Manifestations of Hope in Suffering

2023’s annual theme is Hope for Everyday Life. We wanted our church family to remember that no matter what we face, we can always have a positive outlook on our future because God does exactly that which results in his glory and our good.

• Our hope always rests in God.

• Our positive outlook impacts our daily, mundane existence and our normal interactions with others.

I think many of us enjoy blessings from God.

• He is not just good (which he is all the time) – he also gives his children many good gifts.

• You might be in one of those times right now --- God’s hand of blessing is all over your life.

But other times life hurts. When it does, it is easy to lose hope – to lose our positive outlook.

Our pastoral team decided it would be helpful for our church family to study 1 Peter together. While there are many themes and ideas, its primary theme is hope during unjust suffering.

Please turn with me to 1 Peter 2:18. That is on page 181 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you.

As you are getting there, we have seen some amazing truths already.

• Believers were born again to a living hope (1:3) … I love that terminology

• Our future is secured by a promised inheritance (1:4) … a secured future

• Our proven faith results in praise at the coming of Jesus (1:7)

• We are living stones being built into a grand spiritual house (2:4) … how cool is that

• We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people for God’s own possession (2:9) … Wow! What descriptions of his people. Each one filled with OT truth and imagery.

• That the prophets of old were serving us – the ones who heard the gospel (2:12)

• Isn’t the Lord kind?

• Isn’t it amazing that we are the beneficiaries of his grace?

Peter explains that God has, continues, and will do great things for us. As a result of his work, he allows us (and expects us):

• To change and grow to be more like Jesus (1:13-16)

• Be holy in all our behavior

• Fervently love one another from the heart

• To proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light (2:10)

• Wow! What a mission.

I find it amazing that Jesus would want me to do that. We often choose the beautiful, smart, or wise to advertise our products.

• Use this product and look like her. Eat this food and look like him. There used to be commercials about Michael Jordan shoes. “Be Like Mike.”

Jesus wants us, all of us, proclaiming his excellencies in our everyday lives. We are all trophies of God’s grace on display for the people in our little world to see. So that …

• Every student, staff, and faculty member at Purdue hears it.

• Every employee at CAT and SIA hears it.

• Every worker or visitor to a small business hears it.

• Every neighbor in our little area hears how awesome Jesus is.

Jesus does not save us and then tell us to keep quiet and let the beautiful Christians do the talking.

• He wants us all to say that Jesus is awesome and is in the business of transforming people and giving them a glorious future.

That brings us 2:11. In this section, we see some of the things that could rob us of hope and the opportunity to proclaim Jesus’ excellencies.

• A sinful lifestyle

• Abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against your soul

• The unbelievers must see excellent behavior

• Some of them are challenging

In our passage this morning, we find prominently, the barrier of unjust suffering. The title of the message this morning is Manifestations of Hope in Suffering. Please follow along as I read, I want to start in v. 18 and read to the end of the chapter. This is the Word of the Lord. Read 1 Peter 2:18-25.

I would like us to consider Three specific actions to take during unjust suffering that God finds precious.

I. Adopt a submissive posture (vv. 18-20)

1 Peter 2:18-20 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For 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.

When we experience what we perceive as unjust suffering we have a couple possible responses.

• One is rebellion.

• Some children find their parents’ rules oppressive. Rather than view it as a learning opportunity, they rebel.

• Some workers, like we find right here, struggle with the requests and attitude of their supervisors. Thus, they rebel.

I finally have all my tax documents, but getting them together is a struggle. Not because I don’t know what they are, but tax day is not a particularly happy day.

• I might perceive that our government wastes money by the truckloads and therefore I don’t want to give them money. Rebellion is always possible.

The Lord calls us, in certain relationships, to submission. Adopting a submissive posture is accomplished…

By placing ourselves under appropriate authorities: “Submit”—place yourself willingly under (v. 18)

Slavery and servanthood in the ancient world was not exactly the same as American slavery. Ancient slaves could be well educated, live well, have meaningful jobs, and potentially purchase their freedom.

• However, both ancient and American slavery meant ownership. A slave was not free.

• Ancient slavery was often a difficult life and many slaves were never freed.

We enjoy freedom in American. It is an envy of many other nations.

