Dogged Determination

Living with your mission in mind shows the world Jesus

Some years ago, our family took our biggest vacation ever out west.

We were to land in California, go south to San Diego, pick up the train to Williams’ Junction Arizona

Go see the Grand Canyon, drive to Las Vegas and then fly home.

10 days - wide open.

Only it didn’t start just right.

ASA flew out of Macon at the time.

Macon is such an easier airport to fly out of than Hartsfield.

The only problem was ASA.

They were mostly, kind of on time - but not always

And this day they were not - way not.

We got to Atlanta just in time to see our plane being pushed away from the gate.

Funny thing was, our luggage made the flight - we just didn’t.

Phone calls to Delta ensued.

We got a later flight to the other airport in the Bay area.

We landed there and then took the subway under the San Francisco Bay to the other airport

Where our luggage was piled up on a cart.

Took off from there to the car rental place

Got there one half hour before it closed.

Got to the hotel and settled in for a quick nap because

We’d been up almost 24 hours but we had a pretty tight itinerary to follow.

But we did it - every step.

That trip happened because our dogged determination wouldn’t allow it not to happen.

Sometimes, you’ve just got make your mind up to do something and then do it.

That’s the underlying theme of our passage for today

Open your Bibles to 1 Peter 3, we’ll be in verses 13-22.

While you are looking, let’s talk to the kids for a minute.

Listen kids, many, many times the best things are the hard things.

Not everything you do will have someone cheering for you telling you that you are the best thing ever

There will be times you’ll have to gut it out - work hard and sometimes feel like it’s never going to work

And yet you don’t give up.

Because you know you are doing the right thing.

That’s true in school and in life.

Many, many times, the hard thing is the right thing.

That’s what we are going to be talking about this morning

Making our minds up to do what Jesus had planned for us to do.

A lot of times it won’t be easy

But it will be right and the thrill of reaching the goal will be phenomenal.

So listen the best you can.

And if you have questions, ask your mom and dad on the ride home.

Now, everyone, with our Bibles open, hear now the Word of the Lord from 1 Peter 3:12-22

1 Peter 3:12–22 ESV

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.” Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Let’s go the Lord in prayer.

Dear heavenly Father,

Lord, we know Your word is truth.

It burns in our hearts and we yearn to do it

But we are but dust, and often we fail in the face of hardship.

Teach us O Lord, how to keep our eyes on Jesus

So we will have a tenacious determination to succeed in Jesus’ name. Amen

So let’s start with a cliche’

Hurting people hurt people

Look at verses 13 - 14 1 Peter 3:13–14 “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,”

What Peter says here makes perfect sense.

Who in their right mind is going to chew you out for doing the right thing?

Now let’s level set - this section is not talking about physical suffering

Peter’s not telling us how to endure imprisonment or beatings or whatever for our faith - because really - that’s not really the threat most of the time.

Yes, the Nigerian’s are facing that right now

But mostly around the world, it’s words.

People fussing, disagreeing and being just plain disagreeable.

So that’s what’s in mind here.

Who’s going to yell at you for doing good?

But Peter’s not dumb, he knows someone will.

“But even if you should suffer…” even if someone does yell at you will be blessed.

You will be happy - and he doesn’t define that - and we aren’t going to dwell on it except to say

You and I both know, when you do something difficult and you succeed, there is satisfaction in that.

Happiness, if you will.

But then he says something that is hard to translate - “Have no fear of them.”

Literally, it says “do not fear what they fear,” and, depending on your Bible, it might be printed differently.

That’s because this is a quote from the Old Testament book of Isaiah

So let’s look at that for a moment because if Peter is quoting it, the meaning has to be there.

Isaiah 8:11–13 ESV

For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: “Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

In Isaiah’s day, Israel was about to be attacked by someone, I forget who

But they, Israel, were talking about making an alliance with the Egyptians for protection.

A synonym for alliance is conspiracy.

So the Lord is telling Isaiah to tell the folks to not follow this conspiracy, don’t be afraid of the things they are afraid of and don’t dread

Don’t be shaken up, disturbed, don’t be frightened, don’t let yourself get in a stew over the situation.

Now, the folks in Peter’s world weren’t about to be invaded by a foreign country.

But they being invaded by foreign thinking - unGodly thinking.

So the Lord is saying here, to not follow this foreign thinking, don’t be afraid of the things they are afraid of and don’t get in a stew over it all.

