WEBVTT 00:00:01.800 --> 00:00:10.032 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:00:10.032 --> 00:00:20.365 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 00:00:26.432 --> 00:00:32.932 The place where we find peace, the place where we find power. 00:00:33.000 --> 00:00:36.932 And as we saw in there, the place where we find joy is right here. 00:00:36.932 --> 00:00:37.765 It's in God's Word. 00:00:37.765 --> 00:00:41.165 That's why that's the focus of our time together. 00:00:41.165 --> 00:00:47.700 The focus of any teaching up here is not just funny stories or jokes or whatever. 00:00:47.700 --> 00:00:51.899 Those might get peppered in, but the focus is God's word. 00:00:52.033 --> 00:00:53.665 That's where we want to engage. 00:00:53.665 --> 00:00:54.865 That's where we want to dwell. 00:00:54.865 --> 00:00:56.165 That's where we want to meditate. 00:00:56.165 --> 00:00:59.432 That's where we want to stir up greater hunger. 00:00:59.432 --> 00:01:03.200 Because just 30 minutes a week in God's Word, it's not enough. 00:01:04.233 --> 00:01:11.365 Hopefully we leave here hungry to be diving into His word, digging in and day after day after day after day. 00:01:11.365 --> 00:01:18.066 And we're going to continue in first Peter today we've been working through the book book of First Peter to wrestle with this question. 00:01:18.066 --> 00:01:20.165 How do you find joy in the midst of suffering? 00:01:20.165 --> 00:01:23.365 That's the big theme of First Peter, and we're in chapter three. 00:01:23.365 --> 00:01:29.066 If you want to go ahead and turn there, if you don't have a Bible, we have those out in the lobby, slip out and grab one any time. 00:01:29.066 --> 00:01:31.500 Those are free for you, you can keep it. 00:01:31.500 --> 00:01:47.865 And the page numbers, any page numbers that appear on the screen are going to tie into that Bible to make it easier for you to find the page of the Bible, but we want you actually turning there and seeing the words on the page and a copy of God's Word in your hand that you can take home and dwell on and meditate on, on your own. 00:01:49.266 --> 00:01:54.132 And as I thought about today's passage, I was reminded of our recent election. 00:01:54.132 --> 00:01:59.599 I know many were very interested in the recent presidential election. 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:02.365 I was as well, not for the normal reasons, though. 00:02:02.365 --> 00:02:06.332 I was primarily interested in it for the historical reason. 00:02:06.332 --> 00:02:14.066 I like studying presidential history, and if you were tuned in to the historical reality of the election, we didn't know beforehand. 00:02:14.066 --> 00:02:19.966 But now we know Trump was only the second president ever to serve nonconsecutive terms. 00:02:19.966 --> 00:02:22.800 Does anybody know the first one? 00:02:22.800 --> 00:02:24.032 Of Grover Cleveland. 00:02:24.032 --> 00:02:27.265 I heard it loud and proud from the student section over here. 00:02:27.265 --> 00:02:28.800 Where are the rest of y'all been? 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:31.199 They've been studying presidential history. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:33.500 Grover Cleveland. That's right. 00:02:33.500 --> 00:02:34.765 I asked this at Pacesetters. 00:02:34.765 --> 00:02:37.466 Anybody vote for him last time around? 00:02:37.466 --> 00:02:44.366 I had one hand raised during that, but that was before their time even. Late 1800s, Grover Cleveland. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:53.466 The thing that fascinated me about Cleveland or Trump, either way, the fact that you were president, you went through all that to become president. 00:02:53.466 --> 00:02:55.599 One guy I heard say, it's not that hard to be president. 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:58.765 You just need half the country to hate you. 00:02:58.765 --> 00:02:59.900 That's one way to look at it. 00:02:59.900 --> 00:03:02.366 Maybe slightly less than half. 00:03:02.366 --> 00:03:13.165 You go through all that having so many people, no matter how many people, likely you're like you, you're going to hear all the hate, all the negative comments, no matter who you are. 00:03:13.165 --> 00:03:16.332 If you're going to be president, you got to go through that. 00:03:16.332 --> 00:03:22.165 Both those guys went through that, then lost and then decided, yeah, I want to do that again. 00:03:22.165 --> 00:03:25.066 Like, who does that? 00:03:25.066 --> 00:03:36.900 Well, if you're doing that to be president, it's because probably the the power, the prestige, there's something about it that makes you go, I'll go through all that to get that. 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:55.366 And of course, for us, as we look at the book of first Peter, when you face reviling, when you face slander, when you face persecution, not because you want to be in a political office, but simply because you claim the name of Jesus, what do you do with that? 00:03:55.366 --> 00:03:57.866 How do you react to that? 00:03:57.866 --> 00:03:59.599 What is our call as Christians? 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:00.832 How do we respond to that? 00:04:00.832 --> 00:04:03.633 We're going to look at that today in the book of First Peter. 00:04:03.633 --> 00:04:10.432 In fact, we're going to see three ways in this passage, in chapter three in particular, that we're called to respond. 00:04:10.432 --> 00:04:14.165 And you'll see the summary on the screen first, growing character. 00:04:14.165 --> 00:04:16.000 Second, trust your calling. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.766 And then number three, remember your roots. 