WEBVTT 00:00:03.032 --> 00:00:11.266 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:00:11.266 --> 00:00:21.565 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 00:00:25.765 --> 00:00:27.832 Good morning, Valley View. 00:00:27.832 --> 00:00:31.033 It's great to be with you today while we continue in our study of First Peter. 00:00:31.033 --> 00:00:33.265 If you have a Bible, you want to turn there and get ready. 00:00:33.265 --> 00:00:35.600 We'll be reading from that shortly. 00:00:35.600 --> 00:00:53.633 And the passage today is really going to focus on how do you live out your faith, especially in a setting where maybe you have someone like a boss or a teacher or a principal, someone in authority over you in your day to day work life that maybe isn't the best. 00:00:54.865 --> 00:01:03.232 You've all had those bad bosses or bad teachers. In fact, there are some pretty typical stereotypes that we can point to. 00:01:03.232 --> 00:01:05.599 There's the demeaning boss. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:10.733 In fact, if you've seen It's a Wonderful Life, you can see the shot on screen. 00:01:10.733 --> 00:01:12.066 Here's Mr. Potter. 00:01:12.066 --> 00:01:14.332 He was the demeaning boss, he said to George. 00:01:14.332 --> 00:01:18.865 At one point he said, you're worth more to me dead than alive. 00:01:19.233 --> 00:01:21.533 Not what you want to hear from your boss. 00:01:21.533 --> 00:01:23.799 So there's the the demeaning boss. 00:01:23.799 --> 00:01:26.933 Then there is kind of the unappreciative boss. 00:01:26.933 --> 00:01:31.433 You know, this is the boss from the movie Christmas Vacation. 00:01:31.433 --> 00:01:34.299 Clark Griswold was certain, I'm going to get the big bonus. 00:01:34.299 --> 00:01:35.766 We're going to build a pool for my family. 00:01:35.766 --> 00:01:38.665 And instead he got the jelly of the month club. 00:01:38.665 --> 00:01:40.832 All right, that's not what you were hoping for. He. 00:01:40.832 --> 00:01:42.733 He wasn't valued and appreciated. 00:01:42.733 --> 00:01:45.233 And that led to him being kidnapped by Uncle Eddie. 00:01:45.233 --> 00:01:46.700 And that was a whole nother mess. 00:01:46.700 --> 00:01:48.566 You don't want to end up there. 00:01:48.566 --> 00:01:51.200 Make sure to appreciate your employees. 00:01:51.200 --> 00:01:54.200 Then there is just the classic Scrooge. 00:01:54.299 --> 00:02:00.033 You know, the boss who just is never happy, never, never satisfied. 00:02:00.033 --> 00:02:04.200 That's not the kind of guy you want to serve under, or gal for that matter. 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:09.566 By the way, how could Scrooge really be upset when you have this kind of employee, right? Right. 00:02:09.566 --> 00:02:13.300 This was Muppet Christmas version of Scrooge. 00:02:13.300 --> 00:02:19.500 You can't have Kermit as your employee and be a Scrooge, but that's another stereotype. 00:02:19.532 --> 00:02:21.866 Then we have you've had this boss as well. 00:02:21.866 --> 00:02:23.099 I've had one like this. 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:25.366 The out of touch boss. 00:02:25.366 --> 00:02:29.665 The guy who you're wondering, how did they get in this role? 00:02:29.665 --> 00:02:32.866 I like how I know more about their job than they seem to. 00:02:32.866 --> 00:02:34.966 And I love this is from the TV show The Office. 00:02:34.966 --> 00:02:38.332 I love that on his desk there is the magic eight ball. 00:02:38.332 --> 00:02:41.832 You know, like he uses that to make his decisions about work. 00:02:41.832 --> 00:02:44.466 It probably feels that way if you've had that kind of boss. 00:02:44.466 --> 00:02:45.566 How did they get here? 00:02:45.566 --> 00:02:48.300 I can't believe I'm under this person. 00:02:49.500 --> 00:02:53.066 Lastly, this is one I think that's most frustrating. 00:02:53.066 --> 00:02:53.665 For many. 00:02:53.665 --> 00:02:56.665 It's the controlling overlord, right? 00:02:57.366 --> 00:02:59.699 Quite literally the Overlord. 00:02:59.699 --> 00:03:00.633 You know, this is the guy. 00:03:00.633 --> 00:03:04.432 Everything has to be his way only. There's no other way to do it. 00:03:04.432 --> 00:03:06.733 There's never casual Fridays in the office. 00:03:06.733 --> 00:03:08.133 It's always the uniform. 00:03:08.133 --> 00:03:09.300 You got to stick to it. 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:10.665 Exactly, precisely. 00:03:10.665 --> 00:03:16.500 There's the imminent threat of nonphysical, choking death that he uses to keep you in line. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:18.733 Bad situation to be in. 00:03:18.733 --> 00:03:22.099 But we could go on and on about all different kinds of stereotypes of bosses. 00:03:22.099 --> 00:03:23.500 You've had them. 00:03:23.500 --> 00:03:25.765 It's not fun. 00:03:25.765 --> 00:03:28.133 What do we as Christians do? 00:03:28.133 --> 00:03:29.633 How do you live out your faith? 00:03:29.633 --> 00:03:39.432 Not just if they're a bad boss, but also in particular if they're hostile towards your faith, if they're persecuting you because of your faith? 00:03:39.432 --> 00:03:42.866 Peter's going to talk about how we live that out. 00:03:43.633 --> 00:03:48.765 You know, we've been in a section in First Peter started in verse 11, verse 12. 00:03:48.765 --> 00:03:57.466 It's going to go all the way through chapter three and verse seven where it talks about how do you live out your faith in a hostile environment. 00:03:57.466 --> 00:04:05.066 In fact, if you look in chapter two at verse 11, he gives us two ways that sets up everything we're going to be talking about for a number of weeks, he says. 00:04:05.066 --> 00:04:07.432 First, abstain from the passions of your flesh. 