Turn Evangelism
Turn Evangelism
An Exceptional Calling: Choosing Righteousness in a World of Challenges | 1 Peter 3:17-4:6
This week, we unearth the profound teachings of 1 Peter, examining the Christian call to live sanctified lives that reflect Christ’s character in our daily actions. Through our discussion, we aim to uncover how embodying God's holiness and resisting the pull of worldly behaviors can serve as a powerful testimony to non-believers.
Can living a life of truth and righteousness really lead to suffering? As we explore the complexities of 1 Peter 3:17-4:6, we dive into the challenges that come with living a sanctified life. We provide various perspectives on Christ's proclamation to the imprisoned spirits, emphasizing the importance of interpreting Scripture in context and maintaining unity amid differing views.
Further, we discuss the transformative power of the resurrection and the enduring significance of living according to God's will as one who is done with sin. Drawing inspiration from Oswald Chambers' concept of being "carefully careless," we delve into the dedication required to reject sin and endure suffering for righteousness.We invite listeners to reflect on their spiritual journey, seek forgiveness, and commit to a renewed path of truth-telling and righteous living. Join us on this spiritual exploration and discover how to live a life set apart for God. If this message touches your heart, let us know by going to www.turnevangelism.com/connect, and fill out the form at the bottom of the page or send us a message. Also feel free to leave us a rating and review!
Lord, thank you so much for this time that we get to spend together as a congregation. I pray that, as we open the scripture today, that you would speak through me and speak to us as well. Lord, I pray that if there's someone in here who is struggling with a sin issue, that you would convict their hearts for them to repent of their sins and to turn to you, god, understanding that there's cleansing power in your blood. Lord, I want to lift up this congregation as they look for a new pastor. God, that you would allow them to make wise decisions and, in this time of interim, that you would prepare them to be the right ones for the new pastor as well, to be the kind of church that would honor you, not the one that would keep you at the doors knocking. Lord, we love you. God, speak to us, convict us and Lord, give us the will to change. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen.
T. S. Myers:Three weeks ago we were in 1 Peter. We're coming back to 1 Peter now because for the last two weeks it's been Easter Sunday. It was Palm Sunday before that. So now we're getting back into the book of 1 Peter. So before we get into this introduction, I want to just bring to mind what we went over three weeks ago in the book of 1 Peter. If you remember, in that sermon we talked about you guys having a specific calling in your life and we talked about how you were called to display Christ's character, to fear God and to win people to Jesus. Those were the last three points that we went over in the book of 1 Peter.
T. S. Myers:Now a little bit about the book of 1 Peter, just to kind of refresh our memories. Is, peter is writing from Rome at this point in time and he's writing to the churches in Asia Minor Okay, this is modern-day Turkey and he's writing to them as exiles who are scattered abroad there and he's saying your scatteredness is really your election from God, and so you might be feeling discouraged where you are at. Maybe they're feeling discouraged because they're suffering that they're going through. Peter is actually saying you're in a privileged position. You're a special people of God, you are called out by Him and, as a result, you guys need to see yourselves in that position. So how do you see yourself in the position that God has placed you in? Maybe you feel like you're the only person at your work that's saved, that knows the Lord, you are in a privileged position and we fast forward in the book of 1 Peter.
T. S. Myers:If you remember what's one of the purposes for why I'm here? I'm a temporary resident. My home is coming Right now. I'm a sojourner, I'm a temporary resident of this earth, to use Peter's language. So what do I do while I'm here? Well, I'm here to declare the praises of him, who's called me out of darkness into his kingdom of marvelous light. Remember that. So let's just refresh our memories really quick as we get up to speed in this book of 1 Peter.
T. S. Myers:And then, before we get into the passage today, I want to start where we ended three weeks ago. I want to emphasize this we are called to win people to Jesus by how we live, when we understand that we're living as sojourners, as temporary residents, that should, in our minds, get us to live here, set apart, for Him. Remember, if our hope is set on what's to come, we will live set apart here. We've talked about this analogy a number of times that if you know someone really good is cooking for you tonight, like Gordon Ramsay, or you know you're going to that Brazilian steakhouse and you really believe that that's where you're headed, and you understand and you've tasted that before and you know how good it is. What do you do in the meantime? You wait. You live differently. So if your hope is really set on the kingdom that's to come, on this resurrection that's coming on, the new life that's to come, you live differently now. Now remember, peter says you're not hanging. He doesn't just leave you hanging. In fact, in 1 Peter 1, it says you get the end at the beginning, the salvation of your souls, and you experience this inexpressible and glorious joy. So in other words, you get some appetizers while you're here. You get to taste and see that the Lord is good. I hope this is refreshing your memory.
