How To Suffer For Doing what is Right

Introduction

For the first 3 1/2 chapters of his letter, Peter has been addressing The Characteristics of a godly Christian.

He has encouraged the Believer to build upon his foundation of Christ as the cornerstone of their faith

He has exhorted the church on how to live clean lives in a dirty world

He wrote about how Christians are called to live their lives as Examples of Jesus Christ to this world

and He has just finished up His teaching on the relationships a Christian has with others in this world.

and He gave all believers two core principles that they must live by in every relationship they are in.

Avoid sinning - even when the other person is evil,

and look like Jesus- no matter the cost.

Peter has laid this foundation of what it takes for a Christian to be ready to suffer well for the sake of Christ.

Peter wanted this young church to make sure that their suffering wasn't the main focus of their life as a believer.

So he took the time to remind them who they are in Christ and what they have been called to look like in this world as the redeemed children of God.

Peter wants this suffering church to remember who they have been made to be through Christ first, so that they could see how they have been equipped to Suffer well.

and Now, In These next few verses in 1 Peter chapter 3 Peter Introduces his main theme of this letter “ How to Suffer well, for Doing what is right”

Turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Peter 3:13

He begins this section with a Rhetorical Question and then lays out six Actions that will define a Christian who suffers well.

Friends we may not be in the exact circumstances as this first century church right now. But these are just as much fur us today in our culture as they were for this young church in Asia

Look with me at His question for the church

1 Peter 3:13 (ESV)

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

This simple question makes a lot of sense. Even the unsaved world would agree with this truth/

Why would someone cause harm to another person who is doing the right thing?

Think about- When person does his job at work he is not punished for it but praised

When a kid obeys his parents at home He’s not sent to his room or put in timeout - He’s rewarded.

Part of being made in the image of God, the human race as a whole has been givne the ability to know what right from wrong.

This God given Human Nature tells us that when someone does what is right they should be rewarded and when someone does what is evil - they should be punished.

But this question from Peter is much deeper for those who are in Christ.

When God redeems a lost sinner - He places that redeemed person under his own sovereign care.

and if God is the protector of that life, Is there really anyone or anything that has the power to defy what God has planned?

AND THE ANSWER IS WHAT? NO-

Paul spoke of this same truth in Romans 8:31

Romans 8:31 (ESV)

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Brothers if you are in Christ- THERE IS NO ONE OR ANYTHING THAT HAS THE POWER TO DEFEAT GOD’S CARE OF YOUR LIFE.

‘ Who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is Good? NO One

BUT…. Uh oh… theres a but…

“BUT if you should happen to suffer for doing what is Right….

NEWS FLASH CHURCH- Sometimes Bad people do bad things to good people.

1 Peter 3:14 (ESV)

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

Peter wants these believers to know that there are many times that Good People will suffer for doing what it right and its ok

If you are in Christ - there is nothing that can harm you outside of the permission from God, But dont buy into the false teaching that all of suffering is a result of sin or a lack of faith in your life

Friends understand this simple truth- Just because you do what is right and fully obey Gods word in your life- doesn't mean hard times will not come!

No where in the Bible does it say that the better you are at following Jesus the less struggles you will have- In fact, in many places it says just the opposite.

God Sends us into our trials for our Good.

James 1:3 tells us he uses hard times to grow our faith

many times God allows Suffering in Our Lives So that we can have a platform to Proclaim his glory in this world.

Look at Job a Righteous man. God let him go through a deep dark valley where he lost everything including his livestock His farm and his children- and it was Not because of sin or lack of faith in his life.

Job’s Suffering was for His spiritual good to prove his faith in God, to make him more like The Lord, and to bring God ultimate glory from HIs life.

To Suffer for Righteousness sake Means that you are persecuted for living a life that is fully in line with Gods word.

for standing up for your Christian faith when others around you are ridiculing it

for refusing to sin even when others around you are sinning

for looking like Jesus no matter the cost.

These first century Christians where crying out to Pastor Peter saying “teach us how to suffer well for the glory of God?”

Teach us how to endure persecution even when it is hard

And so Peter gives these young Christians 6 actions to Help them Suffer well for the glory of God,

The first is to…

BELIEVE In Blessings

1 Peter 3:14 (ESV)

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

Peter doesn't say “you might get blessed if you suffer for the name of Jesus”…. He says YOU WILL BE BLESSED.

When You suffer for standing up for Jesus dont look at that suffering as a burden to fear, but as an opportunity to be blessed by your God.

Friends when we suffer for Christ, God will reward our lives with Blessings.

Peter wants the Christians to look through their suffering and Know that Blessings are coming.

This can radically change our perspective in the midst of the storm.

When we stop viewing our suffering as a burden and start seeing it as a Means of Blessings in our life, It brings us into a deeper fellowship with Christ and a deeper dependency od God’s sovereignty over our lives.

Friends to suffer well means that you view your suffering not as Burden but as a opportunity for Blessings in your life.

