Bear Witness Through Suffering and Trust God

In one paragraph

Pastor Ray opened with a baptism, as Olivia Tolson, age eleven, was baptized by her father Dan after asking her dad to call Pastor Ray and make it happen that same week. The sermon then worked through 1 Peter 3:13-22, a passage about suffering, witness, and the hope that holds Christians together when living faithfully costs something. Pastor Ray started by putting the congregation's relative...

Read together

1. Psalm 139:1-2, 5-6, 7 opened the service with God knowing and surrounding us everywhere we go
2. 1 Peter 3:13-22 the main text for the sermon
3. Matthew 10:26-32 Jesus telling his followers not to fear those who kill the body, quoted alongside Peter's words about not fearing intimidation
4. Jeremiah 10:6 read aloud as a declaration: there is none like You, Lord
5. 1 John 1:9 God is faithful to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness when we confess our sins
6. Luke 16 the great chasm fixed between heaven and hell that cannot be crossed after death
7. Philippians 2:6-9 Christ did not grasp equality with God but took the form of a servant, died on the cross, and was therefore exalted above all names
8. Romans 13 God has given authority to government and we are to live under it
9. Hebrews 9:27 it is appointed for a man once to die and after that the judgment, used to rule out postmortem conversion
10. Luke 24:50-51 Jesus led the disciples to Bethany, lifted his hands, blessed them, and was carried up into heaven
11. Mark 16:19-20 the Lord was received up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God, then disciples preached everywhere
12. Philippians 2:12-14 the benediction, God working in you both the desire and strength to do what pleases him

Talk about it

1. Ray talked about how Christians in America represent about 5% of history and 5% of the world's population living in relative comfort and freedom. How does that perspective change the way you read Peter's words about suffering for righteousness?
2. Peter says to always be ready to give a defense for the hope that is in you, with gentleness and reverence. If someone asked you today why you keep going and stay kind through hard times, what would you say?
3. Ray said you cannot say 'no, Lord,' only 'no' or 'Lord.' What does it look like in practice to sanctify Christ as Lord in your heart rather than submitting to the will of the society around you?
4. Ray described keeping a good conscience as staying in steady contact with God, confessing sin, and going to make things right with people you have wronged. Is there anything in your life right now that is making it hard to keep that clear conscience?
5. The pattern Ray drew from both Christ and Noah is that unjust earthly suffering is followed by divine vindication. How does that pattern give you something to hold onto when what you are going through does not yet look like vindication?