Good evening, Lakeside. Tonight, as we've already mentioned, we have the opportunity to celebrate the Lord's table. Communion. We remember the Lord's death until he comes. We've been singing about the Lord's death. We've been singing about the Lord's first coming, which was, of course, so that he could die in the place of sinners. From a human standpoint, this is a simple ritual. We have these little containers now because of COVID and we have a little wafer and we have a little juice. But if we're not careful, we become so familiar with the simplicity of communion that we lose sight of what it is that we're actually doing. And God's providence, as I've been working my way through 1 Peter, it just so happened that I am at a passage that I believe can help us tonight to be truly prepared to remember the Lord's death until He comes. On top of that, I believe the text is going to help us as we think through in our own lives how do we live up to what God's called us to. He saved us And now He calls us to be holy like He is holy. And we understand in the world we live in, where injustice increasingly seems to have the upper hand, that being holy as God is holy is hard. Because we're easily angered and we're easily frustrated. But I pray tonight that this will be an encouragement for us. And so let's just dive right into the text. If you have your Bibles, Follow along with me as I begin to read from 1 Peter 2, beginning at verse 21. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. And while being reviled, he did not revile in return. While suffering, he uttered no threats, but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously. and He Himself bore our sins and His body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. For by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls." As we walk through this on the way to our celebration of the Lord's table, I've broken it up into a simple outline just for teaching purposes, but also encouragement. And I think from this text, we can see two motivations for holiness in a world of injustice. And as the world becomes more and more unjust, we need this. So two motivations for holiness in a world of injustice. And the first motivation is this. Jesus has modeled for us how to face injustice. Jesus has modeled for us how to face injustice. This is a rich theological section, but looking at verse 21, we start with this, For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps. Now in the immediate context, As the text that we had covered last week, Peter was dealing with the relationship of servants to their masters. He was telling servants to submit even if their masters were unreasonable. And this is all part of a series of practical instruction where Peter is telling us, how do we live rightly in a fallen world? In other words, how do we live out this admonition to be holy as God is holy? Verse 18, he said, servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. So in that context, as he leads right out of that difficult teaching, the principles apply even beyond that. In fact, he's been talking about a lot of types of submission. And in chapter 3, he's going to talk about additional aspects of submission. And if you face suffering, If you're treated unfairly because you're a Christian, don't despair. It's part of God's sovereign plan for us. We've been called for this purpose. In other words, God has called us to Himself in part to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. And that includes suffering from time to time, injustice, sometimes being treated badly or unfairly. We have to remember God called us to this. Every aspect of our lives are part of God's divine plan for us. And part of His plan for us as His children is for us to have some of the experiences that Jesus had. And Jesus suffered incredible injustice while He was on the earth. Jesus described what would happen to his followers in John chapter 15 beginning at verse 18. If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. Peter is just reiterating this type of reality. If you know Christ, the unfairness and the injustice that may come into your life isn't something that escaped God's notice. You were called for this. In fact, if you're suffering, and some of that suffering isn't because you sinned, but it's because you're following Jesus, and some of the suffering is because you're following Christ, That shouldn't cause you to despair. It's proof that you actually are one of His children. We've been blessed in America because by and large we've been left alone. We truly have. Go to other countries in the world where believers struggle even to come together at church because of persecution and hatred and we read news stories of Christians being killed and we realize we've been blessed. And as we look around, we see in our own minds when we envision the worst case scenarios that that type of freedom is slipping away from us. But if we're thinking theologically, that shouldn't frighten us as much as it does. None of us wants hardship. But if our country continues this decline, and if injustice escalates, and if because we are identified with Christ, people increasingly dislike us, it's actually a time where we can rejoice. That sounds counterintuitive, but that's what the Word of God says in James chapter 1 Verse 2, consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance, and let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. We're called for this purpose. God is using these things to make us what He wants us to be. Romans 8, 28, and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. That's what Peter is alluding to. We always have to keep injustice and trials that come our way in perspective. Peter's already alluded to this in the first chapter in verses 6 and 7. He said, And this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials. The trials are real. The injustice does hurt. But we can still greatly rejoice, verse 7, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. I'm not suggesting that we go looking for trouble. Trouble will find us eventually. But when the troubles come our way, we don't need to despair. We can continue to be holy as God is holy because we know this is part of His plan for us. We've been called for this purpose. And Jesus, knowing that we would be called to this, gave us the example for us to follow. He gave us the roadmap, so to speak. Look again at verse 