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Food for Thought: The Purpose of Prayer

For you were straying like sheep but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls...I Peter 2:25

Dr. Mark Ruppert

I Peter 2:18-25

Today we conclude our series on I Peter, chapters 1 and 2 as we have, for the past two months, focused on the overall themes of “Holiness and Salvation.” We have learned that Peter is writing to a group of people who have been scattered, people who are exiles living in Asia Minor in places like Pontus , Galatia , Cappadocia , Asia , and Blithynia. They are in exile, they are dispersed and they are being persecuted because of their faith in Jesus Christ. And so Peter is giving them a pep talk, he is giving them words of encouragement and he tells them in chapter 1:2-5 that they belong to a new commonwealth, which is God’s own household. And just as God chose Jesus to be the cornerstone of the new temple that we read about in I Peter 2:6-7, so Christians are the “new race” (2:9) and they are called in 2:9 “living stones” of the spiritual house of God.

Last Sunday we looked at I Peter 2:11-17 and now today we finish up our chapter and this series by continuing to look at the “Obligations of Christians.” Today’s focal point is on the topic of Servanthood, and Servanthood is key to the Christian lifestyle. Now we must admit that serving others is not always a popular idea in this self-centered world of ours. For some people it really is all about “Me” and my wants, my desires and my needs. Peter discusses the relationship between servants and masters.

Let me say that Peter does not get involved in debating the institution of slavery. Maybe it was because he saw absolutely no hope in meeting the issue back then head on and starting a revolution. My understanding is that this had been tried and it only made matters worse. And so the system was already in place and so Peter involves himself in counseling his friends, many of whom were slaves, on the way they should conduct themselves and their attitude.

We have to understand that this passage would have been far more relevant to the slaves and servants since they made up the greatest part of the early church. The Greek word that Peter uses for slaves is not douloi, which is the word for slave, but the Greek word used is oiketai, which is the word for domestic or household slaves. And as I said last Sunday, there were around 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire at the time that Peter was writing. And you also have to understand that slaves were not only involved in performing the menial tasks but doctors, teachers, musicians, actors, secretaries, stewards were also slaves. And another thing, not all slaves were unhappy and ill-treated. Many of the slaves were loved and trusted members of the family who owned them. But there was one thing that I mentioned last Sunday that held true and that was that Roman law viewed a slave not as a person, but as a thing, a piece of property who had absolutely no rights.

Peter has little to say to the masters, since there were probably few of them in the churches to which he was writing and it is believed that he saw the relationship of the slave to a master as more difficult than the master to the slave.

Would you not agree that one of the basic requirements of being a true Christian is to follow Jesus Christ as Lord in obedience and to serve Him? Would you ever see this as an option for the Christian? I think not, as a matter of fact it is imperative to do so. And so, if we take this one step further would you not agree that as we serve Jesus Christ as believers, we must also serve others? Well, it is this teaching that Peter is engaged in when he writes in I Peter 2:18-25. Let’s look at his instructions and see how they might apply to the believer today.

First, Peter says in verse 18, Slaves or Servants accept the authority of your masters.

Another translation puts it this way, “Servants, be submissive to your masters.” What Peter was telling those he was writing to back then was to be responsible to their masters, to be subject to them, to submit to them. Follow along with me as Peter builds his case. Verse 18 tells us that Christian servants are to be subject to their masters. And back in 2:13 he is telling all Christians to be subject to the authority of every human institution and its leaders, but, but let me add that this would not mean violating the “higher laws” of God or the lordship of Jesus Christ, for sometimes civil disobedience is necessary for Christ is our Lord and King. Peter begins to tell us in 3:1 that Christian wives are to be subject to their husbands and he says in 3:7 that, “husbands, in the same way, show consideration for your wives in your life together.” And in 5:5 he tells younger Christians to be subject to their elders and also in 5:5 that all Christians are to be subject to one another.

You will notice that in verse 18 Peter implies that it is easy to be obedient and submissive to employers who are kind and gentle to us. As a matter of fact, some people might want to then take advantage of some of these types of employers.

As a matter of fact, the Apostle Paul has something to say to this very issue when he writes in Ephesians 6:5-6 these words, “Slaves [or servants] obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.” And listen to what Paul says next in Ephesians 6:7-8, “Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free.” And found here is a lesson to us, we who are free and hopefully employed.

The work we do for others, whether it is teaching children or sweeping floors, or overseeing a division of workers or whatever it is we do for a living, we should do what we do as if, as if we are working for the Lord, Jesus Christ Himself. Part of the problem some people get caught in is just “getting by” in whatever their work might be. Just putting in the time. When we should approach our work by giving our very best so that it would truly please God. And if you follow this logic, if we are working in such a way as to please God, and believe me, we will know if our work would be pleasing to God, then we will, I guarantee you, we will please our employers. It has been said, “Excellence for God usually brings the approval and admiration of God from employers.”