Trans: #2 peter goes on and says in verse 14 …. “HAVE NO FEAR OF THEM NOR BE TROUBLED”

1 Peter 3:14 ESV

14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,

to Suffer well Requires FEARLESS LIVING

Live without Fear

again, “IF GOD IS FOR US WHO CAN BE AGIANST US”

Friends our natural response to pain and suffering is Fear and Trembling. Right?

Think about it…. In the midst of our trials, our human heart naturally begins to fear what will happen next, and this anxiety begins to push our faith aside and infiltrate every aspect of our lives.

If I stand up for my faith at work- I might lose my job then how can I provide for my family-

If I stand up for my faith at school- I might lose my friends then I would be alone

If I stand up for Christ with my family- I might never see them again

Friends this is what fear looks like in the believers heart.

Friends if that describes you I want you to know You are not alone!

This is the same struggle every one of us has in our lives. Me included

The uncertainty of tomorrow is a scary thing if we are not grounded in our faith in Jesus Christ.

The uncertainty of our relationships when they are broken is a frightening thing when we are not trusting Jesus

Peter is simply reminding Christians that you has been called out of this futile way of thinking.verse

Romans 8:15 ESV

15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Brothers We no longer have to fear the uncertainty ofr tomorrow Because we are the children of the Living God!

you have been redeemed by the God of the universe,

a God who says “I am sovereignly in control of all things in your life, including your darkest storms.”

A God who says “I will never leave you nor forsake you!”

A God who promises that he does all things for the Good of those who love Him. Including the suffering you endure for righteousness sake!

Brothers To Suffer well When Persecution Comes We must put aside our fear and trembling and Trust in the Sovereignty of God over our storms.

Listen to verse 15 as Peter Continues “15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy…”

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

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,

3. HONOR CHRIST AS LORD

In YOUR HEART- Honor Christ as Lord of Your Life

Remember when the new testament authors speak of your heart they are referring to your deepest being. the place where your emotions emerge from, the source that dictates the path your life will take.

Friends, This is the place where fear resides in your life.

and Peter is saying replace your human emotion of Fear with Faith in Jesus Christ as the Lord of Your Life!

Put Christ on the throne of your life!

Make him your Lord…

Lordship Definition: Supreme Power and Rule

When someone has been given the position of lordship they have been given supreme power and rule over all that are in their domain

Illustration:Imagine a ship at sea with a captain at the helm. The captain has lordship over that ship, He has supreme power over everyone and everything on His ship. He has all authority,

He has the power to make that ship obey his commands and steer it where he wants it to go

He also has the power over the Crew- To direct them in everything they must do.

But his Lordship is not just about his power and authority

Lordship also carries with it the responsibility to ensure the well-being of everyone and everything on board.

As Lord of the ship He is responsible to do what ever it takes so that His ship and crew reach their destination safely .

When we talk about the lordship of Christ, it means recognizing His complete authority over us and surrendering control of our own lives to His guidance in every aspect of our being.

Friends, understand that before you came to Christ , you where the captain of your own ship,

But even as the captain of your ship you were sailing straight to an eternal lake of fire. That was your destination- And Just like me, You steered your life closer and closer to its eternal grasp on your soul.

But when God opened your eyes so that you could see the truth, and You accepted Jesus as your Savior.

Christ becomes the Captain of your ship, and He became the Lord of Your Life.

and as your Lord He promises:

to lead you,

to guide you,

to protect you

and to provide for all your needs,

But the reality is this… that sometimes we rebel against our captain and we form a mutiny in our own hearts against his rule in our lives.

Church, as your captain He will give you everything you need for Life and Godliness if you would just let go of the helm and trust in His sovereign Lordship over your life.

and Peter is simply saying Church You cannot suffer for doing what is right if you are not letting Christ Be in his rightful place as the captain of your Ship.

Two many times We look at Jesus as the Copilot instead of the Captain.

we like to steer the boat, Driving it to what brings us happiness and contentment, We like to be in control when everything is going well,

and its only when we make a mistake or when the hard times of life come rolling in that we cry out to Jesus to help us navigate the storm.

Friends, Peter is telling the church that Jesus needs to be the Lord of your life Before the storm ever arrives in the sea.

Understand that when Christ is Lord of our lives, each storm we are faced with- is no longer an opportunity for Fear and Trembling , but it Becomes a platform to Proclaim the Hope we have in Christ.

look at verse 15 with me again

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

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,

When we suffer Well for Righteousness sake the world sees something that is drastically different than anything else they have seen in this world,

They see joy instead of fear,

they see Hope instead of defeat-

They see what the power of Jesus as the captain of the ship can do in their own lives

and this is why Peter says

4. Be Prepared to Proclaim your Hope

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) Skip

15 …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,

Fiends we live in a hopeless world. Without Jesus there is nothing to live for other than the pleasures of this world,

and when those pleasures are taken from our lives the world’s hope is shattered leaving us in Fear and helplessness

Hopelessness is why the suicide rate is so high in this world.

