I invite you to turn with me this morning to 1 Peter chapter 2 as we consider together verses 18 through 25 of 1 Peter chapter 2. We began to consider the call of the Christian to be submissive. Peter has already considered being submissive to those in governing authority. And now he talks about the slave-master relationship in these verses. 1 Peter 2, verses 18-25. As we hear now the Word of God, Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Heidelberg Catechism, Answer 55, says, Believers, one and all, share in Christ. Share in Christ and in all His treasures and gifts. Now that sounds great, doesn't it? The very wording, treasures and gifts, sounds so wonderful. And surely that can only mean good and pleasant things. Nothing that is unpleasant, nothing that is bad. Can't mean that. But you see, Peter reminds us this morning that those who truly believe on the Lord Jesus Christ are connected to Him in a way that, humanly speaking, is not very pleasant at all. Beloved, in a rights-driven society where I have my rights and you have your rights and don't you dare infringe on my rights, Don't you dare take them away from me. In a rights-driven society where people are quick to cry out if they think that they have been treated unjustly or that they have been discriminated against. And a society as well where Christianity is more and more thrown out. After all, it's not the Christmas season, it's the holiday season. We can't have Christmas spirit or joy, but holiday spirit or joy. Christ is thrown out, even of this season, by so many. In that kind of society, the question we must ask, and that Peter answers, is how is the Christian to act as he acts in the face of being treated unrighteously and unjustly? How is the Christian to deal with that? Very simply, much differently than the world deals with that. God's Word gives the call to suffer righteously in the midst of unrighteousness. And this call comes first of all because righteous suffering finds favor with God. Peter says in verses 18 and 19, Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. Again, you recall that the context here is submission. The Christian life is characterized by submission to God and that submission to God then is displayed by submitting to those whom God has placed over us. In this text, he's talking about the servant or slave-master relationship. And we need to understand that he is not talking about the kind of oppressive slavery that might first of all pop into our minds. The kind that we think of over the last 200 years or so in our country. Peter is talking about household slaves who really had good living conditions. Many of them living in the houses of their masters and in many cases they were educated people. They were well-dressed. They were well-fed. And often one couldn't tell the difference between a household slave and a free man. Now Peter is neither supporting nor condemning slavery here. That's not his point. but he is speaking to a social situation that was very real, which involved Christian slaves. And basically, this situation corresponds very well with what we're used to, the employer-employee relationship. Christian slaves were commanded by God to act a certain way with their masters. They must submit to them, that is, willingly be subject to them and obey them, as Peter says, with all respect. The Greek says literally, with all fear. And that goes back to verse 17 where Peter says, Show proper respect to everyone. Love the brotherhood of believers. Fear God. Honor the King. Because of their reverential fear and respect for God, they must show honor and respect for their masters. Showing proper respect for everyone includes doing the same for their masters. He says that in a bit of a broad way, but then he gets a little more specific. He makes it clear that he's talking about all masters, not just the good ones, but also the bad ones. And when he talks about those who are good and considerate masters, he's not necessarily talking about Christian masters. Although we ought to be able to assume and expect that Christian masters will be considerate and good. And some of them very well may have been Christians. But in this sense, he's talking about those who were considerate, even unbelievers who were considerate and reasonable, who were fair and caring about their employees. These kind of masters are easy to respect and obey. We know that too, don't we? If your boss shows concern for you and your family and treats you fairly, then you're more likely to put forth the extra effort. You're more likely to work more willingly and more cooperatively and not spitefully and not with a grudge. And you won't consider looking for a different job too quickly. But Peter commands these Christian slaves that they must do no less for their harsh masters. Which, of course, is going to take extra effort, isn't it? Harsh here means wicked, unfair, unreasonable, crooked, oppressive. These masters were literally curved in their business practices and in their treatment of their slaves. And Peter makes it clear that unreasonable, harsh masters were unjust. And he describes their treatment of their slaves. In verse 20 we read, But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. What our Bible versions translate as