WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.839 Hey, good morning, church. Thanks for being with us and logging into our live stream service. 00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:14.960 I believe this is our first ever virtual sermon, so it's exciting. You're here for a historic 00:00:14.960 --> 00:00:21.760 moment for us as a church. Our building is closed, but our church is not, and so we're continuing to 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:27.019 worship with folks around the world and in this city just in a different way. As I mentioned on 00:00:27.019 --> 00:00:33.439 Friday, our methods have changed, but our mission has not, and so our mission is just as urgent as 00:00:33.439 --> 00:00:39.820 it's ever been, and so we're excited to be with you all this morning. I'm going to do a couple 00:00:39.820 --> 00:00:44.260 announcements as we're heading in. Since we didn't have an announcement time this morning, first of 00:00:44.260 --> 00:00:49.840 all, I want to remind you that we're going to have a live stream again at 7 p.m. on Wednesday evening, 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:55.700 March 25th. I've asked a couple of my friends who've been trained in Christian counseling to join me for 00:00:55.700 --> 00:01:02.020 a live Q&A, and we'll ask them some questions about how we can be wise during this time of isolation 00:01:02.020 --> 00:01:07.820 as we face things like fear and loneliness and anxiety, so I'm really excited about that time. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:14.400 These are two men that I trust and whose advice has been helpful to me as I walk with Jesus, and so I 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:19.820 hope to be able to see you there. Second, I want to remind you, as I mentioned on Friday at our church 00:01:19.819 --> 00:01:26.279 town hall, that we are looking for a community that's full of problem solvers rather than problem 00:01:26.279 --> 00:01:31.359 finders, and so I just want to give a shout out to Greg and Molly Hitt this morning for being problem 00:01:31.359 --> 00:01:36.759 solvers and hosting their own home worship on Facebook Live. I know many of you joined them for 00:01:36.759 --> 00:01:40.759 that. We were encouraged this morning at the church. We had that playing while we were getting 00:01:40.759 --> 00:01:46.839 everything set up for this live stream, so thanks to Greg and Molly. I want to make another note about 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:52.500 problem finders versus problem solvers. I mentioned a couple of situations on Friday that this would 00:01:52.500 --> 00:01:57.500 apply, and there's another one, and it's this situation this morning. We are streaming live, 00:01:57.800 --> 00:02:03.500 and we are, of course, going to inevitably have hiccups and problems. There are most likely going to be 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:08.740 folks in our congregation who have trouble connecting, and so there's two different ways to respond. One would 00:02:08.740 --> 00:02:14.319 be the problem finder response, and the problem finder response would look something like this. You might text me 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:19.879 this afternoon. Hey, Pastor Matthew, just wanted to make sure you know that so-and-so and so-and-so 00:02:19.879 --> 00:02:25.519 and so-and-so weren't able to connect to the live stream. Thanks. Have a good afternoon. That would be 00:02:25.519 --> 00:02:31.139 the problem finder approach. The problem solver approach would be this. Hey, Pastor Matthew, so-and-so 00:02:31.139 --> 00:02:35.199 and so-and-so had trouble connecting. We've talked to them over the phone, and we've coached them through 00:02:35.199 --> 00:02:39.939 it, so I think all the problems are resolved at this point. Is there anyone else that you're aware of who 00:02:39.939 --> 00:02:46.699 needs help? That would be the problem solver solution to this, so I'm encouraging us as a 00:02:46.699 --> 00:02:53.379 community to continue to be problem solvers rather than problem finders. As we're together as a 00:02:53.379 --> 00:03:00.319 community, we need as much help as we can, and we need to help one another. We are a team. If you 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:04.500 don't have Facebook, you know someone who doesn't have Facebook, this live stream is available on our 00:03:04.500 --> 00:03:08.759 website, and so there will be a pop-up link. If you go there now, it will direct you straight to the 00:03:08.759 --> 00:03:14.399 live stream, or you can find it under the COVID-19 item on the menu. It's on the far left. Click on 00:03:14.399 --> 00:03:19.579 that, go down, and click on live stream, so you don't have to have Facebook. You can help me spread 00:03:19.579 --> 00:03:23.519 the word about that. I think some folks are under the impression that if they don't have Facebook, 00:03:23.699 --> 00:03:28.759 they're cut out of the loop this morning, and that's far from the truth, so as much help as you 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:35.739 can give me in being problem solvers, I would be very, very grateful. I, as many of you know, was a 00:03:35.740 --> 00:03:41.100 teacher for some time, and I had a former teacher of mine, a high school teacher, who told me a story. 00:03:41.320 --> 00:03:44.900 If you're familiar with teachers, of course, you know that we hate when students talk during class. 