1 Peter, chapter number 2. Joe read this text at the beginning. I appreciate that. Joe gave a distillation of everything that I'm going to say in his summary. Well done, Joe. It was a good summary of our text. 1 Peter, chapter 2, I will begin reading in verse number 18. And I'll stop at the beginning of verse 21. Servants, be subject to your master with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, to the harsh. For this is thankworthy. If a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it when ye be buffeted for your faults and you take it patiently? But if when you do well and you suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. for even here unto were you called. As I read this text over and over and over with the inclusion of the idea of servants and slaves, I'm reminded that we believe God's word is fully inspired by the Holy Spirit that every word is God-breathed. We believe that his inspired word is timeless and relatable to every culture that has lived on the earth. Peter lived 2,000 years ago in the Roman culture. He was a Jew and greatly influenced by his Jewish culture. In our text, Peter is describing real conditions that existed in his culture. Conditions we've never seen concerning slaves and servants. Nor have we experienced the kind of oppression and suffering that slaves and servants were exposed to when Peter wrote this letter. So why are we plowing up this ground if our text is speaking to servants and slaves? We believe that prescriptions or stated truth that we must apply are folded into this text. They come in the form of principles, foundational truths to live by that we are to search out and apply as we study these inspired words. That's why we're plowing it up for that reason. Remember in verse 18, We see here the power of God's grace to change a human mind and heart among those who were the least in their culture. They were challenged to take very difficult circumstances that they lived in and use their trial to grow their faith and obedience to God. God's grace didn't change their oppressive condition, but grace did enable them to be victorious as God's children, even though they were servants and slaves and experienced much suffering. Many servants and slaves were coming to God through the hope that the gospel had presented to them. We read of it in several of the New Testament letters. They heard about a savior in Jesus Christ who could forgive sin, could bring them to God, and promised to them everlasting life. and the church must receive them into their membership as brothers and sisters of equal value and love them as brothers. in Christ, including slaves and servants. Peter is about to shift his focus to the subject of suffering, as we have noted, and he uses this group of people, servants and slaves, to begin to open up the subject of suffering. It appears as we read through this that we can sense that Peter was aware that the subject of suffering needed some clarification. Suffering itself is a real human condition that they were experiencing in their culture, and even God's people are subjected to this suffering. And so Peter is commissioned by the Holy Spirit to give us what looks like a systematic presentation of this doctrine of our Christian faith, suffering in the Christian life. And so he begins to move in that direction here, a third of his letter hasn't really focused specifically on that, but he has established the fact that we are both worshipers and witnesses in this world. And so those truths remain through all of this that he's going to be talking about concerning suffering. And Peter acknowledges here for us that this particular fact that not all suffering is received by God as acceptable. Not all suffering is thank-worthy. And so in verse 19, We note he makes a statement that not all suffering is thank-worthy, meaning that God is looking for his grace, and remember that word thank-worthy is from the Greek word that is translated grace. And so there is something about grace here Grace meaning that God is looking for his grace to show forth through those who know and are committed to his will even when they're suffering. But when we suffer wrongfully and are still showing the grace of God at work in our attitude and response, this Peter tells us is thankworthy. It is something that God acknowledges as worthy. God is attentive to this kind of suffering. Suffering that is lived out by our faith and devotion to God's will when it's not deserved. And we see that expanded here for us in verse 20. He tells us, for this is thankworthy if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. This is thankworthy, to suffer wrongfully. And so he explains that if you're suffering for your bad attitudes or behavior and you take it patiently, there is no glory in that. There's no honor there. But when you suffer because you've done the right thing, that's suffering wrongfully. That's identified by God as suffering wrongfully. and this is acceptable to him. That's what Peter is telling us. But when we do well, and so he explains it, when we do well and suffer for it, and you take it patiently, this is acceptable. Same word translated, thankworthy. in the earlier part of verse 19. So the same word for grace here again. This is acceptable. God sees grace pouring out of our life when we are suffering wrongfully for having done the right thing and enduring, bearing up under the load of the suffering. That is acceptable. to God. And so Peter adds these phrases that are important here for what is acceptable suffering, that it must include the ability to endure grief in verse 19, and in verse 20 he says it this way, to take it patiently. take it patiently. And so the idea here is about suffering wrongfully. So what is the benefit to those who suffer this way, this kind of particular kind of suffering that Peter is focusing on? This kind of suffering, suffering wrongfully, is acknowledged by God. which means that not all suffering is, especially if it's produced or caused by our own bad attitude. We have problems as a result or bad actions. We get some feedback and some pressure. That kind of suffering is not acceptable to God. And so Peter sees the importance of kind of disconnecting these things, untangling these things. It may have been that people just thought suffering was a good thing