WEBVTT

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 Chapter number three, first Peter chapter number three. It's good to be here in the Lord's house tonight.

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 It is toasty out there, but thankful we're in here.

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 Looking forward to a great week.

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 And the last few stragglers start back to school tomorrow.

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 So pray for them, pray for the teachers.

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 And thankful for just the opportunity to be in the Lord's house today.

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 And hope you enjoy the services of morning.

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 Hope it's a blessing and encouragement and help.

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 And hopefully that'll be the same tonight.

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 We're walking through the book of first Peter.

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 And Peter's writing to a people that are scattered abroad.

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 God, difficulties coming, persecutions there.

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 But just because life is difficult doesn't mean that we change the way that we live.

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 We still live for Christ. He still gives us an opportunity.

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 And we live in a world that's not going to always understand us.

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 They're not going to always treat us the way that we should be treated and vice versa as well.

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 But Peter's going to deal with that today.

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 And so our text is going to be in verses 13 through 17 of chapter three.

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 But I'm going to just read from verse eight down to verse 17.

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 Because it's still kind of the same thought.

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 He's dealing with us as believers.

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 How do we bring this in?

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 We looked a little bit last week about how we live as a church family.

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 We should have a family resemblance.

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 And he's kind of going to come out of that as well and show us a few things in verse 13 through 17.

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 But verse eight says,

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 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another.

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 Love as brethren.

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 Be pitiful.

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 Be courteous.

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 Pitiful as being humble.

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 Different things like that.

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 Not rendering evil for evil or railing for railing, but contrawise blessing.

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 Knowing that you are there unto call that you should inherit a blessing.

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 For he that will love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile.

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 Let him eschew evil and do good.

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 Let him seek peace and ensue it.

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 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their prayers.

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 But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

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 So the Lord, we're reminded in that verse that God sees everything.

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 That God knows where we are.

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 He hears us.

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 He understands what we need.

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 And he reminds us here in verse 13.

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 So Peter asked a question.

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 And who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good?

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 But and if you suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye.

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 And be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.

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 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you for the reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

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 Having a good conscience that we that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

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 For it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well-doing than for evildoing.

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 So tonight in our text, I want to preach a message entitled this, When Doing Right Costs You.

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 Because sometimes we do the right thing and we think, that didn't go how I expected it to.

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 We feel like if I do the right thing, I shouldn't have any problems when it comes back in my life.

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 That's not how the world operates.

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 And that's not how we are going to face things.

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 So how do we deal with it when that comes to our plate?

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 And that's what we're going to look at tonight.

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 So let's ask the Lord to help us as we open up His Word.

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 Father, thank you for this time together.

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 Thank you for just another opportunity to gather together, to lift our voices in praise, to open up your Word.

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 So thankful we have a copy of your Word in our hands.

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 And Lord, I pray that you wouldn't just make us think that we're here just to get some information.

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 But Lord, help it to transform our lives, that we can apply it.

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 Some things that maybe we're facing this week are going to face.

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 And Lord, I pray that you would just be with me now.

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 You would empty me of self, cleanse me of sin, give me the words to say that it'll be a help tonight.

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 And we ask it in Christ's name.

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 Amen.

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 You may be seated.

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 Thank you so much for standing.

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 I'd imagine everybody in this room has done what was right.

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 You knew it was the right thing.

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 You did it.

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 And it still made things harder.

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 I mean, sometimes we assume that if we do the right thing, everything ought to work out.

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 You know, if we tell the truth, then people will appreciate our honesty.

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 If we stand for what is right, people are going to respect our convictions.

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 If we treat people well, then they should treat us well in return.

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 And if we live for Jesus and we try to do what the Bible has called us to do,

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 then surely life will go smoothly.

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 And it will be smooth sailing all the way through.

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 Anybody find that to be true in life?

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 Generally, that's not how it works.

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 And sometimes you do the right thing.

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 And you are criticized.

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 You may take a biblical stand on some convictions and you're kind about it.

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 But you still stand firm on it.

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 And somebody is going to call you narrow-minded.

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 Sometimes we show kindness to other people.

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 And sometimes it gets taken advantage of.

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 Instead of reciprocating or being thankful for it,

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 they just use you and kind of throw you to the side.

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 Sometimes you try to honor God.

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 And instead of a life becoming easier, it actually becomes harder.

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 And you're thinking, Lord, I'm trying to do everything you've called me to do.

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 And I think that's really where our faith can be tested.

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 Because it's easy to do right when doing right is rewarded.

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 If you know, hey, if I do this, then there's going to be some good things coming down the pipe for me.

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 But what happens when we do right and it costs us something?

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 That's what Peter is going to address tonight in our text.

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 That's what he wants to show us.

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 Because Peter is writing to these believers that were suffering many times just for being a Christian.

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 They're scattered all over.

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 They're all over Galatia and these areas.

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 Not because they wanted to be.

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 It's because life forced them this way.

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 And they were strangers and they were pilgrims living in a culture that did not understand them.

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 That did not share in the convictions that they held so dearly.

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 And as we've really seen throughout this section particularly,

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 Peter has been showing them how to live in a world that doesn't always treat them fairly.

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 Whether it's the government or whether it's the workplace environment.

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 Whether it's even within our own homes.

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 And really as we saw last week in verses 8 through 12,

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 he kind of broadened the application to the entire church.

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 How do we live within a church family?

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 Because even though we're a church family,

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 sometimes life is going to be hard even within these walls.

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 We may be misunderstood.

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 We may be mistaken in what we do and what we say.

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 And Peter comes here and he asks a very practical question in verse 13.

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 And who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good?

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 Kind of right on the surface, it seems that Peter is saying,

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 Hey, if you do good, then nobody can hurt you.

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 If you do the right thing, then you're going to have no problems in life.

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 But he very quickly reminds us in verse number 14, that's not what he's saying.

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 Because the very few first words are,

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 But and if you suffer for righteousness sake.

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 He's saying, you might and you will suffer.

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 So he's not saying that we're not going to run into problems.

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 He's not promising that Christians will never suffer.

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 But what he is going to show us is how to respond when we do.

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 How to respond when doing right costs us.

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 And so as we walk through the text, the big idea I want us to pull out is this,

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 Is that when doing right costs us,

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 Our hope in Christ allows us to stand without fear.

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 It allows us to speak with grace.

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 And it causes us to live with a clear conscience.

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 That's what God wants us to be able to do.

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 So here's the question I want us to keep in front of us as we walk through these few verses.

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 How should we respond when doing right costs us?

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 Number one, we should respond by trusting God.

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 We seem to see this theme over and over and over in scriptures.

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 Trust God.

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 We see in Proverbs chapter 3,

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 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart.

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 And all throughout the Psalms and the Proverbs.

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 And really as we come to the New Testament, we see it over and over again.

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 But it's not just a little phrase that we say as Christians.

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 It is a way that we are to live our life.

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 And so there we see, once again in verse number 13, the Bible says,

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 If ye be followers of that which is good.

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 He's saying that, hey listen, this applies to you if you're zealous for living for the Lord,

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 if you're zealous for doing good.

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 What Peter is describing here,

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 he's not describing someone who occasionally does the right things.

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 Every once in a while they'll just do it because, hey, they want to have good karma on their side.

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 Hey, they want to have good things flowing their way.

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 That's not what Peter's talking about.

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 He is talking to people who do the right thing all the time.

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 Try to live a life like that.

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 Not people that just live and do the right thing when it's convenient.

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 When it's going to help them get ahead at work.

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 When it's going to help them do these situations.

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 He's describing somebody in verse number 13 who has settled this in their heart.

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 I want to do what pleases God.

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 That's the type of person that Peter's talking to.

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 He's writing to these people that had settled,

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 Hey, I'm going to serve God even if it sends me across the world.

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 Even if it makes my life difficult.

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 And to people that are going to serve God whether people applaud or not.

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 Listen, we don't serve God for the applause.

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 We shouldn't.

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 That's not why we're doing what we're doing.

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 He's writing to people that are going to serve God whether others understand it or not.

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 Whether people agree with it or not.

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 He's writing to people that are just saying,

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 I want to do what God wants me to do because that's the right thing to do.

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 See, Christianity isn't just believing what is right.

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 It's about doing it.

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 It's about putting action behind what we do.

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 We say it all the time.

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 We need to practice what we preach.

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 And that's kind of what Peter's saying.

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 I'm writing this to people that are willing to practice what they preach.

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 Whether it's at home or at work and relationships or in the way we're responded when we're mistreated.

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 But I want to say this off the top.

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 Generally speaking, doing good prevents a lot of unnecessary suffering.

