1 Peter chapter 3 verse 8 to 17 and the page is 1219.
1 Peter chapter 3 verse 8 to 17.
So the title over it is Suffering for Doing Good.
Finally, all of you be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
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.
For whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good.
They must seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.
Do not fear their threats.
Do not be frightened.
But in your hearts, reverber Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect,
keeping a clear conscience,
so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
For it is better, if it is God's will,
to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Amen.
Thanks, Mary.
Let's pray together.
Father, thank you for your word.
Thank you for its truth.
Thank you that we have it written down, recorded for us today in our own language,
so that we can read about you,
and by your Holy Spirit come to know you and love you.
And we pray that as we look at your word afresh today,
that it would give us a greater confidence in what we believe.
A greater confidence to share Christ with others.
A greater confidence as we face a world that does not want to know or want to listen.
Father, equip us and bless us, we ask.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, according to the latest report on global persecution by the organization Open Doors,
one in every 12 Christians in the world lives in an area or in a culture in which Christianity is illegal, forbidden, or punished.
That's about 215 million people.
Each month, the report tells us that 322 Christians are killed for their faith.
214 churches and church properties are destroyed.
722 forms of violence are committed against Christians,
such as beatings, abductions, rapes, arrests, and forced marriage.
It actually reflects what it was like when Peter wrote this first letter.
If you were a Christian in the first century, well, then it was not a safe place to be.
And for many Christians living today, it's not an easy place to live.
And while we might not live in a country where following Jesus is illegal or forbidden or punished,
we are living in a society which is increasingly hostile towards those who would say they're Christians.
As we stand up for Christian values, as we speak out for Christian truth,
we will get reaction, we will get hit.
Peter reminds us of this right at the beginning of his letter.
Look at chapter 1, verse 6.
Chapter 1, verse 6.
In all this you greatly rejoice.
So he's been talking about some of the blessings we have.
Though now, for a little while,
while you may have had to suffer grief,
in all kinds of trials.
So as Christians, we will face all kinds of trials.
And some of these trials, if you jump to chapter 4, verse 12,
is the trial of suffering for being a Christian.
Chapter 4, verse 12.
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you
to test you as though something strange were happening to you.
You see, as pressure continues in our society today
to repeal, for example, the Eighth Amendment,
so there is an increased intolerance towards any other view.
If you speak out for the rights of the unborn,
you will be slandered and isolated.
And as society rejects the claim that Jesus is the truth,
so there is greater hostility towards Christianity.
If you stand for what you believe,
you will be marginalised and pushed out.
And that's really the theme of chapter 3
and the reading we had.
Turn to chapter 3, verse 9.
Verse 9 is saying to us that if we are Christians,
you will suffer insult.
Or look at verse 14.
If we are Christians, you will face threats.
If you are a Christian, verse 16,
there will be those who speak maliciously against you.
You see, to stand up for Christian values,
to speak out the Christian truth,
it will be tough, it will be difficult.
So how do we live in a world that is hostile to Christ and his church?
And again, as Peter wrote this letter at the beginning of the first century,
for the first 250 years,
it was dangerous to be a Christian.
You were either removed from where you lived
and displaced somewhere else.
You could be locked up.
You could be fed to the lions.
You could be crucified.
So Peter is well placed
to tell us how he can help us
to be a faithful witness
in what can be a difficult situation.
So three things we're going to look at.
First,
do not fear those who threaten you.
Do not fear those who threaten you.
Look at verse 13.
Who is going to harm you
if you are eager to do good?
But even if you should suffer for what is right,
you are blessed.
Do not fear their threats.
Do not be frightened.
Now I get frightened all the time as a Christian.
I fear that if I speak out for Jesus,
if I stand for what the Bible teaches,
I fear that people will think I'm a little bit odd,
strange,
that I'll be talked about.
But the thing that I fear most of all
is that I will lose my friends
because I love my friends
and I want to keep them.
And you might fear that
if you associate with Christians,
you might be insulted or laughed at.
So for a more easier and more comfortable life,
well,
when we're in the company of our friends,
we just keep quiet.
Why rock the boat?
Why say something
that they might take as offensive?
But,
it tells us in verse 14,
do not fear their threats.
Don't be frightened.
Don't be frightened about what people might say.
Literally,
literally,
don't be intimidated.
Well, you say,
that's much easier said than done.
It's easier,
easy to read these sorts of things.
But,
we do fear what people think of us.
But,
there is no need to fear.
And the beginning of 14
gives us the reason why we don't need to fear.
