In the sermon 'It Is More Important Than Comfort' by Trent Moody, the central theme revolves around the idea that living a righteous life according to God's will is more significant than personal comfort. The sermon references 1 Peter and emphasizes that while righteous living generally acts as a shield against persecution, it can also lead to suffering. Moody discusses the examples of biblical figures from Hebrews 11 and the teachings of Jesus to illustrate that suffering for righteousness is a blessing. He urges believers to sanctify the Lord in their hearts, be fearless of human threats, and prepare to give a defense for their faith with meekness and fear. The sermon also underscores the importance of maintaining a good conscience and conduct as a witness to the world, highlighting that the ultimate purpose of suffering is to strengthen faith and bring glory to God.

1 Peter chapter 3 beginning with verse 13. Thus says the word of the Lord, and who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed. And do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who ask you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Having a good conscience that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

For it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. Let us pray. Gracious Father, It is with Lord just great awe that we stand before you this morning. Lord we open this passage of scripture, we see your word and the words that speak to us, Lord, are challenging words. They are words that make our minds go to things that are difficult to our flesh, but Lord, yet we recognize these things are beneficial for our spirit.

Lord, we recognize that these are the things that will bring you glory on the day of visitation. We recognize Lord that these are the things that those that we love and those that we have considered throughout history these are the ones that we look to as we read in Hebrews chapter 11. We think of those who have gone before. We think of the great cloud of witnesses and so God help us today. Help us to receive your Word and Lord strengthen us in the inner man.

Help us to grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and may we find great joy in your will. We pray in Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated. So this morning as we come to the book of 1 Peter and we look in this passage which really is picking up in the midst of a context that we have gone over and over again to help us to gather.

I do want to read that one more time in the book of 1 Peter chapter 2 and verses 11 and 12 to gather our context yet again. And you will see how these things amazingly join together and how there is great unity of the word of God to really hammer home these truths that we need to hear. In chapter two, verses 11 and 12, Peter writes this, "'Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which war against the soul. Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles that when they speak against you as evildoers they may by your good works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation and so really this is the point of our living this is what it's all about is that we would bring glory and honor to the Lord Jesus Christ. He has all glory and honor now, but yet there is coming a day when all the glory and honor that He is due and that He has will be recognized not only by the church, but by all those who have spoke evil of the way.

On the day of visitation they will glorify God. But the great thing is is that we have the privilege this morning of doing it today. So let us glorify God in all that we do and all that we think. So this morning I want us to be prepared in our minds that there are two differing results of living for God. There are two results.

And I believe we see this in our passage. Again, this is kind of picking up in the midst of a context, but because of the depth of these verses, it's really hard to gather this whole chapter in together, these whole couple chapters together. So it's broken down for us, but I'm hoping to pull parts and pieces from each one of these so that we can gather this. But as we see in the previous verses of chapter 3, verses 11 and 12, he's quoting here from the Old Testament and he says this, let him turn away from evil and do good. Let him seek peace and pursue it.

This is the one who would love life and see good days. Verse 12, for the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are open to their prayers, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." This is the comfort and the consolation that we have as we enter into this text this morning. And then Peter says this, he says, and who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? Now this first point that I want to make is a very short point and most of the weight you'll see will fall on the next thing that we're going to talk about but he does make this statement that I think is very important for us to understand and that is this that righteous living is a shield against persecution generally. That righteous living is a shield against persecution generally speaking.

I believe that most of us have experienced that we live in the most blessed nation in the world. We have experienced great joys, we have experienced great freedoms, and it has been a blessing. The doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ has been a blessing upon this nation for hundreds of years, and we are seeing the fruits of that, and generally speaking that is the case but as we'll see in a few moments it's not the case around the world it's not been the case throughout history and so that is why I say be prepared there are two results of living for God. And the first one is this, that this righteous living is a shield against persecution. Now again, this is a general principle, not an absolute promise.

It is somewhat of a proverb, if you will. So the general rule of godly living is that it is a blessing and not a curse to yourself. There are natural consequences of living a godly lifestyle and it's not only a blessing to ourselves but it is a blessing to those around us and to the society in general. Now those who obey God will be a blessing to their community. Y'all are a blessing to me because of your desire and striving to live a godly life.

That is a blessing to me. You're a blessing in your home. You're also a blessing in your neighborhood and in this community because of righteousness and because of living for God. And again, hear me clearly, this is not somehow our self-made righteousness. This is righteousness because of Christ and what He has done for us.

