WEBVTT

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 As Christians, it's not difficult to see that we're slowly but surely becoming marginalized in our culture.

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 And you can see this in the way ministers are looked at, the way churches are looked at, the way Christians are perceived.

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 In fact, even just a couple hundred years ago, the pastors in the neighborhood or in the city used to be the most educated people in the city or the town.

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 And the theology, the study of theology used to be considered the loftiest of all academic disciplines.

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 But that's clearly not the case now.

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 And in fact, the pastors are not so well regarded and those who follow Christianity, follow Christ, historic Christianity are considered regressive.

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 And in this kind of environment where Christians are seen as gullible at best and perhaps bigoted at worst, how are we supposed to live?

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 And how are we supposed to be witnessing in this kind of context?

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 And that's precisely the question that 1 Peter 3, verses 8 to 22 answers for us.

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 And here he teaches us that we are to be suffering witnesses for Christ because Christ is the suffering Savior for us.

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 So I think he does this by going through ways in which we're supposed to suffer.

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 And the first thing he tells us that we're supposed to suffer for one another as believers.

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 And the second thing he tells us that we are to suffer at the hands of others, non-believers.

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 And then the last thing he tells us to motivate us and give us hope in the midst of our suffering,

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 he tells us that Christ also suffered at the hands of others.

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 So first look with me at verse 8.

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 It says,

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 Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

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 So if you recall, we've gone through a series of, kind of a mini-series within a series of 1 Peter.

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 Each sermon entitled Freedom to Be Something.

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 So freedom to be subject to human institutions.

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 Freedom to submit and sacrifice in the husband and wife relationship.

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 And now here also a freedom to suffer.

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 And it's all in the same vein.

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 The reason that Peter gives is the same.

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 The command to suffer is grounded in the fact that we don't suffer at the hands of others because they deserve it.

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 Because they deserve that honor and they have that control or power over us.

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 Not because of that, but because we are submitted people to God as believers.

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 And in the way we honor God, we suffer at the hands of others.

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 So it's along that vein and as a summary to the believers that are listening to this or that are reading this.

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 So Peter is saying this verse 8 as a summary statement to all believers.

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 Finally, all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

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 And this is important for our witness in the world because the way we live with one another is an important part of witness.

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 Because the world is watching.

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 They watch how we relate.

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 They watch how we talk to one another.

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 They watch how we serve one another.

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 And that becomes, again, a part of our witness to the world.

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 And if you look at this list in verse 8, usually if you have modern writers writing a list of things.

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 Let's say the list of things that you took with you when you moved.

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 Let's say I took my wife, my kids, and my computer, my guitars, and my, I don't know, my socks or whatever.

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 You list the things that are most important in the beginning and you list the things that are least important in the end.

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 In the Bible times when people wrote, they actually list things in kind of a sandwich structure.

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 So the most important thing you don't list first.

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 You actually list it in the middle.

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 And then the less important things are listed on the outside.

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 And so here you kind of see that structure.

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 It's a chiastic structure where finally all of you have unity of mind.

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 That's the first thing.

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 And at the end, it's a humble mind.

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 So those two things correspond.

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 And then in the middle, in the sympathy.

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 And then next, a tender heart.

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 So those two things also correspond.

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 And in the middle is brotherly love, which sums all of that up.

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 So that's the thing that commands it.

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 And I think what he means here is the first is unity of mind.

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 So it's, and that I don't think means uniformity, right?

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 That we need to have the same opinion, identical opinions about everything that we think,

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 the politics or religion or theology.

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 Rather, I think it's a call to disposition to be sensitive and to be discerning toward the beliefs,

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 toward the minds of others.

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 And that's why the corresponding item is humble mind.

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 We need to have, and humble mind, it's literally, it means lowly mind, base mind.

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 And that used to be a derogatory term in the ancient world.

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 But Christians have transformed that and used humility as a virtue.

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 In fact, they said that humility is the source of all virtues.

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 And that's because of the example of Christ.

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 Because he lived a life of humility, of humbling himself to his father,

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 even though he was equal with the father, he was God.

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 And so that kind of humility, have that kind of mind with one another.

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 That's what Peter's calling us to as believers.

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 And then, not just in our thinking, but also in our feeling.

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 Have sympathy.

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 That means to feel with, right?

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 To have a tender heart, to be compassionate toward one another.

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 That's how we're supposed to relate to one another, in our feeling.

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 And all of that, in a wonderful way, gets summarized in brotherly love.

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 And I've mentioned this before, but this is significant, right?

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 Because brotherly love is not like the love that you have for your friends.

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 Or even like the love that you have for your spouse.

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 Because you've got to choose whom you marry.

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 And you've got to choose whom you be friends with.

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 But you don't get to choose whom your brothers and sisters are, right?

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 Because that's not your choice.

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 But rather, it's the fact that you have the same father that makes them your brothers and sisters.

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 So sometimes siblings don't really get along very well, right?

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 And often that's the case.

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 The siblings don't get along very well.

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 But you still live with each other.

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 You suffer each other.

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 I mean, that's kind of what's intended here.

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 Is to have brotherly love, right?

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 So as Christians, and I think this is true.

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 If you look back at your own experience, this was certainly true of me.

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 Like my best friends in college were believers.

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 And one of them was like a heavyset African-American woman from Brooklyn.

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 One of them was a really like six feet something tall football player from California.

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 And another one was like, I mean, these were my best friends in college.

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 Not because we had anything in common.

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 In fact, I don't think we had anything in common.

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 Like, I mean, except for Christ, right?

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 We had the same Heavenly Father.

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 They were my brothers and sisters, right?

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 And that's exactly how we're supposed to love one another.

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 You know what, we're not here because we necessarily like all of us, like each other more than anybody else out there in terms of personality or interests or hobbies.

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 Anything like that.

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 No, but because we have the same God, same Father.

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 We're family by virtue of that reality.

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 And that's why we're supposed to have brotherly love.

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 And that's such a tender thing that I cherish about the biblical injunctions.

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 It tells us to love in a brotherly way.

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 And that's exactly how we witness to the watching world.

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 John 13, 35, it says,

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 By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.

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 And there is, so that's one way in which we're supposed to suffer as witnesses.

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 We suffer one another, right?

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 We suffer for one another.

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 And that's a part of our witness to the world.

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 And there's yet another way we're supposed to be suffering witnesses for Christ.

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 And that's by suffering at the hands of others as well.

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 Not just for one another, but also others outside.

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 From non-believers.

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 Look at verse 9.

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 It says,

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 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless.

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 For to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

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 So, because he's speaking of evil and reviling, we know that he's making a transition from addressing believers, the community of believers, to unbelievers who might revile us, who might speak evil of us.

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 And even in this context, he tells us, when they curse you, bless them.

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 Pray for them, right?

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 When they say a bad thing about you, return a good word to them.

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 In fact, offer the good word, good news of Jesus Christ to them, right?

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 That's the kind of relationship we're called to be in with unbelievers.

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 And it's really nothing more than an application of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5, 44, where he says,

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 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, right?

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 And Christians in Peter's day were particularly well acquainted with this.

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 Because if you look at some of the history books and look at the ways in which the pagan authors accused Christians or maligned Christians,

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 they spoke of them as people who are incestuous because they were married to one another,

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 but then they also called one another brother and sister, right?

