Harvest Pointe Christian Church, Milford Ohio is a non-denominational Christian Church (Church of Christ) on the Eastside of Cincinnati OH

Reason to Witness | Series: I Peter | 05-30-10

A Reason to Witness
Series: I Peter:
Finding Your Way in a 'Whatever' World
I Peter 3:13-22

  I. The Method of Witnessing.
     A. Be Courageous.  Vs. 13-14, Matthew 10:28
        You will never reap a harvest if you never sow a seed.
     B. Be Prepared.  Vs. 15
     C. Be Respectful.  Vs. 15-17

 II. The Motivation for Witnessing.  Verse 18
     A. God's love for us.  Romans 5:8
     B. God's Love for others.

"Unbelievers are not the enemy.  They are victims of the enemy."
Joe Aldrich

III. The Result of Witnessing. 
     A. Salvation from Sin.  Vs. 20-21
     B. Victory over Satan.  Vs. 21-22, John 10:27-30, I John 4:4, I Corinthians 15:57
     C. Hope of Heaven.

Full Text 

In the movie classic The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy meets three friends, who each lacked something very important:  a Scarecrow who needed a brain, a Tin Man who needed a heart, and a Lion who needed courage.  Interestingly, those of us who falter when it comes to sharing our faith, fail for the same reasons.  Like the Scarecrow, we think we don't know enough.  Like the Lion, we're afraid of rejection and failure. Or like the Tin Man, we don't have the heart - we just don't care.  But Peter did, and he wants us to learn some lessons about telling others what Christ means to us.
Let's begin by reading our text for today, I Peter 3:13-22...
I. The Method of Witnessing. 

There are a number of different methods but Peter hits on a few components.  This was during a time when the persecution of Christians was beginning to heat up.  And even though we don't run some of the risks that they did, we can still be rather queasy about telling others. 
So, Peter begins by saying,
A. Be Courageous.

I Peter 3:13-14 "13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.'"  This is a quote from Isaiah 8:12.  God is saying these words to Isaiah because he is about to deliver a hard message to a hardened culture. 
So Peter wants to remind the early New Testament Christians not to be afraid of some of the consequences of being a follower of Christ.  They feared losing their reputation, or maybe even their job or even their physical safety.  And we experience some of those same fears when it comes to sharing our faith and being a witness.  fear of ridicule, fear of rejection, fear of biblical ignorance, and to a lesser degree, fear of physical consequences.  Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Remember that Peter learned the hard way when it comes to speaking up for Jesus.  While warming himself by a fire, when given three opportunities, he blew it.  He denied that he even knew Jesus for fear of physical consequences.  But two months later he preached a sermon and 3,000 responded by giving their lives to Christ.  How do you explain that?  Two differences.
First, in between, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and now Peter really believed in Him.  That gave him courage.  The other difference is the Holy Spirit was in Peter.  And that same Holy Spirit is in you, if you belong to Christ. 
When you share the truth boldly, your job is not to cause a person to accept Christ.  Sometimes we put undue pressure on ourselves, which actually keeps us from sharing our faith.  As a Christian your responsibility is to plant seeds for Christ.  We are to generously sow seeds.  Write this down.  It is really deep and complicated.  You will never reap a harvest if you never sow a seed.  I hope you're sitting there thinking, "Duuh!"  No farmer expects to reap a harvest of, say wheat, unless he sows some seed months before.  And you will never influence someone for Christ if you never sow a seed, whether of love or words.  So, be bold and speak a loving word, in spite of the fear.  Don't worry about the harvest.  God takes care of the increase.
B. Be Prepared

I Peter 3:15 "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…"  We prepare ourselves by knowing God's Word, and knowing our own testimony.  We must be able to share our own personal experience.  People can complain about the look of a church building.  They can tell you about their co-worker who claims to be a Christian but is a big hypocrite.  They can ask hard questions.  But they can not argue with your own personal experience.  Think about when you gave your life to Christ and what He means to you.  You can be confident when you share that.
C. Be Respectful.

