The High Calling of Submitting with Respect to an Unreasonable Boss
1 Peter 2:18-25
(Children's Sheet for Sermon Interaction is at bottom. Notes are throughout sermon)
Turn to 1 Peter 2:18-20. As you are turning there, I want to keep us acquainted with Peter's flow. As we proceed, we must remember that Peter has been explaining how Christians are to act among the culture of the lost. Our goal is to keep our behavior excellent. The Spirit indicated one way of doing this: It is to submit ourselves to governing institutions. Then Peter explains why. We do this "for the Lord's sake." 1 Peter 2:13. We want to silence the ignorance of foolish men who do not understand Christianity, 1 Peter 2:15. We are to act like free people among the nations because we are a holy nation with a citizenship in Christ's kingdom, 1 Peter 2:9. We are God's own possession, 1 Peter 2:9. So, we must act like free people. At the same time, we must not use our freedom as a covering for evil. 1 Peter 2:16. We use our freedom as "bondslaves of God," 1 Peter 2:16. Our freedom in Christ is always governed by our slavery to Christ. When we do this, we are being wise Christians in a dark world that already hates us 1 Peter 2:12, 16. With this in mind, Peter says to honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king in 1 Peter 2:17. Peter continues with some of the same elements of personal conduct while we, as God's holy nation, and kingly priests, are temporarily passing through the lost world culture. Let's read it now,
"18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 Because this finds [God's] favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21 Because you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." 1 Peter 2:18-25
Please prepare your heart to learn, along with me, in this sermon titled,
"The High Calling of Submitting with Respect to an Unreasonable Boss"
[prayer]
This morning, I want us to glean some principles from our text in respect to showing unreasonable bosses, superiors, managers, and various kinds of upper level business people that may happen to be over us, a thing or two that God wants us to show them. I'm talking about the high calling of submitting with respect to an unreasonable authority.
/1/
The first principle is the fact that servanthood and submission is a part of life. Servanthood and submission can take on many different shapes. It does not need to be relegated to slaves in respect to masters. It can be from an employee to a boss, or to a business manager. It is the same principle. In Peter's context, he says,
"18 Servants, be submissive to your masters ..."
Notice that servanthood (in the form of slavery) in respect to submitting to masters, is treated as normal by Peter. The reason is because slavery was normal. People became slaves by either being born into a slave family, by being captured in war, or by being kidnapped. Some people sold themselves into slavery because of their financial state. Many of the slaves became Christians through the ministry of the gospel. This is why we find slavery addressed in so many of the Biblical epistles. In respect to reasonableness, or being unreasonable, some slaves were treated well by their masters but not all masters treated their slaves well. The reason is because, legally, a slave was not considered a person. A slave was considered to be chattel property. A slave was considered a thing that had no legal rights. Aristotle wrote concerning slaves of that ancient culture,
"There can be no friendship nor justice toward inanimate things. Indeed, not even toward a horse or an ox or a slave. For master and slave have nothing in common,"
[Aristotle went on to assert the sentiment of the time,]
"a slave is a living tool, just as a tool is an inanimate slave."--Aristotle
This was the dehumanizing situation of a slave in Roman jurisdiction. A slave's master could essentially do whatever he wanted to do with a slave. When we think about this, we realize that oppression from a pagan slave owner would be compounded by the fact that the sin nature is unbridled by the Spirit. This is the backdrop of Peter's teaching in respect to submission. Something else to consider is that the slave system was instituted, protected, and enforced, by the government. In respect to the government institution, Peter just said,
"Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God." 1 Peter 2:16
@1 In Christ, God wants His people to act as if they are free; but God does not want us to use our freedom as a covering for ________________ 1 Peter 2:16
Peter's point is that all of us Christians are free in Christ, but we are not completely free from governing institutions which mandate slavery. Nevertheless, there were legal ways for a slave to become free. The apostle Paul spoke to this,
"Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. 22 Because he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave." 1 Corinthians 7:21-22
