WEBVTT 00:00:00.300 --> 00:00:07.380 Many of you might know that Ravi Zacharias is battling cancer right now and they expect he's near the final 00:00:07.380 --> 00:00:08.570 days of his life. 00:00:08.820 --> 00:00:16.260 He has some wonderful comments and quotes to the significance of us as human beings as it relates to life. 00:00:16.420 --> 00:00:21.480 Ravi Zacharias has said to find the purpose of life is to find the Creator of life. 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:29.120 And when you look at the significance of what Peter is at in 1 Peter 2 that is what he is identifying for 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:29.420 us. 00:00:29.820 --> 00:00:37.380 It's not about who you are, as Ravi Zacharias says, it's about whose you are and the need for us to be 00:00:37.380 --> 00:00:44.380 reminded constantly of whose we are is important for our lives and living in light of that relationship that 00:00:44.400 --> 00:00:45.860 we have with God. 00:00:45.900 --> 00:00:52.940 In 1 Peter 2 is helping us think through that identity and that's exactly where we were last week as we looked at in 00:00:52.940 --> 00:01:00.180 verse three and on all the way down to verse 10 where Peter lays out for us an identity that is significant to our relationship with God as 00:01:00.180 --> 00:01:03.010 it relates to our relationship with others in this world. 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:08.520 And what he does is he identifies for us that we are living stones being built up into a spiritual household. 00:01:08.520 --> 00:01:09.400 It's not about a building. 00:01:09.740 --> 00:01:13.480 It's about God's people and what God is doing in us and through us together. 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:19.600 And the reason we are these living stone's is because he is the living stone, the foundation, the cornerstone on which all is built upon. 00:01:19.960 --> 00:01:25.800 Then he goes on in verse nine and he begins to describe the characteristics of what it means to be a part of God's family. 00:01:25.860 --> 00:01:31.880 These descriptions, he says, you're a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession. 00:01:33.740 --> 00:01:36.860 This identity becomes important for us to live. 00:01:37.010 --> 00:01:42.060 The question that we want to look at this morning is to simply ask, am I ready to live that out? 00:01:44.780 --> 00:01:47.220 Knowing what God has called us to in him. 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:53.520 Knowing how he has shaped us for a purpose in him and that we belong to him. 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:59.040 He's called us out in chapter one to be holy, because of the power of his resurrection in our lives. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.980 As we put our faith in that King who rescues us. 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:06.180 Am I ready to live it out? 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:15.170 In 1 Peter 2:11 he begins this section of scripture really by helping us understand, 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:16.260 do we have the right focus? 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.890 He's given us that identity in Jesus, but do we have the right focus? 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:28.360 In verse 11 he says this, "Beloved." I'm going to stop there for just a minute and read the rest, but allowing 00:02:28.360 --> 00:02:33.540 that word to just wash over our soul is important. 00:02:34.720 --> 00:02:35.020 Beloved. 00:02:37.690 --> 00:02:41.320 You think about what your identity is in Jesus. 00:02:42.440 --> 00:02:42.640 Loved. 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:45.040 Beloved. 00:02:45.040 --> 00:02:45.540 You belong. 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:48.470 Christ cares about you. 00:02:49.320 --> 00:02:56.660 When you think about the reason for every sin that is committed in this world, I think every sin is conducted under this one idea, the act of unbelief. 00:02:59.740 --> 00:03:06.890 We don't believe that God is the good God that he claims to be, that he cares for us in the way that he says in verse nine. 00:03:06.920 --> 00:03:14.020 And because when we do not believe that we'll live out life for ourselves for different reasons, different purposes, but when we understand that we are 00:03:14.020 --> 00:03:19.360 beloved by him, that changes the way that we respond. 00:03:19.540 --> 00:03:26.640 There I think are two things primarily in the life of a Christian, in the idea of unbelief that keeps 00:03:26.640 --> 00:03:29.480 us from moving forward in the calling that God gives to our lives. 00:03:29.480 --> 00:03:30.960 One is guilt and the other is shame. 00:03:33.260 --> 00:03:39.830 The idea of guilt is this reflection on everything that you've done wrong in your life, it's to make you become a prisoner of your past. 00:03:41.340 --> 00:03:48.480 And the idea of shame is to continue to cast that image on you from stopping you or prohibiting you from taking a step forward in the new identity that God has given 00:03:48.480 --> 00:03:48.880 you. 00:03:50.660 --> 00:03:57.140 And when it comes to live out your life according to the way that Christ has called you, it has nothing to do with the identity you give to yourself. 00:03:57.420 --> 00:03:59.320 But everything that Jesus has done for you. 00:04:01.340 --> 00:04:05.780 The idea of his love being lavished on you isn't because you've demonstrated yourself lovable. 00:04:05.920 --> 00:04:10.420 But it's because of his love being demonstrated to you and while you were still sinners. 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:17.899 And so this phrase has everything to do with understanding how we're to live in light of Christ is to understand you recognize that in Jesus 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:18.519 you are beloved. 00:04:20.220 --> 00:04:23.530 If you belong to Jesus, you're his, you are loved. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:31.420 And then he says, in the rest of verse 11, "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lust which 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:33.240 wage war against the soul. 00:04:33.400 --> 00:04:40.700 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles and the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds as they observe 00:04:40.700 --> 00:04:47.840 them, glorify God in the day of visitation." So what he's saying to us is this, look you are aliens and strangers, and the reason he 00:04:47.840 --> 00:04:54.160 calls us aliens and strangers is to recognize you no longer live for the kingdom of this world, but now you belong to another King. 00:04:55.580 --> 00:05:00.040 We live as aliens and strangers to one place because we belong to another. 