We're turning the word of God again this morning to the epistle of Peter, 1 Peter, and reading from chapter 2. 1 Peter, chapter 2. As you've joked with me a few moments ago, Pastor John, you're witnessing the ending of a chapter with me. Though I do do it occasionally. But what a wonderful chapter this is, what a wonderful epistle this is, of comforting words from the Apostle Peter to these suffering believers scattered, these pilgrims of dispersion we read in verse 1, scattered around the nations around, but yet Reminded in verse 2 of chapter 1, they are elect according to the foreknowledge of God, the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. And so grace to you and peace be multiplied. Only to such as are called according to his purpose can know such wonders, such beautiful, encouraging words, though they go through many a trial. And we read again from the top of the chapter here in verse 1 of chapter 2. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. He's saying there, those who have tasted, truly tasted the grace of God in salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, always desire the Word of God. It's a sign of life, as sure as any newborn babe. Anyone born again of the Spirit of God desires the things of the Spirit. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, It is also contained in the scripture. Behold, I lay in Zion, in the church, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame. Therefore, to you who believe he is precious, but to those who are disobedient, disobedient to the gospel, disobedient to God's holy gospel, The one true message. The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. Christ and him crucified is foolishness to them. They stumble being disobedient to the word. But no, God is sovereign over all. God is not taken by surprise in anything. To which they also were appointed. They are not the elect of God, you see. They are the reprobate. But you, you are a chosen generation. You have not been passed over. You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. What does the apostle say in Philippians 3 that we read earlier? Let's not get our attention too much on the things of this earth. We're a citizen here and we're a citizen there. We're citizens of heaven. That's our citizenship. That's our calling. That's who we are, who we give our allegiance to, our heavenly king, his own special people. that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, who once were not a people, but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners, as those just temporarily living here, and pilgrims passing through, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honourable among the gentiles, honourable among the non-believer. that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Remember, we saw a few months ago, the day of visitation could be the day of visitation of our Lord to judge the living and the dead. And it could be the day of visitation of his grace, where he indeed comes by spirit in new birth and convicts them of their sin. Therefore, submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bond-servants of God. Honour all men, love the brotherhood, fear God. Honour all men, honour the king, fear God. love the brethren don't love the world there's a difference servants be submissive to your masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the harsh for this is commendable if because of conscience toward god one endures grief suffering wrongfully for what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults you take it patiently but when you do good and suffer if you take it patiently this is commendable before God for this for this for to this or as the AV puts it unto this for to this you were called because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps. Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously. who himself bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep, you too, you too were disobedient. For you were like sheep going astray. but have now returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls. The title of the message today is follow his example in his strength. Now we began to look at this, this verse here before us. We looked really at verse 21 last time. verse 21 for unto this for to this you were called to this you were called to to be suffering these manifold trials and temptations to be suffering yes for doing good yet suffering and then we see the second part of that verse that we didn't really go into in any great detail because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow his steps. Although we did say last time, we cannot follow his steps fully. For we were never called to resist unto death. We were never called to indeed die as a substitute saviour for another. We could never do such a thing. And we indeed did not live as our Lord Jesus Christ without sin. But yet we are called to an example here. That's what the Word of God tells us here. The Spirit of God is saying quite clearly here He has given us an example that we should follow His steps. I don't know if you've seen the illustration you probably have of You might see a film of a man walking in the sand. He's a father, and then his son is trying to put his footsteps in his dad's footsteps. And they're ginormous footsteps. And he tries to walk in those steps. He does, but his steps are not the same as his father's steps. Or you might see a girl, a very young toddler, walking around in her mother's high-heeled shoes. These ginormous shoes, they don't fit her. But she's trying to walk as her