Week 6 of our current series, Strength Through Adversity takes us through 1Peter 2:13-25

2. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human
institution, whether it be to the emperor as
supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish
those who do evil and to praise those who do
good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good
you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish
people.

3. Live as people who are free, not using your
freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as
servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the
brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
- 1 Peter 2:13-17 (ESV)

4. Legal Outlaws:

5. Legal Outlaws:
1) Obey the Law and Respect Their Leaders

6. Legal Outlaws:
1) Obey the Law and Respect Their Leaders
2) Go Beyond What the Law Requires

7. “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with
him two miles.”
- Matthew 5:41
(ESV)

8. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there
is no law.
- Galatians 5:22-23
(ESV)

9. “Atheism has been specially advanced through the
loving service rendered to strangers, and through
their care for the burial of the dead. It is a scandal
that there is not a single Jew who is a beggar, and
that the godless Galileans care not only for their
own poor but for ours as well;

10. “while those who belong to us look in vain for the
help that we should render them.”
- Julian, taken from Don’t Waste
Your Life, John Piper

11. In Palestine under Muslim rule, according to the
monumental history by Moshe Gil, ”the Christians
had immense influence and positions of power,
chiefly because of the gifted administrators among
them who occupied government posts despite the
ban in Muslim law against employing Christians [in
such positions] or who were part of the
intelligentsia of the period owing to the fact

12. “that they were outstanding scientists,
mathematicians, physicians and so on.” The
prominence of Christian officials was also
acknowledged by Abd al-Jabbr, who wrote in about
995 that “kings in Egypt, al-Shm, Iraq, Jazra, Fris,
and in all their surroundings, rely on Christians in
matters of officialdom, the central administration
and the handling of funds.”
- God’s Batallions, Rodney Stark

13. Legal Outlaws:
1) Obey the Law and Respect Their Leaders
2) Go Beyond What the Law Requires
3) Can Expect to Be Treated Unjustly

14. Servants, be subject to your masters with all
respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to
the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when,
mindful of God, one endures sorrows while
suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you
sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when
you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a
gracious thing in the sight of God.
- vv. 18-20

15. Legal Outlaws:
1) Obey the Law and Respect Their Leaders
2) Go Beyond What the Law Requires
3) Can Expect to Be Treated Unjustly
4) Follow the Footsteps of Jesus

16. For to this you have been called, because Christ
also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so
that you might follow in his steps. He committed no
sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When
he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he
suffered, he did not threaten, but continued
entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
- vv. 21-23

17. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
By his wounds you have been healed. For you
were straying like sheep, but have now returned to
the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
- vv. 24-25