“Preachers in our day are often tempted to focus too much on behaviors: “How to Be a Good Parent,” “How to Be a Good Spouse,” and so on. And pastors should offer advice on such subjects—but they cannot be the staple diet. People may feel that they need a course on how to be the perfect husband or how to be the right kind of mom, but what they actually need most is to understand who God is and what humanity is in relationship to God. When people really understand the Gospel, their ability to be a good mother, wife, coworker, or whatever else begins to fall into line” – Alistair Begg
Prayer
Who is winning?
1 Peter 3:8-9
[8] Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. [9] Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.
1 Peter is about how Christians should conduct themselves even in persecution. Reminder this is a letter to churches who were in the Roman Empire and Nero had burnt Rome and blamed the Christians for it. Not every Christian was under persecution, but the setting was not good for many and there were many who were under persecution even penalty of torture and death. So bad things are happening, what are they to do? Who is winning?
Last week
Peter told us how to conduct ourselves in the world. Honorably, right?
- Conduct in Society
- Conduct in the workplace
This week in Chapter 3 Peter helps us with conduct in:
- Conduct in the family
- Conduct in the church
Gotcha verses: A note before we begin. When I say gotcha verses in the Bible, I don’t mean to detract from the inerrancy of scripture, nor God’s authority. What I mean is the intentional misuse of a scripture to make our point. E.G in the following scripture today it says wives, be subject to your own husbands. If you walk away today thinking that makes men the emperor and women wrong about everything then you’ve made it a gotcha verse. If you walk away seeing that in the context of the chapter and the New Testament and all of the Bible saying that we as Christian’s should humble ourselves, honor others, obey God, and put our selfish ways aside for the better good then it’s not a gotcha verse. It’s difficult to love your neighbor as yourself if you are trampling on them and a little hint…our wives are our neighbors. So I’m not apologizing for the Bible where it tells us to do difficult things, I’m making sure we operate within context and clarity. If not, humans tend to bend things to what we want to see instead of what it really says.
Galatians 3:28
[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 3
Wives and Husbands
[1] Likewise, 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, [2] when they see your respectful and pure conduct. [3] Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—[4] but 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. [5] For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, [6] as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
[7] Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.
[8] Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. [9] Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. [10] For
“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
[11] let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
[12] For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
[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 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, [16] 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.
[18] For Christ also suffered once for 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, [19] in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, [20] 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. [21] 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, [22] who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
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Why do any of this?
- It’s commanded.
- It draws people to Jesus.
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How? To Do this? Wives? Husbands? Christians?
Remember:
“Preachers in our day are often tempted to focus too much on behaviors: “How to Be a Good Parent,” “How to Be a Good Spouse,” and so on. And pastors should offer advice on such subjects—but they cannot be the staple diet. People may feel that they need a course on how to be the perfect husband or how to be the right kind of mom, but what they actually need most is to understand who God is and what humanity is in relationship to God. When people really understand the Gospel, their ability to be a good mother, wife, coworker, or whatever else begins to fall into line” – Alistair Begg
How?
Colossians 3:1-17
Put On the New Self
[1] If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [2] Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. [3] For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. [4] When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
[5] Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [6] On account of these the wrath of God is coming. [7] In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. [11] Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
[12] Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, [13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
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How? Jesus
1 Peter 3:18
[18] For Christ also suffered once for 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,
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Wives
Submission is not bowing to the emperor here. It’s understanding our roles within the context of marriage.
So why should I submit if he’s being a lazy lug? Or rude?
Well….he shouldn’t be those things.
Listen….. if he’s asking you to submit to something unGodly then that’s a problem (you can’t submit to being a drug dealer or child abuser). Just like our instructions in chapter 2 when placed in the context of the entire scripture. Obey Government unless it directs you to disobey God. Jesus himself…render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.
Wednesday night the IMB missionary told us of a lady in North Africa who had converted from Islam to Christianity and had her 3rd child (a 3rd daughter) and the husband wanted a boy so badly that he got a 2nd wife that day (since he’s Muslim and he can) and eventually the 1st wife leads the 2nd wife to Christ.
Is that how any of us would want it? Nope.
Do you admire the situation that she’s in? Nope.
Is she trying her best given the circumstances to honor God? Yep.
In the book of Esther she is chosen to be the King’s wife…not her choice (no rights)
She hears of a conspiracy to kill her people and has to approach the King (under the penalty of death if he doesn’t like it)…again no rights
But she does it.
Is this how modern society works? Nope
Was that fair? Nope
But she did her best given the circumstances to honor God and save the Israelites. Yep.
Then why do what the Bible says here? It can draw your husband to God.
Husbands
Husbands, same deal on rights. The day you married her, you (hopefully) committed before the Lord to love and honor her…till death do you part. Don’t overlord and complain because you “used” to be able to do whatever you wanted whenever you wanted….you gave up those rights.
Weaker here is physically weaker, men are bigger and typically stronger. In that time men had to protect their wives and if they left them, the wife was in danger of harm or rape and could not provide for herself due to the culture.
The warning is….if you don’t your prayers are hindered. God isn’t listening to you if you’re treating her poorly.
In fact scripture says you need to be the spiritual leader.
Acts 16:25-34
[25] About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, [26] and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. [27] When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. [28] But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” [29] And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. [30] Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” [31] And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” [32] And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. [33] And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. [34] Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
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And what if she’s not doing right?
Remember Hosea? Two weeks ago. God told Hosea to go find a prostitute named Gomer and marry her. He obeyed God. Was everything great? Nope.
Did she go back to her old ways? Yep
Did he go get her? Yep
Did he do his best given the circumstances to honor her and God? Yep
Church (Christians)
- Unity
- Sympathy
- Brotherly love
- Tender hearts
- Humble mind
So we saw in Maine this week that evil lives and acts daily.
We saw in Israel two weeks ago that evil lives and acts daily.
Many more examples. So how are we to respond?
So my big question for you is who is winning? You won’t want to do the things Jesus says unless you’re sure he’s won. Nobody wants to be on the losing side.
It really feels like the bad guys right?
How come it feels like the bad guys are winning?
Pastor it sounds like you are asking us to surrender our rights.
I’m saying that’s what it says here.
Scripture doesn’t say be a pushover, but it sure doesn’t say the human way is best.
It doesn’t say let them come break into your house and take all your stuff and kill your family.
It says gentleness and respect, good conscience even when reviled, suffer for doing good.
Alexander Maclaren – “only he who can say, The Lord is the strength of my life can go on to say “of whom shall I be afraid.”
Christians do not have to fear anyone on this earth.
Why? Example
Ends with Jesus
Think of His rights
1 Peter 3:18
[18] For Christ also suffered once for 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,
Who is winning? Jesus. He already won. Let’s do what he says. That makes a better marriage and life.
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