1 00:00:00,790 --> 00:00:03,240 Well, good morning everybody. Once you go ahead and open up 2 00:00:03,250 --> 00:00:08,260 your Bibles with me to first Peter, Peter's first letter that 3 00:00:08,270 --> 00:00:10,340 was written to the church, at least the one that we have 4 00:00:10,350 --> 00:00:12,820 recorded. Maybe you got it on your phone 5 00:00:12,830 --> 00:00:14,840 or on your tablet. And let's get the word of God 6 00:00:14,850 --> 00:00:19,180 open today. We are really closing up our 7 00:00:19,190 --> 00:00:22,490 series on the will of God. Have we covered everything there 8 00:00:22,500 --> 00:00:26,190 is to say on the will of God? We we definitely have not done 9 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:27,570 that. But just just a little bit of a 10 00:00:27,580 --> 00:00:30,670 heads up before we get into this next week, as you're turning 11 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:34,330 there next week, we're starting a new series called Words to 12 00:00:34,340 --> 00:00:37,210 Live By. So we're taking some very 13 00:00:37,220 --> 00:00:42,660 popular secular sayings that are often making their way into the 14 00:00:42,670 --> 00:00:45,460 vocabulary of Christians and just taking a look at those in 15 00:00:45,470 --> 00:00:48,570 relation to Scripture. So it should be a really, really 16 00:00:48,580 --> 00:00:49,990 great series. Really looking forward to it. 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,370 So hope you can join us for that next week. 18 00:00:52,420 --> 00:00:56,610 But today, last message in the will of God, we have not covered 19 00:00:56,620 --> 00:00:59,200 all the ground, but we have been talking about the will of God in 20 00:00:59,210 --> 00:01:03,190 terms of two kinds of wills of God. 21 00:01:03,450 --> 00:01:07,420 Scripture speaks of 1 is the mysterious will of God. 22 00:01:07,710 --> 00:01:11,500 That is, we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but 23 00:01:11,510 --> 00:01:15,520 whatever does happen tomorrow, that is the will of God, right? 24 00:01:15,530 --> 00:01:19,820 Nothing escapes his notice. But there is a will of God that 25 00:01:19,830 --> 00:01:22,180 isn't mysterious. And that is what he is clearly 26 00:01:22,190 --> 00:01:24,900 laid out in Scripture. His commands which reflect his 27 00:01:24,910 --> 00:01:28,420 character, but also his desire for each one of our lives 28 00:01:28,670 --> 00:01:31,400 clearly revealed in in Scripture. 29 00:01:31,450 --> 00:01:34,300 So there's the mysterious or the concealed will of God. 30 00:01:34,380 --> 00:01:36,690 We won't know until the moment it happens. 31 00:01:36,730 --> 00:01:40,460 But there's also the commands of God, the the revealed will of 32 00:01:40,470 --> 00:01:44,810 God that he makes clear to all people what we've been doing, 33 00:01:45,010 --> 00:01:47,650 what we're doing for the last three messages in the series. 34 00:01:47,660 --> 00:01:52,180 So this is number three of those 3 messages is looking at where 35 00:01:52,190 --> 00:01:55,180 it explicitly says like, you cannot miss this. 36 00:01:55,230 --> 00:01:58,490 While all of the commands that God gives to us are his will for 37 00:01:58,500 --> 00:02:02,320 our lives, There's a few places in Scripture where it says this 38 00:02:02,390 --> 00:02:04,220 is the will of God for your life. 39 00:02:04,270 --> 00:02:07,300 We thought, hey, you know what, let's close on on, on these, on 40 00:02:07,310 --> 00:02:09,970 these places. So last two, two weeks ago we 41 00:02:09,979 --> 00:02:14,450 looked at First Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 3, where it says 42 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,970 it is God's will that you would be sanctified, that you would 43 00:02:18,980 --> 00:02:23,100 avoid sexual immorality. Then last week we looked at the 44 00:02:23,110 --> 00:02:25,880 next chapter in First Testimonies, chapter 5 or 16 to 45 00:02:25,890 --> 00:02:29,980 18, where it says rejoice always, pray continually give 46 00:02:29,990 --> 00:02:34,260 thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in 47 00:02:34,270 --> 00:02:37,360 Christ Jesus. Now today we're going to look at 48 00:02:37,370 --> 00:02:40,820 a final one. So first Peter chapter 2, verse 49 00:02:40,830 --> 00:02:44,680 15. And it says this for it is God's 50 00:02:44,690 --> 00:02:50,280 will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk 51 00:02:50,330 --> 00:02:56,760 of foolish people. Father, thank you for your will. 52 00:02:57,590 --> 00:03:01,160 Thank you for Your word that reveals your will. 53 00:03:01,170 --> 00:03:04,040 We pray that You would illuminate our minds, that you'd 54 00:03:04,050 --> 00:03:08,240 fill us with Your spirit and change us from the inside out. 55 00:03:08,570 --> 00:03:12,400 Teach us what You are all about and Your plans for our lives in 56 00:03:12,410 --> 00:03:18,390 Jesus name, Amen. Hey man, first Peter chapter 2, 57 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,050 verse 15. For it is God's will that by 58 00:03:22,060 --> 00:03:27,150 doing good, you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish 59 00:03:27,340 --> 00:03:29,900 people. That's one verse. 60 00:03:29,910 --> 00:03:33,400 That's that's kind of sitting in a sea of context. 61 00:03:33,410 --> 00:03:36,540 It is so important for us to understand the implication of of 62 00:03:36,550 --> 00:03:39,400 this, this one verse. So we're gonna take a look at, 63 00:03:39,410 --> 00:03:42,200 we're going to jump into a few things here. 64 00:03:42,330 --> 00:03:45,170 So chapter 2, starting at verse 11, we're going to read a little 65 00:03:45,180 --> 00:03:47,450 bit of context here. Dear friends. 66 00:03:48,150 --> 00:03:53,480 I urge you as foreigners and exiles to abstain from sinful 67 00:03:53,490 --> 00:03:55,390 desires which wage against your soul. 68 00:03:56,340 --> 00:04:00,510 Live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse 69 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:05,510 you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God 70 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,190 on the day he visits us. We'll just pause right there. 71 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:13,750 Notice that Peter is speaking to Christians in a Pagan culture. 72 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,820 Pagan simply means that people that don't believe in the God of 73 00:04:16,829 --> 00:04:21,660 the Bible and he is, he is referring to these Christians as 74 00:04:21,670 --> 00:04:24,530 foreigners. Literally it means aliens like 75 00:04:24,540 --> 00:04:27,940 from another planet. And literally when when we 76 00:04:27,950 --> 00:04:33,460 receive Jesus Christ and, and into our lives, heaven is given 77 00:04:33,470 --> 00:04:35,260 to us. We are now citizens of heaven. 78 00:04:35,550 --> 00:04:39,020 So while we are part of this world, we really don't belong to 79 00:04:39,030 --> 00:04:40,810 this world. We belong to God. 80 00:04:40,820 --> 00:04:42,860 And so we speaks to them as foreigners. 81 00:04:43,310 --> 00:04:47,260 But the way that the Pagan culture is treating these 82 00:04:47,270 --> 00:04:50,970 foreigners, these Christians, is that they're accusing them of 83 00:04:50,980 --> 00:04:58,120 doing wrong. Now, since Constantine that you 84 00:04:58,130 --> 00:05:04,030 know, 3rd century made Christianity official religion. 