1 Peter 3:8-15

When is the last time you’ve been asked why are you the way you are? Peter is encouraging this church in the mist of suffering, to prepare yourself to bring glory to Christ, even in the worst of circumstances because of your relationship with Christ!

1. A true believer has reasons for hope, because of the rebirth! You don’t have to prove historically and locally why you have hope, the Holy Spirit reveals it to you. You just have to share what has happened to you! There is a wonderful place for apologetics, the defense of the faith, but never discredit your relationship with Christ for the reason!
2. People will examine and evaluate your life to see if you are the real deal! A Christian is a person who is willing to die for Christ! You don’t die for falsehoods, you don’t die for maybes, you don’t die for something or someone you are crossing your fingers for!
3. You don’t trust Christ for no reason, you surrender your life to the Creator, knowing full well that He is your daily hope, eternal hope, and hope for others.
4. The unbeliever, if touched by the Holy Spirit will be captivated with your answer!

J Christ Gives Sustainability vv.8-12

Your relationship with Jesus Christ enables you to be resilient, it supersedes and sustains you through every earthly situation and circumstance! Why, how, when? Why and how; because He is God and we are not!  “What is impossible for man is possible with God…” Luke 18:27. When; now and for eternity. Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Even if man kills the body he cannot kill the soul if you’re in Christ!

Matthew 10:28 “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

John 10:28 “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Those who do the most for Christ, see the most of Christ!

Let’s break down v.15 and see the all sufficient worth of Christ in this text.

Heart– Is your heart prepared for a defensive battle of honor and holiness? V.8 sets the stage for this when Peter says “brotherly love, tender heart, and a humble mind. v.9 do not repay evil for evil…” you can’t do that if Christ isn’t your sufficiency here. You will not burn on a steak or get your head chopped off if you’re not totally, radically in love with the one who love your soul! Amen?

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Is Christ truly your treasure!

Prepared– Are you a student of God’s Word, our culture, our community for the glory of God? 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Defense– “How do you defend a lion, you let the lion out of the cage.” -CH Spurgeon. Luke 12:11-12 “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Reason for the Hope– Practice your testimony! Write it down! It should include what you were like before Christ saved you, when Christ saved you, and now what you’re doing as a result of Christ saving you!