Read 1 Peter 2:9-17 (NRSV)
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Live as Servants of God
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12Conduct yourselves honourably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honourable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.
13 For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, 14or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17Honour everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honour the emperor.
Questions for Personal Reflection from Jerry Tankersley
1. How long has it been since you read the American Declaration of Independence? Have you ever thought about the difference between Thomas Jeffersons words and the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5? "For freedom Christ has set us free." "You have been called to freedom, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh." Or 1 Peter 2:16, "As servants of God, live as free people, only do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil."
2. Could it be that Christian freedom may only be realized by being a servant of Christ? "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
3. Peter suggested that we live as free people by honoring everyone. Why should we honor others? Why does human nature honor others? What about honoring dishonorable people? How does spiritual freedom lead to honoring others?
4. Peter exhorts us to love our brothers and sisters as an expression of our spiritual freedom. What is the connection between honor and love? Why might it be more difficult to love than to honor? Jesus gave to us a new commandment to love one another as he has loved us. In what sense was his life, death, and resurrection the great model for freedom and love?
5. When you read the command to fear God how does it make you feel? How is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? How does the awareness that we live, move, and have our being in God affect what we do, think, feel, and do?
6. Honor the emperor. Wow! We suspect all authority. American history is filled with hate speech and literature. Technology has complicated this. Think about the loss of civility in our culture. We are grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, the freedom of speech, religion, and of living without fear of the governing authorities. We have the right to protest, to vote, to shape and form our governmental authority. Do these political, economic, and religious freedoms mean a Christian may support a revolution, abuse others, violate laws, or place others in danger? How about paying taxes and being honest in our dealings with others? What about speaking the truth? How about passing on derogatory emails that insult those with whom we disagree?
7. Read Romans 13 and ask how this passage is an expression of Christian liberty. What does a Christian do when political authority becomes demonic, totalitarian, and oppressive of the rights of its citizens?
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
10 Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.
Live as Servants of God
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and exiles to abstain from the desires of the flesh that wage war against the soul. 12Conduct yourselves honourably among the Gentiles, so that, though they malign you as evildoers, they may see your honourable deeds and glorify God when he comes to judge.
13 For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, 14or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right. 15For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. 16As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. 17Honour everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honour the emperor.
Questions for Personal Reflection from Jerry Tankersley
1. How long has it been since you read the American Declaration of Independence? Have you ever thought about the difference between Thomas Jeffersons words and the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 5? "For freedom Christ has set us free." "You have been called to freedom, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh." Or 1 Peter 2:16, "As servants of God, live as free people, only do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil."
2. Could it be that Christian freedom may only be realized by being a servant of Christ? "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." John 8:32
3. Peter suggested that we live as free people by honoring everyone. Why should we honor others? Why does human nature honor others? What about honoring dishonorable people? How does spiritual freedom lead to honoring others?
4. Peter exhorts us to love our brothers and sisters as an expression of our spiritual freedom. What is the connection between honor and love? Why might it be more difficult to love than to honor? Jesus gave to us a new commandment to love one another as he has loved us. In what sense was his life, death, and resurrection the great model for freedom and love?
5. When you read the command to fear God how does it make you feel? How is the fear of the Lord the beginning of wisdom? How does the awareness that we live, move, and have our being in God affect what we do, think, feel, and do?
6. Honor the emperor. Wow! We suspect all authority. American history is filled with hate speech and literature. Technology has complicated this. Think about the loss of civility in our culture. We are grateful for the freedoms we enjoy, the freedom of speech, religion, and of living without fear of the governing authorities. We have the right to protest, to vote, to shape and form our governmental authority. Do these political, economic, and religious freedoms mean a Christian may support a revolution, abuse others, violate laws, or place others in danger? How about paying taxes and being honest in our dealings with others? What about speaking the truth? How about passing on derogatory emails that insult those with whom we disagree?
7. Read Romans 13 and ask how this passage is an expression of Christian liberty. What does a Christian do when political authority becomes demonic, totalitarian, and oppressive of the rights of its citizens?
America the Beautiful
Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!
O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!
O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!
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