1 Peter 2:11–20
St. John 16:16–22
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
More and more I am being disappointed by the options this world has to offer. Far too often, choosing political parties and choosing candidates within those parties seems to devolve into picking the “lesser of two evils.” They seldom take stands where I want them to and when they do they don’t satisfy me in following through. Here’s just one example, but it’s a telling one: apparently, when the Republicans promised to do things like decrease the unmanageable size of the federal government and cut back on spending and defend human life in the womb, what they actually meant was they would give $500 million of the federal budget to Planned Parenthood. Why should I put any faith in political officials?
Or consider our society’s current and fairly open hostility to Christianity. The decline of Christianity and its influence in America has been happening for a long time, but now the opponents have become vocal because the ground work has been laid. Activities like sports and pancake breakfasts slowly crept in on Sundays, so now it’s just one other day—or worse, it is a special day where time has been carved out of the work week so that we can do just about anything except go to church. And while that’s a tragedy, an equally devastating view is that you can worship how you like, but you can’t practice your faith in public. So, Christian businesses and schools are attacked by the social justice warriors and the people who only value a person because of what “minority group” they belong to.
I find that very few of the voices heard in the public square today are truly Christian. And when a Christian voice is heard, whether its objecting to an overreaching government or to the immorality that is destroying the family, that voice is quickly shouted down. And that leads many Christians to either give up entirely, or to make compromises with the louder parties out there and be submerged and lose their unique Christian contribution to society.
In the face of this opposition, I find that more and more I want to just reply: We are the Church. We don’t need any other labels or any other groups to give us validity or to support our cause. We are the Church. We’ve seen empires come and go, movements and revolutions rise and fall. We were here before you, and we will still be here long after you’re gone. Do whatever you may, you cannot destroy us. This attitude is not new for the Church. It was the answer of the early Christian martyrs: “Burn my body, but I will live. My King and His kingdom are eternal. I am a Christian.”
This is an attitude we must learn and practice. It doesn’t come naturally to our earth-bound sinful minds. While our hearts are still drawn and swayed by the things of this broken life, the Christian must learn to listen to the Word of God and so think with a new mind and heart. Know who you are and do what you do. Know that you are a holy, redeemed creature of God. Live and think in a way that matches up with that identity. Don’t be swept along by the current of the world. You are different. You are a Christian. Don’t let them talk you into claiming another name or following another way of life. The Collect of the Day is our prayer for all members of the Church still here on this earth, that we would actually be the Church: Almighty God, You show those in error the light of Your truth so that they may return to the way of righteousness. Grant faithfulness to all who are admitted into the fellowship of Christ’s Church that they may avoid whatever is contrary to their confession and follow all such things as are pleasing to You (LSB Altar Book, p.895)
We are a holy people, which means we belong to God (1 Peter 2:9–10). We are different from all other people, not because of moral superiority or ethnicity, political party or good deeds. The Church comes from all nations and tribes, all walks of life, and we are all sinners purchased, won, and forgiven by the blood and death of Jesus. But as Christians, we are holy because God has made us His people.
In his First Epistle, St. Peter wrote to the elect exiles of the dispersion, that is the Church scattered abroad. He calls them, and us, sojourners, strangers or resident aliens (1 Peter 2:11). We are people who are not at home here, not permanent citizens of this place and time, but people belonging to another land. This is not because our heavenly Father’s creation is bad, but because our sin and death have ruined this place and cause us suffering and sorrow. So, we do not put our hope in this life or in human achievements, but we look for a better life in the world that our Lord will make for us.
Most importantly, Peter encourages the Church on earth, including us, Live as people who are free (1 Peter 2:16). Itis the will of Godthat living asHis servants, we would do good works in this world and so silence the ignorance of foolish people (1 Peter 2:15–16).By living a Christian life in this world, a life different from the way the rest of the world lives, we show them God’s way of doing things.And when they slander us, hate us, call us backward or bigots, our good works of love for others prove them wrong, and show just how ignorant and foolish the “wisdom” of this present evil age is.
Live as people who are free. But not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil (1 Peter 2:16). Being a Christian doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want and God will turn a blind eye.It means you are free from sin and death, free from the sinful ways of this world, free from the sinful thinking of our natural minds.We are free to think and live the way God does—thinking the thoughts and living the life that God gives to us and teaches us.And living this way often means suffering.But that will be okay.There’s going to be suffering in this fallen world, whether you are doing good or doing evil.So, you might as well suffer while doing the good things your God has called you to do.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 (1 Peter 2:20).
Jesus tells us that the world rejoices while we weep and lament (John 16:20). But despite our tears, we have a quiet, calm, and confident hope.Peter tells us that God has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead(1 Peter 1:3). After all, was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer and then enter into His glory? (Luke 24:26) For a little whilethe disciples could not see Him and they mourned His loss.But His death brought about salvation for them and for the world. His suffering was necessary.You were ransomed… you were saved not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ(1 Peter 1:18–19).
What’s more, Peter tells us, just as Jesus is our salvation, He is also our example, so that you might follow in his steps.He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to Godwho judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed (1 Peter 2:21–23). So, isn’t it also necessary for us to suffer a little whileand then enter His glory? While living here as free people, exiles and strangers, we carry our crosses.We suffer as Christians in hope, knowing that eternal life is ours now, and it will be revealed in the end.
We are the Church in this world—outposts of the Kingdom and ambassadors for Christ in a strange land—and we have hope even now because Jesus lives. We do not compromise with the evil ways of the world. And while the weak achievements of fallen men may be the best we can get in this life, we do not let our hope settle there or let our minds become so deluded as to think that humans could make a heaven here on earth. But neither do we shut our eyes to the horror of this world, or bury our heads in the sand. Our eyes are wide open to the evil around us and they are full of love for the people around us still trapped by their sin.
And our eyes are not franticly searching for escape for ourselves, but we calmly, steadfastly fix our eyes on the cross of the risen Lord who is coming again. And even if tears stream from these eyes, we still have joy that cannot be taken from us. Our joy is not in temporary pleasures or solutions, not even in the feelings of our own hearts, but our joy is safe in the nail-marked and living hands of our Lord.Peter wrote, you have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you…In this you rejoice, though now for a little while… you have been grieved by various trials…And though you have not seen Christ, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:4–9).
So, rejoice, O Church of Christ. Rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, sothat you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:13).And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:10–11).Jesus lives. And this little whileof sorrow will turn into joy, when we are raised to live with Him forever in the permanent home He has prepared for us.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In the Holy + Name of Jesus. Amen.
