Revealed Will for Christian Servants #2

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by reviewing the previous sermon's introduction to 1 Peter 2:18-25, reiterating the call to gospel duties, submission to authority, and specifically the identity of…

Martin explains why he is continuing the sermon tonight, citing time constraints from the morning, requests from the congregation, and the upcoming schedule, to justify completing the exposition.

Now, those of you who were here this morning will know that we began our exposition of this new section, new for us, here in 1 Peter. However, due to the constraints of time, I was unable to finish, and several of you graciously, but very clearly, hinted that you wished I would continue tonight, and in the light of the fact that Pastor Steve Hoffmeyer will be preaching next Lord's Day morning, his last Lord's Day, before returning to the Philippines, and I will have the privilege of bringing a communion meditation, I did not believe that I wanted to let this thing percolate in my own soul for ...

2:01 - 3:12 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin begins by reviewing the previous sermon's introduction to 1 Peter 2:18-25, reiterating the call to gospel duties, submission to authority, and specifically the identity of…

Martin uses the imagery of a pyramid to explain the structure of the passage, with verse 18 as the apex (directive) and verses 19-25 as the base (foundational incentives).

And in chapter 3 and verse 1, the subject of the wife and her submission to the husband. Having completed our study of verses 13b through verse 17, that first subcategory, we began this morning our consideration of the second category, namely, the submission of the servant to his master. And as I began the exposition, I tried to underscore a word about the obvious structure. And I hope you remember the imagery of the pyramid.

4:45 - 5:20 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section addresses what servants are commanded to do: be in subjection to their masters. Martin clarifies the meaning of 'subjection' as a voluntary, conscious embrace of…

Martin uses the analogy of a school principal giving a general command ('All of you exit immediately') followed by participles ('K-4, exiting out the lower level') to explain how an imperative can lend its force to subsequent participles in Greek grammar, clarifying the nature of the command to servants.

An announcement goes out from the principal that on Friday, in the Trinity Christian School, there's going to be a gathering of all the students, K-10, and all the staff and all the faculty. And they're going to have a visit from the local fire marshal. So he's going to come in and talk about what happens in fires and all the rest. And then he says, now we're going to do a practice drill.

15:03 - 15:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: God instituted human government to protect the innocent and to punish, not reform the guilty. That notion hurts. There's no root in the Bible. Not in the Bible.

Martin shares a personal story about fearing his father's hand during discipline, illustrating that a wholesome fear of consequences for disobedience is biblical and beneficial.

Is it right for a child to be afraid of his parents' rod? You bet your boots. My dad never used a stick or a spoon, but he had a thick hand. And I loved that hand.

25:56 - 26:08 Read in full sermon

Driving home: You see this pervasive God-centeredness to the Christian life in the most mundane duties.

Martin tells a story about a Christian slave named John looking in the mirror, initially seeing only his enslaved status, but then being reminded by the mirror (and Peter's letter) of his glorious identity and inheritance in Christ, leading to a transformed demeanor.

Here this slave gets up on a Monday morning. And he drags himself over to the sink and splashes some water on his face and tries to get awake. And he looks in the mirror. And he says who are you?

31:41 - 31:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section addresses to what kind of masters submission is to be rendered: not only the 'good and gentle' but also the 'crooked or perverse.' Martin explains that even…

Martin shares his fresh appreciation for the doctrine of common grace, observed through the kindness and goodness of unconverted people in the medical community during a personal experience, to explain how pagan masters could be 'good and gentle'.

God can take hearts that are natively full of anger and bitterness and unreasonableness and he can put in such hearts without changing them as he does in conversion, he can put genuine goodness and kindness. I've had occasion to tell many of you through this whole experience of the past months and being plunged up to our ears in the medical community, I've been amazed at the fresh appreciation I have come, or I have come to a new appreciation of the doctrine of common grace. Unconverted people as lost as the devil and yet who manifest genuine kindness and goodness to people in their physical n...

37:41 - 38:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin illustrates how a Christian slave's patient endurance of wrongful suffering, motivated by communion with Christ, serves as a powerful testimony to the transforming power of…

Martin continues the story of John the slave, whose patient, Christ-like response to an abusive master's scolding leads the master to notice his 'sweet glow' and eventually inquire about his God, illustrating the evangelistic power of suffering well.

That when people speak against these Christian slaves, they will see in their lifestyle that which they cannot deny is the almighty work of God and glorified God in the day of visitation. When this churlish, crooked master takes a group of his house slaves that had a joint project, he gave the directions, they followed through with him, and then he brings them all in, he doesn't commend them, he scolds them, he threatens them, and four out of the five, John being the first, John the fifth, and it's good, man, you can just almost see the steam coming out their ears, they know better than to spe...

45:32 - 46:29 Read in full sermon