INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• What is one thing that the world really puts a lot of emphasis on?
• Beauty! We see all kinds of products that will claim to make you thin. Other products claim to make your skin look young, others that will make you 10-20 years younger.
• People spend BILLIONS on plastic surgery.
• According to stats on http://www.cosmeticsurgery.com, they say in 2004 there was over 12.453 BILLION dollars spent on cosmetic surgery! I am sure the number is higher now!
• We spend a lot of time on outward appearances don’t we? Now that is not ALL bad, I am glad my wife works out and stays in shape, it motivated me to work harder on that myself!
• As we continue on in our journey through 1 Peter, we can stopping off in a section of the text that will dive into the way Christians, “strangers in a foreign land” should treat their spouses.
• WE have to make sure that our marriage relationships are not built on the physical only. God has given the husband and the wife a formula to have a successful marriage together.
• In our text the context deals with the type of woman a Christian wife is to be, but it is important for all of us to understand that the general principles laid out in this text have application for all Christians.
• We are all called to have a depth to our character.
• The question every husband and wife or prospective husband or wife needs to ask themselves is do you want to have an AWESOME relationship with your spouse? If you do you will build your relationship on the principles God establishes for one to have a successful relationship and marriage.
• Some of Peter’s readers were wives whose husbands are not Christians. If you are in that situation do you love your husband enough to follow God’s pattern for you? YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER-AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST! More on that later!
• Let us start by turning to 1 Peter 3:1-2
• SLIDE #2
• 1 Peter 3:1-2(ESV) 1Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives— 2when they see your respectful and pure conduct.
• SLIDE #3
SERMON
I. Real beauty can be seen by all.
• When a beautiful woman or a handsome man walks into the room, people notice, nothing has to be said because pretty much everyone can see it.
• They do not have to advertise their beauty because their attractiveness is self-evident. Real beauty is can also be seen by all.
• Have you ever been around a person who just has a sweet spirit? I have been around some really beautiful people and their beauty or attractiveness had nothing to do with anything physical.
• I have also encountered some physically attractive people who were very ugly because of the way were on the inside. How is real beauty displayed?
• SLIDE #4
A. Real beauty is displayed in attitude.
• In our passage, wives are encouraged to be submissive to their own husbands.
• This word “submission” is a word that most people do not like. The reason it is not liked is because it is misunderstood.
• First off, this is not a master/slave relationship. Because the wife is asked to be submissive to her husband does not mean she is his slave, no more than when all of us are asked to be submissive to the ruling authorities that we are the slaves of the government.
• Submission was a military term that meant to “place under rank”, to yield to one’s advice or admonition.”
• As we have said before, the word denotes a voluntary conscience decision.
• Wives are told in this passage they are to yield to the husband so that even if the husband is disobedient to the Word, they may be won over!
• The phrase “disobedient to the word” denotes a person who is not only an unbeliever, but refused to be persuaded by the message presented.
• Now when we go back to 1 Peter 2:12, we are called to be submissive to God in the sense that we are supposed to behave in a manner that would attract others.
• The wife is called to have a submissive spirit toward her husband so she will be attractive to him.
• I have seen men destroyed by wives who refused to display this type of spirit. It WILL destroy the husband eventually and it will make him resentful of his wife if she will not have a submissive spirit toward him.
• Marriages that last will not last based only on the physical having the right attitude toward each other is so important.
• Attitude is important because attitude will be exhibited in behavior.
• A submissive attitude does not call for a person to be a doormat; it means that wife will yield by their own choice to their own husband.
• A wife will never really convert a husband whom they lead by the nose to church. We will never convert people we take by force either.
• SLIDE #5
B. Real beauty is displayed in behavior.
• 2when they see your respectful and pure conduct
• The word “observe” means a close observation, looking at the minute details of a life. It is a life that stands up to being examined as being genuine!
• We are told to make sure our behavior is pure. For the Christian woman, this means that you are not to lower your morals or for those who are dating, you are not to lower your morals to try to catch a man.
• Your husband should never have to question your motives.
• This also sets some parameters concerning submission. A wife is not obligated to submit to a husband when he is leading her down the path of sin.
• Christians will have a better chance of reaching people if our behavior is pure.
• If we travel the same road of sin as the world, it will not help us to win the lost.
• IF we do not believe enough to allow Jesus to change us, why would a lost person want to give their life to Jesus?
• Respectful behavior deals with our overall response to God. This thought ties in with purity or holy behavior.
• Does our life reflect the fear and respect we have for God? As a Christian wife married to an unbelieving husband, your behavior reflects the amount of respect you have for God.
• IF we are going to reach people, they need to see a respect for God and His word in the way we live our lives!