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 I mean, Peter's not against us doing good.

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 We can't become so cynical that we think, well, I'm just not going to do good.

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 I'm not going to be kind.

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 I'm not going to say nice things because it seems like every time I do it, I just get the raw end of the deal.

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 No, if you're honest and you're dependable and you're gracious and you're hardworking and you're kind,

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 most people aren't going to have a reason to come after you.

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 That's how we're called to live.

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 We're called to live and to emulate Christ.

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 But Peter understands this, and I think we do as well.

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 There's always exceptions to the rule.

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 There's going to be some times that when you live that way,

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 that some people are going to come after you just because you live that way.

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 Just because you love the Lord.

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 And that's why he immediately says what he says in verse number 14.

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 But notice what he does not say in verse 14.

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 If you live right, you'll never suffer.

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 Doesn't say that.

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 Because sometimes you can do everything right and still suffer.

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 I wish it did, but following Jesus doesn't make us immune from suffering in this world.

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 It doesn't make us immune for people slandering our name or saying things that are untrue.

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 In fact, sometimes following Jesus is the very reason suffering comes in our life.

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 You think, well, where did you get that from?

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 Jesus?

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 Jesus?

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 I mean, John chapter 15, he says this.

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 The servant is not greater than his Lord.

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 If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

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 Now, we've got to look at our life sometimes, and we'll dive into this in a minute.

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 Sometimes what we think is persecution is not persecution.

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 We were just dumb.

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 What Jesus is talking about is when we are persecuted for his sake, for living for him, for taking a stand for him, for not compromising, for eschewing evil in the things that we read about and talked about last week.

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 See, people may try to affect and to control our circumstances, but here's what they can't touch.

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 They can't touch who we are in Christ.

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 They can't touch that inheritance, that hope that we have.

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 And that's the theme that Peter's really been driving home.

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 Because these people were dealing with it, and life was falling apart for many of them, and the things had changed.

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 And it was so, they were just kind of thinking, what is going on?

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 But he's reminding them over and over, hey, your hope is still in the Lord.

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 Your hope is alive.

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 You're these lively stones built up in Jesus Christ.

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 They cannot take Jesus.

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 They cannot take your salvation.

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 They cannot take your eternal hope.

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 See, as Christians, we're not beyond the reach of suffering.

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 But we are beyond the reach of ultimate harm.

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 They can say things.

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 They can do things.

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 They can try.

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 The world will try to do those things.

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 But Jesus says, they can't touch it.

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 What you have is secure.

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 In fact, Peter says this in verse number 14.

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 Happy are ye.

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 That doesn't seem like that should go there.

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 But in if you suffer, happy are ye.

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 Now, that word happy doesn't mean we would put a smile on our face like, man, I'm glad everybody's coming after me today.

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 I'm glad they're making my life miserable.

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 I love when people do that.

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 That's not the idea.

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 No, the idea is this.

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 It's the same that we find in the Beatitudes.

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 Blessed.

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 Blessed are ye.

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 In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 5.10, blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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 Jesus has told us over and over, and Peter's reiterating, he's going to hit it again in verse chapter 4, that it shouldn't be strange when difficulties come.

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 But I don't want us to miss this, and I think Peter wants to make sure we don't miss it, that suffering for doing right does not mean God abandoned you.

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 It's not like the idea that we suffer and it's like, oh, he's left us here.

00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:54.019
 No, God's not going to leave us high and dry.

00:13:54.599 --> 00:13:56.439
 There's nowhere in Scripture that he says that.

00:13:56.899 --> 00:13:59.860
 No, if we're his children, he's promised to never leave us nor forsake us.

00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:02.979
 That he's going to walk with us, even if it's through the valley, the shadow of death.

00:14:03.019 --> 00:14:04.719
 It doesn't matter what life throws at us.

00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:07.620
 We do not have to walk alone, and we never will.

00:14:08.299 --> 00:14:11.019
 That the Holy Spirit of God lives and resides within us.

00:14:11.059 --> 00:14:11.679
 He's our guide.

00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:13.839
 He's our helper through this difficulty.

00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:21.420
 And it doesn't mean that even if life is hard and maybe people are coming after you, that you've missed God's will, that you've done something terribly wrong in your life.

00:14:22.160 --> 00:14:23.040
 It doesn't mean that.

00:14:23.780 --> 00:14:28.899
 That's nowhere to be found in this text or any situation in Scripture like this.

00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:36.220
 But sometimes suffering is evidence that you've chosen faithfulness over convenience.

00:14:37.280 --> 00:14:39.240
 That might be the situation.

00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:48.259
 So instead of trying to avoid anything that might cost us, when difficulties come, and it will come, he said, we need to ask ourselves this.

00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:50.120
 How can I honor Christ in this?

00:14:51.000 --> 00:14:54.799
 How can I make sure that I don't respond with how my flesh wants to respond?

00:14:55.019 --> 00:15:01.060
 How can I make sure that I am pointing others to Christ, even when maybe they're coming after me?

00:15:01.059 --> 00:15:08.919
 So Peter, here in verse number 14, he's not pretending like there's nothing frightening about this.

00:15:09.500 --> 00:15:11.599
 He doesn't say, hey, get over it, you big babies.

00:15:12.219 --> 00:15:15.319
 I mean, that's not Peter's heart here.

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:16.159
 That's not his burden.

00:15:17.099 --> 00:15:19.079
 He understood what they were going through.

00:15:19.979 --> 00:15:22.379
 I mean, Peter went through this in his own life.

00:15:22.939 --> 00:15:23.980
 I mean, read the book of Acts.

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:27.059
 Every time Peter's, they're not trying to cause a riot.

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:29.720
 They're not trying to overthrow the government.

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:31.360
 They're not trying to overthrow Rome.

00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:33.320
 Here's what they were doing, preaching Christ.

00:15:33.960 --> 00:15:35.620
 And every time they preached Christ, you know what they did?

00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:36.939
 Hey, you can't do that.

00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:39.919
 And they'd throw him in jail, and they'd beat him, and they'd do all these things.

00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:42.799
 And yet, the Bible says, they rejoiced.

00:15:43.700 --> 00:15:44.460
 They were happy.

00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:45.720
 They were blessed.

00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:47.600
 Not because they were being punished.

00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:49.179
 Not because life was painful.

00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:51.259
 No, because they were following Christ.

00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:53.980
 And that was the forefront of their mind.

00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:55.700
 That's what they were living for.

00:15:55.960 --> 00:15:59.039
 And what Peter is telling them here at the end of verse number 14,

00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:02.240
 and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.

00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:04.139
 Here's what he's saying.

00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:06.080
 Don't let fear control you.

00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:08.960
 Because that's what the world tries to do.

00:16:10.100 --> 00:16:12.240
 And to be honest, they're pretty successful at it.

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:16.059
 They have silenced Christians for a long, long time.

00:16:16.580 --> 00:16:19.080
 And I think even in our culture, even in our country right now,

00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:24.379
 we're dealing with the consequences that we've been silent for so long about so many key issues

00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:26.740
 that we realize, how did we get here?

00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:28.560
 Well, it's because we didn't take a stand.

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:31.379
 Because we were afraid, and we maybe let fear control us.

00:16:31.440 --> 00:16:34.600
 And they said, well, you can't say that at the workplace, and you can't say it here,

00:16:34.620 --> 00:16:35.360
 and you can't live it here.

00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:38.120
 Peter says, no, we're to live it everywhere.

00:16:38.940 --> 00:16:40.740
 We're to share the love of Christ.

00:16:40.820 --> 00:16:41.580
 We're to do these things.

00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:46.480
 Because there's a difference between feeling fear and being controlled by fear.

00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:50.440
 See, fear says, what will people think?

00:16:51.280 --> 00:16:53.400
 You know, we want to be thought well of.

00:16:53.800 --> 00:16:55.480
 And we think, well, if I do this, what will people think?

00:16:55.560 --> 00:16:56.540
 But here's what faith says.

00:16:56.660 --> 00:16:57.680
 What does God think?

00:16:59.060 --> 00:17:00.200
 That's kind of where Peter's saying.

00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:01.379
 We don't have to be worried.

00:17:01.420 --> 00:17:02.200
 We don't have to be troubled.

00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:03.980
 Because we're gods.

00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:06.240
 That's who we're living for.

00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:08.940
 Fear says, what if I do this?

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:09.700
 What if I obey God?

00:17:09.700 --> 00:17:11.039
 What's it going to cost me?

00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:16.900
 But when we're living by faith, we think, what's compromise going to cost me?

00:17:17.580 --> 00:17:21.299
 I'd rather please God than live in the fear of man.