If someone in a slavery system can become free, then Paul says, "Do that." The typical way this was done in the Roman system was through a legal procedure called manumission. This meant that a slave could earn, or buy, his freedom. On the other hand, Paul also taught what Peter taught. It is the Spirit's will that slaves should obey their masters. Paul was well aware of this when he sent the runaway slave, Onesimus, back to his master Philemon. In our Republic of the United States, we do not have a slavery system like that of the ancient world, so it is somewhat difficult for us to relate to this directive. Though this is true, in the early years of the founding of the United States Republic, slavery was being practiced. Even though slavery existed, there was a problem with trying to justify the practice. The Bill of rights of the United States Constitution, did, and does, in fact, claim to guarantee certain inalienable (God given) rights for all men as created equals. Life and liberty were two of those guarantees. In allowing slave ownership, in the United States Republic, there existed an inherent, philosophical, and law-based, hypocrisy. It resulted in a struggle that was based upon the original government institution's various proclamations of inherent rights. Frederic Bastiat pinpointed the problem with great accuracy. Bastiat was a Christian economist, statesman, and author who lived from 1801 to 1850 during the years that slavery had an explosive stronghold in America. Bastiat was a great admirer, and student, of the United States Republican system of government. By the way, for those of you who have been educated in public brainwashing schools, a Republic is a system of government by law. The average Homeschooler knows this fact. A Republic is not a government of majority rule, such as a Democracy. A Republic, by definition, is a government by Law. The Law is the Constitution. It is a constitutional government that employs within it, a democratic voting process, and representation. That democratic process is the closest thing that can be compared to a Democracy; but the United States of America is not a Democracy. It is a Republic. A Democracy is government by mob rule. So, recognizing this simple fact that most American politicians, and some errant definitions fail to understand, Bastiat highly revered the United States constitution. In his most famous book, called "The Law," he leveled this glowing criticism at the hypocrisy of the United States Republic, at the time, for allowing slave ownership. He wrote that:
"... contrary to the general spirit of the republic of the United States, law has assumed the character of a plunderer. Slavery is a violation, by law, of liberty. ... It is a most remarkable fact that this ... legal crime--a sorrowful inheritance from the Old World--should be the only issue which can, and perhaps will, lead to the ruin of the Union [United States Republic] . It is indeed impossible to imagine, at the very heart of a society, a more astounding fact than this: The law has come to be an instrument of injustice." (Slavery and Tariffs Are Plunder, The Law, Fredric Bastiat)
The result of more people recognizing what Bastiat recognized (which was the contradiction of slavery-master relationships within the Republic of billed rights) was the beginning of the steps toward tumbling the stronghold of slavery. Subsequently, over the years, through much struggle, slavery was abolished in light of the foundational ideals of guaranteed rights, liberty, and justice for all. At the preaching of this sermon, the same can not be said for unborn babies. They are people who are considered to be things to be murdered by abortion in mass executions all across the land. This murderous treatment of the unborn is the opposite of either slavery or freedom. It is the legalized slaughter of baby persons, people, humans which is also called infanticide. This is to be expected from the sinful darkness of the lost world culture. Both the Roman Republic, and the American Republic, are not, and never have been, "Christian nations." The only Christian nation is the one that the Spirit explains in our epistle under study. It is the holy nation of the kingly priesthood of Christ. Only those who are re-concieved, re-born, and adopted spiritually in Christ by grace through faith are citizens in it. Christians lived in the Roman republic, and Christians live in our Republic, but this does not make either into Christian nations. The main point is that slavery existed in both.
It is also important for us to recognize that slavery is an important part of the the holy nation of God. Yes, servanthood to a Master is part of the Kingdom of God. What do I mean? All, who are saved, are slaves of Christ, 1 Corinthians 7:22. He is our Master. In this relationship, He is the One we serve in Spirit and in truth. What interests us this morning, as the holy nation of Christians who are embedded in the lost world culture of the modern American Republic, is that servanthood, in some form, is a part of life that we must recognize as normal. We may not have the slavery system anymore, but we have servanthood that requires obedience to those in charge over us. The primary way that I have thought to bring edification to us in preaching the principles this morning is in how this transfers into our society through the employee-employer relationship. Now I certainly recognize that not everyone here answers to a boss. You may run your own business. You may own your business, and you may also work for someone else. You may subcontract to someone who, in a sense, is the person you are working for according to the contracted work. You may work as an employee for a business where you have an immediate boss. The point is that in our country, we have management, and we have subordination. This relationship is best governed by biblical principles of headship and subjection.
