Obedient Children Live by Faith

Top or whether we're on the valley he is still God and man that has been proven true over and over and over again here lately and you will always be God if you will remain. Sunday mornings at been exciting and really I have enjoyed. I don't know if you've enjoyed the messages as much as I've enjoyed preparing them and study in 1st Peter, but I mention Peter may you are a lot of like a lot of times and we have our same doubts and disappointments and and different things and so I really relate to Peter and we'll be going through John. I just wanted to to go and look at Peter's letters and we kind of took you on and on about Jesus Christ and really started focusing in on Peter and I've been in Tylenol, please message use obedient children, I think as we started out the series we started it out as living as pilgrims and kind of got off with that Pilgrim mentality and started title in every single Martin message about obedient children, and I had someone last week of missed. Understood and thought my message was going to be for children. The reason that I title this obedient children because if you remember back in 1st Peter chapter 1 is that we were adopted by Jesus Christ into God's family and he's our father It Is by him that we can cry Abba Papa and I think it's specially during these times of suffering and Times of persecution. We need to remember that. We have a father that cares for us a father that loves us a father that is going to see us through and today. I'm entitled to message obedient children live by faith live by faith that backhand first chapter 1 verses 1 through 6. We looked at how that salvation is brought about because of faith in faith is simply trusting God and obeying God and I don't know if this is a translation. I found this picture here if it's a translation if it's a fair paraphrase of Hebrews, 311 the first one but it's always looking for different things on faith the kind of used as an image. I came across this and I love the way that it is worded faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see and that's what faith is Faith is trusting God. I can't see God. I've never touched never been other than spiritually in the presence of God, but I believe with all of my heart that God sent his only begotten son Jesus Christ to die for my kids and that one of these days that same Jesus that is now seated at the right hand of the father is going to come back and call me to be where he's at. He said if I go in John chapter 14 to prepare a place I will come again that where I am there you may be also and I'm not for sure when that's going to happen. I'm not for sure all of the details that's going to come about when that does. Rapid but I stand before you today living my life dedicating my life to Jesus Christ in the hope that one day. I will be with him the hope that all of his seeing all of this pandemic all of this wickedness and everything that we live in one of these days is going to be put aside and put away with in Christ is going to rule and Reign and then I'm looking forward to that. And so I live my life whatever God asked me to do I try to do it sometimes I'm not real good at responding real quick and doing it right when I'm supposed to but but eventually Common Sense comes in the word of God the Holy Spirit convicts me and I begin to go in his Direction and I want to be found faithful for Jesus Christ. And so we come to the section in the about. We started off a chapter one. He talked about salvation how that salvation puts us into the family of God as children of God, and then we talked about In the latter part of chapter 1 all through chapter 2 the first part of chapter 3, we've talked about submission and how we are to submit by faith. And and and how are we to submit to government how we to submit within the family? How are we to submit in church life into each other and even how we are to submit to the world and so we've looked at this submission and now we move in first 13 down through the rest of this book and what we are going to deal with is this suffering we seen salvation of the believer and we have to start with that but then we understand that submission is the next step and because we submit to one another just watch the world's not going to always be nice to you the world's not always going to be kind as a matter fact James says that we eat when we fall into these various Temptations and and suffer persecution and different things. We are to consider it all joy, right and then I I struggle with that sometimes a man I struggle with looking at my trials and tribulation in my persecution with joy, but I have to understand and I have to remember that Joy is not outward circumstances Joy comes from an Edward relationship with Jesus Christ. I know that Christ is in control. I know that Christ is adopted me into his family in Christ has something better for me. And so what I'm able to submit I'm able to do the things that Christ wants me to do in order that I might live and well with me for an eternity. And so with that kind of idea being laid out we come to verse 13 and we really can't separate verse 13 from verses 9 through 12 that we looked at last week work where he told us and he quoted from Psalms there and he's he began by telling us that in verse 8 that finally be you all of One mind have Compassion one of Another Love is Brethren be pitiful be courteous not rendering evil for evil to really for real but country-wise blessing knowing that there aren't called that. You shouldn't hear it a blessed and verse 12 said for the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers. But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil and we come to verse 13 this morning in our texts and verse 13 says that he who is he