00:05:00.900 --> 00:05:05.870 And so the identity of being loved in him has separated us from a world that may call us to something different. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:12.100 And he wants us to recognize that the things of this world, what it does for our lives is it wages war against our souls. 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:14.840 And the question then becomes, how are you going to respond to it? 00:05:15.740 --> 00:05:22.000 So you have this identity that God wants to give you, and the world wants to speak into you something that's contrary to that. 00:05:22.280 --> 00:05:27.100 They want to guilt and shame and change the identity for which you were given in Jesus. 00:05:27.140 --> 00:05:31.980 But God wants you to live out that identity in him and the world will wage war against your soul. 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:39.200 How you respond to that becomes important because the way you respond to that is what produces change in the world around us and 00:05:39.200 --> 00:05:40.660 change within our own nature. 00:05:43.440 --> 00:05:47.720 Listen to what the world says or listen to what Jesus says. 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:53.820 There are three ways I think that we can respond in light of recognizing that we are in a battle. 00:05:55.320 --> 00:05:56.190 We can fight. 00:05:58.640 --> 00:06:03.980 We can flight against the world or we can be a light to the world, right? 00:06:03.980 --> 00:06:10.100 We can turn and we can allow just our voice to scream back at the response and anger. 00:06:10.140 --> 00:06:10.820 We can fight it. 00:06:11.460 --> 00:06:14.840 We can run and hide and saying, Ooh, that's an awful world, I want to be a part of it. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:21.740 Or we can take on the identity that Jesus gives us and be a light to the darkness around us and this is what he's calling us to in this passage of scripture. 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:27.360 To live in light of that, and this is where he gets into verse 12 to keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles. 00:06:27.380 --> 00:06:30.470 It's not just about what you say, but it's about how you conduct your life. 00:06:30.700 --> 00:06:37.750 So that they, in this thing which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 00:06:38.020 --> 00:06:45.140 I'll tell you, theologians are a little bit divided as to what this last part of this verse means that while they slander 00:06:45.140 --> 00:06:49.670 you, if you keep your actions honorable before God, that they will honor God on the day of visitation. 00:06:50.020 --> 00:06:51.600 They think, okay, so what is this day? 00:06:51.860 --> 00:06:55.740 Is that the day the gospel is pronounced to them and they receive it and therefore glorify God? 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:03.220 Or is it the day of judgment where God finally comes and they're being judged because they're sinning and never embracing Jesus, and 00:07:03.220 --> 00:07:10.460 in so doing they look back of all the demonstration of God's people and they still praise God because they saw the goodness of God through the people 00:07:10.460 --> 00:07:11.420 of God being lived out. 00:07:12.400 --> 00:07:14.140 Theologians aren't sure which it is. 00:07:14.900 --> 00:07:19.440 Is it the good behavior leads to the salvation of others because they see the goodness of God in your life? 00:07:19.780 --> 00:07:23.070 Or is it your good behavior just works in the day of judgment for them to glorify God? 00:07:23.660 --> 00:07:27.200 I don't think Peter's specific here because I think the answer to all of it is yes. 00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:35.740 Either way, when God's people glorify God in the way that they live their lives, not just by what they say, but how they behave in verse 12 it gives reason for the 00:07:35.740 --> 00:07:38.980 world to honor God, whether it's in the day of judgment or not. 00:07:40.700 --> 00:07:44.980 Whether salvation comes or no, it gives us reason to praise his name. 00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:52.560 And so the question comes for us in seeing the focus that we're to have and to recognize that, okay, we don't belong to the world, but we belong to Jesus, 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:58.420 that we're beloved in him, that that's our identity, that I'm not going to allow the world to speak to me, but I'm allowing the identity that Christ has given to me. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:05.480 The reason that I can stand in my life and live for Christ isn't because of anything that I've done, but everything that he has done for me and therefore I can 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:05.900 stand. 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:13.220 Look, I know in life sometimes we've disappointed people, but because of what Jesus has done, maybe you've hurt trust in your relationships with others. 00:08:13.580 --> 00:08:18.500 But because of the identity that Christ gives you, allow them to see the day where they can trust in you again. 00:08:19.340 --> 00:08:26.460 And the reason that you can give up get up is not because you have the identity of your past on you, iIt's because you have the identity of 00:08:26.460 --> 00:08:27.700 Jesus on you in the present. 00:08:30.140 --> 00:08:33.340 Now the question is, am I demonstrating a healthy Christian life? 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:41.860 Well, in chapter two verse 13, Peter takes this portion of scripture and he goes 00:08:41.860 --> 00:08:49.100 through the rest of the book and really he gives us a way of examining if our lives are truly demonstrating the goodness of 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:52.260 God in the way reflect his goodness over us. 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:57.160 Am I living this way? 00:08:58.040 --> 00:09:05.160 Can I tell you as I get ready to read this section of scripture, that guys, when it comes to being a believer, Christians excel when they have 00:09:05.160 --> 00:09:08.360 an attitude of a servant, no matter their position in life. 00:09:10.240 --> 00:09:16.320 Even historically, when you look at Christianity, anytime Christianity was perceived as being on top, we've always done poorly. 00:09:17.900 --> 00:09:22.200 But when Christianity, when Christians take the attitude of a servant, we excel. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:26.680 So am I demonstrating a healthy Christian life? 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:28.610 Well, look in verse 13 because this is where he starts. 00:09:28.940 --> 00:09:32.400 Peter has given us a place of examining our lives and how to demonstrate the goodness of Christ. 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:40.220 And then he says this in verse 13, "Submit yourselves." Like I don't even want to read the rest of 00:09:40.220 --> 00:09:45.300 that when I hear this word, I start, okay, how do I living a healthy Christian live? 00:09:45.360 --> 00:09:48.310 And the first thing Peter says is submit yourselves. 00:09:49.100 --> 00:09:50.760 I don't want to do that. 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:55.340 But then he goes on a little bit further and he talks about this idea of submission the way it should look, right? 00:09:55.680 --> 00:09:59.960 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution. 00:10:00.400 --> 00:10:04.930 Whether to a King as the one in authority or to governors. 00:10:06.380 --> 00:10:08.660 So how do we know if we're living a healthy Christian life? 00:10:08.940 --> 00:10:12.260 And Peter's response here is submission. 00:10:12.260 --> 00:10:19.620 And here's the irony of Peter picking this is that Peter is known as a zealot in his day and zealot would go to 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:25.260 the extent of physical violence for the purposes for which they lived. 00:10:25.260 --> 00:10:32.800 And here we are politically, Peter being a zealot who would fight against Rome, now telling us to submit to 00:10:32.800 --> 00:10:33.920 the government. 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:41.020 Now I don't know about you, but in most cases maybe I'm mildly okay of submitting to the government. 00:10:41.340 --> 00:10:48.580 But that's only if it does everything that I want it to do, because what I want is what matters most, or what I want is right. 00:10:48.640 --> 00:10:52.620 Of course we would all believe that because that's why we think that we want those things. 00:10:52.900 --> 00:10:59.900 When I read a passage like this, submit yourselves to the government, I want to read it like a dirty law and 00:10:59.900 --> 00:11:00.990 you're looking for a loophole. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:05.980 I know the question people immediately ask when they read this kind of statement is, okay, but when do we not have to obey it? 00:11:07.460 --> 00:11:11.180 When is it okay not to do what the government says that we have to do? 00:11:11.460 --> 00:11:15.720 I want to hurry up and jump to that answer because that makes me feel more comfortable and I can justify my behavior. 00:11:16.660 --> 00:11:25.060 But I think what's important to recognize here as we look at this passage of scripture is Peter is writing this at 00:11:25.060 --> 00:11:32.430 a time when Christians are being persecuted and killed by this government he's saying to submit to. 00:11:34.400 --> 00:11:41.440 Now, when you put into perspective the circumstances to Peter's writing, it's a little 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:42.550 humbling, isn't it? 00:11:45.300 --> 00:11:47.950 Submit yourselves to the government. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:49.920 How do we do that? 00:11:52.160 --> 00:11:59.300 What's important that we recognize this passage of scripture and the only problem with trying to make loopholes to the statement is it's 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:00.440 not a conditional command. 00:12:02.540 --> 00:12:06.100 So we better make sure that we understand it, and we understand it rightly as it relates to Christ. 00:12:07.340 --> 00:12:14.400 And I think the key to understanding this section of scripture isn't just in this thought of submitting yourselves, but the reason that Peter 00:12:14.400 --> 00:12:15.700 gives us for the submission. 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:21.190 In verse 13 he says, submit yourselves for the Lord's sake. 00:12:22.740 --> 00:12:29.690 If we talk about submission and your approach, government authority for your sake, you're going to act selfishly. 00:12:31.980 --> 00:12:39.180 But if you approach this idea of submission to the government for the Lord's sake, then our hearts can begin to respond 00:12:39.180 --> 00:12:39.680 selflessly. 00:12:41.220 --> 00:12:48.240 Because what we see in the statement that Peter is giving to us, this is not ultimately about me or the government, but rather what Jesus wants to achieve through my life through 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:53.140 the circumstances, relationships around us, and he's just starting this section of scripture with government. 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:56.140 But this transcends into every way we relate to people in life. 00:12:57.520 --> 00:13:02.880 This idea of being a servant for the cause of Christ is what Jesus uses to transform the hearts of people. 00:13:04.380 --> 00:13:07.910 This is God's means and it was all ultimately demonstrated in Christ himself. 00:13:08.160 --> 00:13:14.650 Though, being in Philippians 2 the very form of God took him up on himself, the form of a servant to the point of death, even death on the cross. 00:13:14.900 --> 00:13:19.340 The reason my life has been transformed is because Jesus took the form of a servant. 00:13:21.240 --> 00:13:25.400 You want to make change, understand who you are in light of Christ. 00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:32.840 Submit to government, not for the sake of submitting to government, but for the sake of the Lord. 00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:35.360 What does all that look like? 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:38.240 I hope to explain a little bit more, but this is what I want us to remember. 00:13:39.060 --> 00:13:43.850 In John 18 Jesus really gives us the basis to understanding what we are about as his people. 00:13:44.140 --> 00:13:46.980 You remember in John chapter 18, this is where Jesus is about to be crucified. 00:13:48.180 --> 00:13:52.680 And he's before Pilate and the accusation against Jesus is he's proclaiming himself to be a King. 00:13:52.760 --> 00:13:58.520 In fact, when Jesus was crucified, they would put on the top of a criminal that was crucified, the reason for which they were being crucified. 00:13:58.880 --> 00:14:00.900 And on the top of Jesus's cross, what does it say? 00:14:01.400 --> 00:14:02.000 King of the Jews. 