T. S. Myers:In the book of 1 Peter we're going to start where we ended three weeks ago. We are called to win people to Jesus by how we live. The hope that you have is a testimony to other people about the reality of your relationship with God. You have something that they don't have and you're supposed to be a light while you're here. You're called to win people to Jesus by how you live. What do I not mean by this? I don't mean that you should go out and party and live crazily. I don't mean that you should go out and look like the world in the way that you're living. That's not what we're talking about here. Well, if I start to look like the world, then maybe I'll be able to relate to them better and they'll be able to come to know Jesus.
T. S. Myers:No, and what we're seeing in 1 Peter is you're supposed to be set apart from the world. You're supposed to be holy, as God is holy, and in your holiness people are going to push back against you, but they're going to know that there's something different about you, that you're not from this place, that you are different than everybody else. The way that you're supposed to win people is not by sinking down into their sins, by living a sinful lifestyle yourself. The way you're supposed to win people is by living the way God has asked you to live and by being a light in this way. So what do I mean? I mean we need to live sanctified, set apart lives, and this will win people to Jesus.
T. S. Myers:By the way, this is the harder road. This is the harder road. It's easy to rationalize your sins, you know like. Well, I want to have some fun In the meantime. Maybe I'll share some Jesus with this person. You're actually doing more harm to the gospel of Jesus Christ when you do that. But when you stand up in the midst of your friends who are not saved but you decide I'm not going to do what you're doing and you say, no, I'm going to do the right thing because I live before God and not you. He's my master, remember, he's the Lord of my life. We're slaves of God, not slaves of man. People are going to push back against you and we're going to see that today In the scripture that we're going to go over. You're going to see an analogy between Noah in the flood times and us today, in our times as well. Just like they pushed against him when he was a preacher of righteousness, they're going to push against you as well. You're going to see that in the scripture we go over today. You know, when I was on YouthQuest, when I was traveling for Liberty University, we'd travel around the South and we'd preach and get to do like improv stuff and games with young kids and do D-NOWs with them as well.
T. S. Myers:When I was on YouthQuest, one of my teammates his parents went through a divorce in college. It was a weird time to go through a divorce and it was tearing him up. His mother was the cause of the divorce, from what I understand, and he was so bitter towards her and he was doing ministry every weekend, and so one of the things I did as I was sitting with him in class we had a same class together is I asked him point blank, as I'm sitting next to him I don't know if it was after the class or maybe I don't know, I can't remember when, but I asked him point blank in this auditorium. I said have you forgiven her yet? You know, the Bible says we're supposed to forgive people. I knew he was going through a hard time, but I just asked a Christian question have you forgiven her yet? Well, he didn't show it, but he was extremely upset with me that I would even bring that up.
T. S. Myers:Well, time went by and I didn't know how upset he was with me, but later on we were doing these things called Youth Quest All-Stars. It sounds a little cheesy, but what we would do as a team is we would single out a person on that team and we would encourage that person that day, and so we had about maybe 20 people on the team, if my memory serves me correctly. Something like that. It was finally my turn to be encouraged by the rest of the team and this guy who I had confronted a while before just saying have you forgiven her? Yet he speaks up and he says you know, when you did that, thomas, I was so angry Like who are you to say this stuff?
T. S. Myers:But he said I don't know if he said you're the only one, but he said you, of all people, you told me the truth and I appreciate that. He said you're a truth teller. You tell people the truth and they might not like it kind of thing. I don't know. I don't remember exactly what he said, but that's what I remember him saying. He said you told the truth about this and it encouraged me to be a truth teller and it reminds me of something my dad taught me when I was growing up. So my dad's been a pastor my whole life. He's a pastor emeritus now.
T. S. Myers:One thing he told me my whole entire life was this principle he said it's called the principle of the last place. The truth was heard. When someone really wants the truth, they might not like that you're telling the truth right now. They might push you away or get angry with you at telling the truth, but when they really want the truth. They might push you away or get angry with you at telling the truth, but when they really want the truth, they're going to go to the last place where they heard it.
