We’re in the series "From Hurt to Hope." We’ve been learning more about how to experience the hope that God offers – even when the deck is stacked against us.
We’ve been covering the Apostle Peter’s first letter, which was written to Christ followers of the First Century being brutally persecuted for their refusal to compromise their belief in Jesus. They were living with integrity even when it wasn’t easy to do so.
You see, one of the most difficult things to do – one of the most challenging things to remember when we’re hurting – is the importance of continuing to live with integrity.
What’s the first thing we often ask when we’re suffering? "How can I stop the pain?" And it’s natural to ask that – there’s nothing wrong with asking that question. But the question we need to ask ourselvs is "Am I living with integrity while I’m walking through this dark night?"
A couple of weeks ago we looked at the first part of chapter two of the New Testament letter of 1st Peter and today we’re going to finish that chapter. In the first part of chapter two the Bible talks about our self-esteem. Our self-image can really take a beating during hard times – and so God wanted to communicate to us how very much we’re loved by Him - how He loves those of us who have made a faith commitment to Christ as His children and isn’t going to forsake us in times of trouble.
But our self-image isn’t the only thing that can take a beating in times of suffering – so can our integrity.
If we’re not thinking about it…when we start taking major hits in life – and they come to all of us now and then (not that we have to be fearful of them) – we mistakenly conclude that it’s okay to compromise our lifestyle. We begin to cut ethical corners. We rationalize that it’s okay to do some things we wouldn’t normally do – or perhaps omit some things we know we should do – since we’re hurting. If we’re not careful we’ll do whatever is convenient to put an end to the pain.
I’ve told you the story before told by Larry Crabb, a well-known Christian psychologist. A man came into his office and said he was really hurting emotionally and all he wanted was to feel good right away. So Crabb said something to him like, “Well, if feeling good immediately is what you’re after, then I suggest you go out and party, get high, get a woman and just live it up like there’s no tomorrow!”
The man’s mouth gaped open in disbelief at what he’d heard. He said, “But I thought you were a Christian counselor?” Crabb replied, “I thought you said that all you wanted was to feel good right away.”
Of course he went on to tell the man how that’s often our problem when we’re hurting. Rather than working through our pain and suffering – rather than making sure we maintain our integrity - we often seek a quick fix.
But the problem with many of the things that makes us feel good right now is that they often cause us to compromise our integrity.
Why does this matter? What’s the big deal about maintaining our integrity when we’re hurting?
Here’s what the Bible says.
"People who do not believe are living all around you. Live such good lives that they will see the good things you do and will give glory to God." 1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
Circle that word “see.” God’s Word says that people are watching to “see” what kind of person we are.
To the original recipients of this letter – persecuted people – Peter says, “If we can learn to enjoy the same level of hope when we’re hurting as when skies are blue – then people who don’t yet know Christ will be able to see that there’s hope for them too!”
I get tickled with my wife Deb sometimes. She’ll say, "Let’s go out to eat tonight. I have a coupon!" But when we present the coupon to the waitress they say, "That coupon is expired or only good on certain days." We’ve started reading the fine print on our coupons more closely.
Is our hope in Christ like a store coupon, good only for a certain time and under certain conditions? Or is our hope in Christ as certain in the bad times as in the good?
People all around us are hurting and they’re looking for a hope that really works! How can they believe our hope in Christ works if we begin to compromise our integrity when we’re suffering? People want to know for sure if this stuff about following Jesus really passes the test or is it just a bunch of pious platitudes? Do I still exercise hope in God even when I’m going through a tough time?
This can be one of the greatest foundations for faith and hope in God in someone’s life. When they see a Christ follower maintaining his or her integrity during times of suffering – it really sends a positive message about following Christ. It gives them hope! A person who would never darken the doors of a church could see your hope and want to come to Christ by your example more than any sermon that could be preached to them!
So do you know what Peter does? He clues us in about the three areas our integrity will be tested during times of suffering and hurt and pain and setbacks in life – AND he tells us how living with integrity increases our hope!
First of all...
I. By avoiding the evil things our bodies want to do (especially when we’re hurting) we enjoy a higher level of hope!
Here’s what the Bibles says:
"Dear friends, you are like foreigners and strangers in this world. I beg you to avoid the evil things your bodies want to do that fight against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11 (NCV)
If your body wants to lose its temper or cuss somebody out when you’re hurting, don’t give into that urge. If your body has the evil desire of envy (Like, "Why does so and so, who doesn’t even acknowledge God, have an easy life while I try to honor God and suffer?"), greed ("Times are too tough for me to share."), bias ("It’s this group’s fault that my life is hard.") , gossip, lust, gluttony, drunkenness, etc.
