How to Retaliate Like Jesus | 1 Peter 3:8-17

Series: A living Hope in a dying world

Title: How to retaliate like Jesus

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:8-17 NIV

John 14:6

1 Peter 2:2-3

James 1:2-4

Matthew 5:11-12

1 Peter 3:18

Bottom line: Jesus calls us to retaliate with blessing.

SERMON OUTLINE
NOTES
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
OUTLINES
MAIN REFERENCES USED

SERMON OUTLINE

Introduction

An arm of our Milky Way Galaxy over the La Silla Observatory in northern Chile. The terms Milky Way and galaxy come from the Latin via lactea, or "the road of milk," derivative of the more ancient Greek term galaxias kyklos, or "milky circle." A luminou reminder that Jesus is "the Way" and His Word is like pure milk (John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:2-3)

In 1807, John Newton, best known as composer of the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’, encapsulated the amazing grace of God in some of his last words as he lay dying. He declared: ‘I am a great sinner but Christ is a great Saviour.’

Jesus was insulted, persecuted and slandered by his enemies.

How did Jesus retaliate?

He didn’t. Per ChatGPT: “No, Jesus is often portrayed as teaching non-retaliation and forgiveness. In the biblical narrative, particularly in the New Testament, Jesus is characterized as promoting love for enemies and responding to hostility with patience and compassion. The idea is rooted in teachings such as "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies," emphasizing a non-retaliatory and forgiving approach.”

Retaliation refers to the act of responding to an injury or harm with a corresponding injury or harm. It often involves seeking revenge or reprisal against someone who has wronged or harmed you.

When I googled questions people are asking about retaliation, I learned at least 2 things:

People don’t know what the word means. (They’re asking a lot)
People are asking a lot about retaliation as it relates to the work place.

How did Jesus retaliate?

He retaliated the opposite to how the world retaliates:

He forgave.
He turned the other cheek.
He blessed responding to evil with good.

Let’s look at the passage in detail and see all that Jesus had to say about how to live out our living hope in this dying world that tempts us to retaliate with evil.

Outline (based on the Outline Bible)

1 PETER 3—Peter talks about appropriate conduct for believers in light of what Christ has done for us.

LAST WEEK

I. THE CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS (3:1-17)

A. Responsibilities of wives (3:1-6)

1. Peter's exhortation (3:1-5)

a. Concerning their behavior (3:1-2): Wives should depend upon their lives more than their lips in witnessing to unsaved husbands.

b. Concerning their beauty (3:3-5): Inner beauty is far more important than outer beauty.

2. Peter's example (36): He uses Sarah of the Old Testament as a role model.

B. Responsibilities of husbands (3:7)

1. What they are to do (3:7a): Husbands must be considerate of their wives and respect them.

2. Why they are to do it (3:7b): If they fail here, their prayers will not be answered.

THIS WEEK

C. Responsibilities of all (3:8-17)

1. Live in loving harmony (3:8).

2. Reward both good and evil with good (3:9-14).

3. Worship Christ as Lord, and always be ready to explain your faith (3:15).

4. Be ready to defend your faith (3:16-17).

Conclusion

Bottom Line:

Q. What do I want them to know?

A. How God expects you to live as a Christian tempted by retaliation.

Q. Why do I want them to know it?

A. Because Christ Jesus died so that you could respond to injustice as Jesus did.

Q. What do I want them to do about it?

A. Respond to insult, persecution and slander with blessing.

Q. Why do I want them to do it?

A. Because he commands it, models it, and empowers us to do it.

Q. How can they begin to do this?

A. 1. Trust Christ Jesus today. Repent and believe.

Forgive those who’ve wronged you.
Apologize to those you’ve wronged. Make things right as much as possible.
Live a holy, good, life blessing others as you’ve been blessed. Return good for good and for evil.
Embrace the unjust, undeserved suffering that comes your way.
Do life with followers of Jesus Christ as described in v. 8-12.
Be prepared to answer.
Read your bible every day. Pray about what you read. Obey what you read.
LOL: Listen, Obey, Lead others to do the same; SOAP.

