In the early prep work, this sermon started out well. Then, I started working with the historic connection to slave theology. Suddenly, it seemed important to include that in the sermon. Plus, I began focusing on "next steps," but the central point of the passage is suffering. I ended up with too many points to make and no coherent theme.
We sang Psalm 23 for the first Scripture reading in worship, which was a nice change of pace.
“Next Steps” I Peter 2: 19-25; Psalm 23; St. Andrew Presbyterian Church; April 26, 2026; Post-easter Peter series
I Peter 2: 19-25
19 For it is a commendable thing if, being aware of God, a person endures pain while suffering unjustly. 20 If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do good and suffer for it, this is a commendable thing before God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.
22
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,[a] so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds[b] you have been healed. 25 For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Introduction: As we mentioned last week, this 1st letter of Peter is written to early Christians who are trying to figure out what it means to be followers of Christ.
Move 1: the letter shares with those early Christian’s
and with us the need to take our next steps in shaping our lives to be more like Christ.
a. Peter’s letter pushes us beyond just believing that Christ has been resurrected from the dead,
but challenges us to live our lives accordingly.
It is not enough to believe in the resurrection,
That belief must shape the way you live your life.
1. In vs. 21, we are given a wonderful image of what it means to model our lives after Christ.
When the letter tells us that Jesus leaves us an example, the Greek word for “example” is hypogrammos
A hypogrammos was a model of letters that a student would trace to learn how to write.
That brings back memories of learning to write and then helping teach my own kids how to write, or maybe just observing as their teachers taught them.
I’m not sure if they do it anymore, but there used to be worksheets with the letters outlined in little dotted lines, so you could trace over the lines to get the feel for what each letter was.
As you practiced tracing the letter, you learned how to write the letter correctly.
2. Life as people of the resurrection calls us to practice living our lives in the way Christ did.
We work to trace his ways, if you will.
3. How might you trace the life of Jesus in your own life?
You begin, of course, by picking the aspect of Jesus’ life you feel called to trace over in your own life,
Jesus extended himself to others, even strangers. How might you trace that in your own life?
Jesus acted as a good shepherd toward others? Caring for them, providing for their needs. How might you trace being a good shepherd to others in your own life?
Jesus challenged those whose actions seem more concerned with controlling others than allowing others to grow into the person God calls them to be? How might you trace that in your own life?
Or Feeding the hungry?
Or bringing hope to those who feel helpless and hopeless?
It would be overwhelming and unattainable to trace the perfect life of Jesus so that we become perfect ourselves.
But, just as you learn to write one letter at a time, we can pick one aspect of how Jesus lived his life and work on tracing it in our own lives.
Today, what aspect of Jesus’ life do you want to trace in your own life?
Move 2: In the passage we read from 1 Peter this morning, suffering is a specific way in which those early Christians are called to trace the life of Jesus and follow his example.
a. You may recall earlier this year, we reflected on the prophecy of Isaiah, which includes images of the suffering servant.
1. This letter ties images of the suffering servant with the actions of Jesus, who suffered for the sake of others.
2. Remember, this letter is being read by household servants, who struggle with why they sometimes have to suffer at the hands of their masters.
This letter urges these servants who suffer to maintain their allegiance to God, which frees them from being controlled by the suffering that is inflicted upon them by their earthly masters.
4. The point is not that they should choose suffering in a masochistic way, but that the suffering does not control them and their ability to follow Jesus.
Their master’s cruelty does not bind them in a way that keeps them from being able to follow Jesus, because even in their suffering, they are linked to Christ, who himself suffered.
b. The example of suffering like Christ brings with it many challenges, one of which is that historically, this was one of the favorite texts slave owners used to justify slavery and demand absolute obedience from enslaved people.
1. In fact, the lectionary deliberately leaves out vs 18 in this week’s reading because of the way this passage has been used to promote the institution of slavery.
hear vs. 18: Slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect,[a] not only those who are good and gentle but also those who are dishonest.
which leads right into vs 19 and its comment about suffering unjustly.
1. In the 18th and 19th centuries, this I Peter passage became a cornerstone of what historians call "Slave Theology" or "Proslavery Christianity.”
It contains The Command to Submit, Verse 18, which was used to argue that the hierarchy of slavery was divinely ordained. By framing submission as a duty to God, slaveholders made disobedience a sin against the divine, not just a violation of secular law.
The "Harsh Master" Clause also grew out of this passage, arguing that even a cruel master must be obeyed without complaint.
Slave theology also romanticized the suffering of enslaved people. By equating the pain of slavery with the suffering of Jesus, owners told enslaved people that their endurance of misery would lead to spiritual rewards, effectively using the Gospel to discourage rebellion or escape.
In fact, special versions of the Bible and religious instructional books (catechisms) were created for enslaved people, prominently featuring this passage from 1 Peter.
2. I think we can unequivocally say that, as this text calls us to the next steps, those next steps do not involve
telling those who suffer at the hands of others,
like those caught in abusive situations, to just put up with the suffering and follow Jesus
Next steps do not include telling ourselves that we should stay in abusive relationships so that we can trace the suffering of Jesus in our own lives
Next steps do not involve treating other people as slaves, using our power to control others
Next steps do not include inflicting suffering on others
c. But, we can learn from this letter that the next steps do mean following Jesus in ways that defy any categories the world imposes,
Next steps can take place in any circumstance we find ourselves.
1. As we try to trace Jesus’ life with our own lives, we announce that no one and nothing can keep us from choosing to follow Christ.
2. Notice the implicit statement made by this letter -
the slaves, who do not control the circumstances of their own lives,
who do not have freedom of choice,
who may even suffer at the hands of their masters
These household slaves can still live and choose to model their lives after Christ.
No one can control who they choose to follow.
3. Obviously, in our own context, we have more power and more choices than those household slaves to whom this letter was first addressed.
And yet, we live in a world that makes demands on us;
We live in a world with constraints placed on us.
We live in a world where we often feel like we have little control.
We live in a world where we can find ourselves suffering in real ways.
4. But in our very different context, it is still true that no one
And no circumstances can dictate to us whom we choose to follow.
Every day, we can choose to model our lives after Jesus,
Or we can choose other models that the world has for us.
When you imagine how you are going to trace the life of Jesus in your own life, you do it within the context in which you find yourself.
d. As we trace our lives after Jesus,
as we take those next steps,
We move toward the shepherd.
The Good Shepherd who loves his sheep,
who knows them by name
who calls them to the hope and promise of salvation, which the shepherd has already given to us through his own suffering.
Conclusion: Amen.
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