
III. Our Relationship to the Church. 4:7-5:11
I. The Duties of Christian Servants. 2:18-20
VERSE
18Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.
19For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
20For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
A. Submission: A Way to find Favor with God: 2:18-25
1. Submit to good and evil masters.
2. Do it for the sake of the Lord.
B. Respect -
1. Christians are to do good and love or respect even their enemies. Matt. 5: 43-45.
2. We find favor with God when we submit to the evil person.
C. Patient Endurance: "when suffering unjustly"
1. Grace passively endures, Matt. 5:38-41, and rewards the evil done with good. Romans 12:21
D. Innocent Suffering: "if when you do what is right and suffer for it, and patiently endure, this finds favor with God."
E. Conscientious Endurance: "if for the sake of conscience toward
God a man bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly." 2:19
1. A Christian serves while suffering because of the command of Christ.
2. A Christian serves while suffering because of the example of Christ.
3. A Christian serves while suffering because Jesus is the boss. Col. 3:22-25.
II. The Example of the Model Suffer.
VERSE
21For you have been called for this purpose,since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
22WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH;
23and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
25For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
A. The Model Sufferer:
1. Underwriting. hupogrammon.
2. The Steps to follow.
B. Innocent Sufferer: 2:22. (quotation of Isa. 53:9)
1. Committed no sin (aorist tense) 2 Cor. 5:21; 1st John 3:5
2. No guile. Jas. 3:2(perfect man)
C. Peaceful Sufferer. 1st Peter 2:23
1. "While being reviled, He did not revile in return" Isa. 53:7
2. "while suffering, He uttered no threats:" He did not even warn them of God's wrath. Matt. 5: 38-39. Rom. 12:19
D. Trusting Sufferer:
1. "But kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously"
2. "Do not say, I will repay evil for evil." Prov. 20:22
E. Sin-bearing Sufferer: " He bore our sins in His body on the cross."
1. Suffering Servant of Isa. 53:4---"Surely our griefs He himself bore: and our sorrows He carried."
a. Isa. 53:5 ---"But He was pierced through for our transgressions."
b. Isa. 53:11--" He will bear their iniquities."
c. Isa. 53:12--" Yet he himself bore the sin of many."
2. NT. passages on substitutionary atonement of Christ. Matt. 27:46; Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21.
3. Unconditional love in the atonement. 1st John 2:2; I Tim. 2:4
4. Conditional and Potential forgiveness in the atonement. Rom. 3:25; 10: 9-13; 11:20-23.
F. Life Giving Sufferer: "that we might die to sin and live to righteousness."
1. We die to sin when we are baptized into Christ's death. Rom. 6:3-4
2. We live to righteousness when freed from sin as we rise from the waters of baptism in the likeness of Christ's resurrection. Rom. 6:3-4.
G. Healing Sufferer: "for by His wounds you were healed."
1. Isa. 53:5 - "by His scourging we are healed."
2. Matt. 8:16-17 - "physical healing provides our spiritual healing.
3. Jesus is the Great Physician - Matt. 9:1-13.
H. Attractive Sufferer: "for you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1st Pet. 2:25.
1. Love for straying Sheep.
a. Isa. 53:6---"All of us like sheep have gone astray; each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. "
b. Jn. 10:11 - - "the good Shepherd lays down his life for
his sheep."
2. Attraction to Straying Sheep: Christ's suffering drew back the sheep to their Shepherd. Jn. 12:32.
a. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Jn. 10: 15-16
b. Jesus is the Bishop (guardian) or our souls. Rev. 1:5 and Eph. 1:22-23.