*** This study precedes the one I did on 2 Peter 3:15 on 11/26/17 ***

Jesus told Peter to love Him by FEEDING MY SHEEP!!!! It’s all about RELATIONSHIP.

•Peter wrote to encourage persecuted Christians amidst their suffering.

•How does persecution happen? Through PEOPLE! How do we fight it? With PEOPLE!

•Satan wants us to fight AGAINST each other in little personal wars.

•God wants us to fight ALONGSIDE one another in a spiritual battle.

•The key to victory is SUBMISSION! First to God, then to each other.

•Relationships aren’t about you and your spouse/friend/brother/sister/etc but about you and Jesus.

•Relationships are the opportunity to live and love like Jesus.

•Peter shows us a pattern - Salvation - Submission - Suffering.

•God allows suffering so we can learn the value of submission.

•In our world submission means defeat, but in God’s world submission is the greatest weapon for victory!

•In 1 Peter 2 he tells us to submit to authorities and bosses, then he shows how Christ submitted to the point of death - all of which brings God glory.

•1 Peter 3:1 - “In the same way” - here’s what this looks like in a marriage relationship.

•“so that” - submitting is about getting something - so that “they may be WON….”

•Submission is the way we play to win!

•vs 2 - Men need RESPECT - this is about admiration.

•Two ways to show admiration to a man:

•1) Thanks - thank him for what he does.

•2) Praise - praise him for who he is.

•vs 7 - Women need HONOR - this is about prioritization.

•Men show she is priority through sacrifice (Ephesians 5:25).

•Three cycles:

•1) US cycle - when a woman feels prioritized and the man feels respected they are energized by each other. They “respond” to each other.

•2) Me cycle - when a woman doesn’t feel prioritized and the man doesn’t feel respected they drain each other. They “react” to each other.

•*** We typically withhold what they need when we don’t get what we need.

•3) God cycle - when one spouse chooses to meet the need of the other UNCONDITIONALLY.

•This is where the idea of submission comes in - we do it “as unto the Lord.”

•In this cycle we have the opportunity to earn a heavenly reward.

•Matthew 25:40 - “whatever you’ve done to the least of these……”

•Matthew 5:46 - “if you love others when they love you, what reward will you get?”

•In summary, in all relationships we are to be:

•1) Harmonious - this is about MUTUAL SUPPORT.

•Harmony occurs when different voices all sing from the same sheet of music.

•This is about embracing each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

•2) Sympathetic - this is about SHARED SUFFERING - deliberate participation in the suffering of someone else.

•The key to being sympathetic to step into someone’s experience.

•3) Brotherly - this is all about ACCEPTANCE.

•Acceptance is the foundation for intimacy - “in-to-me-see.”

•4) Kindhearted - this is about MAKING PEOPLE FEEL GOOD INSIDE.

•Our goal is to make someone feel good inside.

•5) Humble in spirit - in the Greek this means a “LOVING MIND.”

•Our hearts will go where our minds take them.

•We need to “proactively think positive thoughts” about each other.

•vs 9 - Submission is about getting a reward!

•Our greatest blessing should be God getting glory through us.