But,
even if you should suffer for what is right,
you are blessed.
Peter wants us to know
that if we are Christians,
in the midst of facing threats,
we are really blessed.
And what's the blessing
that he's talking about?
Well,
go back to chapter 1,
verse 3.
We,
we read it at the beginning.
Let's read these verses again.
Chapter 1,
verse 3.
These are the blessings
that we have
if we are followers of the Lord Jesus.
Praise be to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In his great mercy,
he has given us new birth
into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
from the dead
and into an inheritance
that can never perish,
spoil,
or fade.
This inheritance
is kept in heaven for you
who,
through faith,
are shielded by God's power
until the coming of the salvation
that is ready to be revealed
in the last time.
These are the blessings
that we have received.
we have new birth,
a new beginning,
a fresh start.
And that new birth
leads into a living hope.
Not a dead hope,
but a present
and an alive hope.
And that leads us
into an eternal inheritance.
And did you notice
what God has promised
to his people
about this inheritance?
Look at the end of verse 4.
This inheritance
is kept in heaven for you.
But not only that,
verse 5,
who through faith
are shielded by God's power.
So,
this inheritance
is kept for us by God
and we are kept
for this inheritance
by God.
He keeps the inheritance
for us
and He keeps us
for that inheritance.
Nothing
can take us
away from that inheritance
and no one
can take us away
from that inheritance.
God
keeps us
and He shields us
by our power.
So,
by His power.
So,
people can say
what they like,
they can think
what they like,
they can do
what they like
because
we are truly blessed.
This is what
keeps us
being faithful
in our witness
when we face
opposition
or face threats.
Open Doors,
what I mentioned
just now
in their report
at the beginning
of this year,
said that in North Korea
there are
an estimated
300,000 followers
of Jesus.
If discovered
as a Christian
not only
are you
imported
to labour camps
as a political
criminal
or even
killed on the spot,
your families
will share
in their same fate
as well.
Or in Yemen,
which just has
a few thousand
believers,
all Christians
in that country
experience
persecution
for their faith.
Believers
face detention
and interrogation
by authorities
and death threats
from their families
and radical
Islamic groups.
Or in Somalia,
in East Africa,
where there are
just a few hundred
Christians,
upon discovery,
if they find out
you are a believer,
you are very often
killed right on the spot
there and then.
Believers are also
persecuted by their
families and their
communities.
Now think about
a believer living
in one of these
countries.
What keeps these
Christians talking
about Jesus
when it's not
safe?
Well,
they've got an
inheritance
that nothing
and no one
can take from
them.
Yes,
they can be
imprisoned.
Yes,
their families
may turn their
backs on them.
At worst,
they will be
killed.
But even if
they should
lose their
life,
it will mean
they receive
their promised
inheritance.
So can you
see how we
do not need
to fear the
threats of
others?
Yes,
you may become
unpopular.
You mightn't be
liked by your
friends.
You might even
miss out on a
job opportunity.
You might even
be shunned by
your family.
But whatever
we may lose
in this life,
remember the
blessings that
we have.
We have new
birth, a
living hope,
into an
inheritance that
can never ever
perish, spoil
or fade.
And this
inheritance is
kept for us
and we are
kept for this
inheritance.
So when we
go to work
tomorrow,
when we head
off to college,
when we hang
out with our
friends, read
the words of
verse 14,
do not fear
their threats.
Do not be
frightened.
We have this
incredible blessing
from God.
So first,
do not fear
their threats.
Second,
speak hope
to those
who ask
you.
Speak hope
to those
who ask
you.
Verse 15,
but in
your hearts
revere
Christ
as Lord.
So,
verse 14,
don't fear
others.
Don't be
worried about
what they'll
say or what
they'll do.
Instead,
revere
Christ
as Lord.
Because of
the blessings
we have
received from
Christ,
we revere
him.
That is,
we honour
him.
We submit
to him.
What a
great and
glorious God
we have.
He is our
Lord.
He rules
over our
life.
He rose
again from
the grave.
He controls
our eternal
destiny.
How could we
not revere
him and
turn to
him?
So as we
revere
him, we
want to
live lives
that please
him.
In our
work, we
want to
live for
him with
our
friends.
We want
to speak
up for
him.
So the
rest of
verse 15,
as we
revere
Christ,
always be
prepared to
give an
answer to
everyone who
asks you to
give the
reason for
the hope
that you
have.
Now there's
three things
here in
verse 15
that we
want to
look at.
first,
always be
prepared to
give an
answer.
To give
an answer
is simply
to give
a reason
for why
we believe
what we
believe.