00:04:07.432 --> 00:04:08.966 Remember we talked about that. 00:04:08.966 --> 00:04:13.300 Meaning, if you're going to live out your faith in this world, don't immediately react like you would have back in the past. 00:04:14.566 --> 00:04:17.266 You've got that initial inclination that you want to do. 00:04:17.266 --> 00:04:18.533 How dare you cut me off? 00:04:18.533 --> 00:04:21.865 How dare you not use your turn signal when I think you should have your immediate. 00:04:21.865 --> 00:04:24.033 It wells up. That's what I should do. 00:04:24.033 --> 00:04:27.233 No, no, no, don't do what you would have done in your flesh. 00:04:27.233 --> 00:04:31.833 The second was he says in verse 12, keep your conduct honorable. 00:04:32.833 --> 00:04:36.165 These are two ways we are called to live out our faith in this world. 00:04:36.165 --> 00:04:37.699 Keep your conduct honorable. 00:04:37.699 --> 00:04:40.766 We saw that last week in the passage about the government. 00:04:40.766 --> 00:04:45.565 How do I live as a citizen in this world when my true citizenship is in heaven? 00:04:45.565 --> 00:04:47.365 How do I do that? 00:04:47.365 --> 00:04:50.033 Part of it was keep your conduct honorable. 00:04:50.033 --> 00:04:54.266 Next week we're going to see how it plays out in family situations. 00:04:54.266 --> 00:05:02.833 For those who live with an unbelieving spouse asking how do I continue to live out my faith where maybe they're even demeaning me for it, or don't want to have anything to do with it. 00:05:02.833 --> 00:05:05.932 This week we're going to look at the workplace. 00:05:05.932 --> 00:05:10.000 How do you continue to live out your faith in the workplace? 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:16.432 And we're going to be in first Peter chapter two, and we're going to see in here three things in particular we're going to look at. 00:05:16.432 --> 00:05:22.733 What are we called to do, why are we called to it, And then how do we live it out. 00:05:22.733 --> 00:05:23.233 Three ways. 00:05:23.233 --> 00:05:24.466 So let's start with the what. 00:05:24.466 --> 00:05:26.333 Look at verse 18. 00:05:26.333 --> 00:05:29.399 That'll give us the what what way should we live. 00:05:29.399 --> 00:05:35.333 What are we called to do as Christ followers living in a world, especially the workplace, hostile to your face? 00:05:35.333 --> 00:05:36.165 Look at faith. 00:05:36.165 --> 00:05:44.632 Look at verse 18, servants, be subject to your masters with all respect. 00:05:44.632 --> 00:05:51.365 Not only to the good and gentle, but also to the unjust. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:56.365 So Peter addresses his audience as servants. 00:05:56.432 --> 00:06:00.600 It's the first word he uses to describe them, probably in half your Bibles. 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:06.733 If you have other translations, it says slaves be subject to your masters. 00:06:06.733 --> 00:06:13.100 Oftentimes when you see that word slaves in the New Testament, it's often translated as bondservant. 00:06:13.100 --> 00:06:22.132 Slavery at this time would have been very different than how we think of slavery, where you're just owned for life with no rights based solely on your skin color. 00:06:22.132 --> 00:06:32.266 It was much different then there was that element, but oftentimes it was much more like an indentured servant, where you might enslave yourself to someone else to pay off a debt. 00:06:32.266 --> 00:06:37.199 Like if you were going to work in the kitchen to pay for your meal at a Wednesday night supper. 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:39.300 Sometimes maybe that might happen. 00:06:39.300 --> 00:06:43.266 But the point was, being, I can't pay my debt off to you. 00:06:43.266 --> 00:06:47.199 Let me work for you for the next 2 or 3 years, whatever it takes. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:51.833 It was a common practice that wasn't the only type of slavery, but that was probably the predominant type. 00:06:51.833 --> 00:06:52.966 It was a common practice. 00:06:52.966 --> 00:06:53.766 Many people did it. 00:06:53.766 --> 00:06:55.600 It was part of the economy. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:58.033 There were rules around how you could treat people like that. 00:06:58.033 --> 00:06:59.665 It was it was very different. 00:07:00.899 --> 00:07:04.865 What's interesting here is that word is not that specific word bondservant. 00:07:04.865 --> 00:07:07.432 It's more specific than that. 00:07:07.432 --> 00:07:11.432 In fact, if you have a Christian standard Bible, it says household servants. 00:07:11.432 --> 00:07:13.132 It's like a subset of Bondservant. 00:07:13.132 --> 00:07:17.233 It's specifically talking about someone who might manage a household. 00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:26.533 Now, the reason that's significant is that kind of person, probably often was educated, would have known how to handle finances, probably would have managed some of the other servants in the household. 00:07:26.533 --> 00:07:32.800 They would have had a lot of responsibility, a lot of trust, a lot on them. 00:07:32.800 --> 00:07:49.300 I think that probably give us, gives us some reason to be able to make parallels from that into our world, because obviously none of us are enslaved, but sometimes it feels that way at work, you've heard people use the phrase that they don't even say it. 00:07:49.300 --> 00:07:53.333 I saw guys do this golden handcuffs. 00:07:53.333 --> 00:07:56.300 They're paying me so much that I can't really go do anything else. 00:07:56.300 --> 00:07:58.632 Even though I hate what I'm doing. 00:07:58.632 --> 00:08:01.865 And of course, again, that's nothing like slavery. 00:08:01.865 --> 00:08:12.632 Closest parallel probably we have, I think some of the points Peter makes here will apply to our settings in our world slaves, household servants, bond servants. 00:08:12.632 --> 00:08:16.800 What's the command, though, that he gives people in that setting? 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:18.533 Here's one simple command. 