Sunday Morning, November 24, 2019 AM

The Blessedness of Suffering for Doing Good

Against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. To be happy and blessed when you are insulted and persecuted and falsely accused makes no sense to most people.

Yet God works most powerfully in those situations that seem most improbable. As the Lord said to Paul, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore Paul said he would boast all the more gladly about his weaknesses so that Christ's power might rest on him.

For the Christian, one of the realities of life in this fallen world is that we will, at some point, probably suffer for doing good. It is to that topic that Peter turns in 1 Peter 3, verses 13 through 22.

And like Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, Peter says that there is a blessedness that comes when we suffer for doing good. So if you have your Bibles, I'd like for you to stand with me. We're going to read from 1 Peter 3, starting in verse 13, through the end of the chapter.

I'll be reading from the English Standard Version. May God bless the reading of his word this morning. Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed.

Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. 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, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for our sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit, in which He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey.

When God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to Him.

You may be seated. This past week at Christian Heritage Academy, we were reminded through daily devotions, and in a special chapel service, of what the persecuted church around the world is facing. In Africa, families are being displaced from their homes and banned from their communities.

In Asia, Christians are separated from their families and detained by the state in order to get treatment for their mental illness. In the Middle East, believers are imprisoned, tortured, or executed for refusing to submit to the demands of Islamic radicals.

In our own country, the freedom of religion and the free exercise thereof, what our founders called the first freedom, is under attack in more subtle and sophisticated ways. Laws and lawsuits are introduced to keep Christians from gathering in homes to study the Bible, to prevent students from praying in schools, to force Christian employers and employees to violate their consciences in the workplace, and to stop concerned Christian citizens from voicing their concerns in public.

While their means are different, the end is the same. To intimidate Christians into silence and retreat, that we cannot do. That we must not do. Peter wrote this letter to remind Christians that we live in this world as sojourners and exiles.

But rather than seeking to isolate ourselves from the world, we are, instead, to infiltrate the world. As God's holy people, we are to proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

And how do we do that? By doing good to everyone in every situation, for Jesus' sake, to the glory of God. Consider the following verses. We've not been in 1 Peter for a while, so this will kind of take us back and catch us up to where we're at.

So if you would just turn back a few pages to chapter 2, verse 12. This follows on Peter's statement of being sojourners and exiles. Chapter 2, verse 12, Peter says, keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

That they may see your good deeds. Skip down to verse 13. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil, and to praise those who do good.

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Verse 20, for what credit is it if when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it, you endure.

This is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Jesus also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. Chapter 3, verse 5, for this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord.

And you are her children if you do good, and do not fear anything that is frightening. And then chapter 3, verse 10, for whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

Let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it. It is clear, I hope, from looking at those verses, that we are called to do that which is good, even as Jesus himself went about doing good, it says in Acts 10 .38.

But what if, in doing good, we end up suffering for it? Peter calls us to remember the blessedness of suffering for doing good. So three things. The first thing that Peter points us to is this, that if you suffer for doing good, have no fear.

That's verses 13 and 14 in chapter 3. If you suffer for doing good, have no fear. Suffering doesn't always happen when you do good. It's not a given. It's not like the situation, we shouldn't go borrowing trouble.

I remember a commercial years ago of a young junior high boy at a school dance. And he's there and he's scared to death. And so he goes up to one girl after another and he says this, you wouldn't want to dance with me, would you?

Or I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to dance with me. Well, he was defeated before he ever got started. And sometimes we can approach doing good in that way. We go into it expecting, well, this is not going to turn out well.

I'm going to be berated. I'm going to be upended. And so I better not just say anything. I better not do anything. It's better to play it safe and just keep to myself. Well, Peter says, he says, now who is there to harm you if you're zealous for what is good?

Nine times out of ten or more, when you do good, how are people going to respond? I can't believe you did such a nice thing for me. It makes me so mad. No. Nine times out of ten or more, they're going to say thank you.

I appreciate that. I appreciate your kindness. I appreciate your encouragement. I appreciate your words. So Peter reminds us, be zealous to do what is good. Be eager to do what is good. Because usually your efforts will be appreciated.

