By Rev. Dr. Brent Russett – Asbury Free Methodist
July 21, 2024 – 1 Peter 3:13-22
Our summer tour through 1 Peter was put on pause while I was on vacation. This morning, we are going to continue our journey as we look at 1 Peter 3:13-22. Peter picks up a theme that seems to be near and dear to his heart. How do you behave in a world that doesn’t agree with you and sometimes actively opposes you?
1 Peter 1:6 (NIV)
6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
Peter has already acknowledged that the people that he is writing to are suffering.
1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
In this verse, he touches on the theme that he is now going to write about in more detail.
1 Peter 2:19–21 (NIV)
19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
Again, he touches on this idea of suffering for doing good. In a few weeks, God willing, we are going to look at
1 Peter 4:12–14 (NIV)
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
You can see that Peter knows that the followers of Jesus that he is writing to need to be prepared to suffer. But today’s verse are not so much about the “fiery ordeal” as it is about living amongst people who disrespect you for following Jesus. Listen to the verses again.
1 Peter 3:13–17 (NIV)
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
I think that these verses are the most “on point” for the world we live in. We are unlikely to be thrown to the lions as some of Peter’s hearers would have to endure. We are not likely to be burned at the stake or be dragged into the Colosseum for sport. But it is likely that you will be disrespected for your beliefs.
It is not guaranteed that you will be disrespected for your beliefs. After all, Peter says in
1 Peter 3:13 (NIV)
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
Good question. If we are doing good things around Perth, most people will say – that is great, that is nice, or whatever floats your boat. When people see us do good things, most people smile. While they may not believe as we do, but they are happy that we are doing good things.
The reality is that few people know how much the church contributes to society. In a survey done by Cardus – a think tank located in Ottawa – in 2020, it estimated that the fair market value for goods and services provided by religious organizations contributes to 67 billion dollars to Canada’s GDP. To put that in perspective, that would make the value of religion to Canadian Society the ninth largest enterprise in Canada. It would put it just ahead of the Bank of Montreal.
If you look at how people of faith conduct their affairs which is inspired and guided by their faith ideals – the survey places that value at about 690 billion dollars annually. People of faith do a lot of good in this country,
1 Peter 3:13 (NIV)
Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?
As you know, the reputation of the church has plummeted in the last few decades. Sometimes deservedly so. People see the good we do but don’t always assume we are doing good.
I feel that. Telling people that I am a pastor has a way of terminating a conversation faster than an F1 car on the final lap. Some surveys have rated the trustworthiness of pastors right below used car salesmen.
So, in this climate – who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? Most people won’t, but there will always be some people who will try to pull you down.
So, how do we live when we are trying to do good, and there are people who are trying to pull you down. They disrespect you. They say all manner of evil against you falsely. They question your motives. They suggest better ways for you to do good as a way of dismissing the good you are doing.
When that happens, it hurts. You are just trying to do the right thing, a good thing – and you catch all kinds of flack for it. What do you do?
1 Peter 3:14 (NIV)
14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
Peter says that when you are disrespected, slandered, and mistreated for doing good, you are blessed. When that happens to me, I don’t feel blessed. I feel hurt. I feel dismissed. I feel unjustly accused. But Peter says I am blessed. You are blessed. He can say that because that is what Jesus said.
Matthew 5:10–12 (NIV)
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are blessed because “yours is the kingdom of heaven.” You are blessed because great is your reward in heaven. You are blessed because you are following in a long line of righteous men and women of God who have experienced the same thing.
But Peter instructs us on how to live in the middle of these kinds of situations.
1 Peter 3:14 (NIV)
14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”
Do not fear.
Do Not be frightened.
An acquaintance of mine, a wise man of God, was talking about how to approach conflict. He told me that his mentor told him, don’t walk into conflict like you are walking on thin ice. You know, stepping softly, timidly, like you are going to break through any moment.
That is not the way to live. I think that is a great picture of what Peter is saying. Don’t fear. Don’t be frightened. Don’t walk like you are stepping on thin ice. Doing good does not mean the lack of hurt. But there is a good and godly way to approach it.
Peter goes on.
1 Peter 3:15–16 (NIV)
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, …
He has told us what not to do. Don’t fear. Don’t be frightened. Now he tells us what to do.
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.”
He is talking to Christians who have, as part of their conversion, confessed Christ as Lord. The word revere is the same word as hallowed – like the Lord’s prayer – hallowed be thy name. Peter is saying hold Christ as Lord as your highest good.
Why does he say that first? When you are doing good and getting criticism for it, you will have to make a choice about whose opinion matters more – Christ’s or your critics. When you are being disrespected for following Christ, you need to affirm who is Lord of your life.
This is especially important if you are a people pleaser. There are some of us who are naturally designed to want other people’s approval. We want other people’s affirmation. There is nothing wrong with wanting people to like you. There is a lot wrong with compromising your core values to achieve that goal. – In your hearts, revere Christ as Lord.
