Suffering for Doing Good

Good morning children of God! How amazing that we have another day and are going into a New Year with the God of all creation on our side! As I was listening to Pastor Paul’s sermon on Christmas Eve, I was reminded of the shortsightedness of human beings. We forget that God made a plan from the beginning to save us from the evil one, from ourselves, and to bring us into a renewed relationship with Him! A bunch of folks are going to make New Years resolutions this year, but will probably fail at keeping them. It’s because we try to do them in OUR POWER! Not God’s will, not God’s plan, not God’s purpose, but our purpose, will, and plans.

I was in my office thinking about the coming New Year and I ask myself, “What is my number one resolution going to be for 2024?” Can I just say at 48 years old, I have made a lot of resolutions that did not come to fruition and that I failed at keeping within the first month of the new year. The reality is that the resolution does not matter unless I put God first, unless you put God first. I asked God to show me what WE, He and I, are going to do this year, what I am going to do for Him for Christ. He showed me! I am going to “suffer for doing good!” How Fun! I am so excited!

Here is the thing, if you are a true believer, you are going to suffer for doing good. You cannot be a believer in Christ and not suffer at some point. Let me explain. It is not always about being beaten, flogged, or killed. The fight between the enemy and our flesh is exhausting at times! Allowing Holy Spirit to be master and our minds and hearts to be submissive is an intense struggle at times. When we change our playgrounds or give up friendships and relationships that we realize are ungodly or toxic, there is a grieving process involved, a loss is experienced. That is part of suffering unto the obedience to Christ.

Listen, sometimes I go into a free-fall with my thoughts, my tongue, and my actions. In those times, I am allowing this world to draw out the worst in me, which is exactly what the enemy wants! I will tell you, I am the most pathetic excuse for a believer that exists at times.

Ya’ll, it was so bad last week, while we were driving, that Carolyn was praying for God to remove my anger and correct my tongue. Let me just tell you, there is nothing like a woman correcting you by speaking Jesus over you! What are you going to do? Yell at her for praying the truth in the name of Jesus? I just had to shut my mouth and take some breaths.

Praise God that when I made the promise to follow him, when I made the resolution to stand up and be counted as a man of God, He did not expect perfection from me. Perfection is found only in His son, and God knows it! The point is that part of that suffering is in the war we continually fight between the Spirit, our sin nature, and this world.

There are things in this world that contribute to that internal battle. We see it everyday: The One True God is constantly mocked in our society, people are so self-absorbed that everything becomes about them, by my estimation, our entire government is worthless, and persecution against Christians is happening with increased frequency and acceptance in this country. Glory be to God! He told us these things would happen and that all of these things would come to pass.

I say all this morning because I am going to ask you to join me in making a New Year resolution that puts God first. It is important to remember that the purpose of a resolution is not to earn God’s favor or to prove your worth. He showed you through Christ how much he favors you. It’s an opportunity to grow closer to God and to become more like Christ.

Instead of “What am I going to do this year?” We need to ask “God, what are we going to do this year?” “God, what are we going to do today.”

We are going to look at verses from 1 Peter today because the intended recipients of 1 Peter were facing hardships as a result of social and government opposition to their faith in Christ. Sound familiar? It sounds like the direction we are heading in today’s world. Let’s look at 1 Peter 3:13-16

1 Peter 3:13–16 NIV

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

I am pretty sure those are going to be my four verses for the year, particularly 1 Peter 3:15. These verses are about our behavior outside of the church walls. How we are to be with the rest of the world, but these verses are also about our hope and security in the LORD. Let’s go back to 1 Peter 3:13

1 Peter 3:13 NIV

13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?

What an interesting question. The way the word “harm” is used here means social rejection, persecution, or intimidation. We must always start with God’s perspective when we read scripture. Is God going to reject our behaviors if our behaviors are good in His eyes? NO! Is God going to bully you into doing what is right? NO! Will harm come to true believers on the day of Judgement? No!

NOW, do you think God approved of my ungodly behaviors in traffic the other day? Absolutely Not! Do you believe that God approves of your ungodly behaviors? No, He does not. Our thought process must always begin with knowing whose we are, and pursuing Godly behaviors in all things.

It is crazy that, as believers, we do a lot of good in this world, yet so many people try to intimidate, ostracize, and persecute believers. We know that intimidation, persecution, and social rejection are occuring, our leaders and others do not even try to hide it anymore!

Satan is subtle and patient. These things have been happening with subtlety in our country over the past 200 years and within the church since it began. “Under normal circumstances when you do what is right and good, you should not expect pain or harm to be directed your way.” We are not living under normal circumstances anymore.

Circumstances do not change who God is or the commission we have been tasked with as believers.

1 Peter 3:14 NIV

14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

After all these years, I get what this means! I understand what the apostles meant when they would say things like “I find joy in the suffering.” Do not misunderstand, I do not want to suffer, i do not like to suffer. Suffering for doing what is good in the sight of God gives me another way to glorify Him. Again, we start with God in the top position in our mind. Everything must flow from God. If you are behaving Godly, if you are showing the love of Christ to even those who are your enemy or those you disagree with, what do you think you are going to hear on the day of judgement? “Well done my good and faithful servant!”