T. S. Myers:And you, as believers, need to be that person who is a truth teller, a truth liver, someone who's living out the truth and telling the truth in everyday life. And people aren't going to like it in the moment because they're in darkness and darkness doesn't want to come into the light. Remember John, chapter three. And you're light to this world and you expose the darkness. Remember Ephesians, chapter five. That's what you're called to be is light in this world, to be truth tellers. And when you tell the truth, people will not like it, but when they want it, where are they going to go? To you, you will be a testimony. You will be.
T. S. Myers:It's the principle of the last place the truth is heard. When someone really wants the truth, they'll go back to the last place they heard it. Are you that place? Are you a truth teller? But for those who don't really want the truth, who are in darkness, who don't want to come into the light, you become a stench to them. They're going to push back against you. The metaphor of light and darkness leaves something out. It's a great metaphor, but this darkness is a real darkness In a real life. People can really push against you and really persecute you or give you a hard time in the place that you are. So here's another principle that you can take home If you really live and promote a sanctified life, a holy life before God, like Christ asks you to, while you're here to be a light to this world, you will suffer and people will oppose you.
T. S. Myers:It's going to happen. But don't worry, you're a special possession of God. Your suffering is actually a sign that you know the Lord. Well, why? Because Jesus, who was the light of the world, came into this world and he suffered as well. We'll see that in the passage we're going to go over.
T. S. Myers:I just want you guys to understand this before we get into this passage today, that we are called to be truth tellers. Truth tellers are lights. People will go back to the last place they heard the truth. But truth tellers also invite pain, sometimes Suffering. People won't like what you have to say, but be of good courage and cheer. Jesus Christ, he himself, is our great example and he went through the same thing.
T. S. Myers:Let's see 1 Peter 3. Let's start in verse 17. Verse 17. Okay, 1 Peter 3, verse 17. And this is what it says, for it is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. Okay, great Sort of what we've been talking about. Verse 18. There we go. Once for sins. And what does it say here? The righteous for who? For the unrighteous To bring you to God. When you were against God himself, god still went after you. He didn't stop being a light just because we were his enemies. Now look what it says.
T. S. Myers:This is going to be important for the rest of the passage today. He was put to death in the body but was made alive in the spirit. We're going to be coming back to this a little bit later on. When we say he was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit, what do we mean? What does the Scripture mean here? It's talking about his resurrection, his death for our sins and his resurrection for our life. Now, what we're going to do here is you guys are going to have to buckle your seatbelts today, because we are going to be expositing one of the hardest passages in Scripture. In fact, there's three things in the passages that we're going to be going over today that are going to be extremely difficult to interpret, and so what we're going to do here is we're going to do our best. How does that sound? Sometimes you get to Scripture and it's tough, and there's a lot of different people who interpret it different ways, but we're going to do our best to look at the text, to examine it and to come up with a good solution.
T. S. Myers:All right, so look what it says. It says, for christ also suffered once for all, once for sins, the righteous, for the unrighteous, to bring you to god. He was put to death in the body but was made alive in the spirit. Let's's go on to verse 19 now, after being made alive. Maybe your translation says in which right, there's not that after there, but it just says in which. And then he goes on to say he went and made a proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. What in the world is going on here? Well, let's keep reading To those who were disobedient long ago, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. Now we can't just skip over this, because the rest of the passage is going to depend on us understanding this Noah analogy. So let's go on to verse 19. It says After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits.
T. S. Myers:How do you deal with this difficult scripture? Some people are going to say this means that Jesus went, in his intermediate period between his death and resurrection, down to Hades to preach to the spirits. Well, is that what's going on in this scripture? Well, that's an interpretation of it. But what it seems like is happening here and there's another very widely accepted amongst the scholars, another position that says well, it's actually after his resurrection what he does is he goes and preaches to the demonic spirits, because later on in the passage you're going to see that he has dominion over the demonic spirits. So this is what some people say, that is going on here as well. But there's still other people who are going to say that what's happening here is after his resurrection, he made proclamation to these people who were in Noah's time, who were speaking against him as well.
T. S. Myers:Now, what do you do when you come up with a passage like this? Well, one thing you want to do is interpret Scripture. With Scripture, you want to let context determine the meaning. So we look at the context together as we look at this kind of stuff and we do our best. So what happens if you disagree with the view that I take this morning? Well, guess what? We're brothers and sisters in Christ, but I'm going to try to do my best to interpret the scripture as best we can. So here's what we do and this is what I think is going on here.