mother. Well, we cannot walk exactly in the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we are to follow his example. We are nonetheless to follow his pattern. We do not seek to be the same believer as the Apostle Paul, but he nonetheless says of those who are good men like him, those who give a good example, he says it's a pattern to follow after. It's a good pattern. But nonetheless, we cannot have those steps as our own. So then, what is the example set by the Lord Jesus that you who know God And I stress, you who know God, Jesus Christ is not a moral example to the rest of the world, to people who just want to find some religious example, some moral example of how to live a good life. That's not the redeemer. You who know God, what is this example set by the Lord that you are called to walk in the steps of? But he clearly says this here. Well, we have already seen that the elect, the elect of God are not called to suffer and die under the wrath of God. We've been crucified in Christ Jesus, but he suffered that wrath as the substitute in our place. We're not called to suffer and die the wrath of God as substitute for sinners and indeed not for our own sin. For there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Of course not. Of course this is not the example, this is not the call for the people of God now. So what then? For there is indeed an example and steps which must be sought, sought to be walked in. We're not going to perfect those steps. We're not going to perfect those steps. We're going to press on, though, as the Apostle Paul says, I have not already attained, but I press on, forgetting that which is behind. We're not going to perfect those steps, but seek after them we are. Because there is a new nature in the believer now. that which does not sin and indeed the two are contrary the old nature of sin the old nature which is nothing but sin constantly warring against the new nature and the old nature does not want you to go in the steps of Christ but the new nature constrains us by the love of Christ how do you deal with the varying troubles coming upon you due to your doing no wrong no wrong at all troubles coming upon you from those outside the faith this is the context here Peter is speaking about here well we see here firstly the first thing that we learn here is we must look to God alone we can't look anywhere else we can't look anywhere else We have no help anywhere else. The psalmist says, I don't even look to the hills. I look to the God who made them. I look to the God who made heaven and earth. My help doesn't come from the hills. My help comes from God. Look to God and trust his sovereign will Trust the sovereign will of the Almighty. See here we read of the Lord Jesus, the man Christ Jesus. What does it say? Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth. Who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but committed himself to God, who judges righteously. God will deal with these people. God will deal with our circumstance. He says, look to me, look to me. He committed himself to him who judges righteously. He committed himself, meaning he not only looked, he not only was looking unto God for help, but also, it also means here, he surrendered, he surrendered to God who judges righteously. He surrendered, he yielded up. We find it hard to let go of things. We find it hard to let go of our own way, of our own wisdom, of our own perceived strength. There was a saying said by, I think, those of the more charismatic persuasion, was it not, let go and let God. But there's some kind of truth in that. Just let go. You can do nothing. Let go. Yield up everything to God. As we sung in the hymn last week, take it to the Lord in prayer. We look to him alone. We surrender and submit to him. A submission to God's sovereign will. For God is in control. If God is not in control, we have nothing to believe. You who are the called of God by His grace and mercy, as God's word says, according to His will, according as He has chosen us in Him, in Christ, from the foundation of the world, according to the sovereign free grace, by His will and purpose, one purpose, not purposes, by this purpose, in trouble then, take not vengeance. But for evil do good. For evil do good, as the Lord Jesus. For evil do good. For insults, speak soft words. See, as the Lord Jesus accused of many things, We think we are insulted. We think we are accused of things which are untrue. The Lord Jesus, throughout his earthly walk, was accused of this, that and the other. And then some. He was accused of being demon possessed. He was accused of being a blasphemer. And suffering many other insults. Yet see Jesus and his example. who when He was reviled, reviled not again. As the Lord Jesus suffered because of God's purpose to save His people from their sins, you who are called according to His purpose, commit, submit to God's will. You may as well because God's will is God's will. and all which comes to pass and is coming to pass in your life right now. It is his will. It's his sovereign will. God is on his throne and he's doing all things well. But he's not just doing these things for the sake of it. He's doing them for your good. You who are the called according to his purpose. we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose Romans 8 28 and don't forget also as we stressed before not only is it for our purpose individually it's for the good of God's elect who are yet to be called in We must always look and see in our circumstance, is this an opportunity to always be ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within