WEBVTT 00:00:08.489 --> 00:00:11.070 So let's read. Let's pray and then we'll read. 00:00:11.130 --> 00:00:13.349 Father, I want to thank you so much for this 00:00:13.349 --> 00:00:15.369 wonderful letter. I pray that, Lord, that as 00:00:15.369 --> 00:00:18.109 we open up your word and we finish this chapter 00:00:18.109 --> 00:00:22.789 of 1 Peter 3, that we'd really grasp the importance 00:00:22.789 --> 00:00:30.329 and understanding of why we suffer. and the reality 00:00:30.329 --> 00:00:34.810 of the sacred, that we would really grasp the 00:00:34.810 --> 00:00:41.070 importance of the payment you paid and our future 00:00:41.070 --> 00:00:43.429 in you. Lord, we do praise you and thank you 00:00:43.429 --> 00:00:45.710 for your faithfulness and goodness. In Jesus' 00:00:45.810 --> 00:00:50.969 name, amen. Finally, all of you have unity of 00:00:50.969 --> 00:00:54.189 mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, 00:00:54.250 --> 00:00:59.000 and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.799 or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:07.700 bless. For to this you were called and that you 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:10.519 may obtain a blessing. For whoever desires to 00:01:10.519 --> 00:01:13.500 love life and see good days, let him keep his 00:01:13.500 --> 00:01:16.239 tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:19.260 Let him turn away from evil and do good and let 00:01:19.260 --> 00:01:22.120 him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:25.420 the Lord are on the righteous. And his eyes are 00:01:25.420 --> 00:01:29.299 open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord 00:01:29.299 --> 00:01:33.400 is against those who do evil. Now, who is there 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:36.719 to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:39.500 But even if you should suffer for righteousness 00:01:39.500 --> 00:01:44.180 sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:47.680 nor be troubled. But in your hearts, honor Christ, 00:01:47.819 --> 00:01:51.500 the Lord is holy. Always being prepared to make 00:01:51.500 --> 00:01:55.230 a defense to anyone. who asks you for a reason 00:01:55.230 --> 00:01:59.329 for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness 00:01:59.329 --> 00:02:02.510 and respect, having a good conscience, so that 00:02:02.510 --> 00:02:06.290 when you are slandered, those who revile your 00:02:06.290 --> 00:02:08.590 good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 00:02:09.090 --> 00:02:13.490 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if 00:02:13.490 --> 00:02:15.729 that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:19.680 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:22.620 for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to 00:02:22.620 --> 00:02:27.740 God, being put to death in the flesh, but made 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:31.560 alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:35.699 to the spirits in prison, because they formerly 00:02:35.699 --> 00:02:39.719 did not obey when God's patience waited in the 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:43.080 days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared. 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:47.539 in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought 00:02:47.539 --> 00:02:51.280 safely through the water. Baptism, which corresponds 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:55.319 to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:59.159 from the body, but as an appeal to God for a 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:01.800 good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus 00:03:01.800 --> 00:03:05.840 Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.219 right hand of God, with angels, authorities, 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:13.699 and powers having been subjected to him. So a 00:03:13.699 --> 00:03:15.620 couple of things I want us to really make sure 00:03:15.620 --> 00:03:17.120 that we're paying attention to as we're dealing 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:23.580 with this. And I did this sermon in three particular 00:03:23.580 --> 00:03:26.439 principles. As you guys have noticed over the 00:03:26.439 --> 00:03:31.139 last several years, we've been doing an expository, 00:03:31.139 --> 00:03:39.340 exegetical synopsis of the letters. The reason 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:40.979 why I'm doing that is because in order for us 00:03:40.979 --> 00:03:43.060 to really start grabbing and digging in deep, 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:46.979 we need to understand why, hermeneutically, why 00:03:46.979 --> 00:03:50.039 the letter was written, the context by which 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:53.520 it was written, and the context by which Peter 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:56.979 is talking in order to ensure that the context 00:03:56.979 --> 00:04:01.319 by which he wrote the letter is consistent. So 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.860 we know that specifically this group of people 00:04:04.860 --> 00:04:08.860 have been scattered, dispersed. They're living 00:04:08.860 --> 00:04:14.199 in caves and throughout the region. So he gets 00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:16.180 to this point after he talks to husbands and 00:04:16.180 --> 00:04:17.920 wives, he gets to this point and he starts to 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:20.920 deal with the reality of how we as believers 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:25.259 should behave individually, not only specifically 00:04:25.259 --> 00:04:27.439 on how I live with my family and live around 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:31.819 those who are in my community, but also in how 00:04:31.819 --> 00:04:35.800 we live together as believers. So principle number 00:04:35.800 --> 00:04:39.600 one. Having the same mind as Christ and being 00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:43.459 people like -minded, we must live as he lived. 