Life Against The Flow: The Counter-Cultural Life (1 Peter 2:13-25)

I have to tell you I'm a little nervous about preaching a sermon not nervous because I think that got the text wrong but nervous because I think the message of the text this morning is so countercultural. We will hardly be able to believe what it's saying. You know many of the messages that we receive from our society are not in accordance with scripture. And so we are called to live countercultural wives but several of them were very familiar with for instance and I am aware that we have an audience of all different kind of Ages on talking in code hear our society communicate certain things about physical relationships, which we instantly identify is not scriptural and we know we link to live countercultural. But this morning's passage identifies an area where we have let our guard down a little bit where we have gone more cultural than we realize and I just feel like this morning scripture is going to feel like shocking because it is so countercultural. You know life teaches us that very often when we're in circumstances are first instincts on what to do or actually wrong. Life teaches us that sometimes often perhaps most times the crowd is wrong. And we're going to see in this morning scriptural at AAA. It a area where our society is just wrong. And we are called to be Counter Culture. You know, I was doing thinking about how I introduced the sermon and so forth and I remembered an old African proverb. The African proverb is run into the Roar. run into the Roar African Africans have noticed a hunting strategy of lions, by the way. Did you know that in a pride of lions the women do most of the work the women do most of the hunting the women do most of the child-rearing than women do most of the work the men kind of lie around and sleep all day. I was explaining this to Sandy and she says that sounds strangely familiar. But sometimes the men do help sometimes Lions do help and this is how it works. There might be some foliage here and a big loud lion will hide behind the foliage because there is a herd of prey perhaps zebra be on the other side of the foliage and the lion will Roar run away from the roar. Oh my goodness. We're in danger. There is there is a problem. I need to run away from the from the problem with the hurt doesn't know. Is that the lionesses? Are deployed right there? They are not running away from the problem. They are running right into the problem and hence the proverb run into the roar. There's another form of this proverb that says the same thing. The other form is a roaring lion kills. No prey. Which is interesting that the roaring lion presents itself is the problem. I'm the problem right there. Aren't you scared? The roaring lion is not the problem. The right move is not our Instinct. The right move is not what everyone else doing. The right move is actually exactly the opposite what appears to be the danger is actually the safest route through And so I think this morning scripture is going to be very countercultural. And as we go through it, we're going to see three things. We're going to see the instruction to be subject to our authorities. We're going to see an example that was common in the early church that have servants and Masters. If you're a servant you should be subject to your master. And then we're going to see that the scripture is full of examples of people who did just that our passage will have Jesus, but I also wanted to talk about David and Steven. So let's begin. 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 13 be subject for the Lord's sake to every Human Institution. We won't have time to go through all the verses word by word, but I do want to build a a big firm foundation. So imma just talked about a couple of phrases here be subject. The subject is actually a military term. It means to fall under those in your command. It means to align with yourself with your authorities be subject be subject to every Human Institution. By the way, this word human doesn't really draw much attention to us because we know all institutions are human, but it would have really been in neon for the first century church because the authority that the first church the first century church was under was the Roman Empire and in the Roman Empire it was the official belief that the emperor was divine.

And this is a passage of saying the emperor is not Divine. It's just a Human Institution, but be subject to it anyway, and by the way be subject to it because the institution is good. No not be subject to it for the Lord's sake that's why we are subject to it. And we find ourselves in Canadian Society. We ought to be subject to Canadian Society we ought to do everything that we can do to make society as vibrant and as a live and as good as we can. You know one of my I always have to buy Ville projects per year last year. One of my Bible project was to run through the book of Jeremiah over and over and over again study carefully. One of the things I noted about Jeremiah is he was ministering to the Israelites as they were taken out of Israel out of Jerusalem and relocated into Babylon and when they got to Babylon Jeremiah said lead revolts attack try to defeat the government, lets exit know he didn't he said we're going to be here for awhile work for the good of the city. This is in Jeremiah 23 work for the good of the city. It's kind of Bloom where you're planted you are in Babylonia right now. You are in Babylon right now Bloom where you're planted work for the good of the city. We are not primarily Canadian citizens. We are primarily elect Exiles. But while we're here, we should work for the good of the city. We should do everything that we can do to bless the society that were in and be subject for the Lord's sake to every Human Institution. Board of Governors sent by him to punish those who do evil and praise those who do good. This isn't a major Focus for this morning's sermon, but there's the two primary roles of government right there. Government has lots of stuff that builds roads and it makes telecommunication lost government has a lot of stuff I get it but the two primary things government is called to do is to punish evil and to promote good. That's the truth Shrine or another can be a lot of other things on top of that but biblically the two primary purposes of government is to punish evil and to promote good By the way, I don't want to dwell too long here. But if you want to overthrow a society if you want to cause its demise the best way to do it is to convince people that good is bad and bad is good.