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 So they thought that they were incestuous and they actually wrote about this.

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 They also accused Christians of being cannibals because they spoke of eating the body and blood of Christ, right?

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 So, I mean, it's funny, but like people who are outside, right, wouldn't have any way of verifying it.

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 So they kind of just kind of took off, these rumors spread, and Christians were really maligned.

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 And one of the most important ways in which they were maligned is that because they refused to worship the pagan gods

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 that Greek society, the Roman Empire was really built on.

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 And the people in the Roman Empire believed that if you don't appease these gods,

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 you're going to have bad things happen to you, bad things happen to your society and country.

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 So because of that, Christians were also despised because they said,

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 you are putting your personal interests ahead of the interest of society, empire.

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 And so Christians were despised for that reason.

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 So they were familiar with name-calling and persecution.

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 Yet Peter tells them, do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless.

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 For this, to this you are called that you may obtain a blessing.

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 And why should we do this?

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 And the reason that he gives is, for to this you are called, right?

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 And we talked about this earlier in 1 Peter, where it says in chapter 1, verses 14 to 19,

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 God says,

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 If you call on him as a father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds,

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 conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

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 knowing that you are ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers,

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 not with the perishable things such as silver or gold,

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 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

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 So the call that he's talking about is that the Father, Holy God called us.

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 He redeemed us, ransomed us with the precious blood of Christ,

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 so that we are now called to be holy because our Father is holy.

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 And because you belong to God now, this is what you're called to.

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 Even when you're reviled, you cannot stoop to their level and engage in profane acts

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 and be unholy in your dealing with others.

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 No, rather you are to bless them rather than cursing them, right?

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 And Peter knows that this is a difficult command,

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 so he gives us yet another reason.

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 And he tries to motivate us.

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 He says,

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 Because if you do this, you're going to obtain a blessing.

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 And that's reassuring.

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 And then he goes on to quote from Psalm 34, 12 to 16.

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 That's in verse 10 to 12, so you can follow along there.

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 For whoever desires to love life and see good days,

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 let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

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 Let him turn away from evil and do good.

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 Let him seek peace and pursue it.

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 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

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 and his ears are open to their prayer.

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 But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

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 This is almost a word for word quotation of Psalm 34, 12 to 16.

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 But what's very interesting is that he leaves out one part of a verse,

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 of the last verse, Psalm 34, 16.

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 Because it is supposed to end by saying this.

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 It says,

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 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

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 to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

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 Right?

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 But he leaves that out.

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 So why is Peter leaving that out?

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 And I think that's very intentional,

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 because he knows that the time for the judgment of the ungodly is not yet.

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 It's not now.

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 Right?

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 So right now is not a time of divine vengeance.

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 Rather, it's a time of divine patience.

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 So it says in chapter 3, verse 9 of Peter,

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 it says,

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 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some kind of slowness,

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 but is patient towards you,

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 not wishing that any should perish,

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 but that all should reach repentance.

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 Right?

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 Right?

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 And that's the reality that we live in now,

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 is that, yes, the kingdom has come,

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 but it has not yet been fulfilled.

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 And so we live in this kind of in-between age

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 where we are going to suffer at the hands of others.

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 The judgment of the wicked is not yet.

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 Yet we have this hope to hold on to,

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 and that's what Peter is referring to.

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 And of course, generally speaking, as believers,

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 if we do good toward other people and speak well of other people,

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 they're not going to be antagonistic or hate us.

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 Right?

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 I mean, generally, if we're nice to people, they're nice back to us.

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 And that's kind of what Peter's talking about in verse 13.

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 He says,

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 Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

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 So he knows that that's generally the case.

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 But Peter's also aware that sometimes even good deed and good speech

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 will meet with hostility.

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 Right?

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 So he says, continues in verses 14 to 17.

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 Right?

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 And sometimes we will be persecuted for righteousness' sake.

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 And we talked about how doing good might lead to suffering

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 in the context of our employment,

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 in the context of our relationship in marriage,

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 in the context of our relationship to human institution

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 over the last three weeks.

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 And so Peter's kind of continuing that train of thought.

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 Yeah, we might suffer for doing good for society,

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 for doing good for people.

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 And when that happens,

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 he wants us to remember to not fear.

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 Do not have fear in your hearts, he says,

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 but he says, honor Christ as holy in your hearts.

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 And those two things are directly related

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 because if we have fear of people in our hearts,

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 we're going to do what they want us to do.

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 We're not going to be able to honor Christ.

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 But if we honor Christ as holy in our hearts

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 and we deem what Christ demands of us more highly

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 than what people demand of us

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 or what people tell us to do,

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 then we will be able to honor Christ as holy.

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 And so he reminds us in verse 12,

00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:37.280
 the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous.

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.300
 He's watching us.

00:15:38.900 --> 00:15:41.180
 And his ears are open to their prayers.

00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:45.520
 So it's a picture of a God who is not aloof, right?

00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:46.940
 So he's not telling us,

00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:48.560
 well, I put you in this world

00:15:48.560 --> 00:15:50.180
 and if you follow me, you might suffer.

00:15:50.520 --> 00:15:52.340
 And he's saying, well, just hang in there

00:15:52.340 --> 00:15:53.240
 and then when you get back,

00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:54.340
 when you come to me,

00:15:54.420 --> 00:15:55.540
 then everything will be good.

00:15:55.920 --> 00:15:56.940
 No, he's with us.

00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:58.960
 He's intimately aware of what's going on.

00:15:59.280 --> 00:16:00.900
 His eyes are open toward us.

00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:03.420
 He's watching us and his ears are attentive.

00:16:03.820 --> 00:16:05.740
 He's open to our prayers.

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:10.399
 But his face, it says, is set against those who do evil.

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:13.519
 What a fearful thought as we think about.

00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:17.519
 And that's the same thing.

00:16:17.740 --> 00:16:21.940
 If we fear God, then we will not fear men in the same way.

00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:26.160
 If for, for, Ine just went to the beach this week

00:16:26.160 --> 00:16:30.080
 and she, and now, just first time, thanks to Lexi,

00:16:30.140 --> 00:16:31.480
 I think she actually enjoyed the beach.

00:16:32.160 --> 00:16:34.520
 And, and, and, and if she's,

00:16:34.580 --> 00:16:36.060
 because she's seen the waves now

00:16:36.060 --> 00:16:37.880
 and she's been in the big ocean,

00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:40.640
 she's not going to be scared of going into a kiddie pool,

00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.380
 which she actually used to be scared of, right?

00:16:42.640 --> 00:16:44.640
 In the same way, when we have encountered God

00:16:44.640 --> 00:16:45.840
 and been in the presence of God,

00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:47.700
 when we have, when we fear God,

00:16:47.700 --> 00:16:49.060
 we're going to be able to honor Him

00:16:49.060 --> 00:16:51.640
 rather than fearing what people will say of us

00:16:51.640 --> 00:16:52.980
 or want of us.

00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:57.820
 And, and so this is how we're supposed to demonstrate

00:16:57.820 --> 00:16:58.980
 our living hope, right?

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:01.460
 So He calls us to demonstrate our living hope.