T. S. Myers:It says after being made alive in the Spirit okay, after being made alive, now, this is a liberty that the NIV is taking. In translation yes, we're getting deep into the weeds today. Well, we want to handle this right. Okay, this is the liberty. In fact, if you're reading it from the original, it's actually saying something more like this After being made alive in the Spirit, in whom he went and made proclamation, or in which he made proclamation. I do think that the NIV's liberty is saying after this is probably a good way to look at this is that this is happening subsequent to his resurrection from the dead. Okay, and that's why you see it supplied in the NIV the way you do. That's at least my hunch there.
T. S. Myers:But then what does it go on? To say he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. And then what does it say To those who were disobedient long ago, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah for the ark that was being built? I think what's going on is after this resurrection from the dead, after God declares victory in Christ from his death, burial and resurrection. You do have an instance where God is going down to these people who spoke against Noah and proclaiming not their salvation but his victory and Noah's vindication. He's pronouncing their judgment, and this is going to be important for the interpretation of the rest of the passage, because what you're going to see here is people are going to revile and speak against you too later on in the passage. But here's what you've got to understand is that everyone is going to have to stand before Christ one day, and for those who have their hope in Jesus Christ, the world doesn't have the last word. Who does Always? God has the last word. All right, keep that in mind as we move forward in this passage.
T. S. Myers:Let's go on. We'll start in verse 20. To those who were disobedient long ago, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built In it, only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you. Also Another hard passage to interpret. Wait, baptism saves you. What's going on here? Right, you can see why this is a difficult passage.
T. S. Myers:Okay, but how do we understand what Peter is saying here? Well, again, we're going to let context determine the meaning. Let's keep on reading. What does he go on to say immediately? He says in which this baptism that now saves you. He says not the removal of dirt from the body. Ah, there's a clarification. He's not saying there's anything special about this water removing dirt from the body. But there's something going on in this baptism, he says, but the pledge of a clear conscience towards God. It saves you by the what? What does it say there? By the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand, with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
T. S. Myers:So let's pause there and let's talk just for a second. What we don't want to think is this that when I get to heaven, I'm justified before God because I got baptized. No, baptism is an outward sign of an inward reality, and this is sort of. You can see this kind of clarification in Peter. What is he saying here? He's saying not the removal of dirt from a body, but the pledge of a clear conscience. What's going on with this pledge of a clear conscience before God? You're saying God, I'm putting this old life behind me and I'm taking on your new life in Jesus Christ, and this was symbolized through baptism. What else, through the resurrection? Now we can look back to the days of Noah and we can ask ourselves the question did the water that wiped out the world and them coming back? Was it the water that saved them, or God in heaven who saved them? It was God in heaven who saved them. Now, when we're looking at baptism, when we see that and I think Peter wants us to see this is it the water that washes us, or God and his gospel that washes us through resurrection? Well, this is what Peter is saying. He's saying it's God and his gospel. So what's going on in the first century? Well, I want you guys to get this.
T. S. Myers:In the first century, baptism and salvation were extremely close, closely related, closely seen together. So if I could give you a way to think about baptism from the first century point of view, it was like today's version of the sinner's prayer. It was something that was seen as almost synonymous with your salvation. It was the event that marked from you being not saved to you being saved. And so today, we say a prayer at the end of the service for those who want to come to know Jesus. They can say God, I surrender to you. And you look in your mind, you think back to when you got saved and you're like it's when I said a prayer to God and he saved me that day. Well, what do we know? That prayer doesn't save us, right, god saves us. But that's very closely associated with our salvation, right? Well, in the waters of baptism is it's God doing something to you, and it's a beautiful symbol. I love that. This is something that the Lord has left with us. And so what happens?
T. S. Myers:You see in the New Testament, baptism and salvation being very close. Even read Colossians and Romans, things like this. Okay, you're going to see them being very close, but what do we know? We know that justification comes by faith, salvation comes by faith alone, and so this was very closely associated. So when people talked about their baptism, you could use it synonymously with your salvation as well. Okay, now, all this to say. I know we're teaching a lot today and this is not our normal road, but these are some of the most difficult passages in Scripture, and we're navigating the waters together. All this to say what you guys now you're going to see this in the coming passage are going to be like those who were in the days of Noah, but just like the world was identified with the death waters of Noah's day, that was a symbol of what you guys are identified with as well today, that you guys have passed through the waters of baptism. But those death waters because water symbolizes death here, or baptism symbolizes death here you didn't go through it alone. Jesus is with you. And what's on the other side? Resurrection from the dead. It's a powerful symbol. They spoke against Noah. They're going to speak against you as well. Now we're going to carry that into this next passage.
