Keeping Afloat - 1 Peter 3:13-17

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Keeping Afloat

1 Peter 3:13-17

The church is 2BN the world, but the world is not 2BN the church.  We RN the world, but not of it.  A boat is 2BN the water, but the water is not 2BN the boat.  It’s easy to know if water is in the boat and you need to bail.  How can you tell if the world is NU and you need to bail/plug hole in your soul?

    * Compassion is derailed  13-14 hole in your soul
    * Christ is dethroned   15  hole in your soul
    * Conscience is defiled   16-17 hole in your soul

Peter is writing to a church on the front lines/under fire/suffering.  He knows how the enemy will seek to sink the ship of the church and he emphasizes three dynamics that need to be firmly in place. Maybe you’ve run aground/taking on water in these areas.  

be passionate about doing good

You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.  Acts 10:38

Jesus taught ignorant/loved loveless/helped helpless/fed hungry/ healed sick/raised dead/set free captive. Now, before you bolt out of here and do good, look at the 1st part of the verse – Jesus was anointed w/ the Holy Spirit/power.  It was in the wisdom/power of God that Jesus ministered to people.  Be passionate about God B4UR passionate about doing good.  If not, a few things:

    * You could lose your compass bearings about what is good.  2nd ½ of verse speaks of spiritual realm – could lose sense of this and get caught up in a cause where Jesus isn’t glorified.
    * You could lose your desire to do good/could burn out doing good

Who would want to hurt you if you are passionate about doing good?

Quite a few people as it turns out. The church has faced persecution from 3 sources - statist control/religious coercion/moral corruption.

Political –   there is an authority higher than the state

Religious –  there is a truth deeper than the traditions of men

Moral –   there is a righteousness greater than self fulfillment

These three sources of persecution can be seen in the following –

    * John the Baptist imprisoned for rebuking Herod about his wife
    * Jesus healed on the Sabbath – persecuted for it.
    * Crucifixion of Jesus
    * Seeking to prevent the death of babies will get you persecuted.
    * Girl screaming in house behind us – intervention brought us grief.
    * Home schooling can get you in some trouble at some times.
    * Not everyone is agreed on the meaning of good – don’t lose your bearings

Do not fear the intimidation of your persecutors/don’t tremble

Cf. Mt. 14:26 w/ Jesus walking on water/they were terrified/cried out in fear.  The disciples stopped what they were doing for they were paralyzed.  “Don’t let the enemy paralyze you.” Peter quotes Is. 8:12  - Ahab is told not to fear Assyrian king. (Manhattan Declaration).

treasure christ in your hearts

We R2 allow nothing to overshadow the place/priority of Christ. In the courtyard where Peter denied Christ, he wasn’t treasuring Christ, but his own wellbeing.  If Jesus isn’t precious to the believer, how could He ever be to the non-believer.  Is Christ precious 2U, or is there a hole in your soul?

Christ NU is the hope of glory.  Always be ready to explain your hope to those who ask.  Peter wants to prepare the church for persecution and 2C it as an opportunity to witness.

UR not being asked to intellectually/philosophically defend the gospel.  People want to know why trouble hasn’t beat you down.  They want to know how you’re able to walk after all the hits you’ve taken.  They want to know where your joy comes from when they CU going through that which would squeeze the joy out of anyone.  If UR suffering and you don’t deserve it, you have every right 2B angry/upset.  But when you endure w/ Christ as Lord – and not your pain/fear/anger as lord – it is noticed by those who know you.  

With gentleness/reverence – it’s easy to get self-righteous.  All that is gained by living like Jesus B4 them can be lost by speaking harshly to them. 

keep a good conscience

A good conscience is peace of mind that comes from living in conformity w/ what you profess to believe.  A bad conscience is the accusing mind that comes from not living in conformity w/ what you profess to believe.

If you don’t have a good conscience, instead of giving a reason for the hope that is NUU will be trying to defend yourself from an accusing conscience/audience.  The focus is 2B on Jesus and the good He did, and not on you and the bad you did.  

And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.   Revelation 12:11

This is a god conscience in the presence of suffering/mistreatment.  

“A saint,” says William Barclay, “is someone whose life makes it easier to believe in God.”1

How to keep a clear conscience: be zealous for good deeds and sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart.

V18 - Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God…

Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.  God, the Father, was always supreme in His heart.  He went to the cross w/ a good conscience.  The life we are being called to live is a life that follows the pattern found in Jesus.  And the life we are called to live begins by coming to Jesus…