00:03:45.520 --> 00:03:50.040 It's something that we're constantly trying to work against, but she told me a story about one 00:03:50.040 --> 00:03:55.020 year she had some students who were especially talkative, but she realized that what they were 00:03:55.020 --> 00:04:00.020 talking about was actually the content that she was teaching, and so it was a helpful tool for them 00:04:00.020 --> 00:04:04.600 to be able to process in class, and so that particular school year, she didn't crack down on 00:04:04.600 --> 00:04:09.460 any talking. She knew that her students were engaged, and that was one way that they showed that they 00:04:09.460 --> 00:04:14.340 were engaged. I say that to say I invite you this morning to use the comment section on Facebook 00:04:14.340 --> 00:04:21.160 to participate in a way that engages with the material, so I encourage you, as you have thoughts 00:04:21.160 --> 00:04:24.139 and ideas, to share them with one another as long as it's something that's centered around 00:04:24.139 --> 00:04:30.779 us and our community and our study of 1 Peter. It's tempting sometimes for people in the church, 00:04:31.319 --> 00:04:35.899 especially in the American church, to think of the relationship between the pastor and the 00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:42.019 congregation on a Sunday morning as one of a performer and an audience. Of course, nothing could 00:04:42.019 --> 00:04:46.860 be further from the truth. It's not that I'm a performer and you're an audience. It's that we're one team, 00:04:46.860 --> 00:04:52.699 so you could think of it as a coach and players. There's, of course, many people you could have 00:04:52.699 --> 00:04:57.360 watched this morning. Many of them are better communicators and preachers than I am, but you're 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:04.459 here because we are a family, and so I encourage you to show that family unity this morning on Facebook 00:05:04.459 --> 00:05:12.039 to comment and greet each other as is appropriate. With that, I'll remind you all, as I do every Sunday, 00:05:12.039 --> 00:05:18.060 that we are following Jesus together as one community. We're following him together, whether we're 00:05:18.060 --> 00:05:23.339 meeting virtually or in person, and as we follow him together, we're convinced that there's no one so 00:05:23.339 --> 00:05:30.819 good that they don't need God's grace and no one so bad that they can't have it. That's why we come 00:05:30.819 --> 00:05:36.980 week after week again and again to God and his word because we believe that he speaks to us about his 00:05:36.980 --> 00:05:43.120 grace. And so we're coming this morning for our last sermon in our 1 Peter series, and so I'm going to 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:50.879 tell you these things for the last time. 1 Peter is a letter. It's a letter written by a man named Peter, 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:58.699 and he writes it to churches in the first century AD in Asia Minor, what's now modern-day Turkey, and he writes 00:05:58.699 --> 00:06:04.019 to these churches because they're struggling. These churches are struggling for a couple reasons. They're 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:09.519 struggling because they feel out of place in the world as Christians and because they're facing opposition 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:16.060 from the world as Christians. And so Peter writes to both encourage and instruct them. He writes to 00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:22.019 encourage them that Jesus is worth it. Jesus is worth living for, and he's worth loving for. 00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:29.779 Jesus is also worth suffering for, and he's worth dying for. Not only does he write to encourage them, 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:35.219 but he also writes to instruct them. He writes to instruct them how to live in the world as Christians 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:40.780 and how to respond when they face opposition from the world as Christians. 00:06:42.280 --> 00:06:47.020 And we're coming near to the very end of this. I mentioned last week there comes that moment if 00:06:47.020 --> 00:06:51.680 you're meeting with a good friend or a counselor and they've given you encouragement and advice, 00:06:51.840 --> 00:06:56.840 maybe in a tough situation, you feel less alone. There still comes that time when you have to walk out 00:06:56.840 --> 00:07:02.180 the door and go back to the situation that you're in. That's what Peter is doing here. He's giving his 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:07.480 final instructions to these churches before his letter ends. They've been given tremendous 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:11.920 encouragement from the work that Christ has done for them and the grace that he has for them, and 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:17.439 they've been given a lot of practical advice. And now Peter's last word for them is this. 00:07:18.439 --> 00:07:28.480 Don't give up. Stand firm. Stand fast. Take everything that I've given you and I've instructed you and now 00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:36.400 live it out in the world. In his book Sea Stories, Navy Admiral William McRaven tells of his time 00:07:36.400 --> 00:07:41.259 and when he was in Coronado, California in 1977 and he was going through SEAL training 00:07:41.259 --> 00:07:46.860 to become a Navy SEAL. And one of their slogans was this. The only easy day was yesterday. 00:07:48.300 --> 00:07:54.420 They started out with 155 men and when they were nine weeks in, they were down to 55 men. 00:07:54.420 --> 00:08:00.460 And during that time, during their training, their instructors would tempt them over and over to 00:08:00.460 --> 00:08:05.660 ring the bell, which was not a metaphor. There was a literal bell that they would ring. And if someone 00:08:05.660 --> 00:08:10.100 rang the bell, it was their way of saying that they were done. They were done with SEAL training. 