It Is Better . . . to Suffer

13 September 2009

1 Peter 3: 8 – 18a

John 21: 15 – 19

Peter 10

‘It is better . . . to suffer’

1. Once when he was to preach at the University of Sydney in Australia, evangelist and pastor John Stott lost his voice. He writes this:

"What can you do with a missionary who has no voice?

We had come to the last night of the evangelistic campaign.

The students had booked the big university hall. A group of students gathered around me, and I asked them to pray as Paul did, that this thorn in the flesh might be taken from me. But we went on to pray that if it pleased God to keep me in weakness, I would rejoice in my infirmities in order that the power of Christ might rest upon me.

As it turned out, I had to get within one inch of the microphone just to croak the gospel. I was unable to use any inflection of voice to express my personality. It was just a croak in a monotone, and all the time we were crying to God that his power would be demonstrated in human weakness.

Well, I can honestly say that there was a far greater response that night than any other night. I've been back to Australia ten times now, and on every occasion somebody has come up to me and said, 'Do you remember that night when you lost your voice? I was converted that night.'"
Then he adds these words:

“The Lord loves us when we are weak, because it is then that He can work through us.”

2. Well, as we have looked at the life of Peter there were certainly times when he was weak – and when he was strong.

Over the nine weeks that I have been talking on Peter we have seen that:

Jesus Christ chooses ordinary people to do his extraordinary work in this world. And none was so ordinary than the one who would become the leader of the inner circle and chief spokesman to the Jews - Simon Peter.

And we also saw that Peter was one who tended to live up to his name – Simon – a ‘reed’. He was one who was blown in this direction and that by the emotions and pressures of the moment. He was inconsistent, unpredictable, unsteady, and you arenever sure when he would make the next mistake.
One minute he is proclaiming Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God – the next he is denying him.
There was also one thing about Peter that never changed – and that was his impetuousness. Sometimes it made him look horrendously idiotic – like when tried to stop Jesus washing his feet.

But at other times it makes him look heroically brave – like when he steps out of the boat during a storm – or swims 90 metres – just to be with Jesus.

But there is one thing that is neverin doubt – especially after his meeting with Jesus on the lake shore after the resurrection – and that is Peter’s devotion to Jesus.

3. And that devotion led to Peter becoming the ‘Rock’ that Jesus predicted he would become.

We saw last week that it was Peter who takes charge of the early Church.

And in the first twelve chapters of the Book of Acts it’s all Peter.

It’s Peter who stands up and preaches the first sermon – and 3000 people come to Christ.
It’s Peter and John who heal the cripple at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple.
It’s Peter defends his and John’s actions before the Jewish leaders after they had healed the cripple.

It’s Peter who confronts Ananias and Sapphira when they lie and try to cheat the Church and God.
It’s Peter and John whom the Church in Jerusalem send to Samaria when they wanted to know what was happening there – and it’s Peter who condemns Simon, a sorcerer, who offers them money to obtain the power of the Holy Spirit.
It’s to Peter that the Holy Spirit sends the centurion Cornelius – and out of that meeting Gentiles become Christians and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
And Acts 12 – Tells of Peter’s miraculous escape from Prison.

4. And tradition tells us that shortly after that miraculous escape Peter starts on his missionary journeys.

And where Paul became known as the ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’ – it’s Peter who becomes know as the ‘Apostle to the Jews’.

We are told that he first went to Antioch – and stayed there for seven years.

Then he went to Asia Minor – and Peter’s first letter it is addressed to the Churches in provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, and Bithynia which are all in Asia Minor.

And then we are told he went to Rome – arriving in about A.D. 61.

Let me read what William Barclay writes in his book ‘The Masters Men’

‘The story goes that in Rome Peter again came into conflict with Simon the Sorcerer, with whom he had already dealt with in Samaria (Acts 8:9-24). Simon claimed to have raised a young man from the dead, but Peter showed him up forthe charlatan that he was.

Then Simon proposed to demonstrate his power by flying through the air, but Peter prayed that his deceit might be demonstrated to all, and Simon crashed in his attempt and was killed.

Simon had a great following in Rome, and Peter's exposure of him gained him many enemies. Worse was to follow.

By the preaching of Peter the four concubines of Agrippa, the prefect, were converted and changed their way of life.

Still further, by the influence of Peter, Xanthippe, the wife of Albinus, the favourite of the Emperor, was persuaded to a life of chastity.

