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Speaker: While you're seated,
we do wanna do our memory verse.

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So if you're thinking, oh, he forgot
we didn't, we're gonna do it together.

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It's part of actually our passage today.

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So first Peter three 15,
the blanks are up there.

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We've got one more week of blanks.

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We took mercy.

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And so next week, no
blanks, but in your hearts.

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Okay, we're gonna do this together.

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Ready?

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This is how it goes.

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Ready.

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But in your hearts, honor
Christ, the Lord as holy.

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Always being prepared to make a
defense to anyone who asks you for a

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reason, for the hope that is in you.

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Yet do it with gentleness and respect.

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One Peter three 15.

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Let's do it one more time, but in
your hearts, honor Christ, the Lord as

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holy, always being prepared to make a
defense to anyone who asks you for a

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reason, for the hope that is in you.

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Yet do it with gentleness and respect.

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One Peter three 15.

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Awesome, thank you.

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Next week we're gonna do
it without any blanks.

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We are talking about suffering again,
and maybe you're sitting out there

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going, man, really suffering again.

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And yet, here's where I think this
is encouraging for us as a church.

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The Bible doesn't tell us that
this life is going to be easy.

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So if you've found that this life has been
anything but easy as a Christian, well

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then I, I think you're in good standing.

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This life is, is not
meant to be comfortable.

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Remember, Peter is writing
to those who are elect.

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Exiles meaning those that aren't at home.

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And so as those that aren't at
home, as we suffer in this world,

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we should suffer expecting that
we are gonna face opposition.

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And it's a great comfort to us to
know that the Bible addresses that.

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That God doesn't just say, well,
uh, your life is a Christian is

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gonna be, it's gonna be hunky dory.

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It's gonna go great, and nothing's
ever gonna be a problem for you.

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Because what we would find then is
when we look at reality, which is

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that we do face opposition and we do
suffer, we would say, wait a minute.

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What's wrong with where I'm at?

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And so in some ways the fact
that the Bible does revisit

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suffering so often should be a
great comfort to us as Christians.

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And in fact, this morning we're
gonna talk more about suffering

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as the world attacks us.

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We're gonna talk about the fact
that God has a purpose for our

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suffering when we are slandered,
reviled, accused, whatever it may be.

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God has a purpose for that.

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He, he's not left us as one author.

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Put it this way.

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We're not a drift in chaos.

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Uh, she goes on and says to me, that's
the most fortifying, most stabilizing,

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most peace giving thing that I know
about anything in the universe.

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Every time that things have seemingly
fallen apart in my life, I've gone back

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to those things that do not change.

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Nothing in this universe
can change those facts.

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He loves me and I am not
at the mercy of chance.

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The person that wrote those
words is Elizabeth Elliot.

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If you know anything about her
story, she lost not only one husband

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being Jim Elliot as the Wani tribe
that he was trying to reach with.

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The gospel ended up murdering him and
his companions there on that beach.

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She not only lost him, but she lost
another husband late in her life.

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This woman knew what it was to
suffer, and she concludes in the yet.

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Nothing in the universe can
ever change those facts.

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He, God loves me and I am
not at the mercy of chance.

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I don't know where you are this morning
as you gather with us, but wherever

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you are, if you are in Christ, you
can say the same thing this morning.

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You are not at the mercy of chance.

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God has you.

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Where you are facing what you're
facing, even suffering for a distinct

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purpose and the confidence that you
can have this morning is the confidence

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that suffering is never for nothing.

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When you suffer opposition, when
you go up against somebody who is

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persecuting you for your relationship
with Jesus, it's never pointless.

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It's always going to be a catalyst
for your good and his glory.

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Every time you suffer as a believer
for good, it's always a catalyst

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for your good in God's glory.

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Our job, our job, is simply to
avail ourselves to what he's

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doing in it and through it.

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Take your Bibles if you're
not already there and open up

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to one Peter chapter three.

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We're gonna be in verses 13 through 17.

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First Peter three, verse
13 and 14 says this.

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Now, who is there to harm you if
you're zealous for what is good,

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but even if you should suffer for
righteousness sake, you will be blessed.

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Have no fear of them nor be troubled.

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Peter begins now who is there to
harm you If you're zealous for what's

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good, the word harm there, it means
to afflict you, to cause harm, to

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cause suffering to come upon you.

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Who's there there to harm
you if you are zealous?

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Now he's asking this in the future tense.

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Who's going to what, what suffering
can really befall you If you are

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zealous, if you are enthusiastic,
if, if you are committed to, if

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you are deeply committed to that,
which is good, that which is good.

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What he means, I believe by that, which
is good, is everything that Peter's

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been talking about with us all the way
from chapter two verse 11, all the way

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down through chapter three, verse 12.

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We go back and, and you think about what
is good being sub submitting ourselves

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to governing authorities and suffering
well under that, it means looking at the

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Master of slave relationship there and
submitting even to cruel masters in, in

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that context, it looks like, uh, the, the
wife submitting herself to her husband

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and winning him over, even without a
word, it looks like the husband living

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with his wife in an understanding manner.

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And it even looks like what we talked
about last week, not repaying evil

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for evil or reviling for reviling.

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This is the good that we
need to be zealous for.

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Peter asks the question,
who is going to harm you?

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Who's gonna hurt you?

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Who's gonna afflict you?

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If you're zealous for what is good?

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In other words, if you're zealous
for your pursuit of Jesus.

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'cause remember right in the midst
of all of that that I just talked

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about, there was that statement
that he said, Hey, Christ suffered

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for you, leaving you an example.

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So you should follow in his steps.

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And so Peter saying, if you're
following Jesus, and that means

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opposition, that means persecution,
that means suffering for you.

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The question becomes who's gonna hurt you?

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There are some that believe that
this is a general statement there

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that Peter's making, uh, just a, a
nod to, well, you know what, if you

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pursue what's good, if you're a good
person, people aren't gonna hurt you.

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I don't buy it.

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I think when you look at the context
of everything that I just talked

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about, let's answer Peter's question.

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Who could harm me if I'm
zealous for what's good?

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Well, the Gentiles could harm
us, not us, because we are all,

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most of us in the room, Gentiles.

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The governor's authorities,
they, they could hurt us.

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They could imprison us.

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They could kill us.

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Okay.

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Yeah.

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So Gentiles Governors the cruel masters.

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They, they could hurt us.

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They could physically hurt us.

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They could hurt us in other ways.

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Um, unbelieving spouses.

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They could hurt us.

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They could hurt us, for sure,
especially emotional hurt there.

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And then there's just the world at large
that, that's kind of a blanket category.

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They, they could do some harm to us too.

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So we could answer Peter pretty evidently
here and be like, well, Peter, there's,

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there's plenty of people that could
hurt us, which is why we have to do a

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little bit more digging to understand.

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What did he refer to when he
said, who's there to harm you?

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What did he mean by this harm?

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Peter doesn't imply anywhere that we
should expect a life free from suffering.

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In fact, the opposite.

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We're gonna get there when he's gonna
say, beloved, don't be surprised at the

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fire of trial when it comes upon you.

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Is there something strange happen?

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Is happening to you?

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This is what it means to follow Jesus.

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And so Peter's not suggesting that we
should live a life free from suffering.

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In fact, one commentator said this
suffering stalks the Christian.

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How's that for a nice,
warm thought this morning?

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It's true though.

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Suffering stalks the believers.

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We seek to follow Christ
in a christless world.

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We will face opposition to our faith.

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Instead.

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I think what Peter's doing here is
he's trying to stimulate the thinking

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of his audience, as he so often
does, to get out from under the sun

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to what's beyond it, so to speak.

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If I can go to the book of Ecclesiastes
with us, Peter's trying to get us

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to think about not this life, but
the life to come, and that's why

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Peter puts this in the future tense.

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He says, who will harm you?

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Not who has harmed you?

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Well then we can run
through that laundry list.

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Peter's saying, no.

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Who will harm you?

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Who can ultimately do any harm to you?

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And what he's trying to get us to
do is remember what's coming for us.

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He's been here, right?

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First Peter, chapter one,
verses four and five.

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I quoted it last week.

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Here it is again, an inheritance, right?

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We've been born again to a living hope.

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To an inheritance.

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And what's that inheritance like?

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Well, it is imperishable.

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It is Undefiled.

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And it is unfading.

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And where is it?

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It's kept in heaven for you who are
being guarded by God's power through

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faith for that salvation ready
to be revealed in the last times.

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So who can touch your inheritance?

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Nobody.

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Nobody can.

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So who's there to harm that?

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Well, well, no one or what
Paul says in Romans 8 31.

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If God is for us, then what?

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Yeah, but with a little bit
more gusto, let's do it.

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Huh?

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If God is for us, then what?

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Who can be against, who can be against us?

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That's Peter's question here.

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Who's there to harm you?

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If you're zealous for what is good?

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Remember what Jesus said?

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You're like, which part?

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This part?

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He said, don't fear
those that can only what?

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Kill the body.

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We hear that in the church and we're like,
well, yeah, I've, I've heard that before.

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Right?

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We're not supposed to kill
those that can fear those.

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That can only kill the body.

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And it sounds so spiritual, but
think about that for just a second,

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how radical that statement is.

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Think about some of the deaths that
Christians have died for their faith.

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You think of the Marian martyrs
that were burned at the stake,

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refusing to recant their their faith.

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You think of the disciples and some
of the torturous deaths that they

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died for their faith in Jesus Christ.

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And Jesus says, don't be afraid of
those that can just kill the body.

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Why?

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Because what is death?

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It's a doorway into our
presence with Jesus.

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It's a doorway into that inheritance, this
undefiled, that's imperishable, that's

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unfading, that's kept in heaven for us.

