Are You Good for Nothing

Are You Good for Nothing?

1 Peter 3:13-17

Undeserved Suffering   - transition 1 Peter 3:12

          Enlighten - comfort - strengthen

The General Principle

            If you do    GOOD        who will     HARM       you?

                        -If you harm someone who is doing good you are acting unnaturally.

There are Exceptions

            But - suggests a probability, not a certainty

Why would you suffer for doing good?  

            - Matt. 5:11 - Blessed - know you are doing right.

            1.  There will always be contentious people in the world

2.  Some times God is working in a person’s heart and you represent/symbolize that struggle

            3.  Embarrassment - you take a stand and someone feels threatened

                        Potiphar’s wife and Joseph

            4.  Jealousy - Daniel and his friends

            5.  Some kind of loss - Girl at Philippi

                        Gangs - prostitutes

So, What Should I Do?

            1.  Do not yield to fear and intimidation

                        -fear

                        -frightened - agitate.  Like the troubling of the water.  John 5:4

            2.  Set aside Christ as Lord in your heart

                        -do what’s right

            3.  Be ready to defend your hope

                        -always prepared

                        -defense - rational account given in response to

-not only an experience, but it has a rationale which has been reflected on and can be communicated to someone else.

                        -do this kindly

            4.  Keep a good conscience

So that:

What’s Best?

            Only suffer for doing what is right

pastor joel richards                                                                                                        August 31, 2008