00:17:21.860 --> 00:17:23.680
 That's really what Peter is bringing us to.

00:17:24.660 --> 00:17:29.680
 You see, when God is in his proper place in our heart, fear also gets put in its proper place.

00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:32.380
 That they cannot coexist.

00:17:32.700 --> 00:17:34.340
 Faith and fear cannot coexist.

00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:36.400
 That we must live by faith.

00:17:37.360 --> 00:17:38.380
 And we're going to see here in a moment.

00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:42.700
 But verse 14 just flows so perfectly into verse 15.

00:17:43.560 --> 00:17:48.960
 He says, and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.

00:17:49.940 --> 00:17:51.200
 You know what Peter doesn't say?

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:54.960
 You just need to stop being afraid and just believe in yourself.

00:17:56.260 --> 00:17:57.480
 That's not what he says.

00:17:58.500 --> 00:18:01.980
 No, if you're afraid and you believe in yourself, you're going to be more afraid.

00:18:01.980 --> 00:18:03.960
 Because I don't have the answers.

00:18:04.339 --> 00:18:07.860
 I don't have the ability to stand and do what God has called me to do.

00:18:08.059 --> 00:18:10.440
 No, his answer to the fear of man is this.

00:18:10.740 --> 00:18:12.980
 Put Jesus in his rightful place.

00:18:13.640 --> 00:18:15.440
 He needs to be the Lord of your life.

00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:20.259
 That's what he's been talking about the entire second chapter and coming up into our text here.

00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:23.859
 And the third chapter is we must submit to the Lordship of Christ.

00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:27.619
 Whether it's in the workplace or the government or our home and our relationship.

00:18:28.099 --> 00:18:32.460
 If everything, if God is in his rightful place, everything else is going to fall in his rightful place.

00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:34.059
 It's where it needs to be.

00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:41.559
 See, because when Christ becomes small in our thinking, people become big in our thinking.

00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:44.640
 When Jesus is small, we're so worried about everything else.

00:18:44.819 --> 00:18:46.099
 No, we need to flip that around.

00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:50.259
 That Christ is big and he is the goal and he is the aim.

00:18:50.459 --> 00:18:53.980
 And then everything else kind of goes strangely dim as the old hymn says.

00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:59.059
 So here's the question when we think about obeying Christ.

00:18:59.459 --> 00:19:02.539
 Whose approval matters most?

00:19:03.879 --> 00:19:05.559
 And Peter's answer is unmistakable.

00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:07.000
 It's Jesus'.

00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:09.359
 It's not your co-worker.

00:19:10.019 --> 00:19:11.559
 It's not your spouse even.

00:19:11.639 --> 00:19:12.519
 It's not your family.

00:19:12.659 --> 00:19:13.059
 It's not this.

00:19:13.059 --> 00:19:16.819
 No, the approval we're living for is God alone.

00:19:17.579 --> 00:19:19.519
 That is what he's called us to do.

00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:21.639
 And that's where real courage begins.

00:19:21.819 --> 00:19:23.839
 Not with a stronger personality.

00:19:24.139 --> 00:19:25.700
 Not with greater confidence in ourselves.

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.980
 It begins in a heart that is settled on who sits on the throne of our life.

00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:33.019
 That's where he's bringing us to this point.

00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:35.059
 And that takes us into verse number 15.

00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:36.759
 And it answers our question again.

00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:38.079
 How should we respond?

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:41.179
 We should respond by setting Christ apart.

00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:44.680
 By setting Christ apart.

00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:50.620
 Very clearly in these opening verses, Peter tells us, hey, don't be afraid.

00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:56.140
 Well, sometimes, you know, I remember growing up, I'd be afraid of something.

00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:56.759
 I'd go tell my dad.

00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:57.960
 He's like, well, get over it.

00:19:58.920 --> 00:20:00.620
 That was a great talk.

00:20:00.660 --> 00:20:01.500
 I'm glad I came here.

00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:05.859
 You know, I got a lot of things to think about and move on with my life there.

00:20:06.619 --> 00:20:09.859
 You know, but sometimes he would sit down and say, hey, think about this.

00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:11.839
 Hey, do this instead.

00:20:12.859 --> 00:20:19.940
 And Peter doesn't tell us just to stop being afraid and act like the world isn't coming against us sometimes.

00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.019
 No, he tells us how it's possible.

00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:23.900
 That first phrase there.

00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:28.080
 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.

00:20:29.160 --> 00:20:31.780
 That word sanctify just means to set apart.

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:33.940
 To regard as holy.

00:20:34.340 --> 00:20:38.259
 To give God the place that belongs to him alone.

00:20:39.840 --> 00:20:42.980
 The context reminds us once again what the believers are facing.

00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:45.780
 No doubt they would have probably been misunderstood.

00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:51.500
 They were wondering, if I continue to be faithful, what's it going to cost me?

00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:53.180
 It's already costing me my home.

00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:55.019
 That's why I'm out on the run.

00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:58.859
 That's why I've had to move my family halfway across the world or whatever it might have been.

00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:01.079
 And here's what Peter is saying.

00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:05.759
 Before you worry about people around you, settle in your heart where the Lord sets.

00:21:06.579 --> 00:21:08.279
 That's what he wanted him to get a hold of.

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:15.660
 Because if we're not careful, the fear of man begins determining what we say and what we do and where we stand.

00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:18.960
 And the book of Proverbs reminds us it's not a great place to live.

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.559
 In fact, it says in Proverbs 29, 25,

00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:23.500
 The fear of man bringeth a snare.

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:28.819
 But whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:31.700
 That's where God calls us to live.

00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:34.160
 And it's a hard question, but we need to ask ourselves,

00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:40.460
 Is Jesus merely just my Savior or is he functioning as Lord of my life?

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:44.840
 Because if he's just our Savior, then we're just kind of holding on until he comes back.

00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:47.859
 But if he's Lord of our life, then he understands what we're facing.

00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:50.599
 He understands that difficult workplace situation.

00:21:50.879 --> 00:21:52.159
 He understands that relationship.

00:21:52.439 --> 00:21:54.379
 He understands that you're trying to live for him.

00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:56.000
 And he is Lord of your life.

00:21:56.099 --> 00:22:02.480
 Because it's possible to say we believe the Bible until believing the Bible becomes a little bit uncomfortable where we find ourselves.

00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:05.919
 It's easy to agree with the Bible right here tonight.

00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:08.099
 And on a Sunday morning, everybody's singing.

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:09.259
 And man, I loved the singing this morning.

00:22:09.299 --> 00:22:09.759
 It was awesome.

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:12.680
 And we're singing out about the truth of God's Word.

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:13.740
 And we're agreeing.

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:15.240
 And we're saying amen to the Word of God.

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:18.779
 But listen, you're going to go out tomorrow and not everybody's going to agree with the Word of God.

00:22:19.619 --> 00:22:21.519
 And it's not that you don't believe it.

00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:24.519
 But maybe I'm just not going to say something about it today.

00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:27.039
 I don't want to make this an awkward situation.

00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:32.460
 It's possible to say that Jesus is Lord until obedience costs you something.

00:22:33.259 --> 00:22:35.160
 But maybe you're not willing to pay.

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:39.099
 But here's what sanctify the Lord God in your hearts means.

00:22:39.099 --> 00:22:43.439
 Let His Word have the final word.

00:22:44.639 --> 00:22:46.619
 That God is the one that determines how you live.

00:22:47.059 --> 00:22:51.299
 That God's Word determines what we say and what we do and what we stand on.

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:55.119
 And once that's settled, something interesting should happen in your life.

00:22:55.439 --> 00:22:57.259
 People begin to notice.

00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:00.839
 When you live for Christ, I didn't say they would always agree with it.

00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:03.379
 But at some point, they're going to notice it.

00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:07.639
 They're going to notice that maybe your speech is a little bit different than everybody else's.

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:12.140
 Some of the conversations you may be not willing to get into or say,

00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:14.160
 Hey, I don't really want to talk about that.

00:23:14.200 --> 00:23:15.720
 I don't think we should be talking about that here.

00:23:15.860 --> 00:23:16.840
 Or whatever it may be.

00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:18.220
 It could be at school this week.

00:23:18.320 --> 00:23:20.880
 And it could be at work for some of us as well.

00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:28.360
 And Peter continues saying, Listen, when you sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, here's what you need to be ready for.

00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:38.160
 Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you for the reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:42.380
 Now, the order is very, very clear here.

00:23:43.120 --> 00:23:45.380
 He says, First, you've got to make Jesus your Lord.

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.000
 And when you do that, it's going to change the way you live.

