"Real People Living in a Real World:

Dealing With Injustice As Employees"

I Peter 2:18-25

Why didn’t Peter or Paul address the issue of slavery?  There were 60 million of them in the Roman Empire and he certainly would be addressing Christian slaves in the house of pagan masters who would want freedom.  Why didn't they address the issue and condemn slavery?

1. It would have distorted the plan of the gospel

In the infant state of Christianity, it would have seemed like it was a political movement. It would have given the picture that things are changed by attacking instead of bringing about change one heart at a time.

Instead, Peter and Paul lit a "slow burning fuse" under slavery which eventually destroyed it and if they had tried to destroy it all at once it would have hurt Christianity.

Jesus was not a social philosopher or a social reformer. There are social ramifications to the gospel, but the heart of Jesus’ message was the rotten heart of man not the rotten environment.

2. It would have distorted the purpose of the gospel

The purpose or the goal of the gospel is not to right all the wrongs in your life and make them perfect; instead, to teach you how to live under the wrongs that life brings you. Our gospel would be much more widely accepted if all thought that their life would become perfect if they followed Christ. But that is not the purpose of the gospel. It is to come into a relationship with Jesus Christ that can cause you to deal with the way life is.

Again, as the title of this set of messages read, "real People living in a real world." Theology does affect our every day life.

Peter gives us encouragement on how to live in times of injustice.

I. We can be encouraged because the commendation of God to hurting servants.

Twice the word "commendable" is used. Do that which is thankworthy. He is referring to an action that is beyond the ordinary course of what be expected – and that is commendable.

An unconverted slave would react toward unjust punishment in a rebellious, sullen, vindictive manner. That would be the expected and ordinary thing. But instead, he reacts meek, patient and forgiving manner.

II. We can be encouraged because of the call of God to follow His steps.

We are exhorted to "follow the steps of Jesus." Look at what that means:

Verse 21 –

1. Tracing of letters for children to write over or to copy

2. Artists sketch to be colored or filled in by others.

The Lord’s tracing or sketches are his own footsteps.

"Follow" – take the same road – walk where Jesus has walked. Like footprints left in the snow, follow them as laid out.

"to die" – only time its used – "to be away from, to remove from, to depart"

Jesus did all of this so that we might be depart from sin. We are dead to all of that.

We bear the same relationship to our sins as the dead to the world they left – none at all.

Because he bore our sins –

He will vindicate us. The Lord has a way of vindicating and if He doesn’t vindicate now, He will vindicate later. Don’t retaliate.

III. We can be encouraged because of the covering of God to falling sheep.

Verse 25 – He is the Shepherd who protects, guides and leads.

He is the Bishop who oversees our lives.

We can be healed. The phrase in verse 24 refers to the marks on a slave’s back after his master beat him. The most common way of punishment would have been beaten.

Because Jesus was beaten, we can be healed.