But our Christian duty to submit still exists. We still have governments – which we like more or less as the seas of political waves shift – we still have parents, teachers, and in this passage masters or bosses.

Whether we are freely under that boss (as is the normal case for us) or whether it is by force (as is the case for many in the world today and in the ancient world), our posture is submission.

When we willingly place ourselves under their authority, at the very least, we can willingly do our best for the Lord.

All of us understand that there will be times we are asked to do something that we find unfair, unreasonable, or unjust.

• We might even be in a situation where the whole set up is unjust, unreasonable, or unfair.

We can willingly do our best for the Lord. This obligation is not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.

I remember a part-time job I had in the early 1990s. I think I started as a senior in college. The job was tech support for the customer service reps at a manufacturing company. It is amazing I got the job to begin with because I am terrible at interviews.

• They ask me what skills I have and I say I don’t have any.

• They ask me what teams I have worked with and I say I prefer to work alone.

• They ask me what problems I have solved and I tell them I don’t have any.

• In other words, I am just terrible at interviewing.

But in God’s amazing sovereignty only one other person was willing to take the job and they were hiring two. I got a job because they were desperate.

Then, and here is where things quickly became unjust. They gave us little training. The customer service reps knew far more than we did and we were supposed to support them! To make matters worse, we were the last line of defense. If we did not know the answer then we made a note for people for the next day.

• The whole thing was a disaster.

• They were killing us. We looked like idiots and there was very little we could do about it.

• In fact, once the people in the field figured out we had no idea what we were talking about, they quit calling.

The injustice did not stop there. In God’s kindness, I decided to start reading manuals I found in a closet. I knew the Lord did not want me to waste time. I knew he wanted me to add value somehow.

• I developed reports that found their way to the executive team. My boss took all the credit. I was once asked to deliver some material to those in high executive office and I found my reports on their desk.

• I had to decide whether I would now rebel in my heart, in my time, or give it to the Lord and keep doing what he wanted.

Being submissive often means doing our best for the Lord even if the situation is unjust, unfair, or unreasonable. We submit …

By giving authorities appropriate respect

Peter emphasizes the fear of the Lord. We see that clearly in his call to fear the Lord (1:17), for the sake of conscience toward God (2:19), and the reward comes from God (2:19, 2:20).

I am not doing my best simply because my unjust boss wants me to.

• I am doing so as an act of worship to the Lord. I do what is right in God’s sight because I ultimately want his approval.

• I know that responding well to unjust or unreasonable requests results in favor from the Lord.

I will emphasize this point again later, but for now … this favor is most likely in context our future salvation.

That said, the Lord knows how to bless doesn’t he?

• The Lord knows how to take an unjust situation and turn it on its head if he wants.

That is exactly what the Lord did with my job. That job led to a different and much better job, which led to a job during seminary, which provided some skills that I have used many times in ministry.

Sometimes I wonder, what would I have sacrificed if I had rebelled? What favor or blessing from the Lord would I have forfeited due to rebellion?

• Friends if you are in a tough job right now, then I appeal to you not to focus on your perceived injustice and poor treatment.

• Focus on the Lord and fearing him properly.

• Do you best because of Jesus and if it results in blessings to your boss that he/she does not deserve, then put that in the Lord’s hands.

If submission to our bosses and masters is motivated by our fear of the Lord and looking to him for our future salvation then we also submit properly …

By willingly facing consequences for doing with is right

We do not live in ancient society. We do not have masters in the same way they did. The Lord has given us freedom. Thus, we choose our masters, and our masters choose us.

• Our state, Indiana, allows for businesses and employees to part ways just because. It is an at-will state.

• Thus, we must determine how exactly this passage best displays the gospel and the excellencies of Jesus.

As long as you accept that person or company as your master, you must submit to non sinful requests and do your best for the Lord.

• I think this is plan A. We normally do our very best even if we believe we are being treated unfairly or unjustly.

If we were honest, we must admit that there are times our own rebellion results in harsh treatment.

• When it is on us, we patiently endure it knowing it was our fault. We must repent, change, and do what is right.

If we are unable to perform a particular task because we believe it is wrong or sinful, then we take that stance because all our work is to the Lord.

• In that sense, we accept the consequences. In Indiana, that can mean losing one’s job quickly.