00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:52.660
 And when that happens, you need to be ready to explain why you live the way you do.

00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:55.480
 You need to be ready to give an answer for the hope that you have.

00:23:55.620 --> 00:24:00.519
 Because a life that is centered on Christ ought to produce something people can see.

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:06.579
 What Peter is saying here is he says, Let your hope become visible.

00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:15.779
 I think what we see in verse number 15, Peter assumes that if we live a life that is pleasing to God, somebody might ask us about it.

00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.920
 Sometimes that's why people are chameleon Christians.

00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:22.720
 I don't want to let them know I'm a Christian too much because they might ask me something.

00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:24.940
 That's the point.

00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:28.279
 That's actually the whole goal of it.

00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:32.139
 Jesus didn't say, Let your light just be hidden and only shine when you want to.

00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:37.539
 No, he said, Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works.

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:41.319
 They may see how you live and you can point them to your heavenly Father.

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.680
 That is the aim.

00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:47.019
 And when we think about it, he's writing to people that are suffering and they're being mistreated.

00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:50.619
 And they're living in a culture that is increasingly hostile towards their faith.

00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:54.559
 There's a man named Nero on the throne and he's coming after Christians.

00:24:54.839 --> 00:24:56.119
 Life is not easy.

00:24:56.119 --> 00:25:01.259
 And yet Peter says, Hey, I expect that somebody should look at your life and say, Why do you still have hope?

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.399
 You've moved here.

00:25:03.879 --> 00:25:05.179
 The government's against you.

00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:06.879
 And you're smiling sometimes.

00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:11.000
 You seem to have some good things going on in your life.

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:13.779
 And here's what he wanted them to understand.

00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:18.500
 The world can see when we're hurting, but they should also see that we're not hopeless.

00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:25.160
 The world can see when somebody's mistreated, but when they don't retaliate, they're thinking, Well, that's weird.

00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:27.259
 Because you know what?

00:25:27.279 --> 00:25:29.380
 You're probably going to be mistreated at work one time.

00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:33.319
 But if you just kind of let it slide on and say, Hey, no big deal, man.

00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:35.220
 No, don't worry about it.

00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:37.579
 There's going to be somebody in your office thinking, What?

00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:40.419
 Like, that's not how I would have handled that situation.

00:25:41.000 --> 00:25:44.199
 And they may not say something immediately, but you know what they're going to do?

00:25:44.240 --> 00:25:45.179
 They're going to file that away.

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:48.759
 And they're going to notice there is a pattern in your life.

00:25:49.619 --> 00:25:50.619
 It's not that we're perfect.

00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:55.759
 And it's not that you don't always, maybe there are times where you do retaliate and you just, you know,

00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:58.079
 your tongue just says something that you don't want to say every once in a while.

00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:03.879
 We're not saying that we're perfect, but over time they're going to realize there's something different in the way this person lives.

00:26:04.619 --> 00:26:06.659
 There's something different in the way they respond.

00:26:08.419 --> 00:26:11.159
 These believers would maybe have been uncertain about tomorrow.

00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:14.619
 Job may have been difficult to find.

00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:17.980
 They wouldn't have maybe hired somebody like this.

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:21.740
 But they also lived in a way that they were confident about eternity.

00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:27.480
 And see, when we live that way, you should have somebody.

00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:30.400
 I hope you've had somebody ask you, hey, what's different about you?

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:33.240
 Why do you live the way you do?

00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:35.880
 Why is church so important to you?

00:26:36.420 --> 00:26:38.079
 Why are you always inviting me to church?

00:26:38.380 --> 00:26:40.420
 Every time your church has something going on, you always invite me.

00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:40.819
 Why?

00:26:41.860 --> 00:26:43.019
 What's the big deal?

00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:44.860
 And here's what Peter is saying.

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:49.920
 When that moment comes, not if it comes, but when it comes, you need to be ready.

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:53.140
 You need to have an answer to give them.

00:26:53.140 --> 00:26:58.520
 Because our world desperately needs to see this type of Christian.

00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:02.780
 Because we look at our world, and it's falling apart.

00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:06.220
 And we're going through the same financial strain that the world's going through.

00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:09.340
 Gas costs us the same amount as it costs other people.

00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:10.920
 Groceries cost us the same amount.

00:27:11.060 --> 00:27:12.980
 And we're dealing with the same pressures.

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:16.780
 And it's not that we don't feel it, but we're also not living for this world.

00:27:16.779 --> 00:27:19.680
 We also have a different view and a different hope.

00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:24.420
 And we're not dismissing all of the issues of life, but we are living for something more.

00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:29.039
 And it should show in the way that we live and how we react and what we do.

00:27:29.319 --> 00:27:34.160
 And it's not that we don't experience problems, but the problems don't destroy our hope.

00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:37.119
 Because Christianity doesn't exempt us from hardship.

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:39.019
 But here's what it does do.

00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:40.700
 It gives us hope in the middle of hardship.

00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:43.099
 It gives us hope in the middle of difficulty.

00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:48.959
 And there's something powerful about watching someone walk through something difficult and still trust God.

00:27:49.719 --> 00:27:51.799
 It's a wonderful, beautiful thing to watch.

00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:54.879
 I see it in our own church.

00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:59.679
 We see people on the prayer list, and yet they're here on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights and Wednesday.

00:28:00.259 --> 00:28:02.759
 And we know what they're going through, and we're praying for them.

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:07.519
 And it's amazing to see here, but it's even more amazing when it's out in the wild, so to speak.

00:28:08.639 --> 00:28:11.740
 When you're at the workplace, and they know what you're going through.

00:28:11.740 --> 00:28:16.299
 And they know you maybe lost a loved one recently or got a bad health diagnosis or something.

00:28:16.440 --> 00:28:19.740
 And they still see you with a little bit of joy in your life.

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:22.099
 With a little bit of peace in your life.

00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:25.000
 How is that possible?

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:33.180
 Because underneath all the uncertainty that we face as Christians, we have a settled confidence that Jesus is still Lord.

00:28:33.859 --> 00:28:35.140
 That He's still on the throne.

00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:36.940
 That He still loves us.

00:28:37.299 --> 00:28:39.519
 That our salvation is not based on what we do.

00:28:39.700 --> 00:28:41.259
 It's based on who He is.

00:28:41.259 --> 00:28:45.220
 It's based on the promises that we find in the Word of God.

00:28:45.539 --> 00:28:49.640
 And that gives us an opportunity to say this when they ask the question, let me tell you about my Jesus.

00:28:50.740 --> 00:28:52.359
 Let me tell you what He's done for me.

00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:56.180
 And before we move on and look at a couple other things about this,

00:28:56.599 --> 00:29:02.680
 maybe ask yourself, is my hope visible enough that somebody's going to ask me about it?

00:29:02.680 --> 00:29:05.700
 We need to take inventory of that.

00:29:06.120 --> 00:29:06.960
 It should be.

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:10.220
 Listen, your classmates at school, you know what they need to see?

00:29:10.320 --> 00:29:11.660
 A hope that's in your life.

00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:15.060
 Because even as teenagers, they're looking around and they're hopeless.

00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:20.539
 We live in a generation where we have so many things and yet they think, man, I have no hope in this life.

00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:22.700
 You have it, take it to school with you.

00:29:22.700 --> 00:29:25.779
 We have it, take it to work with us.

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.759
 People need to see it.

00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:30.580
 Peter doesn't tell us right here, have all the right answers.

00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:31.720
 No, here's what he says.

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:36.140
 Live in a way, in such a way somebody wants to ask you a question of why.

00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:38.279
 That's what he's showing us.

00:29:38.279 --> 00:29:40.359
 So we need to make our hope visible.

00:29:41.379 --> 00:29:46.139
 But he does make it clear, we need to be ready always to give an answer.

00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:50.859
 The word answer is simply this, it's giving a defense.

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:55.399
 This is the same word that we get our word apologetics for.

00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:00.299
 Apologetics is not apologizing for the Bible, it's defending the Bible.

00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:02.720
 And we have an answer for it.

00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:07.940
 And so Peter isn't saying here that every Christian needs to become a professional theologian.

00:30:09.279 --> 00:30:12.859
 You may not be able to answer every question somebody asks you about Christianity.

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:18.920
 You know, sometimes when you start talking about Christianity and your walk with the Lord,

00:30:19.119 --> 00:30:23.119
 you're going to get some weird questions that there are no answers to.

00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:27.039
 You know, my grandma said every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.

00:30:27.139 --> 00:30:28.359
 Like your grandma didn't say that.

00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:30.119
 Clarence Oddbody said that.