• Verse one tells us that the unbelieving husband may be won to Christ without a word as they see your behavior.
• Let’s continue with verses 3-4
• SLIDE #6
• 1 Peter 3:3-5(ESV) 3Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing— 4but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands,
• SLIDE #7
II. Real beauty comes from within a person.
• What makes a person beautiful? Hair color? Weight? Measurements? Is there more to it? There has to be more to it that what is on the outside.
• SLIDE #8
A. Real beauty is not only physical!
• In our society we spend a lot of time and money looking good.
• In Jesus day women with the means to do it, spent large sums of time and money trying to look good. Vanity is nothing unique to our society.
• There is nothing wrong with looking good. Some take this passage to mean that we are to just let ourselves go when we belong to Jesus.
• Verse 3 in the original implies that the adorning should not ONLY be external.
• Peter is telling the wives (and all of us) that the external should not be the emphasis of our lives.
• If verse 3 was a prohibition then Peter would be prohibiting the wearing of clothing also. A woman is not only to focus in on the external to win her husband.
• Over time as looks fade, what do you have? What will you build your relationship on when the looks are gone?
• SLIDE #9
B. Real beauty is a reflection of the spirit within.
• Have you known people who have made through life just on their looks to the point where they never really developed a personality?
• What happens when the beauty fades? What happens when the chest drops into the drawers or the once full head of hair grays out and falls out?
• As we take care of the physical we need pay mind to the inner-self.
• Peter encourages wives to let the hidden person of the heart be attractive. There are three ways that attractive spirit manifests itself.
• SLIDE #10
1. A gentle spirit.
• A gentle spirit is one that is unassuming. It is not characterized by envy, pride, or is bossy.
• A gentle spirit is a patient one that does not blow up at the first sign of trouble. It is a calming presence in the midst of chaos.
• SLIDE #11
2. A quiet spirit.
• A quiet spirit is one that is calm, tranquil and does not flash into anger when others speak harshly or behave with a lack of consideration toward them.
• Our society seems to think that the one who yells the loudest is the one who is strong. Or they think the one who is the biggest jerk is the one who is strongest.
• A truly strong powerful person is one who can control themselves and stay calm in the midst of abuse, trouble, or unfair circumstances.
• The external fades, but the inner beauty is not subject to fading, wrinkling or loss.
• SLIDE #12
3. A submissive spirit.
• Peter points out in verse 5 that the women of the Old Testament followed this course of action and were blessed by it.
• Having a submissive spirit toward God and toward your husband will be a real blessing in your life; it will not be a burden. At times it will be difficult, but in the long run it will be well worth the effort!
• Verse 5 reminds us, 5For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands,
• Let’s finish by looking at verse 6.
• SLIDE #13
• 1 Peter 3:6(ESV) 6as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
• SLIDE #14
III. Real beauty takes commitment.
• As time goes on it takes a lot of effort to stay looking good and fit physically. It also takes effort to retain real beauty also. We will conclude by looking at two areas.
• SLIDE #15
A. A commitment to do good.
• In the Old Testament, Sarah habitually obeyed her husband Abraham. By doing what Peter shares with us, we will be following her godly example!
• We must care enough to be committed to doing good!
• SLIDE #16
B. A commitment to stay faithful.
• At the end of verse 6 we are told not to fear anything that is frightening. There are times when we could get intimidated into not following these principles.
• The direct context is telling women that I they will follow the prescription given, they will have nothing to fear!
• WE need to always realize that we can make a difference in people’s lives!
• We need to understand that we can make a difference in the lives of other people. If you know that, you will not give up.
• The fact of the matter is this. Wives, if your husband is not a Christian yet, there is a chance he never will be. No matter what you do, that may not change. You will not be held accountable before God for your spouse.
• With that being said, if a wonderful Christian woman cannot lead her husband to Jesus, probably nothing else will.
• Never give up. At some point it can all change.
• My friend Rick at Mexico was like. The preacher before me told me about him. His wife and lovely daughters would come to church most of the time. I would call on Rick to no avail.
• I suggested to Angie his wife she follow 1 Peter 3:1-6 to the best of her ability.
• A few years after I left that church, Rick was a deacon in the church.
• Buy the way, Robyn and I saw Rick, Angie, some of their grown up children when we went home. Rick is not an Elder at Southside Christian Church!
• What caused his change of heart? I am sure Angie was a big part of it.
• Her commitment to staying faithful made a difference!
CONCLUSION
• Physical beauty is nice, but real beauty that comes from within can change people as they see Jesus lived out in the lives of those who possess it!
• Are you ready for a make-over with Jesus?
• Do you want to be a difference maker?
• Next week we will look at the Irresistible Husband!
