WEBVTT 00:00:00.420 --> 00:00:00.720 All right. 00:00:01.240 --> 00:00:02.080 Are you guys awake this morning? 00:00:04.510 --> 00:00:06.070 I'll see what we can do for that today. 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:09.770 I want to give you a few announcements real quick because there are important announcements. 00:00:09.840 --> 00:00:15.770 Normally, I'll wait till the end of the service to do this, but because of their timeliness and significance, I just want you to know right now. 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:21.580 grace Haven camp, if you have a teenager, middle school kid, elementary kid interested in going. 00:00:21.860 --> 00:00:24.140 They've extended the early bird deadline to today. 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:31.620 And so if you enroll your kids today, it saves you $20 as parents if your kid is going into either sixth grade or ninth grade, 00:00:31.660 --> 00:00:34.280 they get the opportunity of choosing which camp they want to participate in. 00:00:34.780 --> 00:00:39.160 They can either go to the um, if they're in sixth grade, they can go to the middle school or elementary. 00:00:39.440 --> 00:00:43.500 If they're in ninth grade, they can go to the teen or the middle school, depending on what's convenient for your kid. 00:00:43.860 --> 00:00:45.560 Those are in your bulletins this morning. 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:49.080 If you didn't give a get a bulletin taken on your way out as a reminder to you. 00:00:49.580 --> 00:00:52.860 Second thing is this during the summertime, we've got free babysitting for you. 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:54.180 we. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:54.460 Yeah. 00:00:54.480 --> 00:00:55.100 That's right. 00:00:56.040 --> 00:00:57.880 It's a good time for you as parents as well. 00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:58.700 But we do these. 00:00:58.900 --> 00:01:00.120 We're going to do this three times this summer. 00:01:00.360 --> 00:01:01.540 This is something called Kids Zone. 00:01:02.080 --> 00:01:04.519 And what it is we have missions teams that come out all summer long. 00:01:04.540 --> 00:01:06.300 We have three teams coming this summer. 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:11.460 The first team gets here on June the 19th and they run what's called a kids zone. 00:01:11.460 --> 00:01:14.060 Every one of these teams will do either a 2 to 3 day kid zone in the park. 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:18.020 And what they do is you bring your kids to drop it off and drop it off. 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:22.400 Drop that thing off in the summertime. 00:01:22.440 --> 00:01:29.460 Sometimes they turn into it, so it's like you drop it off and you have the freedom to come back 00:01:29.460 --> 00:01:30.500 and pick him up later if you want. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:34.880 Or you can stay and hang out with some of the other parents that are there and just enjoy some time at the park. 00:01:35.320 --> 00:01:35.920 We're doing this. 00:01:36.000 --> 00:01:37.960 The first one is June 25th and 26th. 00:01:38.020 --> 00:01:39.090 It's at Bandwagon Park. 00:01:39.220 --> 00:01:40.180 There's directions on here. 00:01:40.660 --> 00:01:41.980 It's from 1030 to 12. 00:01:42.320 --> 00:01:46.020 There's crafts, games, snacks for kids that are provided, some other things as well. 00:01:46.300 --> 00:01:47.440 So it's entertaining for your kids. 00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.620 And as parents, we want you to feel the freedom to invite neighborhood kids to. 00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:55.440 The more the merrier, the happier we are and the freedom you get by bringing your kids there. 00:01:55.440 --> 00:02:01.880 Okay, the other thing is, I really appreciate everyone that helped out with the booth this past Saturday. 00:02:02.320 --> 00:02:07.590 Even though some of you got a got a text message or a call that said, don't bother coming because the wind ripped our tent into. 00:02:08.060 --> 00:02:09.199 So we packed up and left. 00:02:09.320 --> 00:02:12.670 We had good opportunity for the short bit of time we were there in the 90 mile an hour wind. 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.880 but we have another opportunity coming up and it's in the middle of the week. 00:02:17.880 --> 00:02:20.140 It's the 27th and 28th. 00:02:20.760 --> 00:02:26.950 And so we're going to be doing a kids zone 25th, 26th, and then a booth the 27th and 28th, which falls right in the middle of the week. 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:34.740 So the reason I'm announcing this now is because we need people who have freedom in their in their schedules, flexibility, I should say, 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:42.640 in their schedules to sign up, to look at doing that when you leave today, because we have two days in which we run this booth and 00:02:42.640 --> 00:02:46.340 so we're going to need a lot of help in being able to do that in the middle of the week. 00:02:46.640 --> 00:02:47.850 By the end of our booth. 00:02:48.120 --> 00:02:50.480 Time at Lehigh Roundup is what we're doing. 00:02:50.720 --> 00:02:56.140 We have tied somewhere between 2 to 3000 balloons and handed out a couple thousand bottles of water. 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:59.080 And so it takes, takes a lot of people to do the Lehigh round up. 00:02:59.080 --> 00:03:01.900 And because it's in the middle of the week, it becomes very taxing as a church. 00:03:01.960 --> 00:03:05.460 So if you have the freedom, if you're scared, this is the biggest encouragement for you. 00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:06.270 That's all right. 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:08.000 No one's ever been bitten or anything like that. 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:09.060 Sign up for that. 00:03:09.520 --> 00:03:12.480 And then as well, there's a cookout today right after the service. 00:03:12.900 --> 00:03:26.240 And if you're interested, even if you're not, we 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:34.700 just want to encourage 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:36.380 you to do that. 00:03:38.460 --> 00:03:45.680 We're some people have went and bought all the meat for us to be able to enjoy at Wines Park, and I know 00:03:45.680 --> 00:04:40.800 some people have brought some sides. 00:04:40.800 --> 00:06:16.860 So if you if you didn't bring anything to participate, 00:06:20.700 --> 00:07:23.920 it's okay. 00:08:34.100 --> 00:08:36.559 Come. 00:09:01.660 --> 00:09:01.660 Anyway. 00:09:01.920 --> 00:10:41.740 We'd rather have you hang out with us. 00:10:42.180 --> 00:10:43.260 Right. 00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:55.780 And the only thing 00:12:22.580 --> 00:12:34.140 we're asking is to cover 00:12:34.140 --> 00:13:00.060 the cost of the meat. 00:13:08.740 --> 00:13:13.160 Bring $5 a person to cover your share in eating the food that was provided. 00:13:13.160 --> 00:13:13.240 Because meat turns out it's not cheap. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:13.240 So we would enjoy that. 00:13:13.240 --> 00:13:15.020 And so that's at Wines Park right after the service. 00:13:15.020 --> 00:13:59.900 With that being said, I'm going to encourage you, if 00:13:59.900 --> 00:13:59.900 you've brought a Bible this morning, go ahead and turn to the book of First Peter. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:32.920 And we're 00:14:32.920 --> 00:14:37.500 going to be studying beginning in chapter three today. 00:14:37.500 --> 00:15:00.980 As you turn there, I'm going to prepare my heart and just praying before the Lord. 00:15:01.620 --> 00:15:21.480 So let me go to the Lord in prayer. 00:15:25.880 --> 00:15:58.880 God, I 00:15:58.880 --> 00:16:11.020 just want to pause and just ask that you speak to 00:16:11.040 --> 00:16:20.440 us this morning through 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:20.440 your word. 00:16:22.600 --> 00:17:00.900 God that you convict us if needed, that you encourage us 00:17:00.900 --> 00:17:05.099 where we need it in our lives. 