Apprenticeship - Friendship

Introduction:

Someone once said, “if you’re going to give someone a rose, don’t cut-off their nose”. This saying implies that if you’re going to share a message with someone, don’t let your manner of speech or your conduct disqualify your words. I wish I had heard that earlier in my life. When I was 19 years old, as a new believer, I was invited to participate in an outreach program with our church. We went out to the city centre on Friday mornings and shared the gospel with people. However, during that time I had been listening to a few angry American preachers…they were angry because they felt that their audiences were rich, comfortable, lukewarm Christians who were religious rather than followers of Jesus. In other words, they were addressing a type of “cultural” Christianity that told people if they prayed a prayer they were going to heaven. However, it forgot to mention that being a follower of Christ, means just that, you need to follow Christ.

So I listened to these preachers, I wrote down their words, and I preached it to poor, hungry, systemically oppressed African people. No wonder there were no results. But, I not only copied the words of these preachers but also their attitudes. I spoke to these people as one who was angry with them. As if they were the ones living an American lukewarm comfortable Christianity. Oh man, how I wish I could go back in time. Firstly, I would apologize to those people and secondly, I would take Devon aside and tell him, “you are trying to give people a rose (the gospel of Christ), but you are cutting off their noses so they can’t smell it”. How easy it is to preach a 30 minute gospel sermon somewhere, then get in your car and never see those people again. Never enter their worlds, never listen to their stories, never deal with their hurt…I wonder if the approach I followed was truly loving my neighbour…or was it about me trying to be someone important or do something substantial for God.

Jesus told us to love our neighbours. Loving people means that we do life with them. We befriend them. We enter their worlds, we listen to their stories and we show solidarity with them in their pain. Yes, we are to share the good news of Jesus with our neighbours (I doubt we truly love them if we believe the gospel yet am not willing to share it with them), but the way in which we do so is essential. This is how Peter puts it in 1 Peter 3:15-16

Text: 1 Peter 3:8-17

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Big Idea:

Now, what is Peter after here…what’s the overall message here…what’s the main point? I think its this, he is calling the church to be holy...

In chapter 1 he says 1 Pet 1:15-16 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

In chapter 2 he says 1 Pet 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Now in chapter 3 he is telling them how to be this “holy priesthood”, its by being (verse 8-9) like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble... not repaying evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repaying evil with blessing…its having your speech seasoned with salt…its seeking and pursuing peace…its revering Christ as Lord…its sharing the rose of the gospel with people…its having hope…its treating others with respect and gentleness…having a clear conscience...and he says, well if you suffer because of these things, then you are suffering for what is right.

In other words, the way you can give your neighbours a rose (the gospel of Jesus) without cutting off the nose, is by being holy...

Word study - The word holy actually means to be distinct or set apart. Now this is important…not in the sense of isolating ourselves, but in the sense of disposition towards the world. Here is what holiness means: It means, being IN the world but not OF the world, it means being FOR the world but not AGREEING with the world, and it means being WITH the world but not LIKE the world.

IN the world, not OF the world: (Witnesses)

Firstly, holiness means we are IN the world but not OF the world. In other words, we belong to a different kingdom…with different values…which demands different conduct and speech. The way you can give your neighbour a rose without cutting of his nose or causing a massive stench in their nose, is by living like you belong to the Kingdom of God.

Verse 8-12 Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. 11 They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Jesus makes this kind of distinction with respect to the world (IN vs OF)(John 17:11-17). This prayer comes from a lengthy discourse Jesus had with his disciples in the upper room the night before he was killed. Part of what is called the great High Priestly prayer of Jesus. This is the only time that you are prayed for in the New Testament, because Jesus prays not only for his disciples that were with him, but prays for believers of future generations:

John 17:11-17 I will remain in the world (Geographical location) no longer, but they are still in the world (Geographical location), and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. (More than geographical location – but a perspective with respect to God).

World is that sphere...or group of people who has no affection for the things of God. The world in this sense exists in antithesis or opposition or tension over against the kingdom of God. Its a different worldview with different values and conduct. Jesus is not asking that God would take us out of the world. He does not want us to withdraw into isolation in order to keep ourselves pure. Pharisees dogma – Salvation by segregation. According to the Pharisees Jesus contaminated himself by spending time with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus was not starting a new community of Essenes...People who drew apart from civilization, to live in total isolation so that they could keep themselves pure for the coming of the Messiah. And while they are hiding in the cave by the dead sea, the Messiah came, and they missed him. They were so busy keeping themselves away from the world, that they missed the Messiah who came to the world, to redeem the world. John 17:15-17 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.

