MPC
31st May 2020.May 31 - 1 Peter 3:8-22 - "Bad for Good and Good for Bad"
MPC
31st May 2020.
Doug Wannenburgh
This past week in Minneapolis, George Floyd, a black man, died in police custody. Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, is charged with third degree murder.
Videos show the officer with his knee on George's neck while he repeatedly cries out that he cannot breathe.
The subsequent cries of racism and injustice have spread. Protests, throughout the US, have turned violent. America is burning, literally and socially... unjust suffering. And reacting to it.
There's a lesson here for Christians. Who have historically and physically and financially and socially suffered great injustice. There is a cost to following Jesus. It's a dangerous choice.
We may not personally feel that so intensely here in Australia. Though that is the daily reality for many believers globally, and Christian suffering comes in many forms.
Moosa, a young adult who came to faith in Christ, and whose Muslim family immediately disowned him, and considered him dead.
Bruce, a Christian at high school who, although voted in as 'Head Prefect' or 'School Captain', some senior teachers, irritated by his openly owning his faith, found a way to ensure he was overlooked.
Fred, a Christian serving high up in a large company, respectfully declined to be part of the CEO's immoral behaviour and was promptly fired on trumped up charges.
The mum of young children, who naturally shared Jesus along with kindness and care. And yet, by some school mums, was shunned, sneered at, and kept at arm's length... Unfair. Unjust.
So, what do you do when someone treats you bad?
I know how I'm tempted to feel. Hurt. Angry. I want to get mad and get even.
Let's be honest, Christians suffer for being silly. And Christians suffer for being sinful. Yet Peter's writing to Christians like Moosa, Bruce, Fred and the young mum... who are suffering for being good. Just because they love Jesus, and live His way.
In chapter 2 and 3 the Lord shows us that living such good lives will attract others to Jesus, but it will also repel. And bring persecution.
Christians are called to look different, distinct from the world around. Such as in submission, chapters 2 and 3. Submitting to the government, in the workplace, at school, in the home.
Submission is hard enough. Yet submission mixed with injustice, that's especially difficult.
And so, how do we handle unjust suffering? The answer may be surprising.
Verse 8 wraps up the previous section. And speaks to God's family.
Finally ... finally, all of you, [whether citizen or slave or master or wife or husband] all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
Like-minded. Not 'your truth', 'my truth'. It's holding God's Word together as our final authority.
Sympathetic. Caring for another.
Love one another.
Compassionate. Feeling as another does.
Humble. Seeing yourself through God's eyes.
In relating to each other the focus here is not on external conduct, but on internal character. Our actions flow from the heart. Actions expose our heart.
And this all makes church a wonderful place to belong. Not a perfect place 'cos God isn't finished with us yet, we're a work in progress. Yet we're family.
You join a gym, it's on your terms. You join church, it's joining God's family. And it's on God's terms. Be like-minded, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, humble.
And when is family most important? When you got it bad and you're doing it tough.
And these followers of Jesus certainly were. These good guys had it bad just 'cos they were good, just 'cos they loved Jesus.
Unjust suffering. Evil. Insults. They had it thick and fast.
And so here's the questions this passage will answer? How do we handle unjust suffering? And in the midst of such suffering, how do we relate to those outside God's family? And how do we relate to God? Handle unjust suffering? Relate to those 'outside' God's family? relate to God?
The answers are all connected.
Think of someone whose giving you a hard time at the moment because you're a Christian. Perhaps it's a friend, a classmate, a colleague, perhaps your marriage partner or your brother or sister.
How's that make you want to respond? Angry? Withdraw? Defend? Expose? Ignore?
Well, those aren't options. God says no payback. Verse 9.
do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
And yet, it's not just don't hit back. It's rather, actively, practically, show love. "On the contrary, [the Lord says] ... repay evil with blessing... "
The payback is love back. It's good for bad.
Jesus was betrayed by close friends, faced trumped up charges by the religious leaders, had the governor wash his hands of Him, and condemn Him, had soldiers crucify Him, had the crowd and a criminal hurl insults.
And what's Jesus do? He entrusts Himself to the One who judges justly. And prays for His enemies. We too are to actively and deliberately bless them.
