Seeking for the help of the Lord,
I direct your prayerful attention to the chapter that we read,
1 Peter chapter 2, and reading from our text, verse 21. Verse
21. For even here unto were ye called,
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye
should follow his steps. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 21. To what we are called, for even
hereunto were ye called. What is it that the people of
God have been called to, or Peter here, he says before us what
we have been called unto. And the whole setting is not
just a setting of being in the house of God, the church of God,
or the people of God, but it is a people that are living in
the world and walking in the world working in the world as
servants under those in authority and it is in a position that
is not isolated from the world but in the midst of the world. And this is what we are called
unto, to act in the way that Peter sets before us here. Never really in times that we
know in the church or even in the nation have we had such times
like those that we're walking through at the moment, when there
are so many laws being made and they change every day, every
week, And they affect our daily lives, our work, our time in
the house of God. We barely had time to adjust
to one law that we've got another law to adjust to. And many, many
different feelings amongst the people of God. And it's very,
very difficult to know how we are to walk and how we are to
glorify God in our day and in our generation. And so a passage
like this is a very important one for us. Remember that the
Word of God does not come with any bounds of time. Many would
say today, well, it is 2,000 years ago that Peter would have
written this or nearly that, and that it is not relevant to
today. And yet we know that that which
the Lord has written and said before us is for our guidance
and teaching right down to the end of time. And we need the
Holy Spirit, we need that wisdom and guidance to know how rightly
to walk. And so when we have the word
that's for our text, for even here unto where ye called, because
Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we
should follow his steps. And we would remember that our
Lord, when he was born, he was born under the law and into a
community and a people and under laws that even before he was
born, that his parents then were, because of a decree of the government,
that they then had to go to Bethlehem, and there he was born. And so,
on to the Lord's help this evening. Look, firstly, at what a believer
is called to, and try to keep close to the word here in this
passage. We can no doubt expand it to
many parts of the word of God, and we see a different angle
and yet consistent teaching, but try and keep to the context
here. And then the reason given, because
Christ also suffered for us. And under this second point,
just to consider the sufferings of Christ for us. And then thirdly, Christ's example,
that we are to follow. That is his reaction to those
things that he passed through and went through, which is very
important for us also at this time as well. But firstly, what
a believer is called to. In verse 20, immediately before
our text, we are told, for what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted
for your faults ye shall take it patiently? But if when you
do well and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable
with God. And it is, this is immediate
context here that we are called not as to suffer for our faults
well, but even when we haven't had faults, when we've done that
which is well, and is praiseworthy and right, and yet we still suffer
for it, that we then take that patiently, that that is acceptable
with God. It's one of those things that
is so bound up with our nature, if we feel that we have been
dealt with or treated unjustly or unfairly, you don't have to
call it forth. It just rises up to try and vindicate
ourselves, to try and speak to our defence, to go from the attack
to the attacker and respond in a way that is anything like patiently
or bowing before the hand of the Lord. And yet this is what
is set before us here. He even gives the contrast that
if we're buffeted for our faults, we take it patiently, that is
well, but this is going that step further. And we think of
that grace that God gives in calling and what we're called
to is to walk in a way that is opposite to nature and what the
world would even marvel at. And in a way, it is committing
ourselves unto God that has a control over these things. that permits
them, that appoints them, and bows before, not man, but before
God's hand. We think of the times that the
children of Israel were specifically warned and reproved because they
did not bow under God's hand. When they were turned back into
the wilderness because they didn't believe that God would be able
to deliver them out of the hand of the Canaanites and that they'd
be able to take the promised land. When they found that their
sentence was that they should go another 38 years into the
wilderness, then they changed their mind and they said that
they would go up and they would find But Moses said to them,
go not up, the Lord is not with you. And yet they still presumed
to go up against Ai. They were not submitting to the
hand of God in his chastening, in his dealing with them. They
were seeking to get out from under that hand. And we have
the same condition with when the children of Israel went into
Babylon, part of Jeremiah's ministry was that they humble themselves
under Nebuchadnezzar's hand. Nebuchadnezzar was God's servant,
that they should then pray for him and for that land, that in
