The Answer for Hope
Text- I Peter 3:13-18 POINT - Christians answer for hope!
Christians: our thinking and our attitudes answer for the faith! Is there reality to your faith and hope? Make relevant to all -People are looking for hope!
God expects His people to answer for faith and hope! He wants us to be the reality of Jesus!
We answer for hope by our choices – “Good and right
Regardless of hurt or suffering
People don’t listen, but they watch! What are you choosing? Right and good? Matthew 5:10
The conscience directs - The Holy Spirit directs! Even if it hurts!! Being right is not necessary, but being righteous is!!
Job 17:9 – “Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger.”
BLESSED!!
We answer for hope by our courage - ”Fear-frightened”
”Fear makes come true that which one is afraid of.” - Victor Frank
We are commanded to not fear like they fear or be frightened!!
What do they fear ? Death – tomorrow - yesterday! We take courage! Joshua 1:9
We don’t live paralyzed by fear or our frights! Relevance? Teens – rejection; Twenties – direction; Thirties – projection; Forties-Fifties – significance. W. Clement Stone - The secret of making sales ”was going where you do not want to go and doing what you do not want to do.” Fear may be holding you back from answering for your hope! Take courage!
We answer for hope by our heart - ”set apart Christ as Lord”
This is the key!! Is Jesus truly King of your life! Lord over all! How? 1) Know him! 2) Follow him! 3) Obey him! He’s at the top of your heart!
He is first! Truth: People can see and tell what and who you worship!
We answer by our heart! Ten commandments! Pastors can’t even name them all! Or in order! But there is one command - Love one another. God is Love! Christ is love! You are love!
We answer for hope by our attitudes
Hope, gentleness, respect (fear), clear conscience.
Take a chill pill! Tell them of your hope! Respect - God-fearing, not man fearing - in the presence of JehovahWhat is your hope? V18a - substitution atonement! He paid it all! I’m free! I’m alive! Living among the dead!
What if we all answered for our hope? What if people could tell the difference in us? What if we made the good and right choices? What if we had courage? What if Jesus is Lord? What if our attitudes are Christ-like?
Conclusion
We’ll make it through! We can raise our fists in victory and assurance that there is a God! He is alive! He has saved us! That there is hope! And the world will see and respond to the salvation offered in Jesus Christ! Let’s answer for hope!