receive a beating, also translated in some as harshly treated, literally means being pummeled with a fist. Being pummeled with a fist, being beaten and struck. And it's the same word that is used in Matthew 26, verse 67, which says, Then they spat in his face and beat him with their fists, and others slapped him. Peter is describing the same treatment. That Jesus received. And the idea here as well is that these slaves are being unjustly treated because of their faith. Because of their profession. These wicked masters were against these Christian slaves because they lived the antithesis. Right versus wrong. Good versus bad. Truth versus the lie. They lived for God and not man, not for Satan. They lived lives of purity, meekness, and honesty. They were willing to serve and be obedient to their heathen masters. And by God's grace in doing so, they gave a powerful testimony which also convicted their heathen masters of sin. These slaves were beaten for doing what was right and they patiently endured this unjust treatment. Of course, this is absurd, isn't it? It's nuts! it's unheard of. If that happens to you and me today, according to the world, you don't just sit there and take it. You fight back. You rebel. You go on strike. You take them to court. You sue them. That's what's expected. And we can imagine that the unreasonable, the harsh masters tried their hardest to break the spirits of the slaves, to get them to lash out, to get them to strike back, to get them to respond in an unrighteous manner. And when the slaves didn't do this, the wicked masters became more angry and more unjust. But again, Peter says, these kinds of masters must also be submitted to and respected. So how in the world is that possible? Again, fear and respect for God made it possible to honor the bad as well as the good. The motive for righteousness in the midst of unrighteousness is found in God and God alone. Again, verse 19 says, For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. Of course, there may be different reasons, several reasons why someone might suffer and endure wrong. Some people simply are more tolerant than others and may be willing to put up with it. Others are simply stubborn and they will not allow, for example, their boss to get the best of them. Others are afraid of losing their job. Some try to show how tough they are by enduring punishment without flinching any number of reasons why someone might put up with it. But only that patient suffering that finds favor with God is that which is done because of God with God in mind. One receives God's favor when he suffers patiently on account of his relationship with God. On account of the knowledge of God because of his standing before the face of God by God's grace. Knowing that by enduring this kind of suffering, he is glorifying God. Peter is in essence saying when you know that you are not your own, but belong body and soul in life and in death to your faithful Savior Jesus Christ, and then you suffer unjustly for doing what is right and patiently endure it. That finds favor with God. Notice, not suffering and then complaining about it, but enduring patiently. And as well, notice what Peter says. He makes a very important point. There is no credit or glory or prestige when you patiently endure a punishment you deserve. No slave is commended for neglecting his duty or doing his job improperly or being disrespectful to his master. That's nothing that deserves a pat on the back. And I think we can broaden this a little bit for just a moment. There is no room for disrespect for those whom God has placed in authority over you, whether parents or teachers or coaches or employers. There's no room for disrespect and unrighteous conduct under any circumstance. Never is there a just reason for that. God's favor rests on those whose desire it is to serve Him in all that they do, even when being treated cruelly and unjustly for Jesus' sake. That doesn't mean that we go out and we try to find all the unjust treatment we can handle for the sake of God's favor. It also doesn't mean that we can't look for a different job if the conditions are such. It doesn't mean that we're not allowed to use the appropriate means of accountability. But when suffering is unavoidable, we are called to endure it patiently without complaining, without responding unrighteously. When Peter talks about bearing up under the pain in verse 19, under the suffering, he's talking about all kinds of suffering. Physical, mental, insults, reproach, grief, shame. Today, we might even say verbal abuse, unethical rules, dishonest practices, or bad hours, or poor conditions, or being overlooked for promotion. Because I'm a Christian, a Christian can only bear up suffering for Christ's sake by faith. The faith that gives me the confidence of my relationship with God and reminds me that I do my work first of all for the Lord. Jesus says in Matthew 5, Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. It's not man's favor that we must seek, first of all, but God's favor. Then in the second place, righteous suffering in the midst of unrighteousness is the call of the Christian. Peter says again in verses 21-23, To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps. He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth. When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate. When