its peace they would have peace, that they were to build houses
there, that they were to marry and have families and be built
up, and so that they weren't diminished but ready in God's
time to be brought back to their own land. There were many that
rebelled against that, especially those that were left in the land
of Israel, seeking rather to go to Egypt rather than submit
under the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. And so we need to discern the
Lord's hand and if it be a case where we might think that we're
fighting against man to actually be against God. And so here is the situation
where one is called to take something patiently and we have been doing
that which is well. And there's an aspect here that
those that are called should know what is well and what is
not, what is right and what is wrong. The Apostle in another
place that he speaks very clearly of that we must have a clear
conscience in whatever a man allows and happy is he that condemneth
not himself in that thing which he alloweth. That we should be
able to defend and defend from the word of God every action
that we take and all that we do, and that it should be a conscience
toward God. And even if we do that then,
which is right, according to the word of God, and then suffer
for it, to take that patiently. And so that's the immediate context
here. For even here unto were ye called. And the context again in this
is servants that are to be subject to their masters and to serve
their masters rightly. And again, we mentioned of conscience
in verse 19, for this is thank worthy of a man for conscience
toward God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. And it is very important
that we have a right conscience before God of what we allow and
what we do not allow. But we have, if we take the whole
of the context back to verse 11, where we have described a
people, or people in verse 10, which in time past were not a
people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy. And really before we even
look at then what we're called unto, we may ask ourselves, does
that describe us? Were we in time past not a people,
but are now the people of God? Was there a time we had not obtained
mercy, but have we now obtained mercy? Really before ever we
think on how we are acting because our text speaks about what we
are called unto. We may ask ourselves, are we
truly called? What a description of those that
are called. that we're once not a people,
but now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now
obtain mercy. In the word of God, there's many
descriptions of those that are called, and this is one. It describes what it is to be
called by God. And if you take the previous
verse again, It is to show forth the praises of him who hath called
you, how? Out of darkness and into his
marvellous light. Another description of the calling
of God. And so that is really most important
fast, even before we think of to what we're called unto, are
we called? Are we truly called by the grace
of God and numbered? amongst the people of God. It
should be our chief concern and desire to know that above everything
else. But then we have the list of
things that the apostle says before us that we are called
unto. In verse 11, he says that we
are called unto that which is a stranger and a pilgrim. the way that we are to walk through
this world as if this world was not our rest. And we have this
in Hebrews 11 as well, that they declare plainly that they are
strangers and pilgrims in the earth, that they testify of that
and they seek a heavenly country. But he beseeches them and beseeches
us in that way, strangers and pilgrims, to abstain. abstained
from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. And how many
of us have so proved the truth of this? Paul says when he writes
the Romans that to be kindly minded is death, to be spiritually
minded is life and peace. And how many of us have really
proved that. And that when the flesh is in
the ascendancy, then the spirit is grieved. And there is that
conflict, one against another. One of the Puritans, he said
that a young believer must have it impressed upon them, that
they're called to a life of fighting against the corruptions of their
own evil heart. By nature, we go along with it.
and lap it up, but by grace then that grieves us and we mourn
over it, we fall many times in thought if not deed, and it is
our trial and our grief that we have an old nature, fallen
nature, And so, one of the very first things that Peter says
before us as those that are called is abstinence from fleshly lusts,
and because they war against the soul. The second thing here is that
we are to have our conversation, and that means not just how we
speak but our behavior, honest among the Gentiles. God's people,
like Israel of old, was a peculiar nation that was in the spotlight
of the whole world. The whole world saw what happened
in Egypt. They saw what happened when they
came through the Red Sea. They saw them right away through
the wilderness. And the world looks on to the
Church of God, the Gentiles here spoken of as those that know
not God. And they're looking on And they're
examining everything that the Church of God does, why it does
it, how they're walking, why we're told in Peter's epistle
here that we are to be ready to give a reason of the hope
that is within us to everyone that asketh of you. And it is
to be with humbleness, with reverence, with fear. And it is that people
see that we do things that they do not do. and do not things
that they do and ask why. Why are you doing different?