Pray

NOTES

“After a particular Sunday morning worship service, a member of St. Andrew’s greeted me. When he shook my hand, he held on and said, “Pastor, my daughter is in the Air Force, and she is being deployed to the Middle East.” He began to tremble, and tears rolled down his cheeks. It was a poignant moment. I sensed the fear and concern he had for his daughter. He was expressing what every parent feels when a son or daughter is called into the midst of warfare. He said to me, “Please pray for my daughter,” and I said, “Yes, of course.” At St. Andrew’s, we have lists of people for whom we regularly pray, but this particular encounter was so urgent that I could not go to sleep that week without first pleading for his daughter before the Lord. It weighed on me because he had communicated the intensity of his feelings.To have sympathy is pathos, or passion that is shared”

Excerpt From

1-2 Peter - An Expositional Commentary

R.C. Sproul

This material may be protected by copyright.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Discovery Bible Study process:

Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story

What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really God’s word, what changes would I have to make in my life?

Who am I going to tell about this?

Final Questions (optional or in place of above)

What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?

Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast

OUTLINES

OUTLINE Bible 1 PETER 3—Peter talks about appropriate conduct for believers in light of what Christ has done for us.

I. THE CONDUCT OF BELIEVERS (3:1-17)

A. Responsibilities of wives (3:1-6) LAST WEEK

1. Peter's exhortation (3:1-5)

a. Concerning their behavior (3:1-2): Wives should depend upon their lives more than their lips in witnessing to unsaved husbands.

b. Concerning their beauty (3:3-5): Inner beauty is far more important than outer beauty.

2. Peter's example (36): He uses Sarah of the Old Testament as a role model.

B. Responsibilities of husbands (3:7)

1. What they are to do (3:7a): Husbands must be considerate of their wives and respect them.

2. Why they are to do it (3:7b): If they fail here, their prayers will not be answered.

C. Responsibilities of all (3:8-17) THIS WEEK

1. Live in loving harmony (3:8).

2. Reward both good and evil with good (3:9-14).

3. Worship Christ as Lord, and always be ready to explain your faith (3:15).

4. Be ready to defend your faith (3:16-17).

NEXT WEEK

II. THE CHRIST OF BELIEVERS (3:18-22): Peter describes a fourfold ministry accomplished by the Savior.

A. His death (3:18)

1. The permanence (3:18a): He died for our sins once and for all.

2. The purpose (3:18b): He died to reconcile sinners to God.

B. His journey to the spirit world (3:19-20)

1. The transgression (3:19): Jesus preached against the sins of these evil spirits.

2. The time (3:20): They committed their wickedness in the days of Noah.

C. His resurrection (3:21)

1. The salvation (3:21 a): Jesus' resurrection guarantees our redemption.

2. The symbol (3:21b): Water baptism.

D. His ascension and exaltation (3:22)

Clowney’s Outline

7. The blessing of living with Christian suffering (1 Peter 3:8-22)

Response to suffering in a life of blessing (3:8-12)

Called to a life of blessing
Called to bless in response to cursing
Called to bless as heirs of blessing

The blessed witness of suffering fro righteousness (3:13-22)

The opportunity for witness in word (3:13-15)
The opportunity for witness in life (3:16-17)
The victory of Christ’s suffering (3:18-22)

Helms’ Outline

Encouragement to Continue

I. The Need for Encouragement (1 Peter 3:8-17)

A. The Encouraging Phrase: Called to be a blessing

B. The Ideal Biblical Reference: Psalm 34

C. The Precise Words: Fear and Blessing

Fear
Blessing

II. Encouragement in Christ’s Victory (1 Peter 3:18-22)

A. Detectives in search of meaning

B. More clues from the surrounding context

A particular word: Subject
A special relationship: Jesus
An encouraging conclusion to our pursuit

MAIN REFERENCES USED

“1 - 2 Peter and Jude,” by David Helm, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes

“1 & 2 Peter ” by RC Sproul

“1 & 2 Peter and Jude” by Thomas Schreiner

“The Message of 1 Peter” by Edmund Clowney

“Look at the Book” by John Piper

“The Visual Word,” Patrick Schreiner

“1 Peter: A living hope in Christ”, Jen Wilkin Bible study

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)

“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)

Outline Bible, D Willmington

NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org

“The Bible in One Year 2023 with Nicky Gumbel” bible reading plan on YouVersion app

ChatGPT https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt

AnswerThePublic.com

Wikipedia.com

It Really Is About Resurrection | Matthew 22:23-33

It Really is About Resurrection!