But Peter is also a realist. There is that occasion on which when you do good, you end up suffering for it. Suffering sometimes happens when you do good. It's interesting the way Peter words it here. At the beginning of verse 14, he says, but even if you should suffer.

That phrase in the original language, but even if, indicates an unlikely but not impossible event. But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake. He says, realize this, you will be blessed. You will be highly privileged in your suffering.

It reminded me of the passage of scripture back in Acts chapter 5. The apostles had been hauled in before the religious leaders in Jerusalem and they had been threatened and they had been beaten and they had been told not to preach or speak anymore in the name of Jesus.

And in Acts 5 41 it says, then when they left the council, they left rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. They considered themselves to be highly privileged. They considered themselves blessed to have suffered for the sake of doing what was good, what was right.

God will in his time bring about that blessing that Peter talks about. It may not be right away. It may not be in the next month or the next year or in your lifetime, but the blessing will come. For God is faithful.

God keeps his promises. Keep your finger there in 1 Peter chapter 3, but turn back to James chapter 5. And James here talks about patience in suffering. And he reminds us of farmers and prophets and of Job.

James chapter 5 verse 7 through verse 11. Be patient, therefore, brothers, until when? Until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains.

You also be patient. Establish your hearts for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another brothers so that you may not be judged. Behold, the judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You've heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. So Peter reminds us we ought to be zealous, eager to do what is good.

And most of the time that's going to work out just fine. But there might be that occasion where you do what is good, you do what is righteous, and you end up suffering for it. Peter reminds us, you are blessed.

You are blessed in that moment. God sees and knows and will reward your faithfulness. If not at that moment, you know that the day of the Lord is coming. Be patient. Be patient. He will keep his word.

And Peter reminds us as well, he says, have no fear of them. Fear God, not man. It is easy in that moment when we feel like we have done what is right. We've done what is good. We have put ourselves out there.

We have taken the risk to do the right thing, to honor God. And then we get slapped. And we want to run. We want to back off. We want to hide. We want to say it's not worth it. Because we're more afraid of what men may say than what God has called us to do, and that is to be faithful.

Jesus said in Matthew 10, verse 28, he said, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Fear God, not what men can do.

Proverbs 29, 25 says, the fear of man will prove to be a snare. But whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. I have to be honest with you. This is a particular problem for me, to fear man. I have struggled with it my whole life, to be more worried about what people may think or say about me than to honor God first and let the but I would be less than honest with you if I didn't admit that it is still something that I struggle with.

So I appreciate the words of Proverbs 29. The fear of man will prove to be a snare. It always is. But whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Peter points us back to an example from the Old Testament when he says, have no fear of them, nor be troubled.

It's not a direct quote, but it's an inference back to a passage in the Old Testament in Isaiah 8, verse 12. And it takes us back to one of the kings of Judah, King Ahaz. Ahaz is being threatened with invasion from a couple of different foreign armies, and he is afraid of them, afraid of what's going to happen to him, afraid what will happen to the nation of Judah.

And Isaiah warns Ahaz against forming ungodly alliances, of looking to man to solve the problem. And he urges Ahaz to trust God for deliverance. And this is what the Lord reminds Isaiah of in the midst of Ahaz's struggle to trust in the Lord.

And you get the idea here that perhaps Isaiah was worried as well. Isaiah chapter 8, verse 11 says,. For the Lord spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people.

In other words, don't be afraid. And the Lord said this, verse 12,. Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. Verse 13,. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy.

Let him be your fear. Let him be your dread. Don't worry about what men can do. Fear the Lord. Honor the Lord. Be fearful of God, and be faithful to him. Trust God, even when his face is hidden. Believe God's words, not the words of the deceived and the lost.

For the lives of the lost give evidence of the emptiness of their ways. Their end is destruction. When you end up suffering for doing what is good, remember that one who is greater than man is ultimately in charge.

I'm reminded of the example of Corrie Ten Boom's sister, Betsy. That in the years when they were confined in the German concentration camps, when Corrie was often afraid and fearful, and not at all sure that things were going to work out well, it was her sister, Betsy, who constantly reminded her of the fact that God was in control.