God’s Word says, "Avoid the evil things your body wants to do." Why? Because if you’re a follower of Christ you’re like a foreigner or stranger on this planet. The Greek word literally means, “You don’t have citizenship.”
We just have a “green card.” This world isn’t our permanent home. Our real home is in heaven! We may be here 60,70,80, 90 years - but that’s it. So when we are battered and wearied by the pains and hurts of life – when our hearts are heavy and our minds and bodies are tired and weak – if we’re followers of Christ we can enjoy a higher level of hope!
We’re actually citizens of a place where pain and anxiety and hurts and worries and fears and problems don’t exist! Instead of living for now we live for the future!
The Message paraphrases verse 11 this way…
"Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul."
You might argue that you’re free to do anything you want to do and you’re right. Look at verse 16.
"You are free, but still you are God’s servants, and you must not use your freedom as an excuse for doing wrong." 1 Peter 2:16 (CEV)
But integrity calls for us to put a limit on our liberties. Why? So that we don’t drag the name of Christ through the gutter.
"It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society." 1 Peter 2:15 (Msg)
In the First Century people thought Christians were dangerous because they refused to bow down and worship Caesar. They weren’t dangerous. Christians make the best citizens and we’ll see why in a few minutes.
21st Century people think Christians are dangerous. Rosie O’Donnell said, "Radical Christians are just as dangerous as radical Muslims." Though we’ve yet to see any Christians fly jets into skyscrapers.
But how do you change people’s minds about what following Christ is really all about? How do you show them we’re not dangerous - we’re actually great citizens? You can’t accomplish it by arguing with them. You’re life of doing good – a life of integrity – must provide a foundation for them to understand why you follow Christ.
Jesus said “…you should be a light for other people. Live so that they will see the good things you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 (NCV)
You don’t do good things so that people will praise you – but so they’ll praise God. But if you’re always giving in to the evil things your body wants to do – they doubt God instead of praising Him.
But how can we accomplish this? How can we live in the middle of our hurts and pains so that other see Christ? There’s only one way. And it’s not by accepting the placebos of getting high and doing the evil things our bodies want to do. We’ve got to practice remembering that we’re citizens of another country and we’re just visiting earth!
Living with integrity increases my hope because...
I. By avoiding the evil things my body wants to do I enjoy a higher level of hope!
Secondly,
II. By yielding to authority I free myself from self-hope!
Here’s what the great apostle says next...
"For the Lord’s sake yield to the people who have authority in this world: the king, who is the highest authority, and the leaders who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right." 1 Peter 2:14 (NCV)
Circle that word “yield.” When you drive your car up to a yield sign what do you do? (Or, what should you do?) Yield means you let the other guy have his way first.
In life, yielding is a primary mark of a mature person. Children don’t know how to yield until they’re taught. It doesn’t come naturally. Yielding means I don’t have to get my way all the time. It means that I can give in. I can let others have their way. Insecure and immature people think that yielding is a sign of weakness.
We want to show others who we are so we don’t yield when we should. We’re showing who we are all right. We’re showing our insecurity and immaturity.
Mature people are secure enough that they don’t always have to have their own way. Mature people are yielding people. I don’t mean they yield when an important principle is at stake. But they yield by not always demanding that things go their way.
And the result is very liberating!
If I have to have my own way all the time – in whom is my hope? ME! And guess what? I can be a miserable failure. If my hope is selfishly in me– I’m going to be disappointed big time! But if my hope is in God and I go ahead and yield to others that He has placed in authority over me – I’m free! I can say, "God, this is your plan I’m plugged into. Whatever happens I don’t have to worry because it’s all up to you."
The Word of God tells us to be a yielder, especially to authority. Do you show respect to your boss, the government, law enforcement officials, spiritual leaders, parents if you’re still under their authority.
Here’s a paraphrase of verse 14.
"Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God’s emissaries for keeping order." 1 Peter 2:14 (Msg)
Does that mean tax laws? Unfortunately it does. Traffic laws. Ouch. Some of you may be like me. I don’t think my right foot is saved yet. It still likes to put the pedal to the metal sometimes. I have to revert to that first point of the message all the time, I have to “avoid the evil things my right foot wants to do.” I usually do not like to go slow when I’m driving.