because if you can do that the official government mechanism will actually promote evil thinking it's good. And punish good thinking it's evil. I don't know if you guys are Shakespeare fans, but the opening lines to the Shakespeare play Macbeth. The opening scene is three witches stirring a brew and the opening line is this fair is foul and foul is fair hover through the fog and filthy air when you can get a society to where they believe that foul is fair and fair is foul. Then the entire mechanism of government will reward evil and punish good. It's happening right now. It's happening right now. The ultimate Evil is death. And the ultimate good is life. We're redefining these. It's not death. OU backwards Hillbillies, it's not deaf at all its choice. Is this is a good thing and it's not life. Oh you narrow-minded bigots not life its restriction. And so we A R A the government mechanisms to punish good. Andre Ward evil because our society as we were saying last week is enrollment when we're making those three exchanges remember what Exchange number two is. Hey, give me your truth and I'll give you a lies and we say great the truth is very inconvenient. We don't like the truth that makes us feel bad. Your lies are so much more delicious will take them. Will take them.

For this is the will of God that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people this up versus into halves.

For this is the will of God by doing good and you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Let's take a look at each of those in in in order. First half of August 15th for this is the will of God that by doing good you can see what this is referring to my taking 13 14 and 15 is a whole sentence 14 is just a descriptive verse. It's not essential to understanding the meaning the sentence is be subject to the Lord for the Lord's sake to every Human Institution for this is the will of God that by doing good. So what's the will of God being subject to every Human Institution? What is doing good is being subject to every Human Institution, which brings us to our first sub point. We should be subject because it's doing good.

This is what the Lord asks us to do. To do good by being subject to every Institution. But I'm only to do good. There's the second half of the first year that we should put the silence we should put the silence the ignorance of foolish people and our society has drifted friends. I wish I could say differently our society has drifted far from the truth. We are surrounded by the ignorance of foolish people we are to silence them and how do we silence them by the life? We live we are to live in such humble servant Hood in such beautiful subjective subjectiveness that they see are lies and they have nothing bad to say. So we not only are subject to do good, but we are subject to silence an example of that is Daniel. Daniel had his enemies. And his enemies plotted against him, but he silenced them with a holy life. Then the high officials in the South chop sought to find a ground for complaint against a Daniel with regard to the kingdom, but they could find no ground for complaint. They could find no fault. Because he was faithful and he had no error fault and no error fault was founded him. One of the reasons that we live in harmony. One of the reasons that we respect human authority is because it's silence is people who want to find a reason to attack us who want to find a fault to bring into us. We just silence that by being meek, By being helpful. If I were working good for the city. In Titus Paul is talking about how we should live and he said show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works and then you're teaching show integrity and dignity and sound speech cannot be condemned so that an opponent may not be able to shame may be put to shame having nothing evil to say about us one of the reasons the way we one of the reasons we live the way we do. One of the reasons we honor the government and be subject to the authorities over us is because it's good. But another reason is to silence foolish people who would like to bring a Attack would like to show fault in US. I just want to offer you some thoughts here on what happens when we live a life when we live a life that silences those that would oppose the gospel what happens? What happens? Well, they see our righteousness. They see our Beauty and they fall on their knees before the Lord. Not necessarily not necessarily many people whom we silenced do not turn. Daniel was faultless did his enemies turn?

Did they? They doubled down. Jesus was faultless. Does his enemies turn? No, they sound. Witnesses. Many times we will silence them. There is no legitimate argue, but they still won't turn. You know, everyone knows John 3:16 for God. So gave the world for God so loved the world that he gave his only son very few. People know John 3:17. John 3:17 says people rejected me because I was the light of the world. They didn't want the white men love Darkness because their deeds were evil. The last thing they want it many times our light will shine with a Holy Light and people will not turn.

