Overcoming the Obstacles of Opposition
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
If you have been a dedicated Christian for any length of time, you know that there are all kinds of opposition that you face as a believer. Peter addresses some of that opposition in this portion of this epistle. He tells us how to overcome the obstacles of opposition. The principles that he shares with us are practical and relevant for maturing in Jesus Christ.
When you stand before God, He will not be looking for decorations, diplomas, or degrees, but for scars.
Standing before God will be an exciting time, but will also reveal the struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil that has raged for years. It will be worth it, but that doesn’t make it easier.
Paul wrote in ...
Galatians 6:17 (KJV 1900)
17 ...for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Let’s dig into this and see what we can learn about “Overcoming the Obstacles of Opposition”...
I-Our Refuge In Suffering
I-Our Refuge In Suffering
The fiery trials come, and when they do we must remember something very important—we are never alone. There is one who becomes more real to us during these times than any other in our lives. He doesn’t abandon us or forsake us when the waters of life are rough, but rather stands beside us with His arm around us and in perfect control.
Hebrews 13:5 (KJV 1900)
5 ...I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Look at verse 13 of our text...
The Lord is our Deliverer
The Lord is our Deliverer
1 Peter 3:13 (KJV 1900)
13 And who is he that will harm you...
You think about this, who in the world is big enough to hurt you when you’re walking close by the Lord’s side?
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear:
What can man do unto me?
A little boy seemed to be traveling alone aboard a ship years ago. He busied himself with some books and games and was happily content. As a storm approached however, other passengers became fearful and apprehensive. The boy seemed unaffected by the splashing waves and rocking of the boat. Finally, a lady grabbed the little boy’s arm and said, “Son, aren’t you afraid?” The boy calmly looked up and said, “No, my Daddy’s the captain of this boat and he will get me home safely.”
Now, look at the rest of verse 13...
Going His way
Going His way
1 Peter 3:13 (KJV 1900)
13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?
We make our Christian journey far more difficult than it should be. Our responsibility is obedience—God will take care of the security. You never have to worry about what is in the ditch if you stay on the road.
133 Order my steps in thy word:
And let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
We can have joy!
We can have joy!
14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
We don’t have to have to go through life dreading the obstacles of opposition. We can rejoice no matter what comes our way because God is with us.
A great example of this is found in the life of the Apostle Paul...
2 Corinthians 12:7–10 (KJV 1900)
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
We can mark it down that the good and the bad are part of His sovereign plan, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. We have a refuge in suffering…
Second this evening, notice with me...
II-Our Response In Suffering
II-Our Response In Suffering
No one enjoys suffering. It is these times however that will make us bitter or better. We rarely get to choose the actions of life, but we do get to choose our reactions.
Look at verse 15...
1 Peter 3:15 (KJV 1900)
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts...
Sanctify, in this context, means: have reverence for, meekness and fear: gentleness and respect.
By fearing God, we will be free from fear of our human persecutors!
The outcome of our lives will be a direct result of the inside of our lives.
What are you putting into your life on a daily basis? Whatever you are putting into your life now will come out of your life during the time of trials and tests.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence;
For out of it are the issues of life.
Doing right today and continually keeping our lives right with God
will produce the right outcome when those trials of life come.
Look at the remainder of verse 15...
Be ready to answer
Be ready to answer
1 Peter 3:15 (KJV 1900)
15 ...and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
God wants to use you in your trials.
It’s easy to lose your focus in the midst of trouble. Peter had great faith—enough to walk on the water—but when he saw the waves and heard the wind, he took his eyes off of the Master.
No one has endured a “fiery furnace” like Christ Himself! Imagine all of the thoughts that were in His mind as He made His way to Calvary and then hung on the cross and bore the sins of the world. Jesus endured tremendous suffering, and yet every word He spoke impacted those around Him. One thief trusted Christ because of the words He spoke in that crucial hour.
Fill your heart and mind with God and His Word so that in your times of difficulty God can use you to help others.
Look on to verse 16...
Have a good conscience
Have a good conscience
16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
We cannot control what others say about us or do to us, but we can control whether or not we have a clear conscience. In the midst of criticism or mocking from the world and even sometimes so-called Christians, we can stay right in our relationship with the Lord.
Someone has wisely said, “The softest pillow is a clear conscience.”
Looking on to verse 17...
Here’s some Assurance
Here’s some Assurance
17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.
When we do what is right and have a clear conscience, we can let the chips fall where they may. God will take care of the situation. What a joy to know that nothing occurs by accident or without our heavenly Father’s knowledge.
III-Our Reason For Suffering
III-Our Reason For Suffering
Nothing with God is an accident. Has it ever occurred to you that nothing ever occurs to God? There is a reason for every event in our lives, even the trials. Most of us can look back at a trial and see how God used it to shape us in some manner that brought greater blessing or result.
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
God often uses things in our lives to help others see a bigger picture.
We might wonder why God would require innocent little lambs to die at the Passover, but God was using it to picture the future Lamb of God who would die for the sins of the world. It didn’t seem logical at the time or even humane, but God’s plan was perfect.
We must learn to trust that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours.
If we can focus on the “bigger picture” through our trials, we will be able to endure them with patience knowing that God will work out even these things for good!
22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
When we weather the trials and storms of life, our influence is enhanced in the lives of those who witness our testimonies.
This verse reminded me of Stephen, the first martyr...
Stephen had done nothing wrong, yet he was persecuted and killed. Why didn’t God intervene? Why didn’t God stop those who brought such difficulty and death? God had something bigger than one life in view. God highly valued Stephen—Jesus stood when he entered Heaven according to Acts 7:55.
But God knew that through his death a young man would be reached by the name of Saul. When He spoke to Saul a short time later, Saul recognized God’s voice. He had seen God in Stephen and was now more than ready to accept Him. Saul, upon his conversion, turned the world upside down.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to look back from Heaven and realize that the trial of your life helped others come to Christ or be helped in some way to reach others with the Gospel? We see life from the playing field, but God sees it from the blimp.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Because Jesus reigns from on high and there is none higher than Him and none with greater power than Him, the church should
→ rejoice in His presence.
→ rest in His promises.
→ and rely on His power to overcome all enemies.
Warren Wiersbe wrote, “As Christians, we do not fight for victory, but from victory—the mighty victory that our Lord Jesus Christ won for us in His death, resurrection, and ascension.”