Despite all the horrors and the hardships they were enduring, trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord. Trust in the Lord was Betsy's constant refrain to her sister. So, if you end up suffering for doing what is good, have no fear.

God is in control. God is in control. Peter goes on to say that if you suffer for doing good, maintain your testimony in the midst of the suffering. Verses 15 through 17. Peter gives us here some plain instruction concerning our evangelism, our outreach.

That it is to continue even in the face of suffering, perhaps even be ramped up in the face of suffering. Look at verse 15. It says, But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy. Maintain your testimony by remaining submissive to the lordship of Christ.

Peter says, Honor or set apart Christ as Lord. The word there means to sanctify. To acknowledge as holy. To recognize as being in authority. In my teaching at CHA, I teach 11th grade Bible. And 11th grade Bible covers almost the whole New Testament.

We look at Acts through Revelation. That's a lot of stuff to cover in a year. And I struggle to get through it all just because there's so much stuff that you can talk about. But for every book, we try to focus on what is the key theme here?

What's the main idea of each book that we look at from Acts through Revelation? But I was considering back in the summer. What is the theme of the New Testament? Is there a particular verse that could serve as the overarching idea and theme for all of the New Testament?

And I thought of the verse in Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost. When Peter declared, God has made him both Lord and Christ. This Jesus whom you crucified. That's the theme of the New Testament. That's the big idea of the New Testament.

God has made him both Lord and Christ. And so when Peter says, but honor, set apart, sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. He's reminding them and us, who is Jesus really? He is Lord. So whoever opposes us, whoever mocks us, whoever scoffs at us, whoever downplays any good thing that we do in Jesus' name.

Look, they're not in control. They're not in charge. They're not the Lord. Despite what they may think about themselves, it is Jesus Christ who is Lord. So we think about what Peter says here. But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy.

He's really combining Matthew 6 .33 and Romans 12 .1 and 2. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. And then offer your bodies as a living sacrifice unto God. Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

We're called into a daily attitude of faith that obeys in spite of the circumstances. Be submissive first to the Lordship of Christ. That's how you maintain your testimony if you suffer for doing good.

And then Peter says, be prepared to have an answer. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, and then be prepared to give an answer. Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is within you.

Make a defense. Give a reason. The word there is the Greek word apologia, which doesn't mean to be sorry for something. It's a legal term. It means to make a defense. A reasoned argument. A statement of one's case.

And Peter says every Christian should be able to give a well-reasoned defense of his hope in Christ. Either in response to formal investigation or informal questions. Throughout history we read of Christians who are hauled in before the authorities.

And are asked to give an account for their testimony, for their faith in Christ. Jesus promised that when that should happen, God remembers and God sees. And God promises to give us the words to say. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be prepared.

In fact, Peter tells us just the opposite. Be prepared for such a time. Be ready to give an account. And who knows? Thanksgiving is coming up, right? Some of you may be with family members or friends who are not Christians.

Perhaps the conversation will turn towards spiritual things. And will turn in the direction of your faith in Christ. Will you be ready to give an answer? To give a reason for the hope that is in you? Be prepared.

Be prepared. Paul was prepared. When you look at the book of Acts, the last fourth of the book of Acts. Is taken up with Paul's opportunities to give a reason for the hope that was within him. He's arrested in Jerusalem unjustly.

Taken into Roman custody. And goes through a series of hearings. A series of trials. The first is there in the temple when he is in front of an angry mob. And he petitions the Roman centurion for the opportunity to speak to the mob.

Who wanted to kill him. And if it weren't for the Romans coming in and pulling him out of all that. He would have surely been put to death. But in the midst of all of that. Paul says, hang on just a minute.

Can I say something? And Paul gives his testimony. Of how the Lord saved him. Before this angry mob. Well, that didn't go well. They were still ready to kill him. And in fact they plotted for a way to carry that out.

So that Paul ended up having to be moved out of Jerusalem for safety's sake. And he spent some time, two years in fact. In Caesarea. Being held there. And during his time while he was in Caesarea. He had an opportunity to share his testimony with the Roman governor.

Not just once, but many times. And then when change of leadership happened. And a new governor came in. In chapter 26. The new governor isn't quite sure what to do with Paul. And it just so happened. That visiting king Agrippa.

