Sojourn within Culture (vv. 11-12)

Sojourn: a temporary stay. 

Main Idea: We are residents of this current culture for a little bit. But those of us that claim Jesus as Lord have inherited a Kingdom culture that this’s world can’t even compare to.

“Do it for the culture” has become a popular chant among the youth of today. Just in case you are not with the up and up in what this particular phrase means, I got you. The phrase originated from the rap group, Migos when then made the claim that a lot of mainstream rap artists have used their beats and copied their flow without giving them credit for it. They claim that they are just “doing it for the culture” or just for the experience. 

In all honesty, if we get honest with ourselves, there are a lot of things that exist in our lives for the sake of culture. Some of you are thinking, “no, that’s just for the young people.” Let me ask you about these:

• Mullets
• High-waisted jeans or low-rise jeans
• Tracksuits 
• Sperry’s 
• Chino Pants
• Chuck Taylors 
• Silly bandz
• Frosted tips
• South-pole or echo-united clothing
• Perms

If you participated in any of these, I want you to do 2 things for me:

1. Bring me photos
2. Recognize that culture has influenced you. (Positive or negative, I’ll let you decide)

The big question for us today is are you influenced by culture or do you influence the culture? That is what Peter is getting to in this passage. As people who claim to love Jesus, we should be adding a different flavor to the culture that tastes a little funky to people who don’t know him. 

He writes that as foreigners and exiles, meaning we don’t claim this place as home. We are just visiting for a little bit, but there will come a time when we are out of here and we are going to our Father’s house. But while we are visiting, we can’t let ourselves be tricked into believing that the currency of sin is more valuable than the Holiness of God. 

Peter uses such strong language to drive that point home. He writes that “sin wages war against our soul.” What does that mean? It means that sin is a tactic of the enemy (the devil) to attack the hearts of Christians. Would you believe me if I told you that the enemy will do whatever he possibly can to get you to slip up?

1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

The enemy is active in pursuing people that whom Jesus is doing work. Peter said it’s a real war out here for your hearts and your minds. Yet you and I think that we can flirt with fire and not get burned. A roaring lion is not an ordinary household feline. You can’t walk up and pet it. 

It’s the same thing when it comes to the things that you and I allow into our life. A little drink here. A little sex scene there. Some Jack Harlow there. 

“Preacher, don’t come for my music.” I am not saying that you have to only listen to Shane and Shane or Maverick City if you love Jesus, but what I am saying is that we MUST be on defense when it comes to nickel and diming our hearts away to things that don’t add any real value to our life. Some of us care more about fitting in with culture than fitting in with Christ and the world around us can tell. 

1 Peter 5:9 (NIV)

9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.

I know a lot of people who are so concerned about being relevant in a culture that their spiritual life flatlined and they haven’t even noticed. 

Surrender with Confidence (vv. 13-24)

Main Idea: To live like Jesus means that we must adjust our value system. 

In my experience, people love to follow Jesus when it benefits them, but the room is a lot more empty when it comes to enduring hardship. Somehow we have established this false narrative that by choosing Jesus, we have found the cheat code to hardship. There are some people within I have spoken to with our church who think that Jesus not only saves us from Hell but also saves us from hardship.

Confidence is not born out of convenience, it is born out of faithfulness in hardship. 

Luke 14:33 (NIV)

33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

The uncomfortable truth and reality is that although we have the promise of a good life when eternity starts, we are not there yet. We are going to endure some uncomfortable and downright unpleasant circumstances. Peter is painting the picture of reality for this newly adopted people of faith.

1 Peter 2:13–24 (NIV)

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 

18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 

22 “He committed no sin, 

and no deceit was found in his mouth.”  

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

There is a song that I love when it comes to this particular issue: “TRY JESUS” - Tobe Nwigwe

Try Jesus

Not me

‘Cause I throw hands

Try Jesus

Please don’t try me

I know what He said about getting slapped

But if you touch me or mine

We gon’ have to scrap

I relate to that a whole lot more than I relate to verses 13-24, but that is exactly the point that Peter is trying to make. As Christians who have totally and completely decided to die in this world and chase Jesus, there are going to be times we have to do the opposite of what FEELS right. 

"Merely enduring unjust suffering and the accompanying pain is not what is pleasing to God. What pleases God is being mindful of God, cultivating a trusting awareness of God’s presence and of his never-failing care while we endure pain. When we are conscious of the presence of God in our lives, God gives us the necessary strength to bear the pain, and he extends his grace and mercy to enable us to respond positively as we continue to trust in him." - Holman Commentary

Stand Confidently in Christ (v. 25)

Main Idea: You were good enough for Jesus to give up His life. Is Jesus good enough for you to lay yours down?

1 Peter 2:25 (NIV)

25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”  but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Such an extended section articulating this emphasis would not be necessary unless some of the believers were already going astray. It is not unusual for believers to respond to pain in this way. They cannot put together God’s care and love for them with the intersection of suffering in their lives.

"Peter reemphasized that Jesus Christ cares deeply for his people. He is their shepherd. Furthermore, he is the Overseer of their souls. He is the guardian, the bishop of their souls. Even throughout their pain and wandering away from the Lord, he remains their shepherd and overseer." - Holman New Testament Commentary 

It is important to make the callbacks to a few earlier verses in this passage:

1 Peter 2:19 (ESV)

19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

1 Peter 2:23 (NIV)

23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.