Returning Home

Message Title: Returning Home
Theme: Living the Resurrection
Season: Easter
Main Text: 1 Peter 2:19-25
Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
RCL Scripture: *Acts 2:42-47; Psalm 23; 1 Peter 2:19-25; John 10:1-10
Focus: Peter instructs Christians to reflect on the cause of their suffering in comparison to Jesus’ suffering.
Function: To stop blaming God for the consequences of my own actions and return to the Shepherd’s flock.
Other Notes:

SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 23 MSG
^1-3 God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

⁴ Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

⁵ You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

⁶ Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.
INTRODUCTION:
NOTE: The next two weeks we will discuss chapter two…. But out of order. I know, I know. It will be ok. We’re reading the end first and the beginning second. But hey! If you’re reading along, you have 2 weeks to read ch 2… but a warning … ch 4 & 5 come the same week (at the end).

1. AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT:
   1. How do you handle a bully? What instructions were you given?
   1. “I’m rubber. you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.”
   1. grade school insults:  – no curse but the words still hurt
      1. “Someone called me a ‘crunchy lizard’ once, in reference to my hair gel. I asked why that was a bad thing and she said, ‘A crunchy lizard is not a happy lizard.'”
      1. “I heard a kid tell one of his classmates that they ‘smell like hot dog water.'”
   1. Children used to only have to worry about these kinds of ridiculous insults happening on the playground. Now they put bulletproof inserts and fake blood capsules in their backpacks in case of a school shooter.

TRANSITION:

1. LAST WEEK: We learned words carry the meaning of our hearts. God’s word is life giving and sustaining. We were challenged to embody the life-giving word Christian or stop using the label.
2. This week Peter is highlighting the topic of suffering for beliefs but places a distinction between cause and effect.

MAIN TEXT: 1 Peter 2:19-25 ¹⁹ Now, it is commendable if, because of one’s understanding of God, someone should endure pain through suffering unjustly. ²⁰ But what praise comes from enduring patiently when you have sinned and are beaten for it? But if you endure steadfastly when you’ve done good and suffer for it, this is commendable before God. ²¹ You were called to this kind of endurance, because Christ suffered on your behalf. He left you an example so that you might follow in his footsteps. ²² He committed no sin, nor did he ever speak in ways meant to deceive. ²³ When he was insulted, he did not reply with insults. When he suffered, he did not threaten revenge. Instead, he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. ²⁴ He carried in his own body on the cross the sins we committed. He did this so that we might live in righteousness, having nothing to do with sin. By his wounds you were healed. ²⁵ Though you were like straying sheep, you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your lives.

EXPLAINATION: Peter instructs Christians to reflect on the cause of their suffering in comparison to Jesus’ suffering.

1. CONTEXT: Peter will go through a series of instructions on what we call household codes.
   1. Just before this passage was an instruction for slaves (Do not confuse this with American Chattel Slavery. Biblical slavery is typically indentured servitude). In chattel slavery, the slave is legally rendered the personal property (chattel) of the slave owner.
      1. In future chapters, we will even see instructions for wives and husbands. HOWEVER, Peter is asking the people to behave above the highest standard of decorum while still pushing back on the status quo!
      1. DISCLAIMER: an important thing to note is that never in this passage is Peter saying to stay in an abusive relationship in order to convert someone to Christ. Christ died on the cross– you don’t have to.
2. Suffering: Cause & Effect
   1. Commendable/praiseworthy to experience suffering because of your beliefs.
   1. It is not commendable to experience the consequences of your own actions.
   1. Jesus suffered so that we might live—and live a redeemed life.

INTERPRETATION: Peter instructs Christians to reflect on the cause of their suffering in comparison to Jesus’ suffering.

1. This passage causes us to consider the root of our suffering. Is it caused because of our beliefs? Or is it the consequences of our actions?
   1. Generational trauma/Hurt people hurt people
2. As a result of Jesus’ suffering, we have been called, claimed, and brought into Jesus’ flock.
   1. “Though you were like straying sheep, you have now returned to the shepherd and guardian of your lives” -vs 25
   1. Psalm 23 – Our shepherd guides our way
3. As Christians, we can identify as Jesus’ sheep – we’re part of his flock. He guides us and we follow the shepherd. However, not everyone will like the sheep who follow our shepherd. We may suffer because of our association with the shepherd.
4. BUT there is an important distinction made by Peter: not all suffering is because we’re associated with the shepherd.

APPLICATION:

1. When you are walking in the light, you will naturally find resistance from people hiding in the dark. As you walk in the light, you may experience suffering by those mad that you are shining light in their darkness.
   1. living in the resurrection is behaving with light when the world is trying to pull you into the darkness
   1. living in the resurrection means calling for justice and not allowing negative peace to exist.
      1. Negative peace – “I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
2. Positive peace is hard because it is uncomfortable to wrestle with difficult thoughts, feelings, or people until you come to resolution.

CONCLUSION

1. Expose infections, clean the wound, find healing.
   1. Positive peace is hard to pursue
   1. Returning to the shepherd isn’t hiding in safety but following the shepherd’s staff.