00:04:18.766 --> 00:04:22.833 Those are going to be the three ways we see as we look at this passage grow in character. 00:04:22.833 --> 00:04:27.899 Our three responses to those who want to attack us because of our faith grow in character. 00:04:27.899 --> 00:04:30.365 Trust your calling and remember your roots. Now let's look. 00:04:30.365 --> 00:04:34.699 Read through the passage at first and then we'll start unpacking these three points. 00:04:34.699 --> 00:04:35.899 First Peter chapter three. 00:04:35.899 --> 00:04:37.899 We're going to look at verses eight through 12 today. 00:04:39.065 --> 00:04:41.565 First Peter chapter three, verse eight. 00:04:41.565 --> 00:04:52.600 Finally all of you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and a humble mind. 00:04:53.600 --> 00:05:01.266 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless. 00:05:01.266 --> 00:05:10.165 For to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing for whoever desires to love life and see good days. 00:05:10.165 --> 00:05:14.365 Let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. 00:05:14.365 --> 00:05:17.365 Let him turn away from evil and do good. 00:05:17.699 --> 00:05:20.699 Let him seek peace and pursue it. 00:05:21.266 --> 00:05:27.165 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. 00:05:27.833 --> 00:05:32.399 But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:39.565 Three responses in this passage three responses to those who are attacking us. 00:05:39.565 --> 00:05:41.565 The first is to grow in character. 00:05:41.565 --> 00:05:44.865 Verse eight is focused on growing in character. 00:05:45.865 --> 00:05:56.665 If you want to stand up to those who are attacking you simply because you follow Christ, the Christian strategy is focused on growing in character. 00:05:56.665 --> 00:06:00.365 And here in verse eight, the first verse we're going to look at that supports that point. 00:06:00.365 --> 00:06:06.399 We'll see five character qualities right here in these verses. 00:06:06.399 --> 00:06:19.165 Now, as we've looked at these last few sermons, one of the things we've been focused on is how do you serve under someone who is an authority over you, yet is opposed to your faith? 00:06:19.165 --> 00:06:21.199 And we looked at very specific relationships. 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:24.266 We looked at the government, we looked at the workplace. 00:06:24.266 --> 00:06:28.800 If you have an employer who is opposed to your faith, how do you serve under them faithfully? 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:32.365 Then we looked at the family, husband and wife. 00:06:32.365 --> 00:06:35.365 We got in very specific zoned in. 00:06:35.899 --> 00:06:39.565 Now we're panning back out to more general, broader principles. 00:06:39.565 --> 00:06:43.199 That's what he means by that when he says the word finally. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:47.033 Some of y'all thought, okay, that means we're ending the book of first Peter early. 00:06:47.033 --> 00:06:51.833 You know, you've been in Baptist churches long enough to know that means absolutely nothing when someone says that. 00:06:51.833 --> 00:06:55.800 In summary, in closing, finally doesn't mean anything. Here he is in the middle of the book. 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:56.600 Finally. 00:06:56.600 --> 00:07:01.899 Well, what he means is let me summarize what I've been saying about submitting to authority. 00:07:01.899 --> 00:07:05.699 Here's some general principles you can apply to any relationship. 00:07:06.665 --> 00:07:19.766 And as he zooms in when he focuses on character qualities, here he is zooming in, not on the whole world at large, but the first place he's zooming in is right here. 00:07:19.766 --> 00:07:22.500 The starting place is right here in this room. 00:07:22.500 --> 00:07:23.365 And here's what I mean by that. 00:07:23.365 --> 00:07:28.632 I'm going to show you some of this in the structure of the book of First Peter. 00:07:28.632 --> 00:07:36.266 You should see on the screen here just an outline of that verse eight that we looked at, because we have five character qualities here. 00:07:36.266 --> 00:07:46.300 And we're going to try to do a little marking on the screen to point out something about the structure of these five character qualities that stands out right here. 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:48.665 So notice you'll see these on the screen. 00:07:48.665 --> 00:07:49.733 There's five here in a row. 00:07:49.733 --> 00:07:55.100 Unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, tender heart, humble mind. 00:07:55.100 --> 00:07:58.165 This has a structure to it that starts with the outer layer. 00:07:58.165 --> 00:08:00.766 And you'll notice there's mind on both end. 00:08:00.766 --> 00:08:07.899 You have a unity of mind and a humble mind that kind of forms the outer layer of this structure right here. 00:08:07.899 --> 00:08:13.600 This outer barriers, the next layer within that, though, focuses in on. 00:08:16.132 --> 00:08:17.500 On the heart. 00:08:17.500 --> 00:08:19.165 See a tender heart here. 00:08:19.165 --> 00:08:20.966 Or emotion, sympathy. 00:08:20.966 --> 00:08:25.800 These kind of become the next layer in of this structure. Mind. 00:08:25.800 --> 00:08:30.466 Oftentimes we focus on just trying to shape the mind shape. 00:08:30.466 --> 00:08:34.466 If I can get someone to understand something, I'll change them. 00:08:34.466 --> 00:08:39.899 But usually it's the heart and emotions that lead us in what we believe and follow. 