• Many believers have been asked to do shady things. They had to decide whether they could do them with a clean conscience before God.

• If not, our employers have freedom to find someone who will.

What about us? Aren’t we allowed to change as well? Absolutely.

• There is more than one way to leave your current employment. You could leave mad, spitting on the sidewalk as you walk out the door, and then explain to your friends how terrible the place is.

• Or, you can leave purposeful, seeking to honor the place you are leaving and explaining that there are mission differences that necessitate this move.

• We can do so in way that does not trash the testimony of how awesome Jesus is.

Living in a society where freedom exists allows for more choice.

• But as we learned last week, “do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.”

We find favor with God when we follow his command to be submissive.

• We also make a statement to the unbelieving world that we know how to live with unjust suffering.

• We understand how to function in hard situations and still do our best, live with joy, and honor the Lord.

A second way we can live with hope and proclaim the excellencies of Jesus is to …

II. Embrace your calling to be like Christ (v. 21-24)

1 Peter 2:21-24 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and 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.

It is not easy to leave a job, endure a difficult one, or live for Jesus when you have an unjust or unfair boss.

• It is not easy to be motivated primarily by your fear of the Lord especially when the injustice still hurts you and your family.

Peter’s audience had little choice. Sometimes that is true for us too. So how do you live with hope?

• How can you proclaim the excellencies of Jesus?

• How can you show that being a Christian makes a difference?

Embrace our calling to be like Christ. Is there a difference between embracing something and resigning yourself to the inevitable? I think there is a huge difference.

• When I resign myself I am like a boat on the sea with no sail or engine. I go where it takes me. I deal with whatever comes my way.

• When I embrace something, then I steward it, I own it, I do the best I can with it.

We do not resign ourselves to the inevitability of Christian suffering. We embrace the reality that Christ suffered and we will suffer the more we are like him.

• The more I proclaim his excellencies the more people will hate our Christianity.

• The more I stand for Christ and a Christian worldview the more people get mad.

Thankfully we have a savior who already charted the path for us. He cleared the way and told us to follow him. Our task is to embrace that calling. We can follow Christ by…

Returning good for evil

At this point, Peter takes us to the cross and the text of Isaiah 53. He reminds us first that Jesus was perfect.

• He committed no sin

• There was no deceit found in his mouth

Jesus was perfect and perfectly innocent. I don’t have time to unpack it, but I love Mark’s accounts of the various trials.

• In the trial before the Sanhedrin, the leaders have a problem.

• They bring witnesses, but their stories don’t match.

• They cannot satisfy the requirement in the law that a fact is confirmed on the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses.

• Thus, Jesus tells them exactly what they need – he would rebuild the temple in 3 days. It is the truth, of course, but from their perspective it was a lie.

The chief priests take Jesus to Pilate. Pilate hears the charges and is like “come on guys, seriously.” You want me to kill Jesus because he exaggerated, really? If I were to do that, I would have to kill everyone – including you.

• He gives Jesus a private hearing. All Jesus must do is fight for his innocence.

• Pilate wants to free him. Jesus gives him nothing.

Jesus has a mission to accomplish. He will prove his excellencies and why they need proclaimed.

• In the process, he does not fight for his innocence.

• He had an out with the Sanhedrin --- just keep quiet.

• He had an out with Pilate --- vigorously defend yourself. Neither was the plan God had for him.

Looking to God the father, living in the fear of Father, Jesus being perfectly innocent endured unjust suffering at the hands of wicked people to accomplish the Father’s will.

What was that will? That we might be rescued. That is the ultimate returning good for evil.

He bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

What a deal! The Lord was perfectly innocent and suffers anyway. His good results in our salvation and our freedom to live for righteousness.

This is very similar to what we find in Romans 6:11-19.

• We are dead to sin and alive to God … therefore present yourselves and the members of your body as instruments of righteousness.

One way we live for righteousness is return good for evil. That is why we do our best, why we are blessings to others, why we stay at something --- because we want to follow the path Jesus made for us. We also embrace our calling by …

Absorbing the injustice of others

The crucifixion account reminds us that as Jesus is suffering and dying, people are challenging him.

• If you are the son of God, come down from that cross and we will believe you.

• He saved others, he cannot save himself.