Marriage is important on Earth, but in Heaven there is no marriage.

All relationships will be perfect and God will provide the intimacy and closeness as our Heavenly Father.

Pharisees

Believed in the OT books.
Believed in resurrection
Believed in angels
Heaven for God and His people

Sadducees (not like Jesus – spoke heaven, judgment and hell)

Only first 5 books

No resurrection

No judgment or punishment

No heaven

Jesus quotes Exodus 3:6 (Jesus knows his audience). Like John 3:16 to us today, Ex 3:6 to the 1st Century Jew.

God is not the God of the dead but the God of the living!

What's the Big Deal About Jesus Christ? | Colossians 1:5-20

Series: Colossians: Supreme!

Title: “What’s the Big Deal about Jesus Christ?”

Scripture: Colossians 1:5-20; John 1:1-8, 14:9; Heb 1:3

(Commentary helps listed at the end)

Bottom line: Jesus Christ deserves our highest praise (worship) and deepest devotion (work, witness) because the gospel of Christ has rescued us from our rebellion and hopeless condition.

INTRODUCTION

Opening story:

God put the cookies on the bottom shelf when he came down as Jesus. He did this to make it easier for us to understand and comprehend more of who he is and what he’s like.

This translated note was translated Aug 8, 2021:

CONTEXT

The apostle Paul is going to hear about the Colossian church from Epaphras. He’s going to hear:

About their faith, love and hope.
About the false teachings that are moving in and infecting the church family.

It is in response to this second point that moves Paul to write this letter to them. He wants them to remain spiritually healthy in Christ.

The bullseye of discipleship at Grace CF is Christ-like character and competency. That’s high faith, love and hope according to Colossians 1 and Philemon 5.

This week we transition from the prayer of thanksgiving to a Christological hymn of praise that should move us to worship him in awe and gladly submit to him in obedience to his loving authority.

THEME

Absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as the head of all creation and of the church.

3:1 Overall exhortation/application: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is (for now) seated at the right hand of God.”

2:6 Says it another way: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.”

OUTLINE

Better questions: What’s the big deal about Jesus Christ?

Paul answers this question with a hymn sung to remind people why Jesus is supreme and therefore deserves all our worship, work, and witness.

Bottom line: Jesus Christ deserves our highest praise (worship) and deepest devotion (work, witness) because the gospel of Christ has rescued us from our rebellion and hopeless condition.

I. Jesus is the Lord of Creation (15-17)

A. He is the authority of creation (15)

Jesus makes the invisible visible (even thought limited by his humanity cf. Phil 2:6-8)
This alone makes him worthy of worship

B. He is the agent of creation (16)

C. He is the aim of creation (16-17)

Application: Christ must be first in our worship.

II. Jesus is the Head of the Church (18)

A. He is the source of the Church (18)

B. He is sovereign over the Church (18)

Application: Christ must be first in our work.

NEXT WEEK

III. Jesus is the Savior of the Cross (19-23)

A. He reveals the Father to us (19)

B. He reconciles us to the Father (20-23)

Application: Christ must be first in our witness.

CONCLUSION

Three Ways You Can Exercise Faith

The islanders were cannibals. Nobody trusted anybody else. His life was in constant danger. He had come to tell them the good news about Jesus. He wanted to translate John’s Gospel into their language, but he discovered that there was no word in their language for ‘trust’, ‘belief’ or ‘faith’.

