Today’s Sermon Notes: 6-28-2026
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“Living Hope”
A Sermon Series Through 1 Peter
“Servants Be Subject to Your Masters”
1 Peter 2:18-25
Introduction
When the night seems the darkest and the situation seems unbearable Jesus gives us a path to follow, and example to model our lives after.
Show God’s Grace In Your Work (vv. 18-19)
Servants,[1] be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
Ephesians 6:5-9 “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.”
20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
Christians Willingly Suffer for the Sake of Others
(especially those who treat them poorly).
1 John 2:5-6 “ . . . By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
Philippians 1:29 “ . . . For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,”
The calling of the Christian is that in whatever station of life they are in
that they consider the spiritual condition of those around them.
Genesis (beginning in chapter 37).
Gen. 49:5-8 “And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God. . . . 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people[a] should be kept alive, as they are today.”
Christians Follow Jesus’ Example to Know How To Respond To Unjust Suffering.
Jesus’ Example of Suffering For the Sake of Others (vv. 22-24)
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
Isaiah 53:5-6 “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
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Why does the New Testament (particularly the writings of Paul and here 1 Peter) just not say that slavery is wrong, immoral, and should have nothing to do with it?
Romans 12:17-21 “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
“The longer the Lord tarried from returning bodily to earth, the more time the church in the world has to address issues of injustice.” Edwards (122).
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[1] See also Col. 3:22-25; Eph. 6:5-7; 1 Tim. 6:1 ff; Titus 2:9 f
[2] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures In The New Testament, Volume VI, The General Epistles and The Revelation of John (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1933) 103.
[3] Kenneth S. Wuest, First Peter in the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan; WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1960) 63.
[4] Dennis R. Edwards, The Story of God Bible Commentary, 1 Peter (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 2017) 116.
[5] Robertson, 105.
[6] Wuest, 67.
[7] Wuest, 69.
[8] MacArthur, 168.
[9] Macarthur, 171.
[10] “here alone is Christ called our ‘bishop’ (overseer).
[11] R. C. Sproul, 1-2 Peter: An Expositional Commentary (Sandford, Florida; Ligonier Ministries, 2019) 71.
[12] Glen H. Stassen & David Gushee, Following Jesus In Contemporary Context, Kingdom Ethics (Downers Grove, Illinois; Intervarsity Press, 2003) 138.
[13] Sproul, 66.
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