00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:34.720
 But sometimes you're going to get some weird things.

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:36.740
 But here's what Peter wants them to know.

00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:39.579
 So you ought to be able to answer this one.

00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:41.539
 Why is Jesus your hope?

00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:45.359
 Everybody in this room ought to be able to answer that question.

00:30:46.740 --> 00:30:48.960
 I mean, can you tell somebody who Jesus is?

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:52.240
 Can you explain what he did for you?

00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:55.299
 Can you tell them why your sins are forgiven?

00:30:55.299 --> 00:31:02.539
 Can you tell them why suffering and difficulty, maybe if you're walking through that, hasn't destroyed your faith?

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:13.259
 I think sometimes we make witnessing and sharing Christ with others, I think we make it much more intimidating than we need to.

00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:19.680
 I would imagine all of us in this room, I've even thought it as well.

00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:20.279
 I'll be honest.

00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:23.099
 Every time one of you asks me, preacher, I want to ask you a question about the Bible.

00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:24.740
 I'm like, oh, great.

00:31:25.819 --> 00:31:29.400
 Because it's like, I feel like as the preacher, I'm supposed to have the answers.

00:31:30.339 --> 00:31:30.960
 But here's something.

00:31:31.059 --> 00:31:31.660
 Write this down.

00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:34.180
 If they ask you and you don't know, say this.

00:31:34.900 --> 00:31:35.540
 I don't know.

00:31:37.060 --> 00:31:38.200
 But let's find out.

00:31:38.940 --> 00:31:39.540
 That's okay.

00:31:39.779 --> 00:31:41.259
 I'm sure I've told a lot of you out there in that foyer.

00:31:41.440 --> 00:31:44.080
 I don't know that, but let me look this up and we'll talk to you about it Wednesday.

00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:45.759
 We'll talk about it next week.

00:31:45.960 --> 00:31:47.480
 Let me get my mind around it.

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:49.580
 There's nothing wrong with that.

00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:52.240
 But that's not really what Peter's talking about.

00:31:52.400 --> 00:31:55.740
 He's saying, hey, you should be able to tell somebody what Jesus did for you.

00:31:56.400 --> 00:31:59.840
 You may not have to go into a deep dive and get into all the doctrine of the Bible.

00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:01.740
 Well, that's really not what people need at the beginning.

00:32:01.959 --> 00:32:03.459
 They just need to know Jesus loves them.

00:32:03.939 --> 00:32:07.059
 And how Jesus, if Jesus saved you, he can save them as well.

00:32:07.639 --> 00:32:13.259
 See, our confidence that we have, the hope that we have, is not in knowing everything about the Bible.

00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:16.039
 Our confidence that it is, we know Jesus Christ.

00:32:16.839 --> 00:32:17.959
 And he changed us.

00:32:18.199 --> 00:32:18.859
 We were sinners.

00:32:19.159 --> 00:32:19.799
 We were hopeless.

00:32:20.079 --> 00:32:20.639
 We were dead.

00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:22.740
 We were in our trespasses and sin.

00:32:22.919 --> 00:32:25.399
 But Jesus showed up and everything changed.

00:32:26.159 --> 00:32:28.019
 And it should come out in the way we live.

00:32:28.019 --> 00:32:32.240
 And how we talk and how we love and how we care for other people.

00:32:33.960 --> 00:32:34.799
 And Peter says this.

00:32:35.220 --> 00:32:37.480
 He didn't say just have an answer ready.

00:32:37.700 --> 00:32:39.700
 He said, be ready always.

00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:43.619
 Wherever God opens the door, be ready.

00:32:44.680 --> 00:32:46.920
 Sometimes the door opens in just some random places.

00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:50.119
 I mean, the door opened for me.

00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:54.759
 I mean, I'm just giving you a personal example of somebody in our neighborhood that's walking through something very difficult.

00:32:54.759 --> 00:32:57.359
 Right there on our sidewalk.

00:32:58.039 --> 00:33:01.160
 And she came up to me and she said, somebody in this neighborhood told me you're a pastor.

00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:02.700
 I said, I am.

00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:05.500
 She said, I'm walking through some really difficult things.

00:33:06.299 --> 00:33:07.480
 I said, let me just tell you this.

00:33:07.539 --> 00:33:08.279
 Jesus loves you.

00:33:09.779 --> 00:33:13.079
 You may have not saw this coming, but Jesus knew it was going to happen.

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:16.839
 And right there on our sidewalk, we had this long conversation.

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.980
 I'm trying to get her here to church.

00:33:18.879 --> 00:33:21.099
 Her family's been walking through some very difficult things.

00:33:21.980 --> 00:33:22.579
 But you know what?

00:33:23.240 --> 00:33:24.480
 I didn't have to have all the answers.

00:33:24.539 --> 00:33:25.519
 I just needed to let her know this.

00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:28.279
 Jesus loves me, but Jesus also loves you.

00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:30.559
 That's what he's talking about.

00:33:30.939 --> 00:33:32.079
 Just everyday life.

00:33:33.059 --> 00:33:34.959
 It wasn't like we had this deep, I didn't even have my Bible.

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.699
 We were just talking.

00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:37.980
 Listen, that's what God is saying.

00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:39.079
 We need to just be ready.

00:33:39.699 --> 00:33:41.039
 It might happen on a sidewalk.

00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:45.000
 It might happen in a Walmart checkout line because the Lord knows you're going to be there a while.

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:47.199
 Even in the self-checkout line.

00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.939
 I can't even check anything out.

00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:50.119
 I'm like, I don't know how this thing's working.

00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:51.939
 They've got to come check and do all these things.

00:33:52.599 --> 00:33:55.699
 The idea is, he's saying, look for some opportunity.

00:33:56.699 --> 00:33:59.219
 Sometimes we may think an opportunity is coming, and so we run.

00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:00.959
 We think, well, I don't know the answers.

00:34:01.079 --> 00:34:01.759
 I don't just want to say anything.

00:34:01.859 --> 00:34:01.979
 Ah!

00:34:02.879 --> 00:34:03.399
 No, no.

00:34:03.879 --> 00:34:07.500
 You have the answers they need, at least to get the ball rolling.

00:34:08.920 --> 00:34:09.880
 So here's what Peter says.

00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:14.900
 He says, in order to share the hope, you need to make sure your own heart is full of hope.

00:34:14.900 --> 00:34:24.400
 Because this world and life, and maybe when we're going through things, and it seems like the world's against us, and people are bad-mouthing us, or whatever it might be.

00:34:24.780 --> 00:34:26.480
 Sometimes that's going to wear our hope down.

00:34:27.660 --> 00:34:28.039
 You know what?

00:34:28.059 --> 00:34:29.920
 I'm just, today, not today.

00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:32.099
 I don't want to share the love of God today.

00:34:32.220 --> 00:34:34.139
 We may not say it, but sometimes we live that way.

00:34:34.139 --> 00:34:41.539
 But we need to make sure that we constantly are in the Word, and we're reminded of the hope that we have.

00:34:41.759 --> 00:34:48.259
 Because there is a big difference between knowing facts about Jesus and actually just having a deep, intimate relationship with Him.

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:54.480
 Because even as Christians, we can just know a lot of facts, but not really develop that relationship like we should.

00:34:54.480 --> 00:35:02.219
 We can go through seasons of dry spells where the fellowship between us and our Heavenly Father is just minimal at best.

00:35:02.760 --> 00:35:04.079
 Surface level at best.

00:35:04.360 --> 00:35:05.679
 But that's why we stay in the Word.

00:35:05.840 --> 00:35:06.740
 That's why we pray.

00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:09.320
 That's why we remind ourselves of the promises of God.

00:35:09.579 --> 00:35:14.820
 Because before I can explain the hope that's within me, I need to make sure that hope's alive within me.

00:35:15.679 --> 00:35:22.000
 Because when we're in the Word, when God is speaking to us, when we're involved in a local church, and we come, and God speaks to our heart,

00:35:22.000 --> 00:35:25.679
 it should just encourage you to get out and do what God's called you to do.

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:29.059
 Hey, that I'm not the only person trying to live for the Lord.

00:35:29.340 --> 00:35:31.320
 And He says, here's what you should do as well.

00:35:31.579 --> 00:35:34.860
 Not only give an answer, but you need to give an answer the right way.

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:37.380
 The very end, He says this.

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:39.679
 Here's how you should answer with the hope that lies within you.

00:35:40.179 --> 00:35:42.239
 With meekness and fear.

00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:47.860
 See, in other words, Peter is saying how we give the answer matters too.

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:50.480
 We talked a little bit about it in Sunday school this morning.

