The Stewardship of Grace Pt. #1: 2 Corinthians 8:1-14
Preached @ Harambee Church by Pastor Michael Gunn on September 13th, 2009

Intro
As we celebrate Harambee’s 7th year of existence and enter into a new year; albeit a year of change and maybe some uncertainty, we enter in hope, because of the gospel of grace. This year we will be in the book of Acts (Starting November 2009), but we are going to look at stewardship for these next few weeks. Stewardship (Or giving) is a tough subject since it is so connected to our circumstances and idols. Some churches certainly talk too much about giving, while other, such as Harambee do not talk enough about it. It is my apology that we have not preached the full counsel of God’s word. Stewardship is spoken about quite often in the bible, and it is a subject that can bring out many emotions, because we are so controlled by our time and our money. We don’t think that the gospel ought to make any demands on our life; certainly not in the area of what we do with our money. I could take the tactic of causing you guilt so as to raise our giving, but that would be quite un-gospellike. If we have yielded our lives to God, then we have yielded that which is most important to us; our time, talent and treasure. Discipleship is connected to giving and the proper stewarding of the many gifts that God has graced us with. We are called to die to ourselves and empty ourselves and it is there (In Christ) that we find our joy and abundance.

One thing is for sure giving is a heart issue, related to grace, and not related to our procuring a new identity and standing with the Lord. Grace giving is a natural by-product of the gospel working on our lives. It is a sign of grace residing in us. Let’s take a look at 2 Corinthians 8 for the words of Paul on this subject.

From the Head…
First of all, we note that Paul is discussing the giving of the Macedonian church to the Jerusalem church as a way of relief. However the principles of giving here (2 Corinthians 8-9) are good guidelines to stewardship of all kinds. Paul is commending the Macedonian church (These are churches that Paul founded near Greece) to the Corinthians as a way of teaching them in regards to giving. Paul took no money from them (See 2 Corinthians 11:7-9). Paul was a tent maker, and he raised his own support. I too can say the same thing, as I now raise all of my support outside of Harambee, so I am freed up to do what God has called me to do. Paul can talk about giving freely knowing that he has no ulterior motive. So many of the TV preachers preach about giving as a way to blessing, so that they can be the one being blessed.

Giving is not the path to the blessing, it is the result of the blessing (2 Corinthians 8:1-3)
Generosity is an affect, not a cause. Giving sacrificially is a result of the reality of the joy of Christ in our lives. Giving isn’t a pathway, or a work to be done because we ought, but a result of the gospel working in our lives. It is a showing of God’s grace. Joy is connected to contentment, which leads to the ability to live with any means since we are filled in Christ (See Philippians 4:11-13). When we are joyless, we need to create that joy through circumstances and new toys. Paul so clearly indicates this point in verse 9 when he uses the prime example of God’s grace in our life; Jesus’ death in our behalf. He was made “Poor” just like the Macedonian church was, so that we could be made “Rich.” It is when we are content and joy filled in Christ that we can be givers of ourselves and our stuff as an act of “Re-Gracing” to others.

Giving is motivated by a restructuring of our understanding of our possessions (2 Corinthians 8:4-5)
They weren’t motivated by guilt and human expectations, but the desire to participate in what God was doing. This wasn’t done as an expectation of Paul and his people; it was done because they “Gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God, to us (2 Corinthians 8:5). The will of God in this instance was ascertained by the fact that they had given themselves and their stuff to the Lord. This is a key to stewardship; that we see all of who we are and the things we have as the Lord’s and not our own (See Psalm 24:1). It is easier to depart with things that aren’t our own. We live in a culture that emphasizes material possessions as a symbol of our success and significance. This makes giving things up in accordance with God’s will harder for us to obey. The Macedonian church saw their possessions as first the Lord, then they recognized that God was working through the ministry of Paul and his men, so they were happy to participate in the work of the Lord in this circumstance.

Giving is an act of grace and love (2 Corinthians 8:6-8)
While giving is a consequence of grace in our lives, it is also an act of grace and love demonstrating God’s grace and love in our lives. When we withhold giving, we are missing out in the grace opportunities we are given to bless others with a symbol of the grace we are blessed with. Paul is urging Titus and his team to complete what their intentions were, and to demonstrate the grace of God to others through their gift.

Giving is the result of restructured desires (2 Corinthians 8:10-11)
This last point is crucial to biblical stewardship. It was their desire that motivated them to give. Desire is ultimately what motivates us to do anything. We do what we desire. We can try to do something else, but it is the desires of our heart that we ultimately follow. It is a restructuring in this area that happens to us through the preaching of the gospel. If our desires are truly self-centered then giving is not going to be a part of who we are. It is our desires that bring glory to God or ourselves. Anyone can give money and actually have a desire to help others, but if their desires are not motivated by God and His glory, the work is not pleasing to the Lord, because their motives of their heart are self-centered. This is why two people can do the same act, yet one is doing for completely different reasons than the other.

…to the Heart
Anyone can be a giver, and as a matter of fact, many non-believers are more hospitable and gracious in their giving than non-believers. This does not negate the gospel in our lives. Biblical giving to help others is not based on nationalism, moralism, self interest, or guilt; it is based on the grace that God has shown us in Jesus Christ, which restructures our desire and understanding of our possessions, so that we are free to give of ourselves for the glory of God in this world. As believers, we have more reason to be givers than anyone else. There is no greater motivation to care for the world’s poor than the grace of God when we truly understand what that means.

The Mission and Call of God For His People: Jonah Chapter 4
Preached by Pastor Caleb Mayberry @ Harambee Church on August 30th, 2009

Intro
Upon finding out that the Ninevites were not going to be judged, we see Jonah’s deep hatred for the Ninevites is revealed when he complains to God. In the final chapter we will see how Jonah’s and our anger is rooted in pride and self-righteousness and how this blinds us to our own dependency on grace and renders our hearts incapable of compassion. Moreover we see that character of God is in stark contrast to the anger and pouting of Jonah. We see that God actually desires grace and mercy over that of judgment and it is from his gracious character that God seeks to teach Jonah about compassion.

From the Head…
I want to make three key points from the text in Jonah Chapter 4. First, that man’s hate and anger is rooted in pride and self-righteousness. Second, that our pride blinds us to our own dependency on grace and renders our hearts incapable of compassion. And Third, that God’s grace is dispensed liberally to even the ones we hate.

1. Our pride and self-righteousness is revealed in hatred and anger.
Verse 1 states that it displeased Jonah exceedingly, or it also has the idea that what God did was exceedingly evil. In other words, Jonah felt God did not do the right thing. Jonah believed in his anger that he was more advanced in his view of righteousness than God. Is this not pride? Is Jonah not thinking more highly of himself than he ought?

Questions for reflection: Who are you angry at and why? Are you better than them? Are we quicker to anger than God? The Bible says that God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. How do you measure up?

2. Our pride blinds us to our own dependency on grace and renders our hearts incapable of compassion
Pride, self-righteousness, and anger are a barrier to mission because it goes counter to the gospel. Jonah has just been blatantly disobedient to a direct command that he heard from God. Disobedience to God’s word was what got Adam and Eve kicked out of the garden and stained humanity with sin. And so Jonah is just as guilty as Adam and any other sinner that has come after him. But instead of Jonah perishing in the belly of the fish and being cast forever away from the presence of God, God graciously hears Jonah’s plea for mercy and gives him another chance. However Jonah’s heart was still very wicked. Though he demonstrated some measure of faith in obeying God’s command the second time, his heart was clearly not in alignment with God’s. Jonah still felt that his people were superior to the Ninevites and that they deserved nothing but judgment. Because of Jonah’s pride that fueled his hate and anger, he was unable to have compassion because somehow he believed that he deserved God’s grace where the Ninevites did not. Once we start to pick and choose who deserves or doesn’t deserve God’s grace, then we’ve absolutely misunderstood the gospel, because the good news is that Christ died for the UN-deserving! God gives grace to the UN-deserving. This is the definition of grace, unmerited favor. No one deserves it, yet God in his love generously bestows it.

