Love in Spite of Evil

HBI - Though evils we may face we must cultivate love in our lives which comes through Jesus and what he has done for us.

Scripture Reading - Psalm 34

Intro

You have heard it said an love your enemy but it used to be an eye for an eye, quite literally in fact. If you have ever seen the movie Robin Hood, it can be quite gruesome, there is a scene where thieves are getting there hands cut off for stealing. But that is not just in the movies, this actually did happen. There is an ancient set of laws dating back to 1772 BC which we have seen on clay tablets called an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth law. It was a scaled legal system that meted out punishments based on what the criminal had done. If a person caused the death of another then they would be put to death, if the caused someone to go blind they would also be blinded. If they stole something their hand would be cut off. The severed limbs of these criminals where often displayed to try and show people the consequences of their actions. If knowing that a crime could get your hand or foot cut off I think that may deter people from doing it.

You hear stuff like this happening now, though not quite to this extent here. Someone wrongs you, you must seek vengeance and do what you can to bring them low like they brought you down. An eye for an eye, if you attack me and my family you will pay the consequences by my hand. but what we are told is a little different. we are reminded again and again that we look to the future, we look to God and His eternal Kingdom for the Living Hope that we have. While we look to Jesus eternal kingdom we are reminded to live out our hope and see how that changes our lives.

We are told not to seek, to let go of our hate against others. I was just reminded of this last week, to let go of anger and I know how hard it is. But rather as based on what we have been learning so far we are to instead of dwelling in anger we are to cultivate love for one another. Evil will come our way, people will hate us and our response is to bless them and love them as we stand on the word of God. How we think, how we feel, how we act needs to come out of our love for one another.

but How do we do this? How can we love others who hate and revile us? How can we look to the strength of Jesus as we do this? Though we may face evil how can we cultivate love? What practical advice can we get on what it means to live according to this living hope that we have.

8-12 - Cultivate Love

It all starts with Love 1 Peter 3:8

1 Peter 3:8 (CSB) 8 Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble,

Finally - In summary of all that has gone on before. based on the living Hope that we have that looks forward to the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus, we have a duty while here on earth. What we have here is mre of a summary of practical advice on how to live out our Living Hope. We have a duty to perform, based on the life of Jesus and what He taught us. Though we see a “finally” here, like any good preacher it is not the end quite yet.

So Based on this, then something needs to happen. We have a few things here that sum up how we think, how we feel, how we act and what that is going to look like. we have first the main part, the main action and That is to love one another. Yes I know it is in the middle of the sentence but the other actions are based on this, that we are loving one another.

be like minded. Be unified this is telling us, think the same way. Now this does not mean uniformity. This does not mean we need to all break out our christian uniforms and dress the same, to be all alike. After all We have all been created by God, uniquely by God with different gifts to be used for the glory of God. What this does mean though is that in the midst of diversity rather then fighting we will cooperate and work together. Out of love for one another we will work together for the glory of the Lord and the furthering of His kingdom.

be sympathetic and compassionate. rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. To enter into and experience the feelings of another is a quote from a book I was reading that explains this well. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that this is exactly what Jesus has done for us

Hebrews 4:15 (CSB) 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.

Remember these are all things that are associated with the way we treat each other as the body of Christ, though it does go farther as well. But it needs to start in the body of Christ and how we treat each other. If you cant treat your brother or sister this way then How do you expect to be able t do it outside the church. Come alongside people and share in what they are feeling so as to be able to point them back to Jesus. and we do all of this in Humility thinking of others as better then ourselves.

But we need to remember that this is all done in love, love here is defined as brotherly love. It all comes back to loving one another. How we think, how we feel, how we act is based on loving one another in these ways. We had some good friends in Saskatoon who had experienced miscarriages and did not have any kids. When Criston experienced our first miscarriage, which would have been twins, we where devastated. This couple came raced back to the city from their vacation and helped us out. They brought food from the church, and did so much more for us. They understood and and just where there with us. They where such a big help in that time doing what we just read here.

1 Peter 3:9 (CSB) 9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

Knowing this then we go outside of the body of Christ to the community around us. We continue to follow the practical advice on how to live out the living hope that we have. Evil for evil and insult for insult. You take my eye and I will take yours. You hurt my family I will seek vengeance and get payment in blood. "I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career, skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you. I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you." How many of you have thought of saying that quote from a famous movie to someone.

but instead of paying evil and insults with the like we are to bless others. This is a word that often gets misquoted or misinterpreted. In Greek, especially secular Greek the word bless meant literally to speak well of someone. It was something that really BROUGHT GOOD TO A PERSON. In the Bible God is the chief blesser promising to many things to His children. But priests would also bless others. But now that we are recognized is priests we to are to bless others like this.