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And so Jesus, and, and then Peter
likewise here, is trying to get us to

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say, Hey, look, church, who is there
to harm you ultimately if suffering

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comes and, and yes, it's going to come.

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But if suffering comes, what
harm can they really do to you?

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If your faith, your confidence, your
hope, your certainty is secure in Christ.

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In fact, he goes on and he says, on the
contrary, even if you should suffer for

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righteousness sake, he says, you're gonna
be blessed when he says, but he's not

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suggesting well, but even if you do as
though like, well, most likely you won't.

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But even if you do, no, he's
saying even when you do, you

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could think of it that way.

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On the contrary, on the other hand,
when you suffer for righteousness

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sake, you don't need to be afraid.

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It's not gonna harm you.

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It's gonna lead to your blessing.

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You're gonna be happy for
that is what the word means.

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Jesus, in Matthew chapter five
said something very similar.

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He said, blessed are those who are
persecuted for righteousness sake.

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That's what Peter's talking about here.

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When we suffer for righteousness sake,
Jesus says, blessed, happy are those who

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are persecuted for righteousness sake.

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Why?

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Well, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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Blessed are you when others revile you
and persecute you and utter all kinds of

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00:11:05,624 --> 00:11:07,364
evil against you, falsely on my account.

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Rejoice and be glad.

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Why?

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For your reward is great in heaven.

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00:11:13,604 --> 00:11:15,584
So even there in the Sermon on
the Mount, what's Jesus doing?

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00:11:15,584 --> 00:11:17,804
He's saying you're gonna be blessed
if you suffer for your faith.

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00:11:17,984 --> 00:11:20,685
And that blessing, that
happiness, that joy that you have,

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isn't necessarily earthbound.

254
00:11:22,334 --> 00:11:25,364
It's heaven bound because you know where
you're going, who's there to harm you

255
00:11:25,364 --> 00:11:26,229
if you're zealous for what is good.

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00:11:27,150 --> 00:11:29,699
Instead, if you suffer for
righteousness sake, and that's an

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00:11:29,699 --> 00:11:30,990
important qualifier there, right?

258
00:11:30,990 --> 00:11:33,870
For righteousness sake, if
somebody's opposing you because

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00:11:33,870 --> 00:11:36,930
you are following Jesus, he says,
you're, you're gonna be blessed.

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And so don't be afraid.

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00:11:39,300 --> 00:11:41,069
He says, have no fear
of them nor be troubled.

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00:11:42,060 --> 00:11:44,610
Don't be gripped by a, a terror.

263
00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:48,270
Don't be gripped by an anxiety
about what if somebody comes at me?

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00:11:48,270 --> 00:11:50,250
What if I'm, I'm persecuted for my faith.

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00:11:50,699 --> 00:11:52,079
Don't be afraid of them.

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Don't be troubled.

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00:11:54,060 --> 00:11:56,789
See church, Peter didn't want us
unaware of the challenges that

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00:11:56,789 --> 00:11:58,109
lay in front of us as Christians.

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00:11:58,949 --> 00:12:01,169
Peter didn't want to paint this
picture of following Jesus that

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00:12:01,169 --> 00:12:03,539
causes us when we suffer to say,
wait a minute, what in the world?

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00:12:03,539 --> 00:12:03,935
Who, who?

272
00:12:04,289 --> 00:12:05,699
Why didn't anybody tell me about this?

273
00:12:07,109 --> 00:12:09,060
But on the other hand, Peter
also didn't want us paralyzed

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00:12:09,060 --> 00:12:12,119
with fear over the suffering
that will encounter as believers.

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00:12:13,739 --> 00:12:16,469
And so he writes and says this, he
says, look, if your Christianity

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00:12:16,469 --> 00:12:18,989
is gonna cost you something, no,
it's not gonna cost you Christ.

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00:12:20,235 --> 00:12:23,594
And that's the greatest hope that we
have in that we rejoice and we find

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00:12:23,594 --> 00:12:25,245
a great deal of hope and security.

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00:12:25,334 --> 00:12:28,064
And so again, we're thinking about
suffering suffering's always for

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00:12:28,064 --> 00:12:29,415
our good and the glory of God.

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00:12:29,625 --> 00:12:32,055
One of the reasons it's for
our good is it's a great sign

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00:12:32,055 --> 00:12:33,255
of your security in Christ.

283
00:12:33,255 --> 00:12:36,225
It's a great affirmation that
you are doing things right.

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00:12:36,735 --> 00:12:37,935
Point number one this week is this.

285
00:12:37,935 --> 00:12:40,515
Welcome suffering while secure in Christ.

286
00:12:41,235 --> 00:12:44,084
Welcome, suffering while secure in Christ.

287
00:12:48,510 --> 00:12:49,110
I've said it before.

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00:12:49,110 --> 00:12:52,230
Let me just hit a few verses here
to show us that the Bible doesn't

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00:12:52,230 --> 00:12:54,540
hide the fact that as Christians,
we should expect to suffer.

290
00:12:56,490 --> 00:12:57,840
Romans eight 16 and 17.

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00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:00,630
Paul says The spirit himself
bears witness with our spirit

292
00:13:00,630 --> 00:13:01,860
that we are children of God.

293
00:13:02,339 --> 00:13:05,790
And if children then heirs, heirs
of God and fellow heirs with Christ.

294
00:13:05,790 --> 00:13:09,300
Notice this provided we suffer
with him in order that we may

295
00:13:09,300 --> 00:13:10,890
also be glorified with him.

296
00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:14,280
To be a child of God, to be a
co-heir with Christ is gonna involve

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00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:16,140
suffering, uh, before we get there.

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00:13:16,619 --> 00:13:21,959
In other words, Jesus said
this in Matthew 10 38 and 39.

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00:13:21,959 --> 00:13:25,619
He says, whoever does not take up his
cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

300
00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:29,369
Whoever finds his life will
lose it, but whoever loses his

301
00:13:29,369 --> 00:13:31,290
life, for my sake will find it.

302
00:13:31,305 --> 00:13:31,364
It.

303
00:13:32,444 --> 00:13:35,655
Notice the suffering that's implied
there and what discipleship looks like.

304
00:13:36,045 --> 00:13:37,125
What is the cross?

305
00:13:37,185 --> 00:13:39,495
We've made it an an instrument
of, of beauty through

306
00:13:39,495 --> 00:13:40,635
wearing it around our necks.

307
00:13:40,635 --> 00:13:41,535
But what is the cross?

308
00:13:41,535 --> 00:13:43,005
The cross is an instrument of torture.

309
00:13:43,635 --> 00:13:44,745
It's an instrument of suffering.

310
00:13:45,375 --> 00:13:49,275
So Jesus is telling his followers,
Hey, you wanna follow me?

311
00:13:49,785 --> 00:13:50,055
Okay.

312
00:13:50,685 --> 00:13:53,415
Be ready to take up your
cross and come after me.

313
00:13:54,045 --> 00:13:54,915
You wanna follow me?

314
00:13:55,364 --> 00:13:55,785
Okay?

315
00:13:56,204 --> 00:13:58,155
Be ready to understand that
it's not about life here.

316
00:13:58,155 --> 00:13:59,175
It's gonna be about life there.

317
00:14:00,974 --> 00:14:01,394
Jesus.

318
00:14:01,394 --> 00:14:05,114
Also in John 1520 told his disciples
this in the upper room, as he's getting

319
00:14:05,114 --> 00:14:08,714
ready to go to the cross, as he's getting
ready to go and leave them, he says this,

320
00:14:08,714 --> 00:14:12,734
remember the word that I said to you, A
servant is not greater than his master.

321
00:14:13,274 --> 00:14:17,774
If they persecuted me, they
will also persecute you.

322
00:14:19,064 --> 00:14:21,314
If they persecuted Jesus,
they'll persecute us.

323
00:14:23,774 --> 00:14:25,454
And then one more, Paul
says this to Timothy.

324
00:14:25,935 --> 00:14:26,894
He says, anyone.

325
00:14:27,780 --> 00:14:32,219
Who desires to live a godly life
in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

326
00:14:34,019 --> 00:14:38,849
Anyone who desires to live a godly life in
Christ, Jesus will suffer for that faith.

327
00:14:39,959 --> 00:14:41,999
I'd love to stand up here this
morning and preach a message to you

328
00:14:41,999 --> 00:14:45,209
all about how to avoid suffering and
how to live a comfortable life as

329
00:14:45,209 --> 00:14:46,560
a believer, as a follower of Jesus.

330
00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:49,139
And yet the problem is I don't find
that to be what the clear testimony

331
00:14:49,139 --> 00:14:51,420
of scripture tells us to expect.

332
00:14:54,660 --> 00:14:58,319
Your neighbor may mock your,
your faith may curse you for

333
00:14:58,319 --> 00:14:59,340
sharing Christ with them.

334
00:15:00,030 --> 00:15:03,660
Your boss may threaten your job because
a coworker complains to them, uh,

335
00:15:03,660 --> 00:15:05,790
about how much you talk about Jesus.

336
00:15:06,689 --> 00:15:09,480
Your spouse may despise your faith.

337
00:15:09,810 --> 00:15:12,060
Your kids may reject your faith.

338
00:15:12,060 --> 00:15:15,180
Your government may one
day persecute your faith.

339
00:15:15,990 --> 00:15:17,760
These are things as Christians
that we have to not only

340
00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:19,560
be ready for but to expect.

341
00:15:22,244 --> 00:15:25,274
See Peter's not writing to comfort these
Christian exiles with the thought that

342
00:15:25,274 --> 00:15:28,454
the suffering they had already experienced
was all they were gonna ever experience.

