5.12.43 9.22.2019 1 Peter 3.8-12 The Call

Start:

▾ Start:

Entice: We are all between 2 worlds. We are embedded in our world culture. We are embedded in the Church. Reconciling those two realities is the essence of our day to Christian living.

• Entice: We are all between 2 worlds. We are embedded in our world culture. We are embedded in the Church. Reconciling those two realities is the essence of our day to Christian

living.

Engage: How do you feel about the Church? How do you feel about this Church? These people? This place? Our vision, our purpose, our place, our possibilities? Peter knew all about how stretched and uncomfortable it can be to be intimately entwined with worship, and service, and study, and prayer. And yet, to still function in a social context that is uncomfortable and sometimes hostile.

• Engage: How do you feel about the Church? How do you feel about this Church? These people? This place? Our vision, our purpose, our place, our possibilities? Peter knew all

about how stretched and uncomfortable it can be to be intimately entwined with worship, and service, and study, and prayer. And yet, to still function in a social context that is

1 Peter 3:8–12 ESV

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 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. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; 11 let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. 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.”

uncomfortable and sometimes hostile.

Expand: Of these 5 verses, 3 of them Peter quotes from . Peter also knew the words of Jesus: he knew them intimately. He took familiar stories of God delivering and blessing His people and stories of how His people blessed others-and molds these old covenant virtues with the love command of Jesus to remind us of the redemptive power of love and humility.

blessing His people and stories of how His people blessed others-and molds these old covenant virtues with the love command of Jesus to remind us of the redemptive power of

love and humility.

Excite: Yes they are "out there". We who are "in here" look at them too much like the enemy. Jesus called them the neighbor who needed loving. The lost who needed found. The discarded who needed restored. If we get the Church right…then the lives we live within our debased fallen culture will make an impact.

• Excite: Yes they are "out there". We who are "in here" look at them too much like the enemy. Jesus called them the neighbor who needed loving. The lost who needed found. The

Explore:

discarded who needed restored. If we get the Church right…then the lives we live within our debased fallen culture will make an impact.

God empowers us to live redemptively both inside the Church and outside the Church.

• Explore: God's empowers us to live redemptively both inside the Church and outside the Church.

Explain: Today we will discuss the 2 qualities of this redemptive behavior.

• Explain: Today we will discuss the 2 qualities of this redemptive behavior.

▾ Body of Sermon:

We are called to behave Blessedly. 8-9

▾ We are called to behave Blessedly. 8-9

Within the Church. 8

This exhibits the qualities Christ routinely taught, commended, even commanded...

• Unity of Mind.

• Sympathy.

• Brotherly Love,

• Tender heart.

• Humble Mind.

Within the Culture. 9

Don't hit back…,

You are blessed to bless.

Most of us understand the need to live as a blessing within the Church…we don’t always do it and sometimes we complain but we basically get it. The cutting edge, the real redemptive power of the Cross is living that way within and before the unbelieving, oppositional culture of the world. When we get that…the world changes.

• ///not just to be blessed, but to be blessing///

▾ We are called to behave Biblically. 10-12

We are called to behave Biblically. 10-12

Now Peter uses (for him 33) to make the case for Biblical behavior. It is consistent, based both upon the concepts found in the old covenant and within the teaching of Jesus...

Biblical behavior is self-controlled.

▾ Biblical behavior is self-controlled.

• in speech

• in deed

• in peace making

Biblical behavior is self-aware.

Biblical behavior is self-aware.

• God is looking and listening

• God responds…

Shut Down:

▾ Shut Down:

• What Peter teaches us today is in keeping with the entire Biblical story. Yes, there is grace. Yes, God is good. Still…don't be a jerk. Don't act bigger than your britches. Live a life of humble service.

humble service.

• In our fallen culture the Church needs to be a place of grace and encouragement, of love and common purpose. The Church also needs to be fully willing to be misunderstood and even maligned by the culture. Just like Jesus was. Just like the early Church. When we behave blessedly and biblically God can honor our faithfulness.

and even maligned by the culture. Just like Jesus was. Just like the early Church. When we behave blessedly and biblically God can honor our faithfulness.

• It is time for the faithful to be faithful. It is time for us to show the face of love. It is far past time for us to be people who bring the grace of God to bear upon those whose lives are fractured by the fall…

fractured by the fall…

to this you were called.