John Paton (1824–1907), a Scot, had travelled to the New Hebrides (a group of islands in the south-west Pacific) determined to tell the tribal people about Jesus, but he struggled to find the right word for ‘faith’. One day, when his indigenous servant came in, Paton raised both feet off the floor, sat back in his chair and asked, ‘What am I doing now?’ In reply, the servant used a word that means, ‘to lean your whole weight upon’. This became the expression that Paton used. Faith is leaning our whole weight upon Jesus.

Bottom line: Jesus Christ deserves our highest praise (worship) and deepest devotion (work, witness) because the gospel of Christ has rescued us from our rebellion and hopeless condition.

Do you believe (fully leaning on) Jesus is Lord over creation? Does your worship reflect that?

Do you believe (fully leaning on) Jesus is Head of the Church? Does your work reflect that?

Pray

Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32

OTHER NOTES:

“By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

https://hebrews.bible/hebrews-11-27

Outline Bible

I. Christ and the Church at Colossae (1:15-23)

A. Who Christ is (1:15): He is the visible image of the invisible God.

B. What Christ has done (1:16-23)

In regard to creation (1:16-17, 20)
1. He created all things (1:16) PAST
2. He sustains all things (1:17) PRESENT
3. He will reconcile all things (1:20) FUTURE
In regard to the Church (1:18-19, 21-23): He has been appointed head of the Church.

Kent Hughes outline

I. Christ: Supreme in eternity (15a)

II. Christ: Supreme in creation (15b-17): In 4 ways:

A. Firstborn (authority)

Sounds like first person created but ignores context
Creator of everything (from nothing) and eternal
Firstborn means first in rank/honor. Ex. 800,000 catalogued insects of which there are billions of species

B. Creator (agent)

C. Goal (aim)

D. Sustainer (atom)

III. Christ: Supreme in the Church (18)

Scott Pace outline (15-23)

Main idea: The glory of Christ deserves our highest praise and deepest devotion because the gospel of Christ has rescued us from our rebellious hearts and hopeless condition.

I. Jesus is the Lord of Creation (15-17)

A. He is the authority of creation (15)

B. He is the agent of creation (16)

C. He is the aim of creation (16-17)

Application: Christ must be first in our worship.

II. Jesus is the Head of the Church (18)

A. He is the source of the Church (18)

B. He is sovereign over the Church (18)

Application: Christ must be first in our work.

III. Jesus is the Savior of the Cross (19-23)

A. He reveals the Father to us (19)

B. He reconciles us to the Father (20-23)

Application: Christ must be first in our witness.

FF Bruce Outline

I. Christ the Agent in Creation (15-16)

II. Lord of the Universe and Head of the Church (17-18)

III. Christ the Agent in Reconciliation (19-20)

NT Wright

15

16

17 “And he is ahead (before), prior to all else…

18 “And he himself is supreme, the head over the body, the church

19

20

Describes who Jesus Christ is and why he matters to us with respect to authority, allegiance, and awe (worship).

In Hebrew, “head” has several meanings (like in English):

Jesus Christ is…

“First born” (15 & 18)

“Supreme” (17) = “head” or “before all things”

“Head” of there body = church (18)

“Beginning” = “head” (18)

If the Colossians are to grow as Christians, they need to know Christ is and what he has already done (and does)!

Centrality and Supremacy of Jesus Christ

God = Jesus Christ

This shows us how to live in and for him each day.

3 Things this poem/hymn points us to about Jesus Christ and what God has done in and through him:

By looking at Jesus we discover who God is.
1. While nobody has ever seen God, in Jesus God has
  1. Come near, and
  2. Become one of us
2. Jesus is the mirror image of the invisible God who is there but not normally seen
3. Seeing what Jesus did gives us a better view of who God is. (Rom 5:8)
Jesus holds together the old world AND the new, creation, and the new creation.
1. Jesus Christ is the one through whom creation was made, and
2. Jesus Christ is for whom creation was made.
3. When the beauty of our world causes you to catch your breath, remember it’s like that because of jesu. “Firstborn over all creation”
4. Also, he’s who heals the world from evil through live, cross, burial, resurrection and ascension. “Firstborn from the dead”
Jesus is therefore the blueprint (pattern) for the genuine humanness which is one offered through the gospel.
1. As head of the body, the Church
2. As first to rise again from the dead
3. As the one through whom cruel death God has dealt with our sins and brought peace and reconciliation
4. As the one through whom the new creation has now begun.