343
00:15:29,444 --> 00:15:32,295
On the contrary, who was writing to
prepare them for the suffering that

344
00:15:32,295 --> 00:15:35,504
was going to come, that the, the
greater suffering that was gonna come

345
00:15:36,224 --> 00:15:38,805
and the comfort that he was offering
them was a reminder that they were

346
00:15:38,805 --> 00:15:42,134
going to be no matter what, secure
in Christ who was there to harm you.

347
00:15:43,214 --> 00:15:44,414
If you're zealous for what's good.

348
00:15:45,779 --> 00:15:49,469
When we are zealous for the Lord, when
we are zealous about following Jesus,

349
00:15:49,859 --> 00:15:53,009
those are the times that when we face
opposition, we will find it greatly

350
00:15:53,009 --> 00:15:55,439
comforting to us because it's gonna
be a sign that we're doing things

351
00:15:55,439 --> 00:15:58,560
right, that we are following Jesus.

352
00:15:59,459 --> 00:16:00,689
And, and that's the caveat here.

353
00:16:00,689 --> 00:16:05,399
We, we have to be zealous for
what is good if, if we're not.

354
00:16:05,969 --> 00:16:07,229
Running hard after Christ.

355
00:16:07,589 --> 00:16:10,019
If we're not zealous for what's good,
what we're gonna find is we're gonna be

356
00:16:10,019 --> 00:16:12,719
much more prone to, to avoid suffering.

357
00:16:12,899 --> 00:16:14,969
We're gonna be much more
tempted to compromise.

358
00:16:15,629 --> 00:16:22,319
We're gonna be much more apt to, to
deny the opportunity to share with

359
00:16:22,319 --> 00:16:25,439
someone about Christ than we are to
step into that because we're gonna be

360
00:16:25,439 --> 00:16:28,319
afraid 'cause we're not gonna feel good
about where we're at with the Lord.

361
00:16:29,249 --> 00:16:33,959
Your security in Christ fluctuates
from your point of view.

362
00:16:33,989 --> 00:16:34,589
Let me say that.

363
00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:37,920
From a God's eye view, it never will.

364
00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,370
Your salvation is taken care
of, accomplished at the cross.

365
00:16:41,370 --> 00:16:43,020
We don't add a single thing to that.

366
00:16:44,219 --> 00:16:49,349
It's done is what Jesus said, but your
tangible experience of your relationship

367
00:16:49,349 --> 00:16:51,719
with the Father, your relationship
with God, your relationship with

368
00:16:51,719 --> 00:16:56,729
Christ, that can fluctuate given how
you are doing it, pursuing the Lord.

369
00:16:58,545 --> 00:17:01,964
When you are in the word, when you are
in prayer, when you are around the other

370
00:17:01,964 --> 00:17:06,223
believers, when you're confessing and
battling sin, when you're not harboring

371
00:17:06,223 --> 00:17:11,263
bitterness and anger and things, you're
gonna find that you are confident

372
00:17:11,263 --> 00:17:12,194
and you're standing with the Lord.

373
00:17:12,194 --> 00:17:13,095
You're on fire.

374
00:17:13,095 --> 00:17:14,085
You're like, bring it.

375
00:17:14,085 --> 00:17:14,595
Let's go.

376
00:17:14,595 --> 00:17:16,305
Whatever opposition is out
there, I'm ready for it.

377
00:17:18,435 --> 00:17:21,345
But if you are on the other hand,
starving the spirit within you.

378
00:17:22,185 --> 00:17:25,155
If you're not in the word of God,
if you're not praying, if you're not

379
00:17:25,155 --> 00:17:28,214
around other believers, if you're
harboring unrepentant, unconfessed

380
00:17:28,214 --> 00:17:32,415
sin, if you're bitter and angry over
the plight that you're facing, you

381
00:17:32,415 --> 00:17:34,845
are not gonna feel very confident
about where you're at with the Lord.

382
00:17:34,845 --> 00:17:37,605
And when suffering comes up, you're gonna
do everything you can to run from it.

383
00:17:39,255 --> 00:17:42,015
And so that's why this caveat,
being zealous for what is

384
00:17:42,015 --> 00:17:43,275
good is so important to us.

385
00:17:44,085 --> 00:17:45,645
We have to be running hard after Jesus.

386
00:17:45,645 --> 00:17:48,255
And if you're running ha hard after
Jesus and you encounter suffering,

387
00:17:48,465 --> 00:17:51,435
what you will find is it is gonna be so
confirming for you, it's gonna be that

388
00:17:51,435 --> 00:17:54,525
sign that you are secure in Christ.

389
00:17:55,455 --> 00:17:59,775
When I was a younger man, I, I used
to ride rollercoasters and I was the,

390
00:17:59,775 --> 00:18:01,785
the rollercoaster rider that I wanted.

391
00:18:01,785 --> 00:18:04,245
The harness clicked as
far down as possible.

392
00:18:05,504 --> 00:18:10,425
Right, but sometimes you, you couldn't
quite get it down as far as you want and

393
00:18:10,425 --> 00:18:14,534
they hit go and you're taking off and
you, you don't have fun on that ride.

394
00:18:15,854 --> 00:18:16,725
There's a little bit too much.

395
00:18:16,725 --> 00:18:18,374
Some of you are daredevils,
you like the gap.

396
00:18:18,374 --> 00:18:20,715
You like to come up off the
seat a little bit on the dip.

397
00:18:21,104 --> 00:18:22,124
I'm not that guy.

398
00:18:22,514 --> 00:18:24,435
I want the, the lap bar all the way down.

399
00:18:24,435 --> 00:18:26,024
I want the shoulder
harness all the way down.

400
00:18:26,024 --> 00:18:26,895
I'm gonna click it all the way.

401
00:18:26,895 --> 00:18:29,264
And my problem is saying, are they
gonna be able to get me outta this

402
00:18:29,264 --> 00:18:31,245
thing when I get back to the the bay?

403
00:18:32,985 --> 00:18:38,295
Listen, y'all, some of us need to,
to take the lap bar of life, if I can

404
00:18:38,295 --> 00:18:41,145
put it that way, and click it a few
more clicks in our relationship with

405
00:18:41,145 --> 00:18:46,605
the Lord so that you feel a little
bit more secure when you encounter the

406
00:18:46,605 --> 00:18:51,075
opposition that is inevitably gonna
come on that rollercoaster, that hill

407
00:18:51,075 --> 00:18:56,025
is gonna happen, that drop is gonna
be there, and, and the, the firmness,

408
00:18:56,025 --> 00:18:59,415
the tightness of that lap bar is gonna
dictate how you experience that drop.

409
00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:05,820
For us as, as Christians, we
may need to double down on our,

410
00:19:05,820 --> 00:19:07,260
our intake of the word of God.

411
00:19:07,260 --> 00:19:12,930
For that extra click, we, we may need
to increase our, our prayer time or

412
00:19:12,930 --> 00:19:16,110
double down on our prayer time, or even
start to say, I need to start praying.

413
00:19:17,010 --> 00:19:17,640
Click.

414
00:19:19,290 --> 00:19:19,620
Maybe.

415
00:19:19,620 --> 00:19:22,620
It's looking like, man, as a Christian,
I need to get accountability into

416
00:19:22,620 --> 00:19:25,380
my life to help me battle this sin.

417
00:19:25,740 --> 00:19:26,220
Click.

418
00:19:27,810 --> 00:19:30,449
Or maybe as a, a believer in
saying, I, I've got sin that

419
00:19:30,449 --> 00:19:31,979
I've gotta confess and repent of.

420
00:19:31,979 --> 00:19:34,800
Click, click, Steve.

421
00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:35,850
We're zealous for what is good.

422
00:19:35,850 --> 00:19:38,939
If, if we're taking care of our walk with
Christ, then Christ is gonna take care

423
00:19:38,939 --> 00:19:43,080
of us when the opposition comes our way,
and we're gonna find that we are secure

424
00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:47,429
through that, that we're not worried
about it, that we know he's got us.

425
00:19:48,990 --> 00:19:50,669
The more zealously you pursue Christ.

426
00:19:50,669 --> 00:19:51,750
It's a a paradox, right?

427
00:19:51,750 --> 00:19:54,570
The more zealously we pursue
Christ, the more we should

428
00:19:54,570 --> 00:19:55,889
expect to suffer for Christ.

429
00:19:55,889 --> 00:19:58,830
And yet at the same time, the
more secure we'll feel in Christ.

430
00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:04,439
Suffering for Jesus shouldn't terrify us.

431
00:20:04,439 --> 00:20:05,879
Like Peter said, it should comfort us.

432
00:20:07,290 --> 00:20:10,169
It should comfort us that we're doing
it right, that we're on the right track.

433
00:20:10,979 --> 00:20:12,689
And the other thing it
should do for us, it should.

434
00:20:13,275 --> 00:20:16,845
Cause us to be looking for and
ready for those opportunities.

435
00:20:16,875 --> 00:20:19,035
'cause remember what I said,
suffering that comes our way.

436
00:20:19,035 --> 00:20:20,985
It's a catalyst for your
good and also for what?

437
00:20:20,985 --> 00:20:22,004
For the glory of God.

438
00:20:22,695 --> 00:20:25,425
And so we should be looking for and
ready for it should not only comfort

439
00:20:25,425 --> 00:20:28,815
us, but it should also cause us to say,
okay, if I'm going through something,

440
00:20:28,965 --> 00:20:32,685
then that means God wants to use my
life to testify to his goodness, his

441
00:20:32,685 --> 00:20:34,575
kindness, and what he's doing here.

442
00:20:34,905 --> 00:20:36,375
And that's where Peter goes next.

443
00:20:36,615 --> 00:20:38,085
See, God's gonna use our suffering.

444
00:20:38,085 --> 00:20:41,685
Sometimes he's gonna use your
suffering to maybe refine you.