With a great deal of knowledge about Christianity and Judaism. Happens to come in for a visit. And so the Roman governor says, hey. This guy has appealed to Rome. He's appealed to Caesar. I'm not exactly sure what to say.

I can't send him without some sort of explanation why he's there. Can you help me figure out how to deal with this? And so Paul gets an opportunity to share his testimony again. This time before a new governor.

And before king Agrippa. Well certainly that's not the last time. There are a whole lot of other events that happen even after that. But we come to the end of Acts. The end of Acts chapter 28. And it closes with the words.

It says that for two years Paul stayed under house arrest. Speaking to all who came to him. What do you think he said? I would imagine he shared his testimony. Of what the Lord did. Despite the fact that he was under arrest.

And the reason he was there in Rome under arrest. Was that he had appealed to Caesar. And so somewhere between the end of the book of Acts. And when Paul writes his last letter of second Timothy. And he says, I know that my time has come.

We know that somewhere in between those two events. That Paul had the opportunity to share his testimony. Even before the Roman emperor. And was released for a period of time. Be prepared to answer. To give a reason for the hope that is within you.

Maintain your testimony. When you suffer for doing good. And Peter says, not only let your words. Give evidence of your faith in Christ. But let your behavior. Give testimony of the fact that your life is different.

He says do this with gentleness and respect. Having a good conscience. So that when you are slandered. Those who revile your good behavior in Christ. May be put to shame. Be good in your behavior. Practice gentleness and respect.

Keep a good clean conscience. What does it mean to have a good conscience? A clean conscience? A clear conscience? It has to do with one's personal integrity before God alone. Of living consistently with one's knowledge of God.

This past week at CHA. Not only did we learn about the persecuted church. But we also on Thursday. At the end of the day. Had the opportunity to celebrate Mr. Ralph Bullard's birthday. And after that.

Wonderful gathering in the auditorium. And students sang happy birthday to Mr. Bullard. And different people shared. There was a little reception in the school cafeteria. And different people shared there.

And everything that was said about Mr. Bullard. Was a great blessing. And Mr. Bullard I have to be honest. I wanted to talk and share. But as Cheryl and I talked later. I couldn't have done so without crying.

One thing that was said was by David Holmes. Mr. Holmes. Secondary principal. Secondary headmaster. He said whenever I think of Ralph Bullard. One word comes to mind. And that is integrity. Integrity.

Living consistently with one's knowledge of God. That's what Peter calls us to here. To not just maintain our verbal witness. But the witness of our lives. To keep a clear conscience. The old preacher Samuel Johnson said this.

He said shame arises from the fear of man. Conscience. From the fear of God. So be submissive to the Lordship of Christ. Be prepared to give an answer. Be good in your behavior. And lastly Peter says.

That we maintain our testimony in the face of suffering for doing good. If we remain yielded to God's will. He says for it is better to suffer for doing good. If that should be God's will. Than for doing evil.

God knows best. Our vision is very short sighted. And we much prefer comfort to challenge. But know that there are times when God's will. Doesn't always go along with what our happy ending is. Sometimes we are called to suffer for righteousness sake.

Alexander McLaren another preacher from long ago. In reflecting on Psalm 27. Said this. He said only he who can say the Lord is the strength of my life. Can go on to say of whom shall I be afraid. Only he who can say the Lord is the strength of my life.

Can go on to say of whom shall I be afraid. So when you suffer for doing good. If you suffer for doing good. Maintain your testimony. Lastly Peter says. If you suffer for doing good. Remember Jesus and the outcome of his suffering.

And that's verses 18 through 22. And some of you have been sitting there thinking. When is he going to get to this passage. This is one of the most difficult passages in all of scripture. To make sense of.

To understand what Peter exactly meant. There are three common interpretations of this passage. Where Peter talks about Jesus being put to death in the flesh. But made alive in the spirit. In which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison and on.

What exactly is Peter talking about there? There are three common interpretations. The first is this. That it was the spirit of Christ. And Peter refers to that back in chapter 1 verse 11. About how the spirit of Christ was working in the prophets of old.

