Faith in the Faith in the CrosshairsCrosshairs

1 Peter1 PeterBig God Big God (1 Peter 3:13-22)(1 Peter 3:13-22)

ReviewReview

Submission to human Submission to human authority authority for the Lord's sakefor the Lord's sake

Do not repay evil for evil…on Do not repay evil for evil…on the contrary, bless, for to the contrary, bless, for to this you were called that you this you were called that you may obtain a blessingmay obtain a blessing

Now who is there to harm you Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you is good? But even if you should suffer for should suffer for righteousness’ sake, righteousness’ sake, you you will be blessedwill be blessed

NNothingothing escapes God's escapes God's attentionattention

Now who is there to harm you Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ suffer for righteousness’ sake, sake, you will be blessedyou will be blessed

Nothing escapes God's Nothing escapes God's attentionattention

Do I believe that?Do I believe that?

……zealouszealous for what is good for what is good

Zealous= Zealous= zelotes- fanatical zelotes- fanatical patriots who were willing to patriots who were willing to take their lives in their own take their lives in their own hands, sacrificing comfort, hands, sacrificing comfort, home and security to rescue home and security to rescue their nationtheir nation

"No heart is pure that is not "No heart is pure that is not passionate; no virtue safe that passionate; no virtue safe that is not enthusiastic"- Sir John is not enthusiastic"- Sir John SeeleySeeley

"It is only when a man falls in "It is only when a man falls in love with goodness that the love with goodness that the wrong things lose their wrong things lose their fascination and power"- fascination and power"- BarclayBarclay

"I followed you, God! I lived "I followed you, God! I lived for your glory. I've lived my for your glory. I've lived my life as a believer. Why am I life as a believer. Why am I suffering?"suffering?"

……even if you should suffer for even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will righteousness’ sake, you will be blessedbe blessed

Paul- Paul- “For your sake we face “For your sake we face death all day long; we are death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be considered as sheep to be slaughtered…slaughtered…

……in all these things we are in all these things we are more than conquerorsmore than conquerors through him who love us"- through him who love us"- Romans 8:36-37Romans 8:36-37

2 types of suffering as a 2 types of suffering as a result of our actions:result of our actions:

−Suffering for doing what's Suffering for doing what's wwrongrong

•I eI earnedarned it- I need to honest it- I need to honest with myself about itwith myself about it

If I refuse to be honest about If I refuse to be honest about it, I set myself up to keep it, I set myself up to keep repeating the pattern of repeating the pattern of action and consequenceaction and consequence

−Blame-shiftingBlame-shifting−JustifyingJustifying−Comparison as a standard of Comparison as a standard of

righteousnessrighteousness

2 types of suffering as a 2 types of suffering as a result of our actions:result of our actions:

−Suffering for doing what's Suffering for doing what's rrightight

•It's unearned and not fIt's unearned and not fairair- I - I get to find out if I really do get to find out if I really do trust Godtrust God

Nothing escapes God's attentionNothing escapes God's attention

……even if you should suffer even if you should suffer for for righteousness’ sake, righteousness’ sake, you will be you will be blessedblessed

ResponsesResponses::−Why me?Why me?−It's not fair!It's not fair!−Bitterness and comparison to Bitterness and comparison to

othersothers−I trust God…I'll suffer for his sakeI trust God…I'll suffer for his sake

Have no fear of them, nor be Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, troubled, butbut in your hearts in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holyhonor Christ the Lord as holy

ChristologyChristology- Jesus is God, the - Jesus is God, the Lord of all heaven's armies Lord of all heaven's armies (Isaiah 8)(Isaiah 8)

−All-powerfulAll-powerful−SovereignSovereign

Have no fear of themHave no fear of them, nor be , nor be troubled, troubled, butbut in your hearts in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holyhonor Christ the Lord as holy

Those who would hurt me I will Those who would hurt me I will face with fear or faith. I can't face with fear or faith. I can't do bdo bothoth

−Fear gives tFear gives themhem power power

−Faith rFaith recognizesecognizes Christ's Christ's absolute dominion and powerabsolute dominion and power

Buddy JesusBuddy Jesus

Is God in charge?Is God in charge?

−If not, there's If not, there's no reason no reason to to trust himtrust him

Is God in charge?Is God in charge?

−If not, there's If not, there's no reason no reason to to trust himtrust him

−If so, there's If so, there's no reasonno reason not to not to trust himtrust him

Is God in charge?Is God in charge?

−If not, there's If not, there's no reason no reason to to trust himtrust him

−If so, there's If so, there's no reasonno reason not to not to trust himtrust him

One leads to a life of fear and One leads to a life of fear and self-relianceself-reliance

The other leads to a faith that The other leads to a faith that overcomes fearovercomes fear

……in your hearts honor Christ in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holythe Lord as holy

SanctifySanctify- set apart…nothing - set apart…nothing intrudes on that truthintrudes on that truth

The fear of man is an The fear of man is an indication that I've forgotten indication that I've forgotten wwhoho m myy G Godod i iss

The fear of man is an The fear of man is an indication that I've forgotten indication that I've forgotten wwhoho m myy G Godod i iss

How do I remember?How do I remember?