He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. See, God knows all about the injustice that His people face because He has called them to face it. This may sound strange, but God's call to salvation includes suffering for righteousness' sake, which is the natural result of the Christian's contact with the world. And as the world sees Christ in the Christian, the antithesis becomes more and more visible. Paul says in Philippians 1.29, For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. Believe it or not, that is evidence of new life in Christ. And that suffering is a part of those treasures and riches that we share in Christ. What is a Christian? Boys and girls, I think the simplest way to say it is that a Christian is one who follows Christ. A Christ follower. And Jesus Christ was called upon to suffer, and His suffering, we know, was the most unjust of all. He suffered unjustly as He, the perfectly just and the perfectly righteous One, died on behalf of unjust and unrighteous ones. And He left us His example for His followers to follow. Again, this may be strange, but you recall that Peter here, in the first part of his letter, he's talking about what we must know. This is what you have in Christ Jesus. Born again to a living hope. And now in the last part, he's talking about what those who have been born again to a living hope must do. In this case, how we are to conduct ourselves in this situation. In a world that hates the light of Jesus Christ, Christians must shine as children of light. And the more they shine, the more they confess Jesus, the more they are hated. Because light illumines the darkness. It exposes the darkness. We know that. Jesus Christ died instead of His believers. And because of that, all of the blessings of salvation, Every last blessing of salvation by the operation of the Holy Spirit belongs to God's people so that as a believer you are able to walk in His steps and follow His example as we travel this life. Now we might wonder, well, if Jesus already suffered in our place, then why do we have to suffer? Why do we have to suffer? Well, Jesus said in John 15, 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. And we all know, unfortunately, by experience, each and every day that sin and evil has not yet been fully put away from this life. We still face it. As we talked about with the law earlier, we still struggle ourselves, even as believers. Oh, we look forward to the new heavens and the new earth where there will be no sin or sickness or sorrow or hatred or persecution. But until then, if the Master suffers and He has and sets an example for His slaves, which He has done, then they are not exempt from persecution. Now the concept of example that Peter uses is interesting. He borrows from the world of education, especially the training of a child, a young child, just learning to read and write, to spell. And the idea is that of copying letters in order to learn how to write them properly. Students would trace over faint outlines. Boys and girls, I think you might still do that today. I did when I was young. The dot-to-dot alphabet to trace over them in order to learn how to write them properly. Students would trace over the faint outlines of the letters or the letters would be at the top of the page and the students would study them and then copy them down. Christians are to trace or imitate, follow the line, Christ's example, and therefore follow or walk in His steps. Often, when walking through deep snow, children like to walk in their father's footprints. I remember after a blizzard when I was about eight years old, the snow had stopped falling, the wind stopped blowing, but there was three feet of snow on the ground, and my dad and I walked to, at that time, One of the little grocery stores right in the middle of a town block. Dad was sinking over his knees and I was in his steps sinking up to my waist almost. But yet it was still easier to follow in his footsteps. You see, to follow a man's steps is to move in the direction that he is going. And Christians are called to move in Christ's direction. Peter quotes Isaiah when he says, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. That covers Christ's outward actions, as well as his inner disposition, his heart. Our Lord Jesus Christ always acted from the love of God and his neighbor. He alone could truly stand before any other person, man, woman, or child, and ask, who of you convicts me of sin? His example is unique. It's one of a kind. It's the only one to be followed. No other example. In all of his speech, there was nothing false. There was never anything hypocritical. There was nothing that was not motivated out of love for God. Yet more than anyone else, he was under careful scrutiny for everything he said and did. But nothing could be found against him. Even Pilate had no choice but to say, I find no fault in this man. And the thief on the cross said to the other thief on the other cross, we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. But Peter also points out in verse 23 that no one could get him to sin. No one could get him to be deceitful. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. They hurled insults at Him. Words that bite and sting, we know, are like a verbal whipping to literally inflict an inner verbal wound. And many of us, no doubt, remember that happening to us. Maybe as a child, and maybe another child said something to you, called you a name, or said something that cut to the heart. And even today as an adult, or as a young person, for whom it's maybe not so long ago. You remember that. You think of that. And it still cuts to the heart. But no one has ever been reviled like our Savior and all of it completely unjust. His deity was attacked. His relationship with His Father was scorned. His saving work was mocked. He was despised and rejected. He endured insults and suffering that continued and progressed all the way to death on the cross. Yet, He never lashed back. He never retaliated. He never even thought of getting revenge. Can you imagine that? He never threatened, Peter said. Instead, He continued to hand over the mockers and their insulting to God the Father, the righteous, the just judge, the one who would make things right. If we are attacked, we're so quick to strike back, aren't we? Whether it's with a sword of our tongue or with our fists. We cry out for earthly justice. But we need to remember that God's justice is right and true. And for those who get by with their sin and persecution in this life and never repent and believe in Jesus Christ, they will not be able to escape God's righteous judgment. But in the meantime, what is our call? Our call as Christians is that we must pray for the conversion and the salvation of those who treat us wickedly and unrighteously. Again, as hard as that may be, that's our call. Because that too follows Christ's example. He prayed, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Peter says in verse 24, He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. Beloved, Christ's suffering had a purpose, a glorious purpose, and that was the salvation of His people. Not only did He suffer the wrath of man, but He suffered the wrath and judgment of God as He carried the sins and guilt of His people all the way to death on the cross. And Peter makes it clear that Jesus actively did this. He wasn't a helpless victim. None of that happened to Him apart from His will. It wasn't forced upon Him. He loaded our sins upon Himself and carried them to His cross. A punishment and death cursed by both God and man. And indeed, we know that our Lord Jesus Christ suffered in both His body and His soul. But it's interesting that Peter emphasizes his body here, I believe, to make it clear that our Lord suffered unjustly in his physical body, just as Peter's audience, these Christian slaves, might have been suffering. His physical body was nailed to the tree. And because the sin-bearing Christ has been nailed to the cross, believers are no longer fastened to their wicked past. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have been delivered from the dominion and the power of sin and now live unto righteousness. And that righteousness is displayed in that good behavior that Peter talked about in verse 12. And that good behavior is to be displayed in many ways, of course, but in the lives of these Christian slaves, in the lives of God's people as they suffer righteously, following the example of Christ. We need to understand, though, that we cannot follow that example perfectly. There's a big difference between what Christ has done and what we have done or what we can do by His strength. We live in a day, we know, where Christ is seen as no more than a moral example to be followed. If you're going to follow someone, well, he's not a bad character to follow. He's a pretty good guy. But there are others too. But He is seen as no more than a moral example to be followed. His example is torn away from His saving work. You see, we too must not think, we cannot think that we are able to suffer in the same way that He did or that we can do the things He did. That's not what Peter is saying here. That's not possible. Christ's example is unique in many ways. Again, He is the only example to be followed, none others. We must understand that we do not follow Christ in the degree of His anguish and suffering. We do not suffer the wrath and punishment of God against sin. And our suffering for unrighteousness is not for the purpose of saving. It's not for the purpose of appeasing God. It's not for the purpose of even making a partial payment for our sin. Impossible. But we follow Him in the manner in which He endured suffering, which we've talked about. The Christian is to trace the path of Christ and the path that He has cut for you and me is marked by patience, meekness, integrity, honesty, and faithfulness to His Father. And we are called to remember that Jesus Christ suffered righteously for our unrighteousness. For us, He endured hellish agony. But the result is that we are safe in Him, even in the midst of our suffering. We're safe. And those who treat us unrighteously, they sin against God. And beloved, by bearing patiently, we demonstrate, on the one hand, we demonstrate the mercy of God. And at the same time, as they see Christ in us, that serves to warn them that if they are not in Christ, they will suffer the righteous wrath of God