Jesus is not asking that God takes us out of the world, but that He keeps us from evil. This world is the arena within which we need to accomplish our mission.

BUT, as a kingdom people, living IN this world, we better smell, taste, sound and look like the Kingdom of God rather than the patterns OF this world. Being a Christian means that we are living into God’s story. Therefore, we learn to look at God, the world, ourselves and our neighbours with different lenses. Additionally, we need to unlearn certain dispositions and responses with which we have navigated the world before becoming disciples of Jesus. This text reveals one of those dispositions or responses, namely, the way we deal with evil and unjust/undeserved insult against us. Peter says, it is this that we have been called to…(keep your tongue from evil, your lips from deceitful speech, turn from evil, seek peace) so that you may inherit a blessing. In other words, we are not to follow the pattern of this world by returning insult with insult, but should rather remove ourselves from that situation, put our ‘new lenses’ on and then react accordingly.

BUT why are we IN this world…why does God keep us here??

Wright (2008b:31) states that through the resurrection Jesus launched a new world order, a new reality within the space-time universe that he referred to as the kingdom of God. Moreover, Christ’s followers get to participate in this new reality even as they also have the responsibility to implement it. Wright (1998f:141-142) emphasizes that the resurrection meant mission for his followers then and it means mission for his followers now. Wright (2016:355) argues that the victory of God had two stages, one with Jesus on the cross and another through his followers implementing what he accomplished on the cross. Therefore, according to him, what Jesus accomplished on the cross and by his resurrection had radical implications for the lives of his followers then and now in the 21st century.

The challenge upon followers of Jesus, then, is to be the means through whom Jesus continues to establish the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven (Wright 2011a:220). Wright (2007b) believes that the church is God’s agent by which heaven and earth again interlocks and overlaps. He (2009) contends that the ultimate future vocation of the followers of Jesus after the final resurrection will be not only to inhabit God’s new creation but to run it on his behalf. Considering this, he argues we are to live in that vocation already in the present because Jesus’ resurrection is the start of this new creation.

So, being IN the world means that we not only look, smell, and sound like the Kingdom of God, but also that we are a missional people…It means we care enough to reach out to our neighbours with the gospel.

Transition: Many Christians think this is the complete extent of Christian holiness, namely, I live morally in speech and conduct and I share the gospel with people. But there is more to it…we are not only to preach to our neighbours, but also love them…in other words our disposition towards them is one of favour and wellbeing.

FOR the world, not AGREEING with the world:

Secondly, holiness means we are FOR the world but not always AGREEING with the world. We are FOR the world…we love our neighbours, we are for them. The way you can give your neighbour a rose without cutting of his nose or causing a massive stench in their nose, is by really caring for them.

Verse 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Seek peace with neighbours…be eager to do good to neighbours…do what is right to neighbours…be prepared to share the good news of Jesus with neighbours…be gentle and respectful towards neighbours. Some of the words we read here are ‘harmony, sympathetic, love, compassionate, humble, gentleness, and respect’. These are all attributes and actions Peter calls for when we deal with other people. These attributes and actions are lived out in friendship. It calls for more than being ‘acquainted’, it calls for relationships. It’s clear that we are to love our neighbours and befriend them.

All of this means we are FOR our neighbours…we are in their corners…we are supporting them…cheering them on…We are concerned about the welfare of our neighbours we want them to flourish… So practically we show them this. We are FOR our neighbours when we care deeply about them and show this to them:

Mother Teresa - “Do ordinary things with extraordinary love: little things like caring for the sick and the homeless, the lonely and the unwanted, washing and cleaning for them.”

BUT we also look for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus with our neighbours believing that ultimately, human flourishing occurs completely in relationship with him. Being FOR them, means we introduce them to God.