00:08:18.533 --> 00:08:20.333 It's the same one we saw last week. 00:08:20.333 --> 00:08:23.932 Servants, be subject to your masters. 00:08:25.033 --> 00:08:27.266 Submit to those masters. 00:08:27.266 --> 00:08:28.199 Follow them. 00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:35.399 And I love the caveat both to the good and gentle, which are easy to follow, which are easy to respect. 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:42.865 No problems there, but also to the unjust. 00:08:42.865 --> 00:08:45.633 That's the one we all struggle with. 00:08:45.633 --> 00:08:47.865 You've got to earn my respect. 00:08:47.865 --> 00:08:51.299 I'll decide if I should follow along with what you say or not. 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:54.299 No no no, both to the good and gentle. 00:08:55.232 --> 00:08:56.500 Also to the unjust. 00:08:56.500 --> 00:08:59.500 The word there for the unjust. 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:02.799 It's the word scolios. 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:07.899 If someone has scoliosis, they have a crooked spine. 00:09:07.899 --> 00:09:10.732 They have a spine that won't bear up under weight. 00:09:10.732 --> 00:09:17.332 They have a spine that can't handle the stress, the pressure when it becomes heavy. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:20.432 It's not dependable. 00:09:20.432 --> 00:09:33.133 When you have a boss like that, when they're crooked, when they're unjust, when they're not dependable, when they're going to not hold up under weight, that's that's the person I'm supposed to still be subject to. 00:09:33.166 --> 00:09:35.700 I'm still supposed to give respect to. 00:09:38.633 --> 00:09:46.133 The reason why we can do that, though, on the face value, they don't deserve my respect. 00:09:47.133 --> 00:09:51.332 But I can give respect because I know there's something greater at play. 00:09:51.332 --> 00:09:57.566 I know that ultimately I am showing what I believe about God in the way that I approach them. 00:09:57.566 --> 00:10:00.899 Ultimately, what I believe about what Christ has done in my life. 00:10:00.899 --> 00:10:05.666 Ultimately, it's a testimony to who Christ is and my trust in him. 00:10:06.832 --> 00:10:10.066 So the call here is to be subject. 00:10:10.232 --> 00:10:14.365 Now watch how he continues to unpack this and explain this. 00:10:14.365 --> 00:10:18.200 Look at the next couple of verses, verse 19 and 20. 00:10:18.966 --> 00:10:20.732 For this is a gracious thing. 00:10:20.732 --> 00:10:21.832 And by the way, notice this. 00:10:21.832 --> 00:10:25.033 He begins this section with grace, ends it with grace. 00:10:25.033 --> 00:10:28.432 It's like a grace sandwich here, kind of wrapped in grace. 00:10:28.432 --> 00:10:32.700 This is a gracious thing, the ability to bear up under a bad boss. 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:33.899 This is a gracious thing. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:39.832 When, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 00:10:40.633 --> 00:10:46.299 For what credit is it if when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? 00:10:46.299 --> 00:10:52.133 But if when you do good and suffer for it, you endure. 00:10:52.166 --> 00:10:57.932 This is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 00:10:58.332 --> 00:11:02.365 He recognizes he's saying, I know this isn't easy. 00:11:02.566 --> 00:11:04.265 It's a gracious thing. 00:11:04.265 --> 00:11:08.399 In fact, it's a picture of God's grace in your life if you can bear up under the hard times. 00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.600 And here's the way you do this. 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:19.765 In particular, notice what he says here to to be mindful of God one endure sorrows while suffering unjustly. 00:11:19.765 --> 00:11:22.799 Part of the way we do that is to be mindful of God. 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:27.066 That word means to be conscious of God, to be aware of him in your life. 00:11:28.432 --> 00:11:36.166 And look, we've all had seasons where you're more aware of him in your life than you normally are. 00:11:36.566 --> 00:11:42.133 When you're more mindful of his presence in your life. 00:11:42.133 --> 00:11:47.633 I ask the staff here at the church recently to come up with and just share what is your. 00:11:47.633 --> 00:11:53.466 If you could summarize the year in one song, what would be your theme song for the year so far? 00:11:53.466 --> 00:11:56.466 What it maybe it has been or what you hope it might be? 00:11:56.466 --> 00:11:58.200 It doesn't have to be a Christian song. 00:11:58.200 --> 00:11:59.832 It could be any song. 00:11:59.832 --> 00:12:02.332 I came up with the, uh, the song White and Nerdy. 00:12:02.332 --> 00:12:05.466 I thought that might summarize our year so far. 00:12:05.466 --> 00:12:07.732 If you haven't heard it, maybe don't. 00:12:07.732 --> 00:12:10.066 Actually, it's probably okay. 00:12:10.066 --> 00:12:17.033 The title says it all, but as I thought about it, really, what should be our theme song for the year? 00:12:17.033 --> 00:12:24.966 I love the song that has the phrase, let us become more aware of your presence. 00:12:25.732 --> 00:12:29.100 Let us experience the glory of your goodness. 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:32.100 Holy spirit, you are welcome here. 00:12:32.700 --> 00:12:38.232 And the beautiful part of that verse in relation to this phrase, mindful of God. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:42.166 He is here. 00:12:42.166 --> 00:12:44.966 And if you know Christ, he is always with you. 00:12:44.966 --> 00:12:48.799 The problem isn't that he's not there sometimes, and we invite him in and hope he shows up. 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:51.566 No, no, no, he's always there. 