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:48.360 Having the same mind of Christ, since we have 00:04:48.360 --> 00:04:52.600 the mind of Christ, we must be like -minded in 00:04:52.600 --> 00:04:55.800 the mind of Christ so that we live according 00:04:55.800 --> 00:04:59.000 to how he lived, obediently. That has been a 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:03.259 theme for a while now. Real true biblical obedience. 00:05:05.579 --> 00:05:07.620 You cannot say you're a believer and not obey. 00:05:08.839 --> 00:05:11.740 The reality of the fruit of the Spirit is seen 00:05:11.740 --> 00:05:14.620 in our obedience to Christ. 1 Corinthians 2, 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:19.120 16. For who has understood the mind of the Lord 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:23.579 so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of 00:05:23.579 --> 00:05:26.540 Christ. You do have the mind of Christ, which 00:05:26.540 --> 00:05:30.819 means, as it's stated by Peter in 1 Peter 3, 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:35.050 8 -12, finally, all of you. Who is all of you? 00:05:35.470 --> 00:05:38.850 He's talking to everyone in the church. All of 00:05:38.850 --> 00:05:42.110 you, specifically the brothers and sisters of 00:05:42.110 --> 00:05:49.870 that day. You have unity of mind. You be of one 00:05:49.870 --> 00:05:55.949 mind. Be like -minded. How? The mind that we 00:05:55.949 --> 00:05:58.689 have is Christ's mind. And Christ's mind is about 00:05:58.689 --> 00:06:03.560 his truth. And so we should be. thinking and 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:09.220 living and obeying and believing as he did. And 00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:13.800 that's really what like -mindedness means. Am 00:06:13.800 --> 00:06:19.779 I unified in my mind with you? Are we committed 00:06:19.779 --> 00:06:26.920 and unified in our minds with Christ? He also 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:29.899 commands us to have sympathy. The word sympathy 00:06:29.899 --> 00:06:31.980 is sympathy. There is no other word for sympathy. 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:35.279 We can use compassionate, but it's kind of weird 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:38.399 to say that you must be like -minded, compassionate, 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:42.779 brotherly love, compassionate. Because brotherly, 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.079 tenderhearted literally means compassionate. 00:06:45.740 --> 00:06:49.000 So the word sympathy means to have a deep feeling 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:54.189 of sorrow, a concern for someone else. And that 00:06:54.189 --> 00:06:57.189 should be reflected in how we love each other 00:06:57.189 --> 00:07:00.810 like brothers. Very similar to Jonathan David. 00:07:02.009 --> 00:07:04.870 They weren't brothers, but they loved each other 00:07:04.870 --> 00:07:09.310 like brothers. King David and Jonathan were very 00:07:09.310 --> 00:07:12.069 close. And they stuck closer than a brother. 00:07:13.269 --> 00:07:16.569 So that's the idea of loving each other like 00:07:16.569 --> 00:07:19.269 brothers and sisters. We are family after all. 00:07:20.089 --> 00:07:23.629 Tenderhearted, compassionate. Are we being compassionate, 00:07:23.970 --> 00:07:27.209 concerned for others in a way that we want to 00:07:27.209 --> 00:07:31.350 meet the need? And a humble mind. Now what's 00:07:31.350 --> 00:07:33.189 interesting about this humble mind, it just means 00:07:33.189 --> 00:07:37.350 to be friendly. Sounds really nice when you read 00:07:37.350 --> 00:07:42.689 it. Finally, all of you, be like -minded. Show 00:07:42.689 --> 00:07:47.089 sympathy. Love like brothers. Compassionate and 00:07:47.089 --> 00:07:53.589 friendly. I like that. It's very practical. And 00:07:53.589 --> 00:07:55.990 then he says, do not repay evil. The word evil 00:07:55.990 --> 00:07:59.610 here is wickedness. Do not repay wickedness for 00:07:59.610 --> 00:08:03.889 wickedness. Or reviling. The word reviling here 00:08:03.889 --> 00:08:08.189 means insult or slander. Do not insult or slander 00:08:08.189 --> 00:08:12.709 for insulting and slandering. So if someone insults 00:08:12.709 --> 00:08:14.889 you and slanders you, do not insult or slander 00:08:14.889 --> 00:08:18.290 back. That's kind of hard when you watch stuff 00:08:18.290 --> 00:08:24.269 on TV. Just saying. But we got to be careful. 00:08:25.069 --> 00:08:30.310 But on the contrary, but instead bless. Now what's 00:08:30.310 --> 00:08:32.889 interesting about this word bless is to praise. 00:08:34.269 --> 00:08:36.750 It's one thing to, do you think I'm going to 00:08:36.750 --> 00:08:38.549 bless somebody by giving them something? It's 00:08:38.549 --> 00:08:41.269 another to bless somebody with words. And that's 00:08:41.269 --> 00:08:45.470 really what's implied here. So if we're not repaying 00:08:45.470 --> 00:08:48.480 wickedness for wickedness, then we're not. slandering 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:52.460 and insulting with slander and insults, then 00:08:52.460 --> 00:08:55.500 what is the opposite of that? Praise. And that's 00:08:55.500 --> 00:08:57.500 really what this word blessed literally means. 00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:03.240 Praise. And kids, parents know this. When their 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:06.480 kid does something good, what do you do? Insult 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:11.799 them. No. You praise them. You give them praise. 