Your Kid’s Future

If you knew how to change your child’s future for the better, would you do it?

I don’t know at what point of my life my awareness changed, but one day it did.

I started listening to the arguments people made for doing things - especially politicians and influencers.

And I began to notice that their favorite argument always was “ we should do this for the children.”

Jimmy Carter started the Department of Education “for the children.”

Barack Obama pushed Common Core “for the children.”

Anytime someone tries to put constraints on social programs, we are reminded to “think about the children.”

Even abortion - We’ve been told the story of the mom who had as many kids as she could handle and now she’s going to have another one.

So she did what she had to do “for the children.”

And of course we understand why everyone - church people too - use the argument “for the children.”

We love our kids.

So I figured I should use the argument too - it is a good one.

So, “If you knew how to change your child’s future for the better, would you do it?”

See, I’m concerned we are all hearing what Peter is teaching and we Amen it and move on.

“We’ve heard this before and Peter is so right,” and then we get up tomorrow and it’s simply another day.

But if we would intentionally put into practice what the Lord is teaching us here, there is no telling what would happen.

But I do know one thing that would happen.

Our kids would see us - they watch us do everything

They would see us - and God willing, it would change their lives.

I’m pleading with you this morning - if it all starts sounding like something you’ve heard before

And you agree with it - instead of zoning out

Double down on hearing what the Holy Spirit is saying - for the children.

Open your Bibles to 1 Peter chapter 3 - we’ll be in verses 8 - 12 today.

Kids,

We know you watch us.

But what you may not know is, other people are watching you.

And a lot of times people can learn a lot about what kind of person you are by simply watching you.

I want to encourage you to act like Jesus.

You will be able to understand everything we talk about today if you will try to.

I’m not going to give you a test when we are done

But there will be a test.

People will watch you and they will see if you learned anything or not by how you act.

So listen up.

Jesus loves you and wants us to have the best life following Him we can have.

So, everyone, with your Bibles open, Hear now the Word of the Lord from 1 Peter 3:8-12

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.”

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Pray with me,

Psalm 51:10–12 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

Help us Lord to not only hear, but to follow.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Four words: Think, Do, Plan, Reality

So let’s start with

Think

Peter opens verse 8 with the word, “Finally”

Like ever Preacher on the planet, he says Finally when he’s only half way through his message.

Yes, it’s a dirty rotten trick when we do it.

Peter isn’t closing here - he’s closing a thought.

The New American Standard says, “To sum up,” and that’s what he’s doing.

So, think about what Peter has been saying:

Go back to the beginning of chapter two, he doesn’t use the word, but essentially he says, Submit to Christ.

Then he does use the word, and he says in verse 13: 1 Peter 2:13 “Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution…”

Submit to the government.

Then in verse 18, he says 1 Peter 2:18 “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect…

Submit to your employer.

Then in chapter 3, Peter says it again, 1 Peter 3:1 “Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands

Wives submit to your husbands

And in verse 7, Peter says in his final thought in this argument, “1 Peter 3:7 “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.”

Essentially, submit to your wives.

And we’re good with this because we understand what submission means.

Submission means we think of the other person more highly than we think of ourselves, wanting the other person to be pleased with what we are doing.

You aren’t sucking up to them - you aren’t trying to manipulate them.

You sincerely want them to have something you know is best for them

You want them to know the Jesus you know.

So you submit.

Now, the Lord is smart enough to know that our idea of submission is kind of cloudy and really, submitting is for weak people

At least that’s what we’ve been told.

So God wants us to know what submitting should look like.

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

Think about what it means to have unity of mind

Literally it says, “Think alike.”

He’s talking to the church - “Think alike.”

The Holy Spirit knew when He inspired Peter to write it that there would one day be a thing called a Southern Baptist Church

And that, where ever two or three Southern Baptist are gathered, there will be a fight.

He knew that so he said, “If you are submitting to one another to make the glory of God known in your community, you’ll start thinking alike.

I can think of a thousand arguments church members can make about a thousand different things but I only have one thing to give back to you.

Think alike because God said to.

Single purpose, single focus, single mind.

Think about what it means to have sympathy.

Sympathy means to suffer with someone, be understanding of them and be compassionate towards them.

I don’t think we can have sympathy in a hurry.

People don’t suffer in a hurry - they typically don’t just get over it.

Sometimes suffering lasts days and weeks and years.

The Holy Spirit doesn’t put a limit we are required to be sympathetic.

He said suffer alongside of folks.

Think about what it means to have brotherly love.

This isn’t agape - it’s Philadelphia

It’s friendship and family

It’s where you want to be together - you enjoy being together.

Last weeks Big Church Group Day was a perfect example of brotherly love.

Think about what it means to have a tender heart.

This is a funny in Greek class - one of the few words I remember from memory.

It means literally to have tender guts - splanknois -

We say we love you from the heart - they loved you from their kidneys.

But the point is - when you are submitting to someone with the proper attitude, you have the warm fuzzies for them.

In that - you truly want them to meet Jesus.

Not like saying, “You need Jesus, boy,” but in thinking, I don’t want them to suffer eternally in hell with no way to get to God ever.

I want them to know Jesus and I’m going to do whatever I need to do to get them there.

And the last one - think about what it means to have a humble mind.

That’s humble understanding, a humble attitude.

Proverbs 29:23 says “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.”

Pride is on God’s short list of things He’s not fond of.