00:08:10.400 --> 00:08:16.020 They could go home. They would no longer have to suffer what they were going through and they could 00:08:16.020 --> 00:08:23.700 return to a life of ease and comfort. And so in this section from 1 Peter, Peter's simply saying this. 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:30.379 Don't ring the bell. No matter what you go through in life, don't give up. 00:08:31.719 --> 00:08:38.299 Remain faithful to God. Remain faithful to his people. It's with that that we're going to turn 00:08:38.299 --> 00:08:45.399 to God's word. I invite you to turn with me, whether it's in your Bible, on your phone. Maybe you've 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:51.659 printed out the worship guide that we provided over email, but we are in the last few verses. We're in 00:08:51.659 --> 00:08:57.039 1 Peter chapter 5 and we're starting at verse 12. And as we come to this passage, remember that this 00:08:57.039 --> 00:09:03.740 is God's word. And God tells us that his word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold. 00:09:04.279 --> 00:09:09.980 And it's sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. And so that's why we 00:09:09.980 --> 00:09:17.779 read it now starting at verse 12. By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written 00:09:17.779 --> 00:09:25.920 briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 00:09:27.060 --> 00:09:34.379 Verse 13. She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings. And so does Mark, my son. 00:09:34.379 --> 00:09:43.259 Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. I invite you to pray 00:09:43.259 --> 00:09:53.379 with me as we come to this portion of God's word. Our Father in heaven, we thank you that your word 00:09:53.379 --> 00:09:59.779 never fails and you promise that it never returns to you empty. It accomplishes your purposes. It 00:09:59.779 --> 00:10:06.860 accomplishes your purposes, whether we meet in person or we meet through Facebook. We also thank 00:10:06.860 --> 00:10:13.779 you that our hope is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. We ask that you'd give us 00:10:13.779 --> 00:10:19.480 that hope and encouragement this morning, that you'd give it to us through each other as we are together, 00:10:19.659 --> 00:10:25.220 even if it's only in a home or through the internet, and that you'd give us that hope through your word. 00:10:25.220 --> 00:10:29.940 We ask that you'd send your spirit to do that now, that you would soften our hearts, 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:36.220 you'd open our eyes, and you'd unstop our ears, that we'd be able to see and hear and believe 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:41.940 everything that's written about you and your word. And we ask all these things, not because we earn 00:10:41.940 --> 00:10:47.000 them or deserve them, but because we belong to Jesus. And so we ask them in his mighty name. Amen. 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:54.740 Peter starts out here with a reference to a man named Silwanis. This is someone that 00:10:54.740 --> 00:10:59.779 we see in other parts of the Bible. He appears in the book of Acts as a messenger to carry a letter, 00:11:00.059 --> 00:11:05.460 and that's most likely what's going on here. Most likely Silwanis is someone who is carrying this 00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:11.639 letter from Peter and taking it to the churches in Asia Minor. He's a courier. He could potentially 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:18.039 have helped Peter write the letter. That's unclear. But if we get pulled down and dragged down into 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:23.899 the weeds, we're sort of missing the point. Regardless of whatever role Silwanis plays, 00:11:24.960 --> 00:11:29.500 he highlights something that's been a theme of this book, which is that we need each other. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:36.939 Peter walked with Jesus and knew Jesus personally. And that didn't make him a superhero. 00:11:36.940 --> 00:11:45.740 Much like us, Peter still needed the people of God. He needed their help. He needed practical help. 00:11:45.820 --> 00:11:51.620 He needed practical help from someone like Silwanis. He's going to mention not just in verse 12, 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:58.780 but then we're also going to hear in verse 13 about his companions. In the same story, 00:11:59.060 --> 00:12:04.200 Admiral McRaven tells about right before they're going to go into the last week of their initial 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:09.040 SEAL training known as Hell Week. And they have one man with them who's part of the training, 00:12:09.140 --> 00:12:13.900 and it's his second round, because the first time around his bicep was torn off of his arm in an 00:12:13.900 --> 00:12:19.680 accident. So he took time away to heal, and then he returned. So he had experience, and he knew what it 00:12:19.680 --> 00:12:24.580 was they were about to be up against. And so he took the men together, and he gave them a little pep talk. 00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:30.759 And he said this, the only way you can complete Hell Week is if we stay together as a team. 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:39.420 We must stick together. There is no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian. 