Both Agrippa and Albinus were enraged and determined that Peter must die. Peter was warned and was encouraged by his friends and the Church to seek safety in flight, so that he might be spared to further serve the Lord.

But, as Peter was fleeing from the city, he had a vision of the Lord Jesus walking towardsRome. "Lord," he said, "where are you going?" The Lord answered: "I’m going to Rome to be crucified."

"Lord," said Peter, "areyou being crucified again?"

"Yes, Peter," said the Lord, "I’m being crucified again."

Peter then understood that Jesus was going into Rome to bear the cross from which he was running away.

So Peter turned back to die.

With a refinement of cruelty Peter's wife was crucified before him, while he was compelled to look on. Peter encouraged her, and said: "Remember the Lord".

With such courage did Peter conduct himself that even his jailer was moved to accept the Christian faith.

When the moment of crucifixion came Peter requested that he might be crucified head downwards, for he said that he was not worthy to die the way his Lord had died.’

The man who denied Jesus in the courtyard of the High Priest in Jerusalem would never deny him again – he would rather die.
The man who ran from the courtyard of the High Priest in Jerusalem would never ran again – he would rather die.
The man who said ‘I do not know him’ in the Courtyard of the High Priest in Jerusalem would never call anyone but Jesus ‘Lord and Master’ – he would rather die.

Here was a man who was not afraid of what men could do to the body – because here was a man who had given his heart to the Lord Jesus.

5. Fear – it is the one thing that keeps us from being dynamic Christians.

We are afraid of sharing the Gospel.
We are afraid of what our friends might thing – they might think we’re a fanatic.
We are afraid of being embarrassed if we speak out about our faith.
We are afraid of showing our emotions and feelings.

We are afraid.

Yet in that passage read for us this morning in 1 Peter 3 – Peter urges us not to be afraid.

In fact he urges us to hold on to 4 key principles as we live out our Christian lives in this non-Christian world.

6. First he says – be passionate about doing good.
In verses 8 and 13 he talks about us “living in harmony with everyone” and doing good “with heart and soul”.

Be kind. Theology will never save anyone but being kind will.

Go out into the world and do good – allow the light of Christ to shine out of your life into someone else’s life.

Let them see Jesus in you.

7. Second. Accept the possibility of suffering.
Peter wants us to understand that goodness on our part is not a 100% guaranteed of our protection from attack or evil.

It is an ugly truth that darkness hates the light, and it will do all in its power to snuff it out – because the light exposesthe corruption and evil of the world.
Jesus said: “In this world you will have tribulation”. But thank goodness he didn’t just leave it there – He went on to say, “But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world”.

God’s blessing and God’s presence will never leave us.

8. Third. Make an inner commitment to always honour Jesus Christ as Lord.

The NIV says, ‘But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.’
But I like the way the ‘Message’ puts it: ‘Through thick and thin, keep your hearts . . . in adoration before Christ, your Master.’

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) was present at the ViennaMusic Hall, where his oratorio ‘The Creation’ was being performed. Weakened by age, the great composer was confined to a wheelchair. As the majestic work moved along, the audience was caught up with tremendous emotion. When the passage "And there was light!" was reached, the chorus and orchestra burst forth in such power that the crowd could no longer restrain its enthusiasm.

The vast assembly rose in spontaneous applause. Haydn struggled to stand and motioned for silence. With his hand he pointed toward heaven, and said, "No, no, not from me, but from thence comes all!" Having given the glory and praise to the Creator, he fell back into his chair exhausted.

I think that’s what God wants from us – in all that we do – bring honour to the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9. Fourth. Peter says that we are to be ready to give an answer to the hope we have in Christ.

When somebody asks you about your faith – and your Christian belief – what do you do?

Do you shrug your shoulders and say your don’t know.
Do you give a little laugh and say – ‘Don’t ask me!’
Or do you try to share – to the best of your ability - what you believe

Please, I want encourage all of us to take some time to think through the essentials of our faith –

Why do you believe in God?
Why do you believe God sent Jesus to earth?
Why do you believe that Jesus’ death on the cross enables you to have forgiveness of sins
Why do we need our sins forgiven?

As you share those things God will bless you – it might not be easy – but God will bless you and be with you.

10. Peter shared them – he shared them with all who would listen to them. It got him into trouble – in fact it killed him – but in sharing his love and devotion for Jesus he saved many people.

Maybe you could do the same.

AMEN