that will harm you if you be followers of that which is good. But and if you suffer for righteousness sake happy, are you and be not afraid of their Terror neither be trouble but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as a people do or they may be a Falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ for it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well doing then for evil to notice the very first thing that we have about living a life of Faith with very first thing we come to is the affirmation of that faith that little word and is a really big word In this passage of scripture that begin this passage that we're looking at today because that and draws us back to versus night verses 8 through verse 12 and 12 said that the eyes of the Lord are upon those that do good. But the face of the Lord is on those that do evil that end tells us what is about 2 BC. It is directly connected to what was previously stated and Peter was quoting. They're from Psalms chapter 34, and he stated that the Christian is to love life and see good days. In order to do this. We have to turn from an evil tongue. We have to go back and you read there. You'll find out we turn the other cheek. We do good to the lost world. We do good to the unsaved and if we reply with a soft answer if we have a benevolent Abba to attitude the say unsaved the Lost will not harm us not now be honest with yourself all of us like people to be good to us, right all three of us like to be loved all of us like to be cared for and that's no different from the world. If we are being good if we are living as Christ and we are loving Is price the most of the time for the most part we're not going to suffer persecution because of doing good. Nobody's going to get mad. If our church all of a sudden today want to meet down in downtown Benton. What's they'll get mad if we assemble and have church service, right, but they won't get mad if we go and give out a lot of food or a lot of clothes or do something right for the video for the needy that are in our community. Nobody has a problem with that. And so what it that teaches us is and it's Jesus Paul Peter is saying right here is that when we do what Christ wants us to do then most likely they're not going to harm us for doing good things. And so our Christian Life should be exemplified by good matter fact 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 12 teaches us though that all that will live Godly in Christ. Jesus shall suffer persecution. We know that Jesus Christ suffered persecution a man. Crucified on the cross of Calvary. We know that his Apostles suffered persecution. We know that they were locked up in jail at that. They all of them died. A martyr is life with the exception of John who tried to be killed by being boiled alive, but yet he survived that with the hand of God. So what do you do with a man that you can't kill you? If you put them out on an Isle of Patmos the new excommunicate him from everybody else and we know that John died of an old-age there on the Isle of Patmos, but every one of them suffered persecution, and so that doesn't mean that difficult were a Christian that we're not going to suffer persecution, but it does mean that we're not likely to suffer persecution for doing good a lot of heating a lot of the good things that we break about persecution in Christianity and stuff is not because we're doing good. It's because we're being argumentative we're being prideful. Those above everybody else right and where we're putting ourselves up on a pedestal above everybody else and guess what people are going to get mad. People are going to lash out and people are going to do you mean and bad things and so suffering when doing good is not the typical type of suffering a lot of us end up suffering because of her home state seeing our own failures in our shut shortcoming also needs to be noting noted this morning that suffering is not a constant activity suffering comes in spurts. It's here and it disappears, you know, Mark Lowry brought it out his favorite phrase in the Bible is in this too shall come to pass right this too shall come to pass everything in the Christian Life comes in spurts. Praise. God is Kylie saying this morning that guess what Every Mountain Top God is there but every Valley God is also there but guess what? We don't stay on the Mountaintop very long. We don't stay in The Valley Vet. We constantly moving and we're constantly changing and soaps man. We're on that mountain with the praise God, and we need to worship God, but guess what? We're in that Valley. We need to turn right we need to repent we need to do what we need to do knowing that that mountain is going to come about. I had a very sad call this week at I guess it was Friday. My day is kind of got messed up this week, but a guy and ask you to pray for him by the name of Edward assume that he's a minister. He lives in the state of Georgia, and he called me and left a voicemail. It was an unknown number, so I don't answer unknown numbers. If you want me and you call and your number don't pop up there leave a message, and if it's important I will call you back. And so I just kind of ignored it cuz it was an unknown caller. Some of these sales people are getting smart. They're leaving messages so that you'll just call him right back and and so I was kind of busy and I just kind of ignored it went on about two hours later. I got another call from the same number. Listen to it and all of a sudden it didn't sound happy. It wasn't good. And so I immediately called them back and the whole time. I'm talkin to him. I'm trying to figure out how do I know this individual or how do they know me and all of a sudden they whinny and for 30 minutes sharing about their life how that they were a