Doing Good
Notes
Transcript
Tonight we continue our series “No Strangers to God” with a simple message that comes out of 1 Peter 3.
This message is going to hit on a simple topic… something that might even be considered elementary knowledge when it comes to our faith. Yet, it is so critically important in our walk with God.
The believers that Peter addressed his letter to were living in a land that was strange to them. They were scattered throughout the region to escape the rising persecution of Christians.
This is not exactly the ideal reason to relocate… but it was necessary for their safety. Their faith was the cause for their moving… and in their moving… they were called to remain… faithful.
In this moment… it might have been easy for the believers to become discouraged and upset in their faith. Why? Because they were suffering… suffering for their belief in Jesus Christ.
No one likes to suffer! It is NOT something we openly invite into our lives.
Suffering, in general, hurts. Suffering is uncomfortable. Suffering is painful. Suffering hits us emotionally, physically, mentally, financially, and so on. It can hit us in many ways and it can cause us a lot of heartache.
But the suffering the believers were experiencing was not a general form of suffering… it was a targeted suffering. The discomfort they felt was a result of the faith they lived out. So it might be reasonable to say that discouragement toward their faith might set in as the suffering intensified.
But church, I hope that we never forget that even suffering… serves a purpose in the life of a believer. Suffering… is a testing of our faith. Suffering will expose whether or not we believe what we say we believe.
James tells us to be joyful in trials because they produce the ability to persevere and through this process our faith matures.
When a believer is persecuted or is suffering because of their faith in Christ… it is a testing or refinement process of their faith. In that moment… impurities are often exposed.
Those impurities might show up in our attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and so on. And in that moment… we can choose to entertain those impurities OR to ask God to help us remove the impurities from our lives.
No doubt the people in Peter’s day were suffering for their faith. They were strangers in a foreign land but… they were NO STRANGERS TO GOD.
And BECAUSE THEY KNEW GOD… they also knew of the topic we are going to highlight this evening. In their suffering, Peter reminds the believers… to do GOOD. How could those who were suffering be expected to do good? Those that know GOD… know GOOD.
It goes without saying this evening that OUR GOD IS GOOD! His goodness is unlike anything else in this world!
We talk about His goodness in conversation and testimony.
We learn of His goodness as we read His Word and live His truth.
We sing of His goodness in with songs of praise and worship.
We experience His goodness every day as we walk with Him and spend time in His presence.
GOD IS GOOD!
And this declaration that God is good means we know what good is… those who know Him know His goodness. And it is important that those who know Him… to reflect His goodness toward others.
Look at 1 Peter 3:8-9
8 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.
Be like-minded, also translated as live in harmony with one another. Unity… is a GOOD thing.
Be sympathetic, care about the struggles of others. Be relatable… not irritable. Sympathy… is a GOOD thing.
Love one another or love as brothers, treat others as family, show kindness and mercy. Love… is a GOOD thing.
Show compassion toward others, put your love and sympathy for others in motion. Be so moved that you do something about another’s situation. Compassion… is a GOOD thing.
Be humble, remember your place. Humbleness is becoming more difficult to find anymore. Why? Because people are more offended than humbled (another sermon another time). Humble… is a GOOD thing.
Do not repay evil for evil, two wrongs do not make a right. Doing bad in the face of bad will not change any situation. Choosing not to payback in kind… is a GOOD thing.
And don’t miss the important point made in verse 9. We are CALLED to do good so that you may inherit a blessing. God’s blessing comes as believers fulfill the call to do GOOD!
Not only do believers receive a blessing from God when they do good… but they become a blessing to others as we do good.
And remember… this reminder of the call to do good was given by Peter to the believers in the season of suffering. Thus… suffering is NO EXCUSE not to do good.
There’s a saying out there that I know we all know well. If I say God is good… you say ALL THE TIME. And when I say AND ALL THE TIME… you say GOD IS GOOD!
Aren’t you glad that God’s goodness doesn’t come in seasons… but is evident in ALL seasons? His goodness doesn’t come and go… His goodness is present all the time! And that is how our goodness should be as well.
