1 00:00:00,467 --> 00:00:03,737 This is a reading from 1 Peter 3:13 2 00:00:03,737 --> 00:00:06,740 through 22. 3 00:00:17,250 --> 00:00:18,952 Now who is there to harm you? 4 00:00:18,952 --> 00:00:21,237 If you are zealous for what is good. 5 00:00:21,237 --> 00:00:24,657 But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. 6 00:00:25,291 --> 00:00:29,429 Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ. 7 00:00:29,429 --> 00:00:30,897 The Lord is holy. 8 00:00:30,897 --> 00:00:33,500 Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone 9 00:00:33,500 --> 00:00:36,753 who asks you for a reason, for the hope that is in you, 10 00:00:37,470 --> 00:00:41,191 yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, 11 00:00:41,725 --> 00:00:44,177 so that when you are slandered, those who revile 12 00:00:44,177 --> 00:00:47,180 your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 13 00:00:47,547 --> 00:00:50,283 For it is better to suffer for doing good. 14 00:00:50,283 --> 00:00:53,269 If that should be God's will than for doing evil. 15 00:00:53,303 --> 00:00:57,741 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, 16 00:00:58,108 --> 00:01:01,578 that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, 17 00:01:01,978 --> 00:01:05,065 but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed 18 00:01:05,065 --> 00:01:08,635 to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey. 19 00:01:08,935 --> 00:01:13,706 When God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, 20 00:01:13,907 --> 00:01:18,111 in which a few, that is, eight persons were brought safely through the water. 21 00:01:19,129 --> 00:01:22,132 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you 22 00:01:22,682 --> 00:01:26,102 not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God 23 00:01:26,102 --> 00:01:29,489 for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 24 00:01:29,973 --> 00:01:32,959 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God 25 00:01:33,109 --> 00:01:36,112 with angels, authorities, and powers 26 00:01:36,112 --> 00:01:39,115 having been subjected to him. 27 00:01:40,767 --> 00:01:42,652 Well, good morning and welcome to the weekend 28 00:01:42,652 --> 00:01:44,871 gathering of Christ Community Chapel. 29 00:01:44,871 --> 00:01:45,839 My name is Zach. 30 00:01:45,839 --> 00:01:50,960 I'm one of the pastors here, and I'm so glad we get to be part of your weekend. 31 00:01:51,144 --> 00:01:55,081 We are almost done with our fall sermon series. 32 00:01:55,615 --> 00:01:58,918 Going through 1 Peter, which means, by the way, 33 00:01:58,918 --> 00:02:02,338 that it's almost Christmas time, which is crazy, crazy. 34 00:02:03,139 --> 00:02:07,644 But we are going through 1 Peter this fall for one simple reason. 35 00:02:08,128 --> 00:02:09,746 Now, first, Peter is a letter written 36 00:02:09,746 --> 00:02:13,616 to a growing church in the middle of a hostile culture. 37 00:02:13,967 --> 00:02:17,537 And we think there are a lot of parallels between that church and this one, 38 00:02:18,021 --> 00:02:20,607 that culture and this one, which means 39 00:02:20,607 --> 00:02:25,612 that the message God has for that church where he calls them not to shrink back, 40 00:02:26,095 --> 00:02:29,666 not not to hide out, but to rise up, 41 00:02:30,083 --> 00:02:34,470 to engage the culture with the gospel is the same message he has for us. 42 00:02:34,737 --> 00:02:37,857 So we've been doing each week is looking for a new way that God is 43 00:02:37,857 --> 00:02:40,977 calling us as a church to rise up. 44 00:02:41,010 --> 00:02:42,562 We're going to do that again this week. 45 00:02:42,562 --> 00:02:43,997 In fact, if you have a Bible, 46 00:02:43,997 --> 00:02:47,550 would you take it out and open it to 1 Peter chapter 3? 47 00:02:47,784 --> 00:02:50,370 Perfectly okay to take out your phone or your tablet. 48 00:02:50,370 --> 00:02:51,804 Get there however you'd like. 49 00:02:51,804 --> 00:02:55,909 And hey, if you're here and it's been a while since you've been in church, 50 00:02:56,042 --> 00:02:58,878 I want you to know you're in absolutely the right place. 51 00:02:58,878 --> 00:02:59,846 And even if you're thinking, 52 00:02:59,846 --> 00:03:03,483 I have no idea where first Peter three is and I didn't bring a Bible, that's okay. 53 00:03:03,483 --> 00:03:05,218 The verses are going to be on the screen behind me. 54 00:03:05,218 --> 00:03:09,322 But if you want to in the back of East Hall or in the back of the pew 55 00:03:09,322 --> 00:03:12,325 in front of you here in our West service is one of these Bibles, 56 00:03:12,625 --> 00:03:16,963 and if you use one of them, I can tell you that today's reading is on page 954. 57 00:03:16,980 --> 00:03:18,498 So glad you're here. 58 00:03:18,498 --> 00:03:20,567 Thanks for taking that step. 59 00:03:20,567 --> 00:03:23,453 But however you're getting to first Peter chapter three, let me hold out to 60 00:03:23,453 --> 00:03:27,240 you three points I'm going to use as an outline to guide our time together. 