minister how that sickness has come about very bad in their life that ended up with some criminal problems in the bottom line was is that they felt like that they had grieve God to the point that there was no way that they could ever be saved or have eternal life and then they were sad they were brokenhearted and in the message was so much so I thought they were suicidal and I said how in the world did you find me? And he said man, I've just been sitting down this afternoon stroll and churches and pastors and just trying to reach out to anybody that can help me and so I visited with him a little bit and tried to explain The love of God. I told him that me and my church would be praying for him and that if he needed anything else to reach out, but but but just kind of a strange deal but God guides us and it's so easy when you're down in that Valley Vet to look to think that me and I'm not going to be able to get out of this and man it was heartbreaking because he talked about getting on his knees and praying and his prayers being dried not reaching past the ceiling. It's just felt like God of the Holy Spirit I couldn't even begin to imagine what life would be like without knowing her feeling like God was not here and going with me. And so I tried to encourage I tried to to do that with him. But as we look at these understand that that that it's spazmatic is it short is temporary? It's not going to last and we stay in this idea of this pandemic and I wanted to encourage you this morning because we are seeing suicidal rates that are beginning to Skyrocket because people are giving up they lost jobs are there watching their life savings or 401K. On the mini should and they don't have jobs are watching their family members do all of this and they're losing hope but I want you to understand why Jesus Christ we have hope this is just temporary. This is going to pass we are going to recover we are going to get through this and get back to him or scent of Normal to see if we are going to live the affirmation of faith is God wants us to live we have to do it with commendable living we have to be willing to do things that are good and be good to people and turn the other cheek and do the things that we are supposed to do but notice also it get it happens with courageous living we have to be courageous he says but if you suffer for righteousness sake happy are you someone has said that Jesus often spoke of Christianity as a banquet but never said it would be a picnic read that quote and I just kept thinking about that and pondering about that if and I still don't know that I fully grasps the death of that quote but Christ always go through the gospel. He always talked about the banquet as a matter of fact you and eyes Believers. What did he tell us to focus on not necessarily the Judgment seat of Christ but of the wedding Feast, right? He told his disciples before you left your memory observe the Lord's supper with them and then I cannot wait until we have the opportunity to observe the Lord's Supper again, especially during this time. But what did he say? He says I will not do this again with you. Until you're with me and I do it with you in person talking about that bank with life's not a picnic, you know, you had planned a picnic and it rain or get you stuff all settled out and put out and spread out if everything is perfect and all of a sudden you realize that you set up on an ant bed right picnics coming over there's good and there's bad though. There's things that happened but a banquet is something that is prepared. A banquet is something that is special even if it rains even if the Ant show up you can't mess up a banquet because it is there should be noted here that suffering is not a constant activity as a matter of fact Paul we talked about this some Wednesday night in Philippians, but Paul said that died after he took the third heaven that God gave him a thorn in his side to Buffett him and verse 10 of that chapter says therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in RI Roaches in necessity in persecutions in distress for Christ's sake for when I am weak. I am strong. You see it's this persecution. It's the suffering when we do do it as Christ did it as the apostles do it that helps build our faith and bills are correct character. And so we shouldn't fear suffering. We shouldn't fear persecution. We have to live our life courageously. I know that whatsoever things happening to me is for the good of God write Romans chapter 8 verse 28 for all things work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose. Right? And so I know that God has a plan God has a purpose God is still in control. And so we cannot allow fear to dominate us we have our faith is going to be exemplified if our faith is going to be a firm even during this time. We cannot have fear. Perfect our waitress last night at the restaurant what it or masse? Lights over fear with printed right there on her mask, and she was waiting on us. I thought it meant I like that Faith over fear. I'm not being Reckless. I'm not going to be dumb. I'm not going to be ignorant about the situation. But guess what? I'm not going to allow a pandemic. I'm not going to allow the world and everything else to drive me to fear because my God is still on the throne. My God is still in control and my God has a plan and a purpose and so move me and we as Christians cannot live in fear. We cannot live in hopelessness. Remember faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see it. So all through this message today. What do you hope for what get you out of bed in the morning? What drives you the only thing that has me going is Jesus Christ and him crucified? A man, I am looking forward to one day to be able to walk on the street of gold to be able to