Because we know God… we know His goodness… and because we know His goodness… we are to do good like God.
And that my friends is a tall order. How can we do good like God when there is so much trying to get us to do otherwise? I think it will help us to remember what doing good does as we aim to answer that question. How do we do good in a world that seems bad? We need to remember these three things.
Doing Good Breaks us Free from the Pattern of this World.
Doing Good Breaks us Free from the Pattern of this World.
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.”
Now I’m not trying to suggest that doing bad is the “natural” pattern of the world… but a world that does not know God… will struggle to know what is good.
There are a lot of things and behaviors the world would list as “good” things.
Things like abortion. The world would say it is “good” for women to have the choice. “My body, my choice.” They see this as good.
Yet, the Bible tells us otherwise. Not only is abortion murder, but sex outside of marriage is sin. Here’s a quick thought… if you don’t want a child… abstain from having sex until you’re married.
Things like alcohol and other substances are declared by the world as good.
I have witnessed the destruction that alcohol can bring to a person’s life or home. it comes with far more consequence than good.
Making substances like marijuana legal only opens the door further for substance abuse and addiction. What you are looking for cannot be found at the bottom of a bottle, the end of a needle, or rolled tightly in a joint. What you are looking for can only be found in Jesus!
Behaviors that place our emotions in the driver’s seat instead of God’s standard are considered good.
My happiness counts too so I’ll do what I want… until you face the damaging consequences of what you are doing!
Sin will never satisfy the needs you feel inside. Yet when the mind is governed by the flesh instead of the Spirit… it will only find more chaos, confusion, and eventually death!
I could make a list a mile long tonight of things the world says are good… but in fact are anything BUT good! And the world is trying to pressure people into this kind of lifestyle. As stated in the text we just read… the world will threaten and will try to sow fear into the hearts of those who do not conform.
So what kind of pressure were the early believers facing in their day?
As strangers, they were outsiders. They stood out for their faith. They stood out in their communities. They didn’t serve the gods of their neighbors and communities. Therefore, they were subject to ridicule.
And in the face of that ridicule, Peter called them out and said do NOT respond in kind… but rather break free from the pattern they are trying to pull you into.
Peter tells them to do good no matter what. And even if harm comes from doing good, keep on doing good! You will be blessed for your faithfulness!
So what kind of blessing comes when we do as the Lord commands instead of doing as the world would pressure us to do?
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Our minds are renewed. Our lives are transformed. We are able to test and approve God’s will for our lives.
Choosing to not conform to the world keeps us in HIS GOODNESS AND GRACE and removes us from a pattern that would otherwise bring destruction and devastation. So what does breaking free from the pattern of the world look like? It does NOT take on the form of rebellion, but rather takes on the form of love in action.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Conforming to the world is NOT doing good as God has called us to do good.
We do good as we live out the commands of God.
It is good for us… and it is good for those around us. Doing good as commanded by God opens the doors for His goodness to make a difference in this world.
And church, while some may respond negatively to the good we are doing, many will respond in positive ways as the goodness of God is on full display.
The world will know and see the difference! And when that difference is on display… the world will often ask questions.
Doing Good Opens the Door for Giving Testimony.
Doing Good Opens the Door for Giving Testimony.
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.
I LOVE this passage. In your hearts, revere Christ. And… when, not if, people ask you for the source of your hope… be ready to give them the answer! Doing good will cause others to want to know the source… of your goodness!
Doing good will cause you to stand out for good reasons! And church, we do NOT do good to build a name for ourselves… but we do good to build up the name that is above ALL names.
When we choose to overcome evil with good, the world is going to want to know where it can get some of that!
Church, people do not like the negativity that is engulfing society… but it simply does not know where to turn for hope. So… when they see someone who is doing good despite all of the bad they are experiencing, they find themselves intrigued.
Doing good is love and faith in action. Doing good allows for Jesus to shine through His followers even in the bad times.