Instead, fear the Lord - follow the Lord with everything you’ve got.

Let’s talk about transgenderism for a second - that was in the news the other day.

The International Olympic Committee ruled that only biological women can compete in the Women’s Olympic events.

Sounds like good sense right?

But not everyone thought that as a great idea.

Over 100 groups said the ruling was “blunt and discriminatory.”

Bunches of groups said that requiring a woman to have a genetic test before competition was illegal and demeaning.

One group said that having women prove they are women by genetic testing could mean some women would give up on sports altogether.

Two athletes said it was a “catastrophic erosion of women’s rights.”

There is a group of people who profoundly believe that gender is a choice and if you believe you are something, then you are.

Isaiah would warn, “do not call conspiracy all that the people calls conspiracy” - do not buy into their arguments.

“Do not fear what they fear.”

Now, in his day, he’s talking about being overrun by a foreign adversary.

And we’ve already said that doesn’t apply to Peter.

So, sticking with transgenderism as our example, what could that mean?

Could it be that all of their life, the transgender person knew they were different somehow?

Questions that nobody else seemed to think, they thought.

They didn’t feel like they fit and people might have reinforced that.

You take a guy who loves decorating and art and is incredibly good at it

All of the friends in his circle are good ole’ boy rednecks and he tries to fit it.

But, while he enjoys spraying lead at targets, he’d rather be painting a sunset, or a flower, or a person.

So the ridiculing starts.

Then one day he finds a group of people that thinks like him

And the next thing you know, he’s convinced he was born in the wrong body

And this new group is the first group he’s ever been around that doesn’t give him fits.

He’s accepted and cared for.

Life feels good for the first time ever.

Then along comes Evangelical Christians saying God doesn’t make mistakes.

And if you were born a boy, you are a boy.

He doesn’t see us as truth tellers - he sees us as a threat.

And he along with his peers, lash out at the threat.

Hurt people hurt.

And he is a hurt person and he perceives the gospel as something that could hurt.

A Godly person is required to tell the truth, but with a loving motivation and a loving spirit.

Now this is important so we can understand the next few verses completely.

Hurt people hurt people.

When hurt people find a comfortable place to live and someone comes in with change, you’d better bet that the hurt person is going to accept it quietly.

It’s kind of funny, actually

I mean think about, folks all the time ask, “Churches are supposed to be loving places. Why are there always fights in the church?”

Well folks, here’s your sign.

What is a church?

It’s a place where sinful, broken people who have been saved and changed by Jesus come every week to thank Him and praise Him for rescuing them and giving them a place.

But did you hear - they were sinful, broken, hurting people who found a place.

And the place affirms them.

So when someone brings in a change

Well, what do you expect to happen?

A Church is a place full of hurt people

And hurt people hurt people until the Lord sanctifies them

Until He changes them enough that they can be gentle and respectful - as verse 15 ends.

Loving as we’ve been told earlier - like minded - humble - submissive.

That’s hard to do when you’ve found a comfortable, affirming place.

So Peter is telling us to expect VERBAL abuse sometimes when we tell the truth.

But, when it happens - 1 Peter 3:15 “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,”

What does he say?

Be prepared to defend what we believe

Now, follow me here - we’re figuring out Peter’s argument here.

So - hurt people hurt people right?

And you come in as a change agent - and that’s what Christianity is - you don’t meet Jesus and come away unscathed.

Either you are changed or you are resolved to resist or ignore - but staying the same is not possible.

And if hurt people are confronted with change, how are they going to act?

Just like you and me.

I’ve been in a few rough and tumble Members’ meetings

And from all reports, some of you remember having some of those here.

This is precisely what was happening then.

But now, here’s what we should do - it’s not easy because it requires discipline and a dogged determination to follow Jesus - but here it is.

With gentleness - we talked about that last week

With respect - and with a good conscience as the beginning of verse 16 says.

With a submissive heart - I want what’s best for you and I’m willing to put your salvation above my want to lash back at this point.

“make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.”

Let’s break that apart.

First the word defense is our word for apologetics.

Apologetics is the art of being able to defend what we believe against all attacks.

We think of apologetics as an offensive weapon - they ask a rude or incendiary question and we level them with with Word.

That’s not Peter’s idea.