61 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:28,157 Very simple. 62 00:03:28,157 --> 00:03:31,160 I want to show you three things I want to show you the need, 63 00:03:31,411 --> 00:03:33,930 the cost, and the question. 64 00:03:33,930 --> 00:03:35,098 Okay. The need, 65 00:03:35,098 --> 00:03:37,734 the cost, and the question. 66 00:03:37,734 --> 00:03:40,620 All right. Let's start first with the need. 67 00:03:40,620 --> 00:03:43,623 One of the things that you'll notice about this passage 68 00:03:43,823 --> 00:03:49,229 is that Peter talks a lot about the way this church lives. 69 00:03:49,262 --> 00:03:53,866 Now, I want you to keep in mind that the framework of this passage 70 00:03:53,866 --> 00:03:58,388 we've been looking at for the last few weeks is that God has a vision. 71 00:03:58,404 --> 00:04:01,941 This goes all the way back to first Peter chapter two, that God has a vision 72 00:04:01,941 --> 00:04:07,013 and his vision to this young church in the midst of this hostile 73 00:04:07,013 --> 00:04:11,000 culture is he tells them, everyone who is your enemy. 74 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,671 Today I want to be family tomorrow. 75 00:04:15,271 --> 00:04:16,589 That's who God is. 76 00:04:16,589 --> 00:04:19,459 God says, I know you're surrounded by people who hate Jesus. 77 00:04:19,459 --> 00:04:20,777 They hate the Bible. 78 00:04:20,777 --> 00:04:22,111 They hate the church. 79 00:04:22,111 --> 00:04:24,897 And he says, but you have to understand my vision. 80 00:04:24,897 --> 00:04:28,101 My mission is to turn them from enemies into 81 00:04:28,101 --> 00:04:31,104 family, enemies into worshipers. 82 00:04:31,137 --> 00:04:36,659 So everything God is calling this church to do is to accomplish that mission. 83 00:04:36,843 --> 00:04:39,145 Two weeks ago that meant to surrender. 84 00:04:39,145 --> 00:04:43,232 Last week it meant to live in relationship in a certain way. 85 00:04:43,399 --> 00:04:47,754 And this week, what he says is if we want to see those people 86 00:04:47,754 --> 00:04:51,090 go from enemies to family, it will take 87 00:04:51,090 --> 00:04:56,095 your moral obedience is I want you to live lives 88 00:04:56,095 --> 00:04:59,899 of goodness, lives of righteousness, lives of obedience. 89 00:04:59,899 --> 00:05:01,234 Look with me at the passage. 90 00:05:01,234 --> 00:05:04,404 Just pick it up in verse 13 and read through verse 16. 91 00:05:04,404 --> 00:05:05,188 Here's what it says. 92 00:05:06,172 --> 00:05:08,241 Now who is there to harm you? 93 00:05:08,241 --> 00:05:11,244 If you are zealous for what is good? 94 00:05:11,611 --> 00:05:16,082 But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. 95 00:05:16,949 --> 00:05:21,287 Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ. 96 00:05:21,287 --> 00:05:27,143 The Lord is holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks 97 00:05:27,143 --> 00:05:30,213 for a reason, for the hope that is in you, yet 98 00:05:30,213 --> 00:05:33,199 do it with gentleness and respect, 99 00:05:34,133 --> 00:05:37,253 having a good conscience, so that when you are slandered, 100 00:05:37,470 --> 00:05:41,758 those who revile your good behavior in Christ might be put to shame. 101 00:05:41,758 --> 00:05:43,893 Do you see all those references? He talks about? 102 00:05:43,893 --> 00:05:47,930 Good conscience, good behavior, righteousness. 103 00:05:47,930 --> 00:05:51,084 What Peter is telling them is that part of God's 104 00:05:51,084 --> 00:05:54,087 plan to reach your family, 105 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,839 your neighbors, your community, 106 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:01,377 your workplace, is your moral obedience. 107 00:06:01,677 --> 00:06:03,029 And mine. 108 00:06:03,029 --> 00:06:06,833 In other words, what Peter is saying is that the choices we make on a big scale 109 00:06:06,833 --> 00:06:12,321 and a little scale are the things that God will use to get their attention. 110 00:06:12,388 --> 00:06:16,259 Why, he says, live in such a way that they will ask you questions. 111 00:06:16,259 --> 00:06:20,580 And then when they ask you, ask you questions, tell them it's because 112 00:06:20,747 --> 00:06:21,714 of Jesus. 113 00:06:21,714 --> 00:06:24,717 Your moral obedience matters. 114 00:06:24,717 --> 00:06:27,770 Now, you might not be surprised to hear me say that. 115 00:06:27,770 --> 00:06:30,773 After all, for most of us, when we think about God, we think a bit 116 00:06:30,807 --> 00:06:34,427 about him as someone who probably cares about the way we live. 117 00:06:34,911 --> 00:06:38,965 And if you've read the Bible, you know it has a lot to say about do's and don'ts. 118 00:06:39,148 --> 00:06:41,367 Live this way, not that way. 119 00:06:41,367 --> 00:06:43,519 And that's because God is holy. 120 00:06:43,519 --> 00:06:47,390 God is righteous, and also because he knows how life works best. 121 00:06:47,757 --> 00:06:51,360 So he's telling us that this life will lead to flourishing 122 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,414 and this life will lead to the opposite of flourishing. 