445
00:20:42,509 --> 00:20:45,419
And, and this is the suffering that
he can use as discipline in your life.

446
00:20:45,419 --> 00:20:47,009
This is what Hebrews 12 talks about.

447
00:20:47,370 --> 00:20:52,709
The, the father disciplines his son as
an, in, in, in the, our, our God will

448
00:20:52,709 --> 00:20:56,939
discipline us for our good just as a,
an earthly father disciplines his son,

449
00:20:57,449 --> 00:21:00,540
but he's also at times gonna use that
suffering in our life to produce a

450
00:21:00,540 --> 00:21:05,820
steadfastness in us, uh, a character in
us that's gonna result in eternal rewards.

451
00:21:06,620 --> 00:21:09,620
And, and Paul talks about that in Second
Corinthians chapter four, that eternal

452
00:21:09,620 --> 00:21:12,620
weight of glory, that this light,
momentary affliction is preparing for us.

453
00:21:13,399 --> 00:21:15,139
But then the other thing that
suffering is gonna do, and this is

454
00:21:15,139 --> 00:21:17,689
what we're talking about right here,
is suffering, is going to cause those

455
00:21:17,689 --> 00:21:22,519
that watch us suffer to look at us
and say, what is wrong with you?

456
00:21:24,110 --> 00:21:25,969
What do you have that I don't have?

457
00:21:26,959 --> 00:21:29,060
And that's the testimony that we're after.

458
00:21:29,330 --> 00:21:30,080
Look at verse 15.

459
00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:31,639
He says this, but in your hearts, okay?

460
00:21:31,639 --> 00:21:32,479
Don't be afraid.

461
00:21:33,075 --> 00:21:36,165
Don't be troubled, he said,
but instead in your hearts

462
00:21:36,225 --> 00:21:38,055
honor Christ, the Lord is holy.

463
00:21:38,445 --> 00:21:42,105
Always being prepared to make a
defense to anyone who asks you for a

464
00:21:42,105 --> 00:21:47,055
reason, for the hope that is in you,
yet do it with gentleness and respect.

465
00:21:48,885 --> 00:21:50,670
He starts out here, but
this time it is adversive.

466
00:21:50,670 --> 00:21:52,665
He is meaning the contrast here.

467
00:21:53,115 --> 00:21:53,865
Don't be afraid.

468
00:21:54,465 --> 00:22:01,335
Instead, but rather in your hearts honor
Christ, the Lord is holy in your hearts.

469
00:22:01,335 --> 00:22:01,605
Why?

470
00:22:01,605 --> 00:22:02,294
In my heart?

471
00:22:02,294 --> 00:22:05,024
Well, because this is telling me that,
that if I'm gonna weather it externally,

472
00:22:05,024 --> 00:22:06,585
I first need to be prepared internally.

473
00:22:07,725 --> 00:22:10,365
Man, I gotta make sure that
I've got the, the proper revere.

474
00:22:10,365 --> 00:22:11,804
I've got the proper honor of the Lord.

475
00:22:11,804 --> 00:22:17,625
I'm fearing God in my heart so that I'll
be ready to suffer well on the outside.

476
00:22:19,095 --> 00:22:21,254
So in your hearts honor
Christ, the Lord is holy.

477
00:22:21,254 --> 00:22:23,264
Literally, it's sanctify Christ the Lord.

478
00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:27,179
This is not meaning that we
are making him more holy.

479
00:22:27,179 --> 00:22:30,090
This does not mean that we are
honoring him more than, than he

480
00:22:30,090 --> 00:22:32,905
already is honored or giving him
more holiness than he already has.

481
00:22:34,215 --> 00:22:38,054
Now rather what it's about is, is
us revering him, us fearing him.

482
00:22:38,534 --> 00:22:43,514
In fact, this is a quote again from in
these verses that Peter is grabbing back

483
00:22:43,514 --> 00:22:47,385
from the, the Old Testament again, back
from the Tugen of Isaiah chapter eight.

484
00:22:47,895 --> 00:22:52,725
So Isaiah chapter eight, verses 12 and
13 says this, do not fear what they fear.

485
00:22:52,725 --> 00:22:53,804
Now lemme stop there for a second.

486
00:22:53,804 --> 00:22:56,324
'cause the context is important
to us understanding this.

487
00:22:57,074 --> 00:22:59,594
In Isaiah chapter eight, Isaiah's
writing to the southern kingdom

488
00:22:59,594 --> 00:23:03,105
there and he's saying, look, I know
the nations are all around you.

489
00:23:03,719 --> 00:23:05,820
I know you've got Arum
that's threatening you.

490
00:23:05,820 --> 00:23:09,149
I know you've got Assyria on the rise,
and, and they're gonna threaten you

491
00:23:09,149 --> 00:23:10,229
and you're gonna be afraid of them.

492
00:23:10,889 --> 00:23:13,289
Isaiah's saying, don't fear
what the nation's fear.

493
00:23:14,340 --> 00:23:15,959
Don't fear what the nations don't fear.

494
00:23:15,959 --> 00:23:18,719
Don't fear other men
nor being dread of them.

495
00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,409
But verse 13, the Lord of hosts him.

496
00:23:22,409 --> 00:23:24,269
You shall honor as holy.

497
00:23:24,479 --> 00:23:27,149
Let him be your fear and
let him be your dread.

498
00:23:27,149 --> 00:23:29,844
Do you see the, the parallels here
between this in our verse in verse 15.

499
00:23:30,615 --> 00:23:33,195
In your hearts honor, Christ
is holy, but the Lord of hosts

500
00:23:33,345 --> 00:23:35,235
him, you shall honor as holy.

501
00:23:36,345 --> 00:23:40,785
And so Peter is making an e
equation here between Jesus and

502
00:23:40,785 --> 00:23:42,615
Yahweh, between Jesus and God.

503
00:23:42,615 --> 00:23:45,495
He's saying just as you honor God,
he's saying to these suffering

504
00:23:45,495 --> 00:23:49,185
saints in the, the, the dispersion
that he's writing to here, you

505
00:23:49,185 --> 00:23:50,625
also need to honor Christ that way.

506
00:23:50,985 --> 00:23:52,215
And he's saying that to us as well.

507
00:23:52,215 --> 00:23:55,245
We need to, in our hearts,
honor Christ, the Lord as holy.

508
00:23:55,665 --> 00:23:58,995
We need to be ready internally if
we're gonna weather it externally.

509
00:23:59,834 --> 00:24:03,584
We need to be ready internally if we're
gonna be useful to the Lord externally.

510
00:24:04,935 --> 00:24:06,435
He goes on and talks
about that usefulness.

511
00:24:06,435 --> 00:24:08,925
He says this, we need to honor
him in, in our hearts as as holy,

512
00:24:08,925 --> 00:24:13,514
always being prepared to make a
defense to anyone who asks you for a

513
00:24:13,514 --> 00:24:15,284
reason, for the hope that's in you.

514
00:24:15,885 --> 00:24:17,294
Always being prepared.

515
00:24:18,435 --> 00:24:20,745
Back in high school, I was in a
musical, seven brides for seven

516
00:24:20,745 --> 00:24:24,854
Brothers, so only time I've ever
worn, worn makeup in my life.

517
00:24:25,215 --> 00:24:29,175
Yeah, only time I'll ever, while
I'm still alive wear makeup.

518
00:24:31,845 --> 00:24:33,615
But in this musical, I was a suitor.

519
00:24:33,975 --> 00:24:35,834
So if you know the
musical, I was a bad guy.

520
00:24:36,465 --> 00:24:36,945
Guess what?

521
00:24:36,945 --> 00:24:37,544
I'm the bad guy.

522
00:24:37,544 --> 00:24:37,965
What?

523
00:24:38,205 --> 00:24:39,945
Um, sorry.

524
00:24:40,274 --> 00:24:42,705
Something that my kids
get and none of you do.

525
00:24:42,735 --> 00:24:43,784
I don't even know where that came from.

526
00:24:44,235 --> 00:24:45,014
I was a bad guy.

527
00:24:45,615 --> 00:24:46,935
I was a bad guy that was wearing makeup.

528
00:24:47,324 --> 00:24:47,985
Bad guys.

529
00:24:48,199 --> 00:24:50,175
A, a guy wearing makeup is
always gonna be a bad guy.

530
00:24:50,205 --> 00:24:51,254
Okay, we'll just put it that way.

531
00:24:52,020 --> 00:24:55,560
I was a bad guy wearing makeup
and I was not a big role in the

532
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:57,780
musical, and so I had a, a side role.

533
00:24:57,780 --> 00:25:00,915
I was kinda off to the side and, and
I had to make, if you've ever been in

534
00:25:00,915 --> 00:25:04,919
a, in a play, the characters on the
side because they're part of the scene.

535
00:25:04,919 --> 00:25:07,409
They have to, to make
conversation, but not audibly.

536
00:25:07,620 --> 00:25:09,600
It's the most awkward thing I've
ever done in my entire life.

537
00:25:10,169 --> 00:25:14,909
I felt so outta place, but my best
friend at the time, he was one of

538
00:25:14,909 --> 00:25:19,440
the brothers, he had a starring
role and he was obnoxious about it.

539
00:25:20,175 --> 00:25:24,314
He was obnoxious about protecting
his voice to the point that I

540
00:25:24,314 --> 00:25:25,725
was like trying to cough on him.

541
00:25:25,725 --> 00:25:29,715
Just like I wasn't even sick, but I
was just like, I'm gonna get you sick.

542
00:25:30,675 --> 00:25:34,635
The reason he was that was because he was
thinking to himself, I have to be ready.

543
00:25:34,905 --> 00:25:38,084
My role didn't matter if I got a
little tickle in my throat, whatever.