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.860
 But He, God, Peter also calls us,

00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:05.160
 and God calls us through Him

00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:08.740
 also to defend our living hope, right?

00:17:08.860 --> 00:17:11.059
 And you see this in verse 15.

00:17:12.160 --> 00:17:15.059
 But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy,

00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:19.440
 always being prepared to make a defense

00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.740
 to anyone who asks you

00:17:21.740 --> 00:17:24.079
 for a reason for the hope that is in you.

00:17:24.919 --> 00:17:28.639
 Yet do it with gentleness and respect, right?

00:17:29.379 --> 00:17:32.019
 And making a defense is a legal,

00:17:32.179 --> 00:17:33.299
 it's legal terminology.

00:17:33.779 --> 00:17:35.980
 So it's the language of court.

00:17:36.399 --> 00:17:37.980
 So it's when you go into court

00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:40.799
 and your attorney makes a defense for you, right?

00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:43.039
 That's the kind of defense that's in mind here.

00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:45.899
 And He says to be able to ready to make a defense.

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.379
 So if it's that kind of defense,

00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:49.899
 it's not something that you do haphazardly, right?

00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:51.680
 I mean, if you go into court,

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:54.240
 the attorneys are extremely well prepared, right?

00:17:54.339 --> 00:17:55.839
 They, I mean, they do their homework.

00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:57.680
 They are, they know what to say.

00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:59.720
 They know how, they know their case.

00:17:59.819 --> 00:18:01.480
 They know how to defend their client, right?

00:18:01.899 --> 00:18:02.899
 In the same way for us,

00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:05.220
 we ought to know the living hope that we have.

00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:07.119
 We ought to live the living hope that we have

00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:09.240
 and be so intimately familiar with it

00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:11.240
 that we were able to defend it

00:18:11.240 --> 00:18:15.140
 and give a case for it when people ask us, right?

00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:19.319
 And notice how categorical and extensive this is

00:18:19.319 --> 00:18:19.779
 because He says,

00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:24.299
 always be prepared to make a defense

00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:28.079
 to anyone who asks you for a reason

00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:29.079
 for the hope that is in you.

00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.620
 So always be prepared at any time, every day,

00:18:32.619 --> 00:18:35.579
 when you're tired during the day

00:18:35.579 --> 00:18:36.119
 and you're going,

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.279
 you're meeting someone on the street at night,

00:18:39.459 --> 00:18:42.059
 when you're at home,

00:18:42.139 --> 00:18:43.279
 we're talking and someone,

00:18:43.479 --> 00:18:45.319
 an unwelcome neighbor comes to visit you,

00:18:45.379 --> 00:18:46.019
 knocks on your door.

00:18:46.439 --> 00:18:47.739
 Any time of the day,

00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:49.739
 any way, always be prepared

00:18:49.739 --> 00:18:51.259
 and to anyone,

00:18:51.939 --> 00:18:53.599
 not just to your closest friends,

00:18:53.719 --> 00:18:54.699
 not just to your family,

00:18:54.839 --> 00:18:56.159
 but to anyone who would ask,

00:18:56.219 --> 00:18:57.559
 be ready to give a defense.

00:18:57.879 --> 00:18:59.479
 Always and to anyone,

00:18:59.619 --> 00:19:01.019
 we have to be ready to make a defense.

00:19:01.019 --> 00:19:03.660
 So then, in a way, then,

00:19:03.879 --> 00:19:05.859
 as Christians,

00:19:06.220 --> 00:19:08.859
 we live daily as those who are on trial.

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:13.119
 We live as if we're in court,

00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:15.639
 as if we're being watched, right?

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.879
 Because we know,

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:20.099
 because we know that

00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:21.940
 if any opportunity that we have with people,

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:23.639
 any kind that we have with them

00:19:23.639 --> 00:19:25.500
 can either draw them to God

00:19:25.500 --> 00:19:27.740
 or repel them from God, right?

00:19:28.180 --> 00:19:29.900
 And so we take those opportunities seriously

00:19:29.900 --> 00:19:31.800
 and we're prepared to make a defense

00:19:31.800 --> 00:19:33.140
 to anyone who comes, right?

00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:36.060
 So what would this practically look like?

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:38.280
 So then if we're to demonstrate a living hope

00:19:38.280 --> 00:19:40.320
 and to give a defense for a living hope, right?

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:44.220
 And if I saw a good example of this,

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:49.980
 and I don't know if you guys follow things on social media at all,

00:19:49.980 --> 00:19:51.880
 so one of the people that I follow on Twitter

00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:52.980
 is Russell Moore.

00:19:53.860 --> 00:19:55.100
 He's an ethicist

00:19:55.100 --> 00:19:58.100
 and a professor at Boyce College, I think,

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:01.860
 which is a Christian college in Louisville, Kentucky.

00:20:02.660 --> 00:20:05.960
 And he's kind of a public intellectual for Christians,

00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:07.799
 and so he's often in the news outlets.

00:20:07.799 --> 00:20:09.759
 And there was a time when

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:13.559
 Donald Trump basically said

00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:15.139
 really insulting things about him.

00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:17.419
 He says, oh, he doesn't know what he's talking about

00:20:17.419 --> 00:20:18.319
 or something or whatever.

00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:20.079
 And then someone,

00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:22.399
 while Russell Moore was getting interviewed,

00:20:22.659 --> 00:20:23.619
 they asked Russell Moore,

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:26.299
 so what do you think about this?

00:20:26.419 --> 00:20:28.319
 I mean, they try to put people in,

00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:29.279
 you know, start fights

00:20:29.279 --> 00:20:30.460
 because that brings more viewers.

00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:32.399
 And then Russell Moore instead said,

00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:34.879
 you know, what he said about me is exactly true.

00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:38.400
 I am a great sinner in need of great help,

00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:41.480
 and that's exactly why Jesus Christ came to die for me.

00:20:42.440 --> 00:20:45.520
 And so he didn't defend himself.

00:20:46.080 --> 00:20:48.600
 Rather, he defended the living hope that he has.

00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:51.100
 He bore under that suffering.

00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.700
 Even though he was maligned,

00:20:52.780 --> 00:20:53.380
 he was reviled.

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:54.460
 He didn't revile back.

00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:55.680
 Instead, he blessed.

00:20:56.600 --> 00:20:57.500
 And in doing so,

00:20:57.520 --> 00:20:59.120
 he was able to give a credible witness

00:20:59.120 --> 00:21:00.620
 of the living hope that he has.

00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:02.640
 And so for us,

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:03.980
 if we find out that, for example,

00:21:03.980 --> 00:21:05.980
 a neighbor's been gossiping about us

00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:07.339
 or slandering us,

00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:09.180
 instead of, you know,

00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:11.539
 lashing out and slandering them back

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.539
 to our other neighbors,

00:21:13.140 --> 00:21:14.500
 you know, we say,

00:21:14.660 --> 00:21:15.120
 you know what,

00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:17.200
 there might be some truth to what you're saying,

00:21:17.319 --> 00:21:19.000
 and I need to become a better neighbor.

00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:20.759
 And say that, you know,

00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:23.500
 and then talk about how this is exactly why

00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:25.960
 you appreciate the grace of God,

00:21:26.220 --> 00:21:28.059
 and that he saves us not because we deserve it,

00:21:28.079 --> 00:21:29.599
 but because he loves us first.