00:12:51.566 --> 00:12:58.500 The problem is our awareness, our mindfulness of him, our expectation, our listening to him. 00:12:58.500 --> 00:13:09.232 The problem is, is that I would rather block him out with mundane, trivial noise of this world because I can't handle the weight to bear the weight of his glory in my life sometimes. 00:13:11.633 --> 00:13:13.865 To walk in mindfulness of who he is. 00:13:13.865 --> 00:13:19.700 I mean, imagine if every day, at every moment you walked fully aware of his presence in your life. 00:13:20.299 --> 00:13:31.799 Imagine what life would be like if every time you're tempted to run off and chase something else, instead you turned to him and became fully aware that he was right there with you. 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:38.332 I mean, I got to tell you, one of the things I love about being here Sunday morning is us worshiping together, Is hearing other people worshiping. 00:13:38.332 --> 00:13:45.265 Seeing other people worshiping in ways that maybe I'm not ready to at the moment, but I see them and I go, that's where I want to be. 00:13:45.265 --> 00:13:48.265 You're not going to get that online. 00:13:48.432 --> 00:13:49.566 Listen, I get it sometimes. 00:13:49.566 --> 00:13:50.832 You can't be here. 00:13:50.832 --> 00:13:58.533 Got to work, catch it online, I get it, but there's plenty of us who go, I'm just gonna stay home today. 00:13:58.533 --> 00:14:01.399 It'll be easier for me. 00:14:01.399 --> 00:14:15.832 This isn't meant to be judgment, but let me just say you're missing out on a worship experience in a room full of other believers who are worshiping in ways your heart isn't ready to and experience in the presence of God. 00:14:16.700 --> 00:14:21.232 When Andrew and I--Andrew the worship leader, we pray for the church in the morning before. 00:14:21.232 --> 00:14:23.533 Before we come in here, we pray for each other. 00:14:23.533 --> 00:14:30.365 We pray for the church and one of the things that always comes up, God may we experience your presence more than anything else. 00:14:30.365 --> 00:14:38.166 More than great music, more than great preaching, more than -- may your presence be here, because all that other stuff will get worked out. 00:14:38.166 --> 00:14:40.799 May we know your presence- it's here, may we know it. 00:14:42.166 --> 00:14:45.666 May we be mindful of God. 00:14:45.899 --> 00:14:52.799 And that's important because if you're suffering because you took a stand for your faith. 00:14:53.832 --> 00:14:58.466 Look, there are plenty of times we suffer because it's our own fault. 00:14:58.466 --> 00:15:07.566 I mean, last Sunday, a number of us suffered as we ate some of that hot chili, no one came up to me and said, John, how can I pray for you? 00:15:07.566 --> 00:15:12.799 No one came up to me with a a cool towel to damp my forehead or to wipe away the sweat. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:17.832 No, some came to watch, you know, hoping to watch me suffer. 00:15:17.832 --> 00:15:21.832 In fact, sometimes we delight in watching others suffer when they do something dumb. Right? 00:15:21.832 --> 00:15:24.899 You're kind of like, let's see how this goes. I can't wait. 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:26.399 No, we've all been there. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:27.533 That's a silly example. 00:15:27.533 --> 00:15:32.332 We've all been there where you're suffering and you go, I brought that on me. 00:15:32.332 --> 00:15:35.633 Sometimes it's one afternoon, sometimes it's years. 00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:45.166 But it's a gracious thing when I'm mindful of God and that suffering comes because I'm honoring him. 00:15:46.265 --> 00:15:49.265 But I'm aware of his presence in my life. 00:15:50.332 --> 00:16:00.066 That's how we're called to be mindful of that boss who's not just difficult but hates you because of your faith. 00:16:01.666 --> 00:16:02.566 Now the next question. 00:16:02.566 --> 00:16:04.899 That's the what of how we’re to live. 00:16:04.899 --> 00:16:07.700 The next question is why? 00:16:07.700 --> 00:16:10.232 Why should I live that way? 00:16:10.232 --> 00:16:11.966 Really? 00:16:11.966 --> 00:16:17.700 That's how I'm supposed to approach someone who's hostile towards my faith is to be subject to them, is to still show them respect. 00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.732 Really? 00:16:18.732 --> 00:16:20.166 You better give me some ground for that. 00:16:20.166 --> 00:16:20.399 Because. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:23.399 Because, John, you don't know my boss. 00:16:23.666 --> 00:16:26.033 Well, that's what the next verse here is going to address. 00:16:26.033 --> 00:16:28.000 Why should I live that way? 00:16:29.666 --> 00:16:34.265 Look here in verse 21. 00:16:34.265 --> 00:16:35.000 Here's why. 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:36.832 For to this you have been called. 00:16:36.832 --> 00:16:38.633 We've been called to live that way. 00:16:38.633 --> 00:16:39.500 Here's the word why. 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:44.466 Because Christ also suffered for you. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:49.133 Leaving you an example so that you might follow in his steps. 00:16:49.133 --> 00:17:00.000 The reason why I have a chance of acting opposite of how I would act in my flesh, is because I know Christ has suffered so much for me. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:03.200 He went before, he became the example. 00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:11.732 That word example there is the same word that was used to describe the template a child would use to learn how to write their letters. 00:17:11.732 --> 00:17:21.599 You get that template and you trace it over and you trace it again, and you trace it and you trace it because the template is the right way, the template’s perfect. 