walk with Jesus Christ to be able to sit at that banquet table and observe the Lord's supper with him to be able to go through eternity have no need of a sun or moon or stars because the glory of Jesus Christ is going to light it where they are going to be no Shadow you imagine a life that is so intense. That is so bright that you're not even going to be able to cast a shadow man. I am looking forward to that. I get excited about that. I love talking about that and show him that and talkin about it. But listen when Satan came to Jesus Christ to test him Satan took them up high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and remember what state and said Satan said all these things will I give you if you will just fall down and worship me. What is he doing? He was offering Jesus Christ this Earthly Kingdom without a cross who is saying I can give you the intestine is the god of He controls this world. This is his region. This is his Reign, but Christ came to redeem it to buy it back to purchase it back and the only way that it could be gotten back with through death by the shedding of blood. So even though it was with the insight and power Jesus Christ new even if he gave it to him, it would only be temporary it wouldn't be worth while and so therefore he gave his blood he died in order to bring it back in Jesus's reply to Satan was you shall Worship the Lord your God and serve him only it's not about what you can do for me. It's about what God has planned and I have to obey Peter here in this passage of scripture is teaching us that when suffering comes we almost always try to find some way out of it. Right? We always try to find some Shortcut that will make it easier. Satan is going to tempt us to run Satan is going to tempt us to hide to escape suffering so we will not reap the Good Kush and suffering produces character in us use our faith that strengthens our faith so that even like Noah by faith, we believe so much in God has never seen it rain, but for 400 years he feels and worked on the ark I sent it to write write to his righteousness and live for him. And how did he learn that you think he has suffered some you think he was laughed at you think he was ridiculed. You think he was made fun of her poke fun at for 400 years building a boat when nobody had ever seen it rain, but guess what that just made know who he was when he got on the ark is so true and stuff notice what he said. They're also has to be consecrated living play when we have the affirmation of our faith when we when we submit to each other when we do things that the world is not commonly do world does not submit to nobody. I am in control of my destination. I am the one that's going to do this. Remember what Satan said Satan said, I will Ascend to the throne of God. I will be. And that's the pride of this world in this Society, but when we affirm our faith and we live for Jesus Christ, and we submit each other and we do good and we live courageously with Then guess what then we begin to see the apology of our faith. Apologia is a Greek word that simply men means to defend what they reasoned response apologetics at seminary in first time. I thought they asked me they said would you come and teaching apologetic class? And I said about what they said the Bible in Genesis and Recreation and everything and I said, I don't have to apologize for anything that the Bible says write and write your car too kind of laughed at me and look at me. So maybe we don't want you for this class. He will you not apologizing what what apologetics he is making a reasoned defense and that's the Greek word that is used here. And so when you affirm your face when you live for Jesus Christ, listen, you are going to have to defend your face. You're going to have to defend what you believe because there's a lot of Skeptics out there. There's a lot of people I don't know if you have seen it, but this week my talking about Not watching the news anymore. I I tried to ease back into it Thursday and Friday at and man everytime. I turn it on there trying to use that church back in March before any guidelines or anyting else set their listen this morning lady newscaster today just really down in church and how that it's not essential and how did it's not necessary it and yet I'm reading after doctor after doctor after doctor that says guess what we got to get people back in the doctor's office. We've got to get people back in church. We have to get people assembling with each other. We got to get our world going back together. But yet they use these examples to try to turn us away. And so guys we have to defend what we believe but that. Apologia has the idea of a lawyer laying out the case, you know, I love going with me and Lisa was talking about it the other day we misjudge on this year the first time in like 8 years. I haven't gone to set this courtroom in May and I missed it this year, but I Watching lawyers work because I love watching how they crap their argument and how they do things that how they they lay the facts out in order to get a ver vertigo to get their person off at that's why I love seeing how they craft that and how they do that. It's a lot like doing sermon my job it and messages to to defend what I believe to the purpose that hopefully I explain it that I entice you that I want you to agree with what the word of God and respond and giving your life to Jesus Christ. And so that's the side of apology of the face and it has to do with safety fication it has to do is safe to vacation or affirmation of our faith deals with submission. But our apology of our faith has to do with sanctification notice what he says there. He says but sanctify the Lord God in your heart. How can you suffer? How can you endure persecution? How can you do these things? You