3. God’s grace is dispensed liberally to even those we hate
We see in this chapter a glimpse into God’s compassionate heart. God pitied the City of Nineveh. He called it a great city, for there were many people and many resources, but they were wasting it all in opposition to God. And so God announced judgment upon them, but he did so in a way that demonstrated that his ultimate purpose was not judgment but of their salvation. God cared about the Ninevites. God had been personally working on the Ninevite people to prepare them for this time of salvation. Even though they were evil. Even though they were enemies of Israel, God’s chosen people. Even though years later they would return to their evil ways. God still loved them and he purposed to choose them at that time for salvation rather than judgment regardless of whether we think God is right in doing so.

…to the Heart
But not only is God gracious to save those we hate, God is also gracious to expose us of our own hate and lack of compassion. God not only was working on a plan to save 120,000 people from destruction, but he was also, in the mean time, working to reveal the hatred and sin in the heart of Jonah. Why did God choose Jonah? Was Jonah the only man that could do the job? Not at all. God could have sent anyone down there to call out against the city, but he chose Jonah. Why? Because God wanted more of Jonah’s heart. God knew that Jonah was harboring some serious pride and hate that God wanted to deal with. Hate and pride are very destructive. And just as God did not desire the destruction of the Ninevites, he also didn’t want Jonah to be destroyed in his hatred and pride. So God chose Jonah for the task, at least in part, as an exercise in sanctifying his heart. God cares not only about obedience, but he cares about the attitude from which we obey. God loves us enough to put us in situations that test where our hearts are at with God. He did this with Jonah and he is doing it with us today. What situations has God put you in to reveal sin in your heart? Where have you been too quick to judge? Who do you find difficult to forgive? How is God showing you his compassion and to whom are you in turn expressing it to? Our hearts matter to God, so we need to repent of our sinful attitudes and turn to Jesus and acknowledge that we are sinners in desperate need of God’s grace. I think in our humility God will give us hearts to love even those we hate.

Loving service to the glory of God: A Study in 1 Peter, 4:7-11
Preached at Harambee by Caleb Mayberry on June 14th, 2009

Introduction
In this passage Peter sets the context by calling out that the end of all things is at hand and because of this he exhorts us to be self-controlled and clear-headed for the sake of our prayers. Above all, he calls us to love one another deeply using our God-given gifts to serve each other. Done with the right motives, our loving service should and does glorify God through Jesus Christ.

Be alert for prayer
1. Context: End of all things is at hand
Read verse 7 “The end of all things is at hand…” This statement serves its purpose in focusing the mind of the hearer. It sets the context of the times that we are in. Specifically the context is that the central event of God’s redemptive plan has already occurred. God’s victory over evil has been secured and through his Son he has secured the foundation of his Kingdom. Because of this, the only thing left is adding people to the kingdom of God and the return of Jesus Christ to earth for judgment and to usher in the new heavens and new earth. Given this context, now is the time to finish strong, lest we be unprepared to face the king.

2. Self-control and sober-mindedness because of context
Read verse 7 “Therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded” Preparation involves self-control and a sober mind. As Peter calls attention to the end of all things, he exhorts us to be self-controlled and sober minded. We are to be calm and composed, clear-headed. There is a temptation for us to be otherwise. From substance abuse to sexual addiction to gluttony to loose-spending, we often find ourselves out-of-control. Some of us are out-of-control and not thinking clearly because we’re mastered by another God. (Pleasure, Lust, Appetite, Greed). One of the best things for sobering up is a sense of urgency. It’s urgent because Christ’s return is imminent. It’s urgent because of the work still left to do. And that leads us to prayer…

3. Prayer from a calm and clear mind
Read verse 7 “For the sake of your prayers” Self-control and a sober mind aids in prayer. Have you ever tried to pray when you know you’re not thinking straight? For instance if you’re dog tired, you generally have trouble praying anything that makes any sense. Some say, “well God knows my heart”. Well maybe God is saying you should get some sleep and pray when you have your wits about you. Just as our prayer makes no sense when we’re sleepy, it can also be ineffective when something other than God’s will is the object of our heart’s affection. The more our heart is capture by some other idol, the more that prayer will be in alignment with honoring that idol rather than honoring God.

Love one another earnestly
Read verse 8 “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers up a multitude of sins.” (see also Proverbs 10:12) Peter assumes that there will be offenses. We are still sinners and we still sin, against God and against each other. Therefore it is all the more important that we be able to love one another in an effort to demonstrate the grace and mercy that God has bestowed upon us. When people sin against each other and there is no love, then sin breeds anger, hate, and more sin in retaliation and perverted justice. But with love, it is easier to forgive, because you know that the one that sin against you, ultimately wishes for your well being.

Some ways that we can better love each other:
1. Show hospitality – Read verse 9 “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling”
Why does Peter say without grumbling? I think he says this because we often don’t have a desire to be hospitable. We might not want people to invade on our personal time. We might not feel like going through the effort to prepare our homes for visitors or to do the necessary planning. Bottom line is we’re often too selfish to be genuinely hospitable so that even when we are hospitable out of guilt we do it with grumbling. Rather, out of a deep love, we are called to receive each other warmly and with a cheerful heart. If it helps, think about how you would like to be treated as a guest, and treat others that way.

2. Serve with the gifts that God has given us – Read verse 10 “As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” – God has given all of his children a gift, the purpose of which is to serve one another. Peter generally splits the gifts into two categories: Speaking and serving.
a) Speaking the oracles of God – Read verse 11 “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God, whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies” – If you have a speaking gift, what we say should be laced with the grace and truth of God’s Word, and thus there is a certainness and a forthrightness in what and how we say things. There is also a kind of reverent fear of God, knowing that God has chosen to use our vile lips as the mouthpiece for his holy Words of exhortation. Words are very powerful as they can build up or they can tear down. When we recognize this, there will be a caution in the choice of our words and a desire to think and seek God’s will before we speak.
b) Serving with the strength that God provides – If you have a serving gift, how we serve is indicative of the motives of why we serve. If when we serve we mope around and grumble all the while, this says to everyone that we have no real interest in serving and that we care more about our own comfort than we do about the people we serve. Or if when we serve we are constantly seeking recognition and approval for serving then we say to everyone that we are really more concerned with self-glorification than with the good of whom we’re serving. Rather instead, we are to serve by the strength that God supplies, because firstly, that is reality. Outside of God enabling us to serve, we would have no power to serve. And secondly, when we serve in a way that depends on and acknowledges Gods strength, not only do we have the power to serve despite how uncomfortable it may be, but we also show off the glory of God, in that people will see that we value God and others more than our own inconvenience.