us? That those watching on speak to us and they ask us, they ask us of him, this Jesus, that we trust in all circumstances. God may well be calling in his lost sheep through our suffering. So trust God amidst whatever come to pass for you, knowing that He does all things well. Who will judge men righteously. God does what's right. He's the judge of all the earth that does what's right. And He will judge righteously. Take not vengeance or revenge. giving insult for insult knowing that God says vengeance is mine God will deal with God will deal with those who hate him and hate his people secondly How can you, how can you possibly follow the example of the Redeemer walking in his steps as we acknowledge in all honesty with the Apostle Paul. If anyone, any man was honest, any faithful man of God was honest openly about his state. In reality, in the flesh, it's him. We see in Romans 7, for I know that in my flesh dwells no good thing. He finds another at work in him. Every time he wills to do that which is good, he does the evil which he wills not to do. There's a battle constantly within him. And indeed, Are we not as the Apostle Paul acknowledging that there's no good thing in us? So how can we be as the Lord Jesus? The Lord Jesus says, does he not? Or rather we read of the Lord Jesus himself in verse 22, who did no sin. So how can we follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ when we know we're nothing but sin? How do we follow in his footsteps? How do we follow in this pattern? Neither was guile found in his mouth, not in any way, shape or form. No dishonesty, no hypocrisy, nothing. Nothing dishonest about this Lord Jesus. He was the only perfect one. Well, this is how. Trusting in anything of yourself, of the flesh, you cannot follow Christ looking to him and his example. Galatians 5.16-17 says there is another nature in the child of God. This I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary, the one to the other. So that you cannot do the things that you would. Romans 8 says, is it not, our nature, our fleshly nature, does not change it does not change just don't be fooled into thinking that you're a superhuman because you're a believer your fleshly nature has not changed the flesh is enmity against God and so will not submit to the things of the spirit but there is a new nature in those who are called according to God's purpose they're born again of the spirit of God and so all things have become new They have a new nature. Yes, the sinful nature wars against the spirit dwelling within you who are born again to believe on Christ. But this sin, this is the key, this sin no longer is in absolute control. That's the difference. Sin shall not have dominion over you, Romans 6. It's not on the throne. It has its skirmishes that it wins occasionally. It's not on the throne. You who live with Christ, now being made alive by His Spirit, walking in newness of life, being dead to sins, as the word says here in 1 Peter 2, dead to sins, dead to its control, dead to its dominion, dead to its absolute power. looking to God, trusting in his strength and grace, seek not to respond as you once did when attacked. Our own nature, our old nature, even as believers, if we be trusting in ourselves, our old nature hasn't changed. It constantly defends itself. It constantly insults for insult. It constantly reviles for reviling. It constantly will seek to defend, rather than turn the other cheek. That is not something that we can ever do in the flesh. But in the Spirit, a different thing. So look to Christ, trusting what He says. What does He say to the Apostle Paul? My grace is sufficient for you. He's the author and finisher of that faith. We don't fulfill the will of God by our own strength. Yes, the apostle says in Philippians 2, doesn't he? Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. But then he goes on to say, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. If God has not begun a good work in you, there's nothing to complete. But He will complete that until the day of Christ. And so, indeed, we are not alone. It is the Spirit within us. It is Christ who constrains us. And so we look to Him for all our strength. Thirdly, We commit our way and submit to Him who is the God who is just and justifier of everyone who believes. He's the God who judges righteously. And note that you who know the Redeemer were once disobedient. As Paul says to the Ephesians, you once not only were in darkness, he says you once were darkness. Nothing but darkness. And as we look to our example, the Lord Jesus Christ here, dealing with opposition from non-believers. Remember, from where you have come, we so often forget from where we have come. We're tempted to be so proud of who we are now. We read in verse 25, for you were as sheep going astray, disobedient, foolish, unbelieving, blasphemous, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls. And so seek, seek to win those who even treat you spitefully and are unkind without a cause. Praying as the Lord Jesus did, the greatest example, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. If our Redeemer can cry out such words in such anguish, in such pains, And indeed, indeed, as he bare the wrath of Almighty God for our sins, I'm sure we can come close, come close to aim at that ourselves. Fourthly, you who are by nature sin, see how Christ, our example, who knew no sin, that divine justice in righteousness, God who judges righteously, divine justice in righteousness, that this be done to save you, he was made sin. Sin for us, 1 Corinthians 5 tells