00:08:39.899 --> 00:08:45.265 But here in this passage in particular, look at what's at the core here of these character qualities. 00:08:45.265 --> 00:08:48.265 It's one word love. 00:08:48.932 --> 00:08:55.466 Right in the center of the character qualities we’re to develop is the word love. 00:08:55.466 --> 00:08:59.399 In particular, though it says brotherly love. 00:09:00.732 --> 00:09:11.365 Now, what's important about that for us here today, brotherly love is our affection for other Christians, our affections for one another. 00:09:11.365 --> 00:09:12.466 Here Jesus said in 00:09:12.466 --> 00:09:15.365 35, people will know (if) you're my disciples or not. 00:09:15.365 --> 00:09:22.133 Here's you want to know how they'll know if you follow me or not, when they see the way you act with one another. 00:09:22.133 --> 00:09:25.500 If you love one another well, then they'll know that you are my disciples. 00:09:26.533 --> 00:09:34.966 And how many times have you seen someone use the label of Christian and yet hate their fellow Christians? 00:09:35.732 --> 00:09:39.232 And in that moment, you know, are they a Christian? 00:09:39.232 --> 00:09:40.166 Really? 00:09:40.166 --> 00:09:43.066 I mean, only God knows their heart, but something's not matching up. 00:09:43.066 --> 00:09:44.200 Something's not right. 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:54.299 So at the core principle here of how you want to start to deal with attacks from the outside, love one another well here, that's the starting place. 00:09:54.299 --> 00:09:55.666 Start there. 00:09:55.666 --> 00:09:58.299 It's a simple formula, a simple strategy. 00:09:58.299 --> 00:10:00.799 Start by loving one another well. 00:10:00.799 --> 00:10:04.133 Now notice how these layers go out from here. 00:10:04.133 --> 00:10:12.100 I mean, if we start with love, the next layer here comes back outward to the emotion and to the heart. 00:10:12.265 --> 00:10:17.399 Notice if I love someone, well, I'm a lot more likely to show sympathy toward them. 00:10:18.566 --> 00:10:23.666 I'm a lot more likely to feel their pain if I love them well. 00:10:23.666 --> 00:10:35.732 I mean, if someone has an injury to their physical body, you know, if you damage some part, let's say you lose an arm, all your body suffers. 00:10:35.732 --> 00:10:40.466 You feel it all across your body and in the body of Christ. 00:10:40.466 --> 00:10:46.966 If someone in the body is hurting, other members of the body should feel that as well. 00:10:46.966 --> 00:10:51.200 There should be sympathy, shared feeling in love for one another. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:55.566 If I love someone well, I'm a lot more likely to have sympathy for them. 00:10:55.566 --> 00:10:58.566 But also it says below here tender heart. 00:10:59.166 --> 00:11:02.799 If I love someone, I'm a lot more likely to be tender hearted toward them. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:06.899 I'm a lot more likely to be kind, to be gentle. 00:11:09.265 --> 00:11:13.832 To want to not just lash out and react, but to come alongside them. 00:11:14.932 --> 00:11:19.200 Interesting thing about that phrase, that word behind that phrase, tender hearted. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:23.566 It means something along the lines of healthy intestines. 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:29.566 One of the early church fathers listed that as a requirement for elders in the church. 00:11:29.566 --> 00:11:32.399 I've never asked an elder about the condition of their intestines. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:37.700 I don't plan to current or future elder, but here's what that means. 00:11:37.700 --> 00:11:38.666 Healthy intestines. 00:11:38.666 --> 00:11:40.200 That's weird, I don't know. 00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:42.133 You use this in a different way all the time. 00:11:42.133 --> 00:11:45.133 I feel that deep in my gut. 00:11:45.365 --> 00:11:45.666 Right? 00:11:45.666 --> 00:11:47.066 You know what I'm saying? 00:11:47.066 --> 00:11:51.299 You feel something so deep, it's like a pain that hits you in the gut. 00:11:51.299 --> 00:11:55.265 I remember the time I heard of a friend whose young child lost their life. 00:11:56.700 --> 00:12:02.365 Let me tell you, I felt that in my gut when I heard it, I thought, I can't imagine the pain. 00:12:02.365 --> 00:12:04.166 It was like a pain that hit me too. 00:12:04.166 --> 00:12:07.966 I can't imagine the pain they're going through. 00:12:07.966 --> 00:12:09.832 When you love someone. 00:12:09.832 --> 00:12:12.832 Sympathy, tender heart. 00:12:12.966 --> 00:12:15.966 It's a lot more likely to show up. 00:12:16.033 --> 00:12:29.265 But in this last layer here in the mind, this is what forms the barrier that determines who is my brother in Christ. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:32.966 We're in this room together because we share of unity of mind. 00:12:32.966 --> 00:12:34.700 Now anyone is welcome to attend here. 00:12:34.700 --> 00:12:36.299 Anyone is welcome to come. 00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:44.265 But if you're going to join the church, if you're going to become a faithful, regular member, there is a set of beliefs that you need to adhere to. 00:12:44.265 --> 00:12:46.232 You need to agree to. 00:12:46.232 --> 00:12:47.666 We have shared beliefs. 00:12:47.666 --> 00:12:56.432 As a result, we have shared agreement in our practices and the way we go about church and the way we're called to live out our faith together. There's a unity of mind. 00:12:56.432 --> 00:13:01.899 That doesn't mean uniformity doesn't mean we're all the same, but there's at least a shared group of beliefs that we adhere to together. 