March 19, 2017
All Scripture from NIV unless otherwise documented
Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
In the past few weeks we have seen what Peter says about living in submission to our government leaders and living in submission to those who are in authority over us (our employers) and last week, believing wives living in submission to unbelieving husbands in order to win them to Christ.
Today, Peter concludes this section of how to live as the people of God by summing up how we are to live with one another in general.
In verse 8 Peter draws this thought to a conclusion with the word “finally”.
We know that this isn’t Peter’s final thought of his letter, but it does indicate a conclusion to the thought he had been expounding, which is how to live as God’s people.
In verses 8 & 9 Peter suggest five things that the people of God are to strive for as they live with one another. Notice he says, “all of you”. Whether Jewish Christian or Gentile Christian, new believer or old, male or female, slave or free, as believers we are to have the following attitude as we live with and serve one another in Christ.
The first thing Peter says is to live in harmony with one another. The Greek word means “like minded” and has the connotation of unity of heart. It means the very opposite of the word conflict. Now listen to me for a moment. I have come to understand that living in harmony doesn’t necessarily mean the absence of conflict. People don’t always agree on how to do things. One person likes read and another likes blue. One person likes communion wafers and trays with little cups and another likes to tear off a piece of bread and dip it into the cup. One person likes hymns and another likes praise music. One person likes hymn books and another likes the words projected on a screen or TV. The one thing I’m sure about in this congregation is that no one likes a 45 minute sermon. I try my best to accommodate!
The point is, there are going to be some conflicts or disagreements with one another, but they should be minor and they should not disrupt the harmony that we have with one another in Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote of the unity that we are to have in in Ephesians 5: 3 – 6; “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”
Sometimes you or I have to yield to the other in order to maintain harmony. I may not like red, but my insistence on red isn’t what is important, harmony within the body is. I really like the saying, “let’s agree to disagree agreeably.” To me it conveys the concept of harmony without total agreement. I can do that.
The next thing Peter mentions here is to be sympathetic. This word has the idea of suffering with others. It doesn’t mean to feel sorry for, rather it means to come alongside someone who is suffering and suffer with them. That takes time and energy and commitment. And every situation will be different.
As a pastor, people want to know that I am sympathetic to whatever they are dealing with in their lives. Sometimes just listening to them helps them to put things into perspective. Sometimes a word of advice or encouragement or sharing a passage of Scripture with them helps. Sometimes they are in need of prayer or some other more concrete help in their lives. But being sympathetic isn’t just the role of the pastor. It should be the role of everyone who believes. Notice again the words of Peter, “all of you, live in . . .”
If you struggle with being sympathetic to other people try and stop and think of a time when you needed someone to come alongside you and just be there for you. Think about how you felt during a time when no one was sympathetic to your need. How did that make you feel? Angry? Alone? Rejected? Is that how you want others? Then think about a time when a friend or a family member came alongside of you and suffered with you some trial or tragedy in your life. Do you remember how you felt when they did that? That’s what Peter is talking about here, go and do the same.
Then Peter said to love (one another) as brothers. The word used here is the Greek word from which we get the word brotherly love. But I believe it hails back to the words of Jesus when He said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13: 35
I have two brothers. David is the youngest and is more like me than our middle brother Lloyd. Growing up we got along pretty good. Through high school we began to drift apart to some degree and after I went into the Air Force and then got married, I guess you could say that we didn’t see or spend a lot of time with each other. But our love for one another I don’t think has ever changed. We have a mutual admiration and respect and love for one another, even though we are all different in so many ways. Why? I guess first and foremost because we are brothers.
In Christ, you and I are brothers/sisters with one another. We are all related by the blood of Jesus and we are to love as brothers. Does that mean that we will always see eye to eye on everything or that we won’t have a few squabbles with one another? No! But regardless of the things that arise, we are to love one another as brothers. And the love that we demonstrate will be a magnate to other people who need to experience that kind of love in their lives.
Then Peter says to be compassionate. This word simply means kind hearted. Kind hearted. There are too many people in the world today and even in the church who, instead of being kind hearted are mean spirited. This same Greek word is translated “tender hearted” in Ephesians 4: 32 in the King James Bible.
It comes from the Greek word that refers to the inward parts, the bowels, intestines, liver, kidney, this area. Both the Hebrews and the Greeks used it to speak of the place that you feel your emotions. We might say the gut emotions.
It’s a word that stands for the deepest human emotion.
Although It is a word similar to sympathetic, it carries, I believe a much deeper significance. One can be sympathetic to another’s situation without being compassionate. When you are truly compassionate you feel it deeply, in the gut so to speak. You are moved to not only come alongside someone, but to do all you can to minister to them in whatever capacity that God has given you.
Finally, Peter said to be humble. Humility is the opposite of pride. Pride puffs a person up. Humility helps a person to see themselves for who they really are. That doesn’t mean self-deprecating, but it helps us to not think more of ourselves than we really are.
Of course, Jesus is our prime example of humility. Philippians 2: 5 – 8 says concerning Jesus. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
Do you remember Jesus words to His disciples? “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Mark 9: 35
Jesus told a parable concerning humility: He said: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Simply put, be a humble person.
Then Peter changed his instruction from how you are to live as the people of God to how not to live. He only mentions a few things in this passage but they are important.
As a believer, “Do Not (Imperative) repay evil with evil or insult with insult.” That flies in the face of a lot of people today, even Christians. Are we so thin skinned that we can’t repel the bad things that people intend for us without coming down to their level and doing the same? I’m sorry to say that for many, the answer is yes.
Some of you may be shocked to know that in His sermon on the mount that Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5: 43 – 44
Really? Pray for those who despise me and taunt me and are hateful to me and hurt my feelings and say bad things about me and . . . I didn’t say it, Jesus did!
The point is that you are not to repay in kind the evil things that people do to you or the insults that people throw at you. You are to pray for them. You are to be a light in a world of darkness. As the people of God, you are to be different.
Why? Because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. Look closely at verse 12.
For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”