/2/
This leads to the next principle. Just as Peter made the point that submission to governing authorities is to be for the Lord's sake, Peter is making that same point here with slaves and masters: Submission is primarily for the Lord's sake,
"18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, ... for the sake of conscience toward God ... this finds favor with God. 21 Because you have been called for this purpose, since Christ ... leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,"
In looking at this, I want us to think about the work-world. Whenever someone is out in the work-world, and they are actually on the job, everything seems as though they are working for the secular boss in such a way as to please the boss. In a very real sense, this is true, right? After all, the boss is who tells you what to do. The boss is the one who bosses you around. The boss pays you. The boss can give you a raise. The boss can also fire you. All this is true, but God wants us to recognize that we are primarily working for Him while we are working for anyone else among the world. It does not matter how things appear, God wants you and I to appear, and think, as if we are doing certain things for His sake. Remember what Peter has been teaching up to this point. Peter has been urging to submit to government authorities out of awe, reverence, and respect, right? But who has Peter been saying that the reverence and respect is to be for while submitting to earthly government?
For God.
Why? Because the principle is that reverential respect for God is the foundation for how we treat others in our service to Him. Whenever you submit to an earthly authority, the Spirit wants you to look through that authority to God in the whole process. This is what Peter has been preaching. Then he gets here,
"18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, ... "
@2 God wants servants to be submissive to their masters with all ______________________. 1 Peter 2:18
The word that Peter uses here for the "respect" is the Greek word phobos. It comes from the word phobias. The word can mean fear. The word also means, awe, reverence, and respect. Why is this important? Because Peter is speaking of that respect and reverential awe as that same "fear" of God that he has been talking about already. This is so important. The awe and reverential respect is for God. It is not for the master; but because it is for God, the master gets the benefit of our godly attitude. I know I need to prove this to you, so I want us to remember the first time Peter uses the word "fear" is in 1:17,
"17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;"
It is conduct based upon awe and reverential respect for the Father. The next time Peter uses this Greek word is in the verse right before our passage. Peter says to
"17 ... fear God, [but] honor the king"
Peter is continuing with the same line of thinking in the next verse which is our passage under study,
"18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear [as in awe and reverential respect] ..." 1 Peter 2:18
[Peter is referring to the same fear he just mentioned a few words beforehand. Then Peter immediately explains who our consciousness is supposed to be directed toward in our reverential fear,]
"... for the sake of conscience toward God." 1 Peter 2:19
Again, think of looking through the master and straight to God as the ultimate manager. Peter never says that submission is for the sake of conscience toward an earthly master. It is toward God. Why? Because we are to act as free men, but we are not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but as an opportunity for the Spirit as we honor kings and obey masters. Our freedom is meant by God to be an opportunity to glorify Him by our actions among the world. Peter continues with this theme in 3:2. In speaking to women who have husbands who are disobedient to the word, Peter says,
"As [the disobedient husband] observe[s] your chaste and respectful [reverential, fearful] behavior,"
The Spirit is not telling women to fear men. In fact, the Spirit is clear that the wife should not fear her husband in verse 6, where Peter continues to say that she should
"do what is right without being frightened by any fear."
What the Spirit is saying, is that all Christian women should have reverential, respectful, awe like, fear of God as they submit to their husbands. In verse 14, Peter continues the same motif: Christians should not fear men,
"14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation. ..."
Peter has in mind the reverential awe inspired fear of God in our activities among the lost world culture. The Spirit is not teaching us to fear man. Think about how this changes our perspective to where it needs to be. Whenever you, who are free in Christ, submit to someone, like a boss, you are demonstrating that you are a God-fearing Christian. The apostle Paul says the same thing this way,
"5 Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, ...
[and then Paul says how and why]
".... with fear and trembling
[awe and reverential respect],
in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ;"
[the reverential attitude is as to Christ--and Paul goes on to clarify,]
"6 not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."
