Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday March 7, 2010

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A Bond Servant of Jesus Christ

2 Peter 1:1

Exodus 21:2-6  Will he leave/stay?  Where do his sympathies lie?  Where is his heart?  Will his service be temporary/permanent?  Will this house be his home for the rest of his life or just one of many places?  If he stays, that means he has crossed a line.  He was committed for six years, now he’s sold out. He had the prospect of freedom, but that prospect is gone now. There was a time he could have walked away, but that time has passed.  

Peter doesn’t describe himself as a believer, though obviously he is one, but describes himself as a bond servant of Jesus Christ. Peter/ James/John/Jude/Paul all describe themselves as bond servants.  “We’re staying and we’re doing the will of our Master.”  Bond servant doesn’t = ‘super-Christian’. It’s not, “Simon Peter, a super-Christian and apostle of Jesus Christ…”  Being a bond servant is what God is after in every believer. And if this is something every believer is to have – it is quite normal. You may not have the calling 2b an apostle, but you do have the calling to be a bond servant.  

We hear many sermons on the development of Christlike character and the discovery of calling and the ministry that flows from that. “Be like Christ. Do like Christ.”  But being a bond servant is something different than being/doing like Christ.  Being a bond servant is a different consideration than both your character and your calling. It provides the foundation for your character and your calling.  

Being a bond servant is being conquered by Jesus Christ.  “Simon Peter – one who has been conquered by Jesus Christ.”  Not only have my sins been forgiven by the blood of Christ, my self has been conquered by the cross of Christ. I’ve come to a place where I don’t want 2bn any other place. I’ve carried his cross for this long and I will carry it longer. My master’s house has all I need. I will give my all. God is ready to give his awl if you will give your all.   

I think this helps us to understand some of the failed attempts we have at being/doing like Christ – failures in character/calling. 

    * character  Man who hasn’t bathed in two months and is given a set of new clothes to put on - how long b4 the reality of who he is comes through? If ur not sold out to Jesus Christ, your attempts 2b like Christ are doomed to fail. I am talking to believers – some of you have been saved 30 years and you have struggled w/ the exact same things for 30 years because you want Christ and you want the world.  You want to live in the master’s house and go visit other houses 2c what they offer. The bondservant says, “All that pertains to my life/future/happiness is in this house.” If ur not conquered by Christ, Christian character will be an ongoing battle 4u.  I’m speaking to believers – settle it today, right now – I will live for Christ. If ur not conquered by Christ, Christian character will be a lifelong struggle.

    * calling  Women, would you marry a man who felt called 2b your husband but didn’t love you? He can fill the office/do the duties of a husband - he can be good provider/lover/companion/father – but he doesn’t love you. Don’t you want a man who has been conquered by you? If ur not conquered by Christ, Christian service will be a lifelong struggle.

Being conquered by Christ- foundation of Christian character/calling

In the bond servant we have a service which is not a matter of choice for the one who renders it… he has to perform whether he likes or not, because he is subject as a slave to an alien will, to the will of his owner.   TDNT

To our ears this is a gross violation of individual rights.  For a man to have no choice in a matter, 2b robbed of his will so that he can’t exercise personal freedom, to not be able to go left/right/straight ahead is the kind of slavery that is being progressively abolished in the march of history. This is what leads some thinkers to conclude that Christianity doesn’t ennoble the human spirit, but debases it. They would tell us that Christianity doesn’t dignify man, but dishonors him because it takes from man one of the core essentials of what it means 2b human – 2b free. A Christian is not free and Christianity is the enemy of human freedom.  Let's look at this.

What do you think – if your child needed a kidney to survive, would you give one of yours?  Would you have any choice in the matter?  At one level, yes.  But at the level we live, no.  Whether or not you liked the prospect of losing a kidney you would freely give it up. And if your child needed two, you would do this even though it would mean extreme dialysis for the rest of your life.  

You really wouldn’t have a choice. But the choice that flowed from the circumstance of having no choice is a free choice and wouldn’t debase/dishonor you as a human being, it would dignify/ennoble you. You are a bondservant/a slave to your child - but it is a slavery of love. Necessity, yes – but a necessity birthed out of love. As a bondservant Peter hasn't been overwhelmed by power, he has surrendered to love. A surrender to the love of God is the greatest freedom there is. You were created to be God's bondservant – and the doorway to this isn't obedience to His will, but surrender to His love. If you love God, being sold out is the easiest thing in the world. If you don't love God, obedience will be the scariest thing.  

A bondservant is what Peter is to God; an apostle is what he is to the people.  What he is to God is more important than what he is to people. It takes first place in how he considers/presents himself. At one time, Peter wanted 2b the greatest - now he comes to know his place. B4 he refers to himself as an apostle, he refers to himself as a bondservant. Peter has come to an end of himself. How so?

Being a believer in Christ is not the same as being a bondservant of Christ. God has a way of bringing believers to the place where they are bondservants. I have never made coffee by just place a scoop of beans in the filter. I have always used ground coffee. I imagine that I would get a very weak cup of coffee.  The full flavor comes from beans that have been ground. For me, this illustrates what God does. God grinds believers n2 bondservants so that the full, robust flavor of Christ comes forth. God wants every part of your life 2b a carrier of Christ.

Peter had 2b emptied of his flavor for the flavor of Christ to come forth – self had 2b crucified. Amber K. - what if Peter had successfully walked on the water the whole time? Can you imagine his attitude after stepping back n2 the boat. What if he hadn’t fled when Christ was arrested?  He would have been so full of himself – so impressed w/ himself – he would be teaching seminars on how 2b mighty: how to walk where no one else has walked; how to stand when no one else was standing. We would taste Peter, not Jesus.

Hebrews: God disciplines/grinds all His children.

On his way to being a bondservant, not only was Peter emptied of pride, but prejudice, too.  

To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ… ESV

This word was used for foreigners who had been granted the privileges of citizenship which were equal to those of the native born.

At one time, Peter held to Jewish exclusiveness.  This prejudice had 2b knocked out of him.  Acts 1 – is it at this time ur restoring the kingdom to Israel?  Acts 10 – vision and Cornelius. Gal. 2 – eating/ not eating w/ Gentiles. All have received right standing w/ God thru the righteousness of Jesus Christ who is here called God and Savior.  

There’s only one way 2b right w/ God – and it’s for all people.