85 00:05:05,020 --> 00:05:08,630 Since that time, Christianity has gained steam in terms of its 86 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:12,130 legitimacy in our culture and it's acceptable to be a 87 00:05:12,140 --> 00:05:14,590 Christian and it's good to be a Christian. 88 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,550 People would look at at Christians and say, you know 89 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,850 what, I may not agree with their way that you know the way that 90 00:05:19,860 --> 00:05:21,910 they conducting their lives, but what they're doing that's 91 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:26,580 actually pretty good at this point in time, Christians were 92 00:05:26,590 --> 00:05:29,830 looked at as know what they're doing is wrong. 93 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:34,340 It's offensive. It's it, it's, it's disobedient 94 00:05:34,350 --> 00:05:37,420 toward our culture or or even to our, our, our government or 95 00:05:37,430 --> 00:05:41,120 governmental laws. And we can even call that, hey, 96 00:05:41,130 --> 00:05:43,410 that's even evil. I don't know if you notice 97 00:05:43,470 --> 00:05:44,980 there's a, there's a good overlap. 98 00:05:44,990 --> 00:05:47,580 We, we are kind of going full circle right now. 99 00:05:48,470 --> 00:05:52,160 Christians today in our, in our, in a very secular culture, which 100 00:05:52,170 --> 00:05:56,360 is kind of like moving away. That's becoming more connected 101 00:05:56,370 --> 00:05:59,840 to our Pagan roots. That is not believing in the God 102 00:05:59,850 --> 00:06:01,850 of the Bible. Christians. 103 00:06:01,860 --> 00:06:06,350 Now we're originally or, or, or, you know, since the 3rd century 104 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:08,130 would be considered good. This is good stuff. 105 00:06:08,140 --> 00:06:10,130 Now we're being looked on in a very negative light. 106 00:06:11,490 --> 00:06:14,620 What you're doing is actually regressive. 107 00:06:14,830 --> 00:06:20,040 It's oppressive, it's evil that's beginning to happen in 108 00:06:20,050 --> 00:06:22,680 our culture today. So there's a, there's certainly 109 00:06:22,690 --> 00:06:27,570 an overlap here that that I think we can identify with. 110 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,970 So let's just keep going. Verse 13, it says this is. 111 00:06:30,980 --> 00:06:36,250 So in this context, this is Peter's exportation to his 112 00:06:36,260 --> 00:06:39,560 people. Submit yourselves for the Lord's 113 00:06:39,570 --> 00:06:43,460 sake to every human authority, whether to the Emperor as the 114 00:06:43,470 --> 00:06:46,810 supreme authority, or to governors who were sent by him 115 00:06:46,850 --> 00:06:50,350 to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 116 00:06:51,020 --> 00:06:53,750 For it is God's will that you, by doing good, you should 117 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,110 silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 118 00:06:57,540 --> 00:07:00,750 Peter is urging them to respect the emperor. 119 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:05,110 Now at that time the emperor's name was Nero, and Nero had it 120 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:08,970 out for Christians. He hated Christians, and yet the 121 00:07:08,980 --> 00:07:12,730 Christians are being commanded to submit to his authority. 122 00:07:13,410 --> 00:07:17,310 Why and and even the governor at that time, which would have been 123 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,170 Pontious Pilot and and for those of that you know the story, the 124 00:07:20,180 --> 00:07:23,250 story of Jesus crucifixion. You know, Pontius Pilot is just 125 00:07:23,260 --> 00:07:26,610 be submitting to these people. Now we look at our government 126 00:07:26,620 --> 00:07:31,660 and you may or may not like our current government, but there's 127 00:07:31,670 --> 00:07:35,750 some operative expectations here for us as well. 128 00:07:35,820 --> 00:07:37,810 How we speak about our current government. 129 00:07:37,820 --> 00:07:39,990 We not agree with everything that they do, but we are to 130 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,900 respect them. We are to honor them. 131 00:07:41,910 --> 00:07:44,990 We're actually even to pray for them, Paul says in in other 132 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,760 places in Scripture. Why? 133 00:07:48,810 --> 00:07:53,550 Because they've been set in place by God for a purpose, and 134 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:59,440 that purpose is to punish those who do wrong and to commend 135 00:07:59,450 --> 00:08:02,840 those who do right, really to keep order within society. 136 00:08:02,890 --> 00:08:06,440 Now, many governments go off the rails and the definition of what 137 00:08:06,450 --> 00:08:09,560 right and wrong are can be very fuzzy, can be very blurred or 138 00:08:09,570 --> 00:08:15,280 downright contradictory. However, in that context, we are 139 00:08:15,350 --> 00:08:20,650 to be honourable people and in doing so, being good. 140 00:08:20,980 --> 00:08:25,600 We should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 141 00:08:33,169 --> 00:08:37,039 Just take a look at the context of of of of the next couple of 142 00:08:37,049 --> 00:08:39,980 chapters here of this verse in the context of the rest of the 143 00:08:39,990 --> 00:08:41,780 chapters. If I if I was to look at the 144 00:08:41,789 --> 00:08:44,940 headings in my Bible, and I know this isn't the word of God, the 145 00:08:44,950 --> 00:08:50,700 headings just kind of summarize sections of scripture, but it 146 00:08:50,710 --> 00:08:53,940 says here living God, living godly lives in a Pagan culture, 147 00:08:54,710 --> 00:08:59,530 suffering for doing good, living for God, suffering for being a 148 00:08:59,540 --> 00:09:01,680 Christian. Is there a common theme going on 149 00:09:01,690 --> 00:09:04,190 here? It's suffering, Christian 150 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:08,380 suffering within a Pagan culture that that's, that's the that's 151 00:09:08,390 --> 00:09:10,800 the overriding theme going on here. 152 00:09:10,870 --> 00:09:15,320 And and so Peter's just speaking right into this. 153 00:09:15,390 --> 00:09:22,780 Look at chapter 3 verse 17. Peter says for it is better if 154 00:09:22,790 --> 00:09:27,360 it's God's will to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 155 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:31,490 So we can fall and we, we, we can we kind of fall into the, 156 00:09:31,580 --> 00:09:35,830 the, the flow of the culture or we can continue to do good and 157 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:38,710 suffer for it. Interesting that he calls that 158 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:47,380 God's will and then verse 4, chapter 4, verse 15, he says if 159 00:09:47,390 --> 00:09:50,830 you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or a thief or any 160 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:52,960 kind of criminal or even as a meddler. 