Glorify God in everything
Read verse 11b “in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” – The purpose of preparation and the purpose of loving service is that God would be the one glorified and not us. The fundamental danger to our spiritual lives is self-glorification. The reason why we’re out-of-control, unfocused, ineffective in prayer, fruitless, and bitter or indifferent towards others, is because we have loved ourselves far too much, to the exclusion of God and others. We have placed our own pleasure, comfort, and recognition above the glory of God, and this is the essence of evil, because it is a perversion of the truth of who God is. The truth is that we are created beings made in the image of one who is far greater than us. He is the one that deserves all the glory for he is the source of all that is glorious. And his glory is made no clearer than in the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ. For in his death, God demonstrated his both his righteousness and love to the fullest degree possible. In this we rejoice because God is good and will not tolerate evil and in his love he has made a way for us to be with him forever.

A New People for an Old Message: A Study in 1 Peter 3:18-4:6, Preached @ Harambee Church by Pastor Michael Gunn on April 7th, 2009

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Intro
Most commentators and theologians have argued that this passage we are going to look at today, may be the hardest one to interpret in the entire NT, and possibly in the bible. There are definitely some hard passages to figure out, but I do not want to miss the forest for the trees. Since there are a few decent options, and they have been argued by good men, it may be prudent not to dogmatically create our theology around any of these concepts, but accept them for what they are and stick to what Peter has been driving home all along; that the gospel of Jesus Christ is larger than any trial we are going through. A lot of this book has dealt with persecution and trials that would be the result of following Jesus. Last week we saw that suffering for righteousness sake is a reality, yet we are still called to do good, turn from evil and not repay evil deeds with evil deeds.

Paul begins our passage today reminding us that we shouldn’t be surprised at suffering since our savior suffered unjustly, but he suffered unjustly on our behalf, and it is because of this that we have the ability and the hope (1 Peter 3:15) to persevere through trials and persecution.

From the Head…
Our passage is connected to the verses immediately preceding it. Our passage is an encouragement for those being unjustly persecuted. It’s a passage that displays the victory and vindication of Jesus.

Christ’s Victory (Christus Victor) (3:18–22)

A. His death (3:18)
Jesus unjustly faced death in order to save us for our sins. Peter writes this in the midst of verses talking about being unjustly persecuted by those that hate the Christian message. It is imperative to understand the significance of the cross here. Many want to emphasize Jesus’ victory (Christus Victor) on the cross as a triumphant act of love of God over death, at the expense of His vicarious atonement. It is believed here that the atonement, as understood by orthodox interpretation is a product of 15th century rhetoric, and is a cruel unloving picture of the cross as God’s demand for human sacrifice to satisfy his “Blood Lust;” however the two concepts cannot be separated, and it hurts the gospel, and our encouragement when it is separated. If you emphasize the vicarious atonement apart from God’s victorious love, you do have a bloodthirsty pagan god who needs to appease his wrath and thirst for blood. However, when we emphasize the victorious love of God without balancing with God’s just holiness, we denigrate the need of the cross and the holiness of God. The cross demonstrates both God’s love (John 3:16; Romans 5:8) and His divine call to a holy justice (Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21). The encouragement to these persecuted Christians is that Christ did die for the purposes of God (Acts 4:28: Isaiah 53:10), even though His death was unjust and a bloody disaster. This cross doesn’t make God an “Unloving Tyrant” as one person called Him, it is truly a demonstration of His love and justice in that His holiness does require just payment, but in His perfect love, He personally paid the penalty for that justice, so that we could be made whole and righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18).

B. His journey to the spirit world (3:19–20)
These verses are very difficult to fully understand. What is going on in these verses?
There are 3 main answers that have put forth by theologians over the years:
1) Descent into Hell in between death and resurrection (Popular with early creeds)
2) Pre-Existent Christ Preached during time of Noah
3) Triumphant Proclamation to fallen Angels after the resurrection of Jesus

I believe the text point us to the 3rd view for the following reasons:
1) The best understanding of the word “Spirits” is angelic or “Supernatural beings” (Matthew 8:16; 10:1; Mark 1:27; 3:11; 5:13; 6:7; Luke 4:36; 6:18; 10:20; Acts 5:16, etc.). There is precedent for the word to refer to human spirits, but it is used once (Hebrews 12:23), and it is qualified by the words “just people.” Most often scripture refers to humans as those who have a spirit, but is not normal to say that one is a spirit.

2) If #1 is true then it would be normative to see the “Spirits” as those angelic beings who intermarried at the time of Noah, and who had children that are referred to as “giants”/Nephilim. The “Spirits” here seem to refer to the “Evil Spirits” associated with the children of the Angel/Human consummation (See Jude 6-7; 2 Peter 2:4-5).

3) The clause “In which” (“in Whom,” NIV) appears to be connected to the antecedent “Made alive in the Spirit,” which makes the proclamation of victory over death after the resurrection; destroying the effect of the fall and death on humanity, and Satan’s greatest weapon (See Romans 8:34-39; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58).

4) There is no supportive evidence for either a “Second Chance” doctrine for those that have died, or for fallen angels to be saved.

5) It appears that the demons themselves understood that Jesus would finally condemn them (Mark 3:23; 5:10-13; Matthew 8:29; 12:25; Luke 11:17-22). This was Christ’s proclamation of victory over death, and their stronghold on earth. This would later be completely put to rest at their final judgment (Revelation 20:7-15).

6) The “Prison” may refer either to the “Pit of Darkness” that is reserved for Satan and his angels (2 Peter 2:4), or to the idea that the word means “Refuge” and has the idea that Jesus went into the spiritual realm to declare to them their weakened position and pending judgment.

7) This is in concert with the idea that “At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, whether in heaven or earth” (See Philippians 2: 9-10; Colossians 2:14-15).

These verses are here to exhort and encourage believers who are persecuted. They show us the victory of Christ over death and His enemies, just like we will triumph over our enemies (Including death) in due time. No manner of persecution can separate us from the hope and love we have in Jesus (Romans 8:37-39).

C. His resurrection (3:21)
This verse is demonstrating the “Anti-Type” (The word in the Greek for “Corresponds” is the word antitupos, which is where we get our word “Antitype.” The word means the corresponding partner to the original. The antitupos was the image that a signet ring left in the wax. In this passage, Peter uses the symbolic image of the ark of Noah as a saving device, and now relates this idea of baptism to that saving mechanism. He is clear that he isn’t referring to water in this passage, but the salvation of our souls from death “Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Our baptism in Christ saves us, because Jesus not only died to pay the penalty for our sins, but He has risen from the dead, crushing Satan’s hold on us as believers.

D. His ascension and exaltation (3:22)

Verse 22 picks up after the parenthesis of verses 19-20 and completes the salvific work of Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and the final ascension into heaven. This completes Peter’s encouragement to persecuted believers. Christ was unjustly treated, but it is that trial (The cross) that gave Him victory over death (Resurrection) so that He could ascend to the right hand of the Father, as we also do in Christ.

Our Victory (1 Peter 4:1-6)
Here Peter presents the summary of our victory in Christ Jesus. He announces that we have victory because of what Christ has done on our behalf. We are now free from having to live within the desires of the flesh that drive all of our emotions and affections leading to debauchery and sinful living. The preaching to the dead in this context has nothing to do with a second chance doctrine, but the reality that the gospel is preached to those dead and alive and that those that find themselves in Christ can live in Christ in a different manner than the rest of the world. This is the message of Romans 6. We are now free in Christ to live for Him as a result of what he has done on our behalf. We are now motivated by a heart’s desire to show love to our Lord, because He first loved us. I do not believe that this is a second chance doctrine for the following reasons:

1) It contradicts clearer scripture on the subject (Luke 16:26; Hebrews 9:27).
2) It mitigates the importance of perseverance of the believer (1 Peter 4:1-6)
3) It destroys the need for judgment (1 Peter 4:5)

While we should never judge our justification on our sanctification, the evidence of our justification through faith is the works that God has prepared before time (Ephesians 2:10). We are able in Christ to live a life that is pleasing to Him as we live that life by faith in His Spirit, and not in the self-indulgence of our desires as the ultimate motivating factor in our lives.

