18 Servants, be subject to
your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the
froward. 19 For this is thankworthy, if a
man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when
ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do
well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. 21 For even hereunto were ye
called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye
should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was
guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled,
reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself
to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins
in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going
astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1
Peter 2:18-25)
There have been many different kinds of servants throughout the annals of
history. There is the paid servant on staff of a wealthy home or business,
there are ‘indentured’ servants who have contracted to be so obligated for a
designated period of time (such as two former Presidents of the USA – Andrew
Johnson and Millard Fillmore), some are indentured servants today serving in
China and the Middle East, and others were forced into servant slavery for all
of their lives.
There was a class of servant that existed in old Israel under bondage of the
Mosaic law. But their terms of required service was limited to six years. They
had agreed to servanthood for a certain reward in treasure. Just as there were
six days of labor in a week, and the seventh was the Sabbath; so were there six
years running of labor, and the seventh was a sabbatical year. And if thy
brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee
six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee. And when
thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: Thou
shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of
thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt
give unto him. And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the
land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee
this thing to day. And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away
from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with
thee; Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the
door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou
shalt do likewise. (Deut
15:12-17)
Thus, when we see the girly-boys wearing earrings, we know from whence
the practice comes – they are slaves by choice to someone or something. (I
might suggest, of sin) If you recall the portraits drawn of the Genie of Arabic
culture, the Genie always wears a golden earring to fill the hole made by the
awl and to signify that he is a servant forever. There is a greater spiritual
significance, too, in the awl, the doorpost, and the servant’s ear. Only those
servants who are offered their freedom after six years, but refuse to leave their
masters, have the awl driven through the lower lobe of the ear to the doorpost.
What does this signify? To me, it means being crucified with Christ and
becoming His forever – not as a slave or servant, but as a brother, friend,
child, and disciple. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve
sin.” Romans 6:6 (KJV) We are now members of the household of Christ, being
crucified with Him and are family in the Kingdom: “Ye
are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not
servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called
you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known
unto you.” (John 15:14-15)
Of course, not every person that becomes a permanent part of the Kingdom may
remain so. Remember, the old masters of Israel chose who would be their
indentured servants for a price, but later that servant may opt to go away
after six years. He chose us; He called us; and we must follow on. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit
should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may
give it you. (John 15:16) The decision to become forever
family of Christ is prompted, not by our own initiative, but by His providential
grace and mercy.
19 For
this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully. 20 For what glory is it, if, when
ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do
well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. We all deserve the pits of Hell, but it is God’s unmerited
grace that draws us from jaws of death and places us in High Places. We suffer
for our errors and wrong decisions in this life – for our sins and misdoings.
That is deserved and without excuse. But what of those saints who suffer for
the sake of righteousness and love of Christ? It is happening to an
accelerating measure in our world today – even little children of Iraq and
Syria who refuse to renounce our Lord Jesus Christ are brutally tortured and
finally beheaded. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only
to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. (Phil
1:29) If we are
persecuted and harshly treated for our own doings, well deserved is the
treatment. But if we are despitefully used for His sake, what a blessed Spirit
with which we are imbued: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so
persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matt 5:11-12)
The above argument is fairly sealed in today’s text: 21 For even hereunto were ye
called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye
should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was
guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled,
reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself
to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins
in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. The Roman Emperor sealed his
proclamations and orders with a red-wax seal; but Christ seals His Testament
with the crimson Blood of His own Body.
So how is a servant, or member of the household, called to a higher service? Is
it not through an eager willingness to serve? The story is told of an event in
the ranks of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. As he was about to mount his horse and
lead off as the commander of his armies, he dropped the reins of his horse as
he mounted the saddle. Perhaps being short was a detriment to the proper
mounting of the steed. The horse immediately began to run as the Emperor
attempted in vain to regain the dangling reins. A private soldier standing in
the ranks as the horse advanced before him ran out and grabbed the reins and
handed them to Napoleon. The great leader exclaimed to the private soldier, “Thank
you, Captain!” “Of which brigade?” responded the quick-witted private. Impressed
at his keen response, Napoleon glanced about at his personal staff and replied,
“Of my personal staff!” Immediately, the soldier laid down His rifle and walked
over to join the Imperial Staff. Disgruntled at a private soldier joining their
ranks, they asked, “Who do you think you are to stand with us?” The soldier
responded, “ a Captain of the Imperial Guard.” “By whose orders?” asked the
Commander of the Guard. Pointing to Napoleon, the newly commissioned captain
replied, “By his orders.” The Commander of the Guard responded, “Sorry, sir, I
did not know of it.” Thus the newly commissioned man took his place in the
Guard.
It is obvious that the new captain did nothing of worth to deserve his
elevation in rank. He merely did that which was both a duty and a courtesy for
his Emperor. Should we not be like-minded with the former private seeking ways
always to honor our Lord and be of worth to the advancement of His Kingdom?
In the Kingdom of God, our titles mean nothing. There will be no deacons,
priests, bishops, presidents, dictators, etc. As a matter of fact, many such
who are called, but not chosen, will be at quite another tropical zone more
fitted to their company. There will be but one High Priest, one King of Kings,
and one Great Shepherd and Bishop of our souls in Heaven – that is the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is our Advocate and Intercessor – not some Pope sitting in
opulence; not some tin-horned evangelist spouting out blasphemies; and not some
pretended worker of miracles blaring out from the TV screen. 25 For ye were as sheep going
astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. We all have wandered far from
the path God ordained for us, but if we have not deserted altogether the way of
righteousness, we may yet be near enough to hear the Voice of the Good Shepherd
beckoning us home. Come unto me, all ye that
labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matt
11:28-30)