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:48.339 There was no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian in 2019 before the coronavirus hit, 00:12:48.839 --> 00:12:55.740 and there's no such thing as a Lone Ranger Christian now. We continue to need each other 00:12:55.740 --> 00:13:03.419 just as much in 2020 in Colorado Springs as Peter needed Silwanis and his friends in the first century 00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:12.259 in Rome in the Roman Empire. Our building may be closed, but our church is as open as it's ever been. 00:13:13.979 --> 00:13:18.659 And we are working together and loving each other just as much as we did before. 00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:25.179 Peter's picking up on his final themes here, and this is one we've seen throughout the book. 00:13:25.519 --> 00:13:28.579 He's told us twice to love one another from the heart. 00:13:28.580 --> 00:13:29.580 Peter's picking up on his own. 00:13:30.580 --> 00:13:35.879 The only way we're going to get through this is if we stay together as a team. 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:41.500 That's not just true of crisis moments, but it's true of all of life. 00:13:43.020 --> 00:13:46.180 Whether we live now or we live in a different time and place, 00:13:46.540 --> 00:13:48.420 the only way Christians make it is together. 00:13:50.160 --> 00:13:53.200 Peter needed help. We need help as well. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:58.500 That's not Peter's main point, though, in this verse. 00:13:58.580 --> 00:14:01.620 His main point comes after. He's giving us a summary here. 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.400 He says, I've written briefly to you, and then he's going to summarize what he's told them. 00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:08.740 Many of you are students. Some of you have been students, 00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:12.340 and you're familiar with the time in the semester where you're nearing the end 00:14:12.340 --> 00:14:15.040 and finals are coming up, and you have to have a review. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:20.960 And oftentimes, hopefully, you're reviewing many things that you've learned throughout the semester. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:24.560 At some level, you're going to review everything, everything that matters most. 00:14:24.680 --> 00:14:29.360 Maybe you won't review every detail, but there will be a summary of the important points of the class. 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:35.259 Peter here is giving us his summary of the class that he's been teaching us through this letter, 00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:35.960 and it's this. 00:14:37.060 --> 00:14:41.800 Been exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. 00:14:43.180 --> 00:14:45.280 Stand firm in it. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:48.879 There's two elements here. 00:14:49.040 --> 00:14:50.800 First, the true grace of God. 00:14:50.799 --> 00:14:53.099 He says that this is the true grace. 00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:55.000 So what is he referring to by the this? 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.279 Well, since it's a summary, it's what he's been exhorting and declaring, 00:14:58.419 --> 00:15:01.620 he is referring to this entire letter that we've read. 00:15:02.620 --> 00:15:05.399 He's been telling us in different ways and at different angles 00:15:05.399 --> 00:15:09.419 what it looks like to belong to Jesus and to receive his grace. 00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:12.579 And so we can go through and quickly summarize as well. 00:15:12.679 --> 00:15:17.099 We saw in chapter one that we are chosen by God, but exiles in the world. 00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:21.759 That's part of God's grace that we belong to him. 00:15:22.560 --> 00:15:28.420 We were told in chapter one we belong to him because God chose to cause us to be born again 00:15:28.420 --> 00:15:31.820 to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:15:32.540 --> 00:15:36.340 And so that's part of the true grace that we stand in, the fact that we have a living hope. 00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:41.480 He also told us in chapter one that because God is our father, we're holy like he's holy. 00:15:42.620 --> 00:15:45.580 And so that's part of the grace that we stand in. 00:15:46.759 --> 00:15:50.160 Then we saw in chapter two that God has given us a mission. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:54.080 We saw in chapter two, verse nine, that we are a priesthood. 00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:58.360 We represent God to the world and we represent the world to God. 00:15:58.360 --> 00:16:01.139 And so that's part of the grace of God. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:06.440 We bring tremendous honor and glory to Jesus Christ when we do that. 00:16:07.539 --> 00:16:14.800 We moved on to chapters two and three where we saw a variety of practical situations where God's grace applies. 00:16:15.580 --> 00:16:18.340 We submit to authority even when it leads to suffering 00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:23.820 because Jesus submitted even when it led to his suffering. 00:16:23.820 --> 00:16:29.340 And then finally, we had a long section on suffering for the name of Jesus. 00:16:29.560 --> 00:16:33.560 And we saw God's grace in that as well, the grace that we can stand firm in. 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:39.820 And it was the grace that we suffer for Jesus, for Christ, but we're united with Christ. 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:44.780 And so we have tremendous hope even as we suffer because we're connected with him. 00:16:45.800 --> 00:16:46.540 Jesus suffered. 