Hopeless is why addictions are at an all time high in this country

Hopelessness is why so many marriages end in divorce

When mankind's only source of hope is ripped from his life, He is left with nothing to live for in this world.

BUT when we come to Christ We are given a living Hope- A hope that Jesus is going to return and take us to heaven to live with him for all eternity.

a hope that promises to wipe away every tear, every sorrow, every sickness and every hurt from our live.

A hope that says even when this life hurts today You have an eternity with Jesus in heaven tomorrow

Friends when we suffer well as follower Jesus - the world sees Hope instead of hopeless

they see what they are longing for in their own hearts.

And Peter is Saying Church “Dont waste your suffering- Use it as a platform to proclaim the gospel of Hope to this world.”

Proclaim the message that Jesus loves them too and that they can have this same living hope if they would Let Jesus into their lives.

But notice He says Do it with Gentleness and respect-

Understand until The H.S Opens the eyes of the sinner Everything about our relationship with Jesus makes no sense.

And SO, Peter is reminding these suffering Christians to not look down on the unsaved with haughty eyes or disrespect, But with Compassion for their lost souls.

Friends when we are gentle and respectful as we defend our faith and proclaim our hope that we have in Jesus- It makes the gospel of Jesus attractive to the World.

But when we come down on them like they are ignorant and that we are superior in our worth and knowledge It paints the gospel as something God did not intend for it to be!

Simply put when we defend our our we can not lose sight of the end goal and that is to see the lost come to Jesus, not to prove we are right and they are wrong. ]and this is why it must be bathed in Gentleness and love.

Peter Goes on in verse 16 and gives us a 5th action to suffer well for Righteousness sake

Look at the text with me

1 Peter 3:16 ESV

16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

GUARD YOUR INTEGRITY

(Keep Your Conscience clean)

…So that there is nothing that can hinder your testimony in the midst of your suffer.

Brothers and sisters- the loudest gospel witness in your life is your integrity!

Tou may know all biblical truths and be able to defend your faith, but if your life is not a picture of Jesus Christ in the way you life, your gospel words will fall on def ears.

This why Mathew Wrote

Matthew 5:16 (ESV)

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Brothers and sister- How you live your life in this world matters when it comes to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Peter is saying “Church dont give the world a justified reason to persecute your faith”,

I have met many “Christians” Who know all the right answers and they love to point out how everyone else is wrong in their thinking, And in all reality are great at defending the faith, But yet their life looks drastically more like the world then even many who are in the world in the way they treat other people.

Friends there is no room for a believer to be selfish, or haughty, or even a religious know-it-alls.

To keep your conscience clean is speaking of your personal reputation in your community

Christian, If your neighbors and coworkers had to describe your life , Would it look any different than those who do not know Jesus?

Why does our testimony matter? Peter says in this verse “because then if people speak against you they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because of your relationship with jesus Christ.”

Think about it- It doesn’t matter if someone is a christian or not- If they are a jerk at work and they get persecuted - The world sees justice! Right?

The worlds says “they got what they deserved.. they got Karma- what goes around comes around.”

The world expects those who are selfish haughty and sinful to be persecuted for their actions.

But when the believer- who lives his life above reproach by avoiding sin and looking like Jesus, is persecuted for doing what is right - The world around says thats not right!

Brothers and sisters chose to have integrity in all you do so that if you suffer You can suffer well.

Finally in Verse 17 Peter wraps it up and simply Says…

Keep Doing what is Right

1 Peter 3:17 ESV

17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Dont lose sight of your calling.

No matter how hard it may get - Keep doing what is right and Follow Christ

No matter How persecuted you become- Keep doing what is right and Avoid Sinning

Our faithfulness in the midst of Persecution is one of the greatest testimonies to the World of the transformative power of the gospel in our lives.

Friends the gospel of Jesus radically changed you- You no longer live for your own glory but the glory of God.

and your persecution is no longer about escaping the hurt and pain it causes but about proclaiming Christ in its midsts.

BRING IT HOME

Look at the progression of this verse when it comes to suffering for doing what is right

When we view our suffering as a source of blessings form God and not a burden

it drives our fear of the unknown away.

and when fear is no longer the master of our heart Christis Honored as our lord.

and When Christ is lord of our lives- The world notices we are different.

and when they see our difference in the way we suffer the want to know how we can have such hope.

and the reason they see our hope in the midst of their hopelessness is because they have seen the integrity in our lives even before the persecution came.

Friends suffering for doing what is right is not something we should fear as believers but something we should welcome into our lives as God Choses.

I believe that there is coming a day in our culture where our Christian faith is going to be tested greatly.

I believe there is coming a day before my generation passes that Christians will have to make the choice to either yield to the world's persecution or stand up for what Gods word says is right.

Dont wait until that persecution comes into your live.