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1 PETER SERIES (WEEK 6/9: SUFFERING AND DOING GOOD) SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

CONNECT: If you are married, how can you better show Christ to your spouse? If you’re not married, how can you better demonstrate Christ in another setting?

WARM-UP Questions

1. Have you ever met someone whose response to suffering surprised you? How did they respond? 2. Describe a time of suffering and trial in your life. What helped you get through this season?

READ 1 Peter 3:8-12 3. What five qualities is Peter urging Christians to have in v.8? 4. Why do you think Peter describes the act of blessing towards those who mistreat you as a calling? 5. Why does Peter recall Psalm 34 to teach people about suffering well? (See Psalm 34 and 35:1) 6. What does integrity look like for you? How is Christian integrity different to simply being nice? 7. Why is integrity so important in the Church?

READ 1 Peter 3:13-17 8. What specific kind of suffering is Peter addressing here? 9. What have been your experiences been in ‘being prepared to give an answer for the hope within you’?

10. Have you ever seen someone be put to shame for their bad behaviour towards an innocent person? What happened?

11. What are the three responses that Peter anticipates outsiders might have to Christians doing good? 12. What does v.17 mean when it says ‘It is better to suffer for doing good than to suffer for doing evil’? Read 1 Peter 3:18-22 13. What does it mean to you that Christ suffered for you to bring you to God?

14. Vv.19-20 is a difficult passage that many Christians have found different interpretations for. What do you think it might mean? Do you think it’s wise to build a theology upon a passage like this one?

15. How were Noah and his family saved from God’s righteous judgement (see Genesis 6-9)? 16. Does the physical act of baptism save you from your sins? What does your baptism mean to you? 17. How does Jesus’ vindication inform our sufferings and hopes today?

APPLY (to this week): What are you struggling with at the moment? Discuss ways you can support each other through this.

PRAY: Father God, your Son suffered on our behalf and overcame sin and death. Thank you for the new life and new hope we now share thanks to you. Help us by the power of your Holy Spirit to use this hope to endure and to encourage our brothers and sisters in times of suffering. Please give us opportunities to share this hope with those around us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

For sermons and additional resources, visit STBARTS.COM.AU

1 PETER SERIES (WEEK 6/9: SUFFERING AND DOING GOOD) GOING DEEPER RESOURCES & SUGGESTIONS

Each week we provide additional resources that help to go deeper with whatever series we’re currently focusing on as a church. Resources could include recommended books, articles, online

sermons, courses, or videos. These are optional extras! Please don’t feel under pressure to look at every resource, but consider what could be useful to.

Talks • ‘The Good Life’ a sermon by Dave Jensen:

http://mbm.org.au/bible-talks/the-good-life/ • ‘Following Jesus Far from Home’ a sermon by Mary Willson:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eiZUQlJL9Y&t=723s

• ‘Sharing Christ’s Sufferings, Showing his Glory’ a sermon by Don Carson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS-uPE1KKNs&t=1185s

• ‘Fight with the right weapons’ a sermon by Sandy Willson: http://resources.thegospelcoalition.org/library/fight-with-the-right-weapons

• ‘Provocative Hope’ a sermon by Erica Hamence: https://www.barneys.org.au/talks/provocative-hope/

• ‘A Christlike witness’ a sermon from Church Hill Anglican: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/church-hill-anglican-sermon-podcast/id464252642?mt=2

Websites • ‘What does 1 Peter 3:19-21 Mean?’ a short investigation into these verses from Restoration Church:

http://restorationchurchdc.com/2013/12/1-peter-319-21-mean/ • ‘Who were the Spirits in Prison’ a short article from gotqeustions.org:

https://www.gotquestions.org/spirits-in-prison.html • ‘Did Jesus Really Descend to Hell?’ an article by Debra Black on 1 Peter 3 and related verses:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/february7/31.74.html • ‘Can you defend your Faith?’ an article by John Piper:

http://www.desiringgod.org/labs/can-you-defend-your-hope-in-christ • ‘Suffering with a clear conscience’ a detailed Bible study by Ralph Wilson:

http://www.jesuswalk.com/1peter/7_conscience.htm • ‘Must every Christian Evangelise?’ an article by Tim Beougher:

https://www.9marks.org/article/journalmust-every-christian-evangelize/

Talk 6/9 (1 Peter Series: Exiles Living in Hope): 20/08/17 “SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD” by the Rev’d David Browne

Bible Passage: 1 Peter 3:8-22

We’re in week 6 of our Exiles Living in Hope series, reading through the book of Peter.

And whilst last week’s passage was pretty tricky, as we considered submission and marriage, we see that this week is challenging too.

Peter continues to instruct us on how to follow Jesus in a very challenging world.

So far he’s fleshed out for us who we are as people living for Jesus in a world that doesn’t share our motivations and hopes.

