Now we are going to look at 1st Peter chapter 3, verses 13 through 17. In the pew bibles, it is found on page 1205. 1st Peter 3, verses 13 through 17. Peter's first letter was written to the Christians in the first century who were facing persecutions and were suffering. So Peter is writing these words in order to encourage them in their faith and life. So please read with me these words of the Apostle Peter from 1 Peter 3, 13 through 17. This is the Word of God.
"Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. But in your hearts, honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil."
Have you ever wondered what happens to people when they change cultures, like when they move from one country to another? Negatively speaking, they experience what is called a cultural shock. But positively speaking, they are introduced to new things. For example, they are introduced to new kinds of food, and I think that makes them very happy. In my case, that was the glorious barbecue. They learn about new lifestyles, about new ways of doing things, new and different rules, and so on and so forth. But the change doesn't stop there.
The newcomer soon realizes that his new country is treating different religions, and among them Christianity, differently. Now, Christianity, where I grew up in, didn't have any privileged position, although there wasn't a direct hostility to it. But when you move from the East to the West, soon you realize that Christianity isn't only a privileged religion, but it is something that is seen as positive, and society is basically honoring it. Although someone can argue that things have been changing recently. Well, Peter was writing this first letter at a time and a place to Christians where the state wasn't neutral to their faith the way I grew up in, or it wasn't positive and honoring the way many of you can probably testify that had experienced, at least in the past, but was hostile and was causing tremendous sufferings to Christians. He writes to people who were exiled, who were suffering, and yet were full of the promises and the hope of our God.
Now, the question for the Apostle Peter, and also for us, wasn't how people were treating Christians. I mean, of course they were suffering, the Christians, of course they were persecuting them. But the question was how Christians were supposed to respond. Because sufferings are going to happen in various ways. Today they may seem just little and light, but who can know what happens tomorrow? But what we are called to do as Christians, because Peter's words are directed to us, is to honor Christ amidst all kinds of sufferings and persecutions, which means to give our allegiance only to our Savior with our words and our deeds. Our business isn't to focus on what's happening outside of us, but on who we are in Jesus Christ and then how we are supposed to respond based on that.
So, since Christ died and rose from the dead in order to justify us and make us His people, as Peter writes in the beginning chapters of this epistle, and as we clearly see in the second chapter, verse 10, then we are called to honor Christ in our lives, even amid sufferings. How? By two things. First, by not being afraid. And second, by defending the hope that we have with words and deeds. So we have the themes of fear and then words and deeds. Let's take the first one: fear.
In verse 14, we read, "Beloved, you are called to not be afraid." Now, the Christians in the first century were facing one of the most powerful Empire of that world. The Roman Empire with its large armies, with its prestige. I think the Christians had every reason to be afraid. Because when you are a majority and a minority is persecuting you, that is difficult, that is hard. But what happens when you are a tiny minority and then there is this majority that wants to cause you harm, to cause harm to your family, to your loved ones, wants to persecute you or even wants that you face death, that it wants to imprison you, then what is going to happen in that case? Things will become quiet, unbearable. Yet Peter encourages them and us to not be afraid in the face of these sufferings and persecutions.
His words of encouragement are taken from the Old Testament, since he apparently saw what was happening to the people in the Old Testament as similar to what was happening to God's people in his time. He is quoting the prophet Isaiah, chapter 8, verses 12 and 13, where the prophet is encouraging the southern kingdom, Judah, against the threat of this large, big empire the Assyrian empire with its large and fearless armies. Listen to what Isaiah says in these two verses: "Do not call conspiracy all that these people call conspiracy. And do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread."