……always being prepared to always being prepared to make a defense to anyone make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good respect, having a good conscience, so that, when conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those you are slandered, those who revile your good who revile your good behavior in Christ may be behavior in Christ may be put to shame put to shame

……always being always being preparedprepared to to make a defense to anyone make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in youfor the hope that is in you

God uses our tGod uses our trialsrials and and hhardshipsardships to reach people to reach people Christ died for with the Christ died for with the message of his love and message of his love and salvationsalvation

Our hardships aren't wasted, Our hardships aren't wasted, but redeemed for God's but redeemed for God's purposes and God's glorypurposes and God's glory

……always being always being preparedprepared to to make a defense to anyone who make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the asks you for a reason for the hope that is in youhope that is in you

A Christian who trusts God and A Christian who trusts God and lives by faith will be lives by faith will be questioned- that's part of the questioned- that's part of the blessingblessing

Our part- be ready to answerOur part- be ready to answer

Our part- Our part- be ready be ready to answerto answer

ApologiaApologia- reasoned response, - reasoned response, logical defenselogical defense

"Our faith must be a first-hand "Our faith must be a first-hand discovery and not a second-discovery and not a second-hand story"- Barclayhand story"- Barclay

……always being always being preparedprepared to to make a defense to anyone make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in youfor the hope that is in you

An answer: "Here's what Jesus An answer: "Here's what Jesus has done and is doing in my has done and is doing in my life…"life…"

……always being prepared to always being prepared to make a defense to anyone make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason who asks you for a reason for for the hope that is in youthe hope that is in you

−Grace: God's GiftGrace: God's Gift−Faith: God's MediumFaith: God's Medium−Hope: Our FocusHope: Our Focus−Love: The ResultLove: The Result

yet do it with gentleness and yet do it with gentleness and respectrespect

−GentlenessGentleness- It's my calling to - It's my calling to be faithful. Results are God's be faithful. Results are God's jobjob

−RespectRespect- Fear and awe of God. - Fear and awe of God. This moment is ordained by This moment is ordained by him. I need to respect the him. I need to respect the opportunity and pray through opportunity and pray through it as I give the messageit as I give the message

having a good conscience, so having a good conscience, so that, that, whenwhen you are you are slandered, those who revile slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ your good behavior in Christ may be put to shamemay be put to shame

Slander= false accusationsSlander= false accusations

The worst thing I can do when The worst thing I can do when slandered is fight back. Why?slandered is fight back. Why?

having a good conscience, so having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put behavior in Christ may be put to shameto shame

Good behavior leads to:Good behavior leads to:

−A good conscienceA good conscience−Shame for those who would Shame for those who would

slander meslander me

Assumes Assumes I will be slandered I will be slandered and reviled if I seek to be and reviled if I seek to be faithful to Christfaithful to Christ

Assumes Assumes I will be slandered I will be slandered and reviled if I seek to be and reviled if I seek to be faithful to Christfaithful to Christ

Beloved, Beloved, do not be surprised do not be surprised at at the fiery trial when it comes the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as upon you to test you, as though something strange though something strange were happening to you - were happening to you - 1 Peter 4:131 Peter 4:13

"Our light can swallow up your "Our light can swallow up your darkness: but your darkness darkness: but your darkness cannot not infect our light. cannot not infect our light. No, no, no. Come to us. We No, no, no. Come to us. We will not go to you. will not go to you.

Can you really have thought Can you really have thought that love and joy would that love and joy would always be at the mercy of always be at the mercy of frowns and sighs? Did you not frowns and sighs? Did you not know they were stronger than know they were stronger than their opposites?"- C.S. Lewistheir opposites?"- C.S. Lewis

For it is better to suffer for For it is better to suffer for doing good, doing good, if that should be if that should be God’s willGod’s will, than for doing , than for doing evilevil

I don't get to have a "God of I don't get to have a "God of my understanding." If my understanding." If there's a problem, it's not there's a problem, it's not God. It's my understandingGod. It's my understanding

For it is better to suffer for For it is better to suffer for doing good, doing good, if that should be if that should be God’s willGod’s will, than for doing , than for doing evilevil

Suffering for doing good is Suffering for doing good is always balways blessedlessed and and rredemptiveedemptive

Possible reasonsPossible reasons

−SSanctificationanctification- God is - God is growing me growing me

•KEY- How I KEY- How I hhandleandle it it

Possible reasonsPossible reasons

−GGlorificationlorification- God is - God is drawing people to himself drawing people to himself through methrough me

•KEY- KEY- FFaithfulnessaithfulness to share to share out of loveout of love

Possible reasonsPossible reasons

−IIdentificationdentification- God is - God is allowing me to identify allowing me to identify with with what Christ did for me what Christ did for me on the crosson the cross

•KEY- FKEY- Focusocus on Jesus on Jesus

TakeawaysTakeaways::

−Hardship and trial will Hardship and trial will reveal what I really believe reveal what I really believe about Godabout God

TakeawaysTakeaways::

−Do I honestly believe that Do I honestly believe that nothing escapes his nothing escapes his attention? attention?

−That he will bless me and That he will bless me and redeem my hardships for redeem my hardships for his purposes as I remain his purposes as I remain faithful to him?faithful to him?

TakeawaysTakeaways::

−When I face trials and When I face trials and hardships, am I honest with hardships, am I honest with myself and others about my myself and others about my part in them?part in them?

−Have I identified with Christ Have I identified with Christ through faith and received through faith and received Jesus as my King and God?Jesus as my King and God?