But sometimes it if they are like these they're like irrational animals creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant. Who will will also be destroyed in their destruction some people will not turn. Even though we live in a life and live a life that silences their objections. They still not they will still not turn.

but some will

some will some will see the life that we live. And they will turn the holy spirit will use our Beauty will use the Holiness in the meekness of our submission. And bring them to the point where they turn. This was the experience of the Apostle Paul who will read about in the end of the sermon. He says the formerly I was a blasphemer persecutor an insolent opponent, but I received Mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, you know, everyone thinks about the conversion experience in Acts 9, and of course that was his conversion experience, but it starts an ox 6 with Stevens death We'll see. At the end of the sermon but he saw a holy life. He saw someone suffering unjustly in a meet way and it affected him deeply.

so I see what you're saying. On when we live these beautiful ethical live some will not turn but some will and we need to be focused right here. That's not what I'm saying. That's not what I'm saying. And that's not what the scripture saying when we live Beautiful moral submissive lives. Some will not turn some will hate us even more some will that's not our concern. You know, what the glory of God is our concern? When we live a beautiful life and people do not turn, you know, what that what that does it got it allows God to show his glory. Glory is when God displays who he really is. And when we live Beautiful lives and people will not turn even in that life. God is glorified because he shows who he really is. just He can rightly say I gave you this beautiful wife to illumine your way and you rejected it. And now I can just lie bring punishment. When people do to her, you know what happens? God is glorified because he can display himself. That's who he really is Mercy. You were guilty but I made a sacrifice for you. And when you saw the light you ran to it, here's the point when we live Beautiful lives we silence those who opposed the gospel some turn some don't but in both cases God is glorified in both cases Our Lives. Give a stay for God to show who he truly is sometimes God shows who he truly is is I am righteous and I am just and I will not put up with sin. That's glory and sometimes God shows himself to be merciful. I am loved and I am mercy and I will reconcile to you that is God showing who he really is when we live these beautiful lives. However, people respond God is glorified. That's what we were singing in our second song. God be glorified.

So we are subject not only to do good but the silence there is one more reason and that is to reveal. To reveal when we are subject to the authorities over us. We not only do good for the Lord's sake. We not only Gloria silence opponents of the Gospel, but we reveal who God is Live as people who are free, by the way, that should startle us. Because people who are free because the first two words of the passage are be subject. Be subject be under Authority except the authority over you and now he's saying live as free what which is it that you want me to be subject or do you want me to be free?

Is it we see these as mutually exclusive because we think about this wrongly. our definition of freedom Is the ability to do what you want to do? You know how you know if you're free. You're free. If you can do whatever you want to do, that's why we call it sentential Freedom seat when you're not in finacial Freedom, you can't do what you want. Hey, let's go buy an expensive car. Sorry. I don't got the bankroll for that. Hey, let's go buy an expensive car. No problem. I got two hundred grand in the bank. You're financially free. You can do what you want. We Define freedom is the ability to do what you want freedom is not with the ability to do what you want. Freedom is the ability to do what we ought.

Freedom is the ability to do what we ought the constraints were under or not physical. I don't have enough money for this. I don't have enough money, but we are not slaves to the logistics of our life. We are slaves to the sin of our life. We know what we ought to. Do. You know what you ought to do your thinking of an area in your life right now. It's absolutely clear what you want to do, but you can't do you tried over and over he just can't get yourself to do that's bondage. That's bondage. And that's the freedom that the gospel brings to Freedom doesn't feel the gospel doesn't fill our bank account so we can buy expensive cars. We're not free to do what we want. We are free to do what we ought. we suddenly have power to do what God calls us to do and so We reviewed here from Peter live as people who are free. When we live as people who are free, we are demonstrating to the world around us that another life is possible. If you know what you ought to be doing and you've never been able to do it, but look at me I'm free. I am becoming I'm increasingly becoming the person that I ought to be. I am free from the things that entangled where you can't buy an expensive car. What does that have to do with it? I'm free to be the person I ought to be and when we live like that when we live like that we reveal to others that another life is possible. Another life is possible. You were living in Despair and defeat. Listen, my whole life says Something else is possible when we lived this beautiful ethical moral life in subject to our authorities. We do good we do it for the Lord's sake we silence those that would like to find fault and bring an accusation and they will leave their turn or not turn. But either way God is glorified. God will display who he is, but also we reveal to a skeptical world that something else is possible. Something else is possible. And then it just gives us 417. Which I wish we had time for this we don't but this is just a this is just a relationship trimmer. We're in all different kinds of relationships. Let me just tell you how you should be ordering your life. First of all, honor everyone.