…to the Heart
Many of us are inflicted with the pain of stress and trials of this world. There are many in this world with direct persecution for their faith. 1 Peter 4:4 reminds us that people will “Malign” you for living differently, but we are called to be in the world as a different kind of person. This is only possible in Jesus. We will always fall short of this ideal, but we are made alive in Christ Jesus and His victory on the cross for our sake, and His righteousness. The cross ought to give us hope and encouragement that persecution and trials are inevitable on this earth, but like Jesus, we will be raised to the right hand of the Father in Him. Our persecution is momentary in light of eternity. In spite of our trials God loves us and is sovereignly watching over us. When we live our lives for our own gain, we will do “Good Works” out of the desire that God will bless our endeavors. In these past few weeks, we have seen that our good works should be motivated by our new identity in Christ, and that when we do good for our own benefit, we will be crushed by trials and either reject God in bitter anger, or judge ourselves as unworthy, and see our trials as a punishment from God. But when we see our trials through the gospel’s lens, we see that like our own savior, it is a necessary evil that purifies our lives and is done for God’s purposes and our own good. We can begin to trust in His sovereignty and goodness in the midst of them knowing that they are momentary and light in relation to the glory we will have with Him in His presence for eternity.

Bless: A Study in 1 Peter 3:8-17
Preached at Harambee by Pastor Michael Ly on May 31, 2009

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil – 1 Peter 3:8-17 (English Standard Version)

Introduction
Peter continues to reveal what is looks like to “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable” as referred to in 2:12. He has described the believers’ relationship with government, the believers’ relationship with their boss, and the role of both husband and wife in marriage. In all these cases, Peter exhorts us to trust God, placing our fear in Him and not in man, centering in the life and work of Jesus. Peter now summarizes this section of this letter, exhorting all believers on how to live amidst their suffering.

Peter tells us to have five attitudes as a body of believers (v.8):

• Unity of mind

Peter has the idea of being like minded and in harmony with one another. Paul has the same idea in Romans 12:16 when says to “live in harmony with one another” or “be of the same mind toward one another”. Believers united in Christ through the Spirit show how valuable God’s glory. We all put aside our own visions of grandeur and fame and we all put forth God’s name and fame in the world.

• Sympathy

The idea is suffering or feeling the like with another – deeply understanding each other. It’s impossible to have unity of mind without sympathy. Otherwise, it’s just a mission statement on a piece of paper or website. This is only possible when we see ourselves for who we really are – a wretched person who has been saved by a glorious and gracious God. I did nothing to deserve this amazing salvation. So I am able to deeply understand other believers because this is true of each of us in Christ. There is a sense of suffering with one another because we understand each other so deeply and understand how amazing it is to be in Christ.

• Brotherly love

Peter’s calling us to love each other like family. Everyone is part of your family and that means everyone is included. That also means when it comes to conflict, you resolve it and grow deeper with one another. This is so counter-cultural, as we live in a culture where you can hop from church to church for any reason.

• Tender heart

Have you ever been deeply moved for someone else? It seems to come right out of your guts? That’s what Peter is talking about here. There is a very deep compassion for one another that makes us soft for one another. When there is rejoicing to be had, we rejoice with one another. When there is sorrow, we have sorrow with one another. When there are victories, we party with one another. When there is defeat, we mourn with one another.

• Humble mind

Peter really is describing an attitude like that of Christ’s when he went to the cross. “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4

None of these attitudes can be lived out in isolation. We must be deeply involved within a local body of believers where these attributes can really be lived out. To sum it all up, it’s not about me, but about what God is doing in and through the body.

Peter tells us how to respond to the world around us as a body of believers (v. 9):

• Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but bless

Jesus promised that we would have trials and tribulations happen to us. He also promised that the world would hate us and not respond well to every good deed to accomplish. When evil or reviling happens to us, every part of us screams for justice. Whenever something evil or wrong is done to us, our automatic response is to do the same. However, Peter reminds of Christ’s commands given in Matthew 5:38-42, to bless our enemies.

Peter also quotes Psalm 34, which is David wrote after he was delivered out of Abimelech’s presence.

Peter reminds us that Christ is Lord, the Holy One (v. 15)

• Regard Christ the Lord as holy

Peter knows that even while we bless people around us, the response will not always be positive. How do we prevent ourselves from carrying ourselves and responding in fear to the culture around us?

Some translations say “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts”. Regardless, the emphasis is on setting Christ as Lord in your life, realizing he is the only one to fear. Christ is the holy one, which means he is set apart for all your worship and praise. Some believe Peter had Isaiah 8:13 in mind, which says “But the Lord of host, him you shall regard as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.”

When Christ is Lord, we can have no fear of others. Because Christ is Lord, we can respond with gentleness and respect to all who ask us for the hope within us. Are you living in a way that demands questions from others? Are you living in a way that is so other worldly that your family, friends, neighbors desire to know why?

A New People for an Old Message: A Study in 1 Peter, 2:13-25 Preached @ Harambee Church by Pastor Michael Gunn on May 17th, 2009

“Despite their guilt as Christians and the ruthless punishment it deserved, the victims were pitied. For it was felt that they were being sacrificed to one man’s brutality rather than to the national interest.”
Tacitus
On the killing of Christians at the hand of Nero after the burning of Rome

Intro
God never promises us that things on this earth are going to be ok. We are just called to love, honor and live just lives. In our passage today we are going to see some verses that I think fly in the face of most Christian ideas in regards to politics.

From the Head…
Recap: It seems now that Peter in our passage (1 Peter 2:13-25) is beginning to work out verses 11-12. Here we are told to “Abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul,” and to “Keep your conduct among the gentiles honorable…” so “they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” We saw that this is the result of our new identity in Christ (1 Peter 2:9), and a new motivation based on the incredible things that Christ has done for us (1 Peter 2:9b-10). Any other motivation to act on God’s behalf will only end in burn out or pride.

The Command (1 Peter 2:13-20)
Here we have an interesting command of Peter’s; to be in subjection to government authorities for the Lord’s sake. This is similar to Paul’s writing in Romans 13, and Jesus’ command in Matthew 22:21 (“To render to Caesar what is Caesar’s). Verses like this have been the object of much speculation and pondering on the Christian’s role in things like human government.

1. Be Subject Government Authorities For God’s Sake (vv. 13-15)

“Be Subject…”
What are we supposed to do with a command like this; especially when the government is unjust? The Caesar in control at the time of this writing is most likely Nero, a grossly immoral ruler, who was alleged for starting a horrible fire in Rome and then blamed it on the Christians causing the persecution and subsequent brutal deaths of many Roman Christians. Is Peter asking believer’s to be doormats for evil rulers? Most likely he is not. One thing to note is Peter’s use of the word “Basileus” (King) instead of Princeps (First one/Ruler, Emperor). Some see this as a subversive passage, in that Peter is actually making fun of the authorities, but in this context, it appears to be saying that in spite of the personal lives of the rulers, we are to be in submission to these men for two reasons that Peter mentions; One, because God has ordained the rulers to protect and serve the people (v. 14, cf. 2:12; 3:1), and secondly, because it is God’s will, “That by doing good you should put to silence the ignorant foolish people” (v. 15). Peter isn’t condoning their behavior, but he is calling believer’s to a higher calling. When the commands of the state supercedes the Lord’s commands, it appears right to disobey (Exodus 1:17; Daniel 3:3:13-18; Acts 4:18-20; Hebrews 11:23).

