1 Peter 3:8-12 Notes

1 Peter 3:8–12 — “Chosen to Bless and Be Blessed”

Introduction

Greet/Pray/Read Scripture

Scripture Reading – 1 Peter 3:8–12 (ESV)

“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 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. For ‘Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 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.’”

I. Context – Peter’s Message So Far

Throughout this letter, Peter has told believers that we are to be set apart from the world — chosen by God to follow the Chosen One, Jesus Christ. as followers of Christ He's laid out-

How to act in times of trial./What to bring to remembrance when facing the ways of the world

How to live holy and separate lives from the world.

How to conduct ourselves in relationships at home and in society.

And now, Peter turns his focus to how we are to live together as one body — how we are to behave toward one another and how we appear before the watching world.

And how we are to bless the world and inso doing be blessed/ Bless and be Blessed

If we live this out faithfully, those we bless will long to know the One who blessed us as his chosen

Drive home importance of next part/ take emphasis

II. Verse 8 – Unity of Mind, Sympathy, Love, Tenderness, and Humility

1 Peter 3:8 – “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”

Peter begins this list with something that might just be the hardest — unity of mind.

Question for the congregation: When you look out at the world today, does it look like there’s unity of mind?

Every headline screams division — anger, strife, threats of civil war./ its scary But Peter tells us: we are not to be afraid or act like the world. We are to have unity of mind — agreement and harmony in Christ.

A. What Are We to Agree Upon?

Christ Himself — the gospel, the truth, the word of God

bunch of other things to agree upon: sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and humility

B. Sympathy

I fail at this/ tend towards sympathy for my own sins but snap judgment in my mind on others(even in the body)/god stops me from outright rebuke/causes judgmental mind/they're struggling too

When I fail to show sympathy, I also fail walk in brotherly love, tenderness, and humility. I use Sin Because if we can get sympathy right when dealing with sin we can get the rest right as well

Worlds sympathy is not our sympathy/ we are to Love 1st/ sympathy towards Failing, pain

But do not accept sin and deny truth like the world

The world’s version of sympathy is shallow — it looks like love, but it’s really practicing appeasement and indifference.

C. Paul’s Example

Galatians 6:1–2 (ESV) “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

This exemplifies what Peter is describing — sympathy, love, tenderness, humility. That’s what Peter means when he says we are to bless the world/ How does god work? God blesses others through us

God loves to act through His chosen people — through you and me — to bring His blessings to us and the world.— Now comes the harder part

III. Verse 9 – The Harder Part: Blessing Instead of Retaliation

1 Peter 3:9 (ESV) “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.”

Now Peter’s really gone and done it. Everything so far sounded difficult but doable… until this verse. seems like Only God can do it/ kind of true

Remind Them- Not in our own strength, it is impossible.

We couldn’t follow God’s law before because we tried to do it without Him. But now, God dwells within us. The Spirit of Christ lives in us — making the impossible possible

But remember what Jesus said:

Matthew 19:26 (ESV) “But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.””

We wont become or do it perfectly/ My wife will tell you I don’t/ the impossible is in our grasp because of God

Even with hope it still seems impossible/ I cant repay Good for Good/

Give story of Brother forgiving murderer/ i have seen opposite/ radical forgiveness comes from following Jesus/ that's what he did for us

C. The Example of Christ

Romans 5:6–10 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 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.”

Paul says while we did evil to Christ he died for us repaying our evil with the greatest good/And Peter heard this spirit in Jesus

Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”

Luke 23:34 “And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.”

Most quoted verse/ lost meaning / looked at it with fresh eyes/As He’s being beaten, mocked, and crucified He prays for them

Think about that next time someone hurts us/ picture us doing it to Jesus( sin is nails in the cross) and him forgiving us/ that will change the way we look at being hurt.

What does Peter mean by us obtaining a blessing? ( Is he Crazy) Not at all/ This took me a while to unravel/ Peter uses next 3 verses

IV. Verses 10–12 – The Psalm and the Blessing

1 Peter 3:10–12 (ESV) “For ‘Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 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 is quoting Psalm 34:12–16, written by David after fleeing from Saul and feigning madness before Abimelech in Gath/ share funny picture of David/ This relates to the readers of this letter who are foreigners because of being in Christ

A. The Context of Psalm 34

Psalm 34 “Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.”

David shows fear of the Lord/ Trusts in Gods justice/ not fear as in terror, but in reverence, awe, and trust.

The same fear and reverence that guides how we treat one another must also guide how we live before the world.

B. David’s Restraint and Trust

Peters readers know this psalm/ Remember when David was persecuted by Saul and he had the chance to kill Saul twice but refused/In the worlds eyes he had the right to kill Saul

He said, “I will not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” He trusted God to deliver justice in His own time. If David kills Saul he’s not trusting God

David’s mighty Men said “ 1 Samuel 24:4 “And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’ ” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.”

instead David cut the robe to show Saul he could have killed him but instead left it in Gods hands

Sounds easy to trust God but we often don’t/ I often pay evil for evil

Deuteronomy 32:35 (ESV) “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”

Remembering this makes it easier to turn the other cheek/ But we are called to go further

C. Our Response: Prayer and Witness

We are to repay evil with good— we ask god to strike down evil but if he did it might be us.

If people didnt pray for me i might be lost/ I know God used their prayers in his plan

If we pray for our enemies, God might use that prayer to bring them to repentance, just as others once prayed for us.

Plus Our radical obedience becomes a witness — and that’s how God uses us to bring others to faith (I have seen it)

Matthew 5:14–16 (ESV) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 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.”

V. The Blessing We Receive

Gods plan is so big and awesome When he uses us to bless others and make new brothers and sisters/ think to possible conclusion ( holy spirit helps) impossible seems possible/Even if they don't repent God still brings his justice

Answer-Sometimes that blessing is seeing the good conclusion met and someone comes to Christ/Other times, it’s the internal blessing of becoming more like Jesus. the more you repay good for evil/ that what sanctification is

Romans 8:29 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

I have talked about how God uses suffering/Every act of obedience, every moment we choose mercy over vengeance, shapes us into His likeness.

Conclusion

Peter’s call here is simple — but not easy. We are to be of one mind, to bless instead one another through how we act, Proclaim God to all/ and to trust God with justice. Through that process we are blessed by becoming like Jesus/ only possible by trusting and using power of the spirit. without him it wont work.

But remember, that's part of how god builds his relationship with us. He uses us Relying on him and him showing us the good that can be brought about in our lives through working with him and trusting him. So to close everything up, everything that was mentioned in the letter before about how we are to trust God, how we are to persevere in our suffering. And how we're to treat society at large, our wives and husbands in marriage. And one another in the church, we are to bring outward to the rest of the world as we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to all who will listen. People aren't going to listen to the fact that Jesus came down died for us on the cross for our sins was buried, and 3 days later rose from the dead if you're acting like they are. But if you're acting like Jesus did, then they'll hear the gospel, just like we did. When I came to Christ. It was the character of Jesus that opened my eyes. The fact that everything he went through, he went through differently than any one else would have In history. And i mean anyone, pick any one from history. No, one would have done it the way he did it. That's what got me to start hearing what he was saying. And truly be changed. And god used many people in that process as well, and he wants to use each one of us to continue to do that to each and every person who will accept him across the world.