Why are you walking in this way? And it is to be based upon the
reason and the hope that is within us. And so the situation here
is portrayed that they speak against us as evildoers, but
then that they may, by your good works which they shall behold,
glorify God in the day of visitation." The people of God are to know
that they're not private individuals. They're not those that can just
act and do as they like. Sometimes we think of our royal
family and those in authority and that, well, they can have
a private life completely separate from their position of authority
as the queen or the prince or whoever. But however much they
might claim that or say that that is their right, it doesn't
happen. People will judge a person by
who they are. And they're standing, and all
of us. And so where we hold a position
of responsibility or an office, then we can't just shake that
office away. If I said, well, I'm the pastor
of this church, or I'm minister this evening, but tomorrow morning,
then I'm not. And I just do, and I just live
as if I had not made a profession. and did not hold office in the
Church of God, that office, I don't put it off and change it from
one hour to the next. It is a life calling, a life
work. And all that I do, rightly, should
be judged, do I walk according to that calling? And the same
where we are a believer as well, and called by God that We are
rightly before the world as examples. We read of the apostles, they
took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus and
that how they acted they had learned of him. Then we have
in verse 13 the exhortation to submit yourselves to every ordinance
of man for the Lord's sake. And it's not submit yourselves
to some ordinances, but every ordinance, whether it be to the
king as supreme or unto governors as unto them. which are sent
by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise
of them that do well." And we need to be very careful, especially
in the times that we are living. Some of the things that the government
says, they say are guidelines. Others, they say it is mandatory,
it is law, it's enforceable, it is that which the The law
of the land has power to bring us before the courts. And we
think of Romans 13, where the powers that be are ordained of
God. They don't just happen, they
are there by God. And these things we have brought
before us to really consider as applicable to our day and
our generation, especially when we are trying to grapple with
and come to work out how we are to act and how we are to walk
in a way as those that are called and glorify God and will not
bring a reproach upon his holy name. We have then in verse 16, and
as free and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness,
but as the servants of God. We're not to give the impression,
especially to those that know not God, that somehow by being
called and being the Lord's people exempts us from things that those
that are not called and not believers are not exempted from. He gives
us some special privileges and special rights that put us apart
from the world. And we have to think of what
is meant actually here. when the apostle speaks in this
way. Our Lord spoke of those of his
day that set aside the commandments of God and taught for commandments
the traditions of men. And he had very strong words
for them. But what we have before us here
is not the law of men, but the law of God. and it is the way
that the Lord would have us to walk. Then we have in verse 17,
to honour all men. I often think of this with the
apostle Paul, when he was given his testimony, and Fester said, thou art mad. He really ridiculed what Paul
was saying, but he answered in a very gracious way. And he says,
I am not mad. most noble Festus. And he still
gave him that reverence to his position and testified that the
things that he spoke was truly what he had experienced and what
had been shown him from heaven. And we need to think in that
way. How would we answer? How would
we answer the messengers of the nation? How would we speak in
the way of honoring all men. And then it includes the brotherhood,
love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. What a picture
it is being painted of those that are called and taught of
God. And then he deals with the immediate
context of where our text is, of servants and of conscience
toward God. our consciences, not like in
Romans with the Gentiles either accusing or excusing one another
a law unto themselves, but actually be able to point to the Word
of God and say, this is why we act in this way, this is why
we do not do this, this is why we do do this. So this is what Peter sets before
us as that which a believer is called to. The second thing is
the reason given because Christ also suffered for us. We think especially of how the
Lord suffered and how vital it was if our sins are to be put
away at Calvary that he walked in this path as well. Throughout
our Lord's life, he suffered the contradiction of sinners
against himself. Many, they sought to take him.
They called him the Prince of Devils. They said that he cast
out devils by the Prince of Devils. Our Lord walked through this.
And then when they came to take him, they came, they took him
as one betrayed by his own men. And the Lord had provided that
they should have swords on that occasion, that the contrast be
given. Peter, he drew the sword, he
cut off the servant of the high priest's ear. But our Lord said,
put up thy sword within its sheath. The cup which my father hath
given me to drink, shall I not drink it? And then he says, thinkest
thou not that I should pray my father, he presently give me
12 legion of angels, 72,000 angels, but how then should the scripture
be fulfilled? When Peter, on the day of Pentecost,
he charges the people with the death of the Lord, he said that
he that was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge
of God, You have taken them by wicked hands, crucified and slain. And we have the joining together
of the counsel of God, the purposes of God. And we have the actions
of the people and their guilt in what they did to the Lord
Jesus Christ. But we have the submission of
our Lord to that. And why? Because he was suffering
for us. and to put away our sins. Because Christ also suffered
for us. Where did he suffer? In another
world? In another community? In another,
an ideal situation? No. One could not have thought
of a most hostile environment for the Lord to be born into,
let alone be brought to, be crucified and to offer himself a sacrifice
unto God. Many of us, we like to think
if in the hour and article of death, we had our loved ones
around us and we had peace and we had quietness, but to think
of being crucified and all his disciples, they forsook him and
fled, and the pain of the crucifixion, the mocking, that which he endured
by the soldiers and even the thieves, one against him, and
then the hiding of his father's face. My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me? And the willingness, we think
of Isaiah 53, led as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before
her shearers is done, So he opened not his mouth. The will of God
was being done, was being performed in the hands of wicked men, worldly
men, in the hands of those that were falsely accusing him. And
he stood there silent. And this very silence, it made
Pilate to marvel that he held his peace. Know is it not that
what they are accusing you of You know, there's been many times
in my life I have been falsely accused. And I hope by God's
grace I can say quite often what I've thought. I thought, friend,
what you're saying is a false accusation. But if you really
knew my heart, and if you really knew my life, you would have
so much real things to say. that I couldn't stand before.