00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:15.360 Like, you did a great job. You know, God is glorified 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.480 in you because of this. And that's really what 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:21.120 he's talking about here. Why? Because we are 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:26.919 called. We are summoned to praise. Are we just 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:33.919 so quick to condemn and to malign or to slander 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.299 or to say something wrong or evil about somebody? 00:09:38.779 --> 00:09:41.940 People get on your nerves. Instead of the first 00:09:41.940 --> 00:09:45.039 thing that you say is, cursing them how about 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.419 if the first thing you do is you pray for their 00:09:47.419 --> 00:09:49.399 issues and then you praise them for what they 00:09:49.399 --> 00:09:55.259 do that actually is a blessing don't be so quick 00:09:55.259 --> 00:09:57.919 to curse but be quick to bless and that to you 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:01.679 are called why so that you too may obtain praise 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:08.919 god loves to praise his children for whoever 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:13.509 desires to love life and see good days Let him 00:10:13.509 --> 00:10:16.610 keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking 00:10:16.610 --> 00:10:22.250 deceit. Interesting term, keep. This is Psalm, 00:10:22.529 --> 00:10:26.690 I want to say 43, but I think I'm wrong. Somebody 00:10:26.690 --> 00:10:29.789 can look that up and let me know. But this is 00:10:29.789 --> 00:10:33.409 from the Psalms. Whoever desires to, I had it, 00:10:33.409 --> 00:10:35.929 but it literally just, whoo, right out of my 00:10:35.929 --> 00:10:38.629 mind. So whoever desires to love life and see 00:10:38.629 --> 00:10:41.840 good days, let him keep, let him stop. Let him 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:47.139 cease his tongue from evil. What's he mean here? 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:50.700 It's not to keep my tongue closed in the sense 00:10:50.700 --> 00:10:52.399 that I'm closing my mouth. It's literally to 00:10:52.399 --> 00:11:01.519 stop saying evil things. Say things that are 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:07.740 blessings, praises. There is a time for rebuke 00:11:07.740 --> 00:11:11.779 and correction. And that must be done with the 00:11:11.779 --> 00:11:15.919 Word of God. After all, right, the Word of God 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:20.840 was given to us. It's inspired. And it must be 00:11:20.840 --> 00:11:23.860 used for rebuke and for correction and for training 00:11:23.860 --> 00:11:26.879 and teaching and righteousness. And so if we 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:30.299 want to see good days and we love life, then 00:11:30.299 --> 00:11:32.500 we should keep our tongue from speaking evil 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:36.820 or stop speaking evil and our lips from speaking 00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:39.750 deceit, saying things that are... Purposely harmful. 00:11:41.649 --> 00:11:43.950 Notice what it says in verse 11. Let him turn 00:11:43.950 --> 00:11:46.950 away from evil and do good. In other words, don't 00:11:46.950 --> 00:11:52.029 do evil, do good. Let him seek peace and pursue 00:11:52.029 --> 00:12:01.690 it. God's people should be seeking peace. And 00:12:01.690 --> 00:12:05.429 the reality is, blessed are the peacemakers, 00:12:05.470 --> 00:12:08.850 for they shall be called sons of God. And we 00:12:08.850 --> 00:12:13.330 must, at all costs, as we have said over at least 00:12:13.330 --> 00:12:18.289 a year, to keep the unity of the Spirit in the 00:12:18.289 --> 00:12:22.690 bond of peace. We must be people who pursue peace. 00:12:25.250 --> 00:12:30.769 Why? Why should we pursue peace and seek peace 00:12:30.769 --> 00:12:34.149 and desire peace? For the eyes of the Lord are 00:12:34.149 --> 00:12:38.659 on the righteous. He is watching you. and his 00:12:38.659 --> 00:12:42.799 ears are open to their prayer. God hears your 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:47.740 cry. That's really what he's saying here. God's 00:12:47.740 --> 00:12:50.360 eye is on you because you belong to him and his 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:54.059 ears are attentive because he hears your cry. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.259 But the face of the Lord is against those who 00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:59.960 do evil. I'm like, I looked at this and I was 00:12:59.960 --> 00:13:03.379 like, these are actually very common phrases 00:13:03.379 --> 00:13:09.940 in the Greek and the Hebrew. It's a term to show 00:13:09.940 --> 00:13:14.899 that real true favor is not based on what you 00:13:14.899 --> 00:13:19.340 receive. Just because you get something doesn't 00:13:19.340 --> 00:13:24.399 mean God's favor is on you. Real true favor from 00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:28.179 God is that his eye is upon us and he hears our 00:13:28.179 --> 00:13:31.580 cry and that he conforms us and molds us into 00:13:31.580 --> 00:13:37.580 the image of his son. He is faithful to us. All 00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:40.659 the other things he does because he's a good 00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:47.480 father. After all, if earthly fathers who are 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:50.639 evil