123 00:06:54,414 --> 00:06:56,516 What you may not realize, though, 124 00:06:56,516 --> 00:07:00,319 is that the way you live is not just about you and God. 125 00:07:01,287 --> 00:07:04,290 It's about you and the people around you. 126 00:07:04,590 --> 00:07:07,577 It's part of God's mission to reach them. 127 00:07:07,643 --> 00:07:10,730 Let me give you an analogy that I think will help this make sense 128 00:07:11,397 --> 00:07:12,648 throughout history. 129 00:07:12,648 --> 00:07:15,618 When armies would go to war with one another, 130 00:07:15,618 --> 00:07:19,138 there would be this particular job that on the face of it, 131 00:07:19,138 --> 00:07:21,808 was not very glamorous but was really important. 132 00:07:21,808 --> 00:07:25,878 And that was the job of a flagbearer like in American history. 133 00:07:25,878 --> 00:07:27,930 You can best see this in the Civil War. 134 00:07:27,930 --> 00:07:29,699 A flag bearer was someone 135 00:07:29,699 --> 00:07:32,969 who would march towards the enemy, and they didn't hold a weapon. 136 00:07:33,503 --> 00:07:37,140 They held a pole and on the end of the pole was the flag. 137 00:07:37,323 --> 00:07:40,676 And they served a really important job, actually, a couple of jobs. 138 00:07:40,676 --> 00:07:44,547 I mean, one is they let people know where their army was 139 00:07:44,780 --> 00:07:48,050 because once the battle got going, there was smoke and dust 140 00:07:48,050 --> 00:07:49,919 and all kinds of things all everywhere. 141 00:07:49,919 --> 00:07:53,206 And if you got separated from your unit, you would look for the flag. 142 00:07:53,222 --> 00:07:55,141 It was a kind of rallying point. 143 00:07:55,141 --> 00:07:56,542 It was also inspiration. 144 00:07:56,542 --> 00:07:58,978 So as long as the flag was flying 145 00:07:58,978 --> 00:08:02,031 and moving, that meant your side was still in the fight. 146 00:08:02,031 --> 00:08:04,367 So in the thick of battle, you could look up 147 00:08:04,367 --> 00:08:07,403 and if the flag was there, you knew we're moving forward. 148 00:08:07,854 --> 00:08:10,940 Generals would stand a far away on a hill, and 149 00:08:11,190 --> 00:08:14,777 and the flags are actually how they would know if they were winning or losing. 150 00:08:14,777 --> 00:08:18,114 If their flags were moving forward, that meant they were winning. 151 00:08:18,114 --> 00:08:23,102 If their flags were stalled out or down or retreating, that meant they were losing. 152 00:08:23,102 --> 00:08:26,372 And so flag bearers would go to battle without a weapon. 153 00:08:26,756 --> 00:08:31,727 But as a central part of the strategy of their side to win the war. 154 00:08:31,878 --> 00:08:35,281 And the reason I think that's such a good analogy is that Peter says, 155 00:08:35,431 --> 00:08:38,868 if you want to change your family, if you want to change your marriage, 156 00:08:38,868 --> 00:08:41,220 your your, your neighborhood, your community, 157 00:08:41,220 --> 00:08:44,207 your culture, your workplace, you don't pick up a weapon. 158 00:08:44,307 --> 00:08:45,291 You pick up a flag. 159 00:08:46,859 --> 00:08:49,195 You live your life in such a way 160 00:08:49,195 --> 00:08:53,065 that it is a stark contrast to the people around you. 161 00:08:53,065 --> 00:08:58,254 It is evident there's a different kingdom, a different way of living. 162 00:08:58,337 --> 00:09:03,092 It brings up the idea that God is real, that he's changing people. 163 00:09:03,092 --> 00:09:06,629 You see, when you move from a person of bitterness to a person 164 00:09:06,629 --> 00:09:09,632 of forgiveness, the flag of Jesus is waving. 165 00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:13,553 People have to reckon with that. 166 00:09:13,553 --> 00:09:16,255 When you move from a from a life of greed 167 00:09:16,255 --> 00:09:19,609 to a life of generosity, that flag is flying. 168 00:09:19,609 --> 00:09:23,129 In other words, what Peter is saying is that if you want the culture around you 169 00:09:23,129 --> 00:09:28,551 to change, you cannot see your daily obedience as insignificant. 170 00:09:28,551 --> 00:09:31,070 It's crucial. It's crucial. 171 00:09:31,070 --> 00:09:35,241 What this means then, fathers, if you want to shape your family, 172 00:09:36,809 --> 00:09:39,812 your daily decisions matter. 173 00:09:39,962 --> 00:09:42,949 Your moral obedience matters. 174 00:09:43,833 --> 00:09:46,819 Husbands and wives, you want to shape your marriage 175 00:09:47,486 --> 00:09:49,021 and doing relationships. 176 00:09:49,021 --> 00:09:50,690 God's way matters. 177 00:09:50,690 --> 00:09:53,909 Obedience is how the flag of Jesus flies. 178 00:09:53,909 --> 00:09:55,578 You want to change your business. 179 00:09:55,578 --> 00:09:58,347 You tell your partners, we're going to stop cutting corners. 