Dedication to the gospel illustration - Amazon is always searching for better and faster ways to deliver products to customers. Never satisfied with the status quo, Amazon has tried several alternatives to UPS and FedEx. The company has asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to deliver packages via aerial drones. In November 2014, they were testing cab drivers for delivery in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Believers could learn from Amazon’s dedication. We need to continually be looking for new and different ways to make the greatest delivery of all: the gospel. Like Paul, we should have no bounds on preaching the good news.

1 Cor. 9:19-23 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Being FOR them, means we tell them the truth:

Telling the truth Illustration: Police in Nigeria arrested a goat in 2009 on suspicion of car theft. While a group of vigilantes were pursuing a pair of auto crooks, one of the crooks escaped. According to a representative for the vigilantes, the other turned into a goat. So the police arrested it.

How do you explain truth to people who believe people can turn into goats at will? I suppose we could mock these people for their superstitions, but don’t the people who know the truth have the responsibility to tell others about it?

2 Tim. 2:25-26 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Transition: We are not only to preach to our neighbours, but also love them, however the best way to do this is to be WITH them…to do life together.

WITH the world, not LIKE the world: (Proximity and distinctiveness)

Thirdly, holiness means we are WITH the world but not LIKE the world. We do life together…we raise our children together…we gym together…we go for walks…we have BBQ’s…we do life together at a deep and meaningful way. The way you can give your neighbour a rose without cutting of his nose or causing a massive stench in their nose, is allowing them to get to know you in a meaningful way. Now of course this brings with it the risk of rejection, of hurt, of suffering.

Verse 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

These texts remind us that we ought to live in such a close proximity to our neighbours that they can observe our conduct and the hope that we have. Consequently, if they ask us why we are so joyous or full of hope, then we have an opportunity to share the story of God in Jesus Christ with them.

Story (being present) - CEO and chairman of Google Eric Schmidt, in a commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “Turn off your computer. You’re actually going to have to turn off your phone and discover all that is human around us.” He continued, “Nothing beats holding the hand of your grandchild as he walks his first steps.”

In a sense, technology brings the world to our fingertips. Twitter allows us to follow every action of a celebrity, cell phones allow us to talk or text friends and family around the word, but technology can also push those physically closest to us further away. How many times have you said “excuse me” in the middle of a conversation to answer your phone or read a text? Schmidt may have a point. Turn the lousy things off and hang out with a friend.

Wayne Grudem - “Peter must be assuming that the inward hope of Christians results in lives so noticeably different that unbelievers are prompted to ask why they are so distinctive. Christians therefore should always be ready (prepared) to give an answer. Paul provides a good example of seizing the offensive and bearing testimony to Christ even when on trial himself (Acts 22:1–21). In hostile situations the opportunity for witness to Christ often comes unexpectedly; the Christian who is not always ready to answer will miss it.”

Jesus as the Example:

IN not OF: Jesus knew he represented a different kingdom and his lifestyle, his conduct and speech, clearly portrait that. When everyone expected a mighty, popular, militant messiah, he came as the humble foot-washing messiah…the crucified messiah…he came not to be served but to serve. His life smelled, looked and sounded like the kingdom of God. In fact, he came to inaugurate the kingdom…he never compromised his vocation through his conduct and speech.

FOR not AGREEING: Jesus was also for the world. He wept over Jerusalem…over his fellow Jews who were slow to hear and who refused to return to God. He spoke to them extensively about the kingdom, he demonstrated the arrival of the kingdom through many wonders and warned them explicitly that if they did not repent of their violent revolutionary zeal, they would be destroyed. This he did by flipping tables in the Temple, an act symbolizing the judgement of YHWH, an act of warning, an act that would cost him his life…Of course they did not listen to him, hence their destruction in 70AD at the hands of the Romans.

WITH not LIKE: The encounters Jesus had with every day people did not take place in a synagogue with a hushed crowd listening to an eloquent exposition of a favorite psalm. Instead, it took place on smelly docks with tired fishermen nearby cleaning their empty nets after a long, fruitless night. Jesus enters the world of the people rather than expecting them to step out of that world and come to him. The greatest criticism he received was from the religious leaders for spending too much time with the outcasts of society…Jesus was always with the people.

Conclusion:

If we want to give our friends the gospel of Christ…introduce them to Jesus, we need to be holy. Be IN the world but not OF the world (conduct and speech), be FOR the world but not AGREEING with the world, be WITH the world but not LIKE.