can't without first of all sanctifying yourself and other words that word sanctify means to set apart. It was a used in the Pagan Greek religions of an act of setting apart are consecrating a building as a temple designated as a religious and character to be used for religious purposes. But notice what he says, he says sanctify we're not talking about pagan temples. We're not talking about paint taken. We're not talking about even this church building even though this church building has been Sanctified for the purpose of assembling together and folks we can model symbol on Facebook why I don't care. It's great. It's wonderful. It was temporary but Be coming together in this place that was dedicated and Sanctified and set apart for us to meet together to worship Jesus Christ. But notice what he said, he said it's not about sanctifying this building. It's about sanctifying the Lord Jesus the Lord God in your heart. What is Lord Lord is a title for Christ's deity and Christ signifies. The anointed one. The Messiah the folks too many of us have defied the church in our heart do many of us have Sanctified the Bible in our heart too. Many of us has Sanctified a Sunday school class in our hearts too. Many of us are Sanctified tithing in our hearts. And we Sanctified all of these modes of worship and everything else but folks we need to understand we need to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts. We need to sanctify Jesus Christ. That is who we serve that is who we follow that is who is in control of all of this Christianity is fellowship with you at all times because he lives as Lord in our heart and so it you can worship anywhere worship is not done here and I get tired of people. We have to go to church. No you worship anywhere and everywhere in spirit and in truth because why you have Sanctified Christ in your heart the church. Vines the church is designed for assembly for edification and encouragement during these tough times and there is no greater time in our nation in my lifetime then right now that we needed. And edifying from each other in a matter of fact, it says passage of scripture is taken out of context so much is Hebrews chapter 10 verse 24 forsake not the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of Sami. Yes.

Encouraging each other and edifying each other and me together even more. So in the last days both we need assembly right now. We need to be able to look at each other and see each other and realize that fear is not going to dominate me. My face is going to dominate me people have a consecrated life. I have to be living differently, right I have till you can't just give an argument and not live a mechanic that I didn't make you a very good mechanic, but it he can tell me all he wants to about fixing cars are working on a motor or whatever. But until I see him do it. I ain't going to trust you and believe him right? I want to see results when I have my doctor wants to do surgeries. I want to know how many of these surgeries have you performed. What's your rate of recovery? What's the rate of losing people? I want to know some of the tistics. I'm not just going to blindly go and let you cut on me or operate on me. I want to know some facts and guess what the world is not wanting to believe about Garden because I don't see Christians that believe in God and trust in Jesus Christ. Remember faith is being sure of what hope you have being sure sure enough. Did you will obey Jesus Christ? What is your hope are you certain of what's out there and what's coming and not beat her here in versus latter part of verse 14 and 15. He quotes from Isaiah chapter 8 verse 12 through 13 where Isaiah said neither fear Their Fear nor be afraid sanctify the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread. This is a very significant quotation because at this time in the ministry of Isaiah, Isaiah was experiencing great persecution, you go back when you study Isaiah when he made this statement, he was suffering persecution and he was doing it for righteousness sake he was doing it because he was taking a stand of her God against the wicked.

So me and he is suffering and Isaiah prophesied to the nation of Judah when it was declining spiritually when it was declined. And morally he began his ministry during the reign of King Uzziah. Do you remember King Uzziah? Can you desire was a good key at least in the early years of his Reign but as he got older in this latter years you remember Uzziah was the one that contracted left and in that leprosy that was their his son he has but can't co-regent and that's why I sometimes understanding the Kings and plugging them into the right dates that is confused and it messed up because a lot of time Uzziah in a has they served at the same time. They were both keys, but use I had leprosy and so a has was the one that went before the people in the ones that did a lot of the things that the king is supposed to do and yet we find That use Aya was dead and in what happened. He has didn't love the Lord like Uzziah started out loving the Lord and Isaiah chapter 7, Isaiah prophesied against a hasn't told him that God was not pleased with his alliance with the Assyrian because they has was trusted in human wisdom. He was trusting in human life human Ingenuity rather than in God's he has rejected Isaiah's Council and the people tried to convince the prophet of treason and God then says this right here neither fear Their Fear nor be afraid sanctify the Lord of hosts himself. That is Isaiah was to remember that God is the lord of the universe God is in control in the midst of suffering. He was to give God the face of lordship in his life that he occupies in the universe that what the Apostle Peter does in chapter 3 verse 15 is transposed the name.

