Submitting To Authority Series

Submitting to Authority

Part 4 of A study through Peter

July 2nd 2023

We are in the book of 1 Peter, a letter to the church written by a fellow who was an uneducated fisherman, who was called by Jesus to be one of His closest followers, was well-known for speaking his mind, acting without thinking, being a bit stubborn, witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles, who (when push came to shove) denied that he even knew Jesus, but was restored and was willing to lay his own life down for the Lord, being crucified himself… quite a guy.

He struggled with authority it would seem – he wanted things his way, and had to be humbled before he really got it.

What about us? Do we struggle with authority, being quick to think or say things like, ‘You’re not the boss of me?’

As followers of Jesus friends, it is more than prudent to realize that we’re not the boss, are we? We may be someone else’s boss when it comes to being an employer, a local leader, maybe sitting on a community or church board, but when it really comes down to it, we are all under higher authorities in our lives.

Today we are going to explore what is written in the Word of God (talk about authority!) when it comes to submitting to authority.

1 PETER 2:13-25

13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution (every authority instituted among men – the NIV translates this as), whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

• Here’s a Jewish guy living under Roman persecution, sitting in the centre of the Roman Empire (likely at the time of Nero’s rule, a guy who really had it out for Christians) saying that FOR THE LORD’S SAKE, submit to every HUMAN institution, every HUMAN authority.

• Whether it’s the emperor, the king, the prime minister, the president, the premier, the mayor, the police, the judge and the jury… submit, be there subject, obey them!

• Why? Most of them, as far as we know, are not disciples of Christ, they may not go to church, they may be ethical monsters, moral ogres, selfish, greedy, twisted, lying, back-room dealing, cheating, mixed up messed up morons…

• Yup – but submit anyway

• Why? Because GOD SAID SO. Vs 15 – this is the will of GOD!

• Do good. It might just shut up those who are ignorant of the truth

• Whoah, did I just read that in the bible? Yup!

• By doing good, we can silence the ignorance of people foolish enough not to listen to the Truth.

• But all that does not mean that Christians ought to be disobedient in any way when it comes to earthly authorities, thinking that because God is ULTIMATELY the highest authority, that we can do whatever we want

• Oh, we live as people who are free, even if we are imprisoned (literally like Paul, Peter to name a couple) or just living in this messed up world (like all of us are)

• Because we ARE FREE, the Son has set us free and we are free indeed! (John 8:36)

18 Servants, 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. 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.

• This is an area of life where Christians ought to really stand out from the world.

• As we work in the world, serve in the world, or do anything under another person’s leadership, we are to respect that persons authority, whether they are nice or terribly unfair.

• When people suffer (or think they are suffering), and we all do to some extent, our gut reaction often is to complain, to whine, look for justice or possibly even revenge, right?

• We may think, ‘You hurt me, one day I’ll hurt you.’ Or, ‘When I’m the boss, I’ll treat people like I was treated.’

• But when we understand this concept that Peter is reminding us of, we learn that way of living is just selfish. It’s not serving, it’s seeking what’s in it for me.