Then he goes on to say,
1 Peter 3:15b–16 (NIV)
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, …
Now, I know this verse is used to affirm why we should learn to argue for our faith. There is a level of maturity where most of us need to learn what underpins our faith. There is a place for arguing for the legitimacy of our faith. But this verse is about responding to our critics.
Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, was the Bishop of Smyrna in the late first century. He was eventually burned at the stake for refusing to burn incense to the Roman Emperor. When they came to arrest him and asked him to recant his faith, Polycarp said, “I have served Jesus for eighty-six years, and he has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”
He was prepared to give an answer for the hope that was within him.
Be prepared to give an answer to you. Be prepared to give your testimony. It can be as simple as Jesus changed my life and I have found that living for him is the best way for me to live. It can be something like, “I know that God loves me, and even though I am not perfect, he is with me.
You will note that Peter does not say, “Find some way to jam this into the conversation.” But he does say – when people ask, be prepared to give an answer.
So, my question to you is – are you prepared to give an answer to someone who asks, why do you go to church on a Sunday morning when you could be doing so many other things. Why do you give your time to do that – when you are so busy as it is? What is a Christian anyway? If you don’t know how you would answer, give it some thought.
But Peter goes on to say how to give this answer: But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience,
How you give an answer for the hope that is in you is as important as the answer you give.
When I was in seminary – we went into downtown Edmonton to do random evangelism. We were paired up and sent out. I don’t remember the guy I was paired up with, but I remember that he was argumentative and defensive. I remember walking away from an encounter with one particular person where we shared that Jesus is the answer. I think that we gave reasonable answers to his questions. But my friend, who I was paired up with, was so argumentative that I walked away thinking that we had done more harm than good.
We are called to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within us. But when we are called upon to do so, we are to do it with gentleness and respect.
Here is the thing. You are not called to convert others. God, by his Spirit, does that. You are not even called upon to convince others – although sometimes we can help people see the truth of the gospel. But you are called to share with others why you are a follower of Jesus. When you share with others with respect and with gentleness, you allow God to do what he wants to do in their lives.
At the very least, it may cause those
1 Peter 3:16b–17 (NIV)
… who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 For it is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
I am convinced that a large reason why Christianity has such a poor reputation in our country is that people don’t know any Christians. They get their impressions of what Christians are from television evangelists, and Trump rallies and a persistent stereotype that is portrayed in sitcoms. I know if you are like me, you want to yell our – we’re not that.
My daughter was working at Starbucks in Ottawa. Some of her co-workers were talking about how bad Christians were. Amy spoke up and said, I’m a Christian. Their response was – we don’t mean you. You’re cool. We’re just talking about those others we see on television. Amy was probably the first Christian that these people had encountered on a relational level.
1 Peter 3:15–16 (NIV)
15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
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In a few moments we are going to take part in communion. So, as a way of preparing for communion, let me walk you through this last part of our scripture.
1 Peter 3:18 (NIV)
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
In communion, we remember that Christ suffered for our sins. It says he suffered once. What he did on the cross 2000 years ago is sufficient to deal with our sins now. He doesn’t need to die again. His sacrifice was sufficient.
It says he the righteous, died for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. It doesn’t matter where you have been or how bad you have been – Jesus died for you to bring you to God. His purpose for dying was that you would walk in a relationship with God. His purpose was that you could be friends with the God of the universe. When we take part in communion, we remember that. It is not what we have done but what he has done for us that allows us to know God.
Then Peter seems to go on this rabbit trail.
1 Peter 3:18b–20b (NIV)
He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits—20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built…
You may remember the Apostles Creed that we say here from time to time.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to hell.
The third day he rose again from the dead.
He ascended to heaven
That line, “He descended into hell,” comes from this verse and a verse in Ephesians. It is nothing to get hung up on other than to say that the cross of Jesus, and the power or Jesus, and the salvation of Jesus dealt with all sin, past, present and future. There is no time, no place, no sin that the cross of Christ doesn’t have the power to deal with.
Peter goes on to talk about baptism and then he says about the death of Christ,
1 Peter 3:21–22 (NIV)
It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
You are saved by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. When we celebrate communion – we recognize that Jesus died for us. That the power of the cross was validated by the power of the resurrection. And now Jesus sits in a place of authority overseeing your life and mine. He has the power, grace and compassion to see you through this life and to the next.
When we celebrate communion, we celebrate that Jesus died for me. We also celebrate that Jesus is present to me right now. And we give thanks.
Communion in our church is open to anyone who has received Jesus into their lives. You don’t have to be a member of this church; you just need to be a part of the family of God.
But the bible instructs us that we should examine ourselves. If there is anything between God and us, if there is any unconfessed sin we need to deal with that.
So, I am going to give you the opportunity to do that. In these moments of silence, I am going to ask God to reveal to your mind anything that you need to confess. If he reveals something, then silently confess it to him and ask for forgiveness.
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