As Christ blessed us by forgiving our sins and making us His children we are to pass on the love we have received to those around us. The blessing we have received is Eschatological. That is an inheritance in eternity with Jesus. The blessing is not what we may receive on earth but looks forward to the eternal inheritance we have that we don't deserve. We pass on what we have recieved spreading the message of the gospel and the grace and mercy that we have received.

through the evils we may face in the world we must cultivate this love. Because we have been blessed with an eternal inheritance so we must love others and bless them, speak well of them, love them and forgive them, show mercy and grace to them so that they may see the love of God in us and want a part of what we have.

Peter supports this teaching by a quote from many generations before in the book of Psalms chapter 34.

1 Peter 3:10–12 (CSB)10 For the one who wants to love life and to see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit, 11 and let him turn away from evil and do what is good. Let him seek peace and pursue it, 12 because 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 what is evil.

This passage takes on a eschatological tone and we see in the whole chapter references to the messiah and the end. Life and good days are our eternal inheritance. You see, this was always the plan.

13-17 - Imitate Christ

You want to know how to do this? How is it possible to repay evil with love and blessing when we can be treated so horribly? Well as always we look to the example that we have been given in Jesus. It always comes back to Jesus and the gospel. In all we do it needs to point back to Jesus.

1 Peter 3:13 (CSB) 13 Who then will harm you if you are devoted to what is good?

Who then - Continuing on with the previous section.

Harm you for doing good. Based on the idea that we are doing good what will happen if harm comes our way? This is not saying that it wont happen but what do we do if it does happen. How do we act when we are hared for doing what God has called us to do?

1 Peter 3:14–15 (CSB)14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed. Do not fear them or be intimidated, 15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, ready at any time to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.

Even if we are harmed for doing good. Even doing this perfectly will not always prevent suffering Even if this does happen we are blessed because of our eternal inheritance, because of the promise of being in God’s eternal Kingdom. What Joy we can receive from this through hard times. Blessed takes on a bit of a new tone here. going back to 1 Peter 1:6 “6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials” Rejoice we are told. This is a cause to rejoice. But how do we do this in spite of the pain we might be in. It is not feeling good but rather a deep joy when we look at this from a Godly perspective. We need to look at things from a Godly perspective to experience this deep Joy.

Instead of fearing people we revere Christ. Do not fear them it says which is a quote from the book of Isaiah 8:13

Isaiah 8:13 (CSB)13 You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy. Only he should be feared; only he should be held in awe.

Only the Lord should be held in awre and feared. Fear not what the world can do to you but fear the Lord who has eternity in His hands. For these reasons then we get the next verse.

We are to not answer hate with hate, but based on all these things as we stand in awe of God we need to answer hate and evil for the reasons why we hope. Again it all comes back to the gospel. Why do we hope in the midst of hate? people might think you crazy a little bit. But we need to answer with the reson why we do this, always ready to give the reason we we have hope.

but not just in speech but in life as well through gentleness and respect. 1 Peter 3:16-17

1 Peter 3:16–17 (CSB) 16 Yet do this with gentleness and reverence, keeping a clear conscience, so that when you are accused, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Instead of a response that attacks we are called to an explanation out of love that reveres Christ. Our attitude to hate is a life of gentleness and respect. If it is God’s will, it is better to suffer for good than doing evil. Respond to evil with Jesus and doing what He has called us to do. Cultivate love by imitating Jesus.

So What

My plan was to go to the end of verse 22 but I guess I talk to much. There are a few things we need to remember out of this.

Cultivate Love

through the evils we may face in the world we must cultivate love. Because we have been blessed with an eternal inheritance so we must love others and bless them, speak well of them, love them and forgive them, show mercy and grace to them so that they may see the love of God in us and want a part of what we have.

By Imitating Christ

We can do this because we have been blessed. The blessing not of the stuff we get or the healing we may receive but the great blessing of our eternal inheritance. We look to Jesus who has ushered in that blessing in our lives and we imitate Him. We do this not by answering evil for evil like Liam Nesson but we answer hate and evil with the message f what Jesus has done for Us. Jesus loved us and so we love others with the same grace and mercy and love we have been showing. With the Joy that comes from looking at our life from a Godly perspective.

Remember that it is only through Jesus, He is the reason this is at all possible we must always come back to that.