know how to give good gifts to their children, 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:53.120 how much more does the heavenly father would 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:57.179 give to you who ask? And so this issue, but the 00:13:57.179 --> 00:14:00.179 face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:02.379 We kind of understand this. I don't know if you 00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:06.110 really grasp the reality of the... Of the evil 00:14:06.110 --> 00:14:13.610 eye. If you guys ever watched. What's that? Five 00:14:13.610 --> 00:14:16.990 -0 Goes West. You never watched Five -0 Goes 00:14:16.990 --> 00:14:18.690 West? You got to watch. It's a great children's 00:14:18.690 --> 00:14:23.909 cartoon. He gives them the stink eye. You know. 00:14:23.909 --> 00:14:26.490 You know when you're a kid. The kids know. Because 00:14:26.490 --> 00:14:29.750 when they do something wrong. What do they get? 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:38.100 Because mom and dad's face are upon you. That's 00:14:38.100 --> 00:14:43.779 literally what it means. That God's judgment 00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:48.279 and wrath are against you because you are evil. 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:51.379 You've done something wrong. And so if mom and 00:14:51.379 --> 00:14:56.120 dad's face are against you, you know, don't run. 00:14:56.500 --> 00:15:01.740 It will be worse. Second principle, when Christ 00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:05.480 is sanctified in our hearts and we suffer for 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:08.559 what is just and good, it allows us the opportunity 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.460 to proclaim the truth of Christ. Do we really 00:15:11.460 --> 00:15:13.759 look at the reality of our suffering as an opportunity 00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:19.460 to proclaim the gospel? I find it when people 00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:23.519 are at their very lowest moments, when they feel 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:31.419 they're at the end, to preach the gospel even 00:15:31.419 --> 00:15:35.259 more. It's the greatest desire. But that's the 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:38.220 reality of what suffering should do for us. Suffering 00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:42.399 should not cause us to shrink into a corner. 00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:47.019 But it should bring us boldly out into the open 00:15:47.019 --> 00:15:50.840 for all to hear the truth of Christ. And so Romans 00:15:50.840 --> 00:15:55.740 8, 38 and 39. For I am sure neither... Death, 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:58.700 nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things 00:15:58.700 --> 00:16:01.159 present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor 00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:04.080 height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.460 will be able to separate us from the love of 00:16:07.460 --> 00:16:09.980 God in Christ Jesus our Lord. There is nothing, 00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:14.620 does not matter how bad life gets. The truth 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:20.259 is our suffering is our badge. First Peter 3, 00:16:20.340 --> 00:16:23.980 13 through 16. Now, who is there to harm you 00:16:23.980 --> 00:16:28.830 if you are? zealous, most eagerly desirous of 00:16:28.830 --> 00:16:35.870 for what is good. Interesting that this term 00:16:35.870 --> 00:16:41.370 really means my deepest eager desire to imitate. 00:16:41.830 --> 00:16:45.590 This word what is not the word what in actually 00:16:45.590 --> 00:16:49.610 an original language. It literally means to imitate. 00:16:51.309 --> 00:16:55.379 Mimites is the term. And we get this word to 00:16:55.379 --> 00:17:01.440 mimic. Are you an imitator of what is good? So 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:05.099 if we were to read this this way, it says, now 00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:10.079 who is there to harm you if you are most eagerly 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:16.279 desiring to imitate good? Makes a lot more sense 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:19.319 now, doesn't it? It's not that I desire what 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:21.940 is good, but that I must imitate the good. I 00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:26.890 must live it out. And hermeneutically, within 00:17:26.890 --> 00:17:29.950 the context of what Peter is saying here, that 00:17:29.950 --> 00:17:33.470 makes a lot of sense. They could have done a 00:17:33.470 --> 00:17:37.049 little bit better job on the word what? To imitate 00:17:37.049 --> 00:17:42.890 good. Now, but even if you should suffer for 00:17:42.890 --> 00:17:46.069 righteousness, that means for what is just, you 00:17:46.069 --> 00:17:50.450 will be blessed. Why? Because our reward is Christ. 00:17:52.370 --> 00:17:57.029 Doesn't matter what man may take. There's many 00:17:57.029 --> 00:18:01.009 evils in our day. Many trying to be in control. 00:18:01.549 --> 00:18:03.569 And what we're going to read later is that really 00:18:03.569 --> 00:18:06.910 Christ is in control anyway. Doesn't matter who 00:18:06.910 --> 00:18:10.069 sits on a throne. There is only one throne worth 00:18:10.069 --> 00:18:14.210 sitting in. And that only goes to one man, one 00:18:14.210 --> 00:18:18.170 God. His name is Jesus Christ. Have no fear of 00:18:18.170 --> 00:18:21.619 them. Interesting. Why should we not fear them 00:18:21.619 --> 00:18:26.359 who would cause us to suffer, persecute us? Because 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:30.440 our reward is Jesus. Nor be troubled. That means 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:33.660 to be disturbed. That makes a lot more sense 00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:37.640 for me too. When I think about the reality of 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:41.579 suffering for Christ, there's no need to fear. 