Problems handled like Christ

Introduction

Think about a situation where someone has wronged you, whether it be at school, at work, or in your personal life. It's easy to want to hold a grudge and seek revenge, but what if instead of retaliating, you chose to forgive and show love towards that person?

Just like the sun shining on a cloudy day, your actions of forgiveness and love can brighten someone's day and be a witness for Jesus to those around you. Your kindness and grace can be a reflection of the love and forgiveness that Jesus offers to each of us.

Do you handle your problems in a Christ-like manner?

Body

1 Peter 3:8–12 CSB

8 Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, 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. 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.

Remember what was going on here for these Christians in Asia Minor, they were living as outsiders in a culture that did not accept them as followers of Christ, but hated them for it.

This passage says here for these Christians to be like-minded, with love and compassion and humbleness in their hearts.

As a Christian God is calling us to live in obedience and to be like Christ in the way that we conduct ourselves in ANY situation.

Do you handle your problems in a Christ-like manner?

When we deal with conflict in a Christ-like manner, what the people in conflict with us see is a very counter cultural way of dealing with conflict.

Think about it, culture says to be a hater, to be led by your emotions, to fill your heart with hate, to glorify yourself by feeling the need to be “right”

BUT

Christ says, no, don’t be like the culture. Be like-minded, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, and humble. He tells us not to seek after revenge, but instead give a blessing and be a blessing.

Do you handle your problems in a Christ-like manner?

Transition:

It is so popular in our culture today to handle problems in a way that is wordly and un-like Christ, but God is calling his people to a greater way of handling conflict. In fact there are many benefits to handling your problems in a counter cultural way none greater than:

#1 Gives witness to Christ

When you think of the Christians that Peter is writing to in the context of this book, what you see is Christians standing out, Christians who were living in a place that did not want them there. A priority that I hope you have seen throughout this book, is that Christians are not called to blend in with the culture but to stand out for Christ.

When we start to stand out for Christ people start to take notice.

Do you get what i’m saying?

When we start to stand our for Christ people start to take notice.

It becomes a witness to these people of the goodness of God when we don’t respond to our problems in the way that the world responds.

As a Christian we have the eternal hope of Jesus to get our rest from and our peace from. We don’t have to carry the weight and anxiety of earthly problems because our hearts are set on eternal things.

I won’t stand here today and tell you it’s easy, in fact it may be one of the hardest things you will ever do, but it is worth it and it is life changing to stand out in a world that wants you to blend in.

Jesus has commissioned each of us into the world with the gospel to impact people with his good news.

If we want to live that out, people have to know that you’re different. That you belong to Jesus, and a big part of how they know that is by how you stand out in the way you handle your problems.

Does the way you handle your problems bear witness of God’s goodness?

Transition:

God calls each of us to stand out, to handle our problems in a counter cultural, faithful way and when we do that we bear witness to God and his goodness.

Conclusion

Imagine a private detective is following you, if a private detective followed you they would notice certain traits, hobbies, and other things that are crucial to who you are. If a private detective were to follow you, would they be able to grasp from a distance that you follow Jesus? without you telling them you are a Christian, but simply by seeing the way you live your life?

Maybe they wouldn’t. Maybe the only reason in the world they would have to think you are a Christian is that you go to church. If that’s you and you’ve been blending in with the culture, know that Jesus is calling you to stand out, to be a shining light in this dark world, and to give witness to him in the way that live out the Great Commission and conduct ourselves in our everyday lives.

Jesus showed the most grace and love possible, by dying on the cross for each of us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. He had no sin in his life, he lived a sinless life and bore the sin of all of humanity on his back as he was beaten and eventually crucified. That is the definition of handling your problems counter culturally. That was the most selfless act in the history of the world.

Remember that example today. God has a purpose for your life, a purpose to use you as a vessel for his glory. Don’t run away from that purpose today, refuse to blend in, but choose to follow after Jesus.