The 3 buckets that Justin covered over the last 3 weeks are a sampling that relate to the culture that the churches in Asia minor lived in. We looked at Authorities, Slaves and Married Couples. [NO – there is not an intentional analogy there!]

So if you have been following along over the past few weeks and you realized you are not in any of those positions you might think you were off the hook.

Well, you are not. 😯

The examples given were mean to illustrate a way of life, regardless of position. What you should notice is that:

• our actions should be motivated by how God treats us, not how other people treat us
• our submission must be motivated by the example of Jesus, not what we might get in return

Submission and love starts in the home. It must also spill into the workplace and then on up to how we treat our government. It is counter-cultural and it is meant to permeate the entire lives and thus the culture. THAT is what is means to be “image bearers”.

It means living above the desires of the flesh, of this life, to live up to a higher standard- the calling we have in Christ our Lord.

CALLING

What is your calling?

I remember my Bible college days when chapel speakers and teach would talk about calling. Is God calling you to the mission field? Is God calling you to full-time vocational ministry? I always struggled with that question. I mean, aren’t we ALL called to live life on mission in whatever geography Go places us? Aren’t we all called to full-time ministry, even if we don’t receive our primary income from it?  Much of what was presented about calling seemed more mysterious than clarifying.

Perhaps the better way to look at this idea of calling is to look at the things God says we are called to and walk in them. Then, it doesn’t matter what vocation we have, or who location we are in, we will be doing the work of God. It creates a fluidness to life and also a fullness of faith.

With that in mind, I want to continue to look at Peter’s letter and notice the command, the calling, and the reward.

1 Peter 3:8–12 CSB

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, ⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

¹⁰ For the one who wants to love life

and to see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit,

¹¹ and let him turn away from evil

and do what is good.

Let him seek peace and pursue it,

¹² because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against

those who do what is evil.

FINALLY, ALL OF YOU

This section is the conclusion of the instruction to those living in a Roman household. It is the summary teaching on how we live in relationship with our government, our bosses and our spouses. Now we move beyond those specific roles, to the entire church, Jew and Gentile.

I TOLD you weren’t off the hook!

When attempting to live life according to the upside-down kingdom of Jesus, the act of putting others ahead of yourself is something that applies to all of us. Peter is charging the church to value others and put them above ourselves.

BUT… that is not natural.

It is not natural for us to put others ahead of ourselves.

We see what is natural in little children. There can be a room full of toys and 2 kids. “Child A” doesn’t have a toy, and “Child B” has 1 of the 1200 toys in that room. Which toy does Child A want? The one that Child B has! So he goes over and grabs the toy, or knocks the other kid over, and takes it. THAT is not taught. It is natural.

Adults can be the same way. It is NATURAL for

• leaders to abuse those under them for their advantage
• oppressed people to rise up against their oppressors
• couples to focus on their individual rights and needs above their spouses

Brothers and sisters, you and I ARE NOT NATURAL any more! We have been reborn from the natural to the spiritual. We are to live above nature – supernaturally. That is certainly more easily preached than proven. Though we DO have the spirit of God in us, we also still live in these bodies of flesh. As Christians we are not called to hedonism but to sacrifice. We are not called to live for ourselves but for others. And though the desire to live up to our new life is strong, the struggle is real.

Paul put it this way:

Romans 7:21–25 NLT

²¹ I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. ²² I love God’s law with all my heart. ²³ But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. ²⁴ Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? ²⁵ Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.

Knowing the nature of mankind, and the position we have as aliens, Peter makes sure that his readers understand that we ALL have work to do in how we live for God and others.

The Command.

1 Peter 3:8–9 CSB

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, ⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

Peter gives is a short list of things to focus on. NOT an all-inclusive list, but a list of guiding principles. He says that we, you and I, are to be:

1. Like-minded or united in spirit. There are thousands of things that divide people and churches – and especially people IN churches! While we can certainly draw on our differences, we are called to be united. Not just in THIS church, but THE church. There is one thing that unites churches across denominations, and it is the same thing that unites the people in any local church – the gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news of Jesus. When we are focused on living in the gospel and for the gospel – treating people the way Jesus treats us – we can be united in spirit. WHEN that is our focus, amazing things happen!
   1. BTW – JESUS modeled the rest of these: He was sympathetic, loving, compassionate and humble. To be united on the gospel is to be image bearers of Jesus.
2. Sympathetic.
3. Loving (the family – this is brotherly love)
4. Compassionate (healthy intestines!)
5. Humble

The first five on the list are things we are to DO and BE – and they are fuzzy! They are not specific examples; they are character and attitude. One person shows sympathy one way, and other differently. Compassion can be displayed in 1,000 different ways. The concrete examples are missing perhaps because we might be inclined to use them to find a way out!

IF it said I had to show compassion to those that are sick, then I might be able to skip out of compassion on those that are homeless. If it said I had to show love to the ones who act like Jesus, then I would be off the hook for loving people that annoy me.