As the prophet spoke these words to people who were afraid, Peter takes these words and uses them to reassure the Christians in his time that as God was faithful to his people in the Old Testament time, He is the same faithful God again to defend them, even today. Now, Christians not only in the first century or in anti-Christian parts of the world face threats and often suffer, but even in the so-called most friendly places, sometimes telling your co-workers that you are a Christian may not bring a large smile on their faces. They may stop talking to you or treat you differently, unjustly. This can even be a reason to hold a mistake that you make against you in order to kick you out, probably, from your workplace. Sometimes there are neighbors who really dislike seeing a covenant family getting ready to go to church on a Sunday morning instead of getting ready to go to the beach to serve. They may change their behavior toward them. They may express their disdain in ten different ways.
Now, what should that covenant family think? Should it say to its members that it looks like people around us aren't happy of who we are and what we are doing? Then we should live in fear and stop doing what we are doing? Or do you remember the story of that famous baker who years ago refused to bake a cake for a so-called marriage reception because it was clearly against the biblical understanding of what marriage is about? A covenant union between one man and one woman. Now, if this baker was going to think about the fear of the people around him who were persecuting him, giving him a hard time, he was going probably to think something like, "Okay, it's not a big deal. I'm going to bake this cake because this reception and the ceremony are going to take place anyway, with or without my cake. And these people aren't happy with what I am doing. And because of the changing times now, everyone in the world is aware of this, and millions of people are not happy with this. And besides, if I bake this cake, I'll probably make some money." But no, he didn't think this way. He didn't let the fear of man overcome his sense of honoring God in his life and sanctifying the name of Christ. And he paid a huge price for that.
Now, it should be clear that the reason why the apostle is exhorting us to not be afraid isn't because he thinks that each one of us is like a John Rambo who is ready to go against war, against whole armies, to war and to defeat them, right? I don't remember he ever got defeated, but not at all. But because he believes that our inheritance in Christ Jesus is so safe, is so secure, that as we read in the first chapter, verses 4, that it is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for us. No one can take it away from us. So this means that even before suffering, even before thinking about fear and the consequences of what is going to happen, I know in advance that the threat of people will not change my status before God and will not be able to separate me from my Savior.
If we are not called to fear, then what should we do? And this brings us to our second point. We should be ready to defend and answer those who ask us about the hope that we have in Christ Jesus. So: defend with words and deeds.
The word that the apostle here is using is "defense." Now, in some translations, especially in the past, this word has been translated as "apology." And many Christians, when they see this word, they think that the Apostle Peter is calling us to bring the best arguments to prove God's existence. And this is what he wants us to do. Now, I'm not saying that this word "defense" doesn't include that. But it goes beyond it. This is about the defense, the answer, the explanation that we give to people who are often bewildered of why our desire to honor God is above everything. That why do we believe in the Bible as the Word of God? Why do we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Lord and Savior? And why when we are asked to pay a high price for our convictions, we are ready to do it. It is about giving an explanation to people who ask us why do we attend our church's evening service on what is called nowadays Super Bowl Sunday. But this isn't about defending what comes to our mind. We are called only for the defense, for the hope that is in us, verse 15. This is a hope which is a confident expectation and not a wishful thinking.
Often you see many Christians get excited about defending their faith, but they more defend their own views rather than the hope that is in them in Christ Jesus. But you are not called to defend what seems good for you. Honoring God in your life doesn't consist in pushing your own views and defending them wholeheartedly while forgetting to speak about the hope that is in us in Christ Jesus. This is why it is so important to know about our faith. We should be diligent students of the Word of God in which we learn about this hope that we have in Christ Jesus, whether primarily through sitting under the faithful preaching of our pastors and then by daily scripture readings, by devotions, by participation in small groups and in different ways that work for us. We should use every opportunity that the church provides to us to study and to know the Word of God well. Because if I am called to talk about the hope that is in me in Christ Jesus, and I know that this is in the Word of God, but I have a very superficial understanding of the Word of God, then how am I supposed to talk about it? I'm not saying even defending it, right? But even in this case, we know that mere knowledge of the faith is not enough.
