A Living Hope in Public (1 Peter 2: 11-17) Gordon Rouse
God calls us to live out our lives like Jesus, who perfectly demonstrated our need to live as sojourners and subjects. Belonging to God, living for Him, and being subject to normal life around us. As we do this, God uses us, and draws people to put their trust in Him.
Questions
Read the passage (1 Peter 2:11-17). What is your first reaction to these verses? In these verses there are 3 'S' words which were part of the message; can you remember them?
In what way was Jesus subject to human institutions ('established ways of being')? In what was was he a sojourner? Which of these do you find harder?
How do you feel about 'being subject to every 'human institution?' (v13) What are the challenges to this? What are the limits/boundaries to this?
In what ways are you subject to those around you? Are there particular people or situations you are subject to, that you are asking/trusting God to use you?
Gordon listed some practical ways you can apply this; proactively doing attractive things with faith, expect battles inside and out, pray for those in leadership, participate in life around you through the everyday (or even serving in a local community/student/school/political institution in some way). Is there one of these which connects with you?
Gordon spoke about his mum becoming Christian as an example of God's faithfulness through our witness over a long period of time. How did this encourage you, and who are you faithfully witnessing to?