Peter reminds us today that our attitude, our articulation and our actions (with one another) will show to the world whose footsteps we are truly following.
Sermon Title: THE ROAD TO THE BLESSED LIFE
Sermon Text: 1 PETER 3:8-13 (NIV)
Sermon Series: 1 PETER: HOPE IN A HOSTILE WORLD
By: PTR NIC SY
Sermon Notes:
1 PETER 3:8-12 NIV
8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
The world is always watching us.
1 PETER 2:12 NIV
12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
Three areas we are to live as brethren in order to be blessed.
I. IN OUR ATTITUDE: BY OUR CONDUCT & RESPONSE.
1 PETER 3:8 NIV
8 Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
A. By our conduct (1 Peter 3:8)
Live in harmony with each other.
Greek: homophrón = of one mind (intent, purpose), like-minded.
“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” – St. Augustine –
Be sympathetic.
sympathetic | Greek: sumpathés | to “suffer with” someone.
ROMANS 12:15 NIV
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
Love as brothers.
love | Greek: philadelphos | “one born from the same womb.”
1 JOHN 3:14 NIV
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
Be compassionate.
compassionate | Greek: eusplagchnos | “have good bowels.”
Be humble.
humble | Greek: tapeinophrosune | having a mindset of “not rising far from the ground.”
PHILIPPIANS 2:3 NIV
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
B. By our response to evil
1 PETER 3:9 NIV
9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
MATTHEW 5:38-41 NIV
38 You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’
39 But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
40 And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
41 If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
Loving our enemies takes more strength than retaliation. We are to choose love over retaliation every time.
II. IN OUR ARTICULATION: BY WHAT WE SAY AND DON’T SAY.
1 PETER 3:10 NIV
10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
1 PETER 2:21-22 NIV
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.
PROVERBS 18:21 NIV
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
PROVERBS 13:3 NIV
3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.
PROVERBS 12:18 NIV
18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
“We should have all our communications with men as in the presence of God, and with God as in the presence of men.”
Charles Colton
III. IN OUR ACTIONS: BY WHAT WE DO.
We are to do good.
1 PETER 3:10-11 NIV
10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.
11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it.
Why do good?
It’s what we are made for (Ephesians 2:8-10).
It’s the work of the kingdom.
It’s what the world is looking for.
“Being a Christian requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world. If your personal faith in Christ has no outward expression, then your faith has a hole in it.”
Richard Stearns
EPHESIANS 2:8-10 NIV
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Transformation isn’t an end in itself. We become like Christ for the sake of others, to do what he was doing.
PROVERBS 12:14 NIV
14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.
We are to seek peace and pursue it.
ROMANS 14:19 NIV
19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
MATTHEW 5:9 NIV
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
1 PETER 3:12 NIV
12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
“To be a peacemaker,
you must know the peace giver.”
Billy Graham