Jesus made this truth quite clear: any person who belonged to him would develop the heart and attitude of a servant. The emphasis that Jesus placed on our being servants is amazing. Those who follow him and thereby receive God's blessings will be:
The objective of this lesson is to create the awareness that Jesus is the Christian's personal example. The motivation to be and do what Jesus wants us to be and do cannot be found in (a) obligation, (b) hell, (c) divine control, or (d) divine authoritarianism. While these have motivational value, none of them individually nor all of them collectively can be motivators that last a lifetime. Only surrendering to love for Jesus, a love rooted in profound respect and deep appreciation, can produce a lifelong transformation. Only then will a Christian allow Jesus to be his or her example in difficult times. The objective of this lesson is not to teach the Christian the importance of serving. That emphasis comes next quarter after the material emphasizes the importance of allowing Jesus to be our personal example.
This parable emphasizes the failure of an ungrateful servant whose master forgave his impossible debt. He refused to show consideration to a fellow servant who owed him a small, payable debt. As a result, his master reinstated his impossible debt and demanded immediate, full payment.
Jesus emphasized to the twelve that the greatest person in his kingdom was the servant who served his servants.
The commended servant is the servant who works as diligently in his master's absence as in his master's presence. The master can return any moment of any day and find his servant diligently, faithfully caring for his interests.
The wise servant is the trustworthy servant who constantly cares for his master's interests and desires when the master is away. This is the servant the master trusts. This is the servant that the master will put in charge of caring for his home.
Faithful, industrious servants use their ability to achieve their master's purposes while the master is gone. They accept his trust as an honor. Upon his return, they are delighted to give an accounting of their service. Because they are trustworthy, the master gives them greater opportunity. The wicked, lazy servants neither know nor respect their master. They fear him. In that fear they make no effort to serve his purposes. While they cause no loss to their master, they do not benefit their master.
These servants understand that it is impossible for them to do more than they should do. No matter what they do, they only did what they should have done.
These examples are intended to be a "rapid fire" section, not a discussion section. The section is intended to verify that Jesus placed great emphasis on (a) his followers being servants and (b) the kind of servant his followers should be.
Each Christian must see, understand, and accept this truth: (a) Jesus, as leader and teacher, said, "Follow my example." (b) Jesus, as authoritarian and Lord, did not say, "Do what I order you to do. I am in charge. Just do what I say."
The objective: to challenge the student to understand that Jesus does not seek to control us as an authoritarian but to lead us through his example. He challenges us to follow; he does not order us to blindly, rotely obey. The following paragraph emphasizes the same truth.
Jesus, our Lord, authority, and teacher, emphasized that we must follow his example. We follow him by denying self and carrying a cross (Matthew 16:24-26). He denied self and carried a cross. In his age a cross symbolized incredible disgrace and shame. As did Jesus, we will endure disgrace and shame for God's purposes. He declared that a servant is not more important than his master (Matthew 10:24-23). Jesus consciously taught the twelve to follow his example. (See John 13:12-20.)
The objective: to challenge the student to see the fact that Jesus by intent lived to be an example. Jesus knew that an example was essential if his disciples were to understand and practice his concepts. In that age the law was used religiously as legalistic authoritarianism. Jesus' teachings were radically different to legalistic authoritarianism. Only by being a flesh and blood example could Jesus make his teachings and concepts understood in "real life." Even though Jesus was the physical example of what he taught, his apostles understood the power, meaning, and significance of his example after the resurrection and the coming of the Spirit in Acts 2.
Before he received all authority as Lord [which occurred at his resurrection], Jesus was the humble servant. Jesus Christ the Lord who has all authority expects us to follow his example as the lowly servant. He expects us (a) to love each other as he loves us (John 15:9-12; 1 John 3:14) and (b) to allow his human life to be our example.
God made Jesus the Christ and Lord through both crucifixion and resurrection (Acts 2:36). We can become what he now is after his crucifixion and resurrection only when we are resurrected to be with him (1 John 3:1,2). As Christians, he expects us follow the example he set for us when he was flesh and blood. The two primary ways that we follow his example is to love each other as he loves us and to let his example determine our behavior, values, priorities, and purposes.
Read 1 Peter 2:18-25.
Context: note that 2:18-25 is just one part of a major emphasis in Peter's letter.
Peter addressed this section to aliens and strangers. He spoke to Christians living in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythnia [see 1:1]. He spoke to Christians living in these provinces of the Roman empire. They did not belong in their everyday world. They were rejected by the Jewish community, the idolatrous communities, and the government. They did not "fit" in their world. Because they did not "fit," they suffered.