To this [we] were called. [To endure unjust suffering] so that [we] may inherit a blessing.
Called to follow Jesus? That's a call to repay evil with blessing.
So what is something you can do for the person whose giving you a hard time?
Something you can do that's genuinely good?
Cover their shift, back them up? Take an interest, ask after their kids? Show care, comfort them? Celebrate with them, remember their birthday? Mow your nasty neighbour's lawn? Or just, when they're angry be gentle and kind. Pray for them.
No payback. Only love back. Doing good to those who do you bad.
Now, as Peter writes this letter and this chapter, what's pumping through his veins is Psalm 34. There's allusions throughout, yet here in verses 10 to 12 Peter directly quotes the psalm. On appearance, this quote may seem to teach that if you do good you'll have it good, and if you do bad you'll have it bad.
Though that would run completely contrary to the flow of Peter's argument. And in fact, to the psalm itself. Where the OT is quoted we're invited to go back and read the context.
It's a psalm of King David. At a time of great suffering. David was on the run from his enemies. And he was in imminent danger of being captured and killed.
The psalm speaks of affliction, fears, troubles, many troubles, broken hearts, being crushed, and in all this a longing, seeking, crying out to the Lord for rescue, deliverance, salvation.
And so, verse 19 of the psalm affirms, that: "The righteous person may have many troubles... "
Clearly, being good won't bring good. The righteous suffer. And they will suffer because they're righteous.
Now, living righteously will keep us from suffering. Living God's way sexually - being pure, staying faithful - will save us a lot of hurt and harm. Living God's way financially - not stealing, working hard, being wise - will put food on our tables and keep us from being imprisoned. There's plenty of blessing in living God's way.
But there's much suffering as well.
Everyone who wants to live a godly life [to live god's way] in Christ Jesus ... will be ... persecuted. (2 Tim 3:12)
The righteous will suffer just because they 'own' the name of Jesus. It may be that in the office you're the Christian scapegoat, the whipping boy. At school you're the one ostracised, laughed at. At uni you're the one subtly put down and mocked in class discussions for your 'intolerant' views. Perhaps you're overlooked for that promotion or position just 'cos a Christian can't represent the company's values. I don't know what suffering you may face, but you know all too well.
In the psalm King David was afflicted, terrified, on the run, in fear of his life. And the big point of the psalm is, fear God.
Verse 5. Look to the Lord.
Verse 6. Call to Him.
Verse 7. Fear the Lord.
Verse 8. Refuge in Him.
Verse 9. Fear Him.
Verse 10. Seek.
Verse 11. Fear the Lord.
Verse 17. Cry out to the Lord.
Verse 22. Refuge in Him.
Fear the Lord. It's better to fear God than man. Why?
Two reasons. 'Cos to fear God is better in the end. 'Cos God saves.
Verse 4. He delivers.
Verse 6. He saves.
Verse 7. Delivers.
Verse 17. He delivers.
Verse 18. Saves.
Verse 22. Rescues.
Verse 19: "The righteous person may have many troubles, but ... the Lord delivers him from them all... "
In the end, God delivers. Rescues. Saves. Fear the Lord 'cos He saves. And 'cos He cares for His people.
Verse 12: "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous ... and his ears are attentive to their prayer"
I just love that imagery. Eyes, ears. And what they speak of.
I watched a young family in the church car-park the other day. The little boy was riding a small bike for the first time. The father was running alongside watching him all the way. And when he fell over, the mum was finely tuned to hear her son's cries. It's marvellous how there can be a room full of kids, but a mum can pick out the cry of their child.
God is watching us.
God is watching over us.
God is watching out for us.
He's got your back.
And so, in the midst of unjust suffering, suffering for doing good. Endure. Keep doing good. Fear the Lord, keep trusting Him. 'Cos He's watching over us. And, in the end, he'll deliver us. You got to think of it as audience of one. Fear God, not people.
When I headed off to pastor a church all on my own, at the tender and ridiculous age of 24, my mentor John, a much older man, gave me a farewell card. Which I have kept in my office ever since. The card only has one line.
Remember, at the end of the day it is what Christ thinks of you that is of any significance.