for their own sin and unrighteousness. Again, notice where Christ's path led? To the cross. That's why Jesus said, Whoever desires to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Beloved, Jesus Christ substituted himself in our place. Sometimes I think we don't really comprehend what that word substituted means. Maybe it can mean different things. But it's as if He picked us up and moved us out of the way and stepped into our place. A complete substitution. He substituted Himself in our place. He suffered unjustly all the way to the cross that which we deserved to suffer justly. But praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fruit of Christ bearing our sins on the cross in His body is that those who believe on Him, as the text says, have been separated from sin, healed of our sinful disease. Again, we know that sin is still a part of us. It's not our desire, but it's often our action. But we have been released from the power of sin and taken over by the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. If you have been born again through the power of Christ's blood, then you have been converted. And only then can you follow Christ's example by the operation of the Holy Spirit. And then so briefly, righteous suffering is the fruit of conversion. Verse 25 says, For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Sheep, we know, are not too bright. They go astray when they don't have a leader or a shepherd. And apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and His saving sacrifice, all men wander their own way, following that way of destruction and sin. And Peter, again, as he has done throughout this text, makes a reference to Isaiah, as he says, as Isaiah 53, verse 6 says, All we like sheep have gone astray. And Peter says, for you were like sheep going astray. Without a shepherd, all that we can do and will do is wander aimlessly with no direction. But privileged pilgrims, as Peter calls believers, have been found. Have been found by the great shepherd, no longer going astray. That familiar Psalm 23 gives us the comfort of what our shepherd does for us. He goes before us, he guides us, he leads, protects, carries us. God's people have complete shelter in Him. And as a shepherd, as Peter says, Jesus offers provision for His sheep in every way imaginable. And as an overseer or guardian, He offers protection. And Jesus said that no one could snatch His sheep out of His hand. And beloved, by the grace of God, because Jesus Christ is our shepherd and overseer, we are able than to suffer righteously and endure patiently in the midst of unrighteousness. And because He leads us, we are able to follow in His steps. As long as the Lord tarries and we continue in this life, unrighteousness will be there each and every day. God's people will always be called upon to suffer for their faith. Paul says in 2 Timothy 3.12, All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. You know, that's what we are to teach our children as well, isn't it? How a believer handles persecution. How a believer suffers righteously, especially for unrighteousness. Again, part of the treasures and riches of being in Christ. Those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will do so patiently and joyfully, remembering that the righteous suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ has secured for them eternal rest in the presence of a righteous and holy God. Beloved, we can only trace His steps when you are walking with Him in the power of new life by God's grace. And if you're not with Him, you are against Him. And God's word calls you to repent, to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, because indeed, true life is only in Him. Jesus Christ has left us with His perfect example of Christian conduct for today in the midst of unrighteousness. Can others see Christ in your conduct? You see, when you trace Christ's example, Then you show Christ and the fruit of His work to the world. Beloved, what a testimony. What a responsibility. What a privilege. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, we thank You and praise You for Your Word, which we must confess we need so desperately. Especially this reminder of this morning. because indeed, Father, we do suffer persecution. Maybe not to the same degree as many saints of old did, those who gave their lives for their faith. But yet we do struggle at times because of our Christian faith in different situations. And, Father, we must confess, too, that we still struggle with not lashing back. We still struggle with not trying or wanting to get revenge. But, Father, we thank You and praise You that You have died in Your Son, that Your Son has given His life for our unrighteousness. And, therefore, we have confidence of standing before Your throne of grace, And therefore, too, with that confidence, we might stand and strive to follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Give us strength. Give us wisdom. Give us minds that are always understanding the situations and hearts which know how to respond in given situations. And may it be that all that we say or do, all of our conduct and deed, would be a light. Shining for Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name we pray these things. Amen.