Sermon: Life Underneath
Speaker: Pastor Val Watkins
Duration: 31:46
Size: 14.5 MB
New Life In The Same Old Place
“Life Underneath”
1 Peter 2:13-17
I. Underneath the Neon
“Down here we do what we want, when we want, anytime we want. It’s hard to give that up.”
II. The Passage: “Living as Servants of God” (2:13-17)
I’d like break this passage up into four ideas all related to the main idea of submission or subjection, the term Peter uses here in verse 13.
A. Submission to Human Structures (2:13a)
Peter wants them to understand here that honorable conduct means subjection or submission “to every human institution“.
As we see here, he begins by talking about those who govern.
B. Submission to Earthly Rulers (2:13b-14)
The word translated “emperor” here is literally the word “king”.
The issue here is not how well they carry out that purpose, or the form of this governance.
They are zealous for driving the speed they want to drive.
C. Submission to God’s Will (2:15-16)
Peter gives us some clues here into what was going on with these churches.
What Peter wants to confront here is the way in which these Christians were responding to the slander, to charges of subversion and wrongdoing.
It appears that part of the issue was a misunderstanding of Christian freedom.
“By doing good”; this, should be your response to those who would accuse you and slander you. This is how we live as people who are truly free.
D. Submission to Our Duty (2:17)
Peter spells out the obligations for a follower of Jesus Christ in regard to their different relationships.
Do we pick and choose who we will honor and love and fear?
III. The Only Reason to Be Underneath
But let’s face it, the idea of submission is not one that we generally find appealing.
Knowing what we know about the human heart, how could we ever choose life underneath?
God has freed you from sin and death in order that you might serve Him.
Only as we trust in, and look to, and depend on Jesus Christ, will we be able to live as servants of God in the freedom of submission.
Next In Series
Two Weeks
“Enduring By Entrusting”
1 Peter 2:18-25