00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:23.932 I trace that to learn to do it right. 00:17:23.932 --> 00:17:29.566 And I do it and I do it and I do it until it becomes automatic. 00:17:29.566 --> 00:17:35.032 Karate kid I wax on, wax off, I paint the fence so that that movement becomes automatic. 00:17:35.032 --> 00:17:38.032 I don't even think about it. 00:17:39.032 --> 00:17:44.232 He is our example and we follow him because that becomes our automatic response. 00:17:44.232 --> 00:17:52.500 When the stress of life comes is to act the way he acted. 00:17:53.432 --> 00:17:55.865 Now, how do we do that? 00:17:55.865 --> 00:17:57.032 How are we going to live that out? 00:17:57.032 --> 00:17:59.700 Because that's. 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:02.700 That's not easy. 00:18:04.465 --> 00:18:19.500 It's no coincidence that at the core of our faith is a man who's suffered, who willingly brought on persecution, death, peril, and that we're called to do the same. 00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:21.633 I saw an interview with a guy recently. 00:18:21.633 --> 00:18:23.365 He's on social media. 00:18:23.365 --> 00:18:25.000 Very influential. 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:27.766 Tough guy, strong guy. 00:18:27.766 --> 00:18:31.232 He came to a had a challenge in his life, had a crisis in his life. 00:18:31.232 --> 00:18:37.932 And as I say all the time, keep living your faith out because that friend who's distant from God is going to see that you have hope and joy. 00:18:37.932 --> 00:18:38.865 They're going to hit a crisis. 00:18:38.865 --> 00:18:39.700 They're going to come to you. 00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:40.732 Who else are they going to go to? 00:18:42.532 --> 00:18:45.599 This guy had a crisis and he realized, I need some kind of faith. 00:18:45.599 --> 00:18:47.833 I need something stronger than me to stand on. 00:18:47.833 --> 00:18:49.133 But he said this in the interview. 00:18:49.133 --> 00:18:56.965 He said, I realized I could never be a Christian because at the core of Christianity is weakness. 00:18:56.965 --> 00:18:58.500 And I've always been strong. 00:18:58.500 --> 00:19:03.000 I've always leaned on strength, so I can't go there. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:05.566 I can't go turn the other cheek. 00:19:05.566 --> 00:19:07.633 That's that's weakness. 00:19:07.633 --> 00:19:08.865 I'm about strength. 00:19:08.865 --> 00:19:09.700 That's his, my image. 00:19:09.700 --> 00:19:11.932 That's who I am. 00:19:11.932 --> 00:19:14.799 The problem is he misunderstands strength. 00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:19.532 You know, Jesus even said at any moment I could call down legions of angels. 00:19:19.532 --> 00:19:22.365 Any moment. 00:19:22.365 --> 00:19:28.732 Real strength knows that that's not-- It's not about knocking others down. 00:19:28.732 --> 00:19:31.000 It's about serving. 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:33.333 Real strength is about knowing when to hold back. 00:19:34.633 --> 00:19:37.633 He misunderstood what strength is about. 00:19:38.566 --> 00:19:39.932 This calling isn't easy. 00:19:39.932 --> 00:19:42.932 So how do we do it? 00:19:43.133 --> 00:19:44.633 Yes, he's our example. 00:19:44.633 --> 00:19:47.099 What does that mean? How do we do it? 00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:50.732 We're going to see that in this last set of verses here. 00:19:51.133 --> 00:19:54.766 And there's a couple of really cool things going on in these verses before I read them. 00:19:54.766 --> 00:19:56.266 I want to point this out. 00:19:56.266 --> 00:20:01.066 You're going to see in verses 23 through-- 22 through 25, you're going to see two different things. 00:20:01.066 --> 00:20:05.865 You're going to see where it says, Jesus did not do, and you're also going to see what he did do. 00:20:05.865 --> 00:20:07.333 The first half is what he did not do. 00:20:07.333 --> 00:20:10.532 The second half is what he did do; you see both sides of that. 00:20:10.532 --> 00:20:20.732 The second thing you'll see, and if you've read your Bible much, if you've spent much time in the book of Isaiah, you will see phrases in this section that come directly from Isaiah 53. 00:20:21.766 --> 00:20:24.066 And Peter is very strategic about that. 00:20:24.066 --> 00:20:28.865 I'm going to draw out some of those reasons why we know Peter loves the Old Testament. 00:20:28.932 --> 00:20:44.266 Per capita he quotes the Old Testament more than any other New Testament writer, but he's doing something different here when he quotes the Old Testament Isaiah 53, we're going to highlight what that is and how that helps us know how to live out our faith in a hostile work environment. 00:20:44.266 --> 00:20:47.365 So look at verse 22 through 25. 00:20:48.133 --> 00:20:49.200 Here he’s speaking of Jesus. 00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:51.900 He committed no sin. 00:20:51.900 --> 00:20:54.900 Neither was deceit found in his mouth. 00:20:55.432 --> 00:21:00.599 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:08.900 When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:17.532 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:29.932 By his wounds you have been healed, for you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. 00:21:30.532 --> 00:21:34.833 So all throughout here he's quoting from Isaiah 53. 00:21:34.833 --> 00:21:40.766 Now that's significant because Isaiah 53 is one of what's called the four servant songs. 00:21:40.766 --> 00:21:42.099 In the book of Isaiah. 00:21:42.099 --> 00:21:47.000 There's a big emphasis to the servant and the different aspects of the servant. 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:55.833 This one is about the suffering servant in the book of Isaiah, and some of the others emphasize different aspects of the servant. 