The Christian movement was a subversive one. They got themselves into trouble in Rome by claiming that “Jesus Is Lord!” It was an incredibly subversive statement. Peter’s command is not for us to turn our back on injustice, but to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of the gospel in the state. I believe that even his use of “Basileus” is to show that he was not enslaved to the powers of this world, but was free from them entirely (See v. 16), but that freedom’s energy was to be used for the good of humanity, even if that meant the death of the believer. Because we

“…by doing Good”
This isn’t defined and it’s a bit dangerous to start filling in the blanks here, but context does give us some idea. First the “Good” helps others glorify God (See v. 12). Since this is in the context of the society (Government) it is quite possible that the “Good” refers to social engagement. In Seeking the Welfare of the City, Bruce Winter says that it may have to do with the large donations Christians made to the good of the city in the form of “Benefactions.” Benefactions were donations put aside to help the social conditions or beautify the conditions of the city. The idea is help build the community for the sake of the community, rather than seeking their own welfare.

2. Love and Honor All and Fear God (v. 17)
This is a summary statement, reminding believers to live a life of peace, giving honor to all, and loving one another, while fearing the only person that can destroy the body and the soul, not men, who cannot do anything of any real consequence, since their identity was now in Christ.

3. Be Subject to Employers (vv. 18-20)
This is speaking of “Servants,” but servants (Oiketai) here are quite different than the horrific institution that we witnessed in our US history. This type of servant was often a way to become a “Free” citizen of the Roman Empire, and did not usually carry with it a destitute existence. Many of these “Servants” chose to be servants because it was a way to have a “Good” life, albeit in the servile employment of someone else (In reality this isn’t as far from many of our own existence).

The Motivation (1 Peter 2:21-25)
As we often see in the NT it isn’t so much what you do, but why you do it. While the religious are motivated by gaining acceptance from God so that they can be blessed, the gospel compels us to recognize that in Christ, we are truly loved and accepted by God, so therefore we obey out of a desire to glorify God and lift up His name and make much of Him. Our motivation is is more important than the subsequent actions. Doing religious actions (Going to church, praying, repenting, etc.) are done by all religious people, but the difference lies in the reason for them. If you are doing these actions to gain something other than Jesus, you are doing them for yourself. Reformer Martin Luther rightfully wrote, “The default mechanism of the human heart is to go back to the religious approach.” Our “Default Mechanism” is our self centered desire to make things right for us, but in doing so, we ironically don’t find the very thing we desire (Joy, Happiness). This is why the religious struggle when trials happen. Because they have doing religious works to appease God, they feel slighted by God and become angry, or they feel they haven’t done enough making themselves guilty and depressed.

When Paul wants to discuss the Corinthians greed and lack of giving, he does so by showing them the poverty of Jesus on their behalf (2 Corinthians 8:9). In our passage Peter also turns to Christ who “Suffered for you.” The fact is all of our sin and most of our negative emotions stem from a disbelief in the gospel (See 2 Peter 1:8, 9). When we do not believe that we are rich in Christ, we will try and find our riches somewhere else. When we do not believe we are loved and forgiven in Christ, we will fail to love and forgive others. The reason we can “Submit” to government entities at our own expense, is the belief in the truth that our reward is Jesus, and we can sacrifice ourselves for the sake of those that don’t know Jesus (2 Timothy 2:10).

…to the Heart
The issues of the heart are hard. We are sinful and our sin is evident in our attitudes toward one another, and our lack of desire to sacrifice to help someone else. We are often “Stuck” in our ways, and no longer to even attempt to deal with our hardened hearts. We feel justified in our greed, bitterness and anger. We aren’t willing to submit to anyone or anything, because we feel they have slighted us, or they don’t “Measure Up” to our standards before we do. This isn’t what Jesus is calling us to. He is calling us to submit no matter what they have done to us, because our submission is to Him, as He submitted to His father in spite of people’s reaction to Him. When we get this, we can submit instead of that deep desire to prove ourselves and gain revenge. Peter is going to continue to hammer us throughout the rest of this book, reminding us that in Christ, we can submit to one another for the sake of the gospel, even when it hurts!!

1 Peter 2:1-8; Preached @ Harambee Church by Pastor Michael Gunn on May 3rd, 2009

“The free-lance Christian, who would be a Christian but is too superior to belong to the visible Church upon earth in one of its forms, is simply a contradiction in terms.”
C.E.B. Cranfield

Intro
If it is true that we have been born again by the act of Jesus on the cross, and we are “transformed” by His actions, then Peter begins a reasoned treatise on the nature of the church and spiritual realities ought to be recognized in tangible, gospel ways. Simply; the truth of the gospel affects our actions. Orthodoxy (Right thinking) without orthopraxy (Right actions) is a possible sign that the truth of the gospel is not dominating our lives. Our actions are in no way a way to gain acceptance from God, but they are a result of God’s work in our hearts and minds (See James 1:21-23; 2:17, 24).

From the Head…
The Command (1 Peter 2:1-2)
Actually this isn’t a command as much as it is a truth. If we are truly going to be a “Holy Nation” we need to stop being “hypocrites” and “slanderers,” etc. It is hard to be heralds of the gospel if we are people that live double lives. Our witness is ultimately based on our lives (Demonstration) as it is the speaking of the truth (Declaration). None of this is possible if we aren’t nourished on the word itself. The word translated “Spiritual” (ESV) is the Greek word “Logikon,” and has the idea of word/or reason (We get Logic from it), which is why the NASB translates it the “Pure milk of the word.” The word has the idea of reason, and is only found here and in Romans 12:1 (Rendered “Reasonable”). This word doesn’t have a western idea of logic/reason attached to it, but it does suggest that there is a reasoned aspect to our spiritual growth (See Matthew 22:37, “Love God with your mind…”). God has given us a substantive “Word” to meditate on. If we are going to grow in our faith, our thinking is going to have to be re-shaped by God’s word (1 Peter 1:13; Romans 12:2). We are born of the word (1 Peter 1:23) and we grow by the word (v. 2).

The Motivation (1 Peter 2:3)
Though this is just one verse, it can’t be overlooked. Our heart motivation is more important than our action. Doing works for God thinking that we are somehow justified by them stems from a misunderstanding of the gospel, and is subsequently the foundation of our sinful heart. Doing religious works do not save you, but they ought to be the result of a heart that is being transformed by God’s love, and is operating out of desire to joyously demonstrate that love, and not justify our existence in any way. We are already fully accepted in Christ, so now we can act out the law in gratitude not fear/pride. Our motivation is God’s kindness. “if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord…”If you have, then you too can act kindly. If you have tasted the forgiveness of the Lord, then you too can forgive. If you too have tasted the grace of the Lord, then you too can act graciously. To the extent that we don’t is the extent that we don’t believe the truth of the gospel in our own lives. The New Testament’s motivation is always through an understanding of what God has first done for us (See 2 Corinthians 8:9).If we can’t see ourselves as accepted by God in Christ, we will always be aiming at finding our acceptance in works or some other idol.

