This is a sermon that continues in our Devotional: Becoming a People of Overflow, SURPRISE! 1 Peter You can watch more here.
Submission
This morning, we are continuing through a new series called “Surprise!” This morning
Scripture is going to teach on submitting to authority, which is an interesting topic because
“submitting to authority” is one of the most common conversations in life right now.
First, most areas of authority in life like government, corporations, and churches don’t feel
like they are functioning from a moral high ground, so just in general people are like,
“Should we really be listening to these institutions?” (Anyone else feel this?)
We live in an age of protest, marches and petitions. This isn’t the time to be quiet! It’s time
to speak up! It’s why we love songs like, “Femininomenon” by Chappel Roan or “This Is
America” by Childish Gambino. And movies like, “The Hunger Games” or “V for Vendetta.”
It’s about pushing back on authority. Therefore, how does “submission to authority” fit
into our lens today as a follower of Jesus?
Second, our passage is going to bring up “slaves submitting to authority,” and through a
skewed lens it could sound like God’s Word is supporting slavery, which isn’t the case. 1
Timothy speaks against the type of slavery that we saw here in the United States, but our
passage this morning is going to touch on slavery.
Third, our passage is going to hit us at an emotional level, because 1 Peter just described
the followers of Jesus as a chosen race, holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people for God’s
own possession, yet the letter is being written to a people who are in the middle of pain
and suffering, so that the letter starts to create this layer of confusion, “If followers of Jesus
are so important to God, then how come followers of Jesus are experiencing so much pain?”
Does God not have the authority to do something?” (Anyone asked that question?)
Either way, people say the Bible is outdated, but we are going to see God’s Word speaking
into the reality of our day, so let’s jump into our passage this morning. Let’s look at verses
13-14:
1 Peter 2:13-14, “13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether
to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers and the praise of those who do right.”
Now, remember 1 Peter is written by the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Peter saw the local
government put Jesus’ to death on a cross. Peter is living under the oppression of the
Roman Emperor Nero, who is historically known for being a bad dude.
Peter saw Pontius Pilate, a Roman governor who didn’t want to make the decision of
whether or not Jesus should be put to death, so he leaves the decision to the crowds of
people who yell out, “Crucify Him!”
In Peter’s life he has been imprisoned because of governmental rulers. He has experienced
pain and suffering because of governmental rulers, and yet verse 13 starts off with those
challenging words, “Submit yourself to every human institution.”
I know the word “submit” isn’t easy for us to hear in 2025, but the word “submit” means to
arrange under. It doesn’t mean we are to be passive or weak, but it is a word to convey
order, so that as a follower of Jesus you are choosing by faith to place yourself under God’s
order on earth through human institutions. Here’s a quick overview for layers of authority:
Government: We have laws, police, rules that we need to follow. We can’t just rob
banks and if we do we will go to jail.
Business: We have jobs, tasks, responsibilities, and people we have to report and
answer. This includes volunteer and community events.
Spiritual: Meaning Jesus, Scripture, and church elders. 1 Peter 5 will talk more about
elders, but elders in a local/spiritual leader have been given the spiritual responsibility to
shepherd and care for the local church.
Family: 1 Peter 3 will talk about submission within marriage and children submit to
their father and mother, so that God’s Word is bringing out the importance of a biblical
view of authority in our world today.
I know there can be mixed feelings about authority right now, but authority is meant to be
good and create order. When we go to a concert we are hearing the benefit of authority.
Hopefully the music at a concert is a pleasing sound because the musicians are submitting
to the theory of music, submitting to the key to create harmony, submitting to a plan to play
specific notes at a specific time, and when they submit to authority they are creating music
that we applaud and cheer!
It’s the same in sports. In the absence of authority, we would just have random players
running around on the field, but under the “submission of authority” there is a unified
attack for a team to win.
When we drive down Mo-Pac we are all agreeing to a “submission of authority” based on
the rules of the road, so that a person today can say, “I don’t like authority, or resist
authority” and that might sound cool, but if you take that to its fullest measure then we
have chaos.
This doesn’t mean blind submission. Right now, we have people protesting governments
around the world. We live in a democracy and our constitution invites people to speak up,
vote, peacefully protest, that’s great. Biblical “submission to authority” doesn’t mean we
blindly follow governmental leaders no matter what. Here’s a couple of points to consider:
1. The call of biblical submission will never lead us into a place contrary to God’s Word.
2. Biblical submission doesn’t lead us to a place of illegal activity.
3. There is no authority that is perfect other than Jesus, so as a follower of Jesus we are
submitting to the rule of our federal, state and local government, because we trust there is
nobody in that position that He doesn’t want in that position.
