This homily was originally preached to the saints at Harbinger Gospel Church. May it encourage you in your faith. Learn more about our community at HarbingerGospelChurch.org.

Introduction

Dear brothers and sisters, as followers of Christ, we often feel like “strangers and exiles” in this world. We don’t quite fit in, and the values of our society frequently clash with the ways of God’s kingdom. In the midst of these challenges, I want to focus our time tonight on 1 Peter 2:17 which gives us a powerful and concise guide for how to live: “Honor everyone. Love the brothers and sisters. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” Let’s explore what each of these commands means for us today.

Point 1: Honor Everyone

First, we are called to honor everyone. This means showing respect and dignity to all people, regardless of their status, background, or beliefs. Jesus himself modeled this radical inclusivity by consistently honoring the marginalized and outcasts of his day – the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the lepers. He saw the inherent worth in every individual as someone created in God’s image.

What would it look like for us to follow in Jesus’ footsteps and honor everyone we encounter? For me, It might mean greeting an irritating coworker or boss with kindness, even when I don’t feel like it. It might mean:

• Showing kindness to a frazzled mom you encounter at the park or grocery store.
• Honoring the principal and other school leaders, even when disagreeing with a policy.
• Speaking well of others, especially when they are not present. Refusing to engage in gossip or slander.
• Tipping generously and treating service workers with kindness and respect, even, or even especially if the service is poor.

It certainly includes treating people of different ethnicities, social classes, and political affiliations with respect and dignity. And we should not just honor people, we should go our of our to honor people. When we honor others, we reflect the heart of Christ.

Point 2: Love the Brothers and Sisters

Next, Peter instructs us to “love the brothers and sisters” – to have a special affection and commitment to our fellow members of God’s family. As Jesus told his disciples in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Our love for one another within the church is meant to be a compelling witness to a watching world.

What does this love look like in action? It is more than just warm feelings or kind words. Loving our brothers and sisters involves actively seeking their good, even at cost to ourselves. It means rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep. It includes confronting sin with grace and truth. Most of all, it means being willing to lay down our lives for one another, just as Christ laid down his life for us. Let us commit afresh to building up and caring for this local expression of Christ’s body.

Point 3: Fear God

Thirdly, we are commanded to “fear God.” In a world full of competing allegiances and powers that demand our loyalty, we must remember that God alone is worthy of our ultimate allegiance and reverence. Proverbs 9:10 tells us, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Fearing God doesn’t mean cowering in terror before a capricious deity. Rather, it is a holy awe and respect, a recognition of his absolute sovereignty and holiness. And paradoxically, fearing God is what frees us from the fear of man. When we rightly revere God as the supreme authority, we are liberated from being enslaved to human approval or intimidated by worldly powers. Let’s cultivate a healthy, biblical fear of the Lord, remembering that he is both our righteous judge and our loving Father.

Point 4: Honor the Emperor

Finally, Peter instructs us to “honor the emperor.” For those early Christians, honoring a pagan emperor who was often hostile to their faith was no easy task. Yet Peter calls them, and us, to respectful submission to governing authorities. The apostle Paul echoes this command in Romans 13:1, saying, “Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.”

This doesn’t mean we always agree with our leaders or refrain from speaking prophetically when they act unjustly. But it does mean that our default posture toward authorities should be one of honor and respect. Even when we must dissent, we dissent respectfully. In a polarized and cynical society, our winsome submission can be a powerful gospel witness. Let us pray faithfully for our leaders and look for ways to be godly citizens who show the world a more excellent way.

Conclusion

As we reflect on Peter’s words, we see that honoring everyone, loving believers, fearing God, and honoring authorities are not disconnected virtues, but are all deeply rooted in the gospel. Because Christ has loved us radically and sacrificially while we were still sinners, we can now extend that same kind of love and honor to others. Because God is our ultimate authority and source of security, we are free to humbly submit to earthly authorities. This way of life is not easy, but it is possible through the power of the risen Christ at work within us.

May we go forth from this place with 1 Peter 2:12 ringing in our ears: “Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.” Let us pray for the grace to live such honorable lives that through us, a watching world might catch a glimpse of our glorious and beautiful Savior. Amen.