The Desired Result (1 Peter 2:4-8)
The result is the church itself. Our passage gives us insight into the nature and function of the church:

1. The Church as a Community
Peter mixes his metaphors here. The church is called “Living Stones” and a “Spiritual House.” This gives us a picture of the church as individuals that form a community for the sake of the gospel. The bible doesn’t know anything about believers on their own, but God (Writing through Peter) is redefining the synagogue in Christ Jesus as the “Chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). The church is not a place but a gathering of His people for a common goal to “Offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” We are called “Living Stones” like He is since the church is made “Like” Him through His work on the cross; and like Him, we are called out to do the work of the kingdom in the world. Peter uses 3 verses from the OT (Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 8:14) to emphasize that we are a community in Christ. All of these verses are originally speaking of either Israel who would be rejected by man, but accepted by God, or the Messiah who, like Israel, would also be rejected when He came; yet it is clear that the NT writers (Writing under the influence of the Holy Spirit) saw these verses as referring to Jesus, and in our context the body of Christ; His church. The emphasis here to these churches who are facing persecution is that they are like Jesus as “Living Stones” who will be rejected by the world who doesn’t know Christ, but fully accepted by God in Christ. As the community of faith, the world will always reject us, because it rejects Jesus (See v.8).

2. The Church as a Bridge-Builder
The church is not just a place to go to, or an institution to be a part of. As a matter of fact, it was never intended to be an institution that puts on a religious show, and parcels out religious goods and services. The Church (All of us) are a “Living Stone” that is given a task to accomplish. Verse 5 reminds us that we are being built up “For a holy priesthood” (See 1 Peter 2:9).

All believers are ministers of the gospel and responsible to act as priests to the unbelieving world. The Latin term for priest (Pontifex) means “Bridge-Builder.” We are like that as a community of faith. The church exists to create bridges to the culture. Unfortunately it appears that we are often more known for burning those bridges than forming them.

Priests mediated between men and God, and the priests offered up sacrifices for the sins of the people. This is similar to Paul’s idea that we are to “Present our bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1). The church (The people, not the place) is to live their lives under the banner of worship. Worship is an attitude of the heart, not an event. When we serve God with joy and love, we are participating in worship. As John Piper writes, “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.”This is why we were created by God (Isaiah 43:7; see too Exodus 7:16; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; 10:3; note the word “Serve” has the idea of “Worship”). God has always called a people to Himself so that they would honor and glorify Him. This is His purpose in creation and re-creation (See Ephesians 1:6, 12; 14). His demand for His own praise though is also His demand for our greatest joy. We are simply created to find our joy in Him, and our joy is heightened by the praise we give. Sin is a creation of idols that seeks to locate our joy and acceptance through our own works found in either religion and/or irreligion.

So as we honor God and serve Him by serving humanity, we act as bridge-builders of the gospel to a world that doesn’t know Him.. We are as Leslie Newbigin has written the “Hermeneutic of the gospel.” We are able to interpret the gospel to a world that can’t hear it.

3. The Church as a Herald (Witness)
Though we will dissect verse nine more next week, I would like to highlight one truth in regards to the church, and that is the church is a group of “Heralds” proclaiming “The excellencies of Him” This is the duty of the church plural, not one person preaching the word. This isn’t preaching here, this is heralding the good news of the gospel. If we truly a “Chosen Race,” “Royal Priesthood,” a “Holy Nation,” etc. then we are called to be proclaimers (Heralds) of God’s excellence, and that excellence is found in the idea that He has rescued us from darkness!

…to the Heart
My desire is that you won’t try harder, but you will fall in love with Jesus. We are all flawed, and we are all in process, and the gospel should help us understand that, because we should never see ourselves as better or more “Sold Out” than anyone else, however, if the “Imperishable” seed of the gospel is a reality in our lives, we should begin to have a heart for His word, and a desire to please the one that saved us. Our works are never an avenue to being right with God, but they are a result of the grace that God has shown us (See Ephesians 2:8-10). If we can’t treat one another with love, we must Bemis-understanding the love of God on our own lives. If we can’t forgive someone else, we must not understand the forgiveness we have in Christ. As you are nourished by the word, let it reveal who you are, and create a daily repentance and faith routine. Not a religious repentance that acts as though repentance makes you right, but a daily agreement that God is right, and you can appropriate His forgiveness in your life, because He is “faithful and just to forgive you (See 1 John 1:9).

Living the Good Life of Sincere Love: A Study in 1 Peter, 1:22-2:3
Preached at Harambee by Caleb Mayberry on April 26th, 2009

Intro
What is the good life? The world has many definitions to offer. The good life from scripture is about loving God and people sincerely. The world does assign a value to love. But this love falls far short of the sincere and pure love that God wants for us. But in order to love sincerely, there are three things that must take place in order for this to happen: Rebirth, Faith, and Purification. We will look at how these three things we see in 1 Peter 1:22-25 enable us to live the good life.

Defense of Biblical Love
The world values success and achievement. Much of our western culture in particular focuses on the value of improving our material and spiritual well being. Material and spiritual satisfaction is the “Good life” that the world longs after. If we have the right car, the right job, right spouse, and right house, with inner peace and complete control of self, this is the good life. Most would agree that love enters into this equation, but this type of love is almost inevitably focused on self. There are not many best-selling books on how to love your neighbor as yourself. But there are plenty of best-selling books on how to live your best life now. Why? Because, the type of love that appeals to the world is self-love. And ultimately, this is no love at all.

1 Corinthians 13 states the case for the primacy of love. The issue is not that having more material goods is bad. Nor is it wrong to seek inner peace and happiness. The problem is that the world does not place biblical love, namely sincere love of God and others, at the forefront. In 1 Cor 13, Paul writes that you can be super-spiritual, but if you don’t have love, you’re nothing. America’s spirituality and concept of the good life is worthless, if it is not underpinned by true biblical love.

What is true biblical love? It is pure and sincere love for God and others. We see this love most clearly demonstrated in God sending his son, Jesus, to die for our sins. (John 3:16, 1 John 4, Romans 5:8). Jesus demonstrated his love for God and his love for us through his obedience to the will of his Father to endure his crucifixion for our salvation to the glory of God. This is the radical kind of love that scripture calls us to. (John 13:34) It is sacrificial and outwardly focused, towards God and other people. Without this kind of love there is no good life. Why? Because it is only God that truly satisfies. We cannot satisfy ourselves. A world without the love of God degenerates into a self-serving world that is incapable of loving each other sincerely and this ultimately leads to a hate-filled world. (Romans 1:28-32, 2 Timothy 3:1-7)

Three Prerequisites for Biblical Love
1. Rebirth: The scripture says that we must be born again in order to love God and others sincerely. Peter exhorts us to love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since we have been born again (1 Peter 1:22-23). And this is most clearly not something that we do. 1 Peter 1:3 says that God has caused us to be born again. We have no more say in our new birth than we did in our old birth. This is entirely God’s doing. Scripture says that we are dead in our sin, and thus we cannot make decisions for Christ from our spiritual graves. But God first made us alive so that we could have eyes to see properly and respond in the faith that God requires. (see Ephesians 2)
2. Faith: Once our eyes are opened then, we are able to respond in faith. Rebirth and faith happen simultaneously, just as fire and heat happen simultaneously. Whenever there is fire, there is heat. We wouldn’t say that the heat caused the fire, because we know that fire is the cause, but yet they happen at the same time. (Illustration from Dr. John Piper). 1 Peter 1:22-23 says that the purification of our souls leads to sincere brotherly love. And all this happens by our “Obedience to the truth”. This phrase is referring to our right response or submission to the truth. The truth in context here is what was referred to in verses 18-21, namely that we have been ransomed by the blood of Christ. In short, the truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our obedience to this truth is faith. John 6:28-29 says, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him who he has sent” This is our work. But even this is predicated upon verse 23, where we are first born again.
3. Purification: And so because of our faith in the gospel, our souls are purified or cleansed. Sin no longer has power over our lives to control us, and thus we can begin to love from a pure heart. We cannot do this ourselves, because sin is not just some external thing that we can wash off, but is more akin to a stain on the soul that can only be washed by the blood of Christ. When we put our trust in Christ, he promises to wash us a white as snow. (Isaiah 1:16-18) Scripture says we are a new creation with a new heart, and from this new heart we are now able to worship God and love others out of a sincere heart and not out of selfish motives.

