Doing Good... Always

Introduction

1 Peter 3:13–17 ESV

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 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, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

Have you ever done what was right and you still got punished for it?

Reid Thornton’s Wallet // Rod Varnado // Linda Love

Explanation

1 Peter 3:13 “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?”

Peter is not saying, “If you are zealous for God, there will be no consequences.”

He IS saying, “If you are zealous for God, you understand that nothing else can truly hurt you.”

1 Peter 3:14 “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,”

Suffering brings about blessing.

We have lost that default as first-world Christians.

We don’t want to suffer. In fact, we will do whatever it takes to keep from suffering in the slightest.

For Righteousness sake

What emotion do you feel when you hear, “Have no fear of them, nor be troubled.”

When Peter wrote this letter, Christians were being used as human candles in Nero’s court. They were being stoned by Jewish synagogues.

“Have no fear, nor be troubled.”

The word, “troubled” or tarasso, means “to stir something or agitate it.”

The Biblical example is to stir water.

Putting a stick in an ant bed and watching the ants scramble for cover.

Could you be that calm if someone was coming for you? If so, how? If not, how not?

1 Peter 3:15 “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,”

When we leave a sin or a wrongful mindset, we have to go somewhere.

If you get in a car and aimlessly drive around, where do you end up. The place you call home.

When you come to know Jesus, you are leaving somewhere, but you are also going somewhere.

We replace fear and anxiety with honor for Christ.

This is why worship is so important.

Worship is feeling and seeing and knowing the weight of the name and person and work of Jesus.

1 Peter 3:16 “having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.”

What is a good conscience?

1 Peter 3:17 “For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”

It is better to do God’s will and suffer for it, than to do evil and live in health and safety.

Application

We need to be zealous for the Lord.

Zealous is not a good word anymore, is it? What does it mean, and why do we do it?

Zealous means to be consumed.

Leonard Ravenhill spoke of an older man in Britain who thought the Lord was calling him to the ministry. He went out into the wilderness of Britain to wait upon the Lord to confirm His calling. He stayed in the woods for 17 days.

When he came back, he talked to the denominational leaders, and they would not give him a church.

Finally after persistence, they gave him a failing parish in a terrible part of town.

The church exploded with salvations and repentance.

“Ezekiel was crazy.” No, Ezekiel was zealous, and we think what he did was crazy.

We have to become ok with people saying that we are wrong and being the moral minority.

What happens when people speak ill of you, even though you know you are right because of what the Bible says?

Can you suffer with dignity but without a word.

Invitation

Be zealous.

Embrace suffering.

Live with integrity.