180 00:09:58,347 --> 00:10:00,032 You want to save your relationship. 181 00:10:00,032 --> 00:10:01,434 I know it's counterintuitive. 182 00:10:01,434 --> 00:10:04,770 You go home after the service and say, I think we got to stop living together. 183 00:10:07,707 --> 00:10:10,710 Because the blessing of Jesus, 184 00:10:11,127 --> 00:10:15,681 the evidence of God's reality, comes when the flag is flying. 185 00:10:16,349 --> 00:10:20,002 And I want in particular young people to hear me on this. 186 00:10:20,853 --> 00:10:24,924 If you want to go further than my generation with your experience 187 00:10:24,924 --> 00:10:28,411 of God and your experience of the Kingdom, and I hope that you do, 188 00:10:29,161 --> 00:10:32,965 the key to that is going to be to surrender to Jesus 189 00:10:32,965 --> 00:10:36,769 in every area of your life, because Peter says, 190 00:10:36,986 --> 00:10:39,955 When God's people are obedient, 191 00:10:39,955 --> 00:10:42,958 the world takes notice. 192 00:10:44,093 --> 00:10:45,361 How prone are 193 00:10:45,361 --> 00:10:48,347 we to shaking our fist at the state of the world, 194 00:10:48,481 --> 00:10:50,449 at the state of our family, at the state of our 195 00:10:50,449 --> 00:10:54,120 marriage, of blaming everyone else, pointing at everything else? 196 00:10:54,170 --> 00:10:57,690 When Peter says the only hope of change 197 00:10:59,191 --> 00:11:02,611 is for you to start taking Jesus seriously. 198 00:11:03,963 --> 00:11:07,817 So the first question is this is your flag flying? 199 00:11:09,769 --> 00:11:12,888 Are you surrender to the Lordship of Jesus? 200 00:11:12,888 --> 00:11:15,891 Can people see in you a contrasting narrative, 201 00:11:15,891 --> 00:11:19,495 because the world is the way it is, because we do marriage 202 00:11:19,495 --> 00:11:24,684 our way, relationships our way, money, sexuality, identity our way. 203 00:11:24,717 --> 00:11:28,771 We have a broken world because we're broken people and we're in charge. 204 00:11:31,006 --> 00:11:31,791 But people will live 205 00:11:31,791 --> 00:11:34,794 and die that way unless there's a counter-narrative, 206 00:11:35,027 --> 00:11:38,447 which is what Peter says your life is meant to do, 207 00:11:39,115 --> 00:11:42,201 that's the need for your obedience 208 00:11:42,385 --> 00:11:45,388 to fuel the mission of Jesus. 209 00:11:46,172 --> 00:11:47,656 But here's the disclaimer. 210 00:11:47,656 --> 00:11:50,576 Second point the cost. 211 00:11:50,576 --> 00:11:51,477 You may have noticed this 212 00:11:51,477 --> 00:11:54,563 when we read the verses, but these verses are like going up a hill. 213 00:11:54,563 --> 00:11:55,848 You go up one side 214 00:11:55,848 --> 00:11:57,500 and all he's talking about are goodness 215 00:11:57,500 --> 00:11:59,819 and righteousness and living with integrity. 216 00:11:59,819 --> 00:12:00,870 And that sounds nice. 217 00:12:00,870 --> 00:12:03,956 And then you go down the other side of the hill and he's talking about suffering. 218 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:06,108 In fact, let's read these verses again. 219 00:12:06,108 --> 00:12:08,811 But this time, instead of putting the emphasis on goodness, 220 00:12:08,811 --> 00:12:11,931 I want you to notice how many references there are to suffering. 221 00:12:11,931 --> 00:12:12,648 Verse 13. 222 00:12:13,649 --> 00:12:15,017 Now who is there to harm 223 00:12:15,017 --> 00:12:18,020 you if you are zealous for what is good? 224 00:12:18,988 --> 00:12:23,609 But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. 225 00:12:24,443 --> 00:12:28,948 Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ. 226 00:12:28,948 --> 00:12:33,469 The Lord is holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone 227 00:12:33,469 --> 00:12:37,022 who asks you for a reason, for the hope that is in you, yet 228 00:12:37,022 --> 00:12:40,643 do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, 229 00:12:40,643 --> 00:12:44,997 so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior 230 00:12:44,997 --> 00:12:50,119 in Christ may be put to shame, for it is better to suffer for doing good, 231 00:12:50,269 --> 00:12:53,873 if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. 232 00:12:53,873 --> 00:12:56,876 Do you see how many references there are to suffering 233 00:12:57,860 --> 00:13:00,229 when they do you harm? 234 00:13:00,229 --> 00:13:01,730 When they persecute you? 235 00:13:01,730 --> 00:13:06,652 He says he's talking about big persecution, physical jail, beatings 236 00:13:07,153 --> 00:13:11,273 that many of our brothers and sisters around the world will experience today. 237 00:13:12,208 --> 00:13:14,994 But he's also talking about little persecution. 238 00:13:14,994 --> 00:13:17,997 He says, when they lie about you, when they slander you, 239 00:13:17,997 --> 00:13:19,281 you see, God is very honest. 