This is a righteousness that is an outflowing of the Spirit of God working in the children of God. That's what I'm speaking of here, not self-righteousness or some sort of that we could be good enough to make things better. No we can't. But the Holy Spirit of God living in us, empowering us and in living us it produces in us godliness and so that is a blessing to those around us. Now specifically speaking here in verse 13 he says, and who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?

In this seeking to submit as we see this in the previous chapter, in chapter two, right after the passage I read earlier it goes into this whole these different states of submission or different areas or jurisdictions of submission now when he says that when you are followers of what is good I believe what he is pointing to specifically is those things that he just spoke about. He just went on this big long discussion here if you will or big big long sermon or letter writing to the church that is scattered abroad and he's wanting them to understand that when we live obedient lives to God and when we understand proper jurisdiction, when we understand that we are all people under authority, that that generally is a blessing not only to ourselves but also to the community and the society that we live in. He mentions these things, He mentioned submission to government and you can remember back on that message what we talked about that there is a blessing when when people submit to the governing authorities in the civil sphere. It is a blessing when servants submit to their masters and we know that when employees are are godly employees and they're working and specifically here he's talking about servants and masters and there's a blessing that flows from that it brings stabilization to society when there's not rebellion to these things.

We see also that He goes on in the beginning of 1 Peter chapter 3 that there is a submission of wives to their husbands that brings a great blessing to the point that even the men or the husbands who do not obey the word of God may be won by the conduct of their wives. Notice he's talking over and over again about conduct. The behavior of these people is going to bring about the glory of God. Then he goes on and he speaks about the relationship with husbands and wives. We just came off of marriage retreat.

I hope that we we learned probably a lot about this verse this weekend if you're at Scott's house. And so you you're understanding these benefits and blessings of a wife that understands her role and a husband that understands his. And the husband comes in and he loves his wife and he dwells with her with an understanding way, living as Christ to her and serving her in this way. And then in verse 8 we see that there's this blessing that when we as the church that we submit one to another, that there's great care and compassion. These are the good things that he's speaking of here in verse 13.

And who is he will harm you if you become followers of what is good. What kind of beast would this be that would not appreciate the goodness that God brings about in his people. It would be rather insane not to appreciate these things, but we do not live in a sane world. We live in an insane world that is given over to sin and to the devil. But these things generally produce a peaceful and fruitful life and a blessing for the community and a blessing to this church.

So Peter's somewhat rhetorical question is considered, Who is this that will harm you if you be followers of what is good? Who is this person or who are these people? Well like I said we do not always live in a sane world. We live in a world that has been corrupted by sin. We live in a world that has been corrupted by sin.

We live in a world that sets good for evil and evil for good, that sets light for darkness and darkness for light. So the answer, those who hate God and those whom God has turned over to their own lust, that's who will do you harm. And they have done harm, but not ultimate harm. You see, godly living can be the greatest offense to the conscience of those who hate God. Those who hate God love death.

We've seen this over and over in our world. Of course, we see this in the horrendous act of abortion. We see it also in other ways of terrible acts of violence done to others. Those who hate God love death. They rejoice in evil, they delight in distractions because of the rejection of God and of his way.

They hate and attack those who seek to love God and to live in obedience to his word. This is when we see the verse that begins with this conjunction, but. Now I consider that a divine conjunction oftentimes in the scriptures, but here this conjunction brings about the opposite of this. Who is he who will harm you if you be followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed.

And here's where we're going to find the weight of this message this morning. As we look at this, Righteous living, the second consequence if you will or result of living a godly, righteous life. Righteous living may, can and has led to suffering. Righteous living may, can and has led to suffering. We just read the passage there in Hebrews chapter 11 where we have seen men who've endured great suffering.

Why? Because of their faith in the Lord. That's why. It wasn't because of the evil that they were doing And we will see that and talk about that in just a few moments. But the reason they received persecution was because of their righteous living.

And that should only be the case with us. We should never receive persecution because we're living evil. We should receive it because we are living righteously. Now pause a minute and consider who this is that is speaking these words. This is the apostle Peter.

This is the one who said to the Lord Jesus himself, far be it from you, Lord, this shall not happen to you. When he spoke regarding Christ becoming an offering for sin upon the cross. And what did Jesus say? Get behind me Satan, for you mine not the things of God but the things of man. And yet this apostle has come to this point to where not only he is preaching the same message but he had lived the same message to the point where he had suffered for righteousness.