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:11.260 They understood that the claim that Jesus was making, Jesus saw himself as a King and Pilate asked Jesus in John chapter 18 are 00:14:11.260 --> 00:14:12.420 you really a King? 00:14:14.320 --> 00:14:22.360 And Jesus' response comes in verse 36 he says this, "Jesus answered, my kingdom is not of this world." A 00:14:22.360 --> 00:14:28.320 very important statement for us to understand, meaning Jesus isn't denying the fact that he is representing a kingdom. 00:14:28.780 --> 00:14:31.470 He's just identifying from which this kingdom represents. 00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:35.200 He's not saying, look, I'm not a King of this world. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:40.020 My kingdom is not from this world, implying to us that his kingdom comes from another place. 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:42.820 It's not to say that his kingdom won't impact this world. 00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:46.060 He just wants us to understand it doesn't originate from this world. 00:14:46.380 --> 00:14:49.600 And when you belong to this King, you represent this kingdom. 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:53.660 And so in John chapter 18 verse 36 he says, my kingdom is not of this world. 00:14:54.140 --> 00:15:00.520 If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews. 00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:03.640 But as it is, my kingdom is not of this realm. 00:15:03.920 --> 00:15:09.900 Therefore Pilate said to him, so you are a King, and Jesus answered, you say correctly that I am a King. 00:15:11.060 --> 00:15:12.220 So here's what Jesus is saying. 00:15:12.300 --> 00:15:15.740 You want to know why Christians don't formulate an army we call a Christian army? 00:15:18.260 --> 00:15:21.000 It's because we fight a different kind of battle. 00:15:22.140 --> 00:15:23.220 It's a spiritual battle. 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:31.480 If our battle became simply about getting people to bow down to our moral authority, trying to get their behavior to conform 00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:38.260 to what we want it to do, we'll completely miss the purpose of which Jesus came and that is to transform from the inside out. 00:15:39.640 --> 00:15:42.460 Christians represent an army, but it's not a physical army. 00:15:42.500 --> 00:15:43.620 It's a spiritual army. 00:15:44.520 --> 00:15:47.460 We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers. 00:15:47.460 --> 00:15:54.520 That's why the apostle Paul continued to use the illustration of a military picture as he related to Christians, saying put on the armor of God. 00:15:55.920 --> 00:15:56.680 Because what do we represent? 00:15:57.960 --> 00:16:03.200 For the Lord's sake, His kingdom, his glory. 00:16:05.380 --> 00:16:06.170 You want to make change? 00:16:07.900 --> 00:16:09.260 I think government is important. 00:16:09.400 --> 00:16:10.180 It has a place. 00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:14.060 I think God wants us to influence the world around us. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:21.460 That's true, but it's not simply by behavior modification, but 00:16:21.460 --> 00:16:21.940 heart transformation. 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:29.240 And this is what Jesus is saying exactly the Pilate, that his kingdom will make a change. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:31.440 But how does it make a change? 00:16:33.180 --> 00:16:38.040 By speaking to the hearts of people, because when you can get their heart, you change their lives. 00:16:38.040 --> 00:16:43.940 And when you change a life, you begin to change a society for the Lord's sake. 00:16:46.100 --> 00:16:51.760 I know sometimes as Christians we like to pretend like politics is the all to end all. 00:16:53.280 --> 00:16:57.130 So sometimes we can even get ugly in our behavior towards one another. 00:16:58.380 --> 00:17:03.840 But can I tell you the battle for the political world was really fought decades before we've come to this time today. 00:17:05.140 --> 00:17:09.859 I think the battle for the political world begins a few decades before in the hearts and minds of young people. 00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:14.000 Shaping their identity in light of who God is. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:21.260 If you want to make a change in this world, start influencing the minds of young people for the sake of Christ, helping them to 00:17:21.260 --> 00:17:22.160 understand their identity. 00:17:23.720 --> 00:17:28.660 One of the most powerful tools that you have to make change in this world may be sitting within your household right now. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:39.240 I don't even think we have the right to complain about anything as it relates to government, if we as Christians aren't making disciples, because 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:40.550 that's where real change happens. 00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:46.860 I'm glad God gives you a voice, but I think we've got enough armchair quarterbacks in this world. 00:17:49.600 --> 00:17:57.380 We need people that want to fight for more than just behavior modification in a society where they think "might makes right." And 00:17:57.380 --> 00:18:00.820 have people that genuinely want to start on the basis for the Lord's sake. 00:18:00.860 --> 00:18:02.800 Helping people understand their identity from God. 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:10.820 If all you have is "might makes right," all people are going to do is argue and bicker back and forth until all of a sudden one side gets tired and the one side 00:18:10.820 --> 00:18:16.130 gives in so that the other side can have by their strength whatever it is that they want. 00:18:17.800 --> 00:18:18.940 And is that really how you operate? 00:18:20.860 --> 00:18:21.980 Is that how we're called to operate? 00:18:24.260 --> 00:18:27.440 That whoever's the strongest and screams the loudest wins at the end of the day? 00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:36.580 But rather is Jesus declaring to us that there's a greater authority for which we're all designed to really give an answer to that we're all accountable to, and 00:18:36.580 --> 00:18:37.220 that is God. 00:18:39.760 --> 00:18:43.080 So when we walk in this world, we represent the Lord. 00:18:46.760 --> 00:18:53.960 When we think in terms of politics, I think it's important for us to remember that politics, they do have a place politics are the reordering 00:18:53.960 --> 00:19:01.120 of life for a temporal world, but the gospel is a reordering of 00:19:01.120 --> 00:19:02.560 life for an eternal world. 