us. Sin for us. Thus he was righteously judged. When He suffered the wrath of Almighty God at the cross, He suffered it righteously. God was right to judge His Son, to condemn His Son, to pour out all His indignation and wrath and fury upon His only begotten Son because He was sin in His sight. He was made sin for us. Him who no one can give a true accusation. Oh, they came forward, did they not, at his mock trial. But their stories did not add up. They did not agree. But the scripture must be fulfilled. Him who no true accusation of him sinning, nor guile in his mouth, could ever be made. no one can find anything no one can find anything that this man did wrong his life being totally holy and above reproach we have this said about so many people at times but there is no one who's above reproach only our blessed redeemer and his words without hypocrisy everything he said was so everything he said he would do he did everything he claimed was true there was no hypocrisy no pretense no dishonesty or any vengeful words he came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many he took the full weight of divine justice for your sin who you who know this know this precious savior and you who are even may even now be called by his grace to believe on him now who are the elect of god and called unto salvation by faith who his own self bear our sins in his own body on the tree we read here that we were that that we being dead to sins should live unto righteousness by whose stripes you were healed You, if you have tasted the Lord is gracious, as we read in verse one of this chapter, if you've tasted that the Lord is gracious, you have been healed, restored to God, forgiven. It is because grace gave you what you do not deserve. We look to his example. when we are getting what we do not deserve for the good that we do from evil people when we are getting insults for soft words for kind words that we say when we are being misunderstood for doing good in this world we should think to his example and then see see this is us this is us we we are in that the same position but for grace we are the same as these people because you see we have received grace when we do not deserve it we have received grace the mercy of God when we deserve the wrath of God we've deserved the grace and mercy that we do not deserve rather than the wrath and condemnation and just and righteous punishment from God who judges righteously we did deserve and do deserve but because he is just and justifier of everyone who believes justice justice and peace have kissed. They've kissed. And so then we see, when we look to our Lord Jesus Christ, have we suffered at all? Have we suffered in any way like him? Because Him who is the substitute Saviour, the Son of God, Jesus Christ the Redeemer, without any spot or blemish, He willingly has taken the blame. He willingly has become that scapegoat, as was typifying Him in the Old Testament law, that on the horns of the scapegoat, all the sins of the people were confessed and it was sent away, never to return into the wilderness. He is our propitiation. He is the one who is our mercy seat, who covers our sin. There is seen in us no need of condemnation before Almighty God, in Christ Jesus. He willingly took that blame. He willingly took, went to that cross. He set his face like a flint and had to go to Jerusalem. He had to go for his hour had come. He who took the shame of his people's sin at the cross is our example. Made a curse for us. Do you know this savior? Do you know this redeemer? Nevermind trying to live a good life. You can't do it. Nevermind even trying to live a religious life. You can do that for all the good it will do you. Look to this, look to this precious savior. He is your only hope. If He call you to believe now, trust Him. Trust Him. Yield up. Yield up your faith unto Him. So then, you who struggle living for Christ in the world, being treated unfairly. Yes, we acknowledge this. Times are tough. Times are tough. Rather some times are tougher than others. And there are people in this world, as we pray so often, who suffer many more things, many more sufferings for the name of Christ. How do they cope? These people here were being beaten, treated unfairly, treated unjustly by those outside of the faith. Take the example of your Redeemer, who never sought to defend himself, Now attack back those who attacked him. And so live unto righteousness. Not your own righteousness, but look to the righteousness of Christ. In him you have all things. Look to God's righteousness, living unto God, giving a good example to them who believe not the gospel. Titus is encouraged in teaching the church. These words by the Apostle Paul in Titus 2.12, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world. But he goes on to say these words in Titus 2. So we turn to it now to close. Our ultimate aim, you see, our ultimate aim is to point others to glorify our God and Savior. All is to be to the glory of His grace. We see here in Titus 2 verse 13. Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works. Speak these things, exhort and rebuke with all authority, let no one despise you. Let us look unto the ultimate ultimate example of our Lord Jesus Christ, walking in His steps by faith, but walking in His steps, in His power, in His strength, walking in the Spirit, not walking in our own strength. And may we commit our way unto Him who judges righteously. And indeed, by our good example, point to him who has borne all our sins in his own body on the tree that we indeed might be made the righteousness of God in him. Amen.