More than 60 times the New Testament tells us that something either is or is not God’s will for His people. Four of those times are right here in Peter’s letter written to hurting believers. In verse 2 of chapter 4, Peter says that instead of living for “evil human desires” followers of Christ should live “for the will of God.” In this section Peter expands on what God’s will for His people is. Following Jesus will bring several drastic changes in the life of a disciple.

First, there will be a change in attitude. Verse 1 says that we should be armed with the same attitude Christ had when he suffered in His body. Peter tells us that this changed outlook is actually a change of attitude about our sin. We will no longer allow sin to rule over us but will rather live for Christ.

Then in verses 2 and 3 Peter refers to a change of lifestyle. This is the section where Peter says a believe will live for the will of God. He tells his readers that they have spent enough time living as pagans, but now they need to live for God. If we live trying to do what God wants us to instead of what those around us are doing it will mean a dramatic change of lifestyle.

Third, Peter challenges his readers to make a change of peer group. That may not be the best choice of words to describe what Peter is calling for. Earlier in this book we’ve heard Peter tell believers that they are like aliens and strangers in the world. He does the same thing in verses 3 and 4 of chapter 4. When you decide to make Jesus Master of your life and you change your attitude and you change your lifestyle, it means that you will also need to change your frame of reference and the people you look to as the primary influencers on your life. In other words, if you really choose to let Jesus be your Lord and Master it will be harder to fit in with those who haven’t made that same choice.

In verse 5 Peter refers to the final change living life with Jesus brings: a change in eternal destiny. Referring to those who don’t understand why believers have chosen to follow and life for Jesus, Peter says, “they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” A great preacher many years ago preached a sermon he called “Pay Day, Some Day.” The point of his message was that people think they can enter judgment day on the basis of their own good behavior, but the truth is they will fall far short of ever being good enough. But there’s Good News! Because of His great love for us, God offers us a way. And that way is to admit that we are guilty of sin and trust Jesus for our salvation. If we plead guilty to our sin, Christ’s death on the cross will have paid the penalty in our place. This gives us a complete pardon.
Many who are reading this have already accepted pardon through Christ. Others may still be thinking about it. But please know that God’s offer isn’t forever. One of these days…whether the day you die, or the day Christ will return to judge the living and the dead…that day will be pay day. “Pay Day, Some Day.” At that point all your good deeds, your very best behavior, your good deeds, your kind words won’t be enough. You will stand before God and your sins will be judged. Only Christ’s righteousness can tip the scales of justice and turn them into the vessel of God’s grace.

As we continue through 1 Peter, we’ve reached a section dealing with one of the least popular topics in the Bible for Christians: submission to authority. It’s pretty clear that we live in a world filled with defiance. Some people routinely ignore and blatantly defy laws they don’t agree with, students ignore and defy the authority of teachers, workers who don’t like their boss may to make things so bad that they lose their job.
This is not a new problem, however. The people to whom Peter was writing were wondering if their new devotion to Christ would permit them to resist authority in their lives. After all, if a believer’s citizenship is in heaven, then why should we have to yield to the authority of a ruler who is not a follower of Christ?

Peter’s simple answer is to submit to all authority in our lives. In fact the key words in the entire section beginning in verse 13 of chapter 2 all the way down through verse 12 of chapter 3 are words like “submit” and “respect.” In addition, it seems as if Peter wants to assure us that there are no exceptions to the principles of submission he presents. This section deals with submission to government, to those who supervise our work, to our spouses in marriage and even with those in our church family.

Normally when the subject of submission comes up some believers object with: “What if they ask me to do something that God doesn’t want me to?” Remember that submission to authority is actually submission to God…and to the principles of authority He established. One way we respect God is to give proper respect to others. But, of course, our primary allegiance is to follow God and to be holy in what we say and do.

It is important to realize that our submission to authority over us has nothing to do with our personal worth or value. The word “submission” refers to arranging things in a certain order. Submission and authority have nothing to do with intelligence, ability, talent or personal identity, value, or worth. Instead they have everything to do with role or position. A military officer might not have more intelligence, talent or ability than a private, but it is the private’s to do what they are told to do. That is a clear picture of submitting to authority.

Interestingly, submission is a personal decision we each need to make. Ultimately, we each decide whether we are going to submit or not. You might say that submission is a voluntary act. Why else would Peter teach us that God wants us to choose to submit if it was not a voluntary choice we can make?

Why did Peter make such a big deal about his? First off, because all authority ultimately resides with God. The principle of authority was established by God Himself and ultimately when we submit to authority in our lives, we are submitting to God. Second, it’s a big deal because God knows that it is the best way for us to live. As strange as it sounds to us, respectful submission actually enhances our lives. Submission also produces a positive testimony. When we submit, those around us will realize that there’s something different about us and we can be prepared to tell that that the difference is the presence of Christ in our lives. And maybe the ultimate reason for submitting to authority is that we are following the example of Christ. When Jesus was on earth, He submitted to the authority and will of His heavenly Father to the point of suffering on the cross for the sins of mankind. As Peter wrote, Christ left us an example that we should follow in His steps.

We’re celebrating the holiday set aside to commemorate the Declaration of Independence, the document that established the United States as a free and independent nation. We usually consider this day as our nation’s birthday. Since the Declaration was adopted 234 years have come and gone. One of the things believers need to do is remember that Independence Day is about much more than hotdogs, cookouts, parades, swimming and fireworks. One of the things to remember is that every believer should be the very best citizen that we can be.