00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:06.780 Jesus. 00:17:06.780 --> 00:19:54.400 And that you become Lord 00:19:54.400 --> 00:20:01.050 of our hearts, our minds, and our service in Jesus. 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:05.600 We thank you for right now. 00:20:16.020 --> 00:20:31.820 God, we 00:20:31.820 --> 00:20:37.260 thank you that we could honor you through Your Word. 00:20:52.560 --> 00:22:22.040 And it's in Jesus name, 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:30.880 Amen. 00:22:33.340 --> 00:23:03.000 Well, as we've been studying the book of First Peter today, I love the 00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:06.360 opportunity it presents to us as a church family because it introduces itself in the midst of a church that's facing a dilemma or a challenge. 00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:06.360 They're being persecuted because of their faith in Christ. 00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:07.040 Chapter one of this book opened up reminding us as people of the significance of who we are in Jesus and what that relationship with Jesus means for us as individuals. 00:23:07.040 --> 00:23:09.180 Our hope isn't just bound up to this world. 00:23:55.460 --> 00:24:03.140 We have a 00:24:03.160 --> 00:24:10.180 hope that lasts for eternity 00:24:10.180 --> 00:24:17.340 because of Christ. 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:55.080 And Peter 00:24:55.080 --> 00:25:02.360 referred to that faith that you have in Jesus 00:25:02.360 --> 00:25:02.360 as more precious than gold. 00:25:02.460 --> 00:25:06.200 My hope as a church family is that we perceive our faith in Christ that way, because understanding what God has called us to in this world, it isn't always easy. 00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:07.240 And last week we looked at a difficult word to swallow as Americans. 00:25:07.240 --> 00:25:08.720 How dare I bring up the word submission? 00:25:10.380 --> 00:27:18.240 Who wants to submit? 00:27:24.260 --> 00:27:42.400 And out of 00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:51.060 all the areas that Paul taught us to submit, he talked about to government and he talked about to work, 00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:58.660 and he 00:27:58.760 --> 00:28:05.020 talked about within our own families, our role as individuals and representing Jesus. 00:28:08.020 --> 00:28:15.140 But out of all those things, he even said, 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:25.260 when it's difficult and challenging, that God's desire 00:28:25.260 --> 00:28:32.920 for us to 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:42.540 still to submit. 00:28:43.840 --> 00:28:47.910 As if submission wasn't a difficult enough word today, he also talks about suffering. 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:50.540 Now, I'm going to say that as a believer, the Bible is clear to us that in following Jesus at particular points in our lives, we will experience suffering. 00:28:50.540 --> 00:28:58.280 As a matter of fact, as a Christian, if at some point you haven't experienced suffering because of your faith in Christ, might simply ask, are you really placing faith in Christ? 00:28:59.560 --> 00:29:12.720 I'm not telling 00:29:12.820 --> 00:29:20.240 us today as a church 00:29:21.360 --> 00:29:46.680 family go after suffering. 00:29:46.680 --> 00:30:19.920 It's not something we want to seek in our lives, 00:30:20.300 --> 00:30:22.460 but in following Jesus with faith in him. 00:30:25.380 --> 00:30:50.520 Inevitably, because of 00:32:42.540 --> 00:32:52.020 our love 00:32:52.020 --> 00:33:02.620 and concern for Christ and 00:33:04.000 --> 00:33:04.400 making him made known in our lives, what it will bring forth and experience as suffering. 00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:12.040 And today, when Paul talks about suffering, he's not talking 00:33:12.040 --> 00:33:15.040 about any suffering. 00:35:30.860 --> 00:35:38.680 I just want to clarify that in life we experience a multitude 00:35:38.680 --> 00:37:42.200 of suffering types. 00:37:45.080 --> 00:37:54.600 Sometimes we suffer because we make poor choices. 00:37:54.720 --> 00:37:57.020 That makes the most sense. 00:39:32.640 --> 00:39:53.900 Inevitably, bad 00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:56.460 decisions create bad results. 00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:57.780 Sometimes we suffer because of other people's poor decisions. 00:39:57.780 --> 00:39:57.780 Well, Paul addresses here specifically as we suffer also because we choose to follow after Jesus with our lives. 00:39:57.780 --> 00:40:00.820 And in talking about suffering in First Peter chapter three, Paul points out to us what we learn about suffering together. 00:40:00.820 --> 00:40:09.660 The first is this verse 00:40:11.020 --> 00:40:25.240 80 says, to 00:40:25.740 --> 00:40:36.460 sum up talking about last 00:40:36.600 --> 00:41:19.040 week and all the submission and what we're pursuing in our lives, he says, 00:41:19.780 --> 00:42:25.240 to sum up, 00:42:25.660 --> 00:42:25.920 all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kind hearted and humble in spirit. 00:42:25.920 --> 00:42:25.920 Well, Peter is doing here. 00:42:25.920 --> 00:42:26.340 He's looking at the church and he's pointing to us. 00:42:27.860 --> 00:42:32.940 The significance of who we are and our fellowship with Jesus. 00:42:32.940 --> 00:42:35.920 How important it is that we seek to honor one another within our church. 00:42:58.500 --> 00:43:07.660 And the way that we do that is through the adjective words 00:43:07.660 --> 00:43:07.660 that Paul has brought to mind here. 00:43:12.500 --> 00:43:13.320 Sympathetically seeking after one another. 00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:13.320 Harmoniously pursuing unity. 00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:13.320 Brotherly treating one another as friends, kind hearted and humble in spirit with one another. 00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:21.540 He's pointing to us that this there is significance in the church 00:43:21.540 --> 00:43:46.860 when we suffer, 00:43:51.300 --> 00:43:56.300 because what we learn in suffering is that we need fellowship. 00:43:56.300 --> 00:43:56.300 More than anything, I wish that we didn't learn that lesson the hard way. 00:43:56.580 --> 00:44:03.940 It's not until our lives have wreaked, have experienced havoc, that then we desire to find a church to encourage us in our walk with Christ many 00:44:03.940 --> 00:44:03.940 times. 00:44:06.760 --> 00:44:09.720 And while Paul is recognizing for the believers in this passage of Scripture is that following Jesus is difficult. 00:44:10.240 --> 00:44:17.320 And so what you need in your pursuit of Jesus is to go ahead and join arms 00:44:17.320 --> 00:44:18.260 with a church body who carries the desire to encourage you as you pursue Christ in your life. 00:44:18.260 --> 00:44:18.520 He's trying to get us to stack up a lifestyle that prepares for us suffering that may be before us and following after Jesus. 00:44:18.520 --> 00:44:18.600 Suffering has the tendency in our lives to clarify what matters and what doesn't matter, doesn't it? 00:44:18.600 --> 00:44:18.600 You find yourselves in the midst of a trial in your life, and it tends to just simplify the importance of what life is about. 00:44:18.600 --> 00:44:18.920 And you and you begin to weed out things in your life that you fought for that you thought were so important. 00:44:18.920 --> 00:44:19.000 And you begin to draw family and relationships and friends in because you recognize that is what is significant and encourages you from day to day. 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:19.000 Through suffering, we learn that fellowship is important. 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:19.000 Through suffering, we learn as Christians how to show sympathy and compassion to each other. 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:19.000 Through suffering gives us an ultimate platform as a body of believers to express love. 