00:16:47.460 --> 00:16:48.200 We will suffer. 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:52.000 Jesus experienced glory. 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:55.059 We will experience glory as well. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.159 And so that's the true grace of God. 00:17:01.100 --> 00:17:05.240 That's the grace of God that we stand firm in. 00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:13.099 And so the question this morning is, what are the situations where we're called to stand firm? 00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:19.819 Of course, these are situations particularly where we're suffering for the name of Jesus Christ, 00:17:19.819 --> 00:17:27.919 where we're choosing obedience to Jesus over the approval of the world or our own comfort and pleasure. 00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:30.740 Maybe it looks like this. 00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:32.839 Maybe you're a single person. 00:17:32.939 --> 00:17:35.119 Maybe you're a single woman and you've met a man. 00:17:35.179 --> 00:17:39.019 You believe he's a Christian and you've been going on several dates with him 00:17:39.019 --> 00:17:42.559 and you're excited about the potential that this relationship could have. 00:17:43.139 --> 00:17:47.839 And then you show up for the third or fourth date and he says something like this. 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:50.940 You know, I've really enjoyed getting to know you. 00:17:51.160 --> 00:17:56.299 And one thing that's really important to me, I think it doesn't really make sense to move forward in a relationship 00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:59.579 unless you know really whether you're sexually compatible or not. 00:17:59.579 --> 00:18:01.139 What do you think about that? 00:18:02.839 --> 00:18:04.460 Of course, you're stunned at this moment, right? 00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:08.319 Because you think, I thought this was a fellow Christian who shared the same values that I did. 00:18:08.659 --> 00:18:12.599 I thought that they agreed with me that sex was something that was reserved for marriage. 00:18:12.699 --> 00:18:14.059 And you're caught in that moment, right? 00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:17.539 Am I going to be able to stay faithful to Jesus Christ 00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:22.079 and potentially lose this relationship that I've been excited about? 00:18:22.079 --> 00:18:25.759 Well, this is the true grace of God, right? 00:18:25.859 --> 00:18:29.559 Jesus didn't make promises with his body that he couldn't keep. 00:18:30.539 --> 00:18:34.099 But instead, he sacrificed his body for us on the cross. 00:18:34.939 --> 00:18:37.439 And so we sacrifice for his sake. 00:18:38.619 --> 00:18:42.359 One of my friends that I'm going to gather with on Wednesday at 7, 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:46.279 as I was talking to him earlier this week, he gave me a wonderful reminder. 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:52.500 He said, relationships are a wonderful desire, but a terrible hope. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:19:00.740 And so our confidence, even when it causes us to lose what we might long for, 00:19:00.819 --> 00:19:06.779 is that we know the true grace of God, and so we stand firm in it. 00:19:09.299 --> 00:19:13.639 Maybe you're tempted to believe that because God is your father, you can ignore the government. 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:19.940 You don't have to obey things that the government tells you when it's inconvenient or you think it's stupid. 00:19:21.840 --> 00:19:25.200 And yet we've been reminded of the true grace of God in this passage. 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:28.640 Jesus submitted to authority even when it was costly for him. 00:19:30.100 --> 00:19:31.580 And so we do the same. 00:19:34.080 --> 00:19:35.900 This is the true grace of God. 00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:38.580 Stand firm in it. 00:19:38.579 --> 00:19:43.799 Maybe you're ashamed to claim the name of Jesus Christ. 00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:49.039 Maybe you're embarrassed to be a Christian and you avoid hard conversations about that, 00:19:49.419 --> 00:19:51.099 afraid of what you might lose. 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:55.339 Peter's reminded us of that as well. 00:19:55.899 --> 00:19:58.819 Noah was out of step with his society. 00:20:00.500 --> 00:20:01.919 God was faithful to him. 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:06.740 You are out of step with your society. 00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:10.820 God will be faithful to you as well. 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:18.840 And so we can witness to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, even when it's difficult and painful. 00:20:20.779 --> 00:20:23.060 This is the true grace of God. 00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.440 Stand firm in it. 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:31.580 Maybe you're suffering for the name of Jesus Christ. 00:20:32.539 --> 00:20:36.960 Maybe following Jesus has caused you to lose job opportunities. 00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:40.100 Maybe it's caused you to lose friendships. 00:20:42.100 --> 00:20:45.000 And you find yourself asking whether it's really worth it. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:48.279 Jesus suffered. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:49.620 You will suffer. 