and God is honored by suffering. Peter is saying, no. Suffering wrongfully is acceptable to God. Not suffering because you deserve it, because you have a coming. And so slaves and servants are the primary focus here in his instruction on this matter, but we can see these are principles. These are ideas that can be passed down to us today. They're not just limited to slaves and servants going through these kinds of suffering experiences. Suffering, we understand when Peter uses this word beginning here, primarily to the end of his letter, that it includes the idea of pain. That's literally what the word means, pain. But it's not just a physical thing. Even though these servants and slaves were suffering physical abuse and mistreatment, that was not the only area of their suffering. We know that from our own experiences physically that suffering can affect us mentally, it can affect us emotionally. Suffering causes this condition. that they were experiencing then and that we can identify with even today. But we are encouraged to know that God is attentive to our suffering when we suffer wrongfully. Maybe that's enough. Maybe nobody else needs to know that we have been taken advantage of. Maybe it's not necessary to state our position of having been falsely accused or misrepresented or mistreated wrongfully. Maybe it's enough, but God knows. And that in his knowledge of this, This is an acceptable kind of suffering that he rewards, that he blesses. God is very attentive to his children. Our suffering is not ignored by him. He's very attentive to our cries. And so Peter is telling us there's a particular kind of suffering that is very acceptable to God. It's a recognition by God that His grace is being poured out through your life because you are suffering wrongfully. And he sees that there is no rebelling because you're suffering wrongfully, there's no retaliating because you're suffering wrongfully. And Peter wants us to know this kind of suffering is thankworthy, it is acceptable, it is God's grace at work in you and through you, and God identifies it. He sees it. when we go through these kinds of experiences. These are sacrifices that are offered to God. But suffering without these necessary ingredients, according to Peter, is just deserved punishment. God's people often suffer for wrong reasons. But even deserved suffering, we know by experience, will still be used by God to correct us even when we deserve our punishment. That God overrules all of these things for our good and his glory. So even our failure, we rest in the confidence as we confess it and acknowledge it, that he's going to use it for our good and for his own glory. Peter tells us that we must prepare ourselves for this acceptable kind of suffering by developing a strong mindset of God's will. This God consciousness that he refers to here will guide us through the many and various kinds of suffering that we will encounter because we're strangers and pilgrims in this world. We are God's people. The world is not fond of us. Generally, it seeks our own. hurt and ruin and the devil manipulates circumstances around us in an effort to bring pain into our life by influencing us to make stupid decisions and act in a certain way that causes suffering to come into our life. He's actively doing all of that and in it we are confident God is overruling that for our good and for his glory. But the goal here, Peter, is that we strive to acknowledge God in all that is going on in our life. We are God-conscious people. We are actively seeking to do His will in all the situations and circumstances we are involved in. And when we suffer for doing the right thing, We take it, we endure it, we hold up under it, and we demonstrate endurance and patience in the midst of those things. This is what Peter is encouraging slaves and servants to do. But we can draw out from this truth for us, no doubt, as we go through life and we will suffer and we often suffer wrongfully. Remember, Peter has developed for us a proper view of God in our suffering here. We noted as we studied the name, the Theos, the God that Peter speaks of, mentioned 12 times until he gets to verse 17. And there the 13th time, he says, fear God. That's the accumulative result of everything he said about God. And now we're paying attention to what Peter adds to this. And here's another thing that he adds, for conscience toward God. That ought to be normal in a Christian life, not an exceptional thing, a normal thing. People who revere God, who give him the ultimate reverence that he deserves, they are conscious of his will in their life and they seek to do that will. conscience toward God. And then he mentions that God again, here we have another reference at the end of verse 20. This is acceptable with God. And so people who seek to be God conscious are that way because they want to please him. They want to please him. as they go through life and engage in different experiences of life, including suffering, that it is our will, our desire to do His will and to please Him for all that He has done for us. This ought to be the normal disposition of not just servants and slaves, but of every one of God's people wherever we are in human history, it really doesn't matter. I want you to look back at Romans chapter 12 where Paul says a similar thing, a different way, and it's worth looking at in chapter 12 and verses 1 and 2, very familiar passage to all of us. hopefully even memorized by most of you. Paul has spent chapters one through 11 laying out wonderful doctrinal truths about God and what he has done to make us right with him. And Paul stands in awe of what this God has done And so he says in chapter 12, verse one, I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God that we've just unfolded and shared with you, all that God has done for you, think of the mercies that he's poured out upon you out of his own grace. He has shown compassion toward you in all these things. that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God. And this is not some unordinary special kind of service. This is reasonable service. When we think about all that God has done for us, And even as servants and slaves come to this realization of the difficulty of their life and that they are often suffering wrongfully, that because of what God has done