21. Since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps. If you don't have a regular habit of reading the Gospels, do so. Read over and over. There's never a time where we know enough about Jesus. We may be familiar with Him, but we need to be immersed over and over again with His example because His response to a sin-filled world was for us. He suffered those things so that we would know how to respond to the hardships around us, leaving us an example. The idea there is the word would be used of teaching a child, for example, how to write the alphabet, that you would lay down a pattern and the child could just trace it. And when he says, follow in his steps, it makes it very clear. The imagery is just saying, do what Jesus did. You can almost picture somebody walking through a dangerous area. There's a lot of difficulty. And they safely made it through. And they say, just step where I stepped. That's what Jesus has done for us. He's walked before us. And He's dealt with injustice and hardship. And He faced things that we can't even imagine. And He showed us the way. What is that? Verse 22, who committed no sin nor was any deceit found in his mouth. Peter was using language from Isaiah chapter 53, but the reality is he's just talking about the fact that our Savior didn't sin. Part of Jesus' example to us is that Jesus was holy and that's where we need to be. Jesus never sinned Over and over the Bible teaches that Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15 for we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses But one who has been tempted in all things as we are yet without sin So part of Jesus example is that even in the midst of temptation you can be holy and We've been equipped, we've been given God's Word, we've been given His Spirit. We've been given the promise of God that there's no temptation that can overtake us because God provides a way of escape. This ultimately is be holy as God is holy. I haven't read it yet, but it's what I've alluded to over and over, 1 Peter chapter 1. I've said it over and over. I think it's the theme of the book, beginning at verse 14. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. Because it is written, you shall be holy, for I am holy. If you want to be holy in a world full of injustice, be holy. Stop sinning. It's hard, but it's possible for God's children. Peter highlighted two aspects. Jesus didn't affirmatively sin, but then he says this, nor was any deceit found in his mouth. Stating a different aspect of the same truth, in Jesus' entire life he never sinned with his words. He never lied. He never engaged in deceit. He never gossiped. He never engaged in any type of sinful speech ever. In Luke chapter 6 verse 45, Jesus said, The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good, and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil, for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart. Jesus' heart was pure. Now, our heart wasn't pure, that's why we needed a Savior, but we've been given a new heart We can control our speech. Again, Jesus' example, don't sin with your words. All of us, me included, should aspire to the goal of Ephesians 4.29. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that we'll give grace to those who hear. It can seem impossible, but God's given us the tools to do this, and He's given us Jesus as the example. He goes on in talking about Jesus' example, and it's dealing with His words. He says in verse 23, and while being reviled, He did not revile and return. It's likely that Peter is talking about the events that were occurring probably close to the time when Jesus actually died. close to the time that we're going to be remembering when we take the Lord's table. When he was being falsely accused by the religious leader, and they were bringing in false accusations, and then they took those accusations before the Roman authorities. One snapshot of that is in Matthew chapter 27, beginning of verse 12. And while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, Do you not hear how many things they testify against you? Verse 14, and he did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed. Put yourself in a circumstance most of us have experienced where you've been accused of something that wasn't true. You've been accused of something that you didn't do. You're innocent, but you're accused. I think for most of us, we get indignant. We're so offended. How dare you? But when Jesus was being reviled, He didn't turn around and fight back with His words. He didn't lash out. He's our example. When He was being reviled, He didn't lash back. He didn't revile and return. Can I assure you there's never a time when it's okay to hit somebody back, even verbally. Never repay back evil for evil. Jesus was being abused, but He didn't respond in kind. Peter goes on, and while being reviled, He did not revile in return. While suffering, He uttered no threats. I'm not going to read it, but you can go through many of the Gospels, but there's a section in Matthew 27, verses 26-31. For time's sake, I'm not going to read it, but it says Jesus was scourged. They stripped him of clothes. They put a crown of thorns, which we know would hurt and cause bleeding. And he was mocked and he was spit on. And he was beat on the head with the crown. Again, put yourself in that situation. But add an element to it. You could do something about it. You weren't helpless. You had the power. You could have stopped it. They're abusing authority. They're the ones that are guilty and they're abusing you. You're suffering. You can imagine most of us would want revenge. Particularly if we had the power. Now's the time we're in the Hollywood movie. Cuns are blazing. That was Jesus except He didn't respond that way. Peter would know that very well because he was in the garden when they came for Jesus. Matthew 26, beginning at verse 52. Then Jesus said to him, put your sword back in its place. For all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Verse 53, Or do you think I cannot appeal to my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? While suffering, He uttered no threats. He's our example. We don't need to respond to injustice in an unholy way by threatening paybacks or I'm going to get you or just wait for your turn. Jesus showed us the way. In fact, he was so focused on God's will that rather than uttering threats against those who were doing this, he said, Father, forgive them. They don't know what