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:30.319
 Right?

00:21:30.459 --> 00:21:33.240
 And maybe it's,

00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.919
 and this is kind of,

00:21:35.059 --> 00:21:37.379
 some of you guys are very familiar with this,

00:21:37.899 --> 00:21:41.159
 but a couple of you guys at least went to

00:21:41.159 --> 00:21:41.899
 Bowdoin College,

00:21:42.059 --> 00:21:45.099
 where the Christian fellowship was kicked off campus

00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:48.419
 because of their,

00:21:48.679 --> 00:21:51.719
 because they subscribe to biblical sexual ethics,

00:21:52.379 --> 00:21:54.519
 and which is wildly malign now,

00:21:54.639 --> 00:21:56.599
 widely malign now in today's culture

00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:57.899
 because they see it as,

00:21:58.139 --> 00:21:58.639
 think of it as,

00:21:58.939 --> 00:22:00.139
 the world sees it as regressive.

00:22:00.699 --> 00:22:01.459
 And so because of that,

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:03.059
 the fellowship was kicked off campus,

00:22:03.179 --> 00:22:04.379
 and they're not the only one.

00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:05.919
 Many campus fellowships,

00:22:05.959 --> 00:22:06.539
 Christian fellowships,

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:07.359
 have been kicked off,

00:22:07.619 --> 00:22:08.519
 you know,

00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:09.279
 public universities

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:10.599
 and private university campuses.

00:22:11.659 --> 00:22:11.819
 And,

00:22:11.899 --> 00:22:13.059
 and,

00:22:13.179 --> 00:22:13.779
 and I,

00:22:13.939 --> 00:22:14.919
 and many of them,

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:15.199
 actually,

00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:16.699
 I don't know of any of them

00:22:16.699 --> 00:22:18.059
 actually going into law,

00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:19.299
 starting a lawsuit

00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.419
 to sue the school,

00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:23.480
 even though they probably could

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:25.139
 come up with a compelling case

00:22:25.139 --> 00:22:26.319
 on the basis of the First Amendment,

00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:27.919
 they refuse to do that.

00:22:28.059 --> 00:22:29.399
 And when I talk to people

00:22:29.399 --> 00:22:30.819
 in those organizations,

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:31.799
 what they say

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.619
 is that

00:22:32.619 --> 00:22:34.299
 they're refusing to

00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:35.480
 take into court

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:35.759
 to,

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.379
 to sue

00:22:36.379 --> 00:22:37.599
 the very people

00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:39.099
 that they're called to witness to.

00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:39.959
 They're saying,

00:22:40.139 --> 00:22:41.240
 God called us to witness

00:22:41.240 --> 00:22:42.039
 to these people

00:22:42.039 --> 00:22:43.199
 in colleges,

00:22:43.439 --> 00:22:44.179
 these administrators,

00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:45.039
 these students.

00:22:45.459 --> 00:22:45.579
 Yeah,

00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:47.240
 how can we then go and sue them

00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:48.179
 for this,

00:22:48.359 --> 00:22:48.500
 right?

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:48.679
 So,

00:22:48.939 --> 00:22:49.740
 they're living this,

00:22:49.859 --> 00:22:50.679
 this reality.

00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:51.079
 They're saying,

00:22:51.199 --> 00:22:51.519
 they're being,

00:22:51.659 --> 00:22:53.059
 they're suffering because of Christ.

00:22:53.059 --> 00:22:54.799
 They're suffering for doing good,

00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:56.720
 upholding God's vision

00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:57.940
 for what is good in society.

00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:58.899
 That's what they're doing

00:22:58.899 --> 00:22:59.899
 and for that reason,

00:23:00.119 --> 00:23:01.319
 they're getting kicked off campus,

00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:03.339
 not being able to take advantage

00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:04.159
 of school funds,

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:04.720
 facilities,

00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:06.200
 yet they're doing that

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:07.019
 for the sake

00:23:07.019 --> 00:23:08.000
 of credible witness.

00:23:08.159 --> 00:23:08.720
 They suffer

00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:09.559
 so that they can be

00:23:09.559 --> 00:23:10.279
 credible witnesses

00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:11.599
 to the campuses

00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:12.740
 that they're at.

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:14.859
 And,

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:16.599
 I don't mean to say

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.599
 that this means

00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:20.599
 we should just be pushovers

00:23:20.599 --> 00:23:21.059
 and get,

00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:21.460
 you know,

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:22.779
 suffer everything,

00:23:23.019 --> 00:23:23.160
 you know,

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:24.440
 let people take advantage of us

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:25.120
 whenever they want

00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:25.460
 and be,

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:27.299
 just be people

00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:28.160
 without backbones.

00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:29.380
 Because if you look at

00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:31.019
 the example of Apostle Paul,

00:23:31.660 --> 00:23:33.059
 he frequently

00:23:33.059 --> 00:23:35.839
 uses his Roman citizenship,

00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:36.880
 right,

00:23:37.019 --> 00:23:39.220
 to get his legal rights.

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:39.400
 So,

00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:39.720
 for example,

00:23:39.819 --> 00:23:41.140
 when they imprison him

00:23:41.140 --> 00:23:41.839
 without questioning

00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:43.059
 and beat him

00:23:43.059 --> 00:23:44.240
 without due process,

00:23:44.339 --> 00:23:44.639
 he says,

00:23:44.699 --> 00:23:44.799
 well,

00:23:44.819 --> 00:23:45.559
 I'm a Roman citizen.

00:23:45.859 --> 00:23:46.519
 And then the guards are like,

00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:46.699
 oh,

00:23:46.779 --> 00:23:46.959
 no,

00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:47.799
 he's a Roman citizen.

00:23:48.199 --> 00:23:49.379
 And then they get scared

00:23:49.379 --> 00:23:50.079
 and they let him go,

00:23:50.159 --> 00:23:50.279
 right?

00:23:50.339 --> 00:23:50.579
 So he,

00:23:50.819 --> 00:23:51.579
 and at one point,

00:23:51.639 --> 00:23:52.879
 he even appeals to Caesar

00:23:52.879 --> 00:23:53.599
 on the ground

00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:54.939
 that he has the right

00:23:54.939 --> 00:23:55.579
 as a Roman citizen

00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:56.599
 to appeal to Caesar

00:23:56.599 --> 00:23:57.859
 when he's not satisfied

00:23:57.859 --> 00:23:59.179
 with the local judgments.

00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:00.699
 So he does do that.

00:24:01.259 --> 00:24:03.019
 So there is a nuance there,

00:24:03.179 --> 00:24:05.659
 but the same principle applies,

00:24:06.339 --> 00:24:06.759
 I would say,

00:24:06.839 --> 00:24:08.859
 because why is Paul doing that?

00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:10.740
 Why is he using his legal rights

00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:12.839
 to get an audience with Caesar

00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:14.099
 and to get out of prison?

00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.500
 Because he does that

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:17.920
 so that he has a platform

00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:18.640
 for witness.

00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:20.240
 He does that so that

00:24:20.240 --> 00:24:21.460
 he could advance the gospel,

00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:21.839
 right?