240 00:13:19,281 --> 00:13:22,585 He says, if you decide in the middle of a broken world 241 00:13:22,701 --> 00:13:27,173 that you are going to begin to follow Jesus, to really give your life to Jesus. 242 00:13:27,173 --> 00:13:28,591 If you decide that, 243 00:13:30,025 --> 00:13:33,028 then people are going to take shots at you. 244 00:13:34,013 --> 00:13:36,448 That's what's going to happen now. 245 00:13:36,448 --> 00:13:38,667 Now, why is that? 246 00:13:38,667 --> 00:13:41,070 There are two reasons, and I want you to understand them. 247 00:13:41,070 --> 00:13:44,507 The first, is it their own insecurity? 248 00:13:45,624 --> 00:13:47,960 You know, he talks about when they slander you? 249 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,081 Well, why would someone slander someone for the way they pursue their marriage 250 00:13:52,081 --> 00:13:55,951 or the way they pursue generosity, or the way they pursue forgiveness? 251 00:13:56,001 --> 00:13:57,870 Why would your family turn on you 252 00:13:57,870 --> 00:14:00,923 and you're the one working towards reconciliation? 253 00:14:00,923 --> 00:14:02,191 Why would that happen? 254 00:14:02,191 --> 00:14:06,929 Well, the answer is because none of us like it when our brokenness is exposed. 255 00:14:07,947 --> 00:14:09,982 I can be wildly insecure. 256 00:14:09,982 --> 00:14:13,285 Most people, by the way, who live their lives on the stage, 257 00:14:13,502 --> 00:14:15,688 can be wildly insecure. 258 00:14:15,688 --> 00:14:16,972 And in fact, let me give you an example. 259 00:14:16,972 --> 00:14:19,141 We could be driving through the neighborhood, my wife and I, 260 00:14:19,141 --> 00:14:22,494 and we pass a guy out in the front yard throwing the football to his son, 261 00:14:23,178 --> 00:14:24,930 and Amy will say, oh, that's sweet. 262 00:14:24,930 --> 00:14:26,599 What a great dad. 263 00:14:26,599 --> 00:14:27,483 And I'll say what? 264 00:14:27,483 --> 00:14:28,968 I throw the football with our son. 265 00:14:30,386 --> 00:14:32,638 He probably doesn't work as hard as me. 266 00:14:32,638 --> 00:14:34,640 He's probably not as tired as me. 267 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:36,625 You know, he's probably not his husband. 268 00:14:36,625 --> 00:14:37,259 You know what? 269 00:14:37,259 --> 00:14:40,262 You know, he's not even throwing a spiral. 270 00:14:41,814 --> 00:14:44,033 But when I react in that moment. 271 00:14:44,033 --> 00:14:46,068 It's not about Amy, is it? 272 00:14:46,068 --> 00:14:47,720 It's not even about that dad in the yard. 273 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,005 It's about me. 274 00:14:50,005 --> 00:14:53,008 I'm worried that maybe I'm not measuring up. 275 00:14:53,275 --> 00:14:57,112 And another dad pursuing his son makes me feel threatened. 276 00:14:58,247 --> 00:15:01,083 Friends, listen, you have to understand, when people take shots at you 277 00:15:01,083 --> 00:15:03,385 for following Jesus, 278 00:15:03,385 --> 00:15:06,572 when you have that hard conversation with the person you're in a relationship with, 279 00:15:07,489 --> 00:15:10,976 when you tell your family that you are going to try to reach out again, 280 00:15:12,261 --> 00:15:14,997 when you tell your business partner you're not going to cut a corner. 281 00:15:17,182 --> 00:15:17,816 When they take 282 00:15:17,816 --> 00:15:20,819 shots at you, it isn't about you, 283 00:15:21,020 --> 00:15:23,072 it's about them. 284 00:15:23,072 --> 00:15:24,924 And I only say that to say 285 00:15:24,924 --> 00:15:27,927 that that's not a reason to stop. 286 00:15:28,193 --> 00:15:31,163 How silly would it be for that dad to say when his son says, hey, 287 00:15:31,163 --> 00:15:32,698 can we throw the football? 288 00:15:32,698 --> 00:15:34,967 And he goes, actually, son, we go to seek. 289 00:15:34,967 --> 00:15:37,970 And I've heard that makes Pastor Zach feel vulnerable. 290 00:15:39,805 --> 00:15:40,973 So let's stay in the house. 291 00:15:40,973 --> 00:15:41,941 That would be silly, right? 292 00:15:41,941 --> 00:15:44,927 That would be silly. 293 00:15:45,527 --> 00:15:46,578 But then why wouldn't 294 00:15:46,578 --> 00:15:49,581 you push forward into what God has for you? 295 00:15:51,183 --> 00:15:54,169 Just because someone's going to criticize you? 296 00:15:54,954 --> 00:15:56,105 But here's the second thing. 297 00:15:56,105 --> 00:15:59,508 The Bible tells us we're in a war, a spiritual war. 298 00:15:59,808 --> 00:16:00,743 Can I tell you something? 299 00:16:00,743 --> 00:16:03,479 If you're here and I've been saying this the last few weeks, I feel like, 300 00:16:03,479 --> 00:16:06,115 let's be honest with you, I feel like the Holy Spirit has put this on my heart. 301 00:16:06,115 --> 00:16:09,768 If you feel like your Christian life is boring, 302 00:16:10,953 --> 00:16:13,939 stale, stagnant, 303 00:16:13,973 --> 00:16:15,691 can I tell you why that is? 304 00:16:15,691 --> 00:16:18,927 It's because your flag is laying on the ground. 