Almost 30 years on and I've needed that reminder often. He is our audience of one. Fear Him, not others. He cares for us, He watches us, and He wants us to value his opinion way over others.
And so, if you suffer for doing good, don't payback evil with evil. Do good. Bless them.
[For] ... if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. [Verse 14. ... So, ... ] 'do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.' [Instead fear God. Verse 15] in your hearts revere [fear] Christ as lord.
Honour the Lord Jesus.
Enduring suffering for doing good. That doing good includes sharing the good news.
What keeps me from speaking about Jesus? What keeps me quiet? Bottom line? It's 'cos I love myself too much. I want others to think good of me. I fear their opinion more than I fear God. And yet the Lord says, verse 15. Fear me and:
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for [your] hope...
Fear God. Don't fear people. And share your hope, tell them about Jesus. "Always be prepared" means ... ready to go. "Be prepared" means ... dressed and ready to go. Armed with answers.
Not knowing what to say is not an excuse. God wants us to be prepared. So learn a simple gospel outline. Two Ways to Live is excellent. But there's heaps of others. Don't know where to start? Drop us a line. We'll send you something.
And we got to be prepared to talk. "Be prepared to give an answer." Which means talking. Sharing.
It's not about having all the answers. We won't and we can't. It's about the answer to that one question. Why are we people of hope? Why are we confident of heaven? Of being saved?
It's not about having all the answers. It's simply about sharing Jesus. That He died to save us. The righteous for the unrighteous.
We talk about Jesus. 'Cos he is the reason for our hope. Our hope of heaven. Our hope, in the End, of glory. Our hope of a salvation, deliverance.
So when people give you a hard time, don't be afraid, endure suffering, share hope, share Jesus. And don't be a bible basher. The gospel is truth. It's good news. So we're to share it with kindness, warmth, winsomeness. End of verse 15:
... do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Now, as we come to the final few verses, we come to some of the most notoriously hard verses. About Noah, and Jesus preaching to spirits in prison, and baptism. Some suggest these are the most difficult verses in the whole NT. I agree.
There are 5 or 6 views. I've held 2 of these views. And this week I've begun to tend towards a third.
Which basically means, I'm stumped. I honestly can't teach these verses confidently at this moment in time. Talk to Phil, Jeremy, Dan and Pete. Talk to me. I'll happily tell you the different views. And I'll shoot on an article or two. But I can't with a clear conscience explain these verses. Sorry to disappoint.
However, one thing is clear. And that is the direction of Peter's argument. Followers of Jesus are called to suffer for doing good. To endure unjust suffering.
And Peter here adds a reason. Verse 17:
It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good [why? ... Verse 18] ... for Christ also suffered...
Christ also suffered. He is an example of suffering.
Peter's linking his hearers with Jesus. Just as his readers endure unjust suffering, so Jesus endured unjust suffering.
And if you look at the start of chapter 4, verse 1. It rounds off Peter's argument: "Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body... "
And so the verses in between, whatever our view, will be, must be, going with the flow of that argument.
Christ also suffered. He's the ultimate example of unjust suffering. And He's our substitute in suffering. Who takes our place, and dies our death.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, ... the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
Whatever we make of Christ preaching to imprisoned spirits, and the days of Noah, and baptism, it has to fit with that argument.
Jesus also suffered. And Jesus suffered for us. And so, like Jesus, when we suffer bad for doing good, we don't hit back. We don't payback.
We do good back. We show love back. We demonstrate and illustrate the love of Christ.
We'll be treated bad for being good. Yet we are to do good to those who do us bad. It's not just that we are to endure suffering. We're to actively, practically, do good to those who do us bad.
And so, let's wrap up.
Yes, followers of Jesus will suffer unjustly. We'll get it bad for doing good. For loving Jesus.
And so, questions.
How do we handle unjust suffering? And in that, how do we relate to those outside God's family? And how do we relate to God?
Well?
We endure unjust suffering in the fear of the Lord. We entrust ourselves to Him who judges justly. To Him who saves and delivers. To Him who cares and watches over us.
We fear God. Not people. And we follow Christ, our example and our substitute.
And to those outside God's family who do us bad? Well, we do them good. No payback, just love back. Just like Jesus.
And, we share Jesus. We share the reason for the hope we have.
Amen.