Motivation to Keep Moving Forward

Introduction

■NT was not written for abstraction

■NT was not written for people to “theologize”

■NT was not written for life in a laboratory environment

■NT was given to real people

■NT was given for real struggles

■NT was given for real encouragement

■NT was given for real growth

■Those to whom Peter was writing were suffering because of their faith.

■Peter is calling them to embrace suffering. He is calling them to move forward

■In short, he is telling them that the very worst in life should not deter them.

■How will you hear this morning? There is motivation to keep moving forward.

1 Peter 3:13–22 ESV

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 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, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. 18 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, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 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. 21 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, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

PRAY

We move forward because our Savior died (18a) For Christ also suffered

For - The is the grounding or reason that one should continue forward in the Christian life even in the midst of suffering

Peter brings the attention of his readers to Christ, who is Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed One, the Son of God made man. Who was this One to suffer?

1 Peter 2:4–7 ESV

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”

Not only to the Christ himself, but his suffering. To suffer is to endure bad or negative realities or experiences. Of course, the climax of Jesus’ suffering was on a Roman cross and under the wrath of God, but his entire life can be understood as one of suffering.

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

John 1:9–11 ESV

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

What did he suffer?

He suffered the humbling of himself to be man, a despised man.

He suffered the years of silence as the carpenter’s son.

He suffered the limitations of a human body.

He suffered thirst, weariness, and hunger.

He suffered the rejection of his brothers.

He suffered the scorn of his hometown.

He suffered the rejection of his countrymen.

He suffered the fickle multitudes.

He suffered the unbelief of the disciples.

He suffered the antagonism of the religious leaders.

He suffered the anticipation of the cross in Gethsemane.

He suffered the betrayal of Judas’ kiss.

He suffered the ridicule of the Sanhedrin.

He suffered the mocking of Herod.

He suffered the indecision of Pilate.

He suffered the spit, plucking and scorn of the Roman soldiers.

He suffered the thorns.

He suffered the scourging near to death.

He suffered the release of Barabbas.

He suffered the cry of the crowd, Crucify him.

He suffered the weight of the cross.

He suffered the nails.

He suffered shame of hanging between thieves.

He suffered the loss of followers.

He suffered the frown of the Father’s wrath.

He suffered the agonies of crucifixion.

He suffered the end of life.

He suffered the silence of the grave

We move forward because our Savior made complete atonement for us (18a) Once for sins

Once on the behalf of sin or on the account of sin. Christ came to save his people from their sins.

Matthew 1:21 ESV

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

How does Scripture describe this?

1 Peter 2:24 ESV

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Hebrews 9:25–28 ESV

Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

We move forward because our Savior took our place (18b) the righteous for the unrighteous

Righteous - just, innocent

unrighteous - characterized by doing what is not right and good

This is the point. The one who did not deserve to suffered chose to suffer on the behalf of those that did deserve to suffer. He suffered without regard to his lack of earning this suffering.

Jesus took the place of this people.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

We move forward because our Savior removed our distance from God (18c) that he might bring us to God

What was Jesus’ agenda? He desired to present a people to God.

Bring - the act of presenting someone to another

Who is the us? The unjust, we are brought to God.

Hebrews 2:10 ESV

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Ephesians 2:14–18 ESV

For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Those that deserve to suffer at the hand of God end up in the presence of God safely. That should motivate us to keep moving forward.

We keep moving forward because our Savior is victorious over death (18d) being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit

Jesus underwent physical death, but was raised never to die again

Romans 1:1–4 ESV

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Romans 8:11 ESV

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Application

Be sober minded.

Rest your hope fully on the grace of Christ.

Lay aside all malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and evil speaking.

Desire the pure milk of the word as a newborn babe.

Abstain from fleshly lusts.

Submit to all authorities.

Wives, submit to your husbands, even if they don’t obey the word.

Women, Do not let your adornment be merely outward, arranging the hair, wearing gold, or fine apparel. Let it be the hidden person of the heart.

Husbands dwell with your wives in understanding, honor her.

Church, be of one mind. Have compassion for one another.

Be tenderhearted.

Be courteous.

Do not speak evil.

Seek and pursue peace.

Be serious and watchful in your prayers.

Love one another.

Be hospitable to one another.

Use you gifts to benefit one another.

Rejoice when you suffer as Christ did.

Do suffer as a murderer, thief or evil doer.

Elders, shepherd the flock of God willingly, not for dishonest gain.

Be examples to the flock.

Younger people, submit to your elders.

All, be submissive to one another.

Humble yourselves in the sight of God.

Cast all you care on him.

Be sober, vigilant because of the devil.

Resist the devil.

Consider these realities and keep moving forward.