Desire to Love Life?

Introduction

TIMER: Please open in you Bible’s to 1 Peter 3:8-12. This is on page 1015 in you use a bible scattered throughout the chairs. Well a lot has changed since 2003… Your grandma is now on Facebook, Blackberrys have been exchanged for iPhones with touchscreens, Netflix went from a DVD mailing service to a streaming service. Baseball has added a pitch clock, the great British bake off has come to America. But one think has remained… a particular jingle and catch phrase has remained the slogan for the most popular American burger restaurant. All I have to do is sing… ba da bah bah… I’m Lovin’ It. And you know I am talking about McDonald’s. Why has this phrase and jingle remained relevant for over 20 years? Especially when so much else has changed. Many of us probably don’t realize that McDonald’s had other slogans before their 2003 global commercial. In fact, in the 1970s McDonald’s changed slogan’s three times. “You Deserve a Break” in 1971, We do it all for you in 1975, and Nobody can do it like McDonalds in 1979. And perhaps we can remember the “We Love to See You Smile” campaign. All of these are good slogans, but none have lasted as long as “I’m Lovin It”

Perhaps it is the catchiness of the melody of the jingle, the fact it is easy to incorporate it into various other music styles, or some other psychological reason. Or perhaps it is because a part of us wants to be able to think about life and just say, “I’m Lovin It.” There is an allure to the idea that it is possible to actually love life. Life can be enjoyable, peaceful, and fulfilling. In our text today we read the words, “Whoever desires to love life and see good days…” what a good phrase.

When I read it that this week I felt myself grow excited to read what comes next. I desire to love life and see good days. That {whoever}, is taking about me. And my guess it that it is alluring to you to. If you desire to love life and see good days… if want to think about life and think “I’m Lovin It” then take heed to this text before us this morning. Let’s Read and consider 1 Peter 3:8-12.

As we work through the text this morning I want us to consider three attitudes that the text gives us. That in order to love life we are to have a Posture of Love, Propensity to Bless, and a Passion for Peace. That is a Posture of Love, a propensity to Bless, and a passion for peace.

Posture of Love v. 8

1 Peter 3:8 “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” This finally is the conclusion of a section of this letter that began in 2:11. Peter commands these persecuted Christians to abstain from the passions of the flesh and then specifically explains what that looks like for citizens, slaves, wives, and husbands. Now, he addresses all Christians generally. As his audience was suffering persecution for their faith Peter tells them that they are to be united in mind, sympathetic, love each other as family, be tender hearted to one another, and have a humble mind. This command comes in the form of a chiasm or sequence of elements that are listed then repeated in reverse order. The ABCB’A’ structure I have placed on the screen for your reference. The A’s and B’s go together and therefore highlight the C (brotherly love) in the middle. The A’s (Unity in mind and humility in mind) each have the word for mind and sympathy and compassion or tender heartedness go together thematically.

So, the A’s of unity and mind and a humble mind relate to one another. This command to be these 5 things is to Christians and deals with their posture or attitude toward other Christians. I say this because in Peter’s language you can’t be united in mind to a non-christian in the way he is suggesting here. In fact, the book has been about the reality that these people are exiles in their hometowns because they have become Christians. Peter isn’t calling them to be united to those who have cast them out. As they experience persecution and choose to not carry out the passions of their flesh they will need one other to be successful. Therefore they are to be united in mind. In the most straightforward sense to be united in mind is to all agree that Christ is Lord.

It is to believe that the ultimate goodness in life in found in Jesus. Paul says it like this in Philippians 2:1–2 “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” The answer to Paul’s question is an obvious yes. Only in Christ is there encouragement, love, participation in the Spirit, affection, and sympathy. Thus, they are to agree in this understanding of Christ goodness and be of the same mind. Christians are united in the idea that Christ is all in all. He is the apex of joy, he is our comfort, and our hope and joy. And as we unite in this idea it produces within us a humble mind. Philippians 2:3–4“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” If you hope to make it and be happy as an exile you must do so with the aide of fellow exiles. We must be a people united together and willing to consider each other as more important that ourselves.

This theme of consider others as more important than ourselves and being humble is a consistent one in the NT. Why? Because naturally we are prideful and prideful people are easy to divide. Satan, our enemy wants us to crumble under the pressure of this world. And the easiest way to do that is to divide us through the vices of our pride. When there is disagreement nothing cements a person to their “side” than the staunch belief that they are right and therefore righteous. And the other Christians are wrong and therefore wicked. I’m the good guy and they are the bad guy. But if can agree that Christ is Lord, that He is the one that in charge, we are free to be humble.