It's where
we get the
word apologetics
from.
It's about
making a
defense of
our faith,
an apology,
explaining the
reasonableness of
what we
believe,
that it's
true and
it's
dependable.
So let
me ask,
if you are
a Christian,
why do
you believe
what you
believe?
I wonder,
could you
explain it?
If somebody
challenged you,
could you
defend it?
What if
someone comes
up to you
and says,
you know,
this Bible,
well,
it's all
made up.
It's just
a collection
of stories
all about
this person
called Jesus
who never
really existed?
How would
you answer
somebody like
that?
Well,
we could
point to
2 Peter
chapter 1.
Have a look
at 2 Peter
chapter 1.
You see,
we mustn't
forget that
when these
letters were
written,
there were
lots of
skeptics and
doubters around
just like there
are today and
say, well,
how could you
believe any
of these
things?
And so
Peter would
give evidence
to show
that we
can believe.
So in
some ways
he's responding
to some of
the challenges
that may be
put to him.
So chapter 1
verse 16,
he says,
for we did
not follow
cleverly devised
stories when
we told you
about the
coming of
our Lord
Jesus Christ
in power,
but we
were eyewitnesses
of his
majesty.
Remember
Ralph read
from John's
gospel,
they were
also eyewitnesses.
Verse 17,
he received
honour and
glory from
God the
Father when
the voice
came to
him from
the majestic
glory saying,
this is my
son whom I
love,
with him I
am well
pleased.
So he's
talking there
about the
transfiguration
and Peter is
saying,
verse 18,
we ourselves
heard this
voice that
came from
heaven when
we were
with him
on the
sacred
mountain.
You see,
Peter was
there,
he saw,
he heard,
he touched
and he's
writing up
these accounts
for us and
people are
saying,
well how do
we know
it's true?
Well he's
saying,
go and
check out
the eyewitnesses,
go and
ask them
what they
thought and
what they
saw.
It was
all recorded.
Let me
read to
you.
something from
a little
book called
Truth Matters,
which is a
very helpful
book.
Richard
Bochum
wrote a
book called
Jesus and
the Eyewitnesses.
He argues,
for example,
that many of
the eyewitnesses
to Jesus'
life,
death and
resurrection
were still
in wide
active
circulation
and
the
first
years
and
were
able
to
function
as
trusted,
authoritative
sources and
guardians of
the tradition,
a commonly
revered
practice and
presence in
oral societies.
Even as
advancing age
took them away
from the
living community,
the wide range
of years in
which the
early church
was populated
with some
combination of
either first
hand observers
of Christ,
elders that
sat personally
at their feet,
and the
disciples of
those who
had heard
these accounts
of Jesus
from an
original source
stretches well
into the
second century.
So you see,
what we have
is not made
up.
They are
eyewitnesses
accounts that
could be checked
from people who
were there and
as they passed
it on one to
another, they
could investigate
for themselves.
So are you
able to
explain what
you believe and
why you believe
and have a
defence for
the truth?
And let me
encourage you at
this time as
well, why don't
you come?
In all seriousness,
come to
NBC this week.
The whole
theme is on
the topic of
apologetics.
Come for an
evening just to
find out maybe
you would stay
for more.
We must all
be prepared
to give
an answer.
Second,
always be
prepared to
give an
answer to
everyone who
asks you.
You see,
if somebody
is going to
ask you
about your
faith and
what you
believe,
it implies
that you
must be
living a
life that
is so
different
that people
are looking
at you and
watching you
and they're
intrigued about
the way you
live your
life.
And so
they begin
to ask
you
questions.
Go back
to 1 Peter
chapter 2
verse 11.
1 Peter
chapter 2
verse 11.
Dear friends,
I urge you
as foreigners
and exiles,
so strangers
who live in
the world,
to abstain
from sinful
desires which
war against
your soul.
Live such
good lives
among the
pagans,
among those
who do not
believe,
that though
they accuse
you of
doing wrong,
they may
see your
good deeds
and glorify
God on
the day
he visits
us.
You see,
our life
is in
itself to
be an
apologetic
for the
gospel.
People should
be able to
look at our
lives and
see a
difference,
a life that
backs up
the message
that we
seek to
tell.
And people
will begin
to ask
questions like,
well,
why do you
do good to
those who
hurt you?
Why is it
that you
never seem
to get
angry?
Why is it
that you
respond in
kindness even
when you've
been wronged?
Why do you
respect your
boss even
when he
disrespects
and mistreats
you?
Why is it
that you
still love
your spouse
even when
they treat
you like
that?