He's now speaking the words of his master that he said in Matthew 5 10, blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. What happened to Peter? How did he go from this, far be it from you Lord, this is not going to happen to you, to this man here who is now saying but even if you should suffer for righteousness sake you're blessed. How do we come from this to that? We see that this is because of the power of the Spirit of God at work in this man.

That's how we come from this, far be it from you to be ready. You shall suffer persecution. You see, This man who now better understands literally the purposes of God more clearly not only in the suffering of Christ but also in the sufferings of himself. This man who had now suffered for righteousness sake found it to be just what his master said blessed. That is so contrary to our nature.

Our nature does not say persecution equals blessing. But God in this paradox, if you will, it is totally contrary to the mind of man, says those who are persecuted for righteousness sake are blessed. In fact, rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Those are the strangest words ever to fall on human ears. How can we rejoice and be exceedingly glad when we are persecuted and possibly and many have been put to death for righteousness sake?

This is the work of the Spirit of God and the heart of his people to help them to understand that those who are persecuted as their master are blessed. In other words, Peter wanted the reader to know as he says in chapter 4 which we read this morning in congregational reading in verses 12 and 13, beloved do not think it's strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's suffering. You become a partaker with Christ in the suffering for righteousness. Don't think it's strange. We should not let wrongs done to us cause us to faint or to lose heart but rather to understand them as the sovereign and loving hand of God intends for them to be as working for our greatest good and for his greatest glory.

That is the purpose of these things. You see he shows us here in the latter part of verse 14, and do not be afraid of their threats nor be troubled. I don't know about you but naturally speaking you know I've read stories of the martyrs of the past in church history and it amazes me at the confidence that they have in God in the face of death and I'm sure many of you have read these as well you've read stories of those being thrown to the beast and of being burned alive at the stake because of the Word of God, of being sawn asunder as we read this morning in Hebrews 11, and we think about these passages and how could they stand and how could Peter tell us, don't be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled? Brothers and sisters, this is a supernatural work of God, but it is something that we are called to. You see, we're going to get to the point where, and I'm going to show you how this can happen.

How you can go from a Peter that says, far be it from you Lord, to a Peter who says, you shall be blessed if you suffer for righteousness. I'm going to show you how that happened. It is the work of God. You see, in this passage of Scripture, I want us to understand some things and I want this question to simmer on the back burner of your mind through this message. What is more valuable to God in my life than my comfort?

What is more valuable to God in my life than my comfort? So let that simmer there on the back burner just for a few moments as we look and continue. We are to be fearless in the face of threats. Peter here quotes from Isaiah chapter 8 verse 12 where it says, do not say a conspiracy concerning all that this people call a conspiracy nor be afraid of their threats nor be troubled." That's what he's quoting from in the book of Isaiah and we'll talk more about this in a few moments but suffice it to say that Peter's point is that these threats of evil men should not trouble us and make us afraid. There's only one who should capture our fear and that is God.

He is the only one. We should fear no man but we should fear God And that is one of the keys. You see, this one that captures our fear, you see, a strong and robust theology is a sure guard against the threats of evil men. When you're faced with that, your theology matters. It matters.

What you believe about the sovereignty of God, what you believe about the workings of God and the will of God. What you believe about who He is matters. When you find yourself facing this, believe me, it will matter if you believe God is sovereign or He is not. If you believe God ordains all things for the good of his people, or that God is sitting back watching, hoping that it turns out okay. That is a world of difference.

Matthew Henry says this, And awful, and what he means by that is all-filled, that is this sense of all, of the divine perfections is the best antidote against the fear of sufferings. Did we fear God more, we should certainly fear men less. It is the sure antidote. The fear of God. You see what does the Bible say about the fear of man?

It brings a snare. The fear of God does not do that. The fear of God makes you bold as a lion. The fear of God is what will guard you and secure you and is the antidote of the fear of suffering. Because we fear God more than our sufferings.

Luke 12, four and five says, and I say to you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do but I shall but I will show you whom you should fear fear him who after he has killed has power to cast into hell yes I say to you fear him." Are you prepared for suffering? You see suffering of this kind of suffering for righteousness sake is not something that we haphazardly fall into, that we go into unprepared, that we think, you know, it'll be okay when I get there, I'm sure everything will be fine. No, this is something that we should consider. It shouldn't overwhelm us and cause us to fear, but it is definitely something that we should be prepared for. How do we prepare for suffering?