Pursuing the Good Life of Love
Because of what God has done in us as Christians, we are now able to cast away our old ways and pursue sincere, earnest, and brotherly love. We can now live as the family that God has created us to be. In 1 Peter 2:1-3, Peter commands us to put away all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander, because we have been changed. Our lives ought to be a reflection of who God has made us to be. Peter is addressing this exhortation to Christians. Why? Because so often we forget what Christ has done for and to us. Peter says in 2 Peter 1:9 that some of us are so near-sighted that we have forgotten that we have been cleansed from our former sins. Peter writes to us to remind us of the work that God has already done in us, so that we would confidently pursue the good life of sincere love for God and others.

When we forget what Christ as done, we tend to fall back into the pattern of the world’s ways. We start to believe that the good life is more about satisfying ourselves than it is about loving others and thus we inevitably regress into malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander and other such things that are the antithesis of love. Peter reminds us that we have been born again of imperishable seed through the living and abiding Word of God. And he quotes Isaiah to juxtapose the permanence of the Word of God with the impermanence of the flesh. If we trust in the ways of the world, we like the flowers in the field will wilt and wither and one day we will be no more. The flesh is beautiful in its time, and so is money and possessions and pop spirituality, but in the end, if it be not held up by the lasting Word of God, then its vanity will become plain in its fading away.

And so Peter calls us instead to remember what God has done and find our daily sustenance in his word, which is the spiritual milk that sustains us. This is what allows us to grow up into maturity of sincere love for God and others. And Peter ends in verse 3 of chapter 2 by saying, “if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” Here, he is not questioning the fact of whether we have tasted that the Lord is good, but is stating that this must happen to us in order for us to want to love God and love others. As Christians that have been born again, our tastes, appetites, and desires have been changed, and as a result, we are now able to find true enjoyment and satisfaction in loving God and in loving others. This is the good life that God has so graciously blessed us with.

Conduct Yourselves in Fear: A Study in 1 Peter, 1:17-21
Preached at Harambee by Pastor Michael Ly on April 19, 2009

Intro
Two weeks ago we began studying this section of 1 Peter that begins in 1:13, where Peter calls us to prepare our minds ready for action, and you will hear next week ends in 2:3. We looked at the commands to “set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (v. 13) and to “be holy in all your conduct” (v 15). Today we continue our study by looking at Peter’s third command to “conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile” (v. 17) and how God’s provides the grace and means to obey.

Peter begins by reminding us of our identity in God, through the relationship we have with Him, because of the redemptive plan He created before the foundation of the world through Jesus and brought to completion through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead.

From the Head…

Before we can get to Peter’s main point, we must take a look at the assumption Peter makes in the statement “And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each ones deeds.”

• God is our Father (v. 17)

Peter reminds us of the intimate relationship followers of Jesus have with God, who is now our Father. Paul also writes of this relationship with God in Romans 8:14-15 and Galatians 4:6. He is our “Pater” (Greek), “Abba” (Hebrew/Aramaic), our Father. Maybe the best word to convey this intimacy from a child’s mouth is the word Daddy. It’s one of the first words children learn and is not only precious for parents to hear, but also shows the kind of intimacy that this word Father portrays.

As believers we also have a Father “who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds” (v. 17). This truth speaks against the lie that our actions as believers do not count in eternity.

• Ransomed from futile ways (v. 18)

Peter describes the great lengths our Father God went to ransom us. But what did He have to ransom us from? Peter refers to “futile ways inherited from our forefathers.” He is specifically referring to the sinful practices of Israel and how they continually turned away from God and His commands. However, if you really look at the practices of any culture that you came from, you will realize that Peter could have referred to any of our specific forefathers and cultures. We really do not understand the immensity of the darkness and evil that we inherited.

• By the blood of Christ (v. 19-20)

What did it take for God to ransom us from our “futile ways”? The blood of Christ! Now what does Peter actually mean by “the blood of Christ? This is quite a controversial topic today within the evangelical world. There are Christian theologians, pastors, leaders who are attacking the very idea of this. Statements like “Did God really have to sacrifice His own Son, shed Christ’s blood, for us? Did He really have to do that? That’s cosmic child abuse! That goes against the very nature of God’s love!”

Is that what Peter is stating here? On the contrary! The original recipients of this letter would have recalled the lamb’s blood in the Passover celebrations that was celebrated every year. They would have made the connection between Christ’s blood and the lamb’s blood, understanding as the writer of Hebrew’s points out “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption…and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:12, 22b)

God knew what He was doing and only God knew what it took to make this happen. In order to ransom us and redeem us, it took the sacrifice of Christ’s blood on the cross! And not only that, He planned this “before the foundation of the world”. Just imagine, God CREATED and PLANNED the whole story of redemption. He wrote it not us. He was not surprised that one day God the Son would have to come down in human form as Jesus to shed blood on the cross for our sins.

…to the Heart

• Faith and hope in God (v. 21)

Fortunately, it does not end there. God did not leave His Son to decay in the ground, but raised him from the dead and gave him glory! We celebrate a resurrected Savior, not a dead one. Because of this, it is only through Jesus Christ that we can have an intimate relationship with God. And just like Jesus trusted God when He went to the cross that God would fulfill His promises, we can place our faith and hope in God to fulfill the promises He has given us.

• Conduct yourselves with fear (v. 17)

It is precisely because our faith and hope are in God as our Father that we can conduct ourselves with fear in this lifetime. Peter is referring to the kind of fear that produces awesome reverence for a God who would go to such great lengths to redeem us. A kind of fear that recognizes He has already redeemed us as His children through Jesus. When we find our identity in this place of His child, we will find ourselves overwhelmed with praise to God.

The Death of a King; Psalm 22
Preached @ Harambee Church by Pastor Michael Gunn on
Resurrection Sunday, April 12th, 2009

“The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering, which every man must experience, is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death—we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther’s, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world. But it is the same death every time—death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

Intro
There is no Easter without Good Friday; there is no glory without the humility; there is no crown without the cross. Today we celebrate the glory of the resurrection but in reality, as a believer Easter Sunday is not special, it’s routine. I did not say it isn’t important, but it should be an everyday reality in the life of those who call Jesus Christ their savior! Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 15 that the resurrection is extremely important to our faith, but it is truly irrelevant without the cross. In our Psalm today we see that this reality is rooted in the story of God; it is not an afterthought, or a rip-off from some other pagan religion. In Luke 24:27 we see Jesus reminding His disciples that in their scriptures (the Old Testament), they would find Him. The 66 books of the bible are God’s narrative about His creation, man’s fall, and subsequently God’s solution for the pain, injustice and oppression of sin on humanity. Although this Psalm has complete relevancy to our walk with God, it becomes evident that it has a more powerful image in mind. Let’s celebrate resurrection Sunday with the Psalmist, and take a look at the brutality of the cross, and the glory of the resurrection!