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:06.410 And that by far is more important. 00:19:08.580 --> 00:19:13.180 When we can get lives to change for an eternal purpose it will impact this temporal world. 00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:21.180 And here's a good way of just testing within our own hearts if we're being those kinds of people to effect proper change, whether we're being a people that's 00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:27.760 just forcing behavior modification or being a people that's really seeking after heart transformation in the lives of others. 00:19:28.460 --> 00:19:30.000 Let me just toss this out. 00:19:32.040 --> 00:19:39.480 Depending on where you land politically, when certain names are mentioned in the political world, you can literally watch people recoil with 00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:44.270 a contorted face of frustration at the mention of certain political leaders. 00:19:47.880 --> 00:19:56.460 What if rather our response wasn't just based on sharing our opinion and how others make me feel, but what if we took upon ourselves as believers, rather 00:19:56.460 --> 00:20:00.100 than share our opinion first, we share our prayers. 00:20:01.820 --> 00:20:05.760 Meaning in 1 Timothy 2:1, listen to this. 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:13.120 Paul says this, I urge that prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all 00:20:13.120 --> 00:20:21.120 men for Kings and all who are in authority so that we may lead tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:24.100 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.810 Meaning God's people aren't called to be a thorn in the society, but a blessing. 00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:36.700 No doubt, there is a time where you have to stand up for things that are right and good. 00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:44.490 Meaning, I'll just tell you this, frankly, I will never vote for anyone that thinks it's okay to kill babies, never do it. 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:51.920 There is a time to a stand for things like that in a constitutional democratic Republic that we live in. 00:20:51.960 --> 00:20:55.840 I think we have a place to have a voice and that is a wonderful thing I don't ever want to take for granted. 00:20:58.320 --> 00:21:03.260 But before any of that, I recognize this, that my kingdom isn't in this world. 00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:12.560 That my King isn't from this world, but I represent a King from another world and for an eternal 00:21:12.560 --> 00:21:13.210 purpose. 00:21:13.260 --> 00:21:20.130 And when I live for that purpose, it will impact the kingdom of which I'm a part of in this temporal world. 00:21:21.860 --> 00:21:22.690 And I want to be a blessing. 00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:30.280 That's what God calls us to in this world, to be a blessing and that starts in a place where I am a person of prayer for leaders around me, even if I disagree with 00:21:30.280 --> 00:21:30.460 them. 00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:33.610 And maybe I should say, especially when I disagree with them. 00:21:35.160 --> 00:21:36.820 So let me just ask the simple question then. 00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:37.980 So why does the government exist? 00:21:39.080 --> 00:21:40.520 That's important for us to recognize. 00:21:41.380 --> 00:21:46.720 I think as Christians, we have a couple of places that help govern and direct our lives. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:48.060 It all originates from the Lord. 00:21:48.260 --> 00:21:49.180 It's for the Lord's sake. 00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:55.360 We have his Word and we have the church and we live in light of that and community to honor our King. 00:21:55.360 --> 00:21:55.920 Beautiful place. 00:21:56.020 --> 00:21:57.840 But what about people that don't belong to that? 00:21:57.980 --> 00:22:05.400 Well, that gives us a beginning to understand why it is that government exists, because outside of the church, God's Word in relationship 00:22:05.400 --> 00:22:12.460 to Christ, God has given all of society a few things that help govern us in order to preserve and promote and 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:13.540 protect life. 00:22:14.040 --> 00:22:16.560 The first for us is moral conscience. 00:22:18.320 --> 00:22:25.460 God's given us all a moral conscious, no doubt moral conscience is corrupt, but God's given us moral conscience to at least give 00:22:25.460 --> 00:22:28.220 us a framework for the decisions that we make as people. 00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:35.240 But when our moral conscience is sinful or just out of whack, God's given us another realm to help guard 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:37.000 and preserve life, and that is the family. 00:22:38.100 --> 00:22:44.570 What's interesting in the entire New Testament, the only command for children in the New Testament is, children, Ephesians 6, obey your parents. 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:47.520 And so God has given us family. 00:22:47.520 --> 00:22:50.230 And the third thing that God has given us is government. 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:52.260 Why does government exist? 00:22:52.260 --> 00:22:55.540 Well, 1 Peter 2:14 Peter describes it for us. 00:22:55.580 --> 00:23:02.220 He says to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 00:23:03.060 --> 00:23:03.800 So why does government exist? 00:23:04.180 --> 00:23:06.280 The punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:14.120 When you look and study the idea of government as it exists in scripture, you see in the Noahic flood right after the Noahic flood, God giving authority 00:23:14.120 --> 00:23:15.120 to government. 00:23:15.540 --> 00:23:21.380 Then you see God establishing a monarchy through David and a theocracy in himself in Romans 13. 00:23:21.460 --> 00:23:26.490 It even tells us in that chapter all the way to verse seven how to honor governmental authority. 00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:34.460 Government is given to preserve and protect life, to implement justice and provide mercy. 00:23:34.480 --> 00:23:41.600 If you want to destroy a society based on those three things God's given us, all you have to do is wake up tomorrow and just decide 00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:43.240 you're going to do whatever it is that you want. 00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:47.140 Ignore the moral conscious, defied the family and disrespect authority. 