Or maybe the question should be, should we prepare for suffering? I know that you've seen the climate of our culture. There are those pastors in Canada and other nations who have literally experienced suffering for their faith. Do you think they went into that without any forethought? Now I would submit to you that these men knew what they were doing.

They thought about it. They counted the cost. Is that not what Christ tells us to do? Before we follow him, you know many preachers want to go preaching health, wealth, and prosperity but Jesus came preaching trials and persecutions and tribulation. How often do we hear that in an evangelistic message?

Come to Christ. You will have trials and persecutions and tribulations. You know you don't win many souls that way or many professing believers that way I should say. You will not see the crowds come. But yes I do believe that we should prepare for suffering.

So now the question is this, how? How do I prepare for suffering for righteousness sake? How do I prepare for suffering for following Christ? Well, the answer is this that we have heard already this morning, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts.

You see Peter's foremost desire is to solidify in the hearts of these persecuted believers that he's writing to the most sure preparations for suffering. That's what he wanted to do with this whole letter. If you'll note, this whole letter has to do with suffering and persecutions for your faith. This sure preparation that they would sanctify the Lord God in their hearts. There's no other truth that will aid a believer in times of persecutions and trials and sufferings more than the fact that Jesus is Lord.

Now we say that, we sing that, but I want you to know that and believe that, that your greatest protection against suffering or the thing that will uplift you and the greatest antidote for fear of suffering is that you will sanctify the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts. That is the only thing that will see you through. Your strength will fail. Your wisdom will falter. Your friends may forsake you.

But when you sanctify the Lord God in your heart, He will never leave you nor forsake you. He is the friend that sticks closer than the brother. He is the one that is there with you who has walked it before you and who is with you. We are to set him aside in our hearts." That's what this means. It means to hallow God, just like in the first petition that we heard this morning.

Hallowed be thy name. We say it but do we believe it. As one commentator translates it, Set apart in your hearts Christ as Lord. You see, we set him aside as the only one to be feared and to recognize that Jesus Christ is in control of our every circumstance. Now, this not only involves suffering for righteousness sake, this involves suffering in other ways as well.

I know many of you struggle and suffer with different physical ailments and health issues. What is your sure antidote for these things that you do not become discouraged and disheartened, sanctify the Lord God in your heart. That's the greatest pill you will ever take. So let me ask you a question. As you look around this world and as we see what is going on, whom do you say is in control?

Whom do you believe is in control? If you listen to news pundits, you may believe that there is a conspiracy going on and the elite are in control. And worldly speaking they may be pushing an agenda but brothers and sisters we are not to look at the world with the natural eyes. We are to look at the world as it actually is in truth. So part of this passage is drawn from Isaiah 8.

I'm gonna read this. I've already read it once. I'm gonna read it again. Isaiah 8, 11, and 12. For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people saying do not say a conspiracy concerning all that this people call a conspiracy nor be afraid of their threats nor be troubled.

The Lord of hosts, him you shall hallow. Let him be your fear. Let him be your dread." That is your sure antidote to fear of suffering. That is your sure antidote of the confusions of this world and the things that are going on. There may be conspiracies and agendas but God says don't trouble yourself with those things.

You fear me. I remember hearing a man many years ago saying this, that he said, I used to be all concerned and studying about conspiracy theories and all of these things until one day I realized that God is sovereign over conspiracy theories. And I don't need to trouble my mind with these things. I need to trust God and fear God. God rules in the heavens.

He takes a king and he turns him like a river of water. Look at Cyrus, the most powerful man in the world and what did God do with Cyrus? He named him 150 years before he was born and he used him to bless God's people and send them back with gifts and gold and all of these things. That's what God does with kings. They're nothing in the sight of God.

You see, I'm going to read this quote again by John Rogers that I sent out this week. Here's the true means of constant and patient suffering, even faith resting itself confidently on God, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. You see, we sanctify God or His name as it is in the first petition of the Lord's Prayer, not when we add any holiness thereunto, which is holy beyond comparison, but when we acknowledge and give that holiness which belongs to it, particularly herein we sanctify the Lord in our hearts when we, believing his faithfulness in his promises do thereupon rest on him in times of our troubles and this is to glorify him you want to glorify God You rest upon Him in your times of trouble. You see, faith is the mother of constancy and suffering. I know thy faith and thy patience.