00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:53.240
 But we can all say the right thing the wrong way.

00:35:54.460 --> 00:35:57.280
 God didn't call us to beat Him over the head with the gospel.

00:35:58.039 --> 00:36:00.699
 No, He called us to share the truth in love.

00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:02.760
 And I love how one commentator said it.

00:36:02.780 --> 00:36:04.539
 He says, meekness is not weakness.

00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:05.900
 Here's what it is.

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:07.280
 It's strength under control.

00:36:08.219 --> 00:36:10.340
 He said it's conviction without arrogance.

00:36:10.599 --> 00:36:12.039
 It's courage without hostility.

00:36:12.219 --> 00:36:13.599
 It's truth without cruelty.

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:16.719
 That's how God calls us to share the gospel.

00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:21.000
 If we go back in our own mind, you know where the gospel met us?

00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:22.000
 Right where we were.

00:36:23.379 --> 00:36:26.739
 And yes, there's things about it that kind of scared us maybe at the beginning.

00:36:26.899 --> 00:36:28.039
 That somebody's calling us a sinner.

00:36:28.319 --> 00:36:29.519
 But you know what we realize?

00:36:29.759 --> 00:36:31.299
 God met us right where we were.

00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:33.459
 He didn't say, well, you got to get here.

00:36:33.539 --> 00:36:34.779
 And how dare you think that?

00:36:34.859 --> 00:36:36.219
 And I can't believe you would do that.

00:36:36.259 --> 00:36:37.480
 No, He said, hey, I love you.

00:36:38.959 --> 00:36:40.339
 There's hope here.

00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:45.100
 And then Peter says, not only do we answer with meekness, but we answer with fear.

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:48.420
 Not that we're scared of people, but the idea is this.

00:36:48.760 --> 00:36:50.940
 We answer in reverence to God.

00:36:52.079 --> 00:36:54.380
 That's what the word means often in Scripture.

00:36:54.700 --> 00:36:58.240
 It's not that we're scared of God, but there is a healthy reverence for Him.

00:36:59.019 --> 00:37:01.960
 And while we're speaking to somebody, while we're sharing the truth,

00:37:01.960 --> 00:37:06.400
 while we're presenting the gospel to this person, we need to be conscious of this.

00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:08.900
 I represent Jesus.

00:37:08.900 --> 00:37:09.099
 Jesus.

00:37:10.360 --> 00:37:12.200
 I'm speaking on His behalf.

00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:14.780
 Paul calls us this, ambassadors for Christ.

00:37:16.139 --> 00:37:19.119
 You know, sometimes somebody says something for us, and then it gets back to us like,

00:37:19.320 --> 00:37:20.059
 hey, you said this.

00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:21.059
 I'm like, I didn't say that.

00:37:21.860 --> 00:37:22.400
 Well, so-and-so.

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:24.079
 I was talking to so-and-so, and they said this, this, and I'm like,

00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:26.260
 well, so-and-so didn't ask me about that.

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:29.480
 They were speaking on their own behalf.

00:37:30.180 --> 00:37:34.160
 Listen, we're not out here sharing the gospel on our own behalf.

00:37:34.159 --> 00:37:40.659
 We are representing King Jesus, and we need to be conscious of that when we're speaking to other people.

00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:42.579
 You know what happens a lot of times?

00:37:42.839 --> 00:37:46.839
 Christians, maybe even well-meaning Christians, they begin to be mean about it.

00:37:47.379 --> 00:37:51.339
 And instead of sharing the gospel, they actually turn people off from Jesus.

00:37:52.199 --> 00:37:55.399
 Because if that's what a follower of Christ looks like, I don't think I want any part of that.

00:37:55.400 --> 00:37:59.579
 That's why we have to answer with meekness and in fear.

00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:03.139
 Listen, rudeness is not boldness.

00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:04.820
 I mean, it's not.

00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:08.660
 Being obnoxious is not standing for truth.

00:38:09.420 --> 00:38:11.660
 We aren't called to win arguments.

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:14.380
 We are called to point people to Jesus.

00:38:15.860 --> 00:38:18.420
 Yes, we stand firmly on the truth, and we should.

00:38:18.940 --> 00:38:20.740
 Because we stand on the truth.

00:38:20.960 --> 00:38:23.000
 But we don't need a sin to defend it.

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:25.480
 We don't need to be angry about it.

00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:30.340
 But the Jesus we defend ought to be visible in the way that we defend him.

00:38:31.280 --> 00:38:34.420
 And so really the challenge that we find here in verse number 15 is this.

00:38:34.679 --> 00:38:36.400
 Is let Jesus be Lord of your heart.

00:38:37.000 --> 00:38:38.380
 Let your hope be visible.

00:38:38.840 --> 00:38:40.179
 Know why you have the hope.

00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:42.360
 And when somebody asks you about it, tell them.

00:38:43.619 --> 00:38:44.519
 That's what we need to do.

00:38:44.639 --> 00:38:46.059
 That's how we set Christ apart.

00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:49.320
 That it affects every area of our life.

00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:55.539
 They don't have to peel it out of us and think, you know, get down and try to do some investigation PI work on us.

00:38:55.740 --> 00:38:57.920
 No, they think, I think that person's a Christian.

00:38:58.019 --> 00:38:59.000
 There's something different about him.

00:38:59.380 --> 00:39:00.500
 Let me ask the question.

00:39:00.600 --> 00:39:01.539
 Let me talk to him.

00:39:02.840 --> 00:39:05.340
 See, but our witness isn't just what comes out of our mouth.

00:39:06.140 --> 00:39:07.940
 It's what people see in our lives.

00:39:08.760 --> 00:39:14.660
 And so lastly, we see in verses 16 and 17, we should respond by keeping a clear conscience.

00:39:14.659 --> 00:39:21.039
 Verse 16, having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil of you as evildoers,

00:39:21.359 --> 00:39:26.000
 that they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

00:39:26.339 --> 00:39:34.159
 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that you suffer for doing well than for evil doing.

00:39:36.440 --> 00:39:43.639
 See, a good conscience means that we can stand before God knowing that I am sincerely seeking to obey him.

00:39:43.639 --> 00:39:52.179
 That the way that I live and the hope that I share is simply trying to represent the Christ the best way we can.

00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:54.159
 None of us here are perfect.

00:39:55.299 --> 00:39:56.920
 God's not calling us to be perfect.

00:39:57.239 --> 00:40:05.719
 But what he is wanting us to do, he means that there should be some integrity between what I say, I believe, and how I actually live.

00:40:07.039 --> 00:40:08.839
 That we keep this clear conscience.

00:40:09.400 --> 00:40:13.059
 Peter doesn't say, hey, if you live right, nobody's ever going to say anything about you.

00:40:13.920 --> 00:40:15.619
 No, he says the exact opposite.

00:40:16.420 --> 00:40:21.980
 You're going to live right, and people are going to misunderstand and misrepresent and falsely accuse you, and that's difficult.

00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:26.340
 I mean, I've been dealing with something this past week, and it's difficult.

00:40:27.139 --> 00:40:29.619
 And I'm trying to let it go, just to be honest.

00:40:30.099 --> 00:40:32.539
 But I'm thinking to myself, you don't even know me.

00:40:33.159 --> 00:40:34.599
 I've never even met you.

00:40:34.599 --> 00:40:38.199
 And you're saying some of these things, and it's kind of really been under my skin.

00:40:38.440 --> 00:40:41.639
 And then I start studying this message, and I'm like, I know, Lord, but I don't want to do that right now.

00:40:41.739 --> 00:40:43.039
 I want to tell him what's up.

00:40:43.799 --> 00:40:46.039
 I mean, honestly, I have.

00:40:46.539 --> 00:40:48.599
 And I was talking to Brother Justin about it.

00:40:48.659 --> 00:40:50.339
 He's like, you want to beat him up?

00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:52.940
 I'm like, don't ask me that again, because I'm going to say yes.

00:40:56.380 --> 00:40:59.460
 I mean, our natural instinct wants to straighten it out.

00:41:00.440 --> 00:41:01.760
 Let people know our side.

00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:04.640
 Listen, you don't have the facts right.

00:41:04.639 --> 00:41:06.079
 You don't even know what you're saying.

00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:07.659
 And don't misunderstand.

00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:10.940
 There's times, and there's certainly times, when things need to be clarified.

00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:18.119
 But sometimes the best answer, oftentimes the best answer to a false accusation, is a faithful life.

00:41:19.799 --> 00:41:21.879
 Because we're not living to set the record straight.

00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:23.199
 We're living to please God.