Because Jesus was the Lord. He was high and lifted up and Isaiah's Vision. You remember what Joe did and Peter was saying GG after this Isaiah went and saw The Throne of God, you saw the angels in the seraphim and he was reminded who was really on the throne who is really in control. Now what the Apostle Peter does inverse 13 Peter is saying that when we suffer we're not to be intimidated or agitated but we are to allow Christ to rule in. Our heart God is in control of this universe God is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. He is in control of this concept keeps Christians from falling into pieces when suffering with everything going on is what keeps us together is what still gets me out of bed. And in the daytime, it's what gets me up in the morning. We have a Lord that is in control. We have a war that has a purpose and a plan and if I shared with you Wednesday night every single one of us as long as we are alive and drawing breasts. We have a purpose where needed we're needed. You you cannot have a church without people but you can't have people in the church. They're going to need each other. We cannot be at the assembly without you being here. And so many takes all needed every Christian is to voluntarily Lordship of Jesus Christ that is consecrated living but notice the other thing where they have confident living if we're going to defend being a Christian if we're going to stand up in the apology of faith is sanctification. Then we have to live it confidently. You have to be confident in God you have to believe that God can Deliver Us from the fiery furnace that God can steal the Lions mouths when they were thrown into the pit that God can allow us to cross the Red Sea when our backs are against the wall on dry land. See you have to believe you have to have confidence living notice what he said after we sanctify ourselves to the Lord God in our hearts. Then he says be ready always to give an answer to every man that asked if you are reasonably hope that is in you with meekness and with fear in other words, it takes two different things. If you are going to be confident in this life, you have to be ready to counter the materialist. You're going to have to be ready to counter the name Sayer the skeptic the one out there that doesn't believe in God believes that we as Christians are trying to destroy everything that we're Reckless that we don't care about people. There is nobody in this nation that cares more for people than what I do. I have given my life to people and so I care for you. I am concerned about you. I love not only physically but Also spiritually and you and your eternity so you have to be ready to give a reason to fence of why you have this hope what makes you believe in Jesus Christ. I see it's not about theology. It's not about Seminary. It's not about this great big discourse or anyting else cut counter in the materialist is simply being willing to share what Christ has done for you. I love the young blind man. You remember that Jesus Christ healed in John and they were trying to Corner him and there was trying to capture Jesus Christ. Remember what the blue? I don't know who did it. I don't know why they did it and I don't know how they did it. But this one thing I know and that where I was once blind. I now see why not at all. I can't explain to you everything about God in Jesus Christ, but I can tell you I can go back and I can show you where God has helped me through sickness or God has helped me through the economy where God has helped me through bad relationship where God has helped me through suffering Temptations and trials and God is always see me through it. I always see me through and through that process is not only has he built my face, but he's taught me a little bit and matured me and calls me to grow up a little bit through the entire process.