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:19.060 As one comes into the church wounded in his, the family of Christ surrounds them, encourages them and their walk with God. 00:44:19.100 --> 00:44:19.100 Suffering for us cultivates a tender heart, doesn't it? 00:44:19.100 --> 00:44:19.100 For those of us who have endured suffering, when we see someone going through similar trials, it tugs at particular heart strings in our lives to meet that need. 00:44:19.100 --> 00:44:19.100 To show empathy and sympathy towards another individual who is experiencing that suffering for us cultivates a humble mind. 00:44:19.100 --> 00:44:19.120 It reminds us that we don't always have it all together, and we can't do it on our own. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 own. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That God has created his church for a purpose, and that purpose is to strengthen one another. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know what we need, I think, more than anything, is people as a place where we can come in, that we know that we're not going to be judged in a place where we know that we can come in when we're hurting and be honest. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Even this week, I had the fortune and opportunity of just sitting with a couple from another church who are carrying wounds on their shoulders. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And the sad part about it is the wounds came from a church. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I think sometimes the church that's supposed to love you can even be the worst at displaying that love. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know what we need to find as a community is a place. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 When we're wounded is a place to be honest. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And I'm not saying lash out and attack other people back. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm just saying get to the simplicity of understanding what's really important in life. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It is relationships and the other things that we fight for that we find so significant really aren't. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And when we come into a church family like this and we carry weaknesses and burdens upon our shoulders, we should find a place where we can sit with someone and say, I am not okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 On the outside I think I look okay, but on the inside I feel broken. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know, I think for the most part that in many churches you find that. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I think oftentimes people use the excuse that churches are hypocritical, which we know that we are. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We're just doing something about it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We already know that cat's out of the bag. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We're sinful. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We confess. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But I think a lot of times what keeps us from doing that as an individual is pride. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Particularly to those people who are the types of people that are so good at serving others that never think to ask, how about me for just once? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I know in the church family there are those who come sometimes, and all they want is for other people to serve them. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But there are a lot of congregation that make up churches all across America of people that are just giving and giving and giving, but never take the opportunity to let other people serve them. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's pride. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know, you rob the church of an opportunity of doing what the church should do when you try to serve and you not let other people in to heal a heart to encourage you. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm not talking about just feel sorry for you. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm talking about genuine encouragement and love. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And Paul looks at a church or excuse me, Peter looks at a church. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'll probably say Paul off and on throughout this service. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And he wrote most of the New Testament. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But Peter looks, looks at this church and he's saying, listen, in chapter one, you guys have been called to this in Jesus, and you need to understand how important your relationship with Jesus is. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And you've been called to submit to these authorities to manifest Christ and the lives of this of people in this world. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And it's not easy. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so what you need to understand is the significance of the church in your life. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And when we come together as a congregation and we carry difficult feelings towards one another, and sometimes we rub each other raw and we look at a verse like this and we and we realize, but these relationships are so important. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so I need to come in and I need to love and I need to expose my heart, and I need to let people serve me, and I need to serve other people because the church is important for what God wants to accomplish. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And Amen. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I said, that's a good message for us because as a family right now, we're thinking about and we're moving towards that is buying a building just up the road. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And we're praying it doesn't sell as we work with the city right now and the loans and everything that needs to get done. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God, please allow it sell, right. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 What an important message for us to take, because every time we move, we're going to grow. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's inevitable. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It happens. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Whether it's life, people are attracted to it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 So when you come to church, act lively, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But how important. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And for us, what Peter is saying here is to recognize the significance of the fellowship of the church, to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Peter goes on, there's something else that we learn through suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Second thing is this is that godly suffering makes the gospel the biblical gospel. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It makes it credible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It says not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 For you are called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing for the one who desires life to love and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He must turn away from evil and do good. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He must seek peace and pursue it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Let's stop right there. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's going to simply say, in the natural way, to respond to evil is evil. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 My favorite way to respond to evil is evil. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's being honest. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's about Jesus working in my heart. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But the supernatural way to respond to evil is with good at the heart of the gospel as Jesus dying to love his enemies. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It takes strength and courage and real faith in Christ to respond to a world that might despise you for pursuing Christ, but instead choosing to love them for Christ and in loving others through suffering makes the gospel credible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It says it's real. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You think about what you ask people to do when you talk about Jesus with others. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 To lay down yourself. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Maybe to lay down another faith or a belief to come to Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I mean, Jesus even said, pick up your cross and follow me. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There is sacrifice to pursuing Jesus and your life, and following after Christ is to be evidence to the lives of other people around you. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That yes, the gospel is indeed credible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And the way that you understand and experience that is when you choose to persecute me. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I respond in loving you the same way that Jesus did for me. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And as Jesus loved me and changed my life as a sinner, so my hope is in loving you, your life will be changed for Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 In verse 12 goes on. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and his ears attend to their prayer. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Simply said, said before, live the kind of life Jesus can bless. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You're going to suffer regardless if you pursue Jesus or not. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But in pursuing Jesus, even in your suffering and in following after him, that is the life that Jesus blesses. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And I got to say, in making such a simple statement, it takes a lot of faith to believe that to live for a hope that's not just about this world, but for all eternity. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Keeping that perspective in mind as you go into this world. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I love this verse in the Bible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It always comes to my mind in hardships. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I know I've shown it to you as a congregation before, but it says, and I heard this as revelation at the very end of the book, Jesus wins. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I love that he wrote the Bible and he and he didn't just leave an open ended like, what's going to happen with Jesus? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He goes ahead and tells you, I'm going to win. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay, so go ahead and follow me. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The victory is mine. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You've got it in the bag. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so he says this in his victory. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Towards the end, I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell among them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be among them. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And he will wipe away every tear from their eyes. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There will no longer be any death. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There were no longer be any mourning or crying or pain. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The first things have passed away. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Amen. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You never get to the moment in your life where the depths of your soul is crying so deeply that you don't even have words to describe the hurt that you're feeling. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That hurt. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus sees it, too. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And it's not natural. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Your soul is crying out in those moments because it's not natural. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 When God created us, he never intended us for his people to experience sin and suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It wasn't until that man rejected God that sin and suffering came into the world. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so our soul longs for joy and comfort and peace and security, because that's why we were created or we were created for that in that reason. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God created your soul to not experience the hurt in which we are a part of. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And in experiencing those things, we recognize the significance of turning to a God who can take away the hurt and the pain in our lives. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And Jesus promises us, even in our suffering right now, that one day he will wipe it away. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And I look at the suffering that we experience in life. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And if I find a reason to be thankful for it, though, I don't pursue it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 If I'm honest with the suffering that I've endured in my life, I would have never turned to Jesus quite as often as I have without it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Foolish me right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I know how important God is, but it's not until I really recognize it in a situation of desperation that I've really turned to God with a heart that desired to get close to him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I think sometimes God permits, even though he sees the suffering we're experiencing, he allows us to go through it to teach us as people our need to depend upon him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Because when things are going our way and life seems grand. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God's just an afterthought. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Passage goes on. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Verse 13 Paul begins to share with us that as we go through suffering as well, that suffering teaches and shows us how God's love becomes evident. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It says, who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Let me stop there. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Who's going to harm you if you're good? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I love that phrase. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It reminds me of Paula Deen. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 She made a living off being just sweet, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 She's sweet in the way she talks. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And she's sweet. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And the food she cooks. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 How can you hate Paula Deen? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 She made deep fried butter sticks coated in sugar. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Popular. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 If you want to learn how to cook, good, go to the south. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And that's the secret. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You deep fry it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Tons of butter and everything and sugar. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And you've got the southern cooking. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Paula Deen, she is sweet. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And she is good, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Unhealthy is everything. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But who can hate that? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Bible saying the same thing. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 When you respond to suffering, there are two ways you can respond. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You can become bitter and they can eat you up. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And when people look at your life, it's repulsive. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's a turnoff. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The gospel doesn't look credible and Jesus's love isn't evident. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But when you look at suffering and you have in mind how your faith is bringing such a glorious future. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And you respond with Paula Deen sugar sweetness. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 How appealing does Jesus look to this world? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's a shot to the complainers sometimes. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Me right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm often first to complain about something rather than to rejoice about other things. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm the glass half empty rather than the glass half full kind of person. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not natural for me to oftentimes praise, but it's something that I think about in my life need to do more of to make the love of God evident, to make his gospel credible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But even if you should suffer for the righteousness sake, you are blessed and do not fear their intimidation and do not be troubled. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He's saying to you, yeah, bad things are going to happen, but that's okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Don't fear the one who can just harm the body. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Fear the one who can destroy both the soul. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus has got it under control. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He's bigger than the toughest bully in your life and the greatest obstacle you're facing. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Verse 15, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give, excuse me? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 To give and for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence, and keep a good conscience, so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 For it is better if God should will it, that you should suffer for doing what is right, rather than for doing what is wrong. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know, oftentimes contextually read verse 15 out of this passage of Scripture. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Always be ready to give a defense for the hope that is in you, in your life, in Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And I would think that meant. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 so I need to tell people about Jesus verbally. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Just communicate. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus got to share that hope, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And if they ask me a question that I don't know, I get real nervous and I make something up. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I don't even know if I'm right. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It just makes me nervous. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But in the context of the passage, what it's saying to us is, as a believer, God's called you to share the hope that you have in you, in both your living and your words. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Matter of fact, I think up to this point of passage, Paul's talked about submission. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He's talked about suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Very little of the emphasis has been on communicating through verbal communication, but rather communicating through our actions. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not to say that we don't talk about Jesus with our lips, but we need to first live him in our lives. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And as we live him in our lives, we'll receive platform to share them with our lips. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He tells us in verse 17 that as we think about sharing Christ with our lives, we will suffer. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But it's better to be suffering following God than to suffer outside of the will of God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It makes me uncomfortable to say to talk about suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But Paul in verse 18 continues with an example for us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He begins to talk about Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And, I appreciate Peter talking about suffering to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And when I read Scripture, God never wants to undermine our suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Our suffering is important to him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's why he gives us a promise at the end of revelation chapter 21, that he's going to wipe it away, that we know within our souls as we ache. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not natural. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God wants to remedy the sin and the effects of sin in our lives, and give us the hope and joy and future in Jesus suffering, in particularly your specific suffering and what you endure in your life is important to God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We never want to undermine that because Jesus doesn't undermine it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We weep with those who weep. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We mourn with those who mourn, and we rejoice with those who rejoice. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But I got to say. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Some of us make an idol out of our suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And to be honest, suffering is not the worst thing in the world that could happen. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Peter, in this passage begins to point out to us, suffering by far isn't the worst thing that could happen to us, and we need reminded of that because when we're going through suffering in our lives, oftentimes when we begin to make it an idol, we also get very selfish and all we can think of is just that hurt. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And we don't realize that there is a world outside of us that God has called us to live in, and that God desires to heal us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 If we would just follow after him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And our suffering isolates us, and our suffering traps us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And we begin to think so much of self that praying to God and talking to God about it may even become the last thing on our mind. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And Peter begins to share with us how suffering isn't the worst thing that can happen to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And he says in verse 18, For Christ also died for sins once for all the just for the unjust, so that he might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit, in which also he went and made proclamation to the spirits. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Now in prison, I want to explain what that means. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 If you're looking at that same wall, what in the world is he talking about? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All right. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He gets real confused and he starts talking about Noah and the men, and you're like, spirits in prison. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Noah. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 What's that got to do with Jesus dying on the cross? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I don't get it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But the point of this passage that Paul is saying to us that Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The importance of Jesus in your lives is the pillar of what life is all about. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And we get so fixated on our suffering, and that's not even the worst thing that can happen to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 A life with Jesus, what God has called us to rejection of Jesus and coming before an Almighty God with that upon our shoulders. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's the worst thing that could happen to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Judgement. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Time. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Meet God rejecting Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 See how that goes. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Many times people get mad about that because it brings up the idea of hell. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Some people try to argue about hell so much so they'll argue about hell until they find themselves in it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not fair, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I don't want it that way. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God, I want to do it my way. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God can't send people to hell. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Those are harsh. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The Bible tells us he who has the son has life. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We live life as if we are God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Sometimes we get angry about God, about the way things going, as if God promises us more than today. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All that we get is today. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God owes you no tomorrow. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He gives you out of his grace tomorrow. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And it's not like God didn't give us a way of escape. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I don't want to meet a holy God with sin on my shoulders. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God's demand for entry into heaven is perfection. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's perfect God and his perfect kingdom. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I don't want to meet a holy God with sin on my shoulders. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God gave us a way of escape. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not like he just damned the world. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He gave us hope. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's the simplest thing ever. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's faith in Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus died for sins once for all. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Look at this. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The just for the unjust. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus took your sins upon his shoulders so that you could experience the righteousness of God for all eternity in your life, that you could experience his kingdom forever and ever. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All you have to do is come to Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There's no earning it because you can't earn it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's perfection. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus has already done it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's why on the cross he said, it is finished, which means paid in full the expense that you owed to God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus paid it if you just want to accept it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And people just reject it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And we shake our fists at it and say, forget you. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Suffering is not the worst thing that could happen. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's right. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's honestly choosing to come before a holy God shaking your fist at Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Paul shares that it says in verse 19, in which also he went and made proclamation to the spirits, now in prison, remember that for just a minute Jesus went and preached to the spirits in prison. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay, I'm going to throw something else out to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm going to explain what that means. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We were once disobedient. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He's still talking about those spirits. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 When the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons were brought safely through the water. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Corresponding to that baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's talking about water baptism. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 So it's not water baptism, okay, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus just coming to Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's what he says. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You want that, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Look to God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Just come to Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He'll take away your sin. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Who is at the right hand of God? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Having gone into heaven after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to him? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus runs the show. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's what verse 22 says, Come to Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 So what does all this mean Jesus died for? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 For our sins. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All of a sudden he's talking to his spirit prisons. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And then and then the Bible just throws in Noah. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 What does Noah have to do with anything? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I got to say, in reading this passage of scripture, there's not many interpretations of it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All of them are pretty similar to what this passage is talking about. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I will die for none of the interpretations of it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All right. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There are things in this world that I think are important I'll die for. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'll Jesus the Bible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You want to stand on the pillars of what Christianity has stood for all time when it comes to this passage of Scripture and interpretation of it, I want to tell you, there's a little bit of liberty here, okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And here's why. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 When he talks about, in verse 19 about the spirits that Jesus went and preached to different opinions on what this is talking about, and let me give you a good rule of thumb when you go to interpret difficult passages of Scripture like this. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Don't isolate this particular passage of Scripture to itself. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You want to use easily understood passages of Scripture to infer meaning to what difficult passages of Scripture are talking about. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay, when you take a difficult passage of Scripture, you have no idea what it's talking about and you just develop a theology from it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You get crazy beliefs in this world, okay, all system of beliefs of different religions are built on weird verses of the Bible that were misinterpreted. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We don't want to do that here. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 So we're going to take this passage of scripture. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We're going to look for other similar, similar passages of Scripture in which this relates to what we find is when Jesus went in and preached to the spirit prison, some people have taken that to say that Jesus literally went to Gehenna or to hell, and he preached to the spirits that were in hell, pronouncing their judgment upon them for rejecting him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay, there's nowhere in Scripture that teaches that was a theology that developed later in centuries that people have held to with this passage of Scripture. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There's no biblical principle to hold to for that. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 If you want to hold to it, you're holding to tradition rather than Bible verses. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Another thought on it is that Jesus went to hell, and he preached to angels who were on the walking the earth during the time of Noah, and they were bad angels. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 They were sent there. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so Jesus went to preach to them their judgment. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The third theory, which is what I hold with loose water here, is that Jesus went to Abraham's bosom, and he went and led the captives free. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But he also preached to those who were in Gehenna. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Which is why in the next verse he starts talking about individual people in verse 20. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay, but if you read Luke chapter 16, starting in verse 19, you'll see a picture of what Abraham's bosom was before Jesus ascended into heaven, sitting at the right hand of the father. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And the angels subjected him that we saw in the very last verse of this passage in verse 22. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There was a place called Abraham's bosom, in which those going to heaven were. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And on the other side there was a divide where it was Gehenna or hell. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Those who rejected Jesus stayed there. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 If you read Luke chapter 16, it gives a picture of Abraham's bosom. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It describes it in one side of Abraham's bosom. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 In that story there is a man named a rich man on the other side, a man who accepted Jesus, a humble man. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 His name was Lazarus, and the rich man was allowed to speak into the other people's lives from Gehenna, to give them an experience of what Gehenna was like. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It was a place of pain, sorrow. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 A place where God's gracious presence wasn't found. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The other side is Lazarus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 When Jesus died on the cross, according to Luke 16, my belief is that he went into Abraham's bosom with those who accepted him, and there he delivered a sermon of salvation to those who accepted him, and a sermon of destruction to those who have rejected him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And in Abraham's bosom those in Gehenna could hear his message to understand their judgment. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus went right after his death and preached that message in Ghana. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He ever asked the question, where did Jesus go after he died on the cross? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know, three days later, he was resurrected. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He was just in limbo land somewhere. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 According to Scripture, it tells us that he went and preached a message, and it goes on and says in verse 20 to those he preached who were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah during the construction of the ark in which a few, that is, eight persons were brought safely through the water. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Let me just tell you how Noah fits into this. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 In the time of Noah, let me just show you in Genesis six and the time of Noah, it tells us in the opening verse. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 So during the time of Noah, who was evil, everyone, how bad were they? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 They were wicked. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 All people were evil and wicked. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You got that? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There wasn't a good person in this world I like. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There's one pastor who gets to this passage and he hates children's Bibles when it talks about the story of Noah. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Every time you see it in a kids Bible, it's like beautiful things, you know? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's like your kid in a picture book goes to the zoo and sees all these animals. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And Noah was a great guy and God loved him because he was a great guy. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And when you read the actual Bible story, it's nothing like that. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You got destruction of the entire world. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That's not a pretty thing, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We paint it on our nursery walls. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Look, kids, it's snowing. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's beautiful boat, it's like people are dying. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 They swam for a little bit, but they're drowning, you know? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not a good story. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Like you read it with your kids. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not a happy tale. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 So he says in verse six, and the Lord was sorry that he had made man on the earth and was grieved in his heart. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Then the Lord said, I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 These were people whom God has promised he would come and die for their sins. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And they look at God and said, we're having it our way. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We're shaking our fists at you and forget you. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It says this from man to animals to creeping things and the birds of the sky. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 For I am sorry that I have made them. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But it says in verse eight, But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Verse five, who was wicked? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Everybody. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But Noah finds favor in the Lord. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 In the Hebrew text in verse eight, the word favor. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Favor is the Greek word for grace. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 How to know I get that the Bible tells us that Noah didn't do anything. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Noah was wicked just as everyone else was. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But Noah, in a moment of humility, trusted in God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And rather than receive condemnation, God gave him grace. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so why in the world is this story about Noah in the Bible? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know, I got to say, after Noah came to know God and trusted in him and the salvation that he's going to bring for Noah, Noah was in his family was carried through on the boat. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We know the story, right? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It lands. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Everyone's so happy, right after the party was over, Noah made a sacrifice. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 They celebrated for Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And then Noah got, like wasted drunk. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And it tells us that his son, even sexually, according to the text, it looks like his son sexually defiled him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Noah was not a perfect man. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 No, was not by any means a pretty man. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Noah just came to God and trusted in the salvation that would come to Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He wanted God's grace. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He knew the wickedness that he had, and he wanted to trust in God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Because coming before a mighty God, judging this world in all sin, in his perfect kingdom, Noah knew he had no hope. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Suffering is not the worst thing that could happen to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so it says this. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Let me go back to the text so we can see it. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 In verse 19, excuse me, verse 20, who were once disobedient when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons were brought safely through the water. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Get a picture of this moment, if you're Noah, because the two things that we're talking about here is when someone does you wrong, are you going to do evil back, or are you going to love Jesus in return? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And are you going to love them for Jesus? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And Noah's time, if you picture all the wickedness that's all over the earth. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Noah for over 100 years now, is building a boat. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He is the only one who has given his life to God. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Everyone would been walking by Noah, and many scholars believe that rain didn't come from the sky at that particular point in the Bible. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It was actually coming from the ground. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 There was no need for boats. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so you're walking through this earth and you see this guy for over 100 years building a boat, and what are the people continue to do? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 They do nothing but mock Noah. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But Noah, in that mockery, rather than responding with evil, chooses faith in Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so what this passage is doing for us is recognizing the need for trusting in Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 We can respond with the wickedness of the world and mock those who follow after Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Or we can just submit and pursue Jesus with our lives, the kind of life that God can bless. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so he says in verse 21, corresponding to that baptism now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the flesh. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's not the dunking under water that's going to save you. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It's your faith in Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 No, it's carried through water. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And it was a picture for us of the change that Jesus does on us from the inside out. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He washes us clean. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 He forgives our sins. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus, who is at the right hand of God, has gone into heaven after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to him. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 Jesus is in control. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 That says to me, I should be on Jesus's team. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 God's got everything under control. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 In our suffering. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The suffering that we experience in this world as people makes God's love evident to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It shows the significance and the credibility of the gospel. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It points to us the importance of the church. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It reminds us as people, as Jesus suffered for our well being, so we can suffer for the well-being of others for righteousness sake. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 It reminds us as we focus on our suffering, we become isolated and we think that we're the only one on the planet, the only one experiencing pain, that suffering isn't the worst thing that can happen to us. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The beauty of the church and the message and the hope that it carries, is far more important in this world than any suffering that should hinder us from the task that God has called us to do. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But they even began to swallow a message like that. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You've got to understand the significance of Jesus and how precious your faith is in Christ. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And so my hope is as a church, when we come in on Sunday, we gather together on any day we're not too proud to admit when we're hurting. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 But we can just stop and look at another brother or sister in Christ and say, you know what? 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I'm not okay. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 And I try to serve more to cover it up, but I just need someone to serve me for a little while. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 You know how powerful that church becomes with a message like that to not just hear the words, but to take it into our hearts and understand the significance of what Christ has called us in this world. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 The hope of Jesus. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 A hope of eternity and a faith that is more precious than gold. 00:44:19.135 --> 00:44:19.135 I have everybody go ahead and bow your heads for just a moment.