00:13:02.966 --> 00:13:06.100 But it's not just intellectual, it's also mindset. 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:12.865 And that's what happens at the bottom here with a humble mind, humility. 00:13:12.865 --> 00:13:15.566 It's not just about what you know. 00:13:15.566 --> 00:13:17.000 It's about how you express it. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:18.332 It's about how you live it out. 00:13:18.332 --> 00:13:23.799 It's about how you engage with others, with your mindset. 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:30.832 And Jesus said when he described himself, it's fascinating to go and read Jesus talking about himself. 00:13:30.832 --> 00:13:36.466 29, I am gentle and lowly of heart. 00:13:36.466 --> 00:13:41.533 The word lowly means the same as the word humble that come from the same root word. 00:13:41.533 --> 00:13:48.899 In fact, at that time in Greek culture, you said someone was humble and you meant it as a slam. 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:53.832 You meant it as they’re no good. They’re at the lowest level of societies, they're not really worth anything. 00:13:53.832 --> 00:13:55.700 And Jesus described himself that way. 00:13:57.566 --> 00:13:59.566 I'm lowly, I'm humble. 00:13:59.566 --> 00:14:02.033 And so when we approach one another, we come with that mindset. 00:14:02.033 --> 00:14:03.265 I don't come full of pride. 00:14:03.265 --> 00:14:05.432 I don't come demanding first place. 00:14:05.432 --> 00:14:07.299 You better listen to me. 00:14:07.299 --> 00:14:09.600 No. I come with humility. 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:15.033 Had a guy call me recently concerned about something that was said in a sermon. 00:14:15.033 --> 00:14:17.899 And of course, and I think you can relate. 00:14:17.899 --> 00:14:22.466 My initial reaction is to go on the defensive. 00:14:22.466 --> 00:14:24.000 Whatever it was, I was right. 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:24.832 You're wrong. 00:14:24.832 --> 00:14:26.432 Right? That's in my head. 00:14:26.432 --> 00:14:27.133 What's going on? 00:14:27.133 --> 00:14:28.500 I'll confess it here publicly. 00:14:28.500 --> 00:14:29.832 None of you would act that way. 00:14:29.832 --> 00:14:36.832 I know, but that's human nature is to react to any times you're confronted. 00:14:36.832 --> 00:14:43.432 But let me tell you the way this guy came to me, he said, John, let me just start by saying, I'm so grateful for you. 00:14:43.432 --> 00:14:48.700 I'm grateful for the way you lead these other things you've taught, the things you said, the way you and he walked through some things. 00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:56.466 I won't list them all out, although I'm tempted to, but I love that he started with, here's what I appreciate about you. 00:14:56.466 --> 00:14:59.365 And then he said, there's this just this one small thing I wanted to bring up. 00:14:59.365 --> 00:15:01.100 And let me tell you why. 00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:05.899 It's not because I think you're wrong or that you have a bad heart, or that you wanted to hurt someone. 00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:08.799 I'm just concerned about how someone who's new to the faith might take this. 00:15:10.700 --> 00:15:12.700 Well, yeah, let me hear. 00:15:12.700 --> 00:15:15.765 I'm totally open to hearing from you. 00:15:15.765 --> 00:15:20.100 At that point, when he's approached me that way, he's come with humility. 00:15:20.100 --> 00:15:23.332 He's come with kindness, he's come in love. 00:15:23.332 --> 00:15:26.466 And let me tell you, that's one thing I love about Valley of You. 00:15:26.466 --> 00:15:30.566 Person after person who's ever come to me, comes like that. 00:15:30.666 --> 00:15:32.865 I love that about Valley View. 00:15:32.865 --> 00:15:34.000 It's not attacking. 00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:37.133 It's not who's going to be right or wrong. 00:15:37.133 --> 00:15:38.166 Humble love. 00:15:38.166 --> 00:15:47.365 These are the core characteristics we're called to follow and develop in our effort to want to grow in character. 00:15:47.365 --> 00:15:51.865 And this the end of the day, this is what allows us to stand up to attacks from the world. 00:15:51.865 --> 00:15:57.865 It starts right here to have a strong foundation of faith and relationships and trust and love. 00:15:57.865 --> 00:15:58.899 That's the first strategy. 00:15:58.899 --> 00:16:02.033 Now let's look at the second one first growing character. 00:16:02.033 --> 00:16:07.865 But the second is to trust your calling, know your calling and trust. 00:16:07.865 --> 00:16:20.865 Look at verse nine back in first Peter three, do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless. 00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:23.932 For to this you were called. 00:16:23.932 --> 00:16:29.765 This is what you were called to, that you may obtain a blessing. 00:16:29.765 --> 00:16:32.500 Our calling as Christians is different than the world. 00:16:32.500 --> 00:16:33.899 Here's what the world does. 00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:38.000 You wrong me? I’ll wrong you back. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:39.966 You did wrong to me. 00:16:39.966 --> 00:16:41.500 You were evil towards me. 00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:44.500 You're going to see even greater evil. 00:16:44.832 --> 00:16:46.033 I will get you back. 00:16:46.033 --> 00:16:46.966 That's what the world does. 00:16:46.966 --> 00:16:48.200 That's how the world responds. 