Not only are we to counter the materialist the folks. We need to also be ready to clarify the message. We have way over complicated the message of Jesus Christ. There are way too many steps have somebody the other day I was reading a deal and I think it was like 15 Steps to being saved. I'm like, oh my goodness, you know, I have people who have a hard time staying with me 30-45 minutes during a sermon write in my wife's always telling me simplify simplify clarify before we need to get the message of Jesus Christ clarified. We need to get a simplified. We need to get it on to a level where people can understand that God who loved us who is Holy who is without sin became man and live perfect in Finland in order that he might give his blood and died on your behalf that you can have eternal life. We got to clarify the message. We got to simplify it be we don't only make a defense a reasonable logical intelligent answer not only in a knot out of an emotional response or a theological discussion. It's amazing when you read so many Christians on Facebook and How did they argue out of an emotional response how they try to give some type of theological disturbs you to do this course, but listen we are too also to explain what Christ has done in our lives and why we have assured hope in heaven lot of times when we suffer for a testimony for Christ. We get quiet we back away rather than speaking out because why we're intimidating we we do not like to suffer and so what do we do? We try to melt back into the group in and we trying to become like a chameleon and we try to blend into the scenery and keep quiet and that's where we have seen the turp in the last 15 or 20 years. Amen. We've seen it becoming a chameleon we seen it tried to just fit in and not rock the boat and not make waves. But listen. My Christ is the way he is alive and he's living in me and he's in control and he's going to see us through this folks. We have to explain this we have to defend this we have to make it in a way. If people are willing to respond. But listen, we are under up no obligation for them to respond. But we are under obligation to share as a matter of fact, when you look at the word of God in Mark chapter 16 and 15 Jesus saying this is in Red Letters. He said go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature that is a command that is not a suggestion that is not a recommendation that is law you are to go into the world and preach the good news of Jesus Christ John chapter 17 verse 18 Jesus Christ again in this prayer in Red Letters instead of bow has sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world that you he sent you into the world to share to defense to explain Jesus Christ of this world. Because you're afraid of being ridiculed or afraid of what you're going to say is going to be misconstrued or taken out of context or whatever. Hope we have a command to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That was very very lyrics I'm getting more and more comfortable when we first started having to preach on Facebook because every message I watch what they did the preacher in Dallas when they get elected a homosexual mayor that all of a sudden begin to Pick-a-Part prep preachers sermons and bring them into court for what they said and what they had done and I've seen the way that the world is taking this and I was very leery about Facebook. I was very leery about putting my messages on there before then I had to realize guess what it doesn't matter if they take it in context out of context or whatever. I have got to clarify that Jesus Christ died for us. Jesus Christ is in control Acts chapter 1A. What did he say? He said you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost Phone you and you shall be Witnesses of me under Jerusalem Judea Samaria to the outermost part of the Earth's Witnesses of what go back and read the first 7 verses of Acts chapter one where Jesus Christ in the same manner. The angel said in the same manner that he left is the same way that he is going to return for you and he said now you go into the Jerusalem and the Holy Spirit is going to come up on you and you be Witnesses of the return of Jesus Christ. We need to be preaching we need to be sure he wants us to be with them there also and he is preparing a place for us and man if he took him six days to make this world that has been painted for 6,000 years was He's been working for over 2000 years on me of residence. Can you imagine what that's going to be? Wow words cannot even express ride in Revelation, but John said I can't even touch what I saw it what I experienced in heaven with the angels in the seraphim in the witnesses, all praise and glory glory glory. Holy honor unto the lamb that was slain. Well, we need to clarify our message. We need a preacher message, but notice what he says they are we need to do it with meekness and fear. What does it mean by weakness and fear? We give a defense, but he is where not to give a flipping answer. We are to do things with meekness that word is gentleness strength under control, you know, Mark and John the sons of Zebedee name the sons of thunder the two Apostles you remember not bring down fire and brimstone and Destroy This Town right? Amen. God said that's not meeting if that's not strength under control Street Thunder control is what Jesus Christ did when he went and was led as a lamb to the slaughter and died and cried on the cross. It is finished for their salvation. That's a weakness. It takes more control and more strength to watch your mouth. In the way that you say things in the way that you do things they just to let it go right we talked the other night about controlling our tongue if we could ever get into that and that's what he's talkin about with meekness and with fear in Jesus Christ. But listen, we are not to come on like a speeding train and trample each other's personalities where the witness with gentleness and respect but the bottom line is we are to witness which brings us out of there. If you affirm your faith through suffering and then you apology of your faith through sanctification the final going to Peter brings out as you will advertise your faith. And how do we advertise our faith is going to spend the rest of this letter talkin about suffering? You live for Jesus Christ, you're going to suffer. There's going to be people that are not going to like you. Look what he says in 416 having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evildoers. They