544
00:25:38,145 --> 00:25:39,794
'cause I was just really
part of the chorus.

545
00:25:39,794 --> 00:25:41,955
I wasn't doing any solos
or anything else like that.

546
00:25:42,614 --> 00:25:46,814
He had speaking roles, he had solos,
so he had to care for his voice because

547
00:25:46,814 --> 00:25:50,774
what happens in musical theater, if
the star has a a problem with their

548
00:25:50,774 --> 00:25:57,104
voice, the understudy steps in the star
gets taken out hopefully to be able

549
00:25:57,104 --> 00:26:00,374
to rest and recover and then come back
into and be useful to the cast again.

550
00:26:02,294 --> 00:26:06,645
Church, there are no understudies for
you as Christians, and in fact, rather

551
00:26:06,645 --> 00:26:10,215
than sideline you in suffering, God will
often give you center stage in suffering.

552
00:26:11,985 --> 00:26:14,445
Because he wants your
hope to shine through.

553
00:26:15,314 --> 00:26:19,485
He wants what we're talking about in
verse 15 to happen, and so he wants

554
00:26:19,485 --> 00:26:22,965
you ready no matter what you're going
through, to step to center stage, and

555
00:26:22,965 --> 00:26:26,804
give a defense to anyone who asks for
a reason, for the hope within you.

556
00:26:26,810 --> 00:26:26,970
Now.

557
00:26:28,185 --> 00:26:31,185
Make a defense is the
word apia in the Greek.

558
00:26:31,185 --> 00:26:33,524
It's where we get our
English word apologetics.

559
00:26:33,975 --> 00:26:35,985
So a lot of times we'll look at this
verse and be like, well, this is

560
00:26:35,985 --> 00:26:39,675
the apologetics verse, but notice
what we are making a defense of and

561
00:26:39,675 --> 00:26:41,235
what we're not making a defense of.

562
00:26:41,774 --> 00:26:44,475
Peter doesn't say, always be
ready to make a defense for

563
00:26:44,475 --> 00:26:45,735
young earth creationism here.

564
00:26:46,635 --> 00:26:49,905
He doesn't say, always be prepared to
make a defense for the global flood.

565
00:26:50,415 --> 00:26:53,715
He doesn't say, always be prepared to make
a defense for the the fine tuned nature

566
00:26:53,715 --> 00:26:56,665
of the universe, or for the ontological
argument for the existence of God.

567
00:26:57,584 --> 00:26:58,544
He doesn't say that.

568
00:26:59,655 --> 00:27:02,685
He says, always be prepared to make
a offense to anyone who asks you

569
00:27:02,685 --> 00:27:04,635
why you're so hopeful as you suffer.

570
00:27:05,774 --> 00:27:07,274
That's what we need to be ready for.

571
00:27:08,324 --> 00:27:10,334
It's not that those other things
don't matter, they do, but not

572
00:27:10,334 --> 00:27:13,064
in this context, in this context.

573
00:27:13,365 --> 00:27:18,824
Your evangelistic impact on a lost world
as you suffer is going to be you remaining

574
00:27:18,854 --> 00:27:23,834
hopeful to the point that they're
gonna ask you to testify to that hope.

575
00:27:24,314 --> 00:27:25,334
That's what that word means.

576
00:27:25,334 --> 00:27:30,344
The reason it's Lagos in the Greek,
it's the same as in the beginning was

577
00:27:30,344 --> 00:27:31,874
the word, and the word was with God.

578
00:27:32,354 --> 00:27:33,854
Hey, always be ready to give a word.

579
00:27:33,854 --> 00:27:37,904
Give a message, give an account, give a
testimony for the hope that's within you.

580
00:27:38,804 --> 00:27:41,384
This is a hope that Peter's talked
about multiple times already in

581
00:27:41,384 --> 00:27:42,614
the letter one Peter one, three.

582
00:27:43,064 --> 00:27:45,644
Blessed to be the God and father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who's caused

583
00:27:45,644 --> 00:27:47,864
us to be born again to a living hope.

584
00:27:49,770 --> 00:27:51,030
To a living Hope one.

585
00:27:51,030 --> 00:27:54,660
Peter one 13, set your hope fully on
the grace that will be brought to you

586
00:27:54,660 --> 00:27:56,880
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

587
00:27:57,030 --> 00:27:58,440
So here's how it works.

588
00:27:58,620 --> 00:28:01,140
The Christian suffers
for his or her faith.

589
00:28:01,830 --> 00:28:06,090
The world doesn't understand and
asks for a reason for the hope

590
00:28:06,090 --> 00:28:07,590
that you have as you suffer.

591
00:28:07,590 --> 00:28:11,760
And now you as a Christian have an
opportunity to give testimony to bear

592
00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:14,640
witness to your confidence in Jesus.

593
00:28:15,750 --> 00:28:18,570
That's why your suffering is always a
catalyst for your good and the glory of

594
00:28:18,570 --> 00:28:23,130
God, because your suffering is always
gonna be a platform for the glory of God.

595
00:28:23,130 --> 00:28:27,450
Only God can take our suffering as
we suffer for what is good and turn

596
00:28:27,450 --> 00:28:29,460
it into a platform for his glory.

597
00:28:29,760 --> 00:28:32,100
Only God can redeem
your suffering that way.

598
00:28:32,610 --> 00:28:36,030
Our second point this week, along
those lines is this, let your suffering

599
00:28:36,270 --> 00:28:38,280
spotlight your hope in Christ.

600
00:28:39,240 --> 00:28:41,910
Let your suffering spotlight
your hope in Christ.

601
00:28:43,260 --> 00:28:48,840
As long as you are pursuing him
zealous for what is good, as long as

602
00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,960
you are doing that, the Lord can use
anything in your life including the

603
00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:56,250
suffering that you experience for your
faith as a platform for His glory.

604
00:28:57,510 --> 00:29:00,659
Back in Matthew chapter five, sermon on
the Mount Again, Jesus is preaching and he

605
00:29:00,659 --> 00:29:02,760
says this, you are the light of the world.

606
00:29:03,629 --> 00:29:07,350
A city set on a hill cannot be hidden,
nor do people light a lamp and put it

607
00:29:07,350 --> 00:29:10,835
under a basket, but on a stand, and
it gives light to all in the house.

608
00:29:11,894 --> 00:29:16,485
In the same way, let your light
shine before others so that they may

609
00:29:16,485 --> 00:29:19,725
see your good works and give glory
to your father who's in heaven.

610
00:29:21,314 --> 00:29:24,884
The scene here is not of you just
walking through, as you know, a field of

611
00:29:24,884 --> 00:29:28,514
daisies and whatever, and just looking
all lights to a bunch of other lights

612
00:29:28,574 --> 00:29:31,215
around there and people going, well,
your light is particularly beautiful.

613
00:29:31,215 --> 00:29:32,774
Why don't you tell me
about your light here?

614
00:29:34,185 --> 00:29:36,554
Now, when we understand this in the
context of the rest of scripture,

615
00:29:37,754 --> 00:29:39,554
where does light stand out the best?

616
00:29:40,769 --> 00:29:41,999
In the midst of darkness.

617
00:29:43,110 --> 00:29:45,840
So Jesus is saying,
church, you're the light.

618
00:29:46,019 --> 00:29:50,610
In a dark world and in this
world, you are going to suffer.

619
00:29:50,610 --> 00:29:55,800
And yet, as you suffer, let your light
be shined, be seen even more brightly.

620
00:29:58,199 --> 00:30:00,959
Let your suffering spotlight
your hope in Christ.

621
00:30:02,399 --> 00:30:05,459
In college, I, I, uh, I went with
some friends to a hockey game.

622
00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:09,120
In Dallas Stars versus the
Anaheim Mighty Ducks at the time.

623
00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:14,400
And, and I wore my stars gear and
I even brought the replica 1999

624
00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:17,100
Dallas Stars Stanley Cup championship
banner with me to the game.

625
00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:19,920
It was overkill for a home game.

626
00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:21,510
The problem was, it was a road game.

627
00:30:22,230 --> 00:30:27,930
I was in Anaheim, and so I was that guy
and I stood out like a, a sore thumb.

628
00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,090
When we suffer in the face of
persecution, the way that we handle

629
00:30:33,090 --> 00:30:33,845
it should stand out like that.

630
00:30:34,110 --> 00:30:34,169
Uh,

631
00:30:36,330 --> 00:30:38,850
people should look at us
and say, what are you doing?

632
00:30:40,199 --> 00:30:41,219
This isn't what people do.

633
00:30:42,810 --> 00:30:44,129
This isn't how people respond.

634
00:30:47,310 --> 00:30:48,090
Here's the thing, y'all.

635
00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:50,969
If someone's gonna ask you for
a reason, for the hope that you

636
00:30:50,969 --> 00:30:52,320
have, they have to see the hope.

637
00:30:53,699 --> 00:30:54,629
They have to see the hope

638
00:30:56,969 --> 00:30:59,370
is your hope in your future with Christ.

639
00:31:00,029 --> 00:31:03,389
So evident to a watching world
that they're gonna ask you, or

640
00:31:03,389 --> 00:31:07,889
are you hiding it under the basket
of despair and depression and

641
00:31:07,889 --> 00:31:10,620
anger and frustration and hurt?

642
00:31:12,899 --> 00:31:17,129
If the world gangs up on us and we
retreat under an esque storm cloud

643
00:31:17,129 --> 00:31:21,389
of shame and depression, what message
are we sending to the lost around us?

644
00:31:24,870 --> 00:31:28,114
If God gives you the privilege to suffer
for him, for your faith, make it count.

645
00:31:29,940 --> 00:31:30,810
Don't waste it.