[The principle is evident isn't it? You are not seeking to please men. You are not merely seeking to please your boss in submitting to him. You are seeking to please the great boss, Jesus Christ. by doing His will from your heart. Paul goes on,]
"7 With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, 8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free," Ephesians 6:5-8
@3 Whatever good thing each one does, this he will ______________ _____________ from the Lord. Ephesians 6:5-8
All these things I have been sharing are in regard to the second principle. Again, the second principle is that when we render the service of submission to bosses, God wants us to do so as to Him, and not to men. It is submission for the Lord's sake. This puts us spiritual beings in the proper mindset while in the arena of the world. In that same arena, the world operates in rebellion, or it operates in manipulation, or it operates as being men pleasers because of fear of man. But for us children of God, it goes way beyond being insincere "men-pleasers." The principles we live by keep us serving Christ as His slaves while serving our employers in the workplace, for Christ's sake. This also means that if a master, or an employer, demands that those under him should do something that is sinful, then that demand is to be disobeyed. Why? Because we are Christians of the Christ-culture. We obey God by living godly in a consistent manner. This means that if your boss makes you mad, you don't steal from him to get back at him. You don't lie about him or her. You don't tell lies to him or her. You treat your boss with respect while you approach your boss with the issues. The point is that when Christians serve an employer through serving God foremost, then, they will serve their employers best. The eternal things are being brought out in the midst of the temporal world. In the meantime, if a Christian wants to find another job, then that is fine. If they want to approach upper management to air out grievances, then that is fine too. But air out your grievances respectfully in fear of your Lord. Even if you quit your job, do it while manifesting the fruits of the Spirit out of yourself in the process. The same goes for how you make your exit if you are fired. The main point this morning is that, as Christ-pleasers, we are ministering spiritual truth in the workplace while serving our boss. What we are ministering to a boss is Christ's life, whether the earthly boss is unreasonable, or not.
/3/
This leads to the third principle: Sometimes in servanthood, whether to a boss, or whomever, we will be called to suffer; and as we suffer, we should be mindful of God as we bear suffering unjustly, even though we are doing what is right. This is a calling that finds favor with God.
"19 Because this finds [God's] favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God [of being mindful of God] a person bears up under sorrows [hardships] when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. 21 Because you have been called for this purpose, ..."
@4 If when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds ____________________ with God. 1 Peter 2:20
I really want us to think about this. What pleases God is that we are thinking of Him in our submission under hardship and sorrow while we suffer unjustly. Think about how this is ministry. Christ is being made manifest out of us in personal actions, and also in worship. You are ministering the good news that is in you to those on the outside. You are worshipping God according to the King's priesthood who represent Him. We don't want the contrast,
"what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience?" v. 20
Whenever someone sins in the workplace, and they get caught, then the typical sentiment is that they get what they deserve. But there is a flip side to this principle too. It is taking what Peter is saying and then applying the principle wrongly. What I mean is that there are Christians who experience negative reactions from their boss, or from other employees, and immediately they think they are being persecuted because of their faith. This reminds me of when I worked in upper management for a large company. There was another man there who was also in management. He used to call me at least once a week from another location. He would complain about all the persecution he was receiving from the main manager directly above him, and from the employees that were directly below him. According to him, he was always being persecuted because he was a Christian. When I talked to the man's immediate manager, I discovered an amazing thing. The very same short comings that I saw in that Christian worker who thought he was being persecuted for Christ, were the very same short comings that His boss recognized. They happened to be the real cause of the problems he was having at work. His three main problems were that he was judgmental. He was independent minded; And he was not submissive. There was a fourth problem. The man wrongly blamed all of his negative workplace issues on being persecuted for Christ. In doing so, he failed to see the real problems. He was not suffering for doing what is right, and patiently enduring it, finding favor with God in the process. The reason why I am sharing this story is because I want us to check ourselves. We must be careful not to blame all our problems on being persecuted for Christ. There is more to this third principle. It has to do with the theme of this sermon. Do you remember the theme: "The high calling of submitting with respect to an unreasonable boss." The Spirit indicates that this really is a calling,
"21 Because you have been called for this purpose, ..."
There are Christians who have a problem with this being a doctrine that is in the Bible. Their own theological presuppositions will not allow them to accept it. Maybe you have had, or, are having, a problem with this too. But, the fact is that this is part of what we are to be mindful of for the sake of our conscience toward God. "When you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it." This leads to understanding the legacy of why this must occur.
