October 26, 2014 The Question of Submission and Suffering

Sept. 14: Introduction & The Question of Salvation 1 Peter 1: John Sept 21: The Question of Scripture 1 Peter 1: 9-12 – Howie Sept. 28: The Question of Sanctification 1 Peter 1: John Oct 5: The Question of Separation 1 Peter 2: 1-12 – Howie Oct 12: The Question of Submission Part 1 1 Peter 2: John Oct 19: The Question of Submission Part 2 1 Peter 3: 1-7 – Howie Oct 26: The Question of Submission and Suffering 1 Peter 3: John

Nov 2: The Question of Suffering Part 1 1 Peter 3: 18- 4:6 - Howie Nov 9: The Question of Suffering Part 2 1 Peter 4: 7-19 – John Nov 16: The Question of Shepherding 1 Peter 5: Howie Nov 23: The Question of Resisting the Devil 1 Peter 5: 6-11 – John Nov 30: Farewell & Peace 1 Peter 5: Howie Dec 7: Wrapping it all up 1 Peter – Howie & John

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Continued….. Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 17:27 He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Proverbs 15:4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, But perversion in it crushes the spirit. Proverbs 10:18 He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool. Proverbs 6:28 A perverse man spreads strife, And a slanderer separates intimate friends. Colossians 3:8-9 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, Proverbs 13:3 The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge, But the hearts of fools are not so. Proverbs 16:23 The heart of the wise instructs his mouth And adds persuasiveness to his lips. Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Ephesians 4:25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH EACH ONE of you WITH HIS NEIGHBOR, for we are members of one another.

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.