00:20:50.900 --> 00:20:52.740 Jesus experienced glory. 00:20:53.380 --> 00:20:56.140 You will experience glory as well. 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:58.460 He is worth it. 00:21:00.360 --> 00:21:03.240 This is the true grace of God. 00:21:04.420 --> 00:21:06.860 Stand firm in it. 00:21:09.340 --> 00:21:13.480 That is Peter's last word for these people. 00:21:15.620 --> 00:21:22.000 Now, I've made a big point during this sermon series about understanding the different types of suffering. 00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:23.779 That there are three types. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:27.299 There's suffering for our own foolishness and sin in this world. 00:21:28.380 --> 00:21:31.519 There's suffering in general just because of the presence of sin in this world. 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:34.339 And then there's suffering for the name of Jesus Christ. 00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:41.559 And I have highlighted and underscored over and over again that what we are talking about specifically in this book is the third type. 00:21:42.140 --> 00:21:44.000 Suffering for the name of Jesus Christ. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:51.759 And yet we find ourselves right now as a city in a world in a situation two type suffering. 00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:55.740 We're suffering right now because of the presence of the coronavirus. 00:21:56.059 --> 00:22:02.880 The coronavirus is not a result of the direct sin of the members of Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church. 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:04.360 So it's not type one suffering. 00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:08.580 And both Christians and non-Christians are susceptible to it. 00:22:08.620 --> 00:22:09.920 So it's not type three suffering. 00:22:10.020 --> 00:22:12.540 It's not suffering for the name of Jesus Christ. 00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:17.980 And so this passage does not directly speak to this issue. 00:22:17.980 --> 00:22:27.680 However, we can also take comfort and courage from this passage indirectly, secondarily. 00:22:28.620 --> 00:22:39.200 In other words, as we live in this time and face this crisis, we can also know the true grace of God and stand firm in it. 00:22:40.220 --> 00:22:44.759 We can know that the true grace of God means we're not surprised or undone. 00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:49.839 We know that sin and evil are a real presence in this world. 00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:55.359 And so while we might be surprised by the fact that it's this specific type of suffering, 00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:58.140 while we might be surprised that it happened in this way, 00:22:58.259 --> 00:23:01.740 while we might be caught off guard by how quickly it occurred, 00:23:02.579 --> 00:23:06.319 we're not surprised by the fact that things like this happen. 00:23:07.379 --> 00:23:09.960 Jesus told us in this world you will have many troubles. 00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:16.160 And so part of how we know the true grace of God is we know that this is not the end of the story. 00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:23.559 We find ourselves in one scene of God's larger story of redemption. 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:28.680 And that means we can have hope because we know how the story ends. 00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:34.340 We know that Jesus is coming back, as we read in chapter one of first Peter, 00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:37.319 and that he is going to make all things right. 00:23:38.699 --> 00:23:41.980 It doesn't make everything easier immediately right now, 00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:45.699 but it gives us a different perspective in the world around us. 00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:51.379 We can have a type of hope that is unavailable to them. 00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:53.779 God is faithful. 00:23:54.839 --> 00:24:01.779 And in Jesus Christ, he's presented the full and final solution to every struggle and suffering we face in this world. 00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:08.019 And so we, as we face problems now, can also look forward to Jesus' return. 00:24:09.420 --> 00:24:13.399 When he is going to come back, he's going to make all things right, 00:24:13.579 --> 00:24:17.899 and he's going to rescue us and take us to be with him forever. 00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:24.039 That's what Peter means when he refers to the salvation prepared for us. 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:30.319 And so, brothers and sisters, this is the true grace of God. 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:34.419 Stand firm in it. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:43.700 We can also remember what Peter's told us when we're tempted to circle the wagons as we face this together. 00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:50.639 Be tempting for us to batten down the hatches and decide we're going to look out for me, myself, and I. 00:24:52.339 --> 00:24:54.659 And yet Peter's given us instruction about that as well. 00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:59.000 Remember, he's told us in chapter two, verse nine, that we are priests to the nations. 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:01.220 He tells us this in chapter two, verse 12. 