But there are no examples. We meditate on this. HOW can I be humble in this situation or how can I be sympathetic in that situation?

BTW – this is why I like small group studies and accountability groups. We get a chance to process these questions and get the input of others that are also trying to live this way. I can assure you; it is much healthier than looking for answers on social media!

I struggle with these commands sometimes – how about you? LIKE:

• When someone knows the right thing to do – and does the opposite – that frustrates me. I can certainly lack compassion in those situations.
• When someone comes to be for advice or counsel, and then ignores it – one, two, three times… that exasperates me.
• When others fail to live up to the standards that I have come to understand as Biblical, it is easy for me to become critical and not compassionate.

Even worse, I might become arrogant and think that I am better than them because I would not do those things or say that thing.

I think the group I struggle with the most is pastors. When pastors do stupid things I certainly lack compassion. I get angry. Then I can begin “preaching” about their wrongs and how stupid they are. Not very compassionate. Not very humble.

While I do have the right and the responsibility to call out sin in a pastor and protect the flock from false teachers and bad actors, there is a right way and a wrong way to do that.

When I lack these things, I am guilty. I have sinned. If I lack love it means I am hating. If I lack compassion then it means I am being cruel. When I point a finger at someone for failing there is a good chance that there is at least one finger pointing back at me.

The bottom line is that these are attitudes and postures that I am meant to display – not a list for me to measure others by, but a list for me to measure myself by.

Galatians 6:1–5 CSB

¹ Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted. ² Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. ³ For if anyone considers himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. ⁴ Let each person examine his own work, and then he can take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself with someone else. ⁵ For each person will have to carry his own load.

Bottom line: these are all hard things to live out!  But they ARE things we must live out.

AFTER the list of 5 characteristics, we get some practical application. Well, maybe more impractical, but important.

1 Peter 3:9 CSB

⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

Speaking of hard commands.…

• Do not return evil deeds to those who do evil to you
• Do not return evil words to those who speak evil to or about you

NOWHERE do we read, “IF SOMEONE treats you right, THEN be nice to them.”

The Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) is a historical document that may be described as the early church manual on how the church is to live and function. In it, we have these words:

“ 2 The Way of Life is this: “First, thou shalt love the God who made thee, secondly, thy neighbour as thyself; and whatsoever thou wouldst not have done to thyself, do not thou to another.”

3 Now, the teaching of these words is this: “Bless those that curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast for those that persecute you. For what credit is it to you if you love those that love you? Do not even the heathen do the same?” But, for your part, “love those that hate you,” and you will have no enemy.”

Clement I, P., Ignatius, S., Bishop of Antioch, Polycarp, S., Bishop of Smyrna, & Lake, K. (1912–1913). The Apostolic fathers (K. Lake, Ed.; Vol. 1, p. 309). Harvard University Press.

Does that sounds familiar? Peter’s teaching is not isolated. It was the common teaching of the Apostles. Jesus taught it, and so did the Apostles:

• BLESS those that curse you
• PRAY for your enemies
• FAST for those that persecute you

What do I do when I am in a workplace that is hostile?

• Bless them. Pray for them. Fast for them.

What do I do when my government is persecuting me for my faith?

• Bless them. Pray for them. Fast for them.

What do I do when I am in a marriage that is hurtful, or hostile?

• Bless them. Pray for them. Fast for them.

What do I do in the church when someone says something mean or hurtful against me?

• Bless them. Pray for them. Fast for them.

You may need to leave some of those situations – like an unhealthy church – for your own health and safety. However, you may feel God wants you to stay and be light in that darkness. While you seek God’s direction on THAT matter, you do not need to ask, “How should I respond”. We already know that. And any deviation from that is probably done in an attempt to validate our own feelings or sense of justice.

The way others treat us may affect the way we treat them, but it never excuses the command to love them, nor does it condone a sinful response. Our actions are to be motivated by love for God and love for others.

Romans 13:8–10 CSB

⁸ Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹ The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself. ¹⁰ Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

NOTICE: it does not say that we should not seek justice. We can seek justice. God is a god of justice. However, even in seeking justice we must not become what we are against. We see this all the time on the big screen -> the good guy being faced with the opportunity to take justice into his or her own hands has to make the choice of doing what is “deserved” or what is “right”. This is one of the age-old struggles of humanity.

The way others treat me is never an excuse for me to blacken God’s name with my words or actions.

We are image bearers, and as such we are:

Called to be a Blessing

1 Peter 3:9 CSB

⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

Blessing others (inside and outside the church).  Regardless or the proximity of evil, regardless of the type of injury causes, the response is the same. We are to GIVE of ourselves. Instead of taking, we give. Instead of retribution, compassion.

In this case, the repeated use of the word “bless” brings a particular covenant to mind: the Abrahamic Covenant. God said he would bless those who bless Abraham and curse those that curse him.

You and I are part of the Jesus Covenant. This adds a new twist. The old covenant was bless -> bless and curse -> curse. As Jesus demonstrated, the new covenant is to bless -> curse.