for them, that they are to be inspired to give their whole life to him as an acceptable offering for all that he has done for them. and to be not conformed to this world, but rather transformed by the renewing of your mind. The only way for us to live well and to live the will of God well through all of the circumstances of life is our mind has been shaped and has a God consciousness. What is God's will for me? in this situation? What is God's will for me in that relationship? What is God's will for me when I suffer wrongfully? The knowledge of those things is what guides us through life, helps us navigate all of the twists and turns of life. It is not your wisdom. It is not your cleverness. It is God's word, God's consciousness that you make your own. For this is acceptable. So be not conformed to the world, but rather transformed by the renewing of your mind. To what end, Paul, so that you may prove what is that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Why do we develop God consciousness? Why do we familiarize our mind with God's will on matters of life? Why do we do that? That we might perform the perfect will of God. And that includes even the matter of suffering. this God consciousness that Peter is speaking of here as he addresses the servants and slaves. He's speaking to all pilgrims and strangers in the world, not just to them alone. He's speaking to us today and through 2,000 years of church history, to all Christians, that the way to navigate life and the way to deal with suffering when we suffer wrongfully is to develop a familiarity with the will of God. That is God consciousness. And it will enable us to deal with life even when we suffer wrongfully. We still do right. We bear up under the burden of being mistreated because of our God consciousness. And now Peter adds, Some wonderful insight here for us that is very important and we won't go deep into it this morning. I'll go into it more next week, but he says in verse 21, for even here unto were you called. What is our calling? From our text, we understand that Peter is talking not simply about suffering. Our calling in life is suffering wrongfully. That's the call. Suffering, feeling, experiencing pain that comes from being unfairly treated, mistreated. And so how important it is in Peter, the spirit of God, as he guides Peter here, to understand this particular kind of suffering. For even here unto were you called to suffer wrongfully. This kind of suffering in this language of Peter is spoken loudly and clearly as the word called implies. And we hear it throughout God's word. Suffering wrongfully has been a part of the experience of God's people from righteous able. Down through the centuries, This kind of suffering is our appointment. And Peter is stressing how to respond when we are unfairly treated and mistreated, simply because we did the right thing like righteous Abel. And when we suffer wrongfully, We must, this is important because Peter is stressing something here and we need to get our brain around this. And when we suffer wrongfully, we must value the moment and not contaminate it with a poor attitude or response. This is a special moment. Suffering wrongfully. When we display grace in these moments and in faith, we rely upon God who is over all things. It's then that we suffer like Christ. Now we have been brought to a very special place. There are many kinds of suffering that we'll be exposed to throughout our pilgrimage, but not all will experience the same kind that others experience. But one kind that we'll all be exposed to is this kind. We will never experience the suffering of slaves and servants. But this they had to deal with suffering wrongfully is the same thing we deal with. And Christians have dealt with from the beginning, suffering wrongfully with these necessary ingredients of being innocent of wrongdoing at some level and to be patiently enduring The mistreatment without a bad attitude or poor response is not as common as we think it might be. Pure and untainted suffering is desirable but difficult. And so how can we improve our God consciousness on this? Peter sort of outlines it for us, doesn't he? Look at verses 21. Follow as I read these that were read earlier. For even here unto were you called, suffering wrongfully, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in his steps. What steps are you talking about, Peter? Suffering wrongfully. Who did no sin? Neither was guile found in his mouth, who when he was reviled, he reviled not again. And when he suffered, he threatened not. But here is the disposition that Peter is bringing before us, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. He left his suffering in the hands of God, his father. He didn't try to rectify it. He didn't try to clean up the confusion. He didn't try to defend himself when accused. He suffered wrongfully. And this is what we're called to do and to follow in his steps in the doing of it. We'll look at these closer next Sunday. But let me leave you with this. How can we suffer better? How can we take suffering that is wrongly directed toward us in a manner that is acceptable to God? I want to suggest to you, memorize this. This is your example. Christ also suffered, leaving us an example. He suffered wrongfully. So whenever you experience those difficult times in life, they're painful. They're emotionally, mentally painful. What will we do? Leave it in the hands of our glorious God. This is the God, the Theos that Peter has been identifying for us. Someone we can put our hope and trust in, no matter what life requires of us. Follow the example of Christ. Think about this. This is God consciousness. Study the pattern of Christ, which we will be doing in the coming weeks. And hopefully it will leave us with a stronger God consciousness of how to respond when we suffer wrongfully. Father, thank you for these moments. I pray that you'll bless your word to your children, that we will be made better servants, better pilgrims, better people that bring forth a true witness of your glory, a people who demonstrate the power of grace operating in us, A people whose grace displayed, we have confidence that you see, that you identify, that you reward. Help us, Father, to be the kind of person that Peter is describing here in our text. I pray in Christ's name.