In 1 Timothy 2, I think we can find several ways Christians can be a blessing to our nation. That chapter beings with the words “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority…” One way to bring blessing to America is through consistent prayer. In fact, judging from the words “first of all” in the text, prayer is our first priority. The devil would like nothing more than to keep us so occupied with busyness that we neglect our prayers, but prayer is what our nation needs.
Every believer should commit to pray for our leaders both elected and appointed at all levels of government: national, state and local. In addition prayers should be offered for those who serve in law enforcement, fire protection, emergency medical services and most certainly the military. Our desire and goal is to “live peaceful and quiet lives.”

Another way Christians can be a blessing to America is by living what Paul calls “all godliness and holiness.” God wants us to be a godly people and through holy living to make the Gospel of our Savior attractive. This is consistent with other teaching in the New Testament. For instance 1 Peter 2:12 tells us to “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” In other words, it is one thing to TALK about being a follower of Christ and it is quite another to live in such a way that our followership is OBVIOUS.

Believers can also be a blessing to America by sharing our faith. Verse 4 says that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” Lifting up our nation in prayer and faithfully living for Christ will help fulfill God’s desire for our nation and our world which is for “all men to be saved.” Once again this lines up with other New Testament verses like 2 Peter 3:9 which says that God “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Sharing our faith doesn’t depend on having answers to all the possible questions. It doesn’t depend on our being perfect, or having a complete knowledge of the Bible. But it does mean building relationships with others and then letting them know the story of what Christ has done in our life.

If we do these things, then we will be a blessing to our nation.

Father’s Day isn’t quite the retail event that Mother’s Day is with flowers, cards, candy and such, but you can’t deny the impact that fathers have on children, positive or negative. And whether a person is a father or not, almost all of us have roles in leading others, whether as fathers, grandfathers, mentors, supervisors or teachers. That’s why we can say that the Apostle Paul provides a good example of fatherhood. Although Paul was not a father in the biological sense, he was certainly a spiritual father and leader to many.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:7 he wrote that he had been gentile among them “like a mother caring for her little children” and then in verse 11 he said, “For you know we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children.” Throughout the rest of this section of 1 Thessalonians 2, we can find some excellent suggestions for fathers and leaders.

A first characteristic fathers and leaders should have is the ability to express genuine affection. In verse 8 Paul says “we loved you so much.” The word Paul uses is interesting. It is only used here in the whole New Testament. It means “to yearn for” or “long for” something. Paul wanted his readers to know that he cared so much for them that he longed to be near them. Expressing affection is an important lesson most fathers can learn because expressing affection doesn’t seem to come naturally for most men. But those around you, those you lead need to know that you care about them.

These verses also show us that Paul was living a transparent life. In verse 8 he wrote “we…shared with you not only the Gospel of God but our lives as well….” Paul didn’t just teach and preach, he lived an exemplary life and asked people to watch what he did. That can be a hard thing to do, but it is a goal every leader needs to have.

Another characteristic Paul displayed was an unselfish diligence. In verse 9 Paul refers to working “night and day” for their sake. This was more than just hard work, however, because he was working hard for the benefit of others. Working unselfishly to meet the needs of others can be hard to do, but it is an important example to show and a significant lesson to teach.

These verses also reveal a man who was walking with the Lord. Verse 10 says, “You are witnesses, and so is God of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed” Living transparently in front of those we lead reveals the values we possess. What we want people to see are genuine spiritual values. We want them to see us walking with the Lord. And that means living our faith isn’t just something we do on Sunday or for “church times” but all the time.

The last characteristic in this section is the positive influence Paul possessed. In verse 12 he refers to his role of “encouraging, comforting and urging” them to live lives worthy of God.” Sometimes fathers think their role in parenting is to toughen kids up and to teach them how to work hard. Certainly there are lots of lessons to teach, but one lesson we mustn’t forget is to teach and lead those who follow us to live lives worthy of God.

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Where is your heart? Jesus said our heart will be where we have invested ourselves.

In Luke chapter 12 Jesus told a parable about a foolish farmer who invested in the wrong treasure. He seems to be a decent guy. Apparently he wasn’t deceitful or corrupt. He probably had worked hard to make his fortune. His heart was just not in the right place. After his fields yielded a good crop he said, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” Go back through that again and you’ll see all the personal pronouns: I, me, my, I.

That’s where the man went wrong. Max Lucado puts it like this: “The rich farmer went to the wrong person (“He thought to himself”) and he asked the wrong question (“What shall I do?”). His error was not that he planned but rather that his plans didn’t include God. Jesus criticized not the man’s affluence but his arrogance, not the presence of personal goals but the absence of God in those goals. What if he’d taken his money to the right person (God) with the right question (“What do you want me to do”)?

Much of our desire to accumulate treasures for ourselves is a defense against fear in our lives. We ask “What if I lose my job?” “Will my health coverage cover it all?” “How long between retirement and death?” Our fears of running out cause us to decide that the more we have, the safer we are. That’s what the foolish farmer thought, but what he didn’t know was that he was afraid of the wrong thing. Instead of fearing a future without food, he should have thought about a future without him in it!

In Luke 21 Jesus was watching people put their offerings in the temple treasury. In verse 1 Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. Then in verse 2 He was a poor widow put in two small copper coins.” Jesus told His disciples, “This poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

What made the difference between this poor woman and the rich farmer? The difference is the poor woman never forgot God. She trusted Him to care for her. The wealthy farmer wanted to take care of himself, the widow knew that God would care for her. May we follow her example.