00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:23.140
 So that's the underlying motive.

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:24.819
 And that's exactly the same

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:25.980
 for us in our suffering,

00:24:26.099 --> 00:24:26.240
 right?

00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.059
 So we suffer,

00:24:27.620 --> 00:24:29.460
 not in just any case,

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:30.720
 not just to get taken

00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:31.640
 all over the place,

00:24:31.660 --> 00:24:32.640
 but rather we suffer

00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:33.700
 so that we could advance

00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.200
 the gospel.

00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:36.519
 So then when we're suffering

00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:37.359
 at the hands of others,

00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:38.459
 the question to ask

00:24:38.459 --> 00:24:39.079
 is not,

00:24:39.699 --> 00:24:39.959
 you know,

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.359
 can I win this case?

00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:42.500
 Or, you know,

00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:43.039
 do I,

00:24:43.500 --> 00:24:44.719
 what do I have to gain?

00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:45.479
 Right?

00:24:45.819 --> 00:24:46.759
 Those are not

00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:47.699
 the questions we ask.

00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:48.039
 Rather,

00:24:48.139 --> 00:24:49.099
 the question we ask

00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:51.979
 is what in this situation

00:24:51.979 --> 00:24:53.979
 would most advance

00:24:53.979 --> 00:24:54.439
 the gospel?

00:24:55.099 --> 00:24:55.979
 What in this,

00:24:56.099 --> 00:24:56.679
 what action,

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.639
 what speech,

00:24:58.059 --> 00:24:59.199
 what in this situation

00:24:59.199 --> 00:24:59.959
 will make

00:24:59.959 --> 00:25:00.939
 the living hope

00:25:00.939 --> 00:25:02.139
 that we have in Christ

00:25:02.139 --> 00:25:03.079
 more glorious

00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:04.519
 than the other things

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:05.059
 that we can do?

00:25:05.419 --> 00:25:05.619
 Right?

00:25:05.699 --> 00:25:06.719
 That's the criterion.

00:25:06.720 --> 00:25:08.480
 It's not personal gain.

00:25:08.819 --> 00:25:10.480
 It's not about selfishness.

00:25:10.519 --> 00:25:12.120
 It's about what we can do

00:25:12.120 --> 00:25:13.120
 or how we can be used

00:25:13.120 --> 00:25:14.140
 of God in that situation.

00:25:16.700 --> 00:25:17.160
 But,

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.339
 if you're honest

00:25:18.339 --> 00:25:18.940
 with yourself,

00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:20.380
 yes,

00:25:21.259 --> 00:25:22.660
 as I also have to admit,

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:23.740
 is that suffering

00:25:23.740 --> 00:25:24.620
 is difficult

00:25:24.620 --> 00:25:26.400
 even when

00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:28.420
 we deserve the suffering.

00:25:30.700 --> 00:25:31.880
 But if that's the case,

00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:33.000
 then how can we suffer

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.880
 unjustly

00:25:33.880 --> 00:25:36.180
 at the hands of others?

00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:38.500
 And this is why

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.519
 Peter comes to his

00:25:39.519 --> 00:25:41.180
 final exhortation

00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:41.940
 and motivation

00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:43.460
 verses 18 to 22.

00:25:47.120 --> 00:25:48.079
 He says,

00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:51.579
 for Christ also suffered

00:25:51.579 --> 00:25:52.720
 once for sins,

00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:53.659
 the righteous

00:25:53.659 --> 00:25:55.000
 for the unrighteous,

00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:56.259
 that he might bring us

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:56.759
 to God,

00:25:57.579 --> 00:25:58.720
 being put to death

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.359
 in the flesh

00:25:59.359 --> 00:26:00.299
 but made alive

00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:00.859
 in the spirit,

00:26:01.379 --> 00:26:02.240
 in which he went

00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:02.839
 and proclaimed

00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:03.500
 to the spirits

00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:03.980
 in prison,

00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:05.099
 because they formerly

00:26:05.099 --> 00:26:05.919
 did not obey

00:26:05.919 --> 00:26:06.899
 when God's patience

00:26:06.899 --> 00:26:07.819
 waited in the days

00:26:07.819 --> 00:26:08.220
 of Noah,

00:26:08.579 --> 00:26:09.259
 while the ark

00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:10.139
 was being prepared,

00:26:10.460 --> 00:26:11.399
 in which a few,

00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:12.519
 that is eight persons,

00:26:12.659 --> 00:26:13.559
 were brought safely

00:26:13.559 --> 00:26:14.139
 through water.

00:26:14.140 --> 00:26:17.580
 So this is probably

00:26:17.580 --> 00:26:18.259
 really confusing

00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.120
 for some of you guys.

00:26:19.520 --> 00:26:21.000
 This is a notoriously

00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:21.880
 difficult passage

00:26:21.880 --> 00:26:23.900
 and let me just

00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:25.200
 take a brief excursus

00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.900
 to explain

00:26:25.900 --> 00:26:26.780
 what's going on

00:26:26.780 --> 00:26:27.580
 before I connect

00:26:27.580 --> 00:26:28.020
 the logic

00:26:28.020 --> 00:26:28.560
 of what Peter

00:26:28.560 --> 00:26:29.180
 is trying to say.

00:26:30.060 --> 00:26:31.100
 And see,

00:26:31.180 --> 00:26:31.740
 if you look at

00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:32.660
 verse 18,

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:33.259
 it says that

00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:33.800
 Christ,

00:26:34.380 --> 00:26:35.240
 being put to death

00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:35.980
 in the flesh

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.940
 but made alive

00:26:36.940 --> 00:26:37.620
 in the spirit,

00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:39.140
 so this is before,

00:26:39.500 --> 00:26:40.680
 after his death

00:26:40.680 --> 00:26:41.380
 on the cross

00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:42.020
 in the flesh,

00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:43.319
 but before

00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:44.740
 his bodily resurrection

00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:45.440
 because he says

00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:46.099
 he was alive

00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:46.839
 in the spirit,

00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:47.379
 right?

00:26:47.420 --> 00:26:48.799
 So in that intervening time

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:50.279
 between his death

00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:50.960
 and resurrection,

00:26:51.599 --> 00:26:52.259
 Christ,

00:26:52.339 --> 00:26:52.740
 it says,

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:53.799
 went to

00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:54.879
 and proclaimed

00:26:54.879 --> 00:26:55.779
 to the spirits

00:26:55.779 --> 00:26:56.879
 in prison

00:26:56.879 --> 00:26:58.099
 because they formerly

00:26:58.099 --> 00:26:58.740
 did not obey

00:26:58.740 --> 00:26:59.639
 when God's patience

00:26:59.639 --> 00:27:00.819
 waited in the days

00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:01.259
 of Noah.

00:27:01.859 --> 00:27:03.319
 So the days of Noah

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:04.160
 is the clue here.

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.759
 If you go to

00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:06.099
 Genesis 6,

00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:06.819
 1 to 3,

00:27:07.980 --> 00:27:08.779
 it says this,

00:27:08.819 --> 00:27:08.980
 it says,

00:27:08.980 --> 00:27:10.039
 when man began

00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:10.839
 to multiply

00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:11.480
 on the face

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.019
 of the land

00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:12.660
 and daughters

00:27:12.660 --> 00:27:13.620
 were born to them,

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:14.920
 the sons of God

00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:15.839
 saw that the daughters

00:27:15.839 --> 00:27:16.960
 of man were attractive

00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:18.039
 and they took

00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:18.880
 as their wives

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:20.220
 any they chose.