00:41:24.179 --> 00:41:26.859
 We're living to keep a clear conscience before Him.

00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:32.440
 That we can live, that we can stand before the Lord one day and say, hey, I wasn't perfect, but I did everything I could.

00:41:32.440 --> 00:41:34.480
 I lived to the best of my ability.

00:41:34.700 --> 00:41:35.800
 And that's what Peter is saying.

00:41:35.980 --> 00:41:38.960
 He said, we need to live in such a way, they're going to speak evil of you.

00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:46.539
 But ultimately, when they do that, they're going to be ashamed, because when they falsely accuse you of something you're actually not living for.

00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:50.740
 Because your conversation, your lifestyle is not for you.

00:41:50.820 --> 00:41:51.920
 You're not building your kingdom.

00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:53.500
 You're living for Christ.

00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:56.119
 I mean, really what verse number 16 says,

00:41:56.119 --> 00:42:02.639
 Live in such a way that eventually the accusation they put against you completely crumbles.

00:42:03.579 --> 00:42:05.940
 It just falls apart because they have no leg to stand on.

00:42:06.880 --> 00:42:12.819
 So you can't always control what people say about you, but you can control whether you give them a legitimate reason to say it.

00:42:14.339 --> 00:42:15.359
 Because sometimes we do.

00:42:16.739 --> 00:42:22.519
 Sometimes they may be wrong in how they say it, what they say, but there's some truth to it because we didn't live the way that we should.

00:42:23.319 --> 00:42:25.139
 We didn't have a clear conscience before God.

00:42:25.139 --> 00:42:28.480
 You say, well, how can I live this way?

00:42:29.799 --> 00:42:32.420
 Well, we see this little phrase all throughout the New Testament.

00:42:32.719 --> 00:42:34.900
 It's Paul's favorite phrase, but Peter uses it as well.

00:42:35.379 --> 00:42:36.879
 In Christ.

00:42:38.739 --> 00:42:43.699
 Because living this way, having a clear conscience before God, is not found in Tyler.

00:42:44.420 --> 00:42:45.480
 It's not found in you.

00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:46.319
 Here's what it's found in.

00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:47.059
 In Christ.

00:42:48.500 --> 00:42:49.440
 We're going to slip up.

00:42:49.500 --> 00:42:50.119
 We're going to fall.

00:42:50.739 --> 00:42:51.279
 But you know what we do?

00:42:51.339 --> 00:42:52.259
 We go and ask for forgiveness.

00:42:52.260 --> 00:42:58.040
 And he's faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and to set our feet back on the path.

00:42:58.300 --> 00:43:03.620
 Peter isn't telling us here to manufacture some impressive behavior so people will think we're good people.

00:43:04.440 --> 00:43:05.360
 That's not what he's saying.

00:43:05.760 --> 00:43:09.840
 He's saying, hey, we live this way because Jesus completely changed us.

00:43:10.020 --> 00:43:11.100
 He's made us a new creature.

00:43:11.820 --> 00:43:14.660
 We have the ability to live this way now.

00:43:14.659 --> 00:43:20.579
 Jesus changes the way that we think and we speak and how we respond when we're hurt and the way we handle opposition.

00:43:21.039 --> 00:43:23.219
 And that's what makes our witness believable.

00:43:25.379 --> 00:43:28.059
 We should stick out like a sore thumb.

00:43:29.359 --> 00:43:34.920
 Because when Christ gets in your life, when he's Lord of your life, you're going to respond.

00:43:35.019 --> 00:43:37.460
 You should respond differently than how you used to.

00:43:37.460 --> 00:43:40.699
 Maybe even in your own life, go back.

00:43:41.260 --> 00:43:44.240
 You're not all the way there yet because we're not going to be until we see Jesus.

00:43:44.639 --> 00:43:47.699
 But back in the day, man, flying off the handle was my middle name.

00:43:48.619 --> 00:43:49.860
 I mean, that might be your testimony.

00:43:50.579 --> 00:43:50.980
 But guess what?

00:43:51.039 --> 00:43:51.679
 God shows up.

00:43:51.740 --> 00:43:52.500
 God gets in your life.

00:43:53.019 --> 00:43:53.860
 Things start changing.

00:43:54.539 --> 00:43:56.280
 What happened to you?

00:43:57.019 --> 00:43:58.099
 Oh, you found Jesus.

00:43:58.280 --> 00:43:59.099
 I did, actually.

00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:02.679
 And you begin to share the truth and share the gospel with them.

00:44:02.920 --> 00:44:04.599
 Listen, people may disagree with your doctrine.

00:44:04.599 --> 00:44:07.380
 They may criticize your convictions that you have.

00:44:07.779 --> 00:44:12.559
 But Peter's saying, don't give them a legitimate reason to reject Jesus by the way you live.

00:44:13.819 --> 00:44:15.699
 I mean, that's what he's talking about here in these verses.

00:44:17.159 --> 00:44:25.539
 In verse number 17, just to clarify what he was saying in verse 16, he says, listen, if they're going to be offended, let them be offended by the truth, not your hypocrisy.

00:44:27.139 --> 00:44:34.099
 If you're going to suffer, let it be because of how you live for Christ, not how you live for yourself.

00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:37.299
 That's the two possibilities that we have.

00:44:37.480 --> 00:44:42.099
 Peter says you can either suffer for evil doing or you can suffer for well doing.

00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:46.940
 If you're going to suffer, make sure you're suffering for the right reason.

00:44:48.239 --> 00:44:51.079
 That's really what he's trying to nail down here.

00:44:52.079 --> 00:44:56.819
 Because if we're dishonest in the way that we live and the way that we speak, we're going to lose people's trust.

00:44:57.079 --> 00:44:58.099
 We're not being persecuted.

00:44:58.099 --> 00:45:01.299
 That's just what we're reaping, what we sow.

00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:09.599
 If we're rude and people don't want to be around us, that's not because we're suffering for righteousness sake.

00:45:10.059 --> 00:45:11.099
 That's because you're a jerk.

00:45:11.099 --> 00:45:15.079
 I mean, I don't know any other way to say it.

00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:16.880
 That's what Peter's saying right here.

00:45:18.539 --> 00:45:21.440
 See, sometimes we're not suffering because we're Christians.

00:45:21.819 --> 00:45:23.639
 We're just suffering from bad decisions.

00:45:23.639 --> 00:45:28.480
 And we see that little line there in the middle of verse 17.

00:45:28.579 --> 00:45:30.400
 That's really where it comes down to.

00:45:31.279 --> 00:45:31.619
 He says,

00:45:32.219 --> 00:45:34.920
 If the will of God be so.

00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:38.800
 Maybe you are going through something.

00:45:39.260 --> 00:45:43.180
 And you know in your heart you have a clear conscience before God.

00:45:44.500 --> 00:45:47.039
 And this is a hard thing to wrestle with.

00:45:47.659 --> 00:45:51.960
 Because maybe the reason you're suffering right now is because that's what the will of God is for your life.

00:45:53.380 --> 00:45:54.320
 I don't know why.

00:45:54.900 --> 00:45:55.940
 You may not know now.

00:45:56.539 --> 00:45:59.019
 But we do know this, that God works all things together for good.

00:45:59.420 --> 00:46:02.599
 To them that love God, to those that are called according to His purpose.

00:46:02.599 --> 00:46:06.039
 And what He's going to do is He's using that situation.

00:46:06.319 --> 00:46:07.799
 He's allowing that suffering in your life.

00:46:08.000 --> 00:46:11.059
 Not only to others can see it and maybe draw them to Himself.

00:46:11.279 --> 00:46:13.659
 But He also is conforming you to the image of His dear Son.

00:46:14.519 --> 00:46:16.139
 He's making you more like Jesus.

00:46:17.159 --> 00:46:19.000
 Jesus was a man of sorrows.

00:46:19.179 --> 00:46:20.940
 He was a man that suffered.

00:46:21.319 --> 00:46:23.739
 And God's will is always good.

00:46:23.920 --> 00:46:25.679
 But God's will is not always easy.

00:46:26.880 --> 00:46:27.940
 That's what Peter's saying.

00:46:30.119 --> 00:46:32.480
 Sometimes obedience is going to take you to a place.

00:46:33.039 --> 00:46:34.659
 You never would have chosen for yourself.

00:46:36.400 --> 00:46:38.380
 Sometimes God does not remove the trial.

00:46:39.440 --> 00:46:41.539
 But all the time God walks through us with it.

00:46:42.639 --> 00:46:44.400
 He doesn't say, hey, I'll see you on the other side.

00:46:45.339 --> 00:46:47.860
 No, sometimes He has to carry us because we can't even walk any further.

