Be Ready to Share the Gospel – Part 2


Announcements:

  • Mission Trip Reminder
  • National Prayer for President Day

Introduction:
*Thank missionaries, encourage them in their work, speak of them as an example*
Link: Last week we discussed that teaching, admonishing, and singing were not just for the “professionals” but for the whole body. Sharing the Gospel is not just for the “professionals” either! 1 Peter 3:13-17 tells us all to be ready to share.

Text: 1 Peter 3:13-17
Exhortation: Be Ready to Share the Gospel
Verse 13
“Who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?” – One of the top reasons believers are afraid to share their faith is because of fear of harm. Yet, you are not likely to be harmed for doing good. There is a chance you will be harmed for doing good. There are people out there like that. But it is not common. Don’t let that fear prevent you from doing good! You are unlikely to suffer harm for preaching the Gospel.

Verse 14-15a
The normal pattern is that people do not harm others for doing good things. And indeed, on the whole, you will find people who do good are treated well. But there are people out there who WILL harm others because they are righteous. They did that to Jesus. And Peter here acknowledges the possibility when he says “even if you should… have no fear of them.”

Link: When someone causes you to suffer for righteousness sake, that is called persecution. So these next verses are about how to prepare for and respond to persecution.

Do not be afraid or be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy. == Replace the fear and anxiety with Christ the Lord. Honoring Christ the Lord as holy allows us to not be afraid or troubled on a number of grounds. For one, He suffered for righteousness sake, so when we do we fellowship with Him. For another, He did not stay in the grave and neither will we. For another, we see that God exalted Him and gave Him the name above every other name, and we know that we also will receive a reward when we persevere. And still another, as we honor Christ more, we count Him more and more worthy to suffer for. So honoring Christ the Lord as holy helps us not to fear even those who would harm us.

Verses 15b-16
Be ready to be a witness. This verse says “always being prepared” so whether it is to one who would harm us or to those who would not, we should be prepared to witness. Sometimes genuinely interested people and sometimes hostile people might ask us for a reason for the hope that is in us, in either case we should witness.
Witnessing should be done with gentleness and respect. This is often not done and easy to not do, especially if you are fearful. The typical behavior in a situation where you are frightened or feel threatened is “Fight or Flight.” Honoring Christ the Lord as holy changes this to gentleness and respect.
We should have a good conscience and good behavior in Christ. This is so that, if and when we are persecuted our persecutors one day being put to shame, because on the last day it will be revealed that they mistreated a righteous person. And Christ will not be happy about that at all. Nor will they have anything to say to defend themselves for how they treated you. How will they explain to the infinite God that they were just to persecute His loving children who were sharing the Good News of the free gift of salvation with them? It will be shameful for them.

Verse 17
Suffering is never enjoyable, but suffering for doing good at least has some benefits: Fellowship with Christ, encouragement from God, eternal rewards. There is no redeeming quality about suffering for doing evil. That’s just justice.

Summary:
You are unlikely to be harmed for doing good.
Do not be afraid even of those who would harm you, but instead honor Christ the Lord as holy.
Be ready to share Jesus with both kind and unkind people.
Have a clear conscience so your testimony is pure and your good deeds will be rewarded.