00:21:55.833 --> 00:22:04.232 Isaiah chapter 40 identifies the servant because many as the prophets talked about the servant, and Isaiah wondered who is the servant? 00:22:04.232 --> 00:22:06.833 Isaiah chapter 40 identifies Israel as the servant. 00:22:06.833 --> 00:22:11.066 And of course Israel suffered many ways, some brought on by themselves. 00:22:12.532 --> 00:22:15.165 But Peter does something with Isaiah 53 that's different. 00:22:15.165 --> 00:22:21.532 In fact, if you have a Bible, do you have a Bible that is all just block text all the same? 00:22:21.532 --> 00:22:27.532 Some Bibles will take Old Testament passages and set them apart, indent them a little bit. 00:22:27.532 --> 00:22:29.165 Make them give it more space around them. 00:22:29.165 --> 00:22:29.900 Make them stand out. 00:22:29.900 --> 00:22:34.200 If you look in chapter three of First Peter, we're going to get to this in a couple of weeks. 00:22:34.200 --> 00:22:35.766 Verses ten through 12 are that way. 00:22:35.766 --> 00:22:39.099 If your Bible doesn't look that way, lean over your neighbors. 00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:41.299 See maybe theirs looks that way. 00:22:41.299 --> 00:22:45.432 You have this this normal block text and then chapter three, verses ten through 12. 00:22:45.432 --> 00:22:46.766 That's from Psalm 34. 00:22:46.766 --> 00:22:48.365 It stands out a little separate. 00:22:48.365 --> 00:22:49.566 It looks a little different. 00:22:51.066 --> 00:22:54.066 But what I just read is not that way. 00:22:54.932 --> 00:22:58.365 Normally when Peter quotes the Old Testament, he just quotes it straight. 00:22:58.365 --> 00:22:59.400 I made this point. 00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:01.133 Do you want to know why I can make that point? 00:23:01.133 --> 00:23:02.932 Go read these verses. Here they are. 00:23:02.932 --> 00:23:05.133 That was the basis of the point I made. 00:23:05.133 --> 00:23:07.133 He doesn't do that here. 00:23:07.133 --> 00:23:12.266 What he does is he takes different phrases from Isaiah 53 and he rearranges them in a different order. 00:23:12.266 --> 00:23:16.665 In fact, I've got the order on screen, if you will, put how to live out the faith in the workplace. 00:23:16.665 --> 00:23:21.032 If you put out all these passages, just put them up there all at once. 00:23:21.032 --> 00:23:36.333 You'll see they're not in the order they show up in Isaiah 53-- you have verse nine, but then you have verse seven, then you have verse six, then verse eight, then verse four, then verse five, then verse six again. He jumps around, he takes Isaiah 53 and he rearranges it. 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.566 You saw it in this order. 00:23:39.566 --> 00:23:40.532 I'm going to rearrange it. 00:23:40.532 --> 00:23:41.532 And here's why he does that. 00:23:41.532 --> 00:23:44.066 First of all you're going, can you do that? 00:23:44.066 --> 00:23:44.465 Well yeah. 00:23:44.465 --> 00:23:50.165 I mean, look, anytime you teach a lesson you're picking verses from different places to make a point. 00:23:50.165 --> 00:23:52.900 Peter can do it because God had him write the Bible. 00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:55.599 That's kind of a privilege you get. 00:23:55.599 --> 00:24:02.432 But the reason he's doing that, he reordered them to match the order of the story of the Passion of Christ. 00:24:02.532 --> 00:24:06.566 And he did it to help explain what Isaiah 53 was really about. 00:24:07.700 --> 00:24:15.333 When prophets of old read Isaiah 53, when they talked about Isaiah 53, they thought they were reading about Israel. 00:24:15.333 --> 00:24:18.766 And Peter is going to explain to them, you thought it was Israel. 00:24:18.766 --> 00:24:21.732 No, no, no, this was all about Christ. 00:24:22.932 --> 00:24:28.299 Everything you've been looking for, when you looked at the suffering Servant, you thought it was about Israel. 00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:31.266 Let me show you this is what it was really about. 00:24:31.266 --> 00:24:34.266 It's really about Christ. 00:24:34.932 --> 00:24:41.465 Now, the powerful part for us with him doing that, explaining Isaiah 53, rearranging it. 00:24:41.833 --> 00:24:51.599 I think in this we're going to see five ways that we can model Christ's life and how we live out our faith in a hostile environment. 00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:54.465 This is all coming down to practicalities. 00:24:54.465 --> 00:24:56.865 How do I do what you're saying I should do? 00:24:56.865 --> 00:25:04.633 Be subject to a boss that you don't know and who's crazy, controlling, demeaning, whatever five ways that show up in these verses. 00:25:04.633 --> 00:25:05.566 So let's look at these five. 00:25:05.566 --> 00:25:08.566 First, focus on truth. 00:25:08.633 --> 00:25:09.833 Number one is focus on truth. 00:25:09.833 --> 00:25:11.665 Look back at verse 22. 00:25:11.665 --> 00:25:13.133 He committed no sin. 00:25:13.133 --> 00:25:16.032 Neither was deceit found in his mouth. 00:25:16.032 --> 00:25:24.532 Jesus, in the midst of being persecuted, still focused on truth and we’re called. 00:25:24.532 --> 00:25:29.333 Listen, whatever workplace you're in, stay committed to truth. 00:25:29.333 --> 00:25:30.665 Don't give up on truth. 00:25:30.665 --> 00:25:33.665 Don't compromise on truth. 00:25:34.365 --> 00:25:42.599 Julie has a friend who served in a environment where two bosses were in charge, they owned the company. 00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:45.599 They had co ownership of the company. 00:25:46.432 --> 00:25:48.333 One day she was in charge of the finances. 