161 00:09:55,340 --> 00:10:04,190 He's he's saying God's will for us is to suffer for doing good. 162 00:10:05,430 --> 00:10:08,330 That's part of God's will actually be doing good and in 163 00:10:08,340 --> 00:10:11,160 the process of doing good, actually to suffer for it now, 164 00:10:12,130 --> 00:10:14,720 not for doing what's wrong, suffering for doing wrong is a 165 00:10:14,730 --> 00:10:17,730 whole other story, but suffering for doing good is something that 166 00:10:17,740 --> 00:10:20,700 is very commendable. To suffer for being a Christian 167 00:10:21,030 --> 00:10:24,380 is to suffer according to the will of God. 168 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,820 It's an important conversation for us to have when we talk 169 00:10:26,830 --> 00:10:30,240 about God's will for God's will for our lives. 170 00:10:30,470 --> 00:10:34,180 We are to enter into suffering with a different kind of a 171 00:10:34,190 --> 00:10:41,210 mindset because we are now entering into, um, we're 172 00:10:41,220 --> 00:10:46,920 entering into the realm of what Jesus Christ has done for our 173 00:10:46,930 --> 00:10:52,090 perception of what suffering is. The way that Christ suffered is 174 00:10:52,100 --> 00:10:55,630 helps us to explain for us what suffering is going to mean. 175 00:10:56,340 --> 00:11:05,830 What do I mean by that? Matthew 26 says that Jesus this 176 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,770 was the night he was betrayed just before his crucifixion. 177 00:11:09,780 --> 00:11:12,450 He went away a second time. This is in the garden Kissimmee 178 00:11:12,580 --> 00:11:16,630 and he says my father if it is not possible for this cup to be 179 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:20,280 taken away unless I drink it may your will be done. 180 00:11:23,610 --> 00:11:27,830 What he's saying is that the crosses before me, this is the 181 00:11:27,840 --> 00:11:31,210 cup that I need to drink. If there is any way father for 182 00:11:31,220 --> 00:11:34,320 me not to have to go to the cross, I would really like that. 183 00:11:35,150 --> 00:11:38,950 But if there's no other way for this to happen, I am. 184 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:40,990 If this is your will for me, I'm all for it. 185 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:43,550 And of course, we know what God's will for for for Jesus 186 00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:45,420 was. He was crucified on that cross. 187 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:49,190 It was God's will for him to suffer. 188 00:11:49,380 --> 00:11:52,360 And so when we look at our own lives, if you call yourself, you 189 00:11:52,370 --> 00:11:54,590 consider yourself a follower of Jesus Christ. 190 00:11:54,660 --> 00:11:57,690 We were following Jesus into suffering. 191 00:11:58,090 --> 00:12:02,110 Now, Jesus suffered and died on a cross to atone for our sins. 192 00:12:02,220 --> 00:12:05,630 We're not doing that with our suffering, but we're following 193 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:11,090 in his footsteps as one who has, who has suffered like he is. 194 00:12:11,560 --> 00:12:17,480 He is the man and I wanna be like him and I'm willing to 195 00:12:17,490 --> 00:12:22,180 suffer for his namesake. This is this is the the flow of 196 00:12:22,190 --> 00:12:25,680 Peters of Peters argument. We're to enter into suffering 197 00:12:25,690 --> 00:12:29,700 and approach suffering with the mindset of Jesus Christ. 198 00:12:29,830 --> 00:12:33,270 Jesus kind of puts this whole thing we need to understand our 199 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,180 own suffering in light of Christ's suffering. 200 00:12:36,610 --> 00:12:44,150 So chapter 2 verse 21 to 23 says this. 201 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:48,150 Peter says to the Christians to this You were called because 202 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:51,810 Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should 203 00:12:51,820 --> 00:12:55,230 follow. In his steps He committed no sin 204 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:57,710 and no deceit was found in his mouth. 205 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:01,170 When they hurled their insults at him, He did not retaliate. 206 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:03,590 When he suffered, he made no threats. 207 00:13:03,900 --> 00:13:09,200 Instead, he entrusted himself to him who just judges justly. 208 00:13:12,390 --> 00:13:15,840 We're following an insteps, and in doing so, when we're 209 00:13:15,850 --> 00:13:18,130 suffering for doing good, something is happening. 210 00:13:18,940 --> 00:13:21,250 We're actually revealing Christ to the world. 211 00:13:22,630 --> 00:13:26,560 Jesus Christ suffered for the ultimate good. 212 00:13:26,770 --> 00:13:29,640 Now, as we follow in his footsteps and we are suffering 213 00:13:29,650 --> 00:13:33,380 for good, we are revealing Christ to the rest of the world. 214 00:13:33,390 --> 00:13:36,290 Why? So that by doing good, we should 215 00:13:36,300 --> 00:13:38,820 silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 216 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,650 OK, so we're gonna pause there. Pretty heavy topic, right? 217 00:13:45,420 --> 00:13:47,250 If you're wondering, you know, first time to church is like, 218 00:13:47,260 --> 00:13:49,340 man, I picked up a hard one to come through. 219 00:13:49,350 --> 00:13:52,110 Like we're talking about suffering, but suffering is such 220 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:55,410 a it's such an integral part of all of our lives. 221 00:13:55,550 --> 00:13:58,270 There are things important for us to pause for a minute and to 222 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,790 think about it. So, you know, like we've got a 223 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,550 pretty good, like some people will argue, you know what, we're 224 00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:09,820 being persecuted as Christians in Ontario, guys, we are not 225 00:14:09,830 --> 00:14:15,530 being persecuted. OK, There are, you know, you 226 00:14:15,540 --> 00:14:18,550 look to the church in China, you look at the church in Nigeria, 227 00:14:18,560 --> 00:14:21,750 like there are people, you know, that there are 380 million 228 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:25,570 Christians today who are being literally persecuted. 229 00:14:25,660 --> 00:14:30,690 That means thrown from their homes, arrested, killed, 230 00:14:30,700 --> 00:14:32,670 martyred for their faith Right now. 231 00:14:32,740 --> 00:14:34,950 That's not us right now. Like there's a little bit of 232 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,970 pressure on Christians to be sure, but this is not, this is 233 00:14:37,980 --> 00:14:40,330 not persecution. Are we moving in that direction? 