Be thou faithful unto death. By faith those worthies mentioned in Hebrews 11 did undergo all their sufferings. This is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Hebrews chapter 11 begins with these words as we turn there. Turn to Hebrews 11 and notice what he says.

I love that sound. May I say that? Pages of the Bible turning. Faith, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Do not fear man nor what man can do to you. I'm going to read Psalm 2. You know it, you've read it, you've heard it, but you need to hear it again. Psalm 2 says this, Why do the nations rage and the people plot vain things?

The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion.

I will declare the decree. The Lord has said to me, you are my son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron.

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. Now therefore be wise, O Kings. Be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him. That's who is blessed. You see, we need to be ready, he says, to give a defense of the hope that is in us. When we sanctify the Lord God in our heart, our faith is built up.

We are confident not in our flesh. We are confident in God. And when we are confident in God, this is what takes place. Go with me into verse 15, but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asked for you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. You must always be ready to give a defense because of the hope that is in you or the reason of the hope that is in you.

Peter here instructs the believers to a readiness or a preparedness to do something. We must be prepared for this as I was talking before. Thus, this is not something we go at unprepared, but prepared. Rather something that we give thought and attention and forethought to. So this advance Preparation is needed in order for us to be ready to give this defense.

And remember this defense is for something and we'll look at that. So part of this preparation happens right here right now this morning. We are preparing you for this. To be ready to give a defense for the reason of the hope that is in you. That's what this is about.

I want you to be ready for that. And so the other part is your personal responsibility to know the scriptures and to understand the doctrine of salvation. These are things that you must be prepared for. You need to understand what you believe, why you believe it, and then be able to articulate it. I'm not saying every one of you should be a preacher and every one of you need to be street preaching.

But let me tell you something, every one of you, if you're a believer, you should sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and you should be ready to give an answer to everyone who ask a reason for the hope that is in you. You need to understand how you were saved. You need to understand why you were saved. You need to understand who saved you and you need to understand the purpose of that salvation and you should be able to articulate that to someone. Be able to share your faith with someone.

Now specifically this context is talking about those in persecution, but this principle goes way beyond that, that we need to be always ready. We're to give a defense of something. It is the defense of the reason of our hope. Again Hebrews 11.1 now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. So the reason for the hope that is in us.

What I understand regarding this is what Peter is getting at specifically is our faith. It is this hope but it's the reason for the hope. Do you see the difference there? Hope and faith go hand in hand. And here it says we need to be ready to give a reason for the hope.

What is the reason of our hope? Well it is our faith. The reason of our hope is Christ's birth, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his intercession, his return and exaltation throughout eternity. And this includes that he has prepared a place for us and we have an inheritance in heaven that cannot be shaken. We have an inheritance, as Peter said in the beginning of this book.

He's telling you, what kind of inheritance is this? It's a inheritance that's undefiled and will not fade away. That's our faith is in that. Our faith is in not just this inheritance, it's not just in this faith in faith, it is faith in the object of Jesus Christ. He is the reason of our hope.

If you know Him, you have hope. If you love Him, you have hope. And you can stand before the accusers, those who will mock you and make fun of you, and you can give them a reason of your hope. Jesus Christ is the reason of my hope. He lived, He died, He rose again, He ascended, He intercedes and He's coming back and He will forever be exalted and on that day of visitation you will glorify God.

Our hope is based on the faith that we have in Christ, the resurrected Christ. That is where he will be in heaven and that is where we will be. You see, there is eternity that is always in the believer's mind. You see, this life is more than this life. The world lives, I used to use this as an opportunity to witness people as I talk with them, and I would say to maybe a young man, I'd say, what are your plans?

Well, I'm hoping to get a job or buy this car. What about after that? Well, I hope to get married and build a house. What about after that? Well, I'm hoping that the job goes well and I can pay my house.

And he goes right on and just telling me all of these earthly plans and hopes that he has. And I get down to the very end and it's like, he says, I said, what about after that? He said, well, I guess I'd die. What about after that? See, their hope is only limited at death's gate.

Their hope stops. But our hope lives for eternity. Our hope's not even in this world. You see, our faith begins at the death's door, and then it's like fate has turned to sight. And we're no longer going to hope because hope will be done away and our eyes will see all that we had hoped for.