And you know, with our Lord, if those that were accusing him
could really see, he was standing, bearing his people's sin. He
was sinless and spotless, but he knew for whom he was suffering. He knew that it was a just and
a right suffering. It is a substitutionary offering
He, instead of his people, that wasn't in any way to be lessened. And when we can see what the
Lord went through for us, and see what he endured for us, and
when we really know what our sins deserve, and what often
is hidden with us, the world doesn't see. They may falsely
accuse, but God sees what really is in our heart. And so the reason
given for how we are to walk is how Christ endured the cross,
despising the shame, and he sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God on high to put away our sins by the sacrifice
of himself. And in God's purposes, he used
commandments of men, wickedness of man, sinfulness of man, rulers,
Pilate, Herod, spiritual rulers, the high priest, all of those
he used and our Lord submitted unto them all as he bare our
sins in his body on the cross. What if he hadn't? What if he'd
have risen up? This is the reason how we are
to walk. as he also suffered in this way. We're then thirdly given Christ's
example that we are to follow. What is the example that we are
to follow? And really it is Christ's reaction
to what actually happened to him. In the verse after our text,
we read, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. In all of those things, we are
told who did no sin. When we read the account of dear
Job and the afflictions and all that came upon him, When all
that came upon him, he said, the Lord gave, and the Lord hath
taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. And we read that in all this
Job sinned not with his mouth, nor charged God foolishly. Later on he came to curse the
day of his birth. But it was set before us that
He did not sin with his mouth, in that first instance, and with
our Lord, who did no sin. How vital it was that he should
be spotless and without sin. But as those that are called,
we have Christ as an example. We might say, but sin is mixed
with all we say and all that we do. How can we be like him? that we can learn of him and
seek to be like him. We pray Jabez's prayer that the
Lord would keep us from evil, that it do not grieve us. And
that we take his yoke upon us and learn of me, he says, for
I am meek and lowly in heart and you shall find rest unto
your souls. The meek and lowly in heart find
rest. not on the other side that rise
up, that strive, that fight, that resist the will and purposes
of God. No guile in his mouth, no conspiring
but open, no contriving, But what you see is what you get,
as it were. We think of what was said with
Nathaniel. Behold an Israelite indeed, in
whom is no guile. You know this man is not seeking
to deceive in any way. He's just so transparent and
open. And the people of God are to
follow Christ's example in that way, who always did his father's
will, who sought to do that which his father gave him to do. Then we have in verse 23, who
when he was reviled, reviled not again. When he suffered,
he threatened not. Those are the things he didn't
do. But what did he do, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously? There are two sides to it. The counterwise blessing, or
not turning railing for railing, but on the other hand, committed
himself unto his father. We also have a Heavenly Father. Your Heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. He knoweth the way that
I take. When ye have tried me, I shall
come forth as gold. How much do we commit ourselves
unto the Lord? How much do we bring before Him
and lay before Him all of those things that are affecting us? and that are in our lives and
that are so profoundly affecting our lives is hardly anyone, whether
a Christian or not a Christian, whether in the workplace or not,
that is not profoundly affected at this time. And in one sense,
it is an opportunity for those that believe in the Lord to follow
the Lord, and at least to consider how we are in this circumstances,
where we are walking now, how we are truly to glorify the Lord. It is not a time when there is
persecution against the Church of God. It is not a time when
They're singled out for specific rules or censures, but they bring
in with the whole population of the rules and regulations
that the government make on many, many things, but now are making
because of the pandemic and because of the virus. And you have many
laws that may be made that spring from all sorts of things that
arise in our communities. And it is the laws of this specific
time arising from this. But we need much grace and much
wisdom. Those that are called to walk
worthy of his name and to think and to consider and to be able
to rightly defend and to, from the scriptures and with a clear
conscience, say why we are doing what we are doing, why we are
walking in the way that we are walking. And may the Lord make
it a real time of blessing for us, especially if we're led from
this time to Christ's sufferings and to his death and to what
he endured, not be, as it were, bogged down with ourselves, but
led from ourselves unto Christ, and to consider him in a way
that we may not have considered or thought of before. It would
be a blessed thing if this comes under that word, and we know
that all things work together for good, to them that love God,
to them that are called according to his purpose. May the Lord
add his blessing. Amen.