234 00:14:40,340 --> 00:14:44,490 I believe we are and I think for that reason we need to be ready 235 00:14:45,020 --> 00:14:46,700 Now. If you're not a follower of 236 00:14:46,710 --> 00:14:49,500 Jesus Christ and I'm scaring the living daylights out of you as 237 00:14:49,510 --> 00:14:52,850 to be a Christian, I'm not going to candy coat anything for you. 238 00:14:53,100 --> 00:14:57,050 If you are going to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior 239 00:14:57,060 --> 00:14:59,390 because it's the right thing to do and is the right thing to do, 240 00:15:00,300 --> 00:15:05,850 you need to realize that I'm following Him into a life of 241 00:15:05,860 --> 00:15:08,730 doing good, and I will likely suffer for that. 242 00:15:10,820 --> 00:15:13,620 In other words, the will of God is not always the easy path. 243 00:15:13,630 --> 00:15:17,360 In fact, sometimes it's a very difficult path, but the rewards 244 00:15:17,370 --> 00:15:21,730 are unmatched. It means fellowship with the 245 00:15:21,740 --> 00:15:25,600 living God and it means eternal life, not just now, but for all 246 00:15:25,610 --> 00:15:28,120 eternity, the quality of life, for all eternity. 247 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,190 But we do need to realize that it is it's it's Jesus says come 248 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:37,350 follow me. But on doing so, deny yourself. 249 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,750 Take up your cross, your instrument of suffering, and 250 00:15:40,760 --> 00:15:44,570 follow me. I bid you to come and die with 251 00:15:44,580 --> 00:15:46,260 me. That's the call. 252 00:15:46,650 --> 00:15:50,440 But we know that that call to death is really a call to life, 253 00:15:50,450 --> 00:15:55,940 because there's no life worth living more than that, Jesus 254 00:15:55,950 --> 00:15:57,980 calls in to what true life really is. 255 00:15:58,530 --> 00:16:03,320 But if you are a follower of Jesus, if you identify as a 256 00:16:03,330 --> 00:16:07,300 child of God and one who is saved by the blood of Jesus 257 00:16:07,310 --> 00:16:13,350 Christ, you must prepare yourself for suffering, for 258 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,550 suffering, for his name. That's something we need to 259 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,510 prepare ourselves. So I just want to talk today, 260 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,190 just the remainder of time that we have, about how to prepare. 261 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:26,210 How do we prepare ourselves for persecution when it may come? 262 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:29,490 How do we prepare ourselves for the resistance that we will 263 00:16:29,500 --> 00:16:33,810 receive for doing good? Here we go #1 prepare yourself. 264 00:16:33,820 --> 00:16:39,050 You have to prepare yourself emotionally, emotionally looked 265 00:16:39,060 --> 00:16:42,560 up on on ChatGPT. You know emotion. 266 00:16:42,570 --> 00:16:44,080 What does it mean to be emotionally prepared? 267 00:16:44,090 --> 00:16:46,370 This is what it says. Getting your thoughts and 268 00:16:46,380 --> 00:16:50,910 feelings in order before an event to minimize panic and 269 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,910 anxiety and to be more resilient when you face it. 270 00:16:54,260 --> 00:16:57,410 I'm getting an emotionally prepared for an interview. 271 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,190 I'm getting my thoughts in order before the event happens in 272 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:04,660 order to minimize the panic and anxiety that might go through 273 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:06,470 and to be more resilient to be able to face it. 274 00:17:07,420 --> 00:17:12,670 Same preparation that we need to have when we're going into this 275 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:14,980 life as followers of Jesus Christ. 276 00:17:15,819 --> 00:17:17,910 We need to adjust our expectations. 277 00:17:19,569 --> 00:17:21,109 What are we expecting from this world? 278 00:17:21,829 --> 00:17:26,079 We need to expect persecution. We need to expect resistance. 279 00:17:26,170 --> 00:17:30,700 And OK, by saying that I'm not being negative, I think we 280 00:17:30,710 --> 00:17:34,520 should all hope for the best, but we should also prepare for 281 00:17:34,530 --> 00:17:37,180 the worst, right? So that's the way we should 282 00:17:37,190 --> 00:17:44,180 approach the Jays tonight. Hope for the best, alright, but 283 00:17:44,190 --> 00:17:46,850 prepare for the worst. It's very possible. 284 00:17:46,860 --> 00:17:49,120 Who is a good feeling about the game tonight, anyway? 285 00:17:49,190 --> 00:17:52,970 Yeah. We'll raise their hands for that 286 00:17:53,340 --> 00:17:58,020 anyway. Yeah, you know, those who are 287 00:17:58,030 --> 00:18:01,290 poor in our culture expect hardship. 288 00:18:02,510 --> 00:18:06,830 That's how they living, but those in our culture who are 289 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:11,050 very are much more well to do well off when the hardships 290 00:18:11,060 --> 00:18:12,730 come. It's like this is abnormal. 291 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:14,840 This this should not be. Right. 292 00:18:16,620 --> 00:18:19,330 And I'm going to do everything in order to change that, in 293 00:18:19,340 --> 00:18:22,270 order to get back to kind of the easygoing life, right? 294 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,890 That is the exact opposite of what Peter is talking about, 295 00:18:25,900 --> 00:18:28,090 what we need. He's not saying everybody should 296 00:18:28,100 --> 00:18:30,810 be poor, but he's saying that we should all have an expectation 297 00:18:30,820 --> 00:18:32,350 that there's going to be suffering in this world, 298 00:18:33,460 --> 00:18:36,720 suffering their lives. There is suffering regardless of 299 00:18:36,730 --> 00:18:39,620 whether we're doing good or not. All people, we've got a light, a 300 00:18:39,630 --> 00:18:43,960 world that is broken by sin. And so there is disease, there 301 00:18:43,970 --> 00:18:45,620 is sickness, things don't go as well. 302 00:18:45,790 --> 00:18:48,300 Our bodies are breaking down. There's all manner of things, 303 00:18:48,650 --> 00:18:55,670 but are we prepared for the inevitable clash that takes 304 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:58,760 place when we do good in Jesus name? 305 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,050 Because it's a spiritual battle that's going on. 306 00:19:01,060 --> 00:19:04,990 Whenever light, the light of God's Kingdom, is being a 307 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,380 shining bright, it is clashing with the forces of darkness. 308 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,370 That's what's happening. And so we need to expect a fight 309 00:19:11,890 --> 00:19:16,200 in AD. Where are. 310 00:19:16,210 --> 00:19:24,230 We here 8064, there was a there was a fire in Rome and it was 311 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:28,290 set by Nero himself. So whenever a new emperor comes 312 00:19:28,300 --> 00:19:31,890 into power, it's like, OK, I wanna level all of the work of 313 00:19:31,900 --> 00:19:34,740 the previous emperor. I'm gonna make my mark here and 314 00:19:34,750 --> 00:19:37,090 establish do have my own building project. 315 00:19:37,140 --> 00:19:41,930 He set fire to much of Rome and in order to kind of do his 316 00:19:41,940 --> 00:19:44,250 building expansion, but it was found out. 317 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,380 He was found out that he's the one that set the fire and 318 00:19:46,390 --> 00:19:48,410 everybody turned on him. Well, what did he do? 319 00:19:48,420 --> 00:19:51,640 He was looking for a scapegoat and he blamed the Christians. 