That is the joy that we have as believers. That is what will get us through the trials and persecutions and tribulations that we face here. There is eternity in our minds. 1 Corinthians 15, 19 through 20 says, if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

I believe that what Peter is saying is that not only are we to be believers of the gospel, but we are to be ready to speak the gospel. We are to give that reason of the hope, not only to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ but to profess the Lord Jesus Christ. I was watching this witnessing endeavor the other day on a on this video and this guy is sitting here sharing his faith and this Christian girl comes up and she's really getting on to him. You're so mean You're talking about the law and you're talking about these sin and all of these things. And she's really upset with this Christian.

This Christian is really upset with this Christian for witnessing and preaching the gospel. And she made this statement. I just believe by my good life they will know that I'm a Christian. Really. If that was possible it would have been possible with the Lord Jesus Christ only who lived a perfect life but did not remain silent, who preached the gospel and the good news everywhere he went, and he preached the law and he preached the grace of God, and that's what we are to do.

Not only are we to believe the gospel but we are to speak the gospel. You see in the midst of suffering and in times of suffering for righteousness sake, those evil men who are causing the suffering or it may be to those who are witnessing the suffering, We are to do this not only with our lives but with our words. Colossians 3 says, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. And so this can only be done as we meditate and study the Word of God. How do you prepare for this?

To be able to give a reason. You sanctify the Lord God in your heart and then you prepare your mind. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind is what the book of Romans tells us. We are to fill our minds with the Word of God. One commentator said this, though this is a new precept, it yet depends on what has gone before.

For he requires such constancy in the faithful as boldly to give a reason for their faith to their adversaries, and this is a part of that sanctification which he had just mentioned. For we then really honor God when neither fear nor shame hinders us from making a profession of our faith. He continues, he bids them only to be ready to give an answer, lest by their sloth and the cowardly fear of the flesh they should expose the doctrine of Christ by being silent to the derision of the ungodly. The meaning then is that we ought to be prompt in avowing our faith so as to set it forth whenever necessary lest the unbelieving through our silence should condemn the religion we follow." It's interesting when you read in the book of Revelation those who will not enter the kingdom of God. There is one mentioned that you might not think would be mentioned and it is the cowardly.

May God help us never to be cowardly in the face of persecution to give an answer for the reason of the hope that is in us. You know, I can't help but go in my mind to Peter on the day of Pentecost. We see this man who was timid and scared after the death and crucifixion of his Savior. But yet then after this on the day of Pentecost we see something happen not only to Peter but to all the disciples. This situation happens here where the Spirit of God descends and those around are thinking they're drunk And Peter stands up and he raises his voice and he makes a defense to the crowd.

And he testifies of Jesus and what they had done to him by crucifixion. And in verse 36 Peter says this, Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ. What was the result? Verse 37, now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, men and brethren what shall we do? And Peter preaches the gospel to them, repent and be baptized.

And so he's preaching the gospel to them. And then if you look throughout, really the whole book of acts is just one time after another the apostles are being persecuted for their faith and then they stand up and preach the gospel to them and they're asked who gave you the authority or by what name do you do these things and they say by the name of Jesus Christ whom you crucified. They stand with boldness professing the Lord Jesus Christ and it was with boldness but it was also with meekness and fear that's what he tells us here who asked you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Quickly on this, I believe it's with meekness because we understand that it is not our strength, but it is Christ in us. It's the strength of the Spirit of God to give us the words to speak to the adversaries.

And it is with fear, not the fear of man, but the fear of God that works in us. When we speak this truth, we speak it in the fear of God, knowing that it is only God who can change the circumstance. It is only God who can save this person, perhaps, that they will hear the gospel and be saved. It is the work of God and the Spirit of God in their hearts. You see there is great comfort in having, as we see in this next part of this verse in verse 16, there's great confidence in having and comfort in having a conscience that is a good conscience that is accompanied with good conduct.

Throughout this book really he speaks about the conduct of believers and the result of that conduct and he says in verse 16 having a good conscience that when they defame you as evil doers those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. These two things go hand in hand, good conduct and a good conscience. You see if you do not have good conduct and what I mean by that is conduct in which you are a man who is led by the Spirit of God and when you sin you are convicted by the Holy Spirit of God and you repent of your sin because of that what you have done and then you go to live a righteous life because of the power of the Spirit working in you, you will have a good conscience. Because there are none who are righteous, no not one. But we live through, Christ lives through us and we live a holy life based upon that.