00:23:47.260 --> 00:23:49.680 That is how you kill a society. 00:23:52.560 --> 00:23:56.540 But God's desire for us is to be a people of justice and mercy. 00:23:57.820 --> 00:23:59.230 And so this is what you see with government. 00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:04.260 The idea of punishment of evil doing and promoting what is right. 00:24:05.320 --> 00:24:12.540 In a society when people lose justice, what goes with it is 00:24:12.540 --> 00:24:12.680 hope. 00:24:15.080 --> 00:24:20.520 But you know what's also interesting when a society brings justice, what they sacrifice in justice is mercy. 00:24:23.220 --> 00:24:30.730 I think in really no human form can we perfectly execute both justice and mercy, and this is what makes Jesus so important for us. 00:24:31.580 --> 00:24:36.360 It's because it's only through Christ that we can see justice and mercy measured out in the most perfect way. 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:37.980 Where does that happen? 00:24:39.260 --> 00:24:39.630 At the cross. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:49.040 His justice, his wrath poured out on Christ and his mercy made known as we embraced Jesus for 00:24:49.040 --> 00:24:50.800 the payment he has made for our sins. 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:55.440 A beautiful place for us to recognize the goodness of our God. 00:24:57.060 --> 00:25:03.040 So when it comes to government, I think it's important for us to know government isn't inherently bad. 00:25:04.260 --> 00:25:07.020 It's what you do with it that determines whether or not it's good. 00:25:08.060 --> 00:25:15.080 Government is only as good as the people that lead it, which is what makes your job as a believer so important 00:25:16.700 --> 00:25:23.760 because you have opportunity not just to be a person that screams back at others, I don't think that's what God desires, but to 00:25:23.760 --> 00:25:23.960 influence. 00:25:26.320 --> 00:25:30.800 Sometimes Christians, we buy into this mistake that leadership is about authority. 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:36.960 A part of leadership is authority, but more powerful than authority is influence. 00:25:38.860 --> 00:25:39.740 Leadership is about influence. 00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:48.480 There are plenty of people in positions of authority that no one follows, but without even being in authority, you 00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.440 can influence the world. 00:25:51.100 --> 00:25:52.880 That's what made Jesus so incredible, isn't it? 00:25:53.800 --> 00:25:55.400 He never held a political office. 00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:58.150 He never wrote a book. 00:25:58.900 --> 00:26:04.360 He never led an army, but yet here we are, thousands of years later still talking about him, how? 00:26:05.620 --> 00:26:09.030 He became the servants of servants and he influenced. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:11.500 He influenced. 00:26:13.280 --> 00:26:14.580 His life, gives us life. 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:19.780 He who is King of all became the servant of all for the benefit of others. 00:26:21.900 --> 00:26:29.320 And now that same King calls you to reflect his goodness in this world because you have the opportunity to lead change 00:26:29.320 --> 00:26:36.370 because we're only as good as the people that lead us, whether it be in authority or by influence. 00:26:36.820 --> 00:26:38.720 And all of us have the place of influence. 00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:48.620 That's what makes your position so important as Christians to understand in 1 Peter 2:9, that you are a Royal priesthood and 00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:50.040 that you represent this King. 00:26:50.100 --> 00:26:51.810 So how does a Christian bring about change? 00:26:51.820 --> 00:26:54.600 Well, verse 15 he starts to share that for us. 00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:55.440 Look at this. 00:26:55.460 --> 00:27:02.620 He says, for such as the will of God, that by doing right, 00:27:02.860 --> 00:27:05.320 you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:11.360 Notice he doesn't just say saying, right, but in this phrase he says doing right. 00:27:12.300 --> 00:27:15.740 That we're not people that just believe, but we're also people that behave. 00:27:16.360 --> 00:27:19.470 And this is an ethical statement that Peter is making here. 00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:24.400 Ethics has a few ways of considering how to get to an answer. 00:27:25.320 --> 00:27:29.060 You can be right in what you say, but in the wrong way in which you behave. 00:27:30.060 --> 00:27:33.030 You can be wrong in what you say, but end up doing the right thing. 00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:38.700 You can be wrong and for the wrong reasons, but what God calls us to do is to be right for the right reasons. 00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:46.140 To be right, but in the wrong way is to still be wrong. 00:27:47.700 --> 00:27:54.760 Or you can have all the truth in the world and be completely correct about what it is that you believe, but you have to demonstrate that 00:27:54.760 --> 00:27:58.180 in a way that shows the goodness of your King. 00:28:00.220 --> 00:28:02.020 So it's not about attacking others. 00:28:02.020 --> 00:28:03.140 It's not about maligning others. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:09.080 You'll see that today that when people can win arguments, they'll immediately go after character and that is not what God's people are called to do. 00:28:10.360 --> 00:28:14.760 And so he's saying this for such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance. 00:28:14.820 --> 00:28:17.160 That we bring, this type of change that God calls us too. 00:28:17.400 --> 00:28:20.240 Don't react based on how other people act. 00:28:20.820 --> 00:28:23.720 Act based on how Jesus calls you to act. 00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:30.900 If you make an excuse to act based on how other people act or to react based on how other people act, you 00:28:30.900 --> 00:28:34.220 can find any excuse in the world to behave any way that you want to behave. 00:28:37.370 --> 00:28:44.380 But for the Lord's sake, it means that we enter into any relationship, whether it be with 00:28:44.540 --> 00:28:52.060 government or anyone else where you're demonstrating something far greater than ourselves and 00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:53.490 that is our King. 00:28:55.360 --> 00:28:58.550 How does your King want to be represented in this world? 