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:49.332 That's how the world reacts. 00:16:49.332 --> 00:16:54.865 But what he says here, that's not for you to repay evil. 00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:58.332 Why can he say that? 00:16:58.332 --> 00:17:00.200 Look just a few verses earlier. 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:01.732 Here's our example. 00:17:01.732 --> 00:17:03.799 23. 00:17:05.232 --> 00:17:08.266 Just one page back, probably, in your Bible. 00:17:08.266 --> 00:17:11.266 Jesus, when he was reviled. 00:17:13.165 --> 00:17:14.700 He spat back at them. 00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:17.066 No, that's not what it says. 00:17:17.066 --> 00:17:18.932 What does it say? 00:17:18.932 --> 00:17:21.932 He did not revile in return. 00:17:22.232 --> 00:17:28.900 If you claim the name of Christ, that's at the core of your calling is not to just react or overreact the way the world does. 00:17:28.900 --> 00:17:36.266 Instead, do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless. 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:51.965 Jesus stands out in the history of the world as someone radically different than everyone else, and you'll hear people say crazy things at times like, you know, basically all world religions are basically the same. 00:17:51.965 --> 00:17:54.333 They all teach the same things. 00:17:54.333 --> 00:17:57.299 Have you studied any other religion but your own? 00:17:57.299 --> 00:17:58.400 How can you say that? 00:17:59.532 --> 00:18:03.000 They are all radically different. 00:18:03.266 --> 00:18:08.500 I've heard people say something along the lines of every religion has its version of the Golden Rule. 00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:10.932 It's out there in all of them. 00:18:10.932 --> 00:18:13.665 And so I went looking and I studied them. 00:18:13.665 --> 00:18:18.000 And yeah, they do have a version, but it's the opposite of Jesus's version. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:24.665 All the others say passively, don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you. 00:18:24.665 --> 00:18:28.599 If you don't want someone to step on your foot, don't step on their foot. 00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:29.566 It's passive. 00:18:29.566 --> 00:18:30.566 Just don't act. 00:18:30.566 --> 00:18:32.599 Don't do anything. 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:37.000 But Jesus says, do. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:37.965 Be active. 00:18:37.965 --> 00:18:40.465 Do unto others what you want them to do to you. 00:18:40.465 --> 00:18:50.165 If you're sitting around thinking, I really wish someone would massage my feet, then get up and go massage someone else's feet now, right now, keep your shoes on, but be the active person. 00:18:51.266 --> 00:18:58.865 We don't just wait around hoping and wishing someone would love me, though that's what we do. 00:18:58.865 --> 00:19:00.900 No, love. 00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:03.799 Serve. Go. 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:09.232 It would be one thing, wouldn't it, if Peter just said, look, don't, don't repay. 00:19:11.965 --> 00:19:18.766 But he goes far beyond that because he says, on the contrary, bless. 00:19:18.766 --> 00:19:21.066 And here is the really hard part of that. 00:19:21.066 --> 00:19:23.032 Here is the radical part of that. 00:19:23.032 --> 00:19:24.900 Here's the countercultural part of that. 00:19:24.900 --> 00:19:29.066 Here is the counter human flesh part of that. 00:19:29.066 --> 00:19:41.066 The very person who is seeking the worst for you, the very person that because you love Jesus, would love for nothing greater than for you to be removed from the face of the earth. 00:19:41.066 --> 00:19:45.266 That person is the person you're called to go and actively bless. 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:57.566 And as I say that, I got to tell you, I'm thinking back to some people, oh, who made life so hard for me. 00:19:57.665 --> 00:20:01.932 That person I'm supposed to go bless. 00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:05.766 And look, I know that's not simple. 00:20:05.766 --> 00:20:10.900 Depending on your relationship with that person who comes to mind, that can be very complex. 00:20:10.900 --> 00:20:13.266 There could be layers, there could be abuse. 00:20:13.266 --> 00:20:14.200 There could be different. 00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:18.566 You may need great wisdom to know what that means. 00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:27.833 But the heart of that follows Christ, and it is as countercultural as you can get. 00:20:27.833 --> 00:20:30.833 Bless those who persecute you. 00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:37.599 Actively bless, do unto others, and that is our calling. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:40.000 Know your calling and trust your calling. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:45.500 Know that when Christ says, follow me, this is what we're called to. 00:20:45.633 --> 00:20:47.299 Not easy countercultural. 00:20:47.299 --> 00:20:55.000 But that's the second way we're called to respond to those who want to harm you because of your faith. 00:20:55.066 --> 00:20:57.266 Now let's look at the third way here. 00:20:57.266 --> 00:20:57.799 Look here. 00:20:57.799 --> 00:21:00.266 We're going to look at verses ten through 12. 00:21:00.266 --> 00:21:04.932 And this comes back to the issue of remember your roots. 