This was this was written in a society that had slavery not slavery like North American society North American slavery words based on race and you can't get on that slavery for centuries since slavery was very different, but it was still evil. It was still wrong slaves were thought of as property. One of the Greek philosopher said do you know what the difference between a cart and a slave is? Because slaves were just seeing his tools. They're just things you use to get stuff done. You know what the difference between a cart that would be pulled by an animal and a slave is a slave talks the only difference of the New Testament teaching honor everyone. Everyone. Can I just remind you that racism is wrong it is sinful. To think less of a person because of Any characteristic misses the New Testament truth that all men all women are created in the image of God honor everyone but both the Brotherhood there is a special relationship we have with fellow Believers in John 13. John says Jesus says, this is how you been in this is how people will know you are my disciples. Because you love each other the way you treat each other is just a sounding the whole unconditional. Love thing that you guys display. I've never seen it before. That's how people know. Honor everyone but love the Brotherhood and fear. God notice what's missing there? Don't shoot the government. We're never told to fear the government. We're told to be subject to the government, but fear only God, you know someone once said and I think it's true you either fear God and nothing else or you don't fear God and fear everything else. We are called the fear God and Jesus displayed this junior when Jesus with was with pilot. and pilot said You don't quite understand this. Do you know who I am like I can release you or not. I don't quite understand the whole silent routine. You're giving me. What did Jesus say?

The only Authority you have is the authority given to you by God. I don't fear you. I Fear God. And then finally honor the emperor. Which is verse 13 be subject. Be subject. How can I give you an example says Peter? Sure sure. I'd love to give you an example servants. By the way. This would be very appropriate for the first century church. When the first century Church formed. It wasn't the movers and shakers. It wasn't the Wall Street Moguls. It wasn't the politicians. It was the servants. It was the lower cast in society the Kendrick price first, the church was filled with servants. So this would be very appropriate servants. How does how does verses 13 to 17 apply in real life? Well, let me tell you a servants be subject to your Masters At least it to your masters with all respect. Not negatively not begrudgingly. Old Masters, not only those are good and good here means upright like a good guy like you can trust him good guy and gentle gentle here means reasonable reasonable guy you can deal with them yet be subject to them. But also with those who are unjust there's a countercultural part right there. We think we should be subject to our Moss our authorities as long as the reasonable as long as they're good and gentle this explicitly says we need to be subject even when they're unjust. By the way, let's see how matter how many medical students we have here. I'm going to ask you a question call out the answer like to actually call it the answer if you think you know, what if you're wrong, I won't embarrass you. I'll tell you what the answer is put the Greek word underneath the word unjust is scoliosis. scoliosis What medical condition gets its name from this Greek word scoliosis? Right scoliosis a what is scoliosis? Scoliosis is when the human spine bends in an unnatural way because scoliosis means to bend. This is a this is a a master who is not straight. He is bent. I wish I could go into more details, but there's three major words for sin in the Bible. What is sin? It misses the mark there's a bull's-eye and you're missing it sin. There's another word transgression transgression means there is a clear line and you stepped over it. Did you not get the memo? I like I gave Ten Commandments. It's just ringing a bell with any of you. I drew clear lines and you're on the wrong side of the line transgression sin transgression, but the third word the third word is Iniquity Psalm 32 is a beautiful song to understand if you really want to see these three and play but Trends transgression, I mean What's the third word iniquity? Thank you doesn't mean mr. Mark, and it doesn't mean to cross over a clearly marked line iniquity means to bend. It means to twist. It means to pervert I gave you this beautiful gift and you bent it. You twisted it into something unnatural will this is a master who bends Justice to his own suit who bends fairness to zones? And surely we get an exception Clause here. These are of the people we're supposed to be subject to yes. This is exactly the kind of people that we should be subject to. Why? Vs. 19 and 24. It is a gracious thing this word. I love the ESV gracious thing does not bring out the meaning is clearly as some other translations other translations translate the phrase gracious thing into finds favor. When you do this you find favor with God or is commendable that's another way of translating. It's a commendable thing this this this word translate a gracious thing is the same word that appears in Luke chapter 6 where Jesus is saying love your enemies. Love your enemies love those that are trying to hurt you. And then he says what credit do you get if you love only those who love you what credit do you get this is not honorable that God doesn't reward you for that. What credit do you get if you only love those who love you without word credit is the same word right here.