Over the last two weeks we’ve looked at case studies of how particular members of the church should navigate relationships

We’ve looked at how slaves should treat their masters, how wives should treat unbelieving husbands and how husbands should treat their wives Now the attention of the letter broadens from particular disciples to the whole church The focus has been on submission, authority and power dynamics,

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In 1 Peter 3 we find that as exiles living in hope we should also look at suffering differently,

As Christians we should: Suffer with integrity

Suffer for doing good

Suffer like Christ

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#1 SUFFERING WITH INTEGRITY \\ VERSE 8-12

As Peter moves from submission to suffering he ties up his previous teaching like this:

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this

you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:8–9)

The way we treat one another should be marked by Jesus-like integrity.

Peter is urging all Christians to be: -like-minded, living in harmony with one another -to be sympathetic, feeling one another’s suffering -to love on another deeply and sincerely -to be compassionate - which means to suffer together -and finally to be humble - which is to have a right understanding of oneself, particularly before God

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Peter then uses words and language straight from Jesus sermons Disciples will not seek retribution, Instead they are to repay evil with blessing, because this is what Jesus called them to:

“[Jesus most basic teaching was:] Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who

curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27–29)

Peter is calling Christians to Jesus’ standard of integrity by reminding them of his basic teachings.

This is hard because it means you are called to love:

Those who prefer a different worship style

Those with whom you disagree

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even

Those who let you down time and time again

Think of the people you know who have fallen away from church because Christians have not behaved with integrity The church is not a social club for perfect people, it’s a group of broken people trying to follow God, the church Peter is calling us to be is one marked by mutual affection, love and long-suffering despite another's flaws.

If you’ve spent more that five minutes with me you’ll know that I’m probably the worst person at doing this but long-suffering and humility is what we are all called to.

Peter then gives us an example of this in v.10-12 by quoting from Psalm 34 Psalm 34 is ascribed to David after he pretended to be insane while on the run from King Saul. Why is this such an effective example of suffering with integrity?

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You see David loved and obeyed his King Saul and even when Saul lost the plot and tried to kill him,!Whilst on the run there were two occasions where David could have easily killed Saul but instead he trusted in God’s justice. Notice the words of this Psalm:

“For whoever would love life and see good days must … turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it” (Psalm 34:12/v.10-12)

Such integrity might make us look strange to outsiders and it means we will have to resist the desire to get our own back. But notice how in v.12: “the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” even Christians who do evil,

Suffering with integrity is hard but notice how 1 Peter is clear that those who do so will inherit a blessing in v.9, will see good days in v.10 and will have their prayers heard in v.12

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1 Peter here is alerting us to a higher calling, to follow David and ultimately Jesus himself the servant who suffered with integrity

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#2 SUFFERING FOR DOING GOOD \\ VERSES 13-17

Our next few verses focus on suffering for doing Good, it begins with a rhetorical question:

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? (v.13)

Ordinarily no-one but it would seem that Peter’s friends in Asia Minor were suffering for doing good because he continues:

But even if you should suffer for doing good for what is right, you are blessed. (v.14)

• It’s possible that Peter’s audience were sick of suffering with integrity, • the book of Acts outlines how the spread of the gospel was met with joy but at the

same time there was also stiff opposition • Again Peter points to Jesus teaching telling his disciples to fear God rather than those who can

only harm our bodies

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• When we fear God, we don’t have to fear anyone else

• Peter notes that this sort of suffering will often open up opportunities for evangelism • He reminds us to always be prepared to give an answer (apologia from where we get

the word apologetics) for the hope that you have • Hope is meant to undergird and fortify the lives lived by disciples of Jesus • But notice that this is meant to be done with gentleness and respect • While it might feel great to win an argument with an unbelieving relative or totally

humiliate a stranger on facebook this rarely does anything to advance the gospel • No one ever became a Christian because they lost an argument • Yesterday at our teaching day Rian Roux shared some wonderful insight as to how to

share the gospel winsomely and like Christ and how important it is to speak to the heart as well as the mind

• As Christians we are to be prepared to give a reason for believing what we believe but if we do this with arrogance and pride we

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will undermine everything we say

• Peter points out that it is better to suffer for doing good than for doing evil

• Suffering is universal, the longer you live the more likely you are to experience suffering and the problem of pain has stumped even the best of minds

• Peter acknowledges that no matter who we are or what we do, suffering is something we will have to face

• Man made religion teaches us that if we are suffering it’s our own fault and that we must avoid suffering by doing xyz or that it’s someone else’s fault and that we should sort them out

• Christianity teaches that suffering is the result of a fallen world which is at odds with God

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• At the same time it teaches that God has come down to earth and stared suffering dead in the face

• Jesus came to live among us and he knows what it’s like to be hungry, he knows what it’s like to be bullied, he knows what it’s like to lose a loved one, he knows what it’s like to be betrayed by a friend

• Friends the saviour of the world is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, he’s not some absent bearded guy in the sky looking down on our suffering with dispassionate curiosity

The God of the universe entered into our world and as we read in v.18 suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God.