646
00:31:32,970 --> 00:31:36,990
Here's some possible ways that you might
shine that hope in conversations, for

647
00:31:36,990 --> 00:31:39,960
example, with unbelievers about the
circumstances that you're going through.

648
00:31:41,820 --> 00:31:44,310
You have an opportunity to
testify, to give a reason in those

649
00:31:44,310 --> 00:31:49,290
conversations and the way that you
respond to those who attack you.

650
00:31:50,220 --> 00:31:51,390
Maybe it's somebody at work.

651
00:31:51,915 --> 00:31:55,455
That's coming after you for your faith or
your neighbor who's coming after you for

652
00:31:55,455 --> 00:31:58,755
your faith or your wife who's coming after
you for your faith or your father-in-law

653
00:31:58,755 --> 00:31:59,955
who's coming after you for your faith.

654
00:32:00,105 --> 00:32:02,895
You have an opportunity in the
way that you respond to them to

655
00:32:02,895 --> 00:32:06,795
show the hope that you have, that
no one can ultimately harm you.

656
00:32:09,465 --> 00:32:12,255
Or maybe it's gonna be in the, the
perseverance and endurance that

657
00:32:12,255 --> 00:32:13,785
you have in the face of attacks.

658
00:32:14,325 --> 00:32:18,285
You don't break, and people are
gonna look at you and say, why aren't

659
00:32:18,285 --> 00:32:20,985
you a puddle of despair right now?

660
00:32:21,990 --> 00:32:24,240
And you can say, well, I, I
understand the question I should

661
00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:25,260
be, but here's why I'm not.

662
00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,890
Another way for you to, to show your
hope is to make sure that your faith is

663
00:32:31,890 --> 00:32:33,780
still on display, just as it always was.

664
00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:36,660
Not in a showy way, but
in a consistent way.

665
00:32:37,650 --> 00:32:42,600
Remember Daniel, after the king had
signed the order, this is right on the,

666
00:32:42,660 --> 00:32:44,490
the, the doorstep of the lion's den.

667
00:32:45,300 --> 00:32:48,420
The king had signed the order and it
says in Daniel that when Daniel knew

668
00:32:48,420 --> 00:32:49,710
that the king had signed the decree.

669
00:32:50,114 --> 00:32:52,274
He went up into his room
as he had done before.

670
00:32:52,814 --> 00:32:55,754
He opened the windows as he had
done before, and he worshiped

671
00:32:55,754 --> 00:32:57,284
the Lord as he had done before.

672
00:32:58,364 --> 00:33:03,584
What a testimony to somebody who was
like, my hope is greater than here.

673
00:33:04,754 --> 00:33:06,614
My hope is greater than right now.

674
00:33:07,754 --> 00:33:12,374
Again, Romans eight 18 passages like this,
I consider that the sufferings of this

675
00:33:12,374 --> 00:33:17,655
present time are not worth comparing to
the glory that is to be revealed to us.

676
00:33:20,115 --> 00:33:22,770
Two Corinthians chapter four,
this light momentary affliction

677
00:33:22,770 --> 00:33:25,620
is preparing an eternal weight
of glory beyond all comparison.

678
00:33:25,890 --> 00:33:27,480
Do we believe that?

679
00:33:28,740 --> 00:33:29,880
Do we believe that

680
00:33:33,150 --> 00:33:36,480
if we really do, it should be evident
when we suffer at the hands of others?

681
00:33:38,340 --> 00:33:42,090
Some of the most powerful gospel
presentations take place as we suffer.

682
00:33:42,090 --> 00:33:43,020
Well for Christ.

683
00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:46,565
There's a story from a long.

684
00:33:47,340 --> 00:33:50,610
Time ago, during the early stages
of the development of the church and

685
00:33:50,610 --> 00:33:54,030
the expansion of the church, and it's
represented here in this painting,

686
00:33:54,210 --> 00:33:59,610
the 40 martyrs of Sebass, the 40
martyrs of Sebas were, uh, martyred

687
00:33:59,610 --> 00:34:03,389
under the reign of Emperor SIUs, who
was fearing that the Christians in

688
00:34:03,389 --> 00:34:05,130
his army might be disloyal to him.

689
00:34:05,460 --> 00:34:09,840
So he ordered that all of them
in this one particular region

690
00:34:10,050 --> 00:34:12,150
recant their faith or face death.

691
00:34:12,780 --> 00:34:16,739
And so these 40 men who were 40 believers
in this Roman army decided we're,

692
00:34:16,739 --> 00:34:18,780
we're not going to recant our faith.

693
00:34:18,780 --> 00:34:20,639
We're not gonna deny our Lord and Savior.

694
00:34:21,495 --> 00:34:25,605
And so they were forced to strip all
the way, and they were marched out onto

695
00:34:25,605 --> 00:34:30,705
a frozen lake in dead of winter, and
they were left there and stranded there.

696
00:34:30,855 --> 00:34:35,114
And they were, they were told I, if you
repent, if you recant, you can come back.

697
00:34:35,114 --> 00:34:39,194
And around the perimeter of the lake,
they lit fires and they had warm baths

698
00:34:39,194 --> 00:34:43,725
and they had blankets as a temptation
to get these men to abandon their faith

699
00:34:43,725 --> 00:34:45,944
in Christ and, and to walk off the lake.

700
00:34:46,995 --> 00:34:48,525
39 of them stayed true.

701
00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:55,589
One man broke and he ran for the
perimeter of the, the, the lake.

702
00:34:56,668 --> 00:34:59,609
But what happened is this, as he
ran to the perimeter of the lake,

703
00:34:59,609 --> 00:35:02,459
you may be wondering why is it
40 martyrs and not 39 martyrs?

704
00:35:02,729 --> 00:35:05,459
As he ran towards the perimeter of
the lake, there was a Roman soldier

705
00:35:05,459 --> 00:35:09,060
who was watching the whole thing take
place, and that Roman soldier put his

706
00:35:09,060 --> 00:35:13,290
weapons down, took off his robe, took
off the rest of his clothing, and went

707
00:35:13,290 --> 00:35:16,109
out and joined the other martyrs on
the ice and said, I'm a Christian.

708
00:35:16,410 --> 00:35:17,129
As he went out there.

709
00:35:19,830 --> 00:35:24,660
That's the way that the gospel can be
preached powerfully through our suffering.

710
00:35:26,010 --> 00:35:27,870
Let me encourage you, I, I, I
opened it with a quote from her.

711
00:35:27,870 --> 00:35:31,020
If you have never studied or,
or learned about the story of

712
00:35:31,020 --> 00:35:34,590
Jim Elliot and Elizabeth Elliot,
man, that is worth your time.

713
00:35:35,670 --> 00:35:38,220
I told you Jim was her
husband who was killed.

714
00:35:38,220 --> 00:35:40,290
He was murdered by this
tribe that was unreached.

715
00:35:40,290 --> 00:35:41,490
They were trying to
get the gospel to them.

716
00:35:41,850 --> 00:35:44,069
And him and his companions
were murdered by that tribe.

717
00:35:44,279 --> 00:35:45,359
You know what Elizabeth did?

718
00:35:45,450 --> 00:35:49,620
She went back to that tribe with the
gospel and she took the gospel in and

719
00:35:49,620 --> 00:35:52,979
she saw that tribe, many of them at
least, including the man who killed her

720
00:35:52,979 --> 00:35:55,169
husband, converted to faith in Jesus.

721
00:35:57,209 --> 00:36:01,379
Always be prepared to be ready to, to
make a defense to anyone who asked you

722
00:36:01,439 --> 00:36:02,819
for a reason, for the hope that's in you.

723
00:36:04,919 --> 00:36:07,649
Are you allowing your suffering
to spotlight your hope in Christ?

724
00:36:07,950 --> 00:36:10,649
Are you allowing your
life to preach the gospel?

725
00:36:11,535 --> 00:36:12,945
In the way that you suffer for him.

726
00:36:13,935 --> 00:36:17,235
Listen, y'all, if, if we simply respond
to the world's attacks the way that the

727
00:36:17,235 --> 00:36:22,425
world does, if we respond in vitriol, if
we respond in depression and despair, what

728
00:36:22,425 --> 00:36:24,105
are we offering them that they would want?

729
00:36:26,654 --> 00:36:29,325
We need to respond to the attacks
of the world in such a way that

730
00:36:29,325 --> 00:36:34,125
causes them to say, what do you
what Do you know that I don't know.

731
00:36:34,575 --> 00:36:36,195
What do you have that I don't have?

732
00:36:37,725 --> 00:36:38,175
I want it.

733
00:36:41,145 --> 00:36:44,715
As you suffer, especially in front of
others, be thinking about why you're

734
00:36:44,715 --> 00:36:47,325
still able to hold onto that hope in
the midst of the pain and the sorrow.

735
00:36:48,765 --> 00:36:49,545
Be ready, right?

736
00:36:49,545 --> 00:36:50,985
I mean, that's, that's
this other part of that.

737
00:36:50,985 --> 00:36:56,265
You have to actually be ready to give
an answer for it, and so know the hope.

738
00:36:56,265 --> 00:36:57,165
Hold onto the hope.

739
00:36:57,585 --> 00:37:00,855
I would say even be praying that
people will ask you for a reason,

740
00:37:00,975 --> 00:37:02,145
for the hope as you suffer.

741
00:37:04,170 --> 00:37:04,560
Suffering.

742
00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:08,460
Spotlight your hope in Christ that that
hope, as we think about it, we often so

743
00:37:08,485 --> 00:37:13,650
mu, so readily think of eternity that
hope is I, I'm gonna go be with Jesus.

744
00:37:14,460 --> 00:37:16,290
And yes, that's a huge part of that hope.