305 00:16:21,897 --> 00:16:23,582 Because if you live life the way 306 00:16:23,582 --> 00:16:27,136 everybody else lives, you get the results everybody else gives you. 307 00:16:27,152 --> 00:16:28,787 You don't get the blessing of God. 308 00:16:28,787 --> 00:16:31,140 You don't get the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 309 00:16:31,140 --> 00:16:36,362 You don't get the amazing move of God towards restoration and reconciliation. 310 00:16:36,528 --> 00:16:38,580 The good news is no one will shoot at you. 311 00:16:38,580 --> 00:16:40,833 The bad news is when the battle is over, 312 00:16:40,833 --> 00:16:43,819 it will not even matter that you were on the field. 313 00:16:44,870 --> 00:16:46,939 Is that what you want? 314 00:16:46,939 --> 00:16:48,540 So here's the bad news. 315 00:16:48,540 --> 00:16:50,642 If you pick up the flag, you know why. You know why. 316 00:16:50,642 --> 00:16:53,662 Most American Christians have no theology of Satan. 317 00:16:54,413 --> 00:16:55,714 I'll tell you why that is, 318 00:16:55,714 --> 00:16:58,317 because if you leave your flag on the ground, he leaves you alone. 319 00:17:01,170 --> 00:17:02,755 Why wouldn't he? 320 00:17:02,755 --> 00:17:05,758 You're doing exactly what he wants you to do. 321 00:17:06,141 --> 00:17:07,793 You see every benefit you get. 322 00:17:07,793 --> 00:17:10,829 By the way, did you know in the Civil War, they shot flag bearers 323 00:17:10,829 --> 00:17:13,832 first? 324 00:17:13,849 --> 00:17:16,852 And the reason for that was because all. 325 00:17:18,570 --> 00:17:21,090 All the benefit. 326 00:17:21,090 --> 00:17:24,093 Smooth, 327 00:17:24,226 --> 00:17:26,779 I already had it unwrapped and everything. 328 00:17:26,779 --> 00:17:29,515 I'm a professional. 329 00:17:29,515 --> 00:17:32,518 All the benefit that the flag bearers brought. 330 00:17:32,668 --> 00:17:36,271 The rallying point, the inspiration, the ability to tell if you're winning. 331 00:17:36,355 --> 00:17:38,941 If they were dead, the enemy lost all that. 332 00:17:38,941 --> 00:17:39,925 Listen, brothers and sisters, 333 00:17:39,925 --> 00:17:43,162 if you pick up the flag of Jesus, here's the good news. 334 00:17:43,162 --> 00:17:45,798 Your Christian, your Christian life will not be boring. 335 00:17:45,798 --> 00:17:47,132 It will not be stale. 336 00:17:47,132 --> 00:17:48,300 It will be exciting. 337 00:17:48,300 --> 00:17:50,819 It will be invigorating. It will be passionate. 338 00:17:50,819 --> 00:17:53,338 You will see God move. 339 00:17:53,338 --> 00:17:55,891 The bad news is you'll be on Satan's radar. 340 00:17:58,427 --> 00:18:01,430 And he will come for you. 341 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,883 And you will suffer. 342 00:18:05,217 --> 00:18:06,001 But here's the thing 343 00:18:06,001 --> 00:18:08,987 we understand intrinsically, don't we? 344 00:18:09,188 --> 00:18:11,940 The pursuit of anything good comes 345 00:18:11,940 --> 00:18:14,927 with suffering. 346 00:18:15,294 --> 00:18:18,297 You want to get healthy, you have to suffer. 347 00:18:18,380 --> 00:18:20,883 You want to get in financial shape. 348 00:18:20,883 --> 00:18:22,201 You'll suffer. 349 00:18:22,201 --> 00:18:23,852 You want to earn in your career. 350 00:18:23,852 --> 00:18:26,872 You will suffer. Jinxy, hear me on that. 351 00:18:26,872 --> 00:18:29,875 You got to suffer a little bit. 352 00:18:32,077 --> 00:18:35,430 It was one of the best metaphors I can think of for that is moms. 353 00:18:35,597 --> 00:18:37,616 That's why we love moms. 354 00:18:37,616 --> 00:18:39,384 Moms are incredible. 355 00:18:39,384 --> 00:18:41,603 They will suffer for all of us. 356 00:18:41,603 --> 00:18:44,790 I mean, my wife at 11:00 at night, you hear noises like, what is that? 357 00:18:44,790 --> 00:18:46,825 You think the kids are okay? 358 00:18:46,825 --> 00:18:48,811 I don't even care at that point. If I'm honest. 359 00:18:51,029 --> 00:18:53,782 She'll go to bed late, she'll get up early. 360 00:18:53,782 --> 00:18:56,068 She'll make your favorite lunch. 361 00:18:56,068 --> 00:18:58,053 She'll drive things to you at work. 362 00:18:58,053 --> 00:19:00,239 She doesn't care her life is about us. 363 00:19:00,239 --> 00:19:03,208 She'll suffer every day for us. Why? We love moms. 364 00:19:03,208 --> 00:19:05,811 And if you ask her, why don't you need some me time? 365 00:19:05,811 --> 00:19:11,783 She'll say, the happiness of my family is worth it to me, I gladly suffer. 366 00:19:11,783 --> 00:19:12,835 We get that. 367 00:19:12,835 --> 00:19:16,255 So listen friends, if you find yourself at the point of obedience, 368 00:19:16,405 --> 00:19:19,908 if the Holy Spirit has put his finger on something in your heart 369 00:19:20,058 --> 00:19:23,011 and he's telling you to give it to him and you don't want to 370 00:19:23,011 --> 00:19:26,148 because you know you're going to suffer, here's what you have to realize. 371 00:19:26,281 --> 00:19:29,268 Your problem isn't pain tolerance. 