Fifth Sunday after Trinity (2024)
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1 Peter 3:8-15
1 Peter 3:8-15
My Brothers and sisters in Christ, in our epistle lesson, Peter speaks to the Christians that have been scattered abroad throughout the empire, both Jew and Gentile who find themselves surrounded by those who do not understand them nor want them. They are afflicted, misunderstood, hated, and in a world that neither accepts them nor wants them. This is in conflict with the joy that they first experienced when they received the grace, mercy, and forgiveness that comes from Christ! How are they to live in a world like this doing what is good when the world does not?
Many Reasons to Feel Discouraged
We live in a broken world.
For a long time we were convinced that if we could solve the problems of crop failures, famines, and blights, and make sure there is food. Things would be better and yet as we continue we find that in lifting our eyes from these problems, that there is still a host of them before our eyes.
The world isn’t fair.
It’s one of the things that we long for in this life, and we think that it ought to be fair. When we witness unfairness it frustrates and angers us. We think that if a person does what is right they ought to be rewarded in this life. Yet what we witness is that hard work doesn’t always pay off. You can do everything right and still lose your money, your possessions, family, folks who take care of their body and die of heart attacks at a young age. So what are we tempted to do?
But why does the text start with finally.
Well Peter has been addressing that unfairness, in the previous chapters and reminding the Christians who are under persecution, who are being mistreated, abused and treated unfairly, not only by the government, but by employers, and by spouses, of who they’re called to be.
Christians Living in the World
We were ransomed from futile ways.
The world is certainly broken, and since we are in the world, we are part of that brokenness and we have all contributed to it. None of us here have operated in in perfect fairness and justice towards our fellow man. No, we have fallen short of the glory of God, and as we heard about the logs that are in our eyes, we have not always removed those before going to our neighbor. But Jesus purchased and won you from all sin, death, and the devil. Not with Gold or silver. The
The price was the blood of Jesus.
And his innocent suffering and death on our behalf. We are sinners who have deserved all manner of misfortune by our sins, but what had Christ done to deserve that suffering and death? Nothing. Jesus is the sinless Son of God, who proclaimed truth, who healed the sick, raised the dead, feed thousands, and it is through him that all things were made for He is that Word become flesh for our sake. Jesus submitted to an unfair punishment to save you.
The Scriptures urge us to remember this.
1 Peter 2:9–10 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” What is mercy, but unfairness, that we did not get what we deserved, keep that close to your heart at all times. For you have been set apart by the blood of Christ in this world.
God calls you to abstain from the passions of the flesh.
For if you can see how the world is broken, and how it harms people through it’s brokenness, then on what grounds would you willing participate in it? Rather we ought to be opposed to these things which bring hurt and harm to our neighbors. For we have been purchased with a great price.
What Does That Mean?
It means putting away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander.
Our text says finally because, this started back in Chapter 2, urging us to set aside the ways of the world. In our various vocations and where God has called us to be. Each one of these passions of the flesh are not of God. We are called to act honorably.
Being subject to authorities.
In their time it was Rome, but for us it’s our president, our governors, and the laws of our land. Now, If they ever try to command us to sin, we disregard what they have to say for they too are subject to God above, and should not violate his commandments. This also extends to all those in authority, our employers where we work, and when we are children our parents and teachers. We want to act decently and with honor.
Spouses respecting and honoring one another.
This applies to both husbands and wives, marriage was created and established by God in the garden of eden, but since the fall it has been subject to strife and difficulty. It is where we learn to show the love and forgiveness. To someone we get to know quite well. These are not easy things that we are called to do, and that is why it is vital for us to understand what Jesus has done for us.
Jesus our Savior
Jesus saved you by fulfilling the Law.
Jesus was treated horribly, and unfairly, and unjustly by this world, and yet He fulfilled the Law for you. He didn’t abandon course and let us go, for Jesus didn’t have to fulfill the Law for himself. Jesus is perfect and holy, and without any sin.
What did Jesus have to suffer?
In order for us to be saved, Jesus had to suffer the full punishment for sin. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preaches boldly that it was you who crucified Him. For it’s your sins that rest upon His head. Is it fair that Jesus suffers for your failings? No. But by so doing Jesus secured for you a place in His Kingdom.
Why did Jesus endure so much?
It was love that motivated Jesus, for Jesus is the Word through whom all things were created good, and when creation was corrupted, the only one that could declare fallen sinners good again, was the one through whom all things were made good in the beginning. Even though it meant great suffering, He did it willing because Jesus loves you. So don’t cast this aside.
A Sanctified Life
Look at the list in the first verse.
That we as Christians are called to be one mind that is united in the faith and doctrine, we are to have sympathy, that is join in each others sufferings, to have brotherly love, as between a family, a tender heart speaks of compassion for each other, and a humble mind, that is one that considers others as being greater.
It is followed by what we don’t do.
It is tempting to repay evil for evil, but in order to do that, we must engage in evil. How tempting is that when someone wrongs me, I’ll wrong them back, but that isn’t what Christ did to you on the cross?
The reviling for reviling, it’s speech that is highly insulting and abusive. Is that how Christ dealt with you? No, rather while He was suffering for your sins and preparing to descend into hell, He asked the Father to forgive them for they know not what they do.
This is putting to death the flesh or removing logs.
It makes sense why Jesus said log, he was speaking of timbers used for roof construction, this is no easy task, but it is one that we wish to pursue.
This isn’t to save ourselves, but to love others.
For we know the pain of living in a broken world, and Christ has saved us from it through His suffering and death. We would rather set aside these sins that bring harm to our neighbor and show to them the same love that Christ has shown to us.
What is Our Hope?
We know the truth and
It lifts our minds out of the muck.
We know that this world is not all there is. We know that behind every governing authority that God is watching over the nations of the world. Even if we don’t agree or find ourselves frustrated, we know that it comes from God. Our hope is not tied to a perfect life or finding a perfect life or a life free from all troubles.
Christ is our foundation.
He is the bedrock upon which everything is built. When we start to build on other foundations, the world falls apart around us. We find ourselves desperately trying to build something that will get us through the fleeting moments instead of clinging to our Creator. You are seeing this happen as many people are turning to the things of the world and forgetting about their creator. They don’t know how to handle when things fall apart because they never learned to rely on Christ.
That’s why even if we suffer, it’s ok.
For Jesus has joined us in our sufferings. He joined us in our sorrows, He has joined us in our pains and anguish and even in our loss. He tells us to take heart for He has overcome the world. So even if we suffer for doing what’s good or what’s right, than that is better than suffering for doing what is evil.
So my brothers and sisters in Christ, do not forget who you are. You are God’s child, baptized in those Holy Waters and given God’s divine name. This does not mean that you will be free of suffering and discomfort in this life, but you have hope that the world does not. For Jesus who has suffered for you has promised to bring you through this world to His kingdom, and if we should suffer for righteousness sake, fear not, for you will be blessed, so have no fear, but in hearts honor Christ the Lord as Holy. In Jesus name. Amen.