T. S. Myers:Let's go into 1 Peter 4, verse 1. It says therefore since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. Whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. Does this mean that if I suffer in the body, that I don't sin anymore? That is not what Peter is saying here. What does it mean to be done with sin? Here's what I want you to get.
T. S. Myers:The first point of this morning is this If you want to truly represent Christ, you must be done with sin. What does it mean to be done with sin? It means in this passage, as the New American Commentary says, to decide to suffer indicates that you cease to let sin have dominion over you. In other words, you're done with it. Have you guys ever just gotten tired of something? And you're like man I'm done with this.
T. S. Myers:There comes a point in time in your life as a believer when you part ways with sins because you're done with them. In fact, this is the heart of all believers. What we're supposed to be in all of our hearts is to repent, is to be done with sin. You're letting go of that lifestyle. You want to live set apart for God and his kingdom. Because you've tasted how bad this world is, how much trouble it's got you into, and you're just done with sin. And you don't care what comes your way afterwards, you don't care if it involves suffering or pain or sorrow, you just are done, because all sin has ever done in your life has hurt you. And you get it now because you've tasted that God is better, because you've heard the voice of God calling out to you, saying to you I am better than this and you've tasted that that's better and this stuff is just disgusting now. So you're done with sin. But if you're done with sin, you're going to be inviting suffering while you're here on this earth as a temporary resident. That's what's going on in this passage.
T. S. Myers:To give in to sin is to submit to its dominion. To say I'm not done with sin is saying I am putting sin's rule over me instead of God's rule. But God has called you out of that lifestyle to be done with that lifestyle, to be done with sin. Are you done? Jesus frees you from sin. He does not free you to sin. When he frees you from sin, he expects you to be done with sin. Are you done? Are you at the point where you are willing to suffer to get out of your sin? Are you really done with sin? You don't care what comes your way. You don't care what's going to happen. I am done with sin. I put it on the cross. If not, you're not done with sin. You might think you're done with sin, but you're not. You might think you're done with sin, but you're not those who are willing to suffer in order to stand up for what is right, are truly done with sin. We must get to the point where, regardless of the consequences, we're able to say I want to do what's right in God's eyes, at home, at work, with my friends, even if they hate me for it. I'm done with sin. Are you done? How do you I'm done with sin. Are you done? How do you know you're done with sin? Because suffering doesn't stop you from doing God's will. Hey, if you go this way, you're going to suffer. I don't care, I'm done with sin. I want to do what God wants.
T. S. Myers:Think about Paul's call on the road to Damascus. God calls him to turn from his lifestyle of persecuting the church as a Pharisee into what A beautiful kingdom of God where he would be an apostle to the Gentiles. And what does God say to Paul? He says, well, he says to Ananias, I believe. Actually, he says that he's going to have to find out how much he must have to suffer. For me, isn't that an interesting thing to say? People who are genuinely lights of this world will suffer like Christ suffered. I'm not really painting a really rosy picture, am I? Isn't that interesting? This is part of Christianity, but you can tell somebody who is really sold out to be a Christian, because they're done with sin, something different about their heart. They're going to do the right thing, they're going to honor God, they're going to follow his word.
T. S. Myers:If you want to truly represent Christ, you must be done with sin. And secondly, you must be carefully, careless, carefully careless. My dead mentor is Oswald Chambers, as you guys know. I love Oswald Chambers and one of the things he says is that we must be carefully, careless. Careful about the things of God, careless about everything else. Don't give a care to anything else but the things of God.
T. S. Myers:Let's go on to 1 Peter 4, verses 2-4. So they're done with sin, right. Let's see on to 1 Peter 4, verses 2-4. So they're done with sin, right. Let's see verse 2. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires. Well why? Because they're done. But what are they living for? But rather they live what, but rather for the will of God. Do you guys see that when God's will is your mindset, I want to do what God wants. You don't live for the earthly desires, you are done with sin, and so you're accepting the suffering that comes along with being a disciple of Jesus Christ. Verse 3 goes on to say this for you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans chose to do or choose to do Living in debauchery. These are some of the words in the scripture that you're like.