372 00:19:30,469 --> 00:19:32,871 Your problem is you don't know if the suffering will be worth it. 373 00:19:35,757 --> 00:19:37,593 That's my third point. 374 00:19:37,593 --> 00:19:41,280 Not just the need for you to follow Jesus, not just the cost of doing so, 375 00:19:41,446 --> 00:19:44,366 but the question, if I suffer for Jesus, will 376 00:19:44,366 --> 00:19:47,369 it be worth it? 377 00:19:47,569 --> 00:19:48,837 That's why Peter answers, 378 00:19:48,837 --> 00:19:51,840 but do you feel that in this room? 379 00:19:55,978 --> 00:19:56,211 You know, 380 00:19:56,211 --> 00:19:59,214 I know you feel that because I feel it. 381 00:20:00,415 --> 00:20:03,302 That's why Peter ends this passage by teaching us this. 382 00:20:03,302 --> 00:20:07,556 God never wastes the suffering of his people. 383 00:20:08,657 --> 00:20:11,310 Look at what he says in verse 18. 384 00:20:11,310 --> 00:20:11,760 Of course. 385 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:14,613 Where does he turn? But to Jesus is what he says. 386 00:20:14,613 --> 00:20:18,317 For Christ also suffered once for sins, 387 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:22,037 the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. 388 00:20:22,704 --> 00:20:24,840 Being 389 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:28,877 sorry, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, 390 00:20:29,177 --> 00:20:29,995 in which he went 391 00:20:29,995 --> 00:20:34,166 and proclaimed the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey. 392 00:20:34,249 --> 00:20:38,637 When God's patience waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, 393 00:20:38,787 --> 00:20:42,958 in which a few, that is, eight persons were brought safely through water. 394 00:20:43,558 --> 00:20:48,146 Baptism, which corresponds to this now saves you not as a removal of dirt 395 00:20:48,146 --> 00:20:51,333 from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience 396 00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:54,886 through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven 397 00:20:55,070 --> 00:20:56,672 and is at the right hand of God 398 00:20:56,672 --> 00:21:00,475 with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. 399 00:21:00,559 --> 00:21:01,376 Here's what he's saying. 400 00:21:01,376 --> 00:21:03,779 He's saying two really powerful things. 401 00:21:03,779 --> 00:21:05,364 The first thing he's saying is 402 00:21:05,364 --> 00:21:09,017 when you get to that moment of obedience and you think, God, if I give you this, 403 00:21:09,201 --> 00:21:13,672 if I stop sleeping with him, if I stop living with her, if I stop 404 00:21:14,523 --> 00:21:18,510 holding bitterness in my heart towards him, if I stop cutting corners at work, 405 00:21:18,627 --> 00:21:22,397 if I start doing things your way, I am going to suffer. 406 00:21:22,397 --> 00:21:24,599 And how do I know if it's going to be worth it? 407 00:21:24,599 --> 00:21:27,602 Peter says, here's how you know it was the suffering 408 00:21:27,602 --> 00:21:30,656 of God's own son that saved your soul. 409 00:21:32,541 --> 00:21:35,093 God doesn't waste suffering. 410 00:21:35,093 --> 00:21:37,913 He uses it to redeem. 411 00:21:37,913 --> 00:21:39,598 He uses it to save. 412 00:21:39,598 --> 00:21:42,834 Every blessing you have in Christ came 413 00:21:42,834 --> 00:21:45,837 through suffering. 414 00:21:46,621 --> 00:21:49,141 So when you get to that moment of obedience, it's as though 415 00:21:49,141 --> 00:21:53,996 Jesus himself is saying, give it to me because I am your witness. 416 00:21:53,996 --> 00:21:56,732 By the way. That's why he connects it to baptism. 417 00:21:56,732 --> 00:22:00,469 We're baptizing 25 people across the weekend, which is amazing. 418 00:22:00,469 --> 00:22:02,337 Maybe you're here because you came 419 00:22:02,337 --> 00:22:04,106 because a friend or family member is getting baptized. 420 00:22:04,106 --> 00:22:06,808 Maybe you thought, I don't know why they invited me. 421 00:22:06,808 --> 00:22:08,093 Here's why. 422 00:22:08,093 --> 00:22:10,645 Because when that person gets baptized, they're getting into Akron 423 00:22:10,645 --> 00:22:13,648 City Water in a tub we bought, probably on Amazon. 424 00:22:13,949 --> 00:22:17,853 So there's nothing holy about it except for this. 425 00:22:18,086 --> 00:22:20,939 What they're doing is they're identifying with Jesus. 426 00:22:20,939 --> 00:22:24,059 They're saying Jesus Christ, the Son of God, lived in my place. 427 00:22:24,142 --> 00:22:26,278 And then he died on the cross. And he and he died. 428 00:22:26,278 --> 00:22:27,229 He went into the tomb. 429 00:22:27,229 --> 00:22:30,799 So also I get lowered into the water and then he rose from the dead. 430 00:22:30,799 --> 00:22:34,770 So also I get brought back up and they're raising the flag of Jesus, 431 00:22:34,770 --> 00:22:36,922 and they're saying people can change. 432 00:22:36,922 --> 00:22:39,474 God is real. He will forgive. 