I Peter 3:15c-16.  "…15But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."  This word "gentleness" is also translated meekness.  It carries the idea of humility.  It means strength under control.  Evangelism is not to be viewed as a debate to be won.  God called us to win people, not arguments.  When I first started out, I won some debates, but not the people.  I had to learn that people do not operate on pure logic.  Love first, then the logic.
When you set apart Christ as Lord of your life, this verse assumes that people will ask you questions about your life.  Your life will beg questions.  Why are you almost always happy?  Why are you so different?  How do you handle life's struggles?  Sometimes your witness shines through the way you handle suffering and trouble.  Verse 17.  "It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."  The Christian is hopeful in the midst of suffering and at peace in the midst of the storms of life.  Be so hope filled, that your suffering shows people that in your heart you've set apart Christ as Lord.
II. The Motivation for Witnessing.

Verse18.  "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit."
Peter is giving us 2 motivations to share our faith. 
A. God's love for us.

If you've received, grace, forgiveness and salvation it is only right you share it with others.  Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Lance Armstrong is a record seven time winner of the Tour de France.  What is so amazing is that he is a cancer survivor.  He raises a lot of money for cancer research.  For instance, he participated in a Texas bike race that raised $1.5 million dollars for cancer research.  When 60 minutes asked Armstrong why he tries to raise money and awareness for cancer research he said, "I guess it's the obligation of the cured."
And if Jesus Christ has healed you of your sin-sickness, you have the obligation of the cured.  If you've been forgiven, if you're Heaven bound, you have the obligation of the cured.  You owe it to those who have not put their trust in our perfect Savior, to help them be cured of this sin disease.
But the motivation to witness goes beyond God's love for us.
B. God's Love for others.

Gold loves everyone equally.  He doesn't love you more than He loves the homeless man, the exotic dancer or the successful tycoon.  But he wants what's best for you and for others.  Our motivation for sharing our faith is that God's love for others motivates us to love them, too.  If you believe that people are really lost apart from the Lord, then it is the height of selfishness to fail to point them toward the Lord.  It's a love that communicates; you mean so much to me that I cannot imagine you being separated from God for all eternity.
Some people say Hell is a concept dreamed up by preachers to lay a guilt-trip on people so they will be good and come to church.  But if the Bible spoke of a place of eternal torment just one time, we would have to believe it and accept it.  But the Bible doesn't just speak of it Hell just once.  It is mentioned 54 times in the Bible.  Do you know who spoke of it more so than anyone?  Our gentle, loving shepherd-Jesus Christ.  In fact, He went to some incredible lengths so that you would never have to see a place called Hell.  He loved you so much that he went to the cross.  Someone said that Hell is a place where those who don't want God will get what they want - an existence without God.  Christ died for all, even the people who are out to get you. 
Joe Aldrich said, "Remember.  Unbelievers are not the enemy.  They are victims of the enemy."  A hedonistic culture might not be ready to listen to our teaching.  But they simply cannot ignore the unselfish love demonstrated by Christ's followers.
III. The Result of Witnessing.

When a person comes to Christ, three results occur.  These are pretty big things, which should further motivate us to share our faith.
A. Salvation from Sin.

Peter makes an analogy with a familiar Old Testament story.  I Peter 3: 20-21.  "20…God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
The world had become so wicked that God decided to destroy it.  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  God had Noah build an ark and then sent a flood to destroy the world.  The water lifted the ark up above the destruction.  In that sense, the water saved Noah.  Of course, we know that God is the one that really saved Noah, right?  Noah received that salvation by obeying God's command in faith to build the ark.
In the same way, baptism saves us.  But we all know that only God can really save.  We receive that salvation by obeying God's command in faith to be baptized.  There is nothing mystical about being dunked under the water.  Baptism is an act of faith just like repenting of our sins and confessing our belief in Jesus.  Baptism is a beautiful representation of what is happening on the inside.  It is a cleansing of sin. 
True story.  A newer minister was baptizing a man.  He got a little confused about what to say.  He said, "I now pronounce you." and caught himself before he said, "Man and wife."  He covered it real well.  He said, "I now pronounce you baptized!!"  But if you think about it, he really wasn't that far off.  Baptism is like a wedding.  Your relationship radically changes.  You are being united with Jesus Christ.  It is a moment of joy.
Again, there is nothing magical about the water.  Peter says it is "not the removal of dirt from the body."  Peter says baptism saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."  The power of the resurrection of Jesus is the real power that saves.  It is His grace, His gift.  There is nothing that we can do to earn it.  Without faith and commitment baptism makes you just a soaked sinner!  But with faith, we are cleansed.  Remember.  We accept Jesus as both Lord and Savior.  If Jesus is our Lord, we obey His command to be baptized.  Baptism is a response to faith, just like repentance.  We are saved from the consequences of our sin by the power of the resurrection of Christ.
Another result of witnessing is …
B. Victory over Satan.