Why do
you repay,
nor why do
you not
repay,
evil with
evil and
insult with
insult?
Why is it
that you
don't sleep
with your
boyfriend or
your girlfriend?
You see,
if we're
followers of
Jesus,
our lives
will be so
shaped by
the gospel,
our life
will be a
living example
and apologetic
for the gospel
and people
will see and
begin to ask,
why is it
that you're
like this?
Always be
prepared to
give an
answer to
everyone who
asks of
you.
And then
third,
always be
prepared to
give an
answer to
everyone who
asks you to
give the
reason for
the hope
you have.
But what is
this hope
that we
have?
What is
this hope
that causes
us to
live so
differently?
Well,
remember back
in chapter
1 verse
3,
it is this
living hope
through the
resurrection of
Jesus Christ
from the
dead.
This is not
a dead
hope,
this is an
alive hope,
a hope that
shapes how we
live our life
today and
shapes how we
view the
future.
hope in
the Bible
is not
wishful
thinking.
It is
rock solid,
unshakable and
dependable
certainty of
our future.
In other
words,
our hope is
guaranteed by
the historical
fact that
Jesus Christ
rose again
from the
dead.
And this
certain hope
shapes and
affects how
we live.
It gives
meaning to
our life as
we face
into difficulty,
as we face
death, as we
face hardships.
we've got
this hope.
And it
changes
everything.
Listen
again to
a quote
from the
book.
This is a
quote actually
from Tim
Keller and
he says
this,
each year
at Easter
I get to
preach on
the resurrection.
resurrection.
In my
sermon I
always say
to my
skeptical
and secular
friends that
even if they
can't believe
in the
resurrection,
they should
want it to
be true.
Most of
them care
deeply about
justice for
the poor,
alleviating
hunger and
disease and
caring for
the environment.
Yet many
of them
believe that
the material
world was
caused by
an accident
and that
the world
and everything
in it will
eventually
simply burn
up in the
death of
the sun.
They find it
discouraging
that so few
people care
about justice
without realizing
that their
own worldview
undermines
any motivation
to make the
world a better
place.
Why sacrifice
for the needs
of others
if in the
end nothing
we do
will make
any difference?
If the
resurrection
of Jesus
happened
however
that means
there is
infinite hope
and reason
to pour
ourselves out
for the
needs
of the
world.
You see
if the
resurrection
isn't
true
we have
come from
nowhere
we are
going
nowhere
and there is
no shape
or meaning
or purpose
to life
today
but because
we have a
resurrection
hope
we can
live our
lives in
service
towards others
and give
our life
to all kinds
of good
things
because it
counts
because Jesus
is risen
because Jesus
is alive
I have
hope
unshakable
hope for
today
and hope
for all
eternity
so first
do not
fear those
who threaten
you
second
speak
hope
to those
who ask
you
and then
third
respond
gently
to those
who are
against
you
look at the
rest of
verse 15
chapter
1 Peter
chapter 3
end of
verse 15
but do
this
with
gentleness
and respect
keeping a
clear conscience
so that
those who
speak
maliciously
against
your good
behaviour
in Christ
may be
ashamed
of their
slander
look if
we're going
to be
people
who want
to talk
about
Jesus
then our
words
and our
behaviour
must reflect
the Jesus
we want
people to
know
how can
we talk
to people
about
forgiveness
if I
hold a
grudge
how can
I talk
about
grace
if I
ostracise
those who
wrong me
how can
I talk
about
a loving
God
but never
invite
somebody
into my
home
you see
how we
live
and what
we say
really
matters
one author
put it
like this
Christians
need to
look like
what they're
talking about
what communicates
now is
personal
authenticity
the gospel
message must
not just be
heard
it must be
seen and
demonstrated
in the way
that we
live and
talk
look at the
end of verse
15 again
we are to
do this
we are to
speak
give a
reason for
the hope
that we
have
with
gentleness
and respect
that means
not being
insistent on
your rights
or demanding
your own
way or
having this
great
argument that
kind of
clatters
everybody else
essentially it's
actually calling
us to be
just like
Christ
have a look
back at
chapter 2
verse 20
here is the
example of
Jesus
chapter 2
verse 20
how is it
to your
credit
if you
receive a
beating for
doing wrong
and endure
it
but if you
suffer for
doing good
and you
endure it
this is
commendable
before God
to this
you were
called
because Christ
suffered for
you
leaving you
an example
that you
should follow
in his
footsteps
he committed
no sin
and no
deceit was
found in
his mouth
when they
hurled their
insults at
him
he didn't
retaliate
when he
suffered
he made
no threats
instead he
entrusted
himself to
him who
judges
justly
you see
if we're
insulted
well
I don't
need to
retaliate
if you
suffered
from
somebody
we don't
need to
make threats
in return
we don't
have to
get back
at people
we respond
with gentleness
and respect
why
because we
entrust our
life to
him who
judges
justly
I don't
have to
repay
insult
with insult
I don't
have to
get back
at others
God
is just
and he
will sort
everything
out
he will
hold me
account
and he
will hold
everybody
else to
account
so instead
I must
simply pray
that I
will become
more like
Christ
in my
behaviour
and in
the way
that I
speak
to others
you see
how we
respond
and how
we speak
really
matters
look at the
rest chapter
3
verse 16
keeping a
clear conscience
so that
those who
speak
maliciously
against your
good behaviour
in Christ
may be
ashamed of
their slander
in other words
as people
see your
life
as they
hear your
words
as they
watch how
you respond
they will
be convicted
of how
they treated
you
and it
may cause
them to
turn to
Christ
let me
illustrate this
with two
stories
one is a
bad example
the second
one is a
good example
you may
have heard
me say
this
before
but
in my
neighbourhood
where we
live in
our little
cul-de-sac
we got
something wrong
or rather
I got
something wrong
with one
of the
neighbours
and it
caused
offence
to them
it was
my fault
and I
went to
go and
see them
about
something
else
and
knocked
on the
door
and they
came to
the door
and they
were really
quite
cross
and this
is what
they said
and you
call
yourself
a
Christian
I'd
never
said to
them
I'm
a
Christian
but they
said you
call
yourself
a
Christian
and you
did
that
you see
how we
behave
and what
we say
really
matters
it
affects
people
that's
the bad
example
of
living
the wrong
kind of
life
and saying
the wrong
kind of
thing
here's
a good
example
I have
a friend
who grew
up
a pretty
rough
life
on one
occasion
he told
me
that
somebody
was
running
after
him
and he
threw
a gas
bottle
back down
on top
of them
and I
said
well what
happened
he said
I don't
know
he never
came back
again
so that
was the
kind of
character
he was
he didn't
have time
for
Christians
no time
at all
but he
ended up
working
for a
Christian
and
just
observed
the person
had talked
to them
about
Christ
but
for him
didn't
want to
know
but he
observed
something
that
happened
there was
an accident
in the
kitchen
there was
a big
mess
and the
person he
was working
for
they
didn't
say
anything
they were
completely
calm
they didn't
explode in
anger
or
expletives
or anything
else
like that
that
was the
actual
turning
point
for
Barry
becoming
a
Christian
Barry
now
works
in
Nicaragua
runs a
Christian
school
seeking to
reach out
to the
community
there
one
simple
tiny
act
in a
kitchen
used
by God
to begin
the process
of changing
somebody's
life
you see
what I
say
what you
say
how we
live
really
matters
it may
cause
people
to be
convicted
of how
they
treat
you
and it
may cause
them
to turn
to
Christ
so as
we
go into
a new
week
as we
will meet
again with
our work
colleagues
hang out
with our
friends
go to
school
wherever
we are
as we
think about
sharing
Christ
don't fear
their threats
don't be
afraid
we have
this wonderful
blessing
inheritance
that can
never perish
spoil or
fade
what can
they do
to you
speak
hope
to those
who ask
of you
and respond
gently
to those
who are
against you
live
credible
godly
Christ
like
lives
in the
world
in which
we
live
let's
pray
that god
will enable
us to
do that
well
father
thank you
for
your
word
for
its
truth
thank you
that it
is
dependable
thank you
that we
have
a
certain
hope
the
hope
of the
resurrection
from the
grave
life
with you
today
and life
for all
eternity
father
would you
give to
each
person
here
today
opportunity
to be
able to
speak
of that
hope
to be
able to
bring that
hope into
the darkness
to be able
to speak
of jesus
father help
us that we
would not
fear what
people say
help us to
revere the
lord
change us
to be more
like christ
so that our
behavior and
our words
reflect him
in all that
we say
and do
and we
pray that you
would give us
confidence
and courage
to speak
up
and to
stand up
for the
lord jesus
and we
pray father
that through
our lives
as weak
and as
failing as
we so
often are
that by
your holy
spirit you
would be at
work within
us
leading more
and more
people to
the lord
jesus christ
help us
we pray
in jesus
name
amen
we're going
to sing
which is a
rallying cry
i guess