/4/
It is the fourth principle. It is the purpose for this kind of suffering,
"21 Because you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,"
As usual, the Spirit is telling us that our life time on this planet, and what we experience as we are passing through, is not primarily about us. It is primarily about the glory of God in Christ Jesus. In other words, the reason that this calling for enduring suffering for doing what is right exists, is because of Jesus and the suffering that He willingly came to subject Himself to so that He would accomplish redemption, propitiation, and atonement. If you have been called to be saved (which all Christians have been called to be saved according to 1 Peter 2:9, and 5:10) then you were called in Jesus Christ. You were called for Jesus Christ to be in you, 2 Corinthians 13:5, and Galatians 2:20. If you were called in Jesus Christ, and for Jesus Christ to be in you, then you were called to
A.) suffer for doing right, and
B.) patiently endure it.
This is why Jesus told His students,
"18 If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I elected you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you;" John 15:18-20
What Jesus was explaining was the principle that they needed to embrace immediately. Serving the Messiah in His Kingdom means the calling. It is the calling to persecution. Paul states our calling this way,
"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted," 2 Timothy 3:12
When you identify with Christ by following the example that he left in His steps, you will suffer. And when we suffer as Christians while in slavery, or as some other kind of subordinate, we are manifesting more and more Christlikeness out of our life. This is one of the means that God uses for manifesting the life of His Son in a sinful world. The Spirit also uses this to make us grow more and more into the express image of His indwelling life. To experience this kind of growth, we must experience the call to suffer for Christ's sake according to His example. In Christ's example, we know that He learned obedience by the things that he suffered. We read,
"Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered." Hebrews 5:8
He had to learn "obedience" because He never had to go through anything like it before. Obedience was a new, and humbling, experience. In like manner, suffering is one calling where we learn obedience too. Remember,
"21 Because you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,"
This principle is the legacy of all the great men and women of God. Paul the apostle learned to be humble through this principle. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul says that God used suffering to shape him. God was making Himself strong in Paul through Paul's humbling, hurting, experiences. Paul summed up the maturity result in verse 11. It is real growth, where Paul can say with comfort, "I am nothing," "I am a nobody" in 2 Corinthians 12:11. The point is that the smaller we get, then the larger Jesus gets manifested out of our lives. But the principle is not simply that we suffer for doing what is right because of Jesus. It is also that we are urged to patiently endure it because of Jesus. Suffering is the great testing fire that brings out the purity of your faith. The testing of your faith produces endurance. James says,
"2 Consider it all joy ... when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result," James 1:2-4
@5 As a Christian, the testing of my faith produces ___________________. James 1:2-4
What God is interested in is the perfect result. But to have the perfect result, we must follow in the steps of Christ, our perfect example, according to the call.
/5/
This leads to the final principle to glean in respect to what should be shown to the boss. It has to do with some specific manifestations of Christ that we must emulate in our godly servanthood. We read of Christ, our great example, as Peter quotes the suffering servant prophecies in Isaiah 53:9 concerning Him,
"22 [Christ] Who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth;" 1 Peter 2:22
I think of how many so-called little white lies are told to bosses by Christians every single day. In the example of Christ a "Little white lie" is really a huge black lie. It is sin. Now think about this: Christ could not sin. It is an impossibility for Him to sin. But Christians can sin, and do. Yet, in Christ, we are freed from the powerful dominion of sin as our master. Because of this, we are enabled to serve our sinless Master Christ by His Spirit. The point is that our great example did not use lying as a means of responding to the earthly authorities, and neither should we. Yes, Jesus confronted the earthly authorities with the truth. Yes, Jesus stood up to the wicked Jewish leaders in pointing out their apostasy. But he never sinned; He never lied, and He never connived. He held on to His glorious integrity throughout the whole process. The Spirit of truth is saying that we are to walk according to His footsteps in this. There are other ways to sin in the relationship with an oppressive boss. It can happen easily when we feel like we have been treated unjustly. So, Peter give us another key example of Christ,
"23 and while being reviled [abused], He did not revile [abuse] in return;" 1 Peter 2:23
Jesus did not retaliate in a reviling manner. But think about all the ways we can retaliate. Conniving with others to make the boss look bad is one example. Conniving with others against Christ is exactly what apostate Jews did to Christ. Yet, Christ never once considered doing this with them. But the tempting thought can creep in; it can whisper in our ear,
"Hey, see how the boss treats you. See what the boss has done to you. Here is how you can get back at him, or her."