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:44.779 And there's no need for me to be disturbed. And 00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:47.079 what happens with many people when they go through 00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:50.180 very difficult things, they get disturbed. They 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:55.180 lose their focus. They don't really want to deal. 00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:59.160 So they walk away from what is true. And they 00:18:59.160 --> 00:19:04.480 try to cling on to what is false because they're 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:07.700 disturbed in their heart. They're just really 00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:14.799 not feeling it. But. In your hearts, hagiazo, 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:20.500 sanctify, set apart, make holy Christ the Lord. 00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:24.880 That's really how it should read. Not honor. 00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:31.119 You must make Christ holy in your heart. He is 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:35.900 holy. It's not that we're like it's some type 00:19:35.900 --> 00:19:43.380 of to bestow. This is an imperative. You are 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:47.680 to do it. It's not a suggestion. But in your 00:19:47.680 --> 00:19:53.579 heart, make holy Christ the Lord. Sanctify Christ 00:19:53.579 --> 00:19:57.059 the Lord. Set apart Christ the Lord. He is sacred 00:19:57.059 --> 00:20:02.140 is the understanding here. Why? Because we should 00:20:02.140 --> 00:20:08.079 always be always being prepared to make an apologia. 00:20:08.750 --> 00:20:11.670 There is no other word for apologia besides defense 00:20:11.670 --> 00:20:16.529 or defend. We must make an apologia, a defense 00:20:16.529 --> 00:20:20.289 to one who asks for the reason or for a reason. 00:20:20.349 --> 00:20:23.950 The word here, reason, is not reason. It's logos, 00:20:24.109 --> 00:20:29.089 meaning the word. The word. Who lives in you? 00:20:30.390 --> 00:20:34.170 Christ. And if Christ is in you, the word is 00:20:34.170 --> 00:20:37.230 present in you. And if the word is present in 00:20:37.230 --> 00:20:40.000 you, then you should be prepared to make a defense. 00:20:41.319 --> 00:20:44.700 It's implied. It's understood. And this is how 00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:50.579 it should read. If you've made Christ holy, always 00:20:50.579 --> 00:20:52.960 being prepared to make a defense to anyone who 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:57.700 asks for the word of hope that is in you. That's 00:20:57.700 --> 00:21:00.519 really the understanding here. In this word, 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:06.039 hope is joyful and confident expectation. Can 00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:08.400 you not? Do you not know that you can joyfully 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:11.359 and confidently expect that the word of God will 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:14.160 do exactly what he says he will do? Of course. 00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:18.319 So how many times have you come and you were 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:21.859 like, someone asked you a question and you don't 00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:25.200 know how to answer it or you're nervous. Well, 00:21:25.339 --> 00:21:30.539 how do I share the gospel? Well, he lives in 00:21:30.539 --> 00:21:33.779 you. You can share the gospel. I mean, after 00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:40.509 all. Christ did tell Paul that, listen, I will 00:21:40.509 --> 00:21:44.210 give you the words to say. I will tell you what 00:21:44.210 --> 00:21:50.289 to say. Why? Because I'm in you. The logos is 00:21:50.289 --> 00:21:53.109 present. And we can joyfully and confidently 00:21:53.109 --> 00:21:58.789 expect that he will do it. And notice, he says 00:21:58.789 --> 00:22:01.769 this joyful and confident expectation of the 00:22:01.769 --> 00:22:07.609 word that is in you. But do it with gentleness 00:22:07.609 --> 00:22:11.769 and respect. Do it with gentleness and respect. 00:22:11.849 --> 00:22:16.529 Pretty simple. Meekness and reverence. Meekness 00:22:16.529 --> 00:22:18.730 and reverence. The idea of reverence towards 00:22:18.730 --> 00:22:22.970 Christ and reverence towards those who are in 00:22:22.970 --> 00:22:26.349 the image of God, the image bearer. Having a 00:22:26.349 --> 00:22:33.259 good conscience. If I am joyfully. If I am joyfully 00:22:33.259 --> 00:22:36.180 and confidently expecting that the word of God 00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:38.539 will do what he says he will do and the word 00:22:38.539 --> 00:22:41.119 of God will do what it says it will do, then 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:45.720 I can know with a good conscience so that when 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:50.900 you are slandered, those who revile or insult 00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:55.150 you, insult your good behavior in Christ may 00:22:55.150 --> 00:22:57.430 be put to shame. They have nothing to say. The 00:22:57.430 --> 00:23:00.289 reality is if I'm really truly living out the 00:23:00.289 --> 00:23:04.230 word of Christ in me and through me, then they 00:23:04.230 --> 00:23:07.490 have nothing to say, though they will try. And 00:23:07.490 --> 00:23:11.369 we see this a lot, especially today. Let them 00:23:11.369 --> 00:23:14.529 say whatever they want to say. The reality is 00:23:14.529 --> 00:23:17.509 my life is clearly above reproach because I live 00:23:17.509 --> 00:23:19.849 obediently to the word of God. That should be 00:23:19.849 --> 00:23:23.440 what we're thinking. And committed to. And I 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:25.759 don't need to be perfectly doing it. But I need 00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:31.319 to be intentionally doing it. Because Lord knows 00:23:31.319 --> 00:23:35.160 sometimes my thoughts. And the deep intentions 00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:39.839 of my heart are wicked. Things I don't see. But 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.640 thank God for the word. Which judges rightly 00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:46.240 the thoughts and intentions of man's heart. Christ 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:49.079 is our hope. We have nothing to fear. You have 00:23:49.079 --> 00:23:55.880 nothing to fear. At all, ever. This period of 00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:59.059 time that we live on the earth is short. What 00:23:59.059 --> 00:24:03.880 do you have to fear? What do you lose? In reality, 00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:06.359 when you die, you go to Christ and you gain him. 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:12.740 You already have him now. Hebrews 13, 6. So, 00:24:12.740 --> 00:24:16.359 we can confidently say, the Lord is my helper. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:19.359 I will not fear. What can man do to me? Nothing. 00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:25.259 So please let your mom know, Massey, nothing 00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:36.980 can harm you in Christ. Nothing. She is free 00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:40.420 in Christ. Doesn't matter what kind of regime 00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:44.799 she lives under. She is free in Christ. Doesn't 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:47.359 matter what man would take away. We are free 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:52.799 in Christ. For it is better. The term better, 00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:56.819 I like English. Not really. Because like better 00:24:56.819 --> 00:25:00.220 is always less than greater. It's slightly less 00:25:00.220 --> 00:25:03.740 than best. Which kind of like is frustrating. 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:09.380 Because I kind of like greater better than better. 00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:13.440 And best better than better, but I never really 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:18.829 wanted better than greater. Just saying. For 00:25:18.829 --> 00:25:23.769 it is greater to suffer for doing good, if that 00:25:23.769 --> 00:25:27.950 should be God's decisions, God's will, than for 00:25:27.950 --> 00:25:31.490 doing evil. In other words, if I'm going to suffer, 00:25:31.670 --> 00:25:34.970 it's greater for me to suffer for doing good 00:25:34.970 --> 00:25:36.990 because it's God's decision that I should suffer 00:25:36.990 --> 00:25:40.130 for doing good. I mean, that's the whole point 00:25:40.130 --> 00:25:43.269 of being righteous, living rightly, is that if 00:25:43.269 --> 00:25:45.009 we should suffer for doing good, that's what 00:25:45.009 --> 00:25:47.819 God would want anyway. Not that we should suffer 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:53.400 for doing badly. What kind of benefit do you 00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:57.140 receive if you suffer for your sin? But if we 00:25:57.140 --> 00:26:00.079 suffer for righteousness, what great value is 00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.160 that? For Christ also suffered once for sins. 00:26:03.660 --> 00:26:06.819 And this is the idea that the reality of the 00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:10.640 goodness of Christ is that he suffered for doing 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:17.009 good for you. So when we think about this, what 00:26:17.009 --> 00:26:20.029 does Christ say? I lay down my life on my own 00:26:20.029 --> 00:26:24.549 accord. No one takes it from me. And the goodness 00:26:24.549 --> 00:26:27.809 of Christ in reality is on display because he 00:26:27.809 --> 00:26:32.029 suffers for the good, for the will and the purpose 00:26:32.029 --> 00:26:35.170 of God the Father. It was his decision for Christ 00:26:35.170 --> 00:26:40.480 to suffer. And that's the implication here. The 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:43.099 righteousness for the unrighteous or the righteous 00:26:43.099 --> 00:26:46.640 for the unrighteous. We who are the unrighteous 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:49.359 have become the righteousness of God because 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:53.519 of Christ, our righteousness that we might bring. 00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:57.660 Now this word might bring English. It's English, 00:27:00.619 --> 00:27:04.819 not so good. So this word might bring is not 00:27:04.819 --> 00:27:07.000 might bring, kind of bring, sort of kind of bring. 