Please open your Bibles to 1 Peter 3:8-18 which we will read in a few minutes.
Suffering for doing good NIV
Suffering for righteousness’ sake ESV
When you are wronged ISV
Suffering for doing right NRSV/CEV
To be sure, no one likes suffering. Suffering is unpleasant.
We usually think of suffering as physical, emotional or mental suffering which can take on many forms.
Physical …
Hunger/starvation
Injury and disease
Sexual abuse
Emotional …
Infertility
Danger / fear
Rejection and humiliation
Being emotionally assaulted
Loss of job
Death of a loved one
But … we don’t often think of suffering for doing good or for righteousness sake.
For instance, I spoke to someone recently who was concerned about confronting his boss about some dishonest business practices that were taking place in the company.
In that instance there was the definite possibility of possible consequences to his job and his ability to provide for his family.
When the apostle Peter wrote this letter to a group of churches they may have very well been facing all of these types of persecution.
With that in mind let’s go ahead and read: 1 Peter 3:8-18
Somehow we need to know how we should respond to suffering for the sake of righteousness.
Verse 15 is kind of a center point around which that ability rotates.
Verse 15 gives us a three point action plan on how to react with those who need to know Jesus whether we are being persecuted or not.
If we can learn the meaning of verse 15 and apply it to all circumstances of our lives the Lord will be able to use us in ways that will glorify Him and benefit His kingdom.
1 Peter 3:15
“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. NIV
Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. KJV
In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy. ESV
In your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. RSV
Do you see the great connection here?
There are two objects; my heart and the Lord or your heart and the Lord.
There is nothing else in this verse.
We all have a multitude of other things in our lives; relationships, duties and obligations, possessions, etc. but all of these, in the arena of our heart must be subordinate to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God is the foundation of His church here on earth and we as parts of His church on earth must have Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God as the foundation of our lives.
When we see the word Lord in this verse it is not just a title it is a position.
The word Lord designates a position of sovereign authority.
Richard Wurmbrand was a Christian pastor in communist Romania. He was imprisoned and tortured by the communists for fourteen years.
Let me just read a few quotes from Richard Wurmbrand that describe the depth of his devotion to and for Jesus.
These quotes describe what it means to reverence, honor and sanctify Jesus in your hearts.
After communism had taken hold of Romania Mr. Wurmbrand and his wife Sabina were attending a conference:
“My wife and I were present at this (conference). Sabina told me, ‘Richard, stand up and wash away this shame from the face of Christ! They are spitting in His face.’ I said to her, ‘If I do so, you lose your husband.’ She replied, ‘I don't wish to have a coward as a husband.’”
Now, Richard is in prison…
“I have seen Christians in Communist prisons with fifty pounds of chains on their feet, tortured with red-hot iron pokers, in whose throats spoonfuls of salt had been forced, being kept afterward without water, starving, whipped, suffering from cold - and praying with fervor for the Communists. This is humanly inexplicable! It is the love of Christ, which was poured out in our hearts.”
“(There are) two kinds of Christians: those who sincerely believe in God and those who, just as sincerely, believe that they believe. You can tell them apart by their actions in decisive moments.”
I wonder, how do we measure up when it comes to “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord.”?
The answer to that question determines if we are ready to move on to the next part of the verse or not.
1 Peter 3:15
“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
The ability to give the reason for the hope we have is dependent on two things; experience and knowledge.
If we really have come to the place where we revere Christ as Lord in our hearts then we have experienced the Lord and are continuing to live in that experience.
Another quote from Mr. Wurmbrand tells us about the knowledge aspect of giving the reason for the hope that we have in Jesus.
“God is the Truth. The Bible is the truth about the Truth. Theology is the truth about the truth about the Truth.” – Richard Wurmbrand
In order to accurately give the reason for the hope that we have in Jesus we must not only know the Truth, Jesus Christ, but we must also know the truth about the Truth and be able to share that truth with others.
In my hand I have four pages of memory Scriptures that we have been memorizing on a quarterly basis.
This is not just some frivolous activity I thought up. I believe that the Lord impressed it upon my heart to do so.
I don’t know if I’ve chosen the best Scriptures but they are Scriptures from God’s Holy Word so they’ve got to be good.
People say, “I just can’t memorize Scripture.”
What do we know about the truth about the Truth?
We know that God’s word is given by the Holy Spirit Himself – 2 Timothy 3:16
We know that the Lord is powerful – The Lord created all that exists – John 1:1-4
We know that the Lord answers prayer – John 15:5-8
What if we prayed and asked the all-powerful Lord who gave us the Holy Scriptures to help us memorize some memory verses?
Do you think He would that would be in His will?
Do you think He is powerful enough to enable you to do that?
Do you think He would answer that prayer?
Yes, I believe with all my heart that He would help you to do so!
Let me give you an example of why this is so important.
There is a popular phrase going around that is not Biblically correct.
Here it is: “The Lord will never give you more than you can handle.”
The moment we are born we enter into an existence we can never handle on our own. The moment we are born we begin to relentlessly head toward our own death.
It is beyond our control; it is nothing we can handle.
Now, I want to ask of you … please, please, please never say that to anyone who is in the midst of deep grieving or loss.
This is a mistaken interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13 that says that the Lord is faithful to help us through temptations which would be unbearable on our own.
It also comes from Philippians 4:13 where Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” He says that in reference to his living conditions in particular and with regard to the struggles related to his work for the Lord.
He never says that the Lord is seeing how much he can carry before he breaks.
I remember seeing this verse quoted on the t-shirt of a competitor on the American Ninja Warrior show. The guy didn’t make it too far through the obstacle course and come to find out the man made his living by owning a liquor store! Great testimony!
Now, because we know the truth about the Truth we are then able to accurately give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have.
We can finally:
1 Peter 3:15
“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
This part of the verse keeps us from getting into arguments about theology which never unifies and always divides.
I have never heard of someone testifying that they were argued into salvation.
But if in our hearts the Lord is revered above all other things and if we have a true and accurate understanding of the Scriptures and if we speak with gentleness and respect for the other person, who knows what the Holy Spirit might do in and through such an interaction?
We already have the gentleness, right? Galatians 5:22-23.
What a wonderful Scripture 1 Peter 3:15 is! Let’s say it together again.
1 Peter 3:15
“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”
Now, if you are one of the folks who says, “I can’t memorize Scripture” let me make this challenge. We all eat three times a day right? So …
1) If every time you sit down to eat as part of your prayer of thanksgiving for your meal ask the Lord to help you memorize this Scripture
2) If every time you sit down to eat you repeat the Scripture out loud seven times before you start eating
3) And, if you do this for three months
You WILL have the Scripture memorized!
After that process you will have repeated the Scripture over 1,911 times and I guarantee you that after the first week you won’t need the paper in front of you and after three months you would have to be given a lobotomy to get it out of your head and out of your heart!
Why is the truth about the truth about the Truth found in 1 Peter 3:15 so important? John 6:16-18
Comments leading into communion
Closing comments
Closing prayer