From the Head…

The Infinite Anguish of the Cross (Psalm 22:1-5)
Right away we see the Psalmist crying out in anguish. It is obvious that these are the same recorded words of Jesus Christ on the cross (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). Now, it is certainly significant that Christ uttered these words on the cross, but it has a bigger impact than just the words uttered. The bible was not divided into chapter and verse until many years after Jesus lived, so when Jesus quotes this verse, He is in a sense quoting or claiming that this Psalm is about Him.

David certainly had a fair amount of stress in his life, and no doubt felt abandoned at times by God. His words are truly understood by every human that has ever lived on this earth, but in our case it’s neither final nor infinite. Jesus’ cry on the cross has a greater anguish to it. In the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26; Mark 14) Jesus prays with great anxiety to His Father, “Let this cup pass from me.” But He also prayed, “Not as I will, but as you will.” What’s amazing is that, according to Hebrews 5:7-10 His prayer for deliverance was answered, and that answer was “NO!” It says, “He learned obedience from what He suffered.” WOW! The question is why was Jesus so frantic and anxious? David was anxious and vv. 3-5 tell us that He knew God had answered the prayers of his fathers, so he turned to prayer in spite of the feeling of abandonment. But Jesus does not receive the answer He desired. He prayed the hardest prayer on earth, “Not my will, but your will be done!” Scary! Do we trust God with that prayer?? Is He good enough and sovereign enough to handle that load? Jesus’ death was a preordained mission in order to justify God in saving humanity from death (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:28 and Romans 3:25). This was Jesus’ mission; He knew it, yet in His humanity He became anxious. But for what was he anxious? The physical pain? The rejection of men? It was the Infinite nature of His act on the cross. His Infinite Suffering displays the extreme holiness of God, yet this phrase, “My God, My God” shows His infinite faithfulness, displaying His infinite love, and this mission would secure an infinite redemption. His anguish was not physical or even emotional (both of which will end in time), but it was infinite and eternal. The separation that was caused by the weight of sin was a pain that went far beyond the whipping, the thirst, the nails, the spear, and the burial custom.

The Physical Reality of the Cross (Psalm 22:6-18)
Verses six through eighteen demonstrate a physical and public execution (see v.14). Being “poured out” is a metaphor for death (see Philippians 2:17; 2 Timothy 4:6), which is something David had not yet experienced (see 1 Kings 2:10-12). It demonstrates the pain of oppression as Jesus was executed in one of the cruelest methods ever known to humanity. Crucifixion was a practice begun by the Persians in the 5th or 6th century BC that had been adopted by the Roman government, and was reserved for the scum of life. No Jew would participate in it, and no Roman citizen could be executed in this fashion. The process of crucifixion was brutal, and when you tack on a flogging, which was often included and was in the “passion” of Jesus, the physical pain and humiliation were inhuman. Though there are new attempts to deny the historicity of Jesus, most scholars (religious or secular) believe that there was a Jesus and that he was crucified for His “insurrection.” There is a lot of extra-biblical testimony to the methods of crucifixion that corroborate the biblical version. In our passage, we see the author describing crucifixion in gruesome detail, in spite of the fact that it was not practiced at the time of the writing.

The author describes himself as a “worm,” despised by men (v. 6). He is “surrounded” by his enemies who are hurling insults at him (Matthew 27:27-44), which reminds us that people will always mock our trust in God. They say our faith just “isn’t practical in the real world!” We see that his body is disjointed and melting away (v. 14). He is dehydrated and thirsty (v. 15), and we are told, “They have pierced my hands and feet,” and “They can count all of my bones.” This has interesting significance in that it depicts the piercing of his hands and feet years before crucifixion was in vogue. There is no evidence that David was pierced in any way. It also says that his bones were intact, which coincides with the gospel stories that Jesus’ bones were not broken (John 19:31-36). Lastly, since crucifixion included the stripping bare of its victims, we are told, “They divide my garments among them,” which coincides with the gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; John 19:23).

The crucifixion was a physical reality, and the events described by David do not appear to have happened to him in any real way. What he describes as how he feels when pain is upon him (and as we sometimes feel), Jesus felt in a real infinite way for our sake. There is no pain – physically, emotionally or spiritually that Jesus hasn’t felt on the cross, and his anguish is infinite for our gain (Romans 5:8).

The Glory of the Resurrection (Psalm 22:19-24)
The prayer takes a turn here, and begins to describe God’s deliverance from the anguish. Though it isn’t directly relating to a physical resurrection, it begins to describe God’s faithfulness to those who “love God and are called according to His purposes.” The resurrection is the most incredible story known to humanity, and the ultimate answer to our own anguish. It is the supreme “Happy Ending!” Death is the great joy-robber and ultimately the destroyer of any real meaning. We so badly desire for something greater than what this earth can give to us. We have to lie to ourselves in order to create hope in the midst of this reality. These verses remind us that God hears us and delivers us as we trust in Him.

Because the cross has infinite redemptive value, the resurrection is just that much more glorious and infinite. It is with this final act that He is able to bring others into His kingdom. Hebrews 2:10-12 help us understand the line “I will tell of your name to my brothers, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” The Hebrew verses show us that the context is salvation, and remind us that the one who was forsaken and suffered brings “many sons to glory,” which He does so He can be praised by the “Congregation” (the church/His people). The resurrection leads to praise. We would love to conquer death and have a “do over,” yet we know that this is not possible in a world where death is king. We can tell ourselves that there is “Better Place” after death, and that our beloved departed are “looking down on us,” but this doesn’t jive with the truth of the word. It is sentimental musings that lead to nowhere! This is why Paul reminds us that without the resurrection our “faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14-17). If Christ has physically risen from the dead, then the same is possible for us, and there is great hope in knowing that we will live beyond our physical lives, which gives our physical lives meaning!

The Result of the Resurrection (Psalm 22:25-31)
The result of the resurrection is the praise of the nations that have gone forth since the time of Christ until this day, (Psalm 67; Philippians 2:8-10) and the subsequent joy that comes as a result of praising God. This was the promise of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-4), and it is the marching orders for the church after Christ’s resurrection (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8). This unfolding of the gospel is seen clearly in the book of Acts, and in the epistles of Paul to the Romans, Galatians and Ephesians.

The resurrection is the culminating story of stories. It completes our greatest fantasies, and brings reality to every fairytale. We are created to live happily ever after; it is sin and death that have destroyed this reality and dashed any ultimate hope we would have. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is simply the most important event in human history. It destroyed the sting of death, and has freed humanity to do what we are created to do, which is worship the creator of the universe, having been made righteous by the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

…to the Heart
First, the death, burial and resurrection give us hope for personal transformation. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that resides in us (Romans 6:1-4; 8:18-39; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Psalms 22:1 reminds us that God is holy enough to call for the death of His Son, but His love is great enough to allow it to happen. It is this act that is transforming. When we begin to understand Christ’s work on the cross and are made aware of our sin and His holiness, we will see the glory of the cross, and fall on our knees in worship! Second, many of us have or are experiencing suffering, either physically, emotionally and/or spiritually, yet we are reminded that any suffering we face has been experienced by Christ in infinite ways so that our suffering would be temporal and for our good (See Romans 8:28-29). Lastly, while we may often feel abandoned, it is a feeling that Jesus knows all too well, and He comforts us with the fact that in the end, He is not far off and He redeems the afflicted and the prosperous, and brings them all into His “Congregation” for His praise!