4. It means all authority is of God, but it doesn’t mean all authority will be godly.
Romans 13 goes so far to say, “All authority exists and is established by God” so all of our
submission (Government, business, church and family) is really submission to God, because
all authority over our life has been put in place by God. Sounds good in Scripture. What
does it look like practically. Look at verses 15-17:
1 Peter 2:15-17, “15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the
ignorance of foolish men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for
evil, but use it as bond slaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God,
honor the king.”
It’s in verse 16 we see the tension of our passage with the phrase, “Use your freedom, not
as a covering for evil, but as bond slaves of God.” When you see the word “slave” in
Scripture it isn’t the same idea of what we know as slave in the 1800’s in the United States.
In the first century, a slave could be someone captured in war, but also someone who
functioned as an employee of an estate. Some slaves might have been educated, managing
the estate with a path to freedom, so that slavery in Scripture was more of a social class
description rather than the slavery we know in the United States.
In addition, the emphasis in verse 16 is on a “bond-slave” and a “bond-slave” was a man or
woman who willingly committed themselves to the estate out of loyalty and commitment to
the estate.
It was an expression of devotion instead of coercion, therefore, God’s Word is describing
the follower of Jesus as someone who has been spiritually made free through faith in Jesus,
not free to do what we want, but now, in Christ, the follower of Jesus is free to willingly do
what Jesus wants.
Now I don’t know if you know this or not, we aren’t born spiritually free. We are born
spiritually enslaved to sin. I know that isn’t very popular today but Scripture teaches we
were created to be in relationship with God, but we rejected that relationship.
Instead of submitting to the One who spoke all things into existence we responded in
rebellion, and this marks the beginning of our struggle with authority. We don’t like the
idea of God being in control. It’s why our culture will say, “God is just a figment of our
imagination” because we want to be in charge.
We don’t want politicians telling us what to do. We don’t want police telling us what to do.
We don’t want pastors telling us what to do, and we don’t want our parents telling us what
to do!
This is why Scripture describes humanity as, “None of us seek after Him, none of us are
righteous, none of us understand, or trust Him.” Why, because we are sinners and we
struggle with submission.
This is why verse 16 gives us this charge, “Act as free men!” It’s because through faith in
Jesus’ life, death and resurrection we are set free from the bondage of sin. I know that
might not resonate, because we think of ourselves as people who are free. Especially in the
United States, but not really.
We have to make money. We have to pay taxes. We have to drive a speed limit. We have
social expectations to shake hands, greet one another. Most people have to do something
to make money. Most people have to pay taxes. Most people have to drive a speed limit.
Most people have to be socially kind to other people.
And within each of those areas there’s 100 different opinions about where you make
money, how you make money, what you do with that money, and where you live, what
brands you buy, what clothes you wear, and what kind of car you drive.
But as a follower of Jesus we are set free from the demands and opinions of the masses, and
we are invited to become a “bond-servant” to Jesus, willingly and voluntarily submitting to
the authority of One, so that biblical submission to authority is the beginning of freedom!
And within each of those areas there’s 100 different opinions about where you make
money, how you make money, what you do with that money, and where you live, what
brands you buy, what clothes you wear, what kind of car you drive, because people who
drive environmentally cars actually care about the environment.
But as a follower of Jesus we are set free from the demands and opinions of the masses, and
we are invited to become a “bond-servant” to Jesus, willingly and voluntarily submitting to
the authority of One, so that biblical submission to authority is the beginning of freedom!
Look at verses 18-20:
1 Peter 2:18-20, “18 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. 19 For this finds favor, if for
the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering
unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it
with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it,
this finds favor with God.”
In verse 18 we see the “submission” word again. Remember, it doesn’t mean being weak
but it means to bring order, and again we should see the language of “master”
employee/employer, because there were men and women coming to faith in Jesus and they
were wrestling with practical questions.
What if the employer is corrupt? What if the employer is pushing you to cut corners? What
if the employer takes advantage? What if there is a work culture that doesn’t value people?
I know these are challenges that would never happen today, but hypothetically.
In verses 19-20 we see there are going to be times when we experience consequences from
an employer, and sometimes we deserve those consequences. If we steal from the
employer, if we punch another employee, there are going to be consequences.
But sometimes you are going to do good work, and it is never going to be noticed.
Sometime we are going to jump through all the hoops and it won’t make a difference.
Sometimes we are going to have employers we don’t respect, Supervisor that takes credit
for your work. Sometimes we are going to have jobs that aren’t enjoyable. (Anyone?)
God’s Word is saying, “Your employer might not see it, but He sees it!” Verses 19-20 are
teaching us when we work heartily unto the Lord it is like worship unto the Lord.
In those moments the follower of Jesus is living by faith, “This employer isn’t treating me
justly, but I am going to work heartily, not because the employer is deserving, but because
the Lord is worthy.” Amen?