So one theory is. That the spirit of Christ was preaching through Noah. Who in his time was a persecuted minority. Whom God saved through the judgment of the flood. In the ark. That's one simplified theory.

A second interpretation is this. Is that in the time between his death and resurrection. Jesus proclaimed victory over Satan and sin and death. To fallen angels who are being held in prison. Awaiting the final judgment.

And Peter kind of alludes to that. Well more than alludes to that. In 2 Peter chapter 2. It's a parallel passage about the same event. A third perspective that is held. Is that when Jesus went and preached.

To the spirits in prison. What he did was that he went to those. Who were being held in hell. And he preached to them the message of salvation. Offering to them a second chance. That obviously is not supported by scripture.

Hebrews 9 verse 27 says. It is appointed unto man once to die. And after that comes the judgment. That's a fairly easy one to deal with. Even though some people hold to that perspective. So both options 1 and 2 are possible and plausible.

I have to say that after doing some study. And you may think differently on this. But I personally lean to option number 2. That in the time between his death and resurrection. Jesus proclaimed victory to fallen angels.

Who are being held with chains of darkness. Chains in darkness. Awaiting the final judgment. The word used for spirits here. When he says he proclaimed to the spirits in prison. That word as it's used in the New Testament.

Almost without exception in the New Testament. Refers to supernatural beings. Not to people. And the word prison. That's used by Peter. Is used to refer to a place of punishment for Satan and fallen angels.

Not human beings. So on the basis of those things. I lean towards the second perspective here. That Jesus would have gone and proclaimed a message of triumph. Not the gospel of repentance and salvation.

To those fallen beings. All that to say this. What's Peter's point? We've gone off on this rabbit trail. Trying to unravel what in the world Peter's talking about here. As I said, Peter brings up the same story in 2 Peter chapter 2.

What's his point? Peter's point is this. In this whole passage of verses 18 through 22. That in his death, burial and resurrection. Jesus triumphed over his enemies. And is now in heaven at the right hand of God with all authority.

Though he did only good. He suffered. Not for his sins. For he had none. But he bore our sins. He died in our place. And because of his victory. Christians can endure suffering for doing good. And rejoice in Christ Jesus our Lord.

By faith in him. So when you suffer for doing good. Remember Jesus. And the outcome of his suffering. For in his death. In his suffering. We have life. By faith in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.

By the work of regeneration. That God brings in our hearts. Through the work of the Holy Spirit. We then identify with Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. In baptism. Peter makes it clear that baptism is important.

But it's not baptism that saves us. He says it's not the physical act. It's not the water itself. As some churches say. That it's baptismal regeneration that occurs. The regeneration is the work of the Spirit.

Not the water. So he says it's not the removal of dirt from the body. It's not the water itself. But it is that pledge of a good conscience towards God. And that baptism becomes a sign. And a seal. In which we say.

I identify and I put my trust in Jesus alone. And that I too have died with him. And that by faith I've been raised in him. And I live a resurrected life now. In Christ. And in him alone. So Peter tells us here.

Expect suffering for doing good. It came to Jesus. And so will it come to we, his followers. Trust in the Lord and do good. Psalm 37 says. Submit to the Lordship of Christ. Look to God. Don't expect the praise of men.

But look to the Lord for his reward. And lastly rest in Christ's good and finished work on the cross. And in the power of his resurrection. A passage of scripture that has been precious to our family.

Is Psalm 56. And in verses 3 and then a little bit later in the last part of verse 9. David. Who was. Being ill treated. Though he had done no wrong. In serving Saul the king. Says this. When I am afraid.

I put my trust in you. This I know. That God is for me. In God whose word I praise. In the Lord whose word I praise. In God I trust. I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? What can man do to me?

Would you pray with me. Lord thank you for. This timely instruction from. The apostle Peter. Lord we. We live in. Days. Where we face. Pressure. And some have faced. Severe persecution for their faith in Christ even in this country.

Lord I pray that you would help us. That when we suffer for doing good. When we suffer as followers of Christ. Lord help us to put our trust in you. To have no fear. But to maintain our testimony in Christ.

And to remember Jesus himself. Who suffered the righteous.