5.13.44 9.29.2019 1 Peter 3.13-17 Honoring Christ

These sayings are of course, lies. Virtually every company is in the business of pleasing itself. And the customer is frequently plain wrong, abusive, irreverent, smelly, and hostile.

These sayings are of course, lies. Virtually every company is in the business of pleasing itself. And the customer is frequently plain wrong, abusive, irreverent, smelly, and hostile. The value of these two phrases is that they help economic entities designate what it is they are seeking to do, and whose values they honor.

The value of these two phrases is that they help economic entities designate what it is they are seeking to do, and whose values they honor.

Engage: Who does the Church aim to please? Membership? Sorry…this is not a democracy, you are not here to be pleased but to help us figure out how to please God, how to honor Christ. Are we trying to please the world? Not. Exactly. What about our customer base, if we want to reach our community with the Gospel, doesn't that make them our customer and give them some right to regulate what part of the Christian message will be tolerated? Nope.

Engage: Who does the Church aim to please? Membership? Sorry…this is not a democracy, you are not here to be pleased but to help us figure out how to please God, how to

1 Peter 3:13–17 ESV

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, 15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.

honor Christ. Are we trying to please the world? Not. Exactly. What about our customer base, if we want to reach our community with the Gospel, doesn't that make them our

Expand: The Church is not the customer. We are the called. Our aim is to please God and bring honor to Christ. The world is not the customer. They are the fallen in need of Grace. We have a message to bring. We have a story to tell. They're not gonna like it. It indicts them. It questions their values. It uses words like: fall, sin, grace, salvation, crucifixion, hell.

customer and give them some right to regulate what part of the Christian message will be tolerated? Nope.

Expand: The Church is not the customer. We are the called. Our aim is to please God and bring honor to Christ. The world is not the customer. They are the fallen in need of Grace.

Excite: Our job is to honor Christ while not alienating a culture that already doubts our integrity, sanity, and purpose. You have to have an agile mind, clear purpose, and thick skin. If you combine that with humility and integrity you will honor Christ and unleash grace.

We have a message to bring. We have a story to tell. They're not gonna like it. It indicts them. It questions their values. It uses words like: fall, sin, grace, salvation, crucifixion, hell.

Excite: Our job is to honor Christ while not alienating a culture that already doubts our integrity, sanity, and purpose. You have to have an agile mind, clear purpose, and thick skin.

Explore:

If you combine that with humility and integrity you will honor Christ and unleash grace.

We honor Christ when through suffering, pain, and indignity we still bear witness to Him.

Explore: We honor Christ when through suffering pain and indignity we still bear witness to Him.

Explain: If you want the outcome promised; Peter says you need to make the following commitments.

Explain: If you want the outcome promised; Peter says you need to make the following comittments.

Body of Sermon:

1 Be Ready! 13,14

1.1 Be zealously Good.

1 Be zealously Good.

1.1 Be zealously Good.

1.2 Maintain your balance

1.3 Remain Secure.

2 Be Responsive! 15,16.

2.1 Submission to Christ

2.2 Stout Defense

2.3 Humility

2.4 Clear Conscience

3 Be Resilient! 17

3.1 Do Good.

3.2 Trust God.

There is no Substitute...

...For doing good.

For doing the right thing.

2x in this passage, first when talking about being ready and lastly when talking about being resilient Peter touches upon good conduct. A powerful,

2x in this passage, first when talking about being ready and lastly when talking about being resilient Peter touches upon good conduct. A powerful, succinct, timeless reminder. There is no substitute for doing good.

succinct, timeless reminder. There is no substitute for doing good.

When our comfort is disturbed we will be tempted to pass along our discomfort to others. When our "rights" have been "violated" we feel justified in whacking whoever is right below us in the pecking order. When we have been hurt, we instinctively want to hurt.

When our comfort is disturbed we will be tempted to pass along our discomfort to others. When our "rights" have been "violated" we feel justified in whacking whoever is right

below us in the pecking order. When we have been hurt, we instinctively want to hurt.

I am embarrassed when Christians justify bad behavior by citing a supposed higher ethic of Jesus-while at the same time ignoring or violating the words of Jesus and His inspired Apostles. Jesus died on a cross. And bids us to carry our own. Each of us. Every one of us. You will need to suffer. People will hate you…and you are not called by God to hate them back. People will hurt you…and you can’t hurt them back. People will mock, alienate, marginalize, gossip, and defraud you. You are called to do good, speak graciously, live humbly.

I am embarrassed when Christians justify bad behavior by citing a supposed higher ethic of Jesus-while at the same time ignoring or violating the words of Jesus and His inspired

Apostles. Jesus died on a cross. You will need to suffer. People will hate you…and you are not called by God to hate them back.

He is honored when we suffer with Him, when we speak humbly, lovingly, and intelligently to those who despise us. It is then, in the shadow of the Cross that resurrection triumphs over reason, and the Kingdom rises in the born again.

He is honored when we suffer with Him, when we speak humbly, lovingly, and intelligently to those who despise us. It is then, in the shadow of the Cross that resurrection