T. S. Myers:What does debauchery mean? Okay, it's extreme indulgence of bodily pleasures, especially sexual pleasures. The Greek word can be translated sensuality. The idea is licentious living so sexually unrestrained conduct. Right, you've given this stuff up. What else have you given up?
T. S. Myers:Lust, now, it's interesting. We've seen this word elsewhere in the scriptures, haven't we? Remember chapter one, when we talked about the angels longing to look into these things. Well, that's the same Greek word that's being used here. But remember, context is going to help us understand the meaning. This is a negative kind of longing, and so we translate it as lust. So this is a passionate, negative longing or craving. In its context, it's bad. Think like a lust for power or a lust for sex or a lust for violence. This is the stuff that we've given up. We used to live like this, but we've given it up. We are done with it. What else? Drunkenness is another one here. So think like debauched drinking, this wild drinking, drunkenness, you guys. I don't think we need to explain that one too much.
T. S. Myers:Orgies Well, that's an interesting one. That's in the Scripture, isn't it? Well, this actually comes from the Greek word komos or komos. It refers to a drunken feast which hosted unbridled sexual immorality. It was debauched, partying, wild partying, carousing. We're supposed to give this up too. These are drinking parties. It's meeting for the sake of drinking. What else are we supposed to not be a part of? Detestable idolatry? Now, this one, I think. In the original Greek it's unlawful idolatry, think, like the heathen idol practices. These are things that we used to participate in, but we are supposed to no longer participate in. They are associated with wild lifestyles that are not proper for the people of God.
T. S. Myers:Verse 4 says this they are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living and they heap abuse on you. In other words, if you are done with sin, what's going to happen? You're going to suffer. Remember my second principle If you are living for Christ and his will, what's going to happen? You're going to suffer for it. But don't worry, you're still alive. While you're here and when people want the truth and the Holy Spirit works on their heart, guess where they're going to go to find it? You. That's my first principle, the principle of the last. And the Holy Spirit works on their heart. Guess where they're going to go to find it? You, that's my first principle, the principle of the last place. The truth was heard. So if you do the will of God and you oppose sin and you're really done with it and you oppose this reckless and wild living, you're going to suffer.
T. S. Myers:When you live for God and you're approved by Him. Though I want you to get this, though I want you to understand this You're free. Who cares if they don't like that? You don't participate what they participate in, you're free. Something better is coming for you and if you're convinced of that, you live different. Now, when you live for God and you're approved by him, you are free. If you have God's approval and you suffer at the hands of man, but you got the approval of God. Who cares what they think? Do God's will? But, thomas shouldn't. I care what other people think, not if God says you're doing well. If you're trying to do God's will and you have his approval and people do not approve, then no, do not care about what they think. You cannot control what people think anyways. So stop trying to control it and you worry about you before God anyways. So stop trying to control it and you worry about you before God.
T. S. Myers:If you're genuinely living right before God and you're seeking to please him by loving him and loving others like he wants you to love others, if you are committed to do what what is right before him and people still get put out because you're not following what they want you to do. I got a few questions for you. Do you think you are going to live any better if you make them your standard over God? What about this? Do you think that your care for living up to their expectations will make you better than simply caring about what God thinks? Free yourself through the power of the gospel. Let God free you, rather, from the cares of what other people think, and be carefully careless. Care about the things of God and don't care about anything else. Do the next right thing. Follow God's will for your life. Who cares what the world thinks if God says you are approved by him? Love others, love God the way he's called you to do it, and if people don't like that, you're telling the truth. Don't worry about it. The only one whose word ultimately matters, has given you his approval. Follow him. He'll have the last word in the end. Be free, just care about what God thinks. So if you want to truly represent Christ, you must be done with sin. You must be carefully careless. Live for God's will, not the will of others, just like they did or they were supposed to Live for God's will and the will of others, just like they did or they were supposed to live for God's will. And then three, three, remember God will have the last word Always.
T. S. Myers:Let's go to 1 Peter, 4, verses 4 through 6. Verse 4 says this we're going to pick up where we left off. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living and they heap abuse on you. Does that sound familiar? Think back to the analogy of Noah here and that flood. Don't worry, though. What happened with them? Well, after being made alive in the Spirit, according to that passage, he goes down and he has the last word and proclaims judgment and his victory. Doesn't he who was ultimately right in the end? It was nowhere the preacher of righteousness. Don't worry. Their human judgments, from their human standards that are against you, do not constitute the last word against you. Verse 5 goes on to say but they will have to give an account to him. Who is ready to judge the living and the dead? You guys see that they heap abuse against you, but who's going to have the last word? Always God. God will always have the last word.