00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:21.720
 Then the Lord said,

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.160
 my spirit shall not

00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:24.140
 abide in man forever

00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:25.059
 for he is flesh.

00:27:25.360 --> 00:27:26.259
 His days shall be

00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:27.240
 120 years.

00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:28.860
 The Nephilim

00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:29.700
 were on the earth

00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:30.319
 in those days

00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:31.180
 and also afterward

00:27:31.180 --> 00:27:32.660
 when the sons of God

00:27:32.660 --> 00:27:33.680
 came into the daughters

00:27:33.680 --> 00:27:34.059
 of man

00:27:34.059 --> 00:27:34.860
 and they bore children

00:27:34.860 --> 00:27:35.279
 to them.

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:37.099
 These were the mighty men

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:37.799
 who were of old,

00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:39.059
 the men of renown.

00:27:39.059 --> 00:27:42.059
 So nearly all

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:43.859
 Jewish rabbis

00:27:43.859 --> 00:27:45.299
 and scholars

00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:45.960
 throughout the ages

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:46.659
 understood

00:27:46.659 --> 00:27:49.460
 these spirits

00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:50.720
 in prison

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.419
 as the angels

00:27:52.419 --> 00:27:52.960
 of God

00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:54.579
 or the sons of God,

00:27:54.639 --> 00:27:55.200
 the angels

00:27:55.200 --> 00:27:56.299
 who left

00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:57.339
 their proper station

00:27:57.339 --> 00:27:59.359
 and had conjugal

00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:00.319
 relations basically

00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:01.240
 with human

00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:02.179
 woman.

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:03.839
 And in doing so

00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:04.379
 were punished

00:28:04.379 --> 00:28:04.819
 by God

00:28:04.819 --> 00:28:05.519
 and put in

00:28:05.519 --> 00:28:06.599
 prison.

00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:08.619
 And this is kind of

00:28:08.619 --> 00:28:09.719
 you see

00:28:09.719 --> 00:28:11.059
 this similar

00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:13.219
 verse

00:28:13.219 --> 00:28:14.079
 in Jude 6

00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:14.480
 it says

00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:15.159
 the angels

00:28:15.159 --> 00:28:16.019
 who did not stay

00:28:16.019 --> 00:28:16.619
 within their own

00:28:16.619 --> 00:28:17.419
 position of authority

00:28:17.419 --> 00:28:18.279
 but left their

00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:19.099
 proper dwelling

00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:20.059
 God has kept

00:28:20.059 --> 00:28:20.899
 in eternal chains

00:28:20.899 --> 00:28:21.719
 under gloomy darkness

00:28:21.719 --> 00:28:22.439
 until the judgment

00:28:22.439 --> 00:28:23.099
 of the great day.

00:28:23.219 --> 00:28:24.179
 So I think that's

00:28:24.179 --> 00:28:25.219
 what he's referring

00:28:25.219 --> 00:28:25.579
 to here

00:28:25.579 --> 00:28:26.980
 and there's

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:28.699
 a few other ways

00:28:28.699 --> 00:28:29.579
 you can understand this

00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:30.159
 and if you want

00:28:30.159 --> 00:28:30.839
 to know about those

00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:31.319
 I'd be happy

00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:31.759
 to tell you

00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:32.740
 afterward

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:33.539
 so come up

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.039
 and ask me.

00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:36.319
 But the word

00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:36.879
 angel

00:28:36.879 --> 00:28:37.779
 when it's used

00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:38.279
 in plural

00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:39.920
 without specifying

00:28:39.920 --> 00:28:40.659
 that it's

00:28:40.659 --> 00:28:41.379
 I mean word

00:28:41.379 --> 00:28:41.819
 spirit

00:28:41.819 --> 00:28:43.200
 when it's in the plural

00:28:43.200 --> 00:28:44.059
 without specifying

00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.960
 that it's human spirit

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:46.180
 it almost always

00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:46.759
 throughout the Bible

00:28:46.759 --> 00:28:47.399
 refers to

00:28:47.399 --> 00:28:48.259
 angelic beings

00:28:48.259 --> 00:28:49.019
 so spirits.

00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:50.159
 And secondly

00:28:50.159 --> 00:28:50.980
 also

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:52.480
 the phrase

00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.680
 of imprisonment

00:28:53.680 --> 00:28:54.180
 the language

00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:55.299
 of imprisonment

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:56.740
 is not used

00:28:56.740 --> 00:28:57.460
 for a place

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.460
 that humans go to

00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.839
 but it is used

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:00.460
 of a place

00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:01.619
 that angels go to

00:29:01.619 --> 00:29:03.299
 as described

00:29:03.299 --> 00:29:05.039
 in Revelation 27

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:05.979
 2 Peter 2

00:29:05.979 --> 00:29:06.399
 4

00:29:06.399 --> 00:29:07.199
 Jude 6

00:29:07.199 --> 00:29:08.599
 so those are

00:29:08.599 --> 00:29:08.979
 the reasons

00:29:08.979 --> 00:29:09.559
 why I think

00:29:09.559 --> 00:29:10.079
 that this is

00:29:10.079 --> 00:29:11.319
 the best interpretation

00:29:11.319 --> 00:29:12.639
 I don't think

00:29:12.639 --> 00:29:13.019
 that means

00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:13.500
 that this is

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:13.819
 happening

00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:14.399
 all over the place

00:29:14.399 --> 00:29:14.739
 now

00:29:14.739 --> 00:29:15.639
 I mean

00:29:15.639 --> 00:29:16.339
 this seems

00:29:16.339 --> 00:29:16.859
 to have been

00:29:16.859 --> 00:29:17.799
 once in a

00:29:17.799 --> 00:29:21.119
 history of humanity

00:29:21.119 --> 00:29:21.799
 kind of event

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:23.279
 where God

00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:23.959
 decisively

00:29:23.959 --> 00:29:24.459
 put an end

00:29:24.459 --> 00:29:24.759
 to it

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:25.899
 and punished

00:29:25.899 --> 00:29:27.259
 those angelic

00:29:27.259 --> 00:29:27.519
 beings

00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:28.519
 and

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.599
 so

00:29:29.599 --> 00:29:30.379
 the reason

00:29:30.379 --> 00:29:30.900
 why

00:29:30.900 --> 00:29:31.879
 Peter's

00:29:31.879 --> 00:29:32.200
 mentioning

00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:32.519
 this

00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:32.819
 is

00:29:32.819 --> 00:29:33.279
 that

00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:34.099
 at the time

00:29:34.099 --> 00:29:34.619
 Noah was

00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:35.359
 building the ark

00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:36.639
 he was ridiculed

00:29:36.639 --> 00:29:37.039
 right

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.599
 because he's

00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:37.720
 saying

00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:38.940
 you're a fool

00:29:38.940 --> 00:29:40.059
 there's no

00:29:40.059 --> 00:29:40.940
 flood coming

00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:41.480
 why are you

00:29:41.480 --> 00:29:42.279
 building this ark

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:42.579
 right

00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:43.680
 and he

00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:45.079
 lived a righteous