We need to never forget this important truth: We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). We, as followers of Jesus represent Jesus on this earth. And in our representation… we implore the world to be reconciled to to God through Jesus.
And 2 Corinthians says something else that is worth noting tonight. Back up to verse 16 for a moment.
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
From now on… don’t look at people the way the world looks at people. We are to see people as Jesus sees them. And with this new and restored point of view, we do the good works as we are called to do by our heavenly Father.
That is what will open the eyes of a lost and dying world. And when they come asking… we need to give them the answer.
And that answer… needs to be empowered by the Spirit of God.
God has given us the baptism in the Holy Spirit so that our witness… our testimony… would be EMPOWERED by the Lord. The Spirit of God anoints and empowers the words we speak into the lives of others.
What the world needs to see is faith and love in ACTION.
What the world needs to hear are words empowered and testimonies anointed.
Love in action opens the doors for testimonies to be received.
So when people ask, we need to respond. When people want to know the source of our hope… we need to reveal Jesus.
And… if people are not asking who the source of our hope is… could it be a sign that we present ourselves as being without hope instead of hopeful?
If we look like the world, sound like the world, act like the world, work like the world, think like the world, behave like the world, then the world will see us as one of their own… a stranger to hope and a life governed by self.
BUT… if we look like Christ, sound like Christ, act like Christ, work like Christ, think like Christ, behave like Christ, then the world will know there is something different about us. His goodness will be on full display!
We need to be like Jesus! We need to look to Christ as our example! And that brings us to our final reminder tonight…
Doing Good Reveals Christ as our Example.
Doing Good Reveals Christ as our Example.
18 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 did good for all. And even as Jesus suffered physically in a terrible way… He never stopped doing good for others.
Think about it....
He prayed for the forgiveness of the people who mocked Him and nailed Him to the cross.
He forgave the sins of a thief who was crucified with Him when the thief asked to be remembered by Jesus.
Jesus could have become a lot of things in that moment… but He choose to stay on mission. He choose to keep doing good.
He took on our sins and unrighteousness. He took on our transgressions and iniquities. He took our punishment, bore our shame, and carried our cross.
WE DID ALL THE BAD… Jesus was nothing but good! Yet He suffered on our behalf… He gave His life for those who deserved to be where He was!
I say all that to give this reminder… when we feel the world doesn’t deserve our kindness or goodness… never forget WE DO NOT deserve the kindness and goodness that has been extended to us by Jesus!
Church, we need to forever look to Jesus as our example of what it means to do good!
Jesus knew the Father and He knew what it meant to do good. He was about the Father’s business throughout His entire earthly ministry.
Jesus never settled for doing bad… He forever did good even when the world did not deserve it.
And we are to follow in His footsteps… we are to look to His example every single day.
Jesus told us this in Luke 9:23
23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
It is good that we deny ourselves… good that we take up our cross daily (take on the suffering that comes with our faith), it is good to follow Jesus.
And church, when I consider the truth of suffering for Jesus, I gladly accept what may come.
I remember how badly I was suffering BEFORE I knew Jesus. Jesus set me free from that suffering and brokenness! I will gladly suffer for my faith because my Lord is worthy of said suffering!
The world is truly suffering in its position away from Christ. It projects that same suffering on those in contact with it because it doesn't know what else to do. Because the world does not know God… it struggles to know what is good.
But… Those who know God… know good. Because God IS good. And we are called to do good no matter the circumstance.
Maybe you’re here or watching tonight and you are struggling a bit… you are struggling with doing good.
Perhaps it is in a certain situation or a certain relationship. Whatever the case… God is reminding you tonight of the importance of doing good.
Doing good does NOT discredit the suffering you have experienced… but it demonstrates your faith that allows you to rise above the suffering you have endured.
God is here tonight to help you. God wants to turn this around. It’s time to give it to God… and to let God help you to do good.
Prayer - help us God to do Good.
Help us to not conform
Help us to give empowered testimony
Help us to be examples of Jesus.