they do. That's our goal in response to a world full of injustice. That's our model for holiness. Don't sin, don't lash out, don't fight back. But please understand this, that doesn't mean Jesus was passive. What Jesus did, we must do. Look again at verse 23. While suffering, He uttered no threats. And here's His action. But kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously. In other words, Jesus didn't take matters into His own hand and decide, I'm going to vindicate myself, I'm going to fight back, I'm going to prove that I'm innocent. He kept entrusting Himself to God the Father. He kept entrusting Himself. Every time He was faced with this type of injustice, He kept entrusting Himself to God. He would allow God the Father to deal with all of those issues. The idea of entrusting is to hand oneself over, in essence, to put your fate in someone else's hands. That's hard for us because we want to solve our own problems, but there are times when we have to be like Jesus. When are those times? All the time. And we have to learn to entrust ourself to the sovereign hand of God who judges righteously. We have this innate sense that says it's unfair, it's wrong. And it is unfair and wrong. God will take care of it. When Jesus was accused, He kept entrusting Himself. When He was beaten, He kept entrusting Himself. When He was suffering, He kept entrusting Himself. Even to the point when He was on the cross, He kept entrusting Himself. He knew God was a God of justice. God would take care of those things. Jesus could entrust Himself and His physical body and the death He was going to die unto the God who judges righteously, and He could entrust even the people that were afflicting Him. Again, it's hard when we're thinking fleshly. I'm as guilty as anyone. We want to defend ourselves. We want to fight back. But there's a place for entrusting ourselves to God and allowing God to be our vindicator. Doesn't mean that our problems will always go away, but it does mean that in the midst of our problems, like Jesus, we can have peace. And perhaps if we're truly following Jesus' example, our hard attitude won't be lashing out in anger at all the people who are causing injustice, but perhaps we, like Jesus, would say, God, forgive them. Have mercy on them. Save their souls. We really have to make the decision to not take everything into our own hands. We have to learn to trust the Lord. Even in the midst of injustice, God really does care for you. He really does see your problems. He really does know your name. So, when you see injustice, if you want to be holy, turn to God, not to yourself. Let God take care of those who falsely accuse you. Let God take care of the ultimate justice. Pray that God will forgive those who are treating Christians badly, even if it's you. God's given us His Spirit to enable this. He's given us His Word, which records all the examples of Jesus. There's a picture Of what if the worst case scenario comes true in a human sense for us. We always think that's our death It's actually the best thing for us because we'll be with jesus But when jesus was dying on the cross He said in luke 23 46 crying out with a loud voice said father into your hands I commit my spirit Having said this he breathed his last that's where we want to be Injustice isn't going away. We live in a fallen world until we're with Jesus, until our last breath, we need to say, I commit this to You, Lord. So the first motivation for holiness in a world of injustice is that Jesus has modeled for us how to face injustice. There's a second motivation. Jesus has addressed the greatest injustice already. Jesus has addressed the greatest injustice already. And this is a matter of perspective, so bear with me as I try and make this point. And we're coming close to why we're celebrating the Lord's Table. Verse 24, And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. For by His wounds you were healed." This is the most momentous thing that ever occurred in human history. This actually is why in the midst of a world of injustice and chaos, we can have peace and we can turn to God and we can be holy. He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross. The best news that we could ever hear, but it's also evidence of what in any other context would be great injustice. We think we've seen injustice pales in comparison to what Jesus saw. It's emphatic. He himself. There was no one else that could do this. We couldn't bear our own sins. Only Jesus could do it. And Peter uses language that makes it clear. He bore our sins in His body on the cross. And the terminology that he uses for cross carries imagery that harkens back to the Old Testament. Jesus was killed in a horrific way. A man who committed no sin was convicted by a kangaroo court. He was tortured. He was killed by the most brutal form of capital punishment that at that time the world had devised, purposefully designed to prolong death and increase agony and humiliation. That was an injustice on an earthly scale, but there's a broader component of that. Again, that word, on the cross. harkens back to language of the Old Testament that one who was hung on a tree was accursed of God. Quoting Deuteronomy 21.23, Galatians 3.13 explains it. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. That's the imagery Peter's talking about. The holy one of God became the accursed one of God. And yet Jesus was sinless. And that gets to the ultimate injustice. Whose sins did He take on His body? They were our sins. Here's the point when you're looking at a world around us. We are guilty. Before a holy God, we had no excuse. We did it. What God said, don't do, we did. What God said do, we didn't do. We would deserve the wages of our sin, which according to the Scriptures is death. If we suffered, it wouldn't be an injustice because we're guilty. Here's the ultimate injustice. It was heaped on Jesus because He stepped in our place. What we deserved, we don't get in Christ. Peter will tell us later in chapter 3 verse 18, the first part of the verse, For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God. I'm trying to emphasize this because our perspective of justice can get skewed. There is injustice. It's real. The world is sinful and fallen. But if the world does its worst to you, you still don't get what you deserve because Christ stepped in your place. He willingly endured the injustice and the indignities on the earth for you and for me. He