may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ for it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for well doing then for evil doing having a good conscience notice what he's talkin about when we ever ties our faith it all comes down to the character of our living to our character. Who We R Who Am I I am a sinner saved by grace Washed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Listen, we need to understand our character and he gives two things about our character. First of all, we are to have a good conscience toward God everything. I say everything. I do every witness every defense every explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I need to keep in mind that God is there he's watching and I will be judge I will stand accountable for what he does. So I need everything I do I need to have a good conscience with God. We had everything especially during this pandemic every decision. I have not made lightly. It's my prayers research is study and is trying to do the most for the most people and everything else. This is I won't be able when I make a decision when I go forward and do something. I want a good conscience. I got to have a good conscience before God because of God's not pleased with me and it don't matter about anybody else. And so we got to first of all, please God knows what he said there. He said have a good That whereas when they speak evil of you is evil doers. They may be ashamed that falsely accuse what your good conversation in Christ. Not only do we have it have a good conscience conscious for. We need to have a good conversation toward me and we need to be doing good to me. And now there's some things we know we're going to set people off. We know there's some things that are going to make people mad. Listen. Our job is not to make people mad. Our job is not to win arguments are good job is not to win debate. Our job is to prevent Jesus Christ and him crucified to share that hope that we have the Jesus Christ is going to come back and so man. We need to live a good conversation before people we need to live where they make their accusations. That's why I've been extremely careful with you as a church when we came back. It's not for us. It's not I don't have any problems this morning hugging or shaking hands with any of you, but guess what? The world out there does the world out there and so we have to live in this world. We have to try to do everything to reach as many people and whatever we can to do that we can do this and we can make it through this together. And so we have to have a good conversation. We can't be Reckless and that's why I posted on our website. I posted all over Facebook. Here's our requirements. Here's what we want to do. Here's what we're doing and we're seeing people as we show ourselves to be wise if it's starting more and more starting to come and to be a party to assemble with us. And I want that. I want this not only to be at the safest place spiritually, but just to be the safest place physically, I've got recognized recommended my grandson he still at the age that it's not recommend him to be here, but I'm so confident and I'm good enough that when the way that everybody is behaving and everybody the way that everybody's doing that. I also have no fear in him being in the service this morning and so man, we've got to live like that and that's what brings us about our character of living. Brings about the conclusive living brings about the end notice what he says in this conclusive part in verse 17 for it is better if the will of God be so that you suffer for will do in Denver evil doing dumb things for doing stupid things. I've done I apologize Ryan. I know you're watching and I'm not supposed to say that word. I apologize for that. But but man, I've done some ignorant things in my life. And I've suffered for it right I've suffered because of the evil things that I've done evil things that I've said notice what he says here if we live our life. Surrendered submissive to the world around us Sanctified to God that we're going to suffer but we're going to suffer not for bad. Things are going to suffer for God and there is no greater blessing. There is no greater thing in this life than to be able to suffer for Jesus Christ who was willing to die on the cross for me. We all to all be willing to give our lives to him. There's nothing greater. I was got just got through reading a book on by Tim lahaye and them on the Gospel of John and John and betrayers John the John's greatest thing as heat service. He said he could give to God was to be able to die. And you think about that he did die, but God brought him back you think about the Shadrach Meshach in a Bendigo the greatest thing cuz they would not going to be out of that idles. But God put them in the fire. They were willing to die. But yet God allow them to live that we need to be willing to die for Jesus Christ as we wrap things up. I want to give you 4 versus right quick of encouragement something some promises, but if you don't have any hope this morning if there's not a reason that you faith is being sure of what we hope for if you're not sure of what you hope for that that I want to give you some verses this morning to help you out. If you're not certain of what's going to come or what's going to happen. I want to give you some verses of encouragement. The first one comes from Isaiah chapter 41 verse 10. He says fear thou not for I am with the be not dismayed for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee. Yeah, I will help thee. Yay. I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. You know why? I'm here this morning because God's got a hold of me God's going to take care of me God's going to help me through this and hopefully you don't have to fear either Psalms 23 and verse for man. If you had been reading through Psalms 23 during this you need to go back and look at it. The first force is yay, though. I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Listen, allow God to lead you through the yes, I just say one day Lord. I'm tired of people asking me. What are we going to do next week next month tomorrow and then you call me just about every night Dad. What you going to do tomorrow? I don't know honey. I'm going to get up and see what happens right? I'm just going to take it as it comes. I'm just going to follow Jesus Christ. He is the great Shepherd and he promises to lead me and Green Pastures.