00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:06.839 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, 00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:11.019 they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:20.500 What better opportunity could we have for others to see and glorify God because of our good deeds during this time? 00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:30.640 We have the opportunity to bring Jesus tremendous glory and honor, not out of a sense of duty or moralism, 00:25:30.839 --> 00:25:35.339 but because he is our father and he's coming back for us. 00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:42.419 And so we have a hope and a security that we can offer to others and we can act out of ourselves. 00:25:44.619 --> 00:25:47.659 This is the true grace of God. 00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:51.319 Stand firm in it. 00:25:51.319 --> 00:26:01.799 Peter ends here with a final command. 00:26:02.879 --> 00:26:04.539 Greet one another with a kiss of love. 00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:08.119 He mentioned some more of his companions. 00:26:08.359 --> 00:26:11.139 Of course, he's showing them here his solidarity with them. 00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:14.779 We could think back to verse nine of chapter five. 00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:19.759 We know that the same kinds of sufferings are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 00:26:21.180 --> 00:26:24.539 And now he's listing part of their brotherhood throughout the world. 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:27.720 He's not in Asia Minor with them. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:35.299 And yet he sends them greetings from their brothers and sisters who are in solidarity with them, suffering the same things. 00:26:36.099 --> 00:26:37.139 She who is at Babylon. 00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:40.200 There's been a lot of ink spilled over what this is a reference to. 00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:44.700 I believe most likely she who is at Babylon is a reference to Peter's community. 00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:47.480 His church community where he's located. 00:26:47.639 --> 00:26:49.899 Babylon is code in the Bible for Rome. 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:54.379 It's the way it's used here and the way it's used in the book of Revelation. 00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:57.299 So the church community at Rome sends them greetings. 00:26:58.339 --> 00:27:01.379 They're part of the same empire, but they're in different parts. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.579 They're in the capital city. 00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:07.700 The recipients of this letter are in modern day Western Turkey in Asia Minor. 00:27:08.899 --> 00:27:12.039 And then he sends greetings from Mark as well. 00:27:12.039 --> 00:27:18.319 But if we get bogged down into the details of who she at Babylon is, again, we've missed the point. 00:27:20.119 --> 00:27:24.680 Because the point is this, that God gives us one another to help us stand firm. 00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:28.920 He gave Peter to these people. 00:27:29.659 --> 00:27:31.399 He had to write them a letter, right? 00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:32.639 He couldn't shake their hands. 00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:34.159 He couldn't give them a hug. 00:27:34.620 --> 00:27:38.120 That's the same situation, a similar situation to the one we face. 00:27:39.420 --> 00:27:41.080 But we can send each other greetings. 00:27:42.620 --> 00:27:45.120 We can send each other text messages and emails. 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:46.240 We can call one another. 00:27:46.360 --> 00:27:47.340 We can FaceTime. 00:27:47.339 --> 00:27:51.379 We're not going to give each other literal kisses of love. 00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:58.939 But we can get at the true heart of the command here, which is that we would have deep and true fellowship. 00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:07.039 It's also a reminder to us that our community is part of how we stand firm. 00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:12.799 Peter ends with this, peace to all of you who are in Christ. 00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:17.639 It's not that their circumstances are going to change. 00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:25.940 As they leave the reading of this letter, they're going to face the very challenges that Peter's told them about. 00:28:27.079 --> 00:28:29.539 They're going to face people slandering them. 00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:32.960 They're going to face the loss of friendships. 00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:36.480 They may face the loss of jobs. 00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:40.720 They may have misunderstandings from their family members. 00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:44.099 They also have peace. 00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:49.079 They have peace because they are in Christ. 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:54.059 They know the true grace of God and they can stand firm in it. 00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:56.279 The same is true for us. 00:28:58.420 --> 00:29:03.740 We can live in a busy and turbulent and chaotic world. 00:29:04.940 --> 00:29:06.899 And also have peace in our hearts. 