We know it from the Catechism. We should heartily believe in every promise that the Father has made in His Son by the Holy Spirit for us. Only then we will be able to defend these truths and give a reason to people of why we embrace them. But it's not only about the content of our defense, but also about the how: with gentleness and respect, verse 15. You know, it is easy to imagine that defending my faith and the hope that I have in Christ Jesus is about crushing the other person. Or it's about the joy that I get in defeating an opponent. Yeah, I defeated him. He can't respond. He can't say anything. But according to the Bible, this doesn't honor God in my life.
Think about it. How many people out there have hated the Christian convictions, the Christian faith, not because they had a problem with it, but because of the way that Christians presented it to them? Often many enthusiastic Christians go to unbelievers or to people of faith who have doubts or who are struggling with the different parts of our faith as gladiators. In order to win the argument, they lose the people. I'm not saying that we need to lose the argument in order to win the people. But we have an apostolic word to give a reason for what we believe in gentleness, in kindness.
In light of what the Apostle is commanding us, one particular area that we should think carefully nowadays is social media. Social media, with all its negative or positive things, has given us Christians a great platform to present our faith, to talk about it, to defend it. But oftentimes, many people do not respond to questions posed to them following a post or a comment with gentleness and respect. Because how this medium works, it could be tempting to write down a devastating response to that challenging and questioning person and then silence that person. But what happens is that often people become offended by the way that that response is given. And in their minds, then a bridge is created between the way that Christians are presenting or even responding to their objections and also the Christian faith. And they say, "These Christians are rude, are not gentle, are ungraceful." So there has to be something in between that is connecting their behavior and their convictions.
This is why we should be careful in the way that we give answers to people regarding our faith on social media. Years ago, I remember I had an unpleasant experience on Facebook with someone, a Christian, who was highly educated. He knew his theology very well. And in that debate, I wasn't a dove, let me say that from the beginning. I was giving him a hard time. And when I look at it from today's point of view, he was completely right, and I was 100% wrong. Yet his tone was very harsh. "You are an ignorant. You don't know the gospel." That's how he was responding to me. I remember back then, I forgot what he was talking about. But I focused on his person, on his personality. And I was unhappy. I was thinking that if you have the truth, why you just can't explain it to me gently in a simple way?
And then another person, another Christian, entered into the conversation. He agreed with this first person 100%. He wasn't highly educated. You could see that clearly from his responses. Yet he was gentle. He was kind. He was even calling me a brother. He was gently responding to me. And do you know what happened at the end? I blocked the theologian, the person who knew his theology very well. But this second brother, he became one of my closest friends. We pretty much talk every single week and we encourage each other. All this because he followed the words of the Apostle and responded to a crazy person back then like myself with gentleness and with kindness. This is the good behavior that we are called to show.
Look how many times the word "good" is used in our passage. Four times. There shouldn't be a divide between our good words and deeds. You know, you hear many people who say words are not important, deeds are. I think this passage of today gives us a biblical, correct, and balanced view that both are important. Both are organically connected with each other. Because honoring Christ only with words will sound very cheap. It's very easy to sit behind the desk and the screen and to write down words after words. But the real challenge is in the day-to-day practical life where our words and deeds reflect on who we are in Jesus Christ. In our workplaces, with our neighbors, with our friends, with our co-workers, with some people who do not like what we are doing or who we are in Christ Jesus on social media, off social media.
Now, after all this, the suffering may continue. And it's already hard to suffer. But suffering unjustly for the sake of the good, when you are loving your neighbor as yourself, when you are gently responding to criticism and kindly explaining your faith, is really hard to digest. But this is how our good behavior in Christ in the face of injustices shines. You know why? Because this isn't something that is natural. This isn't about a natural goodness or natural good works or good behavior in us. But as the Apostle writes, it is in Christ, verse 16. I think this is about the same good works that Paul talks about in Ephesians 2, verse 10, where he says that these good works have been prepared by God for us in order to walk in them. They are gifts from God given to His children.