00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:45.539
 life

00:29:45.539 --> 00:29:46.559
 in contrast

00:29:46.559 --> 00:29:47.039
 to everybody

00:29:47.039 --> 00:29:47.700
 else in his

00:29:47.700 --> 00:29:48.200
 generation

00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:49.460
 and

00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:50.819
 because of that

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:51.579
 he was maligned

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:52.059
 as well

00:29:52.059 --> 00:29:53.039
 but Noah

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.859
 who was maligned

00:29:53.859 --> 00:29:54.400
 just like

00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:54.980
 the believers

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:55.639
 were being maligned

00:29:55.639 --> 00:29:56.339
 in Peter's day

00:29:56.339 --> 00:29:57.240
 was ultimately

00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:57.980
 vindicated

00:29:57.980 --> 00:29:58.279
 right

00:29:58.279 --> 00:29:59.319
 he and his

00:29:59.319 --> 00:30:00.019
 family alone

00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:01.019
 survived the flood

00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:01.799
 and they were

00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:02.539
 vindicated by

00:30:02.539 --> 00:30:03.319
 God himself

00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:04.839
 and that's why

00:30:04.839 --> 00:30:05.759
 Peter's mentioning

00:30:05.759 --> 00:30:06.359
 Noah here

00:30:06.359 --> 00:30:06.980
 he's saying

00:30:06.980 --> 00:30:07.299
 that you know

00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:07.980
 what just like

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.459
 Noah

00:30:08.459 --> 00:30:09.619
 who though maligned

00:30:09.619 --> 00:30:10.099
 later was

00:30:10.099 --> 00:30:10.599
 vindicated

00:30:10.599 --> 00:30:11.959
 believers nowadays

00:30:11.959 --> 00:30:12.879
 though you suffer

00:30:12.879 --> 00:30:13.359
 now

00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:14.119
 though you are

00:30:14.119 --> 00:30:14.879
 maligned now

00:30:14.879 --> 00:30:15.679
 by unbelievers

00:30:15.679 --> 00:30:16.599
 you will be

00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:17.859
 eventually vindicated

00:30:17.859 --> 00:30:18.659
 is what he's saying

00:30:18.659 --> 00:30:20.919
 and

00:30:20.919 --> 00:30:21.579
 and

00:30:21.579 --> 00:30:22.619
 and even more

00:30:22.619 --> 00:30:23.740
 significant

00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.759
 than the example

00:30:24.759 --> 00:30:25.779
 of Noah

00:30:25.779 --> 00:30:26.319
 of course

00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:26.859
 is the example

00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:27.359
 of Christ

00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:28.599
 and that's

00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:29.639
 that's the ultimate

00:30:29.639 --> 00:30:30.819
 example that he gives

00:30:30.819 --> 00:30:32.319
 as a true source

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:34.539
 because it says

00:30:34.539 --> 00:30:35.180
 verse 18

00:30:35.180 --> 00:30:36.160
 for Christ

00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:37.359
 also suffered

00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:38.220
 once for sins

00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:39.099
 the righteous

00:30:39.099 --> 00:30:40.359
 for the unrighteous

00:30:40.359 --> 00:30:41.480
 that he might

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:42.359
 bring us

00:30:42.359 --> 00:30:43.200
 to God

00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:44.519
 and then

00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:45.619
 Christ suffered

00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:46.039
 also

00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:46.759
 in our place

00:30:46.759 --> 00:30:47.240
 so we're not

00:30:47.240 --> 00:30:47.680
 the only one

00:30:47.680 --> 00:30:47.980
 suffering

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.559
 our Lord

00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:49.000
 and King

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:49.420
 and Savior

00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:50.220
 also suffered

00:30:50.220 --> 00:30:51.240
 and then if you

00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:51.680
 look at what

00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.119
 happened

00:30:52.119 --> 00:30:52.899
 in verse 22

00:30:52.899 --> 00:30:53.279
 it says

00:30:53.279 --> 00:30:54.220
 Christ has now

00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:55.279
 gone into heaven

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:56.139
 and is at the

00:30:56.139 --> 00:30:56.879
 right hand

00:30:56.879 --> 00:30:57.440
 of God

00:30:57.440 --> 00:30:58.420
 with angels

00:30:58.420 --> 00:30:59.220
 authorities

00:30:59.220 --> 00:31:00.139
 and powers

00:31:00.139 --> 00:31:00.740
 having been

00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:01.399
 subjected

00:31:01.399 --> 00:31:02.279
 to him

00:31:02.279 --> 00:31:03.319
 now this is

00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:04.059
 an even more

00:31:04.059 --> 00:31:04.539
 comforting

00:31:04.539 --> 00:31:05.559
 even more comforting

00:31:05.559 --> 00:31:06.059
 than Noah's

00:31:06.059 --> 00:31:06.559
 vindication

00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:07.519
 because Christ

00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:08.379
 now has all

00:31:08.379 --> 00:31:08.759
 authority

00:31:08.759 --> 00:31:09.399
 everything has

00:31:09.399 --> 00:31:09.859
 been subjected

00:31:09.859 --> 00:31:10.240
 to him

00:31:10.240 --> 00:31:10.960
 even though

00:31:10.960 --> 00:31:11.740
 he was humbled

00:31:11.740 --> 00:31:12.500
 to the point

00:31:12.500 --> 00:31:12.899
 of death

00:31:12.899 --> 00:31:13.559
 even death

00:31:13.559 --> 00:31:14.720
 on a cross

00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:16.700
 Christ

00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:17.559
 the righteous

00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:18.000
 one

00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:19.619
 suffering

00:31:19.619 --> 00:31:20.279
 at the hands

00:31:20.279 --> 00:31:21.240
 of the unrighteous

00:31:21.240 --> 00:31:22.700
 and he

00:31:22.700 --> 00:31:23.059
 suffers

00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:23.539
 so that

00:31:23.539 --> 00:31:24.140
 we might

00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:24.759
 be saved

00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:26.839
 and

00:31:26.839 --> 00:31:29.039
 that's why

00:31:29.039 --> 00:31:29.519
 I would say

00:31:29.519 --> 00:31:30.559
 it's very easy

00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:31.240
 I think

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:32.839
 in our context

00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:33.440
 we live

00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.019
 in an egalitarian

00:31:34.019 --> 00:31:34.599
 society

00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:36.240
 and everybody

00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:37.519
 is all about

00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:38.400
 getting our rights

00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:39.880
 so we want

00:31:39.880 --> 00:31:41.000
 we don't

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:41.799
 I mean

00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:43.299
 as good citizens

00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:44.039
 we don't expect

00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:44.400
 to be treated

00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:45.000
 better than other

