Michael Rankin’s message on Sunday taught us how to “Live as God’s Slaves”. First off, ‘slave’ is not meant as the brutal, evil term we are familiar with from history, so let’s read on. This lesson i...
Michael Rankin’s message on Sunday taught us how to “Live as God’s Slaves”. First off, ‘slave’ is not meant as the brutal, evil term we are familiar with from history, so let’s read on. This lesson is from 1 Peter 2:11-23. Peter is talking to believers (God’s people) but describing them as foreigners and exiles -- meaning that our true citizenship is not in a particular country, but in Heaven. (As the song says, we’re just a-passing through.) Keeping that citizenship in mind, Peter extolled them to (1 Pet. 2:12) “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of wrongdoing, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” Our charge is to live God’s Word, to show by example what a good Christian life is.
God wills that his people do good, to “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority…” We are here to serve each other (everyone) in God’s name. That is, as God’s people, all of us are *enslaved* to serve everyone. 1 Pet. 2:16-17, “Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves.”
We can't serve only people who are good to us, or who we think deserve our service. We are servants to all! There is no reward in serving only those we like.
Jesus was here to serve, not to rebuke. 1 Pet. 2:23 ”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.” Jesus came here to bear our sins so we might live to righteousness. We are also called to be healers, to be slaves of God in Christ. That makes us slaves to all!
Michael left us with three questions to ponder:
Are we living such good lives that even the ungodly will glorify God because of our good deeds?
Do our lives silence ignorance and foolishness, not by having a better argument, but simply by doing good?
Are we servants who show respect to everyone, love the fan of believers, fear God, and honor those who rule over us?
As we answer these questions, may we live our lives in ways that validate God’s intentions for having us here.
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