Christians today are so eaten up by their emotions and feelings that we forget the Power of the God we worship. We at times lose track of the Truth of the Word of God. This is all going to be gone like that (SNAP FINGERS)! Each soul will stand before the judgement seat and give an account for every word and every deed.

I do not know what has happened, but many in the body of Christ have become sheep lost in this world rather than lambs following the Good Shepherd. We worry what other people are going to think of us, we fear what others are going to say about us, and we stop short of speaking the name of Jesus at times.

Let me be very clear. It does not matter what the Pope has to say, it does not matter what some misguided Pastors have to say, I do not care about our leaders opinions, I care about what God has to say. I plan on hearing Him say to me “Well done my good and faithful servant.” We can not be frightened about standing on the absolute Truth of God’s Word and reflecting God’s only begotten son to this world!

There is a way to approach people who are not believers, those who may be confused, those who are seeking, and those who are ugly toward you. IT STARTS WITH US AND THE CHOICES WE MAKE AS BELIEVERS!

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

“But in your hearts, revere Christ as Lord.” Those eight words sum up my New Year resolution. This verse starts with the word “but” for a good reason. Prior to this in 1 Peter, believers are exhorted to stop living as the world lives, stop making excuses, stop lying, stop thinking everybody is out to get you, stop focusing on the negative, stop speaking death with our tongues. Instead, the reverence we hold for Christ Jesus in our hearts should be so tremendous that we cannot help seeing His sovereign hand at work in all things. That our primary desire is to please Him and to emulate Him.

Now, I have one specifically for the women here today. I have spoken with countless women who are so hard on themselves trying to look beautiful, trying to erase the years, or trying to be perfect.

1 Peter 3:3–4 NLT

3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Ladies, you are precious to the Father.You are beautiful, Recognize that you are a daughter of the most high God. Your outward appearance does not hold a candle to the beauty of your heart and your spirit when you are following the Lord. The most beautiful women I know are women of God.

And for all believers, when our hearts and minds are centered on Christ, then we are able to respond properly to the uncertainties and inconsistencies of life. Setting apart Christ as Lord in the heart is not just some private reality. It is a living reality that affects all areas of the believers life. The inner and outer life are inseparable, what happens within our hearts is inevitably displayed for all to see, especially in suffering.

Christ is our possession of hope. He is where our hope can be found! Christian hope is to be so real and distinctive that non-Christians should be puzzled by it and ask for an explanation. I remember early in my walk and even several years ago witnessing the faith and hope that some of my brothers and sisters had in even the most dire circumstances. I was blown away! Knowing that their hope came from their faith in Christ, regardless of the outcome. That is the hope in suffering that Peter is talking about here. That same hope that carries us through times of suffering. His hope is what brings joy to the believers heart!

Pay close attention to how he closes this verse. “Be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have, but do this with gentleness and respect.” I can’t tell you how many times as a maturing Christian I have seen someone beat someone else down with the Word of God or a believer acting ungodly. All I could say was “Great! You made Jesus look like a jerk.” I have made Jesus look like a jerk on more than one occasion. I say that because if someone knows I love Jesus and I am who they see as representing Jesus, which we are all called to do, what impression am I leaving on them about Jesus?

We are to approach conversation with non-Christians with gentleness and respect. You show me in scripture where the perfect lamb of God, our Savior, our Messiah, scolded or berated someone into the kingdom, and then I will tell you it is okay to Bible thump someone. If you think non-Christians are going to come to Christ if you argue with them enough, you are wrong.

Jesus was always gentle and respectful with people SEEKING Him. Revere Christ in your heart, and give those people an answer if they ask. More importantly, let His love, grace, and mercy pour out from you just as He has poured His love, grace, and mercy into you. In this, you are guaranteed that people will ask about your hope that is in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 3:16 NIV

16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Again, this is the trickle down from God effect. He has given each of us the ability, the power under Christ’s authority, ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS, and His very Spirit to go into the New Year speaking and acting like Christ. If people want to speak evil against you at that point, they are going to have to take it up with the ultimate authority, God. It is not your fight. Dust off your feet and move on with joy in your heart knowing that you did what you could to glorify the LORD.

Worship Team

Go into the New Year revering Christ in your heart and mind, reflecting Him to everybody, publicly and privately, and you will maintain a clear conscience knowing that the worst thing you did was act like Jesus Christ. Let that be your resolution this year.

I am offering a benediction for the New Year for each and every person here, online, and all of our brothers and sisters around the world. I am going to read directly out of Hebrews. Following the benediction, if you would like prayer or if you feel the need to come to the alter, please come forward. If you have made the decision to ask the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart, please see Me, Dakota, or Paul. Now, please allow the inspired Word of God to penetrate your hearts and minds with me. You are more than welcome to read along with me.

Hebrews 13:20–21 NLT

20 Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— 21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.