00:29:01.360 --> 00:29:04.580 How we believe and how we behave, right? 00:29:05.320 --> 00:29:12.520 I know we ask this question a lot, but when we come to government, we look for that loophole, but what if the government 00:29:12.520 --> 00:29:16.040 asked me to do something that violates my conscience or disobeys God? 00:29:16.040 --> 00:29:23.040 Well, very simple, the answer for us is Acts 5:29 and Peter answered the apostles, we must obey God rather than 00:29:23.040 --> 00:29:23.140 men. 00:29:25.280 --> 00:29:26.720 We must obey God rather than men. 00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:34.140 Because to take God out of this question, they wanted Peter to stop talking about God and to go live out his life apart from declaring God to people. 00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:39.080 But to take God out of the equation is to remove the basis for which we do anything as believers. 00:29:39.300 --> 00:29:40.840 We've got to obey God rather than men. 00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:48.480 But can I can also say, and that doesn't mean when we obey God rather than men, that we jump to violence as a solution. 00:29:50.580 --> 00:29:58.560 If you think about scripture, scripture is loaded with stories and individuals that bring about change within their society based 00:29:58.560 --> 00:30:00.160 on living in light of who God is. 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.660 The book of Daniel, first six chapters. 00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:10.160 Daniel, in his time there was given a law that they couldn't pray to God and Daniel says, I'm going to obey God rather than men, he continues to pray to God and what happens to Daniel? 00:30:10.480 --> 00:30:11.800 He's thrown in the lion's den. 00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:14.880 Daniel lives for what's right. 00:30:16.060 --> 00:30:17.520 And Daniel also takes his punishment. 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:24.120 I think that's what makes people like Martin Luther King Jr. 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:31.660 so effective is that when he led for reformation in our country for the equal treatment of all people, he 00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:32.590 didn't do it with violence. 00:30:34.180 --> 00:30:38.060 He did it by demonstrating a character that was godly as a servant. 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:42.720 Martin Luther King Jr. 00:30:42.820 --> 00:30:48.180 understood the basis for which we had integrity as human beings, and that is our identity as made by our Creator. 00:30:49.920 --> 00:30:53.160 And how you behave can influence hearts. 00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:55.100 Jesus uses that to influence hearts. 00:30:56.120 --> 00:31:00.720 We need to help people understand the basis for why we even want to hold to integrity as a human being. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:05.920 What makes things right and why do people have value? 00:31:07.600 --> 00:31:14.660 If you scream about it, that doesn't change hearts, and if you remain silent about it, it's not going 00:31:14.660 --> 00:31:15.280 to influence either. 00:31:17.580 --> 00:31:24.880 I love how Dietrich Bonhoeffer said in Nazi Germany, he said, to not speak is 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:28.120 to speak and to do nothing or it is to do something. 00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:37.970 His point is that God has given you a platform to use and in the type of government that we live in, you have a wonderful privilege to make that difference. 00:31:38.280 --> 00:31:40.920 And then he says this verse 16, act as free men. 00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:47.460 Do you not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use your freedom as bond slaves of God. 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:49.580 Very important to understand here. 00:31:51.340 --> 00:31:58.380 What was being argued in this time in Peter's day is that Jesus gives you freedom in him and therefore, who cares about society, Jesus made 00:31:58.380 --> 00:31:58.920 you free. 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:05.220 Tell the world to just go away and you just show your ugly side and do what you want because you've been given freedom in Jesus. 00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:08.400 And what Peter is saying is, look guys, that's not godly. 00:32:08.620 --> 00:32:12.440 Just because you've been given freedom doesn't mean that you should always take advantage of it. 00:32:13.640 --> 00:32:19.300 It's true, Christians are given freedom in Christ, but we don't take our freedom to hurt other people. 00:32:20.780 --> 00:32:27.840 In fact, the beauty of what makes freedom free is that people who are free become servants in that freedom for the benefit of others and that sets people 00:32:27.840 --> 00:32:28.340 free. 00:32:28.860 --> 00:32:30.200 That's what Jesus did for us. 00:32:30.960 --> 00:32:35.300 The only reason we have freedom today as Americans is because others laid down their lives that you could experience it. 00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:42.260 Freedom necessitates that those who are free lay down their lives as servants to bring freedom to others who are slaves. 00:32:44.300 --> 00:32:46.830 It's when you serve others for their benefit that freedom continues. 00:32:48.280 --> 00:32:49.640 You know, as Americans, we love our freedom. 00:32:49.960 --> 00:32:57.260 For example, freedom of speech, and I don't want to take away that freedom, but I think it's important for us to recognize that you don't always have to exercise 00:32:57.260 --> 00:32:57.600 it either. 00:32:59.020 --> 00:33:03.420 Because we're given freedom sometimes we take little accountability for the things that we do. 00:33:04.220 --> 00:33:06.380 You never have to apologize for words you don't say. 00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:14.180 Freedom of speech as Americans gives us a platform to leverage things for the goodness of who our King is. 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:20.180 But it doesn't mean you always have to take advantage of it and you shouldn't take advantage of it to belittle other people created in his image too. 00:33:22.420 --> 00:33:26.960 We stand for what's right in a way that's honoring to our King, both in word and behavior. 