745
00:37:17,310 --> 00:37:20,970
But there's another part of the hope
that we find in verses 16 and 17 in our

746
00:37:20,970 --> 00:37:24,510
text, and it's one that we probably don't
think of too often, but I think it's

747
00:37:24,510 --> 00:37:27,570
one that we should, verses 16 and 17.

748
00:37:27,570 --> 00:37:30,120
Peter continues, he says,
have no fear of them.

749
00:37:30,765 --> 00:37:32,055
Nor be troubled earlier on.

750
00:37:32,055 --> 00:37:34,665
And then in verse 15 he says, do
this with gentleness and respect.

751
00:37:34,665 --> 00:37:36,225
I'll come back to that
in just a second here.

752
00:37:36,375 --> 00:37:41,085
And then he says, having a good conscience
so that when you're slandered, those

753
00:37:41,085 --> 00:37:45,165
who revile your good behavior in Christ
may be put to shame for it is better

754
00:37:45,165 --> 00:37:49,515
to suffer for doing good if that should
be God's will then for doing evil.

755
00:37:50,895 --> 00:37:53,715
And so Peter says, we need
to suffer a certain way.

756
00:37:54,945 --> 00:37:57,195
This is the way that's gonna
cause people to ask us for a

757
00:37:57,195 --> 00:37:58,245
reason, for the hope within us.

758
00:37:59,249 --> 00:38:05,339
If we suffer, he says with a, a good
conscience with respect and gentleness.

759
00:38:07,799 --> 00:38:09,899
And what he's saying here is,
if we do this, then there's a

760
00:38:09,899 --> 00:38:11,759
vindication that's coming for us.

761
00:38:12,060 --> 00:38:13,379
That's what he's talking
about in the text.

762
00:38:14,249 --> 00:38:18,479
Those that attack you, those that slander
you, those that are hostile towards you.

763
00:38:18,509 --> 00:38:21,120
He says here, they will be put to shame.

764
00:38:22,020 --> 00:38:24,149
It's a word that means
they will be humiliated.

765
00:38:25,604 --> 00:38:26,414
When?

766
00:38:26,475 --> 00:38:27,524
When is this gonna take place?

767
00:38:27,524 --> 00:38:29,024
Are they gonna be put
to shame here and now?

768
00:38:29,024 --> 00:38:31,394
Will they be shown to be wrong on earth?

769
00:38:32,714 --> 00:38:33,464
Maybe.

770
00:38:34,694 --> 00:38:37,214
But it seems likely that Peter had
in mind what Paul had in mind here

771
00:38:37,214 --> 00:38:39,944
in Second Thessalonians chapter one
verses six through eight, where Paul

772
00:38:39,944 --> 00:38:44,504
says this, since indeed God considers
it just to repay with affliction.

773
00:38:44,504 --> 00:38:45,495
Those who afflict you.

774
00:38:46,800 --> 00:38:49,680
And to grant relief to you who
are afflicted as well as to us.

775
00:38:49,980 --> 00:38:54,120
When the Lord Jesus is revealed from
heaven with his mighty angels, inflaming

776
00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:58,110
fire, inflicting vengeance on those who
do not know God, and on those who do

777
00:38:58,110 --> 00:39:01,170
not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

778
00:39:02,970 --> 00:39:03,115
And so what's.

779
00:39:04,125 --> 00:39:07,575
Being pictured here by Paul and
also by Peter back in our text is

780
00:39:07,575 --> 00:39:11,985
this future day when those that have
slandered us and mocked us, and abused

781
00:39:11,985 --> 00:39:16,365
us and heard us because of our faith
in Jesus are going to be exposed and

782
00:39:16,365 --> 00:39:20,985
humiliated as they're called to account
before Jesus for their evil behavior.

783
00:39:23,205 --> 00:39:26,595
And so Peter says, it's better than to
suffer for doing good if that should

784
00:39:26,595 --> 00:39:29,475
be God's will than for doing evil.

785
00:39:31,859 --> 00:39:33,180
If that should be God's will.

786
00:39:33,390 --> 00:39:38,129
In other words, if that's his desire,
God's not gonna put everyone through

787
00:39:38,129 --> 00:39:40,350
the same level or type of of suffering.

788
00:39:41,279 --> 00:39:43,890
God's gonna have a will for some
people to suffer more than others.

789
00:39:43,890 --> 00:39:44,910
And you say, well, why?

790
00:39:44,910 --> 00:39:46,379
And I say, well, I don't know.

791
00:39:46,379 --> 00:39:47,549
That's above my pay grade.

792
00:39:47,549 --> 00:39:51,839
But God's gonna put different people
in different positions and, and simply

793
00:39:51,839 --> 00:39:54,390
saying here, if you find yourself in
a position where you are suffering

794
00:39:54,390 --> 00:39:57,450
for your faith, man, it's better
for you to suffer for doing good.

795
00:39:58,380 --> 00:40:02,970
Than it is for you to compromise and
pursue evil, just to avoid the suffering.

796
00:40:05,009 --> 00:40:05,790
Why is it better?

797
00:40:05,790 --> 00:40:08,850
Well, because the suffering that you
endure for the good is temporary.

798
00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:14,220
But as he's talking about here, the,
the shame, the humiliation that's

799
00:40:14,220 --> 00:40:17,475
going to be present in those that
have mocked or slander or, or attacked

800
00:40:17,910 --> 00:40:19,380
you, that is not gonna be temporary.

801
00:40:19,380 --> 00:40:20,549
That's gonna be eternal.

802
00:40:22,875 --> 00:40:25,125
In these last two verses of our
passage, Peter wants to remind us

803
00:40:25,125 --> 00:40:26,504
that we can suffer in confidence.

804
00:40:26,504 --> 00:40:28,515
In other words, knowing that
God is still in control,

805
00:40:30,705 --> 00:40:33,464
God has not called us to get revenge.

806
00:40:34,350 --> 00:40:38,220
God has not called us to see
that justice is is received.

807
00:40:38,220 --> 00:40:38,490
Now.

808
00:40:38,490 --> 00:40:41,910
God has not called us to pursue
vindication necessarily here and now.

809
00:40:42,210 --> 00:40:45,810
Rather, what God is saying is he's
sovereign and he's calling us to trust

810
00:40:46,050 --> 00:40:49,320
that in this life and in the suffering
that we're going through right now, we

811
00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:53,220
can have a hope that in the future life
that we have in eternity, that he's gonna

812
00:40:53,220 --> 00:40:57,150
bring us there and he's gonna see to the
vindication that we so long for when we're

813
00:40:57,150 --> 00:40:59,985
with him in his presence on that day.

814
00:41:01,545 --> 00:41:04,575
Our final point this morning is
this endure suffering while waiting

815
00:41:04,575 --> 00:41:09,375
for vindication, endure suffering
while waiting for vindication.

816
00:41:10,215 --> 00:41:14,055
Now, there is a contingency to
this, and that contingency is found

817
00:41:14,055 --> 00:41:15,795
actually back at the end of verse 15.

818
00:41:15,795 --> 00:41:18,915
In the beginning of verse 16, I, I glossed
over it, but now I wanna come back to it.

819
00:41:19,275 --> 00:41:20,745
He says this, make a defense.

820
00:41:20,924 --> 00:41:23,775
And then he says, yet, do it
with gentleness and respect.

821
00:41:23,895 --> 00:41:28,335
Having a good conscience
with gentleness and respect.

822
00:41:28,335 --> 00:41:30,345
The word respect is actually
the word fear in the Greek.

823
00:41:30,780 --> 00:41:35,370
And Peter never uses the word fear except
for in relation to our fear of God.

824
00:41:36,270 --> 00:41:38,760
And so Peter is saying, you need to be
ready to make a defense, and you need

825
00:41:38,760 --> 00:41:43,560
to make a defense in the fear of the
Lord and maintaining a good conscience.

826
00:41:44,610 --> 00:41:48,060
In other words, as you suffer for what
is good, don't suffer for what is good

827
00:41:48,060 --> 00:41:52,380
in such a way that you are harming
your testimony of, of faith in Jesus.

828
00:41:53,100 --> 00:41:55,680
Don't suffer for what is good in
such a way that you're lashing out.

829
00:41:55,680 --> 00:41:57,960
You're retaliating because
you want your vindication Now.

830
00:41:59,610 --> 00:42:01,980
Instead, suffer for what is
good with gentleness and respect

831
00:42:01,980 --> 00:42:03,690
and having a good conscience.

832
00:42:04,500 --> 00:42:06,270
Ooh, which again, goes
back to our, our passage.

833
00:42:06,270 --> 00:42:07,020
Who is there to harm you?

834
00:42:07,020 --> 00:42:09,630
If you're zealous for what is
good, be zealous for what is good.

835
00:42:11,700 --> 00:42:14,700
If you wanna look forward to your future
vindication, you have to ask, am I living

836
00:42:14,700 --> 00:42:16,590
a life worthy of that future vindication?

837
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:23,700
So often we can become so incensed
over our suffering, that our suffering

838
00:42:23,700 --> 00:42:26,520
becomes a hindrance to the gospel,
rather than allowing it to be a,

839
00:42:26,525 --> 00:42:27,690
a platform for the glory of God.

840
00:42:29,775 --> 00:42:33,675
When we lash out with harsh words
or, or our tone, or we're passive

841
00:42:33,675 --> 00:42:38,085
aggressive, or we slander, or we
revile in return, we're damaging our

842
00:42:38,085 --> 00:42:41,625
testimony and we're compromising our
hope that we have, that the wrong that

843
00:42:41,625 --> 00:42:44,725
has been done to us is gonna ultimately
be vindicated for us in the future.

844
00:42:46,680 --> 00:42:48,509
Listen, all wrongs are
gonna be made, right?

845
00:42:48,660 --> 00:42:51,870
I'm not suggesting that the sin that's
committed against you, by you responding

846
00:42:51,870 --> 00:42:53,640
in sin is going to be somehow pardoned.

