Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Christian Answer*

*October 16, 2005*

*1 Peter 3:13-22*

 

 *Introduction*

 We live in a changing world marked by emerging nationalism, terrorism, population explosion, scientific breakthroughs, Star Wars, the threat of nuclear extinction as well as catastrophic natural disasters such as the recent flood in New Orleans.

But praise God, whatever the changes may be in this or any other age, there are immutables that are ever the same: our Master is the same, our message is the same, and our mission is ever the same.

What is urgently needed today is an anointing of the Holy Spirit to relate our unchanging gospel to the changing times.

Let’s begin by reading 1 Peter 3:13-22.

/“Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good?

But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it.

So don't be afraid and don't worry.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life.

And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way.

Keep your conscience clear.

Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time.

He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God.

He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat.

Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood.

And this is a picture of baptism, which now saves you by the power of Jesus Christ's resurrection.

Baptism is not a removal of dirt from your body; it is an appeal to God from a clean conscience.

Now Christ has gone to heaven.

He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels/ /and authorities and powers are bowing before him./

When Peter wrote his first epistle he was addressing believers who lived in a changing world and were facing the imminent possibility of having to "…suffer for doing what is right …" (1 Peter 3:14).

In the light of this he urged them, in 1 Peter 3:15, to have a Christian answer ready.

The NKJV says we are to defend our hope.

The day may well come when we, too, shall encounter persecution for the sake of the gospel.

The cold war of clashing ideologies cannot continue without creating tensions that are bound to snap.

When that day arrives we will have to take a stand and give a Christian witness in the presence of bitter hatred and vicious opposition.

/Jesus /promised that the time would come when "…those /who kill you will think they are doing God a service/ (John 16:2; see also Matthew 5:11-12).

/"God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.

Be happy about it!

Be very glad!

For a great reward awaits you in heaven.

And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted, too.”/

This immanent persecution of Christians calls for:

*I.

A Christ-centered Dedication*

 "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…"; or to quote it more accurately from the New American Standard Bible: "* */but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts//…"/ (1 Peter 3:15).

These words imply two very important considerations:

 

*1) A Recognition of the Saving Christ as Lord*

 "…sanctify Christ as Lord…" (1 Peter 3:15, nasb).

The apostle Paul reminds us that "…no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Cor.

12:3).

The implication is clear.

To name Jesus as Lord is a saving act; it is where we must begin – with salvation.

Are you saved?

Is Jesus Christ Lord of your life?

Have you asked Him to come into your life life and rule your hearts?

If you haven’t, why not make today the day of your salvation.

Just ask Jesus to forgive your sins and take control of your life.

If you love Him and believe He died for you, according to the Scriptures, His Spirit will bear witness with your Spirit that you are His child (Romans 8:16)

Paul began his Christian experience when he cried, "…Lord, what do You want me to do?…" (Acts 9:6).

Ever after he made this the basis of his theology.

For him, the recognition of the Lordship of Christ not only indicated the commencement of the Christian life, but also the climax of the Christian life.

He looked forward to that day when "…* */at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father/.

" (Phil.

2:10-11) Romans 10:9-10 adds :* */For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead*, you will be saved*.

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved./

…Charles Haddon Spurgeon ranks among the greatest preachers of all time.

On one particular Sunday evening in London, this nineteenth century Baptist movingly poured out his very soul and life in homage and adoration before his blessed Savior.

At the very end, exhausted in body, his voice almost gone, he spoke these words, "Let my name perish, but let Christ's name last for ever!

Jesus!

Jesus!

Crown Him Lord of all!

You will not hear me say anything else.

These are my last words in Exeter Hall for this time.

Jesus!

Jesus!

Crown *Him* Lord of all!" Knowing Jesus Christ as saving Lord is the first step in a Christ-centered dedication.

*2) The second step in a Christ-centered life is a Resignation to the Sanctifying Christ as Lord*

 "…sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…" (1 Peter 3:15, nasb).

When we glorify Christ we recognize His perfections.

When we magnify Him we recognize His greatness.

When we justify Him we recognize His justice; but when we sanctify Him we recognize His holiness; in other words, we hallow Christ as the Lord of holiness in our lives.

Peter is teaching here the reality and purity of the indwelling Christ—an indwelling which is to be regarded not only as a subjective experience but also as a subjective expression.

Because He indwells our lives we must reverence His presence and power until we reflect His holiness.

Is this the desire of your heart today – to be holy as He is holy?

Well, be encouraged because the holiness you desire is His work in you.

Sanctification is God’s work in you. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says/, “God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this /(make you holy).

What a relief that it is His work, not ours!

To quote Dr. Alexander Maclaren in this regard, we must "take care that our thoughts about Jesus Christ are full of devout awe and reverence.

I venture to think that a great deal of modern and sentimental Christianity is very defective in this respect.

You cannot love Jesus Christ too much, but you can love Him with too little reverence. .

and so, forgetting that He is judge, and forgetting that He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and forgetting that [while] He is manifested in the flesh [as] our brother He is also God…our Creator as well as our Redeemer, and our Judge as well as our Saviour, some do not enough hallow Him in their hearts as Lord" .

To sum up our thinking on this point, only as we have high conceptions of the holy Christ who indwells us shall we seek to live out the standard of holiness that He demands and deserves.

Is He Lord of your life?

Lord of every thought and action,

Lord to send and Lord to stay;

Lord in speaking, writing, giving,

Lord in all things to obey;

Lord of all there is of me,

Now and evermore to be.

E. H. Swinstead

(From /Scripture Union Songs and Choruses/)

 

*II*.

Yes, if we are to live a Christ-centered life, we must be saved and have Jesus as Lord of our lives and we must seek a Christ-centered Education

 

"…be ready to give a defense to everyone…" (1 Peter 3:15).