What this is saying is is that when we are subject when we willfully and voluntarily become subject to an unjust Master. It's a gracious think we get credit for that you find favor with God. And this meeting is emphasizing verse 20 where it says, what credit is it? same word if if when you see if when you send it or beating for it you and your When when we get punishment and we deserve it, there's no credit in that. That's not a gracious thing. That finds no favor with God. We're suffering for our own sake but when we suffer for Christ sake we get credit. It's commendable we find favor with God.

so we we are just we are subject to even unjust Masters because there's a reward because there is a reward the the modern mind wants to ask this question is it there's some sort of exception clause. But surely you're not saying. If the authority is unjust we should be subject to it. You're not saying that there's got to be some sort of exception Clause isn't there? Well, there is an exception Clause but it's not the one we think it should be. The Bible clearly says when the master is unjust be subject to him. The Only Exception Clause is this one acts 4 When Peter and John answered them Peter and John have just been given an order by their authorities. Hey be subject to every Authority while they just got an order from there authorities. Don't talk about Jesus if I catch you guys pray it again. If I kept you guys preaching again, if I get you get catch you guys serving Jesus again. It's over for you. I am your Authority at I am telling you what to do and they said no. Whether it's right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge. For we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard. There is an exception Clause when our authorities are unjust that's not the exception Clause when our authorities give us orders. That cannot be reconciled with the orders that we have from God. We must disobey our authorities. By the way. We should look for every creative way to do both when Daniel was giving orders by his King. I want you to eat these foods and for his diet, that would be sinful. He didn't say well you terrible person you you're going to hell that's where you're going. I'm not going to hide and he said accommodation. How about this? What if I eat these foods for 30 days, then you look at me you make the call. Often there is a creative way. To both obey our authorities and obey God, but sometimes there is sometimes there isn't sometimes the authorities just say things that cannot possibly reconcile with what God orders us to do. There is no creative solution in those cases. We do not subject ourselves to every Authority.

It's always your exception Clause. Yes. There is an exception Clause but it's not for unjustice. It's not about our enjoyment. It's about whether we can obey God and our authorities and if we have to choose one, which is God.

And then the third and final point for the sermon. This is the way Once we see this truth, we are surprised at how often disappears and digs in the Bible as examples of Jesus being the primary one. I'm reading from the rest of our passage 1st Peter chapter 2 starting at verse 21.

For to this you have been called. What are we've been called to being subject or authorities, even if they're not perfect. For to this you have been called because Jesus because Christ also suffered for you leaving you an example. So that you might follow his steps by the way. What was his example pending? Can anyone remind me how many protests did he lead?

Right. That's what I thought to zero. He never challenged the authorities right to rule sure. He did didn't he overturn the cards. Didn't he? Tell the Pharisees that their he called them to repentance and he pointed the condition of their heart, but he never said you're not you can't rule. He never tried to displace pilot. He simply said that I command an army. That's not of this world. My kingdom is not of this world. He did not challenge their right to rule. He challenged their hearts and called them to repentance. He's the example. First 22 he committed no sin neither was deceit found in his mouth when he was reviled. He did not revile in return. By the way, this is God incarnate if anyone has an opportunity a right to clock back, it's him. He didn't he was reviled. He did not revile in return when he suffered. He did not threaten. He can but it continued and trusting himself to him who 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. We have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but now but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. Is that really let the message of this passage sink into my own life? I saw clear examples in scripture of living this way that I had never seen before. One of them that came to my mind was David. Can I just remind you about the story of David? So who was the king of Israel had forfeited his kingship he was sinful God himself through Samuel said because of your sin. I'm going to take the kingdom away. Am I going to give it to someone more worthy? And the one more worthy was David he was officially anointed as king but saw was sinful. Is it on not being displaced from my kingdom. Come on. You got me confused with some other fool. I'm holding on I'm going to resist and he attacked David one time David was just trying to sue them David was quite a good musician and solved it to try to eliminate David threw a spear out of them and almost hit him. And then David flight was on the Run. He's living in caves as several times. It came very close to death. What did David do?

He subjected himself to Saul. Soul is not. My problem soul is God's problem. But while he's here, I need to be subject to him. In fact on two occasions in David's life. He had the opportunity to kill the unjust ruler who were totally in the wrong. And it wouldn't do it. It's my business to raise a hand against the Lord's anointed. That's what he said.

You think well, that's just crazy. It's only crazy. If you look at the little picture. The little picture is Saul is wrong. David is right and yet David is suffering for being right. That's the little picture you're missing it. We're missing it. The bigger picture is God is using the suffering to mold David into a the davidic king through which all The Vedic Kings will come and you know, who the final the Vatican was. Jesus of Nazareth God was using unjust suffering to plant a line that would bring us the Savior. That's the big picture. We're playing this little 20-year game. Well, I don't feel very good that I'm just over God is playing a much bigger game. Yeah, like in a hundred and forty Generations out of this unjust suffering. I'm going to bring the Messiah. How's that sound?