320 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:58,750 He blamed the Christians and then the society turned on the 321 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:02,470 Christians for that. And in fact, he just, he just 322 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:04,190 went to town. He, he, he. 323 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:08,410 As a result, he was. Plunging innocent Christians 324 00:20:08,420 --> 00:20:12,970 into vats of oil, throwing them into cages, hoisting them up and 325 00:20:12,980 --> 00:20:15,980 setting them on fire to light his dinner, garden, dinner 326 00:20:15,990 --> 00:20:19,670 party, evening dinner parties. Talk about persecution. 327 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:22,570 This is this is the context that Peter is speaking into right 328 00:20:22,580 --> 00:20:25,160 now. There is a clash. 329 00:20:26,460 --> 00:20:28,790 Between light and. Darkness and we need to expect 330 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,290 that we need to anticipate that we need to. 331 00:20:33,670 --> 00:20:37,250 You know. Hope for the best, but we do 332 00:20:37,260 --> 00:20:41,720 need to prepare. For the worst, look at how Peter 333 00:20:41,730 --> 00:20:43,580 puts. It chapter 4, verse 12, he says, 334 00:20:43,590 --> 00:20:48,410 dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal 335 00:20:48,420 --> 00:20:53,670 that has come on you to test you literally as though something 336 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,090 strange were happening to you. It's interesting. 337 00:20:56,100 --> 00:20:58,870 He's speaking right into this kind of context and saying like, 338 00:20:58,940 --> 00:21:04,910 why are you surprised? Like, don't be surprised, like 339 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,750 something strange is happening. This is exactly how it's 340 00:21:08,760 --> 00:21:11,520 supposed to go. Light is clashing. 341 00:21:12,740 --> 00:21:18,610 With darkness. So Peter is totally reframing 342 00:21:18,620 --> 00:21:22,240 the way that his people, his his his brothers and sisters in 343 00:21:22,250 --> 00:21:24,160 Christ are thinking about suffering. 344 00:21:24,990 --> 00:21:30,240 It's a normal part of life if they targeted Jesus. 345 00:21:31,120 --> 00:21:33,210 They're gonna target. His followers as well. 346 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,670 And we want to. Please everybody, that's my 347 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:39,610 nature. I don't want to offend anybody. 348 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,730 We wanna live good lives, upright lives, kind of stay out 349 00:21:43,740 --> 00:21:46,230 of trouble. But even doing that, we'll, 350 00:21:46,620 --> 00:21:49,260 we'll, there will be resistance to that. 351 00:21:49,270 --> 00:21:52,160 I mean, even Jesus said he says woe to you when everyone speaks 352 00:21:52,170 --> 00:21:54,090 well of you. This is Luke chapter 6. 353 00:21:55,580 --> 00:21:57,650 That's not a good sign. When everybody speaking well of 354 00:21:57,660 --> 00:22:00,550 you, probably something's not quite right if you're a follower 355 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,980 of Jesus. There there's. 356 00:22:02,990 --> 00:22:07,480 Going to be resistance and we need to prepare ourselves for 357 00:22:07,490 --> 00:22:11,650 that so. Preparation is. 358 00:22:11,660 --> 00:22:13,590 Just is. It's certainly a mindset, but 359 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:15,930 it's more than that. You and I need support. 360 00:22:16,610 --> 00:22:19,900 As followers of Jesus Christ, we need a network of support and 361 00:22:19,910 --> 00:22:21,440 that's what life groups are all about. 362 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,840 And that's just like promo of life groups, like I need a life 363 00:22:24,850 --> 00:22:29,120 group where people know my stuff, know my struggles, know 364 00:22:29,130 --> 00:22:30,820 where there is resistance in my life. 365 00:22:30,830 --> 00:22:32,170 And I'm gonna give me encouragement. 366 00:22:32,180 --> 00:22:34,020 And we're around the word together, praying for one 367 00:22:34,030 --> 00:22:36,900 another. We need that for our own 368 00:22:37,090 --> 00:22:40,440 emotional preparation. So that's number one. 369 00:22:40,770 --> 00:22:43,570 We need to be emotionally prepared #2 we need to be 370 00:22:43,580 --> 00:22:45,660 theologically prepared. Be with me. 371 00:22:45,670 --> 00:22:48,980 You're good, you're good. All right, No one nodding off on 372 00:22:48,990 --> 00:22:51,660 me. My, my, my theology. 373 00:22:51,830 --> 00:22:53,640 Theology. Professor Ji Packer used to see 374 00:22:53,650 --> 00:22:57,240 it used to begin every lecture by saying, OK, everybody, let's 375 00:22:57,250 --> 00:23:01,280 gird our loins as we get into this topic. 376 00:23:01,340 --> 00:23:04,520 Gerda loins, how, how often do we use that kind of language? 377 00:23:04,730 --> 00:23:08,400 Originally it meant, OK, I'm going to, you know, stuff my 378 00:23:08,410 --> 00:23:11,790 robe into my belt in order that I have room in order to, you 379 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,290 know, to be able to do the strenuous work that's ahead of 380 00:23:14,300 --> 00:23:15,280 me. Right. 381 00:23:15,290 --> 00:23:17,940 Gerda loins. Theologically, we need to gird 382 00:23:17,950 --> 00:23:21,020 our loins as well. Why? 383 00:23:21,070 --> 00:23:23,740 Because when things that we, we've got a theology for when 384 00:23:23,750 --> 00:23:27,650 things go well, but we also have a theology when things don't go 385 00:23:27,660 --> 00:23:29,280 so well. When when things are going well, 386 00:23:29,290 --> 00:23:31,640 it's like God is great. He loves me and everything. 387 00:23:31,650 --> 00:23:35,010 But when things tank, when things go South, it's like, does 388 00:23:35,020 --> 00:23:36,930 he love me? Where is he? 389 00:23:36,980 --> 00:23:41,690 I thought he, you know, then we begin to doubt His goodness, his 390 00:23:41,700 --> 00:23:46,270 presence, everything that the Bible speaks about who he is. 391 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,530 When we are sinned. Against. 392 00:23:51,150 --> 00:23:53,080 I know some. Some of us in our congregation 393 00:23:53,090 --> 00:23:57,160 have been horribly send against physical abuse, sexual abuse. 394 00:23:58,180 --> 00:24:00,310 And we look at that. And we try to make sense of 395 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:04,280 that. We need to understand who God 396 00:24:04,290 --> 00:24:07,160 is. It is so easy to lose, kind of 397 00:24:07,230 --> 00:24:10,250 to begin to doubt his sovereign goodness in the middle of that, 398 00:24:10,310 --> 00:24:12,060 because how do I make sense of that? 399 00:24:12,170 --> 00:24:14,210 Where was God when this happened to me? 400 00:24:14,550 --> 00:24:18,290 Those are heavy duty questions. Those questions we. 401 00:24:18,300 --> 00:24:21,980 Need to wrestle with, but I think it's so helpful for us to 402 00:24:21,990 --> 00:24:26,280 know the two wills of God and to be able to affirm them both. 403 00:24:26,490 --> 00:24:29,000 The mysterious will of God, meaning whatever happens, is the 404 00:24:29,010 --> 00:24:31,380 will of God. But also the. 405 00:24:31,390 --> 00:24:36,500 Fact that God commands people not to sin against one another. 