We don't continue on suffering and honoring Christ in words and deeds, well, because we are really powerless. We can't do anything regarding that. Or because we like suffering. The Apostle Peter isn't advocating for any sort of masochism here. No. But we continue holding on because we trust God. Because in this we are not alone. In chapter 4, verse 19, he says, "Therefore, let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful creator while doing good." So our suffering for good is an act of trust, that we are not alone and that we have entrusted our souls to our faithful creator and savior.
Nothing is outside the will of God. As Peter reminds us in verse 17, it is better to suffering for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. We trust God; therefore we let go. This is why it's not based on our own power, on our own ability to endure these sufferings. Also, we do not go through sufferings for the sake of any merit. "Hey, I am suffering, so I deserve this and this." We do it, right? In life, this week I worked a lot, so I deserve to go to that fancy restaurant. This doesn't work like this. This is why this idea in itself is liberating: that no matter what happens, no matter my weaknesses in enduring sufferings, often my failing to honor God through words and deeds, that my worth as God's child is not based on all these. Why? Well, because Christ, through His sufferings, accomplished for me what I wouldn't, even if I suffered for 1,000 years. And this gives me strength in my present sufferings and makes me want to trust God even more and more.
It is possible for me to endure suffering with words and deeds only because Christ suffered for my sake and He empowers me by His Holy Spirit to continue holding on. Beloved, our Lord feels with us because He has gone through everything that we do, except sin. This comforts us and encourages us. It encourages us to trust Him more. We read in Hebrews chapter 4, in verses 15 and 16, the following: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to Him in time of need."
We are not worshiping a God and a Savior who is far from us, that He doesn't feel with our weaknesses, with our sufferings. Our God isn't the false god of the philosopher, of Aristotle, who argued in the ancient times of a God, and he called this God the unmoved mover. He said this is an absolute powerful God who, although is unmoving, makes everything around him, the creation, the world, the people, to move. But there is no connection between that God and the rest of the creation. We do not worship this false God, but we worship and trust a Savior who knows exactly what we are going through. Because as we profess, He is a perfect God and a perfect man. Our theology, what we believe regarding Jesus Christ, isn't an abstract thing. It's not a Sunday school lesson. It is related to our very lives.
Since the Son of God became man, He became like us for our sake, as we say in the Creed. Everything He did, He did for us. Now imagine with me for a moment that you are suffering from a serious illness and you are in the hospital. And then two people visit you in order to comfort you. One of them went through the same serious illness years ago, but has been recovered from it. The second person hasn't been to a hospital except to visit other people. Now, whose words and presence will be comforting to you in that situation? The first ones, right?
Now, what? the suffering servant, Jesus Christ, suffered and rose from the dead, and only by repenting and believing in Him, I can become a child of God, called to honor Him in my life. If you still haven't done so, then my call to you today is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered for you and rose up from the dead to justify you and to empower you by His Spirit to live for Him, even amidst sufferings. You should come to Him with a believing and a trusting heart, knowing for sure that He is able to strengthen you in all that you go through.
In conclusion, the Apostle Peter writes these words of comfort to his suffering brothers and sisters, not only those who lived in the first century, but even who are living in this century. These words are for all times. His words are encouraging for God's children who often find themselves suffering unjustly for the sake of their faith in different ways. What should they do? They should remember two things: they should not be afraid, and then defend the hope that they have in Christ with words and deeds. In this, they should completely trust God, no matter the circumstances. And this can happen only if they are in Jesus Christ. It is possible to go through all this only in Him.
And then, as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1, verse 5: "For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." Amen.
Let's pray. Almighty Father, as Your children, it's often difficult to understand why we suffer and why wrong things happen to us for our faith, even for the sake of righteousness. Let the words that we heard today be impressed by your Spirit upon our hearts to remember that we should not be afraid but always trust you, no matter the circumstances. We ask you, Father, to comfort us with the important truth that through your Son, our inheritance is safe and secure even amidst our suffering. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.