Playing Tennis with Hand Grenades 1Peter2:13-3:12
Have you ever heard someone say (or maybe said yourself), “I don't get mad, I get even.” Have you heard of what you can do “after you turn the other cheek?” Have you looked for a bracelet with the letters: WWJWD (what would John Wayne do)? Do you believe Bruce Willis has really survived all those times of “getting even with the bad guy?”
If you answered “Yes.”...
...Then you could be the next contestant on the reality series: PLAYING TENNIS WITH HAND GRENADES*. In this game, an enemy of yours lobs a potentially destructive object, such as a hand grenade or an accusation or a half truth about you or someone/thing you love...and you respond by batting it right back at him. Only, then, he lobs it back at you. So you set up and really slam it over the net. ...But he still has time to return it... Do you attempt another volley and risk the explosion? ...Are you sure you can get him back. ...Will you be a chicken if you just run and take cover?...
*“Don't play tennis with hand grenades of evil; defuse them and chuck something good back.” from Rob Lacey, The Word on the Street, Zondervan 2004
CHRISTIAN, SUBMIT YOURSELF
To the authority in Society 2:11-14
Your are free so use your freedom to submit.
By this God is glorified.
To authority at Work 2:18-20
You are called (by name) to this. v.21
God commends you in it. v.19
Jesus set the example. vv.21b-24
To authority in Family 3:1-7
This is how you grow in Christ (2:2) as a family.
PRACTICE AMONG BELIEVERS 3:8-ff
Be Harmonious (same think)
Sympathetic (suffering together)
Be Kin / brothers (serving out of phileo)
Be Kindhearted (literally: “have strong bowels”)= love deeply
Be Humble enough to be courteous.
THE STANDARD: JESUS; THE SUBSTITUTE: JESUS; THE SHEPHERD: JESUS 2:21b-25
IT STARTS IN THE CHURCH AND EXTENDS TO THE WORLD 3:9-12
A CORROBORATION FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL Romans 12
Rom 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
...Rom 12:17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
Rom 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Rom 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
Rom 12:20 To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head."
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The idea of heaping burning coals on the head of your enemy is not for the purpose of causing them pain (though hot coals would certainly cause pain) but for the purpose of reshaping your enemy to the image of Christ as a blacksmith would use hot coals to reshape iron.
Your enemy, seeing your consistent good works will eventually glorify God. And if he doesn't, that is God's business and his punishment is God's business.
You might say:
“THAT'S EASY FOR YOU TO SAY.” YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT WRONG I HAVE SUFFERED AT THE HAND OF _________.”
“If I act kindly toward him, it will look like what he did was not bad.”
“This was real wrong. If I just 'let it go,' it will look like God and the universe are amoral.”
The question:
IS GOD REALLY TRUSTWORTHY? 1Peter3:12 - For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."
If that person has not been punished the way they deserve to be punished, you lay it down before God (Romans 12:19) and you leave God two possibilities:
That sin will be punished at the cross of Jesus when that person repents or
That sin will be punished in Hell when he refuses to repent.
And you can confess to God that you cannot improve on either of those two. (John Piper http://www.desiringgod.org/)
Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
*“Don't play tennis with hand grenades of evil; defuse them and chuck something good back.”
1Peter 1: 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Some of Peter's earlier words: Acts 3:19-20 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, ...