00:21:05.266 --> 00:21:07.333 Remember your roots. 00:21:07.333 --> 00:21:08.932 That's the third way. 00:21:08.932 --> 00:21:15.965 Third way we prepare to respond to those who wish the worst for us because we follow Christ. 00:21:15.965 --> 00:21:17.833 Remember your roots. 00:21:17.833 --> 00:21:19.032 Look at verse ten through 12. 00:21:19.032 --> 00:21:21.165 I want to reread these. 00:21:21.165 --> 00:21:30.032 For whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 00:21:30.032 --> 00:21:31.932 Let him turn away from evil and do good. 00:21:31.932 --> 00:21:34.766 Let him seek peace and pursue it. 00:21:34.766 --> 00:21:39.432 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. 00:21:39.432 --> 00:21:43.700 But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 00:21:43.700 --> 00:21:54.566 Now if you have a Bible where these verses are kind of set off to the side, you'll notice that this is actually a quotation from the Old Testament. 00:21:54.566 --> 00:21:59.799 And Peter, we already know whenever he makes a point and he wants to back it up, what does he do? 00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:01.000 He cites the Old Testament. 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:10.066 We've seen that over and over again, which, by the way, is a great lesson for us that the author of one of the books of the Bible saw the Old Testament as relevant and authoritative to his life. 00:22:11.232 --> 00:22:16.032 As Christians, we don't just cast aside the Old Testament, we see it as central. 00:22:16.032 --> 00:22:18.365 Jesus quoted the Old Testament over and over again. 00:22:18.365 --> 00:22:25.599 In fact, the most commonly quoted book of the Old Testament in the New Testament to the Book of Psalms. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:29.566 And so here we have him quoting from the Book of Psalms. 00:22:29.566 --> 00:22:32.566 He's quoting in particular Psalm 34. 00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:36.000 Now why Psalm 34? 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:38.932 What's relevant about Psalm 34? 00:22:38.932 --> 00:22:41.066 Part of it is the message of Psalm 34. 00:22:41.066 --> 00:22:43.000 Now I want you to see something here. 00:22:43.000 --> 00:22:45.500 In fact, he already quoted directly from Psalm 34. 00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:51.133 If you look at two, chapter two, verse three, he says, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 00:22:51.133 --> 00:22:52.965 That's a quote from Psalm 34. 00:22:52.965 --> 00:22:54.000 But it's not just that. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:55.232 Look on the screen real quick. 00:22:55.232 --> 00:23:03.865 I want to show you here you'll see that Peter is peppered all throughout with Psalm 34. 00:23:04.665 --> 00:23:20.232 So we have all these phrases that show up all across Psalm 34 blessing, sojourning, never be put to shame, the fear of God, the righteous cry out, afflictions, his redeemed servants over and over again. 00:23:20.232 --> 00:23:21.400 And that's a lot to take in. 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:23.165 If you're a note taker, I apologize. 00:23:23.165 --> 00:23:24.865 That's not going to be up there very long. 00:23:24.865 --> 00:23:26.400 You can email us up here at the church. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:30.900 I'll give you that list that was put together by one of the commentators I read. 00:23:30.900 --> 00:23:35.599 The point being, Peter peppers the whole passage with Psalm 34. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:38.599 Now why Psalm 34? 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:45.000 Psalm 34 has a message that was relevant to them then, and it's relevant to us today as well. 00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:48.633 In fact, turn to Psalm 34 and I'm going to show you something. 00:23:50.766 --> 00:23:52.333 Psalm 34. 00:23:52.333 --> 00:23:55.032 Look at verse one. 00:23:55.032 --> 00:23:58.032 In fact, it's not quite verse one. 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:12.965 If you notice Psalm 34, and that's on page 433, in a church Bible, it starts with a little phrase at the top that says, taste and see that the Lord is good in my Bible that's in italics. 00:24:12.965 --> 00:24:18.200 But that's been added by the current translators. 00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:27.365 But the next statement that's not actually a verse here, it says ‘of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech so that he drove him out and he went away. 00:24:27.365 --> 00:24:33.465 That's kind of an explanatory introduction to the book that helps you understand what Psalm 34 is about. 00:24:33.500 --> 00:24:41.333 Now, let me give you a little bit of background on David to help that make sense, because some of us remember the story of David and others maybe not as much. 00:24:41.333 --> 00:24:44.500 We all skip over details at points in life. 00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:47.965 David, you may remember, was appointed king when he was a boy. 00:24:49.032 --> 00:24:50.032 And what was his? 00:24:50.032 --> 00:24:52.500 That would be a tremendous honor, wouldn't you think? 00:24:52.500 --> 00:24:54.566 That would be incredible. 00:24:54.566 --> 00:24:56.799 What was his reward for that? 00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:59.133 Saul wants to kill him. 00:24:59.133 --> 00:25:00.400 Welcome to the club, David. 00:25:00.400 --> 00:25:02.032 Time for you to die. 00:25:02.032 --> 00:25:06.266 And so David goes on the run, as you naturally would do. 00:25:06.266 --> 00:25:10.766 David doesn't want to die, and he flees to the Philistines. 