took our sins and suffered for them and suffered in our place and paid the penalty. And that certainly wasn't fair for Him. We struggle at times with injustice because we think we deserve better. Can I encourage you what we really deserved was death and hell for our sins? We didn't get what we deserve. And because of that, There's a hope for us that's incomprehensible. And now in the world of injustice, we can do away with our sin and we can live wholly. Look again at verse 24. And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. Jesus came and did that for us. We can die to sin. Not only does sin no longer have any power over us, we're no longer enslaved to sin, but even the penalty of sin has been taken away. The wages of sin should have been death and judgment and separation for God, but Jesus reached out and took the wrath so that He could bring us to God. God looks at us and already sees us as holy. We don't feel holy. We don't always act holy. The command of Scripture is still to be holy as God is holy. But in the eternal sense, we already are. And there's nothing an unjust world can ever do to touch that. There's never a time where we can face the injustice of the world and say, well, I didn't have a choice but to sin. Yes, we do. He died so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. We're clothed in righteousness, meaning we get credit before the Lord for all the correct things, the good things, the obedient things Jesus did, but we also have the ability now, the capability to choose the right thing, to choose righteousness. The next time you're faced with an injustice, perhaps it would be good for all of us to take a deep breath. Remember what Jesus has already accomplished for us. It puts the world in perspective. Even if we're not treated fairly, we've already been given the greatest gift that could exist. Jesus endured a far greater injustice than anything we'll ever face, and he did it for you and me so that he could bring us to God. Continuing on in the verse, for by his wounds you were healed. It's not talking about physical healing, it's talking about the fact that we've been healed spiritually. Again, reminiscent of language from Isaiah 53. We were enemies of God, deserving wrath, and now we've been delivered from that bondage, from that curse. He defeated death on the cross and by his wounds were healed. Verse 25 sort of summarizes this of what happened. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls. It's all a picture of God's graciousness to us. It's encouraging that God didn't just save us and then put us off in a corner. He continues to care for us and watch over us. Even in a world filled with injustice, even if our world gets much, much worse than it has been for us, it's okay. God's still there for us. Peter emphasizes what we used to be. We were continually straying like sheep. He's talking about every human being that's ever been born lost in sin, clueless, straying away from God, wandering away from God. And then he's describing what happens when Jesus called us and Jesus brought us to God through His death. But now you've returned. It's not saying we used to be there and then we walked away and we came back. No, it's saying we had no hope and it's describing that 180 turn where we're going away from God, that's how we're born, and we're slaves to sin and Christ reaches out and grabs us and turns us around and we run back to God. And He's the shepherd and guardian of our souls. He oversees us. He cares for us. We are protected. We are safe. Precious words in John chapter 10 that always, at least to me, conveys how much God cares. I personalize this, how much He cares for me, but if you know Christ, it's how much He cares for you. John chapter 10 verse 27, my sheep hear my voice, and I know them. and they follow me. And I give eternal life to them and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. It's the beautiful picture, we're secure. The world's full of injustice. But Jesus has already dealt with something far greater. He suffered injustice for us. And now the injustice of a fallen world can't touch us. We're safe in the hands of Jesus, the shepherd and guardian of our souls. That's what we're remembering tonight. All of these truths are summed up in communion. Tonight's the time we stop and we remember. what the Lord did for us. We can rejoice because we know what we really deserved, and yet we have the promise of God that Jesus received what we really deserve, and because of Him, we have peace with God. Because of the Lord's death, if you've repented and believed, you'll live for eternity with Christ. That's what we're remembering tonight. Now, communion is something that's only for those who know Jesus Christ, those who are believers. If you're not a Christian, certainly this is something you can watch, but you don't partake. But let me encourage you, if you don't know Christ, if you have not repented of your sins, come to Him now. He is the God who judges righteously. But for those who don't trust in Jesus, the wages of sin is death. Physical death one day, but spiritual death, eternity separated from God. But there's still room at the cross. As a sinner before a holy God, cry out for mercy tonight. But for believers, there's one more caution. We're talking about holiness tonight. We have the warning from the Apostle Paul that before you partake of the Lord's table, you need to make sure that you've repented of your sins. In 1 Corinthians 11, beginning at verse 27, Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly." So for now, for just a few minutes, I'm going to be quiet and ask you in the quietness of your heart, if you know Christ, to take a few moments and make certain that you've confessed all of your sins to the Lord. If we confess our sins, He's faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, but we don't want to come to the Lord's table presumptuously. So I'm just going to take a few minutes, then I'll close in prayer, and then I'll lead us as we receive the elements. Dear Heavenly Father, tonight we remember our Lord's death. Lord, we are the unjust remembering that Jesus died the just for the unjust. Lord, we thank you that you chose to save sinners like us. And we pray, Lord, that as we receive the elements tonight, that we'll do so with the right spirit and that the remembering of the Lord's death will help us to be holy as you are holy. We ask all of this in Jesus' name. Amen.