T. S. Myers:Verse 6, for this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to human standards in regards to the body, but live according to God regarding the Spirit. Okay, let's break that down real quick, because now we're coming to our third hard passage. What is going on here now? So we've gone through two hard passages, now we're coming through to our last hard passage of the morning. And don't worry, from this point forward, 1 Peter isn't as hard as it is today. Okay, so we're just knocking them all out in one day. Sounds good, right?
T. S. Myers:Verse 6 says For this reason, the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead. Now, some people take this to mean when Jesus went down and preached to those who are captive, and things of this nature. Now, I don't believe this is what it means, because if we look directly after this verse, it talks about so they might be judged according to human standards in regards to the body, but live according to God. With regard to his spirit, sounds like he's talking to people who are genuinely saved here and now. So what's going on here is this it's not referring to Christ preaching to the dead, but to those who have died in Christ. How do we know this? Because it mirrors the earlier passage.
T. S. Myers:Let's go back up to 1 Peter 2, verse 18. I want you guys to read this real quick with me. It says this For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. Now, what does it say here? Now look what it says. You ready? He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit. You guys catch that. You see that language.
T. S. Myers:Now let's fast forward to the passage that we're in today. For this reason, the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead. Now, the idea here is dead in Christ. Well, now, the idea here is dead in Christ. Well, why? So that they might be judged according to human standards in regards to the body, but live according to God and regarding the Spirit. You guys see that it's a mirror. It's mirroring this passage and Peter wants us to catch something that, even though people would revile you and they would speak against you while you're here and when you die, they might even say according to human standards, they might even say, see, they just die like everybody else. We might as well eat, drink and be merry while we're here, in the end God's going to have the last word because, just like Christ, what's going to happen to you, even though you die in Christ, you're also going to be raised in Christ as well. You're going to be alive according to the Spirit, just like Christ was in chapter 2. That's what we see here in this passage, and so God has the last word.
T. S. Myers:In the end, those who revile will have to give an account before the Lord, who is over all. Remember, 1 Peter talks about that Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand, with the angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. So this Jesus is above all. Those who revile will have to give an account to the Lord, who is over all. They will know the gospel was right and that Jesus is Lord in the end, just like those in the days of Noah found out through the preaching of the gospel. You will be those people who stand before God, and God will make you alive in Christ and he'll have the last word. But those who die in Christ will be made alive in the Spirit, just like Christ. The world will judge now. See, they die like everybody else, but you will be made alive and God will have the last word. Christ is always, always, the last word.
T. S. Myers:Now, what do we do with all of this? We talked a lot about suffering today and for some of you in here, I have turned you off from Christianity. If that's what I'm signing up for, I don't want to be a part of this. That's what I'm signing up for. I don't want to be a part of this. That's what Christianity is. Christianity is believing a gospel to be set apart by God, to live, while you're here, a sacrificial life, to be a light to this world, but knowing something amazing that what God has to offer you is so much better than anyone could ever offer you. It's better than anything that anyone could ever offer you. If you knew how good it was, how good it is what God is actually offering you, it would be a no-brainer. You would go through hell to get to heaven right, it wouldn't make any difference. You would follow the path of Christ because you've tasted that what God has to offer you is the best, and that is a living testimony to everyone who sees it.
T. S. Myers:People who are genuinely convinced of the gospel of Jesus Christ and are living sanctified lives while they're here, become a light to this dying world, so that while you're here, people think, well, what do they have that I don't have? And when they're searching for the truth, they come back to the last place that they heard it. Momire, I hope that's you, I pray that that's you, that you would have such a love for God and his word that you would never compromise. What is God calling you to do today? I can tell you, right now the Lord is calling you to follow His word and His will.
T. S. Myers:The good news of the gospel is that you, through Jesus Christ, are guaranteed eternal life, that living a holy life isn't a requirement to get in. But if you're in, it's something that's going to happen as a natural result. It's going to be something that happens over time through God's sanctifying process. Well, why? Because you can't come into contact with someone as big and as powerful as the God of the universe and not show it. And so while you're here, you're called to live set-apart lives, to look different. But don't get the cart before the horse. And if you come in on this 1 Peter message and you've just heard me say, you have to do the right thing, you have to do the right thing and that's all you've heard me say, well, you've missed the first few messages. The reason we do the right thing is because we're sojourners, because we're convinced that something better is coming, because we've been given the gospel.