The answer of Christ was to remain consistent with His nature in respect to His mission that led to the cross. This is what we want, even if the relationship with a boss seems like hell on earth. We want to consistently manifest the new nature of the Spirit in our mission. Peter gives more teaching based upon the great example,
"while suffering, He uttered no threats,"
Jesus certainly could have made the most powerful threats of all. He could have easily followed through with the most cataclysmic events imaginable--but He did not. There was something much bigger going on in history than immediate retaliation. Those that were destined for retaliation received it in due time from God, especially as seen in AD 70 at the destruction of Jerusalem in His "Days of Vengeance" on apostate Israel, Luke 21:22. But in the meantime, uttering threats was not the example of our King in His mission to get to the cross of the new and better covenant. There are other utterances that are meant to hurt. Slander is one that is easy to do. Slandering a boss by spreading rumors about him, or her, is something that is done to get back at the boss. It happens all the time in the work place. You do not need to be the one to start it for you to end up partaking in it either. The point is that you are hurt in your suffering so this is the time for you to be aware. We must be aware that in the hurt, wounded pride is looking for an opportunity to strike back and reek havoc. So when others in a work environment, who are being mistreated, start conniving, and slandering, it is easy to jump on the band wagon. Christ, our great example demonstrated the opposite which leads us to consider what else He did. It is the last thing that Peter mentions. It is one of the most powerful aspects of this principle,
"but kept entrusting Himself [and the whole situation] to Him who judges righteously;"
Ultimately, God is the one who exacts justice. As we serve God, this is where He wants us to place our faith. Your life is already in God's hands. We know this. Our job, by the power of the indwelling Spirit, is to entrust ourselves, and the whole situation, to God and His justice no matter what. God understands what is going on. God knows, and God always, always, always, judges righteously. In the meantime, this is a faith issue in your calling. It is the opportunity to keep on looking to God in the midst of the unreasonableness, disagreement, and pain. Christ understood that there is a greater outcome to all the pain. We need to understand this too, and entrust ourselves to God in the midst of it.
Let's remember the principles as we finish up this morning. We must recognize that servanthood and submission is a part of life. Servanthood and submission can take on many different shapes, and names. There is the slave / master relationship. There is the employee / boss, relationship, and so forth. All have the same principles undergirding our Christian actions. Keeping this in mind, we need to be thinking about the second thing: Submitting to a boss may seem like it is for our sake, or it may seem like it is for the boss' sake; but for Christians, it is primarily for the Lord's sake. It changes everything when we consider our actions as a calling instead of mere consequence. While we continue to be mindful of these things, we must understand that when we are in servanthood, whether to a boss, or whomever, we will suffer (especially as a Christian); and as we suffer, we are to be mindful of God as we bear suffering unjustly. We absolutely must recognize that this is truly a calling. The calling is special with a special purpose. The principle is that Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example for us to follow in His steps. The purpose is the calling to follow the example of Christ. There is action involved in this. The summation is to emulate our Lord--even if you should quit your job to find another one, or even if you should approach your boss to defend yourself, we still need to be manifesting the Christlike fruits of the Spirit in the process. Remember, Jesus committed no sin. He did not lie. While being hurt and reviled, He did not retaliate with the same. While suffering, he did not threaten suffering back. Instead He kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; which are all the things we need to be doing too.
@1 In Christ, God wants His people to act as if they are free; but God does not want us to use our freedom as a covering for ________________ 1 Peter 2:16
@2 God wants servants to be submissive to their masters with all ______________________. 1 Peter 2:18
@3 Whatever good thing each one does, this he will ______________ _____________ from the Lord. Ephesians 6:5-8
@4 If when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds ____________________ with God. 1 Peter 2:20
@5 As a Christian, the testing of my faith produces ___________________. James 1:2-4