406 00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:40,380 People do sin. Against one another. 407 00:24:42,260 --> 00:24:43,560 But he commands us. Not to. 408 00:24:44,940 --> 00:24:46,970 And and and. And we really, we, we need to 409 00:24:46,980 --> 00:24:48,850 hold those two things in tension. 410 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:51,970 There's a world where people are given free, free will. 411 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:53,490 And so this kind of stuff happens. 412 00:24:55,260 --> 00:24:57,670 But. Somehow, in the midst of the 413 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:02,050 breaking of God's law, the breaking of God's commanded will 414 00:25:02,060 --> 00:25:04,450 and for our lives, He is still in charge. 415 00:25:05,100 --> 00:25:07,890 He is sovereign over all of the what's taking place and He's 416 00:25:07,900 --> 00:25:10,740 going to use all things. He's going to take use all 417 00:25:10,750 --> 00:25:13,270 things sorry. He's going to use whatever we 418 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:15,950 have gone through. In order to bring. 419 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:21,410 About something good in our life, CR has a famous saying. 420 00:25:21,420 --> 00:25:23,550 Now you know God never wastes a hurt. 421 00:25:24,020 --> 00:25:25,630 He doesn't. Why? 422 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:29,510 How do we know that based on Romans 828 in all things God 423 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,070 works for the good of those in all things like no matter what 424 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,940 has happened to you or to me is using that for our good. 425 00:25:36,430 --> 00:25:39,720 And we need to, we need to embrace that when we push God 426 00:25:39,790 --> 00:25:42,870 out of those past experiences that we have had where we've 427 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,200 been hurt by people. Where was God? 428 00:25:46,210 --> 00:25:48,640 Well, he. Wasn't there because he's a good 429 00:25:48,650 --> 00:25:51,400 God. So when we remove him from that, 430 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,830 we actually shoot ourselves in the foot like we, we, we are 431 00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,310 removing the one thing, the one person that can actually help us 432 00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:03,130 move through that, that that horrible situation. 433 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:06,300 The only one that we. Can lean on to get us through 434 00:26:08,830 --> 00:26:12,280 two wills of God. He's not responsible for the 435 00:26:12,290 --> 00:26:16,340 sins that are that are been done to us, but he will use 436 00:26:16,350 --> 00:26:20,180 everything for our healing, for a good for our sanctification. 437 00:26:20,310 --> 00:26:23,730 We need to remember that theologically, we need to kind 438 00:26:23,740 --> 00:26:26,220 of reframe how we think about this stuff. 439 00:26:26,290 --> 00:26:28,670 Will we ever be separated from his love? 440 00:26:28,710 --> 00:26:32,440 I mean Apostle Paul in Romans 8 he says, Who shall separate us 441 00:26:32,450 --> 00:26:36,030 from the love of Christ? You know in that. 442 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:41,780 Moment when I was hurt. Was I still loved? 443 00:26:41,790 --> 00:26:47,980 By God. Pulses shall trouble or. 444 00:26:47,990 --> 00:26:51,260 Hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or 445 00:26:51,270 --> 00:26:54,300 sword just listing off all of the things that could make us 446 00:26:54,350 --> 00:26:59,130 dealt with a God still loves me and he says no, nothing, none of 447 00:26:59,140 --> 00:27:01,140 that can separate you from the love of God. 448 00:27:02,010 --> 00:27:04,520 Peter is actually gonna. Turn it on, it's on, said it's 449 00:27:04,530 --> 00:27:10,610 because of the cross. Crash shows us punishment. 450 00:27:12,230 --> 00:27:15,900 That we deserved for our sin for all those who put their trust in 451 00:27:15,910 --> 00:27:19,340 Jesus has been absorbed by by Jesus. 452 00:27:19,410 --> 00:27:21,900 He has borne the weight of it. In other words, there is no 453 00:27:21,910 --> 00:27:24,420 punishment left for those who put their trust in Him. 454 00:27:25,070 --> 00:27:29,270 God's not going to punish twice. Jesus took it all for us. 455 00:27:30,150 --> 00:27:35,860 I like how Larry Osborne put it, he said, he said. 456 00:27:36,690 --> 00:27:45,610 Of Valley a value doesn't. Necessarily mean a wrong turn if 457 00:27:45,620 --> 00:27:48,810 we're in a dark valley. It doesn't mean. 458 00:27:48,820 --> 00:27:50,230 That God has abandoned us? It doesn't. 459 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:52,770 It doesn't even mean that I have done something wrong in order to 460 00:27:52,780 --> 00:27:57,050 deserve this number. Sum 23. 461 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,390 No, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. 462 00:28:00,110 --> 00:28:03,250 I will fear no evil, for you are with me, right? 463 00:28:03,610 --> 00:28:06,020 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my 464 00:28:06,030 --> 00:28:08,420 life, like I can be. I can be confident even when 465 00:28:08,430 --> 00:28:14,280 things are very dark. So, Peter. 466 00:28:14,290 --> 00:28:16,960 'S saying you need to reframe the way that you're thinking 467 00:28:16,970 --> 00:28:19,310 about this. How does he say that? 468 00:28:19,460 --> 00:28:26,300 Chapter 4, verse 13 to 16 he says, I want you to rejoice, but 469 00:28:26,310 --> 00:28:29,420 rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of 470 00:28:29,430 --> 00:28:32,500 Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is 471 00:28:32,510 --> 00:28:34,900 revealed. If you are. 472 00:28:34,910 --> 00:28:37,200 Insulted because of the name of Christ. 473 00:28:37,330 --> 00:28:40,490 You are blessed. For the Spirit. 474 00:28:40,560 --> 00:28:43,780 Of glory and of God rests on you. 475 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:52,980 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer, a thief, or any 476 00:28:52,990 --> 00:28:54,950 kind of criminal, or even a meddler. 477 00:28:55,020 --> 00:28:58,410 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, 478 00:28:58,620 --> 00:29:02,360 but praise God that you bear that name. 479 00:29:06,060 --> 00:29:08,310 Suffering is not a. Sign that God has abandoned me. 480 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:11,310 Suffering is not a sign that somehow I have done something 481 00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:16,310 wrong. Suffering for doing good. 482 00:29:17,340 --> 00:29:23,260 Is actually a. Sign that God is with me it it 483 00:29:23,270 --> 00:29:27,320 means that his spirit says the spirit of glory and of and of 484 00:29:27,330 --> 00:29:32,080 God is resting on me. The Holy Spirit of Glory, the 485 00:29:32,090 --> 00:29:35,400 spirit that comes from heaven is actually resting on me, saying 486 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,980 heaven is yours, that moment is coming. 