Listen to what Peter is saying - “make a defense to anyone who asks…

Some folks who attack should be ignored.

Not every attack deserves a response.

Especially on social media.

Sometimes it is the wrong time to make the defense.

If they are hopping mad, as a brother told me once, emotion trumps reason every time.

They aren’t going to listen - you are only pouring gasoline on an already raging fire.

But when they ask…

And look why they are asking, they want to hear the “reason for the hope that is in you.”

They are much calmer - much more receptive

They see you are different - they see Jesus in you.

Brothers and sisters, this is our challenge.

There are some who are called to take formal apologetics courses and who can engage the great thinkers.

But it’s my experience, many folks living immoral lifestyles are not great thinkers like we aren’t great thinkers.

Most of us don’t sit around every day thinking great, philosophical thoughts.

Most of us are simply trying to get by - how do we live?

How do we do what we do?

We are on a level playing field with most immoral folks

And our one advantage is - we were right where they were until Jesus found us.

This is where we have to do a little deep thinking or we’ll never answer their questions.

Brothers and sisters, What is the reason for the hope that is inside you?

Can you answer why you feel hope?

Not only can you point to the book and say John 3:16 and Psalm 23 land with you

But why do they land?

What did Jesus do that made you different from them?

Not just “Jesus saved me” which you have to say

But, This is what happened to me when He did.

And because Jesus gave me that hope, for the rest of my life

I’m following my hero

Jesus said, “follow me,” right?

If He was stepping on rocks, crossing a creek, what would you do?

I’d step on the same rocks.

In 1 Peter 3:18 Peter says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,”

We should expect verbal abuse in the world we live in, because Jesus took verbal and physical abuse in the world He lived in.

He did it gloriously, majestically and with a dogged determination to finish His mission.

He died one time

The good guy for the bad guys

For the purpose of rescuing the broken and sinful.

His flesh was killed, but His spirit was made alive and He continued in His mission.

Verses 19 and 20 give folks heartburn and there are 5 or 6 reputable ideas of what this means.

I take it at it’s word.

Jesus went to the place of the dead and preached to those who did not obey God

Peter specifically mentions the people from Noah and the Ark - but there were others.

I don’t know if Jesus had an altar call of if the preaching was simply to show them the truth they rejected.

But no one who has ever been born will be surprised at the judgment.

There will be no - “Oh, there really is a God?”

No, everyone will know.

And every knee will bow at the name of Jesus.

Jesus is our hero.

People did not deter Him

Death did not deter Him.

And yet, with dogged determination He continued until He could rest

Sitting at God the Father’s side, with everything now subject to him

All angels, authorities and powers - everything in all creation answers to Jesus.

Brothers and sisters, we need to show our dogged determination to follow Jesus regardless.

And if you haven’t followed Jesus yet, you need to.

Because of Jesus, you need to be baptized

Very quickly look at verse 21 - I want us to focus on one phrase, “as an appeal to God for a good conscience.”

Some folks will argue you blue in the face that you aren’t saved until you are baptized because of this verse.

Don’t argue with them, you are wasting your breath.

Baptism doesn’t save you - but it has a very real purpose.

When you are baptized and are lowered into the water, if you aren’t saved, all you do is get wet.

But if you are saved

If you are repentant - if you no longer want to be who you have been all your life

But you want to be what the Lord created you to be

When you are being lowered into the water, your action is an appeal to God to cleanse your spirit and make your heart pure.

Your action is you submitting to the Lord saying, “Make me what you will - my hope and desire is to follow you.”

Your old self is being crucified and buried

And when you are lifted out of the water, you are a new creation.

So many people ask me, do I have to be baptized?

The man on the middle cross didn’t have to be.

And you aren’t wrong

But let me ask you, if our hero was baptized and He said follow me…

Should we not do what He did?

I want to invite you this morning to follow Jesus.

Our only hope in life and death is that we are not our own, that we belong to God.

And God’s way for us to be with Him has to be through Jesus.

Jesus is the only way for our sins to be forgiven and for us to be made into what God created us to be in the first place.

I’m begging you this morning, please consider Jesus.

He changed my life and has been working with me for years and years

And I don’t regret a single minute of it.

Please, follow Jesus.

We are going to pray and then sing

I’ll be down front if you want to talk about Jesus and there will be folks at the table in the vestibule you can talk to also.

But please, don’t let this moment pass you by.