00:27:08.650 --> 00:27:12.450 And that's what the English is here, sort of 00:27:12.450 --> 00:27:17.049 maybe, maybe bring. No, this word literally means 00:27:17.049 --> 00:27:20.970 that he would bring us near to God. What's the 00:27:20.970 --> 00:27:25.549 purpose of Christ's suffering for the unrighteous 00:27:25.549 --> 00:27:31.470 so that he, maybe, maybe bring me close to God? 00:27:32.809 --> 00:27:37.690 It's kind of pitiful. The reality is, is he does. 00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:41.140 And that's really what Peter is implying here, 00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:44.119 that the righteous God of all creation brings 00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:52.160 us near to God. It's not a eh. Okay? Being put 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:54.859 to death in the flesh and made alive in the spirit. 00:27:56.059 --> 00:27:57.980 That's why I don't like the word might, because 00:27:57.980 --> 00:28:03.559 it clearly says that we are. Verse 19, in which 00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:07.420 he proclaimed, preached. To the spirits in prison. 00:28:07.559 --> 00:28:10.859 Now, this word prison means to guard or watch. 00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:16.000 Literally, that's what it means. And when we 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:18.019 read this, you go, oh, he went to hell and he 00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:22.680 preached to the spirits. Spirits, the word here 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:27.359 is pneuma. And it implies a spiritual being. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:31.420 And you and I are spiritual beings. And these 00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:35.220 are those who are under guard or under watch. 00:28:36.329 --> 00:28:41.069 So Christ goes and proclaims, he preaches the 00:28:41.069 --> 00:28:44.490 gospel to those who are under guard and under 00:28:44.490 --> 00:28:47.930 watch because they formerly did not obey. They 00:28:47.930 --> 00:28:50.549 did not believe by faith when God's patience 00:28:50.549 --> 00:28:56.029 waited in the days of Noah. What do we mean? 00:28:56.569 --> 00:28:59.930 What do we know about Noah's story? We know that 00:28:59.930 --> 00:29:04.349 Noah preached for how many years? 120 years. 00:29:05.130 --> 00:29:08.049 He preached the good news. What was the good 00:29:08.049 --> 00:29:13.230 news? God has commanded me to build an ark. And 00:29:13.230 --> 00:29:17.690 if you come in, you will be saved. 120 years. 00:29:18.490 --> 00:29:21.390 God is going to flood the earth. No one ever 00:29:21.390 --> 00:29:25.410 saw rain. They're like, what is rain? And they 00:29:25.410 --> 00:29:27.730 didn't believe him. They disobeyed. They rejected 00:29:27.730 --> 00:29:35.559 the gospel. While Noah. was building the ark. 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:38.240 That's what it says here. While the ark was being 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:41.779 prepared in which a few, that is eight persons, 00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:47.779 were brought safely through the water. Why does 00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:51.579 he use this analogy? Don't you feel like sometimes 00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:55.319 you feel like Noah? Preaching and preaching and 00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:56.960 preaching and preaching and it doesn't matter 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:59.619 how much you preach the truth of the gospel, 00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:01.960 they don't want to hear it. You're like, get 00:30:01.960 --> 00:30:07.619 into Jesus the ark or you're going to die. They 00:30:07.619 --> 00:30:13.779 just reject it, faithless. They disobey the command 00:30:13.779 --> 00:30:16.319 to repent and believe the gospel. It's really 00:30:16.319 --> 00:30:20.660 the issue. What's interesting is these eight 00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:23.099 persons were brought safely. This word means 00:30:23.099 --> 00:30:28.039 to bring safely out of God's wrath through water. 00:30:29.549 --> 00:30:32.769 But they had to be in something to be brought 00:30:32.769 --> 00:30:36.509 through something. The water is a symbol of the 00:30:36.509 --> 00:30:41.589 wrath of God. That's what you see here. And the 00:30:41.589 --> 00:30:48.750 ark is a symbol of their safety. They're saved 00:30:48.750 --> 00:30:52.210 in the ark. Not floating outside of the ark. 00:30:52.769 --> 00:30:57.450 Not hanging on by a string on the ark. They have 00:30:57.450 --> 00:31:01.839 to be in. And that's the gospel, isn't it? And 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:06.339 he uses this analogy in verse 21. Baptism, which 00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:11.079 corresponds to this, now saves you. Now, what 00:31:11.079 --> 00:31:14.759 baptism? Is it water baptism? No. It's not the 00:31:14.759 --> 00:31:20.359 water that 12 people got baptized last week in. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:23.500 It's not that kind of a baptism. The baptism 00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:27.660 means to be immersed into. To be immersed into 00:31:27.660 --> 00:31:31.180 Christ. The reality of the ark is Christ. Christ 00:31:31.180 --> 00:31:34.240 is your ark. And we are immersed into Christ. 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:40.680 And we are out of the wrath of God. And he saves 00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:44.279 us through it. Now I want you to get that. This 00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:47.000 is important here. Especially when you're dealing 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:51.220 with end time stuff. Christ is our ark who saves 00:31:51.220 --> 00:31:57.119 us through the wrath. Not as a removal of dirt, 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:01.039 such as we saw, not last week would be an example 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:06.539 of emerging in water from the body, but as an 00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:10.180 appeal to God for good conscience. That if we 00:32:10.180 --> 00:32:14.480 are in Christ, that we are safe in him, and that 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:19.920 as a result, we are before him as not guilty. 