Suffering for Righteousness

Introduction

We finished the section of Peter’s letter that addressed our conduit in three of the most important relationships in our life.

Peter is going to now address our OBLIGATIONS

that rest on all of US as Christians living on Spaceship Earth.

Peter will not address specific places or positions BUT rather----

our Conduct in Community Earth,

Our Community Church,

and our Goal for our Heart, Mind and Spirit.

As we go through this lesson this morning, I challenge you to think about THREE THINGS:

How these statements effect you when you meet someone living like this?

How are you Living in These Commands?

What do you need to Celebrate with Christ in the Change in You?

Christian Ethics

1 peter 3:8-12 “8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

In our past studies of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and even Ruth

We have discovered an important element of Being like a Christian

Being a Christian is ACTING like One

Being a Christian is Thinking like One

our Actions come from our Thinking and our thinking from the Condition of our Heart.

Grace overrules all, its not that we don’t stumble or take a wrong turn, but we strive to do it less and less.

It is FAITH that Saves us not our Works

But we strive to LIVE a LIFE that HONORS HIM and starts to become like HIM

Friends let me remind you of something we spoke about a few weeks ago.

Read the Gospels about PETER — IMPETUOUS - RASH

know HEAR the PETER that writes this Letter — KIND and IN Control

WE SEE THE CHANGE

Peter is sharing HIS Heart — and HIS HEART IS CHANGED TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS.

THAT IS OUR GOAL

To seek the GOOD things in our LIFE- means something different to a Christian

Our ACTIONS show our Progress in CHRIST

We seek the God things in LIFE

Look at what Peter is telling us:

To have Unity of Mind

Sympathy

Brotherly Love

Tender Hearted

Humble mind

These FIVE characteristics summarize our relationship to Our Community

They provide the Harmony of the Peace Filled LIFE

it is pride and selfishness that disrupt

but unity of mind, sympathy, love, tender hearts and humility

bring peace.

We are NOT called to condemn people suffering here, but to

COACH, COMFORT and ENCOURAGE.

[PAUSE]

It is Not in our Condemnation that they are Changed, but in our Compassion they see the LIGHT of JESUS.

WE ARE NEVER TO REPAY EVIL WITH EVIL

that is for the LORD to deal with

Our mission as Good Children of our Father GOD

is to

1 peter 3:9 “9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.”

God said it, so we should do it

Look at this OT citation from Ps 34:12-16 in our study today:

10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;

11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.

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.””

Peter sums up this section with Encouragement

Who is going to harm you if you are zealous for GOOD

Even if they harm you, you are blessed

We should not FEAR or be STRESSED

Simple HONOR CHRIST IN ALL THINGS

He is our Protector, Provider, and Provision

Because of HIM

WE ARE HUMBLE

WE ARE TEACHABLE

WE SEEK TO LOVE AND BRING UNITY

Any challenge, whether health, wealth, or relational is Temporary and EARTHLY.

Our LIFE is SECURED IN HEAVEN

We seek a LIFE THAT SHOWS US CHRISTIAN CHARACTER TO THE WORLD

Our Christian LIFE must be a leaky bucket

CHRISTIAN CHARACTER LEAKS

[PAUSE]

Be Prepared

Now if you are acting in the FIVE Characteristics of CHRISTIAN LIVING

IT WILL FREAK PEOPLE OUT!!!

To have Unity of Mind

Sympathy

Brotherly Love

Tender Hearted

Humble mind

when you are challenged, Persecuted, or bullied

you respond with THESE FIVE CHARACTERISTICS of CHARACTER

IT WILL FREAK PEOPLE OUT!!!

Let me share a goal with you...

Freak them out and have them ask you way you acted differently then others!!!

AH HA

let me tell you about MY JESUS

Look at one of BEST verses in FIRST PETER

1 Peter 3:15 “15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

Honor Jesus as Holy

BE PREPARED

TO MAKE A DEFENSE

Tell them the WHY you act DIFFERENT

and then cause Peter knows US

he reminds us to DO IT WITH GENTLENESS and RESPECT.\

you do the work, you accept Jesus in your HEART, and you DON’T thwart the HOLY SPIRITS voice inside you.

Give them the reason....

For me it is about..... {what Jesus did for me}

People can refute your BIBLE KNOWLEDGE,

they can not find fault in your Honest Testimony of HIM.

Tell them why you LOVE JESUS

THEY ASK ---- YOU TELL!!

Look we don’t ---- agree to disagree ----that is Selfish!

you stay stubborn on your version and I’ll stay selfish on mine

Selfish

We only seek to speak TRUTH with all the love that we have inside us.

We simply speak the TRUTH,

We seek to be TEACHERS,

WE SEEK TO DO THE WILL OF GOD

Look there is NEVER a GUARANTEE that they RESPOND in that moment

BE A SEED PLANTER

for it is the LORD that brings the Harvest.

1 cor 3:5-8 “5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8 He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.”

Friends STOP being SCARED TO SHARE

always be prepared to give a defense for the HOPE

some one planted, others are called to water, some may be called to pull the weeds

BUT IT IS GOD AND GOD ALONE THAT BRINGS THE GROWTH

IT IS HE WHO MAKES AND DECIDES THE HARVEST.

If it goes Well with YOU then it is a blessing!!

if it goes badly then you are BLESSED STILL.

It is Christ that will address, Christ who will put them to Shame

have the mindset that for GOOD or BAD i SERVED THE LORD

i have a DEFENSE FOR THE HOPE in ME, IN HIM and I did it with Gentleness and Respect.

Good Company

Our final section of verses today TELL US that you are in good company

YOU are IN CHRIST

verses 18 tell us that

Christ suffered so HE gets it.

Not only from HIS position as GOD - the great I AM

but our JESUS walked this earth

Jesus suffered

Jesus was Righteous in front of and for of the UNRIGHTEOUS

so that we could be called Righteous

WHY?

TO bring us to GOD

WHY to we suffer and conduct ourselves in CHRIST

TO BRING OTHERS TO CHRIST

God is a Patient God

Peter uses the example of NOAH

God was patient

GOD brought eight people through the FLOOD to give them a NEW LIFE

God will bring you through your Floods in LIFE and BRING you to the NEW LIFE, THE ETERNAL LIFE

It is through the Resurrection of CHRIST that we are FREE, WE ARE NEW

Now we live with INCREASING CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

Unity of Mind

Sympathy

Brotherly Love

Tender Hearted

Humble mind

We PREPARE Daily to give an ANSWER to any one who asks

Our conduct attracts others to ask WHY and we are then able to tell them about

Our Jesus

ONE of the THINGS that ATTRACTS THE OPPORTUNITY is our

Christian CONDUCT

We act differently and people will ask US why? and we simply answer

Friends are PETER leaves Chapter 3

We leave this morning with:

Christ came to EARTH to Save all who call on HIS NAME

CHRIST SUFFERED GREATLY FOR US

CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED< DIED< BURIED<AND RESURRECTED and Today sits at the Right Hand of GOD the FATHER

CHRIST HAS ALL AUTHORITY ON HEAVEN AND EARTH

WE BELONG TO HIM

If you don’t know my Jesus this morning

If you want to WALK BETTER

then please come up here this morning and lets talk

lets pray together

Lets learn together

lets do community together

and HELP EACH OTHER TO MOVE CLOSER TO JESUS.

Lets PRAY!!