00:25:48.333 --> 00:25:57.165 She saw that one of them was pulling some of the money away into their own account, and the other person didn't know about it. 00:25:57.165 --> 00:26:00.165 And so she thought, what am I going to do? 00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:05.032 If I if I confront the guy who's doing it he might explain it away. 00:26:05.032 --> 00:26:12.766 I might lose my job, it might end up going badly for me if I tell the guy who doesn't know about it, that could go poorly as well. 00:26:12.766 --> 00:26:13.532 What should I do? 00:26:14.633 --> 00:26:15.432 Can I just ignore it? 00:26:15.432 --> 00:26:18.432 Can I pretend it doesn't happen? 00:26:18.833 --> 00:26:22.865 But she knew I got to stay committed to truth. 00:26:22.865 --> 00:26:25.865 She prepared her resume wisely. 00:26:27.432 --> 00:26:35.165 And then, if I remember how it went, I'm pretty sure what she did was she just sent the information to both of them. Hey, I saw this account. 00:26:35.165 --> 00:26:36.465 I'm not sure what it means. 00:26:36.465 --> 00:26:41.066 Maybe you two can inform me and help me know what to do with it. 00:26:41.266 --> 00:26:43.432 I'm not going to compromise on truth. 00:26:43.432 --> 00:26:44.932 There's a lot of different ways we can handle that. 00:26:44.932 --> 00:26:46.133 Did she handle it perfectly? 00:26:46.133 --> 00:26:49.232 I don't know, she did end up working somewhere else. 00:26:49.232 --> 00:26:50.865 She wasn't going to compromise on truth. 00:26:50.865 --> 00:26:55.900 And you've been in situations where you've been called to compromise in a lot worse ways than that. 00:26:57.365 --> 00:26:59.599 Stay committed to truth. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:02.599 Number two, don't retaliate. 00:27:03.465 --> 00:27:14.500 Look at the example of Christ in verse 23, when he was reviled, when he was hated, when he was beaten, he did not revile in return. 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:17.500 When he suffered, he did not threaten. 00:27:17.665 --> 00:27:23.333 Our response is to retaliate, is to lash back out. 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:26.532 That's how the that's what the flesh wants to do right away. 00:27:26.532 --> 00:27:29.099 That's how I follow my heart, is to retaliate. 00:27:29.099 --> 00:27:30.732 You do something to me. I'm going to. 00:27:30.732 --> 00:27:34.532 That's what immediately I want to do is to retaliate. 00:27:34.532 --> 00:27:38.566 But here he says, no, no, no, we don't respond like the rest of the world does. 00:27:38.566 --> 00:27:43.766 Let me tell you, when a boss says they expect you to retaliate and you don't, that's going to stand out. 00:27:43.766 --> 00:27:47.532 They may not say anything, they may not acknowledge it at all, at all. 00:27:47.532 --> 00:27:51.766 But you will stand apart as different from everyone else. 00:27:53.333 --> 00:27:59.133 Wayne Grudem commented on this verse and how we take a different approach than the rest of the world. 00:27:59.133 --> 00:28:00.365 Let's put that quote on screen. 00:28:00.365 --> 00:28:04.932 I'm going to show you two different dynamics here that are at play. 00:28:04.932 --> 00:28:06.266 Here's what he says. 00:28:06.266 --> 00:28:08.532 Put the quote up where it starts with the word Peter. 00:28:08.532 --> 00:28:17.032 Peter here commands neither the supposed therapeutic value of expressing one's anger. 00:28:17.032 --> 00:28:23.633 So meaning if you're angry and you go to a therapist, they're going to tell you, don't hold that in, let that out. 00:28:23.633 --> 00:28:25.833 If you stuff that anger. 00:28:25.833 --> 00:28:31.266 In fact, there have been studies shown suppressed anger actually can lead to cancer. 00:28:31.566 --> 00:28:35.232 Don't hold that in you got you really want to live your life. 00:28:35.232 --> 00:28:36.400 Let that out. 00:28:36.400 --> 00:28:37.665 Okay. But Peter's not saying that. 00:28:37.665 --> 00:28:40.133 Don't just let your anger go. 00:28:41.266 --> 00:28:44.833 Nor is he saying merely holding in the anger and trying to suppress it. 00:28:44.833 --> 00:28:46.432 That's not good either. 00:28:46.432 --> 00:28:47.599 Don't just let it go. 00:28:47.599 --> 00:28:48.833 Don't just stuff it down. 00:28:48.833 --> 00:28:49.900 Pretend it didn't happen. 00:28:49.900 --> 00:28:52.432 I'm going to shove it down. 00:28:52.432 --> 00:28:54.766 No, neither of those are the pathway for us. 00:28:54.766 --> 00:29:05.900 Instead, put up the second half of that quote rather repeatedly and continually our call is committing the situation into God's hands. 00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:10.732 Over and over again, bringing it to him. 00:29:10.732 --> 00:29:12.000 God, I don't know what to do here. 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:13.566 I want to explode or I want to stuff it. 00:29:13.566 --> 00:29:15.400 Would you guide me? 00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:17.333 I want to react. 00:29:17.333 --> 00:29:20.965 Would you guide me and let me make a side comment on that. 00:29:20.965 --> 00:29:24.432 By the way, that doesn't mean that you you become a doormat. 00:29:24.432 --> 00:29:27.833 Some have used this passage in particular to tell I've. 00:29:27.833 --> 00:29:32.232 I've had friends tell me my counselor said, you just you're in an abusive situation. 00:29:32.232 --> 00:29:33.965 You just got to take it because Jesus took it. 00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:37.465 No, that's not what this means. 00:29:37.465 --> 00:29:38.932 That's not what this is about. 00:29:38.932 --> 00:29:40.266 In fact, there's plenty of places. 00:29:40.266 --> 00:29:41.932 In fact, he tells us, deliver us. 00:29:41.932 --> 00:29:44.200 Pray, deliver us from evil. 00:29:44.200 --> 00:29:46.700 He casts out demons. 00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:52.365 Paul, sometimes when he is on the brink of being persecuted, flees the city. 00:29:52.365 --> 00:29:56.633 He seeks help from the Roman government to protect himself. 