00:33:28.920 --> 00:33:31.020 We want change in our government for sure. 00:33:31.020 --> 00:33:32.700 We want people to agree with us for sure. 00:33:34.200 --> 00:33:40.320 But most of all, we want to do it in a way that brings honor to our King and brings dignity to the people in this world that are created in his image. 00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:50.880 God calls us to be a people that makes a movement in this world, but it's not because we see government as the focus is that we see Jesus rather as our focus. 00:33:52.040 --> 00:33:53.300 We live for his glory. 00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:57.780 That's what brings the change that we desire, when we desire what Jesus desires. 00:34:00.200 --> 00:34:02.340 And so we live for that freedom. 00:34:02.340 --> 00:34:09.340 Galatians 5:13 says this, you, my brothers and sisters, we are called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge in the flesh, rather 00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:11.260 serve one another humbly in love. 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:17.739 God gives you that freedom as a way to honor him in laying it down for the benefit of others. 00:34:19.219 --> 00:34:21.020 Use your leadership to influence. 00:34:21.020 --> 00:34:23.219 In verse 17 this is where I'm going to end. 00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:26.139 He says, honor all people, love the brotherhood. 00:34:26.580 --> 00:34:27.600 Fear God. 00:34:27.600 --> 00:34:28.280 Honor the King. 00:34:30.280 --> 00:34:37.440 This is amazing passage when you think Peter is writing to a church going through suffering because of their faith 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:41.239 in Christ and what does he say? 00:34:43.639 --> 00:34:44.199 Honor. 00:34:46.460 --> 00:34:47.620 honor all people. 00:34:48.699 --> 00:34:49.380 Love the brotherhood. 00:34:49.600 --> 00:34:51.179 Fear God, honor the King. 00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:59.030 A similar passage to this, I think about in Jeremiah 29 where Israel is taken as captives into a foreign land. 00:35:00.700 --> 00:35:07.780 And the question on their heart and mind is, I don't know the context of the section of scripture, but the question on their heart and mind is, God, what do we do in this foreign land in which we don't 00:35:07.780 --> 00:35:08.100 belong? 00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:15.920 The Lord says to them, in verse seven he says, seek the welfare of the city, which I have sent you into exile and pray to the Lord on its behalf. 00:35:16.420 --> 00:35:19.020 For in its welfare, you will have welfare. 00:35:21.220 --> 00:35:24.510 Meaning, just because people don't agree with you, don't seek their demise. 00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:28.020 Pray that they find freedom in Jesus too. 00:35:29.660 --> 00:35:33.820 Become a servant and serve their hearts just the way Jesus served yours when you were in rebellion to his kingdom. 00:35:38.040 --> 00:35:39.100 That's how you bring change. 00:35:40.920 --> 00:35:48.400 I don't go through all of this to say, okay, now guys, when we talk about submitting to government, you just gotta do what they say and 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:48.860 that's it. 00:35:48.860 --> 00:35:50.140 Just be silent and take it right. 00:35:50.880 --> 00:35:52.180 That's not the point of all of this. 00:35:52.720 --> 00:35:59.720 The point of all of this is to recognize that when we talk about submitting to any authority at all, the reason we're talking about it isn't because of the authority that is 00:35:59.720 --> 00:36:03.240 important it is because our King who is important and he gives dignity to all people. 00:36:05.340 --> 00:36:11.560 And in that God has an important place for you to live out this identity of which he has called you to in verse nine. 00:36:11.640 --> 00:36:18.180 Remember, you're a chosen people, a Royal priesthood, a holy nation of people for God's own possession. 00:36:18.220 --> 00:36:19.160 And what does that mean? 00:36:19.300 --> 00:36:23.440 That means you are a people who are called to make a difference in this world. 00:36:23.500 --> 00:36:24.640 And how does that happen? 00:36:25.040 --> 00:36:32.320 By your submission to this King, as he has called you into this world because his kingdom isn't of this world, but you represent that King in 00:36:32.320 --> 00:36:38.790 the way that you live in relationship to people around you, starting with leaders. 00:36:41.400 --> 00:36:43.660 I'm going to close with just this thought. 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:54.180 We live a Christian life, not by focusing on our government, but by focusing on our King, 00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:54.970 Christ. 00:36:56.880 --> 00:37:03.190 And I hope that we see the authority we have in Jesus as an avenue and an opportunity to let her light shine. 00:37:04.040 --> 00:37:11.000 But Martin Niemöller wrote a poem, he was a Lutheran minister in Nazi Germany. 00:37:12.040 --> 00:37:19.040 He wrote a poem, I think it's the most famous poem that came out of the World Wars and dealing 00:37:19.040 --> 00:37:20.020 with the Holocaust. 00:37:20.560 --> 00:37:27.680 And in fact, if you go visit the Holocaust museum in DC, when you walk into the first room, I think this poem is written on the wall, but this is what 00:37:27.680 --> 00:37:27.960 he said. 00:37:29.380 --> 00:37:33.140 First they came for the Jews, but I did nothing because I'm not a Jew. 00:37:34.560 --> 00:37:37.660 Then they came for the socialists, but I did nothing because I'm not a socialist. 00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:41.600 Then they came for the Catholics, but I did nothing because I'm not a Catholic. 00:37:41.900 --> 00:37:43.140 And finally they came for me. 00:37:43.660 --> 00:37:46.670 But by then there was no one left to help me. 00:37:49.120 --> 00:37:56.200 Guys, I hope in looking at this section of scripture that we understand what it's calling us to is to be a people that 00:37:56.200 --> 00:37:59.580 make a difference in this world because of the difference Jesus has made in our lives. 00:38:01.280 --> 00:38:05.400 And it doesn't happen by reacting based on how other people act. 00:38:07.220 --> 00:38:14.560 It happens by acting on behalf of the King that we represent in this world and in so doing, the people around us are 00:38:14.560 --> 00:38:14.860 blessed. 00:38:16.280 --> 00:38:23.600 May we be a people that don't live for the temporal things that will fade away, but for the gospel that endures forever 00:38:24.300 --> 00:38:27.420 and then so doing may we be a blessing to the people around us.