T. S. Myers:And the gospel of Jesus Christ is not do this to be saved. It's rather, if you're genuinely saved and the God of the universe impacts your life, you won't be able to help, but to be transformed by the God of the universe. Now it's going to look different for different people. Some people light switch, goes on. Other people are like dimmers, right, but something's going to happen. Gradually, over time, you're going to look more and more like him and it needs to be the priority of your heart.
T. S. Myers:If you're genuinely repentant of your sins and saying God, I pledge to you a clear conscience and I want to let go of that life and I want to get on to your life. It needs to be you that's done with sin, and sometimes you have to come to the end of your rope to see how disgusting sin really is. Where are you at? Are you done? If you are, in just a few seconds, I want to encourage you to trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation, because when you come to that point and the Holy Spirit brings you to that point where you're done with sin, let it go on the cross. God offers you new life in Jesus Christ, and it's a free gift. It's offered freely to you and if you accept it, you become a citizen not of this world, but of the world to come. You're promised a resurrection because of his resurrection.
T. S. Myers:Are you done with sin? Do you want to come to know Jesus today? Do you want a new life in him? Well, you don't have to do anything in order to receive it. All you have to do is stop working and let God work and he will change your heart. But you've got to be done. No more you, no more I, me, mine, no, it's all yours, god. I surrender to you as Lord, I'm done. And then he changes you so that 2 Corinthians 5.17 would come to life in you, which is that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come. Do you want to be a new creation today? Be done with sin and cling to the cross, and a resurrection is waiting you.
T. S. Myers:Let's pray, lord, I thank you so much for the time that we get to spend together today just opening your word and going through difficult passages, but really seeing them meet in 1 Peter. Lord, I know that a call to suffer is tough, but if we're faithfully handling your word, it's there. But we need to remember who we are in you, jesus Christ, that we are a special possession, a chosen people, and we have an amazing calling, even if it is to suffer, we get the privilege to suffer like you suffered, jesus. Help us to be like those disciples who ran out of the temple praising you and leaping for joy because they were counted worthy to suffer for your name. Work that in us too, lord. I want to pray for those in here that don't know you, lord, that today, if they would want to truly genuinely receive a new life, that they would let go of theirs, that they would put their life on the cross and be done so that you could start something new in them today, in Jesus' name, with all heads bowed and every eye closed. If that's you, and the Lord is speaking to you right now in the quietness of your seat I want to give you an opportunity to genuinely hand your life over to Jesus and to be done.
T. S. Myers:Say a simple prayer of surrender, a prayer that says God, I'm not saved, I've been living for myself. I need you to save me. I'm done with my old life. You give me the life that you promised I'm done. Is that you Say a simple prayer of surrender right now. Say this to Jesus Dear Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. I need your salvation. I'm done with my sin, I'm done with my life, and so today I put it on the cross and I ask you to raise me to life with you, to give me a new beginning, to come into my heart, to be my Savior, to be my Lord and to be my friend. I will follow you from this day forward as your disciple, in Jesus' name. Amen.
T. S. Myers:Nobody looking around, every head bowed and every eye closed. If you said that, and you meant it, what I want you to do is just raise your hand up in the air right now. All right For those of you who genuinely said that prayer and meant it know this If that was a genuine prayer of your heart and it was real for the first time, you're a child of God, not because you rose your hand or said a prayer, but because you trusted God and not yourself. For the rest of us in this room, I want to call an altar call just for you all, because maybe you're in here right now and you've got some sin in your life and you're a Christian and it's not appropriate. There's some wild living. I'm calling the altar to you to come down and just say God, I'm done with this.
T. S. Myers:Maybe you know someone who needs the forgiving hand of Jesus Christ and maybe what you need to start doing maybe you need to fill the altar in this way is you need to be a truth teller. So maybe you're living a pretty good life. You're not living wild. Generally, you're a good follower of Jesus, but when the right time comes, you don't speak up for him or you don't do what you know is right and you give in to the pressures of this, this world. I want to call you to the altar as well, to bow your knee and to say, god, no, I'm going to be a truth teller. I commit this to you. The altar is open.