But it doesn’t matter whether or not I like it. It’s the law. So I have to keep working on it.
Then Peter says this in verse 17 our yielding attitude should go beyond people in authority over us.
"Show respect for everyone. Love Christians everywhere. Fear God and honor the government." (LB)
These are the things that reveal the genuineness of your hope.
"Show respect for everybody." Not just governmental officials – everybody! If you show respect to everybody you will stand out in our culture! No matter their size or shape or color or background or sex – you show them respect. BAMA fans show respect to Auburn and Tennessee fans and vice versa.
"Love Christians everywhere." Last week we prayed for the persecuted church. That was easy. What is difficult, is loving the Christians who live next door, or the one that lives in our house, or sits next to us in the worship gathering. Because we know them and their faults.
"Fear God and honor the government." When Peter wrote these words Nero was Caesar in Rome. Nero was one of the most maniacal and murderous rulers of all time! He was the reason Peter was writing this letter. He had Christians persecuted. He threw them to the lions. He used them as human torches to line the Appian Way. Yet during his rule Peter says, “Honor the government.”
What about at work? Your employer is in a position of authority over you. What if I have a jerk for a boss?
"…always show respect to them. Do this, not only to those who are kind and thoughtful, but also to those who are cruel. God will bless you, even if others treat you unfairly for being loyal to him." 1 Peter 2:18-19 (CEV)
You do the right thing whether those in authority over you do or not and “God will bless you” for it! God’s blessings are better than man’s!
LIVING WITH INTEGRITY INCREASES MY HOPE…BECAUSE
I. By avoiding the evil things my body wants to do I enjoy a higher level of hope!
II. By yielding to authority I free myself from self-hope!
And thirdly...
II. By following Christ’s example I’m confident in my hope!
Look at verse 21.
"This is the kind of life you’ve been invited into, the kind of life Christ lived. He suffered everything that came his way so you would know that it could be done, and also know how to do it, step-by-step." 1 Peter 2:21 (Msg)
We live in a culture that is obsessed with having our rights. It rubs off on us all too often. But it ends up backfiring on us.
Like the doctor and attorney who were at a party. While they were talking to each other a lady came up and asked the doctor for a diagnosis. She explained her problem and he told her what she ought to do about it and she walked away. The doctor turned to the lawyer and said, “I know this is a party, but do you think it would be appropriate for me to send her a bill?” The attorney replied, “Of course it is.” So he sent the lady a bill. The next day he got a bill from the attorney!
Jesus is the greatest example in the history of the universe of not claiming His rights. He voluntarily gave up His rights. He suffered and died so that we could have eternal life. His example gives us hope! We know by learning more and more about how He lived that we can have hope by living that way – even if we have to suffer.
We get upset over the slightest inconveniences. Like the other day I decided to visit the newly remodeled McDonald’s on the Parkway for the first time since they re-opened. I don’t normally like drive throughs – but I saw that they had two lanes so I went through the inside lane. I ordered two double cheeseburgers – well, they were on sale. I placed my order and drove to the first window. The young lady said, “You had the chicken and the fries,” or something like that. I said, “No I had 2 double cheeseburgers.” She said, “That’s not right.” I was just beginning to get agitated. [Which is why I don’t like drive up windows.] She couldn’t find my order on the screen. She called a second worker. They called the manager. I had to tell the manager three times what I wanted. All together I had to tell the people 8 times that I just wanted 2 double cheeseburgers. I actually thought about driving off two times – before I gave them my money of course. I got to the pickup window and the lady there said, “Here’s your cheeseburger and fries!”
I tell you that story to illustrate how petty I am sometimes. And then I ask myself, "How would Jesus have responded?" You say, "Well, He probaably would only have ordered one double cheeseburger." Okay, okay.
But he wouldn’t have gotten agitated over it like I did. I didn’t say anything unkind to the workers at McDonald’s but it was how I felt inside that told me I needed an attitude adjustment.
You know what its come to? As Americans we think being inconvenienced is terrible. We’re so programmed for protecting our rights that any inconvenience anyone else puts us through is some big deal to us.
How do you handle yourself in life when people mess up your order? And even if it’s something really important? How do you handle being mistreated?
However you respond – it speaks of your integrity and your influence.
People are watching you. Are you going to live by priorities or by pressures?
Which of these three areas do you need to work on?
Are you living on a higher level of hope by avoiding the evil things your body wants to do?
Are you yielding to authority to be free from self-hope?
Are you following the example of Jesus?