This is when Jesus has summoned us to experience genuine humanity.

My Notes

4 Christological passages in the Bible:

CHjOP:

C - Colossians 1:15-23

H - Hebrews 1:1-4

jO - John 1:1-18

P - Philippians 2:5-11

Gospel Transformation Bible

Christ is supreme over all things—visible and invisible
Christ is Lord over all
- From creation of all things
- To redemption of their souls
Christ is both
- Transcendent Lord of all things far removed from them
- Immanent Lord of all things near to them
Christ created all things and brings peace to all who trust him
Christ is head of
- Creation (15-17)
- The Church (18-20)

NIV Study Bible

Perhaps an early Christian Hymn on the supremacy of Christ used here to counteract the false teachings at Colossae.

2 Parts:

Supremacy of Christ in creation (15-17), and
Supremacy of Christ in redemption (18-20).

“Image of God” (15) cf. “radiance of God” (Heb 1:3)

This figure of image suggests 2 things:

God is invisible (“no one has ever seen God” John 1:18)
Christ, who is the eternal Son of God and who became the God-man, reflects and reveals him (cf John 1:18, 14:9) “Anyone has seen me has seen the Father”

1:15 “firstborn over all creation”—Just as the firstborn son had certain privileges and rights in the Biblical world, so also Christ has certain rights in relation to all creation—

Priority
Preeminence
Sovereignty

1:16 “by him all things were created” (cf John 1:3)—7x in 6 verses Paul mentions “all creation,” “all things” and “everything,” thus stressing that Christ is supreme over all.

Including “thrones or powers or rulers or authorities” Colossians heresy includes hierarchy of angelic beings.

1:17 “He is before all things” referring to time, as in John 1:1-2, 8:58

1:18 “Beginning” of the new creation. “Firstborn” Christ was first to rise from teh dead with regular body. Others raised from the dead in the Bible died again. (Raised vs Resurrected)

1:19 “fullness”

Gnostics = the summation of the supernatural forces controlling the fate of people
Paul = the totality of God with all his powers and attributes

MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:

Exalting Jesus in Colossians by Scott Pace
Preaching the Word: Philippians, Colossians and Philemon commentary by R. Kent Hughes
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Outline Bible, Wilmington
Paul for Everyone, The Prison Letters, NT Wright’s commentary on Philippians and Colossians
Gospel Transformation Bible
NIV Study Bible

The Best is Yet to Come | Revelation 1:1-8

We are beginning a new series on the Book of Revelation. You will recall last week’s title: As We Wait in Uncertain Times, Put Your Hope in Him for All Time (Psalm 146). This week’s title: “The Best is Yet to Come” Main idea: “Those who hear and obey God‘s word concerning who Jesus is and what he does will be blessed by the Lord.” Bottom line: No matter how bad things get, the best is yet to come. And his name is Jesus. As pastor Darien Gabriel walks us through the book or Revelation, we look forward to Christ’s second coming just has we have remembered HIs first advent.

What are we so excited about? Who are We Waiting for? | Luke 2

Luke 2: What are we so excited about? Who are We Waiting for?

Bottom Line: God Became a Man

So, what we’re NOT trying to do on Christmas Eve is try to make the birth of Christ more exciting. 1. If we don’t think “God became a man” is exciting enough, we should get our pulse checked.

God Became a Man, and He shouldn’t have to compete for our affection with a new phone, nunchucks, a new car or a big guy in a red suit. We don’t have to hang lights on the Light of the World.