• They were doing some serious reviling.

• But Jesus uttered no threats.

Maybe some of you can relate to this, but I can start out absorbing the injustice. My eyes are on the Lord. I am doing my best, doing what is right, taking the next right step … and then someone starts fussing or making fun of me.

• Boom! Our attitude changes.

• Forget plan A of returning good, absorbing the injustice.

• It is plan B which is now fight like crazy.

I am so thankful that is not what our savior did. He chose to follow through on his mission to the end. He bore our sins on the cross.

The physical and spiritual suffering did not derail Jesus. That is the example we must follow.

We can freely and loudly proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light by Adopting a properly submissive stance to our proper authorities and by Embracing our calling to be like Christ. That brings us to …

III. Entrust all aspects of your life to God

1 Peter 2:23, 25 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; … 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession so that you might proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

• We are seeing in this passage that part of the way we proclaim is by following in the footsteps of our savior.

• We demonstrate to others that Jesus is excellent by following him.

Even if that means we endure unjust suffering. This is no fun and it hurts. But did you see what Jesus did?

He kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously.

We entrust ourselves. We lay ourselves at the feet of Jesus and say, “whatever you want.”

• I would like to be recognized for my work. I would like to be treated fairly, even kindly.

• But at the end of the day, I need to entrust every aspect of my life to the Lord.

• Then leave the result up to him.

But notice God’s disposition toward his people…

Because He extends His “grace/favor” in this situation

Submission is hard because we like to be in charge. But it is especially difficult when something is unjust or unfair.

First century servants could not normally change their status. They had to live with it.

• But they could either respond with rebellion or in submission.

• Even now, we can either respond with rebellion or leaving with our hands in fists or we can winsomely follow our savior knowing that he sees it.

Our sense of right and wrong is not only worldly, but also heavenly. Our conscience is controlled by God not our sense of what is fair.

• We can respond because we know that it finds favor with God.

• It is precious in his sight when his people follow the example he sets.

I believe that Peter focuses on our salvation, but that does not change the fact that God’s favor has blessings of its own. I imagine many of us could recount a time when we experienced some injustice, handled it biblically, and the Lord chose to redeem those circumstances in marvelous ways. Then notice …

Because He judges righteously

Not long ago I was talking to a person who was treated unjustly in ministry. It was a difficult time.

• We discussed the concept of deferred justice. In the moment of injustice it seems that the guilty succeeds.

• They behave poorly and get away with it.

• My friend was stuck with the hardship.

• He was helped by thinking about deferred justice.

It is true that the wicked prospered while the righteous suffered. He had to live out the example of Christ in intense pain while entrusting himself to the Lord. It is hard now.

But friends, the Lord judges righteously. Peter is writing to believers and seeking to encourage them. But in 2 Peter he is more explicit about judgment.

• He reminds believers in 2 Peter 3:7 But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Justice has two sides: redemption and reward for the righteous while destruction and torment await the wicked.

The Lord will one day make everything right. He settles all the scores.

So far in this message I assumed that you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.

• You are one of the chosen according to the foreknowledge of God and saved by the sanctifying work of the Spirit.

But friends, if that is not you, then please see yourself on the wrong side of v. 23. Christ and his followers entrust themselves to him and he judges righteously.

• He rewards the faithful.

• He destroys those who are not.

We do not want you to be in the not category. We want you to see your sin for what it is – an offense against a holy God. We want you to see that you cannot earn your way to heaven.

• You must repent of your sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 10:9-11 says if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

Finally,

Because righteously suffering injustice can bring about healing

Verse 25 tells us that in salvation we return to the Shepherd and Guardian of our souls. Who else would you want to serve in that position?

I was telling my ABFs a few weeks ago that I am amazed when people say they trust themselves. I am amazed because our own life story proves that we cannot trust ourselves.

• Bad decisions and challenging consequences lay across the spectrum of our lives.

We have the joy of entrusting ourselves to the one who perfectly shepherds and guards our souls.

Friends, this is one of my favorite passages in the Bible because it is so practical. I live with hope and proclaim the excellencies of Christ by

• Adopting a submissive attitude toward the proper authorities

• Embracing my calling to follow Jesus’ example

• Entrusting myself to the one who judges righteously