847
00:42:54,149 --> 00:42:57,990
Every single wrong is gonna be made
right, but if you sin in your response

848
00:42:57,990 --> 00:43:01,680
to what somebody has done to you, what
confidence should you have that you are

849
00:43:01,680 --> 00:43:03,359
going to be vindicated in the future?

850
00:43:04,709 --> 00:43:07,410
It's like when one of my kids
will run inside crying and they're

851
00:43:07,410 --> 00:43:09,060
like, well, my brother kicked me.

852
00:43:09,779 --> 00:43:10,740
And then you just wait.

853
00:43:10,799 --> 00:43:13,620
'cause you know the brother's
coming in right after him and

854
00:43:13,620 --> 00:43:14,700
he's gonna have his own story.

855
00:43:15,420 --> 00:43:17,520
The brother comes in and you
go, why did you kick him?

856
00:43:18,270 --> 00:43:19,859
And he's like, well, because he shoved me.

857
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:22,500
You are like, well, congrats.

858
00:43:22,500 --> 00:43:25,109
You're not gonna get vindicated
here because now you're both

859
00:43:25,109 --> 00:43:26,460
getting punished for what happened.

860
00:43:28,620 --> 00:43:28,980
Christians.

861
00:43:28,980 --> 00:43:34,560
We gotta be careful for that because
if, if we don't retaliate, if we don't

862
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:37,890
respond in kind, we can have a hope
that one day we will be vindicated.

863
00:43:42,390 --> 00:43:44,160
Does that feel shamar to you?

864
00:43:44,805 --> 00:43:49,004
Does that feel almost un-Christian
to find comfort in the fact that your

865
00:43:49,004 --> 00:43:50,714
enemies are gonna get theirs someday?

866
00:43:52,035 --> 00:43:54,435
I wrestled with that this week as
I was preparing for this sermon.

867
00:43:55,544 --> 00:43:58,665
Am I really supposed to be comforted
by that fact that my enemy is

868
00:43:58,665 --> 00:44:00,104
gonna be humiliated someday?

869
00:44:02,115 --> 00:44:06,854
Here's why I think we can find comfort
there and look forward to it as we suffer.

870
00:44:08,805 --> 00:44:10,785
The vindication that we're
anticipating and looking forward

871
00:44:10,785 --> 00:44:14,145
to is, is not the same vindication
that we long for in the fleshly way.

872
00:44:16,335 --> 00:44:18,645
The vindication that we're longing
for is not that we're gonna be there

873
00:44:18,645 --> 00:44:21,705
and Jesus is gonna be like, pastor
PJ was right and you were wrong.

874
00:44:22,095 --> 00:44:23,325
You owe him an apology.

875
00:44:24,944 --> 00:44:26,895
That's not gonna be what the scene is.

876
00:44:27,855 --> 00:44:31,185
The vindication that's coming that day
is not even a vindication of you and me.

877
00:44:31,185 --> 00:44:32,565
It's a vindication of Jesus.

878
00:44:34,965 --> 00:44:36,525
Remember, we're suffering for him.

879
00:44:36,910 --> 00:44:39,705
And so when people slander
us, the one that they're

880
00:44:39,705 --> 00:44:41,145
ultimately slandering is Jesus.

881
00:44:42,134 --> 00:44:46,904
And so on that day when they're called
to give an account, they're not going

882
00:44:46,904 --> 00:44:50,895
to be ashamed in on behalf of us.

883
00:44:52,065 --> 00:44:54,525
They're gonna be ashamed because
they're gonna be a call to account

884
00:44:54,525 --> 00:44:57,975
for what they said about our savior,
about how they slandered him,

885
00:45:00,075 --> 00:45:02,745
which also informs the way
that we should suffer now.

886
00:45:03,915 --> 00:45:05,715
How we think about the
offenses against us.

887
00:45:05,715 --> 00:45:08,175
Now, we need to remember our church
ultimately, that when somebody attacks

888
00:45:08,175 --> 00:45:11,685
you for your faith in Christ, the gr
most grievous wound is not against us.

889
00:45:11,685 --> 00:45:12,645
It's against our savior.

890
00:45:17,895 --> 00:45:20,025
So we don't think about
it in a, in a fleshly way.

891
00:45:20,235 --> 00:45:22,155
And, and yet, here's another thing.

892
00:45:23,160 --> 00:45:26,355
Some of this vindication we're gonna
realize when we get there is going

893
00:45:26,355 --> 00:45:27,525
to have taken place at the cross.

894
00:45:29,265 --> 00:45:31,455
Because some of the people that will
have slandered us, some of the people

895
00:45:31,455 --> 00:45:33,555
that will have attacked us for our
faith, at some point in time, God is

896
00:45:33,555 --> 00:45:35,385
gonna be merciful, merciful to them.

897
00:45:35,385 --> 00:45:38,565
And, and their eyes are gonna be open
to, to Jesus Christ as their savior.

898
00:45:38,565 --> 00:45:39,585
And they're gonna get saved.

899
00:45:41,385 --> 00:45:45,075
And so on that day, they're
gonna hear, hear, well done,

900
00:45:45,075 --> 00:45:47,145
good and faithful servant, enter
into the joy of your master.

901
00:45:47,145 --> 00:45:49,485
And we're not gonna be standing
there saying, but, but, but,

902
00:45:49,485 --> 00:45:50,805
but that, that's not fair.

903
00:45:52,860 --> 00:45:57,990
Because that sin is going to have been
paid for and vindicated at the cross.

904
00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:02,580
So maybe you think, well then I don't
want to pray for them to get saved because

905
00:46:02,580 --> 00:46:04,140
I don't want them to get off that way.

906
00:46:06,270 --> 00:46:08,610
I think that just reveals
that we don't fully appreciate

907
00:46:08,610 --> 00:46:09,900
what took place at the cross.

908
00:46:09,900 --> 00:46:13,799
If we had a clear picture of what
happened at the cross, the wrath

909
00:46:13,799 --> 00:46:16,350
that Jesus bore against us and
against those that have attacked us,

910
00:46:16,350 --> 00:46:18,900
if they come to faith in Jesus, we
would never say that's not enough.

911
00:46:22,575 --> 00:46:27,015
Listen, church if, if you want your
suffering to count, if you long for

912
00:46:27,015 --> 00:46:30,435
vindication on that day, which again
is the vindication of going Jesus, you

913
00:46:30,435 --> 00:46:32,085
were proven true in every man a liar.

914
00:46:34,005 --> 00:46:37,815
If you want that vindication on
that day, Peter's calls to suffer

915
00:46:37,815 --> 00:46:40,090
in the fear of God while maintaining
that good conscience here and now.

916
00:46:42,360 --> 00:46:43,350
Keep that hope there.

917
00:46:43,350 --> 00:46:47,190
Your job is to, to focus
on that future with Jesus.

918
00:46:47,250 --> 00:46:50,130
Endure suffering while
waiting for vindication.

919
00:46:51,900 --> 00:46:55,590
As Christians, we never experience an
ounce of suffering that wasn't part

920
00:46:55,590 --> 00:46:57,120
of God's perfect plan for our lives.

921
00:46:58,830 --> 00:47:03,300
It's always a part of his plan for our
lives In every ounce of suffering that

922
00:47:03,300 --> 00:47:09,000
we go through, if we suffer for Jesus is
ultimately for our good and his glory.

923
00:47:09,885 --> 00:47:13,035
Our job as Christians is simply
to avail ourselves to what he

924
00:47:13,035 --> 00:47:16,935
wants to do in and through us in
that process, let's pray together.

925
00:47:18,584 --> 00:47:21,825
Father God, what a, a hopeful
reality it is for us to think about.

926
00:47:22,004 --> 00:47:25,424
It's a lot to, to just continually
come back to the subject of suffering.

927
00:47:25,424 --> 00:47:30,314
And yet it's such a, a glorious message
that we have in this, in that you

928
00:47:30,345 --> 00:47:33,794
have told us that suffering is gonna
happen and you've told us that you

929
00:47:33,794 --> 00:47:37,544
will be with us through it, and you've
given us suffering even as a sign that

930
00:47:37,544 --> 00:47:40,725
we are following Christ well, that
we are walking faithfully with you.

931
00:47:41,154 --> 00:47:44,305
And you've even given us suffering
as a platform for us to testify to

932
00:47:44,305 --> 00:47:48,174
your goodness, as an opportunity for
us to share the good news of faith

933
00:47:48,174 --> 00:47:51,055
in Jesus Christ with others so that
they might come to faith in him.

934
00:47:51,535 --> 00:47:55,285
And you've given us suffering ultimately,
so that we will one day look forward to

935
00:47:55,285 --> 00:47:59,214
being with you and your final victory
where you are proven to be all that you

936
00:47:59,214 --> 00:48:00,805
have revealed yourself to be in scripture.

937
00:48:01,705 --> 00:48:05,484
And so, Lord, help us to suffer Lord,
with a, a hope that is foreign to

938
00:48:05,484 --> 00:48:08,845
the world and use us as a a bright.

939
00:48:09,390 --> 00:48:13,799
Lampstand in this community, in this
area help us as a church to shine

940
00:48:13,799 --> 00:48:16,680
in the midst of the darkness and
to cause people to stop and say,

941
00:48:17,069 --> 00:48:18,960
what do you have that I don't have?

942
00:48:20,250 --> 00:48:23,759
Lord, may you use us faithfully as
your ambassadors no matter what.

943
00:48:23,759 --> 00:48:24,390
You bring our way.

944
00:48:24,390 --> 00:48:25,740
We pray this all in Jesus' name.

945
00:48:25,890 --> 00:48:26,339
Amen.