433 00:22:39,474 --> 00:22:40,792 He does restore. 434 00:22:40,792 --> 00:22:43,278 Here's how you know he's done it in me, 435 00:22:44,696 --> 00:22:45,030 friend. 436 00:22:45,030 --> 00:22:47,299 Suffering 437 00:22:47,299 --> 00:22:49,951 is how God has given you every good thing 438 00:22:49,951 --> 00:22:52,938 he's ever given you. 439 00:22:54,356 --> 00:22:55,590 The amazing life 440 00:22:55,590 --> 00:22:58,877 God has for you, the experience of the kingdom 441 00:22:58,877 --> 00:23:02,547 that God has for us here at the church is on the other side of suffering. 442 00:23:02,547 --> 00:23:04,282 It's on the other side of being lied about. 443 00:23:04,282 --> 00:23:05,967 It's on the other side of being slandered. 444 00:23:05,967 --> 00:23:08,370 It's on the other side of that hard obedience. 445 00:23:08,370 --> 00:23:10,622 But here's the second thing he says 446 00:23:10,622 --> 00:23:14,393 he does this whole weird bit about Jesus descending and preaching to spirits. 447 00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:17,396 And some people say, well, that means Jesus went to hell after he died. 448 00:23:17,662 --> 00:23:18,780 And I don't think that's true. 449 00:23:18,780 --> 00:23:22,818 I'll give you two reasons why one, a Jesus on the cross as he was 450 00:23:22,818 --> 00:23:26,788 dying, said to the thief next to him, today you will be with me in Paradise. 451 00:23:27,322 --> 00:23:31,076 He didn't say, today you'll go to Paradise, but I have a layover in hell. 452 00:23:33,929 --> 00:23:37,232 But second, he doesn't talk about preaching to everyone in hell. 453 00:23:37,232 --> 00:23:41,570 He talks about preaching in the spirit to people in Noah's day. 454 00:23:41,570 --> 00:23:43,071 Here's what I think he's saying. 455 00:23:43,071 --> 00:23:46,525 He's saying that Jesus literally lived and died, 456 00:23:46,608 --> 00:23:49,044 and he rose and ascended into heaven. 457 00:23:49,044 --> 00:23:51,530 And he is with us now in spirit. 458 00:23:51,530 --> 00:23:53,782 And you might think, well, I don't need a spirit, Jesus. 459 00:23:53,782 --> 00:23:54,950 I need a physical Jesus. 460 00:23:54,950 --> 00:23:58,587 But he says, but it was spirit Jesus who was preaching 461 00:23:58,620 --> 00:24:01,623 through Noah back in Genesis. 462 00:24:01,756 --> 00:24:05,911 It's the same Jesus who preaches through your obedience today. 463 00:24:06,812 --> 00:24:09,798 You see, we don't have a general who stands on the hill 464 00:24:09,831 --> 00:24:12,834 watching the flags to see if we're winning. 465 00:24:12,834 --> 00:24:16,638 We have a king who's on the battlefield or gripping the pole 466 00:24:16,638 --> 00:24:20,275 alongside of us saying, hang in there, we're going to win this thing. 467 00:24:23,094 --> 00:24:26,097 The Christian life was not meant to be boring. 468 00:24:26,298 --> 00:24:29,184 This should be the most exciting place in Northeast Ohio. 469 00:24:29,184 --> 00:24:32,187 And I'm telling you, were close or close. 470 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:38,243 But sermons won't get us there. 471 00:24:38,910 --> 00:24:41,513 Music won't get us there. 472 00:24:41,513 --> 00:24:44,182 You know what will 473 00:24:44,182 --> 00:24:47,185 your obedience 474 00:24:47,602 --> 00:24:50,605 and mind. 475 00:24:50,605 --> 00:24:53,275 So that the flag of Jesus 476 00:24:53,275 --> 00:24:57,145 might be waving and draw all curious people 477 00:24:58,280 --> 00:24:59,181 to him. 478 00:24:59,181 --> 00:25:02,184 They pray for us, father God. 479 00:25:05,370 --> 00:25:08,373 Our hope is in you. God. 480 00:25:10,909 --> 00:25:11,426 God, we. 481 00:25:11,426 --> 00:25:13,528 We struggle to give you the little things. 482 00:25:13,528 --> 00:25:15,080 Some of us would be eager to give you. 483 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:16,998 Big things. 484 00:25:16,998 --> 00:25:19,050 It's the little things that we struggle with, and I believe 485 00:25:19,050 --> 00:25:22,037 in most people's minds and hearts right now. 486 00:25:22,220 --> 00:25:25,223 They know what the thing is that you want. 487 00:25:26,057 --> 00:25:28,910 Holy spirit, would you overwhelm us 488 00:25:28,910 --> 00:25:34,199 with the belief that God does not waste suffering? 489 00:25:36,985 --> 00:25:37,619 Would you give us a 490 00:25:37,619 --> 00:25:43,041 glimpse of the families and communities and church we would have 491 00:25:43,108 --> 00:25:46,111 if we would just raise your flag? 492 00:25:48,213 --> 00:25:50,065 Would you make this church 493 00:25:50,065 --> 00:25:54,469 the most exciting place in Northeast Ohio for your glory? 494 00:25:54,569 --> 00:25:57,572 We just want to come along for the ride. 495 00:26:00,542 --> 00:26:03,361 Use us in the little things 496 00:26:03,361 --> 00:26:06,114 to raise the flag of Jesus that all men 497 00:26:06,114 --> 00:26:08,567 might be drawn to him. 498 00:26:08,567 --> 00:26:10,168 In his name we pray. Amen.