00:25:10.766 --> 00:25:12.566 Now, the Philistines were the enemies of Saul. 00:25:12.566 --> 00:25:16.732 So you would think the enemy of my enemy would be my friend. 00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:23.932 But when he shows up to the Philistines, the king who's mentioned here doesn't like David. 00:25:23.932 --> 00:25:32.432 And so what it says here that David does his strategy to get out of danger, his strategy to escape the guy who thought who was going to be his refuge. 00:25:34.766 --> 00:25:37.465 He changed his behavior before him. 00:25:37.465 --> 00:25:46.400 In fact, he just acted like he was crazy, acted like he was out of his mind so that he could get away. 00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:46.700 All right. 00:25:46.700 --> 00:25:49.333 What does that have to do with Peter's audience? 00:25:49.333 --> 00:25:50.599 Follow the thread here. 00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:53.599 Here's his point, David. 00:25:53.732 --> 00:26:05.066 God's anointed one in exile, actively persecuted and attacked, is seeking God's deliverance. 00:26:05.066 --> 00:26:15.633 Peter, in this message in Psalm 34, because David, after he was delivered, wrote Psalm 34 as a celebration of God's deliverance. 00:26:16.365 --> 00:26:20.365 Peter says, you are exiles. 00:26:20.365 --> 00:26:23.532 You are those who are actively persecuted. 00:26:23.532 --> 00:26:25.633 You are those who need rescue. 00:26:25.633 --> 00:26:30.465 So everything in Psalm 34 relates directly to you today. 00:26:31.232 --> 00:26:36.333 In fact, first Peter starts with that word elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:26:36.633 --> 00:26:38.633 We are all exiles. 00:26:38.633 --> 00:26:42.500 We are all living as foreigners in this land. 00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:44.799 We are all citizens of another world. 00:26:46.365 --> 00:26:48.000 Now here's the point of all that. 00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:49.066 Here's what Peter is going to do. 00:26:49.066 --> 00:26:54.266 He's going to pick up on a few phrases, and I'm just going to look at a couple of these that David draws out. 00:26:54.266 --> 00:26:58.333 Look back at first Peter chapter three, verse ten. 00:26:58.333 --> 00:27:01.865 He says, let him keep his tongue from evil. 00:27:02.266 --> 00:27:05.266 We're called to be people of truth. 00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:07.099 Even if people are attacking. 00:27:07.099 --> 00:27:10.099 You were called to be people of truth. 00:27:11.432 --> 00:27:20.532 Now, I've said this before, but it's important to know that being a person of truth doesn't mean you share everything you're thinking, right? 00:27:20.532 --> 00:27:27.865 I remember hearing Wayne Grudem share this example when his wife comes and asks him, how does this dress look on me? 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:31.165 He says, I tell the truth, but I don't tell everything I'm thinking. 00:27:31.165 --> 00:27:34.799 I don't say it kind of is tight in the middle area. 00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:37.799 No, no, no, what I say is, you know what? 00:27:38.232 --> 00:27:39.700 That dress is not my favorite. 00:27:41.133 --> 00:27:43.200 I speak the truth in love. 00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:45.532 I'm a person of truth. 00:27:45.532 --> 00:27:51.833 We're called to be people of truth, not just in the way we talk to one another about our clothes. 00:27:51.833 --> 00:27:54.833 But even when we're persecuted. 00:27:55.133 --> 00:27:56.665 Keep your tongue from evil. 00:27:56.665 --> 00:27:58.133 Keep your lips from deceit. 00:27:58.133 --> 00:28:01.766 But then next he says, turn away from evil and do good. 00:28:02.066 --> 00:28:07.133 Meaning we're called to be people who eradicate evil from our lives. 00:28:07.133 --> 00:28:10.133 We don't tolerate evil in our lives. 00:28:12.165 --> 00:28:18.333 And we're not a church that has any kind of list of things you can watch or can't watch, or books you can read or can't read. 00:28:18.333 --> 00:28:19.833 That's legalism. 00:28:19.833 --> 00:28:21.133 We don't do that. 00:28:21.133 --> 00:28:26.965 But also don't be naive to the reality that everything you consume shapes you in some way or another. 00:28:26.965 --> 00:28:28.566 It does. Everything. 00:28:29.665 --> 00:28:40.032 And much of what is created in Hollywood and this world has a very different agenda than a Christian agenda. 00:28:40.032 --> 00:28:46.165 It is seeking to turn your heart away from Christ towards other things. 00:28:46.165 --> 00:28:49.165 Just don't be naive to that. 00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:54.032 Turn away from evil, turn towards good. 00:28:54.465 --> 00:28:55.732 And then notice this other phrase. 00:28:55.732 --> 00:28:58.900 He says, seek peace and pursue it. 00:29:00.566 --> 00:29:03.566 We're called to be peacemakers. 00:29:03.633 --> 00:29:13.165 It's one thing just to not stir up conflict, but it's another to be those who go and actively pursue peace. 00:29:14.200 --> 00:29:16.799 Actively pursue peace. 00:29:16.799 --> 00:29:22.432 Hunt down someone who has done you wrong and try to make things right. 00:29:22.432 --> 00:29:24.432 Now that's balanced out with Romans 00:29:24.432 --> 00:29:30.965 18, which says, if possible, so far as you are able, be at peace with all men. 00:29:30.965 --> 00:29:36.700 Meaning the key word there. If we're not always able. 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:40.165 But look, this is radically countercultural. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:44.965 I heard a story about reading one of the books I was studying. 00:29:44.965 --> 00:29:49.932 One of the professors had a student share as they were teaching on this passage. 00:29:50.165 --> 00:29:52.865 As student shared, I've got a story that relates to that you want to talk about. 00:29:52.865 --> 00:29:55.432 Bless on those who persecute you. 00:29:55.432 --> 00:30:04.865 He was a soldier, and he was in the barracks with other soldiers, and they knew he was a Christian, and they had started to persecute him, particularly because of his faith. 00:30:05.532 --> 00:30:07.932 And they would do all kinds of things to bother him. 00:30:07.932 --> 00:30:19.432 And one night he's laying down in bed and across the room here comes this pair of muddy boots just sailing through the sky, lands right on his head, mud everywhere. 00:30:21.000 --> 00:30:23.365 Nicks up his forehead. 00:30:23.365 --> 00:30:24.500 Lights go out. 00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:26.566 Everybody's laughing. 00:30:26.566 --> 00:30:30.266 The next morning that soldier who threw his boots is looking for his boots. 00:30:30.266 --> 00:30:39.032 And here they are at the foot of his bed, washed, cleaned, spit shined, polished. 00:30:39.032 --> 00:30:42.000 Waiting there for him. 00:30:42.000 --> 00:30:45.000 And that guy said, that broke me. 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:46.333 That broke me. 00:30:46.333 --> 00:30:49.333 I wanted to know who would do that. 00:30:49.566 --> 00:30:51.932 And that opened the door for him to talk about Christ. 00:30:51.932 --> 00:31:01.633 And that opened the door for another soldier to hear about Christ, one after another, after another. 00:31:01.633 --> 00:31:04.633 Bless those who persecute you. 00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:19.266 Now, there's one thing I didn't point out here about Psalm 34, and in fact, we're going to celebrate this today in the way we approach communion, because the way we can do this, the reason you can do this is because of one thing. 00:31:19.266 --> 00:31:25.566 And if you're here to help distribute communion, you can go ahead and slip out, prepare those elements. 00:31:25.766 --> 00:31:30.200 Look back at Psalm 34, because Psalm 34 is interesting. 00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:33.099 It's actually done in an acrostic poem. 00:31:33.099 --> 00:31:37.232 You know what that is where they use a start each first letter with another letter. 00:31:37.232 --> 00:31:39.465 And this it's done with the Hebrew alphabet. 00:31:39.465 --> 00:31:42.232 There's 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. 00:31:42.232 --> 00:31:47.333 If you don't have a Hebrew Bible, look over at your neighbor, who probably does, and you can see how this lays out. 00:31:47.333 --> 00:31:49.932 But there's 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. 00:31:49.932 --> 00:31:53.965 Each of the verses start with the letter of the Hebrew Bible. 00:31:53.965 --> 00:31:57.932 So A-b-c on down, except there's one missing. 00:31:57.932 --> 00:31:59.532 Probably around letter five or so. 00:31:59.532 --> 00:32:00.232 They left. 00:32:00.232 --> 00:32:09.665 They left that letter out so that they could come back around at the end with an extra verse, A to Z. 00:32:09.665 --> 00:32:10.732 Here we go. 00:32:10.732 --> 00:32:16.066 I'm going to wrap the verse up with the Lord redeems the life of his servants. 00:32:16.865 --> 00:32:26.432 Psalm 34 wraps up with redemption, and the way you're able to bless those who curse you, bless those who persecute you. 00:32:26.432 --> 00:32:30.900 The only source of power for that is if you are redeemed by Christ. 00:32:31.665 --> 00:32:37.299 And that's simply just turning to him, trusting him. 00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:43.133 If you don't know him, if you've not confessed your sins to him, man today is the day to do that. 00:32:43.133 --> 00:32:45.766 And guys, you can go ahead and start distributing communion. 00:32:45.766 --> 00:32:48.365 And let me tell you about communion. 00:32:48.365 --> 00:32:53.365 If you don't know Christ, that communion is not necessarily for you. 00:32:53.365 --> 00:32:56.500 Communion is for anyone who knows Christ, follows him, claims him. 00:32:56.500 --> 00:32:58.566 You don't have to be a member of this church. 00:32:58.566 --> 00:33:00.700 There's two cups in there stacked together. 00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:01.799 Take them both. 00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:04.599 You have the juice and the bread. 00:33:04.599 --> 00:33:10.133 You just set that there and then hang on to those and we'll take those together in a minute. 00:33:10.133 --> 00:33:13.099 I'll lead us through taking those together after everyone has those. 00:33:13.099 --> 00:33:13.900 Here's what I want you to do. 00:33:13.900 --> 00:33:16.432 While those are being handed out. Pray. 00:33:16.432 --> 00:33:25.133 Pray in particular for God to bring to mind someone that you need to pursue with peace. 00:33:25.266 --> 00:33:27.865 Someone who has attacked you. 00:33:27.865 --> 00:33:30.365 Someone who has brought conflict into your life. 00:33:30.365 --> 00:33:35.532 Someone who has sought your worst because you know Christ. 00:33:35.532 --> 00:33:42.566 Pray for God to bring that person to mind and pray for particular ways that you can seek peace and pursue it. 00:33:42.566 --> 00:33:44.766 Go ahead and pray now, and I'll bring us back together. 00:33:44.766 --> 00:33:46.232 When everyone has the communion.