00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:45.359
 people

00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:47.059
 we don't expect

00:31:47.059 --> 00:31:48.099
 preferential treatment

00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.000
 but we do

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:49.980
 expect equal

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:50.339
 treatment

00:31:50.339 --> 00:31:51.679
 so when we

00:31:51.679 --> 00:31:52.419
 feel like

00:31:52.419 --> 00:31:53.119
 we're cheated

00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:53.679
 we want

00:31:53.679 --> 00:31:54.379
 treated fairly

00:31:54.379 --> 00:31:55.339
 then we protest

00:31:55.339 --> 00:31:56.579
 because we expect

00:31:56.579 --> 00:31:56.980
 to be treated

00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:57.439
 equally

00:31:57.439 --> 00:32:00.079
 but I think

00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:01.059
 this passage

00:32:01.059 --> 00:32:01.699
 teaches us

00:32:01.699 --> 00:32:02.059
 that while

00:32:02.059 --> 00:32:02.619
 it might be

00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:03.299
 quintessentially

00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:03.899
 American

00:32:03.899 --> 00:32:05.500
 to insist

00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:06.480
 on our rights

00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:07.439
 it is

00:32:07.439 --> 00:32:08.019
 quintessentially

00:32:08.019 --> 00:32:08.599
 Christian

00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:10.519
 to give up

00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:11.099
 our rights

00:32:11.099 --> 00:32:11.819
 for the sake

00:32:11.819 --> 00:32:12.240
 of others

00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:14.279
 and this

00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:14.899
 it says

00:32:14.899 --> 00:32:16.179
 and that's

00:32:16.179 --> 00:32:16.980
 exactly what

00:32:16.980 --> 00:32:17.779
 Christ did for us

00:32:17.779 --> 00:32:18.220
 if you look at

00:32:18.220 --> 00:32:18.679
 his example

00:32:18.679 --> 00:32:19.519
 in Philippians 2

00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:20.980
 even though

00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:21.319
 he was in

00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:22.000
 the very nature

00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:22.359
 God

00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:22.799
 he did not

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:23.660
 consider equality

00:32:23.660 --> 00:32:24.139
 with God

00:32:24.139 --> 00:32:25.059
 something to be grasped

00:32:25.059 --> 00:32:25.779
 but rather

00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:26.819
 he humbled himself

00:32:26.819 --> 00:32:27.619
 by taking the very

00:32:27.619 --> 00:32:28.720
 nature of a servant

00:32:28.720 --> 00:32:31.139
 and humbled himself

00:32:31.139 --> 00:32:32.099
 to a point of death

00:32:32.099 --> 00:32:32.799
 in obedience

00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:34.400
 even death upon a cross

00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:35.480
 so if

00:32:35.480 --> 00:32:36.139
 that's what

00:32:36.139 --> 00:32:36.799
 Christ did

00:32:36.799 --> 00:32:37.839
 and that's the basis

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.500
 for Paul's command

00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:40.039
 in Philippians

00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:40.680
 therefore

00:32:40.680 --> 00:32:41.599
 consider others

00:32:41.599 --> 00:32:42.099
 interests

00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:43.000
 better than yourselves

00:32:43.000 --> 00:32:44.139
 so as Christians

00:32:44.139 --> 00:32:44.720
 we're not supposed

00:32:44.720 --> 00:32:45.460
 to just think

00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:46.379
 their interest

00:32:46.379 --> 00:32:47.559
 as important

00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:48.379
 as my interest

00:32:48.380 --> 00:32:49.060
 we're supposed

00:32:49.060 --> 00:32:49.520
 to consider

00:32:49.520 --> 00:32:50.080
 other people's

00:32:50.080 --> 00:32:50.340
 interests

00:32:50.340 --> 00:32:51.340
 better than our own

00:32:51.340 --> 00:32:53.360
 higher than our own

00:32:53.360 --> 00:32:54.600
 and that's what

00:32:54.600 --> 00:32:55.260
 we're called to

00:32:55.260 --> 00:32:55.960
 and if

00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:56.700
 and that's

00:32:56.700 --> 00:32:57.180
 because that's

00:32:57.180 --> 00:32:57.720
 exactly what

00:32:57.720 --> 00:32:58.900
 Christ did for us

00:32:58.900 --> 00:33:00.340
 he didn't have to die

00:33:00.340 --> 00:33:01.480
 he's the only person

00:33:01.480 --> 00:33:02.320
 that ever lived

00:33:02.320 --> 00:33:03.900
 that didn't have to die

00:33:03.900 --> 00:33:05.020
 didn't have to pay

00:33:05.020 --> 00:33:05.500
 for sin

00:33:05.500 --> 00:33:06.880
 didn't have to suffer

00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:08.700
 yet he suffered

00:33:08.700 --> 00:33:09.300
 for us

00:33:09.300 --> 00:33:10.160
 yet he died

00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:11.060
 for our sins

00:33:11.060 --> 00:33:12.220
 so we can be

00:33:12.220 --> 00:33:13.500
 reconciled to God

00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:14.100
 our father

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:15.839
 so if then

00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:16.959
 our savior

00:33:16.959 --> 00:33:18.319
 and our king

00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:19.980
 humbled himself

00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.579
 in that way

00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:22.119
 unjustly suffered

00:33:22.119 --> 00:33:22.740
 in that way

00:33:22.740 --> 00:33:23.519
 for the sake

00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.519
 of bringing us

00:33:24.519 --> 00:33:25.199
 to him

00:33:25.199 --> 00:33:26.599
 restoring us

00:33:26.599 --> 00:33:27.119
 to God

00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:29.059
 then can we

00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:29.859
 as his

00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:31.219
 lowly servants

00:33:31.219 --> 00:33:34.659
 not suffer

00:33:34.659 --> 00:33:35.559
 in the same way

00:33:35.559 --> 00:33:37.000
 in order

00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:38.159
 to be a credible

00:33:38.159 --> 00:33:38.699
 witness

00:33:38.699 --> 00:33:39.679
 so we can

00:33:39.679 --> 00:33:40.779
 help restore

00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:41.319
 others

00:33:41.319 --> 00:33:42.879
 to God

00:33:42.879 --> 00:33:43.259
 as well

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:53.980
 I think

00:33:53.980 --> 00:33:55.200
 that's a very

00:33:55.200 --> 00:33:55.619
 difficult

00:33:55.619 --> 00:33:56.700
 task

00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:57.980
 so I think

00:33:57.980 --> 00:33:58.819
 it's only fitting

00:33:58.819 --> 00:33:59.379
 that we

00:33:59.379 --> 00:34:01.799
 conclude

00:34:01.799 --> 00:34:02.579
 at this time

00:34:02.579 --> 00:34:03.140
 by praying

00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:03.779
 together

00:34:03.779 --> 00:34:04.220
 that God

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:04.759
 would help us

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:05.119
 with this

00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:05.440
 so if you

00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:05.940
 look at your

00:34:05.940 --> 00:34:06.579
 worship guide

00:34:06.579 --> 00:34:07.559
 God

00:34:07.559 --> 00:34:08.199
消 по

00:34:08.199 --> 00:34:08.239
 God

00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:09.259
 it's only

00:34:09.259 --> 00:34:10.099
 got this

00:34:10.099 --> 00:34:11.119
ело

00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:11.219
 to Gottes

00:34:11.219 --> 00:34:11.719
 something

00:34:11.719 --> 00:34:13.199
 is

00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:14.360
 my

00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:14.699
 hope

00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:14.960
 make

00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:15.299
 sure

00:34:15.299 --> 00:34:16.599
 and

00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:17.179
 Matthew