Grace Fellowship Church
Suffering As Evangelism III
1 Peter 3:13-17
January 14, 2007
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 regard 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; 16 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. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
Introduction
Since September 11, 2001 the
So we have the department of homeland security. We have the military and the law enforcement agencies on the lookout for possible threats to our national health and well being. There are those who monitor the skies, the land, the waters. They monitor the nations food supply and our energy sources. I am very thankful for all of these hard working people who help keep us safe.
But as important as that is, there is something that is far more important. As Christians living in a world hostile to biblical Christianity, we are to stay on the alert. We are to be watching for those who seek to destroy our faith by means of terror.
We are called by the Lord in the Christian life to be prepared on at least three fronts. First we are to be prepared for good works. Titus 3:1 says, 1 Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
We are to be ready to bear witness to the Gospel. Our text today is telling us that. Look at verse 15. 15 but in your hearts regard 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;
And we are to be ready for the coming of our Lord. Our Lord said this in Matthew 24:42-51.
42 "Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43 "But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 "For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.45 "Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 "Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. 47 "Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 "But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
As we have seen over the past two weeks we are to be prepared for persecution that leads to evangelism. The week before we saw that we were to not fear or be troubled by those who would persecute us. We would be able to keep those commands by remembering that the Lord is in control of everything. Last week we saw that we were to be spiritually prepared for the onslaught of persecution. This week we turn our attention to being prepared to give an answer to our persecutors. This is where the proverbial rubber meets the road.
PNP
Today from our text I want you to see the last two of three preparations for suffering evangelism. Last week we saw the first.
1. We must be spiritually prepared.
Today we will see the final two.
2. We must be prepared in order to be sure in our proclamation.
3. We must be prepared to proclaim the gospel with the right spirit.
Purpose
My purpose in preaching this passage is that we will understand suffering and persecution, welcome it, and take every opportunity that comes along to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is preparation for the fight of faith. This is getting your mind right so that when affliction comes you will not turn back. You will not deny the Lord who bought you.
RPNP
So look with me at these final two preparations for suffering evangelism.
2. We must be prepared in order to be sure in our proclamation.
Look at verse 15.
15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense…
Notice in your text three words… always being prepared. This statement describes what we are to be spiritually. We are to be constantly prepared. The word always in the text signifies a constant and consistent readiness for spiritual action. Here that action is to be prepared. But what does it mean to be always prepared? How can we prepare ourselves to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ in a situation that may cost us our lives? How do we understand the Gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ so well that we willingly lay down our lives for the message?
What Peter has done so far in this letter is to do just that. He has been giving us instructions that will prepare us for this moment. It goes all the way back to chapter one. In chapter one verse one Peter begins by reminding these residents of
In chapter one verses three through nine Peter reminds the reader that they have been caused to be born again by God. He has chosen them out of the world and called them ultimately to an inheritance in Heaven that is at present being guarded. This inheritance is undefiled, imperishable, and unfading. It is being kept in Heaven for us. And this is in spite of the trials that were taking place. It also proved their devotion and focus on the Lord Jesus. Look at chapter 1:6-9.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Peter even goes further in verses 10 and following to show the reader that the Gospel they had received was a God ordained Gospel, predicted by the Prophets and even ensured by the Holy Spirit that they would hear and receive the Gospel.
Then in verse 13 Peter tells the reader that they, because of the Gospel that they had received, are to be holy as God is holy. They are a special peculiar people chosen by God for Himself to walk in a way that is different than the world. They are to avoid fleshly desires that wage war against the soul. They are to operate in a manner that is far different from the world. They are to treat others well and care for the family of God. All of these good works that Peter has outlined in chapter two and three will certainly lead to one thing and that is persecution.
So part of the preparation for persecution is to live in such a holy manner that it invites the world’s scorning and disdain.
Here is the problem with the American church. They, by and large, are no different than the world. Many churches are mere social clubs that meet on Sunday and have songs and a speech. Many are simply trying to be as much like the world as they possibly They are no more interested in living for Christ than the pagan. They chase the American dream. They think, act, and talk like the world.
But when you live by a higher standard of holiness, you will invite the persecution of a lost world. The world is not concerned about a church that is just like them. They invite that. They think it’s great. They put you at the top of the most influential Christian chart.
You are one of them and they love you because you make them comfortable.
Psalm 1 says, “Blessed is the man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seats of the scoffers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in His Law does he meditate day and night.”
So what are some things that we can appropriate to prepare us for persecution? Of course the first thing is living right. But what else?
1. We are to commit ourselves to God. Listen to 1 Peter 4:19.
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
2. We are to patiently endure the persecution. Listen to 1 Corinthians 4:11-13.
11 To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; 12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; 13 when we are slandered, we try to conciliate ; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.
3. We are to glorify God because of the opportunity to suffer. Listen to 1 Peter 4:16.
16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
4. We are to pray for those who persecute us. Listen to Matthew 5:44.
44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
5. We are to bless those who persecute us. Listen to Romans 12:14.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Now all five of these preparations cut across the grain of our human natures. First we have to overcome the need for self preservation. When we feel pain we naturally want that pain to stop. When we are mistreated we want vengeance right then. No person enjoys being a doormat for other to walk on. We naturally do not consider suffering and persecution as a specific spiritual privilege but it is.