00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:25.480 That God's wrath will not remain on us because 00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:27.299 we are not children of darkness, but children 00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:30.680 of light. Not children of wrath, but children 00:32:30.680 --> 00:32:34.019 of God. And we see this analogy throughout the 00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:39.359 scripture. So, through the resurrection of Christ, 00:32:39.460 --> 00:32:45.420 what is the reality of our saveness? The resurrection 00:32:45.420 --> 00:32:51.200 of Jesus. How can we clarify this? Romans chapter 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:57.900 6. Romans chapter 6. This is not on my notes. 00:32:58.299 --> 00:33:00.460 Something that the Lord brought to my mind today. 00:33:00.599 --> 00:33:03.220 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in 00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:06.819 sin that grace may abound? By no means. How can 00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:11.480 we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not 00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:14.599 know that all of us who were baptized into Christ 00:33:14.599 --> 00:33:20.660 Jesus were baptized into his death? We are not 00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:23.619 under the wrath of God because the wrath of God 00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:27.180 was poured out on the Son. We were in Christ 00:33:27.180 --> 00:33:33.019 through the wrath. That's the idea here. He took 00:33:33.019 --> 00:33:37.019 the blunt. In the same way, the ark took the 00:33:37.019 --> 00:33:40.640 blunt of the flood. We are buried, therefore, 00:33:40.779 --> 00:33:45.519 with him by baptism into death. So we are no 00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:49.710 longer objects of wrath. In order that, just 00:33:49.710 --> 00:33:52.710 as Christ was raised from the dead, by the glory 00:33:52.710 --> 00:33:55.029 of God the Father, we too may walk in newness 00:33:55.029 --> 00:33:58.269 of life. Because we are no longer objects of 00:33:58.269 --> 00:34:02.210 wrath, we are raised with Christ as a new creature. 00:34:05.509 --> 00:34:11.969 Praise God. So, through the resurrection of Jesus 00:34:11.969 --> 00:34:16.250 Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the 00:34:16.250 --> 00:34:19.030 right hand of God, with angels' authorities, 00:34:19.190 --> 00:34:21.769 powers having been subjected to him. Now I want 00:34:21.769 --> 00:34:24.610 you to get this. This is one of my sticklers. 00:34:25.530 --> 00:34:30.030 It's one of my little soapboxes, I think. All 00:34:30.030 --> 00:34:37.809 authority is given to Christ. All of it. Everything. 00:34:38.789 --> 00:34:42.710 Every iota, every dot and tittle. Christ is in 00:34:42.710 --> 00:34:46.329 charge. He is the sovereign king. Christ is king. 00:34:46.989 --> 00:34:49.969 Period. Does not matter what man says. Does not 00:34:49.969 --> 00:34:53.750 matter what a preacher says. God is on the throne. 00:34:54.570 --> 00:34:58.789 And Christ, all angels, all authorities, all 00:34:58.789 --> 00:35:02.710 powers have been subjected to him. And he says 00:35:02.710 --> 00:35:08.449 that. All authority has been given unto me. Everything. 00:35:09.150 --> 00:35:11.869 Nothing happens in the world without the authority 00:35:11.869 --> 00:35:16.420 and the approval of God the Son. He is in charge. 00:35:17.159 --> 00:35:19.760 The Father has given this to him because it was 00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:23.380 his from the beginning. We read that. And we 00:35:23.380 --> 00:35:26.699 know that, Colossians chapter 1. He created all 00:35:26.699 --> 00:35:30.300 things by the word of his mouth. He is in control. 00:35:30.840 --> 00:35:35.820 Don't get it twisted. And we must understand 00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:38.980 that. Because if you don't understand that, you 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:45.610 will continue living a life being defeated. Christ 00:35:45.610 --> 00:35:49.650 is king and he rules whether we like it or not. 00:35:51.909 --> 00:35:57.349 So now that we've gotten through chapter 3, I 00:35:57.349 --> 00:36:01.809 will remind you the key, the absolute key to 00:36:01.809 --> 00:36:06.730 understanding how to suffer well is for Christ 00:36:06.730 --> 00:36:12.050 to be Lord, Master, holy in your heart. He is 00:36:12.050 --> 00:36:18.150 holy. Christ the Lord is holy, and you must sanctify 00:36:18.150 --> 00:36:25.429 him as holy in your heart. He is, period. That's 00:36:25.429 --> 00:36:31.670 the key. You want victory? Let Christ live in 00:36:31.670 --> 00:36:36.610 and through you. Okay? Father, I want to thank 00:36:36.610 --> 00:36:38.309 you so much for your goodness and faithfulness. 00:36:38.389 --> 00:36:40.940 Thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you for 00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:43.380 what you're doing in our lives. And as we partake 00:36:43.380 --> 00:36:46.559 in this table, that we would understand the importance 00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:51.179 of the sacred, that we would reflect in all that 00:36:51.179 --> 00:36:57.159 we do, you being the Holy One in us. We praise 00:36:57.159 --> 00:36:58.840 you and thank you. In Jesus' name, amen.