Verses 21-22 tell us that Baptism "21…saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand-with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him."  Just before He ascended up into Heaven, Jesus said, "All authority in Heaven and earth has been given to me!"
Jesus has the authority to free you from Satan's clutches.  Yes, Satan will try to get you back or to at least make you ineffective, but he is no match for Jesus.  Jesus continues to forgive and the Holy Spirit continues to guide us and help us grow.
In John 10:27-30, Jesus is using the illustration that He is the Shepherd and we are His sheep.  He says, "27My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30I and the Father are one."  No one, not even Satan, can snatch you out of Jesus' hands!  When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, you have won the victory over Satan!  You will still battle him for the rest of your life, but Satan cannot steal you back from Jesus Christ.
Malcolm Smith, who ministers in San Antonio, shares the story of a young lady who flew to Texas from California to see her friends.  The young lady had become involved in the occult and had proclaimed that she had become a witch.  Her friends, who had been unaware of this choice in her life, decided to take her to their church while she was there in Texas.  Surprisingly she said yes.  At a Saturday night service she heard the gospel and made a decision to come to Jesus. The pastor spent a couple of hours teaching her about the Christian faith.
On Monday her boyfriend, who was a sorcerer back in California, had heard of her conversion and so he got on a plane and showed up at the church where he had heard she had attended. He barged into the office screaming at the pastor saying, "You can't have that woman! She's my woman and she's Satan's woman and you can't have her." The preacher said the man was enraged. And he wanted to know where she was staying so he could take her back to California.  And the pastor was so frightened that he just said the address.  And as the sorcerer was storming out the door he suddenly stopped, and turned around and in a haunting voice he said, "Tell me something, you didn't baptize her, did you?"
And the pastor said, "Yes, we baptized her yesterday morning in the service."  And Malcolm Smith said, "All the life drained out of the sorcerer's face and his countenance changed and he quietly said, "It's over then.  I can't touch her now."  And he caught the next plane and headed back to California.
I don't know about you, but I find the occult a little unsettling.  But I also know we are promised in I John 4:4, "…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."  Jesus is greater than Satan and protects me so I can proclaim with I Corinthians 15:57 "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Which brings us to the final result of witnessing.
C. Hope of Heaven.

Christ's resurrection was a preview of coming attractions for Christians.  He conquered the grave so you can conquer the grave.  And it will be awesome!
In reaching people for Christ, the most powerful thing you can do is simply tell how Jesus has changed your life and what He means to you.  People can't argue with that. 
Right now, let's listen to Gino's Testimony.  Gino is one of our bass players as well as our resident plumber.  He is one of those that quietly serves faithfully.  But he wasn't always a Christian.
GINO'S TESTIMONY
Isn't that awesome!  Everyone has a different testimony.
When I was a young preacher I was visiting a Church on a Sunday night.  In the middle of the service the preacher asked me to come up and give my testimony.  I was shocked and embarrassed.  I didn't know it was coming.  I didn't know what to say. 
So I got up there told the truth.  Every testimony I had ever heard was someone talking about how bad they were and then Christ came into their lives and completely changed them.  But I wasn't all that bad.  I have never robbed a bank or murdered anyone and I'm not an alcoholic.  But one day I was talking to a friend and he helped me realize that without the blood of Jesus cleansing me from my "little" sins, I was just as lost as the people doing those "big" sins.  So I gave my life to Christ.  I'm not an emotional person so there were no bright lights or warm fuzzy feelings.  But there has been since that day the confidence that Jesus is my Lord and Savior and one day I will live with Him in Heaven.
The preacher got back up and thanked me.  He said many people can't identify with the bank robber or murderer.  But they can identify with me and my experience.  That's when I learned that I could sow seeds for Christ, too.  And so can you.  You may be like Gino or you may be like me or you may be somewhere in between.  But you have a testimony.  Just share how Christ has changed your life and what He means to you.
What about you?  Has Christ changed your life?  Is Jesus your Lord and Savior?  If not, why not turn to Him in faith.  Come forward and confess your faith in Him and be baptized into Him. Or maybe you've already done that and would like to place your membership with us.  Come, as we stand and sing.

Based on a 09/19/2004 sermon by Dave Stone of South East Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky.