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Call to worship: Isaiah 49:1-7

Text: 1 Peter 2:11-17

Sermon Outline:

1. Peter's urgent plea to the church: live before the world so as to commend God, 2:11-12
   • An imperative, 2:11b-12a
   • Our identity, 2:11a
   • An intention, 2:12b
2. Peter's urgent plea applied in how we relate to government, 2:13-17
   • Submit, 2:13-14
   • Silence, 2:15
   • Serve, 2:16-17

Prepare

Questions:

1. Read 1 Peter 2:11-17 in heart preparation as a family for worship this Lord's Day.
2. In 2:11-12, what is Peter's main command for the church? Can you summarize it? Why is this urgent? Connect it to 2:9-10. What's Peter's motive for living to God publicly? Why might the world speak against believers as evildoers? How might the church's goodness commend God to unbelievers---or at least counter their misinformed perceptions? What is the day of visitation? What will occur on that Day?
3. In 2:13-14, Peter applies his urgent plea to the church to how they're to relate to the governing authorities of their day. How does he call the church to relate to government? Who does Peter imply as King? Who ordained government? Is any government better than anarchy? Should this change if a government rules wickedly?
4. In 2:15, Peter tells us the will of God. In this case, it's not some mystery. It's told us. What is it? What does Peter assume at this point about the relationship between the church of God and the government, ordained by God, but carried out by fallen people? Is it incumbent upon the church to submit to the government universally? What is the basis of any exception?
5. In 2:16-17, Peter says the Christian is free indeed. What does that freedom look like? As it relates to our being subjects of an earthly country, what does it look like for us to serve God by our freedom in Christ? Peter gives four applications. What are they? Whom should honor? Whom should we fear? What's the difference, and how will that play out, at times, as we live our public lives for Jesus? How does such a life of good deeds and godliness support the proclamation of God's saving excellencies (2:9-10)?