Subversive Witness (Part 1)
We’re moving onward in our series called ‘Stand Firm” where we’ve been doing a deep dive into the Books of 1 & 2 Peter. We spent the first 11 weeks on a section of the letter where Peter exhorts his audience to live into their new identity as children of the Heavenly Father. But we’ve spent the last 3 weeks moving into the heart of the letter that focuses on how we live as Christians in light of our new birth — our new identity as a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and as God’s special possession. For Week 14 we began a two-part look into 1 Peter 2:18-25 which reads,
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentlebut also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one enduressorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beatenfor it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a graciousthing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also sufferedfor you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed nosin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile inreturn; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to himwho judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die tosin 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.
The second we read “servants,” [better/more literally translated as “slaves”], we’re probably tempted to leave Peter’s context — to colonial Europe and America. And yes — we absolutely need to talk about the evils of slavery — and as a church, we have and will continue to do so. But first we need to be good students of the Scripture and understand how Peter’s address to slaves fits into his overall message AND to appreciate the phenomenon that slaves are even addressed in this letter at all!
Peter addresses this young, budding church and in this instance a particular group, literal slaves, who like everyone else were in a precarious position of not fitting well into the broader culture because of their lifestyle as followers of Jesus. They needed to be encouraged that even in their miserable place in society God would honor their ability to follow the example of Jesus and ultimately, to behave like Jesus when life is supremely unfair, is something that every Christian should be able identify with. We must understand that as Christians, suffering is not only inevitable, it seems to be necessary.
Give the Part 1 of 1 Peter 2:18-25 a listen and we hope to see you this week at a Family Meal and/or a DNA group to dive even deeper.