Illustration
In Acts 5 Peter and John are dragged before the same Sanhedrin that sentenced the Lord Jesus to death. Their crime, healing a man lame from birth and preaching the Lord Jesus as the crucified resurrected savior. The Sanhedrin wanted to put them to death. Gamaliel stood and told the Sanhedrin to consider all the other failed attempts by zealots in the past and if this thing truly was of God it would last and if not it would fail. So they reduced the sentence. Listen to Acts 5:40-42.
40 They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them. 41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council ,(grumbling and complaining that God would allow this mistreatment to take place promising that they would never ever preach the Gospel again) rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ[31
Not only do we recognize persecution as a spiritual privilege, we also pray for and bless our persecutors. Notice that all of this is with a godly attitude. The attitude comes directly from the example of Christ. Remember verse 18?
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God,
Likewise this will be an evangelistic method for us. I told you earlier this was an evangelistic method. It is called suffering evangelism. So how does this work? As a result of being spiritually ready to endure persecution we will be able to effectively evangelize our persecutors. Look at the rest of verse 15.
always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;
The word defense in the text is the Greek word “apologia” where we get our word apologetics. This is the word used often as a defense. In a court of law the defense attorney uses an apologia to defend his or her client.
The text leaves no doubt as to what must be defended. If it were not for the rest of verse 15 we could be left with the mistaken notion that we are to defend ourselves. But this is not the case. Look at verse 15 again to see what we are to defend.
always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you
What is this hope that we are to defend in the face of persecution? Look back at 1 Peter 1:3 and following.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Then in chapter 1:21 Peter says this.
21who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
Peter tells us that our hope is in the provision of eternal salvation promised by God and secured by Christ. But we also have verse 15 that tells us that Christ is regarded as Holy in our hearts and that he is the hope that we defend. This is an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel.
Peter and Paul did this on several occasions. Stephen did it and was killed but out of that murder we find the Apostle Paul converted soon after.
There are some promises that our Lord made us for this time of defense and persecution. Listen to Matthew 10:16-20.
16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 "But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; 18 and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 "But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. 20 "For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.
Notice who you are to provide this defense to. Look at the text. always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;
Some will ask, some will not. But by our correct handling of persecution we will elicit curiosity from those who would do us harm.
Remember last week I told you about the Epistle of Mathetes to Diognatus? Here is another quote that Tom sent me this week.
For He will yet send Him to judge us, and who shall endure His appearing? ... Do you not see them exposed to wild beasts, that they may be persuaded to deny the Lord, and yet not overcome? Do you not see that the more of them are punished, the greater becomes the number of the rest? This does not seem to be the work of man: this is the power of God; these are the evidences of His manifestation.
We have seen that in order to properly proclaim the Gospel we must be spiritually ready. Finally I want you to see that:
3. We must be prepared to proclaim the gospel with the right spirit.
Peter also provides instructions on how we are to make this defense of the Gospel. It has to be done in the correct manner. To proclaim the Gospel in the wrong spirit is adding offense to an already offensive Gospel. If you have a KJV, a NKJV, an NIV, or a NASB look at the end of verse 15 and the beginning of verse 16. If you have an ESV look at verse 16.
16 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience,
Gentleness denotes meekness. It is the opposite of a haughty attitude.
Respect is the Greek word phobou where we get our word phobia. Peter tells us to treat our persecutors who are questioning us with fearful respect.
The opposite of these two reactions are anger and contempt.
If we are going to effectively evangelize those who would be against us we must do so in the correct spirit. Here is why. Look at verse 16.
so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
Notice what the people are reviling you for. They are not reviling you for your outspoken evangelistic zeal. They are reviling you for your good behavior. Living a holy life will always bring about the slander or reviling of a lost world.
Conclusion
We have seen over this series that in order to glorify God in the midst of persecution that will lead to an evangelistic opportunity we must not fear or be troubled by our persecutors and we must remember who is in charge. We are to be spiritually prepared for persecution and we are to be prepared to proclaim the Gospel correctly and in the right spirit.
Let me ask you, are you preparing for persecution? Are you spending quality time with your Lord and growing in grace as you regard the Lord Jesus as holy more and more in your heart? Are you prepared to participate in persecution evangelism? Do you understand that it may be our suffering for doing good that God uses to further His kingdom? Do you recognize that it may be God’s will for us to suffer persecution?
Look at verse 17.
17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
That was the way of the apostles and the early church. Read the book of Acts.
Jesus was crucified and just days later Peter stood up to preach and over three thousand were saved. The apostles were forbidden to preach and they did so anyway and God added to His church. Acts 5 we find Peter and John dragged before the Sanhedrin. Chapter six starts by saying, “WHILE THE DISCIPLES WERE INCREASING.” Chapter 7 is the stoning death of Stephen and chapter eight is the scattering of the church where they preached Christ everywhere they went. After this scattering we find the Samaritans receiving the Lord and then an Ethiopian. Chapter nine we have the conversion of Saul of Tarsus and that is when the persecution really started. Chapter ten we find Cornelius the Gentile converted to Christ. Acts 11:19-21 says this,
19 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.
In chapter 12 we see the arrest of Peter and chapter 13 begins Paul’s first missionary journey. Reads Acts 13 and onward and what you will find is that there is persecution then harvest. It happens over and over again. This is the pattern that the Lord has given us.
Trial and trouble followed by great harvest and revival. Maybe we should pray that the Lord would send us persecution so that His kingdom will be furthered.
Let’s pray
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