To Sum Up, All of Y'all

In one paragraph

This message was part of an ongoing series on how Christians are to live together, covering a long stretch of 1 Peter. The pastor worked through what it looks like to pursue harmony, sympathy, and humility inside the church and out, and he ended where the passage ends: with the call to repay evil with blessing rather than insult for insult. the pastor started at the end of the passage rather than...

Read together

1. 1 Peter 2:13 - 3:12 the main passage for the sermon, covering submission to authority, household codes, and the call to harmonious living
2. 1 Peter 3:8-12 the summing up passage read first, commanding believers to be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, humble, and to not return evil for evil
3. Romans 12 referenced as the passage a returning attendee thought the series had jumped to, and cited for weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice, and not repaying evil for evil
4. Ephesians 4:32 cited for the word kindhearted or tenderhearted, be kind to one another, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you
5. Matthew 5:38-48 quoted at length: eye for an eye, turning the other cheek, loving enemies, being sons of the Father, be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect
6. 1 Peter 2:18-25 household code for servants and masters, suffering unjustly, Christ as the example who committed no sin and entrusted himself to the one who judges rightly
7. Isaiah 53 referenced when quoting by his wounds you were healed
8. Psalm 34:8 taste and see that the Lord is good, used as the basis for a church meeting at 3:48 in the afternoon
9. Psalm 34:12-16 quoted for keep your tongue from evil, seek peace and pursue it, the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
10. Exodus 2:23-3:8 quoted to show God hearing the groaning of Israel under Egypt and coming down to deliver them, illustrating that God notices unjust suffering
11. Romans 13 cited as where God instituted governments for punishment of evildoers and praise of those who do right
12. 1 Peter 3:1-7 household code for wives being submissive and adorning the hidden person of the heart, and husbands living in an understanding way as fellow heirs of grace
13. 2 Chronicles 16:9 referenced as the eyes of the Lord searching the earth seeking someone in whom he might show himself strong

Talk about it

1. The pastor started with the idea of godly sorrow versus worldly sorrow as the foundation for this whole series. What is the difference between the two, and why do you think he felt that needed to come first before getting into passages like this one?
2. The pastor described humility as 'an inside out virtue' that comes from comparing ourselves to the Lord rather than to other people. Where in your own life do you find yourself comparing yourself to others instead of to Christ, and what does that do to your relationships?
3. Peter wrote 'do not return evil for evil or insult for insult, but give a blessing instead' to people who were living under Roman oppression and a fiery trial. How does knowing the original audience were suffering that kind of real hardship change how you hear that command?
4. The pastor pointed out that the command to honor authority was written when Nero was king, and that Peter himself was the impetuous guy who cut off a man's ear. What does it mean to you that Peter is the one delivering this teaching, and how does his own story shape the way you receive it?
5. The passage closes by tying together the household relationships, the workplace relationships, and the broader community under one summing up: all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted and humble in spirit. Is there one of those five words that feels hardest for you personally right now, and what would it look like to take one step toward it this week?