Just to be clear, this doesn’t mean we have to stay in that job. We can pursue other
opportunities, but until those opportunities come we work hard unto the Lord. Look at
verses 21-23:
1 Peter 2:21-23, “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, 22 who committed no sin, nor was
any deceit found in His mouth; 23 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.”
Remember the flow of the letter overall. These are men and women who have come to
faith in Jesus. They are experiencing the ups and downs of life, and God’s Word is meeting
them in that place by reminding them of Jesus who also submitted Himself to authority.
It is Jesus who walked through the ultimate suffering at the cross. It is Jesus who was
betrayed by His spiritual community and religious leaders. It is Jesus who was handed over
to the hands of a corrupt government, therefore, the suffering we encounter on earth, just
or unjust, is an opportunity to draw near to Jesus.
So much so verse 21 starts off and says, “We have been called for this purpose.” It doesn’t
mean as a follower of Jesus we seek out unjust suffering, but it means when unjust suffering
occurs we can trust Him without grumbling and complaining, because in those seasons the
Lord must be doing something in our life, in our city, in our church, in our country we
couldn’t possibly understand, so we trust Him.
Listen to me, I am not making light of pain. I have been in the fetal position on the couch
crying out to God, “What are you doing?”
But there’s no faith system in the world that doesn’t have pain and suffering, therefore, it is
through our faith in Jesus we are able to see that He, unlike any other faith system, He
relates to our pain and suffering, He draws near to our pain and suffering, and ultimately,
He has come to put an end to pain and suffering. Amen?
I don’t know everyone’s story in the room, therefore, it’s possible some of us might have
some pain and suffering we are walking through right now? Maybe we have pain and
suffering we have been hanging onto since childhood?
Gods’ Word is teaching us we have a Savior who knows about the pain and suffering. He’s
not going to let it go unnoticed. He will bring justice; therefore, we don’t have to carry it.
We don’t have to retaliate. We don’t have to prove them wrong. We don’t have to seethe
with bitterness. But, instead, God’s Word is inviting us to continually entrust ourselves to
the One who judges righteously. Do you see that in verse 22?
This is our calling. This is our purpose as followers of Jesus in 2025. We aren’t always
going to understand what the Lord is doing, but we can entrust ourselves to the Father.
We can trust He must be doing something we don’t understand, and we can find order in
our hearts because of our biblical view of submitting to authority, because we’re
submitting to Him. Look at verses 24-25:
1 Peter 2:24-25, “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. 25 For you were
continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of
your souls.”
This is our outlook as followers of Jesus. Like sheep, we have all gone astray. We have all
done what is right in our own eyes. We have all ended up in a ditch at some point in life.
We have all been attacked by some wolves at some point in life. We have all had moments
of being spiritually, maybe physically hungry, and Jesus has come to rescue us.
He takes pain of being in that ditch. He takes the scars from those wolves. He takes the
hunger of our soul, and He gives us His righteousness. He’s the ultimate shepherd of our
souls.
If you’ve never experienced that then trust in Jesus today. Confess with your mouth that
Jesus is Lord. Believe in your heart that Jesus rose from the dead. Invite Jesus to be your
Great Shepherd! Do that right now! Stop listening to me, start talking to Him! Once we do,
God’s Word teaches us we are clothed in His righteousness. Verse 24 is saying, “You were
in darkness, but now you’re in His marvelous light, therefore, walk in Him!”
I know our culture is struggling with authority right now, but there is an opportunity for
the church in Austin to live this out and model this to our culture. There are consequences
to a culture rejecting authority, skeptical of authority, and we are seeing some of that in our
culture right now.
Making commitments are going to be less common. Walking away from marriages,
families, churches, and work in general will become more common. We’re going to lack
anchors as a culture. We’re going to lack connection as a culture. We’re going to confuse
correction as attacks making it more difficult to grow in character.
We’re going to become a faint-hearted as a culture, because we won’t know how to
persevere. We’re going to become more hypocritical, because we will demand moral
superiority from others but ignore it in our own lives. Is that not where we see our culture
drifting right now?
Therefore, as the church in Austin, we have an opportunity to model to our culture and
experience in our culture a biblical view of submitting to authority, because our ultimate submission is to the Lord!
Let us pray.
North Village Church
This sermon is brought to you by North Village Church, a non-denominational church in Austin. established in 2009 and built around Jesus and Bible teaching.
Are you looking for a church in Austin? At North Village Church we put Jesus at the center of our church family. We worship together every Sunday at 10:30am, encourage Christ centered fellowship through groups, and host special events such as Bible studies and Theological Training, to ensure that we are rooted in in God’s Word. We also serve our local community in association with several Austin based organizations.
North Village Church is made up of professionals, married couples, singles, and families who are wanting to experience the life-transforming power of Jesus. If you are a family with children or teens, we can support you with either or both our Kids Ministry and Youth Ministry.
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