Not because of anything good in us. And when we have good conduct, we will have a good and clear conscience. And then when they defame us as evildoers because we live in such a way, and let me back up just for a second, all those things that we talked about in chapter 2 and 3, our living in this world, in the civil sphere, and in our work relationships, and in marriage, and among each other, these are the things that are the good conduct that they may speak evil of, but when they do that, they will be ashamed. They may not be ashamed now, but on the day of visitation, they will be ashamed. They will be ashamed because of the good conduct.

You see, one of the things that's very important is that not only did the Apostle Paul, or excuse me, the Apostle Peter, example this for us, but we see this also in the life of the apostle Paul when he stands before Felix in the book of Acts chapter 24 verses 15 and 16 Paul says this to Felix, I have hope in God. Know what we're to do? I have hope in God which they themselves also accept that there will be a resurrection of the dead both of the just and of the unjust now listen to what he says this being so I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense towards God and men. So here he is. That's exactly what Peter is talking about.

That he's giving a reason for the hope that is in him and he's doing it in such a way and Paul professes this, I strive to have a conscience without offense towards God and men. And that's how we are to live. That's how we are to live. For time's sake, let's move to the last verse. And this is an encouraging consideration for us.

It will be encouraging. Verse 17, for it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. This is the most amazing statement that has really captured my attention throughout my Christian life. This is one of the verses that health, wealth, and prosperity preachers pray their people never read. This is the one that Joel Olsteen sits up at night and can't sleep because he's worried about.

This suffering for righteousness according to the will of God. You see in this verse Peter wants to declare two things to the reader. Number one, the will of God for your life may include suffering. And number two, if you suffer, it is better, more excellent, or even more advantageous for you and useful for you that you suffer as a result of doing good rather than doing evil. You may suffer and if you suffer it should be because you've done good, not evil.

You see suffering for evil is only a just reward, But suffering for good only leads to a just reward. The justness of God and the mercy of God in rewarding those who suffer for righteousness sake. And that way, as the Beatitude says, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. So the encouragement is found in this. Suffering, your suffering is never useless or without purpose or sovereign appointment.

1st Corinthians 1, 8 through 11 says this, for we do not want you to be ignorant brethren of our trouble. This is Paul speaking and he's writing this letter. He says we don't want you to be ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. I don't know about you but I've never despaired of life. Paul did.

Yes, we, and notice he's not alone, yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves. And then listen to this. That we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead." That little word, that. I love these little words because they tell us so much. He gives us the purpose of this suffering that he despaired even of life.

There was something in Paul that God said, I need to bring Paul to the very point that he trusts not in himself. That he only trusts in me. And that's what God did with the Apostle Paul and those with him. That they were taken to the point that they despaired of their life. That we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.

That's who you were to trust in. The God who raises the dead. And let me note, He who worked in you and the same power that raised Christ from the dead is the power that is alive and at work in you through the power of the Holy Spirit. That is the working of God. That is what should give us such great confidence that if we face or when we face suffering because of righteousness sake, that we can stand confidently and fearlessly before the adversary and give a reason for the hope that is in us.

Six things of application or thoughts to think about, and we'll close. Number one, godly living is and should be fearless living. Not fearless of God, but fearless of man. Number two, righteous suffering is an honor because you are counted worthy to join in the afflictions of the Savior. Number three, the surest defense and preparation for suffering is to sanctify the Lord God in your heart.

That's what Christ did. Fourth, suffering for righteousness is an opportunity to testify of the hope that is in us. So be ready. Prepare yourself. Exercise your mind towards it.

Fifthly, good conduct assures a good conscience. You have a troubled conscience? Why? Sixthly and lastly, strengthening your faith. Here's the answer to that question.

Remember that thing that was on the back burner there that you forgot about what's more important to God than your comfort here it is strengthening your faith is more important to God than maintaining your comfort. Strengthening your faith is more important to God than maintaining your comfort. If he did it in the life of the Apostle Paul, do you think there's need in my life and in your life? Yes, great need. Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, your word is amazing. Lord, how you prepare us, how you strengthen us, how you equip us, Lord, to live righteous lives in an ungodly world. And how you show us, Lord, it is not in ourselves, but it is in the power of God who raises the dead. Oh God, please strengthen our faith. Strengthen our faith God so that we would not rely upon ourselves.

That all of our faith and hope would rest in the risen Savior, that we could stand fearlessly before attackers and profess Christ as King. Oh Lord, build up the faith of your people Make us strong make us beautiful Lord for the day of your visitation Lord your bride longs for your day Come quickly Lord Jesus