We are able to do what needs to be done in disagreement and in high pressure situations. We can show sympathy to one another and be tender hearted. In order to show sympathy we live out Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” We celebrate one another’s victories and joys and we mourn our losses together. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul describes the church as the body of Christ in which every member is valuable and necessary for the body to functional properly. The he says the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of you. Just as our physical bodies need each part so does our church need each member. As concludes this metaphor he writes, 1 Corinthians 12:26 “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” To sympathize with one another is to know that we are in this life together. We bear one another burdens through prayer and hugs and be providing helping hands. We make each other meals when babies are born, help rebuild decks, fix trucks, and take turns in setting up and tearing down each Sunday. Serve in childcare so moms can listen to a sermon in relative peace and we counsel and care for one another with God’s word in our Community Groups. We are tendered hearted or compassionate to each other. Sensitive to the needs of the body and happy to serve where needed. These simple acts of love are the method God uses to get us through the ups and downs of life.

T/S- This is how we have a posture of love toward one another. In this we see good days and love life. And as we engage with the world around us. A world that does not always like and in fact sometimes commits evil against us. What are we to do? We are to have a propensity to bless.

Propensity to Bless v. 9

As we desire to see good days and love life we read that we cannot be a people who repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling. The urge to take revenge is a natural one. Our gut reaction when someone harms us is to harm them back. If you don’t believe me just watch and set of young siblings interact. If one hits, they all start hitting. If one calls the other a name, they all start hurling insults. Yet, this is not the reaction of the Christian when we are harmed. Christians are not to repay evil for evil. We do not trade insults or reviling. And this verse in 1 Peter is far from the only mention of this in Scripture.

Romans 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” Romans 12:17–21 “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” You two apostles teaching the same thing, they even use the same language of do not repay evil for evil. This makes it clear that they are teaching from the same source.

That source is Jesus. He teaches in Luke 6:28–29 “bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.” He teaches in Matthew 5:38–44““You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” God’s standard on this issue is clear. And if you are like me you might even be tempted to start looking for loopholes. But what if is really bad, do I really need to commit myself ridicule and physical harm? Physical harm seems a bit excessive. Can’t I live by grandpa’s old school rules or if a bully picks on me punch hard punch fast… And if you think you might lose the fight punch the bully in front a teacher. That way the teacher can break it up before you hit back.

This is the common sense law that our world operates by. Does it have a place in the Christian life? Are Christians suppose to be tough take matters into their own hands? Especially when things get physical. To just resign to mistreatment seems a little extreme doesn’t it? Yet, Peter says we are “called to this.” The natural tendency of humans is to when struck, strike back, but the propensity of the Christ-follower is supposed to be to bless.

In fact, physical beating has already to been mentioned in 1 Peter. And in that passage we have the same language of our calling being used. 1 Peter 2:20–24“For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

It takes an incredible amount of faith to endure beating and ridicule and not strike back in word or deed. When we do not take matters into our own hands but instead entrust ourselves to the one who judges justly we place ourselves solely in the hands of God. We acknowledge that our life is not our own and God alone can protect us. We live as if eternity is real. Because in enduring the insults of others, the loss of reputation, and even physical harm we say to the persecutor you have nothing to take from me. This world is not my home. I’m exile and my inheritance is 1 Peter 1:4–5 “…imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for me, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” So, take what you want. It is all rubbish for the sake of knowing Christ.

I used the word propensity not just because it starts with the letter “P” but because to have a propensity for something is to have a natural inclination toward it. My natural inclination is not to bless when persecuted. I am so far away from this sometimes I respond with a harsh word to clumsy kids. But I do believe this is the goal. God reminds us the James 1:20 “for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

You see, we fail to have a propensity to bless when we long for personal comfort, safety, achievement, etc. more than we long for the glory of God in our lives. When our love for the things of this earth overshadows our love for Christ we cannot hope bless when persecuted.

What do you want your life to produce? Who do you want to look like? Who’s steps do you want to walk in? Do you long for the America of the good old days more than the coming of King Jesus? Do you long for financial peace more than you long for dependency on Christ? Do you long for well-educated, well-behaved, and socially adjusted kids more than you long to glorify God in your parenting? What do you want? What is your passion? Will abstain from the passions of the flesh and live as you have been called to live?