Want just a few examples: Psalm 31:23 “Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.”

Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.”

Proverbs 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

And the most famous, Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride is the torpedo that will sink our submission.

And if submission is sunk, well, we lose a lot.

So “Finally,” or to “Sum it up,” when we are submitting as the Lord instructs us to, we’ll look like those six words.

So now Peter turns from thinking to action

What do people who are submitting for the Lord’s sake

Do

Peter has two do nots and one do

Look at verse 9 1 Peter 3:9 “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.”

In the story of Joseph in Genesis, what would the world look like today if Joseph had done to his brothers what his brothers had done to him.

God gave Joseph enough wisdom to say this to the brothers who sold him into slavery and didn’t care what happened to him, Genesis 50:20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

Do not pay back evil for evil and - oh this is so hard - don’t trade insults when you are insulted.

Reviling means speaking evil against someone

And the Lord says, when they speak evil against you, swallow your words and do not respond with more evil.

Now, those two things are not well rewarded by our world - I think I was taught, you need to be able to give as well as you get.

Whatever, but God says, don’t repay evil for evil or insult for insult

“But on the contrary, bless-

Go ahead, take the deep breath and heave the long heavy sigh - you knew he was going to say this - Jesus said it, Peter’s not going to be different - don’t curse but bless…

But then Peter adds - “for to this you were called…”

Listen close - God gave you this job of not repaying evil or insults - this isn’t you volunteering for a job you don’t really care for

You and I were called to this job but did you hear the end of the sentence?

“that you may obtain a blessing.”

What is the blessing, you should ask?

Well, here is God’s

Plan

Erik read from Psalm 34 earlier in the service.

Verses 10 - 12 came are quotes Peter pulled from Psalm 34.

Now, here’s the deal - Psalm 34 is a Psalm of David so thinking people have to ask - why did David write it.

Well, it all comes from a very short story in 1 Samuel 21: 10-15.

In a nutshell, David is on the run from King Saul and he goes to a place called Gath which is a Philistine city.

Philistine rights a bell, right?

David’s reputation as a warrior precedes him and the king doesn’t trust him.

So David acted like he was insane - literally.

He let drool run out of his mouth and down his beard.

He scratched fence posts and acted insane.

And the whole time he was doing that, what does Psalm 34 say David was doing?

Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”

We sing a song that has a chorus that says, “I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered.”

Didn’t know you were quoting King David did you?

Quoting King David when he was going through a terrifying time in his life.

See, God had a plan for David and He has a plan for us as well.

Look at verse 10 1 Peter 3:10 “For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit;”

Now, let me add some color then I’m going to ask you a question that I encourage you to answer.

Whoever desires to love life - this love is agape love - it’s the selfless love that God shows and we aspire to.

What Peter is saying here is , “Whoever want to enjoy life and live a contented life in everything that God has given you, no matter what is going on around you.”

In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer - in whatever - I want to be joyful and content

Here is the question:

Isn’t that what you want?

Whether you are being told you are going to have a new baby or grandbaby

Or whether you are told you only have six months to live

No matter if I’m everyone’s darling

Or if I’m every one’s goat

No matter the situation of my life - we want to feel the joy and contentment of the Lord - don’t we?

Here’s God’s plan for you to have it:

Keep your tongue from evil.

Do not deceptive - do not lead people astray.

Verse 11 1 Peter 3:11 “let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it.”

When you see evil, turn around and walk away - and it is that easy.

We might make it hard, but it’s really not.

Instead, Peter says, pursue peace.

Work - make it your mission - to help reconcile people with people and people with God.

But now here is the

Reality

Verse 12 1 Peter 3:12 “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.””

Do you hear it?

I sought the Lord and He heard and He answered.

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous

We are made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ

We are given the power to live as righteously as we can by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

And when the Lord sees us making that effort - however strong or feeble it might be

He sees us and - listen

He hears our prayers.

The Lord heard David in the camp of the Philistines.

In the middle of the enemies of Israel - life in literal jeopardy.

David prayed - and the Lord heard him and delivered him.

Peter says that is a promise to all of those who are diligently seeking him.

But - on the other hand - if you don’t, “the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

It doesn’t mean He’s going to kill them.

He simply won’t hear them, or rescue them, or keep them safe.

Now, oddball question to ask you here - do you want your kids to see the Lord answer your prayers for real?

And do you want your kids to grow up so in tune with Jesus that He will answer their prayers

He will deliver them and keep them safe - even when you reach the end of your days?

Brothers and sisters, it might just be time for us to tighten up.

Listen, I don’t care what arguments anyone wants to make here.

This scripture is about as clear as it comes.

Think about what it looks like to be submissive for Christ’s sake.

Do what the Lord plainly shows us to do.

Understand that the Lord’s plan is to bless us

And trust the Lord’s ultimate reality.

Those that follow Him He hears.

Those who don’t follow Him - well, you couldn’t have a more powerful enemy than God.

Dear friend, if wanting the blessings of Jesus isn’t enough to cause us to change our behaviors

Brothers and sisters, think about the kids.

We want them to be blessed, don’t we?

For those of us who have never trusted Jesus as Savior, I want to extend the opportunity for you to commit to follow Him right now.

I have no clue how many more opportunities you’ll get.

Don’t wait until it’s too late - because it can be too late.

Please, I beg you, follow Jesus.

We’ll pray and sing and I’ll be down front.

Please, come and talk to me about Jesus.