1 Peter 3:8-12 - The Ultimate Christ-like Move

The Ultimate Christ-like Move - bless those who insult you

Recap

Good conduct through submission

Government

Masters

Married people

Capstone to submission - but with a twist

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.”

All of you

Independently wealthy, living on a pacific island with no taxes, and are single…

Chiasmus

A. Have unity of mind

B. Sympathy

C. Brotherly love

B. A tender heart

A. Humble mind

Unity of Mind & Humble mind

Olympic Rigs

5 parts of the world - Africa, Asia, Australia, The Americas, and Europe

Interlaced to symbolize unity and the meeting of athletes from around the world

Christian community - marked by diversity - yet unified under Christ

Unity of mind - think alike - not identical opinions being agreeable and sensitive to each other

implies a willingness to conform one’s goals, needs, and expectations to the purposes of the larger community.

Acts 4:32 ESV

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

Sympathy & Tender Heart

Sympathy (Empathy)

Connect on an emotional level - Joy or Sorrow

your heart goes out to one another

Romans 12:15 ESV

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Tender Heart (compassionate)

Hard to capture - The root word means internal organs

Travis bucket

Brotherly/Sisterly love

Reference to actual siblings

Inside or outside the church?

The mind and heart are the battlegrounds we must concur for Love

The church is to be unified in mind, having a tender heart, and emphatic towards everyone - This is how we defy the world around us

Defy society?

Expression

Don’t retaliate - The gold medal for good conduct

In 2007 researchers at Florida State University discovered that employees who endure abuse from their bosses retaliated with poor performance.

Abusive behaviors from a boss included the silent treatment, personal put-downs, broken promises, and managers blaming their mistakes on employees to save face. Employees with difficult bosses responded in the following ways:

• 30 percent of employees - slowed production or purposely made errors

• 29 percent of employees - took sick days off when they were not ill

• 27 percent of employees - purposely avoided their boss

• 25 percent of employees - took longer breaks

The desire to get even.

Deed & Word

Non-retaliation is the gold medal, but the Christ-like thing to do is

Good Deeds and Words

Bless - Literally means “speak well”

to extend to that person the invitation of Salvation and the favor of God.

Like praying for their good but saying it out loud to them.

Soldier boots

1 Peter 3:10–12 ESV

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.”

God is judge