I don’t believe anyone here has been physically beaten for their faith. Most of us have probably faced ridicule or reviling. But even the little test of life, the desires for your kids, your finances, your fears about the political future, or the future in general are being used to refine your faith and make you ready. Ready not just persecution, but something far greater. Ready to stand before God at the revelation of Jesus Christ. That is Peter’s goal for these Christians, it is the goal of my preaching as we walk through this book 1 Peter 1:7 “so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” And one sign of that genuineness, that readiness is that you would bless when persecuted and pray for your persecutors.

T/S- we must see the good days as God would have us see them. Not as easy days, not as days of wealth and health, but as days of internal peace in even in the midst of external turmoil. This way, we can be people in the midst of trouble and violence you seek peace and pursue it.

Passion for Peace v. 10-12

There is debate to whether the life and good days of verse 10 refer to now or eternal life. When the Psalmist in psalm 34, the psalm Peter is quoting, said it he meant the here and now. He was referring to the the covenant promise of God to the people of Israel. If they obeyed God’s covenant then they would receive God’s blessing in Israel. But what does this mean for us now?

I believe it is both. I believe Peter has been teaching throughout this book that days of peace and rest and reward will come in the future for every Christian. Peter has consistently referred to eternal life in the book. It is only in heaven that we have a guarantee of good circumstances. Only in heaven will every tear be wiped away. This side of heaven, there is burden upon burden. From cancer, to persecutors, to the consequences of our own sin and more difficulty is unavoidable. You will not make it through this world unscarred physically and emotionally from its torments.

However, I do believe Christians have the ability to have joy even in the most dire of circumstances. We can love life and see good days in the here and now, because our eyes and our hopes are not set on the here and now. Rather they are set on the future reality of an eternity with Christ. We can Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” Because God is near or at hand and he has promised to guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. So, if we practice these things the God of peace will be with you. That is a promise from a God that always keeps his promises.

Peter quotes Psalm 34 and we have 3 let hims in our text today. If you desire to love life and see good days that let you do these three things. Don’t speak evil or deceitful things. Tell the truth and bless with your mouth. The text us us to keep your tongue from evil and you lips from speaking deceit. It reminds me of Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” If you are like me step one to not speaking evil is talking less. When you don’t know what you are talking about… don’t talk. You are bound to say something silly.

We are also to turn from evil and do good. Ephesians 4:25–32 gives us several examples of what this look like ““Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

And the third let him is to seek peace and pursue it. Jesus reminds us Matthew 5:9 ““Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Are you a peacemaker? Do you seek to bring peace to troubled situations? Or are you a peace-faker, you run away and ignore conflict. And just say every is all good. Or even worse are you a peace-breaker. Are you quarrelsome? 2 Timothy 2:24–25 “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,”

If you long to love life and see good days you must pursue peace. We are to be passionate about peace in our church especially. I have been praying Ephesians 4:3 for us “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” To seek peace and pursue it, to be eager for unity implies that we go after it. We are not passive about peace. We will live out Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” We usually use this verse to comfort ourselves or our friends when we feel like we have exhausted all our efforts of peace, and rightfully so. But it is another verse written to people being persecuted and Paul is telling them to work as far as it depends on you, and nothing short of that, to live peaceably with all!

We are to be a people who don’t stir the pot with careless words, we don’t spread rumors, we don’t lie about other people because our tongues are kept from evil and our lips from deceit. We commit deeds of violence or harm because we turn from evil and do good. We seek peace and pursue it.

And what motivates us in this endeavor. The promise that God is for the righteousness. His eyes are on the righteous and his ears are open to our prayers. And face is against those who do evil. We fear God’s disapproval and we long for his blessing.

Conclusion

To be blessed by God is to live the good life. The good days are the days lived that would please the Lord. Our works do not save us, but they are the evidence of genuine faith. Those who bless the ones that commit evil against them and revile are those who will receive the ultimate blessing of eternal life. It is those who have supernaturally changed by Christ. What does it mean to be a Christian?

A Christian is a person that believes that Jesus is the Son of God sent by God to live a perfect life, die in our place on the cross, and rose from the dead. The Christians doesn’t just give intellectual ascent to the events, but truly believes that true life is found in the work of Christ. Christians believe it and mean it. They live in such a way that they really believe that when they die they will go to heaven. And they live knowing that for those who do not know God will die and go to hell. They live as God is real and really does see their sin. So, Christians seek peace even when no one is looking. They love Jesus and want to be like him. Jesus gave his life to make peace between God and man. Romans 5:10–11 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Jesus died to make peace with his enemies. We are called to bless our enemies and pray for them in the hope that God would save them from their sins. [Let us pray]