00:46:49.440 --> 00:46:55.779
 See, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking, if I'm in God's will, then shouldn't things be going better?

00:46:56.639 --> 00:46:57.500
 Not necessarily.

00:46:57.500 --> 00:47:02.800
 I mean, multiple times in the Gospels, the disciples were right where Jesus wanted them to be.

00:47:03.039 --> 00:47:03.860
 And they were in a storm.

00:47:04.400 --> 00:47:05.199
 And they were in a difficulty.

00:47:05.480 --> 00:47:06.380
 And they had no food.

00:47:06.559 --> 00:47:07.500
 And they had all these things.

00:47:07.539 --> 00:47:08.340
 And there was all these problems.

00:47:08.559 --> 00:47:09.320
 But God put them there.

00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:11.119
 But God also stretched them.

00:47:11.579 --> 00:47:12.579
 And God grew them.

00:47:12.860 --> 00:47:15.840
 And God made their life understand certain things.

00:47:15.840 --> 00:47:20.380
 So if doing right costs you, I just want to remind you, God hasn't lost control.

00:47:21.220 --> 00:47:22.079
 He sees you.

00:47:22.420 --> 00:47:23.079
 He knows.

00:47:23.340 --> 00:47:25.840
 And He can even use that suffering for His purposes.

00:47:25.840 --> 00:47:33.680
 In fact, we think of this entire passage, why would somebody ask these people about hope?

00:47:35.059 --> 00:47:36.380
 With all their difficulty.

00:47:38.380 --> 00:47:39.600
 Because they should have it.

00:47:40.680 --> 00:47:45.539
 Peter's saying, listen, just because all these things are going on in your life, your hope's not gone, is it?

00:47:46.480 --> 00:47:50.059
 He already told us that we have an inheritance that's incorruptible.

00:47:50.440 --> 00:47:51.240
 It's secure.

00:47:51.820 --> 00:47:52.780
 It fades not away.

00:47:53.620 --> 00:47:54.760
 That's not just for eternity.

00:47:54.760 --> 00:47:56.500
 That's even for life right now.

00:47:57.440 --> 00:47:59.300
 We're not waiting for the kingdom of heaven.

00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:03.240
 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

00:48:03.880 --> 00:48:06.540
 We don't have to wait until heaven to enjoy the goodness of God.

00:48:06.960 --> 00:48:08.500
 We can experience it right now.

00:48:10.400 --> 00:48:13.200
 And Peter knows the greatest example of this is Jesus Himself.

00:48:14.740 --> 00:48:15.920
 We're going to get into it next week.

00:48:15.980 --> 00:48:16.720
 Verse 18, though.

00:48:17.200 --> 00:48:19.580
 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins.

00:48:19.579 --> 00:48:24.920
 Peter points us to the ultimate example of someone who suffered for doing right.

00:48:25.259 --> 00:48:25.739
 Jesus.

00:48:27.119 --> 00:48:29.699
 He only did those things that pleased the Father.

00:48:30.559 --> 00:48:32.400
 He only did good things.

00:48:33.019 --> 00:48:34.299
 He only did the best thing.

00:48:34.519 --> 00:48:37.299
 And yet He suffered more than any person that's ever walked on this earth.

00:48:37.300 --> 00:48:41.100
 No one ever lived more righteously than Jesus.

00:48:41.100 --> 00:48:44.760
 And nobody ever suffered more unjustly than Jesus.

00:48:45.960 --> 00:48:48.240
 See, the cross reminds us this.

00:48:49.000 --> 00:48:51.720
 That suffering is not proof that God's abandoned His plan.

00:48:53.680 --> 00:48:55.560
 At Calvary, suffering was the plan.

00:48:55.559 --> 00:48:59.139
 It's what He was coming for.

00:48:59.279 --> 00:49:02.759
 And God took the darkest moment in human history.

00:49:03.539 --> 00:49:07.719
 And used it to accomplish the greatest good in human history.

00:49:09.579 --> 00:49:11.460
 And the same can be true in our life.

00:49:12.380 --> 00:49:14.059
 Yes, it might be a dark moment.

00:49:14.860 --> 00:49:16.519
 It might be hard to understand.

00:49:16.799 --> 00:49:18.920
 But God can take even that, whatever's in your life.

00:49:19.119 --> 00:49:21.539
 Whatever's going to come into your life and use it for good.

00:49:21.539 --> 00:49:25.900
 So how should we respond when doing right costs us?

00:49:26.300 --> 00:49:27.360
 Keep trusting God.

00:49:28.300 --> 00:49:29.579
 Make sure He's set apart.

00:49:29.699 --> 00:49:31.380
 He's on the throne in our life.

00:49:32.360 --> 00:49:35.420
 And live by keeping a clear conscience before Him.

00:49:37.759 --> 00:49:39.500
 But maybe you're still there and thinking,

00:49:39.659 --> 00:49:42.699
 Well, what if it costs me?

00:49:43.320 --> 00:49:47.539
 What if it costs me somebody's approval or a friendship or comfort or opportunity?

00:49:48.420 --> 00:49:48.960
 Here's what Peter says.

00:49:48.960 --> 00:49:50.679
 Don't let fear make your decisions.

00:49:51.539 --> 00:49:53.360
 Let Jesus make your decisions.

00:49:53.900 --> 00:49:55.500
 Let Him lead your life.

00:49:56.579 --> 00:49:58.159
 Honor Him in the way you live.

00:49:58.539 --> 00:49:59.980
 Even if it costs you.

00:50:02.259 --> 00:50:04.179
 Maybe you're here and you've lived life.

00:50:04.259 --> 00:50:06.360
 You've tried to be faithful and life has gotten harder.

00:50:08.579 --> 00:50:09.460
 God sees.

00:50:10.340 --> 00:50:10.960
 God loves.

00:50:13.739 --> 00:50:16.639
 It could be that somebody's watching you right now.

00:50:16.639 --> 00:50:19.739
 How you're walking through that thing right now.

00:50:21.659 --> 00:50:23.119
 Do they see Jesus in it?

00:50:24.079 --> 00:50:26.000
 Peter said that's what they need to see.

00:50:27.219 --> 00:50:28.739
 Watching how you handle disappointment.

00:50:29.159 --> 00:50:30.719
 Watching how you respond to mistreatment.

00:50:30.719 --> 00:50:32.739
 And they may not ask tomorrow.

00:50:34.179 --> 00:50:35.539
 But at some point they're going to say,

00:50:36.039 --> 00:50:37.159
 Why?

00:50:38.279 --> 00:50:38.679
 How?

00:50:41.179 --> 00:50:42.739
 How can you keep moving forward?

00:50:43.500 --> 00:50:44.219
 And here's what he's saying.

00:50:44.279 --> 00:50:45.959
 Kind of the same thing we talked about this morning.

00:50:46.039 --> 00:50:47.019
 Just a different angle.

00:50:47.399 --> 00:50:47.799
 Be ready.

00:50:48.759 --> 00:50:49.480
 We need to be ready.

00:50:49.480 --> 00:50:54.019
 See, doing right may cost you.

00:50:54.679 --> 00:50:57.820
 But compromising Christ can cost you a lot more.

00:50:59.320 --> 00:51:01.199
 I don't want to stand before the Lord one day and say,

00:51:01.280 --> 00:51:02.159
 Man, I should have done that.

00:51:02.599 --> 00:51:03.519
 I should have said this.

00:51:04.000 --> 00:51:05.059
 I should have went here.

00:51:05.599 --> 00:51:06.800
 I should have been more kind there.

00:51:07.280 --> 00:51:08.280
 I should have shared the gospel.

00:51:08.519 --> 00:51:09.679
 Here's what I want the Lord to say.

00:51:10.340 --> 00:51:12.639
 Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

00:51:13.639 --> 00:51:14.639
 He didn't call me to be perfect.

00:51:15.320 --> 00:51:16.519
 But he called me to trust him.

00:51:17.119 --> 00:51:17.940
 And to follow him.

00:51:17.940 --> 00:51:19.440
 And to live before him.

00:51:20.099 --> 00:51:21.760
 You say, It's going to cost me a lot.

00:51:22.619 --> 00:51:24.179
 It's going to all pan out in the end.

00:51:25.039 --> 00:51:25.780
 The Lord knows.

00:51:26.619 --> 00:51:27.599
 And he'll settle the score.

00:51:28.200 --> 00:51:29.639
 And he'll make all things right.

00:51:30.400 --> 00:51:31.200
 Thank the Lord for that.

00:51:31.260 --> 00:51:32.380
 Would you stand with your heads bowed in?