Holiness in an unholy world (7)

Prepared to give an answer…

1 Peter is filled with truths of how to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. In a paragraph or two, here’s a quick synopsis of what we have seen so far.

When we started this series, I called it, “Holiness in an unholy world.” There is only one way to be holy, that is by believing in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is our Rock, our foundation, our Cornerstone. Because of this, we hare called to be holy, set apart to God. As Christians, we need to be alert and aware of the things that are going on around us. We are in a spiritual battle and we may have to suffer because of this battle.

Peter also spoke about respect and honour for those in authority over us whether governments, bosses whether good or bad, our spouses, and each other. We’ve looked at keys to unity: having the same mindset, be sympathetic to others, loving each other, being compassionate, and humble. Last week, we looked at retaliating with blessing when evil is done against us.

This morning, I’d like to focus on being prepared to give an answer.

1 Peter 3:13–18 NIV

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 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, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Peter starts with a question?

Who will harm you if you are eager to do good?

This leads us in to where we want to get to this morning. You might ask yourself, “If I’m doing good, if I’m doing right, who would do anything against me?”

It doesn’t make sense that anybody would get upset if I’m doing what is right and what is pleasing to God.

Ephesians 6:12 NIV

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

You can do good, and you can be eager to do what is right, but not everybody is going to agree with you. Not everybody is going to see things your way. When we look at morals or ethics, many people do what is right in their own eyes. As Christians, we are called to live according to Scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

God gave us His word so that we will be thoroughly equipped. As we apply God’s word to our lives, He changes us into the people that He wants us to be.

1 Peter 3:14 NIV

But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

Even if you suffer because you have done right, you are blessed. Psalm 1:1

Psalm 1:1 NKJV

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

Do not fear their threats.

Isaiah 8:13 ESV

But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Matthew 10:28–31 NIV

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Fear can be paralyzing. We can fear people. We can fear sickness. We can fear things that have happened in our pasts and we can fear the future.

Fear can prevent us from the destiny that God has for us. Fear of failure can stop us from trying again. I don’t want to minimize the hurts and the disappointments that you might have faced during your lifetime. Even Peter, James, and John had fished all night and caught nothing. Jesus was standing on the shore, and He yelled out to them to cast their net onto the other side of the boat. The catch was so big that they couldn’t hardly haul it in.

Fear God

Proverbs 29:25 NKJV

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.

There is only One who is All-powerful. There is only One who has been given the name that is above every name. Let’s honour Him. Let’s love Him. Let’s hold Him in highest honour, because He alone is worthy to be praised.

As we trust, as we believe in the Lord we can say:

Psalm 27:1 NKJV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Be prepared to give an answer...

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

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,

You don’t need to be a theologian or a Bible scholar to share the hope that you have in Christ. He is the strength of your life. He is the stronghold in which you can find refuge.

Let’s tell the story of what Christ has done in our lives.

Here where it says,”Be prepared to give an answer,” in some translations it says, “to give a defense.” Over half of the Christians in the world are in countries that face persecution. What would you say if you were hauled off and dragged into court for your faith? Have you ever thought about what your defense would be?

Apologetics is a term we use for defending our faith. Jesus said in Matthew 10:18-20

Matthew 10:18–20 NIV

On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

Doesn’t this encourage you that we have the promise of the Holy Spirit to be speaking through us as we give the reason for the hope that we have in Christ.

Be prepared...

These words jump out at me. For somebody that has given presentations such as: book reports, sales presentations, maybe you’ve been asked to be a witness in court, or maybe as teacher, pastor, Sunday School teacher, leader of a Bible Study, we need to prepare.

It’s important that we take time and make preparations so that when we are asked, we are ready to make a defense or to give an answer for the hope that we have in Christ.

Here’s just a day to day example, but let’s bring application in our own lives.

Henry Petkau was a friend of mine. He was a trucker by trade. He hauled logs out of the bush. He hauled cattle. He even hauled freight or grain. He was very versatile in his abilities.

When he turned 65, he decided that he only wanted to drive tandems rather than truck and trailer. He went into the license issuer to do this and when he walked out, he realized that the issuer had cancelled his ticket for air brakes. he went back in to explain the situation, but they told him that he’d have to take the test again. “When can I write?”, Henry asked.

“Any time,” was the response. Henry wrote the test on the spot and did the practical as well. He asked the Lord to help him. He got 100%.

Henry knew his stuff. He had lived it for years. We too need to be ready before the test comes.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 NIV

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

How to give an answer...

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

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,

We may have all the right answers but if we have the wrong tone, we have nothing. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “You won the battle, but you lost the war.”

It does us no good to be rude. It does us no good to be arrogant. People don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care.

I’m sure that each of us have had discussions or will have discussions with others about God, Jesus, Christianity, evolution, etc. We can know all the facts. We can say it really well, and yet seem to get mixed reviews or even rejection.

Somebody else walks up to a door with a Coop gift card or a bag of groceries and gets a totally different response. Love and kindness goes a long way.

As you walk love, gentleness, and respect, you can have a clear conscience that you have not only honoured others but you have also honoured the Lord.

1 Peter 3:16 NIV

keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

We don’t have to be ashamed on the day we meet Jesus that we have not run or laboured in vain. I believe that when we are falsely accused, the Holy Spirit can bring conviction on our accusers. God will fight for you. The truth will eventually come out. If not here, it will come out when we stand before God.

1 Peter 3:17 NIV

For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Courageous

In the movie, Courageous, there is a group of men that make a covenant before God that they want to honour Him with everything that they do.

Javier is put in a hard place where he has to make a decision to fudge an order sheet. He comes back to his employer the next day, and tells the boss, “I’m sorry, I can’t do what you are asking for.”

Javier thought he’d be fired for sure, but was given the position because of his integrity.

On the other hand, a police officer, Shane Fuller, was selling a few drugs he had confiscated. He ended up losing his position as well as serving time for his crime.

Brothers and sisters, we are better if we suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s sufferings

1 Peter 3:18 NIV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.

Jesus suffered once for sins. He did this to bring us to God.

Romans 5:6–10 NIV

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

This morning, we are going to share at the Lord’s table. His death has brought us life. At just the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. At just the right time, His body was broken and His blood was shed.

Let’s give thanks to God for this great sacrifice.

Isaiah 53:5 NIV

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Share Communion

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NKJV

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.