Of course Peter is writing to people who are stuck in slavery and basically have no way out. So he is encouraging those who are in difficult situations to submit to their masters, even those who are harsh. And the only way to do so was with the help of the Lord.

It is very possible that Peter wrote these words of instruction to slaves for two reasons. First, let’s suppose that the Christian slave had a master who became a Christian. The slave might see him or herself as equal with the master in God’s eyes, which he or she was. But there was the possibility that the slave might begin to take advantage of the situation and become lax in their work. In other words, taking advantage of the Christian master. Think about the Christian boss and employee where the employee thinks they can get away with things at work because their boss is a Christian. No way, Peter says. The relationship between Christian and Christian does not eliminate the relationship between human being to human being. And so the Christian must be a better worker than anyone else, they must give it their best.

And second, there was the chance the equality that Christianity brought might lead the slave to rise up and try to abolish slavery forever. As I said before, Peter was very much aware that there were previous slave uprisings and they lead to disaster. And it is possible that Peter was afraid that Christianity would gain the label as a subversionary religion. It would have to be over the course of time that Christianity would have to work and change the minds of people before the Civil War came about and the abolition of slavery became a very real possibility. And so all that Peter is trying to do is instruct the Christian slave to be a faithful, hard working servant of the master and be the best that you can be in the situation you find yourself. He is telling the slave, the servant to live not the way we would in a worldly sense but in a supernatural way because we are lead by the Holy Spirit. To live, not in the natural but supernatural, the way of God.

It is all about ones behavior, attitude and conduct in the situation that is crucial.

Let me give you a real example of how we can make a difference all because of our behavior, our attitude and conduct. There is a story of a man who came to Christ all because of the influence of his son who had personified Christian behavior, a Christian attitude, and Christian conduct. The young teenager had been stricken with polio at a young age and was terribly crippled in both legs. His father had become bitter over his son’s affliction. The dad became an alcoholic and began to mistreat his son and his wife. Family life had become a living hell on earth. And yet through the terrible ordeal, the mother and son began going to church and both accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Their one time hatred and anger to the father and husband turned to love and concern. And then one night, as the father had badly beaten his son, the father realized that the young boy was showing love to his dad and not fear and hatred. The inebriated father, now touched, asked his son why he was responding so strangely. He heard his son say, “It’s because I love you, Daddy. God loves you, and so do I!” During the next few months as the man continued to abuse his wife and son, the words of that young boy kept coming back to him, “God loves you, and so do I!’ And the more hatred and bitterness he dished out to his family, the more love they showered upon him. And then, one evening, he couldn’t stand it any longer. He was so convicted by the Holy Spirit through the love of his own son and wife, he cried out to his boy, “I want to love you and your mother and God! How can I do it?” And that very night, the 12 year old son told his father how he could come to know God through a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. And that very night the young boy led his father to Christ.

This was able to happen only because the boy and his mother lived in the power of the supernatural, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and by living this way they were able to influence the harsh masters, the bitter parent, those who are outside the Kingdom of God . And, thanks be to God, they were able to influence the father for Christ to the point that he wanted what the son had, Jesus Christ.

The Christian’s obligation is to live for Christ, just as He lived for us. And if we live for Christ we must also live for each other. And when we do and they ask, “Why do you have so much love and hope? Why are you so good to me when I treat you so bad? Why is it that you love me?” Then we can, like the teenage boy to his father, tell that person about the one that we love and serve, whose name is Jesus Christ. Amen.

Key Points

Introduction: What we have learned about I Peter 1 & 2

Focusing in on Servanthood

The institution of slavery back in Peter’s time

douloi translates slave

oiketai translates domestic or household slave/servant

Would you not agree that one of the basic requirements of being a Christian is to follow Jesus Christ as Lord in ________ and to ______ Him?

Peter says in vs. 18 slaves or servants accept the ___________ of your masters

Be subject … ( 2:12 ; 3:1; 3:7; 5:5)

What Paul says in Ephesians 6:5-8- a lesson for us all

The work we do we do for others should be done as if we are working for the Lord Himself  

Very possibly Peter wrote these instructions to slaves for two reasons:

First, suppose the Christian slave had a master who became a Christian…

Second, there was the chance the equality that Christianity brought might lead the slave to rise up and try to abolish slavery

This is a lesson on behavior, attitude and conduct

Conclusion: The Christian’s obligation is to live for Christ, just as He lived for us. And if we live for Christ we must also live for each other.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)