487 00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:44,210 I've got you. Even, you know, Peter's just 488 00:29:44,260 --> 00:29:47,170 totally flipping it. It's almost like it's a badge of 489 00:29:47,180 --> 00:29:49,250 honor that we're suffering for being good. 490 00:29:49,630 --> 00:29:54,030 It's a badge of honor that we can celebrate. 491 00:29:54,560 --> 00:30:01,040 Polycarp. That was a 2nd century Bishop of 492 00:30:01,050 --> 00:30:06,180 Smyrna and he's arrested for his faith and the pro council was 493 00:30:06,190 --> 00:30:11,620 urging him to, to, to offer incense to Caesar and, and the 494 00:30:11,630 --> 00:30:15,090 pro council said, basically said take this oath and you're going 495 00:30:15,100 --> 00:30:18,980 to be released, cursed, cursed Jesus Christ. 496 00:30:19,250 --> 00:30:23,660 And this is what his response was. 86 years I have served him. 497 00:30:23,670 --> 00:30:26,960 That is, I've served Jesus, and he never did me wrong. 498 00:30:27,660 --> 00:30:33,430 How can I blasphemy my King who saved me and with joy? 499 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:41,240 He was martyred. There is a confidence that we 500 00:30:41,250 --> 00:30:44,120 can have. When? 501 00:30:44,670 --> 00:30:47,560 Persecution and resistance comes our way. 502 00:30:47,770 --> 00:30:49,450 It's a recognition. Actually. 503 00:30:49,460 --> 00:30:55,570 The Spirit is on me now. And this is a badge. 504 00:30:55,580 --> 00:30:57,910 Of honor. This is a sign. 505 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,330 That I'm his. I belong. 506 00:31:01,380 --> 00:31:03,560 To the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 507 00:31:05,830 --> 00:31:06,780 Theological. We need to. 508 00:31:06,790 --> 00:31:08,960 Wrap our mind around that and embrace that. 509 00:31:09,890 --> 00:31:14,320 Alright, let's move on. Third thing, practically, we 510 00:31:14,330 --> 00:31:16,490 need to prepare yourself emotionally, we need to prepare 511 00:31:16,500 --> 00:31:19,110 ourself theologically, and we need to prepare ourselves 512 00:31:19,770 --> 00:31:22,640 practically. What does it look like 513 00:31:22,650 --> 00:31:29,450 practically to suffer? And trust God. 514 00:31:30,190 --> 00:31:32,740 How do we what does it look like to be trusting God in the midst 515 00:31:32,750 --> 00:31:35,270 of our suffering? Peter says it in chapter 4, 516 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:38,460 verse 19. Last verse we'll look at So then 517 00:31:39,210 --> 00:31:42,780 those who suffer according to God's will should commit 518 00:31:42,790 --> 00:31:46,310 themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 519 00:31:49,200 --> 00:31:52,580 What does it look like? When we're commending ourselves 520 00:31:52,590 --> 00:31:55,820 or trusting in in gas or faithful Creator in the midst of 521 00:31:55,830 --> 00:31:57,920 our suffering, we're going to continue to do good. 522 00:31:58,210 --> 00:32:00,060 That's what it looks like, practically speaking. 523 00:32:02,530 --> 00:32:07,180 We need a lifestyle of do Gooding so to speak. 524 00:32:08,300 --> 00:32:13,150 Is that part of your lifestyle to be to be doing good for 525 00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:15,530 others? Why do we do that? 526 00:32:15,590 --> 00:32:20,710 Because it's it's right, but also it's revealing Christ in 527 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:22,620 the midst of our suffering. It's going to open up 528 00:32:22,630 --> 00:32:27,770 opportunities for us and and connect us in relationship with 529 00:32:27,780 --> 00:32:30,030 people. Who wouldn't? 530 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:34,240 Necessarily be followers of Jesus. 531 00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:38,370 It's gonna open up. It's gonna open up conversations 532 00:32:38,380 --> 00:32:40,770 in this way. It's gonna it's gonna even for 533 00:32:40,780 --> 00:32:44,850 those who are resisting the message of the gospel. 534 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:51,390 It's going to make us think radical goodness. 535 00:32:52,630 --> 00:32:54,120 Calls for a. Response. 536 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:59,860 It may be full rejection, but it may be I want to. 537 00:32:59,870 --> 00:33:02,320 I want more of that. I want more of that. 538 00:33:03,210 --> 00:33:07,460 Doing good. While we're suffering, that is 539 00:33:07,630 --> 00:33:10,240 how we practically prepare ourselves, continuing to do 540 00:33:10,250 --> 00:33:11,880 good. What do we mean by that? 541 00:33:11,950 --> 00:33:15,220 Doing good Just it's essentially, it's just thinking 542 00:33:15,230 --> 00:33:17,650 of others first. It's serving others. 543 00:33:18,950 --> 00:33:24,100 Practical. Simple acts of kindness. 544 00:33:24,110 --> 00:33:27,940 Toward people. Never underestimate what a small 545 00:33:27,950 --> 00:33:30,790 act of kindness can do in opening somebody's eyes. 546 00:33:33,090 --> 00:33:37,660 It was a someone that was part of our church years ago and he 547 00:33:37,670 --> 00:33:40,780 just went rogue with his life. Complete rebellion. 548 00:33:41,510 --> 00:33:43,560 Living the lifestyle of an unbeliever. 549 00:33:44,790 --> 00:33:48,250 Cut off contact with with the with the with the church. 550 00:33:49,310 --> 00:33:51,400 I had heard through a family member that he was sick. 551 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:54,690 And I went. To visit him in the hospital. 552 00:33:54,900 --> 00:33:58,430 Very cold reception after that visit. 553 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:00,110 I hadn't didn't see him for 10 years. 554 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:01,550 I got a phone call 10 years later. 555 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:06,080 This wasn't too long ago and. You wanted to meet. 556 00:34:06,330 --> 00:34:08,739 And so we met. This is the first time in a 557 00:34:08,750 --> 00:34:11,350 decade. And he said. 558 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:17,440 I just couldn't shake that visit in the hospital, he said. 559 00:34:17,770 --> 00:34:21,270 That made me think that there may still be hope for me. 560 00:34:22,980 --> 00:34:26,370 Well, he returned to Christ, started putting his life back 561 00:34:26,380 --> 00:34:29,860 together. It's like Hallelujah, you know, 562 00:34:29,870 --> 00:34:31,949 he, he wanted to be reconciled with me. 563 00:34:33,179 --> 00:34:37,870 I'm thinking. That was just like a simple 564 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,659 visit that didn't seem like it was very well received. 