Always Be Prepared

The Story of Dr. Kent Brantley

Medical missionary who risked his life to treat Ebola patients in Africa. He ended up contracting Ebola and nearly dying.

• “He called me to serve Him in places where the need is great and others may not be willing to go.”

The church is called to embrace this way of life — a commitment to doing God’s work no matter how costly it might become. 

How the Church was Treated in the First Century

• Slander & False Accusations (1 Peter 2:12, 15; 3:16)
• Insults, Threats, & Abuse (1 Peter 3:9, 14; 4:4, 14)
• Evil Actions, Violence, Suffering (1 Peter 1:6; 2:18, 20; 3:13; 4:15-16; 5:9-10)

The Challenge: How to stay true to our identity and calling in a society that sometimes wants nothing to do with God, the Bible, or Christians. 

Christ and Culture

Christians have tried various approaches throughout Christian History:

• Withdraw — Avoid and escape.
• Conquer — Persuade when possible, conquer if necessary.
• Accommodate — Blend in, compromise.
• Transform — Transform people’s hearts and minds through a Christlike way of life.

Transforming Hearts Through our Christian Witness

Sermon Title: “Always Be Prepared.”

Main Message: We are called to make the most of every opportunity to share about our faith in Jesus, both through the words we speak and the life we live.

Scripture: 1 Peter 3:15-16

Revere Christ as Lord — There is room for only one Lord in each of our hearts. Jesus can’t be Lord if our money, career, family, politicians, or comfort already are.

Three Actions to Take:

• Always be ready to share the Gospel.
• When you do, speak respectfully.
• Live a Godly life.

The message we preach will either be supported or undermined by our character and way of life.

• If we want people to believe the Christian message, they need to be able to see our Christlike hearts and our Christian way of life.

Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9)

• The seed (God’s Word) needs to land on good soil to produce a crop.
• Our message is like the seed. We can soften people’s hearts by demonstrating a Christlike attitude and living the Christian life.

Remember: Our Actions Can Speak Louder than Words.

• We can soften the hearts of our critics by cultivating a Christlike heart and living a Gospel-centered life. See 1 Pet. 2:12, 15; 3:1, 16.

Character and Conduct (1 Peter 3:8-12)

The household codes (1 Peter 2:18-3:7) teach specific people can act to glorify God and lead others to Christ in their unique circumstances.

Advice for All Christians: 1 Peter 3:8-12

• Emphasis 1 — A Christlike Heart
• Emphasis 2 — Christian Living

Always Be Prepared (1 Peter 3:13-18)

• Be willing to suffer in the name of preaching the Gospel.
• It’s a blessing in disguise to suffer on account of your faith. It shows you aren’t compromising your identity and purpose. 
• It’s further proof you are following in the footsteps of the Messiah.

What if You’re Mistreated by Someone in the Church?

1 Peter 3 primarily addresses how to respond to harsh treatment from the non-Christian world. 

Other Biblical passages teach us how to confront sin and resolve conflict within the church:

1. Go to them directly (Matthew 18:15-17)
2. Use God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
3. Seek reconciliation (Matthew 5:23-24)

Remember: Gossip, slander, and false accusations are sins that undermine the unity of the church.

Application:

We can soften the hearts of our critics and eventually lead them to Jesus by speaking the truth, showing respect, and living a godly life.

Study and Reflection

“You are a Christian because somebody cared. Now it’s your turn.” -Warren Wiersbe

Read: Colossians 4:2-6

1. Paul asks the church to pray for his ministry. What are the specific things he asks them to pray about?
2. How does this passage from Paul relate to Peter’s instructions to the church in 1 Peter 3? What similarities do you see, and what (if anything) strikes you as different?
3. How can we be “wise” in the way we act toward outsiders? What is the ultimate goal of our interactions with them, and what can we do to move them toward that goal?
4. Peter and Paul both seem to emphasize the need to speak the truth in a way that is gracious and kind. What would happen to our Christian witnesses if we were all truth (with no grace), or all gentleness (with no truth)?
5. One way to “make the most of every opportunity” to talk about Jesus is to prepare in advance a short explanation of why you’re a Christian. How would you answer that question in about a minute (or less)?
6. Paul alludes to the fact that God needs to open a door for their message, but that he (and other Christians) need to be willing to speak up when he does. How can you be better prepared to answer the call when God opens a door in your life?
7. How does our lifestyle and character affect the credibility of our evangelism as Christians?
8. What is the call to action you hear from Colossians 4 and/or 1 Peter 3 today?