00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:14.279 Peter reminds us that this peace is for those specifically who are in Christ. 00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:23.579 God is our father because he's adopted us. 00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:27.859 He's adopted us because Jesus has paid the penalty for our sin. 00:29:27.859 --> 00:29:34.619 And so we can call Jesus our brother because he lived the perfect life that we didn't. 00:29:35.219 --> 00:29:37.219 And he died the death that we deserve. 00:29:37.919 --> 00:29:39.879 And in that, he gives us peace. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:42.299 Peace knowing that no matter what happens, 00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:46.539 we have a treasure in heaven that cannot be touched. 00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:52.879 Our treasure in heaven, in other words, is immune from the coronavirus, 00:29:53.419 --> 00:29:55.759 even if we are not. 00:29:55.759 --> 00:30:04.940 And so we can look forward to that no matter what happens in this world with tremendous hope and confidence and peace. 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:10.080 We know, as Romans 8 tells us, that nothing can separate us from the love of God. 00:30:11.400 --> 00:30:13.940 And so that's our hope and our confidence. 00:30:13.940 --> 00:30:23.360 In his story, Admiral McRaven tells about the time that they were in Hell Week 00:30:23.360 --> 00:30:27.039 and they began to spend time in mudflats that were near San Diego. 00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:31.859 And after a full day of running around in these mudflats, 00:30:31.980 --> 00:30:37.940 their instructors thought it would be a great idea to have them continue to shiver in them as the sun set. 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:45.180 And as the sun set, they're stuck, wet, submerged in mud. 00:30:46.599 --> 00:30:51.420 And their instructors light a fire on the shore and begin to make coffee and food. 00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:54.720 And they yell out to them and tell them, 00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:57.740 we only need five people to give up and ring the bell. 00:30:59.019 --> 00:31:03.779 If we can get five, then all of you can come and sit around this fire with us. 00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:07.819 You can drink coffee and you can eat the wonderful food that we have. 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:11.720 Of course, in the midst of their suffering, 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:15.380 it was incredibly tempting for many of them to give up in that moment. 00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:20.839 And so they locked arms with one another in the mudflats. 00:31:22.180 --> 00:31:23.600 But even that wasn't enough. 00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:30.359 There was one man near the end who broke the arm lock and began to make his way away from the mud and towards the fire. 00:31:32.219 --> 00:31:36.379 And at that moment, one of the seals in training began to sing. 00:31:38.519 --> 00:31:44.240 Soon the entire line sang together one of their songs that they knew as a group. 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:53.180 And as they sang, the man who had pulled away began to move back and link his arms again with his brothers. 00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:58.680 Brothers and sisters, how do we stand firm? 00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.680 We don't stand firm. 00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:03.700 We don't stand firm by the power of our will. 00:32:06.000 --> 00:32:09.320 We don't stand firm by gritting our teeth. 00:32:09.319 --> 00:32:16.679 But instead, we stand firm as we link arm to arm with one another. 00:32:16.680 --> 00:32:21.940 And we sing together the true grace of God. 00:32:23.640 --> 00:32:25.500 That is the only power. 00:32:26.560 --> 00:32:30.720 Powerful enough to hold us together no matter what when we face suffering. 00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:35.120 God has given us everything that we need in his word. 00:32:35.560 --> 00:32:38.380 And he's given us our community that we would do just that. 00:32:38.380 --> 00:32:43.900 We would link arms and sing together so that we would be able to stand no matter what. 00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:51.460 Brothers and sisters, this is the true grace of God. 00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:55.240 Stand firm in it. 00:32:57.440 --> 00:32:58.500 Please pray with me. 00:33:01.060 --> 00:33:07.500 Our Father in heaven, we praise you and we thank you that you have not left us alone 00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:08.779 and you've given us your word. 00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:13.279 We thank you for your word in 1 Peter to encourage us and sustain us. 00:33:13.380 --> 00:33:18.839 We ask in practical ways that you would help us to link arms together as a community. 00:33:20.019 --> 00:33:21.759 And you'd remind us of our grace. 00:33:21.839 --> 00:33:24.279 And because of it, we would stand firm together. 00:33:24.400 --> 00:33:26.859 We thank you it's not our strength that we rest on, 00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:30.380 but the strength of our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:33:31.240 --> 00:33:36.400 And so we pray these things in his name, knowing that he is mighty and worthy. 00:33:36.400 --> 00:33:40.200 And all of us together can say yes and amen. 00:33:41.780 --> 00:33:42.240 Thank you.