565 00:34:41,889 --> 00:34:45,290 Never underestimate. What some? 566 00:34:45,300 --> 00:34:48,980 Simple act of kindness can do to open somebody's eyes. 567 00:34:51,639 --> 00:34:54,550 I want you to think. Now just just think about your 568 00:34:54,560 --> 00:35:01,270 world, your life where you could be doing good at work. 569 00:35:02,030 --> 00:35:04,980 Not just like do we like Christians sure should have 570 00:35:04,990 --> 00:35:08,720 integrity in our work and do a good job of our work, but with 571 00:35:08,770 --> 00:35:12,750 the people that I'm working with, how can I be practically 572 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:17,750 doing good for them, bringing that revealing Christ to them 573 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:20,070 and their life just by the things, simple things that I do. 574 00:35:20,820 --> 00:35:25,650 Maybe in your neighborhood. What am I doing to do good, not 575 00:35:25,660 --> 00:35:28,760 just kind of staying out of the way of my neighbors, but 576 00:35:28,770 --> 00:35:32,930 practically leaning in and being good to my neighbors? 577 00:35:34,240 --> 00:35:37,160 What would that look like? Or maybe even our own home. 578 00:35:38,090 --> 00:35:40,360 Peter gives some examples here in chapter 3. 579 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:43,100 You know, he talks about speaking to wives who have 580 00:35:43,110 --> 00:35:45,880 husbands that are unbelievers. And he said you can win them 581 00:35:45,890 --> 00:35:49,920 over without words by your behavior, right? 582 00:35:50,830 --> 00:35:53,040 Then he starts in verse 7, chapter 3. 583 00:35:53,050 --> 00:35:56,120 It's just been speaking to husbands like husbands. 584 00:35:56,130 --> 00:35:58,880 Do you know that the way that you love your wife and love and 585 00:35:58,890 --> 00:36:01,220 care for your wife is a testimony to the rest of the 586 00:36:01,230 --> 00:36:06,380 world of the goodness of God just by the way that we care for 587 00:36:06,390 --> 00:36:11,080 one flesh partner? And then verse. 17 he goes. 588 00:36:11,090 --> 00:36:13,320 Because it's more than just our behavior. 589 00:36:13,390 --> 00:36:16,250 Our words are important, it says in verse 15. 590 00:36:18,230 --> 00:36:21,100 He says always. Be prepared to give an answer to 591 00:36:21,110 --> 00:36:24,920 everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you 592 00:36:24,930 --> 00:36:27,730 have. Always be prepared. 593 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,930 That's part of the practical preparation, being in a 594 00:36:30,940 --> 00:36:34,410 lifestyle of doing good, but also being ready to give a 595 00:36:34,420 --> 00:36:35,900 reason for the hope that you have. 596 00:36:36,800 --> 00:36:41,370 If someone was to ask you why you're a Christian, or why do 597 00:36:41,380 --> 00:36:45,730 you have joy, or why are you doing this good thing, would you 598 00:36:45,740 --> 00:36:49,630 have an answer for them? Would you have an answer like a 599 00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:53,600 reason for the hope that you have next month? 600 00:36:53,610 --> 00:36:56,520 We have professional faith classes started and really all 601 00:36:56,530 --> 00:37:00,980 that is is helping us prepare to give an answer to all who would 602 00:37:00,990 --> 00:37:03,940 ask that we could share our story in a very brief way. 603 00:37:04,290 --> 00:37:07,630 That class is just all about how to do that, how to do that and 604 00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:10,080 help you to write your story. I just encourage anybody that 605 00:37:10,190 --> 00:37:12,100 would want to profess their faith that way. 606 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:14,440 Even if you profess your faith and you want help and your 607 00:37:14,450 --> 00:37:17,600 testimony, join the class. It would be great to have you 608 00:37:17,650 --> 00:37:22,320 free lunch and what we'll teach you how to how to testify to the 609 00:37:22,330 --> 00:37:26,010 goodness of God in your life. OK, that's all the time we got. 610 00:37:26,380 --> 00:37:29,450 OK, we gotta, we gotta, we gotta wrap things up for this series. 611 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,470 This is the. Will of God for your life. 612 00:37:35,450 --> 00:37:40,100 This is it that we would. In the midst of suffering, 613 00:37:40,550 --> 00:37:46,320 continue to do good, to continue to do good, and in doing good, 614 00:37:46,390 --> 00:37:52,750 silence the ignorant talk of foolish people testifying, 615 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:57,310 revealing, testifying to and revealing the goodness of Christ 616 00:37:57,840 --> 00:38:01,830 to our world and how they respond will let God look after 617 00:38:01,920 --> 00:38:05,110 that with them. The will of God has mysterious 618 00:38:05,120 --> 00:38:08,210 element, to be sure, but the will of God, the majority, the 619 00:38:08,250 --> 00:38:10,810 will of God for your life is abundantly clear right here in 620 00:38:10,820 --> 00:38:14,690 Scripture. Is it always easy to follow 621 00:38:14,700 --> 00:38:17,330 through on it? No, it's not. 622 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,100 Sometimes it's very, very difficult. 623 00:38:19,140 --> 00:38:20,780 But is it right? It is. 624 00:38:21,450 --> 00:38:23,520 Is it good? It is. 625 00:38:23,530 --> 00:38:27,500 It's in fact it's beautiful. And when we step into doing His 626 00:38:27,510 --> 00:38:30,800 will, being serious about doing His will, there's so much grace 627 00:38:31,110 --> 00:38:34,970 that God gives to us, to boy us up, to strengthen us and 628 00:38:34,980 --> 00:38:39,590 encourage us in the battle as light clashes with darkness. 629 00:38:41,240 --> 00:38:50,640 Let's pray, Father. We we, we stop at the end of a 630 00:38:50,650 --> 00:38:54,740 series first to thank you that you have a will. 631 00:38:55,540 --> 00:38:58,350 And it's so much better. Than ours, Lord, Your will is 632 00:38:58,360 --> 00:39:04,790 good, pleasing and perfect. And we declare this morning, May 633 00:39:04,800 --> 00:39:08,670 your will be done, not my will be done, but may your good, 634 00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:14,050 pleasing and perfect will be done in my life and the life of 635 00:39:14,060 --> 00:39:18,240 my family and the life of my of my neighbors. 636 00:39:20,550 --> 00:39:22,850 Province. Country in our world. 637 00:39:23,990 --> 00:39:27,000 More we ask that you. Would have your way with us, 638 00:39:27,830 --> 00:39:30,880 equip us, and give us every grace to follow through on it. 639 00:39:31,070 --> 00:39:35,430 And Lord, when we fail, when we know we have messed up, we thank 640 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:37,900 You that Your grace is sufficient for us. 641 00:39:37,990 --> 00:39:44,960 May we receive it with grateful hearts and respond and grateful 642 00:39:44,970 --> 00:39:49,150 obedience as a result. Thank you for your help and Lord 643 00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:53,960 2 as we gather our ties and offerings this morning, we thank 644 00:39:53,970 --> 00:39:56,410 you for the. Incredible. 645 00:39:56,450 --> 00:40:00,170 Generosity that you have shown to us, not just in giving us a 646 00:40:00,180 --> 00:40:02,690 world, but giving us so much in our culture. 647 00:40:03,370 --> 00:40:05,790 Where we pray that you would grant to us hearts that are 648 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:09,350 willing to be generous. That your. 649 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:13,150 Keenan would come, your will would be done on earth as it is 650 00:40:13,160 --> 00:40:15,110 in heaven. Thank you for hearing our 651 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:18,270 prayer, but we prayed all in Jesus name, Amen.