00:29:56.633 --> 00:30:09.799 There's plenty of places in Scripture where the call is to set healthy boundaries, and if you're in that kind of situation, do whatever you can to get safe, to protect yourself, to protect your family. 00:30:10.465 --> 00:30:16.833 But also, we know in the context of the workplace of what he's talking about here. 00:30:16.833 --> 00:30:19.500 We don't just lash out, we don't just retaliate. 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:22.865 We don't just go with our immediate response. 00:30:22.865 --> 00:30:24.099 Instead, we bring it to Christ. 00:30:25.099 --> 00:30:33.066 In fact, the next point summarizes this; number three, trust the one who is just. 00:30:33.066 --> 00:30:36.066 Look back at verse 23. 00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:40.500 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. 00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:49.066 When he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 00:30:50.032 --> 00:30:58.633 Instead of reacting how he wanted to react, he entrusted himself to God the Father, which is the template for us. 00:30:58.633 --> 00:31:02.432 Keep bringing it to him, keep trusting him. 00:31:02.432 --> 00:31:05.432 die to sin. 00:31:05.665 --> 00:31:08.500 Look at verse 24. 00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:19.432 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, die to sin, and live to righteousness. 00:31:19.432 --> 00:31:26.833 If you want to continue to model a Christ- like life, die to sin. 00:31:26.833 --> 00:31:28.500 By the way, that's not easy. 00:31:28.500 --> 00:31:32.766 That takes so much commitment, that takes being in God's Word. 00:31:32.766 --> 00:31:38.599 And let me tell you that take surrounding yourself with people who are committed to that as well, and who will encourage you and build you up. 00:31:40.032 --> 00:31:46.865 Phil Peercy, the chairman of the elders, shared with me that he remembers back to when our student pastor here was Kerry Jones. 00:31:46.865 --> 00:31:58.932 That was my student pastor feels a lot older than me, though, so he was old enough to hang out with Kerry as an adult and Kerry would invite him over and another guy, and they would meet at 6 a.m. 00:31:58.932 --> 00:32:09.333 in his garage, no matter how cold it was outside, and drink coffee and pray and pray for the church and pray for one another. 00:32:09.333 --> 00:32:16.032 And Phil said that was the beginning of some significant spiritual growth in my life. 00:32:16.032 --> 00:32:28.766 The fact that one guy would reach out to me, draw me in, begin to pour into me, but also I could come to him and say, I'm struggling in this area, I want to die to that sin, but I'm struggling. Would you pray? 00:32:28.766 --> 00:32:29.700 Would you help? 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:31.333 We got to have that in our life. 00:32:31.333 --> 00:32:36.532 You got to have people around you who will come beside you and help you move towards death to sin. 00:32:38.665 --> 00:32:43.566 And the beautiful part of that, the reason we die to sin, is to live to righteousness. 00:32:43.566 --> 00:32:45.000 The two go hand in hand. 00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:50.900 Lastly, number five, remember that he rescued you. 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:52.266 Don't forget. 00:32:52.266 --> 00:32:54.165 Remember he rescued you. 00:32:54.165 --> 00:33:06.432 Look at verse 25, for you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. 00:33:06.432 --> 00:33:15.299 Our natural tendency is like a sheep is to stray. Man, our dumb dog will run off any chance it gets. 00:33:15.299 --> 00:33:16.665 And if you live in our neighborhood. 00:33:16.665 --> 00:33:17.400 I'm sorry. 00:33:17.400 --> 00:33:20.200 If you only have one shoe on your porch where you had two. 00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:25.200 I'm not saying it was my dog, because I'm sure she buries that shoe somewhere. 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:28.833 Go to the finance committee to file a grievance if it is your situation. 00:33:28.833 --> 00:33:30.599 But look, the only way she's coming back. 00:33:30.599 --> 00:33:32.500 If we go find her and drag her back, she's. 00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.665 She don't want to come back. 00:33:35.432 --> 00:33:36.932 Like a sheep. 00:33:36.932 --> 00:33:43.232 Our natural tendency is to run as far from God as we can is to stray. 00:33:43.232 --> 00:33:45.665 I got this. 00:33:45.665 --> 00:33:46.932 I want to chase that bumper. 00:33:46.932 --> 00:33:48.165 That's where I'll find life. 00:33:48.165 --> 00:33:50.566 Even though it's death. 00:33:50.566 --> 00:33:52.833 That's our natural tendency. 00:33:52.833 --> 00:33:54.799 But he chased us down. 00:33:54.799 --> 00:34:00.000 And look, if you don't know Christ, I'm telling you, he's coming for you. 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:02.633 He wants you. He loves you. 00:34:02.633 --> 00:34:05.566 All the things you're chasing after to find life. You... 00:34:05.566 --> 00:34:10.432 and you know they're not bringing the life you hoped for. 00:34:10.432 --> 00:34:11.465 He is the shepherd. 00:34:11.465 --> 00:34:13.000 He's the true shepherd. 00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:18.266 He doesn't drag you back to beat you and to shame you like I might with a dog he dragged. 00:34:18.266 --> 00:34:23.432 He calls you back because he loves you and he cares for you so deeply. 00:34:25.733 --> 00:34:27.000 That's who's coming after you. 00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:30.733 And by the way, that's why we live differently. 00:34:30.733 --> 00:34:34.465 Because you never know what's going on in the background. 00:34:34.465 --> 00:34:37.865 You never know. That boss that seems to have it all together. 00:34:37.865 --> 00:34:39.432 You never know what's going on.