We are called to bless those that curse us.

Peter continues with some practical application:

1 Peter 3:10–12 “10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, 11 and let him turn away from evil and do what is good. Let him seek peace and pursue it, 12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.”

If you want to think through the application of that verse, perhaps you can throw in some situations. Try something like this:

“For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit [about his boss], and let him turn away from evil and do what is good [for his boss]. Let him seek peace [with his boss] and pursue it”

“For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit [about his spouse], and let him turn away from evil and do what is good [for his spouse]. Let him seek peace [with his spouse] and pursue it”

Put a name in there, but the government in there, put whomever annoys your or persecutes you in there. Then think about what it means to live like Jesus.

Peter is quoting Psalm 34. Let’s read that together:

Psalm 34:13–17 CSB

¹³ Keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from deceitful speech.

¹⁴ Turn away from evil and do what is good;

seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their cry for help.

¹⁶ The face of the Lord is set

against those who do what is evil,

to remove all memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,

and rescues them from all their troubles.

The Psalm is quoted pretty much word for word by Peter. Notice where Peter stopped in his quoting of Psalm 34? He did not quote, “and rescues them from all their troubles”. There are at least two reasons I can think of as to why he would not quote that verse. After all, these people were suffering!

1. He knew that by quoting what he did, they would finish the thought. We do this all the time, and Peter has done this before.
2. Perhaps Peter did not want to imply that the goal of all of this was rescue! At least not rescue in this life. The promise of the Lord was not the absence of suffering. It was, John 16:33 “33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”” The rescue has been made – it is Jesus!

In this world we may not be rescued. In this world we may not find peace. In this world we may not experience blessing. BUT…

In the Lord’s Kingdom we inherit a blessing. In the Lord’s kingdom we have peace. In the Lord’s kingdom we have a perfect government with a perfect king that rules justly. In the Lord’s kingdom we are slaves to a master whose burden is light and who has suffered for us. In Lord’s the kingdom we are wed to the perfect bridegroom who gave his life for us so that we could feel confident submitting to his authority.

Suffering may be par for the course while living faithfully for God. And that suffering may come from inside the church family or outside the church family. Regardless of the source, we are called to be a blessing.

The Reward

If we back up to verses 8-9 we are reminded of the reward:

1 Peter 3:8–9 CSB

⁸ Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, ⁹ not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

“So that you may inherit a blessing”.

This is covenant language. Every covenant with God brings about a blessing – if we are faithful to our part of the covenant.

I think it is significant that we note that Yahweh is a God who blesses. When he made mankind, we read:

Genesis 1:27–28 CSB

²⁷ So God created man in his own image;

he created him in the image of God;

he created them male and female.

²⁸ God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

God blessed them.

• The Abrahamic Covenant was one of blessing

The end of the Abrahamic blessing was, “through you, all the peoples of the earth would be blessed”. That is to say that all of the people who are not a part of the covenant family of God will be blessed by coming to know God and to be able to have a relationship with God because of the people of Abraham. In this case it was THE person of Abraham, the Messiah.

One blessing we inherit is other people coming to know Jesus. Through us, the nations of this earth can be blessed as we reflect God to them even and perhaps especially through our suffering.

• The Mosaic Covenant was one of blessing to those who obey God’s commands
• The Jesus Covenant is one of blessing for those who submit to the Savior

In the sermon on the mount (Matt 5) Jesus mentioned 9 different people groups that are “blessed”. Blessed by whom? Blessed by God. However, the blessing may come later – much later.

An inheritance is something we get “some day”. It is something we look forward to. To hear our Lord say, “Well done my good and faithful servant” will be an amazing blessing!

There is another reward that we read in this passage. When we live out our calling of blessing others by treating them the way God treats us, we gain an audience with “the eyes and ears of God”.

1 Peter 3:12 “12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil.”

The Father is witching us. And the ears of the lord are open to the prayers of the one lives “rightly” or that is “righteous”. Funny, when did we read about God’s ears recently?

1 Peter 3:7 “7 Husbands, in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker partner, showing them honor as coheirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered.”

When we husbands fail to honor our wives, when we fail to treat them the way Jesus treats us as his bride (Eph 5). then our prayers are hindered. God does not listen when we do not love, and God bends his ears to listen to those that are blessing others they way Jesus has blessed us.

Conclusion.

But ultimately, it is not about what we receive. It is about what we give. We are CALLED to give blessings. We are CALLED to be a blessings. The reminder of our future blessings is perhaps most valuable as a reminder that we receive blessings from God, therefore if we are to bear his name, we must be people of blessing.

So, as we close, perhaps we can ask:

IN LIGHT OF THE HOPE THAT WE HAVE IN JESUS, AND THE WAY THAT THE FATHER HAS LOVED AND BLESSED US…

How are you living up to your calling of being a blessing to others – at home, in the church, at work, etc?