God Became a Man – the greatest event to occur in the history of the universe

Guest UserDecember 22, 2020Grace Fellowship ChurchAdvent, Christmas, Luke 2, Angels, Shapherds, Baby Jesus, Jesus, Christian, Messiah, Christ

Transformed to Transform | Luke 1:57-80

Bottom line: God’s great mercy leads to radiant joy and praise that transforms lives Transformation is visible. Transformation is dramatic. Transformation is life-changing. I was transformed the first time I saw the Atlantic Ocean as a kid. When we talk about transforming lives, that’s exactly what we are going for. We want a life that is so transformed that maybe the most dramatic comparison is the difference between a corpse and a person fully alive and healthy. (Eph 2:1-9). Join us as Pastor Darien teaches on Luke 1.

Believe It Or Not, Jesus Is Coming | Luke 1:5-38

Bottom line: whether you believe God’s word or not, Jesus is coming...again.

Whether you believe God’s word or not, it will come to pass. Even when you fail to believe, God’s mercy is there for you. He disciplines his children when they fail to trust him. But he brings them back into fellowship as well. Just ask Zechariah. You can please God when you take him at his word. Just ask Mary. (Cf. Heb 11:3). Make sure you don’t miss the point for the pointer. The point is that God wants to walk in fellowship with you. He sent Jesus to restore our fellowship with him. That’s why he came the first time. The second time he’s coming to finish what he started. A re you ready?

Be Prepared To Answer | 1 Peter 3:15-16

Bottom line: Doing good means always being prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you why you have hope and to do so w/ gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. That includes your enemies and your persecutors. Be prepared & ready to share with anyone why you have hope.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place where people went to meet with God. This was God’s home as we see in our Old Testament passage for today (Ezekiel 43:5).

The message of our New Testament passage though is that the glory and presence of God is to be found supremely in Jesus. It is at the very moment that Jesus is rejected and crucified that God’s presence among people is finally and fully realized. From that point on there is no need for a physical temple. The only church building the New Testament speaks about is a building made of people (Ephesians 2:20–22), founded and built upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me. This is God’s new home.

Truth: God Revealed It. We Teach It. | Titus 2

The Main Thing

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Keith Eitel

Bottom line:

•When we see God as he truly is, it reveals to us how we are to live. [Principle]

•When we see God as Truth, we teach it with character and competency so that God’s people live good, godly lives.

Most people are blind to the truth. That’s why they don’t teach it.

Chris & Amy Karpus Share Their Testimony of Miracles God Did

Chris & Amy Karpus share about their extraordinary experience of multiple miracles that brought Chris back from cardiac arrest (2x) and a “Brain dead” diagnosis in late July 2020. Just over a month later, Chris shares from the heart and from God’s word lessons learned along the way. Amy shares lessons too but also a lot of the medical details that help us see how miraculous this really was.

He’s Able. He’s Worthy. But Count the Cost | Matt 8:18-34

Bottom line: Because Jesus has absolute authority in the world and deserves absolute allegiance from the world, we trust, rest, submit to and rejoice in that authority. But we must count the cost.

Jesus is worthy of unconditional trust, even if it means giving up earthly security and comforts. (Matt 8:18-20; parallel Luke 9:57-62)

Jesus Is Lord Over Disease | Matt 8: 5-17

When Jesus came to die on the cross, he came to address the root problem—not suffering, but sin. The price was his life to over our sins. Does that mean his will for the world is we no longer experience pain, sickness, and suffering? No. These pictures of miraculous healings are to give us a picture of what is to come in the fullness of God’s kingdom when Christ fully exerts his absolute authority and reign over the earth. But not yet. In the meantime, we live in a world of suffering and pain. In fact, suffering will actually increase as a result of trusting Christ for salvation. So consider that before trusting and following Jesus. Lots of words from Jesus and Paul confirm this will happen.

Storms of Life | Matt 8:1-4, 23-27

Jesus shows us His authority over all things, even the weather when he commands the storm to cease. Only God can speak things into being. Only God can command the winds and the waves and have them obey. This same Jesus, fully God and fully man is sovereign over every circumstance in your life.

Sermons

Three Ways You Can Exercise Faith