Notice how these verses recognise that there will be a variety of responses to us when we follow Christ

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Most people won’t harm you for doing good, some might change their minds and want to hear about your faith

But there is a concession that sometimes doing good will be met with evil regardless, this does not mean that we are living outside God’s will

Think of Job who lost all he had and yet was not outside of God’s careThink of Esther whose life and people were put in great danger but was protected by God Think of Jesus who in the garden of Gethsemane prayed: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”(Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)

Peter also points out that responding to evil with evil will bring about a different type of suffering

Instead we should endure and suffer for doing good

in doing so we follow in the footsteps of the one who suffered on the cross for our sins to overcome sin and death

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Peter here is encouraging disciples of Jesus to live for him, even if that means we suffer for doing good.

In 1956 the house of a young African-American preacher was firebombed, with his wife and baby inside. When Martin Luther King returned home he was greeted by an armed mob determined to repay evil with evil. King turned his supporters home with an impromptu speech. King’s courage avoided untold suffering and began a lifelong struggle to live for righteousness come what may.

#3 SUFFERING LIKE CHRIST \\ VERSE 18-22

Where did this man’s resolve in the face of suffering come from? It came from Jesus All Christians are called to live, love and suffer like Him.

• Verses 18-22 of our passage today outline how those who are prepared to suffer like Christ can also expect to be vindicated with Him.

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• This is a simple summary of what is a very complex piece of scripture • It starts out simple enough

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.”(1 Peter 3:18)

Jesus’s death on our behalf and rising to bring new life is the driving force for the hope that we find in 1 Peter

But v.19 is perplexing…

“After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built.”(1 Peter 3:19–20)

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If you’re not sure what that means, join the club, even Martin Luther said v.19 is: “certainly a more obscure passage than any other in the New Testament. I still do now know for sure what the apostle means.”

So what can we make of these verses?

Commentators will tell you that there are over 180 different interpretations of this passage.

Of these 180 three main views emerge:

-One view is that when Noah was building his ark, Jesus came and preached through Noah to the people who did not change their ways and so are now ‘spirits in prison’ or hell.

-Another view is that after Christ gave up his Spirit on the cross, he descended into hell and proclaimed his victory over sin and death either to condemned people or angels who mislead those in Noah’s day

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-A third view (the view I find most convincing) is that after Christ died he ascended to heaven and proclaimed to fallen angels (spirits are almost always angels in the NT) that their condemnation was final and that he had triumphed over evil

Another view that is that after Jesus died he went to a place of waiting(purgatory) where people were given a second chance to follow him This view has little support from the Bible which says nothing about purgatory or of opportunities to repent after you die (Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27)

Ultimately it’s unwise to build a doctrine on a single verse …

But what we can be sure about these verses, is that they show us that God speaks and communicates with the world,

God triumphs regardless of the obstacles and

God rescues those who desire him, this weird and wonderful passage teaches us this much

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VINDICATED LIKE CHRIST \\

Judgement and Vindication are the main themes of this passage

Peter points to the cross and then to baptism to illustrate for us how those who put their lives in God’s hands will escape judgement and be vindicated

You see Noah was a guy who built a massive barge in the middle of the desert while all hell was breaking loose around him

It’s likely that he endured years of suffering and humiliation at the hands of the world around him as he built the ark

Then as he and his family(only 8 people in all) got on the ark and God’s judgement in the form of a flood was poured out on the earth and all who had grieved God because of their defiance of him were wiped out, except for Noah and his family

Peter says this is like Baptism, baptism isn’t some sort of holy bath washing off dirt from the body so I can be a squeaky clean Christian

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Instead here in Peter the waters of baptism symbolise God’s righteous judgement,

in going down into the waters of baptism we remember that the punishment for sin was poured out on Jesus and, in coming up for air, that we rise with him to eternal life

A public bath in church won’t save you but Jesus will baptism is a physical demonstration before God and the world around you that you are dying to self and trusting your life to Christ,

(if you haven’t been baptised yet and would like to please speak to Adam or myself we’d love to chat it through with you)

While Jesus willingly suffered at the hands of evil men his triumph over sin and death was his vindication and whether he went to hell on the way or not Jesus is now in heaven at his Father’s right hand - with angels, authorities and power in submission to him

Christian suffering is ultimately victorious through Christ’s victory

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We can spend our whole lives trying to avoid suffering, or we can choose to live and suffer like Christ trusting that we will be saved from God’s righteous judgment and will one day be vindicated like Christ and will meet him face to face

Conclusion God is more concerned with our character than our comfort

God is more concerned with our goodness than our greatness

God is more concerned with our holiness than our superficial happiness

Living as a disciple of Jesus Christ in our fallen world will involve suffering but

As exiles living in hope we:

Suffer with integrity, Suffer for doing good, and Suffer like Christ

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As we suffer we also look to a future vindication when like Christ we will receive our vindication and will hear those glorious words: Well done good and faithful servant

Francis Havergal 1Light after darkness, Gain after loss, Strength after weakness, Crown after cross;Sweet after bitter, Hope after fears, Home after wand’ring, Praise after tears.

3Near after distant,   Gleam after gloom, Love after loneliness,   Life after tomb; After long agony,   Rapture of bliss, Right was the pathway, Leading to this.

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