I thought of Steven being unjustly killed. Let me just read you a little bit about the story of Stephen and Stephen Full of Grace and power. I'm reading from Acts chapter 6 beginning of verse 8 and Stephen Full of Grace and power was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belong to the synagogue of the freedmen as it was called. End of the sirenians in the alexandrians and the doors from Cecilia and Asia rose up and disputed with Steven.

Then they could not withstand the wisdom in the spirit with which he was speaking. They were silenced. They worse and they didn't turn they were certainly and then they secretly instigated men. They could have repented at this point, but they didn't they wouldn't turn God will still be glorified doesn't matter. Then they secretly instigated men who said we have heard him speak blasphemy of words against Moses and God and they stirred up the people in the elders in the scribes and they came upon him this season Steven they came up on Steven and sees him and brought him before the council. And they set up false Witnesses who said this man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law for we have heard him say that Jesus of Nazareth will display destroy this place and we'll change the Customs that Moses delivered us. Jesus never said that doesn't matter. And gazing at him all who shot in the council saw that his face was like the face of an Angel. They were silenced, but they didn't turn. and the high priest set of these things so And Stephen said brothers and fathers hear me and then he gives this long speech walking through the Old Testament history and showing how it all points to Christ and it ends this way. No, when they heard these things this is Acts chapter 7 verse 54 when they heard these things another opportunity to repent know when they heard these things they were enraged and they ground their teeth at him, but he full of the Holy Spirit gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and he said behold. I see the heavens opened and the son of man standing at the right hand of God, but they cried out with a loud voice and stop their ears and Rush together at him. This must have been terrifying. Then they cast him out of the city and stoned him and the witnesses laid down their garments. Guess what? Guess where they laid their garments. They laid their garments at the feet of a man named Paul. Who observed this graciousness in unjust suffering? And Paul two chapters later meets the Risen Christ and right half the New Testament unjust suffering does not make sense. It is crazy. When you look at the little picture. It makes perfect sense when you look at the big picture.

Isn't this beautiful?

That is a famous work of art. Don't you love the color? And that doesn't it evoke emotion, aren't you moved? No password on that is not a great work of art. It is not particularly colorful. And it has no effect on me emotionally. That's because you're looking at the little picture.

Are unjust suffering is not a 70-year play. God is working his will for the ages. To Our God lyrics Ponce to the situation. He puts us in I know this is so countercultural, but I wonder if we don't hear the Holy Spirit behind us saying this is the way the surprising way the countercultural way the way we never would have guessed but this is the way walk in it. I wonder if you would stand with me for the benediction Steve. I'm just going to move to the frontier. Sometimes I have a word of encouragement. Sometimes I have a word of prayer today. I have a word of clarification. You know, when I write a sermon I try to be true to the scriptures, but after I'm finished the sermon I walked through it and I try to hear it through different people's ears. So how would a woman hear this? How would a man here this how would a person who has lots of money here this how would a person who is really ill here this and I sometimes I go back and I adjust things to make sure that I'm not misunderstood by groups of people what when I did it for this sermon. I could think of two groups of people who may have thought I said something that I did not say and that the scriptures were teaching something that they do not teach and I just want to identify those two groups and I want to have a word of clarification. It is possible. Did NR beautiful church family there are supposes being abused.

Someone hear someone in the basement someone watching and TV and your spouse is abusing you and you may think I just said hey be subject. This is very unjust, but you got to you got to take it for the team. That is not what I said. I would direct you to verse 14 the role of government is to encourage the good and punish the evil and our society has drifted a long way away, but we still have enough moral light to know that spousal abuse is wrong. You should come to the authorities. You should allow the judicial system of Canada to bring light and peace into your situation. What is happening to you is wrong. If you are a spouse and you are being abused you are not called to Simply take this Injustice. You are called to call on the judicial system. Allow it to make this right. The second group I could think of is a child. Who is being abused? By a family member by a friend by a teacher by a you may think you heard the scripture say, hey, it's unjust but they are my authorities that is not I would direct you to chat verse 14. It is the role of government to encourage the good and punish the evil. What is happening to use evil? I would encourage you get the authorities involved rely on the judicial system, If that sounds awkward. You don't know how to do that. Come to a church leader. We will help you.

Heavenly Father we thank you for this passage. It is so countercultural. It is so office it we would not run into the roar. We would think the roar is the problem and we should run away from it. It sounds so weird that we should run into it. And yet we accept this is truth from your word. And we pray that you will make us faithful to it in Christ name. Amen.