Note the obvious: Christ restructures our relationships. Faith is not confined to facts we accept. Faith is expressed in the relationships that we rebuild and nurture.
Note: call their attention to the fact that in each set of instructions within this section of the letter, the emphasis is on the way they behave in their relationships.
In the text of 1 Peter 2:18-25:
Peter addressed servants. These were believers who were not free. They did not control their own daily responsibilities and activities. They were responsible to fulfill the instructions and requests of those in control of their physical existence.
Their Christian responsibility was to be submissive and show respect.
Point in the text to emphasize: when a Christian servant suffered patiently as a consequence of bad conduct, he did only what he should do. His consequences were punishment for his wrong behavior. When a Christian servant patiently suffered because of injustice, he did something extraordinary and unusual. His conduct challenged the thinking of unbelievers. That conduct called attention to the God who sustained him.
Jesus showed them how to suffer patiently when their pain was the result of injustice. As Christians, they were to understand that they had been called (a) to suffer, (b) to suffer as a result of injustice, and (c) to suffer patiently.
The footprints Peter noted: his unjust suffering did not cause him to sin, did not cause him to use deceitful language, did not cause him to return the verbal abuse he received, and did not cause him to make threats (which he had the power to enforce).
Jesus made it possible for us to die to sin (previously an impossibility) and for us to live to righteousness (previously an impossibility). Those options did not exist for us until he paid the full price of our failures by bearing our sins in his body in crucifixion.
We are healed by his wounds on the cross. Mercy, grace, atonement, redemption, and forgiveness heal us because he was wounded for us. Our wickedness, sins, failures, and flaws are destroyed by his forgiveness. [See Hebrews 8:7-13 and note verse 12.] In his grace he sustains us in a state of forgiveness. [See 1 John 1:5-10 and especially note verse 9.] In the author's judgment and opinion, God uses our suffering [if endured with faith and patience] to bring blessings to the lives of others. Certainly, God cannot use our suffering [we are imperfect people] to achieve His purposes which He accomplished in the Righteous One's suffering. However, I believe that He can and does still use our suffering to bless others.
If we have faith in God, we must see, understand, and accept these basic concepts.
Concept one: a powerless Christian who suffers injustice responds by showing respect because that is what God honors in a believer's behavior.
A faith-filled human responds to suffering in this manner only when he understands that God honors such behavior.
Concept two: it is appropriate and right for a Christian to suffer injustice respectfully because Jesus is our example. Jesus showed respect as he suffered injustice.
A faith-filled human is motivated to respond to unjust suffering with this behavior only when he or she loves Jesus enough to allow Jesus to be his or her example.
Concept three: as a Christian endures injustice, he or she cannot possess enough strength to behave as a godly person and be concerned about justice. Jesus suffered injustice respectfully because he focused 100% of his concentration on the behavior God wanted. He had neither energy nor place for vengeance, anger, threats, or hostility. He was quiet. He asked God to forgive his enemies. He showed mercy.
No human possesses enough strength to (a) behave as God wills while he or she suffers and (b) also allow his mind and emotions to react to the injustice.
Concept four: When Christians suffer because of injustice, it requires 100% of their energy and concentration to continue Christian behavior. Jesus entrusted all matters involving judging (responding to injustice) to the God who judges righteously. Jesus trusted the totally informed God who knows minds and hearts to address all injustice. Jesus concentrated on behaving as God wanted him to behave.
Not even Jesus had the strength to suffer patiently the pain created through injustice and focus his mind and emotions on responding to the injustice. When we endure the pain produced by injustice, we must combine our strength with the strength that God provides us to behave as God wills.
Jesus never instructs us to do what he did not first do. He instructs us to live our lives in transformed behavior [Romans 12:1,2] for three primary reasons. First, this behavior has its origin in God. Second, this behavior produces meaningful existence on earth and eternal existence with God. Third, this behavior follows Jesus' example.
Suggestion: stress the fact that Jesus asks us to do only what he already did. Stress the fact that Jesus' suffering in every situation exceeds any pain that we can experience. In this life, we will never have his responsibility. On this earth, we will never comprehend his agony.
Only the man or woman who accepts the Lordship of Jesus Christ will accept the challenges and responsibilities of this behavior. We do it because he is the example.
Link to Student Guide Quarter 1, Lesson 10